After the one flash of cultural insight, Clank largely stays quiet during the negotiation. Floating brains really were out of the diplomatic league the goblin was in. After the group leaves, he pipes in, "So, we've got some negotiations to do back with the lashunta? I kind of miss the meetings back on Absalom station; they had a lot better food."
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Pippimi lets go of Ailabiens and the team begins to leave the office. As they do, you all hear one last comment from the contemplative. "That energy is why your race will only ever be good HELPERS. Irrational as your argument is, I give in to your superior strength."
Leaving the room with heads shaking, you return to Muhali's office. She looks up from her work with a sigh. "Give up on him yet? Impossible man."
"Nope! Pippimi give him light reminder of academic structure and he agree to apologize!" She puts paws on her hips and stands proudly. "Pippimi not second level middle manager for nothing!"
She lets the others fill Muhali in on Ailabiens 21:2's requests, but adds "He do right thing in end by choosing to apologize. Pippimi recommend giving big brain some of concessions he want. Maybe net access back? Pippimi worried that he going through net withdrawl..."
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Yup, after a barrage of varied efforts...
He glances at Pippimi before returning to Muhali.
The big brain gave in pretty easily. I asked him to think about how he might handle such situations in the future, and that whipping up a violent crowd wasn't a help to anybody. You might discuss that point with him very specifically so that he's clear you expect him to not create this situation again.
Lenny offers practical points of her path forward with The Brain.
"Hmm, Pippimi recommend give something! Reward for good behavior is important step of getting happy and productive coworkers!" She looks up to Muhali and gives the professor two quick nods of her head "Yes! If no reward, then coworker get surly. And Ailee-beelee already surly enough, Pippimi thinking."
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Lenny follows on Pippimi, pushing the idea of compromise.
Indeed, one of the cornerstones of academic discourse is challenging ideas. Let him flourish in this way, and simply set baseline expectations about what he encourages of the students, and this could be good for your department. Imagine your enrollment boost from the controlled notion of counterculture thought.
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Davrin pulls Muhali to one side, out of the ear shot of the contemplative. "Now, now, sure he looks like that NOW. But who know's what he would get to the next time? You see, academics always get so excited talking about their tenure and obviously, this whole incident has put that to question for him. Now if he has nothing to lose, what's to stop him from repeating this all over again? And this time without us to mediate! Now that's he's willing to back down, a good tactic would be to restore things back to the way they were: ending the academic suspension, restore access to the university’s restricted collections, and strike this from his tenure review file. Even stricken off, it would still be on everyone's minds, and you can be sure he would be a lot more cautious from now on. If he doesn't want to lose his tenure."
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Professor Muhali thinks about that for a moment. ”Well, I suppose it would be best to not aggravate the being any further. And enrollment in his classes has spikes this week. Though, that frightens me as well, to be honest.” She shakes her head, a mild look of alarm on her face. ”Yes, we will reinstate him and wipe this incident from his record. I’d hate to lose such a great mind to another university over a social faux pas. Anyway,” She digs through a drawer and pulls out a mk 1 ring of resistance. ”I want to give you this as a token of my appreciation. You’ve solved a real headache for me.”
You have this weird feeling she’s really happy to give you this ring. She has an almost malicious smile on her face as she hands it over.
Pippimi raises her paws. "Uh, Pippimi not need reward. Or..." She pauses "Maybe university need quick assemble weapons products? Pippimi representative also from Blastwerks, here to find new customers and contracts. It not look like University need weapons, but maybe Muhali feeling little bit anxious? Maybe feeling like better if professors could build weapons in hurry? Hmm, hmm?"
"If insist, we can take ring. Muhali looking like she not want to hold onto it..."
Having been silent for quite a long time, Zulu finally speaks at Pippimi's suggustion.
"Perhaps Blastworks sells non lethals. Press control. Work better next time you are mobbed with reporters? Foam, or gas. Maybe concussion."
Eying the ring.
magical?
He sets his cortex to scan it at Pippimi's comment. "Why give away such a valuable trinket?" he mutters.
