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“Yes. Yes! You’re everything I was hoping for,” exclaims the undead showman while looking over the new arrivals. “Oh, Luwazi, you’ve truly outdone yourself. They’re so exciting, so energized, so—”
“—alive?” finishes a ghast woman wearing well-tailored clothing as she steps onto the stage. Zo! frowns at the blunt observation and tries to respond, but Luwazi intervenes.
“Starfinders, no doubt this is all happening a little fast, so let me explain. After the Scoured Stars incident, the Society struggled to support new expeditions. I reached out to numerous people and organizations for grant money, and our host was eager to help. He financed more than a dozen missions, including the one to Salvation’s End. There was one big catch.”
Zo! visibly bounces in his seat with excitement as Luwazi continues. “If we found anything especially exciting, we’d need to cease exploration long enough for him to get a film crew out there to document whatever we found next. Well, Salvation’s End may look like a moon, but our initial survey of it found there’s something built inside—the whole thing might be artificial. That qualifies as especially exciting, but that was also several months ago.”
The skeletal mogul waves his hands. “Oh, but Luwazi, I couldn’t just send a single crew. No, the Starfinder Society’s greatest triumph deserves far more production value.”
He hops up from his chair and gazes out at the moon as he paces and gesticulates. “Imagine: heroes from the Pact World, a mysterious planetoid, untold secrets, limitless adventure—all broadcast before a live audience in our greatest production yet!”
He spins to look back at the group, his lipless mouth smiling gleefully. “Live Exploration Extreme!”
The ghast claps politely before interjecting. “To translate, you’re scheduled to explore part of Salvation’s End accompanied by a professional camera crew and production team. You will find exciting things and be thoroughly entertaining. Any questions?”
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"Salvation's End again, huh? Sounds like fun." Fuskee was already a little tipsy but snuck out his flask for another quick sip, hoping it would help him keep up with their excited employers. "Plus, everyone loves watching a drunk Ysoki. I better bring extra booze."
Fuskee is a Ysoki Mechanic standing at about 3'5 with a big laser rifle strapped to his back. He wears a bit of jewelry on his ears, neck and fingers, but the first thing most people notice is his cybernetic red eye which is actually his exocortex that holds his AI "Acid Burn". He's also missing a little chunk of his right ear.
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"None!" 'smiles' the Morgal. "That is the point! Genuine exploration. Genuine death-defying scenes. Genuine blood.. maybe."
The assistant licks her lips at the thought.
"Nobody has been down there, so nobody knows what is down there! You'll be the first, with a camera crew right behind, and a live audience in orbit following in real time! It's like they will be exploring with you. And of course we will have a chance for them to ask you question and make suggestions to help in your exploration..."
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The ghast looks disgustingly at Saryn. "The crews are professional. They know how to not get in the way."
Zo! jumps up, clapping it on the back. "And this is Wzasha Kevir, my associate producer for this venture."
The ghastly woman indicates a group of robots, androids and undead through a side door. "Crew one is support, they make sure we stay comfortable and carrying our spare equipment, relays etc. Crew two is the camera and lighting crew. Their job is to show the audience what you are up to - put you in the best possible light so to speath."
Her tongue slips a little too far out of her mouth, tangling her words. Irritably she pulls it back in. A quick look shows almost a dozen ghouls bristling to holocord cameras, boom microphones, reflective screens and spot lighting.
"You're going to be famous!" and then in a lower voice. "This is my big break, and you amateurs are NOT to mess it up for me."
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"That's just it, associate producer, we're not looking for fame and we're not amateurs. We're explorer's. You're the dead dog chasing after glory and fame not us."
Saryn looks to Luwazi for some help, but sees that that's not going to happen. He sighs and shakes his head in resignation. "I'll not be your bodyguard, associate producer. Not for you or your people. And if you cause any trouble, I'm more than willing to let you suffer the consequences."
