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A man of good looks and a confident comportment enters the lift. He's quick with his smile, and acknowledges any who look his way. some people actively wave as if they know the man. It's likely true that they do, not as a Starfinder, but owner and operator of the Flaxseed Station Cantina.
He's slight of build, though the contours of his graphite suit show off a toned physique. While his skipshot pistol is pretty standard, his dueling sword looks more like fashion than function.
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A grey furred ysoki rides the elevator looking up at his companions with a serious look on his face. A corona laser pistol is holstered at his belt.
"Hello! Have you heard about the movement to restore Iji? Free Vesk 2! Free Vesk 2! Restore Iji!"
"Sorry, I have not been to Vesk. Is this movement some sort of dance? If you are trying to start a free dance movement, I'm all in. Dancing should be free."
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A stocky korasha lashunta with pale green skin mottle with darker green saddles and spots stood against one wall with a grin on his face. The power gauntlet encasing his left hand seemed to come and go as he subconsciously twiddled with a knob on its side. He is well armored, and carries it easily.
"Free Vesk 2, huh? Is that a serious commitment or are you practicing to blend in with no one wanting to make eye contact? Either way, good show. I am Kastien. A Seeker of Truth and follower of the Universal Way. Also, I like to punch things. "
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Dov is a 10ft tall bipedal bear wearing a long, white, leather lab-coat over khaki-colored scrubs, his pockets bearing multi-colored vials. You can see numerous cybernetic implants poking out from his fur as he arrives, broad shoulders bearly fitting as he squeezes through the door frame. Aside from a few pistols on his hips, he doesn't appear to bear any other arms or armor (beyond the obvious). Even his lab coat's sleeves are quite long! He gives all of you a respectful nod but stifles an obvious yawn with a massive paw.
"Oh...I'm so sorry for being late. I was just hibernating in the lounge - I pulled a double shift at the clinic yesterday despite there being a specific claws in my contract about that sort of thing within 2 days of a posted assignment to the Starfinder duty roster..."
"Er, in any event. Dr. Dov Delano at your service. I don't suppose I could offer everybody a free checkup?
The lift doors open once more. Two individuals can be heard chatting about the merits of various armor styles and upgrades. The cease their conversation, smile at the assembled group and step in.
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"Nice to meet you Dr. Dov. Sounds like this team has a medic, so..." Halfway through her sentence, Sharmain is interrupted by a notification on her comm unit.
"Aaah, yes, looks like this is your party, Walter. I just received a call to elsewhere. Have fun." She sends a command to the lift and exits at the next stop.
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Walter looks around at the members of the group. "I'm sure we will get along just fine. We're all Starfinders after all."
"Hey Doc, I'm happy for you to take your scans. I'm sure you understand that I may heal a little differently to most. I appreciate all you can do to keep me kicking, or at least squawking."
Walter doffs their fedora, straightens their pinstriped suit and adds, "As much as that appreciation is genuine, I hope your medical services are not needed on this mission, at least for the team. Just once, I'd like to go on a quiet diplomatic mission where there is no fighting and we actually manage to make lives better and maybe even bring peace."
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“Sit down,” Radaszam growls when the lift empties you out into his office, scarcely glancing up from his datapad as he nods toward several open seats in his office. After a moment, he looks up and says, “Eight years ago, I sent a team of Starfinders to help get a young agent out of a jam caused by her own big mouth. Well, I guess I don't need to tell you that, since most of you were on that team. Anyway, as you know, our team helped her build and pilot a vehicle to victory in a junkrace, down in the Spike. And what did that ingrate do to thank me for my help? She quit! Well, good riddance, I say.”
“Ugh, I’m getting aggravated just thinking about it,” he grumbles, shaking his head. “Enough about her. Turns out the guy she beat, a ysoki named Ratrod, has held a grudge against me all these years for helping her out. He’s challenged the Society, wants me to send another team to a big race he’s putting together. Normally I’d ignore it, but as it happens, I’m in need of some new intel sources down in that part of the Spike, and from what I hear, this Ratrod has his ear to the ground.”
“That’s where you come in. Head down to the Botscrap district and enter Ratrod’s race. Showing up is enough to build the inroads I need, but you may as well try to win while you’re there, just to make a good impression for the Society. Take this.” Radaszam holds out a small datastick. “Don’t lose it; that’s your ticket into the gate. I’ve sent you a dossier on everything we could gather about the other racers, though it’s not much. Any questions?”
Junkracing is most popular in the Botscrap district of Absalom Station’s Spike, where tracks have been set up in many of the bigger junkyards. The most famous junkracing track is owned by Ratrod, a veteran ysoki racer with ties to the Scrap Union. Eight years ago, Ratrod’s reputation was ruined when he lost a race to a hotshot team of Starfinders, and he’s been working his way back up ever since.
