Having finished the briefing and taken the provided supplies, you travel through the Spike from Downlow to Sparks. It takes you about an hour to get into the right neighborhood.
Sparks is a highly industrialized neighborhood bordered by titanic drydocks for starship manufacturing and repair, but also containing hundreds of smaller custom tech shops. It's an incredibly noisy neighborhood, and the constant thrum and crash of industrial machinery punctuates daily life.
Traveling through the Sparks neighborhood, you notice a lot of people using sign language.
You also notice that the ship factories and dry docks appear to be operating at only a fraction of what you would expect. Glum residents loiter in the crowded halls.
As your group approaches the address provided by Celita, your view of the building is blocked by a long line of hungry people waiting for the free hot lunch offered by the All Hands community center that resides next door. The crowd is hungry, tired, and irritable. The line quickly becomes an angry crowd who vent their frustrations at you, hurling accusations that the Starfinder are responsible for the current situation. A few of the citizens stand out from the others.
A male vlaka signs his dismay over the shuttering of the Drift engine factory where he worked. Chance is able to tell that his name is Torrik.
A female lashunta who says her name is Lainomi speaks up, fury in her face, about how her little shop does detail work for luxury yachts — who’ll have use for that now?
A ysoki child named Twister wails in hunger, while her older brother Pockets tries to soothe her. Pockets tells everyone that their moms were supposed to come back weeks ago from a cargo run. “We have no idea if they'll ever come back! What are we going to do?” The two children retain their home (for now) and are surviving off food from All Hands.
You think it would help quite a bit if the food line would start moving. Evidently there is some problem. The waiting and lack of information is just causing the hungry people to be even more irritable.
Tad points out the people he considers most likely to make trouble to the rest of you.
Then he goes into the crowd, asking who needs medical help and treating those in need. A few of them are suffering from malnutrition. Several have minor problems such as strained appendages, cuts and a couple with a fever.
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Pervir is deeply moved when she sees the young ysoki who is hungry. Fortunately, she hasn't finished her own meal yet because she slows down while munching on it as they continue their journey to the site.
Approaching Twister, she kneels to be at eye level with her and offers the young ysoki the remaining briny food she has, saying, "Hey, I have some treats here for you while you wait for real food. It isn't much, but it should help ease your hunger while you wait." She leaves the bowl of colored flakes for the young ysoki and her older brother, Pockets.
Standing up, Pervir gets the attention of the crowd with three claps and says, "Attention, everyone!" She calls out to the crowd, "Thank you. I'm Pervir, and with me are my Starfinder allies. We're here to help. Why don't we all start by calming down while we sort things out here for you? How does that sound?" She ends her speech with a warm, rehearsed smile directed at everyone.
Although the two ysoki make a face when first tasting the flakes, they are hungry enough that they do continue munching on them.
Perform is able to get a number of people in the crowd to calm down. “Just got here, guess we can wait and see what they can do.”
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The constellation of diligence shines brightly in the cosmos of productivity, RZMR starts of, praising the workers. hard-working individuals plant the seeds of transformation, nurturing them with unwavering skill and determination until they blossom into forests of accomplishment. Please do not walk on the grass.
Hunger, like a fleeting storm, shall pass, and within each yearning heart resides the potential for patience and contentment. While resources are limited, all proceeds shall be divided fairly among the wanting, and so similarly all shall share when the famine passes and foods are plenty. Look not to some invisible being to provide for you, but follow your leader into self-sufficiency. RZMR does not let an opportunity pass to pry some followers from a failed god.
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Chance nods approval as the children are immediately fed, and then set about helping with set up. She carries large tables easily and does other heavy lifting.
Once the tables are set up, Chance stands on a bench and then signs and telepathically communicates to the crowd.
Hello my new friends. I'm Chance, and I travel with the Starfinder Society and I'm a Desnan. Chance grasps the butterfly mote flying around her head, and forms it to a large glowing butterfly in her hand. I too miss the days of easy travel from star to star, but know this... We Starfinders are neither powerful enough to turn on off the Drift, nor desirous of such an outcome. We use ships that were built in Sparks, and will be repaired and maintained here. We want to travel, and we want this neighborhood to thrive again.
RZMR get people confused enough that they forget the arguments and start discussion what the heck he meant. It is all good though, as those with a technical background recognize that he knows is stuff while those with a more philosophical and metaphysical viewpoint try to puzzle through what they are sure is a riddle.
Meanwhile Chance is setting up tables and such so that once the food is ready there will be places for people to sit. Once he is done with that he gets a lot of attention from his speach — especially among the people who use sign language. You see several in the crowd excitedly signing the same sequence. Afterwards Chance can tell you that they were signing his name.
Delikie’s medical knowledge is sounds and she helps a number of people. She understanding of exactly how to classify some of the people is a little off.
Zarzucker 3 starts a conspiracy theory about Vesk involvement and eventually gets those who would believe anything all in one group trading various conspiracy theories.
When he tries to help with the medical, he isn’t able to find anyone who still needs such help.
You have managed to calm the crowd. Shortly after that it seems whatever problems there were with preparing the food have been resolved. The line starts moving and people are able to get some food from the All Hands community center.
You see a white Vlaka and a sky blue Skittermander approaching. The skittermanders lower hands are burning, but fortunately the upper four are fine.
