Yellow falls to El'zar's thrown knife!
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The Dragonkin moves to finish the fight, swinging his doshko in a left to right arc at the level of his shins and the gremlin's tiny body.
The envoy isn't going to like that...
But Sturmvanger looks pretty content.
The final gremlin is splattered across the bulkhead.
Two of the gremlins survive to be taken into custody, and it only takes Darkrunner a short time to repair all of the system damage they inflicted.
On returning to the dock, the party finds a pair of Periphery Stars corporate representatives waiting for them with two items: a credstick with a reward for dealing with the gremlin infestation, and a digitized folder of legal paperwork that absolves the corporation of any responsibility for what happened. Station guards take charge of the two surviving gremlins.
The delegate is still somewhat put out by the use of lethal force without trying to talk to the gremlins first, but she enjoyed herself otherwise.
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Amy tries to explain things
Excuse me Guardian .. but do you have bitey insect creatures on your home world. Would one expect to negotiate with a mosquito before it bites you? Cause that's what gremlins are ... really annoying pests whose entire purpose seems to be causing havoc in digital and mechanical systems. They can't be reasoned with - and attempts have been made. DO you think twice before smacking an pest? Cause that's what those things are .... pests.
She then cringes a bit and steps well back attempting to hide behind Sturmvanger. She knows she's failed to impress and this is probably going to seal the deal - but hopefully not enough to prevent the delegate from signing the agreement.
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Seggas ducks under Sturm's next swing as she gives a hissing chuckle.
After the gremlins are dealt with, Seggas slithers over to Amy and opens her mouth to say something before she pauses and furiously itches at the edge of her face, peeling off the final layer of skin from her experiment earlier. "AH! That is soooo much better! But Amy, if you want engineering lessons, I could show you a thing or two. Starship systems are surprisingly less complex than the chemical processes in the body."
When Amy tries to explain the absolute nusiances that are space gremlins, Seggas tries to pull up a 10 minute presentation she had to give on the pests for her veterinary degree.
Sadly the class had a terrible teacher and didn't cover any practical skills, so Seggas did the bare minimum for the projects. She still tries to show the delegate.
"They are, however, sentient, even though they don't seem to be compatible with a technological civilization. Well, done is done, and you all did well to keep me alive when they started affecting the ship--I do appreciate that.
"Now, the next thing I'd like is--and this may sound odd, but bear with me--a pet to bring home with me. One of the indigenous fauna of Absalom Station...." She looks around at the party, pondering. "Are any of you from the Station? How would you feel about a long trip?"
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I ... have to admit .. that not much is known about gremlins ... not even where they come from. It is currently believed they are from a Plane of Chaos and are attracted to technology .. as an ant would be towards sugar.
She ponders the delegate's next request. Um .. I was born and raised on the Armada ... does that count?. But .. okay .. as long as it doesn't involve a lot of walking.
As everyone sets off she falls back to be next to Seggas. Yeah ... I appreciate that .. Us pilots are taught things to do in case of emergencies but most of that involves checklists and working through them. Knowing a bit about engineering would help me be able to be more .... erm ... flexible in an emergency. Besides, I know the engineering of a star and how it works - how hard can engine systems be?
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Darkrunner makes a face at the request that says "does not compute." He then looks at Amy and frowns.
No, I don't think she's taking any of us.
Uh, hrm... taking any of *us* from the station would limit our usefulness to the Society. Surely we can find you a... not-currently-engaged being? How sophisticated does it need to be? Maybe we could stop by a pet store? (It's in the name, after all.)
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Seggas raises her hand, "Born and raised here. But I'd be expensive. I have some more expensive tastes, and a contract that I won't leave this lug over here alone, so Strum wuld have to come with us. OHHH, and if we're traveling, why would I ever leave my best friend Amy behind? Also I'm more into being the master in a relationship than the pet."
She pauses for a moment and then perks up, "But there have been a few places that recently started breeding unique breeds of animals that can only be found on the station! Hold on, I should have the contact number for one of them here..."
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Gava takes a 10 minute break to recover stamina.
"I'm a Castrovel native myself, delegate, but dealing with wild animals is the family business - and we do very well for ourselves, if you don't my me sayin'!" the ysoki laughs.
"What'chu have in mind? Not sure if the station has much options for pets other than rodent and vermin."
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Sturmvanger makes no comment to justify his rather overly aggressive handling of the gremlins, though he has many thoughts that Seggas is privy to regarding the almost universal belief in self-defense and his right to protect at least his own life and, to a more or lesser degree those he cares about and those who are innocent of any aggressive actions.
