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TO my mind socially based checks are diplomacy, intimidation and bluff.
"I bet ya don't. You guys are looking almost as sharp as those knives in your boots and packing some heat, too."
"I'm pretty fresh to it, myself. It takes all sorts, just like anywhere else, I suppose. This big guy you mention? Does he have a name?"
"Huh." Mercy looks over her shoulder. Somehow in her mind the Respite had been a bit more of a walk away from the Lorespire Complex. In retrospect, guessing the group were Starfinders wasn't that much of a stretch.
She nods to Reynar's question "We know a few big chill dudes. Even some that'd probably be interested in your flyers."
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The two Uniters look at each other. One flashes an ephemeral scowl; the other blanches a bit. He pauses with an uncertain downward glance before raising his head to respond.
"Hurondo's his name. Look, you seem pretty chill. Maybe you can help us out. The big dude came poking around into our business and we jumped him. -- Wait! Just let me talk. Anyway, he thrashed a bunch of us. About broke Jed's ribs. We beat on him. And now we've got a damaged shobhad nursing at our HQ. It's a delicate situation. Even Bargai isn't sure what to do. Some of our guys who got hit would like to put his lights out, but like I said, he is pretty chill and some of us think we should cut him loose. Others think he should pay for the property damage plus some consideration.
Since you're Starfinders, and all, maybe you could help us negotiate an end to this?"
”Injured human, assessing,” says Attenuate when Jed shows the bruising.
"A Starfinder went poking into your business and you jumped him? While you were handing out flyers?" Mercy raises an eyebrow and looks the Uniters up and down "You sure about that?"
"Well, if you don't want this to be a huge mess with the Society, you should probably hand him over before someone higher up hears you've been doing this. How about you take us to your place? We can try help smooth it over."
Mercy suppresses her surprise as best she can. Hurondo just dropping into the group's lap before the search has even really begun seems too good to be true.
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"Not while we were handing out fliers. He was poking around our crib."
Not-Jed flashes a triumphant smile at his companion. "Yeah, smooth it over. Like milk, or silk. That's what I'm hoping for."
Somehow you're sure he's never seen real silk, or possibly even milk.
Reynar's ears raise at the Uniter's revelation. Tilting his head, the pahtra regards the pair and weighs the credibility of their tale.
"Sounds like you're in a bit of a tight spot. And she's right," he says, nodding toward Mercy. "It'll get much worse for your crew if it gets out that you've injured a Starfinder and is being held prisoner. Let us help you."
Not to mention helping ourselves. And Hurondo and the others.
Mercy grins at the Uniters "You heard Reynar. I'm sure we can clean this little misunderstanding up smooth as milk." She shrugs "Lead the way."
Reynar nods, mirroring Mercy's grin. "Smooth as milk," he echoes. "Turn your sorrow into silk."
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Mercy suppresses her surprise as best she can. Hurondo just dropping into the group's lap before the search has even really begun seems too good to be true.
**
I edited my last post but it didn't take. Not-Jed is called Daria.
Neither the Uniters, nor Bargai meet that bar.
When you get to the HQ, peeking from beneath the boards over the windows, is the corner of a distinctive poisonous green paper. It's a color you see occasionally in the Downlow on notices that structural units have been condemned and are slated for destruction and extensive renovation by Station Authorities.
Daria and Jed lead you lower and lower through the station and through descending social classes all the way to the least desirable sector, the Spike. The smell of sewage intermittently wafts throughout the area. Finally they turn into a corridor and proclaim, "Home sweet Unity."
The “headquarters” is a rundown single-story apartment house. (While the Eye sports buildings like the Lorespire Complex, the lower decks' "buildings" are modules that are more integrated into the station's structure.) The apartment house has windows fronting the corridor. The windows have been haphazardly boarded up with recycled plastic planks. The front entrance door hangs crookedly in its frame, and graffiti—both fresh and half-scrubbed—adorns the walls.
Two humans in clothing and gear with themes similarly to Jed's and Daria's occupy the area near the entrance. They are reaching toward someone in the shadowed entrance, talking and gesturing.
Rounding the corner, Daria's confidence evaporates and he slows down. Jed looks over, "We're in it now. Come on." Jed takes the lead walking toward the doorway and waves to announce his presence.
grate that requires a successful DC 20 Engineering check (DC
23 in Subtier 3–4) to open. The door is otherwise made of plastic
(hardness 8, 30 Hit Points). The ceiling within the structure is 15
feet high and is entirely enclosed with no overhead access points.
Creatures: Bargai is a deaf vlaka who travelled to Absalom
Station in response to her home world’s impending doom. The
vlaka was something of an outcast within her community after
she killed a prominent vlaka leader’s son in self-defense. While
Bargai was not imprisoned or exiled as her actions were lawful,
the community at large shunned her because the slain vlaka was
well-liked. Bargai left for Absalom Station to begin a new life.
She formed another community in the poorer parts of the Spike
in hopes to discover new meaning and purpose. Unfortunately,
competing gangs injured, killed, or recruited most of the allies she
had accumulated. Bargai soon realized that to attain her goal, she
must outmuscle and outsmart other gangs enough to garner the
general support of the populace. If the PCs approach, Bargai tells
the other Uniters to get inside and attempts to close the doors
behind them. If the PCs initiate combat, Bargai and the two Uniters
attempt to disengage and move inside the headquarters to shut
the door. If the PCs try to talk to Bargai, note that she’s deaf and
communicates with a tactile version of Common shared with her
Uniter allies. The PCs must succeed at a DC 25 Diplomacy check
(DC 27 in Subtier 3–4) in order to convince Bargai not to attack.
Even then, Bargai isn’t willing to part with Hurondo without some
form of recompense, and unless the PCs make another DC 25
Diplomacy or Intimidate check (DC 27 in Subtier 3–4) they must
Mercy has no hesitation and strides right up to stand beside Jed. With the windows boarded up, there's no way to confirm the story without getting inside, and getting inside means talking to these people. She's not particularly pleased to see Jed and Daria looking a little nervous. Nevertheless she nods to the two guards and lets Jed do introductions.
Attenuate follows along meekly with no objections.