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DOT
A white ysoki rushes into the Starfinder briefing room and quickly closes the door behind him. His face and jacket look a bit dirty. An auto pistol tucked into a leg holster, hangs above his knee. Pressing his back against the door, he looks around suspiciously around the room.
"Rattus Solo here. I'm captain of the Century Kestrel, it’s the ship that made the Absalom Run in less than twelve parsecs!" He eyes each Starfinder as he slowly steps to a chair. He turns the chair so he's facing the door and any exits. Satisfied there's no threats in the room. He sits down and pulls the chair to the table. "By the way, if a big orange slug comes looking for me. I'm NOT here! Got it!"
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A group of semi-experienced Starfinders find themselves assembled in the holding area of the Adamantine Bastille; a top secret facility located far underneath the Lorespire Complex. Already the group of agents had to pass through the adamantine blast doors covered in mystical runes that give the facility its name. When they are finally let in, they pass by rows of impenetrable doors until they reach one particular one. An imposing looking vesk and a heavily augmented android open the door and let them into a sterile, stainless steel room. Sitting behind a desk is a white furred ysoki dressed in a neon pink prisoner's uniform and sipping from a steaming aluminum cup.
“Hello, Starfinders! Lovely to be working together again, don’t you think? And I see some new faces, too. How exciting!”
The white ysoki drums her nails on the steel desk in front of her and grins at her visitors. “For those I haven’t met, I’m Datch, one of your Society’s contacts. I hope you got the fruit basket I sent. That was harder to arrange from a holding cell, but I do hope we can put any old grudges aside and complete this mission together. Essentially, a contingency plan I had set up in the past when we weren’t on such good terms might cause trouble for AbadarCorp if we don’t do something about it soon. Specifically, I left some nasty technomagical code in the Golden Vault’s security mainframe that’s going to lock them out entirely in a few weeks. You can override it, of course, but you’ll need four separate passwords I’ve left across the galaxy to do it. I’m prepared to share that information with you as an act of repentance for my past actions.”
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The orange-furred skittermander wearing robes that clearly mark him as a priest of Sarenrae smiles broadly at the ysoki. "Nufriend Datch! I am so happy to meet you. Blessed be Sarenrae, the bestfriend of all the Gods! Sounds like you want redemption, and that's one of Sarenrae's favorite things!" You can tell he's holding himself back from springing across the room and hugging the prisoner with all 6 of his furry arms. "It's never too late to set things right!"
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George 09-23 stifles an uncharacteristic snicker at Dawnfriend's naivete.
"She is likely working on some sort of deal for good behaviour than looking for real redemption. Still I guess we have to take what we can get on whatever terms they are given. That is typically how these missions work if I remember correctly."
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Max quietly walks down the hall to their destination. When he enters the room and sees the prisoner, he curses under his breath.
"Why am I not surprised it's you, Datch. Always have some scheme going. I was hoping I'd never have to see you again. How do you like your accommodations?" he says with a smirk.
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So I guess you are going to tell us where we have to go to clean up this little mess of yours?
"It’s simple, enough. But you'll want to get moving because each one is at a different location. Just retrieve the four passwords, and I’ll stop the lockout from happening. Check your comms. You should have the information you need sent to you...” The Ysoki looks up at a clock on the wall. "Right now."
Everyone's comm links ding simultaneously as each Starfinder gets sent four seperate messages at the same time.
"It's never too late to set things right!"
Datch chuckles and says "That's a nice sentiment but this is a situation where time is an issue. There should be enough time to get everywhere but if you fail than the lockout will be rather irreversible."
"How do you like your accommodations?"
"I've lived in mansions and other prison cells. I suppose this place lies somewhere in the middle. It's certainly not as nice as your apartment, Max Deverell. It looks like you've moved up in the world since your first little escapade on Akiton. When I get out of here you'll have to give me the name of your real estate agent." She takes a long sip out of her cup. "But I suppose I could just find that out myself."
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Datch says "Dawnfriend seems like a sensible fellow. You should get started right away. And Octavii, I have a feeling that if you explain the situation to one of your venture captain I'm sure they won't object to you checking out a Pegasus." The ysoki takes one more long sip from her cup and sets it down upside. "Any more questions or concerns?"
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Embroi's government is a byzantine dictatorship modeled off the diabolic hierarchy of Hell. Embri citizens are assigned a caste at birth and given a face concealing mask that they are required to wear. In order to get by their security, someone could try to create false identities so that the group can pass as tourists and not be arrested or not permitted entry to the planet.
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Dawnfriend, as always, wants to be helpful, so begins working on costumes. "These masks will be great!" His first effort is a little off, as it prominently displays a Sarenrae emblem ... but after it's explained to him that they are infiltrating a demonic world, he goes a little more low key - but still works in some flame designs, in honor of Sarenrae.
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Octavii is quite happy to let George have the lead on this one as this is really not his forte. Most of his computer usage is for analysing sounds and sampling for new music. Speaking if which, he does still carry his kiirinta sized electronic cello for the trip - just in case there's an opportunity for a jam session.
I suppose flame designs would work he says to Dawnfriend. After all isn't there such a thing as Hell-Fire? Seems to be a recurring theme in Abysshead music
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Max looks at the ysoki suspiciously. "I hope you aren't offended that the fruit basket you sent found it's way to the garbage. I don't like wasting food, but I was just following that old adage of not accepting gifts from strangers. Other than where we need to go, is there anything we need to know about where the passwords are located or anyone we should, or shouldn't, contact?" he asks, not expecting an answer and not sure he'd believe anything he heard anyway.
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“Do I look like a venture-captain?” Datch chuckles. “Living is dangerous. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer, and don’t forget to pack clean socks.”
