THE SITUATION
The PCs need to regain control of the Moraes. One method is to go in after Terry to kill or disable him before he can destroy the ship or kill the hostages. In fact, this is practically impossible. Terry has had ample time to sabotage the Moraes. Further, the PCs can't get to him without riosking the lives of his captives.
In the climax of this adventure, the characters may very well confront Terry on the bridge in a classic hostage situation with all the odds favoring Terry. He has rigged a dead-man's switch that will automatically destroy the flight controls and kill the hostages if he is rendered unconscious or killed
Any attempt to shoot it out with Terry will result in the PCs getting control of the Moraes, but Terry and the three hostages will probably die and the Moraes may be damaged beyond repair
The hypnotic suggestion that caused Terry's mutiny and apparant irrationality was implanted years ago by a Sathar agent, and was triggered by the discovery of a planet with indigenous higher life forms. Terry sincerely believes that the exploitation of this planet would be evil. This belief overshadows, but does not completely suppress, his other personal drives and values. He is not a hardened killer or terrorist. He would gladly spare the lives of the rest of the crew if he could otherwise prevent them from retaking the Moraes. He hopes that his threats to sabotage the Moraes and kill the hostages will deter the other expedition members from attacking him, but he is deranged enough to carry out his threats in order to "save" Mahg Mar.
Delta .2
THE TALKOUT
There is an alternative to the shootout method mentioned above: the talkout. With modified personality or leadership checks and some persuasive talking, your players can try to talk Terry into surrending himself or releasing the hostages. You may wish to hint that a talkout is possible, if the idea doesn't occur to your players.
The talkout will not be possible until the party reaches the recreation deck or climbs to the bridge section of the starship. At that point, they may control the communications system (from the communications or computer room). If not, they can shout through the hull or hatch so that Terry cannot help but listen to what they say.
It a PC establishes communication with Terry and tries to talk him into surrendering the ship, the hostages, and/or himself, make a secret check on that PC's personality or leadership attribute, whichever is higher. Add the following cumulative modifiers to the dice roll as you feel appropriate, according to the quality of the arguments the PC's offers Terry.
Delta .3
GENERAL NOTES ABOUT THE SHIP
You and your players should be familiar with the information in the
Players' Background Report about the Eleanor Moraes.
MAPS
Map 5. on the inside of the cover shows where the decks are in the ship.
Maps 6, on p.30, is a floor plan of the lander module. Maps 7-11 are floor
plans of the Moraes' decks. Some areas on the maps are numbered. Those
numbers correspond to numbers in the text to help you find descriptions
of those areas.
POWER
Each deck is in complete darkness. Terry shut down the power on each deck to all equipment not actively being used in the defense of the ship. For example, he has not shut down power to the computer room or the laser turrets. A switch in the central passage on each deck provides that deck with emergency lighting. Switches in each individual compartment will restore full power to that compartment.
FIRE PROTECTION
Two fire extinguishers are in each room. Covering a character with foam from these extinguishers provides protection from incendiary grenades (reduce damage by 73%). Note also the vacuum suits in the explorer bay on the Engineering Deck.
EXTERNAL DEFENSES
The ship's only external defenses are two turrets housing one heavy laser each. These are designed primarily for defense against pirates, but can be computer-controlled with attack and defense programs like those used by the survey robots (see Equipment List). These turrets can absorb 150 structural damage points before being disabled. Destroying them will not significantly affect the Moraes' ability to lift off. The ship's hull itself can absorb 300 points of damage in any one location before being breached. Unless the characters are specifically attacking the outer hull to puncture it, stray gunfire will not seriously affect it.
The turrets have 60% basic chance to hit (30% + Level 3 robot operation). The lasers fire 10-SEU shots and have an unlimited number of rounds, since they run off ship's power. The party will be sighted and fired upon when they come within 100 meters of the ship. The party will receive soft cover modifiers until they are within 50 meters of the ship (the size of the clearing where the ship landed). (See Map 4, p. 13) Each turret's field of fire is restricted to a half sphere on its side of the ship. Disabling one turret permits safe access to the airlock on that side of the ship. The lasers can be depressed to fire directly along the hull, but safety mechanisms prohibit firing angles that might damage the ship. Once party members run under the lander module or climb the access ladders on the landing legs, they cannot be hit by the turret laser. All of Terry's robots not destroyed in previous encounters are grounded beneath the lander module, under the bulk of the Moraes, operating as fixed batteries. They will make the party's approach much more difficult. Remember that a robot's field of fire is forward only.
