Last Episode
The PCs were instrumental in discovering and decomissioning a secret Venusian research station orbiting close in to Jupiter, known as Slumbering Eidolon. While the Jovian government recovered little information from the station, they did manage to discover some CAT-equipped exo-armor prototypes that the Venusians had been testing in the Jovian atmosphere. This lead to the Agora paying more attention to a request ofr assylum from one Dr. Peyarje, and sent the PCs to help retrieve him.
The Scenario
CEGA has conscripted the brilliant Dr. Peyarje into their service, forcing him to develop next-generation exo-weapons at a hidden base. In the interests of keeping an appearance of openness, they have allowed Peyarje to attend the 2210 Intersettlement Scientific Convention, though he is accompanied by a detachment of the CEGA military. Here, he will be allowed to present a carefully censored summary of his work on cyberlinkage technologies.
Peyarje was transported to Stanton several months before the conference, and has managed to get a plea for help and request for asylum to the Jovian embassy on Stanton Station (Venus orbit), where the ISC is being held. A small team has been dispatched, hidden among the Jovian delegation to the ISC, to retrieve Peyarje. The Jovians wish to reap the PR benefits to be found in rescuing a brilliant, pacifist scientist from CEGA’s militaristic clutches and also hope that Peyarje can shed some light on some samples of his CAT/Rapid-Scan system found on a secret research station.
Unfortunately for these operatives, CEGA is taking the security of their prisoner very seriously. The third division of the CEGA 4th fleet has been dispatched to escort and guard Peyarje. The division’s ships are moored just off Stanton, at the invitation of the Venusian Plantary Council, and permission has been granted for several officers and marines to accompany Peyarje as a security detail. Though the ISC filed a formal protest over the admittance of CEGA military officers acting in an official capacity, the issue has since been dismissed and other nations have been allowed to included similarly-limited security details for their detachments.
The players arrive on Stanton aboard the Jovian passenger liner Georgia on my Mind, travelling with a large delegation of Jovian scientists to the ISC. They should take part in the early stages of the ISC while they investigate the conference and find a way to get Peyarje away from his CEGA handlers and off-station.
Character Involvement
The characters should be members of the Jovian extraction team sent to retrieve Peyarje. Since they should already know about the Venusian operation aboard Slumbering Eidolon and the prototypes found there, they might be the only ones on the mission that know of the real urgency behind their orders. While not all PCs will have the espionage training, the GM should be able to find some way to fit them into the scenario. Some suggestions are provided below, divided, as usual, into JAF, JIS, and reporters.
JAF pilots are, again, the hardest to fit in here. Exo-armor or fighter operations aren’t really appropriate for retrieving Peyarje, especially not from within a Venusian colony. The authorities would definitely take a dim view of Pathfinders breaking into the colony and freeing the good doctor, though this is definitely an option for more cinematic, high-action campaigns. (And has justification in the source material. Many Gundam shows involve invasion of colonies by mobile suits for various shady purposes.) Depending on skill sets, the characters could also employ the tactics described for reporters or JIS agents below.
JAF pilots probably won’t be able to pass as scientists, or even research assistants, unless they have decidedly unusual skill sets. Better cover identities would be reporters, security, or interested civilians. They could also be members of an official JAF escort, added (as mentioned above) to balance out the CEGA military forces escorting Dr. Peyarje. The pilots would still be instructed to ask questions and discretely investigate, but would be intended to act as a decoy and backup for the real extraction team. By asking questions and poking their noses into places they don’t belong, they would be expected to draw attention away from the real JIS operatives. Who could, in turn, be exposed and captured at the last minute, forcing the players to pull off the heist on their own with insufficient planning. (Possibly leading to the desparate exo-armor scenario described above.)