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Jed sitting back and nibbling on a piece of whatever he happened to find on his way in steps up. "omhjfgr bdiu" pulling out what he was chewing on."sorry about that some times I forget I got something in my mouth. So we go to this moon, planet thing look around and you film the whole thing? Do u want us to bring anything back with us? What if we find oh I dont know any artifacts we just to leave them there? Plus what if some of your crew gets killed cause we run into something and a fight breaks out?" after he gets done asking his questions he starts chewing again.
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"You do whatever explorers do!" gushes Zo!
"You won't even notice the crew most of the time." Any glance at the veritable army of undead, androids and robots make that claim a little dubious. Maybe he is thinking of the live audience. Maybe.
"Of course we'll have The Booth that we'll do some interviews with you in, during down time and such." adds in the professional Wzasha.
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Mobius greets Zo! and the rest of the party. He is a human with a curious-looking contraption on his head, that seems to behave like it has a life on its own. "Hey Zo! Thanks again for your help in protecting Luwazi. It's a pleasure to aid you again this time around. Right M.I.C.H.?" The contraption on his head gives off a pattern of light that responds to Mobius. He is donned in a fabric that is known to have been made by Lashunta's and also has a laser rifle strapped to his back.
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Zo! advances on Mobius, clapping him on the back, along with a couple of the others of you that have earned his favour. "Mobius, Dharling!" he all but screeches. "It's been too long.."
"While I wouldn't normally stoop to putting... planted advertising... into my programmes, I have been offered some "free sample" equipment. And you, my friends, are welcome to use it if you like. Quality merchandise all of it..."
He pulls open a nearby locker and a large amount of advertising material, along with more than one gun and suit of armor fall out.
A Nova Solution LLC catalogue is quick to catch your eye, which showcases their latest 'frontier-ready' weaponry offerings that 'Stop even the toughest alien in its' tracks'. The Scorched Earth product range "Why end a fight when you can end a planet?" features Flaming doshko, plasma kukri, flamethrowers and a static arc pistol.
Another advertiser "Clashwear!" - a well known Verces -based producer of comfortable armoured clothing, also has a good stash of glossy catalogues. The current range "Dress to Express", features designs by the wildly popular shirren designed Neshkuay.
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The crew, Starfinders and Wazasha all cram into a shuttle for a short ride down to Salvation's surface. A number of large screens have been rigged into the hanger and you can see Zo! special effects team has been working overtime on the opening montage with each of you featuring prominently...although perhaps not so prominently as Zo! himself.
Within the hanger there are a number of other Starfinders who are still working repairs, and they show you the way down an elevator to a hatch, awaiting its dramatic unsealing.
Lights flare, cameras roll and anyone listening on the infosphere can almost hear the audience gasp as the portal is opened and everyone gets the first glimpse of what is beyond...
Which turns out to be a rather ordinary looking, very dark, tunnel.
"Remember, the audience can't read your minds, so if you are thinking stuff, say it out loud." hisses Wazasha during one of the numerous add breaks.
"Which of you is going to lead the way?"
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Jed leads the team into the dark passageway. The lights being a little too cumberson for the area are not on, so presumably the cameras are running in infra-red or some such configuration. Ahead a light flickers, showing that there is at least some power in the tunnel.
Maybe thirty feet in you come across a broken down machine, possibly once a robot of some type - but not a type you recognize. The flickering light lends a sinister cast to the scene.
Pressing on you come to an intersection. An old sign is on the wall, but appears to have been deliberately vandalized. In places the tunnels are stone, and in others they seem to be lined with metal.
The rock appears to be natural, but there are signs of warping and buckling as though the moon has periodically experienced heavy forces such as strong gravitational forces or the large-scale movement of something large toward the moon’s core.
"What do you think Starfinders?" prompts Wazasha.
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Mobius checks the broken down machine, but is unable to recognize it. Moving on towards the intersection, M.I.C.H. sends pertinent data regarding the current terrain they are in. "M.I.C.H. says that the stones are natural, but over on this part...", he points towards the metal linings. "...they show a pattern like it's being drawn towards somewhere. Like the moon's core."
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Wazasha nods to Mobius, obviously approving of his vocalisations for the audience. After a moment or two the starfinders press onward. Further down the corridor you come to some wires sticking out of the wall.
