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You each received the following encrypted message on your comm units:
This is First Seeker Jadnura.
You have shown yourself to be an exemplary agent. As such, I have need of you for an urgent and highly classified mission.
Do not speak of it to other agents, faction leaders, or even First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo.
I need you to meet me at the attached coordinates, inside the Lorespire Complex.
It’s under construction, but it is quite safe. The date and time have already been entered into your comm unit.
Following the instructions, you’ve arrived to find the First Seeker waiting for you. Once everyone arrives, he begins his mission briefing.
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Ceolor reads the message almost as soon as he gets it. Not having to deal with his editor hounding about his progress on his latest book would be nice, a Starfinder mission even better. He stops eating the Kahlo-Akitonian fusion dish he'd been nimbling on and reads it again.
"Hrmm, now that's not something you see everyday..." With a few more big bites of the fish and boild spelt dish, he finishes and pays before heading back to his place.
An hour later the deep red-skinned hylki man wanders into the indicated room. He has on a stylized version of pirate captain armor that only exists in movies more than real life, but this has clearly seen some iuae and is probably just as functional as the real thing. Underneath is a brilliantly white shirt with an old cut to it and puffy sleeves. He has a pack slung across his back but not obvious weapons to be seen.
Giving anyone in the room a smile that almost matches his shirt in lumens, Ceolor sits down in a spot and pulls out a small thin box, humming a tune to himself.
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The encrypted message distracts the young, dark-haired man from the vidscreen for a brief flash - but that's all it takes for his avatar to die messily to a nastily aggressive monster that resembles a cross between a man and a jet-black spider in a deep cavern he'd spent the last several days exploring for treasure. The points he'd garnered during that time evaporates in the blink of an eye and Stiehle curses as he logs off of his latest vidgame interest - Shadowrun: Apostae.
With a sigh, he flips down the visual display over his left eye and reads the message. Hmm... Well, if he's going to get to the Lorespire Complex in time, he'll need to get something to eat first. How long has it been anyway, he ponders briefly. Then he takes a tentative sniff and realizes he'll need a shower as well...
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Coming back from Akiton with a gift of UPB from the people of Tasch for her help rebuilding the town, Iris is wondering what to do with it.
The female human looking android immediately reads the message, stopping completely her motions, the way only an android can. She wonders what this mission is, and why the secrecy, and if it might be a trap.
She grabs her backpack with her tools, puts her survival knife and pistol in their holster at her hips, and heads toward the location in the Lorespire Complex, walking while reading the latest station news in her mind.
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At first glance upon arriving, Byakurai appears to be a simple vesk, standing just over 7 1/2 feet tall. Their scales, however, are faded out to a deathly gray pallor and eyes glowing red without any augmentations, belying the notion that they share anything with others of that species beyond physical shape. Floating nearby is a stellar mote of energy, a pale white pulsar flickering in and out of existence as if it was trying to find the strength to generate life.
They only carry a few small weapons other than a tactical shield gear-clamped to the chest plate of their armor for easy access. Byakurai is also wearing a Starfinder service ribbon indicating that they were part of First Seeker Jadnura's original expedition to the Scoured Stars. A squadron badge next to it has pips indicating the number of team-members who went with them on that mission...all but one have been blacked out.
Hesitantly, they nod to each of you before giving Jadnura something resembling a bow, before taking their seat.
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With his stomach no longer growling and smelling quite a bit better than he did a few hours ago to those he passes along the street and the passageways inside the Lorespire Complex, Stiehle enters the room given by the coordinates and glances around with his usual cautiousness. He spots First Speaker Jadnura easily enough and steps in, giving her a nod as he finds a seat very near a red-skinned hylki dressed in outrageous armor who is humming to himself - a small thin box on his lap. A vesk wearing a Starfinder service ribbon captures his attention though, as the fellow doesn't seem quite... right. A moment later, the operative figures out why and he relaxes slightly. Turning to the hylki, he grins and speaks softly so as not to disrupt the room at large - though he isn't being secretive or the like. "I don't think I could ever pull off the puffy sleeves myself, but I have to say your outfit gives me the sudden urge to join a pirate crew."
Dressed in black, rakish armor himself and sporting a pistol on each hip and a sniper rifle slung across his back, his tone is bantering and his smile is friendly as he offers a hand in greeting. "I'm Stiehle Darkwing. See? The name alone practically begs me to become a pirate! What's uh... in the box? If you don't mind my asking?" The man's dark hair is long, but his face is clean-shaven and a miniaturized computer with a retinal display is raised over his left eye at the moment.
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Aravon was at work in Survivor Salvation clinic, he was trying to help others like himself veterans attempting to have a normal life. Smiley was waiting somewhere in the garden spending time with a few Ex-Starfinders, as Aravon was catching up on paperwork.
