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Baby sitting is the beginning adventure for a group of mercenaries (players). During the course of this adventure they will be hired by GalCorp (Galax Traders Corporation – Draco Galaxy) the fastest construction and trading group in the known galaxies. The job will consist of travelling to a far off unexplored world (Zar Thoum) and baby sitting a group of nerdy smart arsed scientists for several months.

Being hired and travelling to the planet in question should be fairly straight forward, the ship will drop the players off and head of to another planet (dropping off some cargo), it will return to check up on the players one month later (and every month thereafter). However a few weeks into the field trip they will be set upon by a group of ARM terrorists scared there secret base is close to being discovered by pesky corps. A group of newly manufactured Synth will be set to “scare” the team away.

Hopefully the players will be able to protect the company assets (the scientists) and get them back home with there findings, as well as collect some well deserved “credit”.

“Its been several months since your team picked up and headed out to the Draco Sector for fame and fortune. The dream of high paid work and lucrative contracts soon however turned into a nightmare. Ala the central hub of the sector was heaving with better trained and equipped mercenaries looking for the same work you were, and no matter how hard you tried to sell your skills your price was never right. Even mundane jobs were hard to find forcing you to take up work in a fast food restaurant serving up Cajoel burgers and Jum-Jum Juice, the work was repetitive and boring but it paid your rent.

One evening while wiping customer tables and clearing up to get ready to go home you noticed a repulsor board flying low over the city streets. Normally you wouldn’t pay much attention to the adverts on the latest Multi-function Skimmer or a two month cruise around the rings of Jupiter IV, but this one was different. GalCorp the galaxies fastest growing corporation offering over two hundred contract jobs tomorrow at the 12^th Plaza Forum, possible long term contracts also on offer, be there or flip burgers for the rest of your life.”

The players will make their way to the Plaza where they will meet stiff competition for all the best contracts (better paid, less risk), some famous names will also be present such as “The Battle Janitorial Service” and “Fun Loving Axe Murders” to name but a few. After a few failed bids the players will head to the makeshift restaurant to grab a drink and some food. BM Note - If the players don’t have the necessary skills to negotiate/bribe/bargain themselves a deal this is where an NPC can help out.

Atlas 7281914 is a fixer, offspring of two renegade Encephalon Gen-Humans he fled to his sector to avoid unwanted attention and make his fortune. He has very little in the form of military training, but makes up for it in business and street smarts. He’s not as talented as the normal dealers but knows how to make a quick buck. He is outspoken and brash and it doesn’t take much to get Atlas to go of on one (general politics).

If the players have there own equivalent fixer Atlas will simply give them the low down on how to cut themselves a deal (for a small fee 100cr or so). If the players don’t have a fixer of sorts he will cut them a deal with the company for an equal share (but he won’t be coming with them). BM – The reason the players are finding it hard to cut a deal is because its not all about offering the lowest bid or being the best at the job, its also about bribing the officials to give you the contract in the first place. A bribe can be anywhere between 8,000 to 12,000cr or an equal cut on the job (players choice), this will general “persuade” a company man to take the risk in hiring an unproven team. If the players decide to “grass” on the company man once they have bribed him they will get there money back but will find it impossible to deal with any of the other company men at the Plaza (effectively ending the adventure). Players should be encouraged to either play the system or get nothing for there hard work, this deal has the possibility to make or break there future careers (once on the ladder affair).

Once the players know how to play the system it won’t take them too long (or Atlas too long) to cut themselves once of the last contracts on offer. Galcorp are looking into the possibility of purchasing mining rights on Zar Thoum (The Cauldron - 0912) a dark lifeless world on an outer orbit of a small white star. The system has previously been overlooked due to issues of rift activity (rips in time and space), but recent scientific surveys have pointed to several “calm” areas where low risk mining operations could be conducted. Galcorp wants the players to protect a team of scientists and engineers for several months while they carry out surveying work (to decide if its worth mining the planet). Zar Thoum’s atmosphere is thin and as such respirators/independent air supplies will be needed, a small pre-fabricated outpost will be dropped along with the players. No rifts have been reported within a 300 mile radius of the selected location for over 60 years and the only expected trouble could come from possible smugglers using the system as a staging area. Transportation their and back will be provided as well as food and lodgings for the period in question. The deal is worth 90,000cr (to be divided between the team how they see fit, don’t forget pay offs and bribes) to be paid in full upon completion, and has already reached maximum budget range so the company can’t go any higher.

