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Hellih listens to all exchanges and thinks to himself.
"Why do they waste breath to speak those words. I can't see how this is supposed to aid us."
As he pulls the trigger...
His rifle slips off the wall and this shot goes up in the air.
Hellih curses and spits on the ground. He recalls such useless activities being done by others to aid in what they are doing.
Farvenzi is hard to hit and well-armored. Hellih misses completely, while oddman just barely manages to scratch the surface of the dragonkin's armor. Altorin takes care of the unconscious Blinky, leaving Ceolor and Fexia to deal the damage.
Fexia blasts the dragonkin with his laser, and while Ceolor positively engulfs the dragon in red-hot plasma, it doesn't seem to affect the large fire-breathing creature much.
The dragon sees fexia up close, and puts forward a dazzling display of martial prowess
---round 5+6---
Altorin
Ceolor
Oddman
===
Fexia
Blinky
Hellih
---
Spinjack - OUT!
Farvenzi (31)
---
Oddman's trident bounces off the dragon's armor again, allowing Ceolor to douse the dragon in flame once more. It's as if farvenzi is made out of asbestos - the plasma does nothing.
Altorin gets Blinky back in the game, in time to witness Fexia dealing two heavy energy jolts to the dragonkin.
Hellih starts shooting straight: two blasts of laser fire hit the dragonkin, the first straight between the eyes. As Farvenzi is about exhale another cloud of flame, she instead slumps to the ground...
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Fexia quickly begins to move about the battlefield, checking for signs of life on any of their assailants. "While their deaths may be warranted, justice demands that they be given the benefit of trial should they be apprehended alive. Please assist me in identifying any attending to any living assailants."
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Hellih looks as the dragonkin falls down after he shot them. But he waits a moment still aiming at the motionless body, wondering if this is a trap of some sort. After a couple of seconds he raises his rifle and turns on his Jetpack.
He flies upwards, takes a look at the surrounding,s and lands not too far from Fexia.
"I have protocols in assessing the health status and aiding in their recovery. Let me have a look." The android hangs his rifle, takes out a cig and puts it in his mouth and retrieves his medical bag.
Then he moves to Blinky and unpacks bandages form his bag
"Let me have a look Bamboozle!"
Hellih looks at the size of Blinky and the length of his bandages.
"I don't think I have enough of medical supplies to patch you all, but I should make it better."
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"Yeah, the whole lot was grumpy. Either of them still breathing? We can tie them up and let them out somewhere far away...let them think about their attitudes. After we conclude their companies business here, they will be out jobs anyways and might just become targets themselves." he muses as he checks on the two downed combatants especially his fellow Ryphorian.
Oddman doesn't find any computers in the scaffold tower other than the smaller control units for the weather station. Or Farvenzi, he finds a personal device with a chat log with Spinjack.
Protocol is clear. Make sure the Doctor doesn't notice. Ambush at the choke point.
The scaffold tower yields little further information.
Not long after the altercation, Dr Monsylkis herself comes on the scene, and seeing the bodies of Farvenzi and Spinjack rightfully asks What is going on here?
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Ceolor picks up the data pad and hands it to the doctor. "Seems you were being kept in the dark here about somethings, question is how much? It seems that your experimental drugs have been affecting the wildlife outside of the complex and your weather control tower here has been making things worse, driving the local flora to stop producing food and encouraging the local fauna to come here and get addicted and agitated."
Ceolor pauses for a second to see how the doctor reacts before continuing. "The local population down there was hoping we could shut off the weather control device, but I think there needs to be a discussion between both groups here. Reaching an agreement both sides can agree on would be best."
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Oddman texts the group via comm unit. "The izalguun want the researchers to abandon the planet. We need that to get information on the relic. We must not fail the mission."
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"There are more subtleties to a mission than that. Doctor, it is certainly time we talked without those brutes breathing down our necks and the natives need to be included. Your research isn't about food...but addictive drugs and the station is wreaking havoc on the area." Altorin adds to the discussion and ignoring the text message.
"Just pushing the company away isn't going to work, they need to be convinced they have no benefit here. Time to brainstorm, Doc." he suggests.
