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Shuttlecraft Epsilon 10
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Summary
The PCs transfer from their boring Transport to a free wheeling free trader which is scruffy, hungry and adventure prone (Think Firefly)
Note: While I use Serenity and the Firefly Characters in this description, that is just an example. Were I really going to run this adventure I'd make up a new ship and new characters to fit roughly the same role.
Although the Captain doesn't have much use for Starfleet but is happy to take Starfleet's money so long as the PCs behave themselves and don't interfere with the ship's "legitimate business"
(GMs note - the ride for the the PCs is a life saver for the ship - the biggest contract they're liable to score for a while - and having active duty Starfleet people in transit makes them welcome in more well lit places in known space. If they don't screw it up, this could keep Serenity healthy for a while. So the crew isn't undertaking anything too stupid while they move the PCs. The rest of the crew is inclined to like the PCs except as their backgrounds dictate.)
While at a civil port, the captain (Mal) is approached by Beth Pearson, the daughter of one of his mentors as a younger man. Her father, Warren Pearson is a great believer in truth and justice. A Lawyer, Journalist, adventurer and public protestor for "the Right thing" he has gotten into gunfights out on the frontier and testified before the Federation council.
Warren Pearson went to the planet Yabik Zee and Disappeared.
Mal aggrees to go to Yabik Zee and investigate the disappearance.
Yabik Zee is described as a "Snake Pit" where anything goes. Mal insists that the PCs shut off the Starfleet transponder on thier shuttle and dress civilian while visiting Yabik Zee - or else they'll make targets of themselves.
However when the Serenity arrives at Yabik Zee they find it much quieter, cleaner and less adventurous. Many of the local hives of scum and villany are shut down and the rest are much less active. And local Scum and Villans are much quieter and less willing to make themselves known or talk.
The answer becomes clear Clay McKinney, a Starfleet Ranger is in town. Starfleet Rangers are legendary peace keepers. They are law and order on the frontier when there is no other.
They are more dangerous than Federation Special Tactical Officers and have more command initiative than Starship Captains.
Commander McKinney is a tough, fast, clever, sneaky and dangerous man. He's had to be to survive the attentions of Scum and Villany.
Clay has brought law and order to the world of Yabik Zee at the point of the fastest phaser draw anyone has every seen. Think Marshall Dillon with a Commbadge.
The average people of Yabik Zee and ther Merchants love McKinney - they can make credits and engage in normal commerce without getting robbed, coerced, threatened, or otherwise molested. So McKinney has a posse of armed, ehtusiastic but low level townsmen at his beck and call.
Main conflict
Will The PCs Side with Commander McKinney or Mal and the crew
of Serenity?
Side conflicts?
How far is too far in the puruit of law and order?
Characters
The Serenity crew from Firefly is used here as STAND INS for real NPCs I would generate for this section of the game.
Malcom Reynolds - a jaundiced and disillusioned veteran, handy with fists and guns, quietly desperate to keep his ship, crew and virtual family together.
Clay McKinney - A fighter, a gunslinger. He has faced death an endless number of times and has outdrawn it every time so far. He is all about the law and order. There only one way to deal with the killers and the spoilers, and that's with the harsh sound of phaser fire.
Locations
Marslow Station - a trade port on the fringes of the Federation - there is where Beth Pearson catches up with Mal and Serenity.
Ford City, Yabik Zee. A dry and dusty town, mainly made of prefabbed buildings and improvised decorations
The Alsoepop - a former hive of scum and villainy, now you have to sign a release form to get root beer. Old timers hang out there but won't talk.
The Houston Trail - a bar and restaraunt with good food, clean gambling and a beautiful red headed woman owner who has the eyes and ears of McKinney.
MacGuffins?
Warren Pearson. He came to Yabik Prime to investigate claims of abuse
of power by McKinney. McKinney killed Pearson to keep him from reporting this.
The towns people back McKinney. Screw that namby pamby civil rights crap - they were being screwed by villainous scum and the Federation didn't give a crap until McKinney came.
Story beats
On board the Serenity
Marslow station
Meet Beth
To Yabik Zee - A hive of scum and villany - take the red shirts off
Arrival - quiet town
The serenity crew comes back to report no one talking and things much quieter.
Mal, Zoe and Jayne go to ask questions of some particular friends.
McKinney arrives and pressures the PCs to back Mal off
Mal comes back mad, goes off to confront McKinney
How do the PCs come down on this?
Timeline
-1 year Warren Pearson arrives on Yabik Zee to investigate reports of excessive force and abuse of power.
-8 months warren pearson stops writing Beth
-4 months Beth arrives on Yabik Zee, and is turned away
-2 months Beth arrives on Marslow Station and begins looking for help
(Garry Stahl suggested these as possible characters)
Here is a few off the top of my head. I carefully did not discuss gender
in any of these, and avoided species in most.
"Monk" - An over trained and twitchy super spy that regrets all the damage they have done to people. A John Flagg that didn't fall all the way down. They caught themself, saw in the pit and ran far away. The problem is that once in a while it catches up with them. Their hideous skills come out and their burden of guilt grows deeper. They don't have to be from the Federation, or Human. Heck, a runaway Tal-shar trying to live the Vulcan ideal would be perfect.
"The Kid" - Wow, space, adventure, excitement! An innocent freshly bruised. This young person has seen enough to regret they ever left home, but home was worse, so they cling to the Captain like the lost soul they are. Once in a while the enthusiasm bubbles back up, enough to put a shot of optimism into the whole crew.
"The Preacher" - A "being of the cloth"? Good question. They have the manner of such a person, but it is heavy overlaid with out right Con Being. The Preacher is good at talking their way into and out of situations. Maybe a little better at talking their way in. The Preacher also has an expensive and regretted vice. But one they are not in control of. However, nothing that debilitates in any way except to make them unreliable and constantly broke.
"Doc" -Doc is not a fixer of bodies, but of machines. Doc doesn't speak much, but WILL have the Captain's back no matter what. The bond here is never discussed, but runs deep. They are not the best fighter, but good. They are the best technowizard the ship could reasonably get. When Doc does speak it is softly, eloquently, and profoundly.
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Disclaimer: Paramount owns all things Trek. I claim original characters and situations in this material for me.
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