5 PARSECS FROM HOME CAMPAIGN TURN 2 : D'GOBAH IV

CAMPAIGN TURN 2

With a bit of coin in your pockets, it’s time to start making some preparations. Back when the ship crashed on D'gobah IV, you lost a lot of your old gear and if you are going to take on more challenging jobs, you are going to need to get to know the sights around here.

Returning to your bunk, you find a message on your comm unit. It's from a 'Mr. Johnson'. He's offering you a small mercenary job to take on: some Isolationist colonists have turned militant and are threatening to blow up a hyper-rail station. Why anyone would want to blow up one of the few actually working bits of infrastructure on this otherwise forsaken planet is beyond your comprehension.

While most of the crew are still sulking in their bunks over the shithole that is D'gobah IV, Nicks -- the grifter that he is -- takes the opportunity to slip out. He returns, informing you that he's met someone... a patron who offered him a mission. Are you interested?

It's a wealthy individual (no names mentioned) who's offering danger pay of 2c above and beyond the normal payment for such jobs. But you need to complete the job soon. Not immediately, but soon. The job is a typical pissing contest between two big dogs, a chance to show whose... bark... is bigger. You need to meet and defeat your patron's rival forces who are swaggering about in an area that's under the control of your patron. Kill them all... chase them away... it doesn't matter as long as the interlopers are gone.

Well, that's more like it! Maybe Nicks is trying to make amends for not telling you his full situation when he signed up with you. Maybe you will mention something about his improved Combat skills... next time.

You decide to finish the job offered by 'Mr. Johnson' before taking on this mysterious patron's job.

And Korg ... you still can't believe he went sight-seeing! Maybe D'gobah IV reminded him of home?

* * * Encrypted Burst Transmission * * *

* * * Identity Agent Double-One-Eight * * *

* * * UNITY SecFor POI* Report, Circinus Sector * * *

Name : Korg

Race: Human base (Mutant? Gene engineered?)

Planet of Origin : Googol XI. Low tech colony.

Biodata: Not much is known of this individual. While he is genial and affable, he is reluctant to let anyone get too close to him. This much data has been gathered: At some point in his life, a mysterious event (details of which he is reluctant to reveal) happened to him. Since then, his life seems to have changed. Close observation of this individual sees him eagerly scanning the belongings and stashes of foes this crew has come into conflict with. 

This agent's personal assessment: this individual seems to be searching for something very specific... a Holy Grail Quest, to put it in layman's terms. Further speculation: if this individual finds what he is searching for, he might very well leave this crew.

*Person of Interest

* * * END TRANSMISSION * * *

The crew of the Straight Arrow crew head off to the hyper-light train station. 'Mr. Johnson' has info that the isolationists plan to blow up the central control core located there.

Sure enough, you immediately spot some figures skulking about the periphery of the station. The isolationists are experienced and very cautious. You try to find some way to get the drop on them but fail. 

BATTLE TURN 1

The crew splits into two. Doc, Janus and Scrapper on one side. Nicks, Cassie and Korg on the other. 

Both sides move cautiously, taking advantage of available cover. 

BATTLE TURN 2 

Trying to gain an advantage, Janus climbs to the top of a container. 

Meanwhile, Doc moves to flank the isolationists while Korg advances carefully. 

The isolationists can see Janus but he’s juuuuust out of range. So they all move towards their target: the train station, keeping to cover as they advance. 

(Not in the scenario but I added a target point where the isolationists can spend 1 action to interact. Each interact action gives them 1 roll: a roll of 4+ will arm a bomb and another roll of 4+ will detonate it, ending the mission and the crew will have failed.)

Nicks flanks an isolationist and fires, stunning his target. 

Scrapper climbs up to join Janus while Cassie joins Nicks. 

BATTLE TURN 3

‘Doc’ is finally in a  suitable firing position. Her auto gun is deadly and an isolationist goes down. 

Korg moves out of cover and fires. His rattle gun fires three quick bursts and downs another isolationist. 

Nicks darts to the other side of the building and fires but misses his target. 

Janus moves into position overlooking the opposition and fires. He misses... as does Scrapper. 

Cassie, seeing Korg is totally exposed and in danger, sends D4-QP into action! "Errr... excuse me, Sir. Might I have a word with you...?" The ‘bot’s gabbling distracts the isolationist who was about to take a shot at Korg. 

However, that still leaves two remaining isolationists. They fire their weapons. One shoots at Korg who reels back, stunned. Saved by combat armour! The other shoots at Scrapper who takes cover and loses an action. 

Well done D4-QP! Cassie moves out of cover and takes her shot but misses. 

One isolationist, perhaps not as committed to the cause as the others, slinks away. 

BATTLE TURN 4

Cassie tries again with her Hand Flamer. And finally! The leader goes down. 

Korg shakes off his stun and fires his rattle gun, downing the final isolationist. 

And with that, the Straight Arrows hold the field!

AFTERMATH

As expected, there's not much to glean from the isolationists. But Scrapper, true to her name, manages to dig up some bits of cobbled together battlefield debris that could have some value to somebody somewhere. You might as well keep it.

Korg finds something surprising. An alien artefact! Korg is beside himself. No one can figure out what it is. Korg persuades you to take it to an expert on alien artefacts.

'Mr. Johnson' is pleased with your work and pays the agreed upon fee: 5c.

You bring the alien artefact to an expert. He charges you a 3c fee to analyse it. It turns out the alien artefact is... an alien entertainment system! Not much practical use. With a grin on his face, he offers you 3c for it.

You take it, with much grumbling and dark looks at Korg.

Time to stock up the armoury. You buy 3 blades to ensure the rest of the crew isn't caught flat footed in melee combat any more.

Korg seems distracted after the visit to the alien artefact expert. So much so he injures himself doing some routine maintenance work in the ship's cargo hold. The nasty gash on his head is easily fixed. The double vision and unsteady balance isn't, no matter what medication you give him. Looks like he's going to be sidelined for a while.

That's when Nicks comes up to you with a huge shit-eating grin on his obnoxious face, dragging someone along with him. The punk introduces you to Callista, and tells you she wants to sign up.

What?! You're just getting things together! Things are finally looking up and there's money in the... oh. You notice the way Nicks and Callista are eyeing each other.

Damn. Should you tell him "no" and hope he jumps ship to remain with the girl? You take a good look at Callista. She's shaved her head except for a strip down one side. She doesn't seem armed. 

You sigh and ask her what she can do. She tells you she "knows people who know people". Codewords for patrons of course. How many? She knows two. You raise your eyebrows, impressed despite yourself. Okayyyyy. 

You tell her she's on probation.

Nicks whoops and runs out with Callista in tow.

You shake your head, hoping you didn't make a mistake.