Viridian File 052322: Stardate 16124.2123.03230915
Reveal Flashback
Celta Adria - Stardate 16124.2123.032211045 - After the party has left the Myrdin Bascilica
Out on the streets of Celta Moira, a Zalantis wheels out his latest creation: a Zalantis Drone.
Zs: "Okay... Bidpedal Unit Defense Drone Model Y testing phase 1: interaction with random subjects... note to self, find a way to shorten the name."
Maneuvering the drone of the work pad, the Zalantis known as Zs begins to test his drone's responses with input from passers by. A few people stop and stare, others hurry by averting their gaze. Everything is going about as you would expect for an eccentric Zalantis and his duplicate drone on the streets of Celta Moira, when an Eldari man with long silver hair in a fancy suit approaches both of them.
BUDDY: "Hello, I am Bipedal Unit Defense Drone Model Y. Please initiate conversation."
Mystery Man: "Well now, this is intriguing. Tell me, who is your creator?"
BUDDY: "My creator is Ilztzurz." and BUDDY gestures to Zs.
Mystery Man: "How long did it take to create you?"
BUDDY: "I have been awake for 1 year, 2 months, 13 days, 4 hours, 5 minutes, and 53 seconds."
Zs: "Yes, about 4 years from the very beginning."
Mystery Man: "The workmanship is impressive. I daresay with a little more refinement it would rival the Vuleran droids of old. Masterpieces they were."
The two talk shop for a brief time.
Mystery Man: "I hear the Astral Exploration Society is looking to fill another team here in Celta Moira. With their resources, I am sure you could continue to improve this friend of yours and gain some powerful allies. I suspect you'll need them to achieve what it is you truly desire."
Zs: "What... am I truly after? That is an interesting comment from a stranger."
Mystery Man: "What many of you desire. This construct is no protocol droid. This is a construct built for combat. To take back and protect the things that matter to you."
Zs: "It is for defense yes... ... I never caught your name by the way."
Mystery Man: "Oh, my name is not important. I am just a traveler passing by."
The man smiles, nods, and walks into the crowd instantly blending in among the foot traffic. However, Zs hears in his head: "The answers you seek are within the Society. We must all be prepared for the dangerous times ahead. The shadows are moving once again."
Morriga System - Morriga Prime Orbital Space
Zukrom initialtes evasive maneuvers and turns abruptly to fly head-on into their formation to break them up. As the police cruisers scatter they manager to get a few blaster shots off on the starboard shields. Amelia activate the ship's sensors and manages to gather the exact specs of the incoming vessels, but detects no life signs.
After the police fighters scatter, they all attempt a flyby swamring the ship. Kar'jan at the guns manages to shoot one down as it flies by and damages the other 2. Zukrom accelerates and swings the ship into a 180 turn back to the remaining two fighters. Amelia activates the targetting scanners as Kar'jan eliminates the starboard fighter and then launches a photon torpedo at the final target. As the final fighter explodes, the crew fly through the explosion with hardly a scratch on them from the comflict.
Officer Ka'ral: "Well... good show crew. I will gather some trusted officers and ground all other patrol craft. Good luck on your mission."
Amelia casts Guiding Star which sends a glimmering silver star out into space leaving a trail for them to follow.
Amelia: "All right boys, fly me to the moon."
The vessel enters low warp, leaving orbit en route to the moon of Dua.
Morriga System
Zs activates BUDDY's training protocol as the 2 spar while the computer processes more of the recovered data. With the 5 hour flight, Zukrom looks to get to know more about Kar'jan.
Zukrom: "So, Kar'jan, what made you join the AES."
Amelia turns in the captain's chair with Morph in her lap eyebrow raised to hear the response.
Kar'jan: after a moment to think about his answer, "There is something I need to understand that was not possible for me to learn about on my home planet."
Amelia: "Like a skill? An ailment? An answer to a question?"
Kar'jan: "... I'm trying to find out more about a person... that I am very close to."
Zukrom: "Oh so a love interest?"
Kar'jan: "not exactly."
Zukrom: "I see. My dad was an explorer. I don't know if I believe everything that was in the stories my mom told me about him, but I do know he explored many different worlds." turns to Amelia, "I never asked, why did you join the society?"
Amelia: "You know... I was just too good at writing parking tickets in Celta Adria. My chief was like 'you are destined for greatness' and I said 'I'm cool just writing parking tickets' and was like 'no, get out there in the world' so I guess someone else will have to leave those tickets on windshields since me and Morph won't."
Zs: as he ducks under a sword attack from BUDDY, "Speaking of Morph, where did you two meet?"
Amelia: "I've had Morph for a long time now. He was a gift from my parents for graduating... "
Zs: "Can you communicate to him?"
