Chapter 4C: Street Justice

Trade Era 1235, Day 137. 20:00 UTC

Streets, Postal Authority orbital station, Draco III

Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

With a swift and decisive motion, Slaine unsheathed their sword, the blade gleaming. With determined strides, they advanced towards the armed thug, their focus locked on incapacitating him without causing lethal harm.

As they closed the distance, Slaine launched into a series of calculated strikes, aiming to subdue their opponent. However, the thug was prepared, his secure clothing providing some protection against Slaine's blade.

---

Thug 1 received 3 damage (Shock)

Erin recognized the dire situation they were in. Outnumbered and at a disadvantage, she knew that swift and decisive action was necessary to turn the tide in their favor.

Without hesitation, Erin sprang into action, her movements fueled by determination and a fierce desire to protect her partner. With a deft flick of her wrist, she drew her knife and lunged towards the thug nearest Slaine, her blade finding its mark with precision as it struck true.

The thug let out a startled cry as Erin's knife sank into his side. Before the thug could react, Erin completed with a powerful punch to his jaw, knocking him off balance and sending him crashing to the ground with a resounding thud.

---

As the thugs heard Erin's swift and decisive actions, their expressions hardened with determination. Instead of fleeing or surrendering, they began to advance towards Slaine and Erin, their movements coordinated and purposeful.

Two of the men swiftly moved to open the garage door, their hands reaching for the controls with urgency. With a mechanical whir, the door began to slide open, revealing to Slaine the darkened expanse of the warehouse inside. A third pulled a laser pistol and took cover behind a gravcar chassis.

The forth and last one of them, the one doing something in the nearby room, moved further inside.


Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

Slaine sighs, and prepares to possibly record on their compad, but expects to fight. "ITC Investigations. The only person I know is a criminal in that warehouse is Alfredo Hernandez. This doesn't have to get ugly . Anyone else is free to leave."

"Alfredo is not here. This doesn't have to get ugly. You leave, not us. This is our turf." - said one of the men.

The thugs moved to get some cover behind the broken gravcar. In the meantime, police reinforcements were on their way.


Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

Look. I get it, I grew up in the under city. You don't want ITC making your life harder or finding some fake charges to ruin your day.
But I've got better things to do. I have to find a terrorist, and you can understand that I'll need more than your word when looking for someone bombing ships.

"Shit. Let us grab Knuckles, we will take him to a hospital and leave. Okay?"

No problem. Letks just make sure he makes it safe.
Slaine is going to do a quick field-patch on the guy.

Slaine whispers. "The transporting teleporting Psycher? He could be anywhere. I'm hoping he's tired himself out and can't jump yet. But if you want to circle the place to see if anyone's exiting, go for it."

With a sense of urgency, Slaine knelt beside the injured thug, their focus shifting to the task at hand. Carefully, they examined Knuckles' wounds, assessing the extent of his injuries with practiced skill. Slaine then began to administer first aid to Knuckles, their skilled hands swiftly stopping the bleeding and stabilizing his condition.

With Knuckles stabilized, the Special Agent watched as the thugs departed, their expressions a mix of relief and gratitude. While Slaine's primary objective was to uphold the law and bring criminals to justice, they also recognized the importance of compassion and empathy, especially when lives hung in the balance.

The thugs had just left the area when a police drone escorting an armed man appeared.

Morgan comes running to where he heard the commotion, accompanied by the police drone he slowly makes his way to the alley, scanning his corners, and advancing tactically, when he gets near the corner he shouts.

"Bounty hunter with the local authorities, make yourself known."

He hears a voice responding.

"Blue, blue, blue"

After hearing the common response when coming up to another operative, he does not lower his gun yet, but once scanning the corner and identifying that those present did not seem to pose a threat he lower his gun and approaches to introduce himself.

You see a male with black and short curly hair approaching, looking to be in his late 20’s. He’s wearing a black light armor with some magazines attached to it, he has a combat rifle slung to the side, and a small backpack.

"I heard the commotion from down the street, is everything under control? my name is Peter Morgan I have been tasked by the local police on Alfredo Hernandez’s bounty and heard he was in this area, what happened?

"Alfredo Hernandez was tracked to this warehouse after bombing a ship I, and Erin Brand, a civilian asset, was on. He is a confirmed Psionic and can at least transport, as well as a possible clone or bio-synth.
Between his psionics and his explosive tendencies bake me reluctant to try and take him alive, despite wanting answers."