He was a Half-Orc of medium built, he did not seem particularly strong, nor particularly tough. But his years on the field proved that he can survive a lot. He knew that he still had time to join the briefing when he got an encrypted message.
"Jadnura?" Aravon said to himself surprise, as he immediately begins to pack. There is no way that he would be late for that
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They enter the space of the gathering. First what you see is a big four-paw creature covered with fur. Four eyes scan the place as the mandible mouth moves as the creatures sniff the air. The long retractable claws on it's four paws looks like they could allow it to climb. Long furry tail moves to the sides as the creature sees you.
On it's back sits an orc, his face is heavily burnet hiding most of the subtle emotions that the one may have. The long dark hairs of the half-orc are tied together, he jumps to the ground from the saddle and salutes to Jadnura.
He reaches to his backpack and takes out a rubber ball that he tosses to his mount which begins to play with it as he was a cat.
"I am Aravon, and that is Smiley."
He shakes hands with Ceolor, Stiehle, and Iris-1. Then he smiles at Byakurai seeing a service ribbon showing up a similar one. He recognizes a borai when he sees one, for plenty of other survivors that was the only way to come back.
He puts to the ground his riot shield, which looks like a part of starship hatch adapted to have handles.
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Ceolor gives everyone who comes in a broad grin, and a wave.
Turning to the hylki, he grins and speaks softly so as not to disrupt the room at large - though he isn't being secretive or the like. "I don't think I could ever pull off the puffy sleeves myself, but I have to say your outfit gives me the sudden urge to join a pirate crew."
Dressed in black, rakish armor himself and sporting a pistol on each hip and a sniper rifle slung across his back, his tone is bantering and his smile is friendly as he offers a hand in greeting. "I'm Stiehle Darkwing. See? The name alone practically begs me to become a pirate! What's uh... in the box? If you don't mind my asking?" The man's dark hair is long, but his face is clean-shaven and a miniaturized computer with a retinal display is raised over his left eye at the moment.
Ceolor takes the hand a gives it a shake. "That's the point of the outfit, inspire people. And with a last name like Darkwing, you absolutely should be a pirate! Actually, I'm thinking about a pirate theme for my next holonovel, mind if I based the captain on you? That look and name is almost iconic! The first name would be changed of course!"
He pauses for a second as he opens the thin box, pulling out a thin piece of stiff paper. "Glad you asked, they're business cards! The name's Ceolor Xusha, mayhap you've heard of my holonovels, such as Around Verces in 80 Parsecs the or An Akitonian Abroad?"
Handing over the card, it clearly has contact information, a picture, and the red-skinned human's name. "Best thing is, it's got a data chip inside, so if you brining it up to a data pad and tap it, the contact data gets entered automatically, and, for my fellow Starfinders, gives you credit for a free copy of one of my holonovels. Great reading for long drift missions!"
Giving, Stihle one last smile, the hylki then jumps up and starts handing out cards to the rest of the room. He first approaches the tall vesk. Ceolor's grin dims a second as he takes in the... unusual vesk. He notes the coloration, and then the badge, and gives a small grimace of sympathy. He moves in closer, offering a bow. "Thanks for your service and sacrifice. It must not have been fun to be trapped in the scoured stars like that. I was part of the mission that broke the barrier, and it was not a fun one."
He offers up a card, "Anyways, it is, however, a pleasure to meet you! Ceolor Xusha, holonovelist." As he does, a small ball of darkness, not unlike a hole in space that looks out at the night sky, pops into existance over his shoulder. "And fellow follower of the ways of the Photon and Graviton. Mind if I ask you your name?" He spends some time asking delicate, but probing questions about the man's experiences in the Stars, stopping if he gets any indication he should stop. "So let me know if this is too hard to talk about, but how was it for you in the Scoured Stars? You have any anecdotes or stories you'd want to share?"
He next moves over to meet Aravon, and Smiley. He takes the offered hand and shakes it heartily. Pleasure! Smiley looks like a dear, and intimidating one, but a dear." He also offers the half-orc a card, "Ceolor Xusha, Holonovelist and lover of animals. Make sure to take advantage of that free book!"
He then gives a look at Smiley playing like a cat, and asks, "He okay to play with? Or should I just watch?"
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Iris looks like a human female with fair skin, blonde hair and electric blue eyes. The way she acts, often pausing, looking at people, and the occasional blue light under her skin is what marks her as an android rather than a human.
She’s wearing her usual clothing when she arrives, a lashunta tempweave armor. She only has a pistol and a survival knife as her weapons. The rest of her stuff, including all kinds of tools, is inside her industrial backpack. All her clothing and equipment are clean and looks new or very well maintained.
