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Killik heads back into the vent. Agreed, lets get out of this hellhole before the place inevitably explodes.
He scans the bridge before leaving, We havent missed anything have we? Did those Jinsul have any useful loot? Any useful information we can pull from ther compuuters? I dont think this is the last we have heard from Dhurus.
As you are pausing a moment for looking and deliberation, the ship suddenly shakes while an explosion can be heard from a bit away.
You begin backtracking the way you came. Several more times you hear explosions and the ships shakes.
You make it to the still empty landing bay that holds your ship. On top of the continued explosions, you also hear the telltale sound of a drift drive beginning to charge up. With the combat still at hand, you think that the drive will take a bit longer to charge.
Once they depart the jinsul command ship, the PCs have a moment to breathe before the jinsul vessel explodes behind them in a definitive statement that the jinsuls have lost the battle. From their ship, the PCs notice the allied forces have gained the upper hand, and soon after, the remaining jinsul vessels begin escaping in a disorganized retreat, with jinsul ships entering the Drift while taking massive casualties.
After the carrier is destroyed, the jinsul fleet immediately exits the Kreiholm Freehold’s space, returning to the Scoured Stars for new orders. Meanwhile, the PCs return to the Perfect Silence, and the First Seekers call the PCs to the bridge to attend a debriefing, along with the recently arrived faction leaders, Speaks Forgotten Words, and the mysterious android who brought in much-needed reinforcements, Iteration-177.
“I want to thank you,” begins First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo, “You showed no hesitation when dealing with the jinsul hierarch despite facing such overwhelming odds. Infiltrating the jinsul command ship and defeating their hierarch was an amazing feat of skill and courage, and then standing to face this Dhurus figure and living to tell of it is nothing short of remarkable.”
Jadnura waves one of his hands, and the view on the bridge’s tactical screens changes to show the map of the Scoured Stars trinary system. Jadnura nods respectfully at Speaks Forgotten Words, the android Iteration-177, and various other allied leaders in the room.
“Today, we gave our help to the Kreiholm Freehold and also received help from unexpected allies. The battle showed that our combined strength is formidable. After today, the jinsuls may finally know a modicum of fear.” After a pause, Jadnura continues, “We now have a unified fleet, and more reinforcements are on the way. Now is the time to strike the jinsuls and stop Dhurus, once and for all, before they recover from this defeat.”
Luwazi nods. “I could not agree more—we cannot rest until we have defeated Dhurus. Otherwise, the jinsuls will doubtless rebuild and continue their efforts against us.” After this, Luwazi’s expression suddenly grows concerned as she turns to regard Iteration-177. After a moment of uneasy silence, she speaks. “Iteration-177, your timely arrival and the reinforcements you brought with you saved us from an almost certain defeat, and you have my deepest gratitude. However, your recent actions— today and in recent months—raise questions that demand immediate answers,” Luwazi declares.
In a calm voice, Iteration-177 replies: “I knew it would come to this sooner or later. It is now time to reveal the truth of me.” There is a profound silence in the room as the leaders exchange worried looks in anticipation. “I was once, and perhaps still am to some, known as Ailuros. Like Dhurus, I am one of Kadrical’s four divine heralds. I only recently returned to galactic affairs when the Starfinder Society inadvertently earned Kadrical’s attention during its first mission into the Scoured Stars. "
“So perhaps you can understand why I did not reveal my identity before or assume you would trust me. Kadrical’s awakening would have threatened me, so I did not know if you were friend or foe. Rest assured, you’ve proven yourself friends, and I hope my actions today proved I genuinely want to stop my wayward sibling as much as you do. We must put an end to Dhurus before it and the fanatical jinsuls cause more damage. I fear Dhurus, in its hubris, may even move against Kadrical in an attempt to usurp the deity’s divine energies.”
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Klysk thinks this over for a moment, delayed slightly by having to get most of what is said through his Drone. After a moment, he broadcasts telepathically to everyone within range {You say that there were four heralds of Kadrical, with you and Dhurus being two of them. Do you know anything of the other two at all? Also, is there anything that you can tell us about Dhurus themselves?}
“I could not say. Like the four as-of-yet undiscovered civilizations from the Scoured Stars, Kadrical imparted no information about the doings of my fellow heralds. I only know Dhurus thanks to the efforts of your Society...Dhurus...A wayward sibling of sorts, Dhurus always sought favor from Kadrical. I believe, with the veneration the jinsuls provide it now, Dhurus may believe itself superior to our guiding deity. As I said, Dhurus may, now that we’ve foiled its plans here, seek to usurp Kadrical and siphon the sleeping god’s energies for its own malign purpose. Regretably, Dhurus and the jinsuls must be stopped by whatever means available.”