Introduction

I have to admit I didn't think we'd get through the whole of the scenario in one session. It was also a session where my hands were really tied by the script writers. The charcters were pretty constrained in what they could do at every juncture. Given this was an obvious "filler" episode could I have skipped the whole thing entirely? Possibly, but there is one thing that specifically comes out of the scenario, right at the end. Kierkan and therefore the GA now know that it was a Traugott device, without Mekei explicitly having to say so. It also to a degree takes the pressure off them. There is of course the major plot hole in the scenario, shooting the recording drone as Boone does at the end doesn't necessarily destroy the recording. It might mean the GA can't recover the whole of the recording but they would likely be able to recover a substantial part of it.

My next issue is how to get you to where you need to be for the next scenario. I don't have the "hand waving" option that the script writers used,  that you suddently know stuff that in reality you don't, and Ryo's memory restoration wouldn't give him that knowledge either. Therefore the character's need to have obtained it from somewhere, some how.

Assuming I can get the neccesary plans done, I have an "off the books" scenario that should get you to the requiste point. As it's completely "off the books" you have a fair degree of freedom as to how you proceed. Jon will also be able to play Ryo for me once we get into the scenario, once I've done some scene setting. We should at least be able to start.

Late Friday status update: I'm 10 hours into building a representation of the base in Empyrion Galactic Survival. I recon its going to take me at least another 12 hours to finish it (that's just putting basic blocks in place without painting, making it look pretty, etc). Once I have it built I need to place it in the terrain, and take a couple of screen shots. I then need to build some floor plans of it. This is just not going to happen in time for Tuesday.

01:15 Monday update. I guess I've spent close on 20 hours since the Friday update working on the base, placing it in the lanscape, and then working on how I want it to look for the scenario. I guess I've got about another 2 to 3  hours of work to do to get it to the state I need it for the screen shots I want for the scenario intro. Then all I've got to do is sort out the floor plans, upload the images to Foundry, and then place in all the walls. Foundry doesn't do multiple levels, including sloping corridors at all well. It also doesn't do "placable objects of varying height" either. For a primary "Fantasy" engine I would have expected such support to be part of its basic functions. How do you do a tavern brawl if you can't climb on/over tables/chairs/the bar or throw them about?

20:00 Monday update. Base is done. Not painted or textured but usable for some basic scene setting screen shots. The question is do I now work on finishing last weeks log or start work on the floor plans? I do have an interuption in an hour for somebody collecting their bees which semi complicates things.

One further note have had time to think about things. You won't have had enough time to sell the cargo or take on water, I don't think you're short on fuel. Whilst there was somebody interested in the engines you didn't have a chance to complete the transaction before everything went south.

Wish I'd spaced you when I had the chance

Having reset and restored all the ship systems some level of R&R and resupply is in order. The Razza blinks to the perphery of GA territory to a small semi-autonomous world predominately supplying food and timber. It's not properous enough to have an orbital space station so relies on a planetary side space port [GM Note: although the opening scene of the spaceport doesn't really look anything like a spaceport, but our hands are tied..] Whilst it's theoretically possible to land anywhere on the planet or in the vicinity, planetary traffic control requests that small shuttles land in the main landing area whilst cargo shuttles, which are considerably bigger have a seperate dedicated area outside the main spaceport. No weapons are permitted in the vicinity of the spaceport.

For reasons of storyline, Six and Seven remain on the Razza, whilst Two, Three, Four, Five, and Nyx go down to the surface. [GM Note: Devon is sort of semi-mobile, although he still tires easily and finds it difficult to move about.]

