"Of course, sir." He takes out the bagged gun and presents it. "Gloves were worn to preserve any information that could be taken from the users' handprint. I only grabbed the one, as I was nearest to the one fallen shooter."
Breathing heavily, Lolo reholsters her pistol, brushing aside her sudden feelings of guilt. The gunmen had put a lot of innocent lives at risk. She was a good rat with a gun.
Sighing, she leaves the laser on the gunman she'd shot. Almost penniless, she could use the money that gun would fetch at a pawn shop. But, the police were coming. It would just be more questions.
Turning to the android, the ysoki shrugs. "We go to their headquarters? Or..."
Lolo strides over to the dead dwarf and begins going through his possessions. Perhaps he had some clue on him why they were all sent for?
Spying the computer, Lolo snatches it and casually walks behind a cargo container. Now, just to unlock it...
Sighing, she tries again.
And again...
The officers then talk to everyone, ask for their I'd and their version of events. It's rather routine and as it is clear that it's a gang shootout with an accidental victim they cut you some slack. They want to get this done and over with to get the bay up and working again.
Only Boreal get's special treatment. She is approached by two officers. One with the hand on the pistol the other with a plasma rifle ready but pointed to the floor. The officer - trained in culture sensitivity notices the colorful scales and deducts rightly that Boreal is a she. "Madam, please put your weapon down." Once she follows the orders she gets a full identification program. With face scanning, DNA sampling and the full questionaire about the from and to and her plans on the station. Lastly she gets to choose between coming along and take up a free room at the station security or wear a location tracker until the case is closed.
Perhaps he had some clue on him why they were all sent for?
"Of course, sir." He takes out the bagged gun and presents it. "Gloves were worn to preserve any information that could be taken from the users' handprint. I only grabbed the one, as I was nearest to the one fallen shooter."
The officer scans the weapon with his handheld device "Thank you. Your version of events please?"
After messing with the computer, Lolo approaches an officer, admitting her role in the shootout. Leaving no details out, except that she had the urge to lift the wounded gang member's pistol, and that she had Kreel's computer, the ysoki looks to the officer, her brow creased in concern.
"I'm sorry for being involved, but they'd just shot an innocent bystander. I was worried more would die before you all would arrive."
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As the sound of sirens grows louder, Allison backs up, "Hey, you, know, uh, one of them got away. I'm gonna go look for him. He might know why the dwarf was here!"
From either a questionable past, some preexisting prejudice, or just a lack of trust of government employees, it's clear to all that she doesn't seem to want any part of Johnny Law.
Wraith drifts down the ramp that the errant 21-er left in.
No matter what, she still is alone in a strange place, and those people she came with are the only ones she knows. She'll keep an eye on them, and pop back when the cops are done with them.
In theory.
As Soryn's efforts turn out to be for naught the Kasatha places a hand upon the Mystic's shoulder. When the officers approach she stands up with him.
When they discover the lack of weapons and question the Shirren her eyes drift over to where Allison disappeared to.
The officer replies to Lolo "No worries, those are both members from known gangs. They usually don't show up in public on the upper levels so this will cause some publicity. Poor dwarf who got into the crossfire. Please show me your weapon for scanning to match the weapons to the persons shot."
They then double check that the dwarf was not shot by one of you but indeed by one of the gang. They make a scan of the area with a hover-drone and after the wounded ones and the bodies are collected by the medics the area is worked over by a cleaning drone and the security officers collect the tape and leave.
Lolo produces Kreel's computer, with a flourish and a smile. "We were to meet with Kreel and a shirren named Chiskisk at the Starfinder Society Lodge. Perhaps we should meet with Chiskisk and let him know of his friend's fate?"
As the Wraith's reappearance and... non-sequitur statement at the current event Tannhäuser tilts her head quizzically before deciding not to comment.
When Lolo approaches she nods. "That sounds like a good idea."