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The professor blushes slightly. "I confess, I would love to have a reason to get rid of the thing. You see, it’s among the items that the contemplative requested in a grant application that fell through thanks to his recent gaffe." She smiles softly. "I would love to have a reason to not give it to the contemplative, since he has no purpose for it any longer due to his own mistake."
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Ah! Well, when you put it that way we'll gladly take it.
Lenny turns back to the others.
Okay, now we have some leverage for getting our mysterious text translated. Nobody mention this item to him up front and we'll see how grateful he is to start with, now that we got his record cleansed. If he's not easily swayed, we can fall back to this.
He hands Muhali a card before turning to head out of her office.
Hey, you know another way to reduce stress? Exercise! If you're ever at Absalom Station I've got just the place for you to unwind and tune your body! Pilates of the Caribbean! The only gym where you get to wear a pirate's hat while you exercise and everybody uses a lot of arrrrRs without judgement!
Pippimi looks visibly disappointed at her pitch being entirely ignored, but recovers quickly to ask "So we help with Ailee Beelee, maybe Muhali can help team too! Pippimi remind: We looking for info on Drift Rock symbols. Halkueem Zan do some adventure trip and leave info with University, yes? Maybe team can get info? Would help alot!"
Upon hearing Lenny's pitch, Pippimi pipes up with "Yes! Maybe Lenny open branch location at University? Help students get in shape."
Clank glances back and forth as the various people more skilled in not setting things on fire or electricity do their thing. He contents himself by fiddling around with some of his gear. When things seem cleared up in ways that he couldn't make worse by butting in, he pipes up. "Who knew that the dull world of academia could be filled with so much conflict? I might have fit right in... other than not having tall enough seats."
He looks around, "So back to the brainiac?"
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The professor accepts the gym card with a bit of a confused look. "Oh! Well, I suppose if I am ever around... The gyms here are quite nice but I believe pirate hats are against dress code..." You're not quite sure if she is happy about that or not. She then turns to Pippimi before you all leave. "Generally the school tends to frown on violence. But I have been a bit concerned with my own safety of late. Perhaps I will take you up on your offer. Do you have something a little, uh... inconspicuous?"
After a short, and no doubt bubbly, transaction, the professor agrees to take a look at your work, talking as she does so. "That Zan, I have no patience for his work. Doctor Olmehya Solstarni has a strong interest in the ruins of Ukulam, however. But she took a leave, two days ago. Ah! See here!" She points to a specific piece of the photos you gave her. "This symbol here. It is involved in a dialect belonging to a non-Elven language group found in association with the few known elven sites on the continent of Ukulam to the west. Let me call Solstarni. I'm sure she won't mind her camping trip being interrupted by a find this exciting!" She dials the professor at her personal comm unit. When Solstarni doesn't pick up, Muhali dials her office and home units as well. Oddly, none of them are picked up. "Hmm... How odd. The youth these days are never away from their units. Why would she..." The lashunta, obviously concerned, calls Solstarni's emergency contact. Her mother picks up. "Yes, little Olmy said she was on a work trip with you! How is it going? It must be important to have sprung up so fast! The message sounded like she was in a hurry!"
Muhali ends the conversation quickly and turns back to you. "This is not good. I fear the worst. Her, take this spare key card. Once you're done with Ailabiens 21:2 I would appreciate it if you could check Solstarni’s office. Maybe you could investigate to see if there’s any sign of where my colleague might be" Eager to ensure you're involved, she adds, "After all, Ailabiens can help you in some areas but no one is as knowleadgable on these matters as Solstarni."
Pleased to have (at least somewhat) gotten into a supply deal, however small it might be, Pippimi listens attentively to the Professor's explanation. When it turns out Olmy is missing and won't answer her comms, she puts paws on her hips. "Hmhm! Pippimi will investigate for Muhali! Olmy maybe just playing hooky, but maybe something else. Easy to check."
She turns to the rest of the team. "Check Olmy office first maybe?"
