"We are here on vacation. What makes you believe that a disaster will happen that will require our attention that Security or their staff can't handle?"
"Siri, lead me to Taste of Elysium and set me up with an individual room. I will try the food while I wait for my room to be ready."
”Of course, Volcklon! Taste of Elysium is due east of here; first you will want to…” Siri then proceeds to give Volcklon directions to the restaurant.
The Buzzblades all rowdily talk amongst themselves.
”Finally, a decent place to lift some weights!”
“Please, didn’t you hear her say ‘gambling hall’? That’s where I’m headed!”
“Well, Lomer and I are going to hit up the Wild Apple; we’re going to get so hammered!”
“Neither of us have a hammer, Virulae…”
“Sweetheart, you’re so slow sometimes.”
Zidhil pinches the bridge of his nose before walking to the north-east with a shrug.
”You youngsters go ahead and party to your hearts’ content; I need a place to myself for a bit.”
Yazeloya and Beryldor turn to look at the remaining PCs.
”You guys wanna come with? The new kid and I were going to go try out the pool downstairs! It’s the least we could do since you saved our bacon against those pirates.”
Boron identifies Vori as friend.
Then gives a mental kick to Keys.
"Hey, you useless AI. Answer me or I'll purge your virtual butt! I asked: Is Vori single? And lead me to the closest bar!, idiotic malfunctioning cheap resort toy Ysoki grade software..."
Boron finds an “About” dialog box that, when pushed, shows a lengthy user agreement and privacy policy that could take hours to fully read through.
He sends the info' to his comrades, with a Check this, bro' on Xagyg's.
Sensing something fishy, he thinks about checking into all this.
"Well, I'm fine with suite, but, in the meantime: okay! I sure am a disaster waitin' to happen! Closest bar - if Keys ever wakes up - here I come. Got a work up a nice liquor headache to then enjoy Titan Pack's mudbath! I hope they have Akitonian red-slush..."
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At the invite, Jacob smiles.
I dunno if I should reeeeeally be hanging with the enemy... But I think the PitchBlacks could forgive a man enjoying a vacation with friends.
He taps at the computer, but seeing how strong the protocols are gives up quickly... Xagyg's paranoia rubs off on a man, but this was still suppose to be a vacation. Besides He reasons, If there is a horrible conspiracy, Xagyg will find it, and I'll pull him out of the fire then.
He follows the two down to the pool, looking forward to a relaxing swim...
Volcklon’s waiter is a human man that seems friendly enough. Volcklon orders and finds that the Taste of Elysium restaurant indeed lives up to its name, the food is quite exquisite and well-done.
While the waiter was a human, the food is brought out by a number of domestic drones.
”This is seriously what they call food?! Yaaaawwn!”
Volcklon looks over to see a particularly loud ysoki on the other side of the restaurant floor.
As the dwarf orders, he looks over toward the end of the bar and sees a humanoid with a elongated cranium and rotted features—Someone that even the dwarf recognized: Zo!
Zo! takes a swig from the glass of whiskey in front of him before pulling out a cigar and lighting it.
Suddenly, the light around Xagyg seems to go out.
He looks over to see a dark-skinned human woman in a light lab coat accompanied by a vernathi woman with blue hair who both seem to be directing a group of domestic drones carrying a set of various medical equipment and other such supplies to the room next door.
Volcklon stands and moves over to the loud Ysoki's table. His intimidating figure casts a shadow over the much smaller rat. Silently he stands for a moment to soak it all in. Reaching within his robes he pulls out a small glass vial with a strange liquid that resembles actual lava roiling within. "Try it with this. Careful it is a bit spicy."
”Wooow! Quite a pair on ya, eh bucko? Do you even know who you’re messing with, big boy?”
Many of the other patrons begin whispering in disbelief at the situation that has arisen.
”Keys to Elysium transformed your stay. Penumbra will transform your world. Coming soon.”
The celestial body and the eclipse disappear as the Ice Fountains return to its previous illumination.
::Yeah. The ads always seem to come at inconvenient times.::
A female shirren sits down in the seat right next to Xagyg.
::They take away from the relaxation of the area. I’ll be sure to put that in my feedback. Oh! Where are my manners? Cthesa, pleasure to meet you! I’m glad that I’m not the only shirren here…::
Boron then lights up, takes a first puff... and "toasts" Zo! with his cigar.
Zo! puffs out an undead-lung-full of smoke before turning to look Boron in the eye.
”Whenever I’m at the bar or on set, I never want to be disappointed whenever I reach for a smoke. That’s why I always use Oubliette-brand cigars, because an Oubliette will never disappoint.”