People generally split up although Three takes up escort duty for Five [GM Note: yes this is another of the writer's duff ploys. As we all know Five has been a "street kid" for at least 4 years so wouldn't need any form of escort, and as per the session would have fallen foul of having her bag stolen.]. Shopping complete Nyx, Two, and Four all head back in the direction of the Tavern, whilst Five and Three continue their shopping spree in the Market. Three wants some fruit, and whilst perusing a particular stall, Five spots an ideal choice for him to try.
In the Tavern Two, Four, and Nyx order drinks and compare what they've bought. Four has cleaning materials for his swords, on account of "killing someone with a dirty blade is a major dishonour", whilst Nyx and Two have apparently, at least according to Two "you know the usual girlie stuff, scented creams, ammunition, " and placing a bag on the table "Knives". She has an interesting collection most of which aren't for use in the kitchen.

Aside from spotting the fruits Five also note the price tag.. somewhat steep but then they are fresh. As Three expresses his interest in some fruit, Five hand him one of the berries. As he puts it in his mouth and starts to chew, his face puckers up like and evacuated football. They are really, really, really sour. Five uses his disrtaction to disappear into the market, especially as she's noticed the stall holder bearing down on them.

As a result Three gets to bear the brunt of the stall holder's ire  at him eating the fruit without paying for it. Having placated the stall holder but agreeing to pay the "1 Bar" (credit) for the 5 berries, and picking up the other 4 he's payed for, he's then barged into by another guy...
thug: "Hey buddy, watch where you're going." (note this is a distraction tactic)
Three: "You ran into me buddy."
thug: "you sure about that?"
Three: "Yup."
thug: "well I guess I'll go around you then."

Some distance away out of Three's view, especially as he's being deliberately distracted, Five has been perusing another stall, when another thug dashes up to her, grabs her bag, wrenching it out of her grip and disappears into the market [GM Note: yes I know as already discussed, but my hands were tied by the script writers]. Five gives chase, following him out one of the exits into a covered Alley.

Three having now been left to his own devices looks around for Five but can't see her. He begins searching asking if anybody has seen "a girl with green hair"

In the Alley Five turns to retrace her steps to find the another thug in front of her. He sprays something in her face and she loses consciousness.

As Three makes his way through the market towards one of the exits he sees two people pointing in his direction, an older woman whom he asked several minutes ago and a male of Nego descent. As the male catches Three eye, he rushed towards him..

Kandrik: "Hey. you're looking for the girl, the one with the green hair?"
Three: "Yeah"
Kandrik "They took her."
Three: "Who did?"
Kandrik: "outside..." (pointing)
Three runs in the indicated direction followed by Kandrik

Meanwhile Nyx and Four, whilst Two looks on, have been playing variation games on "Find the Lady", starting with Four hiding a nut under some cups, then Four hiding coloured tokens under a cup. Each time Nyx guesses correctly where Four has place the nut, or not placed it at all, or which colour Four has hidden. After a while the tables are reversed with Nyx hiding the coloured disc whilst Four tries to guess the colour.

Outside Kandrik tries to explain to Three waht happened
Kandik: They threw the girl into their truck and drove off.
Three asks him if he know who they were and where they went
Kandrik "Yeah, they're the Danker brothers, they probably took her back to their cabin."
Three asks him if he has a truck. He turns and points to the one behind him.
Three says "he's driving then"
Kandrik says its "too dangerous"
[GM Note: The one time Three played nice was the wrong time.. playing nasty was the correct move here, as per the hint I then dropped]
Three (grabs Kandrik by the scruff and shoves him against the truck) "They've got nothing on me."
      "Want me to prove it too you?"
Kandrik "No"
Three "You're driving." [GM Note: Three would have been able to raise Two or the others on comms at this point either]

Two is starting to get concearned as Three and Five haven't checked in yet. When she tries her comm she gets no response, in fact the comm unit appears dead. The waitress delivering another round of drinks overhearing her attempts to rasie the others says

Waitress: "Don't bother comms are down stationwide."
Two: "Is it a system glitch?"
Waitress: "Silent security protocol. Station's under lockdown. Something's up. But don't worry about it the GA's on their way."
After waitress leaves.
Two: "It's time to go."
Nyx, as a GM hint (although she does the same in the series) suggests that getting to the Marauder and getting off planet would be a good move. If they're trapped here there is nothing they can do for the others.
Two agrees and they head off in the direction of the Landing area. The main access passage leading to the landing pad unfortunately takes them past the GA office, and they are forced to duck back against the tunnel walls as the GA office door opens and about a dozen GA, led by a figure Two recognises head out. Fortunately they head to the right (left as the characters view things).
As the GA are all wearing face plates, Four suggets that tactically appearing to GA might give them a significant advatange. Thankkfully the GA appear somewhat negligent in locking their door behind them.

