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It settles on Strek, it's tendril snapping out and circling around the brakim's body.
As a move action, or a reaction when grabbed or otherwise held by a limb, a brakim can detach her limbs. She takes 1 damage directly to her Hit Points for each limb she sheds.
The stridermander grabs hold of Strek's left arm and pulls tremendously, attempting to bring the brakim within biting range.
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Strek gives the critter a hand.
"Always happy to please."
He then spends his full round morphing a leg into another arm.
"Let's just hope this doesn't become an 'All hands on deck' kind of moment."
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The nuar looks behind him and quips at Strek I'll remember to never ask you to "lend me your ears." Shudder
He turns around and continues bombarding "his" stridermander.
"My buddy Strek there has really handed it to ya!" declares Guess? followed by an attack at Pink!
or below is flat-footed
flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
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Melissa is going to wait till everyone's done their thing to pink and hope its dropping as she darts by it.
Saranrae I'm sorry for talking to grandma, but you know she's family...
She looks at the wound of the skittermander and starts tying his hair on the left side of the wound to the hair on the right side of his wound
""I am getting WAY more practice at this than is healthy for ANYONE...."
..and thats why the healing serum is plan B....
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Strek's left arm flies across the room and into the beast's jaws with a loud ominous gulp. Thankfully, the brakim appears to... have another one. Behind him, Jaraduk's grenade explodes in a cloud of shrapnel. The nuar seems to have outplayed the stridermander, whose reactions sent it diving into the grenade blast!
Meanwhile, Guess? seems to have found the one creature he can't distract with his quips. But thankfully, his rifle doesn't care! The shell shatters the shoulder bone of the stridermander chomping on brakim tartare. Del, not happy about the cuisine being served in the barn, unloads her pulse caster at the beast and knocks it unconscious.
This gives Melissa the gap she needs to run to the bleeding out baron and... fail to staunch his wounds. The pool of blood continues to expand around the ysoki's feet. Within the stall, the stridermander's tendril successfully latches around Adani's arm and begins to feed. The pahtra's screams and flailing do little to help her against the much stronger nightmare-become-flesh.
The third creature's eyes are drawn to the fallen body of it's companion. The stridermander casts aside it's archaic spear and takes a few steps towards the open barn doors - getting uncomfortably close to Del - before turning and sneak attacking Jaraduk with it's feeding tendril! The unexpected limb snaps around the nuar's upper arm, pulling him closer towards the dark night.
While the stridermander munching on Adani seems unharmed, the creature pulling Jaraduk seems wounded enough to grab its dinner to-go.
Akh SP 0/27 HP 0/25 RP 0/3, STABLE
Strek SP 10/20 HP 23/24 RP 1/3,
Jaraduk SP 0/21, HP 9/27, RP 2/4, Latent Radiation Sickness, GRAPPLED
Del SP: 15/15, HP: 12/19, RP: 2/5
Melissa SP 19/19 HP 13/21 | RP 3/4
Guess? SP 12/18 HP 17/17 | RP 4/5
Adani 5/23, GRAPPLED
Karm 0/23 HP, DYING 2 (permadeath at DYING 3 at top of Round 6)
Red Stridermander 31 Damage
Pink Stridermander 43 Damage
Teal Stridermander 0 Damage
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"Shame YOU didn't keep the bellyworm it would make this easier..."
unceremoniously shoves a healing serum down the skittermanders throat "If Guess? bills you for that make sure to pay me directly or I'll never see it"
" Alright, now I'm very quickly going to teach you a ysoki fighting secret, called possum style.... "
Legless?
Strek sighs as he watches his arm chewed up into a pulp. "I really liked that one, too."
Meanwhile, GUMBI follows the stridermander's movement around Jaraduk without fail, allowing Strek to barrage it with more microwaves!
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unceremoniously shoves a healing serum down the skittermanders throat "If Guess? bills you for that make sure to pay me directly or I'll never see it"
'Good thing Karm is still unonscious enough to not hear Melissa's financial advice...' thinks Guess? to himself.
