SOLO Campaign - Operation Grievance Part 2

Cast of Characters (I-Con Squad):

Icond (INIS Squad Leader)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Ignores Col. Janice Mehlberg.

Janice Mehlberg (Imperium Marine Colonel-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Rival of Icond.

Chance Morgenstern (INIS Agent-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Admires Dr. Slager.

Dr. Merrick Slager (Scholar/Team Doctor-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Secretly hates Col. Janice.

Ritch Duhart (INIS Agent-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Inseparable buddy of Chance.

…..............

GM Note: I have decided to incorporate an alternate star drive from Cepheus Engine SRD to replace the jump drive rule in Cepheus Light. I will be using the warp drive option found on p.97 of the Cepheus Engine SRD from Moon Toad Publishing. Jump distances are the number of parsecs that can be crossed in a week's time at maximum warp. I like the warp drive concept better than the original jump drive system of Traveller.

Current Adventure: Operation Grievance

Date: 295 - 1122

Subsector/Sector Location: Sosie/Glimmerdrift Reaches

System: Firenzi

295 – 1122

Prepare to Leave Starport: Routine with no issues. The 100 ton Scout Ship, I-Con, is ready to go.

Starport Encounter: none

Board Starship/Departure/Ship Encounter: The Light Patrol Craft, Tentacle (200 ton) needs assistance and makes a request for civilian parts. A routine request that occurs from time to time. The I-Con has the parts and the two ships dock to make the transfer.

Jump: Firenzi to Vassal at Warp 2 with no issues

Onboard Events: Icond conducts a shipboard training seminar to familiarize the team with the ins and outs of operating a starship. Although the team will be leaving the scout ship at Vassal, the training will come in handy if the team finds itself needing to operate a starship in the near future.

Enter New System/Check for Encounter: The I-Con arrives at Vassal after a week of travel in warp. Radio chatter in-system indicates the 50 ton mining cutter, Diamond Star has a medical emergency. Their ship's doctor is severally ill. Dr. Merrick volunteers to assist. While onboard the mining cutter, Dr. Merrick discovers the vessel's crew belong to a faction that is loyal to the Republic of Krax (ROK). Although the faction is pro-3FT, they have begrudgingly accepted the situation with the systems that chose to leave the ROK. After all, business must go on. The doctor treats the Diamond Star's doctor, and she should make a full recovery.

Starport Encounter: Upon arrival at Basira Starport on Vassal, the team witnesses the crew of a free trader being arrested. They later learn the free trader was also seized as evidence. Looks like a smuggling operation was caught in the act.

On-Planet Activity: Vassal is an asteroid belt located at the endpoint of a major trade route that exists between several systems of the Sosie Subsector. Far traders, free traders, and frontier supply ships use the class A starport, Basira, as a jump off point for delivering goods to frontier and backwater systems. Merchant traffic is booming, so smuggling operations are exceptionally high in this region. Three large asteroids are home to three major cities located in the Vassal system. Basira is the largest, with Chibueze being second, and Venkat City being third. A mining consortium exists on Chibueze, operated by the Chibueze Mining Cooperative. Venkat City is the gambling center of the subsector, comparable to twenty-first century Las Vegas on Terra.

Resolve the Plan: The team is scheduled to meet Vassal officials during their week-long stay. While visiting the Basira Starport entertainment district, the group meets a fellow traveler. He initially seems very interested in the group, and even hints at needing to hire someone for an important delivery. Before the group can even respond, the patron suddenly loses interest in the team and quickly heads out the door of the restaurant bar. “I wonder what that was all about?,” quips Ritch. “Who cares?,” was Icond's reply. “We have more important business to attend.”

Later on, the group meets with their Vassal contacts and an INIS field agent. The I-Con Squad will be traveling aboard the supply ship, Igraine, as passengers. The Igraine is a Frontier Trader in the 300 ton class. Traveling only at Warp 1, it will take four weeks to reach Abin at maximum warp. The team will be contacted by Abin officials upon their arrival. On Abin, they will be updated about the current situation on Lindran. Current conditions will be a determining factor with regards to finalizing the mission plan. The INIS field agent encourages his comrades to enjoy the trip and get some rest. “You're all going to need it,” was his departing reply.  Chance smiles and says, “At least we get to travel first-class on the INIS's dime.” "Yeah, and it sure beats sleeping in the freezer,” was Ritch's glib reply to Chance's comment. The phrase, “sleeping in the freezer” is a slang term for traveling in a low berth compartment. Colonel Janice rolls her eyes with a slight sigh of disgust in response to both of the retired INIS agents' comments.

