Captain Magnus of the USS Lexington
To Captain or not to Captain?
By
The Mask of Romek
Okay so you’ve got your shiny new copy of STA plus GM screen and maybe painted up some minis too. Only one problem, when you ask who’s going to be Captain? Suddenly everyone finds the floor or the ceiling incredibly interesting. Frustrating isn’t it?
Star Trek Adventures requires players to work as a team, to share resources and work to a common goal. Which is not unlike many others, however the main difference is the burden of command. For some reason many players are reluctant to sit in the big chair. The purpose of this article is to offer up an alternative.
Of course you can merely hand the command to a player you feel worthy, and chances are your judgement will be sound. But if they don’t feel worthy they will gain little pleasure from being press ganged thus tainting their enjoyment of the game and the whole point of this is for your players to have fun after all.
One option is to run the Captain as an NPC. Sure it’s extra work for the GM but at least you get to reign in errant players and guide them through the scenario. The trouble with this approach is they can tend to use the Captain NPC as a safety net. Constantly fishing for clues by asking the Captain for advice. “Hey Boss the warp drive and the transporters are down, what should we fix first?”
If you as GM are happy with this then more power to you and carry on and thanks for your time. If however you fancy challenging and heaven forbid developing your players then please read on.
The following scenario can reworked into most any campaign in fact you could even work the plotline into an on going scenario. The fundamental goal is to show your players that they are in fact more than up to the challenges of command by showing them it being done badly. In essence the Captain in this story will over the course of a couple of days degenerate into a power mad tyrant unfit for duty. The idea being that the players will identify the problem and take command of the ship. Preferably without bloodshed or resorting to mutiny.
Set Course for Pitcairn!
By
The Mask of Romek
Players Introduction
The players are recent appointees to the USS Lexington, an old but battle tested ship. She has just completed a six month refit at the Martian shipyards. The players have only been aboard since the start of the refit and their predecessors have since departed for pastures new. The players have met some of the crew, the bulk of which have been either on courses, vacation or other temporary planetside assignments. The players will have spent their time learning their new jobs and overseeing the refit of their own department.
Captain Ezekiel Magnus is a forty year Starfleet veteran, a highly decorated officer who has been captain of the Lexington for the last seven years. The crew respect and admire him for not only his drive and commitment but for his supportive and nurturing attitude toward them. It is no secret that serving under Captain Magnus is a rare privilege and a career stepping stone.
Only to be disclosed if asked for specifically by the players after hearing the log entry. (The Captain had supervised the six month refit of the Lexington at the Martian shipyards, he did however take a short vacation near the end, leaving the wrapping up to the XO. A keen mountaineer he took part in an expedition on a moon of the Lalande system.)
Captain's Log Stardate 2567.3 After what seemed like an eternity , the refit is finally over. The Lexington is back to full complement and ready for action. I'm looking forward to working with my new command staff, they have all come highly recommended. I've got to know them briefly during the refit while they familiarised themselves with their new posting. They all seem very capable. Joining a new ship is never easy, I'm confident my crew will make them feel welcome. This old war horse is glad the Lexington is likely his last posting before they put him in charge of a desk. Running around the galaxy is a game for the young after all. Our first mission together should serve to work out the kinks and settle everyone in. Starfleet in an uncharacteristic act of kindness has given us a milk run to get us going again. Maybe just as well, I'm still a little run down after my last minute vacation to Lalande.
We are to convey a Vulcan trade delegation from Vulcan to a Federation trade conference three days from now on Andoria. We wont need to push the new engine core in that time frame and it will allow us time to work out any bugs in the other uprated systems.
Scene One
Main Conference Room aboard the Lexington.
The players are there in their respective capacities to be briefed by the Captain on the mission orders. When he arrives he will appear a little sleep deprived but will shrug off any concerns.
The mission is twofold. Firstly they are to convey T'Lau and her trade delegation to the conference on Andoria. T'Lau is no fan of Starfleet, she considers the expense of a military arm in peacetime a necessary evil, but an evil none the less. She is to be accorded the respect appropriate to her position and allowances made for her often vocal opinions on the fleet.
Secondly, the ships systems require to be tested. This should not impact on our journey unless we encounter a catastrophic failure. A schedule of system tests has already been prepared.
Apart from the mundane day to day minutiae of keeping a starship running he will also request that the chief of security collect all hand phasers and store them in the main armoury. Only suitably qualified security personnel are to be armed and only when on duty. The duty security chief is responsible for the issue and return of all weapons as well as a full inventory of the armoury every shift changeover.
This is not an unusual order although command staff are normally allowed personal issue weapons. The Captain explains that is recent incidents on other starships have given cause for concern. It is also no secret that T'Lau the head of the trade delegation is averse to the overt military nature of Starfleet and had to be persuaded to use the Lexington for this part of his journey. Any overt displays of weapons is to be avoided at all costs.
During the course of the meeting the Captain will have to be prompted to remember players names and positions. He will laugh it off as skill fade after his vacation. Should any of the players try to insist he take a medical he will pull rank and dismiss them.
The ship will depart from Mars orbit with no issues. The Lexington will leave the Sol system on Impulse before the first test of the warp drive.
