TEXT:  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  1 
   
   
  Introduction 
  02 
  Campaign 
  02 
  Options 
  03 
  Other Ships 
  03 
  Terminology 
  03 
  New Rules 
  05 
  New Gear 
  09 
  The Region 
  13 
  Act One 
  14 
  Finding Callahan 
  14 
  The Mind Master 
  31 
  The Xoth Nebula 
  38 
  The Orkus System 
  39 
  Act Two 
  49 
  The Crash Site 
  57 
  The Ice Creature Lair 
  62 
  Marak Ta’Chom 
  67 
  Act Three 
  69 
  Finding Kirak 
  85 
  The Space Zombies 
  89 
  The Oiretophid 
  95 
  The Escape 
     102 
  The Third Fleet 
     105 
  Aftermath 
     105 
  This fan created product is designed for use 
  with 
  Goblinoid 
  Games’ 
  Starships 
  & 
  Spacemen™ 2nd Edition role playing game, 
  which 
  can 
  be 
  found 
  at 
  www.goblinoidgames.com. Starships and 
  Spacemen™, 
  and 
  associated 
  content 
  owned by Daniel Proctor and Goblinoid 
  Games. 
   
  AUTHOR & ILLUSTRATOR: 
  Scott Mulder 
   
  CGI MODELS & TEXTURES: 
  Simon Schild, Power Fusion 3-D, 3-D-C, 
  Notilize, Coflek Gnorg, Adam Thwaites, 
  Cybertenko, 
  Darriofish, 
  Predatron 
  3D, 
  Nightshift3D, The Antfarm, Mortem Vetus, 
  Xena, April YSH, 
  Ian Palmer, 
  Petipet, 
  Mylochka, and Valander. 
   
  This product contains fan created content 
  under the creative common license. The 
  purchaser of this product may re-print it for 
  personal use.   
   
  ARTWORK: 
  Copy Right 2020. All original or derived 
  artwork contained in this product were 
  created by Scott Mulder and Luminous Design 
  Studio. These works cannot be redistributed 
  or extracted outside the personal use of this 
  product without the expressed written 
  permission of the artist. 
   
  
   
  2 
   
   
  The Trouble at Memnaan is an adventure 
  module for use with Goblinoid Games’ 
  Starships and Spacemen 2nd Edition Role 
  Playing Game. This module is intended for 
  experienced players with Characters at 
  Level 3-6. Space Masters can allow lower 
  level characters to join a mixed level party 
  or adjust the number of adversaries 
  encountered for compatibility. It is highly 
  recommended that you complete the 
  Starships and Spacemen 2nd Edition 
  introductory adventure “Mind Masters of 
  Zeta Herculis” found on Page 90 of the 
  rulebook before playing this module. The 
  mission scenario contained herein is 
  written for the Ashdown Campaign 
  Universe but may be used with the original 
  game campaign setting with some minor 
  adjustments. Luminous Design Studio’s 
  resource supplements “Ashdown: Sol & 
  Xoth Sectors”, “Shadow Ops”, and the 
  “Starship Construction Manual, Vol’s #1-2” 
  are highly recommended for use with this 
  product but not required. You can use this 
  module as written or as inspiration for use 
  in adventures within your own game 
  setting. If you intend to play this mission 
  scenario as a Character you should stop 
  reading at the start of Act One.  
  This mission adventure takes place within 
  Luminous 
  Design 
  Studio’s 
  Ashdown 
  Campaign Universe. This campaign setting 
  is a fictional alternate reality in the year 
  2290 loosely based on factual and fictional 
  places in our own universe. There are some 
  differences between this game setting and 
  the original one found in the 2nd Edition 
  Rulebook published by Goblinoid Games. 
  One specific distinction is that in the 
  Ashdown Universe the Gorran have an 
  independent interstellar government and 
  are 
  not 
  members 
  of 
  the 
  Galactic 
  Confederation. Space Masters who wish to 
  keep the Gorran as written in the 2nd 
  Edition Rulebook can simply articulate that 
  the 
  Gorran 
  home-world 
  is 
  the 
  Confederation’s foothold in the Beta 
  Quadrant. This campaign universe is 
  composed of the two charted quadrants of 
  the known galaxy (Alpha and Beta) and two 
  uncharted ones (Gamma and Delta). Space 
  Masters can introduce their players to this 
  alternate reality as their home setting or 
  find their way here through a teleporter 
  mishap, alien portal, or dimensional rift.  
   
  
   
  3 
   
   
   
  If the Ashdown Campaign Universe is not 
  your 
  default 
  game 
  setting 
  it 
  is 
  recommended that you run a prelude 
  adventure 
  to 
  acclimate 
  the 
  Player 
  Characters before beginning this module. 
  This can include an introductory back story 
  of how the PC’s arrived in this alternate 
  universe and found their way to Starbase 
  Alpha. While this adventure can be played 
  using the original game setting universe, or 
  one of your own design, it will require 
  some minor modifications in order to fit in. 
  Using the Ashdown Universe in this 
  adventure will provide the PC’s a personal 
  interest in investigating the events on 
  Memnaan as a means of finding a potential 
  way back to their own home universe. 
   
  This adventure module can be adapted to 
  use either the Confederation Frigate 
  Deimos or another incumbent starship 
  from your own game campaign. If the 
  Players are up to the challenge, using the 
  Deimos will shift the tone of game play 
  towards problem solving and resource 
  management. In this scenario, the Space 
  Master can advise the players that their 
  incumbent starship has been recalled to 
  Starbase Alpha for much needed repairs or 
  refit. While their starship is in space dock, 
  the crew will be reassigned to the Deimos 
  in the interim while the repairs or upgrades 
  are being completed. 
  ABBR. 
  GAME TERMINOLOGY 
  AR 
  Armor / Armor Rating 
  BB 
  Beam Bank 
  CHA 
  Charisma 
  CMD 
  Command  
  CNT 
  Contact 
  CON 
  Constitution 
  CSF 
  Confederation Space Fleet 
  DEX 
  Dexterity 
  ENG 
  Engineer / Engineering 
  ENL 
  Enlisted 
  EQ 
  Equipment 
  FC 
  Fire Control 
  HP 
  Hit Points 
  INT 
  Intelligence 
  MIL 
  Military Branch 
  MED 
  Medical 
  OFC 
  Officer 
  PC’s 
  Player Characters 
  PPB 
  Power Pile Base 
  PSI 
  Psionic Potential 
  NAV 
  Navigation 
  NPC’s 
  Non-Player Characters 
  SCI 
  Science Branch 
  SEC 
  Security 
  SIB 
  Space Fleet Intelligence Bureau 
  SL 
  Sentient Life 
  SM 
  Space Master 
  SUB 
  Sub Class 
  STR 
  Strength 
  SS 
  Shuttle Ship 
  S&S 
  Starships & Spacemen RPG 
  TEC 
  Technical Branch 
  TELE 
  Teleporter 
  TORP 
  Torpedo / Ion Torpedo 
  XP 
  Experience Points 
  ZSF 
  Zangid Imperial Space Force 
  
   
  4 
   
   
  
   
  5 
   
   
  Throughout this adventure module you will 
  see a numeric reference, for example 
  (#01), annotated next to the names of 
  planets and solar systems. This notation 
  number corresponds directly to the 
  assigned reference number for these 
  places in the Luminous Design Campaign 
  Resource “Ashdown: Sol & Xoth Sectors”.  
  OPTIONAL BEAM WEAPON RULES 
  Directed 
  energy 
  beam 
  weapons, 
  sometimes alternately known as blasters 
  or disruptors, share the same capabilities 
  regardless of type or configuration. While 
  some designs may vary slightly depending 
  on 
  origin, 
  they 
  all 
  are 
  essentially 
  indistinguishable from one another in 
  terms of game mechanics. A beam 
  weapon, regardless of size, may only be 
  fired once per round (10 seconds) per 
  beam emitter contained in the weapon. 
  For example, a beam pistol or rifle has one 
  beam emitter that can fire once per round 
  and a starship beam bank which has two 
  emitters can fire twice per round. During 
  each combat round the weapon is aimed, 
  the trigger activated, the beam discharged, 
  and 
  a 
  cool-down 
  recharge 
  cycle 
  completed. The higher the intensity the 
  beam setting, the shorter the discharge 
  time and the longer the recharge time. For 
  Example, the illuminate setting has a very 
  low intensity beam, a long discharge (4-5 
  seconds), and a short recharge cycle (2-3 
  seconds). A disintegrate setting (also 
  known as a “Kill” setting) has a very high 
  intensity beam, a short discharge (2-3 
  seconds) and a long recharge (4-5 
  seconds). Changing settings on a beam 
  weapon requires one entire round of 
  combat 
  dedicated 
  to 
  adjusting 
  the 
  weapon’s controls during which no other 
  actions can be taken. A player must declare 
  what setting their beam weapon is set at 
  prior to entering combat or it will be 
  assumed the weapon is at its default 
  setting. This requires a little additional 
  record keeping for the Space Master but 
  prevents Players from hand-wave fudging 
  setting changes. If previously undeclared, 
  the Player will have to sacrifice a round of 
  combat to make the required adjustment if 
  a change is needed. Beam weapons that 
  are Idle for more than one game turn or 
  holstered will automatically return to their 
  default setting. Each beam setting has a 
  distinct 
  discharge 
  intensity 
  and 
  unmistakable effects that would instantly 
  alert the player if their weapon was on the 
  wrong setting. As a safety option, Space 
  Masters can also remind forgetful Players 
  of their weapon setting as indicated by the 
  weapon itself. For example, “As you take 
  aim you notice a yellow light on your beam 
  pistol indicating it is still set to stun”. The 
  
   
  6 
   
   
  default 
  setting 
  for 
  all 
  Galactic 
  Confederation handheld beam weapons is 
  stun and the default setting for vehicle or 
  starship beam weapons is disintegrate/kill. 
  These settings must be adjusted if a lower 
  or higher setting is desired. In contrast, the 
  Zangid 
  are 
  renowned 
  for 
  using 
  disintegrate/kill as the default setting for 
  both their handheld and vehicle-based 
  beam weapons. Videni manufactured 
  beam weapons do not have a stun setting 
  at all and use disintegrate/kill as their 
  default setting.  
   
  BEAM WEAPON SETTINGS 
  Weapon 
  Setting 
  Beam 
  Intensity 
  Pistol 
  Damage 
  Rifle 
  Damage 
  Cannon 
  Damage 
  Illuminate 
  Very Low 
  Blind 
  Blind 
  Blind 
  Stun 
  Low 
  Stun/2d6 
  Stun/2d6 
  Stun/2d6 
  Disrupt/Heat 
  Moderate 
  1d6 
  2d6 
  3d6 
  Disintegrate 
  High 
  2d6 
  3d6 
  5d6 
  Overload 
  Extreme 
  6d6 (20’) 
  7d6 (30’) 
  8d6 (50’) 
   
  ILLUMINATE SETTING 
  The Illuminate setting uses a low intensity 
  broad dispersal of the weapon’s beam 
  energy which can light a 300’ area in front 
  of the weapon. The illuminate beam is 
  more comparable to the effect of a flare or 
  spotlight then that of a flashlight. The 
  beam 
  energizes 
  particles 
  in 
  the 
  surrounding 
  atmosphere 
  causing 
  a 
  luminous glow which slowly fades over 
  1d20 minutes. If the illuminate beam is 
  directed at a sighted creature within 30’ of 
  the weapon it will be temporarily blinded 
  by the light for 1d4 turns and suffer 1 hit 
  point of damage. The intensely bright light 
  will cause a one-time only morale check for 
  any attacking animal or creature that has 
  not previously encountered the light. 
   
  SAFE MODE SETTING (OPTIONAL) 
  Confederation beam weapons, including 
  electro-stun guns, are equipped with a 
  safe-mode mechanism that requires one 
  round to activate or deactivate during 
  which the weapon cannot be used. When 
  in safe mode the beam weapon is synced 
  to the user’s biometric characteristics so 
  that only the assigned user can fire the 
  weapon. Characters using a Confederation 
  beam weapon must declare they are using 
  the weapon’s safe mode in order to use 
  this feature. Beam weapons set to safe 
  mode may only be fired by the original user 
  until the feature is deactivated by the user. 
  Other space faring races may have similar 
  safe-mode 
  smart 
  technologies 
  incorporated into their beam weapons at 
  the Space Master’s discretion.   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  7 
   
   
  ENERGY USAGE 
  Regardless of the setting used, the amount 
  of energy required to activate, charge, and 
  discharge any beam weapon is the same 
  for each shot. The only noticeable 
  difference is in the intensity, duration, and 
  effect of the beam emitted. Beam pistols 
  regardless of origin, with or without a 
  pistol grip mount, can be discharged a total 
  of fifty times before requiring power 
  recharge. Beam Rifles, which contain a 
  larger power cell, can be discharged a total 
  of one hundred times before requiring a 
  power recharge. Beam Cannons and Beam 
  Banks are automatically recharged by the 
  vehicle’s power plant. Once a beam pistol 
  or rifle’s power supply has been depleted it 
  will 
  require 
  direct 
  contact 
  with 
  a 
  compatible power source for six rounds to 
  fully recharge. While recharging the 
  weapon cannot be moved or fired until the 
  charging cycle has completed. Suitable 
  power sources for weapon recharge can 
  readily be found on ground vehicles, 
  shuttle ships, starships, outposts, space 
  stations, and starbases.   
   
  ELECTRO-STUN WEAPONS 
  Electro-stun 
  guns 
  are 
  essentially 
  a 
  simplified beam pistol with only a stun 
  setting. Aesthetically these weapons tend 
  to be smaller and designed to look slightly 
  different from other beam pistols to avoid 
  potentially lethal cases of mistaken 
  identity. Like the beam pistol, electro-stun 
  guns have an internal power cell that 
  provides enough energy to fire the weapon 
  twenty-five 
  times 
  before 
  requiring 
  recharge. Once depleted the electro-stun 
  gun must be in direct contact with a 
  compatible power source for four rounds 
  to fully recharge. 
   
  ZANGID COMBAT TACTICS 
  In addition to beam weapons the Zangid 
  are known to utilize clan specific fighting 
  daggers for close range combat. A common 
  tactic among Zangid warriors is to use a 
  beam pistol for ranged targets in one hand 
  and a dagger in the other for close range 
  targets. While the Zangid cannot use both 
  weapons simultaneously during a round of 
  combat they can change the predominant 
  weapon when using this tactic without 
  interruption so long as the dagger has 
  already been drawn before combat 
  commences. If the dagger has not been 
  drawn before engaging in combat the 
  Zangid will need to sacrifice a round of 
  action in order to draw it. When using both 
  weapons interchangeably the Zangid will 
  have a -2 penalty to all combat skill rolls as 
  they are not focusing specifically on 
  controlling one weapon or the other, but 
  both. While wielding both weapons the 
  Zangid warrior cannot perform specialized 
  actions such as calling specific shot 
  locations. Zangid warriors, regardless of 
  
   
  8 
   
   
  the ferocity or strength, cannot wield a rifle 
  sized weapon in tandem with their dagger. 
    
  GRENADES 
  Grenades and other thrown explosive 
  devices have a maximum range in feet 
  equal to three times the PC or NPC’s STR 
  score. All grenades and thrown explosive 
  devices are resolved as missile attacks as 
  described on Page #26 of the Starships and 
  Spacemen 2E rulebook. The missile range 
  adjustment to combat skill rolls for 
  grenades/thrown explosives is short range 
  +1 at 15 feet, medium range +0 at 30 feet, 
  and Long range -1 at 45 feet or more. While 
  some PC’s or NPC’s with low STR scores 
  may not reach the long range distance the 
  Space Master can change the range 
  adjustment modifier by dividing the 
  maximum throw range by thirds.  
   
  If the attack with the grenade or explosive 
  device misses its intended target it will 
  result in a bounce to an adjacent 
  hex/square space. To determine where a 
  grenade or thrown explosive will land after 
  a bounce, roll 1d8 on the bounce chart 
  below. A roll of 1 = 10’ North of target, 2 = 
  10’ Northeast of target, 3 = 10’ East of 
  target, 4 = 10’ Southeast of target,  5 = 10’ 
  South of target,  6 = 10’ Southwest of 
  target, 7 = 10’ West of target, and 8 = 10’ 
  Northwest of target. If a wall or obstacle 
  obstructs the bounce redirect the bounce 
  to the closest unobstructed direction. 
   
  8 
  1 
  2 
  7 
  MISSED 
  TARGET 
  X 
  3 
  6 
  5 
  4 
   
   
  (Direction of Attack) 
  PC’s and NPC’s may begin a combat round 
  using a grenade or thrown explosive as 
  their primary weapon. However, if they are 
  changing from another weapon, such as a 
  beam pistol, to the grenade/thrown 
  explosive it will require the sacrifice of a 
  
   
  9 
   
   
  round of action to make the change. Some 
  primitive or improvised explosives such as 
  a stick of dynamite or a “Molotov Cocktail” 
  require an additional round of action to 
  light the fuse in order to use. In this 
  adventure mining explosives maybe found 
  in certain locations which may be used by 
  the PC’s. These explosives will require a 
  round of action to arm and a round of 
  action to set the detonation timer before 
  they can be used as a thrown explosive 
  device. The mining explosives should be 
  treated as grenades and create an 
  indiscriminate blast radius of twenty feet in 
  all directions. The explosion will cause 3d6 
  hit points of damage to anyone or anything 
  within the blast zone.  
   
  Space Masters are encouraged to remind 
  Players their characters grenade/thrown 
  explosive range (3x STR = Distance in feet) 
  to avoid using weapons that have a blast 
  range within the characters maximum 
  throwing range. It is also suggested that 
  Space Masters question a Player’s choice 
  to use a specific kind of explosive if their 
  target is not at a safe distance away. 
  Critical failure combat skill rolls during the 
  act of throwing an explosive indicates that 
  the character has fumbled the explosive 
  and dropped it in their immediate vicinity.  
  ION TORPEDOES 
  The destructive “planet busting” capacity 
  of Ion Torpedoes was greatly over-
  exaggerated throughout the Frontier in the 
  late 22nd Century due to an unforeseen 
  catastrophic event that occurred in 
  conjunction with planetary bombardment. 
  While an Ion torpedo is a formidably 
  destructive weapon, they are not normally 
  capable of destroying an entire planet by 
  themselves. However, their destructive 
  force is of a sufficient magnitude to easily 
  lay waste to a medium sized city (as well as 
  everything around it in a 100-mile radius).  
  Space Master’s should only use the “planet 
  busting” rule found on Page #42 of the 
  Starship and Spacemen 2E Rulebook as a 
  discretionary plot device and not as a rule 
  of combat. Alternately, under normal 
  circumstances the effect role of a 
  successful planetary strike that results in 
  “6” indicates that the chain reaction 
  destroys everything in a 500-mile radius. 
  Leaving 
  behind 
  a 
  permanently 
  uninhabitable 
  radioactive 
  area 
  of 
  devastation on the planet. Class A, B, C, N, 
  U, V, W, and X planets all have a higher 
  susceptibility to experiencing a cataclysmic 
  planet shattering chain reaction as a direct 
  result from an ion torpedo strike. In the 
  case of these planet classes, the Space 
  Master should follow the original rules to 
  determine the possibility of a potential 
  planet-busting chain reaction event as 
  written in the S&S-2E Rulebook.
  The following new equipment items are 
  available for both PC’s and NPC’s to use in 
  this adventure module. These new items 
  
   
  10 
   
   
  are 
  recommended 
  for 
  use 
  in 
  this 
  adventure, but it is at the Space Master’s 
  discretion if they will be included in the 
  game. Any item marked with an asterisk 
  next to its name is restricted for use within 
  the adventure only and is not available for 
  PC’s to requisition as personal equipment 
  or keep if found.  
   
  WRIST LIGHT 
  1/2 Unit, (Any)  
  A wrist light is a portable high intensity 
  flashlight attached to a wrist strap or 
  bracer. Wrist lights can illuminate a 120’ 
  area of complete darkness for up to 24 
  hours before requiring recharge of its 
  internal power cell. Recharging a wrist light 
  requires contact with a compatible power 
  source for three rounds during which the 
  unit must be turned off. Weight: 1 lbs. 
    
  STUN GRENADE  
  1/2 Unit, (Rigel or Military)  
  A stun grenade is a single use less-than 
  lethal area weapon that upon impact 
  releases 
  an 
  intense 
  blast 
  of 
  light, 
  concussive energy, and sound that has an 
  area effect identical to that of an electro-
  stun gun’s beam. However, unlike the 
  electro-stun gun, it is far-from stealthy and 
  produces an indiscriminate area blast that 
  affects everyone within 10’ of the weapon. 
  Weight: 1 lbs. 
  OCU-TEK 
  1/2 Unit, (Any)  
  The Ocu-Tek is a long-range handheld 
  visual scanning device similar in function to 
  a telescope or binoculars. This device can 
  enhance natural vision in both daylight and 
  near darkness up to 300x magnification. 
  The Ocu-Tek can visually display any object 
  in its line of sight but cannot see through 
  solid objects without the assistance of an 
  Autoanalyzer 
  or 
  other 
  multispectral 
  scanning device. The Ocu-Tek can be used 
  as either a wearable visor or a hand-held 
  device. The unit also has an onboard data 
  recorder that can capture and replay up to 
  two hours of video data. The Ocu-Tek is 
  waterproof and can operate in any climate 
  continuously for 24 hours before requiring 
  power recharge. Weight: 2 lbs. 
   
  SURVIVAL SUIT  
  1 Unit, (Any) 
  Like the Radiation Suit (S&S-2E, Pg. #17) a 
  Survival Suit is designed to protect the 
  wearer from environmental extremes like 
  high heat and freezing cold but does not 
  protect against radiation exposure. This 
  lightweight durable suit is easy to wear 
  over clothing or a uniform and does not 
  cause fatigue or penalties to movement. It 
  is self-sealing and puncture resistant 
  reducing damage from melee attacks or 
  physical weapons (like the spring rifle) by 
  half. The survival suit does not offer any 
  
   
  11 
   
   
  protection against energy weapon attacks 
  or electrocution. It can be used in 
  conjunction with an oxygen tank for use on 
  planets with toxic atmospheres. Weight: 
  15 lbs. 
   
  NEURO-COMPLIANCE COLLAR* 
  1 Unit, (Zangid only) 
  Used exclusively by the Zangid Imperium, 
  the neuro-compliance collar is a thick 
  metal collar with either one or two 
  adjustable hinges and an electronic or 
  mechanical locking mechanism. The collar 
  restrains the wearer’s movement within a 
  predetermined 
  area 
  through 
  pain 
  compliance impulses delivered directly 
  into the wearer’s brain stem or nervous 
  system. As the collar approaches its 
  assigned boundary limit it will deliver 
  gradually intensifying pain impulses. When 
  the wearer arrives at the boundary limit, 
  they will receive a single very painful 
  impulse as their only warning that they are 
  leaving the safe zone. The impulses start at 
  twenty feet away from the boundary and 
  increase in intensity every five feet. 
  Anyone who is wearing an activated collar 
  on their body will need to make a 
  successful save check vs. energy attack to 
  resist losing consciousness for 1d6 turns 
  for each impulse. This cycle will continue 
  until the wearer moves back inside the safe 
  zone away from the boundary. If an 
  activated 
  collar 
  moves 
  beyond 
  the 
  assigned boundary limit for more than 1 
  game turn the collar will explode causing 
  3d6 points of damage. The neuro-
  compliance collars are surprisingly stable 
  devices that cannot be accidentally 
  detonated by physical impact, heat, fire, 
  electrical 
  current, 
  radiation, 
  beam 
  weapons, or contact with energy screens 
  and force fields. Individuals who are 
  restrained by the device are commonly 
  referred to as “collared”. A collar may be 
  disabled and removed with a successful 
  technical skill check with a -2 penalty for 
  anyone who is not from the Zangid military 
  or technical branch. Weight: 2 lbs. 
   
  TECH-KIT 
  2 Units, (Technical Only) 
  Like the med-kit, the tech-kit is the 
  engineer's all-in-one universal tool kit for 
  making repairs. The kit contains the 
  following tools and has a total weight of 
  twelve pounds. 
   
  
   
  12 
   
   
  Laser Torch: high-power cutting laser able 
  to weld or cut through solid metal like it 
  was butter. 
   
  Mag-Tool: magnetic field manipulation 
  tool that can precisely attract or repel any 
  metal object, up to 3 lbs. in weight, up to 
  10’ in distance. 
   
  Flashlight: powerful electronic light able to 
  illuminate 120’ for up to 24 hours. 
   
  Resonator: 
  multi-wavelength 
  sonic 
  generator 
  capable 
  of 
  precisely 
  manipulating objects up to a pound in 
  weight with directed soundwaves. Perfect 
  for making delicate adjustments on 
  integrated or embedded components. 
   
  Patch-All: sprayer unit and pressurized can 
  of rapidly expanding fibrous bonding agent 
  for patching hull breaches, leaks, and 
  punctures. Contains enough agent to seal a 
  breach up to 3 square feet in size.  This fast-
  acting agent bonds to any surface it is 
  applied to and is as strong as metal when it 
  hardens. The agent requires 1d4 rounds to 
  fully set once dispensed from the sprayer. 
  Once applied, Patch-all can only be 
  removed with molecular solvents, beam 
  weapons, or laser torches. 
   
  Roll of Duct Tape: (Unidirectional Bonding 
  Strip): Because even in the 23rd Century it 
  still works like a charm. 
   
   
  PORTABLE POWER PACK 
  1 Unit, (Military or Technical) 
  The portable power pack is a small self-
  contained generator that can be used to 
  charge or power other energy dependent 
  devices. The portable power pack fits into 
  a small backpack or bag and weighs about 
  10 pounds. The power pack stores enough 
  power to fully recharge up to three devices 
  or one device three times before depleted. 
  Once depleted the PPP will fully recharge 
  itself with in one day on its own or can be 
  recharged on a starship, space station, 
  outpost. or starbase within one hour. 
  Weight: 10 lbs. 
   
  
   
  13 
   
   
  MISSION KIT 
  3 Units, (Rigel or Military) 
  The Mission Kit is a small hard shell back-
  pack case containing 1x Beam Pistol, 1x 
  Communicator, 1x Data Recorder, 1x pair 
  of handcuff restraints, 1x Ocu-Tek device 
  and a single use mini-med kit wound healer 
  capable of immediately healing a total of 
  1d4 HP of damage. Weight: 10 lbs. 
   
  HOVER SKIFF*  
  5 Units, (Rigel or Military) 
  The hover skiff is a medium sized lightly 
  armored, military squad combat vehicle or 
  industrial 
  transport. 
  The 
  skiff 
  can 
  effectively hover over any surface and has 
  a maximum altitude of 60’ above the 
  ground. They are renowned for reliability 
  as a durable and stable all-weather 
  transport. It has a top ground speed of 520’ 
  (180’) and can sustain 30 damage points. 
  For every 5 points of damage that the skiff 
  suffers in combat it will lose 1d10 feet in 
  altitude 
  capacity 
  and 
  80’ 
  (40’) 
  in 
  acceleration capacity. It accommodates a 
  single pilot, navigator/gunner, and can 
  transport up to 12 passengers or two tons 
  of cargo. This vehicle is powered by a 
  fusion power core that provides enough 
  energy for all its systems and propulsion. 
  The skiff is armed with a single integrated 
  self-charging beam rifle with a 180-degree 
  firing arc. The Hover Skiff must be 
  transported to a planet’s surface by a 
  shuttle ship, requires 2 game turns to load 
  or deploy, and occupies half of the shuttle’s 
  transport capacity.  Hover Skiffs are made 
  in a variety of designs and configurations 
  and can be found in use by all interstellar 
  governments.  
   
  The regions of the Galactic Map used in this 
  adventure module are known as the Sol 
  Sector and Xoth Sector. The Sol Sector is 
  the home of the Galactic Confederation of 
  Allied Worlds and is located in the Alpha 
  Quadrant of charted space. The Xoth 
  Sector is home to several other interstellar 
  governments (Including the Goran, Zangid 
  and Videni) and is located in the Beta 
  Quadrant of charted space. 
   