The players have two days to prepare and meet up with Madmardigan Smiphe, Captain of the “Shiny Bentley” an older 300 Series cargo loader, the ship has state of the art sensor and shielding and is co-owned by Galcorp. The trip to Zar Thoum will take roughly 90 hours (30 hours from system to star gate, waiting time and travel through the gate, 60 hours travel from Potar to Zar Thoum).

All the NPC’s listed here are none combat personnel and as such there is no point noting stats and individual skills. If combat occurs they will generally flee or surrender whichever is likely to increase there life expectancy. All NPC’s have the necessary skills to perform there job UPS will be anywhere between 160-180 with a possible secondary job/function (if any) at UPS 120. Most will only have equipment necessary to perform there jobs, as well as clothing linked directly to the task at hand (heavy overalls for dirty work, normal Galcorp uniform for relaxing etc). Humanoids will only have roughly 5-8 Body Points with large NPC’s having 12-18 Body Points, none have armour or weapons (other than what could be found lying around), and only one or two have any form of combat training (1 or 2 levels in a combat skill Archaic Power, Hand-to-Hand etc).

Captain Madmardigan Smiphe is a 5’10, 200 pound human, with and un-kept dark beard and hair and brown eyes he has seen better days. Smiphe has served on board “his” ship for over thirty years and is now in his late fifties, he hates social interaction and prefers to spend his time in his quarters listening to classical music and drinking brandy leaving much of the work to his junior officer Phisca Grule. Smiphe will greet the players and science team when they arrive but that will be the most interaction he will force onto himself for the rest of the trip, only leaving his room when a problem with the ship occurs.

Notable Statements – Can’t you see I’m busy you ignorant whelp!

Lieutenant Phisca Grule is the ships company man, a young brash and eager graduate of Galcorp engineering and leadership academy. Phsica did not graduate top of his class but he does know how to handle the ship (pilot). He does everything by the book and behaves in a polite and civilised manner when appropriate. The ship is in such good shape thanks to his efforts (and the crew), and hopes one day to take over the running of the “Shiny Bentley” running it the way it should. Phsica is tall muscular well kept and dressed human in his late twenties, blonde hair and blue eyes.

Notable Statements – Pick that up ensign, I run a clean efficient ship here!

The Shiny Bentley crew - The rest of the crew consists of the chief engineer and navigations officer Relan-Val-Thor a quiet and recluse Mutzachan, Derek Fromein an Orion Rogue who helps in engineering and sensors and eight Ram Pythons (Bob, Jack, Bill, Chez, Rob, Rick, Tom and Grulash the third). The Ram Pythons are mainly around to help with loading and unloading of cargo, and general ship duties (dogs body). Derek and the Pythons will be friendly towards the players sharing meals, conversation and an occasional games of cards (the Orion cheats!).

Vladimir Chokolovich is Galcorps chief scientist on this mission, a professional geologist graduating top of his class in various scientific subjects (a genius with a very high IQ). Vladimir is a human who follows the typical scientist stereotype, small build, white overalls, glasses and shortening hair line. He knows he is the most intelligent person on this mission and will take every opportunity to point it out (to the players and the rest of the team), knowing full well he is a Galcorp prized asset.

Notable Statements – Any useful sub-atomic particles can’t possibly exist between such a dense variable structure, that structure being your cranium you oaf!

The Science team – A small well educated bunch of brain boxes, Erelain Toress an extremely annoying and overly talkative Mutzachan. Bill Devorian a small nerdy and overly enthusiastic and overly friendly Human. Elizabeth Redgrave a fairly attractive female Human, that is if she spent any time taking care of her appearance rather than analyzing rock readings. The science team will pretty much keep to themselves, Erelain and Bill on occasion may approach the players for ideal chat but this may prove more lethal for the players than expected.