Eric can appreciate that Wraith isn't a fan of governmental agencies, his own people were created and then subjugated by such agencies.
I believe that the Dwarf Kreel might have had a digital presence that could be traced to a location.
Only Boreal get's special treatment. She is approached by two officers. One with the hand on the pistol the other with a plasma rifle ready but pointed to the floor. The officer - trained in culture sensitivity notices the colorful scales and deducts rightly that Boreal is a she. "Madam, please put your weapon down." Once she follows the orders she gets a full identification program. With face scanning, DNA sampling and the full questionaire about the from and to and her plans on the station. Lastly she gets to choose between coming along and take up a free room at the station security or wear a location tracker until the case is closed.
Manteca seems distracted as he stammers through his version of events. "It was all so quick - we left the shuttle and the shooting began. We were supposed to be meeting that dwarf -" he points to the dead Kreel "-on Pathfinder business, but then the gangs began... I'm sorry, I'm just confused. Why are they approaching the vesk's treatment differently? She was on the shuttle with us, on the same business as us, and only drew weapons when the gunmen began shooting at her. This singling out for treatment seems xenophobic at best, and malicious at worst."
Sad that the dwarf was dead, the lashunta succinctly gives his version of the events. He was suppose to meet Duravor Kreel about business with the Starfinder Society. He got off the shuttle and shots were fired. Duravor was dead. he tried to save him. he tried.
Soryn stood around the others and agreed, "Seeing this Chiskisk person seems the best course of action."
Start Backflash
-on Starfinder business, but then the gangs began... I'm sorry, I'm just confused. Why are they approaching the vesk's treatment differently? She was on the shuttle with us, on the same business as us, and only drew weapons when the gunmen began shooting at her. This singling out for treatment seems xenophobic at best, and malicious at worst.
"Thank you Mam'. I can assure you that this is standard treatment for everyone who separates a person's head from their body. As it looks the only two dead so far are the dwarf and the guy this vesk cut in two."
End Backflash|
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Start Another Backflash!.....
As the cops did their poking and prodding and no doubt leaving no part untouched, Allison, finding neither ganger nor danger, sat down cross legged and took her comm in both hands for faster typing.
She did -not- want her face in security's hands.
She started a standard Worm search subroutine, confident that if she could override the feed she could get to the UCP circuit through the unicode SNRT processor.
Manteca glumly listens to the security guard's reasoning and finishes giving his report.
He joins the rest of his would-be Starfinders as they discuss plans. "Yes, let us speak to Chiskisk. Mayhaps Starfinder resources will have answers to Kreel's demise." Any answers would be soothing at this point...
You take a public transportation service shuttle to the address you found on Duravor's computer. Which is the Lorespire Complex. This cluster of buildings with its eponymous central spire is home to the Starfinder Society. While most people immediately think of the campus’s famous Archives, with its massive collection of texts and artifacts gathered from across the galaxy and studied in communal labs, the Starfinder headquarters is also home to the offices of the organization’s venture-captains, who help agents with funding and logistics for their exploration and research. The Lorespire Complex also houses the Hall of Discovery, where the elected Forum members and First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo meet to steer the organization, and the vast, heavily secured machinery containing Guidance, the collective consciousness of previous Starfinder leaders.
As you ask for meeting with Chiskisk your meeting is confirmed by the receptionist. You're handed guest-ID transponders that allow you to move in the public areas. How they work you see as one employee walks into the glass of an automatic sliding door and just then notices that he forgot his at home. It is one of the offices the Venture Captains reside in that you are led to to meet with Chiskisk. On her info screen is the police report of the incident at the docking bay with some video footage from the security camera's of the bay. "I am sorry that I cannot welcome you to Absalom Station under better circumstances. I assure you that such attacks are not a daily occurrence, though I realize that is likely small comfort to you. I am pleased that none of you were seriously hurt, but I grieve for Duravor’s death. He was a valued member of the Society, and a friend. May the Lady of Graves be kind in her judgment of his soul." The shirren bows their head momentarily, then looks up, their compound eyes glittering.