JIS agents are easier to fit in. Their skills (Disguise, Theatrics, and the like) should allow them to take a wide variety of cover identities, even those that they don’t have the skills to back up. (Like scientists) Skilled agents might even be able to maintain several cover identities, making them very effective at infiltrating the ISC and acquiring the necessary information. Depending on skill sets, JIS agents will probably go for a “covert ops” approach to freeing Peyarje - either using subterfuge and sneaking him away, or a more straightforward “black ops” raid.
The players could be the backup JIS team instead of the primary, tasked with investigating and doing footwork for the primary team. This puts them on the front lines, while the primary team works to solidify their own cover. The primary team’s cover could then be blown, forcing the players to execute the operation, and keeping them on the front lines. This has many hooks for complications and intruigue. What if the compromised team wasn’t discovered, but betrayed by a double agent in their own ranks? This goes well with the scenario (see below) that has the players trapped in hiding on Stanton. What if the Venusians (specifically, Malachai) were aware of the operation all along and either want the operatives to expose themselves or for the operation to succeed/fail for reasons of their own?
Reporters have the easiest time finding cover identities - they don’t need them. The ISC is a big deal, and reporters from all over the solar system can be expected to attend. And reporters are expected to be nosy, so no-one’s going to take excessive notice of a few asking questions where they shouldn’t. However, due to their typical lack of combat skills, reporters will probably be harder to handle for the actual freeing of Peyarje. They would probably have to resort to subterfuge and trickery if called upon to get Peyarje away from his guards themselves. One possibility is to have JIS agents already in place on Stanton handle the snatch, then pass Peyarje off to the reporters for transport, as in the JAF pilots write-up above.
NPCs, Organizations, and Plot Points
Dr. Agram Peyarje (NPC)
Faction: CEGA
Suggested Stereotype: Veteran
Suggested Archtype: Scientist
Peyarje is the focus of this episode’s action. CEGA wants to keep him in their grasp, the Jovians want to snatch him away, and the Bank wants him for their own ends. Peyarje wishes they’d all go away and leave him alone. A staunch pacifist, Peyarje is repelled by war in general and utterly disgusted by what CEGA plans to do with his inventions. He sees the Confederation as his best hope of escape, even if they too are warmongers.
Peyarje is rather old, probably around 65-70 years of age. He’s in decent physical condition, but lacks combat training. That will make him a passive (and very probably offended) participant in any fighting. Despite this, Peyarje is well aware of the danger he faces, and will probably provide the PCs with a copy of his notes at the first opportunity, in case he is killed or recaptured, so that the Confederation will have a chance against CEGA’s new exo-weapons. He will also act as smart as possible in combat (taking cover, keeping his head down, etc) to the limits of his skill.
What kind of person Peyarje is has been left up to the GM. He could be a righteous pacifist, scornful of the unscientific and brutish military types and restraining himself only because he happens to need them right now. (Like Lynn Kyle from Macross or Houseman from the Honor Harrington books) He could be a kindly old gentleman who only wants to use his discoveries for the betterment of humanity. He could be a crusader against CEGA, willing to use his knowledge to bring them down by any means necessary.
Another thing to consider is whether or not Peyarje wants the PCs to take other members of his research team with him, and why. Insisting on a young female personal research assistant could creation the perception (rightly or wrongly) that Peyarje is a dirty old man, while insisting on a large research team could create the impression of a prima donna. Another possibility to consider is a CEGA plant among Peyarje’s staff who insists on tagging along - this makes an excellent starting point for the “Betrayal” filler.
Ysa Cantroni (NPC)
Faction: Independent
Suggested Stereotype: Rookie, Curiousity, or none.
Suggested Archtype: Reporter or Spacer.
Ysa should be closest to the PCs of any of the NPCs. Her thirst for adventure and action will likely put her in the middle of whatever they’re planning, whether they want her there or not. Ysa has spent the past several years travelling the solar system and working odd job. This has given her an extremely wide range of skills (though none at more than 2/1 or 2/2) and connections, especially here on her native Venus.
