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Stell walks in, not looking directly at the technician, keeping her pistol hidden from her. "Don't mind me, I just need to check something."
She activates her comm so the other can get the signal to enter. She turns and aims her pistol at her and says, "Freeze or die!"
DC: 20 + Targets CR; success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack;
(range: 30')
"Tempting offer."
Drawing her pistol, the woman takes a hard step toward Idir, then whirls and fires her arc pistol at Stell. She's fast and surprises the Starfinder. Electricity and hard lead cross in the air.
Stell's bullet flies through the space where the assassin was, smashing into the wall over Idir's shoulder. 'Acheosi's' lightning arc skewers the performer.
You all are up.
... E; critical arc 2)
trick Attack: You can trick or startle a foe and then attack when she drops her guard. As a full action, you can move up to your speed. Whether or not you moved, you can then make an attack with a melee weapon with the operative special property or with any small arm. Just before making your attack, attempt a Bluff, Intimidate, or Stealth check (or a check associated with your specialization; see page 94) with a DC equal to 20 + your target’s CR. If you succeed at the check, you deal 1d4 additional damage and the target is flat-footed against your attack. This damage increases to 1d8 at 3rd level, to 3d8 at 5th level, and by an additional 1d8 every 2 levels thereafter. You can’t use this ability with a weapon that has the unwieldy special property or that requires a full action to make a single attack.
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Thundergun squeeze up through the stairs section to appear in a relatively small room.
As he sees the assassin decided to resist - he has plans to use usual tactics with Kuozar, but finds out not much magic power available.
But enough to one Supercharge.
Technomancer utilises his long hands and takes foes weapon away.
She slaps Thundergun's hands aside.
Kuozar, Stell and Idir are up.
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Stell absorbs the electricity with a soft curse. She turns her back on the assassin, but immediately spins back and crouches as she fires another shot.
DC: 20 + Targets CR; success: Target is flat-footed against the trick attack; if attack hits add Trick Attack Damage
(range: 30')
Her feint works as the assassin takes her eye off her, but Stell fails to capitalize, shooting wide. The bullet slams into the back wall.
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The wall behind Idir receives another pock-mock. Dust and small bits filter down on Idir. Kuozar stalks forwardly quite deliberately, determined that your prey will have no escape. Idir calls on the others to attack and lands a solid shot of his own.
With both doors blocked, the assassin draws her knife, and backs against the control console. She slaps a large button on the console, and with a low hum, the window behind her jerks, then slowly begins to rise.
"Stay back all of you!"
Idir fires again, and parts the woman's hair, grazing her scalp. She sees Kuozar's deliberate aim and tries to dodge. She almost twists and arcs out of the way, but his enhanced weapon burns her anyway. Stell trades her pistol for the awkward sniper rifle, but it works. Her slug hits the woman in the back. It has to hurt even through her armor. Her arc pistol clatters to the ground.
Thundergun leans over and slaps the button. The window stops.
The woman reaches into her pocket and dashes toward the west wall. She jumps up, for a second it looks like she runs two steps on the wall, before she drops back to the floor and dashes the short distance to the door. She steps through and raises a vial to her lips.
Thundergun clips the assassin heavily as she tries her acrobatic move to get past him. Then he rushes to supercharge Kuozar's weapon.
Idir's concern is unfounded. The assassin remains quite a substantial target. One the dromada fails to hit. Kuozar blasts a hole in the wall beside the assassin.
Only Stell stays calm enough to hit the assassin again, right in the center of the chest. She goes down. And as she does so, her form shifts. Her clothes deflate in some places and rise slightly in others. Her skin darkens and grows scaly. Her features change to a saurian form.
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Stell loads another round into the sniper rifle and picks up her pistol before approaching the fallen assassin. She communicates with Radaszam via the comm link. "Target down. Send medics if you want to try to keep it alive. It's some kind of reptile life form I'm not familiar with. Kuozar says it's a Reptoid."
Stell checks to see if the assassin's wounds are too serious for revival.
A search of the body reveals, business stationwear, a frostbite-class zero pistol with 1 battery (19 charges), survival knife, mk 2 serum of healing, detonator, credstick with 812 credits.
Some of Radaszam's black-armored Obsidian Spiders arrive to take custody of and provide care to Triloteya. A few minutes later Radaszam himself enters the AV room. The vesk looks at the reptoid and sniffs with displeasure. Then he turns a very carnivorous smile on the party.
"Excellent work! Quick, discreet, effective. Congratulations. You've done the work as well as any of my Spiders. Let me present you with this rifle."
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Thundergun clms down a bit and seeing the assasin is down - tells his mates couple of words about reptoids.
- Well. Now you can see and touch itn, Idir. Seems real.
The technomancer gives some space to Stell to provide first aid if it is still possible. He carefully twkes a look at the detonator.
Otherwise TG awaits for Radasazam to ask questions or do his business here. Meanwhile watching outside through the technician window.
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Before Radaszam arrives, Stell says, "Excellent teamwork, everyone! I hope we can continue to work together!"
