|
A bipedal saurinid, about 3 ft tall and 4 ft long, walks into the briefing room, ready for the next mission. He's decorated with yellow and orange feathers, still of bright plummage, but the scars on his muzzle and slightly sunken eye sockets tell of old age (for a lizard, anyways.) While waiting, he'll occasionally cast Token Spell to conjure small glowing wisps of light, which he'll occasionally quietly speak with in his native tongue.
Although equipped for typical Starfinder activities, his aesthetic is on the natural and magical side, rather than the technological: hybrid items, magical orbs and crystals and rods, rather than tech gear, where possible.
|
A human woman with shoulder-length black hair steps in, light-footed, matching her steps with the rhythm of an unheard song.
Hello everybody she says without too much conviction, my name is Momo, and I'm in charge of dancing! The line sounds very rehearsed.
She takes a deep bow at Embidi, throwing her hair forward, then back again. Hello mister! Are you a dragon, sir?
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Oh wow - I'm still pretty fresh to this whole adventuring, Starfinding, gig, but - I didn't realize there was such a commitment to dancing! How wonderful!" Embidi will call for some music, and demonstrate a few dinosaur jigs (although it's clear his joints don't move as well as they used to.)
"No, not a dragon, I'm afraid. My people come from the Ask'Akan system, out in the Vast. I don't think there are too many here in the Pact Worlds - I'm just stuck here thanks to, well, you know." Embidi makes a vague gesture in the general direction of open space and the many ships stuck in the Armada, ever since the Drift Crisis began.
|
|
Momo chuckles. Oh no, nono. I am an Abadarcorp Entertainment trainee, and that's just my introduction line. My name is Momo and I'm in charge of dancing. It's because dancing is my strong point you see?
She moves along with the dinosaur jigs and says Not bad, Mister. Maybe I'll teach you some of my team's moves later? She sounds a lot less rehearsed than before, as if she's been put at ease.
I was asking because I was on a mission with a dragon once. Very friendly person, but I was always afraid to stand directly in front of him. You know... because... She makes a 'something coming out of your mouth' gesture.
She looks genuinely sad when Embidi mentions being stuck, and just lets out an ooow
I was born on Akiton she says, looking at the open space until she finds a red dot and points at it That one! It's a bit of a long story. I don't live there anymore, I live here now, in the trainee dorm.
|
A somewhat short Sarcesian ambles into the briefing room. By short, Niobrar is only 10'1. He's got on a leather braided headband and small pink-tinted eyeglasses. Thin and reedy, it looks like it wouldn't take too strong of a breeze to knock him down.
"'Ello, 'ello. You lot are the other Starfinders, yeah?" he mumbles. "Name's Niobrar, Niobrar Platt, 'm a musician, yeah. Saw a gig, thought it was for pirate radio, turns out it was just for pirates, actually. One thing led to another, bing bang boom, I'm aboard a bleedin' cruiseship, workin' as an inside man, yeah? Things get to hot, don't like that much, and so I'm tryin' to stay on the right side of Johnny Law here in the Society."
|
|
"I would love to see some of your hairless ape dance moves at some point, Momo! I can't promise I have the hip structures to pull it off, though, ha! Oh, and don't worry, no fire coming out of my mouth. Maybe a few stories, though. The best part about being stranded far from home is no one has heard any of my tales yet! Nan Grado back home always says, 'Embi, no one wants to hear your tired old stories for the hundredth time!' but she's not here now, is she! Ha!"
He'll give a polite bow as Niobrar enters the room. "First a storyteller, then a dancer, and now a musician? I'm not sure what this mission is, but it sounds like a real party!"
|
|
Ah yeah, Mister is right. Story teller, musician... that is a good sign! Momo looks hopeful.
Maybe we will just be assigned to a dinner party! I've never been sent to one, but my little sister told me that sometimes happens. It would be great if it's just here on the station....
She looks at Niobrar What type of music do you play? Do you like sugar-pop?
And Johnny Law, is that short for Lawrence?
