Incoming comm message from Chiskisk....
It's been a while, and the sight of the shirren's image brings back a flood of memories from the previous year. With a tap you open it. It's hard to look at a shirren and get a read, but the tone is clear and excited.
"Cordial greetings my friends. I inquire sincerely about your well-being." Following the pleasantries, Chiskisk’s antennae twitch as they recount how ancient alien technology recently endangered the Pact Worlds. It's a bit annoying since they're recounting your own story to you. “Of course, you are the experts on that subject. The Starfinder Society, therefore, has a vested interest in investigating the planet of Jedarat. There are ruins on Jedarat that, according to the xenoarchaeologists on the ground, exhibit “potential similarities” to the Drift Rock previously investigated by your team."
A notification of a transaction hits your comm as Chiskisk continues, "The Society has taken the liberty to preemptively upgrade the Sunrise Maiden. We wanted it to be a surprise, but for some reason tracking down the proper ownership and registration were tricky as there is a fair bit of disagreement in the records. Regardless, it appears the issue has been worked out. You can use the upgrades however you see fit."
"The sooner you get to Lorespire Complex, the better. I'm sure you all very much miss each other. We will make sure it is well stocked. See you soon Starfinders, and welcome back."
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Dunklezahn steps onto the promenade of Absolom Station and takes a deep breath, welcoming the familiar smells. The crowd naturally parts around the large Vesk as he stands still a moment to appreciate being back. He'd spent more time in the Veskarium than he'd intended, but was now looking forward to getting back to business with a Proper Crew.
I wonder where everyone...
Dunklezahn's comm chimes. After the brief parley with Chiskisk, Dunk checks the station's directory for the docking birth of the Maiden. He adjusts the strap of his duffle on his shoulder and lifts the weapon case at his side. He starts the short walk home.
The room was as empty as he'd left it. Yes, there was furniture, and furnishings, and in all directions the most densely populated space station in existence. But it felt empty. There was nothing for him here.
The ping on his comm interrupts Booker's depressing reverie. Chiskisk. Almost like he knew I'd taken a shuttle from the Armada only an hour ago.
It only takes Booker a few minutes to empty his gun locker in the closet and retrieve his Triumph twincycle from the street-level garage. The thrum of the engine underneath him again feels good, though he knows the Maiden's cockpit is what he's truly been missing. Chiskisk won't mind waiting a bit. Let's go see the old gal. He can give directions to the dockhands about the refit anyway, so the ship is ready to go once the shirren is done giving their news.
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Gig arrives at Absalom Station dressed fully in a newly refinished version of the admiral’s armor complete with a glitter cape that he used on his On the Edge Tour. He contentedly chews on a fresh stick of Booker Gum and he makes his way to the Sunrise Maiden with a large crate being escorted behind him on a hover lift.
Wow! I cannot believe I’m back! Let’s see if I can find my old pals.
”Booker! Hack?! Is anybody around? I have a new addition for the Maiden.”
Gig strolls around the hangar like a king with a big smile on his face.
Just as Gig steps into the hangar, the lights go pitch black and a tinny, synthesized fanfare erupts. A spotlight falls on a familiar lashunta standing before the fore landing gear stand of the Sunrise Maiden.
Returning to the fold! he shouts into the comm mic in his hand. Folks, here's Gig Razorbyte, of Gig and the Magic Rock Ensemble, come to help save the universe again! Let's give him a hand! Boos and jeers can be heard all of the sudden.
Janzi throws the comm mic down in disgust, making a cut sound with his other hand. Dammit, Monro! he shouts to someone outside the spotlight, as the sound abruptly cuts out and the lights come back on. Munro appears to be an android trying to operate a makeshift control board, evidently without much success. That was supposed to be when Hack-It showed up! Ugh, FINE. We'll have to fix it in editing. Hey, Gig. Good to see you.