GM Notes: none

302-1122

Prepare to Leave Starport: Board the Igraine

Starport Encounter: As the I-Con Squad approaches the supply ship, they cannot help but overhear the irate Captain barking complaints at his cargo loading crew. Later on, the group discovers that 20% of the cargo has been damaged beyond salvage. Icond learns the damaged cargo was important ship replacement parts destined for Independent Navy starships making repairs after their recent battles with Republic of Krax warships. A rumor is going around the Igraine that the 3FT was involved and the accidental damage was actually sabotage. At this time it is just a rumor.

Board Starship/Departure/Ship Encounter: none

Jump: successfully achieves maximum warp with no issues

Onboard Events: Week 1: The group settles into their staterooms and take it easy for the first two days. During a gathering in the ship's recreation area, a fellow passenger tells Colonel Janice she noticed a weapon in the stateroom of another passenger. She was in his room for a nightcap last night, and spotted it in a partially open desk near the lavatory. She initially did not think anything about it, but after thinking about the incident with the damaged cargo before departure, she thought she needed to say something. “Why didn't you go straight to the Captain?,” the Colonel asked. “I was going to, but right before I reached the bridge, I spotted the passenger with the gun talking to a crewman near the bridge.” I did not want to go near him, so I headed to the recreation area.” Colonel Janice could tell she was terrified by the non-stop trembling of her hands. The young female passenger was obviously an ordinary citizen who has never had to deal with a situation like this in her past. The Colonel calmly reassures the female passenger that she will report the matter immediately to the Captain, and encourages her to stay with the large group gathered in the recreation area. The Colonel notifies her fellow team members of the situation, and the group makes its way to bridge. Colonel Janice informs the first officer of a potential threat onboard and he immediately takes the group to see the Captain.

The I-Con Squad volunteers to assist the Captain and crew of the Igraine to locate the now missing passenger. Captain Hargis agrees. The team member's weapons are released from the ship's locker and given to each of them.  Ship's security will search the inhabited portions of the ship, while the I-Cond Squad will search the forward cargo hold area. Upon the team's arrival to the forward cargo hold section, Icond hears the swoosh sound of a closing iris valve just down the cargo hold corridor. The group quietly approaches and listens at the door, but hears nothing. “Weapons ready,” Icond whispers to the team members. He activates the iris valve, and the group enters forward cargo hold A. As the valve closes behind them, there is no sound. Scanning the area, the team spots no movement either. The group moves forward cautiously down the narrow aisle between stacks of cargo reaching toward the top of the cargo hold. As Colonel Janice moves about 6 meters, a gun blast fires out from behind a stack of crates. The Colonel is hit, but somehow stays on her feet. She quickly snaps off a double tap in the direction of the muzzle flash. A loud groan is heard, and a body slumps to the floor. Dr. Merrick quickly advances to the slumped body and secures the individual's weapon. The rest of the team surrounds the unconscious man, with weapons trained upon him. The wounded passenger awakens to find five gun barrels pointed at him. The team takes him into custody and heads off to find the Captain.

The Captain, ship's security, and the I-Con Squad interrogate the passenger in the security section of the Igraine. The Captain and security officers get nothing out of him, so Icond and Ritch try their hand at questioning him. They also fail to get the passenger to say anything. The Captain pulls aside Icond and tells him to feel free to use ANY means necessary to get him to talk. Although Icond is tempted, he refuses to use extreme methods to get the passenger's mouth to open. The Captain is not happy, but doesn't press the issue. The passenger is thrown into the brig, or at least that is what the Captain has told the I-Con Squad. Icond wonders if that is really the case.

GM Note: The Captain has kept his word, and the prisoner is not harmed or interrogated any further. Captain Hargis will leave that matter to officials on Abin. If this passenger is a spy, he won't receive kind treatment at the hands of IM Security Services. “Oh, he'll talk,” the Captain quietly chuckles to himself. “Or die trying.”

Up Next: Onboard Events: Week 2

SOLO Campaign - Operation Grievance Introduction

 

3FT SOLO Campaign #2 – Mission Introduction

I'm using Stellagama's Cepheus Light, Zozer's SOLO, and the One Page Solo Engine by Inflatable Studios for this campaign. SOLO uses a scene resolution mechanic called "The Plan.” The One Page Solo Engine (OPSE) will be used in place of The Plan mechanic. I may still utilize The Plan from time to time in this campaign. The OPSE is not needed to play Zozer's SOLO, but I like to use it as a means of creating more details to go beyond The Plan mechanic. My last 3FT campaign, The Dean Team, worked great using just SOLO.