Mister Embidi... she asks with a bit of hesitance, ...do you miss being at home?
|
|
A well dressed and groomed older gentleman enters the briefing room, and seems taken aback that there are already others here. "And here I thought I would be early. I'm glad to see it, of course! A keen crew, my favorite." he smiles as Momo and Embidi dance and tries to mimic their moves for a moment before laughing it off with a warm chuckle. "Oh, these old bones can't quite keep up!"
"I should hope we're attending a dinner party... It would suit me just fine. However I'm not holding my breath. I'm not sure how but I seem to have been volunteered by the Society to take up the most dangerous exploration missions. Don't they know I'm getting on in years? I suspect they trust my judgement in these matters based on my previous work experience as a cartographer, mapping unexplored planets in the vast. But that was from the comfort of a corporate starship. Oh, there were times when I would land and interact with the local populations... I have a way with people, you know... But those were mostly to trade information, and the odd fashion items."
He seems to snap out of his reverie "Oh listen to me prattle on already. I hope your wild party can handle adding a retired old man" he adds with a good humoured laugh at himself.
|
|
Niobrar seems surprised that they were actually listening to him. "Listen, little bird, I'm a working musician, I play any gig that'll take me. Can't be too choosy about the genre. If the band plays sugar-pop, I'll play sugar-pop. If the band plays neutron-metal, I play neutron-metal. Mostly I play guitar, I do know my way around a base guitar, and I do the occasional back-up on vocals, you know. More you can do, the more gigs you can get, yeah?"
"Johnny Law, you know, the Stewards and their guns and their- their, you know, arresting mates, yeah? Trying to stay on their right side, and I've been told that we Starfinder are very rarely told to break the law, so you know, I've got that going for me."
Niobrar is surprised by the old man's voice. It seems like Niobrar missed Skip's entering the room."Is that a neck tie? Aren't you afraid of it getting trapped in one of the sliding doors? Or a monster something grabbing you by it?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Is that a neck tie? Aren't you afraid of it getting trapped in one of the sliding doors? Or a monster something grabbing you by it?"
Skip reaches for his tie and it effortlessly disconnects from his collar. "Suspensor tie, of course." "I do enjoy the pattern though. I found this one in a market on Verces. Subtle, stylish, practical. At home at a dinner party on Absalom or splashing through puddles in streets of Kizmatta. Price; 14 credits."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Yeah, I really hope this is not a space exploration mission says Momo, who thinks there is nothing comfortable in either 'corporate' or 'spaceship', I prefer to be on the ground. She accentuates her words with a little jump, landing steadily on both feet.
Momo perks up when Niobrar mentions his music skills Ooh, neu-metal! I love neu-metal. I like droid-synth as well! Can you play 'Apostae is a planet?'
She hums the melody line of Astrowerk's timeless hit 'Apostae is a planet', trying to fire up Niobrar, then sings
Apostae is a planet
We don't know much about
Apostae is a planet
Of that there is no doubt
Apostae is a planet
It's very very old
Apostae is a planet
It's very very cold
Apostae is a planet
Some distance from the sun
Apostae is a planet
It's not a well-known one
|
An augmented host shirren watches a bustling crew move
office equipment from several large pallets into a large
warehouse, while other workers weld scrap metal to gaps in
the warehouse’s walls. The shirren occasionally directs a crew
member and makes a note on a datapad. The shirren, Zigvigix,
notices their new guests and turns to telepathically project
a greeting.
“Thanks for coming—I hope you’ll understand if I keep this brief;
we’ve got a lot of work to do to get our new headquarters up
and running, and you are on a short timetable. A ysoki salvage
barge named the Clutter Collector, captained by a ysoki named
Winks, picked up a distress-beacon transmission in the Drift.
Winks didn’t have time to check it out, but she sold the data
to the Society when she reached Absalom Station. How nice
of her!