Guess? moves for a clear shot on teal, saying, "Hey, you wanna feed on all-you-can-eat ysoki instead of that pahtra? We'll cut the ends off Melissa and you'll have endless ysoki!"
or below is flat-footed
flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
No! No! Too close!
Jaraduk tries to burst out of the tendril by flexing all of the muscles in his body.
Pump up, pump up, pump up...
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Baron Karmalar Gravender gasps as the serum brings him back to life. "What in tarnation?!" He restores his cowboy hat atop his head and heeds Melissa's advice, collapsing back to the floor with his tongue sticking out of his mouth. Strek's microwaves hit the stridermander's center mass, the heat emanating across Jaraduk's body harmlessly. The nuar struggles against the creature's greater bulk, unable to escape. Luckily for him, Del comes to the rescue! She runs to relative safety before turning in place and knocking out the stridermander with a well placed pulse to the skull.
The last creature of the night's tendril continues to choke Adani's limp. The teeth at the end of the stridermander's appendage snap at the pahtra's arm, opening a vein. No longer able to hold on, she falls unconscious. The creature attempts to pull her around the door towards the exit but gets tripped up on the limp body.
Akh SP 0/27 HP 0/25 RP 0/3, STABLE
Strek SP 10/20 HP 23/24 RP 1/3, Down A Leg
Jaraduk SP 0/21, HP 9/27, RP 2/4, Latent Radiation Sickness
Del SP: 15/15, HP: 12/19, RP: 2/5
Melissa SP 19/19 HP 13/21 | RP 3/4
Guess? SP 12/18 HP 17/17 | RP 4/5
Adani 0/23, GRAPPLED, DYING 0
Karm 8/23 HP
Red Stridermander 42 Damage
Pink Stridermander 43 Damage
Teal Stridermander 0 Damage
"Atta girl, Del, good shot!"
As GUMBI ceases to track the red stridermander's limp form, Strek spins around and notices Akh on the floor.
"Wakey wakey!"
He shifts his grip on his weapon , draws out a mk1 healing serum and jabs it into the unconscious Dracoid.
Phew! Thanks Del! Jaraduk sighs, relieved as the tendrils loosen around him. He immediately jumps back reflexively. He crosses the hallway to approach the stall with the last creature, step up next to Melissa.
Akh, waking from his brush with death, decides to stay very still and very unassuming. He lies on the floor and does his best inanimate-pile-of-metal impression.
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Del fires her pulsecaster twice at the creature, one of the blasts scorching it's skin. The stridermander's torso tentacle releases it's hold on the limp Adani as two of it's four hands grab her body and begin pulling down the dark hallway. The pair limp out of sight as the monster drags the pahtra away.
Baron Karm leaps to his feet, screaming in rage and grief. Heedless of his own safety, he runs into the hallway after them! Through the doorway you see his six shooter discharge, the unseen creature grunting in pain. The skittermander chokes back a sob, instead yelling "THAT'S MY WIFE!"
Akh SP 0/27 HP 3/25 RP 0/3
Strek SP 10/20 HP 23/24 RP 1/3, Down A Leg
Jaraduk SP 0/21, HP 9/27, RP 2/4, Latent Radiation Sickness
Del SP: 15/15, HP: 12/19, RP: 2/5
Melissa SP 19/19 HP 13/21 | RP 3/4
Guess? x2 SP 12/18 HP 17/17 | RP 4/5
Adani 0/23, DYING 1
Karm 8/23 HP
Red Stridermander 42 Damage
Pink Stridermander 43 Damage
Teal Stridermander 8 Damage
[dice=Reflex, DC 14]1d20+7
It might also make the cat harder to move...
"It's times like these that I'm glad I don't have to worry about arch support."
Strek double hops into the next room.
Ooh, I have a bunch of those too!
Jaraduk runs ahead of Melissa and draws his own web grenade.
