Game 1 Part 2 Journey to the Wastes

1.19.2189 roughly 0900 hours (underground)

### Scene

**The mood on the rail car is an odd mix of panic and complete lack of concern. There are those who are softly sobbing while others speak loudly about how they are becoming numb to the violence. A few arguments break out here and there, but it does not take long for most of the emotions to die down into a somber mood and perhaps even to the point as if nothing has happened at all.**

**Outside, most of what you can see is darkness and the occasional reflection of light off of the interior of the rail tunnel. Your seats are arranged in booths sitting four people per bench with three sides, the fourth side open to the aisle, and a table in the middle with a small vidscreen. Your booth is against the window, looking out into the abyss. The vidscreen on the table is not very loud, but you can hear a news bulletin about the suicide bombing in Juno Rail Station that just occurred. Dutch stares harshly at the screen with his arms crossed for a while, then abruptly changes the channel.**

**"I don't need these goddamed 24/7 loudmouths to remind me of whats going on. Not like they'll ever tell the real story anyways," Dutch mutters.**

**Dutch settles on nature documentary about Venusian sea creatures. Only a minute in, the broadcast is interrupted for a breaking news story. A public statement from the famous, or infamous, Ishtarian Chancellor August Donner. At over 130 years old (80 Earth years), he doesn't look his age, and the old military bureaucrat was still quite politically active, although his public addresses have been much less frequent. He is speaking to the Ishtarian people about the tensions between Ishtar and Aphrodia.**

**"Ishtar has always fought for the best interests of all Venusians. Without Ishtar, Venus would never have been capable of declaring itself truly independent of decadence and waste of Earth. We would be squeezed dry of the precious resources we have to feed our own families. Despite the constant terrorist attacks by Aphrodia in some twisted plot to destabilize the only nation on this planet capable of protecting us from our aggressive solar neighbors, we have stood strong. We have---"**

**Dutch angrily shuts the vidscreen off. "...and I don't need to hear that chicken shit's lies either."**

* The car will take about 4 hours to travel to Nazareth. The characters are free to explore the car, though for the time being there is not much to see.
* The car consists of six levels. The helm and crew quarters sit at the top. There are three decks of passenger space holding roughly 500 people each, to a total of 1500 at max capacity. Running vertically between these four sections is a small dining area. The second to last deck is the main drive mechanisms and personal storage, while the final and lowest deck is the docking station and bulk storage.

* Though the sturdiness of the car is unquestionable, it shows many signs of long term use. This and a few number of other cars transfer tens of thousands of people back and forth between Io and Nazareth every single shift. The decks are divided by ticket class, first and second class at the top, while third covers both the remaining lower decks. The crew are currently sitting on the fourth deck, third class. Aside from the small dining area and bathrooms, there are few other amenities.
* Talking to the people on the train will have mixed reactions. Some people are content not talking at all. Some are having drinks and having conversations. Many look like they are dressed for industrial work, especially on the third class decks.
* If any of the players want to talk to Dutch about the bombing, he will talk about the use of Mords, mind hacked suicide bombers, by the major powers to cause destruction without responsibility. He expects this from Earth, but he has doesn't doubt that the nations of Ishtar and Aphrodia use them all the time as well. He loves his country, but he doesn't think his political leaders represent the people anymore.
* Periodically throughout the trip, security will come by to ask for tickets. If Florence uses her press pass at anytime in front of the authorities, they will begin to hassle her. If not, they will mention to her that she doesn't look like a local. They will say that there is a tax for non-Aphrodian citizens who wish to use the rail system. Anyone passing a Law test (threshold 3) will know that this is not true, though the officers will only get more aggressive if this is brought up. Passing with a MoS of 2 or more will intimidate them enough to leave her alone.
* Either the officers must be paid, or Dutch will step in and pay them, joking that its coming out of her expenses. He then tells her that she should probably stop flashing her press pass in front of the authorities. They think that she is working for the Company to undermine the Aphrodian government. He suggests that she pay someone to forge a Venusian Press pass, as it would be much more useful.

