Venture-Captain Arvin has asked you all to attend him with news of a new mission. As is Starfinder Society habit, the call went out to each of your comm units, sent by Guidance, the AI heart of the Society. It is rumored that Guidance personally picks each mission team from available Starfinders - either by random chance or by a thorough evaluation of each agent's skills and abilities, no one is sure which. Whether that is true or not, you have been assigned this one, and have just arrived at the Venture-Captain's office.
A large vesk in a muscle shirt sits at a table in the small reception room, messily consuming the various laid-out refreshments. Venture-Captain Arvin stands on the opposite side of the table, visibly annoyed at the vesk, and turns toward the arriving Starfinders with some relief. “Thank you for your quick response. Some new technology has come to the Society’s attention” — the vesk clears his throat loudly, and Arvin’s eyebrow twitches in irritation—“from our… contact Julzakama. If you would…”
The vesk, Julzakama, stands, pulling a battered gym bag out from under the table. “Feast your eyes on this little gemling.” He reaches into the bag and removes what appears to be a severed human hand. Julzakama waves the limb then offers it to Arvin to shake.
Arvin declines the offered limb, rubbing his temples, and explains. “As you might have guessed, this is a prosthetic limb. It’s a standard cybernetic augmentation, but this one was made with a new type of biotech, so well grafted that it’s almost undetectable without magic. Its special features are just as well hidden.” Arvin takes the hand from Julzakama to demonstrate a nearly invisible compartment large enough to conceal a knife, several data drives, or a small toolkit. “Such technology would be invaluable for covert and diplomatic operations, and the Society would like to find the specialist who crafted and installed it. But therein lies the difficulty. Julzakama, if you could explain the… circumstances of this discovery?”
Julzakama holds up his hands, saying, “Now, I wasn’t personally involved. Some vesk workers known to some of my customers got in a territorial dispute with some manlings. Stuff happened, one of these guys turned his winnings over to my customer to settle a bet, and here we are.” Julzakama gestures at the hand, smiling ingratiatingly, and continues, “I thought you Starfinders might be interested.”
“Indeed, we are.” Arvin folds his hands behind his back. “Julzakama tells me that his acquaintances’ rivals had been known to acquire their gear from gray-market operations in the Freemarkets. As that is our only lead so far, I’d like you to investigate the area; even if none of the listed clinics are the source, they may have more information on who is.”
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A six foot tall, muscular lashunta is leaning against the wall chewing on something while the VC briefs the group. His hands grasp his grey vest loosely, trying his best not to fidget noticeably. He nods along as if it all makes sense, but his antennae twitch at the sight of the hand. Standing up straight he pays attention and stops chewing for the remainder of the mission breakdown.
He pulls whatever it was he was chewing out of his mouth and says,
"Right, So. Tell me more about the Freemarket operations. What do we know?"
Another tall Vesk, with the colorful scale patterns and horns denoting the females of the species, eyes Julzakama while following Arvin's briefing.
She is wearing heavy armor, that looks like some chitinous skin of a formian warrior, and she is carrying a riot shield.
She winks at Julzakama.
"So, off to the Freemarkets?"
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Sitting rigidly in a chair at the table with their hands folded in front of them is an androgynous Android, whose skin as a faint blue hue. Their upraised hood obscures most of their head, but from what can be seen they appear to be bald. As the mission briefing is underway, the only movement that can be seen is their eyes, which shift to whoever happens to be speaking at that moment. Once questions begin to be asked however, they raise one of their hands a couple inches to signify that they have one of their own. "I know zat I well aware of ze workings of biotech augmentations, but I am not aware if ze same can be said of the others here. Would you be so kind as to enlighten zem, Venture Captain?"
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A happy smile on his face, a rather burly-looking middle-aged korasa lashunta lounges in one of the chairs. He wears a dark ceremonial platemail with afew chain motifs on it, but Iit seems some of the more identifyable markings have been removed. On his side is a coil of thick chains wound over and over. He watches Arvin and Julzakama's interplay with wry amusement, but making sure to listen to some of the important details.
He stands up to his nearly five foot height and gives the fake hand a shake, chuckling in a low rumble. "The Freemarkets, eh? I think I've read something on them somewhere... Did I get sent in there with the Chains?"
"Ah, it doesn't matter, if it comes back to me it will!" He then gives a strech and looks towards the doors. "Well then, should we look to getting moving?"
As Oraeus gets closer to the other, much taller lashunta, he gives the man a strong pat on the back. Telepathically he sends, <"What's wrong, cousin? Vesk not your style?">
The Venture-Captain acknowledged the questions with a raised eyebrow, and then once there was a pause in the deluge, he replied.
