Your presence has been requested at the Lorespire Complex on Absalom Station. There, you are to receive your assignment from Guidance. The networked entity is comprised of the personalities of prominent former Starfinder Society members, including the majority of First Seekers.
Besides the First Seeker and the Forum, Guidance is the third pillar of Starfinder Society leadership. Only rarely, when a person is deemed unworthy or dies before the uploading process, does a First Seeker's persona not become a part of the Society's spiritual anchor. Guidance inducts all new Starfinders into the organization and gives them their commencement address
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Just like "mom". Twila-5 muses as she remembers that Twila-4 was late to her first mission and early to her second, just like she is now. The android stands at ease, inconspicuously scanning with amethyst eyes for the rest of the scheduled arrivals. Her right hand tugs absentmindedly at her naturally wavy hair, its red-violet roots blending to deep indigo ends just past her shoulder. The left side of her head is clean shaven, revealing an expanse of warm light brown skin covered in tattoos of delicate scrollwork and flowers in indigos and violets, weaving over and around her glowing pale violet circuits. These tattoos flow onto her face, down her neck, and peek out of her sleeves on her hands as well. The clothing she wears is simple, plain but well tailored, in colors of navy and merlot.
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A tall, broad-shouldered human with cinnamon skin, a shaved head, and piercing brown eyes backs into the room, arguing quietly but animatedly with someone out in the hall. A vid-drone hovers nearby, camera lens zeroed in on his strong profile. He makes a sharp slashing motion with his hand to punctuate his statement. His voice rises just enough to be heard as he does so.
"... not working with him, Tas, and that's final! I don't care how popular Zo! is, he's a creep who makes money off murder. It's not happening."
He turns and storms into the room, his battered forest-green Golemforged plate creaking and thumping heavily with each footstep. As the door slides shut, a harrassed-looking Damaya lashunta huffs and storms off, the vid-drone flying close to her shoulder.
He realizes other people are in the room, flushes slightly, and takes a seat away from the door, somehow managing to cross his thick arms over his chest even in heavily-plated armor.
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Twila-5 is about to introduce herself to the others in the room when the human enters, and she can't help but overhear that conversation. Hm. Principled. And a good principle at that. Introductions are definitely in order. "Hey. I'm Twila-5." Her voice is an odd combination of warm honey and stereotypical android flatness.
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Roddy blinks in mild surprise; he'd already lost himself in thought when the android speaks to him. His face naturally breaks into a charming, boyish grin as he stands back up and offers his hand. "Roddy Glasz, from the Glasz Cannon Holocast. Pleasure. You been with the Society long?"
It's basically Dog the Bounty Hunter but slightly less cringey. He makes a point to use non-lethal methods to bring in bounties, but nonetheless is famous for absurd punch-themed knockouts which the show has taken to calling the "Glasz Cannon" because puns are the absolute worst and I'm here for them.
The show has a relatively small but loyal fanbase.
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Having only heard of the Glaz Cannon Holocast in passing, Twila-5 chooses to respond to that data offering with a mere nod. "I only just started. My first mission briefing was sidelined by the start of the Data Scourge. I hear that my experiences that day were good practice for much of the work I'll likely do in the Society. How long have all of you been with them?"
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An android with a bat slung over his shoulder that has the words "Percussive Repairs" burned into it pipes up as he looks around.
"So, this is the Lorespire complex. I swear, it looked bigger on the outside. I can't say I've heard of the Glasz Cannon Holocast, but I'll need to look it up at some point."
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It's hard to say for sure, but you could swear you see relief roll over Roddy's face at the lack of recognition, if only for a split second.
"Oh, don't worry about it." He turns back to Twila-5. "Been in the Society, ahh... year and a half now? Joined up before the whole smear campaign started, helped bring in that little weasel Datch. What a fiasco. My manager was not pleased I stuck with the Society through that. Said it was bad for my publicity. I... maybe said some things I wasn't proud of." He scratches his chin awkwardly. "Regardless, she stuck around despite all that, which I appreciate. Tas is damn good at her job. She always makes great business suggestions. She just doesn't always make great moral suggestions." He shrugs with a sheepish smile. "The pitfalls of showbiz, I guess."
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Casually walking through the door, Rin Jabo enters the briefing room and quickly realizes he's later to the briefing than rest of his fellow Starfinders. Coffee in one hand and a half eaten protein bar in the other, Rin quickly tries to brush the crumbs from the front of his stained flightsuit, managing to spill a bit more on the clearly hopeless garment. "Damn, who fills these this full."
A middle-aged Damaya Lashunta, Rin's fitter days appear to be behind him and he doesn't have a lot of hair left except for a bushy moustache that would be more fitting on a human. An old semi-auto and baton hangs on his belt over microcord, none of which look particularly new.
Shuffling to the edge of the room, Rin leans against the wall and gestures to the room with his coffee cup in a slight toast. "Hello fellow Starfinders! Rin Jabo, Pilot and Companion ready to set out on our next mission. Anybody get a glimpse yet at what the servers have for us this time?"
