[SG-1] So my game has taken an interesting turn...

[SurfMonkey01]

So I ran my SG-1 game the other day... my team, SG-15, had just returned to active duty when the SGC was contacted by the Tok'ra. They needed some help, as usual. They seemed to have a bit of a sabotage problem, as well as an escaped prisoner they didn't want to talk about. They had captured a Goa'uld spy, but she wasn't the saboteur. So, time to come to the Tauri for help. My team went in, did some investigation, picked up their first clues as to the nature of the sabotage (higher than normal metal readings in the earth, machines were blown from the inside out, parts of parts were missing...) They did their investigative work, following the trail of the prisoner, as well as the red herring plot of the spy. In the end, they figured out that it was Replicators -- it helped that one of the buggers attacked them. This is where things went nuts. The two military men stayed to set some C4 to at least slow the Replicators, while the others got the Tok'ra out and the Tok'ra started the "self-destruct" on their tunnels. The C4 guys crit-failed their setting roll, which I had no choice but to, in the name of logic and realism, activate. The explosive went off, taking out a few Replicators and both of the PCs. The others were running like hell, but the Tok'ra weren't keeping up fast enough. Having a pretty good idea their friends were dead, the Russian ordered the Civilian Scientist to keep going. The Russian tried to lay down some fire on the pursuing Replicators to give the Tok'ra more time. He too crit failed, which I activated to cause his fire to hit many Tok'ra. The civilian got to the gate with the other Tok'ra that were left, the Russian not far behind and the Replicators not far behind him. The Russian got hit with enough acid to drop him, and the CivSci had no choice but to leave him and get the Tok'ra out of there. What a frelling mess.

So now I get to bring 2 new characters into the team (it was decided that the Replicators wouldn't see the Russian as a threat, and eventually he would be able to get back). And I'm thinking about using this opportunity to kick-start a whole new spin on the plotline. I'll detail that in a reply-to-self in a minute.

 

[SurfMonkey01]

My new spin

I'm toying with the idea that, in light of a catastrophic failure like this, as well as a few other situations that ended badly, that General Hammond will be relieved of his post and replaced with a newcomer. This newcome, General Jack Slate, will be a Marine and will carry both a more take-charge and a more gung-ho attitude to things. He will be less about the exploration and more about the gathering of weapons and defenses. He will be less trusting of aliens in the SGC, even going so far as to exclude them from briefings whenever possible (which will be interesting because the new characters my players are making are a Jaffa and an Asgard). Slate will also -- although this won't be known for some time -- be part of a newly minted spin on the NID. His position will grant them a good deal of power and leeway, and will allow him to place agents roughly wherever he wishes. All of this will do wonders for the NID's new "we don't exist" policy.

So that's what I'm toying with. I figure it gives me a chance to be more comfortable playing the Commander in Chief of the facility (I hate playing Hammond cause he's so established from the show, but I hate skipping over all the stuff he'd be involved in), as well as a truly interesting roleplaying opportunity for all characters involved -- plus, the gang would have the chance to do something truly HUGE if they find out about and expose Slate. So, whatcha think?

 

[Sir Whiskers]

I'm toying with the idea that, in light of a catastrophic failure like this, as well as a few other situations that ended badly, that General Hammond will be relieved of his post and replaced with a newcomer. This newcome, General Jack Slate, will be a Marine and will carry both a more take-charge and a more gung-ho attitude to things. He will be less about the exploration and more about the gathering of weapons and defenses. He will be less trusting of aliens in the SGC, even going so far as to exclude them from briefings whenever possible (which will be interesting because the new characters my players are making are a Jaffa and an Asgard). Slate will also -- although this won't be known for some time -- be part of a newly minted spin on the NID. His position will grant them a good deal of power and leeway, and will allow him to place agents roughly wherever he wishes. All of this will do wonders for the NID's new "we don't exist" policy...(snip)...plus, the gang would have the chance to do something truly HUGE if they find out about and expose Slate. So, whatcha think?

Just a thought, you might consider making Slate a real patriot (not a stereotypical sleaze). He works with the NID only because he thinks they're right in this particular case, as opposed to Senator Kinsey, who's just a jerk. This would allow the players a chance to slowly bring Slate around to their way of thinking, as opposed to simply exposing him as a spy/operative/whatever for the NID.

Of course, the NID has probably infiltrated one or more operatives into the SGC to keep an eye on things, including Slate, since they wouldn't have complete control over him. If it reaches the point that Slate seems unreliable, the NID might move against him, forcing him to seek help from SG-15, which could be a fun twist.