TrespassersThe year is 2731,
You're an employee for the Outertech Corporation, working in a small deep-field observation station located on the planet Miasma, in the Derantone System.
Your twenty-four month contract is drawing to a close, and already a majority of the station's inhabitants have begun the long journey back to their homes. However, due to a mandatory overtime order from Corporate Head Office, you've had to stay behind a while longer to keep the various systems running, until relieved by the next shift of colleagues.
It's no so bad; in fact, it's good credits. Sure you'll have to run things on a skeleton crew, and work your ass off with barely any sleep for a few weeks - but it'll be worth it. No one can argue with a double-time pay rate, not in these times of economic instability.
As you prepare yourself for a marathon run of pristine ergonomics, the station's internal emergency alarms are activated. The bright artificial lighting diminishes to a red glow, and a computerised voice calmly advises you to head to the cafeteria.
You and your colleagues do as you're told; emergency protocols exist in places such as these for a reason. Following the station's automated, semi-intelligent instructions saves lives - they banged this much into you back at Corporate.
As the cafeteria's doors slide open, there are screams and shouts of alarm, as you and your co-workers look upon the badly mangled body of your Shift Supervisor Eddie Rowe. The dozen stainless steel tables that you had dined on only an hour previous are slick with his blood, and his entrails are hung around the place like grim Christmas decorations.
Immediately, you file a report to Corporate, demanding judicial assistance. However, your transmission is cut short, and a textual reply takes over the screen of the station's communications station:
*** PLEASE STAY CALM. ACCIDENT HAS BEEN REPORTED TO EARTH HSE. MAINTAIN STATION OPERATIONS UNTIL INVESTIGATORS ARRIVE. ETA: 2 WEEKS ***Knowing there is a murderer in your midst, the idea of returning to work is an unsettling one. You look at your colleagues, and they at you; everyone analysing each other, trying to work out who had the motive, and who had the strength to do that kind of butchery.
However, without the station's basic life-assisting systems maintained, you'll all stumble into difficulty soon enough. With this in mind, an agreement is struck. The body is removed to the Medical Bay, and undergoes an autopsy. Meanwhile, everyone else returns to work, albeit uneasily.
Two weeks, right? You can make it, psycho-murder or no. Just don't go anywhere alone, and as per the standard operating procedure, LOCK YOUR DOOR AT NIGHT!
Information Bank
Location: Derantone System
Description: A geologically active world loosely described as 'terrestrial'. The planet is typified by rugged mountainous terrain, but in the low-lying regions (and several high plateaus) dense forests surround a network of bubbling swamps and interconnecting streams.
Victim: Eddie Mohan Rowe
Cause of Death: Massive blunt force trauma to the head. Skull smashed into splinters from the eyes upwards. Brain reduced to an almost fine pulp.
Additional Injuries: Stomach cut open, seemingly by a sharp tool, and entrails forcefully removed. Marks on small intestines suggest attacker was using his or her bare hands. Possible indications of teeth marks on the colon, but tests proved inconclusive.
Additional Notes: The way the body was handled suggests a great deal of strength was required, so a female suspect is unlikely (barring physical augmentation). Furthermore, it is not entirely clear what kind of weapon was used to destroy the victim's skull. It would have had to be heavy, and blunt, but beyond that is anyone's guess. Awaiting Corporate Investigators to carry out further examinations.
Conclusion: Unlawful Murder, however please note that Corporate Office has officially stated this as a work-related accident pending further investigations.
156 registered personnel per twenty-four month shift.
30 registered personnel during shift changeover period.
Medical Bay: A room with beds, medical supplies, x-ray machines and other life saving equipment.
Observation and Ocular Analysis Station: A room full of computer banks, used to program the station's A-19 Deep-Field telescope
Staff Canteen and Kitchens: A large, open plan eating area with an adjoining kitchen. A store room full of preserved food rations is found at the rear of the kitchen.
Living Quarters: A series of corridors housing several single-bed rooms for staff.
Oxygen Management Systems: A series of small top-side installations, dedicated to recycling, cleansing and circulating the station's oxygen. A large domed greenhouse is also attached the installations, and serves as the station's main ability to create additional oxygen.
Water Purification Systems: An underground water treatment plant.
Security Block: Three cells, and a Security Officer's station, secured behind a heavy door. An armoury is also kept here, though access to it is controlled remotely from Corporate Office. It is here where you will also find CCTV monitors from around the station, though some have been playing up in recent days.
Conference Rooms: A few large spaced rooms with long tables, communication tablets and interactive display-boards for company-related meetings.
Communications Station: A small room, connected to the station's Far Range Communications Satellite. From here, the staff can call Corporate Office, and off-world relatives. Be warned, all calls are monitored.
A-19 Deep-Field Reconnaissance Telescope Installation: A large dome, housing a hundred-foot long telescope. Routine maintenance is carried out here to ensure the A-19 operates at optimum efficiency and accuracy.
