Mystery on Xagyg X1-2 by Clark G. Valentine (cgv@flash.net)
Module Table of Contents



Section 1: Overview -- Do not disclose to players

Late in FY 107, a relatively unknown astronomer at the University of Zebulon published a paper in an obscure technical journal noting unusual observations in the Xagyg Nebula. She measured gas and dust movement, and it did not correspond to known gravitational patterns in the region. She theorized that a star exists inside the nebula. A member of CDC's board read this paper, and it intrigued him. In FY 110 CDC launched a secret expedition from Truane's Star to find the star. Sure enough, four weeks and three jumps later, the exploration ship CDCS Pathfinder discovered a new G5 class star, with six planets. Its position is 1 ly right, four ly up from Truane's Star on the Frontier map. Not outfitted for system survey, Pathfinder returned.

Six months later, a second expedition was mounted, this one also a secret. CDCS Pioneer III arrived at the star, dubbed Xagyg X1 (Unknown 1), and discovered that the second planet (Xagyg X1-2) might be habitable (see the system brief). That report was the last that was heard from the ship. It completely disappeared. CDC, deciding to keep things quiet, quickly mounted their own rescue mission with CDCS Pathfinder. It, too, disappeared.

The CDC Board of Directors has decided to try one last time to recover their explorers and equipment in secret before appealing to the UPF for help. Pioneer III and Pathfinder are both old, medium-sized, ion-driven starships (hull sizes 4 and 5 respectively). CDC decided to change tactics and go with a new, small, fast ship, CDCS Discovery, which at hull size 3 and atomic-powered is much higher performance than her larger sisters. CDC hopes that this will increase her survivability.

Unfortunately, one of the crew broke pre-mission quarantine four days before departure, and he and two of his seven shipmates came down with cases of Laco Flu. While not a dangerous virus, the explorers will be bed-ridden for six weeks and cannot go on the mission. (The employment contract of the crewman who broke quarantine has been terminated.)

Rather than delay the mission with their missing explorers' lives on the line, CDC decides to proceed immediately. The CDC System Director for Truane's Star gets word that the PCs are insystem. Their reputation precedes them, and the director decides to try to hire them. However, the previous disappearances and rescue nature of the mission is not known to the PCs at first. The PC's will be told once Discovery is underway; they still are not completely trusted by CDC to keep the secret.

The CDC defines the mission objectives to be: Explore the system as mush as possible, especially the habitable second planet. Also, rescue survivors of the two previous missions, or at least find out what happened to them. Most importantly, return safely. CDCS Discovery is a very, very expensive piece of hardware, and experienced explorers are not easy to replace.

The second section is related, but totally different in objective. This will be explained later.

This module assumes that three PC's will participate. If fewer or more go along, then the referee must make adjustments accordingly.


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