The test itself is a difficulty 2 Reason + Engineering task. This should not be any large hurdle for the players. Should they roll any complications, just play them out as normal.
Scene Two
Vulcan diplomatic compound, Vulcan.
The Vulcan delegation cannot be beamed aboard due to a religious observance by T’Lau prohibiting the use of “invasive technology “ during this particular time. T'Lau is of course merely flexing her diplomatic muscles and is somewhat riled by the fact she is to be conveyed by Starfleet.
The captain sends players in a shuttle wearing full dress blues to provide an escort.
T'Lau will of course be fashionably late and will insist on the shuttle being inspected by her prior to takeoff. T'Lau will immediately find fault with the state of the shuttle in an attempt to elicit an emotional outburst from any engineering staff on the party. Any such outburst will cause immediate offence requiring a persuasion task of difficulty 2 to placate At this time the Captain will contact the players and demand an update apparently suspicious about the delay.
Suffice to say T'Lau is looking for an excuse not to board the Lexington and any eye rolling or finger tapping will require a difficulty 2 persuasion task. Diplomacy here is essential as T'Lau is a high ranking Vulcan official. ( and a damn cranky one at that)
Should any of the players be of Vulcan origin T'Lau will blatantly ignore them. However an insight + science task at difficulty 1 will uncover T'Lau's barely hidden contempt of Starfleet and in particular Vulcans who squander their talents by joining.
After a suitably embarrassing delay she will lead her six delegates aboard and demurely wait to be conveyed to the Lexington.
Scene Three
Shuttlebay aboard the USS Lexington.
The remaining players will be mustered on the deck to receive the delegation. The Captain will be conspicuous by his absence. Any attempt to contact him will prove fruitless. He is currently otherwise occupied and no to be disturbed.
The trade delegation's luggage and diplomatic baggage including gifts for the other delegates can be beamed directly to a cargo hold. The ship will then get underway.
Once the guests are settled, the Lexington will host the Vulcan party with a small reception in the mess hall. Again the Captain will not make an appearance. A fact not missed by T'Lau. She will use the opportunity to berate the crew on their military heritage and the amount of weapons the Lexington carries. She will argue that true explorers have no need for weapons.
The reception will be interrupted by some unexpected turbulence. The bridge will report an issue with the navigational deflectors. As a precaution the helm drops them out of warp in deep space.
The Captain will contact the players asking for an update on repairs. The navigational deflector has become misaligned, this was undetected on the initial diagnostic and is not uncommon after extensive time in space dock. This is a Reason + Engineering difficulty 2 task which will take about half an hour to rectify. Once this embarrassing system failure is fixed the helm will resume course.
Later on nearing the end of the reception, one of the Vulcan delegates will discretely whisper in her ear. Her face will appear troubled by the news and approach the senior player present.
“May I ask why our diplomatic baggage is being scanned?”
Further enquiry will reveal that in fact a security detail is on fact conducting a security sweep of the baggage and personal communication and data storage items have been seized. T'Lau will demand to contact Starfleet to lodge a formal complaint and also to contact the Vulcan High Council.
At this point the players will discover that all outgoing communication has been restricted by authority of the Captain. The consoles have been locked by his personal authorisation code. This is a difficulty 4 task to unlock. Should any attempt be made to bypass the restrictions the Captain will be alerted and those responsible thrown in the brig by security regardless of rank or station.
By now the Captain has sequestered himself in his quarters and refuses to see anyone. He briefs the rest of the crew via viewscreen or by recorded briefing, bypassing the players completely. Any attempt to visit in person will be met by the two security detail permanently stationed outside his cabin.
Although the NPC crew will be puzzled by the Captain's disposition, he has their complete trust and they are more than happy to accommodate his current idiosyncrasies. Any attempt to subvert the crew will cause some unrest and the news will filter back to Captain Magnus. Any overt attempt to oust the Captain at this stage will meet with hostile resistance and a refusal to obey player's orders.
(An Insight + Security/Command task at difficulty 1 will reveal that the players are, by opposing the Captain, making enemies of the crew. They will begin to notice the crew talking behind their back and conversations finishing abruptly upon entering a room.)
Scene Four
Main Conference Room aboard the Lexington.
The players are approached by a young Yeoman who informs them that the Captain wishes to brief them in the main conference room.
The room will be empty save for the stand by screen on the main viewer. Once they are all present the screen will activate to show a dishevelled husk that is the Captain. He appears sleep deprived and gaunt. During the course of the briefing he will be seen to inject a painkiller directly into his neck. Perceptive players (Insight+Security difficulty 1) will note empty stimulant canisters lying discarded in the background.
“My friends, by now you have no doubt noticed that I have taken certain precautions regarding our new guests. I have recently received an intelligence briefing from Starfleet Intelligence. They have reason to believe that a member of the Vulcan Delegation is in fact a Romulan Intelligence operative intent on disrupting the trade talks.”
At this point the players will realise that they are listening to a recording.
“I have taken steps to restrict the delegations to their quarters pending proper interrogation. As of now we are in communication lockdown. The first of the suspects should be undergoing questioning as we speak. I don't expect any of them to be easy to crack. Now is not the time to be squeamish. I expect my Chief of Security to provide me with regular updates.”
At this point he looms large on the screen.