Ysa is bright and intelligent, generally assuming a quiet but cheerful air. She’s a wandering soul, and doesn’t think she could ever stay happy in one place or one job for the rest of her life. She is seriously considering becoming a reporter, however, as this gives her a way to travel and encounter a wide variety of experiences while getting paid and doing good. Much to her shame, her father is a high-ranking executive in the Venusian bank. She has cut all ties with him, and does not regret doing so, but this secret connection could still draw suspicion to her.
As a very versatile character, there are many ways to introduce Ysa. She could be working aboard the Georgia and meet the PCs there, or be a staff member for one of the Jovian scientists. She could be a member of the extraction team, recruited by the Jovian government and assigned as a local guide. Or she could be assigned to the PCs as a local guide by the ISC organizers, possibly (if they are travelling openly as a JAF escort) to keep them out of trouble. She could help them out of a bad situation (such as a firefight), possibly even working with Aglaee.
Ysa is also an excellent resource for subplots. Her long-standing conflict with her father, a highly placed Bank executive, could easily flare up now that she’s back on Venus. Her father wants her to succeed him as a Bank executive, while Ysa wants nothing to do with the Bank if she can possibly avoid it. She could even have travelled back to Venus for the express purpose of telling her father to suck vacuum.
Another interesting subplot could involve Ysa and Garand. Ysa got some training in Exo-piloting from a pilot boyfriend at some point in her past. Making Garand that pilot is a good way to create personal tension between him and one (or more) of the PCs, especially if they’ve formed a friendship or are seeking a romance with Ysa. (Or if Ysa wants Garand to think they have, for some reason of her own) Ysa could also have animosity towards Garand of her own, and encourage the player(s) rivalry with him towards her own end, though this does make her a more sinister character.
Aglaee DesSources (NPC)
Faction: Society of the Evolved Human
Suggested Stereotype: Veteran or Specialist
Suggested Archtype: Supplier
Mysterious, beautiful, and cold, Aglaee DesSources is the captain of the Beautiful Dreamer, ostensibly a passenger transport, really a privateer vessel. Once an extremely promising CEGA Navy captain, she retired at the age of thirty to take up her present position. How she knows about the PCs’ mission and why she’s willing to help them are two things she will not easily reveal. Aglaee should offer her help to the PCs at an appropriate juncture, allowing the circumstances to give them incentive to take her up on her offer. She could provide assistance as the players escape with Peyarje in tow - crying “Come with me!” as she provides them with cover fire, for example. Her ship could also be named as a backup escape route by a contact or superior.
Aglaee is really a member of the Society of the Evolved Human, and a fairly high-ranking one. The Society’s connections within the Jovian government allowed her to find out about the mission to free Peyarje and position herself and her ship to help the operatives. She might even have hired Ysa to keep an eye on the PCs and guide them towards the Dreamer when the time comes. She is very professional, keeping her subordinates and associates at arms’ length. An experienced captain, she is skilled at navigation, tactics, and personnel management, and willing to take large risks in the service of her beliefs.
Admiral Russel Kleb (NPC)
Faction: CEGA Navy
Suggested Stereotype: Specialist
Suggested Archtype: Official
Admiral Kleb is the thoroughly corrupt commander of the CEGA 4th Fleet. A hard-line war supporter, Kleb believes the inhabitants of the colonies to be completely inferior to native Terrans. This allows him to justify to himself any action in pursuit of expanding CEGA’s influence. Despite this, he is in the pay and service of VenusBank, as they provide him with the means to further his own ambitions, but he will not hesitate to betray them for his own advantage. They are, after all, just inferior colonists, cowardly employing bribery when they should be using righteous force, a tool to be used and discarded.
Despite his biases, Kleb is a brilliant tactician, equally adept at combat maneuvers and political backstabbing. He is a staunch member of the Cyning Faction that currently dominates the CEGA Council, and is an adherent to the warship-centric old school of military thinking. To him, adherents of the exo-centric school are nothing more than children playing with fancy new toys. Ranho Garand, as the most prominently successful exo-armor pilot in the CEGA Navy and primary test pilot for the Dragonstriker program, is a frequent target of Kleb’s scorn.