"What puzzles me is the reason behind the attack." Chiskisk taps a few commands into their computer. "According to the incident report just released by station security, two gangs were involved in the attack: the Downside Kings and the Level 21 Crew. Gang wars are not uncommon on the station, but they usually confine themselves to the more lawless sectors like the Puddles. It is rare for street gangs to battle openly in public areas like the docks. I cannot help but wonder whether all is as it seems. There must be a reason why those two gangs were at Docking Bay 94 at that time—the time of your arrival, coincidentally. But was it coincidence? Were you and Duravor just innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire, or might you and he have been specifically targeted? And if so, why?"
"My understanding is that you are interested in becoming Starfinders, and since you were witnesses to the attack, I would like to ask you to investigate the incident on behalf of the Society. Find out exactly what happened and why. It may simply be a matter of being in the wrong place at the wrong time — I have no doubt station security will rule it so — but if Duravor was murdered, I would like to find justice for my friend. So do you think you're up to such a task?"
"I have another task that I consider to give to you, but there are still a few days of preparations and negotiations before that comes to pass."
Manteca's eyes glitter. Despite the solemnity of the occasion, already being entrusted with legitimate Starfinder work excites him.
"Your request seems prudent. As someone who is more familiar with Absalom Station, where would you suggest beginning a search for answers?"
"The station security, the infosphere, asking around?" Chiskisk replies. "I don't know. Usually we Starfinders search other kinds of knowledge."
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"Haha! Ha ha. Ha. No," Allison says as she marches up and drapes an arm around Manteca. "What my friend here means is what is your suggestion for the -true- beginning. As in, what remuneration is to be discussed as we do this task, which you have assigned to, to us, and make take some time and hardship and resources to complete.
Right buddy?"
Allison must still be getting used to things here. She's off to a rough start.
I believe that the human Allison Whiteangel is asking for payment. EH-RK offers helpfully
In many cases with humanoids, and many other Pact World races, that economic incentives provide ample encouragement to act. It would be highly illogical to fail to provide one.
"Mister Duravor was only there because he was supposed to be meeting us, I require no payment for looking into his death, though any resources or information you provide would be greatly appreciated." Tannhäuser solemnly says.
"If you want payment, apply for an office job. Or the military, if that's more to your liking. If you want to become a Starfinder Agent then it is about possibilities. You prove that you are capable of managing yourself and given situations and I provide you with missions and the means to accomplish them you could only dream of otherwise. How you make a living of that is up to you. The only payment the Starfinder Society offers is for knowledge that gets published in our archives." Chiskisk replies.
Eric replies in deadpan I believe that the Shirren Chiskisk did imply that theft of items from troves of forgotten technology is an acceptable form of self payment.
EH-RK says to the Starfinder My former consciousness implored me to find the Society. It is my belief that this is the Society to which my consciousness referred. I will assist.
Soryn was not expecting to have to give a free sample of his abilities but being new to the station and the offer of future tasks, hopefully paid, was enough to sway his decision.
"I will also help, until we find an answer or you have a different task for us."
He asked, "Can you tell us more about Mr. Kreel? Do you have a record of his recent activities?"
"Beyond that, do you expect their to be much fighting required? And can you do something about... this?" Boreal says raising her leg and indicating her locator
"The information about Duravor I have are mostly about his activities as a Starfinder. And there is nothing I deem a reason to have him killed. But feel free to scan the archive for that."
To Boreal Chiskisk adds "Usually we hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. So it is good to have someone with martial abilities on the group. But with that I can't help."
Manteca clacks his mandibles thoughtfully. "Thank you for this, Chskisk." He telepathically sends a message of thanks, gratitude, well-being, and other such warm fuzzy feelings to the Starfinder.