"I'm from Triaxus and I'm confused. Absalom is a space station. It doesn't have any indigenous fauna, does it? Not that we're not happy to help. Tell us what we're after and we'll get it."
As Amy and Seggas chat, Sturmvanger watches the two of them, his reptilian eyes narrowing thoughtfully. He knows almost nothing about his bonded partner, having rushed into the process purposefully recklessly the 2nd time after having taken much more time and thought the first.
She laughs. "I had you going there for a second. Don't worry--I'm not about to ask for a sophont as a pet. I'd prefer something a little, well, more cuddly and playful."
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Haha! Ah yes, a joke! We should have known. He un-tenses visibly at this revelation, and then thinks on the actual request.
So, there is a placed called Jatembe Park. Allegedly it contains wild squoxes that arrived via insecure transports. It is legal to collect them, they must be seen as pests or something. We could try those?
He offers, gauging Guardian's reaction. The android does a quick holo-sphere search and shows her several example pictures of the species.
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Seggas gives a smile at the 'cuddly and playful' line, and bites back the quip that she could be that too, though Sturmvanger definitely gets the little side thought.
She glances up at the dragonkin for a second.
Seggas also takes a moment to reconnect her data pad to the station datasphere seemingly having a problem with her data service, and tries to look up a good option for a 'cuddly and playful' animal.
She perks up. "The wild squoxes in the park. DUH! They aren't anyone's property and aren't claimed by anyone, but they are also not a nuisance and make great pets! I think they're on their second generation already. Been an interesting study or two covering how their biology seems to slowly be adapting to life on a space station."
The party is able to purchase a habitat box with Society funds.
Jatembe Park is largely deserted when you arrive. There are no squoxes out and visible, so it may take some effort to find one.
Seggas is pretty sure that coaxing one out and keeping it docile will take a fair bit of animal handling. She also figures that from the depth of the trail and the size of the base of the tree that a family group of squoxes is living there, and they'll likely scatter as soon as they're disturbed.
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Amy followed the others, keeping to the rear and walking with her hands behind her back. She was also thinking about pets. Maybe I could get a squox .,.... or a kitten ... something to keep me company ... although it would be unfair on the poor creature when I'm on assignment or something .... besides, yeah .. no pet policy in the apartment block.
She also has a pang of anxiety when Sturmvanger looks at her Oh my! .... what big teeth you've got
She hangs back when they arrive at the squox's tree, not wanting to mess this one up.
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Seggas gives Darkrunner a flat look. "Does anyone truly enjoy field rations? We could probaly doctor them up, but I think having Gava call them down from the trees would be better than a trap."
She pulls up an image of one of them on her phone. "Here, take a look. Pretty cute, isn't it?"
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"I think that would be an excellent idea, El'zar. No need to set up elaborate traps or plans if you can just ask one of them if they want the opportunity to leave. Surely there is an adventurous squox down there," Sturmvanger comments as the Kasatha mentions his ability.
He's ready for action, though...unarmed action, anyway, his weapons stowed but his gaze focused on the entrance to the den.
A squox pops out of the den, chittering.
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But... if you talk to them and they refuse, does it make it even harder to trap them after? When there's established, polite rapport?
"Eh maybe but the park is full of squox, so hopefully it wouldn't amount to more than a dely."
El'zar puts down some food then takes a few polite steps back, before speaking to the curious squox.
"Hey, my names El'zar, I'm sure you havn't heard of me since I doubt you watch cooking shows, but my friend here thinks you all are adorable and would like it if you join her on a grand adventure in another land. She would keep you safe and fed and comfortable and will place games with you. She doesn't speak squox so she can't talk to you like I can but she's a nice person who would like your company."
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Sturmvanger is amused every time El'zar says the squox is going to be safe. After all, it will be going to a planet where creatures the size of buildings roam free and try to consume any living thing they come across.
Then again, the diplomat is one of the ones who seems to be able to guide the colossi so perhaps she can keep the little creature safe.
In any case, he does what he can to help lure the creature out, which largely consists of looking less like a very big predator.
The squox seems to be sufficiently impressed with the food offerings that it willingly listens to El'zar's continued pitch. However....
While the kasatha is negotiating with the squox, a trio of ghoran groundskeepers happens by. One asks, "What are you doing with that?"
The ghorans are still unhappy, but seem to be wavering.
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Seggas slinks over to behind Amy, putting a protective hand on her shoulder. "If I'm reading the situation between our kasathan cook and the squox here right, the little thing seems to be more than willing to come with us. We also bought them a proper carrying case, and I personally will be giving the little one a proper medical check up after this."