Gran Mariner is Galcorps chief engineer on the mission, he has been with the company for over thirty years working on more projects he cares to remember. A friendly and outgoing well build husky and well mannered human (as long as the work gets done he’s happy). If engaged in conversation Gran will be sharp and to the point but not dismissive or rude, asking questions about the players and there home life. Gran is married with three children and it is the only thing he will seem to boast about, regularly getting pictures of them out of his wallet to show off.

Notable Statements – You married sir/mam? No, worst mistake of your life my family are what keep me going, my pride and joy, wanna see a picture?

The Engineering Team – A small closely knit team of professionals, who are responsible for setting up and maintaining the outpost, operating the heavy drilling machinery and drones, gathering samples for the scientists and performing routine technical work. Gretessh Jerez a well built Cizerack male, Gretessh is a friendly individual (even to Rams) and shows no airs and graces typical to his race. Gretessh acts as the teams scout and survival specialist. Murphy Briton a Ram Phython with a strange sense of humour, he’s well build even for Ram standards. Murphy can regularly be seen cracking a joke or two (even if you’ve heard it 100 times before), it has been known for Murphy to get very upset if you don’t find his jokes funny. Murphy acts as the teams heavy machinery operator and does all the heavy carrying and lifting. Limp Fingered Jones (not his real name just a nick-name), is an Orion Rogue of average build and blue hair. Jones is the teams demolitions and robotics expert, programming the missions drones and operating the technical machinery as well as blowing things up for core sample gathering. A friendly outgoing fellow he enjoys an occasional drink and a game of cards (he cheats too!). Melisa Travis a rough but attractive looking human female with long curly brown hair. She is the teams driver and mechanic, operating the smaller rovers, trucks, small diggers, friendly and outgoing she enjoys a drink or two with her team mates as well as a game of cards (she cheats worse than an Orion!).

The Shiny Bentley will enter the planets atmosphere and drop the teams off at the pre-determined location. The pre-fabricated outpost will also be dropped off and a relay satellite placed in orbit to allow planet based communication. Several hours later the pre-fabricated outpost will be ready for use (time can be reduced if the players pitch in and help the engineers out, they won’t be snubbed if they don’t help as every one knows there not being paid to do this job). The facility is broken up into two main areas one barracks (enough rooms for each NPC and player to have there own as well as a few spare) and living quarters (kitchen, bathrooms, toilets and lounge area, this facility is connected to storage areas and generators), another part of the facility is where the heavy equipment (drills etc) is located as well as labs and core sample storage area (think “pitch black”). There are a number of small vehicles for company use, a small skimmer (which can accommodate six passengers, pilot and co-pilot), a large digger/utility vehicle (for moving heavy samples and equipment), a small utility vehicle or rover, and a small truck. Zar Thoum has a thin atmosphere so respirators are required for general light work outside the base camp, supported breathing (air tanks etc) are required for heavy work, full sealed suits are not required although temperatures can drop to well below zero during the night.

Once the base is setup and finished the transport which brought them to the planet will signal its heading out to drop off cargo at another system (the players will be aware of this before hand) and will rendezvous for an update in exactly one month (the players are expected to stay on world for three). The team will now be alone and left to fend for themselves.

The Players are in charge of security and as such should organise some form of system (no one else will they are busy doing there own work). Galcorps has provided the facility with four remote low resolution night vision video cameras which must be fitted into place, a security station to monitor the cameras, all doors have keypad locks, flood lights are provided to cover most of the camp as the engineers or scientists can work well into the night (it just means the cameras can’t be set on night vision when the flood lights are on). Galcorps has also provide the players with a large security locker for there weapons and armour (also keypad), no one else on the camp will have any weapons other than clubs or kitchen knives so its up to the players to provide protection. Communications will be handled by either the players or engineering depending on who has the best skill set.

