Category: Game Sessions

IY6026.306

SAFCO and Caliban Tisk still in orbit of planet Chamax.

Lucky, Flint, and Caliban, in vacc suits, are standing inside the alien disk ship, just inside the cargo door. Atmosphere is still escaping that ship. Roger uses the mining pods claws to grab the edge of that door, as he has noticed the escaping air is thrusting the ship away slightly. He exits the pod and joins the others. Barney and Fardt remain about the ramble, Barney at the pilots seat and Fardt in the bottom turret.

Lucky closes the door of the disk ship. As it closes, the ships interior lights activate. They notices the sound of “a ship returning to life” as the vessel’s systems come back online. Their vacc suits indicate the temperature inside is -100 C.

Looking ahead, there is a central ramp that leads up. On either side is a ramp that leads down apparently to a lower deck. Just inside there is a 1 meter by 1 meter hatch on the walls of each of the side ramps.

Looking down the left down ramp, no lit up, Lucky sees about 10 meters away one of the meter-diameter fur balls they found on the planet that are apparently hibernating creatures.

Going up the central ramp, Roger gets to the end and finds a curving corridor to the left and right. Down to the right he sees a fur ball.

The fur balls are not moving. Lucky uses binoculars to look at his. There are no apparent eyes or other sensory organs focused on him. It is just a fur ball.

Rogers check his suit. They have been in the ship a while now, and it is warming as the systems come back online. Up to -90 C now.

Lucky looks at the square hatch in the right side ramp walls It is 1×1 meter square. He makes and Engineering roll. He recognizes that it is a fairly low-tech hatch. A simple mechanical latch. He estimates based on that they are dealing with a lower than Imperial average tech level.

Caliban and Flint are on the left side ramp. They open that hatch. Caliban stoops and looks through. He sees a curving corridor, and about 10 meters in is another fur all.

Flint advocated simply kicking the frozen/hibernation fur balls into space. Caliban, experienced in alien first contact, thinks they may be dealing with an intelligent species. He further mentions to SAFCO that if they can make a positive first contact they might be able to benefit financially from any contracts they can make with them. He asks Barney, aboard the Rambler-II, to broadcast some of the strange radio signals they found on the planet.

Barney moves to the communications panel and does just that, and notices that the alien ship is now broadcasting radio signals. He records them and send them through the ships computer (makes COMP roll) and successfully analyzes them. They match similar patterns of what might be S-O-S or “Hailing Frequencies Open” or “We are here” kinds of simple signals. Caliban records them.

The alien ship continues to warm. Flint suggests they reopen the cargo door to cool the ship back down. He is concerned about waking up the creatures.

Caliban uses his radio, up close, to broadcast the alien signals right at the fur ball in front of him. He’s not listening to the other’s conversation. Flint re-tethers himself to Lucky and braces himself against the small square portal opening. Lucky moves to the cargo door control and uses his Elec-3 skill to try to use the alien controls to only raise the door a little bit to bleed off some of the warming atmosphere.

Caliban sees his fur ball beginning to quiver. He is determined for a successful first contact.

He manages to raise it only 1 meter, but that’s a lot. The air begins whooshing out. Flint easily braces himself and is not sucked out. Lucky misses his roll and is sucked out into space, tethered to Flint. On the upper deck, a fur ball is sucked past Roger, who makes a DEX save to avoid it smashing into him. He then fails his STR save and is blown down the corridors. He tumbles past the dangling Lucky.

Lucky makes a DEX save and manages to grab Roger by the ankle as he tumble by.

Inside, Flint manages to partially shut his small square hatch. The fur ball smashes into his back, as does Caliban. Using his great strength (he makes a STR save) Flint pulls Lucky and Roger back into the ship. Lucky shuts the cargo door. The lights and life support are still on.

In the side corridor, the fur ball begins to unfold into an adult Chamax. It attacks Flint but misses. He hits it twice with his sword, but it doesn’t die. Caliban fires with his auto pistol but misses. Lucky spots the thing through the hatch and shoots it with his auto rifle. He penetrates the creatures  body and ruptures its acid sack. No one is at Close range. The beast erupts in acid, and dies.

The team is still aboard the alien ship, which continues to warm…

End of session
Still IY6026.306
Elapsed time: 413 game days

IY6026.305

SAFCO is in orbit of Planet Chamax, having narrowly escaped the aggressive hordes of crustacean-like creatures on the planet’s surface. They have rescued Caliban Tisk from a rocky island in the middle of a large lake.

On the bridge of the Rambler-II they discuss options. Caliban, who wrote his original crew’s contract with InStarSpec, has told them that whoever completes the survey of the planet will get paid. SAFCO seems up for doing this. Roger is in favor of getting back to Mylor and reporting on the events on Desolis, including the black energy leeching substance and the plans of Doctor Falke.

The team completes the survey, most of which Caliban had on his hand computer.