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Lapodie and Dr. Delano have heard that Ratrod is promoting the big race today as "The Grudge Match". He's invited all the racers he feels have wronged him in some way over the years to compete, so he can beat them all at once. There's a lot of fan excitement, particularly for the potential drama that might unfold. Aside from Ratrod's grudges, the race is also slated to feature a team of Starfinders racing against a former Starfinder, and a mother racing against her late son's best friend, who was involved in the crash that killed him.
Walter and Zark additionally recall that Ratrod is very picky about the way his races are broadcast, going so far as to order custom-built versions of a popular camera drone model with special programming tailoed to his needs.
You all also recall that in this sort of one-off junkrace, base vehicles are usually supplied to the racers, though you may have a chance to customize once you're there.
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"I remember helping Laboni win the race against Ratrod and the whole crew. I wonder if her driving has improved over these eight years? I remember we had to do a lot of fixing up of her engines and also a lot of firing of weapons to ensure that she won. That was quite an intense race, and I'm not surprised that Ratrod wants a rematch."
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You take your leave of the grumpy dealmaker, heading toward The Spike. Conrad hobnobs with everyone you run into, hoping to get some more intel, but no one seems to know anything more than you do about the details of the race. As you descend deeper into The Spike, the corridors become more cramped, windows frequently barred or boarded over, and the glitzy holovid displays of topside businesses are replaced with neon lights and painted signs. As you reach the Botscrap district, the housing blocks, cafes, and bodegas of other neighborhoods grow less frequent, with whole blocks dedicated to the massive, sprawling junkyards that give the district its name.
Eventually, you come to an intersection of wide corridors where gaudy neon signs bathe a nearby dumpster in sickly pink light. Boarded windows and spray-painted security doors show most of the storefronts to be vacant, though the door of a dank cantina stands propped open to the southwest, the sound of clinking bottles and muttered conversation occasionally spilling out. Pedestrians hurry through the area, avoiding eye contact. Leaning against the walls on the far side of the intersection are a small group of what look like street toughs, wearing matching colors. As you approach, they begin to move, the two androids in the back moving toward strategic corners, while two burly nuars draw staves and approach. ”Hand over the entry token”, the lead figure demands.
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Hmm, don't look like locals. I wonder if they are associated with the race, or maybe just taking advantage of it.
Walter addresses the leader using their experience as an activist to sound like they speak with authority, yet trying to keep it diplomatic as well.
"If you have been hired as race security, you need to make sure you have been registered as such and know the correct procedures. We'd be happy to accept your escort to the check-in station. You should see our names as registered contenders on the official list. Let's get moving though so we can all be about our appointed tasks."
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Conrad encourages his allies as Zark leaps into action, catching the nearer nuar off guard with a shot from their laser pistol. Lapodie similarly leaps into action, landing a shot on the other approaching nuar. Kastien, meanwhile, opts for trickery, holding up the token as bait.
One of the androids takes careful aim at Kastien, but holds fire, waiting for him to surrender the datastick. The farther nuar shrugs off Lapodie's shot, moving forward and reaching for the datastick in Kastien's hand.
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Kastian lands a solid blow on the surprised nuar, rocking them back on their heels for a moment. Seeing Kastien's duplicitous non-compliance, the android that had taken aim at him fires!
The bolt connects, though it's clear that they have their phasers set to stun weapons meant to incapacitate, rather than kill.
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Walter further exhorts their allies, but even with their own encouragement and Kastien's helpful positioning, their shot just catches the edge of the dumpster and ricochets away.
The remaining nuar loops around into a flanking position against Kastien, bringing his pike around in an efficient arc .
The nimble solarian is able to dodge the attack though, maintaining his grip on the datastick.
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Dov is clearly taken a bit aback at the sudden hostility, hence his slow reactions to the onslaught. But the big bear quickly recovers. He draws his caustoject pistol, taking aim at the off-guard nuar (#1) and loads his specialty biohack into it, taking a Double Tap shot!
"You should calm down, friend. I'm Dr. Dov by the way. My patients say they bearly feel a thing!"
vs. Off-Guard
Inhibitor: Fatigued condition (DC 19 Fortitude Save for half damage versus nonlethal damage and no fatigue). If target is already fatigued, it is Exhausted instead. This is a poison effect.
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The nuar groans at the pun, despite himself...at least until the bolt of medicated acid impacts him squarely in the chest.
The remaining android calls out, calmly, "never mind that, focus on the one with the key." Taking their own advice, they take a moment to aim, carefully, a holographic HUD springing up in front of their eyes, before taking a shot at Kastien.
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