  
   
  14 
   
   
  REGIONAL STAR SYSTEMS 
  # 
  Quad. Sect. 
  System 
  Planets 
  01 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Sol 
  10 
  02 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  A. Centauri 
  4 
  03 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  P. Centauri 
  2 
  04 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Sirius  
  3 
  05 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  E. Eridani 
  4 
  06 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Tau Ceti 
  5 
  07 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Vega 
  11 
  08 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  40 Eridani 
  5 
  09 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Demai 
  5 
  10 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Z. Herculi 
  7 
  A1 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Unexplored 
  15 
  A2 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Unexplored 
  4 
  A3 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Unexplored 
  9 
  A4 
  Alpha 
  Sol 
  Unexplored 
  6 
  11 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Xoth 
  7 
  12 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Markar 
  10 
  13 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Orkus 
  6 
  14 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Gor 
  8 
  15 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Viden 
  3 
  16 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Alteria 
  9 
  B1 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  5 
  B2 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  14 
  B3 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  4 
  B4 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  6 
  B5 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  7 
  B6 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  8 
  B7 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  10 
  B8 
  Beta 
  Xoth 
  Unexplored 
  9 
   
  • The unexplored systems listed above 
  are known as the “Forbidden Stars” in 
  the Ashdown Universe. They are 
  inaccessible to normal space travel 
  due to dangerous or unpredictable 
  navigation hazards. 
   
   
   
  ENCOUNTERS 
  There are four important encounters in Act 
  One that the Player’s must successfully 
  navigate during their journey to Memnaan. 
  These encounters are marked #1 through 
  #4 on the Space Master’s Galactic Map. 
   
  • #1: Finding Callahan. 
  • #2: The Mind Master. 
  • #3: The Xoth Nebula. 
  • #4: The Orkus System. 
   
  (#1) FINDING CALLAHAN 
  2290, a little over a year has passed since 
  the crew of the Starship Deimos first 
  discovered the Mind Masters on Zeta 
  Herculis IV while investigating a loss of 
  communication from an Earth colony on 
  the planet. The incident that followed left 
  a lasting traumatic impression on several of 
  the ship’s crew prompting Space Fleet 
  Command to take the ship out of service 
  for a needed refit and provide the crew the 
  opportunity to recover from their ordeal. 
  During this time most of the crew were 
  temporarily reassigned to various duty 
  stations at Starbase Alpha for the duration 
  of the refit. All crew members that served 
  on the Deimos during the Zeta Herculis IV 
  mission received extensive medical and 
  psychological evaluations in preparation 
  for their return to deep space duty. All 
  
   
  15 
   
   
  crew members were eventually cleared to 
  return to duty on the Deimos by the 
  Starbase medical staff and eagerly awaited 
  completion of their ship’s upgrades. Within 
  a few weeks most of the original crew had 
  already returned to duty on the ship to 
  assist with the details of the refit. On the 
  final day of the refit the crew received a 
  surprise personal visit from Starbase Alpha 
  Admiral Eldin Amano. After a brief 
  inspection tour of the ship, Admiral Amano 
  summons the Deimos command crew 
  together to meet with him about an urgent 
  matter unfolding in the Beta Quadrant. 
   
  Inside 
  the 
  privacy 
  of 
  the 
  Deimos’ 
  conference room, Admiral Amano provides 
  the assembled command crew with two 
  data recorder devices containing the 
  details of a classified mission. One device 
  contains new orders for the Deimos crew 
  and the other contains the orders for a 
  Space Fleet Intelligence Bureau (S.I.B.) 
  agent not yet present. Admiral Amano 
  provides the ship’s Captain with both data 
  recorders and instructions to provide the 
  second device to the agent when they 
  arrive aboard the Deimos. The agent’s 
  recorder is encrypted so that it cannot be 
  accessed by anyone except the agent 
  assigned to the mission. Admiral Amano 
  invites the command crew to have a seat at 
  the conference table and asks the Captain 
  to activate the playback on his data 
  recorder which contains the mission orders 
  for the Deimos crew. The lights are 
  dimmed in the conference room as the 
  data 
  recorder 
  begins 
  to 
  project 
  a 
  prerecorded holographic message from 
  Fleet Admiral Jonathan Halsey. 
   
  THE ORDERS 
  Classified: Top Secret 
  From: Fleet Admiral Jonathan Halsey 
  To: Commanding Officer C.S.F. Deimos 
   
   Space Fleet Command has lost contact 
  with a high value intelligence operative 
  assigned to a deep cover mission on the 
  planet 
  Memnaan. 
  An 
  encrypted 
  Confederation 
  distress 
  beacon 
  was 
  detected coming from the asset’s last 
  known location at a Zangid mining facility 
  near Starbase Klatau.  Space Fleet 
  intelligence believes that the activation of 
  the distress beacon indicates that their 
  asset may have been discovered and/or 
  captured by Zangid forces. The Deimos is 
  hereby 
  ordered 
  to 
  set 
  course 
  for 
  Memnaan, extract the asset while avoiding 
  detection and then return the asset to 
  Starbase Alpha. Make no mistake, an 
  unauthorized incursion by a Confederation 
  starship into Zangid controlled space will 
  be considered an act of war. 
   
   
   
  
   
  16 
   
   
  MISSION OBJECTIVES 
  1. 
  Covertly infiltrate Zangid controlled 
  space in the Xoth Sector. 
  2. 
  Avoid contact with Zangid forces and 
  engage only if fired upon. 
  3. 
  Locate and extract the missing Asset 
  on planet Memnaan. 
  4. 
  Exfiltrate the asset from Zangid 
  controlled space and return to 
  Starbase Alpha. 
   
  THE ADMIRAL’S BRIEFING 
  After the video message concludes on the 
  display monitor Admiral Amano turns up 
  the lights and addresses the room. “Here is 
  what we know so far. Thirty-six hours ago, 
  a high value deep cover intelligence 
  operative, code named “Watchtower” 
  failed to report in. The agent’s mission was 
  to infiltrate a Zangid mining facility near 
  Imperium Starbase Klatau posing as an 
  interstellar commodities trader to monitor 
  Zangid activity in the Orkus system. A 
  hidden emergency communication beacon 
  inside “Watchtower’s” runabout was 
  activated transmitting a single cycle 
  encrypted distress signal. No further 
  communication from the asset has been 
  received since the beacon was activated. 
  The Deimos has been selected for this 
  mission because it is the only unassigned 
  ship in the area with an experienced crew 
  and has a sensor profile small enough to 
  slip into Zangid Space unnoticed. I know a 
  lot of your crew were shaken up by that 
  unfortunate business on Zeta-Herculis IV 
  but the Starbase medical staff assures me 
  that everyone checks out and is fit to fly. 
  No better way to get back in the deep end 
  of the pool than to just jump right in with 
  both feet.” 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  17 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Starbase Klatau was first 
  to detect an unauthorized spacecraft 
  launch (“Watchtower’s” Runabout, the 
  C.S.F. Aegean Sea) from the planet’s 
  surface during a particularly harsh ice 
  storm. An act that anyone familiar with 
  Memnaan would consider suicidal. This 
  was almost immediately followed by an 
  expected but abrupt disappearance of the 
  unauthorized ship on the Starbase’s 
  sensors. Starbase Klatau’s space traffic 
  control presumed the ship had crashed 
  during the storm and dispatched soldiers 
  from the nearby Marak Ta’Chom mining 
  station to investigate. The soldiers that 
  were sent did not act with any urgency to 
  search for the ship due to complacency, the 
  severe weather, and the presumption that 
  it was a smuggler’s ship. Smugglers 
  transporting unprocessed Beryllium taken 
  from Zangid mines to be sold on the black 
  market was a common occurrence that did 
  not raise much concern from the Zangid 
  military. Such criminals would be punished 
  harshly if caught and put to work in the 
  mines. However, they seldomly posed any 
  kind of real threat to the mining operations 
  or Starbase Klatau. 
   
  COMMANDER CALLAHAN 
  After the briefing Admiral Amano will pull 
  the highest-ranking PC aside for some 
  additional instructions. “The Space Fleet 
  Intelligence Bureau Office of Zangid Affairs 
  has a local liaison agent stationed here at 
  Starbase Alpha who I want you to take with 
  you on this mission. The second data 
  recorder I provided you has his orders and 
  mission details. He is already familiar with 
  the S.I.B. operation on Memnaan and has 
  extensive knowledge of the Orkus system. 
  His name is William Callahan and you can 
  usually find him loitering around the 
  entertainment lounge on Deck 19. He’s an 
  uncooperative sort and may require a little 
  tact and finesse to handle. However, if you 
  can manage to see past his abrasive 
  demeanor, he can be an invaluable 
  resource. If anyone knows how to sneak a 
  Confederation 
  starship 
  into 
  Zangid 
  controlled space undetected, he would be 
  your man. You and your command crew 
  will oversee the mission, but Callahan will 
  have authority over the S.I.B. operation. So 
  be sure to extend him the appropriate 
  discretionary courtesy. Keep in mind 
  Callahan is a Space Fleet Commander and 
  even though he is not in your chain of 
  command he still out-ranks most of your 
  crew; try to play nice.” 
   
  “The Dockmaster advised me that the 
  Deimos will be ready for launch in about 
  eight hours. Use this time to locate 
  Callahan, gear up, and prepare for the 
  mission. Good luck and safe journey, that is 
  all.” 
   
   
  
   
  18 
   
   
  THE LOUNGE ENCOUNTER  
  Admiral Amano sends the PC’s with the 
  Deimos Security Chief, Lieutenant “Jax” 
  Akada, 
  to 
  the 
  Starbase 
  Alpha 
  entertainment 
  lounge 
  to 
  locate 
  Commander Callahan. The Commander 
  has 
  a 
  reputation 
  for 
  leaving 
  his 
  communicator in his quarters and ignoring 
  station wide notifications. 
   
  LIEUTENANT “JAX” AKADA 
  Race: Hykhot 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 40 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 3 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  19 
  12 
  13 
  12 
  11 
  06 
  08 
  -1 
  EQ: B-Pistol, 1x S-Grenade, Communicator. 
   
  The PC’s and Lt. Akada arrive at the 
  entrance of the entertainment lounge to 
  find a large pseudo neon-sign with the 
  picture of an antique golf flag sticking out 
  of a simulacrum stylized black hole 
  surrounded by the Lounge’s name, “The 
  19th Hole”. This somewhat infamous club 
  is a popular all access entertainment zone 
  established in a dimly lit 120’ x 40’ 
  rectangular compartment on Deck 19. The 
  lounge is renowned for providing a variety 
  of 
  short 
  order 
  food 
  and 
  liquid 
  refreshments ranging from Zangid Bone 
  Ale to various synthetic brews. The lounge 
  itself consists of an 8’ x 20’ “L” shaped bar 
  in the Southeast corner, ten high-top 
  tables with four chairs each, three video 
  entertainment booths on the North wall, 
  and a small 20’ x 20’ raised entertainment 
  stage on the West wall. Various colored 
  ambient mood light creates a dull orange 
  glow throughout the lounge which is 
  decorated with various pictures and 
  memorabilia from Space Fleet’s history. A 
  large sign posted at the entrance clearly 
  indicates in several languages that no 
  weapons are allowed inside the club. There 
  is a humanoid shaped security robot armed 
  with an integrated electro-stun gun 
  stationed at the club’s entrance that serves 
  as the establishment’s doorman. The robot 
  is programmed to scan all patrons prior to 
  entering the club for weapons and check-in 
  or remove any that are found. Anyone who 
  tries to slip past the sentry robot is in for a 
  nasty indiscriminate shock and abrupt 
  ejection from the lounge. The lounge is 
  busy today with a crowd consisting of 
  nineteen patrons and staff circulating 
  throughout. The atmosphere is noisy and 
  distracting with the syncopated beats of 
  blaring music and flashing lights. 
  
   
  19 
   
   
   LOUNGE SENTRY ROBOT 
  Encountered: 1 
  Movement: 150’, (50’) 
  Intelligence: Low 
  Psi Potential: N/A 
  Hits: 3d8 
  Armor: -3 
  Combat Skill: 14 
  Save As: Level 3 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: 1d8/Elec-Stun 
  Morale: 10 
  XP: 50 
  Once the PC’s get past the robot sentry at 
  the door it will not take long to find 
  Commander Callahan at the West end of 
  the bar nursing a tall pint of Zangid bone 
  ale. Callahan is a middle-aged human male 
  with stark grey hair wearing casual civilian 
  attire common to interstellar commodity 
  traders and commercial freight haulers. As 
  described, Callahan will be abrasive to the 
  PC’s who he will attempt to dismiss with a 
  very rude “Hey, can’t you see I’m busy 
  here? Beat it!”.  
   
  COMMANDER WILLIAM CALLAHAN 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 52 
  Class: MIL 
  Sub: CMD. 
  Level/Save: 5 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  33 
  10 
  12 
  14 
  12 
  13 
  06 
  -2 
  EQ: F-Jacket, Beam Rifle, Communicator. 
   
  Callahan will initially feint being intoxicated 
  to the PC’s and unwilling to help them. This 
  elaborate facade is part of Callahan’s 
  surface cover identity and serves as a 
  threat assessment interrogation strategy. 
  After a few moments of disinterested 
  conversation Callahan will decide to 
  escalate his interrogation by spilling his 
  bone ale on a most disagreeable looking 
  Rigel patron sitting on the adjacent bar 
  stool. This immediately instigates a full-on 
  brawl inside the lounge that quickly 
  involves all the patrons and staff in the 
  establishment.  
   
  
   
  20 
   
   
  LOUNGE PATRONS & STAFF 
  Encountered: 19 
  Movement: 120’, (40’) 
  Intelligence: Average 
  Psi Potential: 3d4, inactive  
  Hits: 1d8 
  Armor: -1 
  Combat Skill: 12 
  Save As: Level 2 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: By Weapon 
  Morale: 9 
  XP: 10 
   
  An audible alarm cuts through the 
  commotion of flying fists and bar stools as 
  the sentry robot joins the melee. The brawl 
  will continue for 1d12 rounds of combat 
  until the Starbase security guards arrive at 
  the lounge. Just as the security guards are 
  about to stun the entire crowd, Callahan 
  makes a shrill whistle and flashes his S.I.B. 
  badge. The crowd almost immediately 
  stops all hostilities and begins to quickly 
  dissipate. Callahan dusts himself off, 
  straightens his ruffled clothing like it were 
  a dress uniform, and in a complete change 
  of persona greets the PC’s with polite 
  unmistakable sobriety.  
   
  Nearly out of breath from the exertion and 
  exhilaration of the melee, Callahan turns to 
  the PC’s with an “ear to ear” grin on his 
  face. “Nothing like a good fight to get the 
  day started! Sorry about all that ruckus. I’m 
  Commander William Callahan, Space Fleet 
  Intelligence Bureau, Division Four. In my 
  line of work sometimes you have to ruffle 
  a few feathers in order to find out who you 
  are dealing with. Since I haven’t seen you 
  around here before I presume you must be 
  from that tough little Frigate with the big 
  reputation being refit in space dock. So, 
  how can I help you?”  
   
  Upon receiving his orders from the PC’s to 
  report for duty on the Deimos and hearing 
  their account of the briefing Callahan will 
  take an immediate interest in the mission. 
  “I can see why they sent you to find me 
  here. I helped set up that operation and 
  personally trained the agent for his 
  assignment. 
  If 
  something 
  has 
  compromised the agent’s cover, there is no 
  time to waste. I cannot go into any of the 
  specifics without you being cleared but I 
  can say that it is imperative that the 
  Zangids don’t get their hands on him.” 
   
   
  
   
  21 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Commander Callahan will 
  not reveal his identity as “Watchtower’s” 
  S.I.B. Handler to the PC’s unless he must, or 
  if it serves his agenda. Keep in mind that 
  S.I.B. shadow agents will employ up to 
  three layers of cover identity to insulate 
  themselves from discovery while on 
  mission. Callahan will attempt to lead the 
  mission at any opportunity and subvert it to 
  his own designs. Even when offering helpful 
  advice or guidance to the PC’s it will always 
  be a strategic move with darkly self-serving 
  ulterior motives. Callahan’s involvement is 
  integral to the success of the mission and it 
  will be in the PC’s best interest to protect 
  this asset from harm or capture. 
   
  CALLAHAN’S 
  MOTIVES: 
  #1. 
  Maintain 
  control of his S.I.B. asset so that the true 
  nature of his endeavors are not revealed. 
  #2. Find out what caused his hand-picked 
  veteran agent to abandon his mission and 
  attempt to flee the planet in the middle of 
  an ice storm. 
   
  “Please excuse my current condition as I 
  have been working undercover here for a 
  few weeks gathering intel from the local 
  spacers for piracy interdiction. Give me a 
  couple of hours to get myself together, 
  finalize arrangements, and pick up some 
  equipment we will need for the mission. I 
  will meet you at your ship in Space Dock 
  before your departure.” Callahan gives a 
  quick nod to the PC’s and quickly departs 
  the lounge before anyone gets a chance to 
  ask any more questions. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to the Player 
  Characters Callahan is a double agent 
  working for both the Zangids and the 
  Confederation. His work for the Zangids 
  provided him the opportunity and means to 
  gain possession of a fully operational 
  Zangid transponder with active codes. His 
  connections within the Imperium also 
  provided knowledge of the best places to 
  insert orbit at Amerath to evade detection 
  from the local system patrols. Callahan has 
  been secretly using “Watchtower” to 
  obtain intel for both the Zangid and the 
  Confederation while playing both sides 
  against the middle. Callahan speaks all 
  dialects of the Zangid language fluently but 
  will not reveal this skill unless absolutely 
  necessary. When used, Callahan will not 
  require 
  a 
  universal 
  translator 
  to 
  understand or communicate with the 
  Zangid. Anytime he does use this skill he 
  will attempt to downplay or conceal his 
  aptitude and only reveal what he has to. 
   
  CALLAHAN’S ORDERS 
  The 
  second 
  data 
  recorder 
  contains 
  Commander Callahan’s classified orders 
  from Fleet Admiral Halsey. The Data 
  Recorder is encrypted and will only be 
  accessible by a Space Fleet Intelligence 
  Bureau’s agent identification code. Once 
  Callahan accessed the data recorder with 
  
   
  22 
   
   
  his ID code, he knowingly agreed to take 
  the assignment described in the orders. 
  The PC’s will not have a knowledge of what 
  is contained within these orders unless 
  Commander Callahan finds it necessary, or 
  a benefit to his agenda, to share it with 
  them. 
  Even 
  then, 
  there 
  is 
  some 
  information contained within the orders 
  which is privileged and cannot be 
  disclosed. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
  CLASSIFIED: TOP SECRET 
   
  From: Fleet Admiral Jonathan Halsey 
  To: Assigned S.I.B. Agent 
   
  Operation “Failsafe” is hereby authorized. 
  You are here by ordered to join the crew of 
  the C.S.F. Deimos and covertly infiltrate the 
  Marak Ta’Chom mining facility on the 
  planet Memnaan. Locate S.I.B. intelligence 
  asset code name “Watchtower”, facilitate 
  exfiltration, and immediate return to 
  Starbase Alpha for debriefing. Confirm 
  report from secondary asset of possible 
  alien artifact found at Marak Ta’Chom. If 
  verified, ascertain the nature of the artifact 
  and identify potential threat. 
   
  MISSION OBJECTIVES 
  1. Locate and secure C.S.F. Aegean Sea’s 
  computer data core. 
  2. Locate and exfiltrate S.I.B. Asset code 
  name “Watchtower” and return to 
  Starbase Alpha. Evaluate extent of 
  mission compromise and continued 
  viability.  
  3. Ascertain if secondary embedded S.I.B. 
  asset’s cover, code name “Splinter”, has 
  been compromised and exfiltrate if 
  necessary. 
  4. Confirm 
  report 
  of 
  alien 
  artifact 
  discovered at Marak Ta’Chom mining 
  facility. Secure if possible, neutralize if 
  necessary. 
     
   
   
  
   
  23 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  C.F.S. DEIMOS 
  AURORA CLASS FRIGATE 
   
  
   
  24 
   
   
  THE DEIMOS 
  The C.S.F. Deimos is a recently refitted 
  Aurora 
  Class 
  Galactic 
  Confederation 
  Frigate assigned to border patrol and 
  survey duties in the Sol Sector of 
  Confederation space. The Deimos has a 
  total of ten habitable decks and can 
  support up to 100 crew members or 
  passengers. 
  Like 
  most 
  Confederation 
  starships, the Deimos features elegant 
  clean design elements with neutral 
  subdued colors. The ship’s interior decks 
  are comfortable yet functional, utilizing 
  every inch of available space in one 
  capacity or another. All the crew quarters 
  are multiple occupancy cabins with 
  enlisted crew bunked separately from 
  officers. During its recent refit, the Deimos 
  was equipped with a larger ion torpedo 
  capacity 
  and 
  improved 
  Hyperdrive 
  components. The ship has developed a 
  reputation 
  for 
  attracting 
  strange 
  occurrences after its crew encountered the 
  Mind Masters of Zeta-Herculi IV. 
   
   
   
   
   
  C.S.F. DEIMOS 
  Ship’s Name: C.S.F. Deimos 
  Ship Type: Frigate 
  Affiliation: Confederation 
  Crew: 10/100 
  Command Rank: Ensign 
  Hull Size: 2 
  Construction Cost: 60 CP 
  Power Pile Base: 55 (2x ½ Pods) 
  Habitable Decks: 10 
  Teleporter Cap: 3 
  Beam Banks: 1 
  Patterson Cannon: 20 Slugs (1d6x3) 
  Ion Torpedoes: 7 
  Shuttle Ships: 1 
  Sick Bay Cap: 2 
  Cryo-Tubes: 2 
  Ship’s Locker: 6 
  3 
  Special: Zangid Transponder 
   
  DEIMOS DECK ARRANGEMENT 
  Deck #01: Command Bridge. 
  Deck #02: Mission Support Services. 
  Deck #03: Crew Services & Ship’s Brig. 
  Deck #04: Computer Core & Science Labs. 
  Deck #05: Engineering & Shuttle Bay. 
  Deck #06: Engineering & Shuttle Bay. 
  Deck #07: Engineering & Shuttle Bay. 
  Deck #08: Engineering Support & Cargo. 
  Deck #09: Planetary Survey & Cargo. 
  Deck #10: Tactical Systems Control. 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  25 
   
   
  DEIMOS’ COMMAND CREW 
  The Deimos has a standard Command Crew 
  Compliment of 20 Space Fleet Officers 
  which include the Captain, 1st Officer, chief 
  engineer, chief medical officer, security 
  chief, and watch officers. All command 
  crew positions can be filled by either Player 
  Characters or NPC’s except for the ship’s 
  security chief. This position is currently 
  held by NPC Lt. “Jax” Akada who is the 
  incumbent at the start of the mission.  
  Player 
  Characters 
  may 
  assume 
  any 
  Command Crew positions including the 
  Command Officer / Captain of the ship. 
   
  NPC OFFICERS 
  Presented here is a selection of NPC 
  Officers who the Space Master can use to 
  fill any Command Crew positions that are 
  not taken by the Player Characters. These 
  NPC’s only represent a portion of the ship’s 
  total crew that the Player Characters may 
  encounter or interact with during the 
  adventure. 
   
  LIEUTENANT HAYDEN WINSLETT 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 27 
  Class: SCI. 
  Sub: MED. 
  Level/Save: 3 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  12 
  08 
  10 
  09 
  13 
  11 
  07 
  -1 
  EQ: Med-kit, Auto Analyzer, Communicator. 
   
   
   
   
   
  LIEUTENANT DALTON STEIGER 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 33 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: CMD. 
  Level/Save: 3 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  21 
  10 
  08 
  11 
  13 
  11 
  09 
  -1 
  EQ: Universal Translator, Communicator. 
   
  SUB-LIEUTENANT KORIA SHENTAM 
  Race: Andromedan 
  Gender: F 
  Age: 31 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: CMD. 
  Level/Save: 2 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  12 
  12 
  15 
  09 
  14 
  13 
  10 
  -1 
  EQ: Data Recorder, Communicator. 
   
  SUB-LIEUTENANT REID MCKINLEY 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 32 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: FC 
  Level/Save: 2 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  12 
  09 
  07 
  12 
  11 
  11 
  13 
  -1 
  EQ: Data Recorder, Communicator. 
   
  ENSIGN PHATAPHT 
  Race: Felician 
  Gender: F 
  Age: 27 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: CMD. 
  Level/Save: 1 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  07 
  09 
  13 
  15 
  12 
  14 
  08 
  -1 
  EQ: Universal Translator, Communicator. 
   
  ENSIGN MORDAK RO’SHO 
  Race: Rigel 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 37 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 1 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  08 
  10 
  16 
  08 
  10 
  16 
  11 
  -1 
  EQ: Electro-Stun Gun, Communicator. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  26 
   
   
  ENSIGN CELVEK ZOHRAI 
  Race: Andromedan 
  Gender: I 
  Age: 30 
  Class: SCI. 
  Sub: SL 
  Level/Save: 1 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  07 
  07 
  10 
  12 
  10 
  11 
  14 
  -1 
  EQ: Universal Translator, Communicator. 
   
  SHIP’S STORES 
  The Deimos ship supply stores are located 
  in Cargo Bay #1 on Deck #2. This 
  compartment is secured with a biometric 
  lock that is programmed to recognize the 
  handprint identification of the Deimos 
  officers to allow access. All entries into this 
  cargo bay are automatically recorded by 
  the 
  ship’s 
  computer. 
  Enlisted 
  crew 
  requiring access into this Cargo Bay to 
  check out equipment will require an escort 
  by one of the ship’s officers. In the event of 
  a power failure or damage to the biometric 
  lock there is a mechanical door release in 
  the wall panel that can be located and used 
  with a successful technical skill check. The 
  mechanical door release will not operate 
  while the biometric lock is operational. 
  Non-crew members will have a -4 penalty 
  to their technical skill check when 
  attempting 
  to 
  locate 
  and 
  use 
  the 
  mechanical door release.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  DEIMOS SHIP STORES 
  QTY. EQUIPMENT ITEM 
  5 
  Beam Rifle 
  5 
  Beam Pistol 
  10 
  Electro-stun Gun  
  5 
  Stun Grenade 
  3 
  Mission Kit 
  3 
  Tech Kit 
  3 
  Medical Kit 
  3 
  Auto Analyzer 
  3 
  Universal Translator 
  5 
  Communicator 
  5 
  Data Recorder 
  5 
  Radiation Suit 
  5 
  Oxygen Tanks 
  2 
  Portable Power Pack 
  3 
  Jet Pack 
  3 
  Field Jacket 
  3 
  25’ Coil of Synthetic Rope 
  1 
  Case: “Duct Tape” (24 ct.) 
   
  SHIP’S LOCKER (OPTIONAL) 
  The Deimos is equipped with a Ship’s 
  Locker which is an individual storage 
  compartment for personal items. The 
  Ship’s Locker is a secure compartment 
  located on Deck #2 across from Cargo Bay 
  #1. The Player Characters may store their 
  personal items in this space during their 
  assignment on the ship. Each individual 
  storage locker in this compartment is 
  assigned to a crew member by the ship’s 1st 
  
   
  27 
   
   
  Officer. Any crew member can requisition 
  locker space and will be provided a 
  numeric code for accessing the locker. The 
  storage capacity for the locker is a total of 
  6 units with a maximum individual unit 
  value of 3 units each. In the event of a 
  power failure or damage to the access code 
  lock there is a mechanical door release in 
  the wall panel that can be located and used 
  with a successful technical skill check. The 
  mechanical door release will not operate 
  while the access code lock is operational. 
  Non-crew members will have a -4 penalty 
  to their technical skill check when 
  attempting 
  to 
  locate 
  and 
  use 
  the 
  mechanical door release.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: If you do not use the Ship’s 
  Locker rule (S&S-2E, Pg. #20) in your game 
  you can describe this compartment as an 
  auxiliary cargo bay accessible by any crew 
  member who obtains a numeric access 
  code from the 1st Officer. PC’s and NPC’s 
  may obtain an access code and store 
  additional equipment they are not actively 
  using in this compartment.  
   
  THE VESPERWIND 
  While the crew is preparing the ship for 
  departure the Dockmaster notifies the 
  Deimos’ Chief Engineer that he has 
  received orders to off load the ship’s new 
  MK-V shuttle to make room for a 
  substitution. An old Pleiadian Class III 
  commercial cargo shuttle called the 
  Vesperwind. 
  If 
  questioned, 
  the 
  Dockmaster 
  will 
  elaborate 
  that 
  the 
  requisition was made by Commander 
  Callahan who specifically asked for this 
  beat-up hunk of space junk. 
   
