As your ship approaches Absalom Station an emergency call comes over your radio on a channel dedicated to security forces and the military.
"This is Duravor Kreel of the Starfinder Society requesting assistance. My caller ID is 451119. A gang war has erupted in Docking Bay 94 and many of the patrol Stewards have fallen. In need of immediate assistance from any security in the area. Over."
You are able to locate Docking Bay 94 and the computer is asking if you want to plot a course.
Ehron smiled easily as they approached Absalom Station. "I tell you this feels like a home coming after escaping that mess. Absalom is a lot bigger than the stations in the Diaspora, but this is piloting we are taught as children."
He tenses and becomes more alert as the broadcast is played. "Well, earning the gratitude of an influential being. This sounds like we should assess closer given all the new toys we have found on this bucket." he pats the console fondly and loads in the docking procedure. Ehron then looks for some confirmation from his new peers before engaging.
Garland still couldn't believe their luck. A working ship, one that was easy to operate once they had escaped the prison, and filled with equipment and supplies! The further they got away from that place, the more Garland begins to feel like his old self again.
"This is Duravor Kreel of the Starfinder Society requesting assistance. My caller ID is 451119. A gang war has erupted in Docking Bay 94 and many of the patrol Stewards have fallen. In need of immediate assistance from any security in the area. Over."
Absalom Station. He tended to avoid the massive space hub. Thanks to the "Armada" that surrounded the station, it was quite difficult to get in or out without someone noticing, which made smuggling difficult. Not to mention the unpleasant memories from early in his life that he still associated with the place. And now it looked like they were headed straight for even more trouble.
"Well, earning the gratitude of an influential being. This sounds like we should assess closer given all the new toys we have found on this bucket." he pats the console fondly and loads in the docking procedure. Ehron then looks for some confirmation from his new peers before engaging.
Garland catches Ehron's eye from his seat and nods, grinning. "Diving headfirst into a fight isn't usually my style," he admits. "But I agree, having the Starfinder Society on our side would be a terrific help. They might even know something about that prison," he muses, watching the space station get closer and closer.
Zetara, overhearing the conversation, tries to remember anything she knows about the gangs or political situation here that might help them know how to handle the situation.
She doesn't seem to be able to come up with anything immediately useful though, so she just says Good idea. Let's go assist. and goes back to mending things.
He tenses and becomes more alert as the broadcast is played. "Well, earning the gratitude of an influential being. This sounds like we should assess closer given all the new toys we have found on this bucket." he pats the console fondly and loads in the docking procedure. Ehron then looks for some confirmation from his new peers before engaging.
Duanimon nods to Ehron as they meticulously ready their newly-acquired laser rifle. "Yes, we might as well help this Duravor person. Aiding the Starfinder Society is always a laudable goal," Duanimon says. "This will also be a good opportunity to try out those combat tracking subroutines Entos found recently in its backup memory."
And it will be nice to be back on the station again, they think.
"Praise the lady! Let us go and teach these criminals the error of their ways!" says Kov'i as he stands up from the gunner's chair. He then draws his shiny new assault hammer for emphasis.
"Sound like we are saving the day. Making friends and probably some enemies within 30 seconds of arriving. Anyone ever been here? What should we expect?"
"I have never been to this station, but I have heard that it is a grand place where heroes gather."
Kov'i stands up and starts making his way to the airlock "Come, let us go and find out together."
Nodding over towards Kov'i, thinking back to the vesk's defeat of the last robot captors Ehron grins to his companion. "Well, we best arm ourselves and pray for some luck. This might be a matter of bluff and threat to get gangs to calm, but mayhap be not."
Ehron reaches back to the console tapping a few commands to hail the station and request clearance to that landing berth and then calling ID 451119. "Assistance inbound from spaceward Mister Kreel, would appreciate if you make sure its clear and that we are on your side."
With the plot layed in and turning to gather his own equipment from storage Ehron continued. "I be knowing only that Absalom Station is a metropolis. An oasis in the desert of space. Navigating the people there will be far more challenge than our trip to here I be thinking."
"I have never been to this station, but I have heard that it is a grand place where heroes gather."
