The Dark Verge: Death On The Station

By: Christopher Wilson mech@europa.com

Plot Synopsis
VoidCorp has set up a deep space station in the Verge. While posing as a science station, the
technicians aboard have designed a frightening Necrotoxin. It is VoidCorp's plan to deliver this
Necrotoxin onto an Insight terraforming colony. The toxin will be introduced via plant life that
Insight will bring in during phase two of the project.

To avoid attracting the attention of the Concord, VoidCorp has licensed many merchants
to transport parts to the station. The lure of high profits has brought many smugglers and
merchants alike. VoidCorp operatives have set up a front for the operation on Penates, in the
Lucullus system. Using members of the Jamaican Syndicate, VoidCorp has acquired several
merchant contracts. Most of these merchants mysteriously vanish before they have the chance to
spend their hard-earned money.

How are the heroes involved?

It is assumed that the heroes have their own ship and would be interested in some quick cash.
The heroes start out aboard the Lighthouse in the Lucullus system. If the heroes do not have their
own ship, they may obtain a loan from the Redman-Smith Trading Corporation. This loan will
®
adhere to the rules for ship loans in the Star*Drive Campaign Setting. The ship that the heroes
purchase is, of course, up to the Gamemaster. However, it is assumed that this will be a fairly
small craft (6 compartments or less). Redman-Smith has a used ship available for sale on the
following page.
Any group of heroes will work for this adventure. It is highly recommended that at least
one member of the group has Vehicle Operation –Space and Navigation –Drivespace skills.
 KX-7 Blockade Runner

Compartments: 6
Dur: 24
Maneuver Rating: -1
Acc: 3 Mpp
Cruise Speed: 2 AU/hour
Berthing: 6
Armament: Mass Cannon (Range 5/10/15 Mm) d6+2s/d6+1w/d6+3w
Defenses: Jammer
Armor: Light Cerametal d6-1/d6-1/d6-1
Computer: Marginal computer core
Engines: Induction Engine
Power: 2 mass reactors rated at a total of 10 power factors
Drive: 5 light-years per starfall

Roll Compartment System (Dur/Pow) Dur

1-2 Command Airlock (0/0) 10/10/5
Reentry Capsule (0/0)
Mass Transceiver (1/1)
Air/Space Radar (0/0)
Crew Quarters (2/0)
Radio Transceiver (1/0)
Mass Detector (1/0)
EM Detector (0/0)
Sickbay (2/0)
3-4 Electronics IR Detector (0/0) 2/2/1
Computer Core (0/0
Jammer (0/1)
5-7 Weapons Turret (1/0) 6/6/3
Mass Cannon (2/3)
8-10 Cargo 48 cubic meters (2/0) 4/4/2
11-14 Auxiliary Mass Reactor (4/*) 8/8/4
Autosupport (0/2)
15-20 Engineering Induction Engine (6/6) 18/18/9
Stardrive (3/*)
The VoidCorp Modular Station S7-508B29
The VoidCorp station is the main setting for this adventure. Take a look at the station map. The
Station is made up of three different modules. Each module is connected by a gravity tube, to
allow crew members to travel between the different sections. Likewise, each module contains a
computer core of Ordinary quality. Each of the cores is linked, once the modules are connected.
Access to the station can be achieved through a series of airlocks in Module III. These
airlocks also contain docking hardpoints to allow vessels of corvette size, or smaller, to dock with
the station.
A number of areas can only be opened by bioelectric signature or through a Security –
Devices roll. If the players have a Gridpilot, then some of these rolls may be negated or reduced.

Module I
This module contains the command deck and is made up of ten compartments. Operations is the
nerve center of the station as a whole. This area also contains the station commander’s office.
The rest of this module is made up of the primary lab sections and the main sickbay.

1. Command
This is the nerve center of the station and all of its modules. It also contains the communications
center and the Commander's office.

1a. Commanders Office

The Commander's office contains the station Commander's personal files. Heroes can find
access to the Commander's encrypted files, though there is no encryption key. This can be easily
resolved with a Computer Science–Hack roll at a +2 modifier. The Commander's Office also
contains information on the heroes payment for delivering the parts.
File 1: Progress of component CH32eF45.
“Feb 17, 2501. Progress of the poison is proceeding as planned. Within the next two months, we
should have at least 12 canisters ready for delivery. Dr. Hassles informs me that the chemical
may be mutating, but he is not aware of any drastic changes.”

File 2: Strange occurrences with the crew.

“March 12, 2501. The crew have started to act strangely. I believe that this is simply a case of
being locked up on a space station for so long. I will need to see about getting the crew some
leave.”

File 3: Four crew members were found dead.

“June 2, 2501. Four of my crew have died as a result of the poison. Dr. Vassens has confirmed
that all four died as a direct result of exposure. I am organizing a security detail to find out how
this has occurred.”

2. Gravlift
The Gravlift is simply a tube that connects the different modules of the station. The tube contains
no gravity, and has handholds for characters to move up and down the tube.

3. Crew Quarters
Each set of quarters holds two beds and personal items for the occupants. The quarters also
contain a personal shower and head.

4. Main Lab
The Main Lab section contains computers for physical sciences and information on the
necrotoxin. The head science officer's personal files can also be found here, but they are
encrypted. Again, a Computer Science–Hack roll with a +2 step penalty can be used to decrypt
the files.

File 1: Status of compound CH32eF45.

Type: Necrotoxin
Vector: Inhaled or ingested
®
Target must make a CON feat check as described on page 60 of The Alternity Gamemaster
Guide.

File 2: Tests of different vectors.

“As planned, the toxin is working well with the plant life. Should such plant life be delivered to a
recently terraformed planet, all life will be terminated within approximately one year.”

