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Your successful group of mercenaries received a holographic invite to talk with Luwazi Elsebo, the First Seeker of the Starfinder Society. You arrive early, and spend some time walking around the neighborhood. It's great for people watching as there's such a diverse mix of races that gather here. The ring segment known as Drifter's End is one of the most diverse and raucous parts of Absalom Station. The district caters to alien ambassadors from newly discovered worlds, explorers, long-haul cargo crews, and spacefaring vagabonds of all sorts. Housing is cheap and temporary, bars are noisy and full of stories, and patrons looking to hire experienced scouts and first-contact specialists clog notorious “Drifter” hangouts such as the Hard Burn, Kristoff's, and the Last Good Run.
There is a plucky little tea stand a few checkpoints spinward of Embassy Row named 'The Posh Kettle'. Set up like an outdoor cafe, it stands across from the Starfinder Society's soaring Lorespire Complex. Its gnomish proprietor, a exuberant tea afficionado named Charli, already has a couple customers sitting in the little tables outside her stall this morning. However, most of the seats are empty. You get the sense that this place is doing far less business than it once did. The gnome grins when she sees you, and hustles up to you. There's no way she's going to let you walk by her stand without getting some tea. "Welcome! Welcome! Always good to see fresh faces in the neighborhood!"
She points behind her at the menu of teas available, featuring such delights as "Akiton Red" and "Bretheda Bubble Tea", but her mainstays are teas grown high on the mountains of Castrovel. All of these bear poetical but non descriptive names like "Harley's Haiku", "Meditation" and "Driftward Dream."
The gnome's eyes widen as a group of spacesuit-clad Haans, Sarcesians and even a pair of Contemplatives progress towards the Lorespire Complex. "Wow, that's not something you see everyday," she says wistfully. "Wouldn't it be great to join the Starfinder Society and meet people like that?"
Then she recollects herself and points back again at the teas behind her. "Who are you, and what will you have? I like to meet the folks that come through here, even if they're just passing through."
"Oh, what a lovely little stand!" Raia says as she happily greats the plucky gnome "I'm Raia..." She glances back at the group heading towards the Lorespire Complex and says "I know, right? All those new people to meet and brand new worlds to explore... Actually, that's what brings us here to the station. I'm a xenobiologist, and the the First Seeker has asked to talk with us." She lets out a squeak "It's so exciting!"
After a second to compose herself, she focuses her attention on the menu and puts a finger on her chin, deep in thought "Now, do I go for a taste of home, or go wild and have something exotic?" She suddenly bursts out laughing "Oh, Who, am I kidding? Charli, dear, could I try a some of that delightfully curious sounding 'Bretheda Bubble Tea' please." She looks around expectantly at her colleagues to see if anyone else fancies a cup.
"Ooh, you're going to see Luwasi Elsebo? She always seems so imposing when she walks by!" The gnome squeaks with Raia, almost dancing with excitement. She pours some of the Brethedan Bubble Tea into a tall glass. The foaming mixture vaporises, a cloud of blue colored mist filling the air as it hits the glass. The escaping mist forms tea-scented bubbles as they float by you. Charli hastily slams a lid with a straw over the swirling, misting drink and hands it to you. "Excellent choice! It's one of my favorites!"
"Imposing, huh? Did you see her this morning? Did she seem in a good mood or ba- Oh thank you." Raia eagerly accepts the glass of Bubble Tea and her antennae begin to twitch happily as she has a quick taste of the strange drink "Oh my, this is good!" she exclaims through telepathy while taking another slurp. She turns around and beckons the rest of the group "Guys, you really should try some of this. It's soo... Different!" She fetches a credstick from a belt pouch and asks wide eyed and with a big grin "How much for a glass each?"
"Normally, I'd charge 1 credit a glass, but if you're all having the same thing... How about 5 credits for the whole group, plus a story from each of you? Tell me something cool about who you are and where you've traveled!"
She starts filling glasses with the tea. Interestingly, each glass of Bretheda Bubble Tea seems to pour out in a different brilliant color. Soon there is a rainbow of bubbling tea in front of you, and you may each pick your own glass.
A frill of tiny horns running along the bulky Veskarian's brow plume like the petals of a blooming Verces fly trap as she catches scent of the Bubble Tea.
This smells like the methane swamps of Vesk-6. Obozaya grumbles as she takes the flask of tea in her meaty, scaled hand. No offence meant. But, certainly not one to lose face in front of the technomancer, she lifts it to her thin lips and takes a sip. And then another.
