Adelai Niska's page

You radio a request to Niska to spend time searching his scrap-yard for parts, without telling him too much of what your plan is.

Ah, I do not question methods of professionals. You would not question my methods, yes? So I do not question yours. Please, find what you need. You will purchase like any other customer, though, hmm?

Ok, since you really don't have any sort of scanners on your ship, you're going to have to spend the greater part of your day searching manually. The only one of you who has any knowledge on anything even remotely close would be Noren with his expert ship knowledge, so I'll need a Careful Overcome check from him, DC 3 since it's not really your forte.

As for everyone else, peel your eyes and give me Careful Overcome checks as well, DC 3 since it also is really none of your professions. We shall see how this pans out!

Niska, smiles at Darius.

Ah! Now you see why you are hired! Come, come.

He motions for you to follow him out the door. Leading you down the hallways, flanked by his guards, you pass various other doors leading off into the station. It seems you are going downwards into the bowels of the station.

Finally, Niska opens a door into an observation room.

Here will give you idea of size.
He waves a hand at the glass, behind which you see a generator the size of a small truck sitting in the center of the room, wired into the very heart of the station.

You see, my men tell me your ship properly sized to fit my needs. This is very good thing.

Kachada, Old John, Darius, Marsh, and Noren exit The Noble Savage (after Darius sets the ship in low power mode; prepped and ready to leave at a moments notice, but without raising any red flags) and follow your armed guard through the station. You notice a crudely carved sign, crafted out of pieces of sheet metal welded together, above the entrance:

WELCOME TO SKYPLEX

Your entourage leads you through a few connecting hallways, until you reach a sealed door. One of the guards keys in a code, and the door opens revealing a quaint office, furnished with wood paneling, a lush red carpet, an aquarium full of exotic fish spanning an entire wall, and an antique Tiffany lap atop a mahogany desk (the lamp looks ancient! Possibly even a relic from Earth!)

Behind the desk sits a smiling older man with a scar down his right cheek and a twinkle in his eye.

Welcome, come in, come in! Mister Steven Kachada is which?

He asks, pointing at the lot of you. Kachada steps forward,
I'm Captain Kachada, this here's Darius, my pilot, Marsh, Noren, John. Kachada motions to each in turn.

Niska Nods.
Very nice. I am Adelai Niska. You have seen my home, what do you think, eh? heHe, isn't it charming place? Hmm?

Kachada nods back.
Very. Got yer' message 'bout a job. Ain't got much stock in small-talk, so care to tell us about it?

Niska stands,
Yes! Yes. A very exciting job! You see, this station, it flies very nicely, but oh how I wish to see the clouds below this floating junk more clearly. You see? The view, it is...not particular to taste. You haul cargo, yes? Very good, my men tell me your ship has a very nice cargo hold.

He smiles, with that twinkle in his eye.

Good, you have reputation! Captain Kachada hauls anything for a price is the talk. You know what is reputation? Is people talking. Is gossip. Good, I also have reputation, not so pleasant, I think you know. Here, let me show you.

He motions, and one of the guards pulls aside a curtain to reveal a bound and struggling man, tied and gagged behind glass, and above the exotic fish tank. With that same smile, Niska pushes a button on his desk, and the man splashes into the tank and sinks to the bottom, thrashing.

In moments, all of the calmly swimming fish have begun to frenzy around the man, choking the water with blood and bits of flesh.

Eeeh, you see this man, he does not do the job. I show you what I do with him and now my reputation with you is fact. Now from you my reputation is not from gossip.

He motions again and the guard curtains off the fishtank again.

Ees solid. You do this job for me, and your reputation is solid. Yes? Good. Let us talk business.

Niska sits back behind his desk again and pulls out a small folder of papers.

Here is the job. My home is requiring variable-gravity generator. Specifics are not important. What is important is who has such a toy. Ah! That is the thing. Even I, with my fortune, was outbid, but ho-ho not like you think! My delivery man was to bring it to me. He forgot how much I paid him and delivered it someone else who paid him more. You saw him just a moment ago. How could this be? I asked. I must have that generator! No other will do! I tried a higher offer, but no! She would not accept. You see, she is using it for trinkets. I would use it for purpose.

He flips open the folder, showing a floating islet over a vast, blue, sea. Kachada's breath catches, and a pounding starts in his ears.

You see, Miss Foxglove too has reputation. Money? Yes, very much so. Wisdom in spending? No. She has none of the sort, and she has my generator. Mine! You will bring it to me.

Niska looks up at you all and smiles, the scar on his cheek distracting from the twinkle in his eye.

And then you will have solid reputation. Yes? So, Oh! The job! Yes! Come here, come here.

He begins pointing out information in the folder.

Miss Foxglove live on Bellerophon. Very rich houses, hmm? Here, at bottom of Foxglove manor, is generator. Powerful device, holding the weight of entire manor and grounds afloat. Beautiful, yes? You take generator from manor, leave Bellerophon without getting caught, and deliver to Barlow at rendezvous point at Misama. You see Barlow there, yes?

He points out one of his more heavily armed henchmen in the room.

Half money now, Barlow give you other half at rendezvous point. By your reputation, I know you like, eh, a sweetened deal, yes? Deliver generator within ten days, and I will pay extra 20,000TL, hmm? But, anything goes wrong, your reputation only gossip, and things between us not so solid. Yes?

Niska smiles, waiting for your reply, and holding out his hand to shake.

The message back is prompt, and personal. It's an older man, with a Slavic accent, sporting a scar down his right cheek.

Aaaah, Mr. Kachada, my new errand boy. Arriving early? What pleasant turnings of events. If this how you handle business meetings I am excited to see how you handle actual work! Aye look forward to meeting you three days from now.

You've heard about this guy, though you thought he was supposed to be living in a space station around Ezra. Guess he moved or something...
Either way, you've heard stories about this guy and they aren't good. While he pays well, he has a certain...reputation. Since you've already answered his message, you heard he considers this as an agreement to take on his job; back out, and he will kill you. Screw up the job, and he will kill you. Succeed in his expectations, and he will pay you handsomely.