IC STARFINDER: HFH - EPISODE 03- DIAMONDS AND RUST

[Sunshine]

The ysoki scrambled back a bit, instinctively, upon being approached by a giant-to-her cat man. Reflexes...

"Hey, I'm not a criminal! That's actually really offensive. Ysoki don't just steal everything that's nailed down." Nervously, Sunshine snuck a chunk of food off Jordayn's plate, and popped it in her mouth. "Fho you fink thad if - " She paused, and swallowed, and started again. "So you think that we're in dire enough straits that we need to jet off to some horrible unknown world full of riches? If we were up for doing that we'd join the Starfinders."

She paused, and turned to the others. "Have we thought about doing that? If I take one more milk run in that dumb taxi I - right, negotiation faces, shutting up."

[Jordayn]

On 10/7/2018 at 3:13 PM, STARFINDER GM said:

"Most of you are criminals albeit with a semblance of conscience. Abadar held out his hand offering you a place and way out of the chaos your lives have become. Offered you order. Such offers come rarely to those of your kind." 

"You do them a disservice, Abadaran," Jordayn countered with a half smile. "Many of the most successful criminals I have known never broke a law. Bent them mercilessly and exploited every loophole they could find, but didn't actually break one. They are far more dishonest and duplicitous than my companions inside - at least they don't lie about what they are and what they do."

Jordayn snorted a laugh and shrugged a shoulder. "Well... most of the time, at any rate. You may have offered order, but what they were looking for was a job, Hershwin. Order is all well and good, but don't discount a little chaos in your life. What is lawful and orderly is not always just, especially when one focuses on the letter rather than the spirit. A good and orderly society is one where there is room for some disorder and chaos. Otherwise, all you end up with is a prison, however gilded, with a select few outside it acting as wardens and guards, the only ones with actual freedom."

He gave the other priest a pointed glance. "And as often as not, not adhering fully for the laws they espouse for others. Give them, give us another chance. So far as I've seen, their words are good. Accept their word at face value, and they'll accept yours, rather than looking for the caveat or loophole in the contract that will screw them. If one side or the other break the agreement, well then... action on either party will be taken as they deem appropriate."

[Echo]

Echo gave Clevus a supremely not-impressed look and said, "That's a pretty flaccid threat, as threats go. Sell me on this 'lost world' thing. Do a better job than Mister Abadar and maybe I'll even listen."

"What's up with this planet anyway, and why is everyone after it so bad?"

[STARFINDER GM]

OUTSIDE THE CLUB

Hershwin contemplated what Jordayn was say then slowly shook his head. "I'm afraid it is too late for that."

INSIDE THE CLUB

"I don't want anyone to eavesdrop like I was doing so,"Clevus looks up at Gorunta,"I'm going to take something out of my pocket so don't shoot me." He reaches into his jacket and pulls out a small device some of the group recognise a silencer. a Device which will mask the sounds of anyone inside it from outside ears.

As Clevus reaches out to set it on the table the hairs on the back of his hand stand up and he stiffens his head swivels around before stopping looking at the door. The two Abadar Interns have come into the club an done of them is casting a spell! His hands moving in intricate motions green flame blsooms between his palms and with a rapid flick of his wrists the flame shoots across the room right at our heroes.

Clevus ducks the green flame as the back of his chair is consumed in the fire spell and he shouts no screams

"Now you can Shoot dammit Shoot them!"

Spoiler

no one was hurt yall may act  in the following order Gorunta, Jexa, Sunshine, Echo, Evana. the interns have a KAC and EAC of 16.

 

[Gorunta Hemok]

Gorunta sprang from his chair and closed the distance. Fuck shooting, he was going to knock out the interns, starting with the spellcaster, and shove one head up another's ass. Leaving them alive (since dead Abadarans in a public place would be bad, self-defense or not) but appropriately traumatized and punished for a stunt like this.

Spoiler

Move action to close with the spell caster... standard action to attack unarmed:
Unarmed Attack: 1D20+9 = [17]+9 = 26
Unarmed Damage: 1D6+12 = [5]+12 = 17
This is all non-lethal.

Stamina Points: 50/50
Health Points: 41/41
Resolve Points: 5/5

 

[Jexa Brae]

Jexa's eyes went big and her antennae stood straight up in surprise at the bolt of flame racing towards their table. Partially intentionally, but mostly not, Jexa avoided the flame by falling back in her chair ungracefully, hitting the ground with a thud.

"I've had enough of the Abadar fucks!" she growled as she rolled to her side, making a fist which began to swirl with arcane energy and a cloud of nanites. Rising up to peek over the table, she pointed at the Abadarian drawing his weapon.

