Erlich checked the datapad for the location of Cyber-Doc's location (business preferred), and sends a request for appointment to see what bounces back regarding timing.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20+6
The Cyber-doc can see you in an hour.
[dice=Sense Motive]1d20
The woman you are looking at seems to be a bit haughty. After all she is an entertainer.
The woman in the mirrored dress catches Harukai’s eye, and he briefly thinks to himself, ”I can see myself all over you...”, but he contents himself with a small smile instead of slinging out such an obviously lame pick-up line. He turns to continue following Erlich instead.
You find the Cyber-doc's clinic. At least you hope it's the right Cyber-doc. His name is with three other docs. Here at the clinic, one can get augmentations. Also here, there should be some information on Dasan and his crew.
”I’ll follow your lead, Erlich,” says Harukai, content to observe and be ready to act if threats appear.
"Errmm, OK..."
Erlich walks in to the clinic, "I registered for a consult, before it starts, need to know if there is a going rate for the doctor's time? A good friend of mine recommended Doctor Orli. If I need to change appointment time to see him specifically, I'd like to do that now, please."
"No, you can see Doctor Orli. He has an opening right now. If you just fill out this form while you wait, Doctor Orli will be with you shortly."
Harukai works with Erlich to quickly fill out the paperwork, scanning the offerings to see if there are any useful cyber-tech items he might eventually want.
"This may have worked better if we had gotten him to join us for a drink at the bar," Harukai says, "But hopefully we can spot him the cost of a few ales for his time and learn some useful things about the nearby pirates before we head out on our next milk run."
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"Yes, well, who knows how long we'd be waiting on his departure, or even if a few drinks are part of his routine," Erlich finishes up the questionnaire, "perhaps we'll find out."
He sits and awaits his turn quietly. When called, he goes where escorted and upon meeting the doctor, speaks evenly to the doctor, "You are Doctor Orli, yes? I enquired about payment for your time on this consult, I do not wish to take any of it up without due compensation, but never really received an answer on that. I eventually will be wanting upgrades, but my interests right now lie elsewhere, with a pirate I have heard victimized you... Dasan."
Erlich sits down, remaining calm and at ease in his monologue, "I do not wish to intrude on any privacy, and your tale will be held in complete confidence, so fear not. I belong to a party of freelancers that will be going after Dasan, and we wish to glean as much information about this monster as possible to best prepare ourselves. Could you enlighten me with any observations you made leading up to, and while in his clutches?"
"At any point were you able to get a visual on his vessel? Are you at all familiar with the class and is there anything unusual about any modifications that stands out?"
"We appreciate your patience with us, and have just one more question, and will take no more of your time. Ho would you describe his personality? Anything stand out about how he handled himself or his subordinates that could be useful to us? Quirks, tics? Any indication of internal strife among them?"
"I thank you for your assistance and bid you good day, as mentioned, this is all under strict confidence."
Erlich gets up to leave, and glancing at Harukai, asks as they are departing, "Perhaps we could meet after hours and host you for drinks, maybe discuss in a less formal setting, so long as you are comfortable with that."
"Yes, well, who knows how long we'd be waiting on his departure, or even if a few drinks are part of his routine," Erlich finishes up the questionnaire, "perhaps we'll find out."
He sits and awaits his turn quietly. When called, he goes where escorted and upon meeting the doctor, speaks evenly to the doctor, "You are Doctor Orli, yes? I enquired about payment for your time on this consult, I do not wish to take any of it up without due compensation, but never really received an answer on that. I eventually will be wanting upgrades, but my interests right now lie elsewhere, with a pirate I have heard victimized you... Dasan."
"Yes, I was one of the pirate's victims. He stole our gems from us."
Erlich sits down, remaining calm and at ease in his monologue, "I do not wish to intrude on any privacy, and your tale will be held in complete confidence, so fear not. I belong to a party of freelancers that will be going after Dasan, and we wish to glean as much information about this monster as possible to best prepare ourselves. Could you enlighten me with any observations you made leading up to, and while in his clutches?"
"He was dressed in pants, a shirt that was a v-neck shirt, it was blue, and from his neck hanged a large sapphire tear set in gold. His ship was of the heavy freighter class and he was armed with two interesting guns that were mass drivers. He had no other weapons on his ship except for a tractor beam. He separated us from the more comely persons on our spaceliner and took them as slaves. I only escaped slavery by him because I had a scar on my face, which I cover with cosmetics. He doesn't have two GRASERS on his ship because they are expensive, but he uses the mass drivers as his weapons. His crew are varied, and some of them have ambition. His first mate has an ambition to be the captain of the ship. And his second mate has the same ambition also."
He stops to take a breath.
"It's not unusual for pirates to spread unusual stories about themselves. Dasan is no exception to that."
"At any point were you able to get a visual on his vessel? Are you at all familiar with the class and is there anything unusual about any modifications that stands out?"
"Dasan's heavy freighter has the Skull and Crossbones painted on it. His two weapons are mass drivers as I said before."
[b]"We appreciate your patience with us, and have just one more question, and will take no more of your time. Ho would you describe his personality? Anything stand out about how he handled himself or his subordinates that could be useful to us? Quirks, tics? Any indication of internal strife among them?"