### Event: Arriving at Nazareth

Time:

1.19.2189 roughly 1300 hours (The sun is low in the sky, winds are intermittent and strong)

### Scene

**After hours of darkness, the tunnel finally opens to the surface. The sun is low on the horizon, but its powerful heat and gaze still permeates the land. Even through the metal skin of the car, the heat is already rising. The landscape is mostly barren desert and rough rocky islands. The long shadows of hills create refuge for numerous large reptilian animals. Though they have basked in the sun for almost a whole day, even they must take a reprieve.**

**In the distance but approaching quickly, a city looms. Its buildings have hard and pragmatic edges to them, drab in color and stained by the uncountable exhaust stacks sprouting up on every block. In front of the city stretches a large copper colored lake.**

* **Its too acidic by itself, but by being processed, it is the largest source of drinking water for many miles. The unique bacteria that live in its waters along with the deep mineral deposits under the city provides an over abundance in combustible fuel production. The water and its bounties have allowed the people of Nazareth to build an oasis in the desert and to become a major hub for manufacturing. It is also the most secure territory of Aphrodia from this point on into the wastes. Once one travels outward, the law of the land becomes survival of the fittest.**

**The rail car finally arrives at its destination. Unlike Juno Rail Station, Hera Rail Station is an open air affair. Throngs of people crowd around the market place that has encircled the landing. The rail car security forces are quick to hurry the passengers out of the vehicle so that the next wave can embark.**

**Outside the atmosphere controlled car, the crew is met with hot dry air, but a pleasant shade designed into the architecture of the city blocks the direct rays of the sun. Though its not as brutal as it was back in Io, the temperature is still oppressive. To everyone's relief, the first of this micro-season's winds have started to sweep into the city. Short but strong gusts of air flutter the various flags and wind catchers the local put up for this time of day. The mood is far livelier compare to the tension of Io, though much of that can be attributed to the weather. Almost regardless of anything, no matter how awful, the coming winds and rain of sunset are a necessary distraction.**

**Dutch calls up a bus transport and gathers the crew. They are shuttled completely across town, to the far Eastern side known as the Docks. This area is where many large facilities reside, designed to build and maintain the kinds of craft that ply the deserts. Some of these ships are absolutely massive, comparable to aircraft carriers. Even many of the smaller deep desert vehicles stand stories tall.**

**Dutch brings the crew to his own personal shop. Between two behemoth docks working on monstrous land craft, McKracken Rescue and Salvage houses its own small fleet of large desert vehicles. The primary backbone to this operation is the Baserunner. 30 meters (100ft) tall and 70 meters (230) long, weighing 400 tons and capable of carrying another 250, these beasts roll across rough terrain on six giant independently motorized wheels. The forward cabin has space for primary operations, crew quarters, the head, and a commons area that converts into a kitchen. It is completely climate controlled and sealed from the harsh desert environment. The rear bay area varies depending on the purpose of the Baserunner.**

* McKracken's service usually entails three runners:
	1. The first is the primary equipment carrier. This vehicle stores machinery necessary for breaking apart valuable scrap such as a construction mech as well as some smaller utility vehicles.
	2. The second runner is the medical center and also doubles as the primary crew carrier. The most of the interior is a miniature mobile hospital with an emphasis on stabilization. Without as much heavy machinery, there is more room for the crew to stretch out. It does have enough room for an emergency vehicle that helps medical crew get access where the large rigs cannot go.
	3. The final runner is the hauler. Its entire bay is for storing salvage. Though the runner is quite large, this kind of salvage operation is more focused on small prizes, such as computers or advanced mechs. The larger hauls involve many more salvagers as they pull apart a wreck piece by piece.
* Though a Baserunner only needs one person to drive, its also important to have a navigator as well as a lookout. In addition, each type of runner has its secondary crew. The normal cabin is designed to allow 10 people to live comfortably, but a cleared out rig could hold as many as 60 people. Since the medical runner has more passenger space (it can hold up to 30 people), most of the team will be stationed there.
* On this planned trip, the players will all be riding in the medical rig. In addition to the players, there is also Dutch, the driver, two medical crew, and two mechanics. The other two rigs only have a driver and a navigator.
* The crew will soon meet up with the security team.
* The Roster:

### Event: Last Minute Affairs

Time:

1.19.2189 roughly 1500 hours (The sun is low in the sky, winds are intermittent and strong)

### Scene

**Dutch introduces the rest of the team that will be driving the convoy. Aside from a driver and navigator on the other two vehicles, the team will be riding on the medical rig, which has the nicest accommodations. The mission is fairly simple: drive out to the oasis town of Zeme, about a shift away, and from there they will ply the wastes looking for distress signals and wrecks.**

**Dutch explains that** **Zeme is one of his forward bases that allows his company to carry out operations in the waste. Zeme is a small settlement built on an oasis well, allowing the native inhabitants the ability to survive in the desert. It is here that they will refuel and resupply before leaving civilization.**

**The only thing left to do is tell the security company Agrona Arms that they are ready to head out. Dutch tells Ace to contact his team and tell them to meet them outside the docks. Dutch tells the team they have two hours before the Baserunners disembark and should finish any last minute preparations that they may have. Once out, the rigs will make passes between their base and the wastes every shift for the next week. Then, come midnight, the convoy will head back to Nazareth.**