Mmmm, actually quite tasty.
She adjusts her doshko across her back and takes a seat on a stool at the bar, dwarfing the thing and balancing somewhat precariously.
You see many like that passing through here? she asks the tender, indicating motley crew of aliens. Been spending a lot of time among the Pact Worlds myself, looking for fights. she says it in a matter-of-fact way. But then I met with this crew. The glory is shared, but the opportunities are greater. So it's a fair trade.
The Starfinder Society might increase those opportunities further.
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"Raia.... you always push me to try new things." Iseph gingerly accepts the glass with the yellow-ish hue and takes a sip and lets out a hiccup. No one knows if it is true or if the android is teasingly trying to mimic the characteristic of a human. "Ooo that is good! Might I purchase the next round for everyone?" the android settles into a seat at the elegant cafe style table.
"A story you say? Well my past i don't... strike that I cannot soak much of my earlier past. To many listening ears about." looking around to all the passer bys. "What i can say is that i enjoy ding what i do. If you need a pilot, I'm your... hrm.. guy. If you need some information or any item procured that's me too. But, you best be ready to pay more." He finishes with a wink "And if it weren't for this crew I'd still be running from those damned luddites."
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"It's not all about fights and getting paid, though!" Raia quickly interjects as she settles into a seat next to the others "We also get to discover, or experience, new things." She gives Iseph a friendly nudge as she says 'experience' "Why, there was that time when we were the first people to see a Fuzzinator... well that's not it's proper name, but I think that if we discover it first, we should get to name it!" She takes another slurp of her tea before continuing "So anyway, it was the cutest little ball of fluff, but it's saliva turned out to be a potent adhesive. It took us a week to pry it off of Isephs leg!" She bursts out laughing "Oh Charli, It was so funny." she continues, wiping away the tears.
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Keskodai twitches his sensitive bug-like antennae as the enthusiasm of the gnomish tea seller starts to almost overwhelm his psionic senses.
"That was certainly a new experience for all of us, Raia. I was starting to contemplate the trouble we would have finding Iseph a replacement leg while out in the Vast!2[b] he says with a clicking sounding laugh.
[b]"My speech-name is Keskodai, miss. It is lovely to meet you. This stall is very nice. I believe i will try the bubble tea first as it seems to already be popular with my colleagues." he says as he takes a moment to decide which colour of tea he wants to try, then takes a big slurp from the straw in almost childlike glee.
"This has a very unique taste, though i cannot say i have been to Vesk-6 to confirm the comparison that Oboz made."
Keskodai pauses for a moment to take a small cylinder from his belt. He places it down on the table and turns it so the tiny creature inside is facing the row of bubble teas. He bends his head down and lets his antennae touch the jar and concentrates on it for a moment.
"This beverage is quite an experience. You can see it is enjoyed by all kinds of humanoids little one. When you leave the cradle-jar i will bring you back here to try one for yourself." His shipmates have got used to this kind of display by now and immediately recognize that the Shirren is communicating with his larval child telepathically.
"I was just telling the little one here that i will bring him back to try one of your beverages when he is big enough to leave his cradle-jar miss... I am sorry i don't think i heard your name.
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"RAIA!!!! You promised me you wouldn't talk about that... that.. incident again. You know how hard it is to keep a tough guy reputation when everyone knows you had a fuzz ball attached to your leg like that. Gah your killing me" He sighs resigning himself to the jokes that are to come. He laughs "Well i guess i could say i have first hand knowledge of its habits. Plus you did get it to coo a few times"
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Zzzzzzzzzz comes the whizzing sound of Scout, the tiny flying Drone, as it hovers above the crowds in Drifter's End, while many cuss words can be heard coming from knee level - "#$%"! - as Quig pushes his way through the people's legs, huffing and puffing, on his little Ysoki legs.
Seeing his companions at the tea stand, he stops, all of a sudden smiling once again: "Oh! Here you are! I would have been early, but the damn drone... well, oh, "Akiton Red"! I will have a pot of that, please, ma'am!".
He goes around, greeting all with a grin, happy to be back with people he likes.
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"Quig!!! How were the shops? Find any fun new 'toys' to play with?" Iseph pulls out a chair for the good rat man. "Everything ok with Scout seems a little off?"
