The addition of Farvenzi and Spinjack have rattled you, and it shows as both Fixit and Saryn muff their attacks. Still, you bolster each other as Dr. Morvius helps Janilla shake off the hard blows she has been receiving, and Senesdar flies over to assault the dragonkin from above.
The remaining guard stepped back from Saryn, rifle shaking, but not wavering beyond Saryn's chest. The guard pulls the trigger and Saryn feels a heavy slam to his chest.
Get 'Em on Farvenzi.
Saryn takes 7 damage
in bold may act
R4: guards, janilla, chikasa, farvenzi, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
map is updated. tower and generators (gold circles?) provide cover
current status:
chikasa 15/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 0/18 SP | 18/22 HP
fixit 6/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 10/30 SP | 32/32 HP
saryn 2/30 SP | 25/25 HP
senesdar 29/32 SP | 32/32 HP
guard (yellow) -31 (dead)
guard (white) -32 (dead)
guard (blue) -15
spinjack (red) -0
farvenzi -30 (-5 acid, 1 more round)
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Don't forget that Saryn has the Step Up feat. That means he gets an AoO if that guard fires at him.
If the AoO takes out the guard, Saryn will double move closer to Faravenzi.
If the AoO does not finish the guard, Saryn will attack again. If he goes down, Saryn will move closer to Faravenzi, otherwise, Saryn will stay to finish off the guard.
aoo
As the remaining guard fired, he looked down to see Saryn's blade buried to the hilt in his stomach. How did the lashunta get so close? He tumbled off the wall, leaving Farvenzi and Spinjack alone as the defenders of the tower and research base...at least for now.
Janilla fired at the dragonkin, her stun weapon affecting the drake but only barely. his retaliation was swift and delivered with lethal intent. Janilla's last sight before hitting the ground was Farvenzi flicking her blood off the gigantic glaive's blade and looking for his next target, and ignoring the pain from the acid that finally dissipated.
Spinjack, seeing his partner level Janilla, turned his eyes back to Saryn. The lethal warrior had managed to kill two guards, and the Tech Chief wanted him down, ASAP! Another heavy slug tore into Saryn's armor, drawing blood and a grunt of pain from the soldier.
Get 'Em on Farvenzi.
Janilla takes an aoo and a crit for 52 damage and is dying.
in bold may act
R4: guards, janilla, chikasa, farvenzi, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
map is updated. tower and generators (gold circles?) provide cover
current status:
chikasa 15/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 0/18 SP | 18/22 HP
fixit 6/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 0/30 SP | 0/32 HP (dying)
saryn 0/30 SP | 17/25 HP
senesdar 29/32 SP | 32/32 HP
guard (yellow) -31 (dead)
guard (white) -32 (dead)
guard (blue) --34 (dead)
spinjack (red) -0
farvenzi -35
Fixit continued to focus his fire on the dragonkin, enraged as he saw one of his companions nearly killed.
Fixit fired his laser rifle at Farvenzi once more, this time connecting full on with the dragonkin. The creature's gray skin absorbed the fire energy from the laser as if it were nothing but sunlight! Saryn and Senesdar pummeled the security chief, slashing through his defenses and hammering strong blows, even as Creed positions himself for a better shot.
Get 'Em on Farvenzi.
in bold may act
R5: janilla, chikasa, farvenzi, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
map is updated. tower and generators (gold circles?) provide cover
current status:
chikasa 15/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 0/18 SP | 18/22 HP
fixit 6/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 0/30 SP | 0/32 HP (dying)
saryn 0/30 SP | 17/25 HP
senesdar 29/32 SP | 32/32 HP
guard (yellow) -31 (dead)
guard (white) -32 (dead)
guard (blue) -34 (dead)
spinjack (red) -0
farvenzi -55
Chikasa brought up his glowing rifle and leveled it at Farvenzi. He pulled the trigger and watched as dragonblood spewed out from the wound.