"That was supposed to be when Hack-It showed up! Ugh, FINE. We'll have to fix it in editing. Hey, Gig. Good to see you."
"I admit I am Ysoki, but your droids can't mistake a Hack rat for a Gig rat!" Gig scurries right up to Janzi like he is leaping onto a stage for a warm welcome. "Its alright my intro was botched, it is just so good to see you!" Hi reaches up and gives his old friend a hug. "How are you doing? You look great! I hope you are keeping yourself out of trouble. You would not believe how crazy this year has been for me. It has been adventure but certainly of a different sort than we've experienced with that whole Empire of Bones affair. So have you seen Booker or anybody else. I can't wait to show them my new addition to the Maiden."
Flying in on a Hum-shaped jetpack, Hack-It lands in front of the Sunrise Maiden. He presses a button on his wrist console, activating comms. "Alright Zondo, looks like your information was good. I found my ship. Transferring the cred..."
His voice trails off when he sees the lowered gangway. "Sonofa... someone is on my ship. I'll talk to you later."
Pressing a button on his console, Hum transforms back into the flying disruption rifle it usually is. The drone makes a beeping noise, and Hack-It waves it off. "No, you can't cut a hole into it. The door is open. And anyhow I took that tool off you. Or have you forgotten that last job? You don't get it back until you learn responsibility."
Hack-It draws his own pistol from the dimensional space in his glove and begins creeping aboard the ship. He glances to the right, and when he turns left he bumps into Gig as he exits the bridge!
Startled, the mechanic stows his weapon and says, "Gig! As I live and respirate through a breathing apparatus, what are you doing here? I was just coming back to my-" he stops suddenly when he sees Janzi at the bridge doorway. "Morlamaw dung. He called you lot too eh? This can't be a good thing."
"Hack-It," Booker's voice sounds from behind, accompanied by the stale smell of nicotine. "Still alive, then? A mild surprise." Booker had been annoyed to discover that Chiskisk had first discovered which shipyard Booker has stowed the Maiden in, then had the gall to move it, and (worst of all) then given everyone the coordinates. But finding Gig and Janzi already in the hangar by the time he arrived, he just had to shrug and stow his bike in the cargo bay. Dunklezahn had shown up a few minutes later. Now coming up the ship's main corridor from the galley, here was Hack-It.
"Your bunk's still in Gig's room, if you're comin' with. We'd better get a move on. Chiskisk's expecting us at the Lorespire."
"No need." Chiskisk themself has come to meet you, "I have already given the Sunrise Maiden the coordinates. You are headed to the planet of Jederat as I mentioned. The weather there is less than hospitable, quite cold you see. Before AbadarCorp and New Horizons installed atmospheric conversion modules and terraforming wasteland with constant subzero temperatures, lacking enough atmosphere to support most humanoids. Thanks to and its average temperatures typically range from -7 to 4 degrees. Imported plant and animal life coexists with several new organisms generated by microbial mats that have integrated with the planet’s topsoil. We're asking you to go on the Society’s behalf, prioritizing the analysis of architecture and technology. Please make a full report of any findings, including your professional opinion about whether Jedarat’s ruins are connected to either the kishalee or sivv empires."
"I recommend you read up during the journey. Given the upgrades Booker has made, it should only take a few days. As a present I have stocked provisions for all of Dunklezahn's favorite recipes, assuming he's been updating his MyChef profile."
"I got questions," Booker is straight to the point. "Why'd AbadarCorp and New Horizons pay to terraform the place? What's an Jederat that's worth botherin'?"
"Your comm message mentioned 'potential similarities.' Got any more specific intel than that?"
Later, Booker calls up the Foundry's archival data on the sivv empire for a refresher.
Hack-It considers his gear, first switching the stole he swiped from Booker to resist frost. He knows it won't do anything for prolonged exposure, but it's something.
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Dunklezahn finishes stowing the last of the specialty ingredients he picked up while away. He's impressed with the provisions Chiskick has supplied the Maiden with. He'll be able to do some proper cooking while they're on mission. Nothing helps make a mission bearable better than a full belly.
