"That is correct Dash, Kreel advocated for the Hardscrabble Collective. If we intend to find Level 21, we should ask for Jabaxa, their leader. We could try the collective, but as you said, they have no offices on station, and I am unsure how to approach the armada. I believe Level 21 may be our best chance for information." The Shirren chatters between bites between bites of a protein bar, seemingly awake except for his drooping anntenae.
"I do not have a large --- credit-carrot*?--- to dangle but we might be able to peacefully discuss with them. I only shot one and my weapon is non-lethal, I hope they do not hold that against me."
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Abe spends the morning hours clicking away at the screen searching everything he can on the Level 21 Crew. Though it doesn't seem the crew is broadcasting their tactics and information on how to meet / join across the Absalom Infosphere. Though Abe is able to find a rough area of locals complaining of criminal activity that may help lead in the right direction.
Deciding the Level 21 Crew might be a small bit more amicable in discussions due to the group not killing their crew the group decides to head in their direction, the 21st deck on the Spike, the crowded, run-down lower half of Absalom Station.
The surrounding neighborhood is low-end, but not quite a slum.
Absalom Station has any number of places for mercenaries and private citizens to purchase weapons and armor, from tent stalls in the Freemarkets to high-end emporiums in the Eye. Those with more particular needs, however, frequent this dingy shop off a dirty, neon-signed alley. Diamond Defense and Surplus The sign flickers in and out.
Know (culture)
Vetch passes blithely into Level 21 territory, looking around for stuff that might interest the party.
"We should fan out and ask people," Vetch suggests, then does that to some random people around, looking for information about where to find the Level 21 defense team.
Diplomacy (gather info)
"Vetch, why ask random strangers on the street? The storekeeper knows their neighborhood. They're here every day. Let's ask them what they know, shall we?" Abe suggests.
If the group agrees, he opens the door, and strides into the shop. He pokes around, checking out their wares as he considers buying a knife for personal defense.
"Yes, that may be our best course of action." Kcectic agrees, following Abe into the store after Vetch's unsuccessful search on the streets for information.
His antennae swivel back and forth taking in the scents of the shop. As Abe searches for a knive, Kcectic engages the shopkeeper in casual conversation presenting himself as a newcomer to Absalom Station,
"I have been told that there is a gang named for this particular Level. Have you had any issues with them? Do they frequent any locations that I might avoid?"
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Inside the dimly'lit building is a sizeable selection of weapons. Soryn moves in as Kcectic tries to find the owner. Seeing Soryn on the far side speaking low over a glass display filled with shock batons Soryn comes up beside to try the intimidating approach. Though it falls short as behind the counter is someone just a bit more intimidating. Looking up at Soryn is a white furred Ysoki with a black diamond-shaped patch on her forehead. Her tail and nose twitch beneath a red cloak and gold trim. A half dozen visible and deadly knives are attached to her outfit as her dark black eyes look back. "More of you eh? Name's Lhana Nokoriso, though most around here call me "Diamond"."
Diamond looks at Kcectic curiously. "Your kind. Always trying to get in people's heads." She taps a clawed finger to her skull. "There are lots of 'gangs' around these parts." She leaps from the floor onto the glass display, agilely landing on all fours as she comes face to face with Kcectic, sniffing him. "You come in here looking for information and expect me to just talk because your well-spoken. I don't even know who you are..."
"I have technically not spoken at all, but you may call me Kcectic" The Shirren broadcasts to the Ysoki and everyone else as well. "This is Level 21, and there is a gang called The Level 21 Crew, am I wrong that we can find them here?"
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"Well spoken and smart, for one of the hive-mind that is." The ysoki smiles devilishly as she further prods Kcectic. She leans in. "Let's play with some theory here bug. Say they are here. Say you were to just walk into a shop and ask about the local gangs and I were to just willingly give them up. What do you think would happen to someone like that? You think I would still have this lovely business to run?"
Diamond leaps down from the counter and walks around the shop, eyeing everyone else within. "I am running a business here. Not setting up for some turf war between the next group that thinks themselves to be the big guy in town."
Lounging near the door, Dash watches in amusement as his new friends get worked over by Diamond. "F@&$ me with a Vesk. What do we need to buy for you to stop pretending that you give a sh!t about turf wars? I mean, really. You probably make a killing in bullets and batteries."
Abe frowns a little at Dash's brashness, but admits, if only to himself, he's not wrong.