Peyarje was relocated to Stanton Station early as a favor to Kleb’s Bank contacts. The reasons behind this request have not been revealed to Kleb, which irks him greatly. While he is aware of the joint Venus-CEGA exo-weapon development programs, none of these programs’ teams’ have requested access to Peyarje. (See the Bank’s entry for some suggestions as to why they might have wanted Peyarje on-station early.)
The Ronin operatives assigned to Kleb’s case have been secretly dosing him with judgement-impairing drugs for several months now. Once reasonably rational, these drugs have fostered Kleb’s latent megalomania. While his tactical brilliance is unblunted, his judgement and restraint are seriously impaired and his temper has grown worse than ever. Perhaps his new outlook is best expressed by a quote from the original Green Book:
I don’t care about casualties! Get them NOW!
Kleb, despite not being officially assigned to the operation, could’ve slipped into Venusian space secretly aboard the Hachiman destroyer that technically serves as the flagship for Garand’s squadron. His irrationality and fanatacism provide perfect justification for illogical moves or horrific acts by the CEGA forces attempting to recover Peyarje, and his connections with the Bank can be used to motivate the otherwise-antagonistic CEGA and Venusian forces to co-operate. He should mainly be a figure working from behind the scenes, directing search efforts and commanding fleets.
Ranho Garand (NPC)
Faction: CEGA Navy
Suggested Stereotype: Specialist
Suggested Archtype: Pilot
Commander of the 3rd Squadron of the CEGA 4th Fleet’s 1st Battlegroup, Garand is an ace exo-armor pilot and media darling. Garand makes no secret of the fact that he is a devoted member of Chang’s political faction and a close friend of Chang himself. While he does believe the military to be a necessary tool, he doesn’t believe that it is the proper one to bring the wayward colonies back under CEGA’s control. He was one of CEGA’s first exo-armor pilots, and taught many of the current generation, passing on both his piloting skills and his philosophy.
Garand is a man of honor and discipline, with a spotless service record and excellent reputation. He does not enjoy killing or combat, but his honour demands that he follow orders and defend his people. Despite his iron will, he is prone to fits of irrational rage towards those who have forced him to commit (or involved him in) dishonourable acts. His discipline and willpower (probably a WIL of +2 or higher) have made him the prime pilot candidate for the Dragonstriker Program. While he is wary of the program’s goals and Venusian involvement, he is honored to be at the forefront of a potentially revolutionary development in exo-armor technology. During his time at Dragonstriker, he may have befriended, or at least reached an uneasy truce with, Dr. Peyarje, as the two share many ideals.
Garand’s skill and position make him an excellent recurring opponent for pilot characters. He is one of the first CEGA pilots to be issued one of the new Wyvern exo-armors, and is just as deadly with it as he was with his customized Syreen. Garand’s exo-armor has a distinctive color scheme - probably red or bright pink, given the genre conventions that govern such things. His exo-armor pilot and gunnery skills are probably level three or four and complexity two or three, with an AGI and PER of at least +1.
In this episode, Garand is the commander of the unit sent to protect Peyarje. He will likely be present at the conference reception, in full dress uniform. When the players manage to nab Peyarje, he’ll also probably be involved in the pursuit and attempted recovery - either in person or using his exo-armor.
Devon Malachai & VenusBank (NPC)
Faction: VenusBank
Suggested Stuff: See Episode 1.
Malachai makes an excellent adversary for reporter or agent PCs.The big questions when using Malachai and the Bank in this segment are how aware they are of the PCs’ objectives and what their own objectives are.
One possible objective for the Bank is acquiring Peyarje for their own secret exo-weapon development programs. Having exclusive access to Peyarje would give the Bank a distinct advantage in any future military confrontations. However, just taking Peyarje would be too easily traceable, so they’ve arranged for some Jovian operatives to be allowed to grab him. The Bank plans on making it look like the operatives and Peyarje were killed by their CEGA pursuers, while secretly taking Peyarje for themselves. This has the added advantage of weakening both CEGA and the Confederation and making them more open to Bank manipulation.