He turns back to his party. "It seems the most expeditious way is to find the parties involved in this and find their interest. We can prove Boreal Typhon, Daughter of Zerukesh "Hornbreaker" Typhon, Daughter of Tarsonis "Jaeger" Typhon innocent of any wrong-doing, -" he begins ticking off items on his claws. "- we can determine if there are opposed interests or if it was simple poor luck that killed Master Kreel, and we can obtain resources to further future expeditions, either through network-building or forcefully taking from known criminals. Does this seem an agreeable path to all?" He tilts his head and looks at the party.
"You can start your investigations in the library." Chiskisk suggests and leads you there. It is indeed a large hall with books along all the walls, but in this ancient setting are dozens of reading tables with the newest tech for research in both the Infosphere as well as the Archives. "I wish you best of luck with your first task for the Starfinder Society." Chiskisk leaves you there and returns to your office.
The use of the holoscreens is pretty easy. You put your guest-ID transponders on the table and with that you're logged in.
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Allison grumbles the whole way to the library.
"*grumble grumble don't exactly see the percentage in this grumble grumble*"
She slumps in one of the chairs in front of newtech reading table and starts to halfheartedly skim the news feeds.
"*grumble grumble soooo boring grumble grumble."
Although in time she realizes that the library system seems to have a decent amount of processing power, and, from a human's perspective, infinite knowledge.
"Oooo! If I encode the BUS, we can get to the SDD processor through the backup DDR! Hey! And I can use their neural FTP application to back up the XHTML network! WizARD!"
Dr. Imani meticulously hunts for each individual letter on the holopad, tapping one at a time.
"Do you have a sparring yard?" Boreal asks Chiskisk before they leave her office
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"Found it!" Allison chirps, calling up a brief timeline on 3 screens--one that is actually hers and two she annexed from adjacent terminals.
"Looks like our boy was no big whoop, but not the lowest butt on the totem pole. Instructor and talent scout, basic middle-management.
Which meannnnnnnnt--" she says in triumph, wiping away the screen and bringing up an image of a Big Foreboding Corporate Building, "That when he want all S-J-W 99-percenter and started gettin' all up in the grill of a certain MEga-corp of Ares Macrotechnology, erm, the Ranraku Arcology, um, Saeder-Krupp Heavy Industries? Astral Extractions about how they do business and how they -don't- treat their workers, he didn't have enough clout from up on high or enough cashy-money from this do-gooder society we're wrapped up in to deflect all the bad karma he brought his way.
My guess? Hit job. Make it look like an accident. Maybe those shooters knew it was a job, maybe they aren't even gangers, just dressed for the part.
Whatevs. We're done here. Wanna get back an' report?"
Dr. Imani is lucky the logon is automatic. But the tapping around doesn't bring him closer to the result. As he taps around on the holoscreen on the ever changing data streams he makes an unlucky tap and opens a stream with video footage and much too loud sound that halls through the library "Aaah, yes,... oh god,... aah,..." Despite the repeated callings to god this doesn't seem to be a religious act. All eyes in the library turn on Dr. Imani.
Sorry, no sparring yard here. Chiskisk says on her way out.
My guess? Hit job. Make it look like an accident. Maybe those shooters knew it was a job, maybe they aren't even gangers, just dressed for the part.
Whatevs. We're done here. Wanna get back an' report?"[/b]
Soryn chuckled, "What are we going to report? I don't think you understand."
He added, "We can't just go back and say things like 'guess' and 'maybe'; we need to make sure of what we are talking about. If you think a gang did the killing then we need to investigate the gang and their motive for killing Duravor."
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Dr. Imani is lucky the logon is automatic. But the tapping around doesn't bring him closer to the result. As he taps around on the holoscreen on the ever changing data streams he makes an unlucky tap and opens a stream with video footage and much too loud sound that halls through the library "Aaah, yes,... oh god,... aah,..." Despite the repeated callings to god this doesn't seem to be a religious act. All eyes in the library turn on Dr. Imani.