"Sick'em, boys!" she commanded, unleashing the cloud of nanites at the Abadarian. In an instant the shimmering, metallic cloud was across the room, each nanite latching onto one molecule of water vapor after another, transmuting them until the Abadarian was surrounded in a shimmering, acidic cloud.

 

Spoiler

 

Casting Caustic Conversion (Core pg. 342) on the non-casting abadar who is drawing a weapon and spending a resolve point to use her "Extend Spell" magic hack to double duration.

Result: 11 Acid damage +5 more acid damage at the end of his turn for 4 turns (starting with this turn).

Crunch:

Spoiler

Ranged attack roll vs EAC to hit: 1D20+6 => (15 + 6) = 21 vs EAC 16 = HIT
Damage roll: 4D4 => (3 +3 +2 +3) = 11 acid damage  +5 more acid damage at the end of it's turn for the spell's duration (4 rounds)

 

 

[Jordayn]

OUTSIDE THE CLUB

On 10/16/2018 at 7:24 PM, STARFINDER GM said:

"I'm afraid it is too late for that."

"It's only too late if you don't even try," Jordayn replied with a wry twist of his lips. "As long as you try, endless possibilities are still open to you."

He heard some incongruous sounds coming from the club, his brow furrowing as he turned from Hershwin to the entrance of the Club, where the Executor's associates had stepped through a moment before. He glanced back to the Abadar, taking a step away as his fingers twitched toward his stunning Static Arc Pistol, an Arshean prayer playing through his mind. Arshea's pleasurable grace could be incapacitating, even lethal, to others, especially ones as staid as the typical Abadaran.

"What did you do, Hershwin?"

[Sunshine]

"Oh, buttercups - " Sunshine immediately ducked down low, pulling out her pistol and squeezing off a wild, unaimed shot at an intern. "Damn cats - "

 

Spoiler

Sunshine laser pistol attack and damage : 1D20+8 = [19]+8 = 27
2D4+3 = [4, 4]+3 = 11

 

[STARFINDER GM]

To say the interns were surprised at the speed and accuracy, much less the ferocity, of the heroes response would not be amiss, if however, they hadn't of perished before the actions even registered.

Gorunta had covered the distance in the blink of an eye his open handed slap knocking the male Intern into a daze. at almost the same instant a bubble of acid encompassed the female whose screams were cut off as acid filed her lungs. Then as Gorunta turn his attention back at the first he balled his fist and drew back to smash the intern into complete unconsciousness when a bright laser beam drilled a hole right between the young mans eyes and burned all the way thru.

Clevus stood up "Right! We need to get out of here now! Follow me!" with that the large black furred feinoid darted back towards the backstage area. Obviously he knew a way out.

On 10/21/2018 at 3:08 AM, Jordayn said:

"What did you do, Hershwin?"

"Cleaned up a mess. You should go tend to your friends, or whats left of them." said the Abadarian as he turned away.

Jordayn stared for a second at the other priest then darted back toward the club. He stepped into chaos, the few patrons where still ducking for cover, and Jordayn found himself looking into the wide dead eyes of the male intern a hole neatly burned through his skull. a shout caught his attention.

"Hurry this way come on!"

Jordayn looked up from the grisly sight just in time to spy the backside of Gorunta disappearing backstage. "Not good." he muttered to no one and ran after his friends.

 

After a mad dash through the passageways and back thoroughfares  of the immense planetoid sized station Clevus led them straight back to their ship "We need to leave and fast."

 

Spoiler

y'all can either hop in the ship and take off in which case someone needs to just write a post withthe ship launching from the station and starting to make it's run to jump or y'all can stop and demand that clevus explain himself. I'll give y'all to day to decide which route.

 

[Evana]

Weaponless for the battle, having still been in her attire for her set, Evie took cover, but prepared to wade into the melee if need be.  It'd been awhile since she had a good bar brawl... then up came Gorunta with... a sword.  Okay, fair enough, the enemies were shooting at them.  It sort of tosses bar fight out the window at that point.

"Oh, hohoho," She laughed an irritated laugh.  "Clevus, love..." she dashed with everyone, keeping step as best she could.  "You have so much to explain..."

On 10/23/2018 at 8:34 AM, STARFINDER GM said:

After a mad dash through the passageways and back thoroughfares  of the immense planetoid sized station Clevus led them straight back to their ship "We need to leave and fast."

"He's right," Evie said.  Not liking the situation, but not really in a place to argue at the moment.  "Sunshine, get her ready.  Jexa, Jordayn, get her ready for flight.  Echo, Gorunta, we'll cover the escape.  Clevus..." she glared at him.  "Get your ass on the ship, we need to have a talk and I need you alive for it.  Afterwards... is still on the table."

"Evana, I..." he tried to explain.

"Go."  She pointed to the ship.  "Gorunta, side arm."