Lucky brings up the idea of returning do the air space above the ruins on Chamax and using the drone to further investigate the huge dome. They vote. Barney isn’t super happy about the idea, but they decide to attempt it, to gather more information.

Caliban inquires about SAFCO’s insurance situation. Is the ship insured? Etc.

Roger pilots the ship back down. Flint and Lucky take the air raft down and hover about 50 feet above the dome. Lucky sends the drone down. There are still a few of the creatures below, wandering aimlessly around the ruins. Using the drone, and broadcasting the video and sensor feed back to the ship, Lucky discovers that the dome is hollow, but there are 8′ diameter holes in the ground inside the dome, in no particular pattern. Taking the drone lower they see more of the organic furry balls on the ground in the dome.

As the team observes things, they discuss the apparent sensitivity of the creatures to radio signals. They notice after a few minutes of drone use that the furry balls begin to “quiver.” On board the Rambler-II Roger and Barney scan radio frequencies with the scanners. They identify the telemetry/control signals for the drone as well as other non-random signals. Analog signals.

Barney attempts to use the computer to find any patterns or info in those mysterious signals, but is unable.

As the observation continues, finally the furry balls in the dome become more agitated and begin to unfold, revealing themselves to actually be the creatures. They are awakening. Seeing nothing else of interest in the dome, and having had enough of the creatures, Flint signals to the Rambler-II for pickup. The ship returns and retrieves the air raft, Flint, and Lucky, and returns to orbit.

Back in the ship, Caliban saves recordings from the sensors to his tablet. The team decides that perhaps their hacker back on Mylor, Tahm Slykk, might have better luck decoding the signals.

They leave orbit.

As they are leaving Chamax, Lucky monitors the sensor for any potential trouble. Pirates or whatever. He makes a great Comp roll, and discovers a large metal object in very high orbit of the planet.

They investigate, and and find a flat, disk-like ship slowing tumbling but in a stable orbit. As Roger brings the Rambler closer, they see an inactive drive unit on bottom, and a 10′ high 30′ wide cargo door along flat circumference, but otherwise no features. Sensor detect that it does have power. They see ice on the surface.They use the sensors,  which indicate the ship’s surface is cold. Colder than one would expect for a metal object in space.

Caliban begins filling out salvage forms on his hand-computer.

SAFCO comes up with a plan. There is no docking ring. There is nothing on this strange ship for the docking clamp to grab. Flint, Lucky, and Caliban suit up in vacc suits. Barney takes control of the Rambler, Roger having established excellent station-keeping with the other ship. They need to stop it’s tumble. Roger takes the mining pod out. Roger is able to use his massive pilot skill to use the pod’s grabbing arms and thrusters to halt the tumble of the other ship, then returns to the cargo bay.  The three in vacc suits hold on to the outside of the pod, hitching a ride over to the cargo door of the other ship. Caliban has suggested they tether to each other, as he is new to vacc suit use.  Roger gets them close.

On board the Rambler-II, Barney gets the auto-turret ready in case of trouble, and Fardt goes to the other turret (he has no gunnery skill!).

Lucky, then Flint, then Caliban move over to the other ship, to the 3 foot deep ledge where the cargo door is recessed into the vessel.

Lucky finds a control panel on the side of the entryway. It’s a alien panel, but he makes a HUGE electronics roll and successfully opens it.

A massive blast of air comes out. Each must roll STR or less on 2d6 to manage to grab the edge of the door grooves or be blown out. Lucky and Flint make their rolls. Caliban fails and it blasted off the ledge. Flint is next on the tether, and is able to make another STF roll and yanks Caliban back to the ledge without being pulled out himself.

From the bridge of the Rambler-II and the turret, Barney and Fardt witness this, as does Roger from the mining pod.

Everyone also sees one of the furry balls ejected from the alien ship and go flying into space.

End of session.
IY6026.306
Elapsed time: 413 game days

IY6026.305
Elapsed time: 412 game days

SAFCO begins where we left off, with the Rambler II landed on top of a plateau and the team looking down on the landing site of the InstarSpec Subsidized Merchant ship.

Elsewhere on the plant, in the crashed Launch of the Sub Merchant, Caliban Tisk awaits rescue. He’s down to few days rations now, but a least on this rocky island in the middle of a lake the creatures can’t get to him. He turns on the Launch’s radio for his daily scan for anyone who might help him. A retired administrator from the Imperium, he took this job to help facilitate any claims expecting it to be an easy job. Now he’s barely escaped the attack on his crew by figuring out to how fly the damaged Launch and finding this “safe” spot. He’s heard occasional non-random and very weak transmissions, but no rescue.

Back at the Rambler II, the team uses the drone to examine the downed ship. Lucky pilots it down, taking his time and doing a good inspection. He flies it into one of the holes in the ship and finds burn marks on the floor plates and two half-meter furry balls in that compartment. The balls are not moving. Roger takes over the drone and examines the temporary shelter as Lucky goes up into the top turret of the ship. Barney decides they might want someone in the pilot’s chair and goes back to the ships bridge and moves it to give Lucky a good view of the site below from the turret. He sees nothing else as Roger pilots the drone.