To make things more interesting, one of the other Venusian corporations (such as Waldsen-Nishiyama or Han Tzen) could be behind the plot instead of VenusBank. After all, the Bank can already get their hands on Peyarje through their CEGA proxies. But Waldsen-Nishiyama’s Sakura project could be running into troubles (or need an added boost from the CAT/Rapid-Scan technology) or Han Tzen could be looking for a way to shake off the Bank’s iron grip.
It’s also possible that the Jovian operation has caught the Bank by surprise. While it does have a long reach, it is by no means all-knowing, and the Confederation is at the periphery of its influence. There are also many secret organizations and conspiracies free of Bank influence or subversion - the Principii or STRIKE or the Society of the Evolved Human, or even CEGA or the Confederation or SolaPol, could have used their agents to help create circumstances that could break the Bank’s hold.
During the conference, if the PCs are in disguise, Malachai will probably try to unmask them or covertly aid them in their plans, depending on his own objectives. He will work through intermediaries and thugs, including Ronin assets and his own agents among the CEGA contingent. If they go to ground while seeking an escape from Stanton, Malachai could be the one to orchestrate the search for them. Again depending on his objectives, he might work together with Kleb or clandestinely work to foil Kleb’s recovery attempts while furthering his own plans.
Terrorists? (Plot)
CEGA is going to have to justify their miniature war against the PCs somehow, both to the public (who will eventually learn of it) and to the soldiers fighting it. The easiest way to do that is to label the PCs as terrorists and criminals - they shot up Stanton station, destroyed a Jovian passenger liner (the Georgia), and kidnaped a respected CEGA military scientist. Reporter PCs are the most likely to have the skills to combat this sort of propaganda war, and should be given the opportunity to do so.
If the PCs aren’t reporters, combating the propaganda war becomes more difficult, especially if the methods they used to rescue Peyarje weren’t entirely aboveboard. In the long term, it might be worth their while tracking down someone to tell their side of the story and vouch for them against CEGA’s allegations. This could be the basis for a subplot at any point in the adventure, with the PCs tracking down a reporter who could help them restore their good names, perhaps based on a lead supplied by Ysa.
The Intersettlement Scientific Convention (Plot)
Similar to our Nobel Prize ceremonies, the ISC is a big deal in the scientific community of the solar system in 2210. The ISC moves around and is held at a different settlement every year, to give those scientists who cannot affort to travel a chance to attend. Budget for travel to the ISC to present research and network with other scientists is often part of research grant funding, and the Intersettlement Geographic Society will pay passage for scientists it sees as promising.
More relevant to the adventure, the ISC provides an excellent venue for the players to interact with their soon-to-be mortal enemies. Some sort of confrontation between the PCs and Garand, possibly over or instigated by Ysa Cantroni, would be a good side-plot during ceremonies, and would give the PCs some prior contact that they can use as fodder for verbal sparring during mecha battles. For more intrigue-oriented PCs, the ceremonies provide a way to introduce them to the machinations of Malachai, and perhaps even meet the man himself.
The ceremonies also provide a way for the PCs to investigate the securty surrounding Dr. Peyarje. The classic spy movie intrigue during a ball or party fits into place quite easily here. Other methods are also viable - direct observation during the ceremonies, for example, or the time-honored tradition of information extraction through large quantities of alcohol. (Take the guard out, get him drunk, then see what he says)
The Heist (Plot)
The actual liberation of Dr. Peyarje from CEGA hands should be a high-tension affair. The players should be the ones ultimately responsible for getting Peyarje out, so as to directly involve them with the main plot from the start. Having the players, whether they be pilots or agents, acting as a backup team that gets activated at the last minute when the main team is captured is one effective way of doing this, especially if the PCs aren’t skilled in espionage and covert ops. The main team could already have sprung Peyarje, but with pursuit forces hot on their tail and several of their number down, they don’t have the resources to complete the extraction.