Clank thinks a moment. "Well, in normal circumstances, it's probably better to talk to someone than rummage through others' belongings, but we were asked. Being respectable is an interesting change of pace!" The goblin beams a grin. It's unclear if he's joking or not... or both. "Yeah, let's get to the office."
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The group says goodbye to Muhali for the moment and heads out to the fourth floor. Whaloss follows you, helping guide you along. The door to Dr. Solstarni’s fourth-floor office is made of a heavy wood composite and is locked electronically. Thankfully, Professor Muhali’s key card unlocks the door. In the hallway you notice that the building has security cameras in its hallways and at the entrances, but there aren’t any inside individual offices and classrooms.
Upon opening the door, you are met with a mess! This office is in disarray, with cabinet doors ajar, several stone artifacts scattered across the floor from open archival drawers, and a traveling bag open and half-packed. The computer on the desk at the far end of the room is dark, but a diode at its base blinks regularly...
The office contains an assortment of outdated astronomy tools from sundry planets. This disarray is not typical for the kasatha, as Whaloss can relay (and Zoran confirm), and even at a casual glance, it appears that someone was packing quickly and erratically—perhaps even ransacking the room. Suspecting criminal activity, Whaloss excuses himself to contact Muhali and the local police. "Please, keep looking. See what clues you can uncover, the campus police are horrible."
Clank looks around at the mess. "Ah, looks like home." Then he heads to the security camera to try hacking in with some applied electrical currents.
Zulu looks around the office in disarray.
"Seems unusual. Biologicals are usually more neat. Somewhat."
As he looks around he sees the goblin go monkey with the security system but eventually his eyes zero in on the computer terminal, which he approaches and looks over.
"Give up your secrets..." he mutters as he sits down.
"Mmm, Pippimi always think maybe she should take non-credit course on professional investigating, but she never do. Now she regretting..." Her face scrunches up with consternation. "Maybe get lucky, find uh, evidence and bring to Zulu for making sense of everything?"
Somewhat lost in how to help with this task, Pippimi starts poking around the room, looking for signs of what might have happened.
Zoran had to take a moment to answer the ridiculous amounts of inquiries coming to his device after dispersing the crowd in the earlier part of the day. After attempting to contact the media outlets directly he ended up sending a mass-message that he would hold a briefing at a later time.
Exasperated he finds the group heading to Olmy's office and gets filled in.
"Remind me to not speak in front of a crowd of reports in the near future. So the person we need to contact is missing...things have stopped being simple since we crossed paths. Let's go."
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"This is far from normal, Whaloss, be quick and hopefully whoever attacked her is not still lurking about." Zoran replies as he heads to get the police.
Seeing that the computers and security cameras were being handled Zoran looked over the physical evidence.
"Camera footage will be key but this is sloppy work. They left something we can trace...."
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Davrin hardly blinks when he enters and sees the mess. "So either Dr. Solstarni was in a rush to leave, or some people ransacked this place. Cant be hard to figure out the difference." Turning all serious now, the halfling carefully pads across the room looking, but careful not to touch unless absolutely necessarily.
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Clank pulls out his datapad and gets to work. Within a minute his little green fingers have hacked their way into the receptionist’s computer, giving him remote access. As Ikimsi watches in shock downstairs, Clank pulls up the footage from two days before. He reviews the video logs to see that a trio of korasha lashuntas carrying heavy backpacks and wearing uniforms entered the building two days ago in the late evening—after all reception personnel had left. They then took the stairs up, but there seems to be no footage of them on other floors or even leaving the building!
Continuing to work his magic, Clank notes that there are inconsistencies in the digital signatures of the footage on several floors (including the fourth floor, where Dr. Solstarni’s office is), suggesting that someone hacked into the building’s security cameras and looped footage of empty hallways to hide whatever they were doing!