“Well, it turns out that this beacon came
from the Struggle’s Scholar, a kasathan ship
that…” Zigvigix pauses for effect as their
antennae wiggle excitedly. “…escaped
from Sangoro’s Bulwark! If you don’t
know, the Bulwark was the old base of
operations for the Exo-Guardians. Now,
First Seeker Luwazi wisely grounded
us from investigating the Bulwark
after all contact was lost with it
shortly after the Scoured Stars
incident, but we can’t pass up
this opportunity to learn what
happened there. We might even
be able to find the coordinates to
our missing headquarters. Wouldn’t it
be joyous to have a large fortress to play
loud music in?”
Zigvigix hands over a datapad. “Here are
the coordinates of the distress signal. It is
unlikely any of the crew survived, or they’d
be here by now. So be on the lookout for bodies. Since the
crew is mostly kasathas, it would mean a lot to their extended
families if you could bring back their remains or keepsakes
to the Idari! Otherwise, salvage any data you can—especially
the ship’s log—as it could tell us what happened to Sangoro’s
Bulwark. This datapad also holds a one-time-use decrypter
that will let you decode the Exo-Guardians ciphers used on the
distress signal. Good luck!”
|
|
Momo stares in disbelief at the shirren as the words stream in... drift... distress... bodies... salvage...
...yes... loud music... joy... she says with a voice that has long left her body.
She looks at Skip, at Embidi, at Niobrar No survivors...
Wait wait
It's a red light, light
This is not a drill
Straight for the escape pod
Wait wait
It's a red light, light
Listen to the crowd
Listen to their voices
Do we know... she finally asks, not sure if she wants to know the answer do we know why they were in trouble?
|
|
"Well, this is a lot less exciting than the dance party we had envisioned, but - needs must, and so on. The Starfinder Society helped me and mine out when our ship Crashed out of the Drift, and I am keen to start repaying that favour." Emibidi puffs up his mild plumage to the fullest extent a 2½ ft tall dinosaurinid can muster.
"So this ship, the Struggle’s Scholar - is it a Starfinder ship? And what's so special about this Bunker, anwyays?"
|
|
Skip watches Momo for a moment as she seems distracted, but presses on. "We should make haste to the coordinates. If the Ysoki found one interested buyer for the data, who's to say that didn't find another. Less...altruistic buyers."
When they depart from the briefing and are making their way to the ship, Skip will check in with Momo quickly. "My dear, you seem troubled. Is everything ok?"
|
|
Do we know... she finally asks, not sure if she wants to know the answer do we know why they were in trouble?
What do you know about the Struggle’s Scholar? “It’s a kasathan
starship that was undertaking a short mission to Sangoro’s Bulwarkaround the same time the signals stopped coming in. We assumed
the ship was lost along with the Bulwark, but this signal proves
otherwise—thrilling! I do not think any of the crew could have
survived this long, though—sad! Still, the ship is compact, with only
ten or so internal compartments, so once you find it, it shouldn’t
take long to search.”
|
|
"Well, this is a lot less exciting than the dance party we had envisioned, but - needs must, and so on. The Starfinder Society helped me and mine out when our ship Crashed out of the Drift, and I am keen to start repaying that favour." Emibidi puffs up his mild plumage to the fullest extent a 2½ ft tall dinosaurinid can muster.
"So this ship, the Struggle’s Scholar - is it a Starfinder ship? And what's so special about this Bunker, anwyays?"
What is the Bulwark? “The vesk explorer Sangoro found the
uninhabited fortress on a world in the Vast. It was an immenseedifice of metal and stone, forged by some forgotten species—how
nice of them! This discovery happened during a time when the
Pact Worlds and Veskarium were in open conflict, which I hear was
quite a sad time. Sangoro surprised everyone by offering the site
to the Starfinder Society in exchange for membership, and withthe stipulation that the fortress could not be used as part of the
conflict between the Pact Worlds and the Veskarium. The Society
accepted, and Sangoro went on to found the Exo-Guardians.”