Hearing the witty repartee coming from the main corridor, Dunk heads out to great everyone. Seeing Chiskick there, Dunk puts on his game face.
Being personalities of interest and all, what terms are we getting from the Starfinder Society to run this op?
Dunk is more interested in the details of their contract than the particulars of the mission. He'll let the brains figure out what's important and grab the update to the mission parameters when their enroute.
Hack-it is confident that the environment won't be a problem for the environmental controls on his armor, but if it gets cold enough to use the power on the armor, it would help to brings some extra batteries.
The shirren clicks quite a few times, parsing out answers in order:
"Jederat has become a fantastically successful winter "playground" for those of means, and even regular people actually. In both cases they saw an ROI nearly immediately. The ruins look, stylistically, like those of the Kishalee - and initial dating seems to bear that out. Currently, that's all we have."
"As always, what you find, you can keep. Additionally, per our standard contract, we will continue to outfit your ship as needed - from food to upgrades."
After seeing all of his friends, he decides to discretely bring his massive crate onboard the Maiden without mentioning it to anyone. Knowing that Booker will give him the rundown of their mission later, he carefully brings the crate to his room, closes the door and unpacks it. After several hours, he has set up his synthesizer, the legendary Stellar Degenerator X-705 . Although he had to take over Hack's bunk and in truth all of his friend's personal space, it is clearly a sight to behold. The X-705 has multiple stacks of keyboards as well as a wall of wires and gadjets to turn. Besides the keyboards, he hooks up a massive system of amplifiers and speakers. Once he sets up the system, he flips the on switch and turns the volume dial up to eleven and let's he fingers thrash down upon the keys. The rest of the ship and most likely the rest of the station immediately hears the raw sound of synth blasting throughout the station as Gig breaks into a fan favorite, "Just Hack It!" The bass pedals alone send vibrations through the entire ship. Anyone on the bridge would notice a huge power surge as the system quickly taps into the Maiden's reserve power. Gig now has his new home away from home!
Booker thumbs a button to seal the bridge doors, dulling the sound throbbing from the ysoki's room somewhat. "Guess you'll have to bunk with Janzi, then!" he shouts to Hack-It over the din.
He turns back to Chiskisk. "We'll keep you informed o' what we find! If you've got nothing else, we'd best get flying!" He waves in the direction of the gangway.
The Sunrise Maiden hits the drift, and it's like you never left. The thrum of the engines and the melange of Dunk's cooking is something everyone misses more than they'll ever admit.
Booker plugs in the course, and estimates a 7 or 8 day trip to Jederat. It's a time to catch up, and it's a time to do research.
Interested in The New Horizon's Luxury Retreats company?
Interested in the planet Jederat?
Interested in the Sivv?
Booker waits until Gig's behemoth inevitably blows a fuse, then settles down in the lounge for some research on the infosphere.
Hack-It spares only a very irritated glance at Gig before he grabs the discarded bedding in the room that his fellow ysoki has monopolized. He heads over to the part of the ship with the escape pods, tossing his gear into one of them and making it cozy.
While they drift, the mechanic works at disconnecting the extra pod. He's fairly confident that one of the three jerks in the crew wouldn't hesitate to jettison a pod while he slept, so he opts to take no risks. Hack-It then sets up shop in the chamber, re-routing electrical wiring to shield the room from the power surges and doing other fiddly bits to make the space his own. He listens to his own music while he works, but when a specific, very popular album comes on he stops. "Ugh, no," he mutters, then deletes it off is pirated MyTunes account.
Sure... but won't they notice?
