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Charli nods, watching the Diniel trip on the name Vesk-XX. She says gently, "I miss the old name too sometimes." She sighs. "Yes, I would love new supplies. Ten med patches, ten Mk 1 serums of healing, and a MK 2 serum of healing, and if you have warrior enhancement serum, I'll purchase one of those as well. Oh, and do you have a Tier One Sedatives, Anti-Emitics or Anti-Toxins?"
Charli happily passes the doctor a shopping list.
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Barracks
"Ahh, a solider after my own heart. A clean weapon is a weapon that won't blow up in your face. That is what my mother taught me" agrees Vartojan.
"So you are here to help with the invaders are you?" he asks Quirk.
"Nasty bunch, come from another plane I think. I saw them tear a hole in reality itself, not an hour or two from here.."
He shows off a bit of broken equipment. "Found this where they broke through."
Medical center
The ever observant Charli notes a scar on the side of Diniel's neck, a scar that looks like it was put on purposefully to hide a tattoo. One that looks very much like the Stewards.
Diniel looks around "I'd not mention the old names too loudly round here. The vesk get worried when they hear them."
"Beep!" goes Charli's coms device. A quick glance shows another message from Vex.
Status, Sunset - three hours to curfew.
Quirk - barracks
Rakdon - barracks
Neon - 54/54SP; 47/47hp; 8/10RP; diner
Ivok- 81/81 SP; 69/69 HP; 7/10RP;; Barracks
Charli - 91/91SP; 54/62HP; 7/10 RP; clinic
Goose - yoski encampment.
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Charli's eyes widen as she sees the tattoo, and then remembers the transmission after Vex's prodding. On it,, she writes.
"A pleasure doing business with you, Doctor." Charli says, offering her hand to shake, and allowing the Starfinder Society subdermal implant to be briefly seen.
Now that we're both done assessing each other, Charli says telepathically, let's come clean. We need your help, and you need ours. We intercepted an encrypted transmission from you asking for help and an extraction, Steward Diniel. Please, give us the lowdown on what the situation on the ground is here. I believe that the entire town is in danger, but I am coming in this blind, and we don't have the resources we used to command at our disposal. The Stewards pick capable and discerning operatives. Other than you, whom can we trust?
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Ivok is tempted to follow up Vartojan, but seeing Quirk take a far better reception the soldier decide to stow his heavier cannon in the room in case Quirk finds occasion to allow Vartojan's interest in the weaponry to aid in the dialogue.
With a nod to Quirk Ivok heads over to the Mining Facilities to see if there is any insight he can draw from there.
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Diner
The diner is run by an older human (of hylki descent by the looks of him). Miners come through on a regular basis, order, chow down and then head off. It is a well run routine that obviously suits everyone. No fine dining here though.A big screen nearby shows a Veskarium news channel. "Breaking news, Absalom station conquered!" After a moment or two, it cuts to old documentary footage of an veskarium fleet destroying the Amarda protecting the station - including the Master of Stars. Although oddly the Master of Stars has a strange pink colour rather than its more normal green and yellow.
The news cuts back to "live footage" that shows a team of veskarium soliders extracting the Starstone from the core of the Station, while vast crews of engineers start work on the dismantling.
With interest, Neon tries to download a copy of the news story to his mini-computer. He then starts analyzing it, checking links for further information and going into the embedded information to trace the transmissions. He is particularly interested in the footage of the Starstone since it isn’t something people in the station are even allowed to see.
I wonder what they did to create this footage? They can’t create a picture of Yon’s kids, but they can fake an invasion of Absalom station?
As his computer is grabbing the information, he orders food for the group. With a nod towards the screen, he asks “Anything else on? Or has that taken over all the news streams?”
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Medical centre
Diniel blinks in surprise, and then a slow smile spreads over her face.
Ahh... like this? Well, that is a surprise. What is it you need to know? Are the Stewards still active? Since the Dataplague...
With a bit of prompting you learn quite a bit from her, although it does take a bit of time.
The Veskarium took over Akiton around 30 years ago, back in 322AG. Two years before that all our advanced technology stopped working when the Data Plague struck. Starships malfunctioned and communications broke down. The Plague corrupted planetary infospheres, and computers became unreliable. But the Data Plague exclusively struck the Pact Worlds, hitting every world simultaneously. Veskarium starships in the Pact Worlds system were unaffected, and they left and returned in a month with an invasion fleet. The Pact Worlds officially surrendered after the we organized the handful of working starships in Absalom Station’s Armada into a last defense; which the Veskarium annihilated.
