As the shirren hunkers down to defend himself from the onslaught to come, Krevlor and Darshe take the opportunity to shoot the woman as she leaves her hiding spot. Krevlor's shot flies just off-target, but the soldier's bullet rips through the back of ganger's stationwear and fires through her lung. A choked scream escapes her lips before she falls to the floor in a crumpled heap.
On the other side of the room, a multicoloured light and pyrotechnics show erupts from Herald's glowing form, enveloping the red-headed gang member in the scintillating flames. She spins around and ducks momentarily away from the flames, which scorch the backs of her arms and singe her hair, but she remains relatively unscathed otherwise.
Swift Action: Stand from Prone (because I'm not sure I could see over the booth otherwise)
Move Action: Target R2
Standard Action: Fire
Cree stands and lays his rifle against the counter of the information booth, taking careful aim at the gang member hiding behind the crates. He squeezes the trigger and feels the familiar thrill of satisfaction in making a well-placed shot as the bullet embeds itself into the ganger's bicep.
The ganger curses loudly. "Crap, they downed the Kings! Let's split before they get us too!" he cries, before hustling towards an access way, followed closely by the gang member who had been hiding behind the barrels during the altercation. He stops at the entry to the accessway. "Adine, you too! Ditch your boyfriend and dance another time!" he yells before disappearing down the hallway.
The red-headed woman snarls and springs backwards out of the range of Herald's knife skills. She strides quickly towards the accessway, flipping a rude hand gesture at the solarian before following her compatriots.
Herald switches to his rifle and raises it, training it on the back of the woman as she flees. He lets out a breath and lowers it, letting her go. Once he's certain they're gone, his glowing blue solar armor disappears, becoming a tiny blue sun orbiting around his head again.
"Is everyone else okay?" Herald asks the group, trotting around the cargo trolley and slinging his rifle on his back. "Anyone injured?"
Krevlor keeps peering at where the gangers went and snatches glances at his allies while reloading his pistol, hoping to see if any are injurred.
As the sound of the commotion dies down, bystanders come out of hiding. Some of them are injured, but a cursory glance shows that most of the injuries are to do with the attempts of people to flee rather than being caught in the crossfire. Other than the three dead gangers there are no other confirmed casualties, although Duravor is still lying motionless on the ground where he fell.
In the distance, the sound of a siren echoes through the concourse.
Valorus runs up to Durvavor. He looks down at the still body, then turns to his allies, broadcasting to Krevlor "{You said you were a medic, yes? May I ask for your assistance?}"
Krevlor didn't have high hopes for Duragor but now that hostiles were no longer present he could attempt to help people. He didn't move directly over to the dwarf, he stood in a position that would cover the fallen dwarf in the area of effect as well as as many of the injured bystanders as possible.
He drew upon the energy from inside into a tight ball and released it into a wave of energy that washed over those present.
He then moved over to Duragor to check him out.
Herald will move to be close to Krevlor when he channels his healing ability, and gives him a nod of thanks. He'll crouch down while Krevlor looks the dwarf over, shaking his head. "If your healing mojo didn't save him, I don't think that a medkit's gonna cut it." he says, frowning sympathetically and placing a hand on his shoulder.
Attempting to catch as many of the injured bystanders as he can, Valorus, Krevlor, and Herald all take a look over Duravor's still form. It is clear to Krevlor that the dwarf is dead, having been shot clean through the neck by one of the errant laser shots.
Cree skirts around the info booth he'd been using as cover, yanking a handful of new rounds from his belt and holding them in his teeth. He reloads his rifle as he walks toward the Dwarf's body, bleeding on the ground. "He's gone, ain't he?" Shot looked clean. That's too damn bad. I liked Duravor."
When the surviving gang sounds their retreat, Darshe moves out of his cover with one hand nursing the wound on his neck, the other keeping his rifle pointed in their general direction. Only after they have vanished down the hallway does he lower it. With an angry sigh he slings it back over his shoulder, before meeting up with the others near Duravor's body.
Feeling Krevlor's curative magic wash over him, he removes his hand from his neck, finding that it no longer pains him. He gives the kasatha an appreciative nod before looking to the dwarf, his expression quickly turning grim.
"Those bastards..." he mutters, kneeling down by Duravor and shaking his head. "He never even had a fighting chance."
He looks in the direction of the approaching siren and lets out another sigh. "What a damn mess."