  The Vesperwind is a Pleiadian designed 
  commercial shuttle ship identical to those 
  often used by interstellar commodity 
  traders ferrying goods between Memnaan 
  and 
  its 
  surrounding 
  planets. 
  The 
  Vesperwind was recovered by the S.I.B. 
  from a spaceship graveyard orbiting Tau 
  Ceti III (#27) where it had been discarded 
  after 
  retirement. 
  The 
  shuttle 
  was 
  refurbished as a covert transport and 
  stationed at Starbase Alpha under the 
  authority of Commander Callahan. The 
  S.I..B now employs the Vesperwind 
  anytime it needs to transport agents or 
  equipment 
  between 
  Zangid 
  planets 
  without arousing unnecessary attention. It 
  is not much to look at, as a matter of fact 
  ugly would be a compliment for this relic of 
  function over form. The interior of the craft 
  is 
  cramped 
  and 
  very 
  industrial 
  in 
  appearance. Everything is bare metal and 
  composite panels with no carpeting or 
  fabric except what is found in the stiff 
  uncomfortable 
  passenger 
  seats. 
  The 
  majority of the ship’s main cabin is devoted 
  to cargo space with several storage racks 
  and webbing nets. 
  
   
  28 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  S.S. VESPERWIND 
  PLEIADIAN CARGO SHUTTLE 
  
   
  29 
   
   
  Since the Pleiadian’s trade agreement with 
  the Imperium allows safe passage through 
  Zangid territory the Vesperwind is the 
  perfect vehicle for covert operations. 
  Equipped with a Pleiadian transponder and 
  active registration codes, the Vesperwind 
  looks every bit the part of a typical 
  commerce shuttle. The Vesperwind is also 
  equipped with two generic beam pistols, 
  two radiation suits with oxygen tanks, a 
  medical kit, and a tech kit concealed within 
  the cargo compartment bulkhead. While 
  the operational specifications on how The 
  Vesperwind is delivered into Zangid space 
  remains highly classified the shuttle has 
  been loaned to the Deimos for its mission. 
   
  THE VESPERWIND 
  Ship’s Name: Vesperwind 
  Ship Type: Shuttle (Type III) 
  Affiliation: Independent 
  Crew Compliment: 3-10 
  Command Rank: Ensign 
  Hull Size: ¾  
  Construction Cost: 18 CP 
  Power Pile Base: 18  
  Teleport Cap: N/A 
  Beam Banks: N/A 
  Ion Torpedoes: N/A 
  Sick Bay Cap: N/A 
  Cryo-Tubes: 1 
  Ship’s Locker: 2 
  2 
   
   
  STARBASE DEPARTURE 
  Commander Callahan arrives at the 
  Deimos, in full Space Fleet uniform, as 
  promised just as the final dock moorings 
  and 
  umbilical 
  cables 
  are 
  retracted. 
  Callahan exits the transit pod with a hover 
  cart carrying a large non-descript metal 
  cargo container. Any inquiries from non-
  command level officers will simply be met 
  with a wink and a nod followed by a half 
  whispered, “It’s classified”. Any command 
  crew member who inquires as to what the 
  Commander has in that box will be met 
  with a chilling smile and an invitation to 
  “have a Look-see”. Inside the cargo 
  container is a fully functional Zangid 
  Imperium starship transponder stolen 
  from a light freighter. If any of the 
  Command Officers’ inquire where he got 
  his hands on such a rare find, Callahan will 
  simply reply, “That’s classified”. Callahan 
  views the transponder as an extra 
  insurance policy for the mission that will 
  hopefully throw any inquisitive Zangid 
  starships off the Deimos’ trail. Commander 
  Callahan will bring the transponder device 
  to the Deimos’ bridge where he will have 
  the Engineer connect it to the ship’s 
  communication and navigation systems.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  30 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  31 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: The Deimos’ Engineer will 
  need to complete a successful technical skill 
  check to install the transponder. If the 
  Engineer fails the skill check, there will be a 
  -1 penalty for each additional attempt and 
  a 50% chance of damaging the device. The 
  Space Master should roll d100 on each 
  unsuccessful attempt to determine if the 
  device was damaged. If damaged the 
  device will have to be repaired at a -3 
  penalty for each technical skill check 
  attempt due to the unfamiliar nature of the 
  alien technology.  
   
  As the Deimos departs Starbase Alpha’s 
  space dock the crew should review the 
  enclosed galactic map to determine the 
  best route to the Orkus System. When their 
  course is decided the Players will need to 
  determine their hyperwarp factor and 
  energy 
  expenditure 
  budget 
  for 
  the 
  journey. When the energy budget is 
  determined, the Players and Space Master 
  will have an estimate of how long the trip 
  will take. Players should be reminded to 
  budget enough surplus energy for screens 
  and weapons in case they may be needed. 
  The Space Master is encouraged to roll for 
  random space hazard encounters once per 
  travel day at hyperwarp or at their 
  discretion. The Space Master can also use 
  this time for various PC and NPC 
  interactions among the crew.   
   
  (#2) THE MIND MASTER 
  When the Deimos crosses parallel to the 
  Xoth Sector’s forbidden star system #B4 
  main power on the ship suddenly fails. The 
  ship shudders as it drops out of hyperwarp 
  back into normal space. All video screens 
  and control monitors on the bridge flicker 
  off leaving the bridge momentarily in 
  complete darkness. Emergency lighting 
  quickly activates casting a pale amber glow 
  over the darkened bridge. Normally a 
  sudden drop from Hyperwarp and loss of 
  power would trigger the ship wide 
  Emergency Action Indicators to alert the 
  crew to report to their stations. However, 
  at this moment even the alarms are silent 
  as the Deimos careens back into normal 
  space. The bridge is unusually quiet, absent 
  of all the normal chirps, beeps, and 
  electrical hum normally heard throughout 
  the ship. As crew members scramble 
  around the bridge attempting to diagnose 
  the sudden power loss a strange purple 
  colored fog begins to form at the front of 
  the command deck. Within moments the 
  fog swirls and coalesces into the form of a 
  humanoid figure. As the smoky vapor 
  thickens the recognizable phantasmal form 
  of a Mind Master takes shape.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  32 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to the Player 
  Characters or the Crew of the Deimos, the 
  Mind Master that appears is one of the few 
  surviving clones that were found in cryo-
  sleep on Zeta-Herculis IV (S&S-2E, PG #93-
  #94).  
   
  Suddenly several of the crew stop what 
  they are doing, their eyes transfix in an 
  unblinking trance-like gaze, and with a 
  blank countenance all begin to speak in 
  unison. “Crew of the starship Deimos, I am 
  Talsaret of the Mind Masters. I am 
  communicating with you through the 
  collective minds of your crew who 
  encountered us… on what you would call 
  Zeta-Herculis IV. Those minds which 
  interacted with ours are now connected 
  with us. It is through this connection that I 
  have become aware of your mission and 
  where it takes you. I come to you now with 
  an urgent warning, the place you are going 
  to is known to us as dangerous. It contains 
  an ancient artifact, a dimensional portal, 
  that provides the only means of access to a 
  lost planet in a forbidden star system. Eons 
  before our time, horrifically vile beings 
  called the Oiretophid were imprisoned on 
  this forbidden planet for all time by the 
  Elder Guardians of the cosmos. The 
  artifact, which they hid deep beneath the 
  surface of a desolate ice world, known to 
  you as Memnaan, has been discovered. We 
  have known of this place from the Elder 
  Guardians, ensuring it remained protected 
  and undisturbed. Even now, someone 
  seeks to unlock its secrets, unaware of the 
  unspeakable horror it restrains. You must 
  find this artifact and either seal it away 
  again, or destroy it forever, lest it fall into 
  the hands of anyone insensible enough to 
  attempt to use it.” After giving his 
  message, Talsaret disappears in a purple 
  fog. Once the fog dissipates from the 
  bridge the transfixed crew are released 
  from their psionic trance and normal 
  activity returns. Within a few moments all 
  crew return to their senses and are able to 
  restore normal function to their duty 
  stations. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: The apparition of Talsaret 
  that appears on the Deimos is a psionic 
  projection. It cannot be touched, attacked, 
  or damaged in anyway. Activating the 
  Deimos’s Screens will not interfere with or 
  break the psionic connection between the 
  Mind Masters and the Deimos crew. Any 
  crew member that had previous contact 
  with the Mind Masters is unknowingly a 
  part of the collective mental conduit for the 
  psionic projection. The Deimos’ loss of 
  power and drop from Hyperwarp is also a 
  result of the Mind Master’s influence on the 
  crew and not the ship itself. Once the 
  Deimos enters the Elysium Corridor it will 
  pass beyond Talsaret’s ability to continue 
  psionic communication with the crew.   
  
   
  33 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  34 
   
   
  SPACE MADNESS 
  Upon resuming hyperwarp the Deimos 
  continues 
  towards 
  its 
  destination. 
  Everything appears to be returning to 
  normal until the Computer’s internal 
  sensors detect a beam weapon discharge 
  on Deck #2 near Cargo Bay #1. A review of 
  the ship’s internal holographic video 
  footage will reveal Lt. Akada discharging his 
  duty 
  weapon 
  and 
  incinerating 
  an 
  unsuspecting technician working in the 
  area. Audio evidence of the unprovoked 
  attack recorded Akada ranting about the 
  blackness calling to him. Lt. Akada appears 
  to be suffering from a severe case of an 
  affliction known as “Space Madness”. It is a 
  rare 
  mental 
  illness 
  associated 
  with 
  traumatic mental stress while travelling at 
  hyperwarp. The disease manifests itself as 
  a form of dementia characterized by 
  confusion, 
  paranoia, 
  delirium, 
  and 
  psychosis. The psionic incursion by the 
  Mind Master appears to have been the 
  catalyst in this case triggering an acute 
  onset of the disease in Lt. Akada. There is 
  no known cure for severe space madness 
  and treatment normally consists of 
  indefinite suspended animation.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Lt. Akada’s beam pistol is 
  currently set to “Disrupt/Heat” but he will 
  deliberately 
  change 
  the 
  setting 
  to 
  “Disintegrate/Kill” for use on any PC’s or 
  NPC’s who had previous contact with the 
  Mind Masters. This includes any of the PC’s 
  or NPC’s who completed the Mind Masters 
  of Zeta Herculis adventure. Since the 
  appearance of Talsaret was the catalyst for 
  his affliction, he views anyone who has had 
  contact with the mind masters as their evil 
  thralls.  
   
  The Computer’s sensor data suggests that 
  Akada is making an erratic path towards 
  the 
  ship’s 
  auxiliary 
  control 
  room. 
  Randomly attacking anyone he encounters 
  or that tries to stop him. Lt. Akada’s 
  psychotic rage appears to manifest itself 
  with savage ferocity towards any crew 
  member who previously had contact with 
  the Mind Masters. Akada is observed on 
  the internal sensor footage as screaming 
  “Evil Thrall” towards select victims of his 
  attacks. 
  The 
  Command 
  Crew 
  will 
  immediately 
  recognize 
  these 
  crew 
  members are the same ones who survived 
  the mission to Zeta Herculis IV. Since 
  Callahan has never encountered the Mind 
  Masters on Zeta Herculis IV, he is the first 
  to volunteer to lead a team to apprehend 
  the rampaging Security Chief. Callahan will 
  encourage the PC’s to accompany him and 
  put down Akada’s attack before he reaches 
  
   
  35 
   
   
  the auxiliary control room and uses his 
  Security override to take control of the 
  ship.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: Commander Callahan will 
  utilize this crisis as an opportunity to 
  familiarize himself with the Deimos and 
  establish a report with the crew. He will 
  exploit any opportunities to ingratiate 
  himself to the crew and subversively 
  influence the crew to his agenda. While 
  Callahan will lead the attempt to put down 
  Akada’s attack he will make every effort to 
  make sure he keeps himself directly out of 
  harm’s way. Even if that means putting 
  someone else in harm’s way to do so. 
   
  DECK TWO LAYOUT 
  The Deimos’ Mission Support Services are 
  located on Deck #2 directly below the 
  Command Bridge. This area contains many 
  of the ship’s essential service facilities such 
  as the teleporter and sick bay that the crew 
  will need while on their mission. 
   
  1. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2).  
  2. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2).  
  3. Enlisted quarters (Occupancy 6).   
  4. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2).   
  5. Captain’s quarters (Occupancy 2). 
  6. Elevator lift. 
  7. Crew mess hall & kitchen. 
  8: Elevator lift. 
  9. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2).  
  10. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2). 
  11. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 6). 
  12. Enlisted quarters (Occupancy 2). 
  13. Officer’s quarters (Occupancy 2). 
  14. Elevator lift. 
  15. Cargo bay #1 & ship’s stores. 
  16. Elevator lift. 
  17. Water reclamation plant. 
  18. Elevator lift & lobby. 
  19. Hydroponics garden. 
  20. Sick Bay (Occupancy 2). 
  21. Auxiliary control room. 
  22. Teleporter room (Capacity 3). 
  23. Ship’s locker. 
  24. Engineering vault. 
  25. Emergency access hatch. 
   
  When Callahan and the PC’s arrive at Deck 
  #2 on the elevator lift (#06) they will catch 
  a glimpse of Lt. Akada leaving his quarters 
  (#02). He is moving at a frantic pace as if in 
  a panic and constantly looking around him 
  for unseen pursuers. The entire Deck is 
  bathed in the eerie blood red glow of the 
  Emergency Action Lights indicating the ship 
  is at its highest state of alert. At the first 
  report of unauthorized beam fire the 
  Command Crew activated the security lock 
  out protocol (The same protocol used to 
  contain hostile boarding parties) sealing all 
  hatches, lifts and access points on the deck. 
  Only the Captain, 1st Officer, Commander 
  Callahan, and the responding PC’s have 
  been granted access to enter or leave the 
  Deck. The main corridor is saturated with a 
  
   
  36 
   
   
  thin layer of dissipating acrid smoke. Two 
  humanoid shaped piles of smoldering ash 
  and scorched carpet mark the spots where 
  Akada’s first two victims last stood. A loud 
  scream, bright flash of light, and the 
  unmistakable hum of a beam pistol’s 
  recharge cycle signal the horrible end of 
  another crew member nearby.  Akada will 
  not respond to any attempts that the PC’s 
  or Callahan will make to reason with him or 
  dissuade his actions. In between random 
  beam pistol blasts only glimpses of the 
  murderous amphibian can be seen as he 
  unpredictably darts in and out of doorways 
  or between bulkheads. It is as if he cannot 
  hear you at all as he continues to mumble 
  to himself a stream of unintelligible 
  phrases. Akada continues to fire his beam 
  pistol at anyone who attempts to stop him 
  or get in his way. Akada also has two stun 
  grenades in his possession which he will 
  throw at any PC’s or NPC’s he finds in a 
  group larger than two people. Lt. Akada’s 
  extensive knowledge of the ship is 
  undiminished but he appears confused 
  often walking in circles and stumbling from 
  room to room. 
    
  ENLISTED CREW 
  The enlisted crew residing on Deck #2 were 
  off duty and resting in their quarters at the 
  time Akada began his rampage. Most have 
  locked themselves in their quarters after 
  the screams and beam fire began in the 
  corridor. The Player Characters can 
  attempt to enlist the aid of any of these 
  crew members to stop Akada. Those who 
  were assigned personal duty weapons are 
  listed in their NPC profiles below. Those 
  without weapons should be taken to the 
  closest elevator lift for evacuation to the 
  deck below.  
    
  PETTY OFFICER NOLAN BRADLAN 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 50 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: ENG. 
  Level/Save: 4 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  24 
  13 
  14 
  09 
  15 
  07 
  12 
  -1 
  EQ: Tech kit, E.I. Device, Communicator. 
   
  APPRENTICE G’HARN 
  Race: Xin (Gao) 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 112 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: ENG. 
  Level/Save: 2 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  14 
  14 
  16 
  15 
  10 
  05 
  08 
  -1 
  EQ: Communicator, Energy Screen. 
   
  APPRENTICE RINI DORA 
  Race: Daelan 
  Gender: F 
  Age: 28 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: NAV. 
  Level/Save: 2 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  10 
  09 
  11 
  09 
  13 
  12 
  03 
  -1 
  EQ: Data Recorder, Communicator. 
   
  APPRENTICE MADDIE MACHESKI 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 19 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: ENG. 
  Level/Save: 2 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  11 
  09 
  10 
  07 
  14 
  09 
  09 
  -1 
  EQ: Force Field Generator 
   
  
   
  37 
   
   
  RECRUIT HUR MOGEK 
  Race: Dreiped 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 21 
  Class: TEC. 
  Sub: NAV. 
  Level/Save: 1 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  04 
  10 
  09 
  14 
  08 
  09 
  04 
  -1 
  EQ: Data Recorder, Communicator. 
   
  RECRUIT K’MAR TOGEKT 
  Race: Rigel 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 24 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: FC 
  Level/Save: 1 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  06 
  11 
  12 
  10 
  13 
  12 
  07 
  -1 
  EQ: Electro-stun Gun, Communicator. 
   
  RECRUIT T’SHAN 
  Race: Tauran 
  Gender: F 
  Age: 29 
  Class: SCI. 
  Sub: MED. 
  Level/Save: 1 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  05 
  08 
  09 
  10 
  16 
  05 
  12 
  -1 
  EQ: Med-kit, Communicator. 
   
  RECRUIT DILLION OCANO 
  Race: Human 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 19 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 1 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  05 
  10 
  08 
  14 
  08 
  15 
  08 
  -1 
  EQ: Electro-Stun Gun, Communicator. 
   
  Lt. Akada will have to be stunned or killed 
  in order to stop him. If he succeeds in 
  reaching the auxiliary control room, he will 
  lock himself inside and attempt to seize 
  control of the ship. Once inside, it will take 
  20 rounds for him to override control of the 
  Deimos and lock out the bridge. If this 
  occurs, Akada will attempt to destroy the 
  ship by overloading the ship’s beam banks. 
  The overload will require 1d20 rounds to 
  reach critical build up during which time 
  Callahan and the PC’s can again attempt to 
  stop him. 
   
  If the PC’s are successful in capturing Lt. 
  Akada the Deimos Computer will confirm 
  that his symptoms are consistent with 
  Space Madness. The computer and/or 
  medical officer will suggest that Lt. Akada 
  should be placed in suspended animation 
  for remainder of the mission and returned 
  to Starbase Alpha. Alternatively, he can be 
  imprisoned in the ship’s brig located on 
  Deck #3. If Lt. Akada is killed during the 
  encounter the computer and/or medical 
  officer will suggest his remains be placed in 
  cryo-stasis for future medical analysis. 
   
  THE ELYSIUM CORRIDOR 
  After Lt. Akada’s murderous rampage the 
  Deimos enters a region of deep space 
  known as the Elysium Corridor between 
  the Forbidden Stars and Xoth Nebula. The 
  Elysium Corridor is an empty abysmal 
  space devoid of any planets or star 
  systems. There are no useful resources, 
  navigational hazards, or random galactic 
  encounters in this area. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  38 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: This area of space will 
  provide an excellent opportunity for the 
  Player Characters to recover after Lt. 
  Akada’s attack. It will also provide the ship 
  an opportunity to undergo any needed 
  repairs or recharge Energy Units before the 
  next encounter. While in the Elysium 
  Corridor the PC’s should be encouraged to 
  participate in interactions with the other 
  PC’s and NPC’s. If the events thus far in the 
  adventure have started to wander off 
  course this respite is also a great time for 
  the Space Master to guide the Players back 
  to the mission. 
   
   
  (#3) THE XOTH NEBULA 
  While travelling towards Memnaan the 
  Deimos will encounter an area of space on 
  the Galactic Map (between B4 and the 
  Orkus System) known as the Xoth Nebula. 
  This immense gaseous cloud of dense 
  celestial 
  particles 
  contains 
  several 
  persistent Space Mirrors. A Space Mirror 
  (S&S-2E, Pg. #32) is a small distortion 
  between normal space and hyperspace 
  that 
  appears 
  without 
  warning 
  or 
  predictability. 
  The 
  cause 
  of 
  the 
  phenomenon is unknown but often 
  attributed to several speculated theories 
  (including an unintended consequence of 
  hyperdrive usage.) If a starship encounters 
  a space mirror it will be displaced sixty 
  degrees at a distance in hexes equal to its 
  current interstellar travel speed.   
   
  SPACE MASTER: The Space Master’s 
  galactic map shows the location of the 
  Space Mirrors within the vast Xoth Nebula. 
  The 
  Space 
  Mirrors 
  are 
  completely 
  undetectable until the ship runs into them. 
  Fortunately, there are no other space 
  hazards in the vicinity of the Space Mirrors. 
  While the only immediate danger is the 
  displacement, the course change can 
  impact the Deimos’ travel time and energy 
  consumption required to correct course 
  during interstellar travel.  
   
  It is possible that the PC’s course may take 
  them above the Xoth Nebula. This will add 
  several light-years to their journey and 
  require more travel time. If this occurs, the 
  SM should skip the Space Mirror encounter 
  and apply the normal Space random 
  encounter checks (S&S-2E, Pg. #31).  
   
  
   
  39 
   
   
  The original position of each of Space 
  Mirrors in this region of space has been 
  marked on the Space Master’s Galactic 
  Map. The mirrors have a persistent 
  duration of 1d8 days in their original 
  position. After this time each of the Space 
  Mirrors will shift one hex/light-year 
  clockwise for its starting position. The path 
  that the Space Mirrors will travel in is 
  indicated by the shaded hex spaces 
  surrounding the Mirrors starting position 
  on the Galactic Map. The Space Master 
  should note these positions at the start of 
  Act One and track their movement 
  throughout the adventure. At the end of 
  the adventure, if the PC’s are successful the 
  Deimos might again encounter the Space 
  Mirrors on its return trip to Starbase Alpha. 
  Only this time the Space Mirrors will be in 
  a different position then what was 
  originally encountered. It is not known 
  what caused these Space Mirrors to form 
  in this region. While there are many 
  theories and rumors, some involving 
  mysterious forces reaching out from the 
  Forbidden Stars, no one knows for sure.  
   
  THE IDLYN EXPANSE 
  Upon successfully navigating through the 
  Space Mirrors of the Xoth Nebula the 
  Deimos will travel through several light-
  years of empty space known as the Idlyn 
  Expanse. Depending on their course, or any 
  deviations caused by the space mirrors, the 
  time required to pass through the expanse 
  may vary greatly. The Player Characters 
  may find this region to be an uneventful 
  peaceful void or an agonizingly tedious 
  stretch of dark empty vacuum. It can 
  provide the crew a much-needed respite 
  from the past encounters in which to 
  recover, facilitate repairs, and prepare for 
  their arrival in the Orkus System. Some of 
  the crew may find this stretch of empty 
  darkness will exhaust both their patience 
  and sanity. However, this rest period will 
  be short lived ending with the Deimos 
  finally arriving at the border of the Orkus 
  System. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: At least three light-years 
  prior to entering the Orkus System, 
  Commander Callahan or one of the NPC 
  Officers, should remind the crew to initiate 
  silent running and activate the Zangid 
  transponder. Any use of the Deimos 
  teleporter or communication systems could 
  expose their electronic masquerade. 
   
  (#4) THE ORKUS SYSTEM 
  The Orkus System (#13) is approximately 
  47 light-years from Earth and has six 
  charted planets orbiting a Class-K star. The 
  harsh environments found on these 
  planets initially discouraged early attempts 
  at 
  colonization, 
  but 
  once 
  Beryllium 
  deposits were found on Memnaan the 
  Zangid quickly annexed the entire system.  
  
   
  40 
   
   
   
   
  
   
  41 
   
   
  The Zangid established a Starbase on the 
  planet Memnaan which includes several 
  infamous prison mines and a political gulag 
  renowned for its deplorable conditions. 
   
  THE ORKUS SYSTEM (#13) 
  # 
  Planet 
  Class 
  Moons 
  75 
  Katelk 
  Class-C 
  None 
  76 
  Onis 
  Class-E 
  1 Moon 
  77 
  Shigsin 
  Class-G 
  2 Moons 
  78 
  Nakoth 
  Class-J 
  6 Moons 
  79 
  Memnaan 
  Class-T 
  3 Moons 
  80 
  Amerath 
  Class-T 
  1 Moon 
   
  THE ZANGID PRESENCE 
  There is a significant but complacent 
  Zangid military presence in the Orkus 
  system that is concentrated on and around 
  the planet Memnaan. In the course of any 
  given day 1d4 Zangid starships can be 
  found in or around the Orkus system. A 
  dedicated system patrol consisting of one 
  Zangid E-5 Cruiser and two E-2 raiders is 
  permanently assigned to the area for 
  system defense and interstellar piracy 
  interdiction. 
   
  The Imperial Zangid Space Force (Z.S.F.) 
  vessel Hell-Shrike is an older model E-5 
  cruiser that is assigned to system security 
  and piracy interdiction in the Orkus 
  System. This old cruiser has seen more 
  than its fair share of action and its battered 
  patchwork hull betrays its true age. In its 
  twilight years of service, the Hell-Shrike has 
  been put out to pasture with its far from 
  glamorous role as the new “Orkus 
  Nursemaid”. 
  However, 
  despite 
  this 
  undignified reputation the Hell-Shrike is 
  still a Zangid warship that is constantly at a 
  state of battle readiness and eager for a 
  fight. 
   
  Z.S.F. HELL-SHRIKE 
  Ship’s Name: Z.S.F. Hell-Shrike 
  Ship Type: E-5 Cruiser 
  Affiliation: Zangid Imperium 
  Crew: 50/500 
  Command Rank: Commander 
  Hull Size:  4 
  Cost: 200 CP 
  Power Pile Base: 185 (2 Pods) 
  Teleporter Cap: 5 
  Beam Banks 3 
  Ion Torpedoes: N/A 
  Shuttle Ships: 3 
  Sick Bay Cap: 10 
  Cryo-Tubes: 4 
  Ship’s Locker: 14 
  1 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  42 
   
   
  CAPTAIN GORGEK 
  The Hell-Shrike is under the command of 
  Captain Gorgek, also known as “Gorgek the 
  Unwise” for his reputation of impulsive and 
  brash behavior. Captain Gorgek is a 
  veteran of the Second Zangid War and has 
  no love for the Confederation or its allies. 
  His crew is lazy and complacent, jaded by 
  the inglorious tedium of their assignment. 
  Despite their complacency, the crew 
  respects their Captain and are loyal beyond 
  reproach. 
   
   
   
  CAPTAIN GORGEK 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 46 
  Class: Mil. 
  Sub: Com. 
  Level/Save: 6 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  45 
  11 
  12 
  07 
  13 
  12 
  05 
  -2 
  EQ: F-Jacket, B-Pistol, Dagger, Communicator. 
   
   
  ZANGID SUPPORT SHIPS 
  On a longer patrol circuit just outside the 
  Orkus System are two Zangid E-2 Raiders, 
  the Z.S.F. War Song and the Z.S.F. Cleaver. 
  Both ships are within three light-years of 
  Orkus 
  and 
  could 
  be 
  called 
  in 
  as 
  reinforcements should the Hell-Shrike 
  require assistance. Both ships are newer 
  models (relatively speaking) that have 
  been refitted with Videni atomic fire ball 
  weapons and shielding devices. 
   
  Z.S.F. WAR SONG 
  Ship’s Name: Z.S.F. War Song  
  Ship Type: E-2 Raider 
  Affiliation: Zangid Imperium 
  Crew: 5/25 
  Command Rank: Corporal (Ensign) 
  Hull Size: 1½  
   Cost: 40 CP 
  Power Pile Base: 40 (1x Half Pod) 
  Teleport Cap: 2 
  Beam Banks: 1 
  Fire Ball: 1 
  Shuttle Ships: N/A 
  Sick Bay Cap: 2 
  Cryo-Tubes: 2 
  Ship’s Locker: 5 
  3 
   
  COMMANDER VO-TAVU 
  Commander Vo-Tavu is the commanding 
  officer of the Zangid Imperial E-2 raider 
  “War Song”. Vo-Tavu, also known as “Vo-
  Tavu the Vindicator”, is a very charismatic 
  
   
  43 
   
   
  commander that is well respected by his 
  crew. He is well known for his long-winded 
  tales and will never miss an opportunity to 
  regale the exploits of the Imperium. Of all 
  the local Commanders, Vo-Tavu is the least 
  cynical and the most likely to ask questions 
  first and shoot later. However, like all 
  Zangid his blood yearns for battle and his 
  moderate temperament has its limits. 
   