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An android with a bat slung over his shoulder that has the words "Percussive Repairs" burned into it pipes up as he looks around.
Heh. Nice.
Coffee in one hand and a half eaten protein bar in the other, Rin quickly tries to brush the crumbs from the front of his stained flightsuit, managing to spill a bit more on the clearly hopeless garment. "Damn, who fills these this full."
Twila-5 catches herself in the midst of a disparaging thought, but recalls the squalor in which Twila-4 spent the beginning of her life. Many people around her didn't even own a change of clothing, so changing into something fresh for a briefing would've been impossible. That indicated nothing of their capabilities in a tight spot, however. Perhaps Rin is more than he seems. He's in the Society, after all.
She extends her hand in greeting after Roddy. "Hello Rin Jabo. I'm Twila-5. Good to have another pilot. My skills are usually adequate, but I still have much to learn."
With you all assembled, a cluster of sleek black computers set against the far wall of the meeting room begins to hum to life. The Starfinder Society emblem at the center of the server cluster shines and begins projecting a stream of holographic light. The light takes the form of humanoid figure bereft of any definition, standing at the end of the meeting table closest to the servers.
“Greetings, I am Guidance." declares a voice, emanating from the computer. "I trust that you have all had the opportunity to be introduced to your fellow agents and to assess one another's skills and abilities. This information will be of use to you for I have a new assignment for all of you. Please observe.”
A picture of Guidance is now on Slides.
The projection gestures a flicking hand to its side, and a stream of data detailing an outpost made of interconnected circular chambers scrolls beside it.
“One of the Pact Worlds’ most prestigious organizations, the Xenowardens, recently discovered a dataset detailing the location of an outpost abandoned over two hundred years ago." explains the voice. "The organization has requested that the Starfinder Society dispatch a team of agents to secure the site, along with any remaining equipment or data. Your team will travel to this outpost and retrieve as much information about it as possible. You should also salvage any relevant equipment, which the Society will take as part of its payment."
The holographic projection flickers for a moment, then the voice urges, "If you have questions, now is the time to present them.”
"What about equipment that is too bulky to bring with us?"
"If there happens to be equipment that is too large or cumbersome to retrieve safely, please be certain to provide a description of its nature, condition, and location so that it can be extracted at a later time, assuming it is reasonable to do so. Guidance explains flatly. "Of course, if the equipment cannot be safely transported and its presence poses some undue risk or harm to yourselves or any local lifeforms, then it should be destroyed, assuming it is determined safe to do so."
"Such is but one of potentially numerous analyses that you may be called upon to make in the field. Nevertheless, my records show that each of you has received proper training and demonstrated yourselves to be competent field agents, capable of making the decisions necessary to complete the mission successfully with a minimal risk of injury to yourselves or those around you."
"What are the Xenowardens after, here? They don't usually bother with outposts except to monitor them and make sure they're not trashing the local ecosystems. A ruined or abandoned one doesn't seem like their usual wheelhouse."
"The reason that the outpost was abandoned remains unknown, as does the answer to your inquiry, 'What are the Xenowardends after?'. Each is part of the reason you’re all needed to investigate the site. Records indicate the outpost confirmed its arrival and establishment with the hiring organization, but since then there have been limited communications. No reports or responses have been received in over two hundred years. In addition to recovery of records, artifacts, or information that may be of historical significance, ascertaining the reason for the colony's abandonment may prove useful in providing data of potential threats, hazards, or others factors that may have an impact on the establishment and preservation of future outposts.”
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Hmm... Why *would* the druids care about this outpost? "There must be something in that data set that suggests an alignment with the Xenowardens' goals. Did they share the content of the data set they found, either whole or in part? Can we access it? If we have a better idea of what we're getting into, we can be better prepared for a successful mission."
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Rin gives a hearty grip to Roddy. "Pleasure my fellow Starfinder. I'm not antsy, just if I stay in the station too long I get a bit voidsick. Gotta be out there burning Society fuel or they'll retire me and I'll have to get a legit job." Turning away at Twila's approach, Rin also greets her warmly and demurs on her skills as a pilot. "I'm sure you're more than adequate and better than I."
Fading back to the wall when Guidance begins, Rin jots a few notes on a small pad with a pen. Listening carefully to his companions, he proceeds "Guidance, do you think that this location has remained known only to the Starfinders or do you think others may be interested in a potentially rich find? Just want to know if this is a leisure cruise or a turn and burn exercise."
Hmm... Why *would* the druids care about this outpost? "There must be something in that data set that suggests an alignment with the Xenowardens' goals. Did they share the content of the data set they found, either whole or in part? Can we access it? If we have a better idea of what we're getting into, we can be better prepared for a successful mission."
"Unfortunately, the Xenowardens have provided only limited data and, presumably, they possess no further information. The limited amount of data is also consistent with the nature of the organizations record retention policies and that fact that it has deemed the outpost as a low-priority endeavor, mostly due to its abandonment and relative lack of impact on the organization’s modern enterprises." notes Guidance. "However, the dataset does establish that the outpost was constructed near a forested region of the planet. Reported readings show a temperate world with standard Castrovel-like gravity and atmosphere."