My campaign utilizes the Classic Traveller setting, occurring shortly after the start of the Fifth Frontier War in 1107. Beyond 1107, everything becomes non-canonical. I am also using Judges Guild's Glimmerdrift Reaches for this campaign, which is no longer part of the Traveller Canon.

Background Info:

The Imperium's Naval Intelligence Service (INIS) has activated its Special Branch Unit to be inserted into the Sosie Subsector. Recently, four systems within the Republic of Krax (ROK) have declared their independence from the ROK. These systems have formed an alliance with the independent systems of the Sosie Subsector. Various news agencies, including the Travellers' Aid Society have dubbed it the “Independence Movement” (IM).

The 3 Fists Triumvirate (3FT) has been slow to respond due to their consolidation of power at the center of the systems they control. An increase of 3FT agent activity has been recently detected by agents of the INIS. Numerous 3FT agents are being reported on Lindran. The citizenry of Lindran are getting restless again, and a political movement calling for Lindran's return to the ROK is growing. INIS officials believe the growing discontent means the 3FT has already established a fifth column within the IM on Lindran. A tactic they used with great success to gain control of the Krax Confederation.

I-Con Squad's mission is to counter the ROK's fifth column operation. Code-named, “Operation Grievance,” the I-Con Squad will be operating within the Independent Systems of the Sosie subsector to monitor 3FT activities. The squad is to destroy any cells and/or members they encounter. Officially, the Imperium will disavow the I-Con Squad if they are caught by the 3FT. Officials of the IM understand the covert nature of the mission , and seek to keep the Imperium's involvement a secret. They will also disavow the I-Con Squad if the team is caught by the 3FT.

Icond and his team recently arrived on Firenzi, a system located along a major trade route of the Independent Systems of the Sosie Subsector. Although surplus Imperium scout ships are common throughout the Glimmerdrift Reaches, the ISS I-Con is well known to the ruling members of the 3 Fists Triumvirate and their security services. The I-Con will take the squad as far as Vassal, then the team will board a supply ship bound for Abin to meet up with IM Defense Forces to make plans to address the situation on Lindran.

Cast of Characters (I-Con Squad):

Icond (INIS Squad Leader)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Ignores Col. Janice Mehlberg.

Janice Mehlberg (Imperium Marine Colonel-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Rival of Icond.

Chance Morgenstern (INIS Agent-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Admires Dr. Slager.

Dr. Merrick Slager (Scholar/Team Doctor-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Secretly hates Col. Janice.

Ritch Duhart (INIS Agent-Retired)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Inseparable buddy of Chance.

Up Next: Heading to Abin

Character Profile - Icond

 Legacy Character (Background and History - NPC)

(Cepheus Light Character Stats) 

Icond  A88885  Age 45 (16-1120) 

Homeworld: High-Tech World

Scout    3 Terms   Cr (classified) 

Rifle x1

Administration-1, Athletics-1, Grav Vehicle-1, Gunnery-1, Piloting-3, Recon-1, Investigation-2

Icond is a retired member of the Imperial Scouts Service (ISS). Born on Rhylanor, Icond served 3 terms in the ISS. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Medal for exposing a major Zhodani spy ring while working with the ISS.

Upon retirement, Icond was approached by the Imperial Naval Intelligence Services-Spinward Marches (INIS), and recruited for intelligence gathering within the Marches. 

Having received a Scout Ship upon mustering-out, along with his daring operation exposing a Zhodani spy ring led to his recruitment. Assigned along with a fellow retiree from the Imperial Navy, Titus Cromwell, the two were to go about their business plying the space lanes in search of revenue ventures, and gather intelligence from various locations throughout the Spinward Marches. While engaging in private business, the two were to recruit additional members to work along with them in an unofficial capacity.

A group was assembled with the following members: Icond, Titus, Sir James Filmore, and Sean Billman. Everything started out well, but eventually all hell would break loose. The group first assignment was to serve as couriers, transporting dispatches and payroll credit vouchers for a corporate interest on Regina.

After completing the assignment and receiving their pay, the group headed to a local drinking establishment on Alell (Regina - 0106). An insult by a local patron turned into a barroom brawl with Sean Billman killing the local patron. Icond had to utilize his INIS influence to convince local authorities to release Sean on his own recognizance. Charges were later dropped and the incident ruled as self-defense.

