Fire and Ice: Chapter 8: The Moment of Truth
From SSDC, Inc.
ENCOUNTER 14: THE MOMENT OF TRUTH
Once the characters recover the materials, they should seriously think about beating a hasty retreat. Unless they have managed to kill everyone in the compound (starting with the fellow in the radio room to prevent a distress call), sooner or later someone will come gunning for them.
When the team reaches the lobby on Level A (or the vehicle bay [C15] if they decide to leave that way), their exit will be blocked by the Eridani Cuontol, who appear to be wearing Able Security uniforms. Their leader will speak:
"Well done. You are more worthy than I may have originally thought. We suspected your true purpose on this world, but thought we would find this place before you. However, we had a considerably larger area to search, so we decided that the best method would be to track your team and let you lead us right to this place. You've taken all the risks, and done all of the dirty work for us. In gratitude, we will let you go free. However, we must have what we came for. Kindly surrender the prototype and the research data. If you do not, we must regretfully kill you."
Before anyone can take action, footsteps will be heard in the corridor. Another Eridani, holding a two-handed sword, will bar the other exit. However, she is not part of the Eridani Cuontol team. The three women who emerge behind her, moving to cover the room, remove any doubt. All four are clad in black armor. Patches on their left breast depict a snarling dog, surrounded by the words "BYTCH SQUAD". Salash-Ideth, their leader, will address the characters:
"So, we meet again. It appears we have arrived just in time. Our telepath, Mata-Hari (she gestures to the Gen-Human behind her) discovered the purpose of your mission aboard the Queen Elizabeth, but we still didn't know exactly what you were here for. The Eridi-Corp operatives unknowingly gave us that information. They knew from the start what they were looking for, yet you managed to find it first. The rebels can use a resourceful group like you - and the weapon. We're willing to pay you handsomely for the weapon and research, and would gladly reward each of you with commissions in the Rebel forces. A far better offer than you're getting from them, don't you think?"
There is a way for two of the groups to accomplish their missions. If the team has both prototype weapons and/or backup copies of the research, they are technically within their rights to give one to the Eridani or the Rebels. As long as Balshrom gets what they asked for, no one needs to know what happened to the rest. Both of the enemy teams were given basically the same parameters. They are neither greedy nor selfish, and if given what they require, they will indeed let the team go free. The only way to accomplish this, of course, is to ally temporarily with one of the enemy factions. If this is done, they should be able to defeat their mutual enemy easily. If the fight is going poorly for the Eridani, they will displace away. If they negotiate a truce with either party by offering them the goods, that leader will inform them that if they speak of this transaction to anyone else, assassins will find them, no matter where or when, and kill them. If they refuse both teams, a free-for-all will ensue.
BM's NOTE: If the party chooses to give up their toy and negotiates with the Eridani Cuontol or the Bytch Squad, award each member an extra 2,000 XP. If they surrender all of their materials to save their own cowardly hides, they had better hope Balshrom never finds them... (their best chance in this case is to take the Rebel offer).
Should the team manage to escape from the Eridani and/or the Rebels without killing them, they will discover that their vehicle has been disabled. They will need to find the vehicle that the Eridani or the Rebels arrived in. The Rebels' vehicle, a Rockwell Corsair, is hidden behind the guard post. The Eridani arrived in a Model S Hunter skimmer (see INJECTION), hidden about 2 kilometers down the escape tunnel. Both vehicles are fast, and can reach the safe house in about an hour (or the Free Americans' cabin in 30 minutes).
ENCOUNTER 15: EXTRACTION
Once the team has completed the mission, they must signal Lazarus for retrieval. If they do not have their original vehicle, they may be at a loss to call for extraction. There is no way to contact Lazarus from the cabin, but the phone in the doctor's office has "Dr. Lazarus" as one of the numbers on the speeddialer. It is a secure line to Lazarus Operations Headquarters. The extraction team will arrive at the doctor's mansion 4d6 hours after the transmission is sent. The party might spend this time enjoying the doctor's hospitality, but more likely they will be nervous and impatient, wondering what's taking them so long. Let them sweat a little, worrying if they will be attacked before they dust off.
Whichever group's vehicle was not stolen will ambush the characters at whichever safe house they hole up in about an hour after they signal for extraction. If the characters manage to fend off the first assault too easily, the other faction will arrive three hours later (having repaired one of the Nomads). This time, their enemies will not be so understanding...
BM's NOTE: If it seems that the team will not weather the second assault, you may choose to have "the cavalry" arrive to save the day. The gunship and its troops can make quick work of the enemy!
The extraction team will arrive in a Thorkriste gunship (see INJECTION), which will touch down in the backyard and disgorge a security team exactly like those in Encounter 1 (five men in Kodiak Armor with Banshee Laser Rifles). These men will fan out and secure the perimeter. Two technicians will hustle the team into the vehicle, which will then climb towards orbit.. While in flight, the techs will examine the weapon and the research data, nodding and muttering approval before finally packaging it all for transport back to the Balshrom headquarters.
The gunship will rendezvous in orbit with a priority transport, which they will discover is the BSC Deshard. After the ship has cleared Xensera space, the team will be ordered to report to the ship's lounge for debriefing. The officer who awaits them is none other than Major Frump herself! She will be warm and friendly, a far cry from the tough-as-nails officer who briefed them. She will address the team:
"Well done, people. You've managed to pull off a difficult assignment with little in the way of help. When your contracts are up, come see us. Balshrom can always use skilled people like yourselves.
I am authorized to inform you that, as a bonus for successfully completing the mission, your Balshrom Gold cards will be paid in full. Those who did not use the full balance on their cards will find the difference credited to your mission pay, which will be deposited directly in your accounts.
I must remind you once more that all details of this mission are classified. You are not to speak to anyone of the events that have transpired. You are already aware of the penalties for doing so.
We will arrive at Balshrom in nine days. You all look like you could use a week's worth of sleep! G'wan and get some rest. Just make sure your mission reports are filed before we make planetfall. Me, I can't wait to get to the firing range and put that baby through its paces. That weapon is sa-weet!"
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