Upon arriving and seeing Jadnura, Iris relaxes a bit, but it is almost imperceptible.
She presents herself, looking at everyone but Jadnura as she expects to be known to him. “I am Iris. I’ve studied many scientific fields, and also magic.” She activates her society subdermal graft and the society’s symbol glow under the palm of her hand.
She’s surprised at the half-orc starting shaking hand and tries her best to match his greeting, watching how the other replied to it. “Nice to meet you both.” she replies, looking at Avaron and Smiley.
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The First Seeker stands apart from the rest of you, staring silently out of the force-field shielded viewing port. He does turn around with a look of surprise when Smiley enters, and in that moment he notices the service ribbons worn by Byakurai and Aravon. His seems to visibly shrink as he looks at the floor in what could be interpreted as shame. Though it’s hard to be certain behind the kasatha mask.
”We’ll wait a few more minutes for the sixth member of your team to arrive. Once she does, we’ll start,” he says solemnly before slowly turning back to the window.
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Stiehle turns and grips Aravon's extended hand. "Stiehle Darkwing. Smiley sure looks... uh... playful. Also looks like he could bite your head clean off if he wanted to. Or is Smiley a she? Feel free to skip the details on how one can tell." He adds with a grin.
Aravon smiles to Stiehle but it does not look particularly nice due to how half-orc face looks like
"Smiley is a he, females are of similar size, but actually, they are more aggressive. Those creatures hunt in jungles of Castrovel, but for way, smaller creatures than us, so no worries. On top of that Smiley got used to raw meat that I give him, so he is not much into hunting."
Then Aravon turns to Ceolor
"Oh, if you want to go and play. But Smiley has sharp claws and sometimes he can scratch you. So just be aware of that..."
"Hey Iris-4, good to see you again!" and he gives her a hug.
Aravon would approach Jadnura and stand next to him
"Commander, It is an honor to be working with you again. I do put some hours in Survivor Salvation clinic and your men are doing well."
He walks back towards Smiley to make sure that he does not bite someone's head clean-off.
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A small club on the lower floors of the Absolom station. Wild metal concert. Slam, crowd, rockers wave their hands and heads to the beat of the music. A half-drow woman all in leather and latex plays an electric guitar and sings in a growl hymns to the succubus queen Nocticula. There are not so many fans (literally no more than 100 creatures), but they seem to be almost in religious ecstasy.
The concert ends, she goes off stage. After accepting a couple of compliments from the managers of this small black metal festival, she checks the messages.
- Interesting. Let's say I'm in business. - she mumbles to herself.
She removes the communit and reaches for the locker with her armor and weapons.
_______
When she enters the briefing room, she has a cigarette in her teeth, and heavy music is blaring in her headphones (so loud that it can be heard throughout the room). Once inside, she turns off the music (but does not take out a cigarette) and nods to Jurduna and fellow starfinders, lingering her gaze on Aravon.
- Oh, you. Alive... Я шучу. Не бери в голову, я рада тебя видеть! Ты хороший воин, Аравон.
- Oh, you. Alive... I'm kidding. Never mind, I'm glad to see you. You are a great warrior, Aravon.
She smiles at the half-orc and looks at the native akitonian.
-Hi, Ceolor. Glad to work again. I'm almost ready to read your new novel. Just waiting for any vacation.
In principle, many of you may be familiar with this half-drow with light purple skin, milky hair and slightly pointed ears. She is known for her scandalous musical creativity, which many (and not once) proposed to ban. She often mounts her clips from video recordings of battles taking place on SFS missions.
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When Aravon approaches, Jadnura nods in recognition. ”Aravon. Yes, I remember you. Your presence on the first expedition, and your return to the system to purge the jinsuls and Dhurus is why I requested your for this mission. You and Byakurai both. I didn’t know that you’d been working with the survivors here in Absalom Station also. That’s commendable. And…” His voice cracks before he can finish, but then before he can recover a certain drow lady arrives.
Jadnura lets Yarameh greet her teammates before he turns to you from the the window he’d been staring out of.
“I’m glad you could make it. I apologize for the secretive nature of this briefing.” He looks each assembled agent in the eye. “I want you to know that I hold the fine work of First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo in the highest regard, but if she knew I was assembling Starfinder Agents for missions, it would complicate the already … mmm …. difficult situation of having two First Seekers. What I ask of you is of paramount importance to the Society, you see I—how do I begin?” Jadnura looks back out the vast open port at the stunning view of The Eye of Absalom Station. His hand dances across the force field window before he continues.