Zulu, preferring a hard keyboard, sits down at the desk. Dr. Solstarni’s computer is in sleep mode, but interacting with its controls brings up her log-in screen. Zulu nods in appreciation of the computer’s higher than average security system then promptly bypasses it. A small nanosecond of joy is felt as he easily suppresses the computer’s 1-hour lockout countermeasure. After gaining access, he can review the computer’s recent functions and Dr. Solstarni’s correspondence. Her personal calendar notes that she is scheduled for a research sabbatical in approximately two months, as approved by her department head, Muhali, and the authorities in Turhalu Point on the east coast of Ukulam. However, one of the recent files on the computer is a letter from Professor Muhali granting Dr. Solstarni leave to depart two months early to take advantage of special conditions in the field, digitally signed two days ago.
Not one to be distracted, Zulu continues to scour the computer. Next, he finds a series of 15 messages exchanged between Dr. Solstarni and a person named Dr. Eyrub Paqual regarding Solstarni’s research into the ancient elven settlements of Ukulam. The exchanges begin fairly cordially as Paqual and Solstarni discussed minor details of interest from the minimal research published about these sites. As the discussion continued, however, Paqual grew more insistent and attempted to cajole the kasatha to meet with him at a cafe called the Five Arches in Qabarat’s Gateway District 2 days ago to appraise several artifacts he had recovered. Solstarni refused, citing a busy schedule
Lenny searches for information about Eyrub Paqual on Castrovel’s infosphere, and finds a series of articles about elven ruins he has published over the past 6 years. At first blush, he appears to be a moderately well-established academic.
Meanwhile, Zoran and Davrin start scouring the office like true detectives! One of the cabinets is ajar, and Zoran heads to it right away. It contains Dr. Solstarni’s field suit, a set of basic lashunta tempweave fitted for a kasatha, though it has fallen from its hanger. Zoran notices a slight dent in the carbon fiber cabinet where someone collided violently with the furniture in a short fight. Likely, Solstarni tried to hastily don her armor but was rudely interrupted.
Davrin looks behind the cabinet for clues and finds a printed version of Eyrub Paqual’s invitation to the Five Arches that Zulu uncovered. Solstarni must have printed this out for some reason... But why would she slip it behind her cabinet? It’s unlikely it fell there by mistake as the beast is at least 7 feet tall and pretty snug with the wall.
The two continue their search, finding some printed scans of Halkueem Zan’s notebooks marked in red pen and annotated by hand. The handwriting matches the rest of Solstarni’s notes in the room. It’s odd, the scans are 3-hole punched but the holes are all ripped. As it they were ripped from a binder full of notes. A binder which is missing from the office… Even so, these notes include some unique conclusions that seem to chart a course from Turhalu Point to, as Zan described it, the “accursed pyramid city of Loskialua.” Dr. Solstarni helpfully writes in the margin that this regards what’s now known as ”the Oatia culture, a poorly understood dynasty of elven immigrants to Ukulam.”
"I fear out Dr. Solstarni may be worse for wear if her body created this dent. It looks like you may have some good news though, Davrin. Do you think she left that printout and these ripped pages out for us?" he converses with Davrin over the finds.
When Zulu shares his supporting information on the meeting Zoran gives them a look over as well.
"Zulu...do you notice the change in the conversation over the messages? I don't think she was keen to meet with him...possible suspect?" he asks the android.
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Zulu, ever one for efficiency, doesnt bother detailing his discoveries in the computer system, he simply rapidly summarizes all the data and fires an analysis, with bulletpoint outline to the group in seconds.
Cocking his head at Zorans question, Zulu rapidly recalls the email correspondence with the new outlook of distrust, and agrees.
"Yes. Her lack of emojis, I believe you call them, stop. Shows distrust. Dislike?"
Given a new train of thought, the android immediately net searches Paqual with a a bewildering series of rapidly scrolling images on his augmented reality displays, miraculously reading and comparing all at speeds many hackers could only dream of. In moments he replies.
"Paqual seems to be fake. Bad citations. Made up data. She was right to distrust."
Then, as an after thought.
"Oh. Digital signature on absense permission obvious fake. Cant backtrack the hacker though."
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Pippimi hovers around Zulu and Zoran as they smash through their analysis at warp speed. She looks from person to person with growing concern. "Oh no, no, no! Sound like Solstarni in big big trouble! Strange Paqual guy obviously catfishing. Pippimi get corporate training on how that work. Can be very dangerous."