On a sadder note you also learn that The Idari lost orbital control when the Data Plague struck. The ship crashed into Fullbright on Verces a few weeks later, with nearly the entire complement lost and presumed dead. Kasathas have been rare within the Veskarium ever since.
Yoski encampment
As with any yoski enclave, there are lots of little ones running around. However most of the sound seems to be coming from what turns out to be a repair shop. There Goose spies perhaps a dozen adult yoski working on repairs to vesk equipment.
A loud speaker blares "Curfew in two hours! Do not Loiter!"
Diner
"The vesk like that broadcast. Reminds them of the 'good days', and us of whose booted foot in on our throats" sighs Yon.
"And that news reel is thirty years old. The station is so big they are still taking it apart even after all this time..." he adds sadly.
Barracks
Quirk is pretty sure those are not parts of an extra-planar device. Rather they look suspiciously like bits of a broken holo-projector. Rakdon thinks they look just like the ones that are surrounding the vault...
Status, Sunset - two hours to curfew.
Quirk -
Rakdon -
Neon - 54/54SP; 47/47hp; 8/10RP;
Ivok- 81/81 SP; 69/69 HP; 7/10RP;;
Charli - 91/91SP; 54/62HP; 7/10 RP;
Goose - yoski encampment.
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Ivok ponders the bit of what Vartojan mentioned as he tries to hide his own distaste for the surroundings. So the attackers they are talking about aren't from this bit of the simulation? Could well be anything at this point.
Conferring for a moment with the others, Ivok is moves to approach the garrison to see if they are willing to entertain any questions from himself. Still he moves carefully, uncertain and wary of any misstep that might not be forgiven so easily.
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Diner
"The vesk like that broadcast. Reminds them of the 'good days', and us of whose booted foot in on our throats" sighs Yon.
"And that news reel is thirty years old. The station is so big they are still taking it apart even after all this time..." he adds sadly.
“I know how much the Vesk like the broadcast, which is why I was asking if there was ANYTHING else. Current news out of Arl or Maro would be a nice change.”
Once he has the meals, he drops them off with Ivok and then investigates the shrines. During the walk he sends a quick update to Vex,
Assuming we get the people out of here, it is going to take a lot of work to get the Vesk to work with the Ysoki and hylki, and vice versa.
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Goose will attempt to talk to the adult ysoki working on the repairs to the vest equipment. He'll approach and begin using his engineering skills to help the others quickly conduct the repairs. While working and gaining their trust, he will ask about their role in the camp, what the hubbub is about with the pending attack, how they are treated, and try to get the lay of the land. Specifically, what is off limits and why.
"Hoi. How goes the struggle?"
Once he gets the jist of how the ysoki are treated and what their role is, he'll continue poking around this area, looking for hidden or restricted areas.
Using telepathy (perferably) or comms, Goose will check in with the team and update them.
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Charli updates the whole group via telepathy, and asks Neon to ping Vex with the information, as Vex is not in range of her telepathy. She also reminds everyone Don't use the name Akiton. It will get you in trouble.
She pings Rakdon with a suggestion. Rakdon, you're sneaky. Want to scout the mines and see what you can find?
She thanks the doctor for their time, and asks the doctor about the people in the other transmissions they encrypted. What can you tell me about the Governor, Enktuya Shipbreaker? Then she'll say to the doctor, You mentioned records in your encrypted message. May we have a copy?
Charli asks Ivok, Do you need backup at the Garrison? Charli will follow Ivok and provide him with social backup and play the dutiful assistant.
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Ivok shakes off some of the anxiety clapping his hands together as he answers, I would appretiate the support. A lie is a bit too much weight for me to hand, even when not playing out in some fever dream.
Ivok looks around the camp a bit as he focuses on the garrison. "last time I was on this rock it was dealing with people I thuoght lived generations here. It is throwing my mind around trying to picture the same here. Handfuls of various different species rather than one united society. It doesn't seem like these people have been here for generations. I'm not even sure any were born in here."
If we can get an images of some of the people and back to Vex, maybe he might have a better idea how these people got thrown into the mess.
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The diner.
Neon stares in a frustrated manner at his computer. There is a very distinct last of communications in the area. A small amount of encrypted traffic, which he suspects would just be the vesk patrols, but no big background chatter.
