Post by lstyer on Apr 28, 2010 11:27:16 GMT -5
We played our first Star Trek session last night in the Valiant campaign. The plot was, basically, the TNG episode "Pen Pals" with the serial numbers filed off.
U.S.S. Valiant was surveying an asteroid field in an unpopulated system near the Klingon border when an old-style radio transmission of a planetary distress call related to tectonic activity was received.
Science Officer Albert Giles (a PC) backtraced the signal and found that it came from a star system approximately seven light years from present position. Captain Booth (a PC) ordered the survey abandoned and course set at cruising speed to the planet of origin.
Upon arrival scans revealed a post-industrial, pre-nuclear civilization and evidence of heavy tectonic activity. Limited, primitive television broadcasts as well as abundant radio broadcasts overwhelmed the distress signal, but the NPC Communications Officer, Ensign Colville, eventually sorted out the distress call.
Communication was established with a scientist on the surface who had predicted the tectonic problems, but was incapable of understanding the cause or finding a solution. Convinced of the existence of alien life, the existence of which was not generally accepted by the population, he built a radio and aimed it into space seeking assistance.
Captain Booth, Lt. Cmdr Giles and Security Chief Mac Gearhardt (the third PC), beamed down to an unpopulated island along a fault line to study the phenomenon. They were joined on the landing party by NPC Science Officers, Ensigns Dussel and Tveiten and security man Petty Officer Third Class Schwartz. Scans revealed that the increased tectonic activity was the result of the formation of dilithium crystals. If the process was left to continue, within fifty years the tectonic activity would increase to the point that any settlements near fault lines would be destroyed. Social sciences officers predicted that the civilization would not survive the event.
NPC Chief Engineer Lt. Duan beamed down along with NPC Armory Officer Ensign William Zabka, and the two collaborated with Lt. Cmdr. Giles to modify a phaser rifle to attempt to arrest the Dilithium reaction. It was uncertain whether and exactly how the dilithium would react to the modified phaser fire, so Capt. Booth ordered the rest of the landing party to beam up while he took the risk of testing the prototype. NPC First Officer, Commander Victor Welles objected to the Captain's remaining behind alone, so Lt. Cmdr. Gearhardt remained behind as security.
The prototype was successful, though the process generated radiation that interfered with transporter use. NPC shuttle pilot Lt. Oderinde brought the rest of the science party back and the entire party back to the ship following scans. Modifications were prepared for the ship's phaser banks to repeat the process on a planetary scale.
Captain Booth decided that because a member of the planet's population had requested aid, establishing contact would not violate the Prime Directive. Further, due to the proximity of the system to Klingon space, the dilithium formation presented a security risk. Having made the decision, Captain Booth made contact with the scientist who had made the transmission. Military personnel who were monitoring the transmission broke in and arrangements were made for the Captain to meet with the Prime Minister.
The Captain, Giles and Gearhardt, along with a security team beamed down to a nearby military base and explained their plan. The PM agreed, arrangements for evacuation were made in areas that would be in the path of the ship's phaser beams. First contact was officially announced and the process was performed and documented within the sovereign territory of the scientist's own nation
Following the proof-of-concept run on the first nation, the PM arranged a summit with other heads of state and arrangements were made to repeat the process on a global scale. In exchange for medical technology and Federation Ambassadors, mining rights for the eventual dilithium crystals were granted to the Federation.
U.S.S. Valiant was surveying an asteroid field in an unpopulated system near the Klingon border when an old-style radio transmission of a planetary distress call related to tectonic activity was received.
Science Officer Albert Giles (a PC) backtraced the signal and found that it came from a star system approximately seven light years from present position. Captain Booth (a PC) ordered the survey abandoned and course set at cruising speed to the planet of origin.
Upon arrival scans revealed a post-industrial, pre-nuclear civilization and evidence of heavy tectonic activity. Limited, primitive television broadcasts as well as abundant radio broadcasts overwhelmed the distress signal, but the NPC Communications Officer, Ensign Colville, eventually sorted out the distress call.
Communication was established with a scientist on the surface who had predicted the tectonic problems, but was incapable of understanding the cause or finding a solution. Convinced of the existence of alien life, the existence of which was not generally accepted by the population, he built a radio and aimed it into space seeking assistance.
Captain Booth, Lt. Cmdr Giles and Security Chief Mac Gearhardt (the third PC), beamed down to an unpopulated island along a fault line to study the phenomenon. They were joined on the landing party by NPC Science Officers, Ensigns Dussel and Tveiten and security man Petty Officer Third Class Schwartz. Scans revealed that the increased tectonic activity was the result of the formation of dilithium crystals. If the process was left to continue, within fifty years the tectonic activity would increase to the point that any settlements near fault lines would be destroyed. Social sciences officers predicted that the civilization would not survive the event.
NPC Chief Engineer Lt. Duan beamed down along with NPC Armory Officer Ensign William Zabka, and the two collaborated with Lt. Cmdr. Giles to modify a phaser rifle to attempt to arrest the Dilithium reaction. It was uncertain whether and exactly how the dilithium would react to the modified phaser fire, so Capt. Booth ordered the rest of the landing party to beam up while he took the risk of testing the prototype. NPC First Officer, Commander Victor Welles objected to the Captain's remaining behind alone, so Lt. Cmdr. Gearhardt remained behind as security.
The prototype was successful, though the process generated radiation that interfered with transporter use. NPC shuttle pilot Lt. Oderinde brought the rest of the science party back and the entire party back to the ship following scans. Modifications were prepared for the ship's phaser banks to repeat the process on a planetary scale.
Captain Booth decided that because a member of the planet's population had requested aid, establishing contact would not violate the Prime Directive. Further, due to the proximity of the system to Klingon space, the dilithium formation presented a security risk. Having made the decision, Captain Booth made contact with the scientist who had made the transmission. Military personnel who were monitoring the transmission broke in and arrangements were made for the Captain to meet with the Prime Minister.
The Captain, Giles and Gearhardt, along with a security team beamed down to a nearby military base and explained their plan. The PM agreed, arrangements for evacuation were made in areas that would be in the path of the ship's phaser beams. First contact was officially announced and the process was performed and documented within the sovereign territory of the scientist's own nation
Following the proof-of-concept run on the first nation, the PM arranged a summit with other heads of state and arrangements were made to repeat the process on a global scale. In exchange for medical technology and Federation Ambassadors, mining rights for the eventual dilithium crystals were granted to the Federation.