Star Trek Adventures

Decision Point 47999.8

SCENE 1: The Search
The U.S.S. Fortuna has been searching for a missing science vessel, the S.S. Tesla, which went
missing six weeks ago while cataloguing anomalies in an unstable region of the Shackleton
Expanse. This region is notorious for an unusual number of temporal and spatial anomalies,
some benign and others extremely dangerous. Eighteen hours ago, the Fortuna picked up a
plasma trail, likely from a damaged ship.
The Orgun system has two Class M planets, both with populations protected under General
Order One: The Prime Directive. Orgun II has a primitive civilization, equivalent to medieval
Earth. The residents call themselves the Slithar and are a violent and warlike culture. The
residents of Orgun III, who call themselves Lormeans, are quite different, being a mammalian
species that are noted for a peaceful and communal society. Their technology is equivalent to
mid-21st century Earth, just pre-warp tech, but still covered by the Prime Directive. The plasma
trail from the S.S. Tesla leads directly toward Orgun III.
The S.S. Tesla carried a crew of six scientists:
 Captain Andrew Forrest (Human – Lead Scientist and Systems Engineer)
 Dr. Emilee Sherman (Human – Lead Astrophysicist)
 Ibab Thi’vhet (Andorian – Geologist)
 Dr. Norma Grange (Human – Physicist)
 Orimu Faz (Trill – Chemist/Xenobiologist)
 Dr. Scia Lort (Human – Biologist/Medical Doctor)
Aboard the U.S.S. Fortuna
 Hide From Satellites: The ship’s main deflector has been modified to transmit interference,
shielding the ship’s presence from Lormean satellites in orbit and any possible scans from
the planet Reason + Engineering (D2) = Sensors + Engineering Asst.
 Scan the Planet: Reason + Science (D2) – Sensors + Science Asst.
 S.S. Tesla crash-landed, relatively intact, in a wilderness region, about 200 km from the
Lormean capital city.
 No humanoid life-forms are shown in the vicinity.
 Energy fluctuations around the planet interfering with the sensors; Difficult to
differentiate human life-forms from the native Lormeans.
 The scan also shows an extremely powerful energy source, about 5 km underground, not
far to the north of the capital city. Due to the
 Unusual energy fluctuations around the planet mean communicators and transporters are
ineffective.
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 Scan The Planet (Momentum Bonus):
1. The underground energy source to the north of the capital city is far more advanced
than anything on the planet and is of an unknown kind. It is definitely not natural, and
unlike any energy source used by the Lormeans.
2. Human life-forms are detected in the capital city. A sensor lock for transport cannot
be obtained, but they, or most of them, are almost certainly in the city.
3. M3: The subterranean energy source north of the capital city appears to be impacting
the geologic instability and may be responsible for the electromagnetic disturbances in
the atmosphere.

Piloting to the Surface

 Navigation and Landing: Daring (or Control) + Conn (D2) -- Control + Engineering
Asst (from Ops)
 Mask Signature: Reason + Engineering (D2) – Reason + Science Asst
SCENE 2: Organ III
As you exit the shuttle you see the wreckage of the S.S. Tesla lying in the burnt remains of the
forest around it. The forest has been leveled for about 50 meters around the wreckage. The crew
cabin appears to be mostly intact. The Tesla was a small, civilian version of a Raven-class
science vessel. A quick examination of the surroundings reveals two recent graves. Quick
tricorder scans reveal that one body is human and the other Andorian – crew members of the
Tesla.
 Examining the Ship: Insight + Engineering (D1)
 Warp Core shut down pre-crash to prevent explosion. Emergency power still running.
Damaged beyond repair.
 Computer Data Cores and logs removed.
A sudden breeze stirs up ash from the crash site as several flyers come out from the cover of the
trees and settle on the ground nearby. The vehicles each disgorge a half dozen humanoids. They
are slight of build and on average, shorter than humans, and are covered in a light coat of fur
and with large, lemur-like eyes. They move with a graceful agility as they point energy
weapons of some kind in your direction.
 Lormeans approaches and speaks to the crew. She identifies herself as Captain Theema,
and she tells them that the scientists are safe at their capital city of Lorm. She invites the
crew to accompany her team back to city.
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 She refuses to answer, telling them only that the scientists are safe and waiting there. She
continues to insist that they accompany her to Lormean Central Headquarters in Lorm.
 Assuming the crew accepts the offer, they are relieved of their weapons, ushered aboard the
flyers, and whisked away to the city.