When shown the cabinet she squeaks in alarm. "Maybe fight happen here?"
Clank watches with increasing interest as all the evidence points to a sinister plot, eyes flickering about speedily trying to take everything in. "Yeah, if Academia really is like this, I think I missed my calling." He pauses a moment at Pippimi's insight. "Catfish? I mean, maybe they serve that at the cafe they were supposed to meet at, but that might be just a red herring?"
Looking over all the data, he shrugs his shoulders. "Well, it looks like Doctor seems to have been abducted. Unless we can get more information from Security, the only leads we seem to have are this 'pyramid city of Loskialua' and... they did print out the invitation to the Five Arches, which likely means something. I think it's worth checking out, if nothing else because now I really AM hungry."
"Clank! Red Herring totally different thing. Pippimi hear it old Golarion fish type! Catfishing when you pretend to be someone else, trick people on infosphere." She nods sagely.
When he shares his conclusion, she adds "Pippimi agree! Solstarni maybe still there, hiding out and waiting for us to rescue?"
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"Oh, yeah!" Clank thinks for a moment. "I don't know. If Solstarni was hiding out somewhere, you think they would find a place with a way to contact others, that wasn't the chosen location of their likely assailant. But if we show up there and flash around the reservation request it might jog someone's memory, or get us shot at. Either way, we'll likely get a meal out of it."
The goblin's red eyes blink suddenly as if he's processing some additional information.
"Oh! Speaking of fish, those guys in uniforms are the Gateway District’s Port Authority. But it's got nothing to do with water, it's a massive hub of ancient elven portals. Because elves didn't need any more reasons to be odd."
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It takes you about fifteen minutes to search the room and come to your conclusions. As you are packing up and grabbing valuable evidence, Professor Muhali appears at the door! "Hello, everyone. I called a Qabarat detective to help us uncover what happened to poor Solstarni." A korasha lashunta man walks into the room behind her. He holds himself up as tall as he can, but still looks short and squat compared to the professor. He looks at the room and how it has obviously been tampered and immediately frowns at you. "You've infected the crime scene!"[b] He squints his eyes at Clank, frowning. [b]"Probably stole some items as well. Hmmm... well, I need to take statements from each of you."
After about a half hour of the detective grilling each of you about what you found in the room and you convincing him not to arrest Clank, he grunts and stands. "Based on the evidence, it appears the best course of action is to follow up on the connections to the Five Arches and the Port Authority, and based on the nature of the suspects, I suspect they might hide at the first sight of law enforcement." The lashunta lets out a small growl of frustration. "I suppose we may need your help again. While you did completely muck up my crime scene, you seem to be average investigators." He looks to Muhali, who nods her approval. "I would be amenable to providing you with short-term deputation to investigate the situation further, BUT. I do so under the conditions that at least two of you wear bugs to provide surveillance." He looks at Clank and Pippimi with a little concern as he continues. and that you allow a pair of officers to shadow you, at a considerable distance, in case of trouble." Concerned for her colleague, Muhali nods her head. Please, if you would pursue these leads, the university would be in your debt. And, of course, we'd be happy to help you with whatever research you need, free of charge. In fact, here!" She goes over to the closet and pulls out the lashunta tempweave suit. "This was purchased by the university for her trip. Take it with you, maybe it will help."
Pippimi raises a pair of paws in greeting to the detective. "Hoi officer! Pippimi not muck up anything! She not good enough at investigating, so she not touch. Also, team definitely above average, they discover a lot!" She gestures at the rest of the team, advocating for them.
"Pippimi OK with wearing microphone, no problem." She rubs the fur on top of her head "What if team find lot of kidnappers? Can fight? Or should wait for police? Pippimi can grab, not hurt too much, if that OK?"
And when Muhali offers the armor, Pippimi looks at her medium sized allies. "Thank you Muhali! This could help. Who want?"