“I want this spy found gentlemen, scour their personal logs their belongings, personal histories anything you can. All other matters are secondary. Captain out.”
Although outgoing comms are still restricted, incoming is not. A difficulty 1 check of the logs will reveal no contact from Starfleet since the order to convey the trade delegation to Andoria.
The Captain has bypassed the players and any NPC command team by directing Security personnel himself (via ships internal comms). While unconventional, it is not against the regulations to bypass one's senior officers. The questioning of Vulcan diplomats however is another matter. T'Lau herself is the only actual diplomat in the delegation, the others are merely functionaries. If the Captain of a Starfleet vessel has any reason to suspect that someone aboard their ship poses a threat they are entitled to take any action they deem necessary. Legally it can be a grey area. The fact that the suspect happens to be a member of a Vulcan delegation makes it politically sensitive and a potential career ender for anyone who puts a foot wrong.
The six delegates are currently languishing in the brig. Apparently none the worse for their ordeal so far. Being Vulcan, they did not resist their incarceration rather merely awaited the process of enquiry to run its course. They are presently meditating in their cells. Security staff are in the process of reviewing their backgrounds prior to interrogation. They are also reviewing the movements of the delegation after they came aboard looking for any suspicious movements.
Should the players follow orders, reviewing backgrounds is a difficulty 2 Reason + Security which will encompass all six delegates. Further to this, questioning of the delegates themselves will be another difficulty 2 Reason/Insight + Security task. The search of the baggage has already been conducted by Security.
Success in these tasks will reveal that one of the Delegates, a Vulcan male named Xon has a two year gap in his recent history. (The two years prior to joining the trade mission.) A momentum spend will also reveal that he was a last minute addition to the delegation having only joined the trade mission a month ago. During his time aboard the Lexington, he is the only member of the delegation to have spent time outside of his quarters. He is documented by internal sensors to have spent time with the diplomatic baggage, the observation deck, hydroponics, main engineering and the crew mess hall. He was noted to have spoken to various crewmembers who if traced and questioned remember him asking apparently innocent questions about ship board operations. The search of the baggage will reveal only one item of interest, a datapad that is property of Xon. It is heavily encrypted with biometric safeguards. (This will require a Reason + Security/Science task at difficulty 3 to decrypt.) The datapad contains his personal log going back five years, however there is a two year gap prior to his joining the trade mission. A full bio scan of Xon will reveal that he had extensive surgery in the last two years. When questioned regarding this he will be unable to account for his actions during this time. He will be polite and cooperative but very Vulcan. Although under suspicion of espionage he has rights and is not obliged to answer any questions. (Feel free to role play this interview, I guarantee you a “ No comment” interview will drive the players to distraction.)
T'Lau during this process has been quietly stewing in her quarters, confined there by order of the Captain with two Security officers enforcing his will. As previously mentioned she is exempt from questioning but will be extremely unimpressed by the so called evidence against Xon. She will however refuse to comment on any of it. She will, during any contact by the players, remain almost Sphinx like in demeanour. It will be obvious to players that under that Vulcan facade she is seething and is unlikely to let this matter lie on reaching Andoria. She will likely comment that she wishes she had taken passage on an Andorian ship instead.
The Captain is likewise under guard in his quarters but under different circumstances. The only member of the ships crew who sees him face to face is Yeoman Andrews. Gabrielle Andrews is a young 20 years old female human, an academy friend of the Captain's niece. She has served under Magnus for two years and she is the only one trusted to bring him reports and his meals. If pressed she will admit to having concerns over his health but will require either persuasion or intimidation to actively work against him. Any failure to obtain her assistance will result in such an approach being reported immediately to the Captain.
Scene Five
Observation deck.
The players are comparing notes on the enquiry when they notice the crew hurrying about the corridors outside. Before they can take any action, the ship goes to Yellow Alert.
Heading to the bridge they discover that the Captain has ordered the ship to Yellow Alert. The current bridge crew are still awaiting further orders. Once they have taken their stations, the Captain make contact by audio only. The strain in his voice will be obvious.
“Attention crew of the Lexington. This is Captain Magnus speaking. I have uncovered a plot against this ship and its crew. A Romulan spy has been allowed aboard by enemy sympathisers. Their intention was to seize control of the ship and rendezvous with their allies near to Andoria. Our duty is clear, the traitors are to be taken into custody immediately.” The Captain then names the players as traitors, as he speaks a Security detail enters the bridge and takes them into custody.
Resisting the Security detail at this point is unwise and will result in them not only confirming the Captain's accusation but being stunned by phaser fire also.
Scene Six
Lexington brig.
The players find themselves sharing a brig with the Vulcans. Now they have time to reflect on the recent events and hopefully put the pieces of the puzzle together.
After some soul searching, Yeoman Andrews visits the brig to check on the welfare of the players.
She will comment how the Captain hasn't been he same since he returned from his expedition on the Lalande moon. When pressed for detail she will recount his tale of taking refuge in a cave during the expedition where he inhaled some Desorian spores. He told her that it gave him a horrendous headache but it passed.