Caliban Tisk, at the Launch’s radio, hears what sound like telemetry signals. Knowing what will happen, he decides anyway to try to radio any rescue mission that might have arrived.

On the Rambler, the ships comm system picks up a transmission from someone on the planet. Barney communicates with him. The person says to be careful of the giant spider-like creatures, and asks if they are there from InStarSpec to rescue him. About that time the shit hits the fan. Insect-like creatures the size of large dogs begin coming out of holes in the side of the cliff and climbing toward the Rambler II. The team starts hearing the sound of the creatures and see that they are approaching them and under the ship.

Luckily the team is all near the ship, but there are creatures between them on the cargo ramp, which is facing them. They run for the ship but are blocked by some creatures. Roger shoots one with his autopistol and the creature erupts in an explosion of acid. He runs onboard the ramp.

From the bridge Barney can see the things coming from all directions. He turns on the auto-turret and  it begins blasting the creatures. There are acid explosions all over the place. The dead creatures, their own bodies being eaten by their acid, litter the ground, but the creatures just keep coming.

Back at the launch, understanding that the creatures seem drawn to radio signals but knowing they can’t get to him, Caliban Tisk attempts to supercharge the Launch’s radio to draw the creatures away from his would-be rescuers. (Rolls JOT/Electronics – fails). A good idea anyway.

Fardt makes a run for the ramp and avoids an attack. Lucky does the same, shooting a creature but seeming to do no damage. Flint opens up with his submachine gun and has no effect. Lucky and Flint are both grasped and bitten by the creatures. They manage to break free but not before the creatures have secreted acid on them, which starts burning through their armor.  They get loose and make it to the ship, yelling for Barney to take off.

As they stand on the cargo ramp, 20 feet off the ground, there is one creature on the ramp with them. It grasps and bites Roger, who manages to get free. In close quarters they are afraid to shoot the creature for fear of acid. Flint grabs a strap attached to the ramp and does a flying kick, trying to knock the creature off. He connects, but the monster grabs the ramp and remains onboard. Roger then tries kicking it off, succeeding.

The team enters the ship and closes the ramp, being careful for any more creatures, removing their ruined armor. Barney flies them up into orbit.

They check the exterior of the ship as best they can, finding no creatures there or on the landing gear.

Roger takes over the pilot position.

They make contact with the survivor. They find him on a tiny rocky island in the middle of a lake. His use of the radio has apparently attracked many creatures who are at the edge of the water, frustrated they can’t get to him. Flint and Lucky rescue him in the air raft. He introduces himself to the crew as Caliban Tisk, working for InStarSpec as a Claims Facilitator. He tells them that he wrote his old crew’s contract with the company, and the contract says that whoever finishes the survey of the planet will get paid. SAFCO seems interested in completing the work — FROM ORBIT.

End of Session.
IY6026.305
Elapsed time: 412 game days

IY6026.289
Elapsed time: 396 game days

SAFCO starts from where we left off, onboard the Rambler II, attached by docking clamp to a doomed freetrader hurtling into the sun. They have the mentally-broken survivor of that craft onboard as well. Roger releases the docking clamp and gets the Rambler to safety with plenty of time to spare. On the trip back to Mylor, Barney attempts to break the corporate encryption on the optical storage wafer containing the doomed ship’s log. He succeeds only in breaking into some image files – pics of alien artifacts and antiquities presumably found on one of that ship’s missions. At skill level of Computer-1 he is unable to break the more difficult encryption. They keep the rescued man sedated. They consult the ship computer’s library program to find that InStarSpec does have an office on Mylor. Removing the vacc suit from the man, they find and InStarSpec ID saying “Igor Ravensky: planetologist”

Returning to Mylor, they turn the man over to the Scout service, who in turn put him in a local hospital.

The team debates what to do. They ask Fardt (who has Streetwise-1) if he knows a hacker who might help with the encryption. Fardt makes his roll. They meet a tall man in a leather overcoat, high hair, and small hipster glasses with circular lenses at the Happy Gluck — Tahm Slykk. Tahm has his portable gear with him. They get Vern to find them a private room, explain the situation. Tahm agrees to help them for an even share of whatever profit they make off this “caper”. They agree. At Comp-4, Tahm easily breaks the encryption and makes them a copy of the ships log. He of course has a copy on his rig as well. He agrees not to step on their toes, and Flint gives him 2000 cr as an advance on payment and goodwill gesture.

Back onboard the Rambler, at the space port, they evaluate the data. They see that the other ship was a typical Type-A Freetrader that had been modified for exploration, with various labs and gear. They see that right before the incident the ship had been two parsecs away, just coreward of the Zerix system (where they have been before). According to the time stamps, the ship was gone less than 3 weeks – enough time for the Jump-2 back and forth and just a little time in that parsec. They also know that there are no planets charted in that system, so obviously InStarSpec has found a new system.