Farvenzi jerked as the magically enhanced bullet hit him and caused a severe wound. He glared at Chikasa before turning his attention back to Saryn. The turn slid into a stumble, and the dragonkin security chief dropped to the ground, coughing blood. He died there on the cold ground, and something in Spinjack seemed to snap. The tech lead charged Saryn, standing over his fallen partner's body and leveling a huge blow at the lashunta soldier with the gauntlet wrapped around his off hand.
Saryn takes 11 B and So damage
in bold may act
R5: janilla, chikasa, farvenzi, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
R6: janilla, chikasa, farvenzi, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
map is updated. tower and generators (gold circles?) provide cover
current status:
chikasa 15/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 0/18 SP | 18/22 HP
fixit 6/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 0/30 SP | 0/32 HP (dying)
saryn 0/30 SP | 6/25 HP
senesdar 29/32 SP | 32/32 HP
guard (yellow) -31 (dead)
guard (white) -32 (dead)
guard (blue) -34 (dead)
spinjack (red) -0
farvenzi -73 (dead)
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With Spinjack out or his reach, and seeing an opportunity to gain an advantageous position, Sensedar will try and take it. He leaps from the wall, trying to get opposite Spinjack from Saryn.
.
Landing behind the Rhyphorian, Senesdar takes a moment to steady himself. He then swings at their back with his seismic pick.
aoo
"You killed her! You a+&*&%@s killed her!"
Spin jack didn't seem to notice how damaged he was as the magical missiles, melee strikes, and arc pistol shots pummeled him. He seemed to be caught in the throes of rage as he spun on the new threat, hammering away at Senesdar. Fortunately for the kasatha, the only blow that connected solidly was the one taken as he was flying over the ryphorian and unable to dodge.
Senesdar takes 9 B and So damage
in bold may act
R6: janilla, chikasa, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
R7: janilla, chikasa, spinjack, fixit, senesdar, creed, saryn
map is updated. tower and generators (gold circles?) provide cover
current status:
chikasa 15/20 SP | 22/22 HP
creed 0/18 SP | 18/22 HP
fixit 6/24 SP | 26/26 HP
janilla 0/30 SP | 0/32 HP (dying)
saryn 0/30 SP | 6/25 HP
senesdar 20/32 SP | 32/32 HP
guard (yellow) -31 (dead)
guard (white) -32 (dead)
guard (blue) -34 (dead)
spinjack (red) -54
farvenzi -73 (dead)
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"And she nearly killed Janilla. Sometimes life's hard that way, Jack! Now you've had a chance to let bygones be bygones, but ya gone and hit Senesdar, so now yer gonna get pummeled into dust. Sorry it couldn't'a been gone otherwise." Chickasaw slots another round into his sniper rifle and fires down at Spinjack.
Janilla staggered to her feet as Senesdar and Saryn made quick work out of the grief-stricken technomancer. Based on his reactions, it was pretty clear that Spinjack had been partner-bonded with dragonkin, a bond which was not easily broken. No wonder he had fought on, despite all your attempts to get him to surrender when it was evident that all hope was lost.
As you were finishing your loot patrol and had rested sufficiently, you made you way towards the center of the research facility. Dr. Monsylkis met you outside with a furious expression on her face.
"What do you mean by this? We allowed you safe passage, fixed your ship, and you come in here guns blazing and killing my employees? This is intolerable!"
In typical academic fashion, she didn't seem to realize that if you were here his malicious intent, her own life would be in danger. All she seemd to care about was her research and fellow scientists. After a 10-minute harangue, she finally slowed enough for you to make yourselves heard.
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Chikasa strides up toward Monsylkis, his whiskers twitching furiously. "Ya wanna try that again, Doc? Who was it that came guns ablazin'? That would be ya'll's security chief and his lackeys! We was tryna come in quiet-like to check on the ship, grab some gear we'd left on board an' all that. Then them security boys out by the tower called us over all innocent-like, askin' us fer help, then shot me and my friends here in the back, soon as we got through the door! What kinda welcome do ya call that, now?"