Booker spends a ton of time online looking into the cruise company and the planet. New Horizons Luxury Retreats is a subsidiary company currently owned by AbadarCorp. The start-up company operates primarily in the Vast, specializing in destination housing developments and luxury resorts. New Horizons attracted their powerful benefactor after they successfully built a tropical spa resort on an artificial island within the distant planet of Yunal’s worldwide oceans. They were a relatively unknown in the Pact Worlds until they cemented a deal with AbadarCorp and the Xenowardens to terraform Jedarat into a winter resort. This joint project began 7 years ago and is nearing completion.
Jedarat is an inhospitable planet in the Vast discovered in 312 AG. Its poor atmosphere, icy climate, and remote location disappointed the explorers who first landed there. AbadarCorp saw potential in the remote world. Together with the start-up company New Horizons Luxury Retreats and the Xenowardens, AbadarCorp purchased construction rights and began terraforming Jedarat only a year after its discovery. While Jedarat isn’t home to any known indigenous sentient life, mysterious ruins cover the surface of the planet. The architecture and materials found within these ruins don’t match any records of known ancient civilizations. A series of AbadarCorp xenoarchaeology teams have explored the ruins, but the ruins’ origins and purposes remain a mystery.
Hack-it accesses a few science journals that Booker didn't know about, and gets a bit more. He spies a few contributors who appear rather often and follows the trail. Come to find out, conspiracy theorists believe Jedarat was once home to a powerful ancient civilization whose technology far exceeded that of the Pact Worlds. Depending on who’s asked, different conspiracists believe this alien species might have designed all life in the Pact Worlds, conquered many systems in the Vast before ultimately destroying themselves, or simply hid away in the subterranean structures beneath the ice.
Dunklezahn checks his favorite MyChef profiles, and doesn't find much. It appears the menus on planet tend to push proteins and vegetables which were brought in during terraforming. He gets some really nice carribou recipes. He also finds reference to a tuber which works as a middle ground option between a carrot and a potato. He grabs a few recipes after searching for radixlatus.
Hack-It shares what he knows about the obscure journals and associated conspiracy theorists who specialize in Jederat.
Booker makes a few notes for himself on a datapad. He next pursues inquiries into the weather patterns on Jedarat, particularly any major storm patterns that have either not been resolved or were created by terraforming.
Lastly, he calls up Osteth, the ship's sentient VI. "Morning Osteth. What can you tell me about the sivv empire?"
Booker doesn't find much.
"Not much I am afraid. Most records are gone. When I say gone, I mean it. There are no files left. I'm sending you what I have, but do not get your hopes up. All I remember is what they looked like, and no, I don't even have a visual to send. I can see their long, curving necks, grasping claws, sturdy carapace, and several tentacles." The computer shudders
[i]Millions of years ago, two advanced civilizations—the kishalee and the sivvs—clashed in an interstellar war that lasted for centuries. In a desperate bid to bring the conflict to a quick end, the sivv government funneled much of its wealth into the creation of a massive superweapon. Known as the Stellar Degenerator, the device was designed to vastly accelerate the rate of nuclear fusion in a star, quickly turning it into a cold, lightless, black dwarf star. Before the Stellar Degenerator could be tested, kishalee spies learned of its existence, providing enough intel for the kishalee military to launch a surprise attack on the sivvs and seize control of the weapon. Demoralized by the loss, and their economy in shambles with nothing to show for it, the sivvs were swiftly defeated and their territories annexed by the kishalee. In just a few generations, sivv civilization ceased to exist.[/ooc]
Hack-It spares only a very irritated glance at Gig before he grabs the discarded bedding in the room that his fellow ysoki has monopolized.
Completely oblivious to Hack's irritation, Gig excitedly asks his ysoki friend, "So what do you think of Just Hack It!? I wrote it with you in mind. I hope you like it."
As Gig hears the mission objective, Gig takes a moment to recall knowledge.
Gig's memory is impressive, and he confirms what others have found in the sphere, but nothing new.
"Those Kishalee sound like dangerous and aggressive creatures. I hope they are not planning to rebuild a Stellar Degenerator. At this point the X-705 should be only Stellar Degenerator around. All we need is another angry race running around trying to achieve galactic domination."