Loremean Central Headquarters

 Massive building with high ceilings and glass walls that upon closer inspection are made of
opaque amber. The building is that it is actually an enormous living tree.
 Almost all Lormean dwellings appear to be made of living trees. Soft moss lines the floors
rather than carpeting.
 The four surviving scientists are here, and they excitedly greet the crew.
Dr. Emilee Sherman – Chief Scientist
 While cataloging spatial anomalies, the Tesla was struck with
unexpected gravimetric wave that damaged the ship’s warp drive, as
well as other systems, including Comms. They managed to limp to
the Orgun system and tried to set down, but the damage to the ship
was too great and they crashed.
 Captain Andrew Forrest died attempting to patch together the warp
drive. The Andorian, Ibab Thi’vhet, died during the crash. Dr.
Emmet Sherman took command of the mission after Forrest’s death.
 The Lormeans detected the crash and arrived soon after the crash.
Not being beholden to the Prime Directive, the crew of the Tesla
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opted to accompany the Lormeans back to their capital city in the hopes of finding a way
to contact the Federation.
 After learning about the planet’s distress, the scientists unanimously decided to help the
Lormeans come up with evacuation plans.
Chief Minister Toorel – Head of the Loreman Government
 Orgun III is suffering from severe geological distress, and electromagnetic disturbances
are wreaking havoc on their planetary communications
systems. Major earthquakes have become common, and
they estimate that the planet will break up within two
weeks.
 They don’t understand the cause of disturbances. They
are hoping that the crew can use their shuttlecraft to
attempt to determine the cause.
 The Lormeans have plans to evacuate as many people as
they can to Orgun II. With their own technology, they
may be able to get a few hundred to safety, but with help
from the scientists and now a starship in orbit, they could
rescue far more. A few hundred will not provide enough
genetic diversity, and the Lormeans will come to an end
as a species.
Sudden Earth Quake: Fitness / Daring + Security (D1)

Scanning the Planet: Reason + Science (D2) – Control + Engineering Asst.

Requesting Weapons Returned: Presence + Command (D2) One weapon for every
momentum