The large vesk tossed his side arm towards her and she pressed against the wall, weapon at the ready in case any were giving chase.  "Echo, get your friend out here for cover fire, Gorunta, we'll draw fire and you give them that good ol' Vesk 'how do you do'."

"Think they'll follow?"  Echo asked.

"It's possible, but we need time to get the Solania ready to go.  If they do, we'll hold them here.  Jexa should have the on board weapons ready in a few, once that happens, they might just leave on their own accord... given how barmy we are, they know we'll use them."  Leaning against the wall, she had Gorunta's pistol in one hand and she was undoing the intricate buckled straps on her heels with her other.  She fumed.  "Ugh, why is it every time I'm in no position to run, we have to run?  And why did I think 'oh I'm doing a set... I won't need my weapons...', I swear, we can't go one week without pissing off someone."

Gorunta smiled, glaring at the p-way like a lone soldier waiting for his day to become perfect.  "I know.  Isn't it great?"

"Just one of our many, many talents," Echo slid the breech closed on her pistol, it hummed to life as arc energy powered it up.

Spoiler

Just some filler between one scene to the next.  I wasn't sure if the ship needed be ready, or we could just twist the key, pop it into gear and go, so I made some stuff up.

 

[Sunshine]

Sunshine slid through the legs of the taller party members without stopping, diving through the airlock's doors and into the Solyana itself. She beelined for the pilot's chair, which still had its ergonomics set to the ysoki phenotype.

She hopped in and started flipping switches, concentrating on her job and trusting the others to a) keep anti-starship weapons at bay with the ship's guns and b) get the engines and shields online.

Spoiler

Sunshine Piloting check: 1D20+16 = [11]+16 = 27

Just in case it's needed.

 

[STARFINDER GM]

Everyone responded to Evana's orders including Clevus while Sunshine fired up the engines and prepped for launch Echo requested and received permission to leave the station. The android and the Ysoki exchanged looks at that. Out side the ship Gorunta and Jordayn along with Echo's drone waited but no one appeared guns brandishing or otherwise. And in short order the the ship was ready and everyone boarded as she blasted out of the station.

In the Lounge/briefing room Clevus sat while Evana leaned against the wall everyone not involved with flying the ship came in and ringed the Feline all of the declining to take seats.

Clevus looked around feeling a bit menaced. “Look you guys have the wrong Idea this isn't my fault. Unlike me that Abadarin wasn't coming to hire you because you all are some sort of stellar badasses, he was after you cause you have two things he needs... The lizard and the rat.” He shrugs “Me I was there for the same reason but I am offering you a hell of a lot more, full share in the treasure, and the secret about your little ship”

The grin he gave them was disconcerting to say the least.

[Gorunta Hemok]

Gorunta had heard worse insults, but he looked mildly surprised by the idea he was an item of interest. Sunshine and her indenture thing, that he understood, but Gorunta figured that to the Abadarans and the galaxy at large, he seemed just another vesk mercenary. "Why me?"

[Echo]

"If he needed Sunshine, seems a little funny he let her off the hook so easy," Echo added to Gorunta's question. "This whole situation is smelling like the inside of the septic tank for Gorunta's cabin."

"So what's your pitch, Clevus?"

[Sunshine]

The cockpit's holo-emitter winked to life, and a monochromatic floating torso of Sunshine could be seen, her mouselike eyes darting between the others and the instruments. She wasn't snacking, for a change, her eyes on the stars.

"Yeah, what's the deal? I know why they're on my tail but why Gor's?"

[STARFINDER GM]

Clevus chuckled “One thing at a time and all in order, this one has to start at the beginning.” The feline looks around “Can I get a hot cup of Yomoleche here?

Ok it started about a year ago, maybe two, the Starfinders have been out being busybodies trying to locate every possible star-system to exploit. Well they found one, or rather one of their small single-ship scouts did. A Ysoki by the name of Batter found a world named Cearista. Actually a moon of a gas giant in a binary system, this planet was pristine and it looked uninhabited and better yet his survey equipment showed a complete lack of large predators, nothing larger than a house cat.” He grinned that toothy grin again.

“Batter didnt report the find, instead he started making contact with other Ysoki's and told them what he had found. As you know the Ysoki don't have a home-world, hell if you look close enough you will find that they arn't even all the same species. No offense Sunshine.

Anyway it didn't take long for the rats to jump whatever ship they were on and find their way there to Cearista, the dream of a Ysoki home-world and all that. Within a few months a few became hundreds then thousands to now when there is a little more than one and a half million of the buggers running around.

Of course they couldn't keep it secret so the choose a council and made a claim on the world here at Starhome, make it all legal and such. All was good The Ysoki were granted rights and legal ownership. No problems. Except that there wasn't a record of this world.

