"I am proficient in combat both martial and magical," Xevras states evenly. "If there are dangers, I will aid in confronting them. I would be quiet eager to explore the ruins."
A rare smile graces the doctor's face as Rokayla refers to her as a childhood friend. It's good to have someone you can trust. And count on for emotional support.
Tilting her head, Tia replies. "You're bound are going to be in danger regardless, and medical care is most effective if provided immediately. Besides, if we're going somewhere, it'd help if I gathered some samples of the flora and fauna." Pulling out her datapad, she scans everyone in the room briefly, before putting it back onto her belt. "Refined materials decaying naturally is bound to have an effect on the ecosystem, and has rarely been observed thorougly."
"Dangerous?" Balazar raises an eyebrow. "What kind of shark tank are you throwing the new arrivals into?"
"Exploration of the unknown is always dangerous," Xevras states, simply. "I came here anticipating that fact. I'll just need to get in my full armor."
"Well, yeah..." Balazar shrugs. "I just want to make sure this isn't one of those 'the last three teams we sent didn't come back' kinda things."
"It's less that the teams aren't coming back and more that we don't have many teams to send," Jask jokes as he gestures toward several chairs if anyone would like to take a seat. "It's been weeks since there were any other Starfinders here and I don't really have the resources to hire some of the treasure hunters to help me out with poking around by myself. They're rather... materially interested most of the time. The worst you'll probably have to deal with are some wild animals or aggressive plants. The old malfunctioning robots are a bit further out." It's hard to tell if he's still joking or not.
"I suppose...", Tia rubs her temple. "most sociological research for multi-planetary species suggests that in a society like this, built on top of ancient sites, people would resort to smuggling to make ends meet." She frowns. "Or simply to better their personal wealth." Inner Worlders are so selfish sometimes. Wonder how anything gets done.
The mention of wild animals and aggressive plants, however, perks the Ferran's interest. "Excellent. Then we can carry out the research on the local biosystem, and see why they're aggressive. Beneficial for everyone." Seemingly more chipper than before, she points a finger at Balazar. "Did you know that long-term low-level lead poisoning leads to increased aggression in humans?"
Xevras stays crouched in the doorway, preferring not to squeeze through if not necessary. He grins a bit at Flux's enthusiasm.
"I would certainly be interested in assisting in this. Do you have certain parts of the ruins marked out to explore?"
The mention of 'treasure' piques Balazar's interest. He casually fades into an aside. "Surely, if there's anything valuable to be found, people will flock in to take advantage. And thus, commerce is perpetuated. 'Greed always finds a way', as I like to say. In a, uhh... academic sense, of course."
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"Did you know that long-term low-level lead poisoning leads to increased aggression in humans?"
"That's still a problem in this day and age?" Rokayla comments with a raised eyebrow. "Figured the only places you saw that were in pre-space-flight civilizations...like REALLY pre-space-flight, just-discovering-indoor-plumbing-pre-space-flight."
"The first wave was purely scientific types and professional explorers like us," the insectoid explains. "But once we were cleared for full colonization, restrictions relaxed a lot. There are plenty of people here looking to make a life studying and rebuilding this marvelous planet, but there are also a fair few who want to make a quick credit looting the ruins and selling any interesting tech or art." A frustrated his escapes from his mouth. "Aspis has already started to put out some tendrils, so I've been hoping to move quicker before they start raiding unexplored districts, but... well I already explained the problem with that. But if you're willing to help, I can get you passes so security will let you out without a hassle and maybe we can actually make some progress."
"My presence, I am informed, can be intimidating," Xevras rumbles, with just a hint of a grin. "That should at least discourage interference while we are actively searching an area. It does sound as if we are all agreed in assisting, yes?"
He looks over at the others. "How shall we organize our first foray into the ruins?"
"I've got one thing. There's a facility along one of the more of less intact raised highways to the north that we believe might have been a school. It's a bit further out than we've had a chance to fully explore, but it may have significant amounts of information and it may help speed up compiling a functioning translation matrix that doesn't rely on constantly recasting spells." Jask 'smiles' again. "I'll get in touch with security and get the details sorted out to get you out there. Hopefully, you'll be clear to go by tomorrow. Until then, you're welcome to rest here or go look around and look for a place of your own."
Xevras nods again. "That sounds quite interesting. Shall we meet here in the morning?"
He looks to the others. "I believe I shall go seek accomodations. Perhaps there is somewhere that will be comfortable for one of my stature. I assume there is an office here within the building responsible for assigning accomodations?"
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"I've got one thing. There's a facility along one of the more of less intact raised highways to the north that we believe might have been a school. It's a bit further out than we've had a chance to fully explore, but it may have significant amounts of information and it may help speed up compiling a functioning translation matrix that doesn't rely on constantly recasting spells." Jask 'smiles' again. "I'll get in touch with security and get the details sorted out to get you out there. Hopefully, you'll be clear to go by tomorrow. Until then, you're welcome to rest here or go look around and look for a place of your own."
"Great! I'm going to go with Tia for now, see what we need to do for starting our other big project here. I'll be back later to claim a bunk."
She turns to her fellow ferran.
"So what's our next step? Or first step...you know what I mean."