* The players have two hours before the rigs assemble to leave.
* If Moose tries to confront Dutch about his manifests, Dutch will make an excuse that his last secretary quit on him, so although he has the access codes, he doesn't know where anything is filed. If Moose tries to look at the files himself, he will see that the files are a mess, scattered around, and labeled poorly. He does manage to find a file on Gigatech, but its just a forwarding address to a data station located at Zeme, the oasis town the convoy is headed to.
* Before they can leave, the regular mechanics, Jay Hatchet and Flynn McFly, tells Dutch that the equipment rig is having a problem with one of its wheel motors. He asks if the new guy can help out.
	+ If Switch can pass a mechanics test (threshold 3), he successfully helps repair the wheel motor. If he fails, the rigs won't be able to roll out for an extra hour. If he passes with a MoS of 2 or more, the mechanic will praise him on his fine work. The rig will ignore its first Movement System Damage (if it comes up).
* Ace can find his teammates, Rory Dax and Jim Hopper and their handler Cece Colfax, a few docks down. They seem like a fairly tight knit group. Rory and Jim are both native of Aphrodia, so they look at Ace with a lot of suspicion. Ace was hired by corporate almost certainly because he is a Tyrian who might bless them with some new technology, and this makes his teammates doubt his commitment. Cece is much more accepting, but she seems new to her job.
	+ They will tell Ace that Cece and two pilots will ride on their own company owned rig along with a driver and a mechanic. A third operative will ride with the customer as personal defense. They think that Ace should do it since he is the new guy. If he resists, they will decide to flip a coin (which is a trick coin), and whichever face Ace chooses it will be him.
* Dutch introduces Dr. Swayze to the two medical aids, Tad Midoff and Tammy Hoffman. They are trained mostly for emergency response, leaving the more advanced work for the doctor.
	+ There is a small area designed for scientific research, though the equipment is not the main focus of the medical bay. A successful Medicine roll (threshold 2) will reveal that the room is fully stocked. It will also reveal a strange medical device.
	+ An additional Life Science roll (threshold 4) will reveal the odd equipment seems to be used to study human brains, while 2 degrees of success will reveal that the equipment produces electromagnetic fields that would block incoming signals from most devices within a very short range, namely around a human head. If the doctor tries to ask anyone about it, they will say that it was left over from the last doctor they had who was studying human psychology, though nobody knows what the devices are for.
* The other two navigators, Tipper Green and Saleen DuPesh, will try to mean up with Raltor, who technically will be leading the convoy. They are both city dwellers, but they have spent plenty of time in the wastes guiding McKracken's convoys. They will show great enthusiasm to work with someone who knows the land so well.
	+ Tipper in particular can be quite incessant, as he has actually been studying tribal cultures as part of a his thesis for school. He will ask Raltor so many questions that Raltor will need to pass a Psyche test (threshold 2), or he will feel so much anxiety that he will push Tipper away, knocking him over. Saleen will get very upset and help Tipper limp away. They both will be hesitant to deal with him from then on.
	+ If Raltor passes with 2 or more degrees of success, he not only refrains from freaking out, but the two navigators realize that he has some emotional problems and show him sympathy. Saleen will admit that her family was killed while on a salvage run by raiders, but it was another tribe that rescued her.
* If Florence interviews any of Dutch's crew, they will all speak highly of him. Most have worked for him for many years and a few have had their lives changed by it.
	+ Saleen, the navigator, admits that she lost her family to raiders, was rescued by a desert tribe, and Dutch's crew picked her up. She didn't have anything left, so Dutch offered her a job and a new life.
	+ Derick, the driver for the medical rig, is one of the newest hires after the players. He has only been out on a few excursions, but his skill at handling the rough terrain really impressed Dutch. It didn't take long before he was put in at the lead of the convoy. Derick is ambitious and bold, and always seems to be looking to push the limits on what he can get away with.
		- An Investigation test (threshold 2) will reveal that Derick had been approached by a man who offered him a lot of money to tell him where they were headed. He was paid even more to not mention it to anyone. 2 or more degrees of success will reveal that the man he was speaking to handed him a card to contact him. Derick will offer the card over if he is compensated.
		- The card only has a call number. However, it is printed on real paper, which is very rare on Venus (the trees on Venus don't make good paper, alternative plants are used that have a slightly different quality).
	+ Tammy, on the medical staff, has saved quite a few lives, even with he meager skills. She even had to save Dutch's life before on a few occasion, including when he was bit by a venomous Naga. She held his hand and maintained his vitals for almost two shifts as they road back from their haul. She feels as if she is somehow destined to protect his life.
	+ Jay Hatchet, the mechanic, has been working with Dutch to build this company almost from the beginning. Jay used to service mechs in the military and often shares a lot of war stories with Dutch. The two of them have had many close calls over the years and Jay considers Dutch the most trustworthy friend he has ever had. He says he would walk through the gates of Hell with Dutch if he asked him to.
	+ Flynn McFly, the other mechanic, is also a fairly new recruit, having worked for Dutch for about a year. He is shy but friendly. He won't talk about himself much, but will regularly praise Dutch. He will be enamored by Florence, stealing glances of her frequently and even asking one of the other players if she has a boyfriend.
		- And Investigation test (threshold 3) will reveal that McFly had mentioned he was a native born Nazarian, but his accent doesn't match any of the natives that she has met. Any degrees of success will reveal that he speaks with a Eather accent and has neural tracker implanted just underneath the flesh of his hand. Such devices are commonly used by the EAU to track and monitor convicts.
		- If Florence goes out of her way to look through Flynn's personal effects, an Investigation test (threshold 4) will reveal a notebook that describes the comings and goings of Dutch with high detail along with notes written in code.
		- A Seduction test (threshold 2) will make Flynn think that he has a chance with Florence, and will try his best to impress her. If she has the notebook and asks him about it after seducing him, he will say that he was paid by a man to keep these records, use cypher he was given to code them, and then enter the coded information into a dark net-site. He doesn't know what any of it means, but money shows up in his accounts every time he does it.