Amelia: "I mean I can tell him he should stop drinking coffee creamers but does he listen, no."
After team bonding for a while, Amelia pulls Zukrom aside as Kar'jan and Morph play with the gyroscopic chair of the gunner position and Zs continue sparring.
Amelia: "So you remember how we talked about how both our parents were explorers and my parents and your dad went missing? What society was your dad a part of, if you dont mind me asking?"
Zukrom: "He joined a small crew of an independant guild from the Trielli System. Eventually he became a captain and they went wherever they felt like going. My mother wanted to stay on the ground and was more traditional and religious. My dad was more adventurous and wanted to explore the stars and societies around us. I lived with her for most of my life until she passed away. I don't know where my dad is or if he is even alive still."
Amelia: "Remember when I was eavesdropping on the Consul's office? I heard her say my parent's name and your father's name together. A list of missing people. My parent's were officers in the Space Corps and their entire vessel vanished. When you mentioned your dad disappeared I thought it was weird but now that they were listed together... maybe there is a connection."
Zukrom: "Thanks for telling me. I'll let you know if I find anything."
Amelia: "Trust me, I tried finding information myself one time and that got me in a world of trouble, got expelled for it. But now that we know there is a connection maybe we can piece together more of the puzzle. It has to be related to the missing ships. The truth is out there."
Morriga IV Orbital Space - Moon of Dua
Dropping out of warp, the Morriga IV looms in the distance as the crew slowly approach the planet. The ship's computer alerts Zs that an encryption access code has been successfully re-constructed. As they approach, initial scans reveal nothing on the mooon's surface. However, Zs is able to penetrate a scattering field that obscures a small outpost on the surface. Fearing they would be seen, they approach Dua from the far side and circle around and land several miles from the locatoin they detected a structure.
As they cross the low gravity surface of the moon, they pass by what look to be ancient landing platforms for large ships that now the only remains are the bases of pylons justting up from the dust. They finally come to a small, 3 roomed building with only skylights for windows and 1 wall with a large airlock door. Entering the access code they reconstructed, the air lock opens, and upon re-pressurization, the party takes of their helmets and find themselves in normal gravity.
Kar'jan goes invisible and Zukrom uses Disguise Self to appear as one of the undead the party fought off. Entering the lift and making their way down, the party enters a hallway where they can hear sounds of metallic clanking, and people talking and potentially a TV playing. Suddenly, two battle droids carrying the mark of System Lord Kronos enter the hall and stare at the group.
Battle Droid A: "Is there a problem here?"
Zukrom: "Not at all, just doing our rounds."
Battle Droid A: "Very well."
Battle Droid B: in whisper as they walk by, "I thought she took all of the undead with her when she left."
Battle Droid A: "Quiet, you know what happend to Unit 2746 when he questioned one of the undead."
The party quickly makes their way through the other doors and to a lift to a lower level. In this moment of privacy, Amelia makes a call.
Garcia: "This is your friendly neighborhood oracle of all things knowable and unknowable at your service. How can I help?"
Amelia: "Garcia, the outpost is NOT abandoned. System Lord Kronos has Battle Droids here and it sounds like several people have been here a while. They have normal people here, undead, and Battle Droids."
Garcia: "... ok. That is... ok what do you need, what am I looking for?"
Amelia: "The droids were not surprised to see people or undead. Zukrom has disguised himself as one which is how we are getting by. They mentioned 'she' took the undead with her the thought. Can you give us any information on System Lord Kronos and who this 'she' might be?"
Garcia: "I will have that sent to your data pads faster than the speed of sound."
Amelia: "You're the best, Garcia."
Garcia: "Don't I know it. Good luck."
Exiting the lift, the party comes to a new hallway and a Commando Droid exists and orders them to halt. Zs gives them the access code they have and after a very long pause, the droid lets them pass. Howver, it does not return to the room it left but stands beside the lift. As the party continues down the hall, a standard Battle Droid exits the same room and stands in the hallway. A bit later a third. They begin to follow the party down the hall. Kar'jan, still invisible, manages to sneak into one of the rooms as a Battle Droid exits and finds it to be a large server room. It and the rooms beside it are full of data storage, processing, and communications equipment.
When the Commando droid sees a door open and close and no one leave, due to Kar'jan being invisible, it pulls out a sword and slowly approaches. At this point, Zs realizes their bluff did not work and turns and activates his electro-staff as Kar'jan attacks the Comanndo Droid. The party engages the droids in the corridor when Zukrom notices the original door open and another Commando Droid exit a security office and engage him.
As the party finally takes out all of the droids they all gather around the Healing Spirit Amelia conjured. After recovering a bit, they open the door to the security office hoping that the entire base is not on alert.
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