"Excellent. It's very important that we get the initial paperwork in order, otherwise we'd be in a... limbo. Can't waste time on that." At the comment from the dragonkin, the doctor gives a rare smile, glancing seven feet in the air to look at Xevras' face. "Well, you are large and rather predatory looking, so it's only natural that's the initial instinctive reaction is such.", she adds, before continuing, "Which is why we have diplomatic and... you already know this." Pulling a device from her belt, she ushers the others closer. "If we're going on an expedition together, I need to get your biometric samples, in the event I need to stabilise your biological functions. Don't worry, there's no needles involved."
As the group disperses, Tjartka glances at Rokayla's familiar face, before shrugging. "I... don't know what we can do to aid right now, as we're not registered yet. I feel like.", she pauses, glancing up at a dilapidated skyscraper. "I think I feel like climbing to the top of one of those and just being there, really high, but on the ground. But we should stay close to base camp."
"Over near the west entrance," Jask provides in answer to Xevres' question. "You can also head across the walkway there to get to an old hotel, or something similar. It's turned into a sort of community center and a market. There's always people out and about, so you can meet your new neighbors too."
Xevras meets Tjartka's smile with his own, carefully close-lipped smile. "Each our own specialty," he agrees as he submits to the doctor's scan.
He nods a thanks to Jask, then carefully makes his way over to the west entrance. Looking for an appropriate office he seeks someone who seems in authority enough to ask about accomodations.
"Well, umm... I don't want to be the one to say it, but umm... things still cost creds here, right?" Balazar asks Jask, flashing an embarrassed smile. "How much can we earn for our time on this worthy expedition?"
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As the group disperses, Tjartka glances at Rokayla's familiar face, before shrugging. "I... don't know what we can do to aid right now, as we're not registered yet. I feel like.", she pauses, glancing up at a dilapidated skyscraper. "I think I feel like climbing to the top of one of those and just being there, really high, but on the ground. But we should stay close to base camp."
"Sounds neat-o. Lead the way."
Jask chuckles at Balazar's question. "No need to worry. The Society has funds to cover mercenaries and outside support. Generally I can pay a few hundred credits for a regular scouting job, plus finder's fees for unusual discoveries."
The housing office looks more like it actually was an office at some point, or perhaps it's merely been repaired more quickly that some of the rest of the administration building. Inside, a verthani man is working on a computer. He looks up as the group enters the room, one of his eyes whirring slightly as it refocuses on the group in front of him. "Ah, new arrivals, yes? Greetings, welcome to Ikirit. How can I be of service?"
Xevras nods. "New arrivals, yes. As you can see our individual requirements vary widely, but we are searching for places to call home. For my own part, I prefer a ceiling clearance of at least fifteen feet, but I am certainly willing and able to do repair work."
"Anything private?" Balazar asks the verthani. His stomach growls and he pats it with a grin. "After this, how about we find a restaurant?" he offers to the group.
"Ah let's see... high clearance, private... Are you looking for a shared apartment or are you looking for separate accommodations?" He turns a screen around and brings up a list for the group to peruse. "There's a tower just past the market that has plenty of open space and has been cleaned out. One of the top floors should meet your needs. And most of the food can be found across the way at the market."
"Sounds like a decent spot... by the market and near the eateries. Let's go check it out."
Xevras considers a moment. "Is there roof access? That would be particularly convenient for me. I suppose we can take a look and see."
Balazar smiles, eyes alight. "Roof access sounds nice... very nice! Like a luxury penthouse, with a view of the skyline."
Glancing at the skyline with a friend along the way, Tjartka takes in the sights of the new planet with silent, quieted gusto. Saying little, she seems lost in thought, until a few minutes later, she suddenly jumps up. "Oh. We've been wasting a lot of time, haven't we? There's work to be done.", she says, hurrying to get back into action.
Raising an eyebrow at the verthani, Tjartka glances at the others. "Right. Choice in accomodation. I, uh.", she bites her lips, clearly unused to that. "Whatever's best for the whole...", she starts in typical Ferran fashion, though she adds a moment later, "...but a window up high would be nice."
"I was thinking of a place to land," Xevras states. "Regardless, it sounds as if we can go take a look. Assuming we all wish to board in the same building, of course."
With that, he starts making his way out of the administration building and towards the indicated tower.
Balazar nods, "You seem an agreeable lot. And I should have plenty of space in my rooftop penthouse."
"Let's check it out, and then eat!"
"That should hardly be necessary, Flux. Given the population and the state of the planet, any concerns should be structural rather than volumetric."
"Let's see..." A small secondary hand folds out of his wrist to help control the console as he types something. "It looks like the entire top floor is available and there is rooftop access. You may want to wait a day or two before moving in though. It seems that the top several floors are missing a lot of windows. I'll put in a work order and mark off the space as occupied if that sounds agreeable to you."
Xevras nods. "It sounds perfectly acceptable. Given the state of abandonment of the world I suspect missing windows is a minor inconvenience compared to many other structures."
He looks to the others. "It does leave open the question of what we do now. Familiarize ourselves with the colony more? Prepare for our first expedition? I had hoped to be able to put some of my things away before going anywhere." He hefted his rather large bag as if to demonstrate why.
"Food."
Balazar nods emphatically.
"Hopefully you won't have to chase anything with wings out of the apartments," the man jokes as he adds them to the list on his terminal. "Hydroponics was the first thing we got set up thankfully. When there's not a lot of open land, we have to make do. You can definitely find something better than ship rations right over at the market."
Xevras rumbles a chuckle deep in his chest and gives the others a tight-lipped smile. "Food is a good option. Though I imagine we will be working up quite the appetite in the future with our work, as well."