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Quig jumps up on his stool, so as to be closer to Iseph's face: "Oh Scout is... What?", turning towards Scout, he starts talking to the drone, waiting for answers that no one else can hear. "No? --- Really? --- That was only twice...".
He sits back down on his stool, and looks around for his Akiton tea.
"Yes, it seems Scout misses seeing people, being around friends... he is not as strong and independent as I am. But, well, if it makes him happy, I will remain with you lot."
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It's always good to have a rat around. Obozaya nods toward the mechanic as she takes another sip. To spring any traps. she adds but with her stoic tone and almost expressionless visage, it's difficult to know if the comment was made in jest or not.
"Yes, yes, come and sit down! We have plenty of time until our meeting and this tea is something else." Raia waves at an empty seat "We've just been sharing stories..." She straightens up and looks to Iseph with exaggerated faux seriousness and holds a hand in the air "But that was the last time I'll mention our fuzzy friend, I swear!" She hides her other hand and crossed fingers behind her back underneath her beautiful long green hair "But for what it's worth, I think you pulled it off with style."
She continues to giggle as she addresses the newest arrivals "How about you guys? Any stories to share? It makes the tea cheaper."
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Obozaya slams down her mug of bubble tea, having drained the last of the contents.
I'll tell you a story about Vesk-3 that will make you grow scales. she says.
She grabs her empty mug and as Altronus is about to reach for his she grabs that too and places it beside hers, a little back and to the right. She does the same with a small bowl of anonymous snacks, a menu holder and half a dozen other random items within claws' reach.
After the drop-jump from orbit we landed in a V formation, like this. I was at the tip and the rest of the squad behind in two arms. After we hit the ground I could stop counting down to the engagement and just concentrate on moving fast and hitting hard at anything that moved in that camp.
Tholians will dig in like ticks on a swamp-lion so our squad was armed with explosives and flame-units, not much aiming needed that way, just maximum impact. We started with the element of surprise, managed to reach the ground without perimeter units spotting us and alerting the rest and had been advancing in such a way that it meant we could just let rip without fear of friendly fire and the enemy would risk hitting their own in the crossfire if they went full auto.
I remember a rocket blast going off close enough to make my teeth rattle in my head. It was glorious! she grins, like some hungry predator.
The story continues in a similar vein for several long minutes that seem to grow only longer for the group who have heard the same story time and again in the empty spaces of the Drift. But Obozaya tells it with the same zeal as always, the unnecessarily graphic details of her kills told with incredibly consistency.
...and finally when I got hold of the platoon commander my doshko was out of battery and I'd thrown my last grenade. she shrugs. So I had no option but to use the spoon from my field kit.
She goes on to explain, once again with the use of props, the implausibly violent end brought about by that spoon. Finished, and reclining back on her stool, a satisfied smile on her face she adds;
More tea? That tale always brings on a thirst.
Charli happily pours you all more tea while listening to your stories. Then she speaks quietly in answer to Raia's questions about Luwazi Elsebo. "You wanted to know about the First Seeker? I'm no expert, mind. I only see her walking back and forth as she passes my tea stall each day, or when she occasionally stops to grab a mug of Akiton Red, mainly for the caffeine hit." She nods at Quig, and grins as he drinks the steamy Akiton Red. It tastes a bit like smoky cinnamon. "Makes your fur tingle, doesn't it? If you drink the whole pot, you may find yourself bouncing off the walls."
Then her face turns serious. "Still... You were asking about her mood? Lately there's been an aura of grim determination about her. I think losing all those Starfinders hit her hard." Then she glances around at the empty seats outside her tea stall. "It hit all of us hard, actually. This place used to be bustling, with Starfinders going hither and yon on missions... The gossip! The tales!"
Quig looks into his tea cup, half-expecting to see the First Seeker staring back at him, as his fur does actually tingle.
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Raia rolls her eyes and groans as soon as she sees the V Obo constructs out of mugs and menus. She flops down on the table, resigned to her fate of yet another telling of the battle for Vesk-3. However, Obo's enthusiasm never fails to draw her in, and as much as Raia tries to hide it, by the time Obo gets to the bit with the spoon, she is hooked.
Charli's sudden seriousness takes Raia by surprise "Oh, my! Of course..." She looks around and seems to notice for the first time just how much quieter the area is than she imagined it would be, and at all the empty seats around 'The Posh Kettle'. She turns back to Charli and quietly asks as she hugs her new cup tea between her hands "Do they have any idea what happened yet? I've heard rumours, but they're different every time."