Just as Slaine finishes their sentence, a loud noise, like a shotgun being fired, is heard from the back of the building. The main garage door near you is open but the backdoor is not, so you can't see what it was.
Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

Slaine immediately runs, blade forward, to Q6 to press up against the wall and see what's going on.

"Im not really sure but we could certainly give it a try"

Peter does not have a good line of fire that is not obstructed so he’s going to pile up behind Slaine on Q5, he’s going to give some hand gesture to the drone so that however is controlling it can breach the door, and he’s going to keep he’s weapon aimed at the door

Let's try this the easy way if we don't know the drone's capabilities. Slain's going to grab the doorhandles, keeping low and ready (lets say, acting Total Defense) and will nod to the other two. Waiting for confirmation before breaching.

Peter knocks two time on his head with his closed fist, signaling he’s ready for breach, he keeps his weapon aimed at the door.

Gripping the door handles tightly, Slaine exchanged a meaningful glance with Erin and Peter, silently conveying their readiness to breach the room. With a nod of confirmation from their companions, Slaine carefully began to open the door, moving with deliberate precision to minimize any noise.

As the door creaked open, Slaine's eyes swept over the scene before them. Their breath caught in their throat as they spotted a motionless figure lying on the ground, a pool of blood spreading around them. Slaine's heart sank at the sight, realizing that the loud noise they had heard earlier was the sound of a gunshot—a gunshot that had claimed another life. A dead thug lying motionless on the ground. To their right, Alfredo Hernandez stood at the main warehouse door, his hands gripping a shotgun with deadly intent.

Slaine's mind raced with possibilities as they assessed the situation. Alfredo's presence confirmed their suspicions, but his volatile demeanor posed a significant threat to everyone present. Alfredo's eyes narrowed with defiance as he glared at Slaine, his grip tightening on the shotgun. With a menacing edge to his voice, he issued a chilling ultimatum.

"Back off," he growled, his voice laced with malice. "Or I'll take you all down with me. I won't hesitate to pull this trigger if you don't leave me alone."
Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

Initiative

Slaine is going to sprint, head low, and charge Alfredo, slipping behind him and slashing
(It looks like I have enough movement to do that and leave a sight line for everyone else.)

Morgan is going to cross the hallway in direction to that bathroom in the other side, for some extra cover, he will keep his gun pointed at Alfredo, he will take his shot being careful to avoid Slaine.

Slaine sprang into action, their movements fluid and precise as they charged towards Alfredo with determination. With their head low and their blade poised for attack, they closed the distance with lightning speed, aiming to catch Alfredo off guard and deliver a decisive blow.

As Slaine closed in, Peter's shot rang out, the sound of gunfire reverberating through the corridor. However, his aim faltered, and the bullet went wide, striking a nearby wall with a resounding thud.

Undeterred, Slaine pressed on, their focus locked on Alfredo as they closed the gap between them. With a swift and fluid motion, they slipped behind Alfredo, their blade flashing in the dim light as they slashed with precision.

As Peter's shot missed its mark, Erin seized the opportunity to intervene. With precision and accuracy, she fired her laser weapon at Alfredo, the beam of energy lancing through the air with deadly intent.

But Alfredo was quick to react, disengaging from the confrontation with a sudden burst of movement. He teleported further inside the warehouse, vanishing in the blink of an eye.

He was now behind the crane, close to a large white structural column and near a small storage room, temporarily out of sight of Erin and Peter. Slaine could still see him.


Map by 2-Minute Tabletop

Slaine is going to close the distance (if they can) and swing.

Morgan will move forward trhough the door, turn left and try to shoot again.

Erin and Peter advanced with military precision, their movements calculated and methodical. With eyes sharp and weapons at the ready, they entered the main area looking for Alfredo. As soon as they got inside, Erin and Peter opened fire, their shots ringing out in rapid succession as they sought to neutralize the dangerous fugitive.

Erin's shot went wide, striking a nearby crate, while Peter's aim proved true, his bullet finding its mark and injuring Alfredo. The fugitive staggered under the impact, a pained grunt escaping his lips as he recoiled from the blow.

Seizing the opportunity, Slaine surged forward with their Vibrosword held high, their movements fluid and precise as they closed the distance with Alfredo. With a swift and decisive strike, Slaine delivered the killing blow, their blade slicing through the air with deadly accuracy and cutting deep into Alfredo's arm. Alfredo let out a cry of pain as Slaine's blade found its mark. With one final strike, Slaine killed the dangerous fugitive, ensuring that he posed no further threat to those around him.

