Part Two - Station Duty
Wheeling majestically through space, hundreds of kilometers above the planet's surface, is Clarion Station, home to the militia ships of the Royal Marines. A starship arrives at Clarion Station about once every 100 to 200 minutes. Shuttles leave for the planet even more frequently. This heavy traffic brings thousands of characters of all four races through the station, so huge crowds can be seen mingling about on the business deck at all hours. A typical day sees hundreds of beings going about their business with frantic haste during all hours.
All of the major corporations in the Frontier have offices at Clarion Station. Agents for these companies can be encountered throughout the business deck. Independent freighter owners and pilots are also common, searching for cargos or buyers. As such, some semblence of security and order is required and does not fall under the immediate jurisdiction of Star Law. To this end, the Royal Marines are partially in charge of station security. Although the characters directly responsible for this police work are in a separate branch of the service (the Royal Guard), all Royal Marines in the area can be called in to help when trouble breaks out. Many of the Royal Marines' leisure hours will be spent on the business deck of Clarion Station. If the need arises, they can be called into action for any station emergency situations as they arise.
Mission Three: the Sting
Following the capture of the SS Packhound and her hidden load of Ixiol, the Marines decide to find out who the buyer of this shipment is. The survivng crew members offered nothing, choosing to recieve their full sentences rather than snitching. Not a problem, surely someone on Clarion Station is expecting a load of skimmers with a small package under the passenger seat of each vehicle.
Fortunately, someone was expecting the load. Royal Guards onthe station were able to pick up the suspected buyer in short order, before the Falcon was able to make berth. You were all hoping to become a part of this investigation, but all hopes of a deep cover operation are not out the airlock. The Clarion Royal Marines have a second mission waiting for just such an eager group.
While the Royal Marines are entrusted with protecting all of Clarion's citizens, members of the Clarion Liberation Party have historically shown more aggression toward the government than outside forces. The current monarchy allows for their existence, however they do not tolerate criminal acts against Clarion rule from anyone, regardless of political party. The recent deiscovery of Streel provided weaponry aboard the SS Dark Shadow indicates that the buyer was a member of the Liberation Party. The identity of this buyer was not discovered as the Dark Shadow crew did not know themselves (they claim neither side knew of each other, and that they had a different contact each time they visited), however in an effort to plea leniency in their court case they did manage to divulge the password that was to be used to establish the meeting.
Since news of the Dark Shadow capture (enacted by the sister ship CMS Osprey) had not been released to the general public yet, the Clarion Royal Marines have decided to run a sting operation to locate the arms suppier who is expecting that shipment. Once this weapon traffiker is discovered, the rest of the network shouldn't be too dificult to locate. To this end, the Royal Marines have enlisted the assistance of a civilian craft that is approaching Clarion Station. The Falcon's boarding party will be rushed immediately to join them, posing as the gun runners once the ship makes berth. The Royal Marines will supply several of the recovered robots along with their concealed cargo of handguns (with the firing mechanisms removed). They will also supply a portable computer that lists all the phony robot information recovered from the Dark Shadow, and inside a secret compartment of said computer will be a functional laser pistol with a powerpack drained to 2 charges that is to be used as a "test model" for the suspected buyer. An audio recording device is also concealed within the computer, which will be used to gather further evidence against this arms buyer.
The boarding party is now acting as crew members aboard the SS Laconian Duster, a small Class:V freighter. You have been issued civilian skeinsuits and stunguns that can be concealed, along with a stunstick that can either be concealed or worn visibly. You have a spare powerpack in addition to the ones loaded in each weapon. Once docked, you are to proceed to the commercial decks and visit all the popular hangouts with the portable computer. The password you are to use for engaging in conversation is "Tachton Industry robots are spacedust compared to the line-up of maintenance bots I have to offer." The buyer's password is "You must be pulling my arms." Royal Marines figure the buyer to be a dralasite in order for that pun to work.
Once you acquire the target, he is to be lured back to the Laconian Duster in order to complete the transaction (where several of the mock robots will be stored alongside scores of standard 'bots in the Duster's hold). Once the transaction is completed, you are to signal the Marines with your chronocom and they will converge onthe Duster to capture the buyer(s). The Duster's hold will be in a vaccuum, so all persons will be required to don spacesuits when inside.
Players may begin their search int he Spacer's Bar & Grill aboard Clarion Station, or start going door to door in the commercial shops section.
(players will use the "commercial deck" space station map along with the small freighter deckplans from Warriors of White Light)){kind=spacer}
Sub-Mission 1: Rogue Scout Ship!
Parliament ChairLady Valerie Liabon has been missing for several days now, having apparently vanished without a trace. The Royal Guard has been investigating her disappearance on the planet's surface to no avail, not finding a single clue that points toward any suspects.
You heard about this during your tenure at Clarion Station orbitting high above. Clarion Flight Control has contacted you concerning a rogue scout ship that has berthed, apparently it somehow missed any cargo inspections from militia ships as it appears to have no record entering the system. The SS Vigilant has been holed up in Clarion Station's docking bay, surrounded by Royal Guards and the bay doors closed to prevent escape. However, the scout's twin laser bateries could still permit an unauthorized escape attempt, so time is of the essence. The Vigilant's active refusal to cooperate may be somehow connected to the Parliament ChairLady's disappearance, so far it's the only lead that the Royal Guard can come up with.
The Vigilant's crew has been hostile with Flight Control's numerous requests for cargo inspections, not permitting anyone access to within. The CMS Falcon's boarding party has developed a reputation in the short time they have been active when it comes to such operations, so you have been called to action. You have assembled in the low grav section of the station hub, specifically at docking bay 09. A ladderwell/airlock in the center of the chamber leads up to the scout's main airlock, and an airlock on the far wall leads out into the actual docking bay where the scout is berthed. The bay is currently sealed and pressurized, but that could change at a moment's notice if the Vigilant fires her guns to effect an escape.
It's a stand-off. No doubt a standard entry can be anticipated by the Vigilant's crew if you elect to access the craft via the ladderwell. And despite the availability of spacesuits and a laser powertorch, any exterior attempts will no doubt be seen and thereby allow a suitable reaction. You must decide the best way to gain entry and swiftly take charge of the investigation within. Clarion Royal Marines have provided you with typical deckplans of a standard scout ship layout so that you may prepare yourselves:
http://www.f4fbbs.com/StarFrontiers/scout.jpg