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Keskodai gets drawn in to Obo's story even though it isn't the first time he heard it. He finds the tale as invigorating as ever as he tries to imagine what decisions he would have made in the same circumstances.
I would always have chosen to use the spoon too, he thinks to himself as the story nears it's end.
"Well recounted friend Obo. You have a natural talent for the telling of glorious tales of battle." he says with a click of his mandibles.
"The loss of so many is suerely a tragedy for the lost ones and the people they leave behind, but if it was their time to visit the Lady of Graves then who are we to question her divine plan." says Keskodai with cheerful reverence.
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Iseph rolls his eyes hearing this story for the umpteenth time and whispers "wait wasn't it a survival knife last time?"
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Charli sighs. "The last First Seeker, Jadnura, was an ambitious guy. He was a Kasatha, and like many of his people, dedicated and visionary." She nods to Altronus, who has been very quiet so far, and hands him a tall glass of vivid pink bubble tea. It effervesces in its container, bubbling and fizzing audibly. "I don't know all the details... Just that he thought that there was a link between some artifact named the 'Tear' and the Scoured Stars system. The 'Tear' was supposed to be terribly important, and they thought that they could find the answer in that horribly dangerous system. My cousin Tika went, and she was so excited. She told me that adventure was a great way to avoid the bleaching. Over eighty percent of the Society went on that mission... And then they stopped transmitting, and we found out that the Scoured Stars are sealed off from the rest of the Galaxy."
She quickly wipes her face. "I knew so many who went. They weren't just customers. They were friends." Then she pauses. "But you might want to get going to your appointment. If the First Seeker called you in, it's probably important."
"Thank you. That means a lot," The little feychild gnome gives Altronus an impulsive hug. "I liked all your stories and your energy! I hope that you have a great meeting with the First Seeker, and that you come back for more tea later!"
★ ---- ★ ---- ★ ---- ★
Before you is the cluster of buildings that house the Lorespire Complex, a campus that includes not only the soaring Lorespire, but research facilities, libraries and the famous Hall of Discovery.
As the doors to the Lorespire Complex slide open, a green holographic image of a middle-aged human woman shimmers into view at the center of the room. “Greetings,” it says. “I am Guidance. You are...." the program hesitates for only a second as it identifies you each in turn. "...Altronus, Keskodai, Chkoresk," she nods to the jar at Keskodai's side, "Iseph, Quig, Raia, Obozaya and Scout." Guidance smiles and bows. "Ah. Welcome. You are expected."
The hall is huge and echoing, a room that normally should have had dozens of Starfinders wandering in and out at any one given time. Still, it is very well maintained. You can see small service bots cleaning the floors, watering the plants and polishing the windows.
Click. Whirrrr.
Little drones appear, hovering in the air and brandishing tubs with medical supplies. Guidance smiles. "Would you like to use the cheek swabs in the open receptacle to provide a genetic sample for Starfinder Society identification purposes? It is completely optional, as you are not applying as Starfinder Candidates. Still, I like to keep records of those who go on missions for us."
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Putting down his cup, having relished the tea that tasted so good - especially since he did not have to pay for it - Quig is moved by the lady's tale: " Maybe it would be nice for you to build some replica of your cousin Tika, to honor her... until you reestablish contact? I could help."
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Quig is delighted that Guidance named him first, before Scout, and whispers to the Drone: "I am more famous than you are! I was named before you. [...] What? [...] Oh, come on, don't pout...".
As Guidance smiles and mentions cheek swabs, Quig starts laughing: "You'll have to find bigger drones to swab the inside of my cheeks!".
Quig then opens his mouth super-wide, disgorging a whole bunch of items that were somehow stowed away in his cheeks.
You see a couple grenades, a detonator, and about a half a dozen sticks of various explosives, mingled with a couple dozen rounds for small arms... as well as a sturdy iron brush filled with Yoski-hair: Quig's hygiene kit.
"All clear, please swab away.
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"Oh, sweetie! I'm so sorry..." Raia gets up and gives Charli a hug "I truly hope you hear from her again soon." She wipes away a tear of her own and, after taking a deep breath, says "But you're right, we really should get going... It was so nice to meet you!" Raia glances one more time at the empty chairs and empty tables "How about this? If you promise to reserve us a selection of your most obscure tea, the sort of stuff that people hardly ever ask for... Well when we're finished doing whatever it is that Elsebo has in mind, we'll come back and tell you all about it."