The next few ventures went off with no issues. An assignment in the Aramis subsector to monitor pirate activities almost killed the entire group. An engagement with a pirate corsair ship left Icond with severe injuries that required an entire year to fully recover. During Icond's convalescence, three new members were recruited to join the group. These members were Othi Mittal (Imperium Army) , Dallon Parga (Imperium Navy), and Vidar Nimanev (Imperium Scouts). Titus Cromwell would lead the group during Icond's absence. Titus led the group in several "shady" but lucrative ventures; however, the legality of these ventures was questionable at best, and the illegal activities had gained the attention of Imperium officials. An investigation by an agent of the INIS revealed Titus's involvement. A subsequent visit with Icond by the agent was for the purpose of informing him about the situation. He was able to convince the agent to give him a chance to speak with Titus and get to the bottom of the situation.

Upon Titus's return, Icond confronted him regarding the group's recent activities. Titus admitted to a couple of illegal smuggling operations, but presented Icond with several high-level contacts that could be targeted for arrest by the Imperium. Titus explained his participation as "an end that justified the means." Icond disagreed, but acknowledged the information obtained would put an end to several smuggling enterprises in the region. Icond passed this information to his INIS contact, and although the agency was grateful for the intelligence gathered, Titus received an official reprimand, a suspended sentence for smuggling, and a 25000 CR fine at a Regina court. 

Upon Icond's full recovery, the group was assigned to investigate sightings of an alien ship in the Regina subsector. The group made contact with a derelict craft in the vicinity of a small gas giant in the Keng system. The group decided to salvage the vessel, and after a few weeks they were able to figure out the computer and control systems. The decision was made to bring the ship to the nearest Imperium Naval base at Pixie. The group divided with Titus, Sir James, Sean, and Othi taking the Annic Nova. Icond, Dallon, and Vidar would take the scout ship. The Annic Nova's jump capability would allow it to reach Pixie in two weeks. The scout ship would take almost 4 weeks to reach the naval base.

Upon arrival at Pixie, Icond is informed that no ship matching the Annic Nova's appearance had arrived. Two weeks later, it was apparent to Icond that something had gone wrong. Was the Annic Nova destroyed, or was it something far more sinister? After a lengthy debriefing with INIS officials on Pixie, Icond and his team are given the assignment to find and detain Titus and the other members of the group as soon as possible. 

In time, Icond learns of the Annic Nova's presence in several systems in the Regina subsector. Two years pass, with Icond trailing the rogue group but never making contact. The outbreak of the Fifth Frontier War in 1107 hampers Icond's investigation further. The trail goes cold for several weeks, until a contact on Boughene overhears a conversation with someone matching Titus's description. Titus was overheard talking about investigating a relic in the Yorbund system that had the potential to enrich the group members beyond their wildest dreams. Icond's team hastily made their way to Yorbund, arriving at Beck's World on 310-1107. As Icond and his crew prepared to depart for Yorbund, they receive word of an injured member of the Annic Nova crew, Othi Mittal, at a hospital on Beck's World. Communicating with the injured Othi proved difficult due to the extent of his injuries. Icond continues to question him, but Othi slips in and out of consciousness. In the end, Othi expires, but Icond is able to piece together a strange, but terrifying bit of information: "artifact, missile, parsecs, great distances, and planet smashing." What exactly did it mean?

Icond and his crew arrive at Yorbund. Communications with Marion Starport confirms the past presence of the Annic Nova, but the ship had departed a couple of days before Icond's arrival. The crew of the Annic Nova never set foot in the starport, but remained in orbit for a couple days. The insidious and corrosive atmosphere of Yorbund prohibits the team from exploring the planet on the surface. A couple of sensor sweep orbits around Yorbund yields no further clues. Icond decides to make his way back to Pixie to inform Naval Intelligence of his findings. 

No new leads on the whereabouts of the Annic Nova were available until 360-1107. An INIS communique arrived at the Naval base on Pixie informing the Naval Intelligence staff of a threat to Regina itself if a ransom of Bcr3.0 was not paid. Regina officials and top brass dismissed the threat, but Icond did not. Pleading with his superiors on Pixie, Icond urged them to get word ASAP to Regina to evacuate Duke Norris and as many people as possible before it was too late. Icond's pleas were ignored. 

