Chapter 1: The Commencement

"Perhaps we wait on naming the ship until we know we'll have an ongoing assignment to it?" Soryn suggests, "It may just be this one mission, for all we know. I once named a young pet, only to lose it a week later - it was not the grandest feeling." He runs his hand across the control panel, "Though I must say, I have grown to quite like this ship in the short time we've been with her."

Yuluzak bids you farewell before flying off. The probe has a casing with four violet metal prongs that have embedded themselves into one
of the asteroids. You undo the clamps and secure it safely inside of the cargo bay. It is not large by starship standards, being around six feet tall and about 8 feet in diameter. It doesn't seem to be active and you don't have a way to turn it on.

When you dock, you find Radaszam waiting for you with a group of Starfinder Society scientists who haul it away on a hover trailer. "Good work out there," he says with a grin.

A moment later, you see a group of media representatives approaching, "We saw your battle. How do you feel now?", "What was the Starfinder doing battling a Veskarium ship?", and other variations of the same question are thrown at you until Radaszam shoos them away.

"Seems that a probe from Zo! Media caught footage of your little fight," he explains, "Now the press want a piece of you!"

Xiordin is the only one who realizes that Radaszam seems pleased by this and suspects that he was the one who tipped Zo! Media off in the first place.

The usually cocky Sioux seems very uncomfortable with the media attention.
Well they can't have it. I'm going back to the ship. She mutters sullenly and turns around.

Soryn purses his lips and watches as Sioux returns to the ship. "What we did was not for attention, but...perhaps that would do good for the Starfinder Society. If we can showcase our successes, it may help drive new recruits to join our ranks." He looks to Radaszan to see if there is some glimmer of agreement upon his face.

Xiordin claps Soryn on the shoulder, his dark gaze lightening for the show. He warms up for the media.

"My friend Yuluzak of the Veskarium ship, Honorbound and I, Xiordin of Absalom, engaged in a light duel. There was no intent to harm each other, only to test each other's prowess and evaluate our crews. For my part, my Starfinder crew performed admirably on an unknown ship - the Legacy - which was found to perform well. Soryn Ral here acted as the Science Officer. Sioux who has returned to the ship to double check the shut down procedures, acted as pilot. Over here, we have Scrap, who was our inflight engineer. A finer crew I could not pick. From my parting words with Yuluzak, he too was proud of his crew. We both have seen our people tested and we can adjust our training programs accordingly."

He points at the probe. "An unknown object was spotted near Absalom in the dense and dangerous asteroid field, and the Starfinders were sent to retrieve it in case it was a danger to passing ships. Our initial scans have revealed little of it, but now it is the time for the researchers to identify it's worth."

He relaxes, his hastily prepared words complete. "Now, are there any further questions? We're happy to answer."

Radaszam gives you a chance to respond and then forces the crowd of reporters to disperse, "Rookie mistake," he says to Xiordin, "Never give them the chance to ask follow-up questions unless you're in an actual interview. If they learn you're willing to take more questions when they accost you on the street, they'll be relentless. Well... more relentless, anyway."

He types some notes on his datapad, "Sending confirmation of the completed mission to Guidance now. I expect you'll hear something soon about your next job. I'll see you all soon enough, I'm sure. I've got to go and prepare security for an event at the Lorespire Complex."

"It was a pleasure to meet success in our fist mission on behalf of yourself and the Society," Soryn says before watching the Dealmaker take his leave.

"Well, I suppose I'll head back to my quarters and get some rest. I have some tinkering I'd like to work on with some biochems that recently came into my possession. I may be able to turn them into something useful, if I can get the ratios and process down."

Xiordin will quietly review simulations of firing systems, trying to figure out why the weapon systems just didn't behave for him. He'll be a bit bad moody once he's away from the others.

As part of his time at the station, Soryn finds a vendor and converts some of his credits to UPB.

Scrap spends her time running diagnostics on the ship, and down with the engines, trying to get a sense of it and how she could make it really whirr.

A few hours after your harrowing starship adventure, you get another message from Guidance.

Historia-7, leader of the Dataphiles faction, has requested assistance on a matter of some importance. Report to the Lorespire Complex immediately and proceed down to the Archives' Cortex. Your subdermal implant grants you access to the Cortex, where she is waiting currently.

Soryn perks up when he hears the communication come in and reads it with excitement before gathering his things and heading to the Lorespire Complex.

Cool! Thx Guidance!
Sioux jumps down from the rings she has installed in the cargo bay. She lands with a presentation as if she was in a gymnastic show, grabs her jacket and heads outside to meet up with the rest of the group.

Xiordin triggers his comm to the team. "Everyone get that message? Good. What do we know about the Dataphiles? Historia-7 is the faction head. They mine data, uncover secrets and secure the juiciest bits in their vaults for blackmail later, correct?" The last bit of delivered with a joking lilt, meant ironically yet not.

He packs his kit and heads for the Cortex.

"That sounds about right, Xiordin," Soryn says as he's en-route to their destination. "I don't know if we'll be asked to play spy, or complete research. Or something far more mundane? Though I must say, I'll be disappointed if we're sent to collect mold growths after having command of a space ship. Well...maybe not so disappointed..." his mind drifts as he considers the number and potential applications of fungi across the known systems, a smile spreading upon his lips.

This could also be a "Trust, but verify" assignment, where we are to check out some information that they got. Speculation won't get us there.
She consults her pathfinder app on her wrist computer and rattles off the best commute to Lorespire Complex
This will. That elevator, and then...

It doesn't take long to get to the Lorespire Complex. Following instructions on the datapad, you reach the central elevator and tap your hand on the control pad. "Going down. Destination: Cortex" a soft female voice says from speakers overhead and you feel a brief moment of unsettling weightlessness as the elevator moves down into the bowels of the complex.

The door slides open soundlessly when you reach the bottom, revealing polished metal walls and a number of closed doors as you make your way to the room indicated by your comm units. An android reclines on a raised chair and is plugged into the local infosphere when the doors open. The neural cables detach themselves from her neck as she swivels in her seat to address the new arrivals. "Greetings, Starfinders," she says calmly. "I am Historia-7. If you are seeking a mission from me, please be aware that my request requires both discretion and speed. Do not accept it if you feel incapable of working within these parameters."

"I discovered someone recently hacked into Bluerise Tower’s computer systems and stole a large amount of sensitive data from the resident corporations. I wish to be privy to this information. I managed to trace the hacker’s location through many proxies and erased the trail so that station and corporate security should be delayed in their pursuit. This deception will not fool them for long, so you must move quickly to retrieve the data before they can recover it. I will leave you to decide what to do with the hacker afterward, but should it be feasible, I believe that person would be an asset to the Society."

I get that you want the hackers as they have a unique skillset. There is some pride in her voice.

But I question the legality of including stolen data.
Is there some elements to this mission that I haven't understood?

The prospect of whitehatting a blackhatter through blackhatting is confusing to Xiordin, and he takes a moment to gather his thoughts. He nods at Sioux who succinctly summarizes his own concerns.

"We can act with speed and discretion, but I know little about the secretive folk in that tower. I've heard a variety of rumours, including that they may be controlled by a criminal syndicate or perhaps by anti-Pact terrorists. If they're innocent businessfolk, then we'll need a little more clarification before we, how do I say, aid and abet a criminal action?"