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Fexia, once content that the battlefield is secured, snaps to attention to address Dr. Monsylkis. "Message from Snapjack to Farvenzi... Protocol is clear. Make sure the Doctor doesn't notice. Ambush at the choke point. Dr. Monsylkis, I shall grant you the benefit of doubt and address you as a victim of subterfuge. This site exudes corruption upon lands to which you have no claim. By the power vested in me by the Hellknight Order of the Scourge, I must see to it that the corruption is purged. I offer you the opportunity to assist in remediation with the Izalguun."
She does not once break eye contact with the Doctor...
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Hellih reached out for his rifle when the doc showed up. But after the conversation started he lowered it.
He thinks everything was said, so he simply looks at the doctor's reaction. She does not have a lot of options. With the security dead, she can't really do much at the moment, but her response could give them a sense on what awaits this planet in the future.
Those are strong allegations, the doctor says, and you have attacked my secutiry personell.
What proof do you have to back up your claim?
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Fexia thrusts the personal comm device with the message towards the doctor. "Are you familiar with the Hellknight Order of the Scourge? Our reputation? Then know that I will not deal with forgeries and falsehoods. Read this and tell me you wish to align yourself with these agents of corruption."
She makes absolutely certain that when releasing the comm unit for inspection that the doctor gets a nice view of her claws, and a pretty good idea regarding her grip strength.
"I am willing to take you at your word Doctor Monsylkis... if you should choose to align yourself as such, I will deal as deemed necessary. If you choose not to, I would gladly facilitate a meeting with the Izalguun such that you can fully comprehend the impact of this station and begin a path towards remediation."
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Intimidate
"See my friend here wraps this in some sort of holy crusade and talks about corruption yada yada - but frankly I'll be more plain. Your research is a sham, you aren't developing something for a noble cause, this is just about creating more monopolies again with pharmaceuticals - so you are just running a fancy looking hidden drug lab with about the same ethics - this whole thing is a fraud. Meanwhile down the hill there's another pile of scumbags living out some pretend back to nature fantasy and pretending they are some sort of natives - whereas that is clearly a massive lie as they are rolling with quality tech they'd have us believe was done over a campfire with materials they found in nature - what a pack of cobblstones, but anyhow they didn't have the courage to come and evict you - no they have held us to ransom and aren't interested in a negotiated outcome. Now their problem seems to be your research station is ruining the weather and making things too cold, and your wonky garden vegetables are having terrible impacts on the local herbivores."
"So I'll make it simple, your boys here wanted to pick a fight with us as we returned and tried to jump us, so I'm thinking that I'm giving you about half an hour to make an orderly exit from this place and then those idiots down the hill can warm themselves by the burning embers of this place"
Blinky sips his tea and fishes in his pocket for a lighter.
"I only have to keep one of the two factions happy here Doc, and frankly they are the more useful ones"
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"You mean to tell me you haven't gotten a single rotten vibe from those two and the recording isn't enough? We are trying to work with you doctor, okay...my group is filled with tough customers...so it isn't really working WITH YOU. Just giving you a chance to handle this situation in the best way." Altorin says exasperated due to the strong personalities in the group.
I will be happy if we just get out of here without killing more people.
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Hellih takes out a cig and lights it. Oh boy this may take a while. He now regrets not bringing in the diplomatic software with him.
"Doc, listen. Your security team attacked us. You may believe it not true, and perceive us as aggressors. But look at the data, the drugs that you work upon impacted the animals. Your science station impacts the whole eco-system of this planet. Talk to Izaalguns, look at the data, you can't dismiss the truth."
"Well you can, but then you should probably change your profession."
The doc just stands that, eyes staring blankly at the avalanche of arguments and allegations. You mean to say...
It takes a while for the otherwise eloquent doctor to get her thoughts together ..this research was not used for good ends? We ended up damaging the ecosystem? That is horrible!
My work is done here. I will shut down the station, and abandon the research here.
The doctor, dejected, seems to be at a loss for words. She finally asks this Society of yours... what are its goals?
---
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Ceolor gives a small sigh of relief at hearing that his and his companion's words got through to the woman. "Well I think Oddman got most of it, though he certainly could have been more tactful about it... The Starfinders are about exploring the unknown and helping people where we can. I'm okay with staying a little longer and helping you to dismantle your operation here, if you'd like a ride back to the Pact Worlds. That does depend on my companions agreeing as well though." He then glances over at the rest of the group with a look of, 'Well, are we going to extend an olive branch or keep being standoffish?'
