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"Historia-7 it is then. Lead on. Is it odd to anyone else how these heads of the Dataphile all change their name to 'Historia'? I mean Historia-7 took over from Historia-6 who presumably took over from Historia-5. Are they trying to hide something? I've heard that this particular one is a little obsessed with the Scoured Stars, so it will be interesting to see what she wants with us."
"All I have is the location. Once you are there, you'll have to figure out who the hacker is."
"Any further questions?"
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"I admittedly would not know," Idir comments to Xikko-Gimry as they make their way there. "I usually worked more with her associates rather than with 7 herself. As I said, she's intimidating."
Idir listens quietly and respectfully.
"Bluerise isn't easy to get into, even for the Stewards. Some of my old huddle did business there a year or two ago. Many dromada go into data security professions, you see. Whoever this hacker is, they're probably quite skilled," he comments. "That might narrow it down a bit? That is a rhetorical question, mostly thinking aloud," he adds, his tone apologetic.
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Hang on,Tenry says, You might be onto something here. He turns and looks over at Historyia and asks, Do you have any records of personnel that have been released from service or have unfavorable marks? Think along the lines of high debts, foreign contacts (friends, family) whom may be against any of the resident corporations? Finally, do you have a list of what corporations were targeted, and do they have commonalities between them?
"That is a good idea, but I wasn't there to read anyone's personnel file, nor was there time. I traced the physical address, muddied the hacker's trail a little, and got out myself before I drew unwanted attention. While I was watching, the hacker was in and out of Abadarcorp, UniBiome, and an Abasalom First splinter group."
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"Sort of...Places like Bluerise have a lot of sensitive data and things in storage, and the companies there won't let just ANYONE walk in and ask for information, especially in regards to a security breach."
Idir strokes his muzzle.
"Besides, shouldn't we check the address first to see if we can catch them before they have time to go into hiding? That would be the first thing I would do if I'd just been caught snooping around in the files of a human supremacy group and the largest corporation-slash-megachurch in the Pact Worlds! Hide and hope they forget about me."
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I feel so small an face of such organization. And this architecture... Let's take a heavencab to reach the address quicker. I will look through infostructure to see what type of papers expected. , - Thundergun's helmet illuminates from inside when team take a transport to . Upper slits glow blue-green as the technomancer connects and...
Maybe someone else could look for the buildings plan in order to cut hackers options?
Historia frowns. "I commend your enthusiasm, but apparently my communication was not sufficiently clear. I accidentally started you on a wild griffon chase.
The hacker was operating from a physical address in the lower station. There is no need to go to the Bluerise Tower.
Go to the address that I send to your comm units, find the hacker, and attempt to recruit them, or at least begin a negotiation. Use your judgement and resources to get the hacker to come in. I would like to employ them, but must meet them before I can make a solid offer.
Corporate security will be right behind you so time is short. Station security may also be involved depending on whether the companies wish to handle the hacker privately or publicly. If station security is involved, they will be backing the corporations.
Try to keep things quiet. The last thing we need is a confrontation with Absalom Station.
"
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"Splendid, we are of on a grand mission."[b]
Nic Nack finds a seat in the transport as they are taking to the location of the hacker.
[b]"Since we are acting like spy's. If we need a 'look out I could fill that roll if you would like. As long as someone does not mind me entering their mind that is.
Does anyone know anything about the lower station? The only thing I know of it is..."
"That it is in the lower part of the station"
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- Well, on the first mission, we go to the ghetto. Fine. By the way, despite my big gun and passion for field experiments... Let's try to act very carefully. I would even prefer not to mention the name of our employers while we accompany them to Historia 7. Who knows how the situation may change. Who will listen to us... What they will do with this information...
He catches the eye of one of you and continues his measured speech in a low, husky voice.
- Bro, I grew up on Apostae. And I've seen enough of the machinations of the drow great houses... to never want to be caught between a rock and a hard place. Eventually, the big bosses will agree on everything. And we will simply be forgotten.
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"Lookout is a role dromadas like me EXCEL in," Idir comments. "Though admittedly the dromadan method of alerting allies is much less...subtle, than shirren telepathy."
He thinks on what he knows about the Spike, apart from the fact that it was a place he'd normally stay the Hell away from.
When Kuozar speaks up, one of Idir's eyestalks turns in his direction.
"I...may have misjudged you, Kuozar of Steel," he says "We seem to have a bit more in common than I expected. I am sorry."
The coordinates that Historia-7 gives the PCs point to an apartment in a row of appartments that resemble cement cubes. This particular cube has several tomato plants in plastic barrels sitting on an otherwise barren porch. Boxes of nutrient broth, gardening tools, and various knickknacks clutter the porch, leaving barely any room for visitors to stand, let alone sit down.
The plants are being hand-pollinated by a young man.
The young man straightens up. "This is my gran'ma's house." He replies simply.
