Saturday, 4 January 2014

Solo Traveller - Episode 9: Playing at Merchants (9Qs #1)

Uloryy/Foreven (3033 A877758-7) / Date: 209-1106

Q1b. What actions consistent with the heroic motivation do the heroes take that bring them into conflict with a looming hostility inherent within the setting?

[Be the PCs: declare an act of... (2) infiltration

Use the random idea generator to inspire the place where and when the encounter will occur: Agricultural ordnance depot. This actually makes no sense, but it did make me think of big storage buildings full of farm machinery. The first scene necessarily takes place in and around the starport, but a large farm outbuilding makes a fitting destination for the arranged drop, so I'll save it for the next scene.]

The Galatea and her "crew" sail towards Uloryy downport. After reporting the "highjacking incident" to the Port Authority (which has already been corroborated by a report filed by the Navy), the Galatea is given a landing pad and clearance to unload cargo. The "passengers" disembark, and after a few hours stevedores arrive to assist in the unloading of the 20t consignment.

"Look, guys, I'm beat," says Eshtam, "I'm going to get some rest. I suggest you do the same, and try to get used to local time. We can take shifts sitting up in the bridge by the comm in case anyone makes contact. If not, tomorrow morning we're going to have to go into the port and try to drum up some trade. I don't exactly relish the possibility -- believe me, this is the reason I'm not a trader. It'll look suspicious if we don't, though. Pray we hear from our mysterious friends tonight, or in the morning we draw lots to decide who has to go."

Eshtam is awakened in the morning by Starman Slinx. "Rise and shine! I made you a cup of coffee to get you moving. At least I think it's coffee -- I don't read Vilani."

Eshtam sits up on the edge of the bed, wincing from the pain shooting up her left side. "Think you can get your medic to give me some analgesics for a chaser? That crazy woman managed to shoot me yesterday. My armour jacket took the worst of it, but still...ouch."

"I'll see what I can do. but come on, now. Sergeant Gytovo -- I mean, Zet -- wants everyone on the bridge for a briefing on the double."

On the bridge, Sergeant Gytovo seats everyone at a terminal for his briefing. He touches a key, and a map image comes up on all their screens.

"Last night at 27:32 local time, on my shift, as luck would have it, our targets made contact. They did not identify themselves, but issued instructions for us to deliver the arms to a specific location in the countryside, about 40 klicks outside the starport extrality zone, as indicated on the map they transmitted. We are to procure a rental ground vehicle from the required provider to transport the arms. We have been issued instructions to depart the starport tomorrow at 15:00 local time, through gate 26-F. They assure me the customs inspectors will have been bribed to let us through."

"You didn't talk to them like this over the comm did you?" asks Eshtam, exasperated. "You're supposed to be some little merchant wanker. Cut the career military routine or this whole thing's going to fall apart before we leave the port."

"I ain't talking to them now, though, get me?"

"This just might work."

The rest of the day is divided between the required preparations and pretending to look for cargo.

[Be the GM next:
Use the random idea generator to inspire an encounter that reacts with appropriate resistance to the heroes' declared act: Starting / Victory.

Q: Is the party being watched? Somewhat Likely | 5[d10]) Yes, but... they aren't professionals.

Be the PCs once more:
Use the heroes' abilities to respond to the threat as per their heroic motivation and the RPG's rules.

Easy Recon - Eshtam rolls 3+4, success. It's obvious they're being followed.
Playing merchant, average Deception - Eshtam rolls 7+3, success.

The Starting Victory goes to the party. They are believed to be who and what they say they are.]

The next day, they set out from the starport in a large ground truck. Since customs have already been bribed, they're bringing weapons well in excess of the planetary law level.

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