"The vesk keep a pretty firm grip on communications. Havn't heard anything from them in... a long time." says Yon, as he serves out more dinner to hungry miners.
The clinic
The records are really just histories of the area. admits Diniel.
But she happily provides a low grade data-squirt of the information to you.
"I was between assignments when the data plague struck. Computers... they failed all over the pact world at more or less the same time. Without communications everything went to chaos. My last missive was to keep genuine records and try to keep alive the memory of the pact worlds.
The garrison
Two vesk warriors guard the bridge that leads to the garrison. Loud speakers blare out warning, reminding locals "Vesk are superior. Stand aside to let vesk pass."
As Ivok approaches they straighten their stances. "State your business." says the first, somewhat curtly. Though definitely not in a rude manner. He can see the weapons and armour of Ivok and isn't stupid.
Status, Evening- two hours to curfew.
Quirk -
Rakdon -
Neon - 54/54SP; 47/47hp; 8/10RP;
Charli - 91/91SP; 54/62HP; 7/10 RP;
Goose - yoski encampment. Still at first place
Ivok- 81/81 SP; 69/69 HP; 7/10RP; Garrison
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Ivok pauses for a moment as he resists rolling his eyes at the loudspeaker proclamations. It is enough time for Rakdon to step in for support of Ivok toward the guards. Not certain how the pair might react to an android calling him out as a friend, Ivok just to recall the barest portion of military training. He keeps a straight stance and speaks firmly attempting to hold back any flippant attitude, "I'm looking to meet with the commander of this outpost to receive information what threatens this outpost and any standing orders for my squadron. If there is a threat coming down, I want to be prepared to take it down."
Throughout Ivok pauses more frequently as he things through each of his sentences rather than his more cavalier speech.
Through the telepathic conversation, Ivok does agree that Rakdon might have luck investigating the mines.
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She pings Rakdon with a suggestion. Rakdon, you're sneaky. Want to scout the mines and see what you can find?
Rakdon will join Ivok. Me, I'm just helping my friend Ivok out. I'm sure he has a reason for being here.
Charli pauses a moment as Rakdon implements his own plans. Okay, maybe I deserved that for trying to order you around. I'm not a real lieutenant... I just play one in the vid shows. Charli tries to keep her tone light, even though Rakdon was their best spy. I'll go to the mines then, and see if I can talk my way past. I'll have Spoons as backup in case things go south.
Spoons is quiet as they walk towards the mines. Um... What's our cover story here? What possible reason do mercenaries have for checking out a mining operation?
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Normally, on missions I offer people tea and come in with the catering crew. But that's not going to work with this cover story. Charli thinks this over as she walks, pinging the rest of the group for advice. Hey guys... for approaching the mines.... What do you think about something close to the truth? We're trying to investigate security arrangements, knowing that critical facilities require special care? That it's part of our standard procedures in entering a new town?
She also pings Doctor Diniel. What's the name and title of the mine manager / pit boss? Any personality issues I should know about before I make my approach?
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Garrison
"Ahh, mercenaries? We could use you."
The vesk touches a badge and is quickly in touch with 'the governors secretary'
"We could use some more... Ask our nufriends to wait there, I'll try to set up an appointment. Hey, while you are there, ask them what their favorite foods are."
Barracks
"All sorts out there.. Quirk. Dwarves, elves... strange folk, strange, strange folk."
Shrine
Neon finds several shrines hidden in tunnels under the central messa. There are altars to Abadar, Eloritu, Iomedae, Pharasma and Talavert. The largest (of course) is a big chapel to Damoritosh. There are a few vesk soldiers offering prayers, which Neon quickly overhears are about an upcoming battle.
A human walks peacefully around the shrines, offering prayers and tiding away the detritus of people.
Status, Evening- two hours to curfew.
Quirk - TBD
Charli - 91/91SP; 54/62HP; 7/10 RP; TBD
Goose - yoski encampment. Still at first place
Ivok- 81/81 SP; 69/69 HP; 7/10RP; Garrison
Rakdon - Garrison
Neon - 54/54SP; 47/47hp; 8/10RP; Shrine
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If someone good at overhearing conversations were here at the shrines, they could probably listen in on the soldier’s prayers. Neon projects out.
Not having any interest in conquest, he tries to decide between the shrines of Talavert and Eloritu. He decides that a god of history is more likely to interfere with this mad scenario so he decides to start at that shrine.