For best results, CEGA should spot the absence of their valued asset soon after the PCs get their hands on him. A chase through the tightly-packed streets of a colony cylander is a great way to add some action to the episode, especially if the pursuer is (eg) Garand in his Wyvern.
The players could also get ahold of Peyarje only to find things coming apart around them, Ronin and CEGA operatives popping out of the woodwork to arrest/kill other agents, etc. Fortunately, colony cylanders are big - if there’s no way to escape, the obvious choice is to go to ground and try to hide, then sneak off-station later, once the heat has died down. While it does stretch things out more, this option provides more opportunities for direct, immediate interaction with Malachai’s schemes. It also provides another way to introduce Aglaee and the Beautiful Dreamer - the players can be referred to her by a contact, or she can approach them, as they start hunting for a way off-station.
For pilot characters, a dramatic chase and exo-armor battle inside the colony cylinder, as they flee for the docked Beautiful Dreamer (or, initially, the Georgia on my Mind) and Garand and his exo-armor flight pursue them, could also work very well. While more cinematic, this will also (obviously) draw a lot more attention, so keep that in mind.
Project Dragonstriker (Plot)
Dragonstriker doesn’t directly relate to the contents of this episode, but it can still be used as a side-plot. The Dragonstriker prototype could have been brought to Stanton aboard the 3rd Squadron’s ships, for final tune-ups and assembly by Venusian technicians. The PCs could stumble across it, or some of its parts or plans, as a foreshadowing of what they’ll have to face in Episode #5. If you have technically-inclined PCs, they could even steal a few of the parts, for custom modifications to the group’s exo-armors. Or, for more cinematic action-oriented campaigns, there could be multiple prototypes, and the PCs could steal several while escaping Stanton Station at the request of Peyarje.
Operation Methuselah (Plot)
Project Methuselah, being a VenusBank scheme, is more relevant to this episode than Project Dragonstriker. The lab analyzing the Floater samples is located somewhere in Venusian space, and the players could uncover some information about it as part of a sideplot. They could be pointed in the direction of the lab by a Venusian deligate to the ISC with a guilty conscience, or stumble across evidence of its existance on their own. Either way, the information they gather could wind up being at least as valuable to the Confederation as Peyarje’s technology.
Of course, the lab is likely to be heavily-protected. JAF pilots could face top-of-the-line Venusian exo-armors, fighters, or exo-suits as they try to get the information they’re looking for, while JIS agents could confront more convenetional opposition. Reporters will have a tougher time of things, and will probably have to employ the usual deception and subterfuge tactics to sneak in and acquire the information they want.
Timing and Objectives
This episode should take several sessions. Take your time with it, and don’t rush the players through. Give them a chance to scout out the security around Peyarje and make their plans, to explore some subplots, and use the busy ISC events for the introduction of and social interaction with NPCs. During and after the liberation of Peyarje is an excellent time to throw in some action. CEGA won’t let their prize get away easily, and this segment lends itself well to chase scenes.
Next Episode
The players should be forced to flee Venus aboard the Beautiful Dreamer, with Garand’s 3rd Squadron hot on their heels. After a desperate evasion in interplanetary space, the Dreamer, low on reaction mass, detours to the heart of CEGA’s power. Seeking to loose its pursuers in the heavy traffic of the Earth system, the crew of the Dreamer are forced into an unpleasant choice…
Filler Suggestions
The players have a long trip on the Dreamer between Venus and Earth. This empty space is easily skipped over, as it has no relevance to the rest of the campaign - how could it, with the players on a starship that’s trying to hide from pursuing warships? However, there are several filler adventures that could be run in the interim:
Combat! (Plot)
This is an ideal place to insert some gratuitous mecha combat. One of the elements of the 3rd Squadron could stumble across the Dreamer, and the PCs will then have to drive off the enemy fighters and exo-armors. Crank up the tension as the Dreamer plays hide-and-seek with the CEGA warships and tries to conserve reaction mass while evading her pursuers.