"Only part of it," Duanimon replies to Kov'i, "And even there, I would only classify some of the researchers and inventors as heroes. Much of the station is either the domain of greedy corporate executives or plagued by poverty and violence. However, my knowledge of this system leads me to believe that it is perhaps the most civilized place overall in the Pact Worlds, save Aballon and parts of Verces. In any case, I consider myself fortunate to have awakened on the station."
"The sooner you get here the better. I am not sure how much longer I can hold out. Over." Duravor speaks quickly and you can sounds of battle in the background.
Ehron is able to dock the ship and through the glass of the docking bay doors you can see lasers shooting back and forth. It looks like your docking bay is right in the center of the cross fire. You can see there is plenty of cargo and scrap to use as cover once you open the doors.
Zetara remembers something: When I was through here about a month ago, there was a gang dispute over who had claim to an asteroid brought in by a mining vessel. This might be the escalation of that dispute.
So, what is our strategy? Are we shooting everyone, picking a side, or just rescuing this one guy and trying to minimize damage? I am okay with whatever we decide, but I need to know who to shoot, or if I should wait while someone asks for parley.
Zetara makes sure her Needler Pistol is full of darts, and keeps it ready.
Kov'i also draw the needler pistol he selected, checks to make sure it is loaded, and then with a glance at the group to make sure they're ready, presses the button to open the hatch.
"We should off the chance for surrender, and any who take it should be spared. Should any not, then we disable them and offer them the chance for surrender."
Kov'i strides out into the firefight and bellows "Any who do not wish to be bludgeoned into unconsciousness, throw down your weapons and take cover."
Kov'i will give a moment to see if anyone takes him up on his generous offer, then say "Very well, then. Bludgeoning it is."
Ehron finishes the adjustments to fully equip his light armor, his form hunched a little at the slightly lower ceiling in the shuttle, while saying. "Zetara is correct, it sounds like something has escalated it. I have heard the gang that owns this area is known as the Level 21 Gang and they are often mercenaries. Light armor and lasers as we see, but appealing to their desire for credits might be the way through." Pulling out his knife and laser pistol with grips large enough for his long fingered hands almost jittery as pre-fight adrenaline surges through skinny limbs. "While this be a skirmish, remember that we are here to assist."
Garland pats down his armor, almost impossible to notice on him if you didn't know what you were looking for. He puts his battleglove on and grabs his laser pistol, and does a quick double check to make sure spare batteries and grenades are within quick grabbing distance.
"No one goes hungry on Absalom, that much can be said for it," Garland offers to the others. "But it has a seedy underbelly just like anyplace else.
"I see someone hiding behind a crate over there," Garland observes. "Might be our Duravor." He readies his pistol and tries to recall any useful last minute exploitable details about the Level 21 gang.
Duanimon runs diagnostics on their rifle and ensures that their grenades and extra batteries can be easily reached while Entos activates their HUD and boots up its tracking systems.
"I'm going to try to get behind cover with Duravor and see how he wants to deal with the gangs. I don't have much nonlethal weaponry, but I do have a couple of smoke grenades which would at least slow things down if we're not supposed to just start shooting people."
"Let's minimize damage, we have enough enemies, mysterious ones, the gangs could be useful resources later, they tend to know more than the optimistic groups like the Starfinders." She draws her pistol in one hand and one of her knives in the other.
"Oh, I don't like to kill the living. They will never be given the chance to atone for their sins if they are not alive to do so."
Scera had spent the time aboard ship trying to avoid Kovi on principle and morning the loss of those they couldn't have saved. She was particularly saddened by the death of the other Lashunta as she had never met another of her kind, besides her mother, and wanted to learn more of her heritage. She spoke only a little and eventually rummaged through the supply stash to outfit herself and had just finished about the time they exited the Drift near Absolon Station.
As they headed in towards the place and heard the distress call Scera made her way to the bridge where the others were discussing the distress signal and listened to what they said intently. When a decision seemed to be made she said, "I don't know that we should become involved but I'll trust your judgement about these Starfinder people," the way she said it implied she had no clue who the Starfinders even were, "If anyone is hurt get to me if you can, I will also try to charm one of the bad guys if I can."
She too spotted the man hiding behind a crate and said, "I'll try to get there to tend to his wounds if I can."
"Then I will assure you arrive uninjured." says Kov'i to Scera.