"As you know know, biotech augs work by modifying the host's DNA, integrating bio components to improve existing functions or add new abilities. They’re similar to cybernetics that you’ve likely seen used throughout the Pact Worlds and some can mimic standard technological enhancements. I’ve never seen any as well concealed as this, however. Unfortunately, each biotech implant is customized to its recipient’s physiology and genetic structure, so we can’t simply transfer this one to someone else. This customization also makes it extremely difficult to reverse-engineer. If we want Starfinders to have access to such augmentations, we need to find whoever created them."
[b]"As for the Freemarket, if I recall correctly, there’s a directory of businesses near the entrance that’s updated monthly; you could check that for augmentation clinics. The Markets have a high turnover rate, though; businesses open and close all the time. It might be worth your time to check with the Markets’ AbadarCorp representatives for an updated list of operating permits.”
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Te shakes his head when Oraeus's thoughts fill his mind. He responds <"They are always so impatient! It hurts nothing to wait for the additional information so that we can be prepared.">
Nodding along with the new knowledge, he adds "Is AbadarCorp expected of involvement with this?"
With the information answered, he pushes off the wall and heads out with the group.
“I doubt they’re involved directly with the augmentations, or they’d be running an advertising campaign. The church sponsors the Freemarkets out of the belief that expanding the free market expands their views of civilization. They do regulate the markets and conduct inspections, so their records may be a reliable source of information.”
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Te shakes his head when Oraeus's thoughts fill his mind. He responds <"They are always so impatient! It hurts nothing to wait for the additional information so that we can be prepared.">
Oraeus laughs openly at the younger lashunta's INSIGHT. <"They can, cousin, that they can be. But they're also some of the best fighters you're ever going to have on your side! Humor them a little and they may save your life. Piss em off and, well, you can guess.">
With a friendly salute, Oreaus turns his attention back into the crowd in the room. "Hmm, any names we might be looking for in particular? Also are those free market records public or do we need to request access?"
The Freemarkets are the Ring’s open-air retail space, where small businesses of all sorts showcase their products and services. AbadarCorp sponsors the area; the corporation’s religious doctrine mandates that they encourage the growth of free enterprise. It’s relatively easy to get a business permit, so many entrepreneurs get their start there.
Most of the Freemarkets’ businesses are temporary operations, working out of stalls or carts. The most successful make enough of a profit to secure permanent stores or are acquired by larger corporations. Some manage to hold their spots in the Freemarkets long-term, while the failures melt away.
While the majority of businesses in the Freemarkets are legitimate enterprises, fly-by-night operations and scam artists take advantage of regulation loopholes. If caught and shut down, they simply lie low for a time and then acquire new permits under false identities.
Vee-Vee just follows the flow.
All flow will go down the drain eventually.
As Entropy wins in the end.
From public records, Te found that the Freemarket currently holds five businesses that appear to be related to bio-industries and augmentations: BioBoost, the Cytech Clinic, Metagenesis, Renew-You, and Synthathesia. Other shops of interest in the Freemarket where he thought he might be able to get some information were the pawn shop, Second Time Around, the Vesk-themed groomery Hard as Nails, and the Many Petals Cafe.
Vee-Vee's eyes pop open wide: "Hard as Nails! Let's start there!"
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Listening to the list of locations as Te reads them off, Blue-Jay stands up as everyone else get ready to leave, quickly picking their pack up off the ground and swinging it onto their back. "I personally would appreciate going to ze place named Metagenesis, but will accompany ze rest of you if need be."
As Blue-Jay 29 wandered off to look into Metagenesis, the rest of the group headed over to Hard as Nails. As you approach, you can hear a sibilant vesk voice saying ...started about the gang violence around here. It's been getting worse, and StatSec doesn't care. As long as the gangs don't burn the place down or kill too many..
The voice broke off as you got close, and you look into the doorway to see a male vesk wearing the traditional kouzi-leather apron of the vesk horn groomer. In one hand, he has a fine rasp, and in the other is a can of glitterspray. In one of the chairs lays a female vesk, one horn sparkling red, while the other is a nice, natural buff shade.
"What do you want?" the groomer asked with a snarl. He inclined his head only briefly to Vee-Vee, acknowledging her as the only person that really mattered among the rabble.
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Blue-Jay 29 turned the corner and lost sight of the others as he counted building numbers. Finally, he saw the sign and entered the shop. Mutagenesis is apparently a broad-spectrum biotech augmentation source, and racks of chameleon skin, gill sheaths, and personal upgrades line the walls and shelves in special stasis modules. Stocking one such rack is a male verthani, who turns as the door chime sounds.
"Yes, welcome to Mutagenesis. How can I mod you today?"