What happened to the Bulwark? “We don’t know. One day,
signals stopped coming in. The exact coordinates for the star
system containing Sangoro’s Bulwark are kept hidden, and only
Guidance, the First Seeker, and the most senior members of the
Forum know its exact whereabouts. After the Scoured Stars
incident, this information was lost to all but Guidance. Now,
Guidance refuses to provide the coordinates, though I’m sure it
has its reasons. Anyway, there’s not much information on what
happened to the Bulwark, so hopefully the Struggle’s Scholar has
some information in its data logs. Exciting prospect, isn’t it?”
is an especially unusual fact, given the long hostilities between
the Veskarium and the Pact Worlds. Many Starfinders initially
did not trust him, even after he provided the Society with a
huge fortress on a remote planet to operate out of. Sangoro later
dedicated himself and his followers to protecting the Society
from external threats, forming the Exo-Guardians faction within
the Starfinder Society.
was the only structure on the planet. It was a massive edifice
left by some forgotten race, with extensive underground tunnels
and storage vaults. The Exo-Guardians kept a large stockpile of
equipment within the Bulwark, letting field agents on missions
in the Vast access necessary items without traveling back to
Absalom Station. Because of the importance of these resources,
the exact coordinates of Sangoro’s Bulwark were kept from most
Starfinders, and ships traveled to the location only by using
encrypted flight plans.
disappearance of most Starfinder Society field agents and
leadership, an unknown force overwhelmed Sangoro’s Bulwark,
and—until now—there have been no survivors or distress calls.
With this attack, the Society’s data archives lost all information
on the exact location of Sangoro’s Bulwark, with even nominated
First Seeker Luwazi Elsebo bereft of such knowledge. Only the
Society’s amalgam digital consciousness, Guidance, might know
the location, but it has ignored all requests to provide the data.
the Bulwark before the fall report that the Drift and Material
Plane space surrounding the area was prone to strange events.
Exactly how these dangers manifest varies by each rumor, but
it appears the space surrounding the Bulwark’s home system is
prone to odd interplanar abnormalities. Starships are advised to
carry powerful scanners to identify potential stellar hazards and
bleeding between the planes.
|
|
"My dear, you seem troubled. Is everything ok?"
Yes... yes... ok Momo responds, though her facial expression betrays otherwise.
Mister Intro, she then adds carefully, do you think it is true that the are around the Bulwark are cursed? They says that area in the drift has seen some strange events, odd interstellar anomalies.
Something has attacked the bulwark, and we no longer know where it is because of that. Why is Guidance not telling us?
Mister Intro, that area they're sending us... she takes a deep breath , it's very dangerous. we need good scanners to see if there's any hazards.
---
The new generation of Abadarcorp Escape Pods (tm) carry sufficient supplies to protect you from the vacuum of space for up to seven days. Each escape pod comfortably fits a medium-sized creature. For larger beings, try our XL Escape Pod (tm). Each escape pod (tm) is fitted with a scanner beacon, a guiding light, and a heat shield. No whistle, because in space, no one can hear you scream.
--- Abadarcorp advertisement
|
|
Hearing that we're investigating a derelict ship, Embidi will grab a couple of handy spell gems: Life Bubble, and Magic Missile.
During our flight out, Embidi will ask Skip to do some light spellcasting practice, to familiarize himself with what he calls "the spirits of your magic." In practice, it's so that Embidi and Skip both know what the spellsinger flavour of Envoy can do.
|
|
Yes... yes... ok Momo responds, though her facial expression betrays otherwise.
"Of course, but if you need anything at all...' He trails off and gives a warm, friendly smile before turning his attention back to the mission at hand. "I'm afraid I only know a bit about the history of the Bulwark... but if there are abnormalities or danger as you suggest... perhaps a science vessel is our best course of action. As for Guidance, I'm sure there is a good reason for the secrecy. I'm not so vain as to compare my intellect to theirs and wager a guess!"
Skip happily engages his age-appropriate crewmate in some magical practice, preffering to keep himself busy as well as entertained.