"Guidance, do you think that this location has remained known only to the Starfinders or do you think others may be interested in a potentially rich find? Just want to know if this is a leisure cruise or a turn and burn exercise."
"I cannot confirm whether the Xenowardens have recently shared this dataset with any other organization or entity," concedes Guidance. "However, the fact that the outpost was abandoned over two centuries ago and that its existence only recently was rediscovered by the Xenowardens suggests that the site is not likely to currently be a subject of attention of multiple parties."
"But may be a nesting site for local fauna. You haven't mentioned where this outpost is yet. Is that sensitive information?"
"The planet where the outpost is located is in Near Space. The outpost was established during the colonization rush that followed the advent of Drift travel. Outsiders have subsequently paid little heed to the planet, and as a result the world is identified by a basic numbering system: Colony-894."
You board a starship with the coordinates for the outpost already having been inputted into the navigational computer.
During the eleven days of travel through the Drift, your journey is uneventful. Once your vessel leaves the Drift and enters the designated star system, the planet of your destination planet appears on the starship’s main viewscreen.
Suddenly, alarms suddenly blare. A slender form emerges from the distant void, slithering from out of the planet’s shadow. It moves directly toward the starship, as if drawn to it.
"Let's see what this critter is..."
As the android commences a scan, he is able to identify the creature ahead, coming toward the ship, as a spacer legend known as a Besmaran whelp. The name is a catchall title for a wildly diverse group of immense space-dwelling aliens, which scientists are still researching in an effort to determine if these creatures are one species or several. The Besmaran whelps have a long wormlike body, two appendages, and a narrowed tail. Such creatures typically feed on energy—their favorite meal being the power cores of starships!
Picture of your the creature and your vessel are now on Slides.
Below the image of the creature, additional information begins to appear on the viewscreen.
N Medium starship aberration (red)
Speed 12; Maneuverability good (+1 Piloting, turn 2)
AC 14; TL 11
HP 55; DT —; CT 11
Bioshields 40 (forward 10, port 10, starboard 10, aft 10)
Attack (Forward) energy drain bite +3 (EMP effect)
Stats for your Pegasus class vessel is now on Slides
Starship Combat Map is now up on Slides.
Engineering Phase - Round One - Now Begins!
Engineering Phase - Round One
George-23 is going to divert power to the engines.
Ship status updated on Slides.
Helm Phase - Round One Begins
The space creature, sensing a meal, flies directly towards the newly-appeared starship!
Movement of Besmaran Whelp (red) now indicated on Map.
Helm Phase - Round One Cont'd; Gunnery Phase - Round One Begins!
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At the sight of the creature on the scanners, Rin smoothly slips into the pilot console and begins to make a series of rapid adjustments and modifications to the settings. Intensely concentrating, it's clear that Rin is familiar with the Pegasus and moves with practiced rapidity to bring the ship to combat.
Upon hearing Roddy's shout, Rin grasps the controls and rolls the ship to the starboard. "I'll try and keep it in our front quadrant, give it all that we got!" Hoping his modifications have settled in, Rin maneuvers for position.
Helm Phase - Round One Cont'd
Twila-5 targets the tail.
Rin flies evasively [/ooc]
Gunnery Phase - Round One Cont'd
Roddy tries to encourage, but Vutrul doesn't need it and Hagitha doesn't heed him. The vesk's shot slams against the Besmaran Whelp's bioshields.
Hagitha fires the coil gun, but the projectile fails to hit its mark.
The beast claws back!
Pegasus status updated on Slides.
Engineering Phase - Round Two- Now Begins!
Helm Phase - Round Two Begins
Medium starship aberration (red)
Speed 12; Maneuverability good (+1 Piloting, turn 2)
AC 14; TL 11
HP 55; DT —; CT 11
Bioshields 40 32 (forward 10, port 8, starboard 10, aft 10)
Attack (Forward) energy drain bite +3 (EMP effect)
Attack (Port) claw +3 (3d4)
George-23 is going to divert power to the shields.
Success! Restores 7 shield points to the front quadrant.
Status of Pegasus now updated.
Helm Phase - Round Two
Creature Status (viewing requires Science Action and Life Science or Mystic Officer Action and Mysticism (DC 7)) this round:
The android's view screen brings more detail regarding the target.
Besmaran Whelp
N Medium starship aberration (red)
Speed 12; Maneuverability good (+1 Piloting, turn 2)
AC 14; TL 11
HP 55; DT —; CT 11
Bioshields 40 32 (forward 10, port 2, starboard 10, aft 10)
Attack (Forward) energy drain bite +3 (EMP effect)
Attack (Turret) tracking quills +3: Range short; Damage 3d6; limited fire 5
Attack (Port) claws +3 Damage 3d4
Attack (Starboard) claws +3 Damage 3d4
Attack (Aft) tail slap +3 Damage 2d4
The creature has no additional weapons and no expansion bays.
Helm Phase - Round Two Cont'd
Helm Phase Cont'd - Round Two
The Besmaran Whelp turns and chases its prey!
Gunnery Phase - Round Two Begins!