When Radaszam presents the rifle, Stell reaches out for it before checking herself and looking at the rifle, comparing it with hers. "Well, it's bulkier than my Shirren-Eye, but does more damage, doesn't have any kickback, and doesn't need to be reloaded after every shot. Sweet!"
She looks at Thundergun. "You want to roll dice with me for this? You can have my old rifle is you lose."
Radaszam is going on about you and the Spiders and how proud and pleased he is with all of you, when Naiaj cuts in on the comms. "Luwazi's taking the stage. You all might want to see this."
Luwazi pushes through a group of four Spiders to the stage, insisting that if people are willing to kill her to keep her silent, her words are surely important enough to say. The gala attendees are stunned that someone would have the audacity to attempt an assassination on the First Seeker, and she holds their rapt attention as she delivers her address.
“I had planned for this evening’s announcement to be an exciting one, but I’ll admit this is not quite what I had in mind,” the First Seeker begins, her smile wry but determined. “Now I find my resolve only further galvanized. As many of you know, the First Seeker has the privilege and the responsibility for choosing the direction of the Starfinder Society’s research efforts. I have refrained from setting such a direction while we regroup and rebuild—an undertaking which all of you here have made possible. Also, the fact that Guidance has not yet chosen to formalize my election is another matter, but not one the Society can risk dwelling on. Now that the Society is again in a position to reach for the stars, I am pleased to formally announce the focus of our efforts during my tenure. Thanks to the tireless research of my associate Royo, we have identified a lead on understanding the Scoured Stars incident. And so, the Starfinder Society will continue researching the Scoured Stars, in the hopes of reuniting with our lost colleagues and better understanding this phenomenon.”
“And I already have highly qualified agents in mind to undertake the first mission!”
There is a moment of surprised quiet over the room, and then the guests, starting with Ykris, begin to applaud in force. Iteration-177 regards the elected First Seeker with an indiscernible expression, slowly joining in on the applause. Royo nods enthusiastically, taking in some of the fanfare for his role in the announcement. Naiaj frantically appends work orders, noticeably perturbed by some news she has just received. Zo! actively backs away from the assembled group, still enthusiastically clapping but also making desperate calls to acquire televised rights to all Scoured Stars related endeavors.
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- Well. Now you can see and touch itn, Idir. Seems real.
"That isn't very reassuring, Thundergun," Idir replies. "Now I have to worry about these...things being out there...According to the rumors I've heard they like to eat the flesh of sapient beings...and that we dromadas have a unique and savory flavor unscrupulous beings would pay a lot of money to taste. I'm going to have nightmares about this now!"
Radaszam is going on about you and the Spiders and how proud and pleased he is with all of you, when Naiaj cuts in on the comms. "Luwazi's taking the stage. You all might want to see this."
Idir nods and moves back into the crowd to watch.
Luwazi pushes through a group of four Spiders to the stage, insisting that if people are willing to kill her to keep her silent, her words are surely important enough to say. The gala attendees are stunned that someone would have the audacity to attempt an assassination on the First Seeker, and she holds their rapt attention as she delivers her address.
“I had planned for this evening’s announcement to be an exciting one, but I’ll admit this is not quite what I had in mind,” the First Seeker begins, her smile wry but determined. “Now I find my resolve only further galvanized. As many of you know, the First Seeker has the privilege and the responsibility for choosing the direction of the Starfinder Society’s research efforts. I have refrained from setting such a direction while we regroup and rebuild—an undertaking which all of you here have made possible. Also, the fact that Guidance has not yet chosen to formalize my election is another matter, but not one the Society can risk dwelling on. Now that the Society is again in a position to reach for the stars, I am pleased to formally announce the focus of our efforts during my tenure. Thanks to the tireless research of my associate Royo, we have identified a lead on understanding the Scoured Stars incident. And so, the Starfinder Society will continue researching the Scoured Stars, in the hopes of reuniting with our lost colleagues and better understanding this phenomenon.”
Idir's eyestalks light up at Luwazi's words. Could it be? They may have a means to figure out what happened in the Scoured Stars? Maybe even, dare he hoped, a chance to recover those who'd gone missing there? It'd be a dream come true for him! He'd be able to "retire" from field-work and return to his nice, safe job managing data for the Society!
“And I already have highly qualified agents in mind to undertake the first mission!”
And then he realizes she likely meant him and the other Starfinders who'd just saved her life as the agents she had in mind, and he immediately loses that hope. This would mean more venturing into dangerous ruins or hostile territory, wouldn't it? Idir hated the idea of being a leader or...Romgul forfend...a hero. No sane dromada sought such a position out...but there was nobody else who could do it at this time, and at the very least, the Starfinders he'd worked with had done an admirable job of keeping him safe, even in the most dangerous of field-work. They needed him, and he'd not let them down.
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Stell takes the proffered sniper laser rifle from Radaszam and hands her Tactical Shirren-eye Rifle and a case of sniper rounds to Thundergun. Then she starts examining the new rifle until interrupted by the announcement that the First Seeker was speaking.
Stell joined the others near the side of the stage and listened intently. Her face lights up when news of a lead on the fate of the Scoured Stars agents, hoping against hope for a chance to locate her parents. She joins the applause and stands around, hoping Luwazi approaches her to ask for volunteers.