  COMMANDER VO-TAVU 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 57 
  Class: Mil. 
  Sub: Com. 
  Level/Save: 5 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  35 
  11 
  12 
  14 
  09 
  14 
  03 
  -2 
  EQ: F-Jacket, B-Pistol, Dagger, Communicator. 
   
  Z.S.F. CLEAVER 
  Ship’s Name: Z.S.F. Cleaver 
  Ship Type: E-2 Raider 
  Affiliation: Zangid Imperium 
  Crew: 5/25 
  Command Rank: Corporal (Ensign) 
  Hull Size: 1½  
   Cost: 40 CP 
  Power Pile Base: 40 (1x Half Pod) 
  Teleport Cap: 2 
  Beam Banks: 1 
  Fire Ball: 1 
  Shuttle Ships: N/A 
  Sick Bay Cap: 2 
  Cryo-Tubes: 2 
  Ship’s Locker: 5 
  3 
   
   
  COMMANDER SO-GEKTA 
  Commander So-Gekta is the commanding 
  officer of the Zangid E-2 Raider “Cleaver”. 
  He is an experienced officer who is highly 
  ambitious and distrusts the counsel of 
  others. So-Gekta, also known as “The 
  Tyrant of Orkus” commands his ship 
  through ruthlessness and fear. While the 
  Cleaver is one of the more efficiently run 
  ships in the area it is also the most prone 
  to crew mutiny. 
   
  COMMANDER SO-GEKTA 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 39 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: CMD. 
  Level/Save: 5 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  32 
  12 
  14 
  09 
  10 
  12 
  09 
  -2 
  EQ: F-Jacket, B-Pistol, Dagger, Communicator. 
    
  RANDOM ZANGID STARSHIPS 
  In addition to the two E-2 Raiders, 1d4 
  random Zangid starships can be found in 
  and around the Orkus System each day. 
  These random starships can range from 
  cargo freighters to military warships. Space 
  Masters can roll 1d8 on the following chart 
  to determine the type of random Zangid 
  starship(s) found in the system during any 
  given day. Any of these random starships in 
  the area will not be aware of the Deimos 
  unless they come within the 120,000-mile 
  sensor threshold of the ship.   
   
   
   
  
   
  44 
   
   
  RANDOM ZANGID STARSHIPS 
  Roll Random Starship Type 
  01 
  Zangid Raider (E2) 
  02 
  Zangid Frigate (E3) 
  03 
  Zangid Light Freighter (F1) 
  04 
  Zangid Destroyer (E4) 
  05 
  Zangid Medium Freighter (F2) 
  06 
  Zangid Cruiser (E5) 
  07 
  Zangid Heavy Freighter (F3) 
  08 
  Zangid Battlecruiser (E6) 
   
  The Space Master should mark the position 
  and course of any random Zangid starships 
  in the Orkus System. The Space Master can 
  roll 1d6 on the chart below to determine 
  what the random ship is doing while in the 
  Orkus system. If one or more of the 
  random ships is in orbit around Amerath 
  the PC’s will have to adjust their course or 
  wait a day for the ship(s) to leave before 
  attempting to establish orbit. 
   
  RANDOM ZANGID SHIP ACTIVITY 
  Roll Random Starship Activity 
  01 
  In Amerath Orbit. 
  02 
  Moving North from Memnaan. 
  03 
  Moving South from Memnaan. 
  04 
  In Memnaan Orbit. 
  05 
  Moving East from Memnaan. 
  06 
  Moving West from Memnaan. 
   
   
  USING THE TRANSPONDER 
  When the Deimos is within 3 light-years of 
  the Orkus system the Engineer will need to 
  activate the stolen Zangid Transponder 
  that 
  Commander 
  Callahan 
  provided. 
  Activating the transponder will require a 
  successful technical skill check by the 
  Engineer. If the engineer’s attempt is 
  unsuccessful the Deimos will have to drop 
  out of hyperwarp at its current location 
  and reattempt to activate the transponder 
  before proceeding into the Orkus System. 
  The Engineer can make as many attempts 
  as necessary to activate the transponder, 
  but the Deimos will have to expend 
  additional EU to return to Hyperwarp. The 
  Zangid transponder will broadcast a 
  passive electronic emission which will 
  electronically appear to be a Zangid light 
  freighter named the Goh-tak’cho. Once 
  activated the Zangid transponder will 
  reduce the chance of the Deimos being 
  detected or identified as a Confederation 
  vessel to 30%. Even if detected by a Zangid 
  starship’s sensors, it will be mistaken for a 
  Zangid light freighter unless it is within 
  direct line of sight at 120,000 miles or less. 
  If the Deimos enters the Orkus system 
  without the Zangid transponder activated, 
  it will raise the possibility of detection from 
  any nearby Zangid starship in the system 
  from 30% to 60%. While the transponder is 
  operating, the Deimos will be running 
  silent and unable to make or receive any 
  
   
  45 
   
   
  communication 
  transmissions 
  without 
  revealing its true identity. If the Deimos 
  receives a friend or foe challenge 
  communication from a Zangid starship, 
  outpost or Starbase Klatau it can respond 
  back using the transponder device itself. 
  This will require the engineer to complete 
  a successful technical skill check to 
  respond. An unsuccessful attempt will 
  mean the Deimos will have to respond with 
  a convincing transmission through the 
  transponder 
  to 
  prevent 
  further 
  investigation. All communication with a 
  challenging Zangid vessel, outpost, or 
  Starbase Klatau will require a universal 
  translator and a successful Contact skill 
  check. A successful skill check will result in 
  the challenging Zangids ignoring the 
  Deimos. An unsuccessful skill check will 
  result in the closest Zangid ship being 
  dispatched to investigate the suspicious 
  activity. 
   
  SPACE 
  MASTER: 
  Players 
  should 
  be 
  cautioned, as advice from Callahan or 
  through tactical analysis from the ship’s 
  computer, that regardless of the situation 
  the Deimos will be outnumbered and out 
  gunned in any confrontation with the 
  Zangid in this star system. 
   
  The PC’s should avoid direct combat with 
  the Zangid forces in the Orkus System 
  unless 
  absolutely 
  necessary 
  as 
  any 
  confrontation will draw in support from 
  the other Zangid ships in the area. In most 
  circumstances a direct combat with any of 
  the Zangid forces will compromise the 
  mission even if the crew of the Deimos is 
  able to prevail. If the Deimos is triumphant, 
  the defeated Zangid ship failing to check in 
  will 
  raise 
  suspicions 
  and 
  summon 
  reinforcements. 
  Making 
  the 
  Deimos’ 
  exfiltration much more difficult and deadly 
  than needed. 
   
  PLANET AMERATH 
  Amerath (#80) is the sixth planet in the star 
  system and furthest from the sun. Unlike 
  Memnaan it is a lifeless ice world with no 
  atmosphere or native lifeforms. This is the 
  planet where the Deimos will covertly 
  establish orbit and launch the extraction 
  mission with the Vesperwind. Using the 
  stolen Zangid Transponder, the Deimos will 
  electronically appear to be a Zangid light 
  freighter delivering supplies to Amerath 
  and Memnaan. If the Deimos remains in a 
  synchronous orbit between the planet 
  Amerath and its moon the ship will be 
  concealed from any direct line of sight 
  identification. Once the Deimos breaks 
  orbit it will no longer be concealed from 
  visual identification even if the Zangid 
  transponder is in use.  
   
  As the Deimos enters the Orkus System, 
  Commander Callahan will instruct the crew 
  to establish a geo-synchronous orbit 
  between Amerath and its moon. While 
  
   
  46 
   
   
  establishing orbit the Deimos will receive 
  an identification challenge from the Zangid 
  outpost on Amerath. The ship’s Engineer 
  can reply to the Identification challenge 
  with the Zangid Transponder device which 
  will broadcast the access code and registry 
  information of the light freighter Goh-
  tak’cho.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: Using the transponder to 
  reply to the outpost will require a successful 
  technical skill check from the Engineer or a 
  crew member with the technical skill. If the 
  skill check fails, the Zangid outpost will 
  repeat its request for the ship to identify 
  itself. If this occurs, the outpost will not 
  accept electronic authentication by the 
  transponder and will want to speak to the 
  ship’s crew directly. A science officer or 
  crew member on the Deimos will need to 
  use a universal translator device and make 
  a successful Contact Skill check to contact 
  the outpost. The Zangids at the outpost on 
  Amerath tend to be complacent due to the 
  tedium of their assignment and will 
  overlook almost anything but the most 
  suspicious of circumstances. If the Deimos 
  science officer fails the Contact Skill check 
  the Zangid outpost will instruct the Goh-
  tak’cho (Deimos) to hold position and 
  dispatch the Hell-Shrike to conduct a 
  security inspection. 
   
  HELL-SHRIKE ENCOUNTER 
  If the Z.S.F. Hell-Shrike is dispatched to 
  investigate the authentication discrepancy 
  from the Goh-tak’cho (Deimos) the PC’s 
  will have three options. The first option is 
  to immediately depart the Orkus System to 
  avoid visual identification by the Hell-
  Shrike and return to the Idlyn Expanse. The 
  Deimos can make another attempt to enter 
  the system the following day, but all skill 
  checks for passing another Identification 
  challenge from the outpost on Amerath 
  will have a -2 penalty. The second option 
  involves the Deimos trying to evade the 
  Hell-Shrike, launch the Vesperwind, and 
  retreat back to the Idlyn Expanse. If the 
  crew elects to use this option, then they 
  will need to depart the Orkus System 
  immediately after launching the shuttle in 
  order to avoid discovery. The third option 
  would be for the Deimos to engage the 
  Hell-Shrike which will require the crew to 
  either bluff their way out of the situation or 
  fight. Success is slim for either choice, but 
  a fight will dramatically impact any chance 
  of successfully completing the mission. If 
  the PC’s choose to fight their position will 
  be revealed by the combat but their 
  identity will remain concealed so long as 
  the transponder is operational, and they 
  remain outside the 120,000-mile sensor 
  threshold. Any combat will draw the in the 
  two additional support ships and random 
  starships in the area within 1d20 game 
  turns. 
   
  IN THE EVENT OF CAPTURE 
  If the Deimos is discovered while in the 
  Orkus System, the Zangid interplanetary 
  
   
  47 
   
   
  defense forces led by Captain Gorgek will 
  attempt to capture or destroy the ship. 
  While surrender is expected by the Zangid, 
  resistance that leads to glorious battle is 
  what they ultimately hope for. If the 
  Deimos is captured or destroyed, even if 
  the PC’s survive, the adventure scenario in 
  this module will end. While this can serve 
  as an excellent starting point or adventure 
  hook for other adventures the objective of 
  this mission will be lost.  
   
  If 
  the 
  Deimos 
  surrenders, 
  or 
  is 
  incapacitated in battle, the Zangid will 
  board the ship in an attempt to seize 
  control. Once the Deimos’ defensive 
  screens 
  have 
  been 
  disabled, 
  or 
  deactivated, eighteen veteran Zangid 
  warriors (Level 2), armed with beam rifles 
  and fighting daggers, will teleport from the 
  Hell-Shrike on to the Deimos in three 
  waves of six. They will enter the ship on 
  Deck #5 in the cargo bay and split up into 
  two assault teams of three warriors in 
  each. A total of nine Zangid warriors (Three 
  assault teams) will proceed from Deck #5 
  up to the bridge. Securing control of all 
  critical areas they encounter along the 
  way. The remaining nine will proceed 
  downward to Deck #10 securing the ship’s 
  engineering sections. The assault teams 
  will attempt to kill or capture any crew they 
  encounter that resists or interferes in 
  anyway. 
  The 
  ship’s 
  computer 
  will 
  automatically engage the ship’s security 
  lock-out protocol when it detects the 
  intruders on board. This protocol will lock 
  out all of the elevator lifts, hatches, and 
  doors in the ship. While this measure will 
  not stop the Zangid boarders entirely it will 
  slow them down. Any PC’s on board the 
  Deimos at the time of boarding will 
  encounter the Zangid boarding parties on 
  Deck #2. The assault teams’ primary goal 
  will be to seize control of the ship and shut 
  down its defenses and engines. If they 
  succeed the Hell-Shrike will take the 
  Deimos in tow with its tractor beam.  
   
  The Deimos will be towed by the Hell-
  Shrike back to the spaceport at Starbase 
  Klatau on Memnaan. Here the surviving 
  crew will be held for interrogation and trial 
  for war crimes by a Zangid tribunal. The 
  Deimos will be impounded at the starbase 
  spaceport where it will be meticulously 
  examined by Zangid technicians under the 
  direction of General Vorkhan. The ship will 
  be considered a prize of war, stripped 
  down to its spaceframe with any useful 
  technology 
  extracted 
  for 
  reverse 
  engineering. After an excruciatingly one- 
  sided trial, the crew will be sentenced to 
  General Vorkhan’s favorite punishment, 
  lifelong 
  incarceration 
  at 
  the 
  Marak 
  Ta’Chom mine. 
   
   
  
   
  48 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  49 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: With the Deimos engaging 
  in a clandestine mission, it is unlikely that 
  an overt Space Fleet rescue operation can 
  be expected if the crew is captured.  Space 
  Fleet Command may attempt to find a 
  diplomatic solution to the situation, but 
  diplomacy can be a long and arduous 
  process. That is presuming that this 
  incident has not incited all-out war 
  between the Zangid Imperium and the 
  Confederation. With the failure of this 
  mission, the Space Fleet Intelligence 
  Bureau will be reluctant to task any 
  additional 
  resources 
  for 
  a 
  second 
  extraction mission based on the risk 
  involved.  
   
   
   
  ENCOUNTERS 
  There are three important encounters in 
  Act Two that the Player’s must successfully 
  navigate through during their mission to 
  find “Watchtower”. These encounter 
  points are marked #1 through #3 on the 
  Space Master’s Map of Memnaan’s 
  Northern Continent. 
   
  • #1: THE CRASH SITE. 
  • #2: THE ICE CREATURE LAIR. 
  • #3: MARAK TA’CHOM. 
   
  THE PLANET MEMNAAN 
  Memnaan (#79) is a Class-T planet with a 
  harsh bitter frozen environment. It has 
  three lifeless uninhabited moons that 
  possess an abundance of mineral ore 
  deposits. The gravity on Memnaan is 
  comparable to that found on Earth and is 
  tolerable to most lifeforms. There is a high 
  concentration of toxic pollution in the 
  planet’s atmosphere caused by the 
  Zangid’s 
  extensive 
  Beryllium 
  mining 
  operations. 
  The 
  near 
  catastrophic 
  condition of the planet’s environment may 
  soon require the reclassification of this 
  world 
  as 
  Class-U 
  (Uninhabitable). 
  Memnaan is the 5th planet in the system, 
  the location of Imperium Starbase Klatau, 
  and home to approximately 500,000 
  Zangid. An indigenous race of ivory skinned 
  humanoids called the Malu, (Still unknown 
  to the Confederation) have been found by 
  the Zangid living below ground in the 
  planet’s vast network of subterranean 
  caverns to escape the harsh environment 
  on the surface. 
   
  
   
  50 
   
   
  The majority of the Zangid on Memnaan 
  live on or near Starbase Klatau or one of 
  the Beryllium mining stations. Starbase 
  Klatau is protected by four full regiments of 
  Zangid soldiers numbering around 4000 
  warriors. An old E-5 cruiser has been 
  assigned to a permanent orbital defense 
  patrol around the planet providing security 
  and piracy interdiction. 1d4 additional 
  Zangid warships are usually found nearby 
  that can be called upon as reinforcements 
  if necessary. 
   
  HEALTH ADVISORY 
  If the deep freeze temperatures don’t kill 
  you, breathing the air on Memnaan just 
  might. The extensive Zangid mining 
  produces vast amounts of hazardous 
  pollution turning the planet’s atmosphere 
  to a persistent caustic layer of toxic fog. 
  Unprotected 
  exposure 
  to 
  the 
  contaminated atmosphere without an air 
  tank will result in rapid onset respiratory 
  distress and heavy metal poisoning within 
  one hour. Any PC or NPC exposed to the 
  atmosphere for more than an hour will 
  begin to lose 1 point of constitution and 
  strength for each additional hour of 
  exposure until death. The Malu minimize 
  exposure to the contaminated atmosphere 
  by living below ground and using a 
  marginally effective filtration mask made 
  from the hide of Xoth Bats. While the face 
  mask is better than nothing, the residual 
  atmospheric poisoning absorbed by their 
  bodies dramatically impacts their health 
  and reduces their lifespans. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: PC’s and NPC’s will need to 
  use either a survival suit, skirmish suit, 
  radiation suit, or field armor to protect 
  against the extremely cold temperatures 
  on Memnaan. The indigenous Malu utilize 
  special insulated clothing made from the 
  hides of the Xoth bats that they hunt in the 
  subterranean caverns of the planet. The 
  bat’s leathery hide smells awful, but it is a 
  great insulator and makes for a marginally 
  effective filter from the planet’s toxic 
  atmosphere. 
   
  VISIBILITY 
  Due 
  to 
  Memnaan’s 
  thick 
  polluted 
  atmosphere, 
  natural 
  unobstructed 
  visibility on the planet is approximately 
  two miles on a good day. During bad 
  weather the natural visibility can fall to as 
  low as 30 feet. When this occurs, visibility 
  can be technologically enhanced with the 
  assistance of an Oku-tek device, data 
  recorder, or auto analyzer. The weather 
  conditions for any given day on the 
  planet’s surface can be determined on the 
  following table. At night these visibility 
  distances will be reduced in half for any 
  creature or humanoid without biologically 
  or technologically enhanced vision. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  51 
   
   
  DAILY MEMNAAN WEATHER 
  ROLL 
  WEATHER 
  VISIBILITY 
  1 
  Partly Cloudy 
  2 Miles 
  2 
  Cloudy  
  1 Mile 
  3 
  Snow / Ice Storm 
  ½ Mile 
  4 
  Fog / Smog 
  240 Feet 
  5 
  Heavy Ice Storm 
  90 Feet 
  6 
  Severe / Blizzard 
  30 Feet 
   
  THE NORTHERN CONTINENT 
  The Norther Continent (known as So’Cha 
  Nakah in the Zangid language, which 
  roughly translates to “Frozen Tomb”) is the 
  smallest, and most habitable, of the five 
  land masses on the planet. This region has 
  the highest concentration of plant and 
  animal life due to its abundant sunlight 
  from 
  Orkus. 
  the 
  average 
  daytime 
  temperature on the surface of Memnaan 
  ranges from a daytime high of -5 degrees 
  Fahrenheit to a nighttime low of -60 
  degrees Fahrenheit. The length of a day on 
  this slow spinning ice planet is an 
  excruciating 32 hours with only 14 hours of 
  actual daylight. However, even in daytime 
  the extreme weather and caustic toxic fog 
  makes visibility challenging. Sunrise on the 
  Northern continent occurs around 05:00 
  hours and Sunset occurs around 19:00 
  hours of the 32-hour day.  
   
  The other four continents are even less 
  fortunate frozen wastelands of extreme 
  cold constantly shadowed from sunlight by 
  Memnaan’s three barren moons. Only the 
  most robust artic life can be found in these 
  frigid regions.  
   
  The continental mainland is surrounded by 
  four small nearby islands. These islands are 
  unremarkable areas of frozen tundra with 
  massive glaciers and no abundance of 
  plants or animals. The islands are 
  surrounded by large slow-moving ice 
  sheets floating in cold deep waters that 
  flow through the ancient abyssal trenches 
  of the planet’s Great Oceans. 
   
  The waters of the Great Oceans of 
  Memnaan are very alien in comparison to 
  those found on Earth like planets. They 
  contain very high concentrations of caustic 
  elements like ammonia and sodium which 
  make them both toxic and difficult to 
  freeze. When the Northern Continent falls 
  under the shadow of all three moons, 
  during the coldest part of winter when the 
  light of Orkus is most scarce, large portions 
  of the Great Oceans have been known to 
  freeze 
  over 
  despite 
  their 
  caustic 
  composition.  
   
  The Northern Continent hosts the highest 
  population 
  concentration 
  of 
  the 
  indigenous nomadic humanoids known as 
  the Malu (pronounced Mah-Loo). When 
  not migrating with the planet’s solar cycle, 
  these 
  pre-industrial 
  humanoids 
  predominantly reside in the ice caverns on 
  the Western side of the continent. This 
  land is rich in abundant Beryllium deposits 
  and other useful mineral ores. It was this 
  
   
  52 
   
   
  high concentration of Beryllium that first 
  attracted the attention of the Zangid 
  during 
  a 
  planetary 
  survey 
  mission, 
  resulting in their settlement on Memnaan 
  in CE-2185. 
   
  STARBASE KLATAU 
  Klatau is a massive full service terrestrial 
  starbase and mining colony located on the 
  ice planet Memnaan (#79). This former 
  Zangid penal colony was renowned for its 
  harsh treatment of resident prisoners 
  (especially Dreipeds) and slave labor. A 
  prisoner revolt in CE-2231 decimated the 
  original facility and Starbase Klatau was 
  built over the ruins of the original site in CE-
  2244. Like the mining operations that it 
  supports, the majority of the Starbase is 
  located below ground. While its harsh 
  environment and sordid past make Klatau 
  an unpopular travel destination it is still 
  considered by many to be a center of 
  interstellar commerce for difficult to find 
  items. Superstitious locals believe the 
  place is cursed and haunted by the shades 
  of the prisoners that were once held there. 
   
  THE MALU 
  The Malu are an indigenous race of 
  primitive subterranean humanoids who 
  live in the vast caverns below Memnaan’s 
  surface. The Malu are a remarkably 
  beautiful charismatic people with pale 
  ivory skin and shockingly reflective black 
  eyes. They are slightly shorter than 
  Humans and have equivalent attributes 
  and senses.  Due to the harsh climate of the 
  planet, the Malu have developed into 
  nomadic tribal societies that migrate 
  frequently with the planet’s solar cycle. 
  The Malu are very superstitious and 
  practice a highly ritualized polytheistic 
  religion that worships the Ice Creatures 
  that live on the planet’s surface. They have 
  a primitive language that uses both spoken 
  words and hand gestures to communicate 
  with each other. Their written language 
  consists primarily of pictograms that are 
  found accompanying their cave paintings. 
  The Malu record their people’s history 
  entirely through oral tradition, stories and 
  song. Many of which depict a prophecy of 
  a lost magic portal that one day will be 
  found and bring new life to their frozen 
  world. The Malu are predominately a 
  hunter/gathering tribe and Xoth bats are 
  one of their primary food sources on the 
  planet. When the Zangid Imperium 
  colonized the planet, after discovering 
  abundant deposits of Beryllium, they 
  conquered the Malu and forced the 
  survivors they found into slavery.  Since the 
  Zangid annexation of Memnaan the Malu 
  lifespans and birth rates have dropped 
  significantly due to Zangid oppression and 
  the atmospheric pollution that is slowly 
  poisoning the entire planet. 
   
   
   
  
   
  53 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  THE MALU 
  Type: Humanoid 
  Encountered: 3d6, (d12) 
  Movement: 120’, (40’) 
  Intelligence: Low-Average 
  Psi Potential: 2d4, Inactive 
  Hits: 1d8+2 
  Armor: 0 
  Combat Skill: 12 
  Save As: Level 1 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: By Weapon 
  Morale: 8 
  XP: 12 
   
   
  TRANSIT & LANDING 
  Once 
  the 
  Deimos 
  establishes 
  orbit 
  between Amerath and its barren moon the 
  crew will prepare the Vesperwind for 
  departure. The PC’s participating in the 
  landing party will need to exchange their 
  Space Fleet uniforms for civilian attire to 
  help avoid detection during the mission. All 
  Confederation Space Fleet issued clothing, 
  rank identification, or emblems must be 
  removed from all their equipment prior to 
  departure.   
   
  Some of the crew may experience a sudden 
  feeling of dread or apprehension when 
  seeing the rickety old Vesperwind in their 
  landing bay for the first time. Some may 
  even require a little convincing before 
  feeling safe or confident about boarding 
  the 
  clunky 
  Pleiadian 
  rattletrap. 
  Commander Callahan will lead the PC’s in 
  the landing party aboard the Vesperwind 
  saying “Come on now, I’ve flown on her a 
  dozen times. She doesn’t look like much, 
  but she’s gotten me out of plenty of 
  scrapes in the past. The Vesperwind is old 
  but she’ll hold up just fine”.  
   
  The journey from the Deimos to the 
  runabout crash site on the surface of 
  Memnaan is relatively uneventful. As 
  promised, the unobtrusive Vesperwind 
  effortlessly slips past the inattentive eyes 
  of the Zangid. The dilapidated Pleiadian 
  commercial shuttle is well known in these 
  
   
  54 
   
   
  parts and its visits to Memnaan no longer 
  raise suspicion among the Zangid forces in 
  their complacent slumber. 
   
  While entering the upper atmosphere of 
  Memnaan the Vesperwind will start to 
  encounter significant turbulence. The PC’s 
  will need to make a dexterity check to 
  avoid being thrown around the shuttles’ 
  passenger cabin as it is tossed about by the 
  violent currents. Any PC that fails the 
  dexterity check will sustain 1d4 points of 
  damage from the bumpy ride entering the 
  atmosphere. Within a few minutes the 
  turbulence 
  will 
  dissipate, 
  and 
  the 
  unsettling sound of creaking metal will 
  gradually become less noticeable. 
   
  When the Vesperwind reaches the planet’s 
  Northern Continent its instruments and 
  sensors quickly locate the last known 
  position of “Watchtower’s” runabout. 
  Approximately 150 miles East of Starbase 
  Klatau at the base of a small mountain 
  range, a 400-yard-long debris field ends at 
  the 
  mangled 
  wreckage 
  of 
  what 
  unmistakably is the remains of a small 
  spacecraft. Most of the ship’s wreckage is 
  covered by a newly formed layer of thick 
  ice and snow left behind by the intense 
  storm that downed the vessel. Barely 
  visible to the naked eye, the ship’s 
  aerospace 
  metals 
  and 
  hyperdrive 
  components are easily detected by the 
  Vesperwind’s passive sensors.  
    
  SPACE MASTER: Any PC with the technical 
  skill can interface the Vesperwind’s 
  computer at -1 penalty to inquire about 
  Zangid activity in the area. The computer 
  will confirm that its sensors detect several 
  small groups of Zangid within a twenty-
  five-mile radius of the crash site. The 
  Zangid appear to be travelling in circular 
  search patterns gradually moving inward 
  towards the wreckage. The Vesperwind’s 
  sensors will not be able to penetrate the 
  electromagnetic interference produced by 
  the wrecked ship’s drive components to 
  locate if there are any signs of life or 
  movement around the crash site itself. 
   
  The emergency distress beacon had long 
  since fallen silent after emitting its 
  encrypted signal burst. The signal received 
  by Space Fleet command provided an 
  accurate location where the runabout had 
  crash landed during the ice storm. 
  Unfortunately, Starbase Klatau and its 
  Zangid forces on planet also would have 
  been able to detect the source of this 
  transmission. The presence of the Zangid 
  patrols was expected by the S.I.B. but what 
  exactly they are looking for, or if they had 
  found “Watchtower”, is still unknown.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  55 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  56 
   
   
  Commander Callahan locates a suitable 
  landing zone about five miles from the 
  crash site that he is confident the 
  Vesperwind can safely land at. Callahan 
  recommends that the Vesperwind should 
  approach the landing zone from the North, 
  opposite of the Zangid patrols. It is early in 
  the morning before sunrise (04:00 Hours.) 
  and the polluted dark cloudy skies should 
  effectively 
  conceal 
  the 
  Vesperwind’s 
  landing position. The shuttle’s Pleiadian 
  transponder would appear to any Zangid 
  sensors as a scavenger crew looking to pick 
  the bones of the wreck for any useful 
  salvage. The Vesperwind’s battered rusted 
  white hull will seamlessly blend in with the 
  surrounding frozen tundra providing visual 
  camouflage for the craft. While a keen 
  observer may be able to detect the 
  Pleiadian 
  shuttle 
  with 
  sensors 
  its 
  authorized transponder and identification 
  registry will dissuade any suspicion from 
  the complacent Zangid. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: Some portions of this 
  adventure module will include situations 
  when weather and time of day will play 
  important factors in some actions. For this 
  reason, it is recommended that the SM 
  keep track of time used in both travel and 
  activity during the adventure. 
   