Krevlor sighs "I am afraid his death was near instantaneous. If I was forewarned and adjacent to him able to apply direct healing there was a small chance but even then unlikely.
As the five prospective Starfinders gather around the body, they are careful not to stand on the datapad lying nearby, its screen cracked but otherwise unharmed. Soon a small emergency transport vehicle arrives - the source of the siren - with a pair of medical attendants in bright blue scrubs as passengers. One of the medical technicians, a human male, begins setting up a small triage area while an android technician scans the scene quickly, before pressing on his throat and speaking to no-one in particular. "We have multiple injuries and multiple casualties in Docking Bay 94. Requesting second medical team immediately."
The two medical technicians begin to get to work assisting with the injured, and after a moment, two Station Security Officers arrive. A kasatha male attempts to keep people from converging on the scene near the three fallen gang members, while a human woman walks over to the group assembled near to the dwarf, her hand raised in a halting motion. "Please stop what you are doing. May I ask you some questions about what happened here?"
Krevlor turns to the human female "You can, I am quite willing to co operate." But then waits for her first question unsure what information she would prioritise.
Cree steps back as the medical teams swarm around the bodies, slinging his rifle over his shoulder and waving at the human woman. "Howdy. Sure, you can ask us anything you like. We got off that ship," the Ysoki points at the ramp the group had departed only a minute ago, "watched ol' Durovar here get shot, and then participated in a lively kerfuffle. You need anything more specific?"
The officer nods and presses a button on the side of the comms unit that is clipped just underneath a badge with the name 'Dereforth' written on it, causing a small red light to flash steadily. "Thank you - can you tell me what happened here? Did you know any of the deceased? She looks down at the talkative ysoki and nods. "Any details you can give would be greatly appreciated."
"Details, well I have identified the gangs involved as the Downtown Kings and the Level 21 Crew given their livery. Seeing an ally shot down before us we tried to drive off the gangs. After the conflict I channeled healing energies to catch a wide area of individuals including Durovar however it is my assessment that his death was near instantaneous."
"Duravor Kreel is a contact we were due to meet here. He is a member of the Starfinder Society and we are hopeful applicants to join the Society. I would surmise given the nature of Duravor's injury it was either extraordinary bad luck that he got such a lethal hit in the initial crossfire or he was an intentional target for one of the gangs involved. But that is conjecture of course. When you are done with your inquiries I am willing to assist your medics in tending to the injured."
Herald snickers as Krevlor gives a full summation. "Yeah, what he said." he tells the officer. "Someone shot our contact then shot at us, and so we shot back."
Darshe seems to relax when security doesn't immediately put them under arrest. "That's about the size of it," he remarks, having little to add to Krevlor's report. "We came in on board the Okimoro just a few minutes ago. The attack started just moments after that."
"{I have nothing substantial to add as well,}" Valorus tells the officer. "{His summary was an accurate representation of what happened.}"
The second pair of station security officers arrives on the scene, each appearing to begin talking to bystanders and trying to keep people off of the crime scene. Officer Dereforth nods as Orlam recounts the group's version of events as experienced by them, seemingly satisfied with the accuracy and clarity of the recording. "Thank you, sir. If you'll excuse me for a few minutes, please remain here while I speak with one of the other officers," she says as she jogs back over to her partner. The two security officers put their heads close to each other and begin speaking in hushed tones.
While the officers and the medical technicians are distracted, Herald drops to one knee near the body of the bald, tattooed ganger and surreptitiously takes the azimuth laser pistol in his hand and tucks the weapon away. Cree attempts to do the same, but catches Officer Dereforth turning around and does not manage to get the second weapon in hand in time.
Officer Dereforth strides back to the group and nods at them. "Thank you all for your patience and your assistance. You are free to go for now, as the witness accounts collected so far appear to corroborate your account of events. May I please get your comm codes in case the detective to be assigned this investigation has further questions for you?"
The officer's communicator is still recording, and she appears to be open to answering questions in return for your assistance.
"Yeah sure! Here's my comm code." Herald exclaims, passing the information along. "Any idea where we should go to report Duravor's death? We'll need to go to Starfinder HQ."
Krevlor hands over his comm code without complaint and stays silent, Herald has asked the pertinent question.