As the Freighter hails our ship, Skip thinks to himself. Space isn't so large after all, wherever I go I am hailed by passing ships. it's uncanny.
"Greeings, Promise of the Future, we're on a routine patrol through drift-space. Skip offers - always hesitant to share company secrets - before redirecting the questions back to the freighter. "What takes you to Zeres?"
|
|
Momo? where's Momo? She boarded the vessel, but is nowhere to be seen.
---
---
We found a little girl, bunched up in the gun turret of the vessel. Not until we managed to convince her that the vessel has indeed landed and is safely in dock did she agree to get up and move out.
---Unknown Starfinder, after action report.
|
|
As the Freighter hails our ship, Skip thinks to himself. Space isn't so large after all, wherever I go I am hailed by passing ships. it's uncanny."Greeings, Promise of the Future, we're on a routine patrol through drift-space. Skip offers - always hesitant to share company secrets - before redirecting the questions back to the freighter. "What takes you to Zeres?"
A friendly voice that sounds like it's underwater answers Skip. "Oh hello...We're investigating a new found ruin under the northern oceans. It might have some pre Gap influences! Where are you headed?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Embidi will hop onto the comms beside Skip and say, "They said they're Society, right?" before flipping onto the channel. "We're bound for an investigation of a Society derelict in the Drift. I mean, lots of those around these days, right? Oh and something about a Bunker, I don't know. Zigvigix seemed pretty excited, but I think they always seem pretty excited? Well - good hunting, Manta Corps!"
He'll pause for a sec before looking away. "Hey anyone seen Momo? Skip, you're a human like she is, right? How often does your kind need to eat?"
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Hey anyone seen Momo? Skip, you're a human like she is, right? How often does your kind need to eat?"
"I haven't seen her since we boarded the ship. The poor girl seemed troubled that we were headed into space, but wasn't quick to discuss it... I thought it best to give her some space. I don't think I understood young women when I was her age, and I don't pretend to understand them now. But you're correct, most galactic-standard humans eat twice or three times a day. If we don't see her by this evening, perhaps we'll leave a meal out for her to take on her own time."
As the day presses on, and Skip prepares himself a dinner in the ship's tiny kitchenette. He takes a small portion aside and leaves it under a warming hood. Before he leaves the pantry, he moves to the ship's intercom system and give a quick "Dinner's up" before moving off back to the bridge.
|
|
| 2 people marked this as a favorite. |
"Perhaps she is just having an unfortunate molt, and doesn't want us to see her new skins. When I was her age, I'd get cranky sometimes when the new scales didn't match the old." Embidi will send Momo's personal comms unit a quick text message with a link to "Top 10 Best Tips For Contouring and Blending: how to tackle problem areas like crest ridges and hip creases!"
"Well, I hope she's taking care of herself."
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
"Humans? Yeah, they're always eating, right? All during the cruise, humans just eat and eat and eat, yeah?" Niobrar says, not realizing that not all humans eat like those on vacation on a cruise ship. "Who the hells the Manta Corp? I know I've heard the name somewhere."
|
|
The aquatic starfinders answer Platt. "A group that takes on water missions! We're all wet ha ha get it!"
--
After chatting with the other Starfinders the Drake continues to the area where the distress signal came from. There are several asteroids floating about.
recognize these as chunks of obsidian likely native to the
Elemental Plane of Earth and ripped here thanks to the use of
a Drift engine
these asteroids hold molten stone.
As you take the scene in. You sensors light up as a ship approaches you.
|
|
Skip looks out at the obsidian as Embidi points it out. "Yes, you never know what the drift engine will draw into our material plane.". He speaks as though he is remembering the dream-like visions of things he has seen in the drift, things ripped from other realities that shares a similarity to how he perceives the world around him when he calls upon his magical skills.