### Event: Into the Wastes

Time:

1.19.2189 roughly 1800 hours (The sun is low in the sky, N winds are intermittent and strong, the first rains coming)

### Scene

**With all the equipment on board the Baserunners, the security team on standby to follow and protect, and the crew assembled, the convoy heads out East into the setting sun. Strong gusts of wind start to pick up. They are carrying rolling clouds that dot the sky, drenching the land beneath them with thick columns of water. As the trucks fly through the flats at high speeds, some of these rain bursts come very close to the line. Dust is blasted like an upside down mushroom cloud, hitting the sides of the vehicles with sediment and humid air. As one of the great clouds flies past the convoy, the desert in its wake is a wondrous sight. Within minutes and even seconds of the rain falling, blooms of flowers explode with vibrant colors. Though they vary in hue, most of them are purples, blues, and even glowing greens, with the occasional yellow or even red.**

**Along with the intense desert blooms, many animals also seemingly emerge right out of the ground to take advantage of the bounty. Large flying beetles and flies buzz frantically to eat, mate, and die. From beneath rocks even outside the rain's landing, a burst of glimmering wings charge out of small caves and crevices. They looks like birds with wings and feathers, but have the build of a very small canine, almost like a fox. Just like the insects, these flying creatures quickly descend on the flower fields. Many are very small, and pick at the flowers just as the other bugs, while larger varieties stalk, hunting any prey they can find. Almost everything in site is reflecting the last of the sun's rays into a cacophony of dazzling lights and colors. Compared to the drab and desolate day, this coming evening shows the true colors of the planet.**

**Almost as fast as the rains brought such life, the plants start to wither. The insects quickly lay their eggs and either die soon afterwards or they burrow into the soft soil. Many of the canine creatures go back to take cover, waiting for another cloud to come by and drop its payload.**

**Dutch looks out into the blooms and remarks that they are very blue. That means its safe. He offers to take Florence and anyone else who is interested to come to the top deck to enjoy the coming of Dusk.**

* Outside, the rigs are moving fast and the wind is blowing. Anyone who joins him will experience the fresh, clean rain that is falling. Dutch turns on a device on his jacket that glows green. This device detects the pH level of the water, showing that it is currently neutral.
* The flowers actually are naturally dark purple when they emerge, but the pH of the rain will bring that color shift down to green and then finally red.
* The fox creatures are called Vulpavians, or commonly known as Dusk Foxes. They come in many varieties and are very successful. They are predominantly active at Dusk and Dawn.
* The rains are periodic, but sometimes come in huge waves (D3 waves). During these waves, the convoy often has to try to seek cover by rock outcroppings. Raltor must make a successful Desert Navigation test (Threshold 1+D3) to avoid the largest storms. If he fails a test, the convoy is hit hard. One of the rigs will suffer damage and be unable to move until repaired with a Mechanical test (Threshold 3).
* The trip to their base will take about one shift, though this will increase if there are delays. Regardless, the actual arrival time will be about a shift and a half, into the middle of the 21st, the last day of light.
* The plan is to drive out to the oasis town of Catalhoyuk where they will refuel and restock before heading deep into the wastes of the Gauntlet Desert. A secret beacon has already been placed that an agent on the spaceship will activate, both directing the ship and Dutch's rig. Dutch already knows the general area of the beacon, so he will direct his crew in that direction.