Hmm.

No worries we'll just send a ship out there to get a quick survey so we have something in our records. At least that's what the 'Authorities' said. They sent a big survey ship the kind that can do all sorts of sensor scans and mapping all the way down to the core of a planet. And boy did they find the Mother-load. You name it Cearista has it, radioactive s, heavy metals , mystical gems and elements and not in trace amounts either we are talking so much carbic, that this little new found Ysoki nation was going to be one of the richest in the known galaxy.

Then it all went down hill. For the Ysoki that is.  The survey ship turned up ruins in some of the remotest regions of the planet. Really old ruins. Not a big deal but that meant that at one time someone lived there and they had to make sure there was no record. And in the process of doing that they found that a starfinder ship was supposed to have surveyed that star. Needless to say they investigated and blah blah blah. They found out that Batter had falsified reports and that the claim of the Ysokis was now in question. Mainly because well can't let a lot of rats have so much riches now can they.”

 

Clevus pauses to take a drink of his Yomoleche. “Mmm this is good.”

“So where do I come into this,” Gorunta who was losing patience asked gruffly?

Clevus holds his hand up to stave off any questions. “Getting to that. The Ysoki hadn't been sitting on their tails while the powers that be were getting ready to screw them over, not by a long shot. The rats didn't have chance to hold on to their world by them selves at the most they could field a few hundred small non military ships and all that would do is give anyone coming for their world something to practice shooting at. So they hired an army.” He raises his arm pointing at Gorunta hand outstretched palm up offering him to everyone else.

“With a Vesk army on the ground and a fleet in orbit, no one was just going to swoop in and that's where you two came into the picture. The honorable Executor Herschwin was going to use the two of you as his respected emissaries to open doors so Abadar Corp could get it's foot in and then steal everything worthwhile from the rats. All legally of course”

[Gorunta Hemok]

"Is this hired from the Veskarium directly?" Gorunta asked.

Clevus shrugged. "Don't know, doesn't matter."

"It would, but." Gorunta started laughing heavily. Once he was finished, he answered the looks he was getting. "Herschwin's an idiot. He thinks just because I'm a vesk I can be a diplomat to other vesks? Does he think I'll punch them into agreement? Racist idiot."

[Jordayn]

Jordayn shook his head in disbelief. "The Abadarans are many things, but rarely stupid. Herschwin couldn't possibly believe you and Sunshine could intercede as emissaries, just on basis of your respective species. If that was the case, he could have surely found a members in the vast Abadaran Church to fulfill the roles."

The handsome half-elf cocked his head to the side, brows furrowing in question. "Unless either of you have station or come from families with such among the Veskarium and the rather nomadic Ysoki?"

His pale blue eyes cut to the black-furred and black-hearted felinoid mercenary. "And while you are quick to speak of Abadar thievery, how is your proposal any different, beyond lacking the thin veneer of legality?"

[STARFINDER GM]

"HAHAHA!" Clevus rolls with deep laughter then sets his elbows on the table his clawed hands joined together under his chin. "It isn't really but you have to admit I'm being more open and honest than that creep was. And unlike them I'm not proposing we rob the Ysoki at all. I could care less for the resource wealth of this planet. I'm after the ruins. More specifically whats in them. And you are going to help me get what I'm after. As for Gorunta here He is going to get us past that fleet, and then Sunshine is going to get us down on that planet."

Sunshine's image flickers "Not if we don't get these fighters off our tails." The little Ysoki flips a switch and her image flickers and transforms into an image of the space station rapidly retreating in the distance but in the foreground are a half dozen small fighters each with the blazing symbol of Abadar displayed. "They will be in firing range in sixty second I suggest the battle stations we talked about!"

Spoiler

YAY! SPACE COMBAT!

 

[Evana]

"You know?"  Evana fumed.  "At this point, I'm ready to just rob everyone.  To the Hells with it."  The ice haired devotee of chaos threw hands out wide shrugging to all sides.

Her start of a rant was broken by Sunshine cutting in and stealing her thunder with a declaration of fighters on their tail.  "Oh, balls.  Alright people, you know what to do!"  She began racing for the bridge.  "Clevus, stay here and don't touch anything!"

Spoiler

Moving to the bridge an spending the minute or so we have getting things prepared for the conflict.

Init = 14

 

[STARFINDER GM]

Herschwin stormed onto the bridge of his cruiser and strode to where the captain stood watching his crew perform their duties “Why are we not moving captain?” he asked

Captain Peel was not altogether thrilled with being placed under this Executor's command but knew better than to show it. “Your pardon Executor, it takes time to undock and get a ship of this size moving. But no worry I have sent fighters to slow them. As long as they are fleeing the fighters they won't be able to submerge into drift space. They won't get away sir.”

