Fire and Ice: Chapter 1: Player's Intro
From SSDC, Inc.
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ENCOUNTER 1: SET-UP AND MISSION BRIEFING
To be read to the players:
"Your mission team has been subcontracted to Balshrom Science Corporation for an important and confidential mission. This is not particularly unusual - in this day and age, companies frequently sublet personnel to other corporations in need of their "special talents". What is unusual is the degree of security surrounding this assignment. You have received no information about the nature of the mission, and have been forbidden to discuss even the fact that you have been assigned to Balshrom (your job is so secret, even you don't know what you're supposed to be doing!).
"Inbound to Balshrom's universal headquarters by the BSC ship Deshard, you get your first glimpse at the world which bears the company name. Several million kilometers from the orbital battle station, a pair of warships, each of which could easily destroy the courier you are traveling on, intercepts you. The ships take up positions to either side of the Deshard and follow you in. As you approach the orbital station, you notice that it is supported by a complex array of bio-sentient organisms, orbital mines, and killer satellites zipping to and fro. Your ship is cleared and the defensive shields are lowered to permit the Deshard to land. The space surrounding Balshrom seems incredibly well-defended, and as the planet's surface comes into view, you realize that this world is nigh-impregnable. There is little doubt that this world could withstand any attack short of a full Arachnid invasion (and even then, it might be a tough nut to crack!).
"Few people outside the corporation have ever gazed upon this technological wonder, and fewer still have ever been cleared to land there. Your escorts break off, resuming station. A squadron of fighters replaces them, accompanying your ship along its programmed descent. As your ship approaches the starport, you notice that it does so under the watchful eyes of shore batteries that track its every move.
"As soon as the ship lands, you are ordered to disembark and proceed directly to the Personnel
Center for in-processing. Any baggage you may have brought will be handled for you. A security squad
(five men in Kodiak armor, carrying Banshee laser rifles) is assigned to escort you to the proper building."
BM's NOTE: The main purpose of this encounter is to impress upon the characters just how
secure and well-prepared Balshrom really is. Instill a little fear into the team.
ENCOUNTER 2: PROCESSING
The team is led to an office where they fill out some seemingly routine personnel forms, insurance waivers and next-of-kin forms. A receptionist gives them a cursory once-over and places them into each character's personnel dossier (Balshrom was provided these by the team's primary employer). She then asks the team to proceed into the room "on the left" where they are to disrobe, placing their clothing and personal effects into the bin bearing their name and service number. From there, they are to follow the red line on the floor. Each character is to bring his or her personnel folder to each station.
The characters will not be allowed to view or tamper with the contents of the folders (they are specially locked to prevent this), but at each station,. doctors and technicians will mumble amongst themselves, jotting cryptic notes in each character's file before ordering them to proceed.
The characters undergo a very thorough physical and psychological examination. Their bodies and minds are stripped, poked and prodded. Technicians insert probes and scanners into all varieties of orifices and record the results. Doctors extract samples of nearly every bodily fluid, as well as hair and skin samples. The PCs are asked to lay upon, stand on or behind a plethora of scanning devices. This entire process should seem somewhat demeaning, and covers everything "from soup to nut-equivalents."
After the three-hour long battery of tests is complete, characters are sent to the showers and are then told to dress in the BSC jumpsuits and boots provided for them. From here, they are escorted to Research and Development, for briefing.
BM's NOTE: The whole purpose of this encounter is simply to instill a little paranoia and humility into the characters. While it is in fact simply a very thorough military physical, give the characters the slightest sense that there is something deeper and more sinister to it. Make them wonder what they've gotten into.
ENCOUNTER 3 : INITIAL BRIEFING
No matter how quickly the team hurries, the technician who awaits them outside the briefing room will mutter: "You're late. The Major doesn't like to be kept waiting." before he scurries away nervously. When the team enters, they will see why! Seated at the head of the table is an elderly woman dressed in a Major's uniform. Her hair is tied tightly in a bun. Her many ribbons attest to decades of combat experience one would not expect from a "little old lady". Even without her trademark shades and black dress, she should still be recognizable. Their briefing officer is none other than Major Prunella Frump, a.k.a. "Granny".
