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Bruneau smile/winces at Obozaya's story.
"Warden, I always promised my mama I'd stay humble. But... but, one of my favorite stories... I think you'll appreciate this... I was investigating a notorious pirate, as well known for her beauty as for her stolen booty..." manages to keep a straight face "I spent many a night, too many, at sketchy space saloons and back moon dives tracking down every rumor of her whereabouts. I finally caught up with her on Dracul-9. She thought she was trading with a local warlord, you can imagine her surprise when little ol' me stepped out of the shadows? She was quick but I was quicker. She was cruel but I was crafty. She tried to... bribe me, but I was unmoved. I brought her in and her ship, The Black Spot, which was laden with treasure. I turned her over to the corporate authorities and the loot too. Did those corporate police lose her on the way to their prison moon? Yes. Was that my responsibility? No, siree. Did the corporation at least hold on to the loot? Also, no. But I will say that no other investigator has ever been able to catch up with Captain Acey."
"So...when I was still doing my residency, we had an investor show up at the clinic one day looking for volunteers for a 'expedition' to this jungle moon that was recently discovered somewhere out in the Vast. Anyway, we get geared up, head for the shuttle and after about a week in the Drift we get to the little tiny planetoid of a moon."
Barsala is talking with her hands, making a small circle shape to emphasize the size of the moon "As we made the approach, you could make out some of the individual trees from low orbit, it was incredible. Everyone on the shuttle was buzzing." Barsala starts actually shaking while telling this part "And then we landed. Every SINGLE one of the things was some kind of illusion. You could full on walk through the trees and foliage. No animals, no inhabitants. Nothing."
Barsala shakes her head "Poor investor had paid us all up front, bought all the gear for 2 weeks on site. Took some inconclusive scans, soil samples but that was it. We were there maybe 3 days. As far as I know no one ever did figure out what the whole thing was about, hopefully I'll get back there someday."
Obozaya gives a hearty laugh at Barsala's story. "That's the worst! The investor must have been so angry!" she laughs some more, spitting barathu food everywhere.
Iseph thinks for a moment.
"I once hired on with a freelance adventuring crew as a pilot specializing in dangerous transport or exploratory missions. We almost died because of an asteroid but I managed to dodge. We did not die. It was exiting. Yes." he says with little emotion.
Keskodai listens to the stories with great interest before chiming in:
There was this one time when I was working for that half-orc lady, Guntharr, on Akiton. There had been a streak of murders in a mining town and we were tasked with finding the culprits. The shirren scratches his neck before continuing. Now, murders are nothing too exceptional in those parts. But what was intriguing was the way they all died -- their members were lacerated and they had deep fang marks all over their torsos, as if a pack of rabid creatures had eaten them. he says in a jovial tone mismatched with his speech. And the murders all targeted crucial personnel of the nearby mines.
We searched for about a week before finding the "culprits"; a gang of Ikeshtis that sometimes used those markings to claim murders. But we managed to uncover some evidence that Guntharr, our employer, had played us: she was the one responsible for the assassinations, and tried to frame the gang. Keskodai grins, his mandibles slightly twitching. Pharasma claimed her soul soon after.
The Warden roars with telepathic laughter at Barsala's tale of misadventure and squeals with delight at your many other adventures.
After these stories, the Warden telepathically sighs, stating, Unfortunately visits with prisoners are forbidden.
Still, I might be convinced to arrange a meeting, and he sends this one of his tentacles idly waves an empty credstick. Donations to our maintenance fund are greatly welcomed.
“I believed that we have a common understanding and created some kind of bond?! We would very much appreciate your support!“ Iseph says calmly.
Keskodai chimes in after Raia and tries to coax the Barathu. Indeed! The facility is impressive. And we would be honored to help you keep dangerous criminals at bay.
Barsala smiles at the Warden and adds "Oh of course, it is an amazing facility after all."
Bruneau sweet talks the Warden with the help of Keskodai and Raia. Feeling good about the connection, you offer 500 credits, which he eagerly accepts. He proclaims eternal friendship with you, and more importantly, allows you to bring your credit sticks with you when you visit the prisoner.
He summons the previous flotilla of barathu guards to escort you to a common area where you can treat with Livewire.
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As you are guided to the common area, the ever present stench becomes almost unbearable. Several half-naked, sweat-drenched workers of various species crowd around here. The barathu guards combine to form one larger, menacing amalgam creature, ensuring your safety as you pass through.
After several minutes traversing through this sweat-slicked region, the barathu guard amalgam stops at a table where a ysoki sits. The ratfolk constantly licks her paws uncomfortably while grooming her drenched and matted pelt. With the guard’s arrival, she looks up and acknowledges an unspoken communication between herself and the barathu collective. In an instant, the barathu collective splits into its separate entities and floats off in independent paths throughout the complex, leaving you alone with the sweat-soaked ysoki who looks up with cautious interest amid a timid introduction, “Hiya, the name’s Livewire. What can we do for each other?”
Iseph is glad that everything worked out!
When they are with the Ysoki he smiles.
"You really had courage to visit this moon and do such a dangerous maneuver to escape! You obviously were caught at the end but nonetheless 'Chapeau!'"
Obozaya will walk around casually, covering the side of the table occupied by the group, keeping watch for any hostile prisoners.
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Bruneau sits across the table from Livewire and tries and charm her and gain her trust.
"Livewire, just the Ysoki we wanted to meet. Livewire, who put eyes on Salvation's End. Livewire who put boots... or paws and claws, on Salvation's End. Livewire..." Bruenau leans forward, elbows on table, chin on her knuckles, and jokingly bats her eyelashes at Livewire, "We are just so excited to hear what you have to say about that moon."