“I have failed the Society,” he says as shame tinges his voice. He meets the gazes of Byakurai and Aravon, and his eyes drop again before he continues. ”Over a year ago I discovered an artifact called a Tear on a small moon known as Kukanou-2b. It guided me to the Scoured Stars trinary star system. I dreamt of making impressive new discoveries, perhaps even some protected from the ravages of The Gap. In my excitement I had forgotten caution. For that, the Society lost so much.” He takes a deep breath, then exhales slowly. “Resources. Lives. So many of you under my command were trapped or killed behind the Godshield that enveloped the system,” he says unable to again meet the two veterans’ gazes. ”And so many of you came to our rescue. My thanks to you also,” he adds with a nod to Ceolor and Iris.
Not to let his shame overcome him, Jadnura straightens his back and starts again with a resolute tone.
“I need to make amends, that much is certain. But I also need to find out where I went wrong. What vital clue I must have missed. For that, I need you.” As he continues speaking, he looks at each of you meaningfully. “You are the finest group of agents that I can assemble, each with an impressive service record. I need you to go to Kukanou-2b, where my folly began. Retrace my steps and find any clues to the Tear, the Scoured Stars, or anything else that can make sense of this… this… catastrophe. If you find anything illuminating, return to me at once. Do you have any questions before you depart?”
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Ceolor's boundless energy carries him over to Iris with a chipper edge. He hands over a card. "You are certainly a well designed android. That skin covering you have looks like the real thing. If it wasn't for the complete pauses and those occasional lights I would have mistaken you for human... But anyways, Ceolor Xusha at your service. I'm a holonovelist. It will be a pleasure working with you."
He grins a bit brighter as he spots Yarameh from across the room. "We're going to be working together again? Perfect! It was a delight last mission." He quickly closes the gap and gives her a couple hearty pats on the back. "I've been enjoying your newest album. Also, I hope you enjoy the book. The plot might be similar to our last mission, but I guarantee you won't guess the ending. Also, one of the characters is loosely based on you, I wonder if you can recognize who."
When the Old? Uh, New? Formerly-concurrent?... When First Seeker Jadnura starts talking, Ceolor takes a good spot to stop and listen. When the tone of the conversation starts coming through, the brimming enthusiasm starts to fade as Ceolor's face grows somber. He listens to the whole thing in quiet. After a second or two to let the words sink in, he raises his hand. "First, with all due respect, I don't think you should blame yourself entirely for this. Unless you had some way of knowing what was going to happen, you couldn't have foreseen this. It was a large mission to explore a new place. Few could have told you it was a trap. But, more importantly, we should look at moving forward."
"So, about the mission. Would you mind giving us some context? Why did you go there in the first place? What did you find? And where approximately did you find it? We should probably start there if that's where this initially started."
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Aravon looks at Yarameh and responds
"Was diese hexe machts hier?"
"What this hag is doing here?"
"It is good to see you in good health Yarameh. I saw your music career is doing fine." Aravon does not say that he tries to listen to it, but it was too much for him to bear. However, he does give her a hug.
Then the Half-Orc stands next to Smiley and listens to the briefing.
"Any information on the planet itself? Is it populated are they friendly?"
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Iris seems embarrassed by the show of affection from Aravon but hugs him as best she can. She tells him “If I were following the tradition of some androids it would be Iris-1 but I’m not ; just call me Iris please.”
The android seems out of word to reply to Ceolor’s compliment. Having heard him tell that the card contains a way to get to a holonovel, she will tell him flatly “I do not read fiction.”, not realizing that might hurt him. She still takes the card and touch it to gain access to the coordinates before tucking it into a pocket.
When people talking in a language she does not understand, she starts wondering if she should cast comprehend languages.
As Jadnura is trying to explain why the mission is a secret, she is looking intensely at him, trying to detect any hint of lying, while thinking that does seem a plausible explanation. At the same time, Elsebo was never acknowledged by Guidance.
While Celeor is downplaying Jadnura’s fault in the incident, she’s thinking hubris would make him responsible, especially if he put aside any caution when planning the operation. I wasn’t there to know first-hand.
Once Jadnura has replied to the other’s question, she will ask the First Seeker. “Isn’t there other starfinders that have gone to Kukanou-2b when the society was looking for a way to help those trapped in the Scoured Stars? Would no one else got there in the meantime? ”
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> However, he does give her a hug.
With a wry smile, she hugs him back ('accidentally' exhaling smoke at this moment).
> Also, one of the characters is loosely based on you, I wonder if you can recognize who.
- I hope, not a giant intelligent mollusque with intense love to pop music! She laughs and suddenly thinks 'oh Lady why did I give him this idea...'. She will quickly switch her attention to the First Seeker.
- I will support my comrades in their question. We need more details about this place and your actions there.