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Round 6
or below is flat-footed
flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
Round 7
or below is flat-footed
flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
Round 8
or below is flat-footed
flat-footed to all and -2 to saves if Stunt and Strike succeeded
Del and Guess? squeeze into the hallway, their shots mostly landing despite the crowded shooting field.
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Jaraduk tosses the grenade he just pulled as he catches sight of the Stridermander. His experienced throw bounces off the walls, right behind the beast! The creature continues to pull Adani's bleeding body into the mire, grunting as it is slowed by the mess. The trail of blood going down the hallway is starting to expand as Adani's breaths slow.
Karm's six shooter nearly deafens you in the enclosed space. One of the bullets collides with the hallway wall but the other finds its way into the creature's shoulder. It twitches in pain, legs starting to shake from the effort.
Akh x2 SP 0/27 HP 3/25 RP 0/3
Strek SP 10/20 HP 23/24 RP 1/3, Down A Leg
Jaraduk SP 0/21, HP 9/27, RP 2/4, Latent Radiation Sickness
Melissa SP 19/19 HP 13/21 | RP 3/4
Del SP: 15/15, HP: 12/19, RP: 2/5
Guess? SP 12/18 HP 17/17 | RP 4/5
Adani 0/23, DYING 2
Karm 8/23 HP
Red Stridermander 42 Damage
Pink Stridermander 43 Damage
Teal Stridermander 35 Damage
Strek hops as far as his remaining leg can hop and aims his Agitator at the beast, hoping for a lucky shot.
He looks down at Adani and snorts. I give her 50% at this point. and looks around at the group for healing help.
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Strek must have kept his lucky leg, because his hopping shot soars right into the stridermander's skull! It's body goes limp, dropping into the pool of blood. Melissa skitters forward, reviving Adani! The pahtra gasps as life flows back into her body, the serum scabbing over her wounds.
Akh SP 0/27 HP 3/25 RP 0/3
Strek SP 10/20 HP 23/24 RP 1/3, Down A Leg
Jaraduk SP 0/21, HP 9/27, RP 2/4, Latent Radiation Sickness
Melissa SP 19/19 HP 13/21 | RP 3/4
Del SP: 15/15, HP: 12/19, RP: 2/5
Guess? SP 12/18 HP 17/17 | RP 4/5
Adani 3/23
Karm 8/23 HP
Red Stridermander 42 Damage
Pink Stridermander 43 Damage
Teal Stridermander 44 Damage
You take some time to catch your breath, giving Adani and Karm some space to reunite. After a few minutes, the pair approaches your group. The skittermander opens his arms wide. "Well, you have experienced some true vesk hospitality, I think! I suppose we have discovered the predators who have been hounding our ranch. I cannot thank you enough for your aid against the beasts." He takes a step to the side and kicks the body of the stridermander. Adani smiles softly. "Yes, it seems we hired the right crew. It is not just the defrexes who are protecting our ranch this night." Karm pulls out a stack of sticks, similar to credsticks. "17 Veskarium Naval Build Vouchers, as promised." He pauses for dramatic effect, while Adani rolls her eyes. "And I suppose a little something extra is in order for those who saved our lives!" He digs a little deeper, pulling out a credstick. "Hopefully 4800 credits will pay for more healing serums."
You say goodbye to the pair and head back to your ship. To your surprise, your three goblin friends are standing outside watching the ranch hands prep the defrexes. Fleagreeb, Rattlesnarp, and Goog look on in fascination - quietly bickering about the best way to not get gored by a defrex claw. Fleagreeb is convinced that "I'm the fastest! I'd just run before they got the fever!" Rattlesnarp is less convinced. "You're not as fast as a super-bear-demon! I'm have a green thumb, they would be my friend!" Goog, though, has a different strategy. "We're goblins! We can build a scrap-bot to do that for us! Then the defrex can destroy it and we'll rebuild for the next one." As you approach, they smile and Goog steps forward. "HOT, I am afraid to tell you, this is where we must depart your tribe." He looks out over the pastures with longing. "This is the place for us, where all beings are welcome, so long as they can work. And besides, they have free food and warm beds!"
