Eda Creed
Human Pilot/Expert from Rigunmor Star Consortium, played by Nick Poulimas
Ship: Lancelot
Pilot of the Lancelot, hired to act as local transport for the Drive Sat in Mahg Mar. A true Entrepneur and pioneer spirit.
Seek the Wolf in Thyself!
The Mhemne have Secrets
WHERE: The Asteroid Belt in FS30 system (Mhemne system)
You and your crew are still docked at the Belter Mhemne hidden asteroid base. The United Planetary Federations (the governmental and military arm of the Zebulon’s Expanse, a group you have come to affectionately call the UpFeds) have been rather pushy about getting help from you and you have not seen a lot of return for the efforts, until now. Contact with the Mhemne could turn into a stellar gold mine for the Rigunmor Stellar Consortium (RStar). Through a few hours of research and a few scans from your ship, you were able to find that the ores that are present in these asteroids are very valuable. You would not normally have access to them unless you detonated the core of a planet to get to them.
It is not lost to you that the UpFeds are using your group. Most of your crew are members of the Galactic Concord (or just the Concord). Although each of you are members of a different Stellar Nation within the Concord, the UpFeds see you as Concord, plain and simple. This is as new to them as it is to you but right now, both sides seem to be using each other to gain power over the regions of space between the Concord and the Expanse – the area that includes the Verge and the Orion Frontier (or just Frontier).
The question to you is how to make a profit without getting killed or igniting another expensive galactic war.
This brings you to the present. An enemy of the UpFeds seems to be making moves in the Frontier that the UpFeds don’t like. In fact, it is in violation of a war treaty signed a couple of centuries ago. The Sathar don’t mean much to RStar or to the Concord but they could if they prove to be a threat and want to start a war anywhere near the Verge. The biggest concern in all of this is that VoidCorp, another Concord stellar nation, has (1) been in this region longer than most other stellar nations have known about it (2) had contact with the Zebulon’s Expanse before the Concord has (3) is apparently working with the Sathar to build war fleets, combining their tech with Sathar tech. VoidCorp was an enemy of RStar during the last war and any advancement of their goals is a loss to RStar.
Docked at this asteroid base, the UpFeds have asked you to help with first contact with the Mhemne in this system they have labeled FS30. The Sathars are subjugating the Mhemne, pitting factions against each other while committing a near genocide on their homeworld. I tis unknown what VoidCorps role is in the occupation of the system, but it is safe to assume it is not noble.
After the initial negotiations with the Belters of the Mhemne, you learned that the Mhemne are a divided people between the aristocratic Homeworlders, the fractured Colonials, and the Belters. They have access to a lot of very useful ore, most of which is right now being used to create a formidable Sathar fleet.
The UpFeds don’t really feel that the Belters are a good representation of the Mhemne as a people, so they have asked you to go to the Homeworld to see if you can find the resistance there. A plan has been devised to get you there, using the magnetic slingshot the Sathars are using to mine the asteroids. This plan sounds dangerous but if you can free the Mhemne, it might be worth it.
While preparations are being made for the infiltration of the slingshot (intel gathering, waiting for the right window in Sathar security and other factors), you converse with some of the Mhemne delegation. They don’t seem that put off by you, but they do seem to be hiding something. On your flight jacket, you have the symbol of RStar Consortium, your Stellar Nation. It’s not something you would normally hide unless among your nations enemies. Some seem to glance at it with strange interest. Perhaps it means something else to them or they have seen it before, but they seem guarded and not very open to revealing it.
The Lost Regunmor Agent
The Asteroid Belt in FS30 system (Mhemne system)
The Mhemne were hiding a dead RStar agent they found floating in the asteroid belt. It is not clear whether they made an effort to save him or focused on scavenging his equipment first, but his body is now in the custody of a fringe religious cult called the Voice of the Ancients.
The agent’s name is Yorik “Ham” Hamerston, a human with some genetic modification to handle long periods in deep space. You don’t know him. He probably was some deep cover operative that not many know about; probably has no family to speak of and a ghost on the Grid Net.