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Stiehle grins at Ceolor. "Holonovelist, eh? I'm always reading when I'm not gaming. I think I've read Around Verces, in fact. Though it's been a bit." He takes the card and slips into a pocket, then regards the others as they enter. When the half-drow enters, he recognizes her instantly as heavy metal music while vidgaming goes hand in hand, as far as he's concerned.
As the first speaker opens the briefing, the operative listens attentively, though he doesn't add any further questions as of yet. The others have expressed his own thoughts admirably.
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Jadnura gives a slow blink and brief nod to Ceolor’s words of assurance before answering the questions of the team.
”I went to Kukanou-2b on a simple mission of survey and discovery. I wasn’t looking for anything in particular just for anything interesting. I certainly found that, didn’t I?” he asks with a wry smile. As he gets back into leader-mode, his mood seems to lighten a bit.
”The only thing I found was the Tear. As you know, they are about 2 feet long and resemble an obelisk or prism made of some golden material. I’ve now seen two of them, and they each look similar, but unique. As if they were custom made to fit some purpose. I found the Tear in a carved-out chamber near the surface, perhaps left there by smugglers or, as with the Tear Luwazi found, hidden away by the civilization it was intended for.” He swipes his comm unit to pass you all a full briefing package on the system, as well as planetary coordinates for the cavern he found before.
”As for the system you’re heading to, it has only two planets orbiting around a blue star. The first is almost entirely molten rock, the second is a gas giant with various moons. Your target is one of those moons. Kukanou-2b once had a liquid core but met some seismic catastrophe that rendered it lifeless. The environment is fairly hazardous, but the protections of your armor will certainly suffice. I found no signs of life or any indication of previous inhabitants. The only thing there was the Tear.”
“Isn’t there other starfinders that have gone to Kukanou-2b when the society was looking for a way to help those trapped in the Scoured Stars? Would no one else got there in the meantime? ”
"Not that I’m aware of. I’ve checked Starfinder mission logs, and it seems that Luwazi didn’t bother sending anyone there. I don’t blame her for that, of course, she was quite busy trying to recover from our mysterious disappearance. But, no, no one has visited the Kukanou system since me.”
”We need more details about this place and your actions there.”
He folds his lower arms behind his back, shrugs his shoulders, and spreads his upper arms with palms up. ”I’m afraid I don’t really have any more details. I found the Tear in the cavern, brought it to my ship, and returned to the Pact Worlds. I did a thorough scan of the moon at the time, but, of course, the whole reason I’m asking for your help is in the hope that you’ll find something I missed.”
If there are no further questions, Jadnura tells you that where to find the Pegasus ship that he’s arranged for you.
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The android seems out of word to reply to Ceolor’s compliment. Having heard him tell that the card contains a way to get to a holonovel, she will tell him flatly “I do not read fiction.”, not realizing that might hurt him. She still takes the card and touch it to gain access to the coordinates before tucking it into a pocket.
Ceolor nods in understanding, "I've heard from some androids some of my novels can be 'interesting character studies into the human psyche' but don't feel you have to change your habits for me."
- I hope, not a giant intelligent mollusque with intense love to pop music! She laughs and suddenly thinks 'oh Lady why did I give him this idea...'. She will quickly switch her attention to the First Seeker.
Laughing some, Ceolor shakes his head. "No, they aren't at all. I think I gave them extra legs actually... But that is a good idea. A colorful pop idol mollusk meeting Pirate Captain Darkwing would make for an interesting dynamic..."
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Once Jadnura finishes handling the questions Ceolor and the rest tossed out, Ceolor gives him a nod, a smile and heads for the docks. "We'll try to make you proud."
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Iris is taking notes while listening to the First Seeker. She also takes a look at the data provided on the systems, looking for anything particular. She asks “Would you recommend any special equipment for this system or this moon?”
Once she finds or gets some answer on this topic and no one else has a question. She heads out. Once outside she will tell the party “Before we go, I have some purchase to make. It will not take long. I will also try to find if someone I know is available to accompany us on our mission. He might not be that useful on this mission if we do not meet anyone as he is specialized in social skills.”
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”No, Iris, nothing other than what you’d normally equip yourselves with. My team and I had normal environmental seals and good lights, of course, but nothing else extraordinary.”
He sees you all out, wishes you luck, then returns to stare out the large window in silence.
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Travelling to Kukanou-2b takes 20 days through the Drift and into the Vast. Though mostly uneventful, on the fourth day, you intercept a mysterious signal in Near Space.
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Stiehle spends his time aboard the ship either idly reading the holonovel An Akitonian Abroad or vidgaming. He mingles with the others as well, but the operative is often more comfortable being alone.
