Martin's Fault - Turn 5

Genetically mutated creatures, capable of sniffing out a specific individual, that is not the sort of tech that is usually found on such a backwater world as Martin's Fault.  Too much risk of it spinning out of control, for one; and Karak Korps' use of it is tantamount to a declaration of war against Kotel Kommunications.  Indeed, within minutes of Kotel's RIT flying off, explosions could be heard in the distance.   What in all the hells is going on ?

Although Xoey had not seemed very active on the battlefield, she had been discreetly weaving through the chaos to recover the "headless chicken" that had fallen.

"You're not going to dissect that thing on board ?" asked Jen, wrinking her nose at the smell that exuded from it.

"Not my speciality", said Xoey, "I wouldn't know the mouth from the arse end, especially as they look pretty much the same.  It'll be worth a fortune on the black market though"; and it was, no less than 6 credits.  Xoey had of course exaggerated her ignorance (+1 Savvy from experience points).  The crew had also salvaged a plasma rifle from a fallen Kotel RIT operative, so it was a good haul.

To everyone's surprise, Prax was actually still alive [house rule : for being put out by a Gory Death, a character has to make three rolls on the Injuries table and take the worst].

"So, how ?", Jen asked him.

"Guess I don't really need that bit", replied Prax, referring to the large chunk missing from his shoulder, before passing out from the pain.  He would be in sickbay for a while (4 game turns).

A Kotel armoured car took them back to the Uncertain Precedent, ignoring the protesting shouts from Karak thugs as it narrowly missed them on the docks.  On the way, Divinia had received a call from the After Eden Fan Club.

"Let me guess", said Jen when she hung up.  "We can no longer count on Mr H's undying love, since his star player got eaten by a giant mutant spider ?".

Nor on his enmity, apparently, Kotel not having appreciated being dragged into open war with a rival corporation, and making him pay for it.  He might even be dead by now, Jen didn't really care.

In the following days, Karak henchmen gradually disappeared from the docks, carried away in a steady flow into the jaws of battle.  The rattle of gunfire and occasional explosions rocked the following nights.

Dart had taken really badly her flight from the scene of battle; she was literally beating herself up over it (Tough +1 from experience gains).  Jen distracted her by sending her out into town to sniff around, and she did stirling work, coming back with some very interesting information.  By coincidence, Xoey, who had been working the black market to sell her unusual haul, confirmed it through rumours that she had heard, begged or bought.

The gist of what the two of them had heard was this.  Something really bad had happened in the system known as The Threads, some sort of EM pulse of unimaginable magnitude.  Whatever had caused it, had hit a ship just as it was making a jump out of the Threads' Weak Point, throwing it way off course to arrive at Martin's Fault, in dreadful state with most of the crew dead and the others very badly affected.  A Karak Korps patrol happened to have picked them up, and was now illegally detaining and interrogating them.  Loose mouths let rumours circulate, and Karak Korps have been violently trying to shut them down.

"Tough luck for the Threads" said Jen, picking dirt from under her fingernails, as they all sat listening.

"I'm from the Threads", said L.T., who was up and about, although still suffering from her injuries.

"A whole solar system, it's a big place", said Dart, who was still under the weather.

"It's a small world", replied Jen, and that was settled.  The Uncertain Precedent had a quest.

 ----------------------------------

"We'll keep a look out", said Jen, referring to Misericordia and herself.  "Xoey, find a weak spot in their security and get us inside.  Let us know when it is done".

Inside, was inside the grim looking building to which, with the help of Kotel, they had traced the crew of the Threads ship, the Harvest of Yellow.  Kotel had found it thanks to the merchant ship's shuttle, which was standing outside the building under electronic camouflage netting.

"We get inside, grab the crew, and get them to Kotel", Jen had said.  Not the most elaborate of plans, but functional.  "They'll be able to trade what they know for their safety".

Xoey had no sooner cracked one of the security doors than L.T. beckoned everybody down.  "Karak guards", she hissed.  The she stood up and walked boldly through the door.

Karak guards, indeed, but all dead.  Quite gruesomely.  Wait, were those bites ?

"That", whispered Divinia, "must be the crew of the Harvest of Yellow".  She had gestured at a couple of armed men and women that had wandered into their line of sight.

"What makes you so sure ?" asked Xoey, nervously, already knowing the answer.

There was dried blood all over the front of their tunics...and around their mouths.

"I don't think Jen's plan is going to work", murmured Dash, drawing her beam pistol.

"Wait", said L.T., placing a restraining hand on her arm.  "These are my people.  Let's give them a chance.  Besides", she added, pointing at a camera that was panning back and forth in a very deliberate motion, "It seems that not everyone in here is shit-stir crazy.  Lets move through," [get at least 2 crew members off the opposite board edge, p.90] "the building and get to whichever room the cameras are worked from."

"Here are the specs", said Xoey, casting them onto everyone's PCDs.  "Look sharp, everyone".

 

;Abandoned
Lieutenant;62;4;1;false;-Blade,-Colony Rifle,Fireteam,Luck 2,Move M,Panic 3,Resilience 5;;
Crew Specialist 1 & 2;32;4;1;false;-Shotgun,Move M,Panic 3,Resilience 5;;
Crewmen 3 & 4;25;5;0;false;-Colony Rifle,Fireteam,Move M,Panic 3,Resilience 5;;
Crewmen 5 & 6;8;4;1;false;-Blade,-Scrap Pistol,Move M,Panic 3,Resilience 5;;

 

The planet is Overgrown so vegetation must be added to the battlefield of any encounter (p.73) 

Deployment is Delayed (p.88), with Jenesis and Misericordia arriving at the end of a round on which a D6 roll is equal or inferior to the round number (p.88).

The crew can attempt to Seize the Initiative, and have a +1 bonus to do so against Abandoned. (p.99).

Battle Events (p.116) will occur on the 8th and 12th turnovers.

1 Story Points are available and can be used during battle to reroll a die (p.66).

All Stars of the Story options (p.67) are still available, except for It's Time to Go should things get hairy.

If Achieved Objective, this enemy may Give Up (p.114) allowing the crew to also Hold the Field.

 

This mission also has a Secondary Objective.  The degree to which a Secondary Objective is acheived allows a number of rerolls during the Post Battle Activities which follow this encounter.  A maximum of one reroll is allowed per phase.

The Secondary Objective is to not badly wound or kill the Threaders.  The only way to achieve this is :

- cause the enemy to flee from the battle zone, either from a failed Morale Check, or by Bailing.

- cause the enemy to become Shaken by a Stun weapon, and then move a character into base to base contact before it recovers (remove the enemy figure from the battle zone in this case)

-  put the enemy Out of Action (or worse) during close combat, whilst using only bare hands

For each Threader removed in this way, one re-roll is gained.