U.S.S. Dudley

NCC - 1971

Stardate 44191.3

History threatens to repeat itself when new technology similar to the Genesis Device is stolen.

The USS Dudley responds to a distress call from a Federation science space station.

The station has been attacked by Nausicaan pirates.

The Commander explains that this is actually a top security station just under disguise as a simple monitoring station. Two years a go Starfleet agreed to re-open the Genesis archive, believing modern technology could make it work. What the Nausicaans stole was a device similar, though less powerful than the original. It is not a working Genesis Device, but if activated would be nothing more that a very nasty bomb capable of wiping out half a planet!

The PCs investigate, and by analysing the scans taken of the Nausicaan ship, it's projected trajectory and a postmortem of a dead pirate they identify the destination is Terraxia IX.*

* a home brew world I'll expand upon after next session.

Lt. Vec continues his investigations, not helped when Lt. Qaan makes him aware that Lt. Maine’s console could have been accessed by anyone.

Lt. Cmdr Zeek and Ensign T’poc investigate the Romulan transmission and uncover a secret code disguised as regular background noise. The first message was “Shut down the engines.” The Recent one from the space station was “We have the device, delay them.”

A security guard in the brig is attacked, but no one is freed. Lt. Vec then sets up a trap, putting out word that the guard has identified the attacker. The plan nearly fails, but a camera catches a shadow… of a Vulcan; Ensign T’poc and engineer Cal are the only two Vulcans on the ship.

A medical scan does show T'Poc or Cal as different races, one possibly Romulan, but it is inconclusive as to which is the Romulan. Both are confined to the brig.  Lt. Main is released.

The USS Dudley exits Warp at Terraxia IX, only to be confronted by a Klingon Battle Cruiser!

The Klingon Battle Cruiser ignores the USS Dudley, as do the other ships in orbit; a couple of large freighters and a couple of Orion Interceptors.

Scans reveal an Impulse trail indicating the Nausicaan pirates have recently arrived, but due to the dense atmosphere of the planet the Genesis Device cannot be located. 

An away team is sent to the planet consisting of Lt. Cmdr Zeek, Lt. Vek, Lt. Bliss and Berik (whose cousin runs a bar on the planet).  The Away Team visits Geriks bar which is frequented by an assortment of locals and aliens including Klingons, Andorians and Nausicaans.  Geriks jokes that Klingon women are the only ones that should be clothed.

Gerik can help, but his price is a Federation Replicator, unlicensed and unrestricted.  It is decided that it is worth it to find the bomb.  Gerik gives them the address of a casino run by Gosruk of the Orion Syndicate.

The Away Team visits the casino, only five small tables with locals sat at two of them, and an Orion woman behind the bar.  After some banter Gosruk enters but refuses to help.  Lt. Lira Bliss then turns to Zeek, tosses him her comm. Badge and resigns her commission. 

“I employed the Orions to steal the device with the help of the Romulans,” says the Bejoran Lira.  “You are too late.  The device is headed towards the Neutral Zone to be picked up by a Romulan ship.  The Federation is blind and useless.  The Cardassians are preparing for war,  They get closer to the Romulan and Klingon borders, but nothing is being done.  The Romulans will deliver that device to the heart of the Cardassian Empire, Cardassia Prime!”

The Captain calls and says a ship has just left orbit and scans show the device is onboard.  The Away Team transports back but questionably take Lira Bliss with them as a prisoner.

The USS Dudley tries to pursue when the engines die.  And Cal and Bliss escape from the brig.  Chief Engineer Main does not reply and engineering the sealed off.  Zeek tries to get in using a Jeffries tube, but gets stuck.  Lt. Vec uses his phaser to cut his way into engineering where Lt. K’reela Qaan is able to get the engines back online.  Cal, Bliss and Maine were all Romulan spies, but escape using the transporters.

Popius engages Warp 8 to give chase.  Lt. Vec returns to the bridge to Tactical, a single Photon Torperdo destroys the pirate ship and the Genesis Device along with it.

A slightly longer episode with a variety of allies and antagonists; Orions, Ferengi, Nausicaans, Klingons and Romulans (in the background).  I also introduced my first homebrew alien world and race, Terraxia IX and the Terraxians.

This was a mystery where the crew had to basically find the Romulan spy, and I managed to throw confusion by having three spies, and one of them being a Player-Character.

I also threw in a cameo from the Klingon traitors-to-be Lursa and B'etor as another link to a future episode.  The whole presence of the Klingons was to be coincidence and red herring; the players didn't fall for it though.

I originally planned for Lira Bliss to be an altered Romulan, but with a Cardassian PC on the ship it gave me a greater motivation for the character to betray the Federation by making her Bajoran.