Wonder if these are real shrines...sort of hope at least one of them is properly consecrated.
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Charli sighs, and wipes her hands nervously as she approaches the mines*. She's outside of her comfort zone, no mistake. On the other hand, she's brazened her way through everything else so far. She takes a glance at Spoons, and hands him a holographic clipboard. There. Now you look official.
She takes a deep breath and approaches, the model of confident efficiency. After greeting the manager by name, she says, "I'm Lieutenant Charli of the Poshket Pride. We're the new mercenary reinforcements for Buyer's Remorse, and after taking stock, we realized this enterprise is essential for us to protect. It's the key to Vesk XX's future security."
"We need to tour your security arrangements. Is there anyone you can provide for us to show us around? I assure you our visit will be brief and efficient." She glances at Spoons. "Note the cliffside location, Spoons. Fortunately facing the garrison, but we'll still want to look into that."
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Ivok almost sighs in relief hearing the voice over the comms. He is so taken aback by relief as he answers for himself without thinking. "Fruits, beans, nuts are all fine for me-" He takes a moment to halt his order to state, "We can wait here for the appointment."
Through the telepathic connection with Charlie, and presumably to the rest of the party, it sounds like they are open to having a meeting within the Garrison. I'll let you know once everything is in hand and set it up so everyone else might be able to join.
After a pause staring at the comm Ivok adds, and they are taking food requests.
"If you wish to schedule an appointment for later that will give my squad the chance to take the lay of the land."
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Shrine
The hylki man extends his hand to Neon. "One of Neknok's cousins I presume?" he asks. "I am Holden, priest... and janitor! If you are after answers to the universe, then the gods are but a short prayer away."
Mines
Charli learned from Diniel that the mine is run by Drak Garls, one of the local hylki humans.
The facility itself you learned extracts thasteron. Pumping stations, lifts and cranes dot hte top of hte ravine, while scaffolding and drilling equipment line the cliff walls. Dozens of miners are in the area, with a one or two heading off toward the diner and a similar number returning at any given time.
A quick question directs her to the office of Drak, who appears extremely busy. "What is it NOW?" he grumbles.
Charli gives her speech.
"Oh..security assessment. Well, naturally, we are the reason the settlement is here after all.." he sighs. "But now? What is the governor thinking?"
However he signs a chit giving you access to the mine before heading back to paperwork. "Best thasteron I've ever seen, but the worst miners..."
Garrison
"I think it will take a while." says Sgt Bleq. "The governor never sees anyone on short notice. Well, unless they cause trouble. And nobody wants to be seen by him then."
The coms unit beeps again "Nuts and fruits and beans... you sure? Hey nufriend, where did you grow up? I grew up on Vesk-3!"
The sergeant rolls his eyes. "You have coms? Tune in to channel 8161 and I'll send you a beep when the governor is free." he suggests.
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Shrine
The hylki man extends his hand to Neon. "One of Neknok's cousins I presume?" he asks. "I am Holden, priest... and janitor! If you are after answers to the universe, then the gods are but a short prayer away."
“Only in the way that all creatures are family to each other.” Neon says to the question about family. “Pleasure to meet you, Holden.”
Looking between the shrine to Talavert and Eloritu, he says “I was first trying to decide if a Storyteller or a Historian would be better to pray to here. My questions revolve around an old lie in the form of a mystery and distorted history.” Looking to the man, he then says “I was thinking Eloritu, but would appreciate your council on the matter.”
Nodding towards the Vesk, he asks “Curious, have any of them been honoring the ways of Iomedae?” Any who do are most likely to be worth talking to.
Spoons tries to give his best assessment of the mines for Charli. "I'm from Tasch... I thought I was so done with Thasteron mines."
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Meanwhile, Charli has to suppress laughter at the response to Ivok's order. So we're in a desert. You do realize that nuts, fruits and beans may be the most expensive foods here? On the other hand... it's the governor's dime.
Charli calls in her order to Ivok from the Governor. "Whatever Captain Ivok ordered is fine with me. Spoons?"
Posting on a phone phone thought we were on a new hour
"Captain Ivok, I'll have that too..." Then Spoons pauses, hopefully. "Oh and a whole chicken if they have it! I haven't had non-rations for forever!" Then Spoons pauses, his whiskers twitching. "And dessert too!"