As if to accentuate the captains words the hulking cruiser finished it's undocking sequence and slowly began to move away from the station.

Echo had a wide grin as she burst into Engineering and began adjusting controls. With unearthly precision and speed, she bounced from one console to another, in what could almost have been a dance, if there'd been someone else there. Her drone, Goomba, rolled over to the engine stack and curled its legs to make itself as small as possible, to ensure it wouldn't get underfoot.

"Chase scene, eh?" the android said over the intercoms. "What THIS needs is a little more POWER!" With three fingers she shoved the virtual sliders controlling the Solenya's reactor output upwards...ignoring the warnings from the safety protocols she'd just systematically disabled. The sliders went from bright green to a flashing yellow.

"Lets see if you can run a race, champ."

Evie's Captain's Chair spun about as those on the bridge were avidly tending to their duties, and immediate survival.  She still hadn't gotten a shower and was still in her outfit she'd worn for the set... needless to say, she was still not happy.  She peered at the holoscreens floating all around her, detailing their pursuers.  "Oh, I've bloody well had enough of this.  Opening the comms."

She pressed a few buttons on the arm of her chair.  "Vessels that are in pursuit, you know damn well who this is.  Let's cut to the facts, shall we?  Your boss made a bad move: he annoyed us.  He sent his goons after us and look where they are: dead, with their face in the lap of some well hung devil by now.  At the moment, ladies and gentlemen, we're currently annoyed.  We were enjoying some drinks, winding down, enjoying an evening.  Then you pricks came along and buggered it all up for us."

Her face blipped up within each of the cock pits of the pursuing craft.  Her eyes were narrowed in an expression of pure malice despite the calm and simple manner with which her sensual lips explained the situation.  "We're past games.  We're done screwing around.  There will be no quarter if you press on.  You've seen what we do at annoyed, piss us off and see what we're capable of."  Their screens went blank as the beauty blinked out.  She killed the comms.

"Just like we practiced, people."  Her eyes darted about the screens trying to take it all in.  "Sunshine, get us out of here.  Gorunta, obliterate every son of a bitch that tries to scratch our paint, no warning shots, no disabling.  Obliterate.  Please piss us off you bastards.  I fucking need this right now."  She leaned back in her chair, crossing her right leg over her left knee.  With the threat of imminent death looming over them, Evanna always knew just how to handle it: with absolute, self-centered nonchalance.  "So, drinks are a bust, do you guys wanna, maybe do a movie night or something?  After I shower, of course.  Gods am I feeling icky...  I think it's Sunshine's pick."

Sunshine twisted the sticks around, re-configuring the ship into short-range attack mode. Xrays on the sensor holosphere lit up, and her pilot instincts kicked in. Not analyzing flight paths so much as feeling them, with an instinct that went beyond rational thought. She was good at sneaking, good at shooting, but Sunshine was born to be a pilot.

The Solanya Spun and cavorted in space as thrusters fired and she realigned herself to take advantage of the pursuing crafts surprise and confusion. This was supposed to be a simple freighter not a warship and these crazies were setting up to fight! “Go to evasion Pattern delta 3, but continue pursuit” commanded the Lead fighter.

Avid traveler that he was, Jordayn was woefully inadequate at handling a starship. Still, with everything moving into action, he had made his way to the bridge for the simple expedient that was where most of the rest were. If he couldn't keep the ship running, he could keep the crew running through any bumps and scrapes and stray plasma fire.

"Sunshine can pick anything she wants, as long as it is something different. I can't handle watching 'Do Ysoki Dream of Electric Cheese' one more time."

"Okay big guy, I'll pick'em out and you light'em up." Jexa said over the comms to Gorunta in his gunner's chair. Swiftly her hands gliding across the console of her station, her fingertips tapping almost like she were playing some sorts of instrument as she accessed the sensors, specifically the targeting sub-routine and looked over the pursuing ships.

"Okay. Who's gonna be our bitch?" she said, mostly to herself, as she looked them over and finally singled out a specific fighter, the leader of the flight of Abadarian fighters.

On Gorunta's display one of the fighters was suddenly highlighted with all manner of speed and heading data displayed next to it, allowing the computer to assist in building in lead and other targeting functions.

"Light'em up." she said said with a satisfied grin.

Alarms in the lead fighters cockpit went off, he was target locked! “Freighter my ass.” mumbled the pilot as he began his on evasive manuvers to try and break the lock...

Gorunta had not served directly in the navy when he'd been a proud soldier of the Veskarium. A soldier, a fighter. So it was true that he did not have particular ship experience. But a gun was a gun, whether it was a pistol, or a ship-mounted particle beam. Aim and shoot. Admittedly, adjusting for fighters was different than people - but Jexa had conveniently provided targeting information to make up for it.