Raia looks at the brush in horror "Eeeugh, Quig! You don't actually use that do you?" She puts a hand on her stomach turns away "Blagh, I think... I think I'm going to be sick..." After a few moments to compose herself, Raia heads over to the drones while shaking her head What about drift travel? I need to hug a Ysoki for luck, but how am I ever going to hug Quig again after that? and picks up one of the cheek swabs "And you have samples from every Starfinder?" She asks the hologram "You must have a vast database of genetic material from all sorts of species!" She fiddles with the swab for a few seconds, deep in thought, then shrugs "I don't see why we shouldn't add a few more."
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Obozaya looks on with barely-disguised disgust as the Ysoki disgorges the contents of his cheek pouches.
Disgusting. It seems storing your hygiene kit inside yourself defeats the object...
She looks around her and sees one of the small cleaning bots whirring busily around nearby. With as much subtlety as she can muster, she hooks one with the end of her doshko and redirects it to sweep over the small pool of dribble that fell at Quig's feet.
I'll keep my genetic material to myself, if it's all the same to you. she says stoically. But rest assured, there is only one Obozaya! she adds, drawing herself up to her full impressive height and puffing out her chest.
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"Thank you for your hospitality miss. When Chk Chk leaves his cradle-jar i will return. After hearing about these beverages i think he will be looking forward to trying one for himself. If we somehow hear anything about your cousin Tika i will make sure to send a vid-message with whatever we find. Goodbye for now!"
"Quig, it always amazes me how your race continues to find new ways to both prove your ingenuity yet also provide more evidence there there really isn't anything you will not store in those sizable cheeks you all posses." he says with a cheery Shirren laugh.
Keskodai then turns to Guidance. "If your way is to take a genetic sample then i will gladly provide one for you. I'm not sure the word 'cheek' is an exact match for the Shirren, but i know the equivalent area to find a suitable sample for you. CHk Chk is not big enough to provide a sample, but i will vouch for him as his parent."
Keskodai seems to have to move the swab much further back in his 'mouth' than the other humanoids, but once he's done he hands over the sample for processing.
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Quig stares at his brush, and wonders what is wrong with being a clean Yoski.
He shrugs, and picking up his equipment, slips it back into his cheek-pouch.
Before putting the brush in, he combs his head-hair one last time.
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Iseph bows to lady Charli. "Thank toy kindly for your hospitality. If you do not mind I will give a friend of mine your location. He tends to be a rowdy... what did he call it... o a pirate but he's about as caring a person I know. Just don't tell him I said that."
"A genetic sample you say? Well i don't really have a way to give a sample of saliva. No glands for that. But here." he holds out a dog tag "Everything you're aloud to know is on this." Iseph looks over at the pile of stuff Quig tossed out of his cheeks and is mortified you see a survival knife, not just any knife Iseph's knife laying on the ground. "Really Quig. You little sneak! how did you? Nevermind i don't want to know." putting his knife up before Quig can 'store' it again he puts it back in his sheath.
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Planting his short hands on his hips, Quig turns to his drone: "Scout! You didn't?! Iseph's toothpick! [...] No, he did not throw it away".
Turning to the Android: "I am sorry, I had no idea it was in there...".
The little hygiene droids take cheek samples from those who offer them. If any of you refuse, Guidance just smiles and nods. "It is an optional request!"
She then turns to a tall robot that is cleaning the tops of the windows. "Bot Buddy, will you escort these visitors to the First Seeker, please?"
Ok now we're getting somewhere. Obo says eagerly, carefully stepping over one of the little cleaning bots.
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Click. Whirr.
I'm a state of the art personality emulation program, suitable for both diplomatic negotiations and high stakes combat. And what am I doing? Scutwork and tour duty. No, don't mind me. I of course have nothing better to do.
Bot Buddy rolls through the hallways without even waiting to see if you are following. Look, here is an empty hallway. Followed by another empty hall. Oh, there's someone walking in this one, but they're going in the other direction so don't mind them. Bot Buddy gestures at a Lashunta walking off in the distance. Over in this wing are research labs and combat training facilities, but we're not going there. Oh, here's a maintenance closet. That's where I spend the majority of my time. Not that you care.
He keeps rolling forward, keeping you all at a fast walk.
Bot Buddy leads you into a well-appointed sitting room, where you wait for a few minutes.