As the dust settled and the adrenaline of battle began to fade, Slaine, Erin, and Peter stood victorious.

Slaine is going to rifle through the body and toss Alfredos compad to whoever's closer
"Check it for outgoing signals or running programs."
Then will pull out his Datapad and do the same.

Alfredo's compad and datapad were turned off since he left the Celestial Voyager.

But his datapad does have some encrypted files, electronic mail and unexpected contents. It will take a couple of hours to analyse and decode, but Slaine can surely do that later, using the computers available in the Celestial Voyager or the Bureau's starship.

Morgan will try and contact the police chief, make sure they are still on their way to the right location.

"Chief we have your guy KIA, or at least from what I heard in the news, someone that looks like him"

He puts down his gun and takes a Quick Look at the corpse but does not investigate much.

"I’m sure he isn’t going anywhere, I will take a quick look around

He will go back into the building and do a quick sweep, just to make sure there isn’t anyone else hiding and to see if there’s any evidence on any of the other rooms.

Slaine sighs, releases that there probably isn't any imminent explosions, then is going to confirm and call time of death

Slaine confirms that Alfredo is dead.

He also doesn't show, in preliminary scans, as having an artificial Central Nervous System (ie. he is not showing as a Bio-Synth).

An autopsy will confirm, but maybe this one was just a gene donor. The dataslab is getting more and more relevant to solve this mystery.

Besides Alfredo and the dead thug, there is nothing else. The building seems to have been abandoned a long time ago.

Slaine will wait for the local authorities, filling them in on the situation, but will do both autopsies themselves.

Morgan will also wait for the authorities, specially because he now doesn’t know what happens to his bounty, since another person killed his target but he also helped.

But in the meantime he will try to talk to the rest of the group that he helped.

"Nice work with that blade back there, where you two after his bounty also?"

As the dust settled and the adrenaline of the confrontation with Alfredo began to fade, the local police force arrived on the scene, their presence a welcome sight. With another drone hovering overhead and a squad of officers at the ready, they quickly set about securing the area and isolating the scene of the altercation.

Among the arriving officers was Chief Inspector Marcus Trent, a seasoned law enforcement veteran known for his no-nonsense approach to crime-solving.

"Secure the area," Chief Inspector Trent ordered, his tone leaving no room for interpretation. "I want a thorough investigation conducted"

With the area cordoned off, Chief Inspector Trent turned his attention to Slaine, Erin, and Peter, his gaze lingering on them with a mix of respect and gratitude.

"Good work," he said simply, his words carrying the weight of sincere appreciation.

"Thanks. Slaine Rowan, ITC Investigations. I'm part of the reason there was a bounty."

Slaine is going to ask for an official eyewitness report and then let Erin go.

Morgan walks over to the chief and stands his hand to shake

"would have liked to meet you again in calmer circumstances, but at least the threat is taken care of"

Morgan will try not to be too forward, but when he sees the moment is right, he will ask how to go about claiming the bounty (if he still has a claim to it that is).

It's either too much drudgery or too much excitement in tur ITC.
Of course, I'll make sure to get your bounty report filed with all the rest of the paperwork I have to do for... All this...
If you want to head to the office with me we may get it to you today.
No promises though.

"thanks! And of course, let’s go, I can file my report of what happened also if needed, but I think everything I saw, that guy saw too."

Morgan points at the police drone that arrived with him. He goes with Slaine and when able he will try to change back into normal clothes, and store his gear and weapon in his bag

Chief Inspector Trent accepted Morgan's handshake with a firm grip, acknowledging the sentiment. "Likewise, Morgan. It's unfortunate that we meet again under these circumstances, but I'm grateful for your assistance in apprehending Hernandez."

Trent then turned to Slaine and started discussing how they would proceed. Morgan waited for the opportune moment to broach the topic of claiming the bounty. When the conversation naturally shifted to logistical matters, he seized the opportunity to inquire about the process.

"Chief Trent, I understand that there was a bounty on Alfredo Hernandez," Morgan began, choosing his words carefully. "I was wondering how I could go about claiming it."

Chief Inspector Trent nodded in understanding. "Of course, Morgan. The bounty will be processed through the proper channels. You and Erin both played instrumental roles in apprehending Hernandez, so you'll both receive compensation for your efforts."