SECURITY SYSTEMS
The Moraes has an emergency security system that controls the computer, robots, alarms, defenses, and hatches. Without this security system's password, no one can open any hatch or portal, nor can any of the robots or computers be used without rewiring. The password Terry has entered is "Lavinia," his grandmother's given name, unknown to any of other characters. Defeating or bypassing security, deactivating a robot, deactivating alarms or defenses, or opening locks automatically causes memory of the password to be destroyed in that area or device. The computer techs and crew members of the Moraes are familiar with this security system, but without the password, they, too, have only physical means of breaking through Terry's defenses.
Since the Moraes is not a military vessel, the security systems are relatively weak, limited to the following provisions.
LOCKS: All pressurized and normal hatches (including bay doors) are locked and alarmed by a level 3 security/lock program. Each hatch normally opens when it recognizes a crew or survey member's voice. Now, the hatches only open in response to Terry's voice and the password. All of the Moraes' technicians know how to rewire the hatches' electronic locks, though the process normally triggers an alarm on the bridge unless a technician also deactivates the security system on the hatch. (Technicians are usually quite familiar with the security devices on their own ship.) A technician's attempt to unlock the hatches is automatically successful, but deactivating alarms follows normal rules. All pressurized hatches can be remote-controlled from the bridge. Bay doors (ship and lander) can be manually controlled from inside the bays or from the bridge.
ALARMS/DEFENSES: Every hatch, room, and passage on the Moraes has visual, infrared, motion, and atmospheric pressure/composition sensors which can be monitored from the bridge and other computer terminals on board (now disconnected). None of these sensors can be deactivated without alerting the bridge, but the physical destruction or skilled deactivation of a sensor (automatically successful) will keep Terry from observing the party's actions in that area.
ROBOTS: The utility robots under Terry's control are in radio link with the main computer. Only a level 3 technician can rig a device to lam this radio link, and the necessary components are only available in the workshop and communications rooms. Even if a link is jammed, so Terry can no longer alter commands or use the robot's sensors, the PCs must still deactivate the robot before they can change its mission and functions. They cannot exploit the robot's Link program to access the main computer unless they have the password.
COMPUTER: Terry physically disconnected all shipboard terminals (except
in the bridge) at the computer room. Terry is using the computer to control
all automatic defenses in the ship. Once the party gains access to the
computer room, they can take over control of everything but the bridge.
The bridge can operate independently on a small computer which is part
of the emergency escape capsule system. If the party seems likely to reach
the computer room, Terry will command the main computer to shut down all
functions. He then switches the bridge over to emergency life support and
command systems. The characters can use their computer skills to regain
control of the main computer, but they have no access to the self-contained
systems on the bridge.
EMERGENCY ESCAPE CAPSULE
The bridge is designed as an emergency escape capsule for use in outer space. All its computer, communications, life-support. and power systems are self-contained and adequate for four days for the entire crew. Terry can effectively isolate the bridge from the rest of the ship. Further, the capsule has small rockets designed to separate it from the rest of the ship. These rockets are too weak to support the capsule in gravity but sufficient to blast the bridge 50 meters into the air and send it crashing to the ground. If that happens, the bridge is totally destroyed, everyone on the bridge is killed, and the Moraes is unable to lift off.
Delta .4
The lander module remains on the planet after the Moraes leaves. It contains a robot research station that broadcasts survey data up to an orbiting satellite for relay to the Planetary Survey Administration. The lander also provides a stable platform for the Moraes to lift off from.
By 16:00, Day two, Terry stripped the second airship gondola of its weapons and power supplies. The radio equipment in the Robot Research Station (if it is still intact) can be modified to relay a mayday through the orbiting booster module.
Delta .5
ENGINEERING DECK
(See Map 7)
To enter the Moraes itself characters must pass through this deck. Three hatches lead down into the lander module and two hatches lead directly out, The explorer and aircar storage bay doors can also be used.
The ship's life support and power sources are on this deck. However,
the bridge has separate self-contained emergency systems.
THE AIRLOCK (1)
The airlock is in complete darkness when the party unlocks the outer
hatch. Entering the airlock and opening any of the other hatches activates
the airlock pumps. That doesn't normally happen; this is a trap Terry set.