A Reason/Insight + Science or Medicine task of difficulty 2 will reveal that Desorian spores are a silicon based fungus that if ingested by humans can cause issues with brain function which can present as paranoia and hallucinations. A further momentum spend reveals that early treatment (ie the first 24 hours)can prevent any permanent damage. The treatment requires extensive Thoron therapy to counter the spores and cellular regeneration to treat the affected areas. Both are available at the Lexington's sickbay.
Having identified the Captain's condition the only issue is escaping the brig.
Every party of players will have their own take on how to escape. The easiest and perhaps the most logical would be to persuade the on duty Security officer that the Captain is medically unfit and needs to be removed from command. This would be a Persuasion task at difficulty 2. (Personally I would go with Presence + Command but Reason/Insight + Command modified by any suitable Focuses or Talents. The guard is “Faithful to the Captain” which raises it to a 3 unless the players burn momentum or accept threat to reduce that trait by citing the testimony of Yeoman Andrews. (Don't be tempted to keep it as a die roll make them work for it.)
Once free of the brig, the players will discover that the Lexington has altered course to intercept a freighter currently on the edge of an asteroid field an hour away at current speed. Captain Magnus has identified the vessel as a part of the plot and intends to fire upon it on arrival.
Scene Seven
Lexington corridors.
The players now have to decide how to approach the Captain. Yeoman Andrews is keen to help now that she understands the Captain's condition. However, upon arriving at his quarters they will notice that his guard is not present. A Reason + Security difficulty 2 task will allow the players access to his quarters. Inside is a mess, littered with datapads and discarded meal trays and empty med packs.
The dominant feature however is the scribblings on the wall, punctuated by printed images of the Vulcan delegation and reports on Romulan activity. Even a cursory analysis of difficulty 1 will show that this whole collection is utter gibberish, mostly inaccurate and often contradictory. It is apparent that Magnus is seeing enemies where there are none but has command of a starship and is in position to do a great deal of damage.
On leaving the Captain's quarters, they will be confronted by several crew intent on seeing them returned to custody. During the struggle, one of them will get to an intercom and announce the players escape. The Captain then orders the ship to Red Alert and raises security force fields to try and hem them in. These can be bypassed (Unless the players can concoct a better plan. I have learned not to underestimate the ingenuity of players,)
The players now have to figure out how to:
Among their options are:
Scene Eight
The bridge of the USS Lexington.
At some point the players will have to confront Captain Magnus and relieve him of command. However they access the bridge it will be just as the ship drops out of warp and targets the freighter.
The players have moments to decide how to continue. Phasering the beloved Captain in front of his crew will be tough to explain quickly. Another option is to try and persuade him of his condition while at the same time explaining their actions to the crew. A truly great opportunity for role play.
Either through combat or talk, Magnus is a strong willed man who wont be easily cowed from his course of action. In his mind he is convinced he is a righteous avenger and the saviour of the Federation. His crew at this point are right behind him.
Should the players either roll an excessive amount of 20's or appear to be floundering you can hand them a get out. Due to the horrendous stress on his nervous system, Magnus collapses and starts to go into seizure. Time for the ships Doctor to shine .(Assuming you have persuaded one of your players to be a Doctor. Failing that, someone is rolling for a support character!)
Treating later stages of Desorian spores is an extended task.
Base Difficulty: 3
Work track : 9 The first three are to purge any traces of Desorian spores from his metabolism, the next three to stabilise his nervous system and the last three are to restore any damaged sections of his brain.
Magnitude: 3
Resistance: 0
Once Magnus is stabilised, he can safely be transferred to sickbay and his treatment for Desorian spores completed in slow time. His recovery time will be months.
Epilogue
Shuttlebay of the Lexington.
Once normality has been restored and the Vulcans released from the brig (yeah remember them?). T'Lau will summon the players to her quarters as she makes preparations for departure.
She will wish to thank them personally for their conduct and for exonerating the delegation of any wrongdoing.
Should the players ask about Xon's mysterious past. She will relunctantly agree to clarify the isunderstanding. T'Lau does not disclose this family secret lightly and only does so out of respect for the players courageous actions over the past three days.
She will account for Xon's unusual history by explaining that two and a half years ago Xon harboured a fascination for joining Starfleet. Xon's immediate family were opposed to this and instead put him in a scholarship program aimed at entry to the Vulcan Science Academy. Xon railed at this and took a sabbatical, working with the Federation program that provided disaster relief across the quadrant. During this time he encountered many Starfleet personnel and resolved to apply on his return to Vulcan. Unfortunately for Xon he lost control of a shuttle he was piloting in an ion storm during a relief mission, the resulting crash left him with serious plasma burns which inflicted severe nerve damage to his entire body. He barely survived and was evacuated back to Vulcan for treatment and rehabilitation. His family considered such activities a frivolous waste of time and requested all record of his involvement be expunged. Once he was fully recovered they arranged for him to join his Aunt T'Lau in the Vulcan Diplomatic Service. Xon still harbours dreams of Starfleet and couldn't resist the chance to explore a Starfleet vessel first hand.
Once the Vulcan delegation has left, Admiral Hewlett will contact the players and inform the senior rank that he is now acting Captain until further notice.
Rewards can be distributed at the GM's discretion.
By
The Mask of Romek
Okay so you’ve got your shiny new copy of STA plus GM screen and maybe painted up some minis too. Only one problem, when you ask who’s going to be Captain? Suddenly everyone finds the floor or the ceiling incredibly interesting. Frustrating isn’t it?