Officer Dereforth purses her lips in thought for a moment. "Well, we will notify the next of kin of the deceased if there are any. If you're looking to get to the Lorespire Complex, you can find it in Drifter's End - one of the neighbourhoods in the Ring of the station. You can get there by walking down the concourse out there," she says as she indicated towards the large double doors opposite to the docking bay ramp, "and then take a ringtrain to the station at Drifter's End. You can't miss the Lorespire when you're there."
Valorus gives his Comm Number to the police officers. After they give their directions, Valorus tells them, {Thank you for your assistance.} He turns to the others and says to them, "(Well? Shall we?}" He gestures towards the direction the officer told them to head.
Cree sets off toward the Lorespire Complex, nodding up at officer Dereforth. "Thank you kindly, Officer. We'll catch up later, I'm sure."
"Do you have to take his datapad as evidence?" Darshe asks as he hands over his contact information, nodding toward the cracked datapad on the ground. "I imagine his associates will want to take a look at it."
"I'm afraid so, sir," the officer says, nodding her head. "If there is anything on it that will help the investigation, the detective will need that information. Once it is no longer required, we can organise for it to be picked up by his next of kin."
Krevlor nod's towards the officer and excuses himself from the conversation, ready to move on from here. He goes through the directions of given in his head to make sure he will remember, not wanting to get lost on such a large space station.
As the group prepares to leave the docking bay, they turn back one last time to watch the medical technicians covering Duravor's body with a thin white sheet. Making their way through the great double-doors, they exit onto the main concourse of the Arm - one of the several long spikes about a mile long that extend out from the centre of Absalom Station that serve as access piers for ships of all differing shapes and sizes.
They are met with a large crowd of people going about their daily lives, oblivious to any of the chaos that had occurred in the docking bays on the other side. Merchants and hawkers call out over the cacophany for people to try samples of their wares and the scent of all manner of food wafts from various food carts.
The lighting that runs along the roof of the concourse is as bright as the mid-morning sun on an average planet, and information booths with an interactive map on the outside of them can be seen spaced every couple of hundred feet. A sign above the nearest information booth has the word 'Ringtrain' printed on it, with an arrow to indicate which direction to go.
Krevlor isn't looking to dawdle so as long as no one is stopping on business he's happy to head towards the lorespire with the directions given.
He will attempt to ask while waiting/on the ring train about current affairs on the station, paying particular interest to anything about gang activity.
Valorus will follow suit and head towards the Ringtrain station.
The group soon find themselves at the base of a set of stairs leading up to a small platform. A wide rail with a mag-lev system and concentric rings that give the Ringtrain system it's name extend on both sides of the platform, and periodically a tube-shaped carriage will stop at the platform to allow for passengers to alight from and board onto it. There does not appear to be anywhere to buy a ticket for the train, and there does not appear to be any transport officers on the platform.
The ringtrain station is busy without being crowded, and there does not seem to be anyone who might appear to be a member of either of the two gangs in the vicinity. Listening into conversations, the only thing of note being talked about outside of the humdrum of station life is a pair of smartly dressed businessmen talking about 'the ship that appeared just inside of the station's sensors about a week back, dragging an asteroid from the Drift behind it'.
It is not a long wait before one of the ringtrains stops at the station platform, the thrum of the mag-lev propulsion system being set to idle vibrating through the air. The carriages are all equally crowded, with little room for personal space. The crowd of people attempt to make as much room as is possible for the towering form of the vesk and the broadly built kasatha.
Once all the new passengers have boarded the carriage, the doors close behind them with a hydraulic sigh, and the ringtrain lurches forward slowly to make its way towards its next destination. The view out of the windows is a blur of tall buildings and streets far below, and the borders between neighbourhoods appear to be distinctly jarring as styles of building change from block to block, and sometimes from one side of the street to the other. The ringtrain stops a few times, with each station being announced with a feminine voiceover through the carriage's intercom about a half minute before slowing down and stopping at another elevated platform.
Finally, the intercom's pleasantly feminine voice announces "Drifter's End" as the next stop, and many of the carriage's occupants shift their feet as they prepare to disembark. The district and streets below are clean enough, with graffiti-style murals and public notice boards affixed to many of the bare building walls. Neon signs advertise all manner of businesses, most of them geared towards explorers, long-haul space crews, and space-faring vagabonds of varying sorts. Every street seems to have a bar or recruiting office somewhere on it, and all of the roads feel like they lead to the central jewel of the neighbourhood, the Lorespire.