If Zulu was scandalized at being accused of mocking up a crime scene (he was) he showed his customary no emotion to the officer. During questioning he is,as usual, curt with his responses. Never wasting a sylibal unnecessarily, yet truthful, aa is his custom.
He offers no opinion about wearing a bug or having officers shadow him, he routinely recorded everything with his exocortex anyway so another recording device was hardly invasive. As for shadowing officers? He assumed armed outsiders were probably being watched anyway, especially a motley group like thiers, what with a goblin in tow.
Biologicals, so worried about emotion. And custom. Waste of time and energy.
He does look over the armor with interest, offering "fine quality. Upgrade over mine, but not much. Will use if not needed by others."
"We infected the crime scene? How about the incompetence of the security that allowed this to happen? The cameras were hacked and had we not come along it may not have been discovered for some time longer. It isn't wise to talk down to the people doing the jobs of multiple organizations here. I expect an allowance for handling your business as deputies, I will wear a microphone as well." Zoran says getting heated at the accusation while there is someone in danger his knuckles going a stark white on the head of his cane.
He then shakes his head and turns to Muhali.
"We will find them one way or another." he says to her and looks over the armor as well.
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Lenny is visibly livid before the end of the detective's presumptuous assertion of responsibility over what he and his team started. He thought he could hold his tongue, but when Zoran speaks out he can't hold back.
If your two goon-shadows make our work harder with their bumbling, then we get to call them off. This mess was here when we arrived, and as Pippimi pointed out we've done just fine to this point.
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"Hey, if you're sure you really want a mike on me, I'm completely fine. Of course, I might need to get the consent of my clients when I'm on business but I'm sure some would love that. Maybe even spied on by your agents. Hope they are discreet enough." Davrin gives the detective an impish, mocking grin.
He turns to Muhali, now all serious, "We'll do what we can. Academics are a treasure to have in a society and kidnapping one, that's like kicking a puppy."
Clank sighs at the requirements the Detective set forth. "What is it with the jobs we've been given recently? 'Go and do the thing we're unable to do... but make sure to record it so that we make sure you don't do it the way.' I miss the days when hiring semi-reputable troubleshooters included the implicit assurance of looking the other way for deniability for both parties... But I digress. Uh, I don't think I should be the one with the bugs; they don't tend to like electricity. But I don't think we have much choice in the matter." The goblin beams a toothy grin, almost mostly joking. Mostly.
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The detective is a bit taken aback by your irritations, obviously put in his place by the six of you who could definitely outmatch him in a fight and a battle of wits. He keeps making excuses under his breath as he fixes two small bugs to Pippimi and Davrin. "Well, that's the stupid campus security, not the police. They're always getting in our way, mucking up crime scenes. Even worse than you lot, they are. I'd never deputize them," He grunts and explains how the bugs, smaller than your thumbprint, receive energy from your skin's heat. Those all set, he introduces you to your Qabarat Police shadows. "Yeah, this is Jeaoh and Schmeaoh. They'll be a few blocks behind you, making sure you don't get in over your head." He turns to the officers in streetwear. "You don't need to keep a constant eye on them, just listen in and make sure they don't fight anything. Or steal anything." He casts a doubtful gaze over to Zoran, Pippimi and Clank, obviously unsure of who he trusts less. Finally, he sends you a digitally signed Authorization of Deputization form. "Alright, don't make me regret this." He and Muhali watch you leave, their looks of judgement and concern a perfect match for your parents' when you left to live the life of an adventurer.
You head downstairs, say goodbye to Whaloss and the secretary, then grab a cab. The driver says he knows of a cantina called the Five Arches. On the way, the establishment is easy enough to find through Castrovel’s infosphere, and it’s located off the beaten path in the Gateway District near the east end of the city. According to its advertisements, the Five Arches is “a café dedicated to serving the discerning palettes of a dozen worlds.” According to online reviews, it’s an eclectic dive with wildly variable food and drink quality combined with bizarre food pairings for the daily specials. Overall, the reputation suggests it’s not a place that right-thinking individuals frequent willingly.