Just as Datch predicted, the team is given one of the older Pegasus model ships, along with some resources and credits for expenses once the seriousness of the situation is explained. AbadarCorps' is the largest creditor within the Pact Worlds and being locked out of their Golden Vault would be disastrous to the financial systems in the galaxy.
It takes 10 days to reach Embroi. The team docks at the Alladaroi spaceport and are immediately seperated by security and escorted to bland, sterile rooms where each is subjected to hours of paperwork and questioning. The Embri custom officers merely stare back through their featureless masks at any comments or questions asked of them and continue their questioning. But the alias's that George created with the accompanying dummy social media accounts seem to hold up, at least for now. Each Starfinder is given a flimsy identical masks that they are told must be worn at all times.
As part of the set up for this mission, tickets aboard a submarine transport to the Anthellon Station have already been purchased for the next day. After a night of rest and preparation, the party leaves for the transportation.
Traffic bustles ceaselessly, embri commuters whistle to each other, and waves batter the coast. An airlock door cuts off the odor of brine, sliding shut and muting the city’s white noise. Inside the submarine’s iron-tight belly, seating fixtures are built of uncomfortable but economical metal and plastic. Portside windows face the settlement’s skyline, which is lit by lavender morning hues. On the starboard side, the ocean crests beneath a periwinkle sky.
Deep beneath the waves, crystalline deposits emit a faint glow, revealing the subaquatic landscape. Spiny shells claw up cliffsides, and feathery plants beckon with undulating fronds. A shark darts past the view port, its exposed belly a streak of white. The shuttle rounds a peak, and an underwater city emerges into view, its clustered buildings connected by transparent tubes.
Within an hour, the submarine releases its passengers into a dry lobby with frigid air that tastes of salt. Featureless ceramic panels line the floor and ceiling, creating an expanse of white. Many identical passages lead further into the station, too curved and deep to see where they go.
Twin embri clad in matching masks intercept the visitors.. The masks’ cartoonish googly eyes and painted grins make it impossible to read their true expressions. They speak in falsely cheerful voices: “You are here for the guided tour of this facility. Come with us.”
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The embri open the main doors and lead the tourists into the facility. As they slowly walk forward the masked guides begin to talk in great detail about the research facility. They begin to give a very long winded and rigidly scripted description of the facilities struggles to reduce ocean pollution and highlight its wildlife conservation efforts. There are few pauses and most comments and questions from the tour group are pointedly ignored or given very brief, perfunctory answers.
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George 09-23 looks around with curiosity. He also chins on the ventilation in his suit and increases the internal temperature to a comfortable 73.5 degree Fahrenheit.
@GM Badblood - The life support is now active on my character's graphite skin armor. It is less relevant for an Android but at least it will keep him toasty in here. :)
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Pretty much everybody in the group notices the cameras and can see that they are being recorded.
When Dawfriend tries to push on the doors, one of the embri says in a chipper voice, "Deviation from the tour will result in chastisement. This is your first and final warning," before returning to talking about devil shark breeding patterns.
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George 09-23 falls back a little and attempts to covertly hack into the tour guides' mobile devices to send them a message.
@GM Badblood- My reading of Telepathic Projection is that a Technomancer can use it to send a message to a device. My character has both computers and culture trained to make the ruse more believable if a roll is needed.
Tell the guests to look around for ten minutes until you return.
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Dawnfriend nods. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to deviate from the tour. I definitely don't want chastisement, whatever that is, and I'll help make sure everyone else stays on task. I'm very sorry, Mr -- Or Mrs ... I'm sorry, I didn't catch your names. I'm Dawn --" Dawnfriend shakes his head for a moment, remembering his cover identity. "My name is Don. Don Fiend." He extends several hands to shake whatever appendage is near on the nearest tour guide. "What was your name again?"
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@GM Badblood - Hacking into their personal communication device could be a Computer check as well. In order to be a convincing text it would have to match their established conventions which would require technical acumen and not charm. I imagine that a Culture check could work as well to craft a culturally appropriate message. My bonus on both of these skills are the same. :)
@Octavll - Good one. A classic but a good classic. :)
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The tour guides both look at their comms and whisper for a minute together before turning to the group and announcing "We need to leave briefly. Do not touch anything. You can entertain yourselves by contemplating the wonderous glory that is the ocean!"
The two embri shuffle off, leaving a puzzled tour group behind wondering what happened.
Octavio flies up to the ceiling and smudges up some cameras. He has no idea if his efforts were successful, but thinks they probably were.
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Besides the cameras George doesn't find any other security measures in this room. The north door is designed to open automatically when approached from the other side but has a manual opening interface (what's known in some circles as a "handle") on this side.
Dawnfriend starts talking with the other tourists, which include a group of spring breakers who are clearly annoyed at having booked this tour and a group of kalos who are wearing yellow t shirts I've their surface exploration suits and appear to be here as part of some corporate retreat.
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Dawnfriend, seeing the annoyance of the spring breakers, says, "You know what, I'm sure they won't mind if we go ahead with the tour without them." He begins waving the tour toward the southern doors. "And we're walking ... and we're walking ... Anyway, here we have a set of doors. What's on the other side? Well, no one knows, do they? So let's find out." He opens the southern doors.
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George the android opens up the northern door telepathically, revealing another corridor with doors on all sides. Dawnfriend talks with the other tourists, who like his friendly demeanor. But as the team starts to probe the doors, the tourists start to realize how heavily armed the Starfinders are and that they might be up to no good and start to keep their distance.
Dawnfriend then tries to open the south door but finds that it is locked with a biometric lock. Since no one in the group happens to have Embri DNA, the only way to get past this door is to hack it.