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Melissa puts on a posh Azlanti accent "This Brakim has been in my family for generations. Replaced the legs twice the arms three times and the head four. "
For the ranchers she gives the skittermander a big hug, and offers the use of her clippers. "Sorry about the tied fur. And the glue. I swear it seemed like a good idea at the time. Not so sorry about the extra skylights in the barn. Say uhm.. you don't get bit and turn into one of those on the next full moons or anything? "
To our departing goblins "just tell them you taste terrible " she ahems over at the defrexes "Goblins taste terrible. " she hopes that means they won't think to use their claws....
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Akh is just barely able to peel himself up off the floor. He glances around. That's a lot of his own oil and parts left behind... but he also somehow can't summon up even the tiniest fraction of strength to clean up. "I think..." He clonks slowly, taking a couple of steps before slumping against a wall "I think we have had enough ranching for today. Odd, again, that ranching normally isn't supposed to leave you a hairs breadth away from death. Is that right? It should be relatively safe, right?"
He takes a few steps back toward the ship "Why is it never relatively safe?..."
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"Well, carrying you back to your pillow is out of the question. but " she breaks out her engineering and first aid kits and tac welds, bandages, or epoxies Akh as best she can. Then gets him debuffed and polished."parts is parts goes double for you.."
"Huh. Only the second time I got spare parts after working on someone. Anyone know if this is to Akh or the combine over there? "
As they walk away from the ranchers, Jaraduk remarks after Akh
Yeah... I don't think herding and ranching is always supposed to be that way. This was fun for a while, but those last creatures were something else. Maybe the cowboy life is not for me. Back to smuggling goods, shipping, trading, and mercenary'ing.
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"Please Melissa. I need those parts."
He shakes a little bit and the sounds of loose metal bits rattling around seems quite ominous "I believe my creators put in a lot of work to install those backup spleens. It would not do to compare them to combine parts." He leans down and looks at one of the metal doo-hickeys "Except that one. That's not mine. Not sure when I swallowed that."
"Speaking of.."
Strek collects whatever remnants of himself that are still remaining on the floor and disposes of them, before any defrex get inspired to snack on them.
"I'm gettin' convinced that no matter what we decide to do, there's always gonna be somethin' or someone tryin' ta eat us, scheme us, or outcompete us."
When the goblins state their wishes, he nods approvingly. "Gotta admire the little devils. Dogged determination, that is."
Back on the ship, as they fly towards town, he soaks in a hot bath for hours as his severed limb buds and reforms into a new appendage.
"If'n we get ambushed en route, try not to divert any power from the hot water heater? Much obliged."
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Guess? seems irritated when Goog announces his crew's departure.
Fine, quitters! Stay at your comfortable ranch with no danger or excitement. What we didn't pay you enough? We were just going to add funeral expenses to the benefits package! No really we were!
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"Still beats door-to-door sales."
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With more credits and BP vouchers and fewer limbs to your name than when you started, your ship leaves Skitterhaven Ranch. The rear camera shows the silhouettes of three goblins, a skittermander, and a pahtra waving goodbye in the fading light. Eager for a break, you head to the capital of Vesk-3, Command-3. The planet's largest city and capital if far more exciting than its typical vesk name gives away. A hive city dug into the earth, it has plenty of shops and entertainment from across the galaxy for you to spend your credits and a few days rest before your next job. You update Tarika on your success and get to enjoying your hard earned rewards.