On 23-1108, a small craft arrived out of jump in the Regina system. Obtaining acceleration speeds estimated at 12g, the craft hurtled toward Regina with no vessel capable of intercepting it. In a blinding flash, Regina, and everything within 20 world diameters were vaporized. 

When word reaches Pixie, everyone at Naval Base Headquarters is stunned. Shortly afterwards, the INIS sets in motion the apparatus to seek vengeance on the culprits. Icond will head up a new division now known as INIS-Special Branch. His mission is to take out the "Gang of Three" by any means necessary. 

The Gang of Three will eventually become known as "The Three Fists Triumvirate." Icond knows them as Titus, Sir James, and Sean. 

SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Epilogue

 I completed this adventure way back in October of 2019. This was my first time playing a solo rpg, and my first time using Zozer Games' SOLO system. I started with the Classic Traveller system, but switched to Cepheus Engine shortly after the first game play of the Dean Team Campaign.

The characters used for this adventure were from “Supplement 13 – Veterans” from GDW. I decided to use pre-generated CT characters in order to get right into game play. This turned out to be bad decision on my part. The characters really did not have the proper skills for an espionage style mission. It would have helped to incorporate at least two agent characters such as those that can be generated on the Agent Career Character Generation Chart in Cepheus Engine. I gave some thought of modifying my Dean Team characters, but decided to see how things would go with the original stats.

I utilized the campaign style “Campaign: Travellers” from the SOLO RPG Campaigns Book (p. 53). I used the checklist outlined on p. 53 to conduct my campaign. I slightly modified this checklist as I played the campaign, but for the most part, I followed the SOLO checklist.

The heart of the SOLO system is “The Plan.” I followed this system throughout my Dean Team Campaign. “The Plan” is a mechanic to resolve a scene. Each plan has a difficulty and danger level. Here is a sample from my play of the Dean Team:

The Plan: The group will attempt to make contact with the Secret Base.

Difficulty: Shaky [required roll = 10+]

Danger Level: Dangerous [“There is chance of physical injury, even death, if things go wrong]

Roll 2d6 to resolve the plan: If the modified roll is less than 10, there is a bad consequence. If the modified roll is = or > than 10, there is a good consequence.

The idea is to take the results of the plan resolution and role play what happened. This can sometimes feel confusing, but after a few times of using “The Plan,” I found it easier to role play the results. In the above example of my Dean Team's last plan, the group failed their success roll. No physical injury resulted , and the bad consequence was “part of the mission was failed or incriminating evidence left behind.” I decided to make the failed plan result a mission failure due to the group's failure to make contact by the time deadline. I role played the group searching the area and making inquiries of the locals. I used the “Tell Me, D6” mechanic outlined on p. 37 of SOLO to assist the role play of the characters interacting with the locals around the area of the secret base. Since the group did not roll the required 10+ and failed the mission, I conducted the role play of the scene with the possibility of the group encountering the secret police. Fortunately for the Dean Team, they did not encounter an undercover government agent which would have certainly resulted in the arrest and/or termination of the group as spies.

Overall, I find Zozer's SOLO to be a useful tool to play Travelller/Cepheus Engine solo. SOLO is not a book full of random charts and endless dice rolling. I find it to be a set of tools to assist with fleshing out the story of your solo rpg campaign.

SOLO has enabled me to move beyond the simple dice rolling resolution mechanic and to get into creating a story. A journal notebook to write out the story narrative is paramount when using SOLO. For some, it will feel like a writing assignment that lacks the interaction and experience of role playing with other people. For many, it will expand your imagination as you play and write out your solo gaming experience. It has been an enriching experience for me and I look forward to my next SOLO campaign.

My next SOLO campaign has already started. I am using Cepheus Light from Stellagama Publishing for my character generation and play of this new campaign. I am not sure if I will post an account of this campaign on COTI, but you never know.

I wish to thank all of you who have followed my posts of the Dean Team Campaign.

SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Part 8

 SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Part 8

Current Adventure: Infiltrate

Date: 316 - 1120

Subsector/Sector Location: Williamsburg/Glimmerdrift Reaches

Cast of Characters (Dean Team):

Dean Halvaard (Force Commander)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Keter an enemy.

Striker Anderson (Major)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Dean a rival.

Jansen Trueblood (First Lieutenant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Admires Kilgar.

Keter Lancel (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Friendship with Dean through guilt.

Kilgar Plenson (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Knows about Striker's gambling problem.

Kyle Rheimer (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Likes to ridicule Jansen.