When the hatch opens straight across from you is a large hall that leads to the rest of the starport. It is currently filled with people fleeing the carnage. To your left is a hall with cargo and scrap piles for cover that leads to more docking gates. The unidentified gang is firing from that location. To your right is where Duravor is hiding and the Level 21 Crew is firing from. This hall also has cargo and scrap piles for cover and more docking gates.
- Lakoon'ta23
- Ehron16
- Duanimon15+
- Kov'i15
- Duravor Kreel14
- Level 21 Crew12+
- Garland12
- Unidentified Gang10
- Scera7
- Zetara5
Keeping to the airlock Ehron calls out a verbal gambit, not getting in the way of any ready to plunge out or shooting from the cover. "Hail Level 21 Mercenaries. The Artificial Alliance Mercenaries have arrived, hired by the good fellow behind the crate over there. The balance of favor has tipped and no one earns any credits while dead! I am sure no merchants are going to hire a gang known for banditry instead of clean mercenary work! Stand down! " He tries to catch the eye of Duravor to further read the situation a moment before addressing the other group. "You lot are in even more of a piece of strife now! Stand Down."
Lakoon'ta tries to sneak behind the first batch of cargo towards the left hall where the unidentified gang is shooting from. hopefully she is able to get within range of the gang, but doesn't fire.
once there she waits for a clear shot on any member of the unidentified gang. as cover fire for Kovi and Scera
Duanimon looks to either side, trying to determine how many gang members are involved on each side and what they are armed with.
They then sprint across the hall to Duravor's location and crouch behind cover next to him. "Any advice on dealing with these people?" they ask him.
•Lakoon'ta23 Stealthing behind cargo
•Ehron16 The level 21 crew stops shooting for a moment, but the other gang does not. "Its not us you need to worry about friend, but I suggest you move out of here because we are not backing down from our job."
•Duanimon15+ Duanimon notices Duravor is wounded and bleeding. He looks up and says "Please, get this to Chiskisk." The dwarf hands Duanimon a data disk.
•Kov'i15
•Duravor Kreel14
•Level 21 Crew12+
•Garland12
•Unidentified Gang10
•Scera7
•Zetara5
Kov'i mote of light will form into a glowing light that settles over his armor, then moves out into the gangway and towards the incoming fire.
"Throw down your weapons and embrace the light of the Goddess. It is not too late to seek redemption!"
•Lakoon'ta23 Stealthing behind cargo
•Ehron16 The level 21 crew stops shooting for a moment, but the other gang does not. "Its not us you need to worry about friend, but I suggest you move out of here because we are not backing down from our job."
•Duanimon15+ Duanimon notices Duravor is wounded and bleeding. He looks up and says "Please, get this to Chiskisk." The dwarf hands Duanimon a data disk.
•Kov'i15 Charges into the battle
•Duravor Kreel14 Falls unconscious in Duanimon's arms after giving him a data disk
•Level 21 Crew12+ Standing down from Ehron's distraction, but not for long
•Garland12
•Unidentified Gang10
•Scera7
•Zetara5
Scera, seeing her chance to reach Duanimon, quickly scuttle across the space behind cover to him and instinctively began to pull energy together in her mind and formed a matrix that would, hopefully, heal the person she touched. Her best attempt made she reached out and touched Duanimon sending the gathered energy into his body in an effort to heal him.
Zetara, playing off Ehron's bluff, strides into the middle of the hallway, between the two groups, facing the unidentified group, and says Is this about that asteroid? If it is, there isn't any point in fighting now. The AAM <she gives a half-bow with a flourish> has been officially granted all salvage rights.
If you lay down your arms now, though, no one will hold it against you. We're hiring, and we're going to need all the help we can get. What do you say?
Garland quickly gets behind a piece of scrap near Duravor for cover, but leaves Scera and Duanimon space to give aid to the Starfinder. He peeks overhead and tries to get a good look at the unknown gang and see if he recognizes them at all.
Holding his pistol in his gloved hand, ready for the worst, Garland shouts out, "We can settle this like adults! It doesn't have to get bloody!"
•Lakoon'ta23 Stealthing behind cargo
•Ehron16 The level 21 crew stops shooting for a moment, but the other gang does not. "Its not us you need to worry about friend, but I suggest you move out of here because we are not backing down from our job."