   
   
  THE ZANGID RESPONSE 
  The crash of an unauthorized spacecraft 
  departing the surface during a sudden 
  storm surge drew the attention of Zangid 
  forces 
  at 
  Starbase 
  Klatau. 
  General 
  Vorkhan, the Zangid high commander of 
  Starbase Klatau, dispatched Commander 
  Ka-mok from the Marak Ta’Chom mining 
  station to investigate the suspicious 
  occurrence. Suspecting the crash was a 
  smuggler’s ship, Vorkhan was confident 
  that the local garrison at Marak Ta’Chom 
  would be able to determine what 
  happened. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  COMMANDER KA-MOK 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 44 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 5 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  38 
  15 
  13 
  09 
  08 
  05 
  09 
  -2 
  EQ: F-Jacket, Beam Rifle, Dagger, Communicator. 
   
  
   
  57 
   
   
  Commander Ka-mok is known amongst his 
  soldiers as “Ka-mok the Detestable” and 
  has a reputation for being a ruthless leader 
  that is not well respected. Any Zangid 
  Soldier serving in his group will have a -1 
  penalty to their morale score from the 
  Zangid 
  Soldier 
  stat 
  block. 
  Ka-mok’s 
  aggression helped him rise fast among his 
  peers but his aversion to air and space 
  travel stunted his career in the Imperial 
  Forces resulting in a punitive assignment to 
  Marak 
  Ta’Chom. 
  This 
  retributive 
  banishment to the mining station has only 
  served to fuel Ka-mok’s aggression which 
  he inflicts on others with sadistic delight.  
   
  Ka-mok’s troops are divided into four 
  groups 
  patrolling 
  a 
  150-mile 
  radius 
  surrounding the Beryllium mining station. 
  The Zangids soldiers are separated into 
  four groups of seven each with one officer 
  and six warriors. Two of the groups are 
  ground units patrolling on foot and two are 
  air units patrolling by hover skiff.  
   
  If the Zangid Patrols encounter the PC’s 
  they will immediately assume that they are 
  either space pirates or scavengers. The 
  Zangid’s goal will be to capture as many of 
  the intruders as possible and return them 
  to Starbase Klatau for interrogation. The 
  Zangid soldiers have strict orders from 
  General Vorkhan to investigate 
  the 
  incident, locate any survivors and find out 
  what happened. However, it would not be 
  out of character for the complacent 
  soldiers of the Imperial garrison to shoot 
  first and ask questions later.   
   
  #1: THE CRASH SITE 
  At the runabout crash site, the PC’s will find 
  the wreckage of a small non-descript 
  runabout class starship (C.S.F. Aegean Sea) 
  with substantial structural damage caused 
  by the crash landing. All identifying Space 
  Fleet markings and registry numbers on 
  the ship’s hull have been meticulously 
  removed to conceal the vessel’s identity. 
  The runabout’s transponder is still intact 
  inside the wreckage and identifies the ship 
  as the Pleiadian cargo transport “S.S. 
  Fortune Bound”.  Fire and blast damage 
  can be found towards the aft of the wreck 
  indicating that an electrical fire erupted 
  sometime after the crash. The runabout 
  crash landed at the base of a twin peaked 
  mountain range on the Eastern side of the 
  Northern continent approximately 150 
  miles from Imperium Starbase Klatau. The 
  crash site tore-up a 400-yard long path 
  through the tundra and rocks along the 
  lower base of the mountain range.  
   
  The wreck is surrounded by several pools 
  of leaked chemicals from the drive section 
  most of which has frozen into strange 
  colored ice formations near the broken 
  hull. Some of the radioactive chemicals are 
  not frozen and have left soggy steaming 
  
   
  58 
   
   
  pools of strange colored sludge in the 
  tundra. Contact with these pools will cause 
  illness from radiation exposure and require 
  a Save vs. Radiation check.  Around the 
  area of the crash site the PC’s will observe 
  the marks from an unknown aircraft’s 
  landing skids and several sets of footprint 
  impressions in the frozen tundra. Most 
  likely left by the heavy military boots worn 
  by Zangid soldiers. A lighter set of frozen 
  footprints can be seen leaving the crash 
  site heading North deeper into the 
  mountains. These footprints disappear 
  after 15 feet, filled in by drifts of wind-
  blown debris and snow.  
   
  Commander Callahan ventures further into 
  the wreckage of the runabout and appears 
  to be looking for something. The longer he 
  stands inside the broken hull the more 
  frantic his search seems to become.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: Callahan is searching for 
  the runabout’s data-core which is the 23rd 
  century equivalent of a flight recorder. His 
  search will turn up empty handed as 
  “Watchtower” had already destroyed the 
  device before evacuating the ship. 
   
  If the PC’s question Callahan about what he 
  is doing he will become sharply irritated 
  and say, “I’m looking for clues! Anything 
  that might tell us what happened to 
  Watchtower!” Callahan will then compose 
  himself and apologize for his outburst, 
  “Sorry this God forsaken excuse of a planet 
  must be getting under my skin.” At this 
  point Callahan will abandon his search 
  realizing that too much attention had 
  already been drawn by his display of 
  frustration. 
   
  THE XOTH BATS 
  Among the wreckage the PC’s will 
  encounter 2d6 Xoth Bats who were drawn 
  to the heat and energy emissions from the 
  crashed ship. The bats will be crawling 
  about the inside and outside of the 
  wreckage chewing on any active energy 
  sources or materials still producing heat. A 
  few yards West of the wreckage are the 
  frozen remains of a Zangid soldier. Most 
  likely killed by the Xoth Batts who are still 
  loitering near the frozen corpse.  
   
  Native to several planets in the Xoth 
  Sector, the Xoth Bat is a medium sized 
  omnivorous flying pack reptile. It has a 
  large orb shaped head with a wide jagged 
  tooth filled maw that is connected 
  seamlessly to a round body. The bat’s body 
  has two short leathery wings that protrude 
  from its sides and a long eel like prehensile 
  tail. The bat is capable of hanging from, 
  grasping objects, and supporting itself with 
  the muscular tail. The Xoth Bat does not 
  have any visible sensory organs other than 
  its skin. Xoth bats are known to hunt as a 
  pack and are seldomly found alone. 
   
  
   
  59 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  60 
   
   
  While Xoth Bats are completely blind, they 
  do have a set of highly specialized sensory 
  organs located in the top pallet of their 
  mouth that allow them to perceive their 
  environment. These sensory organs can 
  detect odors, heat, and vibrations from 
  sound or emissions from electronic devices 
  up to 900 feet away. The Xoth Bats will 
  ignore the PC’s unless they are disturbed or 
  attacked. The bats will consider anything 
  that is not actively trying to eat them as a 
  potential 
  food 
  source. 
  They 
  will 
  instinctively attack any of the PC’s who 
  attract their attention or come within 20 
  feet. If any of the Xoth Bats are engaged, it 
  will draw the attention of all other nearby 
  Xoth Bats who will immediately attack the 
  source of the disturbance. 
   
  XOTH BATS 
  Encountered: 2d6, (4d6) 
  Movement:  C: 9’ (3’), F: 200’ (80’) 
  Intelligence: Animal 
  Psi Potential: 2d4, inactive 
  Hits: 2d8 
  Armor: -2 
  Combat Skill: 11 
  Save As: Level 1 
  Attacks: 1 (Bite) 
  Damage: 2d4 + Disease 
  Morale: 7 
  XP: 25 
   
  Any combat with the Xoth Bats that is 
  conducted with energy weapons in the 
  open will draw the attention of the nearby 
  Zangid Patrols. While visibility is low on the 
  planet the sudden flash of an atomic flame 
  (ABC Sprayer), beam weapon or electro-
  stun weapon will stand out like a sore 
  thumb in the smoky atmosphere. Spring 
  rifles, laser swords, and melee weapons 
  will be much less noticeable and avoid 
  drawing the soldier’s attention. If the PC’s 
  proceed 
  with 
  energy 
  weapon-based 
  combat in the vicinity of the crash site 
  there is a 50% chance the Zangid Patrols 
  will detect the flashing beam fire. The 
  Space Master should secretly roll d100 to 
  determine if the energy weapon combat is 
  noticed and 1d6 to determine how many 
  miles away the Zangid patrols are located. 
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  61 
   
   
  ZANNGID PATROLS 
  The Zangid soldiers sent from the Marak 
  Ta’Chom garrison to investigate the crash 
  site consists of twenty-four veteran Zangid 
  warriors and four officers divided into two 
  patrol groups. The groups are poorly 
  organized and equipped even by Zangid 
  military standards but are extremely 
  aggressive due to borderline malnutrition 
  and their harsh living conditions. The 
  Zangid in the patrol groups have poorly 
  maintained skirmish suits (attacks suffer a 
  -3 to their combat skill roll), oxygen tanks, 
  handheld flashlights with 120’ illumination, 
  and one communicator per group. Each of 
  the groups is collectively armed with four 
  beam rifles, four beam pistols, and six 
  electro-stun guns. All Zangid warriors in 
  each of the groups are armed with a Zangid 
  fighting dagger (1d4+1) and the Officer’s 
  blades are coated with a single use dose of 
  Kaglian Bat venom (S&S-2E, Pg. #29). The 
  Zangid patrol groups will divide half of their 
  forces to foot patrol and half aboard the 
  Hover Skiff.  
   
  SPACE 
  MASTER: 
  All 
  Zangid 
  soldiers 
  working outside on the planet’s surface or 
  inside one of the mines are equipped with a 
  radiation suit and oxygen tank.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
  ZANGID SOLDIERS 
  Encountered: 2d4 
  Movement: 120’ (40’) 
  Intelligence: Average 
  Psi Potential: 3d4, inactive 
  Hits: 2d8+1 
  Armor: -2 
  Combat Skill: 12 
  Save As: Level 2 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: By Weapon 
  Morale: 10 
  XP: 20 
   
  ZANGID AIR UNITS 
  While the two ground units are led by 
  Commander Ka-mok the two air units in 
  hover skiffs are led by Lieutenant Temor. 
  Unlike Ka-mok, Temor has a reputation for 
  being a shrewd tempered leader who is 
  well respected by his subordinates. As such 
  all Zangid under his command receive a +1 
  bonus to their morale score while in 
  combat from the Zangid soldier stat block. 
  Lt. Temor was the logical choice to lead the 
  air units as he does not share Ka-mok’s 
  aversion to travel by hover skiff.  
  
   
  62 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Lt. Temor and the Hover 
  Skiff units will be conducting an aerial 
  search of the territory around the 
  mountains West of the Mining Station. The 
  Hover Skiff units will not be called into the 
  area near the crash site unless Ka-mok’s 
  forces are engaged and call for back-up.   
   
  LIEUTENANT TEMOR 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 38 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 3 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  22 
  13 
  12 
  10 
  12 
  08 
  10 
  -1 
  Equip: Beam Pistol, Dagger, Communicator. 
   
  #2: LAIR OF THE ICE CREATURES 
  Located 
  between 
  the 
  mine 
  and 
  “Watchtower’s” runabout crash site is a 
  lair of a very aggressive group of territorial 
  Ice Creatures. Goma, one of the Malu tribal 
  elders has been watching over this lair for 
  some-time as part of his clan’s spiritual 
  practices from a near-by ice cavern he calls 
  home.  
   
  The Ice Creatures found in this lair appear 
  to be large humanoid figures made of 
  crystalline ice and snow standing between 
  eight and twelve feet tall. These powerful 
  and mysterious beings are both revered 
  and feared by the indigenous Malu. The Ice 
  Creatures completely blend in with the 
  surrounding ice and tundra of the 
  Memnaan landscapes rendering them 
  virtually invisible when motionless. Their 
  truly alien physiology is as cold as their 
  appearance and cannot be detected by 
  thermal scanning technologies. Little is 
  known about these mysterious lifeforms 
  other than their fiercely territorial alien 
  nature. The Ice Creatures of Memnaan 
  prefer to live alone but can sometimes be 
  found working collectively with others for 
  a common welfare such as protection or 
  hunting.    
   
  SPACE 
  MASTER: 
  Ice 
  Creatures 
  are 
  impervious to damage from most types of 
  weaponry. However, they can be destroyed 
  by a sonic generator or successful hits from 
  a beam weapon set on "Disrupt/Heat”. 
   
  After the encounter with the Xoth Bats at 
  the Runabout crash site, and a Zangid 
  patrol approaching on the horizon, the PC’s 
  will need to find a place to hide to avoid the 
  patrol. The PC’s will notice a large cave 
  entrance on the side of the nearby 
  mountain. The cave appears to be vacant 
  from the outside and would be a good 
  place to rest after the Xoth Bat attack and 
  the impending contact with the Zangid 
  Patrol. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
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  ICE CREATURE 
  REFERENCE: S&S-2E, PG. #61 
  Encountered: 1d4, (2d4) 
  Movement: 120’, (40’) 
  Intelligence: Average 
  Psi Potential: 3d4, inactive 
  Hits: 3d8 
  Armor: -4 
  Combat Skill: 14 
  Save As: Level 3 
  Attacks: 1 (Pummel / Freeze) 
  Damage: 3d6 or 2d6 
  Morale: N/A 
  XP: 80 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  (#2A) THE FIRST CHAMBER 
  The lair consists of four caverns inside the 
  base of the mountain. The entrance and 
  first cavern are home to a brood of 4d6 
  Xoth Bats who will only awaken and attack 
  if disturbed by loud noises, heat, or 
  electronic emissions. Since the bats have 
  no sense of vision, they will not see the PC’s 
  but may detect their body heat and 
  emissions from their technology. The three 
  deeper caverns are the homes of the Ice 
  Creatures.  
   
   
  
   
  64 
   
   
  (#2B) THE SECOND CHAMBER 
  In the second ice cavern a solitary ice 
  creature waits hidden among the snow and 
  ice on the ground. If the PC’s approach 
  within 30 feet of the Ice Creature it will be 
  roused from its slumber and stand to its full 
  height. 
  The 
  Ice 
  Creature’s 
  primary 
  motivation is protecting its territory and 
  home. When this Ice Creature discovers 
  the intruders it will attack, attempting to 
  drive them further into the caverns where 
  the other Ice Creatures are lying in wait. 
  Once the PC’s engage the Ice Creature any 
  remaining Xoth Bats that are still harassing 
  them will flee. The Ice creature will 
  attempt to push the PC’s through the 
  second chamber towards the fourth 
  chamber where two more Ice Creatures lay 
  in wait.  
   
  (#2C) THE THIRD CHAMBER 
  The third cavernous chamber appears to 
  be empty and unremarkable with no 
  noteworthy features. However, concealed 
  within a fissure in the chamber wall is the 
  humble hermitage of the Malu Elder 
  Goma. Here, the aged Skogar tribe elder 
  maintains a vigil over this group of ice 
  creatures. As part of a Skogar spiritual rite, 
  tribal elders will seek a closer communion 
  to the great creatures by living unseen in 
  their midst. It is often considered a final 
  rite of the Malu spiritual quest as no elder 
  has ever returned from such an endeavor 
  to share what they discover. Goma will 
  observe the encounter between the PC’s 
  and the Ice Creature from his icy shelter 
  within the chamber wall. If the characters 
  are engaged in combat with the Ice 
  Creature it will draw the attention of the 
  other two creatures hiding in the fourth 
  chamber. These two additional creatures 
  will join the combat against the Characters. 
  Goma will only intervene and reveal 
  himself if things start to go badly for the Ice 
  Creatures. If this occurs, Goma will 
  suddenly emerge from his shelter with a 
  raging howl while wildly swinging a fiery 
  torch. The fiery spectacle will frighten the 
  remaining Ice Creatures who will retreat 
  into the fissures of the chamber walls.  
   
  MALU ELDER GOMA 
  Race: Malu 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 66 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: CNT. 
  Level/Save: 3 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT 
  CHA PSI AR 
  21 
  14 
  10 
  13 
  09 
  16 
  09 
  -1 
  Equip: Fur/Leather Armor, Polearm 
   
  After the Ice Creatures flee, Goma will 
  beckon the PC’s to return with him to his 
  hermit shelter in the cavern wall in 
  chamber #3. Any PC or NPC with the 
  contact skill and a universal translator will 
  be able to communicate with Goma after 
  1d6 turns of analysis. Goma will appear to 
  be friendly, curious, and eccentric in his 
  behavior towards the characters. He will 
  introduce himself as Goma the Story 
  
   
  65 
   
   
  Keeper of the Skogar tribe. Goma will tell 
  the tale of his spiritual quest to understand 
  the Ice Creatures who his people believe to 
  be deities and of his time in the corrupted 
  lands. If the encounter with Goma is 
  favorable, he will offer to help the 
  Characters on their quest to find the Zangid 
  mine. However, Goma cautions the 
  Characters that their journey takes them to 
  a dark corrupted place where stories of 
  strange and unsettling things occur. Goma 
  will be reluctant to enter the Zangid mine 
  but will be happy to lead the PC’s there. 
  After all, he has nothing better to do now 
  that the PC’s scared off his bevy of Ice 
  Creatures. 
   
  If the PC’s kill all the Ice Creatures Goma 
  will remain in hiding with in the Ice 
  Chamber Walls and not reveal his presence 
  to the PC’s. If the party finds him hiding 
  inside the shelter, he will be uncooperative 
  and very reluctant to provide any 
  assistance. All contact skill checks or 
  persuasion using charisma will have a -3 
  penalty. With the Death of the Ice 
  Creatures Goma will view the PC’s as no 
  different than the Zangid oppressors who 
  invaded this world.  
   
  (#2D) THE FOURTH CHAMBER 
  The fourth chamber is the largest of the 
  four caverns and the inner sanctum of the 
  Ice Creatures Lair. Inside this open spacious 
  cavern two Ice Creatures reside within the 
  fissures of the cave walls. While the Ice 
  Creatures are not predatory, they are 
  extremely territorial and will coordinate 
  the defense of their lair with the first Ice 
  Creature. 
  This 
  coordinated 
  attack 
  demonstrates a cunning and deliberate 
  intelligence among the Ice Creatures of this 
  lair. It is not known if this is common 
  behavior among all Ice Creatures, but it 
  does show this species has at least a low to 
  average level of cognitive intelligence. The 
  Cavern itself is unremarkable except for a 
  large pile of bones in the center of the 
  chamber. It is difficult to determine from 
  their condition if they are remains of 
  previous victims or the long-forgotten 
  relics of some other calamity. The walls of 
  the chamber have many deep craggy 
  fissures where the Ice Creatures hide when 
  in their dormant state. Blending in with the 
  ice-covered walls, the Ice Creatures are 
  nearly invisible until they reveal their 
  presence by moving. 
   
  CAVE-IN DANGERS 
  The caverns of the Ice Creature Lair were 
  formed by prehistoric volcanic activity and 
  lava flows from the now dormant overhead 
  mountain range. While the caverns are 
  structurally sound, the PC’s should avoid 
  discharging any atomic fire weapons, using 
  beam weapons set to overload, or 
  detonating any explosive devices. Should 
  an explosion occur there is a 40% chance it 
  
   
  66 
   
   
  will trigger a collapse of the cavern. SM 
  should conduct a d100 check to see if a 
  collapse occurs trapping the PC’s inside the 
  cavern. Anyone trapped within a cavern 
  collapse will have to roll a successful Save 
  Check vs. Death to avoid being crushed to 
  death by falling debris and rock. Those who 
  do manage to survive the initial cavern 
  collapse must roll 2d6 damage from falling 
  rocks, ice, and debris. 
   
  THE CRASHED SKIFF 
  An abandoned Zangid Hover Skiff can be 
  found crashed in the snowy tundra 
  between the Ice Caverns and Marak 
  Ta’Chom. The bodies of eight long dead 
  flash frozen Zangid soldiers can be found 
  scattered around the crash site in the 
  snow, undoubtedly the result of a tangle 
  with Ice Creatures. The Skiff, while old and 
  battered, looks like it could be made 
  operational again with some repairs. The 
  Skiff’s 
  integrated 
  beam 
  rifle 
  and 
  communicator are both damaged beyond 
  repair. Among the wreckage the PC’s will 
  find one salvageable Zangid beam rifle, two 
  Zangid beam pistols, a communicator, and 
  a medkit. There are an additional two 
  beam rifles and two beam pistols that are 
  damaged beyond repair. If the PC’s have 
  someone on their team with the Contact 
  skill or a universal translator, they will have 
  a +1 bonus to decipher the Zangid markings 
  on the equipment in order to operate it. If 
  they do not, then there will be a -2 penalty 
  for any skill checks to attempt to 
  understand 
  how 
  to 
  use 
  the 
  alien 
  equipment. PC’s are welcome to use the 
  Hover Skiff if they can manage to repair it. 
  The communicator may be used in 
  conjunction with the universal translator to 
  monitor the movements of the Zangid 
  patrols. 
   
  THE CLUES 
  Amongst the wreckage of the crashed skiff 
  the PC’s will notice a lone set of deep 
  footprint impressions around the crash site 
  and heading off towards the mining 
  station. The footprints are fast frozen into 
  the gathering drifts and almost entirely 
  covered by loose snow and windblown 
  debris. The impressions are smaller and 
  lighter than those left by the obvious 
  Zangid boot prints found at the runabout 
  wreckage. While the PC party is examining 
  the crashed hover skiff, they will find a few 
  tattered pieces of fabric frozen against the 
  debris. While the color of the small strips of 
  fabric almost seamlessly blend in with the 
  drab frozen tundra, something about them 
  seems strangely out of place. As the party 
  investigates 
  additional 
  footprint 
  impressions and fabric remnants can be 
  found leading up to the Zangid Mining 
  Station. 
   
  
   
  67 
   
   
  SPACE 
  MASTER: 
  When 
  Commander 
  Callahan sees the unusual strips of cloth, he 
  will immediately recognize that they are 
  from “Watchtower’s” civilian tunic that he 
  often wore while on mission. It must have 
  ripped among the wreckage indicating that 
  “Watchtower” had indeed passed this way. 
  However, it is not known to Callahan why 
  “Watchtower” would be heading towards 
  an enemy encampment at the mining 
  station. 
   
  Analysis of the clothing by any Character 
  with an autoanalyzer will confirm that the 
  clothing was made by a Confederation 
  molecular 
  fabricator. 
  Each 
  molecular 
  fabricator imbeds a microscopic impression 
  in the materials it assembles that serves as 
  a kind of serial number encoded into the 
  very material of the item. 
   
  #3: MARAK TA’CHOM  
  Marak Ta’Chom is a Zangid mining station 
  located 225 miles from Starbase Klatau. 
  The facility houses 48 Zangid Soldiers, 30 
  Zangid technicians, 60 Zangid miners, 200 
  Malu slaves, and various prisoners. Those 
  held at the facility are fitted with Zangid 
  neuro-compliance collars programed to 
  allow free movement up to the perimeter 
  of the station and within the mining 
  chambers. Passing beyond the established 
  boundary limit of the perimeter will trigger 
  the collars to explode within 10 minutes. A 
  deterrent of such personal magnitude that 
  most residents of Marak Ta’Chom seldom 
  attempt to escape on their own. 
   
  Marak Ta’Chom is composed of five 
  interconnected 
  habitat 
  modules, 
  the 
  Beryllium mine, two exterior guard towers, 
  and a shuttle landing pad. The station is 
  protected by two Zangid Mark-I Robot 
  tanks armed with twin beam rifles. One 
  robot tank patrols the station grounds on 
  the surface while the other is charging in its 
  docking station. 
   
  If Goma has joined the adventure party, he 
  will suggest that they wait until Nightfall 
  before approaching the station. The lunar 
  pull from Memnaan’s triple moons will 
  surely stir the freezing night winds 
  discouraging any Zangid patrols from 
  leaving the safety of the station modules. If 
  Goma is accompanying the PC’s, he will 
  advise that the best approach to the 
  mining station is from the Southwest 
  between the base of the summit and the 
  station. This area is typically only guarded 
  by sentry patrols or the robot tanks. The 
  Zangids usually only operate one Robot 
  tank to allow the other time for charging 
  and maintenance. Goma explains how his 
  people often exploit this weakness in the 
  Zangid security to smuggle food and 
  medicine to family and tribe members 
  imprisoned at the mine. Unfortunately, 
  these missions of mercy are often an 
  exercise in futility because very few 
  prisoners or slaves ever make it out of this 
  place alive. Goma reminds the PC’s that 
  
   
  68 
   
   
  something very unnatural has been going 
  on in the mine. He believes it is a cursed 
  place corrupted by the Zangid invaders and 
  tainted by an ancient evil. Even the Ice 
  Creatures he has been watching have kept 
  away from the area near the mining 
  station. He will help the Characters get as 
  far as the summit base but from that point 
  on they will be on their own.  
   
  As the PC’s and Goma part company he will 
  leave them one final admonishment. “If 
  the friend you seek is still alive, the mine is 
  the place where they will be found. Anyone 
  unfortunate 
  enough 
  to 
  travel 
  this 
  mountain alone always ends up in the 
  mine. Be careful, there are tales of an 
  ancient evil resting in this corrupted land 
  that is best left undisturbed.”  
   
  Following Goma’s advice, If the PC’s wait 
  until nightfall, they will find the approach 
  to the Mining Station slow but uneventful. 
  As predicted the weather around the 
  mountain will become considerably more 
  intense with winds reaching up to 40 mph 
  and temperatures plummeting far below -
  50’ Fahrenheit. Darkness, blowing wind, 
  and biting snow further reduces visibility in 
  the toxic atmosphere to 40 feet without 
  technological enhancement. The severe 
  nighttime weather has grounded the 
  station’s robotic tanks and limited Zangid 
  foot patrols to brief visual inspections from 
  the safety of the modules or guard towers. 
  The PC’s incursion into the mining station 
  will go unchallenged if they follow the 
  mountain side approach and enter Module 
  #1A to the North. If the party attempts to 
  short cut the route they will find the access 
  hatch at Module #5A is locked and the area 
  illuminated by the Southern guard tower. 
  An approach from the South to Module 
  #5A poses a 50% chance that the party will 
  be spotted and summon 1d10 Zangid 
  soldiers and one of the robot tanks. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: A daytime approach by 
  the PC’s into the mining station is not 
  advised and extremely dangerous. The PC’s 
  will not have the cover of darkness or the 
  harsh overnight weather to hide their 
  movement. During the daytime there is a 
  60% chance the party will be spotted by one 
  of the guard towers or a wandering patrol. 
  If the PC’s are spotted during their 
  approach, 1d12 Zangid soldiers and both 
  robot tanks will be dispatched to intercept 
  the intruders. If captured, the PC’s will be 
  fitted with Zangid neuro-compliance collars 
  and brought to the station’s detention level 
  to await interrogation by Commander Ka-
  mok upon his return. 
   
  
   
  69 
   
   
   
  ENCOUNTERS 
  There are four important encounters in Act 
  Three that the Player’s must successfully 
  navigate after arriving at Marak Ta’Chom. 
  These encounters are marked #1 through 
  #4 on the Space Master’s Map of The 
  Marak Ta’Chom mining station. 
   
  • #1: FINDING KIRAK. 
  • #2: THE SPACE ZOMBIES. 
  • #3: THE OIRETOPHID. 
  • #4: ESCAPE. 
   
  THE BERYLLIUM MINE 
  The Marak Ta’Chom mining station was 
  built in 2268 and is a typical Zangid 
  prefabricated modular mining facility. 
  When an abundant resource deposit is 
  detected on a planet, Zangid engineers use 
  a beam bank strike from an orbiting 
  starship to bore a mining shaft in the 
  ground. Once the mine shaft is completed 
  it will provide access to the resource 
  deposits for the miners to excavate. A 
  series of prefabricated modular habitat 
  units are delivered by the orbiting starship 
  and deployed at the mining site. Marak 
  Ta’Chom has grown considerably over the 
  past twenty-two years into a large and 
  prolific facility. As the expansion of the 
  mining operation proceeded deeper into 
  the mining shaft new modules were added 
  with each new level of mining. The 
  modules 
  themselves 
  resemble 
  large 
  metallic Polyhedrons or spheres with 
  interconnecting 
  cylindrical 
  pedway 
  corridors between them.  
   
