Session 8 Prep - Will they get there?

The original premise of this adventure, a follow-up from what I thought may be a one shot premade adventure, was to get Osrum of Planet Bob, known to the Imperium as Pax Stellar, and explore an anomaly there. Pax Stellar, for a quick recap, is part of a 3 system former interstellar mini-empire that never achieved jump capacity, yet had medical, computer and cybernetic technology far beyond Imperial norms. About 3,000 years ago there was some sort of collapse, and the humans have reverted to a sort of post-apocalyptic barbarian tribes scattered over the world. Imperial technology just stops working within 2-12 hours and after more than a century of research, they believe that there is still an active nanotechnology that breaks down foreign tech. There are a lot of mechanical and fully organic life forms. The natives, of which Osrum is one, calls the mechanical life the metals. Recently, there has been an odd power surge noted from satellites high above the planet's atmosphere near research station PS-2. All attempts to get close to that odd power source have failed - the metals seem to protect that area. And despite excellent optics and satellite imagery, the Imperium has no idea what is happening. As Osrum is wanting to return to Planet Bob with a variety of objects he has picked up from the outside universe, the Navy, which guards Pax Stellar, feels that a native may be able to get to the power source.  So Project Parfait was born, and Our Travellers are brought on-board to escort Osrum to the planet surface and from station two, traverse via a steam-powered ATV to the power anomaly.

So, recap aside, the players got from Q'antar, site of their kidnapping and release, took a A2 Far Trader to D'Arlee to get to the Marquessa's Cygnus Class Lab Ship the now named Anomolies Run, where they accepted the job from Admiral Reginald Dor Grigori. I actually got around to writing up that paper (which is Navy security paper - it has microdots with authentication codes buried in the print. Very hard to near impossible to forge as it uses some sort of blockchain like technology to ensure when and how that document got created. But I digress). From D'Arlee they made their first jump to Iac and assisted the Axion class freighter with Captain Mary Sally fight off space rats of an unusual size. As a reward, they got a case of 50 bottles of fancy wine and thanks as well as an offer for future assistance if needed. There was some discussion that piqued Captain Mary Sally's interest, as she is part of the Cytec Hemogeny and very interested in the Singularity (the whole focus of this branch of humanity). I've not decided just how curious yet...

We were missing a couple of players, so session 7 played out in retrieving furniture. In a bad part of town, and apparently gauss bullets can chew up whatever road surface they have there. There is still one player who has not shown up at all, and if he manages to show up on this last for a bit meeting, we'll have to figure out how to incorporate his character into the game.

I've been using the RPG Suite to roll up Navy characters, trying to get one of a high enough rank to be in charge of the task force guarding the Pax Stellar systems.Let us just say it took a LOT of characters getting rolled up before I finally got one who both survived and managed to stay in the Navy. As I also got the Element Class cruiser boxed set from Mongoose (and knowing nothing about Navy stuff real or Traveller) I am using that as a source. So, from reading the notes about the Navy forces:

Task Force EC-1031 has three Ghalalk class Cruisers, one for each of the planets.

• Karliku patrols Pax Stellar
• Giadsha patrols Dunkumme
• Usharku patrols Celtiz

Each cruiser has 1 missile pod (5,760 missiles per pod, just in case they need to destroy the planet) and 1 intelligence gathering pod. Sadly, the intelligence staff have been confounded constantly by the systems and as of yet, unable to interpret any signals that originate from the planets. They do know that there is a communications net that takes years for the conversations to transfer between worlds on what appears to be laser links. Either encrypted or using entirely unknown languages, the communications are monitored and scientists have been attempting to decrypt them for decades to no avail.

In addition to the 3 cruisers are a host of other Navy supporting ships including tankers and flight support wings that have fast fighters that are on constant patrol duty throughout each system. There are several couriers, and communication between the three systems is on a weekly schedule, and a monthly schedule to Dura's Naval port to be further transferred to the Imperium at large. 

The Pax Stellar task force is an Epsilon Indigo clearance only - very high security and very few people outside of Naval Intelligence know about it.

Admiral Mira Westwood is in charge of the Pax Stellar Task Force. A native of Tsarina, she was a graduate of the Naval Academy at Glisten with Honors. She showed an early interest in cybernetics. She joined the flight branch, and in her first tour of duty she foiled a minor smuggling ring. She was promoted to sublieutenant, picking up some blade, electronic and leadership skills in tracking down the culprits. She did not make friends with the private investigator at the heart of the smuggling ring. 

Her next tour of duty got her to the edge of the Imperium. Apparently while enamored over new worlds, her specialized training did not take well, although she was promoted to lieutenant. She worked out a lot at the gym on board, increasing her dexterity. 

During her third tour, she was in the middle of the Battle of Dolberg, a yellow-zoned world in the Trojan Reach. She managed to pilot the capital ship Surnashi during some outstanding maneuvers as well as get promoted to commander. She also picked up Naval tactics during the weeks-long battle and follow-up against the pirates. 

Her fourth tour brought her into the Naval Base as Bastion. Thinking it more a friendly competition, she bested the rich noble in a duel, and he has had it out for her ever since. She was promoted to captain.

Her fifth tour brings her to Pax Stellar. She apparently also managed to get under the skin of one of the researchers there, but was also promoted to admiral. And is in charge of the task force. And has been for almost 3 years now.

Admiral Westwood is a stern-faced woman who has spent almost her entire life in the Navy. Never-the-less, she maintains a large personal residence on the Pax Stellar moonbase where nice furniture may have a home...

And there may be issues with that character generator - in the Navy it is pretty easy to keep getting your social bumped up. She is at level 19. I am going to apply that as just in the Pax Stellar systems - she is seen as the end-all to everything going on there. 

On the bright side of all those characters I generated, some will end up being the researchers on planet that will help with our group. And one apparently will not be liking the high and mighty Admiral Westwood.