Then another minute or so of travel leads to a small pile of trash in the middle of the corridor...Broken equipment and excrement are mixed together.
about the size of a vesk..
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The ghast sighs at the group. "Ad break!" she calls out quickly, giving everyone a moment of respite.
"Okay, that was good." she says consulting a wrist-puter. "Rating with the Vesk when up just then, good demographic. Remember, you are the interface to the audience, the more you say, the more they will like you."
She a Camera points at Mobius "Perhaps you could tell us about your experiences fighting goblins, or with Vesk?"
She clutches at her ear "Okay, back live in 3, 2..1... rolling"
"How about your Saryn, why do you think someone would rip out the monitors? "
Before he gets a chance to answer an explosion rattles the tunnel and cameras swoop in on each of the Starfinders to capture your expressions and plans..
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Mobius gives out a sigh. Zo! You have some explaining to do. "Well, I haven't fought any vesk yet, but there was this good friend of ours who gave us intel when the life of the First Seeker was at stake." He hesitates whether or not to smile at the camera. "But goblins? A pesky bunch. Can't handle their annoying songs."
As the explosion goes off, Mobius aims the arc pistol towards the source and readies his exocortex to feed him biometrics if any threat comes into view. "Get ready M.I.C.H., give me stats of whatever is coming through that explosion."
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Mich doesn't get any life form readings from down the passageway. Wazasha meanwhile makes sure there is a closeup on Saryn's runeblade as the Lashunta draws it.
Looking around, suddenly the camera crew notice that Jed has vanished.
"Did something grab Jed?"
Lights are rapidly brought up to full strength as the tunnel is scanned for him.
Ahead Saryn comes to a twist in the corridor. Around the corner he finds a large hole seems to have been blasted into it... probably from below.
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Fuskee had been following along quietly and drunkenly but the impact of the explosion rattled his senses and activated his synaptic accelerators, his exocortex lighting up a bright red light where his eye used to be as he scanned the area for threats, pulling his laser rifle from his back. "Sorry I've been lagging behind, I'm awake, what's going on?"
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As the echoes of the explosion fade Wazasha puts a wicked expression on her face. "and we have an audience winner! Chaiyek come on down!"
A slightly surprised looking wrikreechee emerges from the passage. "Yes folk, the live-audience winner has joined the team. Nothing quite like mixing things up a bit. Let us see what Chaiyek can add to the mix!"
Ahead Jed creeps to the hole and looks down. Below he can see a team of goblins, several dead goblins and a large six legged armadillo like creature.. Though they generally move in and out of view.
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Jed darts forward, but his aim with his weapon is off. Fuskie shows what a Yoshki with a rifle can do, burning the goblin lightly.
The goblin vanishes back through the door way, shrieking, whether with laughter or pain is unclear. The film crew surges forward, with lights illuminating the whole area in bright.. light.
Another figure drop down behind you. "Ahh, our second winner!" cries your ghastly guide.
Status, bold may post:
Kato
Chaiyek
Saryn
Mobius
Jed
Fuskee
Goblin (red) 3 damage
Crew
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A mid sized figure wearing tan and dark brown tactical gear walks out of the hole from which the party came from. He wears a wide brimmed and sweat stained hat covering his eyes. As the cameras turn on him he strikes a pose and tilts his hat up with the barrel of his azimuth laser pistol and winks at the camera. He then takes off at full run and catches up with the crew.
"Goblins, eh? Those pesky pest have taken over every last nook of the Vast. The names Kato, by the way. Nice meeting all of yous." Kato tips his hat at each of the exploration team. "Nothing I like more than exploring an ancient ruin filled with monsters. So big fellow, you gonna jump down first?" He looks at Saryn with a smile and gives him a wink. "In all seriousness, it'll be back with friends. Those vermins never strike alone and never fight fair. Everybody stay on your toes" He aims his pistol straight at the hole.
Kato readies an action to shoot anything that pops out of that hole with his laser pistol.
As he talks he studies the rocks of the cave and tries to figure out if there are any other weak points where it might cave in or the floor might give out from the explosion. He also listens for any hints goblins.