  At Marak Ta’Chom the facility modules are 
  arranged in a half circle surrounding a 1.5-
  mile-deep mining shaft. A single pneumatic 
  elevator platform runs the entire length of 
  the mine shaft with a terminal station on 
  each of the mining levels. Stations like 
  Marak Ta’Chom are designed to serve as 
  temporary facilities that are abandoned or 
  demolished once the resource deposit has 
  been depleted. However, Marak Ta’Chom 
  is one of the oldest operating Zangid mines 
  on Memnaan far exceeding its original 
  design parameters. After decades of 
  mining, the facility has finally reached a 
  state of depletion and the miners are 
  tasked with collecting the remaining 
  collateral resource caches and sealing the 
  chambers behind them.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  70 
   
   
  ZANGID MINERS & SOLDIERS 
  Encountered: 2d6 (4d12) 
  Movement: 120’ (40’) 
  Intelligence: Average 
  Psi Potential: 3d4, inactive 
  Hits: 1d8+1 
  Armor: -2 
  Combat Skill: 12 
  Save As: Level 1 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: By Weapon 
  Morale: 10 
  XP: 15 
   
  SPACE MASTER: All of the Zangid Miners 
  and Soldiers (Also referred to as Guards) 
  are equipped with radiation suits and 
  oxygen tanks when working outside of the 
  habitat modules or when inside the mine. 
   
  MALU SLAVES 
  Type: Humanoid 
  Encountered: 2d6, (d12) 
  Movement: 120’, (40’) 
  Intelligence: Low-Average 
  Psi Potential: 2d4, Inactive 
  Hits: 1d8+2 
  Armor: 0 
  Combat Skill: 11 
  Save As: Level 1 
  Attacks: 1 
  Damage: By Weapon 
  Morale: 6 
  XP: 12 
  COVER IN THE MINE 
  Within the mining chambers is an 
  automated anti-gravity minecart system 
  that conveys raw Beryllium ore from the 
  chambers 
  back 
  to 
  the 
  station 
  for 
  processing. 
  These 
  minecarts 
  are 
  constructed of an incredibly robust Zangid 
  alloy that is resilient against physical 
  damage. All of the minecarts present in the 
  mine are considered to be “substantial 
  cover” and provide a -3 penalty to an 
  attacker’s combat skill roll. Any of the solid 
  rock structures or pillars within the mining 
  chambers are also considered to be 
  “substantial cover” during combat. 
   
  FACILITY ENVIRONMENT 
  The environments inside the facility 
  modules of the mining station are 
  artificially generated and controlled. PC’s 
  and NPC’s are not required to wear 
  protective clothing while inside any of the 
  modules, corridors, and guard towers. 
  While the atmosphere is filtered it has a 
  caustic sulfur odor that is uncomfortably 
  pungent. The interior environment is 
  humid, with temperatures ranging from 
  warm to near tropical due to the 
  antiquated life support systems in the 
  facility. The mining chambers, like the 
  surface of the planet are cold but 
  somewhat insulated from 
  the toxic 
  pollution above. Anyone entering the 
  mining tunnels or chambers will still need 
  
   
  71 
   
   
  to wear protective clothing and oxygen 
  tanks. 
  The 
  effects 
  of 
  atmospheric 
  poisoning inside the insulation of the 
  mining chambers will begin to manifest 
  after two hours of unprotected exposure. 
  After the first two hours, anyone exposed 
  the atmosphere will lose 1 Constitution 
  and Strength attribute point every four 
  hours until death. 
   
  GROUND LEVEL 
  The ground level modules of the Marak 
  Ta’Chom mine consist of five facility 
  modules, the elevator lift, a landing pad, 
  and two 60’ tall guard towers. The modules 
  on this level contain the stations’ control 
  facilities 
  and 
  support 
  services. 
  Un-
  processed mineral ores and Beryllium are 
  prepared on this level for transport off-
  world for processing and distribution. 
   
  #1A: The entry into this module overlooks 
  the massive beam bored mining shaft that 
  descends into the planet. It is the main 
  entry into the facility and is protected by a 
  reinforced 4’ x 8’ metal hatch that is 
  secured by a locked mechanical latch. The 
  latch can be bypassed with a successful 
  technical skill check or a beam weapon hit 
  (Set on Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). 
  The interior of this module is composed of 
  the main entry hatch, a decontamination 
  bay, storage lockers and a security kiosk 
  guard station. The locker doors are all open 
  revealing various mining equipment, two 
  radiation suits, lanterns, and oxygen tanks 
  inside. The interior of the module is 
  dilapidated, filled with rusty metal panels 
  and leaking pipes. The lighting in the room 
  is faulty and intermittently flickers with an 
  eerie slow strobing effect. Despite the 
  frigid conditions outside, the interior of the 
  module is hot and humid. This is an obvious 
  indication 
  of 
  shoddy 
  environmental 
  controls and the poorly shielded Zangid 
  power plants in the station.  
   
  Inside the room the PC’s will encounter a 
  single Zangid soldier armed with an 
  electro-stun gun standing guard at the 
  security control kiosk located near the 
  hatch leading to the next module. The 
  soldier will seem distracted with his 
  attention completely fixated on the display 
  terminal at his workstation. Due to this 
  preoccupation the PC’s will automatically 
  have initiative if they engage in combat 
  with the guard. If not immediately 
  incapacitated, the guard will attempt to 
  flee the module deeper into the mining 
  station activating an audible alarm on his 
  way out.  
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside this module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by an unlocked hatch that 
  resembles a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor 
  panel with recessed handles. 
   
  
   
  72 
   
   
  #2A: Connected to the previous room by a 
  narrow cylindrical corridor, this facility 
  module is the station’s kitchen and mess 
  hall. There are two 6’ round metal tables 
  with attached seats that look very 
  uncomfortable. The walls are lined with 
  food storage and preparation devices that 
  look like they are in desperate need of 
  cleaning 
  and 
  service. 
  There 
  is 
  an 
  emergency exterior exit on the South wall 
  of the module that leads to a narrow path 
  outside the mine shaft. The mess hall is 
  empty and judging by the personal items 
  and food trays left on the tables it was 
  recently vacated quickly. 
   
  #3A: This module is the mining station’s 
  central operations control room. Both 
  doors to this room are locked from the 
  inside with a mechanical latch that can be 
  bypassed with a successful technical skill 
  check or beam weapon hit (Set on 
  Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). The 
  interior of the room has four, two-person 
  industrial 
  grade 
  control 
  console 
  workstations attended by four Zangid 
  engineers working frantically between the 
  terminals. Like the security guard at the 
  entry 
  these 
  miners 
  are 
  completely 
  preoccupied with their tasks and appear to 
  be addressing an emergency inside the 
  mine. 
  The 
  mining 
  station’s 
  security 
  systems, including the two robot tanks, 
  environmental systems, and all external 
  communications are controlled from this 
  room.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: Commander Callahan will 
  use his beam rifle to disable the control 
  console for the station’s communication 
  transmitter limiting all communication 
  transmissions to handheld communicators. 
  Without 
  the 
  aid 
  of 
  the 
  station’s 
  transmitter, all handheld communicators 
  used below ground in the station or mine 
  will be limited to the sublevel they are on.  
   
  Perceptive PC’s may find it suspicious that 
  Callahan would immediately know which 
  specific console contained the transmitter 
  controls. Indicating that Callahan may 
  know a lot more about Zangid language 
  and technology than he admits. 
   
  If engaged in combat, two of the Zangid 
  miners will attempt to fight off the PC’s and 
  two will attempt to flee deeper into the 
  station to alert the soldiers of the attack. 
  All the Zangid miners in the room are 
  armed with Zangid fighting daggers 
  (1d4+1). The miners only speak the Zangid 
  language so any communication with the 
  PC’s will require the assistance of a 
  universal translator.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  73 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Commander Callahan 
  speaks fluent Zangid, but he will only 
  provide the PC’s with a very brief 
  translation of what the Zangid are saying. 
  While he can communicate fluently, it is a 
  skill he does not wish to fully reveal to the 
  PC’s to protect his own clandestine 
  interests as a S.I.B. agent. He will translate 
  roughly what the Zangids say but will 
  attempt to avoid speaking to them directly 
  if possible. Callahan will casually dismiss 
  any inquiries by stating, “I picked up some 
  Zangid lingo here and there on my 
  assignments but I’m not much of a 
  linguist.”  
   
  #4A: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction from the adjacent modules is the 
  mine shaft which contains an industrial 
  grade pneumatic elevator that provides 
  access to all levels of the mine. A metal 
  hatch doorway, secured with mechanical 
  latches, separates the lift platform from 
  the corridor. The sturdy platform is 
  designed to accommodate up to ten 
  humanoid passengers at a time or two tons 
  of cargo. The platform is surrounded by an 
  external safety cage enclosure that 
  protects passengers and cargo on the lift. 
  The elevator platform, terminal, and 
  corridor junction are all vacant at this time. 
   
  #5A: This module is an engineering control 
  room for the facility’s power plant and 
  energy distribution system. Both doors for 
  this room are locked with a mechanical 
  latch that can be bypassed with a 
  successful technical skill check or beam 
  weapon hit (Set on Heat/Disrupt or 
  Kill/Disintegrate). Four Zangid mining 
  technicians and two soldiers are working 
  inside. If the PC’s enter this room, they will 
  be immediately attacked by the two Zangid 
  soldiers who are armed with beam pistols 
  and Zangid daggers. The four Zangid 
  miners working inside will attempt to 
  escape the room while the guards engage 
  any intruders. Any escaping miners will 
  alert the other soldiers in the mine. 
   
  #6A: This room contains the facility’s large 
  cargo teleporter and its control station. 
  The interior door entering this module is 
  unlocked, but the one exiting is locked with 
  a mechanical latch. The lock on this door 
  can be bypassed with a successful technical 
  skill check or beam weapon hit (Set on 
  Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). The 
  teleporter in this room can accommodate 
  up to 20 people or used to teleport ore 
  from the mine to the planet’s surface for 
  processing. The room is vacant, and the 
  teleporter is operational and ready for use. 
  All of the teleporter’s controls are in the 
  Zangid language so the PC’s will require a 
  universal 
  translator 
  or 
  help 
  from 
  Commander Callahan to operate it. Zangid 
  teleporters have the advantage of being 
  
   
  74 
   
   
  nearly silent and more discrete then those 
  use by the Confederation. However, they 
  are far less efficient, reliable, or safe. The 
  use of the Zangid cargo teleporter is 
  somewhat riskier than normal teleporters 
  and should be considered a blind teleport 
  even under normal conditions. The cargo 
  teleporter also has a longer lag time of 1d6 
  turns that is offset by its ability to teleport 
  more than twice the number of crew or 
  cargo than on those found on the largest 
  starships of the time.  
   
  #7A & #8A: This small facility module is a 
  guard station that sits atop of a 60’ tall 
  tower. Access to the guard tower is 
  achieved by a 55’ exposed rung ladder that 
  is built into the tower structure. Entry into 
  the guard station itself is achieved through 
  a personnel hatch in the floor. The hatch is 
  secured by locked mechanical latch that 
  can be bypassed with a successful technical 
  skill check or beam weapon hit (Set on 
  Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). There 
  are always two Zangid soldiers on duty in 
  each guard tower, though there is only a 
  50% chance (Space Master d100 check) 
  that they will be awake or sober due to the 
  tedious nature of the assignment. The 
  guard station is equipped with a flood light 
  that can illuminate a 60’ x 180’ area in any 
  single direction at a time in a 180-degree 
  arc. There is a support stabilized Zangid 
  beam rifle in the station that provides a +1 
  bonus to combat skill rolls and has a 180-
  degree firing arc from the station’s gun 
  ports. The guard station is also equipped 
  with one radiation suit with oxygen tank 
  and a Zangid communicator device.  
   
  SUBLEVEL #1 
  Sublevel #1 is the first level of actual mining 
  and is closest to the planet’s surface. This 
  facility level contains both materials 
  processing facilities and living quarters for 
  the miners, prisoners, and slave labor. 
  Within this level are five facility modules 
  connected to an artificially created mining 
  cavern by two tunnels bored into the 
  surrounding rock. The cavern is a 
  byproduct of the Zangid mining process 
  that was created as materials were 
  removed from the solid rock.  
   
  #1B: This module is used for resource 
  processing where raw Beryllium and other 
  minerals are extracted from the mine. This 
  Compartment has an exterior entry hatch 
  that provides access into the mining 
  chamber through an excavated tunnel in 
  the surrounding rock. The module work 
  area has a long conveyor fed sorting table 
  with various industrial cutting and grinding 
  machines. The perimeter of the room is 
  lined with mining carts waiting to be 
  processed. Three collared Malu slaves are 
  present inside working at the sorting table 
  and chained to their workstations. They are 
  
   
  75 
   
   
  emaciated and appear to be suffering from 
  malnutrition and exhaustion.  
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside this compartment 
  there is a an open 4’x 6’ vertical access tube 
  that allows transit to all levels in the facility 
  by ladder. The access tube is covered by an 
  unlocked hatch that resembles a square 4’x 
  6’ grated floor panel with recessed handles 
  in it. 
   
  CORRIDOR: A Zangid soldier armed with an 
  electro-stun gun is conducting a patrol on 
  this level in the corridor between Module 
  #1B and #2B. The soldier will immediately 
  attack any intruders he encounters on sight 
  in the corridor. 
   
  #2B: This module is a cargo storage facility 
  and is a single open room filled with 
  various crates and cargo containers 
  stacked floor to ceiling. There are several 
  narrow 3’ wide pathways left between the 
  box and containers to allow movement 
  through the module. Upon investigation of 
  the containers the PC’s will find a box 
  containing a Zangid energy screen device 
  (S&S-2E, Pg. #18) that PC’s and NPC’s from 
  the Technical Branch will be able to 
  operate.  
   
  #3B: This facility module serves as a 
  dormitory and living area for the Zangid 
  miners. The room has eight double 
  occupancy bunk bed style berthing units, 
  personal storage compartments, and a 
  lavatory. In this room there are three 
  unarmed Zangid miners resting in their 
  berthing units. If Confronted by the PC’s 
  the Zangids will attempt to either flee or 
  engage the PC’s in hand to hand melee 
  combat. The miners are armed with 
  various mining tools (1d6 damage) which 
  they will use as weapons if engaged in 
  combat. 
   
  #4B: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft that 
  provides access to all levels of the mine. 
  The elevator platform, terminal, and 
  corridor junction are vacant at this time. 
   
  #5B: This module is used as a dormitory for 
  non-combative prisoners and Malu slaves 
  that work in the mine. The room has six 
  double occupancy bunk bed style berthing 
  units, storage compartments, and a 
  lavatory. In this room there are eight 
  unarmed Malu slaves resting in their 
  berthing units. All are restrained with 
  Zangid 
  neuro-compliance 
  collars 
  to 
  prevent their escape. The group of Malu in 
  this module appear to be healthy and 
  strong suggesting that they must be new 
  additions to the slave labor force.  
   
   
   
  
   
  76 
   
   
  SPACE 
  MASTER: 
  Characters 
  with 
  a 
  universal translator and a successful 
  contact skill check will be able to 
  communicate with the Malu. The Malu 
  here are enraged over their capture and 
  might be persuaded to aid the party. 
   
  #6B: This module is a single open room 
  used for material processing where raw 
  Beryllium and other minerals are extracted 
  from rock. This Compartment has an 
  exterior entry hatch that provides access 
  into the mining chamber through an 
  excavated tunnel in the surrounding rock. 
  The module work area has a long conveyor 
  fed sorting table with various industrial 
  cutting and grinding machines. The 
  perimeter of the room is lined with mining 
  carts waiting to be processed. Two collared 
  Malu slaves are found working in this room 
  chained to their workstations.  
   
  #7B: This cavernous chamber is one of the 
  largest operational mining areas at the 
  station. Years of excavation and extraction 
  of precious Beryllium ore have gradually 
  created a vast artificial cavern. Dim 
  electrical lights randomly embedded into 
  the rock walls cast an amber glow 
  throughout the chamber. Within the 
  cavern are eight collared Malu slaves 
  working with pickaxes (1d6 damage if used 
  as a weapon) and sledgehammers (1d8 
  damage if used as a weapon) on the far 
  East wall of the chamber. The mining slaves 
  are guarded by three Zangid soldiers (two 
  armed with electro-stun guns and one with 
  a beam pistol) who are loitering about 
  twenty feet away. 
   
  SUBLEVEL #2 
  The second subterranean level of the 
  mining station has five facility modules 
  connected by two tunnels to three 
  artificially created mining caverns in the 
  rock. The modules on this level contain a 
  recreation area and dormitories for the 
  miners, prisoners, and slave labor. 
   
  #1C: The first compartment on this level is 
  a recreation area for the Zangid Soldiers 
  and Miners and consists of an open room 
  with 
  various 
  combat 
  related 
  entertainment stations. The room is dark 
  and vacant with no one present inside. In 
  the center of the room is a 20 ’x 20’ raised 
  combat arena with a padded floor. Various 
  archaic weapons line the walls including 3 
  Zangid polearms (1d10), 3 Zangid two-
  handed swords (1d8), 3 Zangid flails (1d6) 
  and 5 Zangid daggers (1d4+1).       
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside the module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by an unlocked hatch that 
  resembles a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor 
  panel with recessed handles. A Zangid 
  Soldier armed with an electro-stun gun and 
  
   
  77 
   
   
  a fighting dagger can be found climbing up 
  the ladder from Sublevel 3. The Soldier will 
  attack the PC’s on sight from inside the 
  access tube and attempt to alert the Zangid 
  Soldier in Module #1D in Sublevel 3. 
  #2C: This compartment is a storage room 
  filled with mining equipment and tools. 
  One female Zangid soldier is present in the 
  room putting equipment into various 
  containers. 
  This 
  Zangid 
  is 
  Imperial 
  Apprentice Kurana, the Quarter Master of 
  the mining facility. Kurana is resentful of 
  her recent punitive promotion to the 
  station’s quarter master position after she 
  failed Commander Ka-mok during a recent 
  mission. Kurana will surprisingly regard the 
  party with curiosity and does not seem 
  overly concerned with their presence. 
  Speaking in the Confederation Common 
  Language, without the need of a Universal 
  Translator, Kurana inquires, “You know you 
  shouldn’t be in here? Commodity traders 
  and merchants are not allowed below 
  ground. You should return to the surface 
  before someone confuses you as a 
  volunteer for work in the mine.” 
   
  SPACE MASTER: If the Characters can 
  successfully persuade Kurana to assist 
  them she may consider tagging along with 
  them to see what they are up to. Afterall, 
  what is a group of interstellar commodity 
  traders doing this deep in the station? 
  Equally suspicious is the coincidence that 
  they arrive shortly after a spacecraft crash 
  in the mountains and an emergency in the 
  lower mine. However, she is still a Zangid 
  soldier and her motives are purely her own. 
  If she senses weakness, indecisiveness, or 
  an opportunity to exploit she will turn on 
  the party without hesitation. If the PC’s 
  appear to be a threat or provoke Kurana, 
  she will make a fighting retreat deeper into 
  the station in an attempt to escape.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  78 
   
   
  IMPERIUM APPRENTICE KURANA 
  Race: Zangid 
  Gender: F 
  Age: 26 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 2 (Enl.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  13 
  12 
  14 
  12 
  07 
  11 
  04 
  -1 
  Equip: Beam Pistol, Communicator. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to the Player 
  Characters, Kurana is actually a S.I.B. 
  shadow agent, code name “Splinter”, that 
  was embedded into the Marak Ta’Chom 
  mining station staff to gather intelligence. 
  Commander Callahan may have his 
  suspicions that Kurana is the second asset 
  mentioned in his orders. However, Kurana 
  will not reveal her identity as a shadow 
  agent at any time during her interactions 
  with the PC’s and has no direct knowledge 
  about the Deimos mission, Commander 
  Callahan, or “Watchtower”. From time to 
  time she may be observed giving Callahan 
  a scrutinizing gaze as if she is trying to 
  discern some unspoken suspicion about 
  him.  
   
   #3C: This module serves as a dormitory 
  and living space for the Zangid miners. The 
  room has six bunk bed style double 
  occupancy berthing units, personal storage 
  compartments, and a lavatory. In this room 
  there are five Zangid miners armed with 
  pickaxes (1d6 damage when used as a 
  weapon) resting in their berthing units. If 
  Confronted by the PC’s the Zangids will 
  engage in hand to hand melee combat if 
  they cannot escape. 
   
  #4C: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft that 
  provides access to all levels of the mine. 
  The elevator platform, terminal, and 
  corridor junction are all vacant at this time. 
   
  #5C: This module is used as a dormitory 
  and living space for the Zangid soldiers. The 
  room is filled with seven double occupancy 
  bunk bed style berthing units, personal 
  storage compartments, and a lavatory. In 
  this room there are two Zangid soldiers 
  armed with electro-stun guns resting in 
  their berthing units.  
   
  CORRIDOR: A Zangid soldier armed with a 
  beam pistol and a fighting dagger is 
  conducting a patrol on this level in the 
  corridor between Module #5C and #6C. 
  The soldier will immediately attack any 
  intruders he encounters on sight in the 
  corridor. 
   
  #6C: This module is a dormitory for the 
  non-combative collared Malu that work in 
  the mine. The room is filled with ten 
  double occupancy bunk bed style berthing 
  units, storage compartments and a 
  lavatory. In this room there are four 
  unarmed Malu slaves resting in their 
  berthing units. All are restrained with a 
  
   
  79 
   
   
  Zangid 
  neuro-compliance 
  collars 
  to 
  prevent their escape.  
   
  #7C: A tunnel in the rock leads from 
  Module #6C to the first of three mining 
  chambers. This chamber appears to be 
  vacant with no remarkable activity. The 
  chamber is very poorly lit by a string of old 
  electrical lights mounted on the two 
  massive rock pillars that support the 
  artificial cavern. There is an anti-gravity 
  mining cart parked against the Eastern wall 
  of the cavern and several sorting bins full 
  of unprocessed rock. Three Xoth Bats are 
  behind the rock pillar in the Southeast 
  corner of the chamber chewing on the 
  lighting cables. The bats will attack if they 
  are disturbed or if the PC’s come within 20’ 
  of their location.  
   
  #8C: Like the adjacent chamber this 
  artificially constructed mining cavern 
  surrounds a massive central rock pillar. The 
  chamber is poorly lit by inadequate 
  electrical lighting mounted around the 
  central pillar that casts deep shadows of 
  seemingly impenetrable darkness. Five 
  unsupervised collared Malu slaves are 
  working here extracting raw Beryllium 
  from the Southern wall. These Malu are 
  emaciated and in poor health afflicted by 
  disease and malnutrition.   
   
   
  #9C: This mining chamber is similar to the 
  adjacent ones and has two rock pillars 
  supporting the mining cavern. Three 
  relatively healthy Malu slave miners are 
  clearing away residual rock from the 
  exposed 
  Beryllium 
  deposits 
  on 
  the 
  Northern wall. Two Zangid soldiers stand 
  guard nearby talking amongst themselves. 
  Each of the guards is armed with a beam 
  pistol and a Zangid fighting dagger. One of 
  the 
  guards 
  is 
  equipped 
  with 
  a 
  communicator and the other has a 
  universal translator to communicate with 
  the slaves. 
   
  SUBLEVEL #3 
  This subterranean level consists of five 
  facility modules connected to three 
  artificially created mining caverns by two 
  tunnels in the rock. The modules on this 
  level contain the power plant and energy 
  distribution control for the entire station. 
  These modules are considerably hotter 
  than any of the others due to poorly 
  shielded reactors that produce unhealthy 
  amounts of radiation.  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  80 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: The Characters will see 
  several graphic signs on this level indicating 
  that beam weapons are not allowed due to 
  proximity to the fusion reactors (This does 
  not include Electro-Stun weapons). Players 
  should be cautioned to check their 
  weapons to ensure that they are not set on 
  “Kill/Disintegrate” which could accidentally 
  penetrate a reactor. Any shots fired that 
  are set on “Kill/Disintegrate” in a direct line 
  of sight to the Reactor Room will have a 
  40% chance of breaching containment. 
  Penetration of the Reactor will initiate a 
  cataclysmic melt-down and explosion in 
  2d20 turns that will destroy the mining 
  station.  
   
  #1D: This module is a cargo storage bay 
  and is filled with various storage containers 
  and boxes. The room is dark with only the 
  faint amber glow of electrical lighting 
  obstructed by the floor to ceiling stacks of 
  containers. Narrow 3’ wide passageways 
  weave in between 
  the boxes and 
  containers. Upon investigation of the 
  containers the PC’s will find a box 
  containing a Zangid force field generator 
  (S&S-2E, Pg. #18) that PC’s and NPC’s from 
  the Technical Branch will be able to 
  operate. There is a 50% chance (Space 
  Master D100 Check) the party may 
  encounter a Zangid soldier in this room 
  patrolling the area. If one is present, they 
  will be armed with a beam pistol and 
  Zangid fighting dagger. 
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside the module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by an unlocked hatch that 
  resembles a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor 
  panel with recessed handles. 
   
  CORRIDOR: A Zangid soldier armed with an 
  electro-stun gun and a fighting dagger is 
  conducting a patrol on this level in the 
  corridor between Module #1D and #2D. 
   
  #2D: This module contains the reactor 
  control room for the first of two fusion 
  reactors. The walls and doors of this 
  module are reinforced due to their 
  proximity to the reactor. There are four 
  control console workstations inside that 
  are manned by four unarmed technical 
  skilled Zangid miners. These technicians 
  are protected by two Zangid soldiers who 
  are armed with electro-stun guns and 
  Zangid fighting daggers.  
   
  #3D: This facility module contains the 
  reactor room for the first of two fusion 
  reactors that provide power for the mining 
  station. In typical Zangid fashion these 
  reactors are designed with substandard 
  safety and containment thresholds to coax 
  the maximum energy output possible. 
  Radiation levels inside this room are 
  
   
  81 
   
   
  considerably higher than the rest of the 
  station. Any person in this room without a 
  radiation suit (or similar protection) will 
  need to perform a Save Check vs. Radiation 
  exposure. The room is vacant and only 
  occupied by the reactor and its support 
  machinery. Graphic signs at the doorways 
  indicate that beam weapons are not 
  allowed inside this room. 
   
  #4D: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft that 
  provides access to all levels of the mine. 
  The elevator platform, terminal, and 
  corridor junction are vacant at this time. 
   
  #5D: This facility module contains the 
  second of the two fusion reactors that 
  provide power for the mining station. In 
  typical Zangid fashion these reactors are 
  designed with substandard safety and 
  containment thresholds to coax the 
  maximum 
  energy 
  output 
  possible. 
  Radiation levels inside this room are 
  considerably higher than the rest of the 
  station. Any person in this room without a 
  radiation suit (or similar protection) will 
  need to perform a Save Check vs. Radiation 
  exposure. The room is vacant and only 
  occupied by the reactor and its support 
  machinery. Graphic signs at the doorways 
  indicate that beam weapons are not 
  allowed inside this room. 
   
  CORRIDOR: A female Zangid miner armed 
  with a long two handed prybar (1d6 
  damage when used as a melee weapon) is 
  loitering on this level in the corridor 
  between Module #5D and #6D. This 
  aggressive mine worker will immediately 
  attack any intruders she encounters on 
  sight. 
   
  #6D: This module contains the reactor 
  control room for the second of the 
  station’s two fusion reactors. The walls and 
  doors of this module are reinforced due to 
  their proximity to the reactor. There are 
  four control console workstations inside 
  that are manned by four unarmed 
  technical skilled Zangid miners. These 
  technicians are protected by two Zangid 
  soldiers who are armed with electro-stun 
  guns and Zangid fighting daggers.  
   
  #7D: A tunnel passageway excavated out 
  of the rock leads from Module #6D into the 
  first of two-mining chambers on this level. 
  This cavern is supported by two massive 
  rock pillars in the center of the chamber. 
  Dim electrical lights illuminate the gouged 
  and scarred rock walls with a pale amber 
  glow. Within this chamber are four Zangid 
  miners who can be seen loading the bodies 
  of two deceased Dreiped slaves on to a 
  gurney for removal. The drab tattered 
  radiation suits worn by the deceased are 
  identical in appearance to those worn by 
  the Malu slaves. 
  
