Session 33

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Into the Aurum Gate (2025-03-29)

Return to the Starport

• After grabbing sandwiches and calling another automated taxi, the group—Mia, Det, Siz, and Chimes—heads to the Aurum Gate Starport.
• Chimes continues displaying jazz hands gifs on his screen.
• The starport looms like a massive, gleaming seashell, its surface rippling with light and rain.
• Warm rain falls as crowds move through the glowing plaza. A faint smell of fudge wafts through the air.

Familiar Faces, Unfamiliar Intentions

• As they near the cargo areas, Siz spots two suspicious figures:

 - A leather-clad woman and a giant capy-ton with an oversized weapon.
 - They appear to be the same pair seen near the research facility early in their journey.

• The group quietly acknowledges the potential danger but avoids confrontation.
• Chimes, unaware of the tension, excitedly asks to go in.

Inside the Starport

• The team enters the climate-controlled interior, filled with clean air, glowing star maps on the floor, and views of departing ships.
• At the cargo checkpoint, they’re stopped by a proud-looking guard named Hauptschuhmann.

 - Mia explains they’re waiting for Abrar Kraghide, and the group stands down peacefully.
 - Siz retrieves her sandwich. Det reminisces on Ysoki ale.

Meeting with Abrar

• Abrar arrives jovially and mocks being a "pirate" after illegally downloading music.
• He greets the trio warmly and leads them to his private office.
• Along the way, he sniffs the air around Det and questions Siz about the fudge smell and "fudgy elves".

 - Siz suggests, cryptically, that perhaps it's the same elf each time, wearing many faces.

Reviewing Flight Logs

• Inside his cosy office, Abrar listens to Mia's summary—leaving out the civilization-ending details.
• Mia explains they’re tracking mercenaries who likely used the starport or landed elsewhere on-world.
• Abrar begins scanning logs:

 - Finds three landings outside normal zones: 
   - One at a remote mining site.
   - One on a natural gas facility island.
   - One in New Texas, linked to a mysterious consortium.

Chimes Responds

• At the mention of the New Texas ship, Chimes chimes loudly—clearly recognising something.
• Mia asks for registration data and any trace from the galactic network.
• Abrar notes the ship already left weeks ago, but promises to dig deeper using his “pirate tentacles”.
• The group suspects this ship—and its corporate backing—might be tied to Magrete Steel’s abduction.