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Shrine
"I think the Hidden Truth is exactly what you are after." agrees Holden. He directs to you the appropriate shrine. "Other gods, god of exploration just are not very popular with miners."
With a gesture to the vesk he adds
"A few do worship at the shrine of Iomedae, she is a god of combat after all, and honorable too. They respect that. But obviously not as popular as Damoritosh."
The mines
Charli notices a single gnome skulking around the miners. Dirty she seems to be trying to blend in, while at the same time not actually interacting with the other miners. As for miners doing a poor job... she is not in the mines themselves yet. But suspects that from Drak it is more of a customary complaint than anything she has seen any hard evidence for. Yet.
Spoons flashes the pass to get into the mines and does some poking about. And boy, what a surprise. No wonder Drak thinks this is the best mine in the galaxy. After a couple of simple tests, Spoons is convinced that the miners are extracting already refined thasteron.
Garrison
"Chicken... we have chicken.." comes back the friendly voice.
"Hey... how do you feel about beetles? I mean, they are really cute, right?". The sergeant sighs and cuts off the secretary.
"Attention span of a skittermander." he sighs, shaking his head.
Status, Evening- two hours to curfew.
Quirk - TBD
Charli - 91/91SP; 54/62HP; 7/10 RP; Mines
Goose - yoski encampment. Still at first place
Ivok- 81/81 SP; 69/69 HP; 7/10RP; Garrison
Rakdon - Garrison
Neon - 54/54SP; 47/47hp; 8/10RP; Shrine
Locations
Yoski encampment (Goose - first hour)
Yon's Diner (already investigated)
Clinic (already investigated)
Shrines (Neon - second hour)
Mining facility (Charli, second hour)
Barracks (already investigated)
Garrison (Ivok and Rakdon, second hour)
Infosphere
Chatting with locals.
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Charli raises an eyebrow and talks to the team. Everyone, get this....Spoons found out the mine is mining already refined thasteron! This is both the most detailed and the most out-of-whack simulation I've ever seen!
Charli sees the dirty gnome sneaking in with the miners, and takes a moment to greet a number of the other miners, asking the crews about any security concerns that they have. When she reaches the gnome, she says, "I'd like to interview a miner, and I have one of Yon's sandwiches that I can split with you while we talk. What do you say?"
Without letting the other gnome answer, she takes the woman by the arm, and finds a spot near the out of earshot of the rest of the miners and says, "Alright. I'm Charli. Who are you, and why were you trying to sneak in? Speak quickly, and if I like your answer, I may not bust you. I've got a weakness for other gnomes, there being so few of us on Vesk XX." She hands the gnome half her sandwich taking a moment first to token spell the gnome's hands clean.
The Sense Motive is on the other gnome, and whatever story she may spin about why she was sneaking into the mines.
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Ivok tries to compose himself as a responds to the secretary over comms as he comes up with a reasoned answers, "I'm watching my intake- never mind that." Flustered he offer states, "I'm from Vesk Prime until I came over to this system around five years ago. How long have you served- helped the governor?"
Ivok connects to the comms to relay to the group, "Keep track of the signal on channel 8161. If the governor is able to meet with us, it will come across on that line. Keep doing what you are doing though we shouldn't be sitting on our hands waiting for a call."
Ivok still is a bit sheepish as he tries to keep this entire false image of authority from crashing down as he responds to Charli, It caught me off guard! I was expecting to be pushed back and told to respect the chain of command, not what I wanted on my dinner menu! This entire simulation has me off balance. It reminds me what I thought of the Pact years ago when I was younger and my spirit hadn't yet grown to match my muscles.
Ivok relates the pair of orders, still somewhat embarrassed relays to order of more meals to the likely skittermander secretary along with the order of chicken.
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Mine
"Oh... you found me.." she sighs. "I'm Nelli. Look, can you keep a secret?" She leans in closely. "I'm really a Starfinder! I think there is an ancient ruin under that mine.. I'm trying to find a tablet that I believe was hidden in it.. With that pass, you could get in and find it for me!"
Garrison
"Ewww no way. Not eating beetles? Who would do that. I was wondering if you thought yellow with red stripes looked better than the blue with pink spots. Or the others. I mean, like, do you have a favorite beetle? I've been here for five.. six years." comes back the coms.
"Okay, I'll get the chicken put in the oven. Roast or fried?"