Workshop: Tools, heavy-duty nail guns, air-lifts, mobile plant and other work-related items are found here.
Shuttle Pad: A large square landing pad used for shuttle traffic. It is flanked by a small, single storey warehouse, where incoming supplies are stored. It serves as the station's only off-world transportation hub.
Hydroponics Bay: A surface installation, used for the growing of vegetables without the use of soil. The process by which the vegetables are grown is largely an artificial one, requiring frequent human observation to ensure nutrients and lighting levels are at the correct level. The Hydroponics Bay is the station's only provider of fresh food, and is critical to maintaining a healthy long-term diet for the inhabitants.
Fusion Reactor: A moderately sized fusion reactor is located a hundred feet below the station, encased in an air tight concrete shell. It is monitored and maintained automatically by a series of semi-intelligent computer systems. However, it still requires human observation, and the computer systems need frequent calibration and testing to ensure they are monitoring the process accurately and safely.
As per the 2698 Colonial and Corporate Firearms Act, no firearms are kept on the station. The only sanctioned weapons are the Taser-Batons, assigned to security personnel. These weapons require DNA activation from the user's fingers, and will cease to work for anyone else. When used on someone, it acts as both a club and a taser, shocking the victim into unconsciousness. The rechargeable battery can sustain 30 contact hits, before running out of power.
The Armoury, located in the Security Block holds non-user defined Taser-Batons for use by anyone. It also holds a large stock of riot gear, including electro absorption vests and helmets. A small supply of cognitive inhibitor grenades are also kept. The stock is deemed as "non-lethal", and is covered by the 2700 Corporate Security Allowances Act.
However, the only person who has conducted a biannual stock inspection of the Armoury for the last decade is Shift Supervisor Eddie Rowe, who is now deceased. It is doubtful that Corporate Head Office will allow anyone to inspect the contents now, owing to the situation.
Unknown to the CharactersWhat triggered the alarm?An external breach to one of the station's oxygen exhausts was detected. CCTV footage of the area suffered an unidentified disruption. The characters will be aware of the breach, but not the cause.
Who killed the shift supervisor?
This creature is extremely fast, and extremely strong. It can literally tear a man limb from limb without much of a problem. Furthermore, its hide is thick and resistant to both gunfire and sharp weaponry.
It stands eight feet tall, and is very flexible- able to climb walls, and to slither through tight gaps.
When it approaches, electrical systems start suffering interference.
Remember, this is uknown to the characters. As far as they're concerned, the suspect is human.
Why is Outertech being dismissive of the situation?Because they are aware of the creature's presence, and do not want the staff killing it before their "Collection" team can capture it for analysis. They also do not wish for any witnesses to survive the situation.
As the staff come to realise what's really happening, there may be a sudden communications failure with the station, as Corporate Office tries to stifle any attempt to get word out.
For the time being however, they're banking on everyone remaining calm, long enough for the "investigators" to arrive and take care of the situation. Or, for the station's A.I to act according to Containment Protocol 797.
What does the "alien" want?I don't know. Try talking to it and see how that goes.
The station's self-managed semi-intelligent systems are programmed to exterminate foreign bodies from the site.And as far as its concerned, everyone present in the canteen at the time of the grim discovery is considered contaminated and liable to liquidation. Terminally. It will attempt to murder people, subtly. Opening random air locks as people pass by them, is just one way it might do this. Another way would be to seal someone in a room, and divert CO2 from the Oxygen Management Systems into it. Any evidence of the AI's destructive behaviour will be well hidden, and it would take a dedicated software engineer to stand a chance of seeing the bigger picture. Everything will just seem like a series of real nasty freak accidents or system malfunctions, until someone connects the dots.
So who are these investigators being sent to investigate the happenings?A black-ops mercenary team, under the direct employ of Outertech. They have orders to kill everyone in the facility, to shut down all A.I systems, and to capture the creature.
Remember, this is not known by the characters.
Rules- At least one post every 48 hours, to avoid blocking others.
- Players who will be absent for a while need to say so in the OOC.
- No one kills the alien, without the GM's approval.
- No one kills another player owned character, without the owner's approval.
- Ensure your character does not stray out of their skillset. For example, a security officer is unlikely to know how to operate heavy duty tools like nail guns and laser cutters. A technician is unlikely to know how to treat a serious wound. Etc etc.
- Do not try to win. This is not a game. It is a creative writing based roleplay.
Character Sheet[b*]Character Name:[/b]
[b*]Character Age:[/b]
[b*]Character Gender:[/b]
[b*]Character Augmentations:[/b] Optional. If your character has a robotic arm, for example, put that here. I'll be lenient with peoples' choices, but do not take the piss or I'll start moderating it to kingdom come.
[b*]Character Appearance:[/b]
[b*]Character Employment Role:[/b] What do they do at the station? Security? Medical? Data Analyst? Technician?
[b*]Character's Brief History:[/b]