Alternatively, this could be run as a slower battle, spread out over the two-three weeks it takes the Dreamer to make the trip to Earth. The players could periodically fight off Garand’s forces (possibly while dealing with the Betrayal subplot) with a grand final confrontation as they approach Earth.
Betrayal! (Plot)
Someone aboard the Beautiful Dreamer is a traitor, secretly giving away the ship’s position to the pursuing CEGA ships. Maybe its a member of the crew. Perhaps its one of the player’s companions, or (if any came with him) one of Dr. Peyarje’s assistants. Do they know that they’re betraying their shipmates, or are they the unwilling carrier of some kind of transmitter? And what will they do once they’re exposed?
Vehicles
CEGA 3rd Squadron
The 3rd Squadron of the CEGA 4th Fleet’s 1st Battlegroup is composed of:
- 2 Tengu carriers with extra vehicle bays.
- 4 Bricru corvettes.
- 1 Hachiman destroyer.
One Tengu carries four Wraiths, while the other carries a Wyvern and three Syreens. The squadron is accompanied by several fuel ships and carries extra fuel tanks, to give extra range to the short-legged CEGA warships. Garand’s Wyvern is probably either the command variant, or carries a LACW-3 in addition to the LACW-8. While the Hachiman is technically the flagship of the squadron, Garand usually commands from aboard his Tengu where he has easy access to his exo-armor. This can be used to involve Kleb in the scenario without Garand’s knowledge - Kleb could be travelling aboard the Hachiman, ready and waiting to take command should the situation demand it.
While deployed so far away from reinforcements, the 3rd Squadron will be cautious. Rarely will they commit their entire strength to a battle. If things seem to be going badly for them, they will attempt to withdraw. However, they’re also not idiots. They know that they don’t need to kill the players - they need to capture or disable the Dreamer. The PCs should realize this, and be careful not to let themselves be drawn away… For what seems like a retreat could really be an attempt to lure them away so that another force can slip in and disable the Dreamer’s engines. And the fleeing heavily damaged
enemies could turn out to be not-so-badly hurt after all!
The Beautiful Dreamer
The Beautiful Dreamer, at first sight, seems to be an Inari-class passenger ship. As with most Inari, the Dreamer has been modified heavily, and there are many differences in the ship’s lines. Two concealed railguns run along the ship’s spine, providing an unpleasant and unexpected punch. The cargo bays on the craft’s sodes have been modified to carry exo-armors and fighters, complete with concealed catapults. If the players are pilots and have been separated from their vehicles when they discover the Dreamer, the bays should be stocked with appropriate craft. For precise statistics, see the entry for the Dreamer in the Vehicle Designs section.
If you really want to make the players wonder about their new benefactor, have the craft customized the same way their normal units are, down to the paintings on the hull and the trinkets hanging in the cockpit. No explanation should be offerred for the strange co-incidence
, which is how DesSources will probably describe it if questioned.
The Georgia on my Mind
The players should be forced away from the Georgia when it comes time to escape. A simple, if somewhat dull, way of doing this is for the ship to be guarded or seized by CEGA marines, forcing the PCs to seek other forms of transport. A much more dramatic method, possibly best used in pilot-centric campaigns, is for CEGA warships to destroy the Georgia in some spectacular manner.
If you choose the (admittedly extreme) method of destroying the Georgia, be sure to have a good reason for it. Perhaps Kleb was responsible, seeking to deny escape to the players in a way that emphasized his own power. Or perhaps Malachai or the Bank were behind the explosion, seeking to implicate the players (they blew it up to cover their escape) or convince the CEGA fleet that Peyarje and the PCs had died in the blast. See the Malachai and Bank section above for more suggestions for evil schemes.