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With a discipline that the rest of you find surprising, Speck ignores the shaking and concentrates on the computer readouts. "Wait, this is all wrong! The sensor scan data are wrong! Ignore them! I can calculate more accurate navigational information in descending into the atmosphere." He starts typing away at the keypad, and mumbles, "Something, or someone, is messing with our computers..."
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[dice=computers]1d20+9
With a discipline that the rest of you find surprising, Speck ignores the shaking and concentrates on the computer readouts. "Wait, this is all wrong! The sensor scan data are wrong! Ignore them! I can calculate more accurate navigational information in descending into the atmosphere." He starts typing away at the keypad, and mumbles, "Something, or someone, is messing with our computers..."
Ehdd looks over to the new Ysoki, a look of hope in his multifaceted eyes "You're sure? How can you be sure? Don't let us crash!"
As Speck begins working diligently to reset the coordinates and calibrate the engine parameters, the ship shudders violently, shaking uncontrollably, and barely responding to Swirsz' piloting! You've gotta get a hold of this thing fast, or you're going to crash!
Wait a minute... This isn't the gravity at all! It's... a virus taking over the ship's systems. The virus is interfering with the controls, but you're able to write a script on the fly that allows limited access to the hijacked systems.
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"Eevee! With me! We gotta get the engines under control before they shake themselves loose from the ship!" Faraeon leads his fellow operative down the hatch to the engine room where he hands Eevee a few tools and directs her toward a panel under one of the consoles. "Now, if you can just adjust the compensators while I engage the refractive control modules, we might be able to get the ship back in line...or you can just smack it if that seems more up your lane!"
First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo addresses the Society through communication devices across the Scoured Stars: “Starfinders, thanks to your efforts, we have gathered a large amount of data about the whereabouts of several groups of survivors from the first mission to the Scoured Stars. We have analyzed the data and now know enough to start locating and evacuating our friends and allies. We still need more intelligence on other groups of survivors, however, and we must continue to run reconnaissance missions at the same time.”
First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo pings each of your comm devices. ” Starfinders have recovered a signal beacon from a steamy swamp on Agillae-2. Our analysis of the data indicates there is a large group of survivors on another planet in the same system, and we will soon be ready to commence the evacuation mission.”
Your comm device tune erupts, breaking the silence once again in quick succession as the dreaded group chats will. ”The results of your explorations are coming in fast. Our agents explored a starship graveyard on Agillae-5, where they found many more of our comrades kept comatose in stasis chambers. Our scientists are studying the strange technology so we can decide how to safely release them.”
First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo's voice rings out with more news of hope on each of your comm devices. ”Starfinders have penetrated the defenses of an ancient automated city on Callion-2. They discovered that a group of Starfinders visited the city a year ago, trying to find a way to help other Starfinders stuck on the desert planet of Callion-1. We’ll begin moving resources to Callion-1 immediately.”
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As the ship starts to tear itself apart, Speck yips in shock (and some terror) and squirms himself beside Faraeon. Timing it with Ratatat, he gives the components a hard whack, hopefully resetting the engines back in place.
However, his mind still drifts back to the strange output he was getting from the computers. As soon as Faraeon can spare him, Speck dives back into deciphering the data being dumped from the computers. That was when it hit him. He yells out in shock and fury, "We've been had! This isn't gravity! It's some kind of virus taking over the ship's systems interfering with the controls" Immediately, he starts hacking away. "Wait, wait, wait, there! I think this script I've inserted will allow some access to the hijacked systems. Not pretty but it will get the job done!"
Speck realizes what's going on, and quickly reprograms the engine to override the virus. However, it's too late. The engines rattle to a halt, and the ship starts rapidly losing altitude. The ship’s computer issues the following message: “Landing gear functioning at 50%. Collision imminent, brace for impact.”
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"Nononononono!!!" Faraeon flails madly at the engineering station, first trying to engage the reverse thrusters to help Eevee pilot the ship down more smoothly, then working on putting more power into the landing thrusters. All the while, he does his best to help Ratatat and Speck, both of whom are more experienced engineers than himself.
When it becomes apparent that the ship is coming down hard no matter what, Faraeon gets into a loose and low position, ready to absorb the impact on the planet's surface with a well timed roll.
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First, Speck slams his head against the controls. Then, he looks up calmly, his frustrations channeled away. Without a word, Speck types furiously into the controls, first to reroute the thruster outputs, then when the sensors sound out the alarm of the impending crash, reroute them again in one large burst.
He hangs onto the controls for too long, however, that when the ship lands hard, he is thrown off his seat!
Eevee grabs the controls and banks the Drake to glide along the winds as the ship drops to precariously low heights. Swirsz, Ratatat, and Faraeon jam on the controls and force the landing gear to cooperate - it does! The Drake's wing clips a sand dune on its way down, but the reverse thrusters kick in and manage to slow the descent as the ship crashes nearby the other wreckages Historia-7 spoke of. As the engines whirr down, Speck checks the damage report - it looks like the Drake is still fully operational for your return! And you may have lost your lunch, but you're without wounds.