When his attention is brought to the mysterious signal, he is able to assist in decrypting the wave...
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Ceolor takes the time to start outlining his newest book about a colorful mollusk and a dark brooding space captain.
Taking a break into the mess, he stretches and takes a look over Stiehle's shoulder, curious as to what the man is computing.
"Oooh, that looks goblin in nature. I mean that constantly fluctuating syntax is a big indicator."
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He notes the coloration, and then the badge, and gives a small grimace of sympathy. He moves in closer, offering a bow. "Thanks for your service and sacrifice. It must not have been fun to be trapped in the scoured stars like that. I was part of the mission that broke the barrier, and it was not a fun one."
Byakurai holds up a hand. "Please, no need for bowing. If it wasn't for you and the rest of the Society, none of us would have made it out at all. If anything, I'm the one who should be bowing to you." They take a shallow breath then extend a hand. "I was..am, Byakurai Taro. It is good to meet you."
~~~
During the briefing, Byakurai would keep their eyes down, also not meeting Jadnura's...although there is a shake of the head when Jadnura talks about failure - Byakurai clearly does not agree with the former First Seeker's assessment on that.
As the team is moving to leave, they will linger behind and give Jadnura a meaningful nod and a few simple words. "Nobody blames you, sir. There was no way to foresee what was coming." This, followed by a salute as they depart to grab what little gear they don't already carry on them.
~~~
While on-board the ship, Byakurai would spend most of their time in meditation...although close enough to the gunnery station should the team be alerted to any threats. When not in the Drift, they would linger near viewports that provided a view of suns both near and far, their meditations trying to strengthen the faded white pulsar that is their stellar mote. The longer the voyage takes, however, they also meditate on the Sidereal influence of black holes and the darkness between the stars.
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- You are an interesting person, Byakurai. By the way, I’m too not a fully living creature anymore. You know... survival sometimes leads us to a desperate decisions. So... what about training sparrings? I hate to feel lethargy in the muscles and a drop in reaction.
This conversation takes place in the first days after departure.
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A smiling human with a starfinder insigna and neatly cut brown hair joins the group just before the ship departs. He is just carrying a backpack with no weapon. A bit out of breath, as he had to run to get there in time, he presents himself: “I’m sorry for being late.” He watches his comm unit to see the time, “Well, almost on time. Everyone, I’m Barin.” He adds, with a smile toward the android,“Once again, Iris requested my assistance for this mission. I only have social skills, don’t expect me to do anything else beside hiding in case of trouble.”
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Every day, after waking up, Iris does a routine maintenance check of the ship, both computer and physical. After that, she spends most of her time either reading about science or magic, or working on various projects.
Barin, is mostly working on learning a new language, he’s trying to learn a new language and has trouble with pronunciation, so he seems to be repeating the same phrase over and over.
He’ll try to have a discussion with each other Starfinder, presenting himself and trying to learn more about them.
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Iris will cast comprehend languages to get the meaning of the message, as she does not speak Goblin.
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Also, seizing the moment, on the 3-4 day of the flight, Yarameh will catch Aravon in the kitchen when there will be no one else there. She comes over with two mugs of coffee, one of which she places in front of the half-orc.
- I wanted to talk to you last time. In general…
She is clearly hesitating, such words are not familiar to her.
- In short. I understand you much better than you think. I'm a half-drow. This means that I am only half everywhere, and everywhere I am the worst half. In the Pact Worlds, I am a drow to everyone. A cunning, insidious, cruel creature, necessarily worshipping the Demon Lord... Well... Yes-yes, I really worship the Demon Lord, but it's not because of the color of my skin, it's my free choice… Anyway. For most people, I'm a monster. Or someone unworthy of trust at least.
Yarameh pauses for a moment, looking into her coffee mug, then takes a sip.
- The coffee, by the way, is not poisoned. Probably. - She chuckles and casts a brief glance at Aravon - Well. And at our home I am a "half" too. I'm not a drow, you understand? I'm a "half-person". Better than you, but still worse than any full-blooded drow, even the most stupid and incompetent. So it turns out that I'm a stranger everywhere. And that's why I run away from the Apostae.
She looks away, as if there is something interesting and worthy of attention in the sink with dishes, but continues to talk.
- I don't know why I'm telling you this. I remember your first glance in my direction on our previous mission. Very unpleasant. And somehow it stuck in my head. To be honest, I thought about killing you first. But I decided that this is not the choice that I like. That's the way it is, Aravon.
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Aravon was cutting meat in the kitchen, during the 20 days journey you might have got familiar that Smiley eats a bucket of meat thrown which he snatches.