He placed five doze grenades in each airlock's pumps. Immediately after
the pumps start, the airlock floods with doze gas. Breathers do not protect
the PCs, who must pass current stamina checks or fall unconscious. Avoidance
checks may be appropriate.
AIRCAR AND EXPLORER STORAGE BAYS (2)
The explorer, a four-wheeled all-terrain vehicle (see Alpha Dawn Expanded Game Rules, p.29), remains in its bay. Nothing useful is left in storage after Terry searched the ship, with two exceptions. There are 12 vacuum suits near the airlocks and two radiation suits in the explorer bay that provide protection from fire. There are also four fragmentation grenades in the explorer itself that Terry overlooked.
THE CENTRAL PASSAGE (3)
The hatches in the walls and floor are trapped with incendiary grenades that will flip through the hatches and explode on impact in the outer passage, one meter from the hatch. Avoidance checks may be appropriate.
Delta .6
LAB DECK
(See Map 8)
THE CENTRAL CORRIDOR (4)
The first character to open the pressurized hatch from the Engineering Deck sees that the corridor is unlit. He can barely see that the pressure hatch above him, leading to the Crew Deck, is open. The other hatches to the outer corridor on the Lab Deck are closed.
That character's player should declare his intentions immediately. If the character instantly ducks back and slams the hatch shut above him, he must make an avoidance check as an incendiary grenade is dropped from above by a robot on the crew deck, No other character will be affected, If the character does not immediately evade, he does not receive an avoidance check. Additionally. the splash from the incendiary grenade will also affect characters in the corridor below. They may also make avoidance checks.
The robot has a supply often incendiary grenades set on impact trigger. This robot's mission is: ''Test Grenades:' Its functions are:
THE WORKSHOP(5)
Searching the workshop reveals a malfunctioning albedo screen awaiting repair. A tech can repair it in 15 minutes. Terry tried to remove or disable everything that could be used as a weapon. He overlooked a cutting/welding torch that can cut a man-sized passage in a bulkhead in 15 minutes.
Delta .7
CREW DECK
(See Map 9)
CENTRAL CORRIDOR (6)
Here is the robot that drops incendiary grenades into the central corridor
of the La!) Deck. Terry has no further offensive plan (or this robot after
its supply of grenades is exhausted. He will try to keep it from being
damaged in case he needs it for labor later.
CREW QUARTERS (7)
Terry thoroughly searched the crew quarters and removed most offensive and defensive equipment. He overlooked two things:
RECREATION DECK
(See Map 10)
CENTRAL CORRIDOR (a)
When the hatch to the Recreation Deck central corridor is opened, the area is in darkness, but a side hatch can be seen dimly. It is wide open. All other hatches are closed. Terry rigged an incendiary grenade to go off five turns after the pressure hatch is opened. The grenade is attached to the top of the pressure hatch, so it is concealed from a casual observer. If a character discovers the grenade, he can turn off the timer and add it to his arsenal.
A robot with 10 fragmentation grenades is standing in the outer corridor on this deck. Its mission is to "test grenades" Its functions are:
From here, the party can override commands for all the ship's robots,
except the one on the bridge with Terry. The party can also regain control
of all ship functions except those on the bridge.
THE COMMUNICATIONS ROOM (10)
Here, a technician can override Terry's control of the internal communication system. For the first time, the PCs can initiate verbal contact with Terry.
Delta .9
THE BRIDGE
(See Map 11)
The acceleration couches at each station can swivel and lock in any position. Each station's instruments and controls can be used regardless of the couch position.
The central corridor is empty when the party opens the hatch. The two hatches to the bridge are closed. There is no light. When the first PC enters the corridor, he hears Terry shout: "Get out! I've got a deadman switch on a charge that will blow the bridge to pieces if I die. Get out or I'll kill you and the hostages! Now!"
Terry is desperate at this point, with little hope that he can escape. This is a stalemate, with time on PCs' side. Terry can only try to convince the PCs into leaving the ship. threatening to kill the hostages and destroy the Moraes. If the PCs don't leave after his first message, he switches on the ship's intercom and delivers another ultimatum: "Unless every one of you is off this ship in ten minutes, I'm going to blow her sky-high, and myself and the other crew members with it. If you aren't all standing outside the ship where my sensors can see you, I'm going to set off the charges. You have ten minutes... nine and 50 seconds... nine and forty seconds..:'
Terry strapped the three hostages into the three acceleration couches on the side of the bridge near the flight computer They are all immobilized with freeze fields. The utility robot is deactivated at the computer station. Eight fragmentation grenades timed for one turn detonation are placed at each of the computer, communications, and starboard weapons control station.