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"Atta boy Doc! That is the way to see things...I can tell you the Starfinder Society doesn't make addictive drugs and rattle the ecosystems on planets. Or at least I have never been on a mission like that! We can introduce you to some people that can explain it a lot better than us if you want? Lorespire has some nice cots and a cafeteria!" he says clapping the doctor on the shoulder.
"How about we play some holo-dice on the way there?" he said thinking it would be an easy win.
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Fexia stares deep into the window to his soul and tries to get a read on him. After a bit, she realizes she has absolutely no idea then speaks slowly. "The Starfinder society? They stand for truth, justice, and the absalom way! If you are willing to meet with the Izalguun and express your apologies for the damage, and commit to righting those wrongs... possibly through cooperation with the Starfinder Society as I have elected... then I do believe we will have come to an accord..."
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"The Starfinder Society is a good bunch, they act in the broader interest of the Pact Worlds and try and do what is best for society. There's plenty of good opportunities to use your skills and knowledge for the betterment of the citizens of many planets, and the opportunity to explore and meet new friends - lots of exploring, co-operating, and reporting. Of course they also ensure you are reasonably remunerated, they don't expect us to work for peanuts"
"The deal with the Izalguun was for the departure of the Researchers and abandonment of the Station, Imperator, there was no agreement struck about apologies and righting of wrongs - anything further is beyond the scope of a contractual arrangement we have between our two parties, the Izalguun have no claim to anything further. A deal is a deal after all."
The doctor seems quite interested in the stories of the starfinder society and agrees to come along for the trip back to the Izalguun camp.
Back at the camp, Naarma is grateful. The izalguun elder provides the group with a handwritten star chart bearing a black X over a small moon four orbits away from Icefront’s sun. You will find the relic they seek on a secret facility hidden inside the moon she says, before providing specific details on where the installation is located.
Be aware, she says,that the facility was designed to ensure
the relic was never found. You should be careful.
She refuses to elaborate further. Instead, she states: I do hope our technologically advanced status can remain a secret between us.
----
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Back at Absalom Station, the Nominated First Seeker is elated that the group discovered a new lead. When the discussion comes to the Izalguuns, she says “The izalguuns have lived in relative anonymity for millennia, and they’ve done so despite prior invitations to return to their home system. Although our responsibility as Starfinders is to share our findings with the Pact Worlds, doing so in this case might seem a violation of a people’s wishes. I can provide counsel, but in the end, you are the only Starfinders to have interacted with this culture and studied them firsthand. What is your official recommendation?”
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"Prior invitations to return to their own system? I called it - they weren't poor downtrodden natives, they were just a bunch that had set up house and ended up with bad neighbours that they exploited into removing for them"
"My recommendation is we share away, I have quite a few comments I'd happily make"
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"I would not recommend taking action that would breech trust with the Izalguun. Their skills and equipment may prove invaluable, and their explicit request should be taken into consideration when determining our course of action. Acting contrary to said request may deprive us of the ability to utilize those skills at a later date."
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Hellih feels better when he came back to Absalom. The familiar stench and crowd of aliens let him blend in. Even that he does not really blends in until he reaches the Spike. When speaking to First Seeker he listens to opinions
"The organization behind the lab probably had a sense of how advanced Izaalguns are. I don't see a reason why a given race would try to hide how advanced are they unless they plan to surprise someone. The existence of the lab showed that they are not willing to go into a conflict when their environment is destroyed. That could mean that they still don't want to show their hand or they really are not that advanced. "
He takes out a cig and sees the warning on a wall that smoking is forbidden here, so he hides it back.
"Izaalguns used us to do their dirty work, I feel very little loyalty to them. I vote to inform Pact Worlds about what we know, not hide anything."
With Ceolor's vote giving the final decision, the society decides to hide the technological advancements of the Izalguun.
The Society is one step closer to uncovering the secrets of the scoured stars, though many ends are still left untied. What of the mysterious alien ship, with no matching signature in the databases, that so nearly shot the group's ship to pieces? What of the Frozen Trove, who surely aren't pleased to have lost their base of operations?