The Five Arches is readily apparent from the street, thanks to its glaring neon sign suggestive of the numerous portals in the district. You put the cab fare on the University's tab and enter the pink and green neon doors. A riot of different worlds’ souvenirs plasters the interior’s walls, and each table, booth, and bench bears the name of one of the Pact Worlds’ planets or habitable moons. Upon entry, a female android swoops up to you and directs you towards a table. The table, Marata, has a slew of almost-certainly offensive Maraquoi tribal art. "Hello, my name is Uilee! I am the owner of this fine establishment! Obviously you came here for an elegant plating of foreign delights!" The android, whose cheerful voice modulator seems to be turned up to eleven, drops some menus and leaves.
Looking over the menu, it seems the efficient business is marred only by the owner's... taste in dishes. It seems the "authentic" offworld specials change every day and rarely repeat.
Despite the sub-par food offerings it seems the restaurant makes plenty of income from the various low-key criminals and gang members who know to skip the menu and just order drinks. Looking around the room, you're guessing the majority of the other customers are hardened criminals or lost tourists. Though it is the afternoon, there are about a dozen patrons nursing drinks alone or in pairs. The daily special today is an unidentifiable avian cutlet smothered in a fig-like fruit compote and served alongside a mashed bitter tuber from Triaxus. (Surprisingly, there is no Red Herring on the menu.)
Zoran looks at the menu discerningly then glances at Zulu. He then shakes his head and declines eating anything.
The food here may be best after partaking in the drinks.
He waits for her to return so that he can press her for information.
"Your establishment is a wonderful nod to the universe. It reminds me of my pilgrimage...well the more enjoyable parts of it at least. Could I ask you a question? My colleagues and I were supposed to meet a Mr. Paqual here two days ago but had some issues at customs. Would you happen to know if he left a message or you overheard anything?" he says with a smile and giving whatever description they were able to muster on their earlier search.
Pippimi takes a seat in a booth and settles herself in before looking at the menu. "Oooh. Unidentifiable avian cutlet sound really good. Pippimi order one of those please Uilee! Also, maybe bottle of Zo! Refreshing, ultra-pineapple flavor?"
When Uilee gets back, she starts digging in while Zoran and Davrin focus on business.
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Lenny sits back in the booth, his lips deliberately pursed as if he's holding back something in the android's presence. As soon as she dumps the menus and leaves he leans forward to clue in his teammates.
Just a reminder that not only are androids a bit cold of personality, but also their taste sensors are rudimentary and do not deliver as rich of experiences to their brains as do ours. So... her screening process for dishes may not yield the best menu.
Zulu watches the server with no more emotion or interest than he would any other sentient. Scratch that, he does take a short moment to look her over and appraise her construction from a purely function and platonic angle. He, as usual, remains silent during the interaction.
When Lenny delivers his observation, he nods.
"Correct. Taste sensors unnessary. Food is for bodily abstinence. Biologicals waste too much time and energy on "taste". Pointless excercise." cocking his head as if thinking for a moment, "but, still valid. Servers recommendations likely unpalatable."
While the charming members of the group do their talking thing, Zulu keeps an eye out on the rest of the dubious clientele, making sure none take undue interest in his group.
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"A Mr. Paqual? Why..." The android's circuits glow as she thinks. "No, I haven't had a reservation under that name. Ever. But that is unsurprising, most of my clientele prefer to not give a name. And sometimes my memory banks accidentally wipe my memory of a customer's face. Usually those that give big tips, oddly enough." She winks at the table. "I'll go get you another round of that ZO! Sorry, we only had the one bottle of ultra-pineapple. But don't worry, we have a whole keg of the Thanksgiving Dinner flavor!" She rushes off before Pippimi can come up with a polite refusal.
Zulu, with very little emotional investment in the conversation, looks around the restaurant. He notices a lone man - dressed in a khaki shirt, black jeans and a black vest (must be a smuggler!) - at the table across from the group. The man seems to have perked up at the mention of Paqual, actively listening in on your conversation. Come to think of it, you're pretty sure he moved to that booth after you sat down, from his place at the bar.