The next few weeks will pass quietly as everyone goes about there business (the players will be asked if they want to help out every so often, if they refuse more than twice they won’t be asked to help again and will be generally snubbed by the engineers who feel everyone should pitch in just a little to help out). Boredom may well begin to set in for the players and engineers (the scientist will be closed off in there own world working away feverishly).

One evening either a player or NPC (depending on skill sets) will pick up the following transmission coming from the planet itself…

What happens next is up to the players as they are in charge of security matters on site. Extra information can be gained from the signal with the necessary skills checks (easy checks as the equipment provided to the players is good and the orbital satellite gives them an extra advantage). The signal came from a northern direction roughly 200 miles away (still well within the rift safe zone). If they ignore the message move directly to “Unwelcome Guests” if the players investigate the source of the signals go to the next section “These ain’t no Smugglers”.

Hopefully the players will want to check out the location where the signals originate. The team will have access to the small rover (taking any other vehicle is likely to attract way to much attention, warn the players of this but if they push the issue its there mission!), if the players lack the navigation, radio and driving skills one of the NPC engineers will go with them.

The players should arrive at a large ridge and hopefully park the vehicle some distance from where the signal appeared to be coming, making there way by foot will be a much safer idea and avoid any unnecessary attention. The trip itself will take several hours and give the players a chance to hone in on the signal and come up with some form of plan once they reach the presumed smugglers base.

From the ridge the players should have a good view of the so called smugglers base (hopefully they will have some form of optical or observation equipment). After several hours of observation it should become clear to the players these guys are not smugglers, they act far to organised and the equipment they appear to have is state of the art and well maintained.

As you reach the ridge you notice four large pre-fabricated facilities laid out in squared formation, to the left and right of these buildings are two ferro-concrete land pads (one on each side). One of the facilities appears to have a larger number of windows (the barracks and rest area), another shows a serious amount of electronic equipment mounted in and around in the form of antennas, satellite relay equipment etc (security and communications facility). One facility has large hanger style doors with numerous crates and equipment within the door and around (vehicle shed and warehouse), and the last building appears heavily enclosed with trillium solid walls (labs). Numerous personnel mainly humanoid (but some phentari, pythons and non-alliance creatures) appear to be moving between the buildings. All appear to be in some kind of uniform (no identifiable slogans or insignia) and those armed seem well equipped (state of the art weaponry). On one of the landing platforms is a large transport craft, it bears no markings and appears to be currently being loaded with various crates and boxes by several heavy vehicles. As you continue to watch you notice some items being loaded onto the ship appear to be cages containing strange specimens (none the players will identify). The whole operation seems to be under the supervision of several technicians, scientist and guards.

Obviously the above information can be tailored to fit, depending on the players equipment and observation skill checks. Either way it should become fairly obvious to the players this operation is far to well funded to be a smugglers operation. Possible ideas may well be Rebels, Alliance secret base, ARM, black marketers or gun runners etc. It should be advised the team don’t push there luck and try and investigate the base any further as security will be impossible to by-pass at there level and with the equipment they have on hand (if they still persist kill em!). With this information in tow they should make a speedy trip back to there base and inform Alliance or Galcorp officials via there communications equipment.

Once the players are back at base they should quickly inform either alliance officials or Galcorp reps they have spotted some dubious activity on planet. Depending on who is informed…

The Alliance will contact the players company as well as dispatch a Patrol Craft to the area (this will take 30 hours – luckily the players are only 4 parsecs from a large alliance outpost). Galcorp will be slightly upset about not being informed first and give each player 1 black mark (although they won’t withhold mercenary pay).

Galcorp will dispatch a small patrol craft (but will not inform the alliance for fear it will jeopardize there operation on Zar Thoum). It will take a Galcorp craft 45 hours to reach the players (they don’t deem it that important to divert a messenger craft to pick up some stranded scientists, that’s why they paid the mercenaries for - to protect there assets).

A few hours after the message is sent all communications on base will go dead, as ARM have discovered there location and are moving in a team to teach them a lesson or two. ARM realise they have failed to protect the location of there hidden base and as such have begun making plans to move the base (several cargo ships are en-route to pick up the facilities and staff, luckily for the players most security personnel will be needed to facilitate the move). However ARM scientist believe this may be a useful time to test some of there new synth models (a field test of sorts). They have dispatched a group of synth to the players outpost with orders to kill every living thing.