Having found some interesting information from the mines, Spoons eats his sandwich and tells the Governor's secretary over the comms, "Beetles are the best! I really like the bio-luminescent ones." Then he pauses. "Um, you were asking about them as pets, right? Not food?"
Spoons continues. "I'm Spoons by the way. What's your name? And I would love my chicken fried, because Captain Ivok only wants us to eat healthy stuff normally. Have you ever worked for a vesk that was OBSESSED with fitness?"
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Of all the things that Charli expected Nelli to say, this was not it. You're a STARFINDER? Without thinking, Charli uses her telepathy. But then she shrugs, and realizes that this is a conversation best kept mum.
Does Charli believe that Nelli believes she's a Starfinder? Yes, I can keep a secret. Still... That's quite a claim. Can you prove it? Tell me how you got here with this mission. Which Venture Captain assigned it?
To the team, she says, I've got a local -- a gnome named Nelli -- who thinks she's a Starfinder. She types the same thing on the comm unit to Vex. Apparently, we're part of the vault's story.
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"Oh! Do you have any bio-luminescent ones?" beeps back the coms unit.
Nearby on the bridge Ivok and Rakdon see the unusual sight of a vesk doing a facepalm. "I'm going to have to talk with Governor Shipbreaker about Gigigentenk." sighs sergeant Vuskad.
Meanwhile back at the thasteron face (so to speak) Spoons continues to talk with the gregarious Gigigentenk. Apparently his more exotic beetles escaped out after an unhappy incident involving mining explosives and needing seven hands to do one particular job right...
"Well,.. ohhh were you talking in my head?" says the surprised Nelli.
Like this? Wow. " She rolls back her sleeve and after a moment a low glow in the shape of the starfinder emblem glows, which she quickly extinguishes.
"Oh.. Are you one too?"
Checking her coms unit, Chali sees a message from Vex We did have a Nelli who was lost... as in, we don't know what happened to her.. several months ago. If she is the real thing, make sure you bring her out with you.
Nelli meanwhile says "Venture Captain Olaeuvas sent me on the mission to get the tablets. But ..." she sighs
"We have to operate so quietly these days. You know, I was there when.. the plague hit." she tears up for a moment.
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Ivok is too thrown off trying to keep pace with the conversation about beetles saying, "I have never thought about a favorite type of beetle. I'll say that any beetle not firing lasers or arcing with electricity are at the top of my list."
"And I would love my chicken fried, because Captain Ivok only wants us to eat healthy stuff normally. Have you ever worked for a vesk that was OBSESSED with fitness?"
"It is because if you put good into yourself you get good out! The better you treat your body the better you feel and the better your body works. I'm more worried about someone obsessed with not fitness! Gigigentenk, what sort of exercises do you do here? Is there gym or ..." Ivok pauses as he begins to throw himself into that hole and tries to interrupt his questions by offering suggestions to the rest of the team.
For Quirk and Goose, I don't think we are half way to pulling off the weight this mystery here. It sounds like the infosphere this place was making, if there ever was one, was taken down in a rough way. If you can connect to what remains of it though, maybe we could find answers to figure out when this really started. If Nelli has been only in here a few months and she thinks she has been in here thirty years, something is working these people over.
Talking to with people or using what we know about Yon might help with that as well. We might figure out where these people came from.
With a bit more thought on the matter, Ivok sends out a message to Vex asking, I'm not sure what records you keep, but do you know of any local ships that may have gone missing. One carrying any cast any crew who worked on Krall's Oasis?
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Shrine
"I think the Hidden Truth is exactly what you are after." agrees Holden. He directs to you the appropriate shrine. "Other gods, god of exploration just are not very popular with miners."With a gesture to the vesk he adds
"A few do worship at the shrine of Iomedae, she is a god of combat after all, and honorable too. They respect that. But obviously not as popular as Damoritosh."
Neon is happy the priest agrees about which shrine to use. "Thank you for taking the time to help me, Holden."
He then mentally sends Charli a message. I am going to try meditating at the shrine of Eloritu. He also lets her know what little he has found out and updates Vex. He does raise an eyebrow when told what is being mined.
At the shrine he performs the appropriate rituals as a petitioner to Eloritu. He does look for signs that anything is off about the shrine. If the shrine is legitimate, he mediates at the shrine on the question of how best to unravel this simulation. He is hopeful that his being in a position to reveal a truth that is hidden to those living here might interest the god.
Given who the shrine is to, he does scan it to see if there is any embedded data there.