* Dutch will lie to everyone about their refuel station, telling them that they are headed to a oasis town called Zeme. About halfway through their trip, he will take Raltor and his driver aside and explain to them that changing course, but not to bring it up so that nobody would start arguing about their contracts. The driver fully trusts Dutch. If Raltor wants to protest, Dutch will do his best to appeal to him, quickly offering him cash in hand (500 marks). If Raltor continues to protest, Dutch will try to Intimidate him (Bld 2d+2 vs Raltor's Wil, 2d+0) into keeping his mouth shut. If he wins, Raltor will back down, but he can still do as he pleases once he leaves Dutch's presence. If he fails, a random player character near by will hear his complaints.

* If anyone figures out the truth about the deviation and demands extra pay, Dutch will agree to bonuses. He will explain that he got a hot tip about an important wreck, but wanted to keep it secret so that they would get their first. He still doesn't completely trust all of his new crew.

### Scene

1.21.2189 Very early in the shift (The sun is at its lowest in the sky, The N winds and rain come in like waves, about 15 to 30 minutes apart, mostly neutral pH)

**After a shift and a half of rough, rugged wastes, the team has finally arrived at the base, Catalhoyuk.**

* If Dutch hasn't already had to explain the detour, he will explain it now. If anyone complains that he lied to them, he will tell them that they are more than welcome to find their own way back if they don't like it.
* The base consists of a few buildings commandeered from an colony originally abandoned when Venus lost contact with Earth almost 200 years ago. The townsfolk have tapped into a number of utility systems that are still operational from the original colony. Incursions into the ruins has rewarded them with lots of tech, but most of what could be found has been found. The remainder of its bounties lies deep in the underground facilities, most of which have been sealed off.
* If at any point Moose complains that Dutch had promised the files would be at Zeme, Dutch will just say that they are here at Catalhoyuk, he just lied so as to not reveal his plan.

**In the distance the oasis town can be seen amongst some rocky hills. It looks like a very large settlement, perhaps 2 kilometers (1.2 miles) across that has not been in active use for a very long time. Sand has encroached on all sides, old machinery and vehicles lay dilapidated on the disappearing roads, and many of the windows on the buildings have been busted out. The architecture seems odd as well, compared to that of Io or Nazareth, instead looking much more like something from Earth.**

**Dutch is already peering ahead with his binoculars and notices something amiss. He says that there seems to be a lot of smoke coming from the Southern side of the town where the natives mostly live. Their base is located on the Northern side, though it doesn't appear to have been damaged in any way. As the convoy begins to get within normal sensor range of most combat units, Dutch pulls the trucks aside and gathers his crew to discuss a plan.**

* Give the players a chance to discuss what the smoke might be. Dutch isn't sure, but he will say that it looks like its coming from a very large fire, probably from fuel burning.
* Whatever is decided, the players will have two main locations to explore, while the rest of the town is too big and too desolate for the players to achieve much.
* Dutch will prefer to be with anyone who checks out the townsfolk. He knows that here is nothing of any real value in the base aside compared to the lives that might be at risk.
* The security team will make its own tactical decisions. The Cece opts to have a mech sweep the left while another sweeps the right. Ace is ordered to make his way to the town to secure the location.

### Location: McKracken Base at Catalhoyuk

**The base of operations for McKracken's Rescue and Salvage is expertly hidden in the ruins on the North side of Catalhoyuk. What appears to be just another desolate building is actually a hollowed out service bay. The doors are built right into the wall of the building, opening up almost like a toy dollhouse. Though there is not much actually inside, there are a number of larger machines designed to tend to the large Baserunners and their smaller craft. A stair case runs up the back wall to a small office.**

* The larger office consists of a few rooms, though Dutch's own room is build like a bay window. There isn't much in his office aside from personal effects. The door to the rest of the rooms is stuck shut. The doorknob has been melted through, but the number of other locks across the door have held. Unlocking the remaining safeguards and pushing hard against the melted knob will bust the door open, revealing that the rest of entire office has been tossed.
* There is no power in the entire facility. Backup generators can be set up from the Baserunners, but the main power to the base is provided by a single line that runs deep into the ruins. It is hacked into a single power source that also fuels the town (See Location Catalhoyuk Ruins). This line also provides other utilities like water and bacteria cultures necessary for fuel production, though the latter is operated by the townsfolk. Solar panels do exist on the building, but they are only small emergency batteries. The base was set up to depend on the power source of the old colony, which is likely nuclear.
* Inspection Test (threshold 2) will reveal that computers and files cabinets seem to have been specifically target. It will also reveal a lot of mindless destruction, such as small fires, graffiti, lots of litter, broken alcohol bottles, and urine.
* If Switch goes into the offices, he will recognize the graffiti as a tag belonging to the Twin Cobras, though he doesn't know anything else about them. The warband destroyed what was left of his family's farm.
* Moose will find the computer he is looking for, but its drives have been completely ripped out by force. Whatever he hoped to find was probably completely lost.
* Whoever broke in did so through a hallway on the other side of the building, apparently oblivious of what was on the other side of Dutch's office door, which they couldn't seem to open.
* Assuming Dutch is with the team at the town, he will try to make contact with anyone in the base to alert them to the situation in progress.