"Thanks, and boom."

Particle beams lashed out from the turret the fighter weaved and bobbed but one of the beams connected and the small dart shaped craft vanished in a blaze of actinic light. The other fighters bore on and opened fire as the range closed.

Aboard the cruiser which was just moving out of the shadow of the huge station the Executor and the Captain watched the lead fighter explode. “It does not appear that they are fleeing Captain.”

Sunshine, Evie, and Jexa all saw the bulk of the cruiser pulling away from the station at the same time. Jordayn would have seen it too but his attention was drawn to the Felinoid, Clevus who slipped into the control room at the same time despite being told to remain in the lounge.

Spoiler

1 fighter down it is now round two

 

[STARFINDER GM]

Jexa cheerd as the fighter she had locked onto vanished from sensors in a brilliant flash.

"That's how you do it! Okay. Who's next up?" she asked aloud, to nobody as she began to seek another targeting lock.

"Damn it. These guys are getting getting slippery now." she muttered as she she kept trying to acquire a new target, but the evasive moves of the small, maneuverable fighters made it much more difficult now that the Solyena had lost the element of surprise.

"I'm tryin', bug guy, but you're gonna be on your for a few.." she cursed.

"Right, I can't make any promises about that cruiser." Gorunta told Evana, targeting another fighter for destruction. "I can obliterate the fighters."

Beams flashed out at the next fighter stitching a nice pattern across it's fuselage before it too blew apart in a blossom of fire. Beams form the remaining fighter flashed past the ship one striking near the engines but it was deflected in a cascade of energy.

"Cruiser!?"  Evana now noticed the larger blip on their tactical display.  She'd minimized it to harry the fighters.  "Oh, balls."

Her finger hit the engineering button on the holodisplay.  "Echo, my darling, um, I'm pretty sure my bullshit will spread only so far, so I'm afraid I must ask: what are we still doooiiing heeereee?!"  The last part was sung in a worried, why aren't you making miracles happen, tone.

"Case you haven't noticed, sweetie, they have a cruiser,"  she smirked.  "Can we please show them what an overly energetic, mildly imbalanced, technophile android can do?  I don't think I have more distractions in me, short of flashing them."

"Should we start - one second - " Sunshine didn't even hesitate when she saw the cruiser, immediately engaging turn, roll, pitch and yaw thrusters and making use of an intuitive grasp of microgravity inertia to throw the ship into a series of evasive maneuvers, while being mindful to keep Gorunta's turret pointed in the general direction of "them."

"... should we start plotting a jump to Driftspace?"

"Just RUN!" Echo called back. "If we start drifting now those fighters'll have free shots! We can kill the fighters, gain ground, and THEN drift while they try to catch up!"

The ship shuddered slightly as the android adjusted reactor output and distribution to make sure the engines didn't overheat while maintaining the increased power flow. Hard to say how long the Solenya would put up with this, but it was a far cry better than eating missiles, right?

“Launch the rest of the fighters.” More Fighters burst from the bays of the cruiser and rocketed toward the Solanya!

Evana noticed Clevus standing in the hatchway of the crowed cockpit. “I thought I told you to stay in the mess?”

“You did, darling, I ignored you. The fighters are gonna catch you and your shields are gonna fail. I have plans and I need you and your ship so...” Clevus squeezes into the cockpit along ith everyone else and looks up at the control panels above the front windows. “KLATTU NICTO BARRADA!” the cat man said loudly, enunciating each syllable precisely.

Sunshine blinked as control lights started flashing in an unusual sequence and a soft female voice spoke. “Pass-code accepted” Everyone heard the melodious voice in their own language.

Clevus grinned “Ship, initiate drift dive.”

“Affirmative Drift Submergence commencing.”

Strange green energy played across the ships hull several beams from the fighters scored direct hits and passes right through the ship as if it wasn't even there then the green energy shot ahead of the ship like a tunnel and the ship flew right through it into Drift space!

“That's the frequency of the planets beacon I forgot to give it to you.” Clevus handed a slip of paper to sunshine and, ignoring the open mouthed stares left the cockpit to return to the mess lounge.

Spoiler

Yes you have entered drift space without stopping in real space and you have maintained you velocity as well something which is supposed to be impossible Surprise

 

[Sunshine]

"What."

She stayed concentrated on Driftspace, but looked like she wanted to hop out of her chair and give the catman a piece of her mind, Instead, she just craned her neck for a second to yell at him.

"What did you do to my ship!?" she asked, angry. Then, after a pause, added: "... that we are borrowing and that I am piloting."

[Gorunta Hemok]

"It's our ship now." Gorunta insisted, from the gunner's station. "Want me to grab him and shake him upside down?"