A short hiss precedes the opening of an adjacent door. A woman with a determined look steps through the opening, holding a datapad in one hand as she sits down at the nearby table, takes a calm breath, and begins to speak, “Ah good, you made it. All of you come highly recommended. You have skills, and the Starfinder Society has credits.”
She pauses, looks over the group she has assembled, and continues, “How rude of me—introductions. I am Luwazi Elsebo, the elected First Seeker of the Starfinder Society, and I have an exceptionally fair sum of credits available in return for your specialized services. For this mission, each of you will represent the Starfinder Society, but hold no official title within our organization. As you can probably tell by the empty halls around us, I need to use mercenaries to act as temporary agents. If you agree to the terms, I would like to offer you all a job.”
As Bot Buddy appears, Quig suddenly smacks Scout: "I apologize, everybody, my drone is very rude. Bot Buddy is not a perfect spoonerism".
"Oh, good morning." Raia says as she jumps up from the seat she had been lounging in during the wait "First of all, I'd like to thank you for contacting us." She straightens out her clothes and approaches the desk with a friendly smile "We certainly do have the skills!" She says proudly as see looks around at her friends "In fact, I dare say that you would be hard pressed to find a team with quite the spectrum we have to offer. However, I feel that we really should have more information about the job in question before we can agree to any terms."
Luwazi Elsebo ponders Altronus's question. "That is a surprisingly deep question, Altronus. What does it mean to be a Starfinder Agent? This is something, that in wake of our most recent disaster, all my agents are asking ourselves. Starfinders hold true to the ideals of those who went before us. We Explore, Cooperate, and Report. We don't quit, not even in the face of devastating loss."
"But you were asking about the job." She looks to Raia. “The Starfinder Society endured a staggering setback several months ago when our previous First Seeker led a mission into a region of space known as the Scoured Stars. We lost almost all our experienced field agents and assets in that endeavor. What the Starfinder Society really needs right now is something to entice outside interest and investment. In short, we need to make a major discovery."
She clicks a panel on the conference table, and a blurry hologram of a moon appears before you, turning in space. “Prior to the Scoured Stars incident, the Society acquired exclusive rights to explore a rather unique moon. The inhabitants of the nearby planet call it Salvation's End and see it as a ‘false moon' due to its visible metal components and underlying superstructure. There's the potential that it's nothing more than a mangled hunk of stellar debris on the remains of a moon, but there's also the chance that the entire object could be one inconceivably large structure."
Luwazi lets loose a devilish smile. “This is where you come in. I want you to go to Salvation's End and explore the surface. First, you'll need to make a quick trip to the moon of Varos, which orbits the nearby gas giant, Bretheda. There's a high-level security complex on Varos that has a survivor from a rogue prospecting mission to Salvation's End. I want you to question the prisoner, find out what you can about the so-called ‘false moon,' and then make your way to Salvation's End. Once there, you will need to see if the moon is worthless, or something valuable enough for the Society to announce. Understood?”
She looks at you expectantly, one eye brow quirked high.
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Chuckling softly as botbuddy leads the group Iseph looks around at the apparently empty complex and then asks "Soooo... what's the pay?"
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Quig makes a back flip, calling out to his drone: "Hear that, Scout? We're gonna explore an artificial moon! That must be some great engineering!".
Suddenly he stiffens: "Wait a sec', who made the survivor a prisoner? Are we going to be arrested... again?".
Obozaya ignores the complaining robot. She had been in squads where there was an individual like that, everything always too much work, they weren't doing what they thought they should be. They normally didn't last long.
As Elsebo explains the situation, Obozaya speaks up:
Sounds pretty staightforward. And if we meet indigenous life forms who end up being hostile?
Raia tries to keep a calm and professional appearance, but her smile deepens and inside she is doing some back flips of her own A false moon, but who could have constructed it... The Ysoki are obvious candidates but they aren't the nearly secretive enough, a sub-species perhaps? Or maybe a co-evolved species heretofore unknown to us, something like... "Space hamsters!" Raia blushes slightly and looks around sheepishly "Sorry, did I think that out loud?"
Raia clears her throat and continues on regardless, noting Obo's comments "Yes, you mentioned that this prisoner was a 'survivor'... Did they lose the rest of their crew while resisting arrest, or are they the only one to return from the moon? I think it only fair that we be fairly compensated for the obvious danger involved if it was the later." Don't blow this, Raia, we need this contract! But don't be too eager either... Gah! I hate negotiating our fee.