They decide to go attempt to question Igor. Arriving at the hospital they are told he is being kept sedated, that whenever he starts coming around he starts getting agitated and violent. As they discuss next steps, and man in a nice business suit arrives and questions the desk clerk, who points to SAFCO. He introduces himself as Sevor Halin , manager of the local InStarSpec office. He thanks them, asks them what kind of ship Igor was on, and asks them to come to his office the next day.

The three former scouts in SAFCO are familiar enough with InStarSpec to know they are essentially for-profit explorers. They look for new resources, make a claim, then sell rights to other companies that might be able to exploit them. They have hired scouts out of the service, and the Scout Service tends to look down on them as profiteers, which they are, but then again in this universe who isn’t?

SAFCO meets with Halin, and agree to travel to the new system, named Chamax, to find out what’s going on, as they actually sent a two-ship expedition. The other ship is a 400-ton Subsidized Merchant, also retrofitted for exploration. They agree on payment, and Halin urges them to leave quickly.

SAFCO launches the next day, traveling first to the Zerix system, refueling at the gas giant there, and then jumping to the Chamax system.

Unknown to Halin, they have the ships log from the freetrader so they know exactly where to look. From orbit they use the ship’s sensor array and can see the Sub. Merchant still sitting there next to a plateau. They see no movement. Roger lands the ship stealthily on the top of the plateau. Flint and Roger creep up to the edge with Fardt with binoculars. Lucky mans one of the laser turrets on the ship and Barney gets in the pilot’s position.

Looking down, Flint, Roger, and Fardt see the Sub Merchant leaning to one side into the sand. They see a portable temporary shelter and an ATV near the ship as well as the location where the other ship was probably landed. Nearby there are a bunch of stone domes – ruins. One is bigger and has been opened up. They also see holes in the side of the ship with the same kind of scorch marks they saw onboard the doomed freetrader.

End of session:
IY6026.305
Elapsed time: 412 game days

IY6026.283

SAFCO starts from exactly where the last session left off, at the secret landing pad/hideout of the now-dead Lomax Jr.

After discussing what to do with  the transport coffins full of radioactive ore, they decide to dump the coffins into the local gas giant as they are about to go refuel.  The group takes off directly from the hideout, not wishing for anyone to learn they have illegal radioactives onboard the ship. Sally Rasputin remains with the crooks – looks like she has a new employer.

They reach one of the two gas giants in the system, skim some new fuel, and dump the coffins. Lucky uses his Nav-1 skill to plot an efficient course back to Mylor that will cut some time off the journey. As they slingshot around the sun on this trajectory, they receive a broad-beam message. A ship has entered the system and is hurtling toward the sun at high speed. It does not appear to be under power, but it will enter the sun on its current path. Any ships available are instructed to investigate and render aid if possible.  The team decides to intercept and help. It will be close. A typical intercept course will only give them about an hour to help once they meet the ship.  Lucky again uses his Nav-1 skill. The ref rules that if he can make his roll, for every 1 he surpasses his required roll by they get an extra hour to work. Lucky rolls an 8, beating his required 7 by one. They’ll have 2 hours to work. Not much time, but better than just an hour.

The Rambler II alters course. Using Lucky’s navigation, they are able to slingshot around one of the outer planets, picking up speed, and intercepting the incoming ship. They see that the other ship is a Type-A Freetrader, almost identical from the outside to the Rambler II.  The company name “InterStarSpec” is painted on the hull. At this point the clock is ticking. Roger uses his pilot skill to match the speed of the other ship. Barney finds InterStarSpec in the computer’s Library program, identifying it as a company with offices and facilities on Mylor. They are apparently involved in identifying natural resources on new worlds, obtaining rights, and selling those rights to other organizations.

They take the Rambler around the other ship for a visual examination. They see lots of burn marks on the hull. Roger flips the Rambler length-wise and flips it upside down to better establish a lock with the docking clamp on the other ship. They have no airtight tunnel, so Flint, Barney, and Lucky put on vacc suits, use the airlock, and spacewalk over to the other ships front airlock. Lucky is unable to hotwire the panel so the hatch remains shut. He says it looks like the panel has been deliberately shorted out!

The away team carefully spacewalks to the rear of the ship, hoping to access the rear airlock, between the two maneuver drive nozzles. They see the same burn marks on the rear of the ship. Barney notes (using Enginering-3 skill) that the nozzles appear to be ruined, with melted/slagged parts. Lucky succeeds in hotwiring the door. Flint enters the ship through Engineering, followed by Flint and Barney. Roger and Fardt remain aboard ship. Power is on, artificial gravity is working, and life support is functioning.