Star Trek Adventures requires players to work as a team, to share resources and work to a common goal. Which is not unlike many others, however the main difference is the burden of command. For some reason many players are reluctant to sit in the big chair. The purpose of this article is to offer up an alternative.
Of course you can merely hand the command to a player you feel worthy, and chances are your judgement will be sound. But if they don’t feel worthy they will gain little pleasure from being press ganged thus tainting their enjoyment of the game and the whole point of this is for your players to have fun after all.
One option is to run the Captain as an NPC. Sure it’s extra work for the GM but at least you get to reign in errant players and guide them through the scenario. The trouble with this approach is they can tend to use the Captain NPC as a safety net. Constantly fishing for clues by asking the Captain for advice. “Hey Boss the warp drive and the transporters are down, what should we fix first?”
If you as GM are happy with this then more power to you and carry on and thanks for your time. If however you fancy challenging and heaven forbid developing your players then please read on.
The following scenario can reworked into most any campaign in fact you could even work the plotline into an on going scenario. The fundamental goal is to show your players that they are in fact more than up to the challenges of command by showing them it being done badly. In essence the Captain in this story will over the course of a couple of days degenerate into a power mad tyrant unfit for duty. The idea being that the players will identify the problem and take command of the ship. Preferably without bloodshed or resorting to mutiny.
Set Course for Pitcairn!
By
The Mask of Romek
Players Introduction
The players are recent appointees to the USS Lexington, an old but battle tested ship. She has just completed a six month refit at the Martian shipyards. The players have only been aboard since the start of the refit and their predecessors have since departed for pastures new. The players have met some of the crew, the bulk of which have been either on courses, vacation or other temporary planetside assignments. The players will have spent their time learning their new jobs and overseeing the refit of their own department.
Captain Ezekiel Magnus is a forty year Starfleet veteran, a highly decorated officer who has been captain of the Lexington for the last seven years. The crew respect and admire him for not only his drive and commitment but for his supportive and nurturing attitude toward them. It is no secret that serving under Captain Magnus is a rare privilege and a career stepping stone.
Only to be disclosed if asked for specifically by the players after hearing the log entry. (The Captain had supervised the six month refit of the Lexington at the Martian shipyards, he did however take a short vacation near the end, leaving the wrapping up to the XO. A keen mountaineer he took part in an expedition on a moon of the Lalande system.)
Captain's Log Stardate 2567.3 After what seemed like an eternity , the refit is finally over. The Lexington is back to full complement and ready for action. I'm looking forward to working with my new command staff, they have all come highly recommended. I've got to know them briefly during the refit while they familiarised themselves with their new posting. They all seem very capable. Joining a new ship is never easy, I'm confident my crew will make them feel welcome. This old war horse is glad the Lexington is likely his last posting before they put him in charge of a desk. Running around the galaxy is a game for the young after all. Our first mission together should serve to work out the kinks and settle everyone in. Starfleet in an uncharacteristic act of kindness has given us a milk run to get us going again. Maybe just as well, I'm still a little run down after my last minute vacation to Lalande.
We are to convey a Vulcan trade delegation from Vulcan to a Federation trade conference three days from now on Andoria. We wont need to push the new engine core in that time frame and it will allow us time to work out any bugs in the other uprated systems.
Scene One
Main Conference Room aboard the Lexington.
The players are there in their respective capacities to be briefed by the Captain on the mission orders. When he arrives he will appear a little sleep deprived but will shrug off any concerns.
The mission is twofold. Firstly they are to convey T'Lau and her trade delegation to the conference on Andoria. T'Lau is no fan of Starfleet, she considers the expense of a military arm in peacetime a necessary evil, but an evil none the less. She is to be accorded the respect appropriate to her position and allowances made for her often vocal opinions on the fleet.
Secondly, the ships systems require to be tested. This should not impact on our journey unless we encounter a catastrophic failure. A schedule of system tests has already been prepared.
Apart from the mundane day to day minutiae of keeping a starship running he will also request that the chief of security collect all hand phasers and store them in the main armoury. Only suitably qualified security personnel are to be armed and only when on duty. The duty security chief is responsible for the issue and return of all weapons as well as a full inventory of the armoury every shift changeover.
This is not an unusual order although command staff are normally allowed personal issue weapons. The Captain explains that is recent incidents on other starships have given cause for concern. It is also no secret that T'Lau the head of the trade delegation is averse to the overt military nature of Starfleet and had to be persuaded to use the Lexington for this part of his journey. Any overt displays of weapons is to be avoided at all costs.
During the course of the meeting the Captain will have to be prompted to remember players names and positions. He will laugh it off as skill fade after his vacation. Should any of the players try to insist he take a medical he will pull rank and dismiss them.
The ship will depart from Mars orbit with no issues. The Lexington will leave the Sol system on Impulse before the first test of the warp drive.
The test itself is a difficulty 2 Reason + Engineering task. This should not be any large hurdle for the players. Should they roll any complications, just play them out as normal.
Scene Two
Vulcan diplomatic compound, Vulcan.