### Location: Catalhoyuk Town

**Though most of the colony is deserted, the Southern quarter has been converted into a desert town. The old structures seemed to have originally been build to supply a vertical green house, but much of the massive structure has been in ruins for a long time. Still , the old utilities still work in some areas and have been tapped into for the benefit of the townsfolk.**

**There are many tents or various sizes set up near the buildings as well as a few structures converted for living. Vendor stalls and carts line the streets. But there doesn't seem to be anyone in sight. In the middle of the main street is a large pyre burning high and billowing out a great column of smoke.**

* The pyre is made from the tents and bodies of the villagers that tried to stop the raiders from invading, though it will be impossible to tell until the flames die down.

* If the players approach on foot, they will quickly be met with some of the townsfolk hiding in their homes and tents. They will notice that the players are not raiders and will warn them that they have been invaded by "devil" scum. It won't take long before shouting can be heard in the street by one of the occupiers. He is calling out anyone who knows anything about some rigs pulling into the colony or if anyone has seen any outsiders. If the players do not approach them, one of the townsfolk will rat them out. The raiders will act cocky but not overtly hostile to the players.
* If the players approach with vehicles, the raiders will wait until they have let their guard down to make an approach. Even then, they will approach safely and will use loudspeakers to tell the players that they don't mean any harm.
* Immediately in plain view, there are 5 raiders with light armour and weapons. One of them is clearly their leader as he is much bigger and does all the talking. He calls himself Rakken, and he says that he runs this operation, the Twin Cobras. Two of the raiders are riding on large desert bikes carrying some heavy weapons.
	+ Rakken is actually one of the leaders of the Twin Cobras. His smarter, younger brother Victor is currently out in the wastes with some of his raiders hunting armed with their heaviest weapons.
	+ Though Rakken and his four men are the only ones currently in the open, he also has two gunners posted in the high buildings as lookouts, two medium combat mechs, and two light scrap mechs.
	+ The combat mechs are in a makeshift hanger deeper into the colony where the gang has made its main operations. The scrap mechs are deactivated and hiding behind buildings near by.

* If Switch sees any of the iconography on the raiders, he will notice that they are Twin Cobras, the raiders that killed his family. If he tries to bring this up to the raiders in any way, they will deny it. If he somehow brings it up to Rakken, he will admit that his brother did that, but that he would never condone something like that. He will even say that he has stopped working with his brother because of stuff like that.
* If the players decide to talk to the raiders, the raiders will tell them that they are only here to defend these people from the much worse forces of Ishtar that have been harassing the settlements in the contested zones. It is apparent by much of their looted weapons and equipment that they have targeted Ishtar military units.

* The raiders will do their best to convince the players that they don't want any trouble. If the players don't believe them, Rakken will call out to the townsfolk and ask them if they are welcome. Though not extremely enthusiastically, there will be a number of people who will say that everything is fine. This will also cause the town's unofficial mayor to come running to the scene.
* The Matif (mayor), known as Ceulem Jivar, is a middle aged man who looks worn and tired. He is wearing desert robes that make him look slightly more dignified than the rabble. He pleads with the players that Rakken is not a threat, but has been protecting them from Ishtar. He tells them to return to their base and not cause any problems.
	+ If Dutch is around, he knows that Ceulem was not the Matif the last time he was here. He will ask Ceulem about his former Matif, to which he will say that he died of a Naga bite.
* If no combat ensues, Dutch will tell the team that its probably best if they head back to the base and secure it. He doesn't want any bloodshed if he can avoid it, and the security team has been hired to help defend the convoy, not to carry out aggressive actions.
	+ If they know that the base has no power, Dutch also sends a team of Raltor, Switch, along with the mechanic Flynn (or Jay Hatchet) to go figure out what is wrong.
	+ If Ace, Florence, or Moose are around, a young man and woman approach them and ask them to help them. They say that there are many more raiders, and that these guys are just holding down the fort. They tell them that the pyre is made up of the possessions and bodies of those who stood up to them. They don't have any tactical advice, but they know that the salvage crew is better equipped than they are and they have a security team.
* If combat does ensue, then the raiders will retreat from the colony if they are badly beaten. They will rejoin with their main force to plan retaliation.