His ship was all but stripped and now lays in the asteroid junkyard of the Belter Mhemne. You found a backup of his computer core, and using that in conjunction with the data pad the cultists had proved to be a treasure trove of information.
Ham had been in this system for a little over a year before he died, watching the Sathar, infiltrating the VoidCorp operation on planet and gathering information. He had little contact with the Mhemne as he did not bring the proper means to communicate to them. His focus was investigating any Streel Corp connection to this strange VoidCorp/Sathar effort.
The valuable information you obtain out of this is as follows:
SATHARS: Since RStar does not know much about the Sathar, he has an extensive file on the Sathar. Things of note are:
VOIDCORP: Ham was able to occasionally infiltrate the VoidCorp operation in the Mhemne high colonies by posing as a VoidCorp employee. He learned the following things.
Ham’s VoidCorp false ID is contained in the keycard, but you are not sure how compromised it is. After all, something killed Ham.
Ham was convinced that whatever Streel Corp’s involvement in this operation, it had to be on the homeworld.
The fruits of their labors
Mhemne homeworld, Ninguis
The one thing that Eda notices is the amount and type of ore the Sathar are mining. These IMPP units are producing processed ore at an incredible rate. The raw materials generated would be worth a great deal in the Verge. One cargo hold would be enough to buy a new ship. However, the amount was not as surprising as the type and purity.
The IMPPs are producing tons of raw lanthanide (a material used commonly in power cells) and siridium carbide (an element used on drive cores). The purity of both these materials is far more than anything Eda has seen in the Verge or the Stellar Ring.
The materials processed from the asteroid are also astounding. The metals they extract from the asteroid nuggets are infused with elements of the crystals, making them far more resilient. These materials serve to make a considerably harder armor.
There are also several precious metals and gems being mined, usable for trade. There are holds of this material on the space station L4.
The trail grown cold
As for the rogue Rigunmor agent, he trail as grown cold. This agent, Yorik "Ham" Hamerston, was found dead by the Mhemne, his ship tossed to the junkyards of the Belters. Last you remember, you were following his trail investigating the connection Streel has with what is going on in this system. He had gathered a considerable amount of data about the Sathars but beyond that, nothing on Streel. But something told him that Streel was involved with the operation of subjegating the Mhemne.
So far all you know is that Streel was connected to the destruction of the drivesat in the Waller Nexus system – a drivesat that was intended to be a joint effort between Streel and VoidCorp – but nothing in this system (Libertas System, the Mhemne home system). You also know that VoidCorp seems to be working with the Sathars to help built up their fleet and integrate their technology. One of the earlier pieces of information the party determined that VoidCorp has been involved with this region of space and the Zebulon’s Expanse long before the official first contact was made. This would be enough to cause serious controversy in the Concord.
Operation Ferret: The Final Stage of the Campaign
L4 Station, Libertas System
Operation Ferret
Assault on L4 Station
What has gone on before…
For several months now, the party has been involved in the liberation of the Mhemne people from the clutches of thought to be a new Sather incursion outside of their own space. This being the first time anyone has seen Sathar activity outside their “empire” in a over 200 years, it was a surprise to see them so “advanced” despite restricted trade and embargos from all known parts of the Expanse. Apparently, the Sathars have had contact with others.
One of those others was Void Corp, who are in all levels of Concord legal violations by interacting with a known enemy of a potential ally. But there is something more about the Sathars that has the party wondering that perhaps there is more to this plot than just a Sathar expansion attempt.
It was already well know that the Sathar society was heavily dependent on robotics and cybernetics. However, no one imagined advancements like the Sathars display in the Libertas (Mhemne) system. The advancements range from simple cybernetic integration into their robotic chairs to full cybernetic and organic tech upgrades to their entire bodies. The workers on the surface of the Mhemne world had the very simple advancements and were aided by heavy robotic units that showed considerable improvement since the Sathars were last encountered. There was also evidence that these Cybered-Sathars (or Cythars) were experimenting with Mhemne, trying to integrate similar technology into the near-human race
On L4 station, there was considerable more surprising developments.