"What? That's ridiculous! We are a private research institution doing harmless work here. Why would they...?"
Dr. Monsylkis broke off, not knowing where to go with this conversation. Finally, she spoke again.
"What do you plan to do with the rest of us? Are you going to kill us all?"
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"Ya might wanna check yer data again on that claim of yer work bein' harmless there, doc! Seems yer little experiments have been affectin' the flora and fauna on this here planet, not to mention yer weather machine out there messin' with the climate." Chikasa hooks a thumb back toward the tower. "Now come on here, yer a scientist, so you oughta know better. We got no intention of sheddin' any blood unnecessarily, but ya'll gotta stop all this here meddlin'. Find yerselves a nice uninhabited planet to do yer work on. Yer bosses will thank ya for savin' em the legal fees."
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"Honestly, Dr. Morvius has a point...we shouldn't be the one to explain. However, let's just say that your company is harming the environment a lot more than you realize. Considering I believe you are a competent scientist, it is likely that your company is trying to hide the fact that your plants seem to have 'gotten' released into the ecosystem. The kathi-weed that the izalguun's use for a lot of their daily survival seems to have gotten additive properties, likely tied into your own plants here."
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Senesdar waits to speak until all of the others have finished talking and presenting their points to Doctor Monsylkis. "Also, while I am no expert in this regard, I am sure that organizations from the Pact Worlds, such as the Xenowardens, might try and pursue legal actions against your organization. They could even try and bring things against you personally." He pauses for a moment, then continues. "Also, the natives here don't seem overly thrilled about what your weather station or new plants are doing to this area. If you don't cease your operations, I can't say for sure but they might try and make you cease them. I am sure that you wouldn't want that to happen."
"I...I had no idea. Yes, looking at these samples and findings, it is clear that our specimens are definitely making their way into the wild. An addictive...well, I actually knew that part. It was all in my reports to our sponsors, along with the genomes I was using to mitigate the effects. And Spinjack and Farvenzi weren't actually Winterharvest employees. They - and the whole security team - were private contractors pushed on us by our sponsors. I never really cared about such things, so it didn't bother me, but...well some of the things you are telling me make sense. Enough to check out a few things in our database, anyways. Let's go inside. Hezlin, shut down that weather controller right now! I want no more damage done to this ecosystem!"
You followed the doctor and some of her scientists inside the building, and there she confirmed some of your speculations. In Farvenzi's comm profile were several messages back to Frozen Trove about your incursion and the repetition of the standing orders to kill any intruders. Dr. Monsylkis was dismayed that all of her team's research was going towards unethical pharmaceutical production, and she almost burned down the lab in her fury. She calmed, though, calling on the entire research team to begin tearing everything down. All equipment, notes, and specimens were to be taken. All native wildlife to be released, assuming they were fit for release. All corrupted plants to be destroyed, and everything in the greenhouses burned, to prevent it from contaminating the local ecosystem more.
"We're leaving this planet, and I am tendering my resignation to Winterharvest immediately. I want no more part of this farce, and the evil that some companies will stoop to for marketshare. Perhaps I will call upon the Starfinder Society. I hear they are always looking for talent, and judging from what I have seen, your penchant for suffering evil to stand is extremely low. We will be offplanet in a few hours. Your ship is ready to fly, though I very much suggest you look it over for any surprises Spinjack might have left behind before you go."
She hesitated for a moment. "And thank you for all you have done. I may not like having to shut down my research, but I would have hated for it to have gone on to spawn new drug addictions in the Pact Worlds, and harmed this planet while it was at it. Travel safely in the Black Ocean, Satrfinders."
************************************
Once you were certain that Dr. Monsylkis meant what she said about packing up the research station, you made your way back to the izalguun village to tell Naarma. The izalguun elder is very happy with your results, though more than one of her aides said something along the lines of "I'll believe it when I see it". Naarma went to a cabinet and pulled out a hardcopy, hand-drawn starchart of the local system bearing a black X over a small moon four orbits away from the local sun.