"Doubt it," Booker replies, rolling a fresh cigarette. His supply of fresh tobacco will not last long, but he enjoys the distinct flavor and feel. "Kishalee civilization's done, if what we saw on Istamak is any indication. Sivv too, probably."
He puffs out a few rings, which soon get sucked into the bridge's air filters. "I'd guess your monopoly's safe, Gig. We'll find out soon anyhow."
"Excuse me Gig, but that is rather an inappropriate generalization." quips the onboard kishalee AI.
As Booker lights up, the slides back from the Drift. Jedeart fills the windows.
As the Sunrise Maiden enters Jedarat’s atmosphere and the party prepares for landing on the icy world, you can spot the project’s significant progress, complete with efforts at commercialization. Cheerful holo-billboards rising from the snowy ground feature several picturesque wintry scenes: quaint villages nestled among snow-capped peaks, sapient species partaking in winter sports, and ads for cozy log cabins equipped with state-of-the-art home upgrades. Partially constructed communities dot the planet’s mountainsides and valleys. Vast forests of cerulean coniferous trees surround these idyllic villages, ski lifts traverse the frozen hills. However, the constant and blizzard raging over the planet’s surface obscures much of this winter wonderland.
Fierce winds make the final approach treacherous at best.
Undeterred by the winds, Booker eases the Maiden down to the landing pad as smoothly as a teacup to saucer.
Booker has no problem landing the ship at the supplied coordinates. Once the Maiden touches down, everyone files out.
Rugged mountain peaks covered in lush forests rise from Jedarat’s frozen surface. Sprawling construction sites nestle within the mountains and valleys, the heavy equipment and incomplete structures nearly indistinguishable beneath mounting snow drifts. Glimpses of a luxurious log-and-stone building perched on the edge of a steep valley appear through the torrential snowfall. The chalet radiates warmth and inviting golden light from its glass picture windows, and sword-like icicles hang from its eaves.
A half-completed mountain chalet lies about 200 meters away, and there's only one path. The structure is a beautifully constructed, two-story alpine lodge with gleaming solar panels integrated into its slanting rooftop. The stone path lined with evergreen shrubs leads to the building’s main entrance: a polished wooden door adorned with an intricately carved wreath of interwoven pinecones and antlers. Throughout the grounds, holograms of pale elves engage in a playful snowball fight while service bots in the shape of burly humanoid mountaineers greet passersby and offer directions.
The festive theme continues inside the chalet. Evergreen wreaths decorate the building’s polished log interior, and stone fireplaces crackle with warmth and light. Workers move at a brisk pace, speaking into comm units, ignoring you for the most part.
A moment before asking someone for a bit of direction a tall, elderly human woman with umber skin and and a cybernetic eye approaches. she wears a slate grey suit adorned only with a pin bearing the AbadarCorp logo. "Greetings. I am Eisyfina Nott, just call me Ms. Nott. We've got business, pressing business, so I imagine you want to get straight to it. Come let's go to the loft and dive in."
She hides it well, but she's clearly troubled by recent events.
"Booker Broadshaw," Booker replies by way of greeting. "And these are Dunklezahn, Gig Razorbyte, and Torin Janzi. The drone goes by Sputter, and his assistant's called Hack-It. Shall we?"
"Nott a bad idea!" Gig chuckles to himself.
Hack-It is more irritated at Booker than anything. He can't let it slide. "You're a moron, Booker. Or you're a dick. Pick one. Because if you're both I'm heading back to the ship."
He crosses his arms, making it clear he's not going anywhere yet.
"Sorry 'bout him," Booker apologizes to Ms. Nott with a light smile. "His breakfast didn't agree with him. He's a little cranky." The veteran glances back at Hum. "And I keep forgetting, the drone's called Hum now. Anyway, let's get to business, yeah?"