Upon arriving onto L4 through the experimental teleporter, the party encountered the first of many advanced Cythars (command level, perhaps) as well as similarly cybered Mhemne. It appeared as if Sathars were turning less and less Sathar as they party went up the chain and more something else.
The first level of the L4 Station the party encountered was the Shuttle bay level. Fighting their way through, they found the Mhemne technology overlaid with the organic tech of the Cythars, spreading like some infection. In organically shaped alcoves, Cy-Mhemne as well as a few Cythars stood silent, connected to whatever central consciousness there was. Some awoke to confront them while others did not. It was a lein combination of simple technology of the Mhemene, overlaid the sinister alien tech of the Cythars.
After the shuttle bay level, an elevator took the party to the Shuttle Crew Deck. This two was a fairly familiar design, where the shuttle pilots would come and go, like a starport terminal. However, it has been converted much like the previous deck they encountered. Many more Cy-Mhemne stood in alcoves, oblivious to the party’s arrival. Others did awaken and attack but once the first wave failed, no second wave followed. After sorting out a few problems involved a errant grenade that landed too close to the station outer wall, the party discovered a yong Mhemne crawling in the air vents of the station.
What the Lighthouse Brings
Libertas System, Lighthouse Station
Eda is relieved but also concerned with the arrival of the Lighthouse. This connection to the Verge and ultimately the Stellar Ring brings a lot complications back into her life.
For one, the Rigunmor Star Consortium (RStar) undoubtedly has a delegation on board and while Rigunmor value financial and personal freedom, they are also notorious for bureaucracy and paperwork. Even as an independent freight hauler, Eda will probably have to fill out hundreds of forms to report to the ambassador, simply because of the loss of the Lancelot as well as being in a system she was not hired to be in. However, the arrival of the Lighthouse presents the one thing that all Rigunmor citizens seek – opportunity. There are people on board that station looking for a person who knows this system and what it has to offer and who better than Eda Creed, the new expert on the Libertas system.
Eda also is reminded of her connection to Oberon system and the politics surrounding it. Oberon is a system in the Verge currently disputed over by the RStar Consortium and the independent colonists that currently inhabit it. Before the Great Silence, RStar had a claim on this world but after more than 100 years of separation from the Stellar Ring, the colonists of Oberon’s primary world Lison felt they had a right to secede. In hopes of finding a dream, Oberon was one of the first places Eda lived on when she moved to the Verge. She sees it as home, despite the unpleasant nature of Lison – hot and barely livable. It was there that Eda established herself as a dependable independent pilot, hauling ore between way points through out the system.
It was there that Eda was also approached by the Rigunmor Military Intelligence Division. They attempted to recruit Eda as an asset and although their offer was rather tempting, it required Eda to betray some of the relationships she has developed in the system and risk her personal integrity. Profit may everything, however it is difficult when one can not profit because no one could trusts them. Eda prided herself in her independence probably more than the RStar Consortium liked, but this was not a system to claim loyalty to the homeland. Instead of facing the choice, Eda set course to further into the Verge to seek fortune, leaving good friends and contacts behind.
Oberon and its mining world Lison remains in the back of Eda’s mind. Something about it and what the MID agent was saying has nagged at her since she left. Eda’s gut told her that something bad was coming down the pike and it was not going to be pleasant.
Kenora Dagoran – a lost friend
Libertas System, Lighthouse Station
Eda has mixed emotions about this whole situation with her old friend and now deceased, Kenora Dagoran. He was a well known player, con artist, information broker and hacker. He sold his information to the highest bidder and had very few scruples in that area. Finding him on Lighthouse was a surprise but maybe he was looking to get out of the Verge. According to what Eda was able to dig up, Dagoran (under an alias) boarded the Lighthouse a few weeks ago before it diverted to the Libertas system. He has only been on the station a few weeks before he died. So whatever killed him started in the Verge.