How the players tackle this situation depends largely on how well they organised there security before encountering ARM and how well they organise it now they know there position has been compromised. A few hours after the bases communications equipment have been jammed the synth will attack armed with an equal mix of chemical and archaic powder weapons as well as a melee weapon each (see stats below). Once the players have dispatched a sizable force of synth the ARM operatives will pull back with the data they have collected and disappear (just before the alliance or Galcorp arrive, the players however should be still slightly nervous about the possibility of future attacks).

ME2E1-9 Flamthrower

Burst – Rng 109 - 84 - 55 - 19 - -31 - Dam 1D6 - MN 96 - SS 97 - Rof 1 - Q 100 - Dur 10s

Med – Rng 109 - 84 - 55 - 19 - -31 - Dam 2D4 - MN 96 - SS 97 - Rof 1 - Q 34 - Dur 10s

Long – Rng 109 - 84 - 55 - 19 - -31 - Dam 3D4 - MN 96 - SS 97 - Rof 1 - Q 20 - Dur 10s

Note: Once the weapons ammunition has been expired the synth will drop it and divert to its hand to hand attacks (see race description). It doesn’t have the brains to reload (even if they had any spare clips).

Once the players have dispatched there enemies and rescue forces have arrived the adventure should pretty much run its final course. The future of the planet and work with Galcorp however will depend on the actions of the players…

If the Alliance were called in they will secure the area around the old ARM base and re-classify the planet as off limits while they continue there investigation (which could take years)! This in turn will cause Galcorp serious upset which will be directed towards the players. They will be paid full but given a black mark each (see above), also they will gain no further work from this corporation.

If Galcorp are the only forces in system they will quickly suggest all those involved remain quiet about the whole affair (see reasons above). They will insist the team carry on there mission for surveying the area for mineral deposits but they will also call in an extra science team to study anything which may have been left behind by ARM. The players contract will be extended to a full year and the cash on the table doubled! They will also earn a few brownie points with Galcorp for possible future contracts.

Award experience on a case-by-case basis. Rewards marked with a (DIV) apply to the whole party not the individual. Overall experience rewards can be negative.

Action Experience

Surviving the adventure 1,000

Help the engineers build the Outpost 300

Organising a solid security ring 350

Helping in the day to day running of the facility 250

Investigating the source of the signals 800

Concluding this is not a Smuggling Operation 250

Gathering information on the base for officials 300

Getting information on the base without being seen 250

Being spotted by ARM -200

Conclude radio signals are being jammed 250

Each scientist that is killed (DIV) -1,000

Each engineer that is killed (DIV) -1,000

Killing a Syntha (DIV) 4,000

Good role-playing 100-1,000 (Max 2,000)

Good ideas 100-1,000 (Max 2,000)

Valid Skill Checks As appropriate

Synth (pg 86 Uncle Ernie’s Minions of Doom)

Hanging Out 1-10

Size 2.5m/60kg (6)

Body Points 50

Movement 06/08/64

IM +3

Defensive Mod +20

Threshold 8

Vision/Smell/Hear -20/-20/-20

Attack Number 90

IQ 25

SMR

Chemical 50

Biological 100

Poison 100

Electricity 60

Acid 20

Radiation 100

Mental 20

Sonic 85

Fire 60

Cold 30

Planet - Zar Thoum (The Cauldron - 0912) a dark lifeless world on an outer orbit of a small white star. The system has previously been overlooked due to issues of rift activity (rips in time and space), but recent scientific surveys have pointed to several “calm” areas where low risk mining operations could be conducted. Zar Thoum’s atmosphere is thin and as such respirators/independent air supplies will be needed, a small pre-fabricated outpost will be dropped along with the players. No rifts have been reported within a 300 mile radius of the selected location for over 60 years and the only expected trouble could come from possible smugglers using the system as a staging area.