The Vlaka signs a greeting to you which the Skittermander translates. “Greetings Starfinders! It is good to see you here. Thank you for the help with the crowd here.” The vlaka’s name is Bargai and the Skittermander’s name is Fidget.
Discovering that you will not need a translator, the Skittermander excuses themselves saying “I’m going to try to find someone to fix our stove![/b]”
Bargai signs “It is good to be around Starfinders again. Please, come into the center so we can talk.”
All Hands community center is located next door to Historia's property.
Inside, the irregular sounds of a neighboring factory are very loud, regularly causing the furniture to vibrate. When Bargai first feels the rumbling of the furniture, she apologizes, “Oh, I should have warned you! I've been told our neighbors are quite loud. The shaking takes some getting used to, but it's made our rent very affordable.”
Hexie sucks on a battery while the humanoids have dinner.
Bargai signs “Not often, about once an hour.”
Just then you hear and feel a particularly loud explosion coming from the next building over. Noticing the salt shaker tip over, Bargai quickly rights it and signs “Sometimes more.”
Bargai opens a nearby drawer and gets out a small package that she offers to Pervir. It is a set of cheap earplugs. With one hand she signs “Here, take the earplugs.” and then indicates he has more if anyone wants them. Given how cheap the earplugs look, the environmental protections in your suits might be just as effective.
She signs that “I never hear the noise.” and gives a very mischievous wolffish grin. “It is also really good for the rent. Did I mention rent was cheap here?”
“So why are you here?”
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Pervir has her mouth open for not understanding what Bargai is signing to her but seeing some earplugs being offered to her, she soon understands. She takes them and mouths a thank you and puts them on. She finds out that not much noise is removed, but she does not complain. She smiles at Bargai's grin and hand gestures.
"Maybe you can talk hands with her?" Pervir nudges Chance, while trying to imitate Bargai but immediately takes it back lest she offends anyone.
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Your gift is noted RZMR says, then inspects the plugs and is commensurate with your means.
Silently, he adjusts his environmental protections to filter out sonics. Rather than speak, he takes his datapad and holds up a screen showing an icon
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Chance accepts the earplugs, adjusts their environmental protections, then continues to sign to Bargai. For everyone else, she opens a telepathic channel.
There. That should make communicating in all this noise easier. You can think to me, and I'll listen, sign back to Bargai and we can all still converse. Chance turns to Bargai. You know that property next door that you mentioned? The Starfinder Society are the new owners. We're supposed to clear it of any dangers and explore it thoroughly. Do you know anything about the property?
Bargai signs “Congratulations?” Their facial expression and gestures make it clear they aren’t sure if this is a good thing or a bad thing.
Then they explain what they know of the neighboring property.
“Well, at least now we know who owns it. The people in the neighborhood have been wondering about that for quite a while now.”
“It's been abandoned for years, which is a shame, because this neighborhood could use another strong local business. I've not seen anyone go in or out, though I often find people sleeping or passed out in the entry way.”
“I bring them inside when I can.”
When Chance translates RZMR’s statement, she gets a puzzled expression on her face.
She then signs “The building has been closed up for longer than I’ve been here. I really can’t think of anything more to disclose about it.”
Puzzled, Bargai signs “You want to look around my community center?”
In spite of the gnomes rudeness, Bargai agrees. “If that is what you want, sure I can give you a tour.”
“I thought you were interested in the building next door. I don’t see how looking around this building will help, but as a former Starfinder I’m not inclined to argue.”
Seeing RZMR point, Bargai signs “I comprehend now! You want to explore the building next door. Well, you own it. I doubt anyone will object.”
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Seeing RZMR point, Bargai signs “I comprehend now! You want to explore the building next door. Well, you own it. I doubt anyone will object.”
Your temporary existence makes you cling to objects and pieces of land as transitory possessions. The abitrary deed and the right of passage that comes with it only serves to exclude, limiting the potential of the community. Ready to move in, he fiercely declaims: We shall produce the means of seizure, and render onto the community what is of the community! Make sure to store all shampoo bottles in an upright position. RZMR protests to being called a mere warehouse owner.
A wise leader sends forth scouts to obtain the disposition of his enemy, listening on every door. RZMR suggests checking out the door while disseminating the arts of war, knowledge of the enemy's dispositions can only be obtained from other men. he adds, making clear that he clearly prefers spouting philosophy over doing the scouting himself.
The entry door to the complex is locked and has the look of long abandonment. Chance doesn’t see anything out of place about the area.
As RZMR touches the door with a tool from his engineering kit, everyone realizes that perhaps Chance wasn’t the best choice for who to search for traps. A shocking idea, indeed.
DC 12 Reflex for half
The floor you are standing on outside the door is electrified. The door is also still locked.
Now aware of the danger, RZMR quickly tears into the conduit and is able to disable the trap. He thinks if he hadn’t done that, the trap would have reset in about 10 minutes.
The door remains locked.
Hexie licks up that delicious electric energy, than burps.
Zarzucket doesn’t see anything unusual about the door other than the conduit in the floor that RZMR tore apart and the fairly standard digital lock on the door. Even though he knows there must be some sort of trigger that set off the trap, he doesn’t see it.
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Pervir wriggles when she gets electrocuted! It takes some time before she gets to her senses. "Why would they make it electrified if it is already locked?!" she complains about the redundancy of the security measures.
"Maybe we can just kick it to make itself open." she then kicks the door after she removes her stilletos.
The door doesn’t even budge when Pervir kicks it.