…..............

316 - 1120

System: Abin

The team attempts to leave the starport and enter the general population. A new agent is now tracking the group. The 3FT has very few operatives in this system, but the Shattered Planet Security Service (SPS) is present. The SPS does not have the funding and technological advantages as the 3FT, but it has numerous field agents. This new agent tailing the group is an agent of the SPS.

Starport Encounter: The Dean Team seeks an opportunity to make its escape from the starport. A buzz circles around the starport as news of a starship entering the Abin system has received heavy combat damage. No further news is available, and the team really wants to get out of the starport before it is shut down. To further complicate things, the team detects the SPS agent tailing them around the starport.

Resolve the Plan: The group successfully exits the starport; however, the SPS agent is following them from a distant. In order to leave, the group was required to surrender their weapons. The team members gladly comply.

GM Note: Abin has 7 regions and 47 cities located on the main continent of the planet. The secret base of the insurgents is located in a rural area in Region 7, outside of City 47. The team has 49 days to reach the contact who will escort them to the secret base. There should be plenty of time to reach the contact. If the group does not make a connection with the contact by day 365, the contact will leave and the mission will be a failure.

323-1120

The group will attempt to shake the SPS tail. As the team passes through Regions 1-3, it appears the SPS agent is no longer following them.

Resolve the Plan: The group attempts to enter Region 4, but is stopped at a government checkpoint and they are denied passage. A soldier informs them the restriction on travel outside of Regions 1-3 will end in a few days, and she encourages the group to return at that time. Dean believes their identities have not been compromised, and this restriction on travel is unrelated to the team's presence.

330-1120

The team sets out again for the secret base. Ilar Xenith turns white as a ghost when the group approaches the checkpoint at Region 4. He claims to have spotted the agent who was tailing them earlier. None of the other members of the Dean Team noticed anyone following them, and they try to encourage Ilar that everything is alright. Ilar is becoming visibly nervous and making paranoid ramblings about the group having been made by the authorities. In the end, the group successfully passes through the Region 4 checkpoint and proceeds to the next checkpoint.

Resolve the Plan: The group makes it to Region 6. The group finds a local hotel in City 36, and will proceed to Region 7 the next day. The team departs in the morning for Region 7 and makes it through the last region checkpoint.

337-1120

Resolve the Plan: The team makes its way from City 41 and should be able to reach City 47 by 338-1120. While proceeding through City 46, the group's air-raft is involved in an accident. Ilar Xenith received a minor injury to his head. The Dean Team will be delayed in City 46 for at least a week in order to secure new transportation.

344-1120

The group successfully secures a new air-raft for the last leg of their journey.

Resolve the Plan: As the team heads toward the edge of City 46, they are stopped by a mass demonstration. Citizens in the rural areas of Abin are not supporters of the new government in charge of the planet. They have no love for the 3FT or the SPS. The protests are peaceful, but travel is all but impossible while the protests are being held.

345-1120

The group sets out once again for City 47. Ilar is becoming more delusional and keeps insisting the team is being followed by an agent. Kyle and Jansen conduct some recon and do not detect anyone following them.

Resolve the Plan: The group is stopped by local law enforcement. Dean is informed by a police sergeant that the earlier protests in City 46 have triggered riots in City 47. All routes leading to City 47 are now closed. He has no idea how long the closures will last.

GM Note: Ilar's head injury has made his delusions even worse. The team has been successfully covering their tracks. No one is tailing them. What should have been a trip that takes no more than 7 days to complete has taken 22 days, and the team is still not at its destination. There is still plenty of time, but the contact rendezvous is quickly approaching.

358-1120

It takes almost a fortnight for the riots/protests to settle down and for city connecting roads to reopen. The group now has only 7 days to make the rendezvous with the insurgent contact.

Resolve the Plan: As the team approaches the outskirts of City 47, they are stopped by soldiers manning a makeshift military checkpoint. The team is denied passage, but is told to check back tomorrow. The checkpoint guard tells Dean that he believes they will be leaving the area in a day or two since things have settled down in the city. The soldier's estimate was accurate, and the group was allowed to proceed to City 47 on 359-1120.

360-1120

Dean Halvaard informs the team members of the departure of Ilar Xenith. When he went into Ilar's room at the local hostel he found Ilar and his possessions missing. A brief note on the night stand reads, “They have found us. I am getting out now. You would all be wise to do the same thing.” The team members believe Ilar's head injuries must be more severe than they originally thought. There is still no evidence of the team being followed by anyone.