"Sir, we're not here to challenge the gang. Quite to the contrary, we're here to ask for their help against a mutual rival."
Vetch smiles when he is late arriving into the shop and he sees another ysoki.
Vetch smiles appropriately.
Diplomacy to Aid
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The Ysoki frowns at Abe in return. "Mutual rival? Says whom? My customers come from all over." Diamond scampers over closer to Vetch as he enters the doorway and completely changes her dialect.
The Ysoki tickles Vetches similarly white tufts of hair coming from his chin as she plays with the fellow Ysoki.
"The Android over there might be the most observant one of you yet. Cause, it is right. This all comes down to credits." Diamond gives Vetch's little tuft of hair a small tug with her paw, slightly jerking his chin downward quickly before scampering back and leaping flourish over her counter, sliding over the glass to face Kcectic once again.
Know (Culture)
Vetch smiles, thinking he knows how this game is played.
"I am Vetch. What was your name?"
"My companion here seems interested in a knife. What else do you have to offer us? Perhaps something that warrants a decent tip? I can spare some extra credits but will not let go of them until I have seen something of value."
The Shirren chitters quietly as he offers to bribe the Ysoki for information.
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Diamond squints one eye at Vetch and Kcectic. "100 credits to set up a meeting sounds fair to me." She taps her claw on the glass. Tap.Tap.Tap. With one last rap of her claws she closes her hand. "Won't have much use selling off stolen gear from killed Downside Kings now will I. Credits go much further."
"How much would 30 minutes with Vetch get us?" Dash pipes in, assuming that Diamond's behavior toward the other ysoki is motivated by the same base needs of most organics - humping and breathing.
Vetch turns to give side-eye to the android.
"He's just jealous...he *can't* reproduce," Vetch says in common, with a wink at Diamond. He gives a side grin at Dash. "I haven't taken one of your kind apart yet, you all anatomically correct? Meh...I'll find out one day, I'm sure." Vetch gives Dash a wink before turning his attention back to Diamond.
"Sure. I'll be to remember your kindness." He offers his credit stick for the transaction.
Kcectic places a hand on the Ysoki in a gesture he has seen humanoids use before.
"You and Abe have mentioned trying to save your credits, allow me to pay this bribe. I did not spend much to get here, and my family can afford to fly me back home if I become stranded." He broadcasts this only to the party as he hands his credstick over, his antennae relaxed to show his genuine desire to help.
Vetch smiles at the alien who does not speak and his offered card. His whiskers fan out with the smile, his tail roils around his feet.
"Fine. Half from me, half from my new friend, Kcectic here," Vetch reverses course.
"I haven't taken one of your kind apart yet, you all anatomically correct? Meh...I'll find out one day, I'm sure."
Dash smiles at the door, but his eyes are steely. He seems both offended and amused at the same time. Reaching down, he adjusts himself.
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The Ysoki happily takes the pair of credsticks and makes the transaction. handing them back Diamond smiles. "Five blocks down is a what looks to be a local small neighborhood grocery store, but you will be able to drop a message there with Mama Fats." Diamond winks. "You will know her when you see her." The Ysoki pats her belly and blows her cheeks out wide. "You can set a meeting up with her." She chitters excitedly.
Dash let's loose a guffaw. "I've heard a lot of jokes that start this way. This had better not be one of them." Pushing off the wall he heads out of the shop.
"Thank you for you assistance ♦." Kcectic says, taking his credstick back and placing it back in his pocket.
"I wonder what the ysoki meant when she said we would know Mama Fats. Is she popular among your kind, Vetch?" The Shirren wonders aloud as he walks behind Dash, headed for their new destination.
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Diamond's face grows stern for once. "I don't joke when it comes to credits." She draws one of her knives and twirls it through her claws with deadly precision and begins to smile once again as the Shirren's voice enters her head.
Leaving Diamond Defense and Surplus the group heads down roughly five blocks and finds a small local grocery store sitting in the lower corner of one of the complexes. The surrounding neighborhood is low-end, but not quite a slum. The lights are brightly lit with all manner of dried food and drinks lining the shelves along with semi-fresh meats. Some more local than others as crab-legs the size of a turkey leg lie in one window along with a four legged lamb-chop.
Behind the counter sitting in a chair near the register is a squat halfling female that is nearly triple the weight of what she should be. She has to be sitting at roughly 75 pounds as loose jowls hand from her face and give a small jiggle each time she turns. This halfling must have taken the second breakfast a little too far as she wipes greasy hands across her blood-speckled apron.