He motioned for one of the officers to bring over the necessary paperwork. After a brief exchange of information and signatures, both from him and from Slaine, the details of the bounty claim were finalized.

"Here you go," Chief Inspector Trent said, handing Morgan the completed paperwork. "You and Erin will each receive 2,500 credits as a reward for your contributions."

Morgan nodded in appreciation, accepting the paperwork with gratitude. "Thank you, Chief Trent. I appreciate your assistance in this matter."

Trade Era 1235, Day 138. 10:15 UTC

Morgue, Postal Authority Orbital Stion, Draco III
As Slaine began the autopsy of Alfredo Hernandez, they approached the task with meticulous attention to detail, their skilled hands working with precision as they carefully examined the body for any signs of trauma or anomalies.

With each incision, Slaine's trained eyes scrutinized the internal organs, searching for clues that could shed light on Alfredo's true nature and the motivations behind his actions. However, as they meticulously examined each organ, they found no evidence of cybernetic enhancements or artificial implants.

After thorough examination, it became clear that Alfredo Hernandez was indeed a regular human, devoid of any unusual augmentations or enhancements. Despite initial suspicions, there was no indication that he was a bio-synth.

As Slaine processed this revelation, their thoughts turned to the other individual involved in the altercation—the man who had accompanied Alfredo to the warehouse. With renewed focus, Slaine turned their attention to the second body, determined to uncover any clues that could explain the station. They observed some strange cybernetic implants in the man's brain.

With careful precision, Slaine dissected the body, their expertise guiding them as they meticulously examined each implant and its placement within the brain. What they discovered was both intriguing and concerning—a network of cybernetic implants woven into the man's neural pathways, suggesting a level of technological augmentation far beyond the norm.

As Slaine meticulously documented their findings, their mind raced with questions. Who was this man, and what had led him to undergo such extensive cybernetic enhancements? What connection did he have to Alfredo Hernandez, and what role had he played in the events that had unfolded? Was he a bio-synth or just a cybernetic enhanced human?

Either way, Slaine also received the preliminary decryption and report of the dataslab contents from an ITC tech. The encrypted files were basically contact information and a couple of electronic transfers and mail.

Among the numerous contacts stored in the dataslab, Slaine's attention was drawn to several key entries that stood out from the rest. One such contact was the deceased man who had accompanied Alfredo to the warehouse, confirming their suspicions of a connection between the two individuals.

But it was the other contacts that intrigued Slaine the most—the ones related to a synth rights group in Eclipse that they already investigated, a synth brain company in Draco I, and a shipping company in New Jordan linking the two companies together. As Slaine delved deeper into the contacts in New Jordan, they began to piece together a complex network of individuals and entities spanning various sectors of society. From influential politicians and corporate executives to grassroots activists and underground organizations, the contacts painted a vivid portrait of the diverse and interconnected fabric of life in the bustling sector capital.

With a sense of urgency, Slaine made note of these key contacts, recognizing the importance of further investigation there. Slaine knew that delving deeper into these connections would be crucial in unraveling the full extent of Alfredo's motivations and uncovering any hidden agendas that may have been at play.

The electronic transfers and communications, on the other hand, also revealed a disturbing pattern, suggesting that Alfredo had been coerced or manipulated into donating genetic material to an enigmatic organization or individual with nefarious intentions. The evidence painted a chilling picture of a clandestine operation aimed at building bio-synths with psionic powers, a prospect that sent shivers down Slaine's spine.

Bio-synths, synthetic organisms designed to mimic and sometimes surpass human capabilities, were already a subject of debate and controversy due to their potential for misuse and ethical implications. However, the addition of psionic powers introduced a whole new level of complexity and danger.

With the evidence pointing towards New Jordan as the epicenter of the sinister plot involving bio-synths with psionic powers, Slaine felt a growing sense of urgency to travel to the sector capital and uncover the truth hidden within its shadowy depths.

Trade Era 1235, Day 138. 13:42 UTC

Postal Authority orbital station, Draco III
Morgan succeeded in neutralizing the threat posed by Alfredo Hernandez, ensuring that he could no longer endanger innocent lives. As he returned to his small apartment, weary but triumphant, Morgan found himself greeted by the familiar chime of an incoming transmission on his personal comm link. With a sense of curiosity, he activated the transmission, his heart skipping a beat as the holographic image of Commander Reyes materialized before him.