The Vulcan delegation cannot be beamed aboard due to a religious observance by T’Lau prohibiting the use of “invasive technology “ during this particular time. T'Lau is of course merely flexing her diplomatic muscles and is somewhat riled by the fact she is to be conveyed by Starfleet.
The captain sends players in a shuttle wearing full dress blues to provide an escort.
T'Lau will of course be fashionably late and will insist on the shuttle being inspected by her prior to takeoff. T'Lau will immediately find fault with the state of the shuttle in an attempt to elicit an emotional outburst from any engineering staff on the party. Any such outburst will cause immediate offence requiring a persuasion task of difficulty 2 to placate At this time the Captain will contact the players and demand an update apparently suspicious about the delay.
Suffice to say T'Lau is looking for an excuse not to board the Lexington and any eye rolling or finger tapping will require a difficulty 2 persuasion task. Diplomacy here is essential as T'Lau is a high ranking Vulcan official. ( and a damn cranky one at that)
Should any of the players be of Vulcan origin T'Lau will blatantly ignore them. However an insight + science task at difficulty 1 will uncover T'Lau's barely hidden contempt of Starfleet and in particular Vulcans who squander their talents by joining.
After a suitably embarrassing delay she will lead her six delegates aboard and demurely wait to be conveyed to the Lexington.
Scene Three
Shuttlebay aboard the USS Lexington.
The remaining players will be mustered on the deck to receive the delegation. The Captain will be conspicuous by his absence. Any attempt to contact him will prove fruitless. He is currently otherwise occupied and no to be disturbed.
The trade delegation's luggage and diplomatic baggage including gifts for the other delegates can be beamed directly to a cargo hold. The ship will then get underway.
Once the guests are settled, the Lexington will host the Vulcan party with a small reception in the mess hall. Again the Captain will not make an appearance. A fact not missed by T'Lau. She will use the opportunity to berate the crew on their military heritage and the amount of weapons the Lexington carries. She will argue that true explorers have no need for weapons.
The reception will be interrupted by some unexpected turbulence. The bridge will report an issue with the navigational deflectors. As a precaution the helm drops them out of warp in deep space.
The Captain will contact the players asking for an update on repairs. The navigational deflector has become misaligned, this was undetected on the initial diagnostic and is not uncommon after extensive time in space dock. This is a Reason + Engineering difficulty 2 task which will take about half an hour to rectify. Once this embarrassing system failure is fixed the helm will resume course.
Later on nearing the end of the reception, one of the Vulcan delegates will discretely whisper in her ear. Her face will appear troubled by the news and approach the senior player present.
“May I ask why our diplomatic baggage is being scanned?”
Further enquiry will reveal that in fact a security detail is on fact conducting a security sweep of the baggage and personal communication and data storage items have been seized. T'Lau will demand to contact Starfleet to lodge a formal complaint and also to contact the Vulcan High Council.
At this point the players will discover that all outgoing communication has been restricted by authority of the Captain. The consoles have been locked by his personal authorisation code. This is a difficulty 4 task to unlock. Should any attempt be made to bypass the restrictions the Captain will be alerted and those responsible thrown in the brig by security regardless of rank or station.
By now the Captain has sequestered himself in his quarters and refuses to see anyone. He briefs the rest of the crew via viewscreen or by recorded briefing, bypassing the players completely. Any attempt to visit in person will be met by the two security detail permanently stationed outside his cabin.
Although the NPC crew will be puzzled by the Captain's disposition, he has their complete trust and they are more than happy to accommodate his current idiosyncrasies. Any attempt to subvert the crew will cause some unrest and the news will filter back to Captain Magnus. Any overt attempt to oust the Captain at this stage will meet with hostile resistance and a refusal to obey player's orders.
(An Insight + Security/Command task at difficulty 1 will reveal that the players are, by opposing the Captain, making enemies of the crew. They will begin to notice the crew talking behind their back and conversations finishing abruptly upon entering a room.)
Scene Four
Main Conference Room aboard the Lexington.
The players are approached by a young Yeoman who informs them that the Captain wishes to brief them in the main conference room.
The room will be empty save for the stand by screen on the main viewer. Once they are all present the screen will activate to show a dishevelled husk that is the Captain. He appears sleep deprived and gaunt. During the course of the briefing he will be seen to inject a painkiller directly into his neck. Perceptive players (Insight+Security difficulty 1) will note empty stimulant canisters lying discarded in the background.
“My friends, by now you have no doubt noticed that I have taken certain precautions regarding our new guests. I have recently received an intelligence briefing from Starfleet Intelligence. They have reason to believe that a member of the Vulcan Delegation is in fact a Romulan Intelligence operative intent on disrupting the trade talks.”
At this point the players will realise that they are listening to a recording.
“I have taken steps to restrict the delegations to their quarters pending proper interrogation. As of now we are in communication lockdown. The first of the suspects should be undergoing questioning as we speak. I don't expect any of them to be easy to crack. Now is not the time to be squeamish. I expect my Chief of Security to provide me with regular updates.”
At this point he looms large on the screen.
“I want this spy found gentlemen, scour their personal logs their belongings, personal histories anything you can. All other matters are secondary. Captain out.”
Although outgoing comms are still restricted, incoming is not. A difficulty 1 check of the logs will reveal no contact from Starfleet since the order to convey the trade delegation to Andoria.
