Menu
News
All News
Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
Pathfinder
Starfinder
Warhammer
2d20 System
Year Zero Engine
Industry News
Reviews
Dragon Reflections
Columns
Weekly Digests
Weekly News Digest
Freebies, Sales & Bundles
RPG Print News
RPG Crowdfunding News
Game Content
ENterplanetary DimENsions
Mythological Figures
Opinion
Worlds of Design
Peregrine's Next
RPG Evolution
Other Columns
From the Freelancing Frontline
Monster ENcyclopedia
WotC/TSR Alumni Look Back
4 Hours w/RSD (Ryan Dancey)
The Road to 3E (Jonathan Tweet)
Greenwood's Realms (Ed Greenwood)
Drawmij's TSR (Jim Ward)
Community
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Resources
Wiki
Pages
Latest activity
Media
New media
New comments
Search media
Downloads
Latest reviews
Search resources
EN Publishing
Store
EN5ider
Adventures in ZEITGEIST
Awfully Cheerful Engine
What's OLD is NEW
Judge Dredd & The Worlds Of 2000AD
War of the Burning Sky
Level Up: Advanced 5E
Events & Releases
Upcoming Events
Private Events
Featured Events
Socials!
Twitch
YouTube
Facebook (EN Publishing)
Facebook (EN World)
Twitter
Instagram
TikTok
Podcast
Features
Top 5 RPGs Compiled Charts 2004-Present
Adventure Game Industry Market Research Summary (RPGs) V1.0
Ryan Dancey: Acquiring TSR
Q&A With Gary Gygax
D&D Rules FAQs
TSR, WotC, & Paizo: A Comparative History
D&D Pronunciation Guide
Million Dollar TTRPG Kickstarters
Tabletop RPG Podcast Hall of Fame
Eric Noah's Unofficial D&D 3rd Edition News
D&D in the Mainstream
D&D & RPG History
About Morrus
Log in
Register
What's new
Search
Search
Search titles only
By:
Forums & Topics
Forum List
Latest Posts
Forum list
*Dungeons & Dragons
Level Up: Advanced 5th Edition
D&D Older Editions
*TTRPGs General
*Pathfinder & Starfinder
EN Publishing
*Geek Talk & Media
Search forums
Chat/Discord
Menu
Log in
Register
Install the app
Install
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Traveller T20: Tales of the Bray Keaven [Updated 12-20-05]
JavaScript is disabled. For a better experience, please enable JavaScript in your browser before proceeding.
You are using an out of date browser. It may not display this or other websites correctly.
You should upgrade or use an
alternative browser
.
Reply to thread
Message
<blockquote data-quote="Shadowdancer" data-source="post: 1360112" data-attributes="member: 515"><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">After the group arrives in the lounge and settles in with a round of beverages, Swann looks at the Marine. "Sergeant Tanaka, can you fill us in on what the situation is like planetside? Are the natives friendly or hostile? Is there any rioting going on, or mobs patrolling the streets? Our ship is one of those which will be landing on Alief, and I’m sure we’d all like to know what we’re getting ourselves into when we land."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As the sergeant starts to answer, Ian pulls out his datapad and hunches forward attentively, ready to take notes. "Take your time, Sarge, the more detail the better — provided you aren’t actually breaking any rules, of course. Rest assured, we’ve got lots more questions after this."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tanaka takes in Swann’s questions and then ruefully replies, "Well, in short, the answer appears to be ‘yes’ to your questions. Mind you, I haven’t been really monitoring the ground action too much, but we can pick up some of the vid broadcasts from the <em>Stoney</em>.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Some of the locals are pretty friendly towards Imperials, even if you’re not offering military aid to crush their neighbors. Others are only friendly if you are and downright hostile otherwise. Some are just hostile.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"There is some rioting going on in the countries that have areas hit by the plague or are near areas hit by the plague. There are also countries that are concerned and tense, but under control.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Most areas are now pretty wary if not downright hostile to travelers. Can’t blame ’em too much given that there are a few cities that appear to be infected mainly because a traveler was going through.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Some of the mercs that landed before the red zone went up a couple of years ago have gotten either antsy or out. There are also some Imperial research teams working on water issues that are getting antsy.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Basically, people are scared. Scared people can do some pretty stupid stuff, so I’d watch yourselves out there. A tech 8 bullet in your neck or enough of those T-8 missiles up your ship’s ass will kill you just as dead as a plasma gun.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Here. I’ll dump a couple of maps to your datapads. The first is one that I grabbed from a local vid production showing areas that have been hit by the plague which are near King Georgie’s Land. The second shows the areas where the King Georgies have advanced into neighboring countries to provide 'humanitarian aid in this time of crisis.' What a crock!</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"You probably ought to scan the vid broadcasts from the planet for more info. If Lieutenant Flanagan were alive, he could provide you proper intel, but we’re kinda stretched thin just keeping the blockade up given that we have to interdict ships in both directions now. The Navy types fragged a couple of ships halfway between here and Alief that were trying to run to jump distance without inspection or quarantine.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"In short, it’s a damn mess."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Ian nods his head in agreement and then asks, "So, do we have proof it’s a biowep yet? Or a vaccine?