Smash 'n Grab: Chapter 1: Battle Masters side-bar

From SSDC, Inc.

BM NOTE: Herman Bede is an NPC that BM’s can use for a sub plot or as a hook to other scenario’s, for Herman is a small time thief looking for the big score and a chance to burn both the storage place and his current employer.

Mr. Bede’s agenda: He once worked at the Bonded Warehouse three years before. He was penalized for two years do to skimming on bond fees. The jails for Orion’s are rough places to be sent to, so Herman had to make a deal inside to work for a local Drug Lord just to keep safe in the slammer. Once out he was still on the drug lords payroll even a year later, but he has a line on a payback scheme that may make him enough cash to jump off world. He’s pinching a box of cyber eyes (box is labeled Gargoyle Eye-wear, box #12) as a cover, and the real job is to drive out with one of the stored skimmers with its seats loaded with drugs. He is doing his raid with NPC's or the party on Sunday night. His plan will be a delivery truck at the back gate, unless the party makes a better one.

Mr. Bede may let on that he worked for this place some time back and he still knows where they hide the keys to the skimmers (he blames the owner of the storage place for sending him to prison), but all the security stuff is new to him. He plans to be the last one out in this skimmer “alone”, may even set off an alarm to get the players captured or just moving.

BM Note: After diching the party (or other NPCs) after doing the job - Herman will be caught on a Wal-Mart equivalent’s surveillance camera ditching the skimmer wearing only a windbreaker and street clothing. (Nice way to get a new sub plot)

Monday PNN news report

PNN planetary news network

As you listen to the Monday news announcer, you see a grainy security video in the background

(The announcer is saying)
"The alliance news service reported that last night there was an attack on the starport, and they believe that this attack was a diversion to cover a raid on a customs storage facility. There was no mention of what was taken, but the suspects were described as 2 Ram Pythons, and 2 humanoids. As you can see in the video behind me, they attempted to kill the security guards and then one of the humanoids started shooting out the cameras."

(The video looks like it was shot from above the gate house)
Shows a skimmer truck pull up to the gate and after a minute a Ram gets out with what looks like takeout food. The gate opens and the guard, also a Ram, moves toward the food carrier.

(Then the camera angle changes to a distant view far from the right)
You see a Ram and two humanoids getting out of the back of the truck. A second Ram guard, at the base of the cameras view shoots at this group and hit the lead humanoid. The Ram with the humanoids returns fire killing the Ram guard near the camera. Then the gate guard opens up on the Ram with the food but his weapon quickly jams and he is shot by the other humanoid. Then the humanoid that was shot points his weapon in the direction of the camera and the screen goes blank.)

(The announcer continued talking)
"There heist was quick and to the point and before more then one response vehicle could arrive they had fled the seen. A returning port security craft was the only pursuer at hand."
(The next video is shown not from the storage grounds but from a dash of a car)
Shot shows the skimmer truck pulling out of the gate and taking off down the street with a hopper interring the seen from the upper right corner of the picture.
As the truck speeds away, the camera catches a human figure in a compact skimmer pulling out of the gate turning towards and driving away past the camera.
(If the players pay close attention to the screen they will see the figure takes off his helmet: detect concealment check)

(The announcer continues on)
"There was an air to ground battle between an alliance patrol craft and the fleeing skimmer truck."

(The video in the background shows a view from an aircraft gun camera)
The players see a missile explode near the rear of the skimmer truck. A humanoid in the back of the truck returns fire with a pair of arm rockets causing the camera to sway at the craft avoided the rockets. Then there is a near miss on the trucks left side and it looked like it is having difficulty (there are sparks coming from the back end). The video ended showing the same humanoid firing a Law rocket at the camera close up as the truck lost ground and then the picture goes blank.

(The Announcer states)
"At approximately the same time there were a series of explosions at the star port, the first was the secondary hydrogen storage tank." (images of fireballs are shown behind)
"The damage caused by the blast was extensive and caused 3 deaths and 20 injuries, the second explosion was in the center of one of the SST landing runways. This blast cause the crash of the 4am flight killing all 48 aboard, 3 crewmen and 45 passengers. The alliance representatives to the Orion council have stated that due to the escalation in violence the starport will be under a heightened state of security. Also due to the damage there will be significant delays for travelers trying to get off planet."

The announcer goes on to talk about the effort to recover the flight data recorder from the downed hopper. Then he mentions a memorial service for the guard killed at the customs facility.

Next:
Smash 'n Grab: Chapter 2: Player's Intro - The Setup

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