If the grenades go oft the blast radii (3 meters each) will affect all three hostages and Terry, probably killing all four and destroying the robot. The flight computer console will be damaged beyond any chance of field repair.
Once Terry activates the dead-man switch, the timers start when he releases a button. Terry activates the dead-man switch whenever he hears any sign of someone entering the bridge. If Terry is rendered
unconscious or killed, the timers start immediately. The party will be unable to stop the blast, and they may run into the blast area.
Terry stands behind the acceleration couch with the hostage at the flight computer station (counts as hard cover). Stray shots have a 25% chance of hitting a hostage and a 25% chance of hitting the flight computer console. The console can take 30 points of structural damage before it is completely destroyed.
Terry is armed with a stack of laser pistols (from emergency packs in the airship) set for 10 SEU per shot. He doesn't lose a turn as he grabs for the next loaded pistol. He will continue to shoot at any attackers until he is killed or incapacitated.
If the party does not reach the bridge before 3:00, Day Three, Terry will have rigged a switch to fire the emergency capsule rockets that explosively separate the bridge from the rest of the ship. He will also have transferred the dead-man switch from the grenades on the consoles to the emergency capsule switch.
Terry will explicitly threaten to trigger the emergency capsule rockets; his objective is to deter the party from interfering with him, not to destroy the Moraes. If Terry is killed or incapacitated, the bridge blasts free of the rest of the ship, then crashes to the ground.
Terry may be talked into surrendering as described in Delta .2 That
is the only way of recovering the bridge of the Moraes intact, and probably
the only way to save the lives of the hostages.
ENDING 1
The Moraes will be grounded for at least five weeks while the characters
recover from wounds, repair the Moraes. and set up the survey's permanent
robot research station. A call for assistance is sent to Minotaur Station
in the Theseus System. An immediate response from Minotaur relays this
message: "The assault scout CMS Osprey his been dispatched with the necessary
materials and personnel for temporary repairs. Remain on Mahg Mar until
it arrives in approximately four weeks. On arrival, Car) tam Dentin
will take command of the survey mission and conduct the official investigation
of the mutiny. In the mean- time, proceed with repairs and carry out your
original survey objectives wherever possible."
ENDING 2
Though Terry's sabotage was extensive, a mayday call is finally relayed to Minotaur Station in the Theseus system. A rescue mission is immediately dispatched to Mahg Mar. Despite the serious damage to the Moraes, temporary repairs enable her to lift off and return to Minotaur Station for major refitting. The survey crew is given the option of reassignment to another survey vessel or immediate release from the service (with payment in full for the mission). An official investigation into the circumstances of the mutiny fails to provide a conclusive explanation for Terry's mutinous actions, although expert testimony acknowledges that hypnosis could account for his suddenly irrational behavior.
Delta .10
EPILOGUE
It you plan to continue the adventures of the crew of the Eleanor Moraes
in the Beyond the Frontier series, use Ending 1. Otherwise, use
Ending 2.
Delta .11
EXPERIENCE POINTS
Guidelines for awarding experience points are listed below.
WILDERNESS TRAVEL TO THE MORAES
3-9 Experience Points
Maximum Award: Give maximum awards to parties that suffer no casualties, travel quickly, avoid delays, effectively solve problems, and avoid unnecessary encounters.
Average Award: Give average awards to parties that suffer light casualties and some delays, but conserve their resources.
Minimum Award: Give minimum awards to parties that travel slowly and
suffer significant casualties and wounds, but have some members reach the
Moraes.
RECOVERING THE MORAES
3-9 Experience Points
Maximum Award: Give maximum awards to parties that recover the ship intact, retease the hostages unharmed, and capture Terry with insignificant injuries.
Average Award: Give average awards to parties that recover the ship in repairable condition and/or rescue at least one long- range radio to signal for help, but suffer some injuries.
Minimum Award: Give minimum awards to parties that suffer significant
casualties and do not rescue the hostages, capture Terry alive, or recover
a long-range radio.