After about two weeks of downtime in the bustling city, you hear back from Tarika. The brenneri's cheery face pops up, smiling as always. "Hello, hello! I'm drumming up some leads that will be just right for your crew. After all, you've been killing it at these jobs so far! Seems like the crew of the Last Chance are starting to make a name for themselves on the boards." She taps away at the keyboard, then spins around in a circle on her office chair. "Remember Scarlon, that shirren who assigned you the courier mission? He reached back out, said he was impressed with your speed and care on the last job. Seems like it was a test after all!" Your datapads all beep and a video file arrives. "Looks like a pretty usual cargo delivery job, not sure why Mr. Gniz is so intent on you lot taking care of it for him. But, I guess you better hear it from him directly! Check out the video he sent, and let me know if you're in! I'll keep looking for bigger jobs in the meantime." The recording cuts out, and you bring the attached video onto the main screen. The shirren, still in the same drab and ill-fitting brown suit that he wore when he delivered the briefcase to you on Absalom Station, appears on screen. He smiles, more energetic this time. “The galaxy is a tough place, ya know? I mean, it’s fine for the interplanetary corps, the cybernetic mercs they pay, and the mega-rich those mercs protect. But us little folks? The cargo-haulers, dock workers, and paid-by-the-hour gun-carriers? We don’t got anybody looking out for us. So we need to look out for ourselves. And looking out for yourself takes credits. So its good to have a little network of people who want to make a little extra, that’s just good sense, right?” He smiles, shuffling some papers around on his desk. "Thanks for dropping off the package, the client absolutely appreciated it. I've got another job for you. The task is a little more complicated than the previous, but it pays significantly better.
A medical research company, who..." Gniz's eyebrow muscles go up with unspoken meaning, "wishes to remain anonymous, wants to transport some complex chemical compounds from the Veskarium to Triaxus while avoiding the normal taxes and tariffs such a shipment would incur. Tarika was putting out feelers for jobs, mentioned you were in the area." He smiles and lays his hands out palm up. "Naturally, I wouldn’t ask y'all to do anything illegal — your part of the transfer doesn’t involve any smuggling or lawbreaking." The shirren gets a twinkle in his eye. "Technically. You just need to rendezvous with a vesk cargo ship, the Titanosaurus, and pick up several sealed crates. You then transport the goods to their next destination but, before landing, shove the crates out of the airlock into a prearranged orbit. You'll get a beacon to attach to the crates and another ship will come along to pick them up." He claps once. "See the beauty of it? You don’t know the crates’ end destination, and the crew that picks them up won’t know where they came from. Just another sad instance of lost cargo being brought on planet. As a result, when the crates get to their final port, they won’t appear on a manifest as having come from the Veskarium, meaning they won’t be subject to the normal Pact Worlds tariffs." He pauses, thinking. "I'll admit the scheme seems a tad shady, but there’s no rule against it, and certainly there’s nothing illegal about the part you are being asked to play. Nothing wrong with dumping cargo, after all! The client is incentivized to skip over these tariffs, and the accompanying paperwork. So, in return for ferrying cargo to Triaxus, the client is offering 2400 credits, with a 25% payment in advance (600 credits)." He waves to the camera. "Glad to work together again, hopefully you agree!" Then the video cuts.
Strek puts GUMBI into accounting mode and calculates everything up.
"I wouldn't mind a month of comfy living. I saw some Pact Worldser set up an old timey arcade in that shopping center. Lots of first person shooters. They know their audience. Wouldn't mind competing in their weekly tourny for a bit. Pretty decent cafe, too."
When it comes to discussing the job, Strek considers their options. "Do y'all think there's actually a market for upscale, honest work around here? I'd kinda like our reputation to be the dependable type of Last Chance. Rather than the shady type. We did an honest courier job. We helped transport livestock for a small business. Wanna see if Tarika can find us somethin' else more on the money?"
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Akh disappears for several days as he looks for a competent biomechanic who won't immediately dismantle him for parts. When he finally returns, he's looking glossier than ever and his arms are loaded down with plastic shopping bags bearing the colorful regalia of local restaurants. "Who wants snacks! I found these gummy skittermanders that were on sale for some reason. Look how BIG they are! Fit for a stridermander...!" Akh coughs hollowly. He's clearly dealing with some trauma.
Once Tarika contacts the group, he stares for a long time at the image of the Brenneri. "Do you think there is a specific type of devil that takes the form of Brenneri and torments its victims by setting them up for terrible jobs that are definitely increase their chances of being killed?" He ponders "Not that that's what's happening here. Just voicing a hypothetical. Unlikely. Probably."