He cleaned his hands and turned around to Yarameh, part is to be polite. He would not say that he never felt fully comfortable with a drow behind his back.
He took the coffee mug from her and sniffed it "Smells good, thanks."
He takes a sip and wonders what to say "I of all aliens should not to not judge a book by the cover. What was done to us in Apostae was monstrous. By the premise of being orcs. My hatred towards drows is still there, I visited Nightarch some time back as a Starfinder and I barely controlled myself."
He takes another sip of coffee
"When I joined Jadnura I was planning to be a diplomat, I wanted to convince aliens to be smarter and not repeat the mistakes of the past. Thinks have taken a different turn... I am scarred, sometimes I feel dead like Byakurai, to some degree... But we did fight together, side by side, so you are as close as a family."
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As your Pegasus ship exits the Drift, you find yourselves in a small system around a blue dwarf star. After heading toward the blue-and-green gas giant, you easily locate the second moon, Kukanou-2b. This black and grey rock spins silently with ash storms marring its lonely surface.
The Science Officer(s) huddle over the systems control screens as the scanners ping and probe the small moon. They intently study the results to see what Jadnura may have missed.
It’s trivial to tell that Kukanou-2b’s atmosphere is thin, humid, ash filled, and contains a toxic level of carbon dioxide. They agree that spending much more than 24 hours on the planet would be unhealthy. The high heat is intolerable for most creatures. The ambient temperature on the landing zone is 130 degrees Fahrenheit. Underground the temperature drops to a cooler 110 degrees. Environmental seals on armor are necessary to sustain the wearer. Scans also detect no other starships.
Furthermore, most of the moon’s surface is made of volcanic rock such as basalt, andesite, and obsidian. The ash-filled atmosphere makes it nearly impossible for plants to survive; the surface has no life signs and no active energy or magical signatures. Fault lines on the surface suggest a catastrophic seismic and volcanic event in the distant past. All volcanic activity has ceased, though quakes continue to ravage the surface, and the core of the moon is cooling rapidly.
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Eager for some action, Stiehle moves to the systems control and joins the Science Officers there, analyzing the computer data received from the moon.
The operative points out the more obvious tunnels flooded with magma and the trace elements that suggest modern technology being on the surfae and in the tunnels when the catastrophic event occurred. With greater interest, he highlights the readings that indicate the presence of long buried underground settlements that more extensive excavation may well uncover in the future.
However, Stiehle exclaims in surprise as something else catches his eye. "Here, look! This settlement isn't entirely buried. There could be some buildings and technology still intact there. No life signs... and our destination coordinates takes us close by."
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- I understand... About being dead inside, too. We have more in common than it seems, I'm talking about it. I was also in Nightarch with starfinders as a guide, and I did not get any pleasure from the trip.
Yarameh thoughtfully fiddles with the pendant in the form of a branching and twisted letter Y - the sacred symbol of her demigodess.
- You know, I see mystical lessons in everything, and the fact that you are around again and again should teach me something. However, I have not yet fully understood what exactly... But I'm surprisingly glad of your company. And this does not happen often.
If the half-orc does not continue this, then she will change the topic of conversation to Aravon's pet with a slight smile.
_______
Yarameh calmly checks her combat equipment, preparing for the landing, as a real warrior should. "Scientists are doing their job, I will do mine" - with such thoughts, she hums softly some melody from the folklore of the dark elves and clicks the shutters.
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Jadnura’s information provides you with a safe landing zone which is trivial to locate. The directions to the chamber where Jadnura found the Tear are easy to follow and are about an hour away by foot across the scarred volcanic surface.
The cavern entrance is also easy to find, tucked into the ground-level side of a huge basalt cliff. Once underground, the air is no longer full of ash, and the ceiling of the cavern is 15 feet high. Everything is pitch black darkness, illuminated only by your armors’ built in lights. All is quiet….
The plain rocky walls are occasionally highlighted by black mold that emits a pungent musty odor. The remnants of a camp indicate the former presence of sentient life, including a portable self-pitching tent of a common Pact Worlds brand. A single set of humanoid foot prints stand out starkly against the undisturbed dust and ash. So starkly that following them would require no skill whatsoever.
The person who left them was Medium sized and walked quickly, as if they knew where they were going.
These tracks are very recent and clearly not from Jadnura’s expedition.
You discover cracks in the cave walls without any settled dust, indicating very recent natural seismic disturbances.
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Aravon takes another sip of coffee
"I am glad that you are here as well. When working in Survivor Salvation with veterans part of recovering is revisiting the experiences of the past. Maybe us working with each other is what both of us need..." says smiling with his burned face.
==================
As they land Aravon dons his heavy armor. The massive plates provide very little flexibility but provide plenty of protection. The half-orc first turns on his environmental protection and then activates Smileys collar.