The lad's clothes are worn and patched at the knees and elbows. He wears a tattered hat woven from synthetic fibers. He appears to be approximately 10 or 12 years old. "I don't think so, unless maybe she went to get milk this morning. Why do you all have so many guns? Are you gangers? "
The boy backs up against the wall of the house. "GRAN'MA!" He darts for the door. "GUYS WITH GUNS ARE LOOKIN" FOR YOU!"
The boy makes it inside the door. Thundergun's conjured hand just misses Only Nick nac is quick enough to reach inside and block the door from closing. His left forearm receives a nasty wrench between the door and the jamb.
Inside, a mix of simple hand tools, toys, flowerpots, and boxes clutter
the flat, leaving barely any room for visitors to sit down.
"Jubair, are you all right?" A wizened old woman in a blue-and white abaya, the long garment flowing down to a tattered fringe at the floor, appears in the narrow hall that splits the house. She sees the shirren and draws her grandson behind her. "What do you want?!" she demands of Nick nac.
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Tenry watches is astonishment at everything that has just happened. Looking at the garden and boy, he begins to wonder if they have the right house. When Nic Nak rushes in to stop the boy from closing the door, he hears the grandmother call out and he responds.
I’m sorry Miss… he begins, then realizes he never caught her name. umm, we have been sent by the Starfinder Society on a very important, and time critical mission. It’s been reported that someone at this residence hacked into a secure database. While we do not wish any harm to this person, our goal is actually quite the opposite. We wish to help them avoid trouble with the people he hacked, and offer them safety and a job if they would come with us.
As further evidence of what he is saying is true, he activated his glyph, causing the Starfinder symbol to shine brightly on his wrist to which he holds up.
"Starfinders? There's no hackers here. Leave or I'm calling station security." The woman backs up a few steps with her hands reaching back for something, anything.
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Xikko comes scrambling through the door to take a quick peek around.
The small Ysoki raises his hands.
"It's OK Miss. We mean nobody no harm. As my companion here explained, it's quite the opposite. We're trying to find whoever did the hack and help them before they get in real trouble. If you call security and send us away, I feel the person responsible may be in trouble."
My eyes continue to dart around the room.
"Now it's possible we have the wrong house and if so, we apologize for the intrusion. But if you know anything, I ask you to help us help them."
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The izalguun carrys no weapon but a battle staff. But he is large, so might still be scary no matter he is not looks as a warrior.
Thundergun quickly realized he is too large for this house. And not polite enough to talk. So he leave outside and scan area with gaze and some Magic Detection.
So if some corporate security, stewards or any other competitive group arrive he would notice it in advance.
Kuozar, do you feel uncomfortable surrounded by smaller or talkative kin? Also I noticed you call your weapon as if those were baby's. Do you have actual children?
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"Oh nonononoNO, this is NOT going well at ALL!" Idir yelps as the group effectively breaks and enters. "I'm INCREDIBLY sorry for the intrusion, ma'am. As my colleagues say, we mean you and your grandson no harm, and it appears this was all a terrible misunderstanding. We were directed to this address by one of our superiors, and it looks like the data trail we were tracing was merely routed through your home to cover its tracks."
The woman frowns, honestly confused. "No one here has been hacking. I - I'm quite sure. But maybe we should talk about this over tea? What can you tell me about this hack, and how did you find out?"
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- No, I'm still young enough, Thundergun. Nuars usually take root at a more mature age. The question about his sociability he either did not notice or just ignored.
Then Kuozar enters the house, careful not to hit the chandelier with his horns (he is seven and a half feet tall)
- Okay. To the point. Grandma, while you're having tea with my friends, could your grandson show me the computers you have in your house? It's possible that someone did this from your computer remotely, and you're in deep trouble right now. I'll try to track the bastard down... hmmm... that is, the attacker I wanted to say.
"You can call me Ceren, and my grandson is Jubair," the grandmother replies while she fills a container with water and a generous dash of brown powder. She puts the mixture in an oven and begins pulling cups out of the cabinets.
"I'm afraid you won't find any hacker quality gear here," she calls to Kuozar. "There's just Jubair's educational computer."
She seems distressed and a little desperate. " Please tell me everything you know about this hack and the hacker."
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As members of the society, Tenry initiates, I’m afraid we just can’t give up information on an ongoing case. Suffice to say, If you have no information to give us, and you would not like to aid us in finding this hacker, then I’m afraid are losing valuable time. He checks his watch and then gazed out the window as a small show, Station security should be along any moment as I’m sure they traced the hack back here as well. Thank you for the offer of tea, but I’m afraid we really must be off. We need to find this hacker and offer him or her our protection before those corporate goons get ahold of them.
Tenry makes a show of getting up to leave, hoping his ruse will work. He hates lying, and bluffing in general, but there really isn’t time for games to him.
Ceren's eyes narrow; her breaths come faster. "Wait. Excuse me. " She closes her eyes and her brow furrows in concentration. When her eyes open she says, "Unibiome?"