   
  82 
   
   
  #8D: A tunnel through the rock leads from 
  Module #1D into this artificially carved 
  cavern. Unlike the other chambers, the 
  passages between the three support pillars 
  are narrow and have considerably better 
  lighting. An obvious recent repair as the 
  remnants of the former strand can still be 
  seen embedded in the rock. An antigravity 
  mining cart with a full load of Beryllium ore 
  idles unattended against the Southern Wall 
  of this chamber. Five unsupervised collared 
  Malu slaves are present clearing excavated 
  rock from the Northwestern wall near the 
  tunnel entrance. The slaves are bound 
  together with an interconnected chain 
  attached to a fetter around their ankles. If 
  the Characters contact these Malu they will 
  recount an interesting story about a 
  stranger being brought to the mine. One 
  who had stark white hair, strange eyes, and 
  skin as pale as their own. He did not speak 
  their language and the Zangid soldiers who 
  found him outside the guard tower 
  perimeter suspected he may be a 
  smuggler. The last they heard about the 
  new arrival he had been taken to the 
  detention level below. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: Commander Callahan will 
  immediately recognize that the Malu slaves 
  are talking about “Watchtower” who is a 
  Daelan and matches the description they 
  gave in their story.  
   
  SUBLEVEL #4 
  The fourth subterranean level is a high 
  security detention block consisting of five 
  modules connected to three artificially 
  created mining caverns by two tunnels.  
   
  #1E:  This module contains the Security 
  Station and guard house for the detention 
  level. Four Zangid soldiers are present 
  inside working at various control consoles 
  monitoring activity on this level. All of the 
  soldiers are armed with beam pistols and 
  fighting daggers. The room contains a small 
  armory compartment containing two 
  beam rifles, two beam pistols, two electro-
  stun guns, and four stun grenades. 
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside the module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by a hatch that resembles 
  a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor panel with 
  recessed handles. Unlike the levels above, 
  this hatch is locked by a mechanical latch 
  that can be bypassed with a successful 
  technical skill check or beam weapon hit 
  (Set on Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  83 
   
   
  CORRIDOR: A Zangid soldier armed with an 
  electro-stun gun and a fighting dagger is 
  standing guard in the corridor between 
  Module #1E and #2E. The soldier will 
  immediately attack any intruders that he 
  encounters on sight. 
   
  #2E: This module is a high security 
  dormitory for combative Malu slaves and 
  other prisoners. Like the other dormitory 
  modules this room contains six double 
  occupancy bunk bed style berthing units, 
  storage compartments, and a lavatory. 
  Both doors entering this module are locked 
  from the outside by a mechanical latch. 
  The lock can be bypassed with a successful 
  technical skill check or beam weapon hit 
  (Set on Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). 
  There are ten neuro-compliance collared 
  Malu slaves inside the room resting in their 
  bunks. 
   
  #3E: Like the previous module, this facility 
  is used as a high security dormitory for 
  combative 
  Malu 
  slaves 
  and 
  other 
  prisoners. Like the other dormitory 
  modules this room contains seven double 
  occupancy bunk bed style berthing units, 
  storage compartments, and a lavatory. 
  Both doors entering this module are locked 
  from the outside by a mechanical latch. 
  The lock can be bypassed with a successful 
  technical skill check or beam weapon hit 
  (Set on Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). 
  There are six collared Malu slaves inside 
  the room resting in their bunks. The body 
  of a recently deceased slave lies in one of 
  the berthing units. His corpse has been 
  wrapped 
  in 
  its 
  bedding 
  sheets 
  in 
  preparation for removal. The other Malu 
  have superstitiously moved away from the 
  deceased body to the other side of the 
  room. 
   
  #4E: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft. The elevator 
  lift is mechanically obstructed in some way 
  preventing it from proceeding to the levels 
  below. A Character from the Technical 
  Branch with a successful skill check can 
  repair the lift in 1d6 turns and free the 
  obstruction. Once repaired the elevator lift 
  will be able proceed to sublevels five and 
  six. Two Zangid soldiers, most likely 
  responsible for sabotaging the lift, are 
  loitering inside the corridor. Armed with 
  beam pistols and fighting daggers, they 
  control access to and from the lift. Distant 
  unnatural sounding eerie noises can be 
  heard inside the mine shaft coming from 
  the levels below. The strange noises make 
  the stoic Zangid guards look uncomfortable 
  as they frequently peer out into the black 
  chasm with expressions of concern. 
   
  #5E: This module is another high security 
  dormitory for Malu slaves and prisoners. 
  Like the other dormitory modules on this 
  level it is a single open compartment 
  
   
  84 
   
   
  containing six double occupancy bunk bed 
  style berthing units, storage compartments 
  and a lavatory. Both doors entering this 
  module are locked from the outside by a 
  mechanical latch. The lock can be bypassed 
  with a successful technical skill check or 
  beam weapon hit (Set on Heat/Disrupt or 
  Kill/Disintegrate). This compartment is 
  vacant at this time with the residents 
  presently working in the mine. 
   
  CORRIDOR: A Zangid soldier armed with a 
  beam rifle and a fighting dagger is standing 
  guard in the corridor between Module #5E 
  and #6E. The soldier will immediately 
  attack any intruder he encounters entering 
  the corridor. 
   
  #6E: This module is used to process raw 
  Beryllium and other minerals extracted 
  from the mine. The work area inside the 
  module has a long conveyor fed sorting 
  table with various industrial cutting and 
  grinding machines. The perimeter of the 
  room is lined with loaded mining carts 
  waiting to be processed. Two collared Malu 
  slaves are working in this room chained to 
  the sorting table. A single Zangid soldier 
  armed with an electro-stun gun is present 
  in the room guarding the prisoners. This 
  compartment has an exterior hatch that 
  provides access into the mining chamber 
  and is locked by a mechanical latch. The 
  latch can be bypassed with a successful 
  technical skill check or beam weapon hit 
  (Set on Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). 
   
  #7E: The tunnel passageways from Module 
  #1E and #6D both lead into the first of two-
  mining chambers on this level. This 
  artificially made cavern is supported by 
  four massive rock pillars. Decrepit dim 
  electrical lights illuminate the gouged and 
  scarred rock walls with a pale amber glow. 
  A fully loaded antigravity mine cart idles 
  unattended on the Southeast corner of the 
  chamber. The cavern floor is littered with 
  various mining tools, broken electrical 
  lanterns, torn clothing, and the skeletons 
  of three long dead Zangid miners. Upon 
  investigation an Image Splitter Amulet 
  (S&S-2E, Pg. #84) can be found concealed 
  among the skeletal remains. There are 
  obvious signs of a struggle but what 
  transpired in this chamber with these 
  miners is unclear. 
   
  #8E: This chamber is smaller than the first 
  and is supported by one single central rock 
  pillar. An empty anti-gravity mining cart is 
  parked near the far Southeast corner. Eight 
  collared Malu slaves tethered together by 
  a long synthetic rope are working 
  frantically against the North wall clearing 
  Beryllium from the rocky surface. The Malu 
  are constantly looking over their shoulders 
  into the chamber behind them, their faces 
  reflecting a sense of dread. Three Zangid 
  soldiers armed with electro-stun pistols 
  
   
  85 
   
   
  stand guard nearby anxiously listening to 
  the faint eerie noises drifting up from the 
  levels below.  
   
  #1: FINDING KIRAK 
  Hiding among the seven other Malu slaves 
  is the missing S.I.B. agent, code name 
  “Watchtower”, also known as Lieutenant 
  Commander Kirak. Besides some obvious 
  cuts and bruises and a slight limp, Kirak 
  appears to be in good condition. His Daelan 
  ivory colored skin blending in almost 
  seamlessly with the other Malu working 
  with him. The only tell-tale revealing 
  Daelan trait being his reflective deep black 
  almond shaped eyes which he has cleverly 
  disguised with a pair of dark safety goggles. 
  Commander Callahan will immediately 
  recognize his Daelan protégé and will 
  direct the party to liberate him. Callahan 
  will attack the Zangid guards with a violent 
  ferocity hereto unseen by the PC’s. 
   
  LT. COMMANDER KIRAK 
  S.I.B. Codename “Watchtower” 
  Race: Daelan 
  Gender: M 
  Age: 37 
  Class: MIL. 
  Sub: SEC. 
  Level/Save: 4 (Ofc.) 
  HP STR 
  CON 
  DEX 
  INT CHA PSI AR 
  25 
  10 
  12 
  10 
  11 
  09 
  11 
  -2 
  EQ: Radiation Suit, Oxy Tank, Communicator. 
   
   
   
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: If the PC’s persuaded 
  Kurana to accompany them, the SM should 
  choose whether she will assist the players 
  in attacking the Zangid guards or just 
  observing the events as they unfold from a 
  distance. The SM should caution the 
  Player’s about her presence when they are 
  discussing details about the mission. 
  Regardless of her cooperation she is still a 
  potential hostile enemy soldier. They 
  should 
  either 
  privately 
  use 
  their 
  communicators or excuse the Zangid 
  soldier when they need to discuss their 
  plans. The PC’s should be sure to stick to 
  their story that they are interstellar 
  commodity traders rescuing a fellow crew 
  mate that was being wrongly detained 
  after his ship crash landed. Revealing too 
  much 
  information 
  could 
  potentially 
  compromise their mission’s success. 
   
  Commander Callahan is happy to see that 
  his protégé is relatively unharmed from his 
  ordeal. Callahan discretely asks Kirak about 
  the status of his mission and if he knows of 
  any other S.I.B. agents operating in the 
  area. Kirak responds, cautiously regarding 
  the surrounding PC’s, that he was working 
  alone on this mission and is not aware of 
  any other agents. With no mention of a spy 
  being captured, Callahan presumes that 
  the cover identity of both agents is still 
  intact. 
   
  
   
  86 
   
   
  Lt. Commander Kirak briefs the party on 
  what has transpired since his crash landing. 
  Kirak recounts how he had been working 
  undercover as an interstellar commodity 
  trader named Tarnok. Ferrying processed 
  Beryllium with his runabout between 
  Memnaan and Zangid freighters in orbit. 
  This gave him exceptional intelligence 
  gathering access to the Zangid ships in the 
  region. He planted passive tracking devices 
  in several of the ships that he boarded 
  while delivering cargo. During this time 
  Kirak began hearing rumors from the 
  Zangid that an ancient alien artifact had 
  been accidentally uncovered in the 
  deepest level of the Marak Ta’Chom 
  mining station. Kirak arranged to make 
  delivery runs to the station with the local 
  freighter Captains, using this as a cover to 
  verify the reports. Kirak discovered that a 
  few bottles of Zangid Bone Ale were more 
  than sufficient to bribe the complacent 
  Zangid guards into chatting. Over the next 
  few days, Kirak conversed with several 
  Zangid miners at the station during his 
  delivery 
  runs 
  who 
  confirmed 
  that 
  something strange was found in the mine. 
  Kirak decided he had sufficient information 
  now to report back To Command with his 
  findings. The intel obtained about the alien 
  artifact and the enslavement of the 
  indigenous humanoids would certainly 
  expand the Confederation’s involvement 
  with Memnaan.  
  Kirak believed that some of the Zangid may 
  have become suspicious about his curious 
  inquiries into the activity at the mine. 
  Fearing his cover was in jeopardy, Kirak 
  decided it was time to leave Memnaan 
  before the soldiers decided to start making 
  inquiries of their own. While preparing for 
  launch in his runabout, an emerging storm 
  formed over the Eastern Mountains. 
  Trusting that his ship could safely 
  withstand the growing tempest, Kirak 
  decided it was better to risk the launch 
  then remain on the planet.  
   
  Shortly after launch the storm suddenly 
  intensified freezing the small ship’s control 
  surfaces and forcing him to make an 
  emergency crash landing. Kirak survived 
  the crash with only minor injuries but 
  realized that he could not wait in the 
  wrecked craft for rescue. Especially since 
  the first responders to the crash site would 
  most likely be the very same Zangid 
  soldiers he was trying to evade.  
   
  Kirak explains how he sent a single pulse 
  from his emergency beacon and then 
  activated 
  the 
  ship’s 
  auto-destruct 
  sequence to eliminate any potentially 
  incriminating evidence should he be 
  captured. Bruised and battered, Kirak 
  made the journey back to the mining 
  station where he was captured by Zangid 
  soldiers.  
   
  
   
  87 
   
   
  Some of the soldiers recognized Tarnok 
  (Kirak) as one of the Beryllium couriers and 
  decided to move him to the detention 
  block for questioning when Commander 
  Ka-mok returned. During the time that 
  past, the Zangid guards in the detention 
  level decided it best that their new guest 
  join the other slaves during their shift in 
  the mine. Kirak willingly complied, seizing 
  the opportunity to improvise a disguise 
  that would allow him to blend in and slip 
  away when the guards were not paying 
  attention.     
   
  While working with the Malu slaves in the 
  mine, Kirak heard rumors that miners sent 
  deeper into the mine were disappearing 
  and never heard from again. Some of the 
  slaves working on Sublevel 6 reported that 
  the Zangid soldiers found something in the 
  mine and send a group of Dreiped 
  technicians in to investigate. The eerie 
  noises have gradually begun to increase 
  ever since then, and the lower levels have 
  been restricted to Zangid personnel only.  
   
  Commander Callahan discretely briefs 
  Kirak on their encounter with the Mind 
  Master Talsaret and his warning. Lt. 
  Commander Kirak suggests that the party 
  should use the access tube in Module #1E 
  to proceed to the lower levels to 
  investigate the reports and avoid Zangid 
  reinforcements. Afterall, if there is a 
  potentially dangerous alien artifact in 
  Zangid control here at Marak Ta’Chom it 
  demands our attention. Space Fleet 
  general orders state that the investigation 
  of a potential galactic threat would 
  supersede all other mission objectives.    
   
  SPACE MASTER: Lt. Commander Kirak was 
  fitted with a Zangid neuro-compliance 
  collar when he was captured by the guards. 
  The collar will have to be removed before 
  he can safely leave the mining station. 
  Removing the collar requires a successful 
  technical skill check with a -2 penalty for 
  anyone who is not Zangid. If Kurana was 
  persuaded to accompany the PC’s, she can 
  remove Kirak’s neuro-compliance collar 
  with automatic success. 
   
  SUBLEVEL #5 
  The fifth subterranean level consists of five 
  facility modules connected to a single 
  mining chamber by a forked tunnel. The 
  modules on this level contain living areas 
  and a medical facility. A portion of this level 
  has been damaged by a fire that consumed 
  two of the five modules. These modules 
  were automatically isolated from the rest 
  by emergency containment barriers that 
  deployed when the fire was detected.  
   
   
   
   
  
   
  88 
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to the Player 
  Characters, Ka-mok has now returned to 
  the mining station with his forces after 
  tracking the party here from the crash site. 
  Ka-mok and his soldiers will enter the 
  station at the ground level searching for 
  the intruders on each level. The soldiers will 
  search and clear each level of the station at 
  a rate of 1d4 turns per level on their way 
  down to Sublevel #6.  
   
  #1F: This module is the mining station’s 
  medical facility for the soldiers, miners, 
  and 
  slave 
  labor. 
  This 
  compartment 
  contains five single occupancy examination 
  beds, three cryo-tubes, various medical 
  equipment, storage compartments and an 
  access tube. This module is by far the 
  cleanest in the facility but is still 
  significantly below Confederation medical 
  standards. Lighting is significantly better in 
  this room and the environmental controls 
  function normally making this room the 
  most comfortable in the entire facility. The 
  facility contains three stasis tubes, two of 
  which are currently occupied by severely 
  wounded Zangid in suspended animation. 
  Two of the examination beds are covered 
  by sheets that conceal the bodies of two 
  recently deceased Malu slaves with 
  unusual 
  puncture 
  wounds 
  in 
  their 
  foreheads. The room is unusually quiet and 
  vacant for an industrial mining facility’s 
  infirmary. There is an exterior entrance 
  hatch locked from the inside with a 
  mechanical latch that leads from the 
  module into the mining chamber. The lock 
  maybe bypassed from the outside with a 
  successful technical skill check or beam 
  weapon hit (Set on Heat/Disrupt or 
  Kill/Disintegrate).  
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside the module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by a locked hatch that 
  resembles a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor 
  panel with recessed handles. The lock on 
  the hatch can be bypassed with a 
  successful technical skill check or beam 
  weapon hit (Set on Heat/Disrupt or 
  Kill/Disintegrate). 
   
  CORRIDOR: Two extremely anxious looking 
  Zangid soldiers armed with beam rifles and 
  fighting daggers are standing guard in the 
  corridor between Module #1F and #2F. 
  They both appear to be preoccupied and 
  completely unconcerned with the PC’s 
  presence. Almost as if they were expecting 
  something far worse than trespassing 
  traders to come their way at any moment. 
  If the PC’s are proceeding South further 
  into the facility the guards, who only speak 
  Zangid, motion for the PC’s to remain 
  behind them in Module #1F but will make 
  no attempt to stop or block their 
  movement. If the PC’s are traveling North 
  from Module #2F the guards will motion 
  
   
  89 
   
   
  for the PC’s to come towards them and into 
  the module. Once inside the guards will 
  securely latch the hatch door from the 
  outside. 
   
  #2F: This module is a dormitory and living 
  space for the Zangid miners or soldiers. The 
  room is filled with six double occupancy 
  bunk bed style berthing units, personal 
  storage compartments, and a lavatory. In 
  this room there are four Zangid soldiers 
  armed with beam rifles and fighting 
  daggers who have upended several of the 
  berthing units in the center of the room to 
  use as a barricade. The Zangid are 
  separated into two, two-man fire teams 
  facing each of the entrances leading into 
  the module. These soldiers are extremely 
  aggressive and will open fire on anyone 
  entering the room.  
   
  #2: THE SPACE ZOMBIES 
  In the pedway corridor between Modules 
  #2F and #3F four collared Malu slave 
  workers are loitering silently in the 
  corridor. Their body movements consist of 
  an awkward impatient shifting or swaying 
  from side to side. Their heads are either 
  hung low or turned skyward in an unusual 
  trance like state. Two appear to have a 
  severe tilt or limp indicating an injury while 
  the 
  others 
  have 
  strange 
  postures 
  suggesting 
  some 
  unknown 
  structural 
  deformity. As the PC’s grow closer to the 
  Malu they will notice that all have unusual 
  greenish grey splotches on their skin and a 
  deep oozing puncture wound on their 
  foreheads. The Malu in the corridor have a 
  repulsive odor of putrid rotting flesh 
  emanating from their bodies and clothing. 
  They will ignore the PC’s unless they 
  attempt to make contact, cause a 
  disturbance, or come within five feet. If the 
  PC’s attract the zombified Malu’s attention 
  they will aggressively attack without 
  warning. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: the Malu slaves found in 
  this corridor are Space Zombies enthralled 
  under the psionic control of an unseen 
  master. They cannot be reasoned with and 
  will pursue their target until they no longer 
  can. The Space Zombies are immune to 
  stun, electrocution, pain, nerve strikes, 
  psionic attacks, or sedatives/sleep agents. 
  They are vulnerable to physical damage, 
  freezing, fire, and beam weapons set on 
  “Heat”, “Kill”, or “Overload”. 
   
  
   
  90 
   
   
   “SPACE ZOMBIES” 
  Encountered: 2d4, (4d6) 
  Movement: 110’, (30’) 
  Intelligence: Feeble 
  Psi Potential: 1d4, inactive 
  Hits: 1d8 
  Armor: 0 
  Combat Skill: 10 
  Save As: Level 1 
  Attacks: 1 (Bite or Claw) 
  Damage: 1d6, or Weapon 
  Morale: 12 
  XP: 29 
   
  SPACE MASTER: The “Space Zombies” are 
  the half-dead victims of an Oiretophid 
  brain-drinking attack (S&S-2E, Pg. #73) 
  which did not entirely consume the victim’s 
  brain. The victims of these vile attacks, 
  enthralled by psionic control, are left alive 
  for the Oiretophid to feed upon later. They 
  are past the point of any medical 
  intervention with most of their brain 
  matter already consumed during the initial 
  attack. If an Oiretophid consumes half of a 
  victim’s INT score they can psionically 
  enthrall the victim turning them into a 
  Space Zombie. Oiretophid often use this 
  tactic when they have a surplus of victims 
  to feed upon. If the Oiretophid who created 
  the space zombies is killed the psionic 
  control will be released. An Oiretophid can 
  create and control up to 3d8 Space Zombies 
  from its victims of brain-drinking attacks.   
   
  #3F: This module is a cargo storage room 
  where packaged Beryllium and mineral 
  ores are stored while awaiting transport to 
  the surface. The room is filled from floor to 
  ceiling with sealed cargo boxes and storage 
  containers. Narrow 3’ wide pathways have 
  been 
  made 
  between 
  the 
  various 
  containers to allow movement inside the 
  compartment. Two Zangid miners are 
  hiding inside the room armed with 
  pickaxes (1d6 damage when used as a 
  weapon). The miners are traumatized and 
  wildly aggressive, attacking anyone or 
  anything that crosses their path.  
   
  #4F: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft that 
  provides access to all levels of the mine. A 
  mechanical obstruction in the elevator 
  track is preventing the platform from 
  descending any further than Sublevel #4. A 
  PC or NPC from the technical branch can 
  make a skill check to repair the lift and free 
  the obstruction. A successful skill check will 
  require 1d10 turns to complete the repair 
  of the lift. Once repaired the elevator lift 
  will be able proceed past Sublevel #4.  
   
  #5F: This module is inaccessible because 
  the emergency fire containment doors 
  have sealed in place obstructing entry. A 
  view port in the module doors reveals that 
  the fire that had activated the emergency 
  seals has long since been extinguished but 
  
   
  91 
   
   
  the room is still filled with a thick black 
  smoke. Instead of evacuating the internal 
  atmosphere during the fire the shoddy 
  Zangid environmental controls sealed the 
  compartment 
  trapping 
  the fire and 
  poisonous gases inside. If anyone were in 
  the module, it would be highly unlikely 
  they could have survived. The emergency 
  fire containment barriers sealing this room 
  can only be deactivated from the station’s 
  central control room located in Module 
  #3A on the ground level. 
   
  #6F: Like Module #5F, this facility module 
  is also inaccessible because the emergency 
  fire containment doors have sealed. A view 
  port in the module doors reveals that the 
  fire that had activated the emergency seals 
  has long since been extinguished but the 
  room is still filled with a thick black smoke. 
  This module has an exterior hatch that 
  locks from the inside and connects to a 
  tunnel leading to the mining chamber. The 
  emergency fire containment seals can only 
  be opened from the Station’s central 
  control room located in Module #3A on the 
  ground level.   
   
  #7F: A single forked tunnel in the rock 
  connects Modules #1F and #6F to the 
  cavernous mining chamber. This artificially 
  made cavern is supported by two massive 
  rock pillars that divide and support the 
  interior space. Lighting in this mining 
  chamber is very poor with the only working 
  electrical lights located on the larger of the 
  two pillars. An antigravity mining cart with 
  a full payload of Beryllium is parked on the 
  North side of the largest of the two pillars. 
  Twelve Space Zombies (Three Zangid and 
  nine Malu) are wandering around the 
  Northeastern 
  corner 
  of 
  the 
  mining 
  chamber. The Space Zombies will be drawn 
  towards and attack anything making noise 
  or producing energy.  
   
  SUBLEVEL #6 
  This subterranean level is the sixth and 
  final level of mining operations at Marak 
  Ta’Chom. This level consists of five facility 
  modules, the mining shaft, and two 
  interconnected mining chambers. This was 
  the last level to be constructed and had the 
  largest deposit of Beryllium in the mine.  
   
  #1G: This module contains a security 
  station where Zangid soldiers monitor the 
  prisoners and slave labor working in the 
  lower levels of the mine. The compartment 
  contains four control console workstations 
  that can review video feed from all levels 
  of the mining station. The walls of the room 
  are lined with storage compartments 
  containing two radiation suits with oxygen 
  tanks, two field jackets, three beam rifles, 
  two Zangid communicators, and four stun 
  grenades. There is a locked exterior hatch 
  that connects this module to the first of 
  two mining chambers. The lock is a latch 
  mechanism that can be bypassed with a 
  
   
  92 
   
   
  successful technical skill check or beam 
  weapon hit (Set on Disrupt/Heat or 
  Disintegrate/Kill). Five Space Zombies 
  (Formerly Zangid soldiers) are loitering 
  inside. The Space Zombies will aggressively 
  attack anyone who enters the room. 
   
  ACCESS TUBE: Inside the module is a 4’ x 6’ 
  vertical access tube that allows transit to 
  all levels in the facility by ladder. The access 
  tube is covered by a locked hatch that 
  resembles a square 4’ x 6’ grated floor 
  panel with recessed handles. The lock on 
  the hatch can be bypassed with a 
  successful technical skill check or beam 
  weapon hit (Set on Heat/Disrupt or 
  Kill/Disintegrate). 
   
  CORRIDOR: Two space zombies (Formerly 
  collared Malu slaves) are wandering in the 
  corridor between Modules #1G and #2G. 
  These space zombies seem to be at an 
  advanced state of expiration with severely 
  reduced senses and producing a foul odor. 
  Anyone not wearing an oxygen tank in this 
  room will have to make a save check vs. 
  stun attack or be overcome with retching 
  for 2d6 rounds. The space zombies’ senses 
  are severely impaired and will ignore the 
  PC’s unless they come within 3 feet or 
  disturb them.   
   
  #2G: This module is the station’s security 
  collar control room where the Zangid 
  neuro-compliance collars are attached and 
  monitored. Both hatchway doors to this 
  room are locked from the inside with a 
  mechanical latch. The locks can be 
  bypassed with a successful technical skill 
  check or beam weapon hit (Set on 
  Heat/Disrupt or Kill/Disintegrate). In the 
  center of the compartment is a large 
  central control console that is used to 
  activate, control, and monitor all of the 
  Zangid neuro-compliance collars at the 
  mining station. This console has the ability 
  to activate, track, detonate, and deactivate 
  all collars used at Marak Ta’Chom. The 
  control console can accurately determine 
  the position of every person with an 
  activated collar within the facility. There 
  are three medical examination beds near 
  the control console where the collars are 
  attached to the slaves and prisoners 
  working at the mine. The walls are lined 
  with storage cabinets which are filled with 
  over 300 new neuro-compliance collars. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: If the PC’s have not yet 
  located “Watchtower” this console can 
  identify his location in the first mining 
  chamber on Sublevel 4 (#7E). Commander 
  Callahan 
  will 
  instantly 
  recognize 
  “Watchtower’s” unique Daelan bio-sign 
  data among the other collared slaves and 
  prisoners in the facility. The Control 
  Console in this room can be used to 
  deactivate every collar at Marak Ta’Chom, 
  with a successful technical skill check with 
  
   
  93 
   
   
  a -2 penalty. However, the PC’s must 
  proceed with caution because any critical 
  failure roll of 1 on the skill check will trigger 
  a tamper failsafe resulting in all of the 
  attached collars detonating. 
   
  CORRIDOR: 
  A 
  single 
  space 
  zombie 
  (Formerly a Zangid soldier) is wandering in 
  the corridor between Modules #2G and 
  #3G. This space zombie is highly aggressive 
  and will attack or pursue anyone who 
  enters the corridor.  
   