As he waits to see what the ship's scanners will tell them, he looks out into the blackness of space and tries to see the coming ship with his mind's eye.
|
|
Seeing that no one is forcibly pushing him out of the captain's chair, Embidi will plunk himself down into it, raise the height up a few clicks, and open a channel. "Greetings Honourbound, this is Captain Embidi of the SEV* Noon On A Workday, on a Starfinder Society rescue & retrieve mission. How are you this fine cycle? Oh, and, do note, we've picked up some anomalous planar readings on the obsidian asteroids nearby; suggest giving them a wide berth."
|
|
The vesk replies
He seems a bit annoyed and continues "Ahem..I see no one understands my superior tongue. As I said, this is Captain Yuluzak, we are a Vesk salvage vessel. The threat of the Swarm demands the noble Veskarium investigate all avenues of advancement to greatly prepare against the next invasion. Do you claim the the right of salvaging this distress beacon!"
|
|
The vesk replies
I think Momo wanted to be Captain?
Momo only recalls the single Vesk sentence her sister taught her "Стреляй в блондинку". "Shoot the blondie". It doesn't seem appropriate.
The swarm...
She climbs down the turret, and shuffles onto the bridge. She looks pale, with her hair in a tangled mess. The swarm she says with an unsteady voice are they here?
I don't feel them anywhere... she looks at Skip and Niobrar if they were here again, I'd feel them, right?
She finally adds Isn't this whole operation a cooperation between the Veskarium and the Pact Worlds?
|
|
| 3 people marked this as a favorite. |
"We do not need to claim salvage, as the Scholar's Struggle is a Starfinder ship; it remains ours. We have reason to believe the crew did not survive; we intend to return their remains to their peoples and families."
"As far as the Veskarium is concerned, the ship was abandoned by the Society. And this is not an operation with the Pact Worlds Veskarium believes with good reason, that the vessel been given up for lost by the Society's insurer. Under Hizatketh 7871, we claim a salvage right. If you challenge this, I have a further proposal!"
|
|
"Bloody 'ell, someone's actually giving insurance policies to the Society?" Niobrar says off-coms.
I don't know. Sounds like something AbadarCorp would do, but you should really check the expiration dates on those. Momo whispers to Niobrar, Does he mean Winks, who sold us the location? Maybe we should hear the proposal?
|
|
| 1 person marked this as a favorite. |
Embidi blinks, and considers what the vesk says, as well as what his comrades are saying. "Well I'll be honest Captain Yuluzak, I wasn't expecting a legal challenge here; as I said, this is a mission to put the remains of our honoured dead to rest. Look, I think our mission is just that, plus to see if we can figure out what happend here; what happens with the ship beyond that is, I think, something we can work out. We'll have our go at the Scholar's Struggle, and you can have what's left afterwards. Seems more than fair to me. Deal?"
He'll also have a moment to take in Momo's pale skin and wide-eyed panic. He'll silently mouth "bad molt" while nodding to Skip and Niobrar, when Momo isn't looking.
|
|
He'll also have a moment to take in Momo's pale skin and wide-eyed panic. He'll silently mouth "bad molt" while nodding to Skip and Niobrar, when Momo isn't looking.
The Vesk ship powers it's weapons.
"No...I propose a trial by combat. With these rules. 1. The combatants will not intentionally target the life support systems of their enemy. 2. The combatants will abstain from targeting the rear arc warriors should face the enemy head on. 3. Combat is over once an enemy starship is crippled. 4. Each captain can surrender at any point during the duel. Agreeable?"
You can hear the Vesk captain tapping his fingers over the comm.
|
|
Embidi will steeple his fingers in front of his muzzle while looking into the camera and then, slightly exasperated say, "I'm surprised someone who puts so much stock in honourable ship combat wouldn't agree to our honourable mission to respect our honoured dead, Honourbound. Give us a moment to confer." before muting the call, and turning to the crew. "Thoughts? I'm tempted to agree with it. Sounds like no one will be seriously hurt by this, and from what I gather, vesk respect shows of force and bravery like this."
He'll also try to subtly ask Momo, "You up for this? I don't want to pry, but you seem a bit, ah, apprehensive, on the ship. Are you gonna be alright, if this vesk doesn't back down?"