### Location: Catalhoyuk Ruins

**The remnants of the once thriving colony still impressively stand with very little structural damage. However, whatever could have been broken into and stolen has been, while anything else was secured well enough to stand the test of time. The remains of the efforts to enter by looters in the past are visible. Last blasts and wielding scorches seemed to have only done superficial damage to the strongest doors and bulkheads.**

**The supply lines running from the town and the base are all linked to a single port that has been hacked into. It is a large circular opening about six meters across with tubes and pipelines running out of it of various sizes running in all different directions. Most of these pipes are now disconnected not far from the source. The two largest bundles stretch to the base and to the town.**

* Regardless if the players fight the raiders or not, they will end up having to refuel and resupply.
* With the raiders having tapped into the utilities, the town's meager supply has been diminished. The base normally has power and fuel as well, but its lines are connected to the same ones that the town uses.
* The lines can be repaired, but the hack job has done secondary damage to some of the systems below. There is not normal access root that leads down this opening as the original is locked tight. However, there is space between the tubes, about the width of a person, that leads down to a lower level below the street. Its not an easy climb, and doing so free handed will take an Athletics test (threshold 3), or the character will fall, suffering D3x8 damage.
* The tunnels lead into the Catalhoyuk Underground Ruins

### Location: Catalhoyuk Underground Ruins

**Directly below the tight opening is a sudden drop about 2 1/2 m (8 ft). Sand at the bottom slopes outward for a few meters into the darkness. The room is littered with all kinds of tech stations and machines, though it looks like anything that could be opened up has been robbed of its contents. The piping from the ceiling continues to go down, level by level along with a stair well spiraling around it. There are long hallways stretching in all four directions, but a combination of sand and discarded machinery blocks them all.**

* On each level, one or more of the massive tubes bends away down a hall. Each level is almost identical to the first. This decent stretches down six levels before all the tubes have diverted to their sources.
* A Mechanical test (threshold 2) will reveal the piping that supplies the power to the surface. It has burns on its surface that seem to have come from the inside. Any degrees of success will reveal that there was a short circuit controlling the pumps to the base. If the wiring can be rerouted, it can be repaired. The characters need to get to the original power source to do the bypass.
* Once the players have find the power pipe, they can follow it down the only open hallway around. Even then, about 30 m (100ft) down the hallway, there is a large obstruction created from a collapsed ceiling. There is an open door to the left which leads into a small room divided by a bullet proof glass divider. the divider has its own door, which is locked on the other side with the key hanging on the rack on the other side. at the far end is a door poorly welded shut from the other side with the power symbol painted on it and a small access tunnel open from the floor.
* It is possible to climb through to the other side, though it is quickly apparent that it will take some skill to navigate. A Navigation test (threshold 3, threshold 5 without Ruins specialization) or Athletics test (threshold 4) will allow the player to climb through the collapse rubble and through a series of access hatches. Just as the players are about to work their way to the room with the key, the access duct buckles and breaks, dropping the players into a new room, the Medical Lab
* Once the players have gotten to the room with the key, they can let anyone else in. The door can be forced open with any basic tools or a Strength test (threshold 2). This leads down a very long hallway to the Power Station.

### Location: Medical Lab

**As the old access ducts give way, the team falls into a cluttered room that still has power, thought the main lights are off. Everywhere there are tables with beakers and medical equipment, large mobile bio-metric monitors, IV stands, and large cryopods. Most of the machines are still humming and emitting green glows from their screens. In the middle of the floor is a man's dead body. He is wearing a lab coat and is frozen in a state of terror. He is laying on his chest, but his face is turned upwards in a horrified grimace. In his right, outstretched hand is a small device. Behind a few large machines, there is a red pulsing glow.**