"You will find the relic you seek on this moon, at the northern spin axis. There is a small facility there that should respond if you query it with the code printed on the chart there. Be careful, though. That installation was designed to protect the relic and its guardians. The tech there makes ours look like a childs' playthings."
"Speaking of our tech, I would ask one final favor before you go. For the sake of my people, I would ask that you please keep the secret of our own technological status. We have no interest in joining the worlds from beyond the stars, but hate to think that aspiring tech archaeologists would flood our beautiful world just for the chance to look at ancient tech."
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Janilla listens to Dr.Monsylkis during her ...well...rant. And would be likely one of the many who helped her not to burn down her lab--she has a MAJOR issue with burning down things...labs...libraries and such. The information alone in there might be useful in dealing with some of the experiments/pharmaceutical production and addition caused already from the research.
When going back to the izalguun village and taking the hard copy from Naarma, Janilla would nod. "We will be careful on retrieving the relic. We have specialists who do this. Thank you for the information."
When Naarma talks about their tech, Janilla looks exaggeratedly around and then mildly remarks, "I have seen nothing that I would consider extraordinary that any tech archaeologist would be of interest in. Your tribe is just living off the land the best they can. It might be a interesting thing for you and the Starfinders to come to an agreement to help 'elevate' you to Pact World levels. At least that is what I would suggest to my superiors. That way you can 'integrate' into the technological level of the Pact World if and when you wish...and keep any of your 'secrets' our own."
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Chikasa watches Monsylkis and her team as they break down the lab, making sure to observe anyone stashing away some of the data for themselves.
Once the team is satisfied that the lab is being thoroughly disassembled, Chikasa joins the others in reporting back to Naarma.
"Well, I'm sure I'm not the only one who'll be disappointed not to learn more about your tech here, but I can understand ya wantin' to keep to yerselves for awhile, especially after this whole debacle with the folks at the lab. We'll leave our information with ya, though, in case ya need some Starfinders to come on back to help with anything in the future. In the meantime, thank ya for the information on the relic. We'll be followin' up on that before long I'm sure."
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Saryn responds to Dr. Monsylkis. "Destroying your work here will probably damage your reputation and make finding more work difficult. If you would like, I'll speak to my superiors about considering you for the Starfinder Society. I can make no promises, but I want to help."
To Naarma, "I am honor bound to report honestly to my superiors, but I will not otherwise spread the information on your situation here. I will suggest, though, that you do consider making contact with our organization. Even if you don't want to join the galactic community, it could prove beneficial to you in helping keep those archaeologists at bay."
Fixit did his examination of the ship, and indeed found two devices - a tracker, and a backup tracker. He found nothing to compromise the integrity of the ship. Having received the information you came for, you left Icefront and swung by the moon indicated on the star chart. At the coordinates listed, you did indeed find a structure that matched Naarma's description, though its defenses were enough to keep you at a distance for now.
Absalom Station was a welcome sight as you came out of Drift, and you headed straight for the Lorespire and Luwazi Elsebo's office. After you gave your report, she looked at the data you had brought back with a thoughtful expression.
"The izalguuns have lived in relative anonymity for millennia, and they’ve done so despite prior invitations to return to their home system. Although our responsibility as Starfinders is to share our findings with the Pact Worlds, doing so in this case might seem a violation of a people’s wishes. I can provide counsel, but in the end, you are the only Starfinders to have interacted with this culture and studied them firsthand. What is your official recommendation?”
"Also, that strange starship you encountered bodes ill. We have heard of a few ships like it preying on certain parts of Near Space and the Vast, but yours is the only account so far with detailed data on their combat capabilities. Worrisome. Please, I'd like you to prepare a briefing on what you saw, and add your evaluations to the sensor data from your ship. This could be the start of something new, something ominous."
"And Starfinders...good work!"