Dean presses the group to make haste and prepare to depart City 47 as quickly as possible. Word on the street has it that the long anticipated civil war is about to break loose. “We do not want to be anywhere near here when that happens,” was Dean's comment regarding the rumor.

Resolve the Plan: As the team approached City 47's last checkpoint to the rural countryside, Dean pushed the air-raft a bit too much, and he had to make a rather tricky maneuver in order to keep the air-raft from crashing through the checkpoint gate. An angry military captain began to read Dean the riot act for his approach to the checkpoint. “Are you looking to get shot??” replied the Captain. “Sorry, sir. All this rioting and protests have me jumpy, and I am just trying to get home,” was Dean's reply. The conciliatory tone of Dean's words did little to ease the Captain's anger. “Papers. NOW,” barked the Captain! All of the team members presented their IDs to the Captain. Several other soldiers quickly surrounded the air-raft. After a few minutes, which felt like several days, the Captain returned the team members' IDs. The Captain's next words were devastating. “Passage DENIED for twelve days! I suggest you turn around and go back to the city.” Before Dean could get a word out, the Captain warned him that any word spoken by him or any other occupants of the air-raft would result in their immediate detention. Without saying a word, the team retreated back to the city. The mission has failed!!!

GM Notes: The mission ends in failure. I decided to continue the adventure with the group attempting to locate the hidden base, but their attempts never succeeded. A few other endeavors that had the Dean Team within striking distance of a leader of the 3 Fists Triumvirate resulted in the death of Kyle Rheimer. At this point, I decided to bring this adventure to a close.

I will be posting an epilogue of my first-time experience using Zozer Games' SOLO in the near future.

SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Part 7

 SOLO Campaign-Dean Team Part 7

Current Adventure: Infiltrate

Date: 257 - 1120

Subsector/Sector Location: Williamsburg/Glimmerdrift Reaches

Cast of Characters (Dean Team):

Dean Halvaard (Force Commander)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Keter an enemy.

Striker Anderson (Major)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Considers Dean a rival.

Jansen Trueblood (First Lieutenant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Admires Kilgar.

Keter Lancel (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Friendship with Dean through guilt.

Kilgar Plenson (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Knows about Striker's gambling problem.

Kyle Rheimer (Lance Sergeant)

Character Reactions (SOLO p.18): Likes to ridicule Jansen.

…..............

257 - 1120

System: Linmar

Preparing for Departure: A fist fight breaks out in a lounge while the Dean Team is having a drink. Dean and Striker get involved and break up the fight. A few scrapes and bruises, but no serious injuries. Starport security responds in a ruthless manner, hauling off the instigators of the fight with extreme violence. Kyle notices one of the brawlers is unresponsive and looks dead.

The starport goes on lockdown, and curfews have been issued for all occupants of the starport and surrounding settlements. Dean is later informed by a local at the starport that the 3FT are involved and spy activity is suspected by the government. This local also tells Dean he had heard a rumor that all of the brawlers at the lounge have been eliminated. Is this a rumor? It seems like Kyle's observation lends credence to it. The crew and team members are never questioned by security or any other government agents.

The lockdown on Linmar lasts a total of 24 days.

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Prepare for Departure: With the ending of the lockdown, the crew of the Free Enterprise are preparing for their trip to Estin. The passenger from Rinma, Urella Ginsan, still wishes to travel to Estin. She spends her time in her stateroom cabin while the crew preps for departure. The Dean Team and crew never spotted her while the starport was on lockdown. They are also maintaining their vigilance with keeping an eye on Urella and watching their own behavior. Nothing indicates to Dean that she is a spy, but better to play it on the safe side.

System Travel to Jump Point: An Emergency Response Boat believes the far trader is a pirate ship. Extended communication with the ERB and Linmar starport officials allays the ERB's fear.

Jump: Sensors during jump travel are giving false readings of system failures. A thorough check of operating systems indicate a false-positive. Everything appears to be working order.

Arrival: Arrive in the Estin System. No encounters.

Starport Encounters: With the successful delivery of the cargo completed, the crew seeks out a little R&R. The extra credits from the cargo and additional passenger means a nice dinner at the starport's finest restaurant! The group also decides to spend an extra week on Estin.

World Encounters: During the meal, the captain spots a local celebrity whom he admires. William Carreiro is a famous actor on Estin. The captain catches him in a good mood and secures an autograph from the actor. The captain is now in an even greater mood and buys drinks for the house! Whatever happened to traveling incognito???