"I would like some upscale honest work. Yes. Especially if it doesn't involve being perforated by law enforcement. But it seems we are fated to perforation whether we are honest or not."
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"Oh he's just avoiding taxes. Who doesn't do that? Hows that any different than a thousand other corporate shenanigans people do every day? "Oo look at me I filled out paperwork now i'm a corporation now i don't owe taxes...." We can be dependable AND shady. We drop the cargo off at the spot, and we make sure its out of traffic lanes and in a perfectly safe orbit and babysit it till it gets picked up. "
Whats the space version of one of those reflective orange triangles?
I mean, what's "shady"? I'm with Melissa. The BigCorps (TM) will find ways to deduct everything and pay nothing, and here another Little Guy (TM) is pleading with us for a bit of help. And I've gotta say... if we turn on each other they win! Little Guys unite!
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Strek, not possessing a spine for arguments (or at all), eventually comes around to accepting Tarika's job offer.
"Alright. Think you can find us somethin' on Triaxus we can pick up right away, while we're there? Gives us a plausible cover story, at least. Oh, and what're the laws for space littering? Asking for a friend.."
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Melissa returns from shopping with a new paintball pistol loaded with healing serums and some sparkly rocks, and a chemistry set.
"You know on any other planet I'd be afraid of buying magic rocks that keep you from dying again but skittermanders wouldn't claim that sort of thing unless they worked right? They said something about needing training but I've gotten the medkit, explosives and the fusion reactor working without a class.... "
She idly double checks her pocket and yes, she's still carrying the unidentified combine and or Ank part.
"Also got an emergency beacon. We can hook it up to the cargo to make sure they find it. "
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Guess? is able to find a completely above board cargo of nuts that are native to Triaxus and considered a delicacy in the Veskarium. You can drop off this cargo, pick up the foodstuffs, and be back on planet by the time Tarika finds your next job. You're sent the transponder frequency of The Titanosaurus, a cargo ship parked in orbit just a few hours’ flight away. You take a few hours to get your affairs in order then arrange to pick up the cargo. As you pull up next to the ship, a video comm comes in on the bridge. A gruff vesk woman appears on screen. "Kroyvutsa, quartermaster of the Titanosaurus here. Scarlon send you?" After you exchange confirmation codes, she nods tersely. "Let's make this easy, alright? I just want to get the cargo transferred without a fuss. Stick to the cargo hold; don't be mucking about on my ship." Del pulls the ships together and docks. Two humans, faces covered in grime, meet you in the cargo hold. "I'm Earl, he's Merl. We're supposed to help y'all get this cargo moving."
They point you to one large crate and half a dozen small crates, which take up the ship's entire cargo hold. All are correctly marked as complex chemical compounds for medical testing (though they do not say what specific compounds). Noticeable warning labels state the contents are potentially hazardous if removed from packaging and are sealed for environmental purity. The vesk woman comes into the hold as you look over the crates. "Boss said the shipment’s value is lost if the crates’ seals are tampered with — leave them alone if you like getting paid." She grunts. "Seems like all the best jobs are anonymous with silly conditions these days. Like these rich schmooks just enjoy telling us freebooters what to do." Earl looks up from where he was adjusting a crate. "Uh... remember the last time we didn't follow the instructions? Pearl's arm was never the same." The vesk nods in acknowledgement, though her expression does not show sympathy. "As long as you sign on the dotted line, to indicate the seals are intact when you got 'em, my crew and I get paid. Don't care much what happens after that."
The crates are untampered with, and the crates’ seals are genuine. The labeling of the crates as “potentially hazardous complex chemical compounds” appears to be intentionally vague but legally acceptable.
Kroyvutsa hands you the datapad to sign along with a simple beacon. "Instructions say to attach this guy to the crates when you get there. Coordinates for the drop-off are on the crate manifest." She looks at you expectantly, clearly ready to finish her part of the job.