The Captain has bypassed the players and any NPC command team by directing Security personnel himself (via ships internal comms). While unconventional, it is not against the regulations to bypass one's senior officers. The questioning of Vulcan diplomats however is another matter. T'Lau herself is the only actual diplomat in the delegation, the others are merely functionaries. If the Captain of a Starfleet vessel has any reason to suspect that someone aboard their ship poses a threat they are entitled to take any action they deem necessary. Legally it can be a grey area. The fact that the suspect happens to be a member of a Vulcan delegation makes it politically sensitive and a potential career ender for anyone who puts a foot wrong.
The six delegates are currently languishing in the brig. Apparently none the worse for their ordeal so far. Being Vulcan, they did not resist their incarceration rather merely awaited the process of enquiry to run its course. They are presently meditating in their cells. Security staff are in the process of reviewing their backgrounds prior to interrogation. They are also reviewing the movements of the delegation after they came aboard looking for any suspicious movements.
Should the players follow orders, reviewing backgrounds is a difficulty 2 Reason + Security which will encompass all six delegates. Further to this, questioning of the delegates themselves will be another difficulty 2 Reason/Insight + Security task. The search of the baggage has already been conducted by Security.
Success in these tasks will reveal that one of the Delegates, a Vulcan male named Xon has a two year gap in his recent history. (The two years prior to joining the trade mission.) A momentum spend will also reveal that he was a last minute addition to the delegation having only joined the trade mission a month ago. During his time aboard the Lexington, he is the only member of the delegation to have spent time outside of his quarters. He is documented by internal sensors to have spent time with the diplomatic baggage, the observation deck, hydroponics, main engineering and the crew mess hall. He was noted to have spoken to various crewmembers who if traced and questioned remember him asking apparently innocent questions about ship board operations. The search of the baggage will reveal only one item of interest, a datapad that is property of Xon. It is heavily encrypted with biometric safeguards. (This will require a Reason + Security/Science task at difficulty 3 to decrypt.) The datapad contains his personal log going back five years, however there is a two year gap prior to his joining the trade mission. A full bio scan of Xon will reveal that he had extensive surgery in the last two years. When questioned regarding this he will be unable to account for his actions during this time. He will be polite and cooperative but very Vulcan. Although under suspicion of espionage he has rights and is not obliged to answer any questions. (Feel free to role play this interview, I guarantee you a “ No comment” interview will drive the players to distraction.)
T'Lau during this process has been quietly stewing in her quarters, confined there by order of the Captain with two Security officers enforcing his will. As previously mentioned she is exempt from questioning but will be extremely unimpressed by the so called evidence against Xon. She will however refuse to comment on any of it. She will, during any contact by the players, remain almost Sphinx like in demeanour. It will be obvious to players that under that Vulcan facade she is seething and is unlikely to let this matter lie on reaching Andoria. She will likely comment that she wishes she had taken passage on an Andorian ship instead.
The Captain is likewise under guard in his quarters but under different circumstances. The only member of the ships crew who sees him face to face is Yeoman Andrews. Gabrielle Andrews is a young 20 years old female human, an academy friend of the Captain's niece. She has served under Magnus for two years and she is the only one trusted to bring him reports and his meals. If pressed she will admit to having concerns over his health but will require either persuasion or intimidation to actively work against him. Any failure to obtain her assistance will result in such an approach being reported immediately to the Captain.
Scene Five
Observation deck.
The players are comparing notes on the enquiry when they notice the crew hurrying about the corridors outside. Before they can take any action, the ship goes to Yellow Alert.
Heading to the bridge they discover that the Captain has ordered the ship to Yellow Alert. The current bridge crew are still awaiting further orders. Once they have taken their stations, the Captain make contact by audio only. The strain in his voice will be obvious.
“Attention crew of the Lexington. This is Captain Magnus speaking. I have uncovered a plot against this ship and its crew. A Romulan spy has been allowed aboard by enemy sympathisers. Their intention was to seize control of the ship and rendezvous with their allies near to Andoria. Our duty is clear, the traitors are to be taken into custody immediately.” The Captain then names the players as traitors, as he speaks a Security detail enters the bridge and takes them into custody.
Resisting the Security detail at this point is unwise and will result in them not only confirming the Captain's accusation but being stunned by phaser fire also.
Scene Six
Lexington brig.
The players find themselves sharing a brig with the Vulcans. Now they have time to reflect on the recent events and hopefully put the pieces of the puzzle together.
After some soul searching, Yeoman Andrews visits the brig to check on the welfare of the players.
She will comment how the Captain hasn't been he same since he returned from his expedition on the Lalande moon. When pressed for detail she will recount his tale of taking refuge in a cave during the expedition where he inhaled some Desorian spores. He told her that it gave him a horrendous headache but it passed.
A Reason/Insight + Science or Medicine task of difficulty 2 will reveal that Desorian spores are a silicon based fungus that if ingested by humans can cause issues with brain function which can present as paranoia and hallucinations. A further momentum spend reveals that early treatment (ie the first 24 hours)can prevent any permanent damage. The treatment requires extensive Thoron therapy to counter the spores and cellular regeneration to treat the affected areas. Both are available at the Lexington's sickbay.
Having identified the Captain's condition the only issue is escaping the brig.