Leaving the ship, you're confronted with something of a ship graveyard. Some of the starships have fused together to form interlinked complexes across the surface of the world.
Shortly after entering the building, you spot a group of Starfinders. They stare at you for a moment, and then point their pulsecaster pistols at you. Their mouths are open in silent screams, but they aren't producing any sounds... Strange...
The blue and green armored Starfinders fire two pulse shots at Faraeon.
Both shots ricochet off the metal plating in the ceiling.
-- Bold is up! --
Swirsz Ratatat, Eevee
Blue
Speck, Ehdd, Faraeon
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Ehdd scrambles out of the ship, congratulating the crew on some amazing work "I knew you guys could do it the whole time! I'm a lucky Captain to have such a good buncha ranch hands!" He double checks his equipment as they head outside to take a look around. "Sweet gravity they've got here eh?" He does one of the highest 'worms' you've ever seen.
Immediately when they enter the complex he watches shots fired, both at Faraeon "Woah, your reputation as a Grav run punk precedes you. They must have seen your last race eh?"
A loud shriek of audio feedback erupts from all communication devices across the Starfinder Society fleet and deployed teams. The feedback precedes an alert of a new threat: dozens of unknown starships are entering the Scoured Stars through the Drift!
Data screens across the fleet begin displaying a live feed of a chitinous, six-legged creature with a large mouth full of sharp teeth. Rings of glowing, unblinking eyes cover the upper and lower sides of the creature’s body, looking in every direction at once. The creature’s three-clawed forelimbs hold what looks like an alien plasma cannon, while its second set of limbs terminate in cybernetic augmentations resembling long sabers.
When the creature starts speaking, its words sound like a chaotic jumble of consonants, but soon the syllables turn into a sinister-sounding, digitalized voice speaking in the Common tongue: “We are jinsuls, and you are not welcome in our space. This is our ancestral home. You do not belong here. You will be removed.”
As soon as the ominous message ends, First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo speaks to the Society through the comm system: “According to our sensors, these creatures—jinsuls—are entering the Scoured Stars through a location near Bastiar-7. I need a group of volunteers, our best starship crews, to scout the area and keep these aggressors occupied. Meanwhile, I want everyone else to continue evacuating the survivors. Time is a luxury we don’t have, so make haste and be ready to be extracted at a moment’s notice!”
Eevee's energy blast slams into the guard's armor. He opens his mouth as if to scream, yet again - no sound comes out. The three guards endure further wounds when the frag bomb explodes, spraying shrapnel that tears through their armor.
The blue-armored guard rushes into melee combat, extending his tactical baton and striking at Ratatat with its end.
-- Bold is up! --
Green (-14), Red (-4)
Swirsz Ratatat (-9), Eevee
Blue (-4)
Speck, Ehdd, Faraeon
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Ehdd pulls down his sunglasses, revealing his multifaceted eyes as Ratatat gets clobbered upside the whiskers with a baton. "Hey man, back off my pilot!" He points out the blue guy "Get'em boys!"
Ratatat feels inspired by Ehdd's concern.
Get ’Em (Ex): As a move action, you can choose one enemy within 60 feet. Until the start of your next turn, you and your allies gain a +1 morale bonus to attack rolls made against that enemy. The bonus persists even if the enemy moves beyond 60 feet or out of line of sight or hearing. At 6th level, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to grant this bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls against all enemies who are within 60 feet.
Inspiring Boost(Ex): As a standard action, you can signal an ally within 30 feet who has taken damage from any attack made by a significant enemy (see page 242) at any point after your last turn ended. That ally regains a number of Stamina Points (up to his maximum) equal to twice your envoy level + your Charisma modifier; at 15th level, this increases to three times your envoy level + your Charisma modifier. Once an ally has benefited from your inspiring boost, that ally can’t gain the benefits of your inspiring boost again until he takes a 10-minute rest to recover Stamina Points. At 6th level, you can spend 1 Resolve Point to add your envoy level to the number of Stamina Points regained.
a specialized transport ship. Activating the R-TEP does not take an action, but the transport doesn’t arrive until 1 round later, which means the PCs must survive for another round before they get out. When the ship arrives, the party is immediately removed from the encounter. Dead
and unconscious characters (and any gear in the same square as the character) are also extracted— and if dying are stabilized. The ongoing mission is aborted, and the Table GM doesn’t report a success to the Overseer GM, but the table may immediately start a new mission
Activating the flashing red button on his suit, it's only a few seconds before a transport ship begins descending down towards the ship graveyard. The ship docks, and the Starfinders who had been attacking you back down as you board.
Inside, a terminal awaits with Historia-7's face on it. "Greetings, Starfinders. Our initial recon teams on Agillae-5 found dozens of our colleagues held in stasis. Forcibly removing their bodies from the stasis pods would leave their minds are trapped in a virtual world, which means we’re sending you in to release them. Our specialists have put together a digital tether that allows you to enter the virtual world without getting
trapped like your colleagues did. Still, you must careful. Even though nothing that happens in there is real, dying in the simulation might kill you."