Dr. Imani thinks that he recognizes some sort of mating ritual, but still has a few gaps in his xenobiology that need addressing.
"Psssst. Allison!" He waves his claws at her to make sure he gets her attention. "I found some sort of mating display, and I'm just curious - why do humans only have the singular mating arm? How do humans decide which one has to serve both as genetic contributor and host? What's the significance of all of the religious talk to the actions they're doing - it doesn't seem to be dedicated to a specific god, which is intriguing of itself..."
Biologics in general have such inefficient methods of gene transfer. Eric says
Eric replies to Soryn I concur. The highest probability I can extrapolate would be thirty nine point oh two five percent that the shooting was intentional, and targeted. There just isn't enough data available...yet. We should "ask around" and find the causes of the altercation.
Eric uses his own data processor to do a quick search for Kreel
Noticing a tie between Kreel and the company Astral Extraction, Eric does searches on the company, its holdings and any possible activity on Absolom station.
Sighing, Lolo reaches into her pack to hand over Kreel's computer - just when Chiskisk mentions he wants them to investigate the dwarf's death further. Obviously, Kreel's computer could come in handy. I should probably hold onto it for now...
In the library, Lolo lets out a high, tittering laugh as Manteca accesses his 'mating ritual.' "You should see the ysoki rituals. Or not. Its probably for the best. Not that we don't enjoy them or anything!"
Pulling Kreel's computer from her pack, Lolo sets it on the table and stares at it for a moment. Back on the docking bay, it was easy enough to unlock with a few minutes of tinkering, but as for delving deeper, into his password-protected digital life? That could take awhile. Gnawing a little on her wrist, Lolo twists uncomfortably in her booster chair and gets to work.
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"Sure, one sec, Imani," Allison says as she z-mails her findings to her personal comm. "Yeah, what is it you wanted to OH MY GOD!" she exclaims, possibly reinforcing the religious aspect?
Allison hits the Mute button to the relief of the rest of the library. "Oh, wow, she's really getting in to it. It's nice to see Nicky Nine's work. Oh! Umn, I mean, well, you see, ah, when a man and a woman really like each other, or when they just kinda like each other and find themselves alone and bored, or, um, if they don't even really know each other but have imbibed a lot of alcohol, then they go back to his place, or her place, or just a seedy motel that is across from the bar, and then, um, ah, screw it."
With a few keystrokes she replaces the video with the U-Doctor site. Though it comes with 4-D models and graphical representations, the highly technical language and scientific treatment of the matter annihilate any sexuality.
"There. Um, knock yourself out," she says, trying to neither blush nor self-consciously see if the android is watching, and not really succeeding at either.
"Um, what, Soryn? Check out the gangs?" she says as a drowning man might clutch at a life preserver. "Yeah, yeah. That's chill. Um, but where? Okay, wait, I'll, ah, um, I'll go check that out!"
Allie gratefully slides back in to her own seat, and checks out some Whelp reviews, some BookSpace posts, and a Goooooogle search to see where all the cool kids who are in to hot times, questionable substances, and murder-for-hire are hanging out these days.
Manteca remains equally fascinated by the video that Allison navigates away from and the diagrams that Allison pulls up, and quickly scrawls itself a note on it's personal comm:
'Note to self - study human mating rituals in further detail.'
Peering over the shoulders of Allison and EH-RK, he gets the gist of what they're working on and decides that he can probably help a little more efficiently if he stops trying to help personally.
He wanders through the Lorespire's archives, looking for some sort of librarian or archivist. Upon finding them, he approaches somewhat bashfully.
"Hello, sorry to bother you - my name is Doctor Manteca Imani and I'm having some trouble picking up the hang of the organization systems here. Could you assist me in finding information on a business? One 'Astral Extractions?'"
The librarian is pleased to help.
Eric continues his computer work, his android skin tatoos lighting up as his processors begin working.
It seems the Hardscrabble Collective is involved, or at least the Dwarf Kreel had ties to them.