* The dead scientists is Dr. Fredrick Kerstein, which can be found out by reading his name tag.
	+ Dr. Kerstein was a class mate and contemporary of Dr. Swayze's. Though they did not agree on much, they had remained friendly for the most part. Dr. Kerstein had disappeared over a year ago on a research mission to study Venusian wildlife in the wastes, but hadn't been heard from since.
	+ A Tinker test (threshold 3) will reveal that the device is a handmade remote controller for something, though what it controls is unknown. It is actually the basic command interface for the "Polymorphic Antigraphic Lifeform" (PAL). There is a small green light up monitor that currently reads out the distance and direction of its PAL, which is across the room in the red vessel.
	+ A quick look over will reveal that he has a slash on his arm surrounded by dark bruises, though its not apparent it was life threatening. A Medical test (threshold 2) will reveal that he died from breathing in a deadly toxin in the air. 1 success will reveal that it is a standard nerve gas called Norox sometimes used by the military, and that it becomes inert very fast, making it useful for clearing out buildings. A Life Science test (threshold 4) will reveal that any samples of his flesh are intermixed with dead cells from an unknown organism. And degrees of success will show that the foreign cells were taking on the shape and characteristics of the host.
* The red glow is coming from a large orb containing a opaque liquid. Inside something is moving.
	+ All of the machines are still on, but the font is in a strange code. A red flashing sign keeps popping up, saying that the system is on lock down.
	+ Investigation or Computer test (threshold 2) will reveal that a data backup has been inserted into the mainframe and had been filled to capacity. Even if the players could manage to look at the files, they are currently encoded. It would take a Computer test (threshold 6) to gain access to the device and a degree of success to break the code. It contains a random collection of data on the PAL that could be used to study it.
	+ The containment vessel has a large crack running across the side. Next to in on the floor is a pack of 6 Norox nerve gas canisters, two of which have been used. If any of the players get near to the vessel for close inspection, the crack will run, making a sharp noise. If the players try to leave, make any more inspections of the vessel, or try to manipulate the controller, the vessel will break open.
		- When the vessel breaks open, a thick soapy red liquid spills across the floor. Anyone within a few meters will have to test for Agility (threshold 2) or they will slip in the slime and be prone until they can pass the test.
		- Out of the spilling ooze comes a writhing mass of flesh. Veins and muscles and teeth roll around like a fluid, acting like arms and grasping appendages to pull itself through the muck with surprising ease. It moves fast and quickly confronts the players. Dozens of little muscular tentacles reach out and probe the players bodies
			* Players can make an Initiative test against the PAL's Combat Sense 3
			* PAL attacks with Melee 2+1 (dmg 8x)
			* The PAL has a Light wound of 20, heavy wound of 40, and every turn it regains a level of damage.
			* After the players do 3 or more wounds, the PAL withdraws and scurries into the dark. Raltor's raptor will charge in after it. There are sounds of animals screaming and a rough scuffle, but not long afterwards, the raptor comes back covered in blood. If the players have the device on hand, it will read that the PAL located where the raptor is (because it took over it). The device will beep loudly with an update, saying that the PAL has initiated genetic updates.
		- After the players encounter the PAL, they will notice a cabinet has been pushed out of the way by the animals fighting, revealing an door that leads to the access tunnels again, right near the room to the Power Station.

### Location: Power Station

**Past the barricaded door, a long dark hallway stretches. After about 100 m (330 ft), the hallway finally ends at an open bulkhead to the Power Station. A huge open room full of pipes and churning machines echoes with the sounds of fluids pumping, pressure valves equalizing, and computer systems running diagnosis. Walking into the large room, the crew can see a number of dead raiders. They seemed to have died in a firefight from across the walkway to the main station.**

* The power station mostly runs on its own, but the townsfolk have had people down here maintaining the power plant. The old machines are very well designed and have maintained their own nuclear power supply for 200 years.
* The townsfolk had set up a barricade against the raiders but had lost the fight.
* On the other side of the walk way is a upper level looking over the main floor. If the players are quite, they can sneak up on the 2 raiders who are stationed here with a Stealth test (threshold 2). If they want to attack, they must use Stealth or their combat skill, whichever is lowest.
* One of the raiders is standing near a makeshift grill, cooking up some lizards. The other raider is sitting near a table next to his homemade wielding torch and fuel tank.
* If the players decide to try to talk to the raiders, the raiders will instantly start fighting.
* Once the raiders have been dealt with, the players can attempt a Electronics test (Threshold 2) or a Mechanical test (threshold 3) to repair and reroute the power.
* After fixing the machinery, the players will hear a noise from someone hiding behind some equipment. It is a third raider, though he is young and scared and unarmed. If the players don't kill him, he will readily admit that he had hit the alarm to the surface raiders, but that he honestly doesn't want anything to do with them anymore. He begs for the players to not kill him.
	+ His name is Egan and he is telling the truth. If he is pressed to tell more about the raiders, he will try to answer as honestly as possible, but he doesn't know too much.
	+ He knows that the raiders are called the Twin Cobras and that they are led by Rakken and Victor. He knows that they were sent to Catalhoyuk to accost McKracken's group.
	+ He was in the room when the deal went down It was a tall well dressed man with sunglasses. They were paid to find McKracken and notify him when the salvage team was found. When the warband got to the town and found out that McKracken wouldn't be there, they hijacked the power supply, raided what they could, and set up shop to wait for them. At the moment, Victor is out doing recon at Zeme. Egan and the other two raiders were stationed here to guard the power supply. The one raider was a bit nuts and decided to temporarily weld the door shut.
	+ Egan also knows that Dr. Kerstein had paid the warband to let him follow them in order to gain access to lost research labs. He doesn't know what happened to him other than he went off into the ruins and never came back. He never could understand any of the things the doctor talked about, though he knew he was interested in animals and plants.