  #3G: This module is a geological laboratory 
  used for analyzing and testing mining 
  samples. Both doors are locked with 
  mechanical latches and barricaded with 
  furniture from the inside. The room 
  contains 
  three 
  control 
  console 
  workstations 
  and 
  various 
  scientific 
  scanning devices. There are several storage 
  compartments found throughout the 
  module and one that contains mining 
  explosives with detonators. There are 
  enough explosives stored in this room to 
  demolish the entire level. Four severely 
  traumatized collared Dreiped technicians 
  are present hiding inside the room. These 
  technicians are unemancipated Dreiped 
  that only speak the Zangid language. They 
  are likely (50% chance) to be cooperative 
  towards the PC’s and willing to assist them. 
  One of the technicians, a Dreiped named 
  Fralnax still has his wits about him and may 
  try to communicate with the party. 
  SPACE MASTER: If the PC’s have a universal 
  translator, or can persuade Commander 
  Callahan to translate, they can attempt to 
  persuade Fralnax to tell them what 
  happened here. Fralnax’s hesitation to 
  cooperate is partly due to a fear of Zangid 
  retaliation and partly due to confusion over 
  why armed traders would be this deep in 
  the mine. If Fralnax capitulates, he will 
  recount the events leading up to the 
  current situation at Marak Ta’Chom. He 
  will explain how a mining team on Sublevel 
  #6 uncovered an alien artifact of unknown 
  origin buried almost a mile under the 
  mountain. Fralnax will tell the PC’s how 
  Commander Ka-mok sent the Dreiped 
  engineers into the cavern to examine the 
  artifact and determine its purpose. Fralnax 
  reluctantly 
  admits 
  that 
  it 
  was 
  his 
  tampering that accidentally activated the 
  artifact. Revealing that it was a trans 
  dimensional portal and that something was 
  waiting on the other side. The portal is a 
  segmented ring composed of an unusual 
  metal inscribed with alien symbols. The ring 
  reacted to energy sources near it by 
  draining power from them. The strange 
  metal siphoned power from Fralnax’s 
  autoanalyzer at an alarming rate. Then 
  everything became unnaturally silent, an 
  energetic tension filled the air with a 
  vibrant hum that erupted into a blinding 
  flash of light. The flash quickly dissipated 
  leaving behind a radiant glowing aperture 
  
   
  94 
   
   
  of light in the center of the ring. With the 
  portal now activated a vile corrupt dark 
  entity entered our world. Its very presence 
  held 
  two 
  of 
  the 
  other 
  technicians 
  completely enthralled to its will. When the 
  vile entity seized the technicians, Fralnax 
  ran for his life. He described how he looked 
  back momentarily to see the monster 
  feeding on the two technicians he left 
  behind. Transforming its victims into the 
  horrible half-dead zombies wandering 
  around the mine. Fralnax tried to warn the 
  station’s control room but he was too late 
  to summon help. Within moments a second 
  monstrous form passed through the 
  glowing aperture of the portal entering into 
  our world. Fralnax hid inside the station 
  with the other Dreiped on this level while 
  the monsters began transforming the 
  entranced miners into zombies. 
   
  CORRIDOR: A lone Zangid soldier armed 
  with a beam rifle has barricaded himself 
  behind an overturned tool caddy in the 
  corridor between Module #3G and the T-
  junction. The Zangid soldier is severely 
  traumatized by what 
  he has seen 
  happening to the miners and his fellow 
  Zangid. The soldier will indiscriminately fire 
  on anything that moves entering the 
  corridor. His rifle is almost depleted with 
  only ten shots remaining in its energy 
  supply. The Zangid is far beyond reason 
  consumed by fear and stress induced 
  psychosis. 
   
  #4G: Connected by a cylindrical corridor T-
  Junction is an industrial grade pneumatic 
  elevator inside the mine shaft that 
  provides access to all levels of the mine. 
  Three space zombies (Formerly collared 
  Malu slaves) are present wandering 
  around the elevator platform terminal and 
  T-junction corridor. These space zombies 
  are at an advanced state of expiration and 
  reek of the pungent smell of rotting flesh. 
  The space zombies here will ignore the PC’s 
  unless they disturb them or come within 
  five feet.   
   
  #5G: This module is used to process raw 
  Beryllium and other minerals extracted 
  from the mine. The work area inside the 
  module has a long conveyor fed sorting 
  table with various industrial cutting and 
  grinding machines. The perimeter of the 
  room is lined with loaded mining carts 
  waiting to be processed. Six space zombies 
  (Formerly collared Malu slaves) are present 
  inside wandering about the compartment. 
  These space zombies appear to have been 
  recently “turned” and are in relatively good 
  condition. They are extremely aggressive 
  and will attack or pursue anything that 
  comes within five feet or attracts their 
  attention. 
   
   
  
   
  95 
   
   
  CORRIDOR: two space zombies (Formerly 
  Zangid soldiers) are present in the corridor 
  between Modules #5G and #6G. These 
  space zombies are aggressive and will 
  attack or pursue anyone who enters the 
  corridor.  
   
  #6G: Like the adjacent module this one is 
  used for processing raw Beryllium and 
  other minerals extracted from the mine. 
  The work area inside the module has a long 
  conveyor fed sorting table with various 
  industrial cutting and grinding machines. 
  The perimeter of the room is lined with 
  loaded mining carts waiting to be 
  processed. Three space zombies (Formerly 
  Zangid miners) are wandering about inside 
  the compartment. These space zombies 
  are very aggressive and will attack and 
  pursue 
  anything 
  that 
  enters 
  the 
  compartment. 
   
  #7G: This artificially created cavern is one 
  of two mining chambers on this level. A 
  tunnel bored through the surrounding rock 
  connects Module #1G to the chamber. This 
  artificially created cavern is supported by 
  two centrally located rock pillars. A fully 
  loaded antigravity mining cart is parked 
  North of the largest pillar near the 
  entrance to the second mining chamber. 
  Twelve space zombies, (Formerly seven 
  collared Malu slaves and five Zangid 
  miners) 
  and 
  one 
  heavily 
  mutated 
  Oiretophid are in the far Southern end of 
  the Chamber.  
   
  #3: THE OIRETOPHID 
  The Oiretophid found in the mine are a 
  mutant strain of the vile species and have 
  some different characteristics then those 
  originally 
  described 
  in 
  the 
  S&S-2E 
  rulebook. They appear to be in control of 
  the space zombies directing them to search 
  for something in the loose rock and mining 
  debris. Any PC who is psionically active will 
  be able to sense the Oiretophid’s psionic 
  communication with the space zombies as 
  a dark unsettlingly hostile sensation.  If the 
  Oiretophid becomes aware of the PC’s 
  presence it will direct the space zombies to 
  attack them. If the space zombies are 
  unable to subdue the PC’s the Oiretophid 
  will join the attack itself. Using its powerful 
  psionic abilities, the Oiretophid will 
  attempt to enthrall the nearest PC and 
  initiate its brain drinking attack. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: Buried in the loose rock 
  and debris near the Southern wall of the 
  chamber is another alien artifact. If the PC’s 
  investigate the debris, they will find a 
  Psionic Shield Amulet (S&S-2E, Pg. #84) 
  embedded in one of the discarded rock 
  fragments. 
   
  The Oiretophid from the Forbidden Stars 
  are a reviled ancient race of predatory 
  aliens that nourish their existence with the 
  
   
  96 
   
   
  brain-matter of other sentient biological 
  lifeforms. They had spread across the 
  known galaxy like a cancer until they were 
  eventually defeated by a coalition of elder 
  space faring races referred to as the 
  Galactic 
  Guardians. 
  The 
  surviving 
  Oiretophid were banished by the Galactic 
  Guardians to live out their tortured 
  existence on an inaccessible planet in the 
  forbidden stars. Constantly bombarded by 
  cosmic storms and radiation clouds on 
  their prison planet. The Oiretophid of the 
  Forbidden stars evolved and mutated into 
  this strain seen today. They are slug like 
  humanoids, standing between 5 and 7 feet 
  tall, with a head that seamlessly merges 
  into its large orb shaped torso. Their once 
  translucent craniums have evolved a thick 
  carapace-like armored coating to protect 
  its massive brain from the harsh radiation-
  soaked environment. Two clawed handed 
  arms 
  and 
  two 
  large 
  spike 
  shaped 
  appendages protrude from their large 
  torso that assist with movement and the 
  manipulation of objects. Their once 
  metallic brown skin has changed to a fleshy 
  red or yellowish green color covered with 
  ulcerations oozing putrid viscous fluids. 
  Two milky white eyes sit atop stalks that 
  allow the Oiretophid an extended 270’ 
  field of vision.      
   
   
   
  A previously undocumented ability of the 
  Oiretophid is to enthrall other sentient 
  biological lifeforms turning them into 
  space zombies. This comes from a 
  combined endeavor using their brain 
  drinking attack and psionic ability. Once an 
  Oiretophid has consumed half of a 
  lifeforms intelligence they can establish 
  control over what remains of their victim’s 
  mind. The alien microbes and chemical 
  composition of the Oiretophid’s tentacle 
  saliva-like fluids infect the dying victim with 
  fast acting necrotic pathogens. The end 
  result is a being too weak to resist the hosts 
  control and too damaged pose any threat 
  to the Oiretophid controlling it.   
   
  MUTANT OIRETOPHID 
  REFERENCE: S&S-2E, PG. #73 
  Encountered: 1d4, (2d4) 
  Movement: 120’, (40’) 
  Intelligence: Genius 
  Psi Potential 2d6+6, Kinetic 
  Hits: 3d8 
  Armor: -3 
  Combat Skill: 14 
  Save As: Level 3 
  Attacks: Up to 3 
  Damage: Claw, Tentacle, PSI 
  Morale: 9 
  XP: 80 
   
   
  
   
  97 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  #8G: This is the second artificially created 
  cavernous mining chamber found on this 
  level. Its interior is divided and supported 
  by two massive central rock pillars. An 
  Oiretophid and seven Space Zombies 
  (Formerly three collared Malu and four 
  Zangid soldiers) are loitering near the 
  entrance to the cavern in the Southwest 
  corner. The group appears to be guarding 
  the chamber entrance just west of the rock 
  wall out of sight in the shadows. The 
  Oiretophid who is actively feeding on one  
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  of the Malu, will psionically command the 
  Space Zombies to attack anyone entering 
  the chamber. Any PC who is Psionically 
  active will be able to sense the Oiretophid’s 
  psionic communication between its thralls 
  as a dark unsettlingly hostile sensation.  Six 
  more space zombies (Formerly Zangid 
  soldiers) are patrolling the perimeter of the 
  cavern making a full circuit every three 
  game turns. Behind the second rock pillar 
  in the Northeastern corner of the chamber 
  is a recently excavated wedge-shaped pit. 
  
   
  98 
   
   
  The pit gradually descends to five feet 
  below the cavern floor and is surrounded 
  by portable electrical lights that illuminate 
  the area. At the bottom of the pit is a 
  strange 8’x 8’ segmented metallic ring 
  embedded in the rock wall. The Center of 
  the ring is composed of a glowing energetic 
  aperture that has a reflective liquid like 
  appearance that shimmers and ripples 
  with energy. The aperture produces a 
  strange low frequency hum that visibly 
  vibrates the air and loose debris around it. 
  Near the portal four Oiretophid are 
  manipulating various segments of the ring 
  adjusting the energy aperture. Two of the 
  Oiretophid are armed with alien weapons 
  equivalent to beam pistols. Two collared 
  space 
  zombies 
  (Formerly 
  Dreiped 
  Technicians), in an advanced state of 
  expiration, stand near the ring staring at it 
  in a trance like gaze. A bright flash of light 
  radiates from the aperture as a new 
  Oiretophid arrives through the portal. 1d4 
  additional Oiretophid will emerge from the 
  alien portal every 1d4 turns until it is 
  deactivated or disabled. The Oiretophid 
  and enthralled Dreiped present will protect 
  the portal at all costs attacking anyone who 
  approaches. If engaged in combat, the 
  Oiretophid will psionically summon 1d12 
  space zombies from inside the mine as 
  reinforcements. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: If Imperial Apprentice 
  Kurana is accompanying the party, this is 
  the time when she will make her exit. Upon 
  seeing the horror of the Oiretophid 
  emerging from the portal, Kurana will 
  make a run for it, abandoning the party to 
  fend for themselves.  
   
  When all of the Oiretophid and their thralls 
  have been defeated at the portal the party 
  will have a short opportunity to disable the 
  ring before the next group of Oiretophid 
  arrive. The party will have to work quickly 
  as Commander Ka-mok and his forces will 
  soon arrive on this level. 
   
  THE ALIEN PORTAL 
  The alien portal is a trans-dimensional 
  teleportation device that allows any 
  humanoid sized lifeform or object to 
  transport from one portal to another 
  instantaneously. Both portals are required 
  to be activated in order to establish the 
  connection and provide transit between 
  locations. Should one portal be deactivated 
  or destroyed teleportation would not 
  occur. The Portal consists of a large 8’ x 8’ 
  segmented ring composed of an extremely 
  resilient exotic alien metal. The ring 
  segments are inscribed with various alien 
  glyphs and designs. These inscribed ring 
  segments are the portal controls that 
  direct 
  the 
  teleportation 
  connection 
  between two or more rings. Currently the 
  
   
  99 
   
   
  portal controls have been set to establish a 
  connection 
  between 
  the 
  portal 
  on 
  Memnaan and an identical one on the 
  Oiretophid prison world located in the B4 
  forbidden star system. 
  The internal mechanisms of the portal are 
  all ingeniously protected inside the durable 
  metal segments of the ring leaving nothing 
  externally exposed. The ring is capable of 
  self-repair, regenerating any damaged 
  components 
  through 
  molecular 
  fabrication. 
  It 
  accomplishes 
  this 
  by 
  absorbing 
  any 
  needed 
  energy 
  and 
  materials 
  from 
  the 
  surrounding 
  environment with nano-filaments that 
  extend from the ring. The ring’s control 
  mechanisms are intuitive to a similar 
  degree as that found in a starship’s 
  computer but not that of a fully 
  independent artificial intelligence. The 
  portal requires the introduction of an 
  external power source in order to operate 
  preventing 
  the 
  device 
  from 
  being 
  accidentally 
  activated. 
  The 
  Dreiped 
  technicians sent by the Zangid miners had 
  discovered that the ring seemed to react to 
  certain frequencies of energy and drained 
  power from their scanning equipment. 
  Eventually siphoning enough power to 
  activate the portal and establish a 
  teleportation conduit to its paired ring. 
   
  The portal operates by absorbing energy 
  from any nearby compatible sources. The 
  segmented 
  ring 
  around 
  the 
  portal 
  regulates energy distribution needed for 
  opening the dimensional rift to its partner 
  ring. A sudden burst of energy can overload 
  the ring’s energy management system and 
  disrupt its operation. The detonation of a 
  single beam weapon set to overload can 
  release such a burst with enough energy to 
  deactivate the portal for 1d10 days and 
  initiate its self-repair cycle. The detonation 
  of four beam weapons set to overload will 
  damage the portal’s energy distribution 
  system beyond its ability to self-repair. 
  Mining explosives found around Marak 
  Ta’Chom can be used to damage the 
  cavern walls surrounding the portal but not 
  the portal itself. The mining explosives 
  could be used to prevent access to or from 
  the portal by collapsing the mining 
  chamber under several tons of rock. 
  Nothing short of an ion torpedo or matter-
  anti matter detonation can completely 
  destroy the portal ring.  
   
  
   
  100 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  101 
   
   
  Every overloaded beam weapon, or 
  package of mining explosives, used 
  increases the chance of triggering a cave-in 
  by 20%. The SM should conduct a d100 
  check for the total combined number of 
  weapons used to see if a collapse occurs. 
  The SM should remind and caution the PC’s 
  to be sure they give themselves sufficient 
  time to escape the explosion and potential 
  cave-in. If any of the PC’s are still inside the 
  mining chamber after the weapons or 
  explosives detonate, they may be trapped 
  or killed by a cave-in. Anyone caught inside 
  a cave-in will have to roll a successful save 
  check vs death to avoid being crushed to 
  death by falling debris and rock. Those who 
  do manage to survive the initial cave-in 
  must roll 2d6 damage from falling rock and 
  debris. 
   
  CALLAHAN’S BETRAYAL 
  As the PC’s prepare to disable the portal, 
  Commander Callahan will begin acting 
  dubiously towards assisting the party. 
  Having seen the portal in operation with 
  his own eyes, the destruction of such a 
  valuable 
  artifact 
  seems 
  negligently 
  irresponsible. He will rationalize his 
  justification for preserving the portal by 
  directing suspicion on the motives of the 
  Mind Masters. Callahan will attempt to 
  persuade the PC’s to go against the 
  instructions of Talsaret to destroy the alien 
  portal. He will suggest that they should use 
  the beam weapons or explosives to 
  collapse the entry into the chamber but 
  leave the portal intact. The portal and any 
  of the alien beings using it would be 
  securely trapped inside the cavern. 
  Callahan will suggest that a covert S.I.B. 
  team could be sent back later to recover 
  the artifact and contend with the alien 
  threat accordingly.  
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to the Players, 
  the Oiretophid on the opposite side of the 
  portal 
  are 
  Psionically 
  manipulating 
  Callahan. Any psionically active PC or NPC 
  present will detect the same darkly hostile 
  sensation 
  that 
  was 
  felt 
  when 
  the 
  Oiretophid were directing the space 
  zombies. If any of the PC’s are scanning the 
  area with an Autoanalyzer they will detect 
  a faint low frequency transmission coming 
  from the portal. 
   
  If the PC’s continue to follow Talsaret’s 
  advice to destroy the portal, Callahan will 
  accuse them of being under the influence 
  of the Mind Masters. He will appeal to the 
  PC’s duty as Space Fleet Officers and 
  Spacemen to protect and preserve alien 
  artifacts in the name of science. He will also 
  appeal to the military branch PC’s with the 
  argument that the portal is safer in the 
  Confederation’s hands then left for the 
  Zangid. Callahan’s increasingly frantic pleas 
  
   
  102 
   
   
  and erratic behavior will start to seem out 
  of place even for him.  
   
  Perceiving the PC’s resolve, Callahan will 
  pretend to defer to their judgement 
  realizing this is a fight he cannot win. 
  Claiming “Well you can’t blame me for 
  trying, this is not the sort of thing you 
  stumble on every day. It just seems to me 
  that it is irresponsible to take the Mind 
  Master’s word and just blow it up.” The 
  Oiretophid 
  will 
  direct 
  Callahan 
  to 
  cooperate with the PC’s until he sees an 
  opportunity to undermine their efforts. 
  Once the beam pistols are set to overload, 
  or the mining explosives have been placed, 
  Callahan will attack the party without 
  warning. Callahan will use a stun grenade 
  and suppressive fire from his beam rifle to 
  drive the others out of the pit away from 
  the portal. As the PC’s take cover to return 
  fire, Callahan will make a running retreat 
  diving into the open aperture of the portal. 
  The portal will flash with a brilliant light as 
  the aperture suddenly closes behind 
  Callahan and the portal momentarily resets 
  in preparation for its next user. 
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
  SPACE MASTER: Unknown to Callahan or 
  the party, the Oiretophid inside the pit that 
  were manipulating the ring had changed 
  the portals return destination. Instead of 
  teleporting to the Oiretophid prison world, 
  Callahan arrives on a neighboring planet in 
  the B4 system. This Class-U world is a 
  savage post-apocalyptic wasteland filled 
  with dangerous environments and strange 
  mutant alien life. Before Commander 
  Callahan realizes that he has not arrived at 
  his intended destination the receiving 
  portal deactivates stranding him there. 
   
  #4: THE ESCAPE 
  With the Zangid forces under Commander 
  Ka-mok actively engaged in battling any 
  remaining Space Zombies or Oiretophid 
  inside the facility, the PC’s will have an 
  opportunity to escape. The most expedient 
  route back to the surface is through the 
  access tube. Any of the PC’s that used the 
  access tube while mapping the facility with 
  a Data recorder will be able to determine 
  that this is the most direct route. Ka-mok’s 
  soldiers will be using the elevator lift to 
  move between levels so it will be under 
  heavy guard and should be avoided.  As the 
  PC’s are entering the access tube, a general 
  evacuation alarm will begin to sound 
  throughout the facility.  
   
  Once on the surface, the PC’s will find that 
  almost all of the security resources around 
  Marak Ta’Chom have been summoned into 
  
   
  103 
   
   
  the lower levels of the mine. Both of the 
  Robot tanks have been moved into 
  stationary sentry positions at the base of 
  the guard towers. The remaining Zangid 
  soldiers will be too occupied with either 
  the horrors below ground, escaping Malu 
  slaves, or reports of an explosion and 
  cavern collapse to worry about what is 
  happening on the surface. So long as the 
  PC’s stay between the ground level facility 
  modules and the mountain, they will avoid 
  any Zangid forces. 
   
  The return to the Vesperwind and launch 
  from the surface will be uneventful in 
  comparison to what the party had endured 
  inside the mine. If the PC’s do not have a 
  pilot in their party, Lt. Commander Kirak is 
  able to fly the Vesperwind. Even the 
  atmospheric 
  turbulence 
  encountered 
  during launch will now seem insignificant 
  to the galvanized landing party. Once in 
  orbit, the PC’s will observe the Hell-Shrike 
  coming into a low stationary orbit above 
  the Northern Continent. A few nervous 
  moments may pass as the massive 
  dilapidated cruiser passes too close for 
  comfort. However, the Hell-Shrike is not 
  here to intercept a commercial shuttle 
  making a frantic run for open space. 
  Instead the Hell-Shrike has been called in 
  by General Vorkhan at Starbase Klatau with 
  expressed orders to sanitize Marak 
  Ta’Chom after he received an urgent 
  report from Apprentice Kurana that a 
  horrific alien incursion was underway. The 
  Hell-Shrike will begin a series of strategic 
  beam battery strikes against the facility 
  from orbit until it is reduced to smoldering 
  slag in order to ensure that the horrors 
  below ground do not escape. 
   
  While the Hell-Shrike is occupied with 
  burning Marak Ta’Chom to ash the 
  Vesperwind can make its escape to 
  rendezvous with the Deimos. While the 
  Vesperwind 
  will 
  not 
  go 
  completely 
  unnoticed by Captain Gorgek, it will be 
  considered a low priority in comparison to 
  the order to vaporize an Imperial mining 
  station. Captain Gorgek will dispatch the 
  Z.S.F. Warsong and Cleaver to investigate 
  the suspicious Pleiadian shuttle leaving the 
  planet near the mining station he was just 
  sent to destroy.  
   
  The 
  Vesperwind 
  will 
  successfully 
  rendezvous with the Deimos long before 
  the two E-2 raiders intercept. However, 
  there is little time to waste, as the raiders 
  will soon track the Vesperwind back to a 
  suspicious Zangid freighter in a peculiar 
  orbit around Amerath. With Zangid forces 
  approaching, it will be up to the PC’s to plot 
  the fastest course back to the safety of 
  Confederation Space. EU expenditure will 
  be critical, as the small frigate will need as 
  much speed as it can muster to stay ahead 
  of the Zangid forces. Once the Deimos 
  engages its hyperdrive on a course for 
  Confederation Space, the Zangid will know 
  this is no ordinary smuggler’s freighter they 
  are chasing. 
   
  
   
  104 
   
   
  The Deimos’ Crew will have the advantage 
  of a head start and a familiarity with the 
  space hazards present along the route. An 
  experienced crew may even use these 
  same 
  interstellar 
  hazards 
  to 
  their 
  advantage to foil the Zangid’s attempts to 
  intercept them. However, a shrewd 
  commander will only resort to such action 
  if engagement with the pursuing Zangid 
  ships is imminent. After all, the mission 
  objective is to return to Starbase Alpha 
  with the missing S.I.B. asset. Not to start a 
  shooting war with the Zangid in their own 
  territory. 
   
  Pursuing the Deimos are the two Zangid 
  Raiders followed by the Hell-Shrike (1d6+2 
  light-years behind), two destroyers (1d6+4 
  Light-years behind) and four battle cruisers 
  (1d6+5 light-years behind). If the Deimos 
  can maintain a gap of at least five light-
  years (Five hexes on the galactic map) 
  ahead of the Zangids, they will end their 
  pursuit at the edge of the Sol Sector. If the 
  Zangids are able to close the gap between 
  their ships and the Deimos to under five 
  light-years (Four hexes or less on the 
  galactic map) they will attempt to overtake 
  the Deimos even if it enters the Sol Sector.  
  
   
  105 
   
   
  If this occurs the Deimos may need to 
  break silent running and call for help from 
  any nearby Confederation forces. The 
  Deimos’ long-range sensors will detect a 
  large group of Confederation starships 
  loitering near Tau Ceti. This group of ships 
  is the Galactic Confederation’s renowned 
  Third Fleet. The fleet will be standing ready 
  at Tau Ceti but will not enter the Xoth 
  Sector or engage the Zangid unless they 
  enter the Sol Sector. 
   
  CONFEDERATION THIRD FLEET 
  # 
  TYPE 
  PPB 
  TELE 
  BEAM 
  TORP 
  SS* 
  1x 
  DN 
  400 
  08 
  05 
  18 
  05 
  2x 
  BC 
  300 
  07 
  04 
  15 
  04 
  2x 
  CS 
  200 
  06 
  03 
  12 
  03 
  5x 
  DD 
  100 
  04 
  02 
  09 
  02 
  4x 
  FG 
  50 
  03 
  01 
  06 
  01 
  *SS = Shuttle Ships 
   
  THE THIRD FLEET 
  Admiral Amano has dispatched the 
  Galactic Confederation’s Third Fleet to the 
  Tau Ceti System (#06) as a contingency in 
  case the Deimos’ crew is unsuccessful. 
  Anticipating that if the Memnaan mission 
  is discovered the Zangid Imperium will 
  likely see the incursion as an incident 
  worthy of exploitation or as an unprovoked 
  act of war. The third fleet, consisting of 
  fourteen starships, has orders to hold 
  position in a heightened state of readiness 
  at the border of Confederation controlled 
  space. Since Tau Ceti was the star system 
  where the Confederation routed the 
  Zangid during the 2nd interstellar war it is 
  believed this will be the flash point if 
  hostilities erupt. The Fleet’s presence is 
  intended to serve as a deterrent and it has 
  strict orders not to enter the Xoth Sector or 
  engage the Zangid unless fired upon. 
   
  SPACE MASTER: The Third Fleet will 
  maintain a position between Tau Ceti (#06) 
  and the edge of the Xoth Sector. A treaty 
  boundary that was established at the end 
  of the 2nd Zangid War that restricts 
  warships from either side from entering the 
  other’s side of the boundary without 
  authorization. If the Deimos is being 
  pursued it will have to cross into the Sol 
  Sector in order to receive assistance from 
  the Fleet. There is a 40% chance (SM D100 
  Check) that an individual Captain within 
  the fleet may disobey these orders and 
  decide to come to the Deimos’ aid inside 
  the Xoth Sector. Obviously, such an act will 
  either be extremely brave or extremely 
  foolish and is guaranteed to instigate an 
  interstellar incident.    
   
   
  This adventure module was designed to be 
  used as a “springboard” for future 
  adventures or campaigns for your gaming 
  group. Success or failure in this scenario 
  can 
  have 
  lasting 
  implications 
  and 
  consequences for the known Galaxy within 
  the Ashdown Universe. Mission success 
  means the exposure of the Zangid 
  enslavement of the Malu on Memnaan and 
  the discovery of the Oiretophid threat from 
  
   
  106 
   
   
  the Forbidden Stars. Mission failure means 
  the Zangid activities on Memnaan will go 
  unchecked and the Oiretophid threat will 
  remain undiscovered.  This mission can 
  have many potential consequences for 
  both the Player Characters’ and the fragile 
  peace within the Galaxy.  
   
  All experience point (XP) awards and 
  bonuses for this adventure are at the Space 
  Master’s 
  discretion 
  and 
  judgement. 
  Included below are the recommended 
  experience 
  point 
  bonuses 
  for 
  the 
  successful completion of the important 
  encounters 
  and 
  objectives 
  in 
  the 
  adventure. In addition to the XP earned for 
  enemies defeated in combat, each of the 
  Player Characters may earn the following 
  XP bonuses. Each of the PC’s in the party 
  should receive 50 XP for rescuing 
  “Watchtower” and 50 XP for fulfilling all of 
  the mission objectives. Each of the PC’s in 
  the party should be awarded an additional 
  30 XP if they avoided being discovered as 
  Confederation agents and maintained their 
  cover disguise. If the alien portal is disabled 
  and the Oiretophid are defeated, each of 
  the PC’s in the party should be awarded an 
  additional 30 XP each. Any of the PC’s who 
  participated in the live capture of Lt. Jax 
  Akada should receive 10 XP each. No 
  additional XP should be awarded if Lt. 
  Akada is killed during the fight aboard the 
  Deimos. The SM may award each of the 
  PC’s an additional 5 XP for each of the Malu 
  slaves that the party liberates from Marak 
  Ta’Chom. The SM is encouraged to award 
  the Characters with 10 to 20 XP for good 
  role playing and successful resolution of 
  the encounters in the adventure.  If the 
  Player’s deliberately violate the mission 
  objectives, if Callahan is killed, or if the 
  Deimos and/or PC’s are captured by the 
  Zangid the Players should be docked all XP 
  earned during the mission.   
   
   
   
   
   
  
   
  107 
   
   
   
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Starships & Spacemen/Starships & Spacemen (osr)/Starships & Spacemen Ashdown/Starships & Spacemen Ashdown Trouble At Memnann.pdf