•Duanimon15+ Duanimon notices Duravor is wounded and bleeding. He looks up and says "Please, get this to Chiskisk." The dwarf hands Duanimon a data disk.
•Kov'i15 Charges into the battle
•Duravor Kreel14 Falls unconscious in Duanimon's arms after giving him a data disk
•Level 21 Crew12+ Standing down from Ehron's distraction, but not for long
•Garland12
•Unidentified Gang10 "How about you die like a dog instead Starfinder scum!" A large human with a bald head covered in tattoos calls out as he fires at Garland and misses
•Scera7 Heals Duravor but he still looks badly wounded.
•Zetara5 The gang to the left pauses angrily for a moment and the Level 21 Crew remains silent.
Lakoon'ta23
Ehron16
Duanimon15+
Kov'i15
Duravor Kreel14
Level 21 Crew12+
Garland12
Unidentified Gang10
Scera7
Zetara5
Aware that they won't be of much help in negotiating or healing Duravor, Duanimon continues to crouch behind cover, ready to shoot the first gang member to fire a weapon.
Garland's eyes widen as he shoots to the ground, narrowly avoiding a shot to the face, deeply regretting his decision to engage with the monstrous gang. He calls out, "Kov'i! Back down! Don't try to fight them!" then sidles over to get closer to the group surrounding Duravor. "Downside Kings. Nasty, nasty bunch. We need to get him out of here now before we're all killed," he says, with sharp urgency in his voice. Garland looks up worriedly at Zetara, hoping she doesn't get blasted to pieces, before asking "Does anyone know where Lakoon'ta went?"
Lakoon'ta remains where she is and readies an action: Fire at the next gang member to fire at the area she heard Garland shouting from.
Lifting an arm to to speak into his comm unit Ehron says in a quieter voice to the group over the link. "Pull the dwarf back in here. I'm going to see if we can get to a hospital." He spoke, already moving back inside the shuttle to the pilot seat and hailing traffic control while jumping into the seat to quickly look over relaunching the shuttle.
"Today, you have been saved. Granted mercy, if you will" says Kov'i as he backs away from the group of gangers.
"What you do with this second lease on life is up to you. I would suggest finding a line of work that doesn't involve shooting at someone on a regular basis."
With that Kov'i turns his back to the assailants and strides back towards the ship.
The ship is locked into the dock due to the emergency protocols in the station being initiated. Alarms are going off and security personal are making their way towards you as they fight against the tide of those running away.
The gangs should obscenities at each other and disperse through sewers and ventilation shafts.
A security agent approaches the team as they are entering back into their ship. "Halt! Who are you? What are you doing with that dwarf?"
As the gang members fled Scera continued to try and heal the dwarf as the security showed up sending another charge of positive energy into him. She looked up at the guards and said, "We responded to his," she indicated the dwarf, "distress call and I'm trying to save his life. Are healers on their way?"
That's right. We're only trying to help. Zetara goes over to Scera's position to see if she can help as well, moving slowly and making sure that security sees her efforts are not not antagonistic.
Garland breathes a sigh of relief as the gangs disperse, and immediately tenses up again as law enforcement shows up. "We were here to help this noble member of the Starfinder Society," he says with the most righteous indignation he could muster. "Why were the Downside Kings and the Level 21 crew shooting up Absalom station?"
Hiding her weapons Lakoon'ta emerges from her position. she plays up her feebelness by leaning on cargo for support as she exclaims "Oh! Thank the Grandmother Rat these brave people showed up. I heard the dwarf call for help as I hid, I'm old, but not quite ready to die yet. but I'm sure I would have been killed by those gangs of they hadn't shown up and stalled them until you brave security officers showed up. I assure you these people were only here to help."
Duanimon walks slowly walks back and joins the others, their rifle still at the ready.
Kov'i slips his hammer into a makeshift loop on his belt and puts the needler pistol in the small of his back as he returns to the group. As he does, the glow around him fades into normal light, as though he had been standing in a particularly bright sunbeam and stepped into the shade of a tree.
"Constables. We were requested for assistance, and as the lady teaches compassion, my companions and I in the Artificial Alliance Mercenaries have answered the call and diffused the situation without additional bloodshed."