With a wink, Zo! vanishes in the blink of an eye.
”Don’t mind that; the advertisements can be quite intrusive—I told Filip that it was a bit much.”
Sitting down next to Boron is the half-elf from earlier—Vori.
”A glass of water is fine, thank you.” She tells the bartender.
Boron is a bit surprised: "I don't smoke the thing's myself, but maybe I should try?"
The dwarf spins around to look up at Vori: "Are you... real? Or some add for stunningly beautiful hair?"
Boron asks for some: "Water too, for me."
Looking back at Vori: "Still watering the fine flowers, are you?"
”I’m real, thank you very much. And before you go any further, I did not come over here to be hit on by a dwarf who smells of smoke and oil—I came here to be polite.”
But Boron stubs his cigar out.
"I thought you cam over here to admire your beautiful face in the mirror of my bald head. Which must be up there with smoke and oil as a turn on for you."
Boron smiles at her.
"But I won't bother you, lass. It's just that you loose manners when you're in space all alone for months in a cramped engineering room."
A velvet-sounding voice - the one of "Velveteen Viola" the mysterious yet husky voiced RDF (Radio Free Diaspora) weather "girl" - comes out of Boron's datajack. It his AI speaking: "Thanks for the alone!"
"Smoke, oil, bald, and ungrateful. I am irresistible!
But, hey, Vori. I'm Boron. And you don't need to be polite. If ya' finished your gardening work, you can go rest or have your choice of fun. Enough things to do around here for uncouth dwarves without botherin' the likes of you".
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Yup. Wasn’t worth it.
With barely another word, Vori stands up and leaves towards the Green Fields. The remaining customers at the Hollow Tavern all give Boron an awkward side-glance before scooting three inches away from the dwarf.
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Huh. Looks like the data-client is only a beta-test. Knowing my luck, it will turn out to have a homicidal sentience, and try to destroy Verces...
However, he doesn't relax until the lights go back up.
When the other Shirren sits down near him, and initiates telepathic communication, Xagyg gives a welcoming telepathic chirp.
It is a pleasure to meet so distinguished a travel writer as yourself, Cthesa. Doubly so that you are Shirren. Verbal communication is useful, but I find telepathic communication much more... comfortable.
He then bows.
My name is Xagyg. I take that you are here on business?
::I heard that this resort was opening about a month ago, so I wasn’t surprised when my “complementary” invitation came to me. Ha! Those little vultures are just trying to butter me up to give them a good review! I happily take the complementaries, of course, but that doesn’t make the resort better in my mind—it’s more likely to do the opposite; shows utter desperation. Oh ho! Where are my manners? It is a pleasure to meet you, Inspector. Oh don’t act surprised, it’s not like you went to efforts to disguise yourself. Tell me, how has the investigations been coming along?::
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Well, I mean, it was theoretically possible that you might have been here on holiday... although the balance of probability certainly suggested you were here for work. I am certain that you will give this place a full, frank, and above all, *useful* review.
He then shrugs.
As for myself, technically, I am between investigations, after that business with the inubrix reservoir on Akiton; our tickets were bonuses from AbadarCorp. That said, mysteries (and conspiracies!) have a way of finding me wherever I go, so I imagine it won't be long before something turns up...
Xagyg gives her another utterly innocent look.
I don't suppose you know of, or are party to, any conspiracies around here, are you?
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Howdy. Name's Jacob. Was a medic with the 154th Wardens back in my day... couldn't help seeing your equipment. Curiosity got the better of me... what are you loading up?
"Messing with?" Volcklon looks at the small Ysoki obviously confused. "I am offering you spicy sauce to make the food taste better. Take it or leave it, but if you continue to be rude I will make sure you leave this building by your tail so I can have my quiet." He was trying to be nice but getting quite irritated at the Ysoki.
Though his point doesn't come get across.
::Akiton?! I haven’t actually been to the Red Planet, oddly enough., though I’ve always wanted to! So many resorts are on Castrovel or Absalom, and while they are beautiful locales they get very redundant—Oh look! Another spa with a view of the “natural beauty of the majestic forest.” Blah! All of them look the same! I will admit that when I saw the invite for a resort in the Diaspora, I was more than a little intrigued.::
Cthesa thinks for a moment before answering.
::”Conspiracies”? Well, being in the Diaspora I will admit that I feared pirate attacks, but with the resort’s emphasis on digital transactions as opposed to physical currency in addition to the security detail has eased my worries about such a thing. So I suppose the only kind of “conspiracy” would be that Taste of Elysium tends to slightly over-salt their fish.::
As Jacob approaches the vernathi woman she freezes up and tries to speak.