"I want it all, baby!", says Vee-Vee, with a wink. "Nice apron!"
She looks around to see if there is an available chair, and if anyone is waiting to be groomed next.
Vee-Vee sees one other chair, occupied by a male vesk with another groomer attending him. The waiting area holds another two vesk. All of the reptilian eyes are focused on you as you stand in the doorway.
Vee-Vee, walks in, and salutes all the Vesk.
Smiling, she is obviously happy to see all her folk here.
She checks to see if any have any augmentations, or if augments' seem offered by the shop.
Vee-Vee sees no signs of augmentations, either in the shop or on any of the vesk present. She does see a high-end horn polish she's been eyeing, though.
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"Nothing specifically for today. However, I am interested in seeing what you have to offer. I see that you offer a variety of biotech augments on display. Do you offer much else beside what is out here? Specifically, do you offer replacements for limbs made from biotechnological sources rather than cybernetic?"
The shopkeeper looked oddly at Blue-jay 29 and motioned to the wide selection of augmentations, clearly labeled "BIOTECH".
"I have a wide range of biotech augmentations here, and very little cybernetics. Is there something in particular you are looking for? Replacement limbs, you say? I assume you aren't talking about bio-prosthesis? Because those require a vat system, and we don't have that here, though I can recommend you to someone who does very good work in that area."
Vee-Vee picks up the horn polish, and reads the label: "Oooh! How much for this? Must make horns gleam! Hey, I heard some our kin got a fake-arm from some manlings. Must take some polishing to repair that! Or else we could use any new type of biotech to graft in bigger fancier horns! Big enough to hide things in them, like horn polish! I wonder if that could be done, maybe people already can do that? I wonder... any ideas, y'all?"
The vesk looks at you for a moment, then grins. "Why don't you just come out and say it? You're looking for the source of that arm that low-life Julkzakama ended up with, aren't you? Damn gangs have been a menace around here for months, but rogue biotech?" The vesk shuddered.
"'Course, almost makes me embarrassed to be a vesk, the way Julkzakama and his lads carry on. No discipline. No honor. Just every vesk for himself, and Krahanna take the hindmost. Like that skirmish they had with the Crimson Sons."
"That fight took place not far from here, and you should have seen the looks on that AbadarCorp prick's face when he came to the station to deal with the bad press. Was almost worth it all to see that. Damn prissy bug he was. I remember when I set up shop here, how he visited and was so damn condescending. Now look at him, eating crow and trying to convince station officials that this is 'well within the tolerance of the projections we gave you'. Hah!"
"You should probably talk to him, though, if you are investigating this. He might have some more information for you. I'm just a groomer."
"Okay, I'll say it: we're looking for the source of that arm that low-life Julkzakama ended up with!... and some of that horn polish."
Vee-Vee smiles.
But she tries to figure out who Krahanna is, and the Crimson Sons, looking to her comrades to see if they do.
"Where that AbadarCorp prick at, so we can go check his face out... and question him?"
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Te shrugs his shoulders, unaware of them either.
After the groomer (hopefully) gives up the location of their target, Te thanks the very helpful vesk. "Appreciate your time today."
Once out of the shop, Te pulls up his datapad and goes to work to see if he can pull up any information on either Krahanna or Crimson Sons.
"Eh...he's out in the Market somewhere knocking on doors and evangelizing or something. The bug...pardon me, the shirren...is a dapper fellow. Doubt you can miss him."
Vee-vee nods, thinking about Krahana the world-eater from vesk mythology and how she could possibly relate to the local gang situation.
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"I am in fact talking about a bio-prosthesis. Some associates and I are looking into a recently found augmentation, the details surrounding which I am not at liberty to say. However, the reason that we are looking into is that it was of an extremely high quality and workmanship, and would be almost entirely indistinguishable from a normal limb without the aid of magic. We are looking to find whoever may have created this augment, to request their employment. As such, a recommendation along those regards would be much appreciated."
"So, off to find the dapper AbadarCorp rep'?"
"Aye! Let's go... to the market."
"Well, I don't have anything like that, but if you could bring it to me, I could take a look at it. There may be something I could tell you form a physical examination that merely describing it will not uncover."
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The others finished talking with the vesk groomer, Vee-Vee making an appointment for the next day to have her horns polished, and headed back into the market. It didn't take long to spot the well-dressed shirren talking to a stall owner on one side of the market. As you approached, Te felt that there was something familiar about the shirren.
You recognize the dapper shirren as Mr. Philt, the AbadarCorp representative that you met on Akiton while pursuing the fugitive Reynald Talbot.
If you have the AbadarCorp Respect boon slotted, let me know (again)
Vee-Vee stops munching on her treat: "Oh, darn! That was the arm?"