As the group gets underway to the loft, Booker hangs back a half-step by Hack-It. "Let's go with 'dick.' You comin' or not?"
She nods, pretending to not notice the tension within the party. She pours herself a coffee, offering one to anyone else who wants one.
Eisyfina Nott grips a snowflake-patterned mug tightly and takes a sip. She sighs at the momentary pleasure and raises her cup toward her guests,
gesturing for you to follow suit. She glances around the room to make sure she has everyone’s attention and speaks candidly for the first time. “The ruins were always a problem. This planet is chock full of them. When resort construction started, we decided to build around the ruins instead of razing them The idea was to add a bit of local color to the project.” Ms. Nott laughs ruefully. “Of course, we did our due diligence and sent teams in to explore. The teams found nothing of interest, and we still have no idea what ruins are, or who— or what—built them."
“About a week ago, we discovered another set of ruins in the valley below. This structure was different. It was a walkway surrounding a passage that led deep underground. We immediately sent a team in. None of us expected them to find anything unusual, and New Horizons started drafting plans for an interactive museum incorporating the structure. The last communication we received from that team was disturbing, to be frank. I’ll send it to you.” Ms. Nott pauses and taps her datapad. The simultaneous chiming of multiple comm units instantly signals the file’s delivery.
“Talla, the team leader, reported that one of her squad somehow activated a piece of machinery within. That’s when our terraforming equipment went berserk. Before the comms went dark, Talla said the site’s defenses were back online. I don’t know what that means, but it doesn’t sound good. Topside, we haven’t been able to disconnect or hack into whatever’s causing the disturbance.” She furrows her brow and takes a long drink from her mug. “We haven’t heard from them in over a week. They had plenty of supplies, but they’re researchers, not trained combatants. I’m afraid something might happen to them long before they run out of rations.”
Ms. Nott gently sets her mug down on the stone hearth and types another command into her datapad. She turns the device to display a detailed topographical map of a valley with a set of coordinates marked in red. “This is the team’s last known location. I realize you might have other motives in accepting this contract. Rescuing the team and shutting down whatever’s causing this storm is my only concern. If you succeed, AbadarCorp will compensate you for your efforts.”
"At least that's an honest answer. But don't think the jury's made a call yet on the other," Hack-It grouses. Nevertheless he starts walking.
More accustomed to 'taking money from' than 'being paid by' AbadarCorp, Hack-It mostly listens. When the map is displayed, he says, "You wanna send us that too? Or is that in the datapack you sent? And if there's a computer that needs hacking, Gig here is your guy. Never botched a hack job ever, no ma'am," he says, being uncharacteristically humble and not at all mentioning his extensive hacking experience.
"Indeed, there is a map in the files. There's also a 60-second vid clip recorded using a comm unit camera."
She pauses long enough to let you each watch it. The shaky footage pans a circular room crowded with machinery. Lights blink from what appear to be computer consoles, though the technology differs from anything found in the Pact Worlds. The camera’s operator flips the device to reveal herself as a quorlu bundled in heavy thermal gear. Two other humanoids huddle in a corner behind her. “We woke it up,” she whispers in Common. A warning klaxon howls in the distance. “Dear gods, the defenses are back online.” The camera shakes violently, and the footage ends abruptly.
Mrs. Nott's face grows serious. "The team consists of Talla, the female quorlu; Ariad-N5, an agender android; and Nifri Zamas Gidren Sye, a male kasatha. They’re professionals who have had no problems exploring other ruins in the past..."
Booker sets his datapad down and leans back in his chair. "Tell me about the storm."
"I'm just trying to figure out why she felt the need to mention their genders," Hack-It whispers to Dunklezahn.
.
Janzi is only partially paying attention, constantly reconfiguring his vidcrew for optimal angles and shot framing.
"You wanna send us that too? Or is that in the datapack you sent? And if there's a computer that needs hacking, Gig here is your guy. Never botched a hack job ever, no ma'am,"
"Why are you being so nice about the hacking thing? Are you trying to get some extra gum out of this?"