”R-r-r...”
The dark-skinned human notices the vernathi’s struggling and literally and metaphorically steps up.
”My apologies, sir; my assistant can be a bit...socially awkward, shall we say.”
The vernathi looks away in clear embarrassment.
The human extends her hand in greeting. ”Dr. Sidrani Lominn. This is my assistant and augmentation specialist, Rhissona Avran. We happen to be transporting some medical equipment, so if you will please allow me one moment...”
Dr. Lominn opens the door to the adjacent room—Titan’s Rest—and allows the drones to enter. Inside is a surprising combination of spa and medical bay. Jacob’s jaw drops as he sees various equipment ranging from 3-D printers, sprayflesh canisters, and dermal staplers to diagnostic lozenges, nanite hypopens, and various different types of medicinals.
Dr. Lominn begins unboxing a number of advanced medkits and shelving the components (bandages, antiseptic, etc.) into cabinets with similar tools and materials.
”154th Wardens, eh? Funny that you should say that. I was actually a member of the 143rd. I’m surprised that a medic like yourself would be here. Titan’s Rest actually handles augmentation installations, so if there’s something that you fancy we can print it off here and Rhissona can install it.” Rhissona gives a brief smile before returning to shelving materials. ”After all, you definitely have the money after Filip’s compensation—yes, I heard about the pirates, nice job by the way.”
”You really are clueless, aren’t ya, conehead? Let me fill you in: if you honestly think that threatening ol’ Crower will get you anywhere, then you’re going to be very sorry, because I’m gonna use that head of yours to hold my ice cream!”
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Niiiiice... and here I am slamming together serum's out of chemicals salvaged from places I'd rather not mention.
He nods to the vernathi woman.
Don't mean to scare ya kid. I promise, I'm not that scary.... well, I don't intend to be anyways.
Out of a almost force of habit, Jacob helps Dr. Lominn unbox, clearly knowing his way around a medical bay.
143rd huh? Good crew to run with, heard about some of their operations. Quick, clean, efficient.
He looks at the printer and looks it over a moment.
Haven't given to much thought to augs. Got no problem with people who need 'em, but it just always seemed wasteful of the old parts if ya didn't. Maybe if some kid needed my eyes or something, but with med tech how it is there ain't much call for transplants anymore.
”To be upgraded into a more efficient lifestyle, free of limitations. Who wouldn’t want that?”
Rhissona speaks in a soft voice in response to Jacob’s observation. Dr. Lominn shoots her a quick glare before returning to what she was doing.
”Please excuse her, she’s of the Augmented, so her opinions on this matter are quite personal, but I nevertheless see your point. However, if I may counter: I was actually born with a hole in my heart. If it weren’t for a biotech augmentation then I wouldn’t be here today.”
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I suppose that when you have seen as many as you have, it takes something truly exceptional to pique your interest.
When she mentions the fish, he nods gravely.
Well, they can't be all system-shattering conspiracies, I suppose! Nevertheless, I'll only agree that there wasn't something larger afoot, when I leave this place, and nothing else has happened. That said, we did encounter pirates on the way in - they were after the ship carrying the brutaris team. Unfortunately for the pirates, that was a fatal mistake, with us in the area...
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And it's wonderful we live in a time where we can do that. Heck, I'd lay out a being who told me we shouldn't save someone with augments if it's available.
He taps over his own heart.
It's purely a... I'd call it a frugality thing for me. Body is nothing but a space ship for the person inside. My ticker works just fine. I could spend the creds or a doctor's precious time to exchange it, but what for? It'd be like yanking a perfectly engine out of a ship and installing a new one for no other reason than pride or convenience. If you NEED a new engine for any reason, and what qualifies as a need changes from folk to folk, then sure, buy a new engine, you'd be a damn fool not to. But for now at least?
He smiles and leans against the wall as he inspects another piece of equipment.
All my parts are working. If... well, in my line of work, more likely when, one of them stops working, well, I don't see a reason why not to upgrade if your already under the hood right?
Suddenly, the androgynous voice of Keys interrupts the shirren.
”Cthesa, you have five minutes before your appointment with Dr. Lominn.”
::Oop! Sorry, I really have to be going now. It was pleasant time with you, Xagyg!::
With that, Cthesa jumps to her feet and turns the corner away from the Ice Fountains.
The doctor’s voice trails off as she pulls out her comm unit and looks at it briefly.
”Thank you, Keys.” she returns her gaze to Jacob. ”I’m sorry, sir, but I’m going to have to ask you to please leave; I have an appointment with a client in five minutes and I can’t afford being distracted. Have a pleasant rest of your day, and I hope to see you at the gala tomorrow evening.”