They do a thorough search of the ship. Looks like there has been a fight all over the vessel. Burn marks similar to those on the hull appear on interior bulkheads, and things are a mess in general. The Jump drive appears to be undamaged, but Barney quickly assesses the situation in Engineering. The M drive will not be repaired without new parts. Not only are the thruster nozzles in horrible shape, but there is damage to the interior mechanisms.  The ship’s powerplant is functioning.

The away team gets to the bridge. Barney notices a big wrench on the floor, and four bolts scattered around.  He knows from the Rambler that these are bolts used to hold a wall panel on in the communications area. Looking at that panel, Flint sees that indeed the bolts are removed. He tips the panel forward to see a skinny, dirty, scraggly-bearded man hiding in the interior. The man looks crazed. Flint removes the panel. The man is shaking, sweating and gibbering nonsense. Barney removes the data storage module containing the ships log. The survivor continue to freak out, muttering “Chamax…Chamax!!!”.  He lunges at Flint, who easily avoids the attack and swats the man down, unconscious. They find a sedative in the medical bay and administer it to him.

Deciding they have gathered all the information they can and having found the one surviving crew member to whatever befell this ship, the away team  puts the man in a vacc suit they find in the ship’s locker, and take a couple of body pistols and shotguns along with ammo (they can’t help but do a little looting). They carefully spacewalk, carrying the man back to the Rambler II.

We end the session with the team and the survivor aboard the Rambler II, the two ships still connected by the docking clamp, both ships still hurtling toward the sun, with 45 minutes before it is too late to escape the star’s gravity well.

IY6026.289
Elapsed time: 396 game days

Loose ends:

• Ship needs to move to safety
• The survivor – who is he, is he now just insane
• What happened to this ship?
• Still haven’t dealt with Dr. Fawke back on Desolis

IY6026.269

SAFCO, Sally Rasputin, and Reesus Peesus have boarded the Rambler-II and are in space, heading for the first of two jumps needed to return to Mylor. The cargo hold contains 6 transport coffins full of radioactive ore intended for delivery to crime boss Lynn Lomax Jr. The micro-bomb Lomax has implanted into the neck of Reesus has been removed while on the moon Desolis, using a microscopic amount of the energy-leeching crystalline organism discovered on that moon of Trask-6. Reesus need not fear Lomax anymore.

The crew spends two weeks in transit back to Mylor. During the trip Reesus teaches the crew a few gambling tricks for card games, and they learn that he wants to kill Lomax, which is fine with the crew, but it would leave a power vacuum. Reesus tells them that Lomax’s 2nd in command, Alro Rupalian, has expressed his concerns over the move into the spaceport, and might be a good person to assume control of the Lomax interests.

As the team approaches Mylor Reesus reveals the coordinates of a private landing site/hideout used by Lomax to receive contraband materials. He is able to give them a general idea of the layout. The landing site is in an inlet in the canyon walls, on a river about 100 km east of Mylor city. They ask him if Lomax will be there and he says yes, Lomax doesn’t trust anyone, so he’ll be there to receive the goods.

To avoid being stopped by authorities SAFCO enters the atmosphere well away from the city. They have devised a plan, as they have no intention of handing radioactives over to a criminal.

Reesus uses a private radio channel to contact Mergatroyd, my Mylor City, to request assistance.

Barney and Flint take the air raft out, far from the landing site, and quietly take up a position on the other side of the river, on the edge of the canyon, across from the landing site, reporting in to those remaining on the ship.

Roger lands the Rambler-II after notifying Lomax via radio that they’ll be there.  As they land, on either side of the landing pad, they see a tower (camouflaged from the air) in which a guard stands watch with a laser rifle. There are several entrances to what must be a base in the face of the canyon walls.

Roger and Reesus descend the loading ramp to great Lomax and his entourage. Both are armed. Lomax comes out smiling, “Welcome SAFCO. I trust you have the shipment? It’s going to make us a lot of money!”. “Yes,” replies Roger, “we’ve got it.”

“I see you’ve brought my favorite lap dog back as well – hello Reesus!”

Reesus seethes. Memory of the weeks and weeks of servitude and fear overwhelm him. He draws his autopistol and points it at Lomax.

“Reesus! What’s wrong with you? Don’t you remember this?” Lomax shows him the detonator he carries with him, which weeks ago would have triggered the micro-explosive Lomax had implanted next to his carotid artery. Reesus is swearing profusely and shaking slightly. Reesus keeps the gun pointed at him. Lomax grows visibly concerned. Reesus smiles slightly. Lomax uses the trigger. Nothing happens. His eyes go wide in disbelief. He triggers it again and again to no effect. Reesus smiles and pulls the trigger – MISSING Lomax completely!

The shit hits the fan as the shot is fired.

From across the river Flint fires his rifle, hitting the closest laser wielding guard in the head, killing him. The guard goes tumbling from his deer stand style post, falling 30 feet to the floor of the landing site.