An intelligent team leader will come to attention, salute and report. If this actually happens, Major
Frump will relax a little and be a bit more friendly during the briefing. Otherwise, she will come across as tough-as-nails and unforgiving. Once the team is settled in and seated, Major Frump begins:
"Awright, you young whippersnappers, listen up! I am Major Frump. Any one of you calls me 'Granny', gets it!" To emphasize her point, she brings here cane down on the podium beside her. With a clap of thunder and a flash of light, it shatters into splinters! Once the team has settled down, she continues:
"You have been hired as 'independent consultants' by Balshrom to carry out a most urgent and sensitive mission. The reason you were hired is because you are 'deniable assets'. As far as the rest of the universe is concerned, you don't work for us. The official company line is that we've never heard of you, so if you get captures, don't even bother mentioning us. We will not send anyone to rescue you, but if you talk too much, we might have to send someone to shut you up!
"All information revealed to you over the course of this mission is classified and strictly confidential. Your contract strictly forbids you to disclose this information, and I need not remind you that the penalty for breach of contract is up to 20 years in prison.
"Your team will be transported to Xensera in the Voidlands. Your cover identities are security guards for one of our 'fronts' in the Cloud City of Enginalo, known as Lazarus Shipping Enterprises. I suggest you familiarize yourself with your cover identities. All the information is contained in the files before you."
NOTE: Each character will find documents detailing their alternate identities on the table in front of their seat. A clever individual will be surprised, and perhaps frightened, that Balshrom knew exactly where each member would sit!
If any team member possessed a body computer, he or she will find that it has been specially upgraded. If nobody owned one, the computer expert or team leader will be provided with one. Only one such computer will be provided to the team. It possesses a multi-disk port and a holographic projector (the use of these systems will be explained below).
"For reasons which will become obvious to you, and for the sake of security, I am unable to disclose the full details of your mission at this time. You have been provided with a special computer system that will be used to brief you as you go. Each disk will instruct you on how to proceed, and how to access further information. The disks will lock into the ports as they are inserted, and any attempt toremove them will erase the entire memory of the machine, as well as the disk. Access authorization is by voiceprint recognition. the first disk is already installed. It contains all of the information on your cover identities, as well as how to reach Lazarus Shipping and the necessary signs and counter-signs. Do you have any questions?"
Major Frump will try to answer any questions the team might have, without revealing any confidential mission details. In other words, the team will learn little more than they already know. Major Frump simply wishes to make sure the team knows what is expected of them and how to proceed.
"If that is all, proceed to the Quartermaster for equipment requisition. Your personal gear awaits you there. Good Luck, people!"
ENCOUNTER 4: OUTFITTING THE PARTY
The team arrives at the Quartermaster to find any gear they brought along already awaiting their arrival. The Quartermaster hands each team member a Balshrom Gold card in their real name. This will allow them to purchase up to 50,000 cr. of Balshrom Science Corporation/Bear Armor Systems products, at the 25% employee discount. They may also use personal funds to buy equipment at the same discount.
Balshrom is a Tech Level 7 world, so there is literally nothing that cannot be obtained, for the right price. However, the keywords of this mission are discretion and espionage. The Quartermaster has been informed of this, and is authorized to deny any purchase that falls outside of mission parameters. He will tell them something like "Sorry, sir, but we don't seem to have any of those in inventory." Equipment such as Infiltrator, Spy Master, or Street series armor, UV laser weapons, and most detection or espionage equipment (including armor options such as Camo Unit and IR damper) should be easy to obtain. Any equipment that will assist matrix controllers (such as specialized armor/helmets or emergency medical gear) should also be readily available. Indiscreet armor, loud heavy weapons, and "unnecessary" equipment of any type will not be available. However, if there is a demolition specialist on the team, items such as LAW rockets, micronite, and radio detonators will be made available (after all, you may need to blow your way in if nothing else works).
Once the team has purchased their equipment, the Quartermaster will inform them that Xensera is a Weapons Tech Law Level 4 world, and tells them that Balshrom will smuggle any illegal equipment onto the planet for the team. The Tech Levels for equipment are listed on pages 170-190 of Lock-N-Load.
Inform the characters which items would be considered illegal on Xensera, using discretion if there is any doubt. For instance, the "Street" series of armor (TL 3-5 or 4-6) would be legal because of the team's cover as security guards. However, if such armor possessed a Camouflage Unit (TL 4-5) or an Infrared Damper (TL 4-6), it would be illegal, no "security guard" should need these! All Street Clothes (i.e. absorption only) are legal on Xensera, at least for the team. Of course, any honorable Eridani may carry one ceremonial sword (even a light sword) on his or her person, subject to the usual restrictions.
Give the characters the opportunity to turn over any and all gear that might cause trouble at Customs. All such equipment will be crated and sent to Lazarus as "sensitive cargo" (see ENCOUNTER 7). Once all is in order, the team is ordered to pack their gear and return to the landing field on the double.
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Fire and Ice: Chapter 2: The Voyage
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