A team of ysoki Starfinder computer specialists awaits for you in another room aboard the transport. "Have a s-s-seat! This won't hurt a bit!" One mumbles.
You lie back in reclined chairs and a visor is slipped over your faces. The next thing you know... You're somewhere entirely different. In fact, you're certain you're back on Absalom Station.
You enter a cantina, where a human bartender greets you. "Welcome. I'm Jodain. Relax, have a drink, and don't worry about a thing." He starts to pour what smells like the best liquor this side of the galaxy. "Why don’t you go and meet all the friendly folks who live here. But remember, we’re all happy here, so don’t say or do anything that might upset them."
Just outside the bar is a group of bikers wearing leather jackets. In a nearby library are a scholarly group who appear to be in a heated debate. In an adjacent park, a group of six Starfinders are enjoying a picnic. Who will you approach first?
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Speck has some experience in cybernetic VR but as he is completely blown away when he steps into this one. He examines his paws in great detail, amazed at the level of replication. When he hears Ehdd, he is reminded of the mission and quickly catches up.
"Yeah, and how long have you guys been here anyway?" The blunt speaking ysoki takes a more direct approach.
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Faraeon materializes in the virtual world looking almost exactly as cool as he does in the real world. "Guess it's hard to improve on perfection, eh Ehdd?" He nudges the shirren in the abdomen, then follows along to chat with the bikers.
"Hey there, fellas! In the mood for a race?"
"Those are some pretty sweet get-ups you got there. That some kind of biker gang uniform or something?"
Five Starfinders—a human, two lashuntas, an ysoki, and a vesk—wear leather jackets and protective clothing. They stand near expensive-looking enercycles, tuning them up. "Dude, did you see the latest enercycle XT500 booster being advertised? Alien technology. I gotta get my hands on one!" The ysoki says.
The vesk, clearly the apparent leader of the group, replies excitedly. "Yeah, I guess you could call us a biker gang! But we don't get into any sort of trouble, we just love our enercyles. These things are all I really need in life, and I've been here forever!" The vesk says as he whacks his hand on the leather saddle.
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Ehdd takes a look at the bikes but his only experience with them in in video games and old tv shows and movies. "These look pretty neat. Who's the fastest? Can we watch a race?" He eyeballs the others in the group, waggling his antennae and speaking into their minds.
Any ideas here hombres? I don't think they'd believe me if I told them this is just VR...
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"Oh! That's cool. Yeah, we're sorta part of a gang like that too. We're called the Starfinder Society. I'd bet someone like you would fit right in. In fact, I'd bet if you thought about it, you belong in the Society too, and all this is just a distraction. Well, distraction time's over. Let's get outta here, Starfinder!"
"Starfinder? Did you say Starfinder?" The brutish Vesk sits on an enercycle. "Why, yes. I was.. once a Starfinder. Wasn't it?"
The other four bikers gather around. The vesk stares at his hands. "Wait a minute. Yes, yes I was! I'm Silask, a famous explorer and warrior! I remember everything now! This place isn't real at all!" Whispers are exchanged among his crew, but he continues. "I knew there was something weird about these boosters. Seems they fit better on starships. Anyway, tell you what. I'll let you in on a little secret I learned while in here that should help those weapons of yours."
Silask explains the details.
In the library, five scholarly Starfinders—an android, a damaya lashunta, a kasatha, and two shirrens—engage in a heated debate.
"No way, you've got it all wrong. Golarion is still out there, just as any other planet might be. How can you say for certain that such a massive place as the Pact Worlds System, Golarion has disappeared? That's what they want you to believe!" The shirren, a jittery, short sort who wears an aluminum crown on his head, argues.
"I guess so. I'd love to go there sometime!" The lashunta replies.
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"Indeed," Speak responds rather nonchalantly. "you would be limited by what you can detect here from this supposed Absalom Station. But ask yourself, how long have you been here? Why not simply go out an look? In fact, where are all the other Pact Worlds? Why have no visitors from there come? Perhaps you are not where you think you are? A massive illusion?" As if to demonstrate his point, Speck taps a few quick sequence on his cybernetic implants in his head and suddenly, the entire library transforms into an exact replica Castrovelian forest. "Now, if you woke up and found yourself here, would you not think you are in Castrovel?"
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Faraeon looks around at the environment Speck has created with his implants. "Nice work, Speck," he says, impressed, "But you did get some of the baragari trees a bit wrong. See, their branches tend to start higher up, where the limb-cats can wait to jump down on top of their prey. That's why they're so dangerous!" He turns to the group of scholars and laughs, "Geez, this guy might as well be trying to recreate lost Golarion, right? Maybe we should all get outta this sham of a town and show him what Castrovel looks like."
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Ehdd waves his antennae over towards the shirren wearing the tin crown "Nice hat! Does it improve your antennae reception? It can be very spotty around here. I enjoy your choice of patina on it. Very unique. Kind of like my top hat, but different." He adjusts his hat this way and that until it sits just right.