Abe is surprised by the readiness of his companions to part with such wealth for a little information. Still, it produced the desired result, so he keeps quiet.
After they leave, he offers to chip in a little to defray the costs... "Say 10 credits each? If we all chip in, it won't seem so expensive. I'm happy to pay my share." he offers to Kcectic and Vetch.
As they walk over he asks, "So what's our opening gambit? What do we want to say?"
"We could suggest we're enemies of the Downside Kings and we're seeking information about them. See if that gets us in to see someone of authority."
"But then... what do we want to know?"
Vetch makes the usual Akitonian goodbye on his way out the door, happy to have met a fellow ysoki and feeling better to see them thriving and owning a business...and a member of the community too boot.
* * *
"But then... what do we want to know?"
Vetch scratches his chin, wishing he had all the answers.
"I want them to tell us why they might want Kreel dead. Also, why they were at the docking bay at that time. And why they decided to open fire into a crowd *even* when they knew there were non-combatants in the area. And what connections they have to the Hardscrabble Collective and then what connections they think Kreel and/or the Downsized Kings have to the Collective, to Astral Extractions."
Vetch catches his breath.
"In short, there is so much that we don't yet know...and maybe Mama can lead us to better questions."
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Vetch blinks his furry eyes a few times to take in the enormity of Mama Fats. His experience with halflings is limited and if this is a typical halfling, then the stories of them have been slightly exaggerated.
"Might be that the best approach is one of honesty...that we are Starfinders trying to figure out why Kreel was killed. They might want to ally themselves with the Starfinders and help us out."
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"Ok, ok, before we go in there, I have to say something." Dash holds up his companions outside, out of earshot of Mama Fats.
"This mama's so fat she's a one-and-a-halfling."
Vetch allows Soryn to lead the introductions with Mama Fats, but only after a chuckle or two at the andriod's observation.
He's funny.
Vetch will limp in after Soryn and Abe.
Abe suggests, "He said to drop a message with this halfling, so I suggest that's what we do. At least to start. How about we say, 'We're friends of Kreel, recently killed by the Downsized Kings. We are hoping you can help us learn something of his death at their hands.'"
"How's that?" If no one objects, he scratches it on a piece of paper and walks up to the halfling.
"Nice shop." he says as he leaves the note within easy reach if she wants it. He tries not to be too obvious, but as he has no slight of hand it really is very much a drop. He picks up something for supper and makes to buy it.
Grinning like an idiot, Dash takes Soryn's advice and hangs back. Once the others are inside, he scopes out the street, looking for anyone that might fit the description of a gangbanger, or anyone else keeping an eye on Mama Fats' joint.
One of Kcectic's antennae twitches as Dash makes his joke, but that's all the reaction the Shirren affords him. As they head toward Mama Fats the Shirren chitters curiously, having never seen a halfling quite this large.
He spies the food Abe is eating with interest, looking over the potential options and starting to feel the rush of decision making.
Privately he questions Abe as he picks items from the shelves.
"Is that good? Have you eaten it before? Anything you would recommend?" As he questions them he watches to see if the woman takes Abe's note.
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Dash looks out among the street during the early afternoon hours. From what he can tell there doesn't seem to being any thugs or unruly occupants about, though out of the corner of his eye he sees Mama Fats reach a plump hand for the note and open it up as Abe leaves the store with his ingredients.
Within moments she picks up a personal comm device from a hidden drawer and makes a call. Dash watches her shrug and place the comm device back before sighing. With a groan Mama fats gets off of her stool and hobbles to the entrance of the store. Leaning heavily on the doorway her legs look pained from the immense weight as she waggles a thick finger for you to follow into the store where she holds open the door to the back storeroom. "Jabaxa said he will see you."
In the back store room is a dinged up desk and a few crates where another Ysoki leans over while a pair of guards sit near the crate playing a game of digital cards on their tablets.
The Ysoki speaks up. "What is it I can help you with?" Jabaxa eyes you all as he tries to size you up.
Vetch steps forward to address his fellow ysoki, feeling more at home here with all the furry rat faces around..
Abe hesitates on facing Jabaxa. He knows he's not as smooth a conversationalist as some. But when Vetch starts up in his homeland tongue, he worries. What is he saying? He could be saying anything!
He watches Jabaxa for any visual clues of what's going on and how they're doing.
... not that he's ever been particularly good at reading people either.