Kandrik and Three arrive at the bottom of the access road that leads up the Danker's cabin.
Kandrik: "Up there."
Three: "Who are they?"
Kandrik: "The Danker brothers, they're bad news. They get into all sorts of trouble. Theft, smuggling."
Three: "What do you suppose they want with the kid?"
Kandrik "With all due respect your friend didn't look like a kid to me."
Three "How many of them are there?"
Kandrik "Five in all, but they do a lot of hunting so the chances are they're not all there."
Three "Okay. I'm going to need you to wait for us."
Kandrik "You go in there you're not coming back"
Three "Sit tight, I'll be back."

As Three exits the truck and heads into the woods, Kandrik backs away and leaves.

Meanwhile inside the cabin, Five has regained consciousness, grabbed the first weapon like object off the table, and is threatening to do untold damage to anyone who touches her. Two of her abductors are making fun of her. They don't seem that concearned when she claims she's part of the crew of the Razza, and that her friends will come looking for her.

When one of them makes a grab for her she plunges the spoon handle into his ear and kicks him in the nuts, which cause him to scream in pain and back away.  The elder and large abductor intervenes at this point.
Older abductor (can of neural toxin in hand) "Don't blame you kid. If I were heading where you're going, I'd probably want to stab someone too."
              (shaking the can) "Guess I've got to up the dosage."
 Despite Five's best efforts she's no match for him and he sprays her again, knocking her out.

Entering the GA office Two immediately recognises the Transfer Transit pods..\
Two (Indicating the Transfer Transit Pods) "Kill those"
Nyx "They're clones"
Two "That would explain how they got here so fast."
Nyx and Four shutdown the pods (3 off)
They then procure themselves some GA uniforms and weapons before heading out in the direction of the access point to where the Marauder is.

Three meanwhile is making his way around the Danker's cabin to what must be the 'Front' of the building. As he does so he comes across what appears to be an obvious trap, trip wire activated. As he's about the step over it his nefarious upbringing kicks in, and he stops and steps back. Bending down he locates a stick and examines what is hidden under the leaf litter, a bear trap. As he examine it he hears the sound of somebody approaching through the woods. They don't appear to have spotted him yet.

From where he is located Three can see what appears to be a stack of barrels. An idea occurs to him. If he were to relocate the trap and place it in the most logical approach path for somebody who wanted to shoot him if he appeared to be making his way towards the barrels, and he then hid behind the barrels, whom ever it was would most likely be to pre-occupied by his non-appearance that they wouldn't be paying attention to where they were walking, and would probably inadvertantly just step into the trap, and could thus be rendedered non compos mentis.

He proceeds to put his plan into action, which works surprisingly well, rending one of the Dankers unable to participate in any future events, and providing him with a pump action shotgun and a brace of hares into the bargin. Unfortunately the shotgun only has 2 rounds left in it.

Now armed Three approaches the front door, noting the truck parked a short distance away as he does so.

His sudden appearance in the open door way takes the Dankers by surprise, and he shoots the closest two with the rounds he has avaialble. As the third rushes him he reverses the gun and uses the stock as a cluck to render him non-functional.

On the Razza, Lisa observing Six and Seven's game of chess in the Mess hall, suddenly stops.
Lisa: "The Razza has just intercepted a sub-space alarm from the planet surface."
       "The station has just enacted silent lockdown procedures and sent a coded transmission to GA central"

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