Simultaneously…

Roger tosses a hand grenade next to Lomax, who fails to dive for cover. He’s blown to bits and two of his henchmen are knocked out.

and…

The other laser guard, having seen Reesus fire at Lomax, fires at Reesus, the bright red laser beam burning a hole through his skull, killing him instantly.

and…

Aboard the Rambler, Fardt directs the automated pulse laser turret to fire on the surviving laser guard. The ships laser hits, vaporizing the goon and burning a hole in the canyon wall.

and…

Lucky points the bottom pulse laser turret at the remaining goons. The GM rolls a morale check, and they fail, dropping their weapons and surrendering.

Roger directs the SAFCO robot to take Reesus to the autodoc, but it is hopeless. A large tunnel has been burned through his brain.

A white flag comes out the door, followed by a tall androgynous man and a few more thugs, all with their hands up. The tall man introduces himself as Alro Rupalian, and asks where Reesus is? SAFCO explains the situation. With regard to Lomax, Rupalian states “Lomax as a fool. Moving into the spaceport and bring the attention of imperial authorities was a dumb risk.”  He goes on the say “We won’t be taking those radioactives. It’s one thing running guns and contrand, but I don’t want to start selling WMD components. That’s bad business.”

Finally Mergatroyd and some associates arrive via air raft and take Reesus’s body. He and Rupalian disappear into the hideout to talk business.

SAFCO, having regrouped, with Sally, board the ship to discuss their next moves…

Loose ends: They still have the radioactives. What to do about Falke, back on Desolis, who has the energy leeching organism and wishes to profit from it. They have not left the hideout yet.

End of session.

IY6026.283
Elapsed time: 393 game days

Spoiler Alert: this post pertains to a session run using the adventure Energy Transfer, by Michael Brown. Do not read further if you may be a player in this scenario.

IY6026.268

SAFCO, associate Sally Rasputin, and sometimes-associate/sometimes-enemy Reesus Peesus are on Desolis, an airless moon of Trask 6, at Sierra Praxis mining base, owned by Novastel Mining Corporation. During there initial time on the base (see last sessions) there was a tremor and power dip. Miners told them a meteor may have hit nearby. Inspection team 2 is called to work. SAFCO takes care of some business and goes back to their ship to sleep.

In the middle of the night they are summoned to meet with Dr. Jonton Fawke, the administrator of the facility. It seems that Inspection Team 2 has disappeared while investigating the meteor strike, which created a small hole in an ore shaft dome that feeds into the processing plant. Fawke does not trust his miners to investigate. It is apparent from his comments and those of the miners that SAFCO met in the base tavern that Fawke and the miners doe not have a good relationship. Fawke offers the team $5000 credits to investigate and find out what happened to the crew.

Roger uses SAFCO’s mining pod to examine the exterior of the dome while the rest of the team and Fawke use SAFCO’s robot, with their drone on top of it (it can’t operate in vacuum), to explore the sealed-off corridor leading to the dome.

The strike happened during workers time-off day, so no lives were lost in the initial depressurization of the dome. The actual ore shaft in the middle of the dome was therefore sealed at the time by a secure and radiation proof hatch. There is a large air lock used before entering the corridor, which was also closed and sealed.

From the window in the outer airlock hatch the team can see that lights are dimmed about halfway down, and further it is totally dark. Power down there is totally out.

They send the robot and drone through the airlock and down the corridor, initially using infrared and ultraviolet sensors. As the robot approaches the area where the light is dimmed, they see (in IR and UV patterns) what appear to be paint splotches covering all the surfaces of the corridor and the central conveyor belt.  They bring the robot closer and turn on the spotlight. They see a shiny, black, scaly substance covering all the surfaces. As they watch, the drone’s power levels decrease suddenly and drastically. They pull the robot back, to find that it too has lost a lot of battery power.

Outside in the mining pod, Roger sees that there is a basketball-sized hole punched in the dome. He sees some black scaly goo on the edges of the hole.

The team together with Falke determine the power loss rates for the drone battery vs the robot battery, based on the time they were down there and the percentage of power left, and surmise that smaller power sources will be depleted much faster. The robot, with a 24 hour charge, can now operate near the black stuff for about an hour before being depleted. They also determine that the energy drain began when the robot and drone were about five meters from the scaly substance.  They send the robot back down and use one of its claws to collect a tiny sample. Bringing it back, Lucky quickly removes the claw and they store it in a lead-lined case for transporting radioactives. Barney and Falke take it to a lab for examination. Outside, Roger tests the energy drain by brining the mining pod within five meters of the hole. He sees the drain starting and pulls back.

While Barney and Falke work in the lab, Lucky and Flint decide to try to determine what happened to Inspection Team 2. They would be out of air in their vac suites by now, and are likely dead. Lucky, in his vac suit, enters the corridor. He used a light to look far down into the corridor and dome, and sees a human-shaped lump on the floor, covered with the black scales.  Clearly Inspection Team 2 is dead. After he has been within 5 meters of the black scales for 1 minute he begins to feel bad! He takes 1d6 to his Endurance (for 5 damage) as the stuff starts to drain his body’s energy. He backs off quickly, having learned that the stuff can drain energy from living creatures very quickly!