"Morgan," Reyes began, his voice filled with pride and admiration. "I wanted to personally commend you on a job well done. Your efforts in apprehending Alfredo Hernandez without showing your psionics powers have not gone unnoticed, and the Psi Operatives are grateful for your dedication and bravery."

Morgan's chest swelled with pride at Reyes' words, a sense of validation coursing through him. To receive recognition from his former commander was an honor he had never anticipated, and it served as a reminder of the importance of his work within the clandestine world of psionics.

"Thank you, Commander," Morgan replied, his voice tinged with gratitude. "It was an honor to be able to contribute to the safety and security of the galaxy."

Reyes nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his lips. "For now, instead of directly engaging in high-risk operations, you're tasked with embedding yourself within civilian populations, gathering intelligence and monitoring potential threats from within. You should secure a position aboard a ship or station within the sector and wait for further instructions or developments."

With a final nod of acknowledgment, Reyes ended the transmission, leaving Morgan alone with his thoughts. And as luck would have it, there was an announcement posted prominently on the space station's bulletin board from the Celestial Voyager. Though Morgan lacked medical skills, he saw that the ship was in need of additional crew.

He could contact Hank Heron, the ship's first officer, for futher information about it.

"... so I have 2 years in the military, plus 2 more years in the private sector. I've seen my fair share of combat, and though I understand that the ad specified a need for a medic specialist, in my experience, the best remedy is eliminating the target before it is able to hurt you."

Morgan will have made contact with Hank and sent along a briefing of his experience. He knows he's a bit outside the requested expertise, but he hopes an extra gun is always needed on a ship like that. He also hopes the Celestial Voyager would be a great place to monitor any potential threats closely. For some reason, he imagines that Alfredo Hernandez would not be the last threat to cross his path.

Morgan would also send Erin Brand as a possible reference. He knows they haven't known each other for much time, but he hopes she could at least vouch for his shooting skills.

Hank replies, "Yes, our primary need for someone with medic experience. However, we are going to need some people with weapons training to qualify for more freight assignments. And, yes, Erin is the entire reason I set up this interview.

"I do want to admit that we are a bit tight on finances at the moment. While we will pay full salary for the medic, for someone in your position, we will initially start with a working passage. You will get room and board, of course, but no salary to start with while we make sure everything works out with you in the crew." Hank slightly smiles and continues, "Kind of like a short unpaid internship. After a couple of trips, we will start with a salary.

"Is that acceptable?"

Assuming it is so, Hank will arrange for an on-board interview with the Captain.

"I accept it"

Morgan is a bit disappointed on the prospect of having to work for free, but the main focus of the job for him is to get some contacts and being able to keep an eye on anything he may need to act upon or report, so if that’s the price (literally..) he must pay he will endure it.

"I also heard that some of the ships in your line of work, have a police where the workers have free range to have their own trades when in ports, is that the same here?"

"We most definitely do! The only caveat is the you pay for the cargo space taken by the speculation. In better times, you may also borrow from the ships funds for particularly good deals. We can go over the specifics later.

In the Celestial Voyager, Hank sat at his desk, scrolling through bulletin boards and searching for any potential recruits. The urgency to fill the gap left by Alfredo weighed heavily on him. Just as he was about to send out another announcement, his communicator buzzed.

"Hello?" Hank answered, his voice echoing slightly in the quiet room.

"Hi, this is Dr. Emily Hart," came the voice from the other end. "I saw your announcement about needing crew, particularly someone trained as a medic. I'm interested in the position."

Hank leaned forward. "Tell me more, Dr. Hart," he encouraged.

Emily took a deep breath before continuing. "Well, I'm a medical professional with experience in various fields. My brother, he's also a doctor, volunteered to go to Verdura in the Zyronis system, to help the impoverished communities there. But I've lost contact with him, and I'm worried something might have happened."

Hank's expression softened with empathy. "I'm sorry to hear that," he said sincerely. "But what does that have to do with joining our crew?"

Emily hesitated for a moment before replying, "I'm willing to work for passage to Verdura. If I can't reach him through conventional means, I'm hoping I can gather some information there. I'm also willing to pay for any news about him and for your crew's help, if you're willing."

Hank replies, "I was really hoping for someone to stick around for more than one world, but one world is better than no worlds. Assuming the Captain agrees, you get the position." He then proceeds to give her their location so she can come in for the final interview. I assume she passes the Captain's muster and joins us for our departure.