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The Ysoki gives a curious and watchful eye to Vetch
Jabaxa frowns deeply.
The Ysoki stands and moves around to the far side of his desk, leaning against it. His pistol lies loosely in its holster.
" Do Ysoki only communicate with each other in their mother tongue?" Kcectic wonders aloud, having seen Vetch only speak to both Diamond and Jabaxa this way.
"I do not understand what you are saying. Can we use a mutually understood language?"
Vetch smiles, then repeats what Jabaxa had said in common. He does this to signal trust to Jabaxa. Now that the introduction has been made, he switches to Common so others might join in.
"Hmm...that is too bad. We had hoped you might be able to help us figure out what happened."
Dash watches from the rear of the group, wearing a plastic smile that doesn't match his inner dialogue. Kcectic's thoughts, however, make him smirk to himself.
Your mother's tongue is so fat, something something something...
He tries to work up a joke, but he's feeling lazy, and no one appreciated the last one anyway.
"Look, we all know what happened. The Kings and Level 21 are f*&%ing pawns in a Game of Stones between Astral Extractions and the Hardscrabble Collective. My bet is the brawl was arranged so someone could take out Kreel. Question is, why was Kreel important? What did he know? If you can't answer that, then you need to get us in touch with the Collective, because answers are owed to those that paid the price for their dispute over the Drift Rock."
Though Abe is again taken aback by Dash's style, he must again concede Dash has a point.
"We would be most grateful if you could give us something to lead us in the right direction. Kreel's loss is being keenly felt in some quarters and we would bring relief." he says earnestly, trying to appeal to his emotions.
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"Look, we all know what happened. The Kings and Level 21 are f*&%ing pawns in a Game of Stones between Astral Extractions and the Hardscrabble Collective. My bet is the brawl was arranged so someone could take out Kreel. Question is, why was Kreel important? What did he know? If you can't answer that, then you need to get us in touch with the Collective, because answers are owed to those that paid the price for their dispute over the Drift Rock."
Jabaxa chitters. "You know so well what happened but yet you are here wasting my time with questions about the Kings when how bbout you ask the Kings." Jabaxa turns back to Vetch. "This android malfunctioning?"
The Ysoki points a claw at Dash. "We ain't playing no game or starting no brawls. The Collective hired us as protection. Nothing more."
"We would be most grateful if you could give us something to lead us in the right direction. Kreel's loss is being keenly felt in some quarters and we would bring relief."
"You want a direction? How bout down on the lower levels. The Kings got a place they work outta called... called..." Jabaxi snaps his fingers. "What's that place called Fez?"
One of the men lays his tablet down. "Fusion Queen Boss. Nightclub down on the lower level. Popular place from what I hear."
Fez is quickly cut off with a wave of Jabaxa's paw. "Try there."
"Malfunctioning? Why you little..." Dash makes a heroic effort to control himself. "From what I know, Bay 94 is way off your grid. What sort of move could the Kings make there. Was it all about Kreel, or was there something else in that Hangar? And who told you to go there?"
Vetch titters at the malfunctioning android line as he was getting used to his new companion as well.
Vetch wrinkles up his face, his right hand holding his clubcane.
"No offense, but why did the Collective hire you and not a professional police or security force? Or do those not exist here on the station?" Verch wonders.
"Going into the Kings headquarters may not be a good idea." Kcectic says to everyone.
"We know they shot Kreel, and we know you were sent to oppose them. Perhaps even to defend Kreel, but we still do not know why. I believe Soryn is correct, we should speak with the Collective. The Kings pulled the trigger, but they may not be the only ones implicit in Kreels murder."
He chitters once or twice waiting to see what everyone thinks.
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"Yes, we are headed there next. I assumed you were on the right ide of this, but didn't know that you were actually hired. Who among the Collective hired you? I have a feeling they will want to speak to us."
"Pfft. You can try. I don't even know who it was. Just had credsticks and instructions asking for protection."
"No offense, but why did the Collective hire you and not a professional police or security force? Or do those not exist here on the station?"
"Dunno. maybe they needed someone with a bit more street smarts." Jabaxa taps his pistol.
From what I know, Bay 94 is way off your grid. What sort of move could the Kings make there. Was it all about Kreel, or was there something else in that Hangar? And who told you to go there?"
Jabaxa shrugs. "Word on the street was Kings were making a move. So I naturally just adjusted a few of my men. Like I said. You will have to go to the Fusion Queen to find out more of what happened at that S~&#show."