In the lab, Falke and Barney carefully take a few particles of the black scales from the robot’s claw and examine it under an electron microscope. Just a few initial particles. They see the scales are composed of even smaller scales. As they watch, the scales pulse and multiply on the slide, feeding on the energy in the room and the energy of the electron microscope. Falke destroys the sample with acid before it can grow any more and present a danger to the facility or its power.

Sally contacts the team, telling them that in the taveren Reesus Peesus is causing problems. He is winning all the miners’ money at cards and they are getting pissed. He tells her that with the tiny explosive in his neck his days are numbered and he doesn’t care.  Barney goes to the bar and forces Reesus to leave, and to leaven his chips with the miners — a goodwill gift.

Flint suggests that it might be possible to use a tiny amount of the energy leeching scales to drain the microscopic battery powering the bomb in Reesus’ neck. After discussing numerous ways to approach it, they decide that a tiny amount of the material brought close to the tiny battery should drain it, based on their measurements of the earlier battery drains, before harming Reesus or anything else.  Falke is in favor of this experiment.  The tell Reesus they need to take more data on the bomb. They take the lead-lined container to the med lab, quickly take an extremely tiny sample of the scales on the end of a probe, and hold it near Reesus’ carotid artery.  After a couple of minutes they scan the bomb and find that the battery is indeed now dead, and the bomb is easily removed.  The sample is destroyed with acid.

Reesus expresses his infinite thanks to SAFCO, apologizes for trying to have them killed, and expresses his desire to get revenge on Lomax.

Dr. Falke talks with SAFCO. He says the black substance is potentially extremely valuable. He wants to develop it and market it himself, as it has potential weapons, medical, and scientific applications. He seems quite greedy. He plans to seal off the contaminated dome and corridor from all energy input and make it off limits, but wants to continue running the radioactives mining operation, using it and Novatel money to his own ends.

He wants SAFCO to help him — to be his partners.

SAFCO agrees. The radioactives they came for are loaded into their ship and they head back into space. Once away, they begin to discuss what they really need to do, based on the clear evidence that the black energy leeching scales are too dangerous for someone like Falke to control. They also don’t trust him.

End of Session.
IY6026.269
Elapsed time: 395 game days

IY6026.253

Recap:

Last session the team made it back to Mylor. The Baroness smoothed things over with the authorities. Zal went to the hospital. The Baroness makes arrangements for the Precursor pod and the android body to be sent to the University of Zapata.

The team has met with the head administrator of the Scout base, Billy Zoom, to pass on information they collected on the expedition. Zoom informs them that Roger’s scout ship, the Rambler I, was pressed back into service. He gives them 5 grav bikes to compensate Roger for the loss of the ship. He also informs them that over the last couple of months (their absence), there seems to be some turf wars going on in the Mylor underworld.

The groups goes to the Happy Gluck to celebrate survival and a successful expedition.

Today’s session:

Entering the Happy Gluck, the group finds it busy. They order drinks, and find out from their friend Vern, the owner, that business has been tough. His “taxes” have increased. He isn’t sure who is responsible, but clearly the normal protection money he pays suddenly wasn’t enough. Making his streetwise roll, Fardt notices that the 7-foot tall, 4-eyed, purple Rax fixer known as Mergatroyd is currently playing Collider at one of the gaming tables, and losing. There’s a lucky person playing. Fardt does not see Reesus Peesus, which is unusual on a busy night. The group decides to make contact with Mergatroyd to find out what’s up and hopefully make peace with him and Reesus (Reesus tried to have them killed a couple of months ago).  The group casually approaches the table. Barney takes up a vantage point up some stairs. He can see that one pair of Mergatroyd’s eyes is focused on the game, while the other has tracked some of the team. He is aware of their presence.

Lucky observes the Collider game. No one is as lucky as the guy who is winning, but Lucky can’t see that he’s cheating. Knowing how the machine works, he makes his Gambling roll (with a positive modifier for this Electronics skill) and surmises that someone near the table has a magnetic device that is affecting the trajectory of the subatomic particles in the game table. He whispers this to Fardt. The gluck tells Vern. Mergatroyd is playing it cool. A bouncer comes up to the table and starts using a detection device, finally pointing it at bystander and yelling “CHEATER!”. The place erupts. The one guy runs toward the door to the bar. The guy who was actually playing the game gets up and tries to run, but Roger tackles him. From his perch, Barney fires a warning shot at the running guy. He makes a morale check, succeeding, and rather than dropping to the floor he continues out the door. A rough looking guy whispers to Flint during the commotion that “Mergatroyd want to see you in the room behind the bar.”  Before everything settles down, the team uses the commotion as a distraction to go unnoticed to the back room. Mergatroyd follows them.  Barney remains at his lookout perch.