As Jacob exits the Titan’s Rest, he passes by a female shirren who is entering the spa/medical bay.
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When someone need assistance, and you are capable of providing it, it is churlish not to do so.
When she rushes off, he waves goodbye.
It was pleasant chatting. I hope your meeting goes well.
After resting for a bit longer, he decides to go to Contemplation, so he has some time to read through the EULA that Boron sent him.
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Jacob, Jacob Andrews. Hope to see you there.
He turns and leaves her to her work.
Jacob pays no mind to the Shirren, walking past her out into the halls.
I've had enough exercise for today. Bistro sounds like a good place to get some foood.
He then begins to walk that way.
"Tok “Crower” Nahgiz? The holovid streamer?" Volcklon had heard the name around before but never sat down and watched the show. He holds up all four of his hands. "I am not here for a brawl. I just want peace and quiet. They bring you here to rate their food?"
As Xagyg studies the user agreement and privacy policy of the Keys to Elysium app for literal hours he finds relatively few things of immediate interest.
Recipients of the complementary stay are required to download the app onto their comm units and stay logged into it in order for accurate data and feedback—uninstalling the app is in violation of the agreement. A direct analysis of the app’s software by any persons who haven’t been given direct permission by Eclipse Innovations is a direct violation of the user agreement as doing so will taint the data set for this beta test. Violation of the user agreement or the privacy policy will result first in a formal warning by a New Elysium employee; on a second offense then the offender will be placed on probation, having some resort privileges revoked with a chance of receiving them once more. On a third offense within a 5-day period, then the offender will be personally escorted off of the premises and their complementary stay will be revoked.
With that, the little ysoki bounces out of the restaurant, not even taking his food in a to-go box.
Upon arriving to New Elysium, you all only got access to an evening and night segment (the latter spent sleeping ), so you only got to visit one locale. At the beginning of each day you all will need to state your actions (including where you want to go and during which segment), with only being able to visit a single locale per segment. Some special events will take up an entire segment (e.g. the opening gala will take up the evening segment of your guys’ second day at the resort). This’ll help keep things a lot more organized.[/ooc]
The rest of the day goes by very uneventfully. Come the following morning, though, you all are awoken by a message from Keys:
”Incoming group video call request from Filip Kallsner. Accept?”
”Good morning, gentlemen! Glad to see that you all slept well! I am just calling to inform you all that you all have the rights to the gear from those dreadful pirates that attacked you yesterday as per one of the universal rules of the Diaspora—the scoundrels are locked up in one of our Ringwork Sentinels in the resort’s docking bay and are scheduled for transfer into Steward custody tomorrow morning, and if you haven’t claimed the rights to the pirates’ gear then it’ll go with the Stewards.”
Filip shiftily looks over his shoulder before adding in a whisper ”Our security detail has also had a difficult time getting the rapscallions to talk, so the assistance of a group such as you all would certainly not go unappreciated. Ahem! If you wish to claim salvage rights to the pirates’ gear then I’ll be sure to send a security personnel to escort you all to the Sentinel where they’re being kept. Just say the word and I’ll be sure to accommodate!”
He manages to get back, and crashes.
He awakes when Keys buzzes him.
Realizing he is still dressed, he removes his boots, and gets under the covers.
"NO! Let a man sleep", and he closes his eyes, not accepting the call.
He then opens his eyes again: "Keys. Do you have something for my headache?"
He awakes when Keys buzzes him.
Realizing he is still dressed, he removes his boots, and gets under the covers.
"NO! Let a man sleep", and he closes his eyes, not accepting the call.
He then opens his eyes again: "Keys. Do you have something for my headache?"
"I'm sorry, Boron. It seems that you are experiencing the side effects of over-indulgence in intoxicating liqueurs; headache medicine would not help. Would you still like me to place an order on headache medicine from the medical bay?"
"Yes." "Yes..."
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Xagyg looks to the others, then nods.
"I think we would like to have a chance to interrogate them, to see if they have any useful information to share."
Their equipment may also be useful, too...
He then winces at Boron's pronouncements, before addressing Filip again.
"Would it be possible to have a gallon of black coffee waiting for us at the interrogation point, so Boron is in a better frame of mind?"
Filip looks at Xagyg in slight surprise before responding.
"That's quite....unorthodox to say the least. I'll....see what I can manage..."
”Very well! I’ll send the personnel over right away, gentlemen!”