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Tanaka snorts and replies, "Proof? ‘If it quacks like a duck’ . . . No, we don’t have proof. At least, not enough proof that the acting Navy skipper is willing to order the <em>Stoney</em> to start firing on Georgie military installations in retaliation. That’s what the old skipper of the <em>Stoney </em>would’ve done. He was decent for a Navy puke.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"We don’t have a vaccine yet, either. Looks like the scientist types onboard the subsidized merchant have the gear to create a vaccine once they can get something to study.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"The locals are trying to find a vaccine, too. Everyone thinks that the Georgies have a vaccine since their troops are mostly unaffected, and the plague areas have this really funny shape that doesn’t penetrate far into Georgie land. Georgies are denying it right now but say that they’re working on a vaccine, too.</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"Anyway, anything else?"</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Swann considers for a moment, then asks, "When we land on Alief, are we basically on our own as far as protection, or are there Imperial forces and/or local forces available to provide protection? I just have this picture of us landing and the ship being overrun by locals thinking we have a vaccine or some miracle drug that will make them immune."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">"I have a similar picture myself," Ian says. "Seems to me that we’ll be spending the whole time in vacc suits, too, since there’s only an 85 percent chance the drugs will work and a 99 percent chance of catching the thing if we go anywhere that the drugs would do some good — which means right into the plague zone, in front of the advancing troops. Just look at how these two areas overlap. This whole thing has got military airborne bioweapon with artillery or airborne munitions delivery written all over it. All the King’s men must have been vaccinated, but they’d have to have reserve supplies of vaccine handy in case they missed any of there own civilians near the front on their side of the line."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Ian continues, with a certain crazy gleam in his eye. "Someone has got to go into that area and get some vaccine for the scientists to duplicate en mass. Without it the relief fleet cargos are nothing but a temporary Band-Aid. We can’t stop the plague and we won’t catch the perpetrators because we’ll be too busy running away from their front line troops and/or mobs of desperate refugees. If fleet is too stretched to do anything then it has to be somebody from the relief fleet. The Marquis will need a lot more intel before he launches a mission like that, though."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">As Ian looks over the maps again, his mind races with possibilities. "We could land in Queen Anne’s Country and fly over the northern border in the air raft to the River Tyne in Coventry, then sail down river underwater on the raft in vacc suits," he thinks to himself. "That’d get us in and out without too much chance of detection. Assuming the Queen isn’t in cohoots with the King, it shouldn’t be too hot to start with."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">Aloud, Ian says, "This brings us to another delicate question, Sarge. Who brought the plague into the blockade fleet? Any chance there’s a traitor in your own house? I mean, the Marquis is going to be getting info off you guys before he sends us down there and I’d really like to know who we can count on before we find ourselves at the sharp end."</span></span></p><p> </p><p><span style="font-family: 'Verdana'"><span style="font-size: 10px">To himself, Ian thinks, "I’m being pretty bald faced about this but hey, things are in chaos and the Sarge looks like a decent enough guy. Gotta trust someone. I’ll ask the other guys what they think when the Marines have gone. I think Swann will be up for it, maybe Vargas. Dunno about the others — although, if there’s a cash reward Vasilii will be along in a flash!"</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Shadowdancer, post: 1360112, member: 515"] [font=Verdana][size=2]After the group arrives in the lounge and settles in with a round of beverages, Swann looks at the Marine. "Sergeant Tanaka, can you fill us in on what the situation is like planetside? Are the natives friendly or hostile? Is there any rioting going on, or mobs patrolling the streets? Our ship is one of those which will be landing on Alief, and I’m sure we’d all like to know what we’re getting ourselves into when we land."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]As the sergeant starts to answer, Ian pulls out his datapad and hunches forward attentively, ready to take notes. "Take your time, Sarge, the more detail the better — provided you aren’t actually breaking any rules, of course. Rest assured, we’ve got lots more questions after this."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Tanaka takes in Swann’s questions and then ruefully replies, "Well, in short, the answer appears to be ‘yes’ to your questions. Mind you, I haven’t been really monitoring the ground action too much, but we can pick up some of the vid broadcasts from the [i]Stoney[/i].[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Some of the locals are pretty friendly towards Imperials, even if you’re not offering military aid to crush their neighbors. Others are only friendly if you are and downright hostile otherwise. Some are just hostile.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"There is some rioting going on in the countries that have areas hit by the plague or are near areas hit by the plague. There are also countries that are concerned and tense, but under control.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Most areas are now pretty wary if not downright hostile to travelers. Can’t blame ’em too much given that there are a few cities that appear to be infected mainly because a traveler was going through.