GM Note: The brawl at the starport lounge was started when a member of a local dissident cell on Estin was exposed as a 3FT operative. The man Kyle had witnessed was actually the 3FT operative who was indeed dead. One of the dissidents in the fist fight successful stabbed the operative in the heart with a concealed blade. Urella was temporarily recalled to interrogate the prisoners arrested at the starport lounge. She was also interested in finding out whether or not Dean and Striker were part of the dissident group operating on Estin. The dissident prisoners denied knowing anything about Dean and Striker. Urella believed them, since Dean and Striker's actions prevented the dissidents from making their escape. Needless to say, the rumors regarding the fate of the brawlers are true. Both prisoners were summarily executed after Urella's interrogation.

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Preparing for Departure: The captain and crew were able to secure cargo for transport to Abin. The extra week of rest has done wonders for the Dean Team's morale. No sign of Urella, so it looks like her travel onboard the far trader is completed. While completing his duties onboard the far trader, Jansen Trueblood finds a listening device in the crew lounge. Jansen alerts the captain and Dean of his discovery. No crew member would have need of this, since all of them are part of the operation. There is only one person who could have placed the listening device...Urella Ginsan!

There is still no sign of Urella, but the captain fears she might return with the destruction of the listening device. A plan is hatched! The crew will search for a passenger to fill the empty passenger cabin. A quick search of the starport yields a willing person seeking passage. The captain offers an incredible deal with a dramatically reduced price on the fare. He also forges the ship's files to show this passage was booked in advance. Everything is in place, but still no sign of Urella.

Within 45 minutes of the Free Enterprise's planned departure, here comes Urella seeking a last-minute passage. The captain, putting on an act that would make William Carreiro proud, humbly apologies to Urella and explains to her the passenger cabin is already booked for the trip to Abin. Visibly angry, Urella walks off in a huff.

GM Note: Sure enough, Urella had detected the listening device was no longer functioning. She originally had no plans to travel onboard the far trader anymore, relying upon agents at Abin to pick up the listening device signal when the Free Enterprise entered the Abin system. The 3FT, along with agents of the Shattered Planet Security (SPS) Service, regularly monitor listening device signals throughout the Republic of Krax. Her inability to secure passage leads her to investigate the ship's flight plan and manifest logs at the starport. Everything appears to be in order. Urella takes solace in the fact that the Free Enterprise and its crew have done nothing to create suspicion in her mind. She believes she has done her job, and now the far trader is the responsibility of officials at Abin. An x-boat message will be forwarded to Abin as soon as possible in accordance with 3FT protocol.

The captain's plan and the Dean Team's discipline have paid dividends. The 3FT tail has been broken!

System Travel to Jump Point: A distress call is received from the Large Transport Ship, Titan. The Titan's medic has become violently ill. The Free Enterprise continues to monitor radio transmissions between the Titan and Estin as the far trader approaches its jump point.

Jump: As the Free Enterprise is traveling through jump space, the passenger recruited by the captain attempts to hijack the far trader. The hijacker successfully gains control of the bridge. The Dean Team springs into action and a battle commences. The hijacker is quickly subdued and successfully detained. Kyle and the hijacker both receive minor injuries.

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Arrival: The Free Enterprise enters the Abin system. The Free Enterprise passes the outbound far trader, Nero. No issues or problems.

Starport Encounter: The ship arrives and unloads its cargo. The hijacker is escorted to the starport security office and turned over to them. As the Dean Team members head back to the docked far trader, Kyle notices a very frustrated port official. Kyle offers assistance, and the frustrated official gladly accepts his offer. Within a few entries, Kyle is able to get the official's computer working again. The port official is grateful and even offers CR100 for Kyle's help. He politely declines the official's offer.

GM Note: While the team is escorting the hijacker to starport security, a 3FT operative begins to follow the group. As the team heads back to the far trader, the 3FT operative is called away by his superiors. The tail ends as quickly as it started.

The Dean Team says goodbye to the captain and crew of the Free Enterprise. The far trader will continue its undercover work and proceed to their next destination without the Dean Team. The team makes contact with an operative of the insurgents on Abin. New identification papers are secured and the team will attempt to leave the starport with new identities. The secret insurgent base is located in a rural area of Abin. The name of contacts and addresses must be memorized. The team cannot risk anything printed or written that could fall into the hands of the 3FT if the group is stopped along their journey.