He leaves the ship sitting in the saddle on Smileys back. Yasakaja raises his head high and sniffs whatever the air is left after it passes the protection.
The mounts move swiftly through the ground using its big claws to stand steady. When they spot the tent Aravon begins to scout the area
"THey belong to Medium side person. They walked quickly as if they knew where they were going. That does not sound like Jadnura exploration."
"Keep your eyes open, I know few that would trap their camp for such occasions."
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(In-Flight)
- You are an interesting person, Byakurai. By the way, I’m too not a fully living creature anymore. You know... survival sometimes leads us to a desperate decisions. So... what about training sparrings? I hate to feel lethargy in the muscles and a drop in reaction.
This conversation takes place in the first days after departure.
Byakurai would bow a bit, before replying in their soft and halting style. "The Firescale teaches that existence should be about more than just survival...there is light, and there is truth...I just wonder if the sacrifices others made to help me return ali...in this 'living undead' state were worth it."
"But sparring is an excellent idea, and I am honored to join you for it. I found my previous shield too restrictive and had to acquire a new one recently. Trying it out with a sparring partner will be much better than simple training robots or combat sims."
-----
(On-Mission)
Byakurai keeps quiet during the landing other than to take notes on their comm unit's text editor from the computer results, and to give a glance to make sure everyone has their environmental protections on and gear set.
As the group moves, they stay near the middle of the party, shield already on their left arm and hand. They form a solar weapon around their right arm - a manifestation takes the form of spiked chains of refracted sunlight that pierce the skin of his arm and hand in a way that looks quite painful.
Looking ahead...
Byakurai nods in response to Aravon's assessment and hopes the others get a good look at the rest of the area while continuing to keep pace with the others.
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Stiehle points out that the tracks are fresh and thus not from Jadnura's mission that occurred some time ago. "Whoever it is knew right where they were going - despite what Jadnura said about others not getting here before us. We can be fairly certain whoever this is, they aren't a Starfinder." He grins at Aravon. "Let's find out who they are."
The operative makes certain his pistol is ready and carried it in hand going forward.
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Armored up and ready for anything, the Starfinders make their way into the cavern. They hunter / trackers among you easily detect and assess the recent set of footprints, and decide to follow them deeper into the cave complex. The path the footsteps follow match up with Jadnura’s notes as to where he found the Tear.
As you descend a small set of steps that appear to have been naturally formed* something shifts and rises from the rubble. Two large, roughly-humanoid forms seem to simply create themselves from the rocks and advance towards you with clearly hostile intent.
Conditions: Dark, spooky, underground, yada yada
Bold may act!
Fight’s On!
Yarameh
Stiehle
Byakurai
Green
Red
Aravon
Iris
Ceolor
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As the rock-like creatures erupt from the ground, Stiehle is already moving, utilizing whatever shadows he can to deftly squeeze past the thing and into the room behind it - clearing a way for the others to engage it as well. Spinning around when he gets to the back wall of the cave, the operative opens fire with his semi-auto pistol.
vs DC20 + Target's CR
vs Target's Flatfooted Kinetic AC
+ (if applicable)
If enemy is hit, Debilitating Trick makes Green creature flatfooted until beginning of my next turn.
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Iris takes a look at the mold, curious about something that can live there. She also takes a look at the cave.
”This area seems to have suffered seismic activity recently. Look at those cracks, there’s no dust on the floor.”
She gives a try at calibrating one of her tool to help warn about any seismic activity while following the other Starfinders.
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When the creatures of rock begin their advance, Byakurai assumes a stance, shield aligned towards the same one (Green) Stiehle struck out at while entering Photon Mode (1). Not seeing any means of reasoning with these beings, their right arm lifts to take Deadly Aim, the chains of light bound there flaring and firing a burst of white sunlight and Holy energy at their foe.
vs. EAC
(Deadly Aim + Photon)
(Weapon Crystal 1)
AC 23 vs Green
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Stiehle bolts forward and shimmies through a gap in the rocks as the creature finishes forming itself. But his attempt to sneak by it fails, and his shot just barely goes wide. The ex-racing pilot thinks that if he’d been more careful with his shot and not tried to do a little extra damage, he might have hit it.*
Byakurai however, is much more successful. Chains of white hot lightning lash out at the Greener of the two creatures and engulf it in sunlight and holy energy. The creature emits an anguished screech, and Byakurai can tell that Sarenrae’s holy fire did more damage than they’d expected.
Conditions: Dark, spooky, underground, yada yada
Yarameh may act!
Fight’s On!
Yarameh
Stiehle
Byakurai
Green
Red
Aravon
Iris
Ceolor