"The team consists of Talla, the female quorlu; Ariad-N5, an agender android; and Nifri Zamas Gidren Sye, a male kasatha. They’re professionals who have had no problems exploring other ruins in the past..."
"What exactly does she mean by 'We woke it up'? Sometimes if I find my pet zorgon is sleeping, it is much better just to let her lie quietly. This sounds a little more ominous than a pet zorgon."
You get the distinct impression that she's on the level. The missing team is a massive source of anxiety for her.
Quorlus are quadrupedal, silicon-based creatures that have three tentacular arms and three eyestalks. They hail from a strange world that is highly geologically active but has only a thin atmosphere. Quorlus live in warrens in the planet’s exposed stony crust, where they delve for minerals that they consume for sustenance.
lthough quorlus can be tough combatants, few truly enjoy battle. Their extant military traditions stem from their engineering customs and emphasize the use of explosives, but they usually prefer peace and positive new experiences. This societal tendency makes them more inclined to be diplomats and explorers than warriors.
Supplementing quorlus’ peaceful inclinations is the fact that most other sapient species find their voices soothing, especially when those voices are harmonized in song—and quorlus love to sing. Their language is melodic, tonal, and trilling, and it also includes subtle vibrations that shirrens in particular find especially pleasing thanks to their sensitivity to delicate vibrational shifts. The range of quorlu tones makes their language difficult for non-quorlus to master.
To Gig she responds, "I don't know. That's why we've called you in. I realize this isn't exactly a comforting mission briefing. You're probably accustomed to a thorough briefing from the Starfinders, replete with back up, funding etc."
She moves over to a locked cabinet, opening it with a retina scan, "It's not much, but here." She hands you four white nanite hypopens, two green nanite hypopens, four mk 3 serums of healing, and a spell ampoule of haste.
"Downstairs we've also prepared R2E rations. There should be enough for 2 weeks each."
"We'll collect the R2Es downstairs," Booker affirms, passing the medical supplies to Janzi. He repeats his question. "Tell me about the storm, though. And whattaya mean exactly by, your 'terraforming equipment went beserk'?"
"I've missed the camaraderie of my friends and that excitement of being a part of the team. However, I do not miss R2E's. I think we need better food. On tour, we hired a chef. Perhaps we could get Dunk a big supply of goods and he could cook for us."
"These healing serums will prove useful, but hopefully we won't need to use them."
Janzi whispers something sharp and most likely obscene to his android camera crew before stepping forward with a flourish. Terraforming a planet with life on it?!? That's an interplanetary crime, I'll have you know! We'll get to the bottom of this for sure! He slams his fist down and wipes away a tear, holding the pose a moment before glancing over at Monro. Did you get that? They'll love that bit on the Brethadan moons.
Once he motions for the cameras to be off, he turns to Ms. Nott. You mentioned compensation...?
She efficiently tracks all the questions and answers them. Her controlled replies register as bullet points in your mind. Clearly, she's a seasoned professional:
"Standard Starfinder recovery applies. The entirety of the provisions I'm authorised to offer have been laid out. As for recompense beyond the norm, hazard is already covered. It's actually always assumed in Starfinder contracts. I am authorized to reward you each with a 5,000 credit reward after confirmation of the team's fate; rescue or recovery. We have agreed to a 100,000 lump reward in the name of the Starfinder Society if you confirm that the ruins are Sivv in origin."
"Severe winds rip through the valley. They're intense enough to knock a ysoki over. It'll affect any analog projectiles, so be warned. Additionally there are 20 foot snow drifts throughout the area. A skilled explorer can spot them, but if you don't you run the risk of suffocating in the snow. As for berserk, a lot of the machines we use for tactical level terraforming have become.... violent."
Booker takes it all in. "Violent, eh? Meaning an intentioned purpose to their malfunction?"