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Tales from the Truth is a series of fanmade shorts based in the Starfinder universe. Finding the Truth is the story of the crew of the ship “Truth” and the adventures they go on. The Archives are guest writers adding their own stories and extra tidbits to help expand the fan made lore.
By Sparrowhawk - April 24th 2020
The ramp extended and Dr. Seris Vormir stepped out onto soil of a dying world. His wrists bound in front of him. A Vesk trooper placed a hand firmly on Seris’s shoulder and guided him towards the buggy that waited to take him gods knew where.
Several other Vesk stood nearby, weapons at the ready, but they didn’t pay much attention to the Lashunta prisoner. Instead they had their eyes watching the nearby jagged hills, searching for any signs of movement. Reports of Swarm sightings on the planet made them cautious, and it gave Seris some degree of comfort knowing they were being so vigilant, even if it meant that his chances of getting free were even slimmer now than before.
His escort, a female Vesk named Jezya, placed him in the front seat of the buggy and then climbed into the driver’s seat to his right. The gunner standing behind him primed the mounted reaction canon and got ready to open fire on anything that dared get too close.
“You still haven’t told me where we’re going or why you captured me. I don’t even know what system we’re in,” said Seris trying to break the awkward silence as much as he was trying to learn more about what’s going on.
Jezya ignored him, but he wasn’t surprised. The Vesk was assigned as his personal guard but those orders didn’t extend to communication beyond anything absolutely necessary. Seris did his best to get comfortable as the buggy pulled off towards his fate. As he looked out the transparent aluminum window he could see the dropship that carried him down here already beginning take off.
The ride took the better part of an hour, following a route marked with lit poles set at regular intervals. Dark purple clouds gathered on the horizon in front of them and Seris wondered if the Vesk shared the same superstitions about storms being a portent of doom that so many other species had. He wondered if he hadn’t joined the Starfinders, if he had stayed in Asanatown with his husband Kelorin and their daughter, he wouldn’t be in this mess.
As their destination came into view, thoughts of what might have been quickly evaporated. A massive set of stone and metal buildings arose out of the otherwise barren landscape; a city long abandoned by whomever built it.
“So this is why you brought me here? I have to say I’ve had worse dates, ” said Seris, joking awkwardly with the Vesk that continued to ignore him.
The buggy drove towards a collection of squat prefab buildings surrounded by a hastily constructed fence. They were waved through the gates by the guards, and drove into the encampment, finally coming to a stop near the largest structure within the camp perimeter. Several more Vesk came out of the building to join Seris’s escort as he was led inside.
The interior of the structure, which Seris assumed was a command center of some kind, was spartan and utilitarian. He had grown used to the aesthetic during his time as a prisoner of the Vesk. The room he was led into was dominated by a desk in the same dull military style and the Vesk behind it stood up to greet him.
“Thank you Sergeant Jezya, you’re dismissed,” said the Vesk as he waved the guards away.
He was shorter than most Vesk Seris had encountered, but his frame was thick with muscle, apparent even under his heavy armor. His spiked “beard” reminded Seris of some of the Korasha he knew back in Asanatown. The Vesk pulled a knife off of his belt and used it to cut off the restraints on Seris’s wrists.
“I apologize for any discomfort you experienced on your trip here. I had hoped you would come willingly but my superiors had their doubts,” the Vesk said in accented Common. “I am Commander Jerik Norgama and I have been anticipating your arrival Dr. Vormir. Please have a seat.“
Seris rubbed his wrists, raw from the restraints. “I think I’ll stand if it’s all the same to you.”
“Very well. I’m sure you’re wondering why I brought you all the way to a backwater world in the Vast,” said Commander Norgama as he took a seat behind the desk.
“I assume it has something to do with that city I saw on the way here,” said Seris. “There are plenty of Xenoarchelogists in the galaxy, I’m not sure why you needed me for this.”
“Plenty of individuals with your skill set, but only one with your experience, “ said Norgama, his demeanor becoming more intense. “You were part of the team that discovered the casket in orbit around Clover-9 yes?”
Seris stared at the commander for a moment and sat down in one of the chairs, “How do you know about that?”
“My superiors have considerable resources… and lack the restraint of the Council back in the Veskarium,” the commander’s stare reminded Seris that the Vesk had evolved from predators.
Suddenly the computer on the commander’s desk lit up, a Vesk trooper’s face appearing with a message. The Swarm had been spotted again, this time in force and headed toward the ruined city. Commander Jerik Norgama growled, stood up, and opened a nearby cabinet, pulling out a doshko and igniting its blades. He tossed a pistol to Seris.
“If you want to understand what happened to your companions, you’d better make sure those bugs don’t overrun this camp.”
By Mark von Drake - April 21st 2020
The bedroom sits in darkness, only a faint light from the stars coming through the window. Sitting on the window frame a figure watching the River Between flow by. The soft tones of the music lost in the thoughts looking for an escape, something to add excitement, something to end the doldrums. From the corner of their eye the figure notices a yellow flashing. Getting up they head over and pick up their comm from the bed. The message brings a smile to their face.
"Perfect."
With a skip in their step, they move to the mirror. "What to be… what to be…" they chime as they take shape. "Hmm… I like this form… maybe darker hair… maybe a bit longer… nah, that doesn't seem to fit the scene… this needs to be… Yes! Perfect!"
Happy with her new form, the svartalfar changes her outfit to a stylish flight suit, grabs her comm unit, and heads out of the room.
On her way through the halls, a familiar red tail catches her attention. "Hey snakey, got the food replicator working yet?" The ramiyel lets out a sigh, as she slides out from under a console.
"It is Karliss, not Snakey." Karliss hisses.
"And I've told you once, as I've told you a hundred times, until we can get the cloaking device and thrusters on this piece of trash working, everything else is not important." she adds with an annoyed tone. "Your lobster dinners need to wait until we get out of this Asmodeus forsaken place."
Stopping then to look the svartalfar over. "And who are you supposed to be today, Capt?"
The svartalfar stops and thinks, putting a finger to her lips. "I am thinking, I will be Mylar."
A smirk appears on her face. "Anyways, clean up, and meet me in the planning room. Oh, and summon the crew." Mylar starts to walk off.
"We got ourselves a job!"
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