Every party of players will have their own take on how to escape. The easiest and perhaps the most logical would be to persuade the on duty Security officer that the Captain is medically unfit and needs to be removed from command. This would be a Persuasion task at difficulty 2. (Personally I would go with Presence + Command but Reason/Insight + Command modified by any suitable Focuses or Talents. The guard is “Faithful to the Captain” which raises it to a 3 unless the players burn momentum or accept threat to reduce that trait by citing the testimony of Yeoman Andrews. (Don't be tempted to keep it as a die roll make them work for it.)
Once free of the brig, the players will discover that the Lexington has altered course to intercept a freighter currently on the edge of an asteroid field an hour away at current speed. Captain Magnus has identified the vessel as a part of the plot and intends to fire upon it on arrival.
Scene Seven
Lexington corridors.
The players now have to decide how to approach the Captain. Yeoman Andrews is keen to help now that she understands the Captain's condition. However, upon arriving at his quarters they will notice that his guard is not present. A Reason + Security difficulty 2 task will allow the players access to his quarters. Inside is a mess, littered with datapads and discarded meal trays and empty med packs.
The dominant feature however is the scribblings on the wall, punctuated by printed images of the Vulcan delegation and reports on Romulan activity. Even a cursory analysis of difficulty 1 will show that this whole collection is utter gibberish, mostly inaccurate and often contradictory. It is apparent that Magnus is seeing enemies where there are none but has command of a starship and is in position to do a great deal of damage.
On leaving the Captain's quarters, they will be confronted by several crew intent on seeing them returned to custody. During the struggle, one of them will get to an intercom and announce the players escape. The Captain then orders the ship to Red Alert and raises security force fields to try and hem them in. These can be bypassed (Unless the players can concoct a better plan. I have learned not to underestimate the ingenuity of players,)
The players now have to figure out how to:
- Stop the Captain from destroying the innocent freighter.,
- Treat him for exposure to Desorian spores.
- Regain control of the ship.
- Prevent the crew from throwing them out the airlock.
Among their options are:
- Take over Engineering.
- Storm the Bridge.
- Utilise the Auxiliary Control Room to wrest control of the ship from the Captain.
- Contact Starfleet Command and request assistance.
Scene Eight
The bridge of the USS Lexington.
At some point the players will have to confront Captain Magnus and relieve him of command. However they access the bridge it will be just as the ship drops out of warp and targets the freighter.
The players have moments to decide how to continue. Phasering the beloved Captain in front of his crew will be tough to explain quickly. Another option is to try and persuade him of his condition while at the same time explaining their actions to the crew. A truly great opportunity for role play.
Either through combat or talk, Magnus is a strong willed man who wont be easily cowed from his course of action. In his mind he is convinced he is a righteous avenger and the saviour of the Federation. His crew at this point are right behind him.
Should the players either roll an excessive amount of 20's or appear to be floundering you can hand them a get out. Due to the horrendous stress on his nervous system, Magnus collapses and starts to go into seizure. Time for the ships Doctor to shine .(Assuming you have persuaded one of your players to be a Doctor. Failing that, someone is rolling for a support character!)
Treating later stages of Desorian spores is an extended task.
Base Difficulty: 3
Work track : 9 The first three are to purge any traces of Desorian spores from his metabolism, the next three to stabilise his nervous system and the last three are to restore any damaged sections of his brain.
Magnitude: 3
Resistance: 0
Once Magnus is stabilised, he can safely be transferred to sickbay and his treatment for Desorian spores completed in slow time. His recovery time will be months.
Epilogue
Shuttlebay of the Lexington.
Once normality has been restored and the Vulcans released from the brig (yeah remember them?). T'Lau will summon the players to her quarters as she makes preparations for departure.
She will wish to thank them personally for their conduct and for exonerating the delegation of any wrongdoing.
Should the players ask about Xon's mysterious past. She will relunctantly agree to clarify the isunderstanding. T'Lau does not disclose this family secret lightly and only does so out of respect for the players courageous actions over the past three days.
She will account for Xon's unusual history by explaining that two and a half years ago Xon harboured a fascination for joining Starfleet. Xon's immediate family were opposed to this and instead put him in a scholarship program aimed at entry to the Vulcan Science Academy. Xon railed at this and took a sabbatical, working with the Federation program that provided disaster relief across the quadrant. During this time he encountered many Starfleet personnel and resolved to apply on his return to Vulcan. Unfortunately for Xon he lost control of a shuttle he was piloting in an ion storm during a relief mission, the resulting crash left him with serious plasma burns which inflicted severe nerve damage to his entire body. He barely survived and was evacuated back to Vulcan for treatment and rehabilitation. His family considered such activities a frivolous waste of time and requested all record of his involvement be expunged. Once he was fully recovered they arranged for him to join his Aunt T'Lau in the Vulcan Diplomatic Service. Xon still harbours dreams of Starfleet and couldn't resist the chance to explore a Starfleet vessel first hand.
Once the Vulcan delegation has left, Admiral Hewlett will contact the players and inform the senior rank that he is now acting Captain until further notice.
Rewards can be distributed at the GM's discretion.
Downloads:
| to_captain_or_not_to_captain.odt |
| captain_magnus.pdf |