Filip hangs up the call and only a few minutes later a pair of New Elysium security specialists knock on the door to escort the party to the Ringworks Sentinel—one of them carries a literal milk jug of black coffee and the other tosses a bottle of over-the-counter pain medication to Boron before motioning for the party to follow them.
*
The security personnel escort you all into the hull of a starship not much bigger than the Out There Truth and deep into its confines into the brig, where seated behind a barred, force-field augmented door are two individuals: one is a male korasha lashunta who is throwing up a ruckus of insults and “what I did to your mother last night”s, and a female half-orc whose face is screaming “I’m working with an idiot” at everything that the lashunta is saying.
”Oh ho ho!!! Well if y’all didn’t bring more men with ya?! Finally brung the booze I was askin’ for ages ago? I don’t usu’ly drink it straight from the jug, but I done worse than that!”
”Oh my god, Wenmar, please just shut up!”
Drinking his black coffee and massaging his bald skull, Boron follows along, but, then, when you arrive in the brig, he starts getting upset: "Hey! What did we do? This is supposed to be an all inclusive resort? I didn't get that drunk?! Oh, it's the gardener? What did she say I do? I didn't do nothing!"
Then, hearing this Wenmar: "Did I go on a bender with you last night? Did we cause some disturbance?"
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Jacob rolls his eyes at Boron.
No Boron. These are the idiots who thought that the goal runner, and us by proxy, would make good target practice last night.
He kneels down and opens up a box, laying out a clean white sheet. He then begins carefully removing various implements... needles, scalples, a laser drill?! and several different colored syringes, several marked in various languages for "Poisonous, Deadly, Not to be touched" and more. He holds up a syringe and flicks the needle a bit.
Alright Xagyg, let me know when it's my turn at them.
E.g. the battery that came with a corona laser pistol is worth no credits because it was “bought” for free, and if the pistol is sold then the battery must be sold as well, but if the battery blew up beyond repair because of stuff then the pistol can still be sold for full price; and the rounds that came light machine gun are worth nothing and must be sold if the gun is sold, but if those rounds were fired then the gun can still be sold for full price.
Additionally, I’m interpreting any reference to “the enemy has X batteries/rounds/etc.” written into the adventure as meaning that they have that many batteries/rounds/etc. above and beyond those that are pre-loaded into their powered gear at purchase and can be sold for credits since they were purchased separately from a weapon or other gear.
This set standard is meant to simplify selling treasure rather than complicate it.
As the party enters the Ringworks Sentinel, they claim the gear of the two pirates that were captured:
Each had defex hide armor, a tactical dueling sword, a Thunderstrike sonic pistol, a Mk II frag grenade, and a battery. On their ship was also a corona artillery laser and two high-capacity batteries.
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Xagyg waggles his eyebrows suggestively as he speaks with the pirates.
"As you can see, we have ways of making you talk... some less pleasant than others. Frankly, I don't want to waste your time, or mine; physical interrogation can be so messy, so I would much prefer we were civilised about this. Failing that, we can start with the sodium thiopental, and escalate from there."
He then sighs.
"All I want to know, is why you attacked the Goal Runner, specifically, and what was the deal with the cryptic comment about 'joining your mates' in the bowels of the asteroid."
He then grows thoughtful, and nods towards Boron and the guards.
"I am sure we could even rustle-up a few beers, if you were willing to cooperate..."
"I am sure we could even rustle-up a few beers, if you were willing to cooperate..."
At that comment the guards all look at Xagyg with a combination of confusion and condescension—as if to say “Are you f*cking serious?!”
The lashunta—Wenmar—spits at Xagyg, which narrowly misses hitting the inspector in the leg.
”Ya’re all the idjits here! Comin’ to the Dia’ without even knowin’ where ya’re goin’?! Ha! Ya’re all dumber than…! Uh…thaaan….”
“Than you?”
“Yeah! Wait…Hey!”
The half-orc snickers. ”Bring us a few bottles and we may be willin’ to talk.”
Boron looks at Jacob: "Oh? What are they doing here? How did they end up locked up?... oh, and I think something's wrong with your eyes. Maybe they have a medical facility here, better have them checked."
Then he looks at the others: "Why are you interrogating these guys? They did not attack us. We are not being paid for this - or are we? And we're on our holidays here. Makes no sense. You become vigilante cops and torturers for fun?"
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Xagyg frowns.
"Boron, I know you were on a bit of a bender last night, but you do remember the fight with the pirates, right? These are some of them. The final pirate ship tossed out some cryptic one-liners when they fled, and I, for one, would like to know what that was all about."
He then adds telepathically.
I never said I was going to torture them. The drug I mentioned is an intoxicant, used by some as a 'truth serum'.