She can bring it over to BlueJay 29.
Vee-Vee spotted Blue-Jay as the others were moving towards the AbadarCorp representative. He explained what he wanted, and she pulled the augmentation out of her pack and handed it over. Inside Mutagenesis, the proprietor put on a pair of goggles and began checking over the arm.
"Pretty gruesome. This was removed from the prior owner rather violently. There is still some flesh attached here, see? Hmm...I don't like the looks of this. These nanites are still active. They should have been deactivated once the biograft is complete. Judging from the wear and tear, this graft was installed a few weeks ago, but the installation nanites are still active. And see here, this bit of flesh isn't fully dead, though it was clearly ripped from the previous owner."
Chryson took off the googles and looked up at Blue-Jay 29. "Due to the rather custom nature of most augs, I can't tell you much more, but that thing should be sterilized. What you have there is a recipe for disaster!"
"None in the Freemarket. I know a guy on Akiton that was tinkering with something like this, but he couldn't get it to work. This is...well, crazy is the best word I can think of. You might ask at Cytech or Renew-You. Cytek doesn't make biotech, but they sometimes install it. Renew-You does both cybertech and biotech, but I heard they went out of business. Anyways, good luck! And if you find whoever made this thing, tell them I'll be doing me damnedest to put them out of business permanently."
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Blue-Jay takes mental notes of the two businesses Chryson mentions, then offers the shopkeeper his hand. "Good luck to you in your business, and I thank you for your assistance in my group's investigations. If and/or when I encounter the individual or individuals who have created this, I will relay your message to zem. I have been told zat ze shaking of hands is a good way to end conversations." They will then head out of Mutagenesis, and look for where the others have gone.
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Oraeus's personal comms unit starts to go off as the group moves into the Vesk shop. He pulls out the device and looks at the caller and gives a small bow adding, "I have to take this, I'll just be a second!"
He then steps off to the side and starts talking animatedly on the comms unit.
Just as the group starts to leave the shop, he gives a "Bye! Talk to you later!" and hangs up.
Turning to the rest of the group, he comments, "Sorry the mister is traveling and was just about to head to bed. If I didn't take that then I wouldn't get to talk for a few days! Now where are we headed...."
Filled in on the details, Oraeus takes the lead and trundles off to the recommended Augmentation shop. He greets the dapper shirren with a big brash, "Hello, there! I love the top hat, it really suits you! Might you be able to help us? We happen to be looking for a shirren selling some augmentations. You wouldn't know him would you?"
The shirren turns to see you approaching, as was about to respond to Oraeus when he caught sight of Te.
"Master Te, is it not? What a pleasure seeing you here. Let me again thank you for your help with that matter on Akiton. Are you with this gentleman? And looking for a shirren selling augmentations? It seems that once more we may be in a position to aid each other. Please, let us step out of the main flow of traffic and converse."
Once you have moved off to a slightly more secluded spot, the AbadarCorp representative continued. "It sounds as if the Starfinder Society is looking into this matter of the unlicensed augmentations rumored to be coming out of the Freemarket? This too is a matter of interest to AbadarCorp. Since you have been so helpful int he past, perhaps we can reach an arrangement? If you will act as responsible representatives for AbadarCorp, finding the perpetrator of this enterprise discretely, I will give you all the information I have gleaned about this matter. In addition, I will provide you badges of AbadarCorp authority, which should help show the locals that you do indeed speak for us. Thridly, I will provide you a small stack of credits as a token of my appreciation. Is this agreeable?"
"Can we keep the badges? I like badges!"
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"Indeed." he acknowledges before stepping aside.
Te wants to facepalm the vesk's request to keep the badge, but he manages to only shoots her a quick sidelong glance and resists the urge to sigh heavily in front of their new partner. There's always one, isn't there?
Turning back to the shirren he nods slowly as he thinks over the offer. "I believe this is agreeable and look forward to working together. We will find the perpetrator discreetly, you have my word."
"Now then, since we are agreed. What can you tell us?"
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Oraeus gives a big smile at the information that this man was willing to help them in their search, even going as far as offering credits and an official looking badge. "Why, I'd be glad to help in the search, and shall try to be discrete!"
Oraeus crinkles his eyes at Vee-Vee's comment, clearly chuckling at it on the inside. He turns back to Te and Philt, "The badges, information and credits would be greatly appreciated, though if you need any of them back at the end of this, we would gladly return them, won't we, Vee-Vee?" He finishes the statement with a slightly more than subtle hint to the vesk just in case she started getting any ideas.
"But, that's besides the point. We only know a little about the augmentations, such as..." After giving the shirren a run down of everything they know, he comments, "Now what would you know on the matter?"