Keskodai, sensing that Bruneau is momentarily distracted, tries to pick up the thread:
Yes, my companion is right, we are very interested in what you have to say. He lifts his claws in a tentatively reassuring manner. You don't have to worry. We're not here to get a confession out of you, nor to frame you for anything more. You can trust us.
"Surely you had some sort of scientific cause for coming? If there are any details, we'd be happy to listen to the details!" Barsala calls out from the back of the group
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The lashunta steps forward, sits at the table across from Livewire. "What my friends are trying to say is that we are planning to do a little prospecting on Salvation's End. Rumor has it that you've been there and had some bad luck. We would hate to run into the same bad luck. Obviously you could give us some information about the risks and rewards of prospecting there. So the question is, what can we do for you?"
Livewire frowns a bit at the onslaught of comments and compliments, and focuses on the questions. "Science?" she scoffs. "This was a salvage mission plain and simple."
"Well, maybe not simple..." she adds shaking her head. "That crew was a mess. I'd have never hired on with Captain Borgor if it wasn't for his second mate Bago. Can't stand Borgor, but Bago and I were going to use our share to finally get Bago free of him. Start a more honest living, you know? But, after they went down to the surface with the others, I never saw them again."
"Don't know for certain," she says sadly.
Looking around at your group she says, "You're going there right? Need all the intel you can get, so you don't wind up as another wreck on the surface? Fine. I know some stuff, but it will cost you."
"I do not think that you are in a good position to negotiate. But there must be something that is dear to you or that you need? We have contact to the outside world and could get you what you need! Or we could talk to the warden who loves us and try to negotiate for you!" Iseph says with a calculating tone.
"It's not like we can keep the rest of the money, it's supposed to be used for bribing only" Obo throws back, a shining beacon of honesty.
"Let us wait for her answer! We can always invest money but maybe we can get her out of here earlier. After all she landed on the Society's moon so we could help, right?" Iseph says telepathically to Raia.
"You mean, breaking her out? Not sure if our contract covers that!"
I second that, I'm not sure I'd be willing to break her out without the consent of the Society. Let her make the first offer, we'll see what she's suggesting.
Raia, can't we just pretend we could do that? But let us first see what she has to say. What she demands?!"
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"I'm not sure how any of you jumped to a breakout. I'd inferred that Iseph meant a plea for clemency from the victim or such-like to moderate Livewire's sentence.
"Besides, we are clearly unprepared to try any sort of violent action here. I can assure you the barathu response will be as fast as thought and totally coordinated."
"Well, the Starfinder Society already told us to lie to get here, why not lie about the clemency as well? But won't that give away our connection to the society?"
"Money can only get you so far in here. What I need are trade goods." She goes on to reveal that the most lucrative commodities here are personal hygiene products.
Thinking more on Iseph's question, she adds "There is also one thing you could do for me. I left behind my tool harness when I fled the Archer. If you find it, could you return it to my family for safe keeping?"
Iseph nods.
"That is easy. We can of course do that. But getting these products you want will cost time and money. What if we just get you your tool harness. We are even then! And I promise you that I will search for it and personally bring it back to your family. You just have to give me a proper description of the tool as well as the address of your family!" he calmly says.
Yes, perhaps 'break out' were not the exact words I was looking for. I was merely reflecting on the suggestion of trying to end her sentence. Which, quite likely, would have been an endeavour on its own.
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Keskodai looks Livewire in the eyes, trying to figure out her negociation tactics. He speaks telepathically to the group: Shall we try to negotiate further? That still does leave us with a certain amount.
"Why take the chance? Let's give her the goods and hear the information - we still have a lot to do outside of this prison" suggests Obo, a bit surprised how lenient the Sauna is with money and trading.
Wow this is turning into a spy movie! I'm with Obo, lets work the deal and get to the Science!
With no strong objections, you agree to her terms. A few of you contact the Warden for help and learn that he has a side business set up providing overpriced goods to the prisoners who can pay (or find someone to pay). Within the hour you have gathered a nice collection of personal hygiene items and made your way back to Livewire.
She grabs some dry shampoo from the collection and begins working it into her fur as she speaks. “People call Salvation’s End a ‘false moon,’ but that can’t be true. I’m pretty sure that floating metal hulk is actually some kind of really old starship caught in the nearby planet’s orbit. I don’t know what happened to it, but its signature and style don’t match up to any Pact World design.”
“There’s a noticeable spire rising from the false moon’s outer hull. It’s teeming with activity. Crude painted symbols are all along structure’s exterior. Inside, a hive of space goblins flourishes in one of their misbegotten makeshift nests. The goblins sneak out to rummage for scrap metal and other junk found on the false moon’s exterior.”
“Lots of ships disappeared while flying too close to Salvation’s End. Until recently, this phenomenon was kind of an urban pilot legend, but I know what it is! There’s some kind of really powerful tractor beam on that moon. It was strong enough to reel in the Archer, and I only got my whiskers out of there by crashing into the damn thing and ejecting an escape pod right before impact!”
“On our first flyby, we ended up skirmishing with a few goblin junkers. After the battle, we detected a strong signal emitting from underneath the space goblin spire, and even though our sensors could barely penetrate the tower, the source of the signal was just under the surface of Salvation’s End. There’s something down there, I swear it!”
"Space Goblins?! Controlling a fake moon and taking out starships all around? It sounds kinda ludicrous! Could you tell if they were controlling the tractor beam, or it was more of an automatic thing?"
"I don't know if it was something they were doing or not, though the tractor beam didn't engage until I was trying to get away. It caught me pretty quick so I don't know how far out it goes for certain, but the Archer's M8 was no match for it."