[Jordayn]

The priest's eyes widened in surprise as the ship slipped into Driftspace. Jordayn might not have been familiar with the intricacies of starship systems and maneuvering, but he had traveled fairly extensively and knew ships couldn't enter Driftspace so easily, so swiftly, not in his experience. And yet, the felinoid had spoken some command words and... poof! Driftspace.

"It might come to that, big guy," Jordayn told the Vesk. "But let's see if the implied threat of your presence will suffice to start first."

Jordayn stalked after Clevus into the mess lounge, hardly seeming dangerous with his trim good looks and vivid Arshean stole, the feline mercenary reclining lazily in a chair. The looming, broad shouldered Vesk made up for it.

"What did you do to the Solenya, Clevus?" Jordayn demanded. "And how do you know how to do it?"

[Echo]

"You guys?"

Echo's voice came over the intercom, sounding rather placid and calm. Then...

"SOMEONE WANT TO TELL ME WHAT IN THE FUCKING POOLPHIN IS GOING ON UP THERE?! Every power indicator spiked off the graphs, and the ship is now showing up as in driftspace, and that's not even mentioning that it SOUNDS like we have a rogue AI hiding somewhere in the computer core! Unless the ship is somehow MAGIC and no one told us about it, then..."

There's a pause.

"Actually, I'm coming up to the bridge. Everyone just...don't...do anything. For a minute."

The sound of stomping steps can be heard then coming down the corridor.

When the bridge door opens to let Echo in, she looks like she's got a better hold of herself.

"It's magic isn't it? That was a spell."

[Sunshine]

"Honestly, if it is a magic ship, that'd explain a lot - dimensions around the interior don't seem to match other ships of the same profile in terms of how much space is in here, and sometimes it seems to tidy itself up. But magic can't access the Drift so I never even thought to - well. Here we are.

"So what happened?"

[STARFINDER GM]

Clevus poured a hot cup of Cha, "You want one?" he asked Jordayn. Jordayn shook his head and waited for answers. "I told you I knew secrets about this ship secrets I will give you when you do your part. Consider this a down payment. Now if Sunshine will jump on that beacon i gave her we can bee where we need to be in a few hours and Gorunta can get us on the planet then we can do what needs doing and you guys find out all about your magic ship."

[Sunshine]

Grumbling under her breath, Sunshine turned back to the console, using sensors to locate the Drift beacon and plot a course. She kept an eye out for the extradimensional alarms, in case something nasty was in the Drift with them.

[Jordayn]

"You know, I'm really starting to hate you," Jordayn commented without particularly animosity, taking a seat at the mess hall table across from Clevus. He eyed the cat-man with resigned suspicion, then after a long moment, poured himself a cup of cha. His took a contemplative sip. "Since you're being all coy, Clevus, provided Evana doesn't have Gorunta through you out of an airlock first, would you at least being willing to reveal how you learned all about our ship?"

[STARFINDER GM]

The Solanya sailed on through the drift and most of the crew, excepting Echo and Sunshine, made their way to the crew mess to confront and berate their Feline associate about what had just happened.

"Well let me think...umm...no. Telling you that would allow you to basically figure it out yourselves. I know the secret which means two things. You need me to find the truth after you do your jobs, and you need me alive."  he grins then laps up his Cha.

In the engine room Echo is busy inspecting her engines and what she is finding is disconcerting to say the least. The drift engines seem to have self modified themselves into a configuration she is completely baffled by with components that she does not know what they do and even more that she doesn't know where they came from.

Sunshine flips on the intercom "We are on the beacon and making good time we should be at Cearista in about forty-eight hours"

[Sunshine]

Sunshine then flipped to science station and engineering sections. "So, do you all have any clue as to how we just waved good-bye to the laws of metaphysics?"

[Echo]

The revelations from the cat-guy convinced Echo that there could be another source of information...perhaps one more amenable. When he'd issued his commands, something had replied...a voice speaking from the Solenya's computer.

Now, having verified her early check results on the nature of the anomalies in the ship drive, Echo went on a hunt into the computer's core. It was a big, complex computer...it wasn't out of the question that an AI could hide itself in there, but now that it had revealed itself by issuing directives, there'd be a datatrail. Naturally it would have been deleted, but the deletions themselves made a kind of...well...echo of the original commands.

So long as the AI hadn't done anything, it was a ghost in the machine. But now Echo had a scent, and she could track that through as many layers of deletion and concealment as the AI had time to throw out before she managed to isolate it.

It took several minutes...an eternity for an android mind working in a digital world...and in the end, the craftily-hidden software routines and spoofing obscured exactly where the actual programs were, but she managed to bring up an interface.

She sent directives to the secret programming, instructing it to share basic operating data with her. Was this an actual intelligence? Echo would soon find out.

