STALKER7

The Sturgis crew began their post-apoc/sci-fi campaign last week with the intrepid crew of the heavy transport BLU (Better Left Unsaid) forced to choose between a wideband MAYDAY from a water hauler near Jupiter, and a low- power, automated distress call coming from a nearby cluster of asteroids.

The first was under attack by pirates after the valuable cargo, while the second was broadcasting on an old mega-corporate frequency with pre-war encryption.

The crew investigated the asteroid cluster.

The ship took a glancing hit waltzing its way through a field of spinning space boulders, but successfully docked with an abandoned facility bored into a large asteroid in the center of the nameless cluster.

A bit of investigation here, a bit of research there, it turned out the crew had discovered a covert bio-genetics lab from a long-destroyed Earth corporation. The laboratory was pre-war old, seemingly deserted, running in emergency, low-power mode, and had been for some time.

Older, deep space tech, an asteroid facility like this was a state-of-the-art, black site before the war, a location where governments, corporate entities, and even the ultra-wealthy pursued questionable research and interests outside regular jurisdictions and legal structures.

The layout consisted of an airlock, a large central chamber with short, side passages to hab-units and critical support systems, and a massive sealed door blocking the entrance to the main lab.

Air and grav restored, the crew was not content to simply note the facility’s location, download accessible data, and back away respectfully, anxious to defer the recovery operation to a dedicated, qualified crew. No, not at all.

Time to hack that console.

“Lockdown protocol in effect. Security system engaged.”

Maybe not the words you want to hear when you jack into the computer terminal in the mysterious research facility…

The crew in the central chamber was watching Chris C’s Hacker (and his pet military drone) splice into the door controls when a trio of security droids emerged from recessed wall panels and started shooting.

Taken by surprise, the crew took some minor wounds before dispatching the droids and cracking the door’s mag-locks. Onto the main lab.

Enter a large open room, intermittently lit by computer monitors, smartglass screens, and the glowing murky fluids inside multiple, large specimen, containment pods. On the far side of the room, the largest one is broken open. (of course)

*cue ominous music*

The team splits up to check out various crates and computer terminals. Wouldn’t you know a second wave of security droids trundles out of their cubbyholes just as a huge, tentacled combat bio-form stomps out of the shadows…

(who didn’t see THAT coming?)

All of a sudden there’s a lot of metal in the air, zipping around, looking for a warm meat home. Matt F’s soldier spins in the doorway and raises his rail gun. Tom W’s former Martian Marine steps up to the bio-form. Chris A’s CQB brawler is caught flatfooted, pawing through some crates, while Chris C’s Hacker + One slink in the shadows along the edge of the room toward the largest computer terminal.

“You guys got this. I’ll stick to what I’m good at.”

Tom’s Marine promptly gets the stuffing knocked out of him. Matt’s Soldier is pinned in the doorway, trading shots with droids. Chris C’s I.T. guy is trying hard to not be noticed by the large, scary bio-engineered melee monster.

The former Martian Marine manages to wound the beast before he gets pummeled to the floor. (Ouch. That’ll leave a scar.) But at least that makes room for Chris C’s Brawler (aptly named ‘Krieg 7B’) to step up and turn on the charm.

Back to back with Matt’s Soldier, the two of them eliminate the last of the threats on this nameless asteroid.

Post-Mission

The crew recovers some valuable salvage, including a rare, upgraded Med-pack, some high-tech spare parts used for improving weapons and gear, and a mysterious canister of what looks like a lot of gray dust.

Back on the BLU, they receive orders to travel to a large space station above Ganymede. There, they are to investigate a missing colleague who was operating undercover at the space docks.

The team’s dispatcher informs them that tensions are high at the station, due to sudden, emergency water restrictions, but he is confident they can proceed with their mission, and find out not only what happened to their comrade, but who and what he was looking into when he went missing.

To be Continued.

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