Mergatroyd is relieved to see the group. He harbors them no ill will. He tells them that Reesus has been missing for a number of weeks, and that it is affecting his business. Though Reesus is gone, the illegal arms are still apparently flowing through the sector and through Mylor, so he things Reesus is still alive. He says a local crime boss called Lomax has died, and apparently his son, Lomax Jr., is trying to take over his turf, and expand into the space port. This is the cause of Vern’s problems, and is generally destabilizing things. He suggests that they will all prosper if SAFCO can find and rescue Reesus, and most likely kill Lomax Jr or at least drive him out of the space port. Reesus being a “pillar of the community”.

SAFCO agrees that while they’ve had disagreements, association with Reesus has been profitable for them and of course this is their home and they don’t want things going badly. They agree to help.

As this has been going on, a green orion dancing girl has been chatting up Barney. Barney, ever suspicious, has gotten her drunk. She doesn’t seem to know much, but suddenly decides to leave. Barney gets up and follows her out.

Inside the tavern, Fardt makes his streetwise skill. He tells the team that a nondescript woman took notice when the green woman and  Barney leave the bar. As they start toward her, she gets up and leave the bar, starting to walk down the sidewalk. Lucky and Flint apprehend her. She is causing a stir on the sidewalk. A Law Level roll is made, and no police are attracted. They take an autopistol from her, and take her back into the Happy Gluck, and into the back room where they start to question her.

She is uncooperative until Mergatroyd threatens to cut one of her eyes out with his dagger. She caves. She is working for Lomax, and sent the green dancer to chat up Barney and see what she could learn. Then the “good cops” (SAFCO) offer to pay her more to switch sides. Realizing she has blown it – that Lomax will kill her if he finds out she has given up his name — she agrees. They will pay her 3000 credits a week, and she will tell them where Lomax Jr. is. Hopefully they’ll find Reesus. She wants them to kill Lomax Jr., so she can carry on without fear of reprisal.

End of session.

IY6026.253
Elapsed time: 379 game days

IY6026.217

SAFCO begins where they left off, on the Precursor world in the Great Nebula of the Void. Having defeated the alien android possessed by the being inhabiting the Universal Translator, the team decides what to do.

Professor Zal Twist is stabilized in the ship’s autodoc. The Baroness insists that before leaving they attempt to at least take a sample of the withered Precursor bodies in the pods. Barney examines the alien technology, consults with Lucky, and makes a very difficult roll, successfully figuring out how to power-down a pod. He examines the power cable, and after very careful description of what he is doing, confirms there is no power in the cable. He cuts it.

Meanwhile, Flint has brought a lift from the cargo hold of the ship. They manage to lift one of the pods and take it to the ship. Flint brings the body of the alien android. Lucky discovers that while the brain and the Universal Translator are destroyed, the body does still have some charge left it its battery. They remove the destroyed UT and secure it.

Their business here complete, they take off. Once back in space they jump to one of the systems they had previously scanned containing a gas giant. In an effort to cut some time off their return trip to Mylor they do some additional scanning but discover no systems with refueling points. They proceed back to system 2, home of the planet-wide sentient psionic fungal network. They avoid the planet and refuel at a gas giant. They then jump back to Zal’s System, refuel, and return to Mylor. Five weeks travel time.

The Baroness talks to authorities once in orbit smoothing things over for SAFCO, who were wanted for her abduction in the subsector. She explains she stowed away.  All is well.

The team decides, after getting the fairly recovered Zal Twist to the hospital, to go inform the Scouts of the very serious threats to the Imperium lurking just a few parsecs away in the Void. In particular, the Fungal Network. Administrator Billy Zoom is glad to get the information. The Scouts have been preparing to survey that area, and this will keep them out of danger. The fungal planet will be interdicted immediately until the Imperial Quarantine Bureau decides how to handle that threat. Zoom tells that that a freighter full of religious cultist had recently left Mylor in the direction of the Nebula. Should they go to that world it would be an immediate danger, so their ship will be found and stopped. Or destroyed if necessary.

Zoom tells Roger that, sadly, the base recently lost a Scout crew and ship, so the ship that Roger mustered out with — the Rambler — has been pressed back into service. To compensate Roger, Zoom offers the team five IISS grav bikes that are about to be decommissioned as newer models have arrived. Rogers takes the deal.

Roger asks Zoom what else has happened during the months they’ve been gone. Zoom tells him that the local underworld on Mylor is rumored to be in somewhat a state of chaos. Turf wars are breaking out, confusion in leadership…

The team has earned the 100K credits from Zal and the University of Zapata for their help in the expedition. The Baroness arranges for the Precursor pod and the android body to be taken to the University of Zapata. One of the greatest archaeological finds in centuries — funded by her family. Her status should increase in the circles of nobility.  Zal will go down in history.

The team heads toward the Happy Gluck to relax and celebrate survival of yet another expedition into the unknown of the Void.

Ending date: IY6026.253
Elapsed game time: 379 days