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Some of the mercs that landed before the red zone went up a couple of years ago have gotten either antsy or out. There are also some Imperial research teams working on water issues that are getting antsy.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Basically, people are scared. Scared people can do some pretty stupid stuff, so I’d watch yourselves out there. A tech 8 bullet in your neck or enough of those T-8 missiles up your ship’s ass will kill you just as dead as a plasma gun.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Here. I’ll dump a couple of maps to your datapads. The first is one that I grabbed from a local vid production showing areas that have been hit by the plague which are near King Georgie’s Land. The second shows the areas where the King Georgies have advanced into neighboring countries to provide 'humanitarian aid in this time of crisis.' What a crock![/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"You probably ought to scan the vid broadcasts from the planet for more info. If Lieutenant Flanagan were alive, he could provide you proper intel, but we’re kinda stretched thin just keeping the blockade up given that we have to interdict ships in both directions now. The Navy types fragged a couple of ships halfway between here and Alief that were trying to run to jump distance without inspection or quarantine.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"In short, it’s a damn mess."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Ian nods his head in agreement and then asks, "So, do we have proof it’s a biowep yet? Or a vaccine?"[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Tanaka snorts and replies, "Proof? ‘If it quacks like a duck’ . . . No, we don’t have proof. At least, not enough proof that the acting Navy skipper is willing to order the [i]Stoney[/i] to start firing on Georgie military installations in retaliation. That’s what the old skipper of the [i]Stoney [/i]would’ve done. He was decent for a Navy puke.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"We don’t have a vaccine yet, either. Looks like the scientist types onboard the subsidized merchant have the gear to create a vaccine once they can get something to study.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"The locals are trying to find a vaccine, too. Everyone thinks that the Georgies have a vaccine since their troops are mostly unaffected, and the plague areas have this really funny shape that doesn’t penetrate far into Georgie land. Georgies are denying it right now but say that they’re working on a vaccine, too.[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"Anyway, anything else?"[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Swann considers for a moment, then asks, "When we land on Alief, are we basically on our own as far as protection, or are there Imperial forces and/or local forces available to provide protection? I just have this picture of us landing and the ship being overrun by locals thinking we have a vaccine or some miracle drug that will make them immune."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]"I have a similar picture myself," Ian says. "Seems to me that we’ll be spending the whole time in vacc suits, too, since there’s only an 85 percent chance the drugs will work and a 99 percent chance of catching the thing if we go anywhere that the drugs would do some good — which means right into the plague zone, in front of the advancing troops. Just look at how these two areas overlap. This whole thing has got military airborne bioweapon with artillery or airborne munitions delivery written all over it. All the King’s men must have been vaccinated, but they’d have to have reserve supplies of vaccine handy in case they missed any of there own civilians near the front on their side of the line."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Ian continues, with a certain crazy gleam in his eye. "Someone has got to go into that area and get some vaccine for the scientists to duplicate en mass. Without it the relief fleet cargos are nothing but a temporary Band-Aid. We can’t stop the plague and we won’t catch the perpetrators because we’ll be too busy running away from their front line troops and/or mobs of desperate refugees. If fleet is too stretched to do anything then it has to be somebody from the relief fleet. The Marquis will need a lot more intel before he launches a mission like that, though."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]As Ian looks over the maps again, his mind races with possibilities. "We could land in Queen Anne’s Country and fly over the northern border in the air raft to the River Tyne in Coventry, then sail down river underwater on the raft in vacc suits," he thinks to himself. "That’d get us in and out without too much chance of detection. Assuming the Queen isn’t in cohoots with the King, it shouldn’t be too hot to start with."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]Aloud, Ian says, "This brings us to another delicate question, Sarge. Who brought the plague into the blockade fleet? Any chance there’s a traitor in your own house? I mean, the Marquis is going to be getting info off you guys before he sends us down there and I’d really like to know who we can count on before we find ourselves at the sharp end."[/size][/font] [font=Verdana][size=2]To himself, Ian thinks, "I’m being pretty bald faced about this but hey, things are in chaos and the Sarge looks like a decent enough guy. Gotta trust someone. I’ll ask the other guys what they think when the Marines have gone. I think Swann will be up for it, maybe Vargas. Dunno about the others — although, if there’s a cash reward Vasilii will be along in a flash!"[/size][/font] [/QUOTE]
Insert quotes…
Verification
Post reply
Community
Playing the Game
Story Hour
Traveller T20: Tales of the Bray Keaven [Updated 12-20-05]
Top