SCENE 3: The Caverns

The source of the energy emissions that harm the planet come from a location 5 km beneath the
surface. Scanning the area reveals the entrance to a series of natural caverns leading to the
energy source. GM Note: NPC Scientist can come along for Plot Complication
Hazards (Spend Threat for at least 2)
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 Unstable Tunnel (3 Threat): A section of tunnel is unstable and could collapse. Reason
+ Science or Insight + Security Task (D2 if a tricorder is used) to notice the unstable
area and avoid it. FAILURE: Caught in a cave-in. Daring or Control + Security (D2) or
take 3 A Damage.
 Ravine (2 Threat): Climb or jump across the ravine requires a Fitness + Security (D3).
Failing the Task means paying some other cost to do so, suffering an automatic
Complication (ex. dropping a tricorder)
 Poison Gas (3 Threat): A tricorder scan (no Task required) shows that the fog is a
poisonous gas. Players can traverse ledges high up on the walls to avoid the gas, but they
paths are narrow and treacherous. Daring or Control + Security (D2). Failure means
Fitness + Security (D2) to climb back out of the fog and 3 A Damage,
 Steam Vents (2 Threat): Tricorders to determine the pattern of steam release. Reason +
Science (D3). Every player must make a Daring + Security (D3) to cross the cavern OR
Control + Security (D2) if the pattern of steam release has been determined. 2 A
Damage (Knock Down).
You see light ahead breaking through the darkness: not the dim glow of phosphorescent fungus,
but the cold harshness of artificial lighting. It looks like a cave-in caused a rupture into an
artificially carved and lit corridor. The cave-in appears to have destroyed the carved-out tunnel
in one direction, and the other ends in a set of sliding metal doors. The tunnel was clearly
carved by a laser mining drill and has surfaces as smooth as glass. Light panels that have no
apparent power source line the ceiling.
The doors have no markings but open as soon as anyone approaches. No buttons, devices, or
markings inside. Impossible to tell how far or fast the elevator moves, but moments later the
doors open.
SCENE 4: The Source
Outside the elevator is a vast underground cavern filled with incredible machinery. The air is
hot and dry with an acrid smell. Huge metallic towers covered with lights flicker as
charges of electricity play back and forth between them.. Between you and the
electrified towers is a command center of some kind. Rows of computers and control
devices line the walls, and large screens show mostly indecipherable information
scrolling past. Occasionally, something familiar flashes on a screen, such as
geographic map of the planet and a model of this solar system.
Part 1: Decipher the Purpose: Insight / Reason + Science / Engineering (D3)
The machinery was clearly built millennia ago, but an unknown species that created
it obviously monitored every aspect of the planet
 Geological make-up, electromagnetic fields, and atmospheric conditions
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 Can also affect planet, everything from weather control to geological stability.
 The systems also show that the planet was at some time in its past moved from a different
orbit to its current location, an event that would have required almost unimaginable power.
Machine (in part) compensating for stresses that resulted from this move.
 The crew is able to determine that the machinery is malfunctioning, but to be able to make
repairs they have to figure out how to use the controls.

Part 2: Understand the Controls: Reason + Engineering (D3)

 Each failure grants Threat
Part 3: Make the Necessary Repairs Insight or Reason + Science (D3) AND Daring or
Control + Engineering (D3)
 Making the repairs requires at least two characters to work together
 Repair Hazards:
o Machinery explodes, doing 3 A damage to a random character, or making later tasks
more difficult (+1 Difficulty), or adding additional Tasks (D2) that must be
completed.
o Tremors open a small chasm or drop a boulder on a crew member, inflicting 3 A
damage and pinning them until they can be freed with a Daring or Fitness + Security
(D2)
o Steam or radiation jets from the machinery, causing damage to crew, or disabling
equipment.
o Control panels catch fire, increasing the Difficulty of future Tasks.
 SUCCESS:
 Machine will keep planet stable for 6 months; Afterwards, total system failure
 Communicators, sensors, tricorders, etc. all function normally now
SCENE 5: Hard Choices
The Prime Directive: As the right of each sentient species to live in accordance with its normal
cultural evolution is considered sacred, no Starfleet personnel may interfere with the normal and
healthy development of alien life and culture. Such interference includes introducing superior
knowledge, strength, or technology to a world whose society is incapable of handling such
advantages wisely. Starfleet personnel may not violate this Prime Directive, even to save their
lives and/or their ship, unless they are acting to right an earlier violation or an accidental
contamination of said culture. This directive takes precedence over any and all other
considerations, and carries with it the highest moral obligation.
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CHOICES:
1. Help the scientists: The crew can decide to help the
scientists organize an evacuation to Orgun II,
knowing that this is a clear violation of the Prime
Directive. (See below.)
2. Refuse to help but don’t interfere with the scientists:
The scientists continue their research to save as many
Lormeans as possible.
3. Stop the scientists from helping: The crew can
intervene and stop the scientists from helping the
Lormeans evacuate. Being an inherently peaceful
GM Note: Ethical Debate - This is an ideal situation for the players to discuss the moral and
ethical implications of helping the Lormeans, and how they interpret the Prime Directive. With
the scientists involved, it’s also a potential opportunity for social conflict if the players choose
to follow the Prime Directive and try and stop the scientists.