"I'm no psychiatrist. My specialty is cybernetics. However, there are somethings about him. He has hubris, extreme pride. He takes pride in his crew, he takes pride in his ship, and he used it to carry him everywhere he goes. He often hits his crew when they go out of line. He always dressed in v-neck shirts and wears that necklace as a good luck charm. And I already told you the ambitions of his crew."
[b]"I thank you for your assistance and bid you good day, as mentioned, this is all under strict confidence."
Erlich gets up to leave, and glancing at Harukai, asks as they are departing, "Perhaps we could meet after hours and host you for drinks, maybe discuss in a less formal setting, so long as you...
"I don't drink alcohol."
Harukai smiles and says, "Thank you, Doctor Orli. We hope to avoid the pirates for the most part, but knowing their tactics and other particulars will hopefully allow us to survive any encounters we have with them. If we find ourselves in a position to bring the pirates to justice or rescue any slaves, we will do so. Thanks again for your help," he finishes sincerely.
"Let's get moving, Erlich. I'm sure they have loaded the fuel cells by now and the rest of the crew is itching to grab some sky. Good work finding our helpful friend here," he says.
Erlich is actually taken aback by how straightforward and thorough the doctor was, "You've been most helpful and I appreciate your time. Yes, believe it is time we 'grab sky' another job awaits." Erlich takes his leave and hustles with Harukai to our vessel where he explains all that has transpired with his friends, adding, "Evidently, this particular pirate has a serious weakness for gems. The level of pride he exhibits, desire for attractive slaves and what could be an obsession for gems may just be the seeds of a plan for his downfall..."
"Are we loaded and ready?"
"Departure protocols already cleared with Tower," replies Chiaiese. "Ready to go as soon as you're aboard."
Harukai moves to his station and straps in, ready to move on. He tries to pull up some information on heavy freighters and mass driver weapons as they travel, relating to the others what they learned of Dasan's tactical capability.
"So, the pirate's flagship is a Heavy Freighter, not a Light Freighter, according to our doctor friend. He likely has some kind of Gravity Guns, which would make sense if he wants to use its tractor beam function to ensnare his prey. Still out of our weight class, but at least one shot won't cripple us and give us radiation sickness," says Harukai after a few minutes of research using the ship's tactical systems.
As soon as everyone is on board, and as soon as the Captain gives the signal to engage your space fold system to fold to Eberron -- which is actually a time machine -- you will be on your way. The ship lifts itself off of the platform and blasts into space.
"So this is a time machine," observes Chiaiese once they're underway. "Seems a pity to use it for small jobs, doesn't it? Well, if anyone would like to accompany me to the Engine Room, I'd like to see if we can learn how this thing works and what we can use it for besides getting from point A to point B. Anton, I could use your expertise specifically."
Chiaiese heads for the time travel engine and begins to analyze its components and functional routines. Then she examines the control apparatus and reads the diagnostics and then the time travel protocols, attempting to determine if they can use it to travel in any direction along spacetime axis given known vertices. In other words, what are the limits of this machine, and can they use it as they see fit, or are they constrained in some way?
You can use it to travel to any time, any when, any where. It just needs the coordinates to fold space in that way. You can travel to the past to when the halflings were trying to get the most of their ocean world, you can travel to the pristine tower, the Green Age, and back to the Grey Age.
"...I was taught somewhat about the principles at my former job, but other studies and drills were more.... pressing, let's say. Never really had time to dwell on the concepts or the... down time & opportunity to tinker."
From the tactical station, Harukai asks, "So, Captain, did we get paid for the grain? And are we headed to Sharn with the fuel cells or are we going somewhen...unusual?"
"No disrespect to honest professions, but I did not sign up to be pushing commodities around for per diem. If we're in charge of making our own work, I won't settle for make-work. We're at a moment where I will willingly depart the crew at the next station if all of you wish to continue along the path such as it has been set before us. I crave adventure, and I will find it on my own, if necessary.
"We stand within a machine that can take us to any place in any time. We only need to decide, as a team, what it is we want. Money? Fame? Power? Adventure? Do we do something as simple as pull up the space lotto numbers from last week and then go back and buy a ticket? Do we confront the AI Gods that created the Absalom Station? Do we parlay with the Queen of Dragons? What do we want?"
"I suggest a compromise, Captain. Let's travel back in time to the beginning of Dasan's piracy career and capture him before he has a chance to get any followers or ships. We take him down and bring him back for the...zero bounty because he never became a notorious pirate...But at least we would have saved a lot of innocent people. Maybe we do that after the lottery thing," says Harukai, thinking out loud.
"Don't other people have starships as well, though? I mean, if we can travel anywhen can't they as well? Just about everything we try to do to change the timeline may have already been tried and suceeded or failed, and we wouldn't know either way. I, well, I'm confused at this point," he finishes, without concluding much.
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"Um, I suggest we do that lottery thing--or gambling, whatever--to give us resources enough to be able to handle or accomplish anything that requires merely money.
Then, we can try other things.