The campus complex is large by comparison to the buildings around it, taking up nearly a whole district block on its own. Deep blue metal clads the various multi-storeyed buildings making up its structure, and a massive blue tower in the centre of the complex with a gilded golden compass star spinning slowly on the top of it. A concrete walkway leads up to a set of three doorway openings, through which is what appears to be a reception area on the other side.
Krevlor looked around the campus. Despite the initial thrill of combat now he could look forward to year of study and training. There were several books he hoped to locate and read within the Lorespire.
"I am uncertain whether the local authorities will have contacted the Starfinder Society yet or if we will be the harbingers of the grim news regarding Mister Kreel."
Herald sighs. "Yeah but we gotta show up either way, so let's go." he says, more than willing to lead the way.
Going into the Lorespire, he looks for someone who looks to be working there, and asks to find out who he needs to talk to about Duravor Kreel, omitting his death unless asked why he's not there.
Despite the wound being healed, Darshe rubs his neck self-consciously. The memory of their recent battle was a troublesome one, but the very sight of the Lorespire never fails to elicit a smile from him. This day is no different.
"I dunno, news travels fast around here. I guess we'll see," he comments as he follows Herald, not too keen on being the bearer of bad news himself.
Cree saunters off of the ringtrain underfoot of his Kasatha companion. "The Spire's a great, big monster of a place. They know just about everything happening in Absalom, so it wouldn't surprise me if they knew about Kreel."
He lets out a low whistle as the Lorespire comes into view. "I never get tired of looking at it, even now."
After spending a few moments admiring the imposing facade of the Lorespire Complex, the group make their way into the reception area. It is a pleasantly appointed room with white armchairs set up in small groups for people to sit and talk with one another, and vibrant green plants in white stone urns accent the pale colours of the room. Meeting rooms are off to the side of the reception area, and a long desk sits in front of the back wall.
Behind the reception desk sits a human woman in professional business attire, her hair cut close to the scalp and her bright cyan-coloured eyes are appearing to glow. As the group approaches the desk, they can see that she has an earpiece in her left ear and she is tapping at a keyboard with one hand that is organic, while the other is cybernetic.
Upon being approached by Herald and the rest of his entourage, she looks up and smiles, her hands not even skipping a beat as they continue to type. "Duravor? Let me just check for you, sir."
She ceases her typing and presses at the earpiece with a slender cybernetic finger, before leaning forward and typing a few keyboard commands into her terminal. "Ah, yes. Duravor is meant to be meeting with Chiskisk this morning to discuss recruitment for the Society. Let me just page them for you." The receptionist types out a few more commands and has to wait only for a moment before a puzzled look crosses her face. "Odd. Chiskisk has said that Duravor isn't with them right now and that they would like to speak with you."
The young woman stands and smooths the front of her trousers before turning towards the door leading further into the administration building. She waves a hand in front of a sensor, and the sliding door sighs as it opens to reveal several desks and offices to the sides. She makes her way to one of the side offices and knocks softly on the frosted glass wall. She appears to nod and smiles at the group who have followed her, ushering the five prospective Starfinders into the office.
The office has been appointed similarly to much of the administration area - pleasant with light colours to help it feel more open than it is. Piles of papers are stacked neatly to the side of the room, and a pale wood bookshelf overflows with textbooks and baskets. There are six seats in front of a polished and unadorned plastic desk with a computer terminal set to one side.
A shirren sits at the computer terminal, dressed in an understated business suit with a compass point pinned to the lapel. Chiskisk appears to be nervously flexing their antennae from side to side. As the group begin to file into the office, Chiskisk stands and holds out their hand in greeting. {"Welcome, it is a pleasure to meet you,"} they say, their voice telepathically sounded in everyone's mind. {"May I offer you refreshments? Processed-protein wafers, or a glass of filtered water perhaps?"} they ask, waving to a small side table with a plate of little pink wafers, a carafe of clear liquid, and several tumblers set on it.
After everyone has settled, Chiskisk looks over the five recruits sat before them, and they lean forward slightly. {"So, if I may inquire - where is Duravor?"}
Herald doesn't waste time beating around the bush. "We got ambushed at the docking bay." he says, clearly agitated. "Two gangs started fighting. Duravor was in the crossfire."
"He's dead." he says finally, taking a protein wafer and some water in the silence as Chiskisk takes in the news.