Computer: 1D20+16 = [19]+16 = 35

[Evana]

"Clevus," Evana smirked a grin that would have made the most hardy of predators swallow with worry.  The sultry tone of her posh accent was almost hypnotic and Clevus was pretty sure if she tried, she could make love to him with her voice alone.  "You're alive because we like you, well, I like you.  Please understand that.  I respect a fellow cut throat mercenary when I meet one, but what I do not appreciate is when people stand in my house," she wrenched the cup of cha from his hand and hurled against the wall where is shattered everywhere in a deep amber splash of liquid and ceramic.  To date, none of them had seen Evana loose her shit yet, but it seemed like she was getting close.  She was in his face, meeting him eye to eye.  "And fuck with my shit.  Honor among thieves and all that, call me old fashioned."

"Echo, please tell me you're locating the source of the acknowledging voice that accompanied Clevus order."  She asked to the air over the ship's open channel.

"Already on it, Evie!"  Echo fired back.

"That's my girl," Evana smiled and looked back to Clevus.  "You have until she figures all this out to find a way to remain useful to me, Clevus.  My crew already wants to ghost you, don't give me a reason to stop protecting you now.  So, let's be rational.  We've already agreed to help you, I mean, fuck it, why not at this point?  But if you know, that means others know, and I can't have security breeches on our ship.  Talk, and stop being a prick."

Spoiler

Intimidate Roll (if needed) - Roll(1d20)+11: 17,+11 Total:28

 

[Jordayn]

Jordayn arched a brow at Evana's uncharacteristic - but not unwelcome - outburst. He glanced at the splash of cha on the bulkhead, then took a sip of his own cha and took a moment to appreciate the curve of Evana's backside and legs as she leaned over Clevus.

"Think about it, Clevus, this is Evana when she likes you. Imagine what'll be like if she doesn't?" Jordayn added. He put down his cup with a soft click, then stood up and pulled out a chair at the mess table for Evana with a grin. "Have a seat, luv, and let's give Clevus a moment to reassess his options."

The half-elf glanced back at Clevus. "We aren't a greedy lot, Clevus." He paused, then gave his head a slight shake. "Not an overly greedy lot. Be a little more forthcoming, work with us, instead of trying to force us to work for you, and we won't feel the need to work against you and try to cut you out of the action. Equal shares all around, especially if there's as much as you claim there is."

Spoiler

Just trying to help Evana with her persuasive efforts, from another tact.

 

[STARFINDER GM]

"Haha, your right you could space me but you won't," said the feline as he stirred his Cha. "Telling you what I know now doesn't get me to the planet, and you getting rid of me doesn't get the Abadarian off your butts. But i will give a concession, I won't require all of you to accompany me into the ruins on Caerista, as soon as we are on the ground I'll tell you where you can find your secrets. That is if we make it to the ground before Echo gets all of us killed by digging where she shouldn't.

***********

Echo's drone beeped as her fingers flew over the command keys and dug deeper and deeper this Ai, if that's what it was, was really hidden well. She had thought she had located it twice already only to find ...well, nothing. "Not now I'm busy"

"beep beep boop beet"

"I said I'm busy don't you have anything to do?"

"BEEP BOOP BEET!" the drone insisted.

Echo closed her eyes gritted her teeth at the interruption and swiveled her chair to face the drone and came face to face wih a tall, regal, Elven looking...apparition since Echo could see she was slightly transparent, standing before her.

"I must ask you to cease." said the...person in perfect Binary.

[Sunshine]

Sunshine grunted, out of comebacks for the cat, and simply concentrated on piloting the craft.

[Echo]

"I must ask you to cease." said the...person in perfect Binary.

Echo reached over and grabbed a hand scanner, her eyes never leaving the apparition. The scanner was a diagnostic device, meant to help track down leaks or shielding faults in the engine core, but it was better than just eyes and ears.

"Aaaaall right, I've ceased," the android said, aiming the scanner at this 'elf.'

"For now. Mostly because I'm pretty sure you're the one I was looking for anyway. So. Who are you?"

[STARFINDER GM]

The apparitions brow furrowed and the pointed ears twitched giving the appearance of annoyance, "I am Solanya, and who are you and why are you digging in my computer banks like some sort of clumsy child digging through a toybox?"

"Oh carbus, now she's done it." said Clevus as the voice of the android and the ship came over the open intercom. Evie reached over and flicked a switch on the control panel set in the table and a holographic image of Echo and the apparition calling itself Solanya materialized in the center of the table. In the ships control room Sunshine did much the same so she could see what was going on as well as hear.

[Echo]

"I'm Echo," replied the engineer tartly. "Why are YOU squatting in MY computer like a space hobo in a space cargo pod waiting for a space handout?"