One thing we could do is research Dasan's -first- act of piracy, and then get there just as he is trying to make his getaway.
He'll be weaker than he is now, certainly, and he'll still be wanted--if only by the people he just robbed. We can then save countless lives and turn him in for reward.
Win-win."
The machine works with coordinates. You can set the machine with coordinates for a place, for example, or a time, for another example. Then the machine does it's magic and you can be anywhere you want. Or anywhen.
It's the most efficient way to move in the Universe. Although most cultures use a warp engine. And that works like it does in Star Trek. A bubble is created around the ship and the engine just pulls the space around the ship.
Chiaiese returns to the science console on the bridge and retrieves the Absolom Station Lottery results from the past year.
Alrighty. Done, the computer spits them out. Plus the winning lottery number.
"I don't know, Chiaiese, it feels like cheating somehow," says Harukai, having second thoughts about this course of action, adding, "Though I must admit I am curious as to how it will work out."
Chiaiese shrugs. "We've already won the lottery; we have a machine that travels through time and space. Now we're choosing to profit from it."
From the tactical station, Harukai asks, "So, Captain, did we get paid for the grain? And are we headed to Sharn with the fuel cells or are we going somewhen...unusual?"
”Speaking of credits, did we get paid for the grain shipment?” asks Harukai.
”Speaking of credits, did we get paid for the grain shipment?” asks Harukai.From the tactical station, Harukai asks, "So, Captain, did we get paid for the grain? And are we headed to Sharn with the fuel cells or are we going somewhen...unusual?"
You get paid automatically on delivery.
Computers are advanced enough you should just input the coordinates of where to go. Time Travel isn't common, Warp tech is.
"This spot, one year ago..." Erlich brings up the display and takes his time manipulating the commands, double-checking his work, to reach desired time and place.
+7 = 17
Take 10 is allowed. The ship can go back one year ago.
"Well that was incredibly easy. But I imagined there would some fireworks, or at least a bit of steam. Pity. Erlich, when you said, 'This spot,' did you mean some other specific place, or the same place we were, in space? Where are we?"
Harukai looks at the scanners from the tactical station to see what is out there.
"Yea, sorry... to be more specific, I guess - these same spatial reference coordinates relative to the spatial reference coordinates we departed from. Could have put us closer to Athas if requested.
Never played it myself, does cashing in the lottery require redeeming in person, or is it all done through verifications on the 'net?"
Using the communications console, Chiaiese connects with the Abasolom Station Annual Lottery, and purchases the jackpot ticket with what she already knows are the winning numbers.
Harukai looks at the scanners from the tactical station to see what is out there.
You see the space station, a year younger. Still parked at Lagrange point 2.
"Nothing unusual on the sensors, Captain," says Harukai, waiting for Chiaiese to run her con...uh, that is, legitimately purchase lottery tickets...
With the lottery ticket purchased, Chiaiese jumps the ship forward in time to after the winning ticket is announced. "Let's go collect our winnings."
Harukai is searching the ship’s computers for a nice, out of the way but fertile island on an idyllic planet. ”I’m thinking, Captain, with my share, I’ll buy my own island and contract to have built a remote sanctuary where I can contemplate inner peace in paradise. If you don’t mind stopping by to let me set it up before jumping forward the year, it should be about done in our original time,” says the smiling warrior. With an even wider grin, he asks, ”What about the rest of you? What are your plans?”
"Of course, Harukai. I expect I'll go back to Castrovel. I know the Lady will have something suitable for my talents. I have a sister I'd like to reconnect with. I hear she's on Absolom working for the Starfinder Society. Sounds exciting."
"Harukai. Is that really what you want of life at this point, to hide away from it all and contemplate? I mean no offense, my own perception would be that is supreme selfishness with all the injustice that could be undone at our disposal." Before Harukai can answer, Erlich continues, "I fully realize injustice is also perception. Instead, how about we do research on the greatest minds of each planets histories, mine their thinking and philosophies for what their intellect perceives as the greatest injustices in their times, their histories, and brainstorm a method to undo them? I am sure you have all heard of the butterfly effect?"
Erlich stops and gathers his thoughts, "Changing history has wide ramifications, though also. We just changed the life of the historical winner of the lottery and undid any potential good they might have accomplished with the winnings. We never even thought to research how it would impact them. Think on that for a second."
"I am not for tucking this away and not utilizing it to change things -- While I would want to see if there was a way to prevent the various genocides and destructive nature of magic on the environment on Athas, I also realize changing something so far back could alter the history so much we would never be born or Athas could be at a point of self-destruction as a planet due to a cascade of events we never intended afterwards."
My share of winnings? Don't know if that even matters anymore with what we have here. But I will not go to a personal paradise until I have a sense of accomplishment in my life."
"You may be right, Erlich," says Harukai, "But I've fought for every scrap my whole life. I'll tell you what, let me live in peace on my private island for a year, then come by and pick me up when you are ready & I'll go on a mission with you. With a time machine, that could be whenever you need me."
You get a news alert. Dasan had attacked an Alliance ship and disabled it. He took most of the crew as slaves, and left the ship by itself.