In those weeks, he apparently found ways to hide this data in some of the most elaborate places – a poker chip in an obscure gambling casino, the scale model of the Mercury colony, and now some chess piece owned by the Thuldan ambassador. That’s pretty elaborate for even Dagoran but it is not out of character for him. Knowing that he died trying to hide it, he obviously knew his life was at stake. Perhaps that’s why he came on board the station in the first place. His contacts could have easily learned of the Lancelot mission and location as well as the Lighthouse course diversion to the Libertas system. So perhaps Dagoran intended to hide this data for Eda to find. Eda was not sure if dying was part of that plan, but now a friend is dead, his killer still a mystery, and the nature of this data is still being put together.
Clues to its nature left behind pointed to a story about a lost warhulk – a massive AI warmachine built by the masters of robotics and star ship systems, the StarMech Collective (Stellar Nation of the Stellar Ring). What was Dagoran’s interest in this particular find. The StarMech Collective would be most interested in this find and they are allies of the Rigunmor. Was the Rigunmor ambassador contacted? Or the StarMech ambassador? The only reasons Dagoran would not contact either ambassador was if he was not working for an interested connected to either Rigunmor or Starmech. Or someone wanted to keep the ambassadors out of the loop. From what Eda can tell, the data is pretty embarrassing. Apparently this warmachine is on its way back to the system with mission unknown. So why isn’t Starmech sending a team or have they? Was Dagoran working for someone else other than Starmech or Rigunmor? Who else knows about this warmachine and the data he is hiding?
A lot of unanswered quesitons.
Dagoran went to a lot of trouble to hide this data, in a very short amount of time. From seducing a dealer at the casino to somehow hiding chips on models of Mercury and a pawn on a chessboard, both in two totally opposing ambassadors’ private dwellings, it is difficult to imagine how he did it. But as a professional con artist, it was not hard to believe he figured out ways to get access to these locations. It’s too bad Eda would never find out as they would probably be hilarious stories.
More on the Warhulk
On board the Dueces Wild
Secrets of the Warhulk
Eda spent a lot of time researching the Warhulk in between jumps. Five days per jump can give a girl a lot of time to find the secrets she needs.
Ares 22 was last of her line, with top of the line systems, robotics, weapons and defenses on it. The AI had a exemplary record with very few
glitches in combat. It’s final mission was an assault on a Thuldan shipyard in an obscure system on the edge of Verge space. No other information about that mission is available.
The stardrive system is rated at 15, which means that if the AI was able to repair it back to full functionality, it is going to be faster than Deuces Wild. However, it is known that the drive system was damaged during its final mission.
The weapons systems are considerably formidable, with large arrays of energy weapons as well as missiles. The sensors are hard to beat. There is no hiding from this ship once it is in range. It also has a wing of robot drone fighters that it can deploy and they too are heavily armed. When you don’t have to design systems for a living pilot, it leaves more room for weapons systems apparently.
One of the more concerning items Eda found is some tactical protocols she found in the database. One was called the Endgame Solution. Used in a planetary assault situations (similar to the mission it is on now), as a last resort, the ship has the option of overloading his drive systems, and making a starfall in atmosphere over the planet. This would result in a cataclysmic singularity in atmosphere and no one is sure what will happen then. It could shatter the planet or it could just suck the entire atmosphere leaving the world a dead dry rock.
Eda’s hope is that the Peace program will work and everyone can go home but if it doesn’t, she knows that the only way to shut the ship down is to do it from on board. If it comes to that, there are several options for getting inside the ship. It has a couple of small hangar bays that it primarily uses for its fighter drones. But the Deuces Wild can fit in one of the hangars if need be. If not that, then it can do a hatch-to-hatch mating on any number of the hatches on the outer hull. This assumes that the AI does not shoot the Deuces Wild out of the sky upon approach. To prevent that, they have to convince the Warhulk that they are non-hostile.
Inside is a whole other story. It’s tight. Human comforts were an afterthought, even though a skeleton crew was required to be on it during
operations. It is primarily serviced and repaired by robots that populate the entire ship. Robots have better and faster access to systems then humans do.
The anti-boarding security protocols reveal that there are 3 types of security units on board and there are at least 10 to 15 units of each type. They are designated as Light to Heavy security and are going to be a challenge to handle if it comes down to it.