5. Sickbay
Sickbay contains four dead crewmembers. Each of the crewmembers show signs of being
infected with the necrotoxin. The station doctor's notes can be found on each of the victims in his
personal computer station.

Notes: Necrotoxin was inhaled.

“As I suspected, the primary damage was done to the lungs. The necrotoxin dissolved the lung
tissue in a matter of minutes. The crew members suffocated.”

6. Security Office
The security office contains the station security officers desk and a small brig. There are no files
of interest in this area.
7. Module I Computer Core
This area simply contains access to the computer core on this module.

8. Commander's Quarters
The Commander's quarters contains a small workstation, the Commander's personal belongings,
and a bed. Like other quarters, there is also a head/shower in this area.

Module II
The second module contains the primary weapons pods and the recreation deck. There are no
other areas of interest on this deck.

1. Weapons Control
This area contains the main control systems for the weapons aboard the station. The door to this
area is locked with a bioelectric signature; only authorized personnel are allowed into the
Weapons Control area. Attempts to break this security with Security-Devices will be at a +4 step
penalty. Controls for the stations four Plasma Cannons and Launch Tubes are in this area.
2. Gravlift
*See description in Module I

3. Recreation/Lounge
This area contains a full bar, four pool tables, and three dartboards. The bar is fully stocked, as
well. There are two dead crew members in this area.

4. Module II Computer Core

*See description in Module I

Module III
This module houses the main engineering decks. The auxiliary decks on this module contain
seven mass reactors, rated at 25 power factors each. Engineering contains 18 planetary
thrusters, used in station keeping. Access to engineering and auxiliary is locked by bioelectric
scan. The reason for this is because auxiliary also contains a fail-safe device. Should the station
need to be destroyed, the fail-safe can set the mass reactors to overload. This will produce an
explosion that will destroy the base and anything within 0.01 AU. The device will start a 15-minute
countdown.

1. Engineering
This area contains access to the engines used in station keeping. The door to this area is locked
with a bioelectric signature. Attempts to break in with Security – Devices will be at a +3 step
penalty. Characters in this area will notice that the station is spinning in the opposite direction that
it was originally designed, and at a much faster rate. The speed of the rotation appears to be
increasing, and the integrity of the hull will degrade to a critical state within the next week
(hopefully, the heroes won’t be around by then).

2. Gravlift
This area is unexceptional from the other modules, except that the security chief is dangling in
zero-g from one of the hand rungs.
3. Auxiliary
This compartment contains the seven Mass Reactors used in powering the station, as well as life
support, Acclimation, and Recycling. Access to this area is guarded by bioelectric signature and
will require a Security–Devices roll at a +5 step penalty. In the far left corner of this area is the
fail-safe device. This device will cut off coolant to all of the Mass Reactors and cause a
cataclysmic explosion within 15-minutes. The device can only be opened by the bioelectric
signatures of the Commander, the security chief, and the chief engineer. Security–Devices
attempts will be at a +5 step penalty to open this device. The device is separate from the station
Grid, and can not be opened through the computer core.

4. Module III Computer Core

*See description in Module I

The Station Grid

Access to the stations Grid can only be made through Command or in one of the three computer
cores. Once accessed, the Gridpilot can alter a number of situations for other players, such as
security locks.

The Module Computer Cores:

These items simply control the functions of other systems in the module. They are more of a
gateway than anything. Numerous system logs can be found here, but they are of no use to the
heroes.
Station Command
This section controls the piloting of the station and contains the log specifying the heroes' money
for delivery. The Gridpilot can authorize delivery from this location, and can secure the heroes'
payment. This information is protected by an Ordinary Fortress and an Ordinary Guardian (See
Computers in Players Handbook).

Communications
This section controls the communications of the station. In this area, the Gridpilot will find a log of
transmissions from VoidCorp corvettes and cruisers. The next scheduled arrival of VoidCorp
ships is today, in 12 hours.

Sensors
The Sensors section controls the stations internal and external sensors. This area will reveal that
the Insight ship docked, but that nobody boarded the station. This section will also show that the
Grid on the station was hacked prior to the release of the toxin.

Weapons
From this area, the Gridpilot can disable the security to the Weapons area in Module II, with the
following results on a Computer Science–Hack roll at +1 penalty:

Critical Failure: Increase the modifier to this area to +7.

Marginal: Decrease the modifier by –1.
Ordinary: Decrease the modifier by –2.
Good: Decrease the modifier by –3.
Amazing: Security is disabled for this area.

Power
Access to the station's power can only be deactivated manually. When theGridpilot checks this
area, he/she discovers that the power is currently running off the Accumulator units (reserve
power).

Support
This area controls the life support systems for the station. The Gridpilot will find records that the
life support system was altered 48 hours ago and that a foreign substance was introduced.
Further study will show that it was the necrotoxin.

Engines
From this area, the Gridpilot can resolve the errors in the stations engines. This will require 6
successes of a Computer Science – Hack roll at a +1 modifier.
Supporting Cast

All personnel on the station are dead. However, there are a number of extras that the heroes will
have to deal with on Lucullus. Likewise, there is employee SN7-0711830 [Captain Jacobs] of the
VoidCorp Assault Corvette 7830-11031.

Captain Jacobs
th
Human Diplomat, 6 Level
STR 8 INT 10
DEX 10 WIL 10
CON 10 PER 12

Durability: 10/10/5/5 Action Check: +12/11/5/2

Move: Sprint 18, Run 12, Walk 4 # Actions: 2
Last Resorts: 2

Attacks
Unarmed 10/5/2 d6s/d6+2s/d4w
15mm Sabot Pistol 5/2/1 2d4w/2d4+1w/d4m

Skills
Athletics[8], Armor[8] –Combat 1[9], Heavy[8],
Melee[8] –Blade 1[9], Unarmed[8] –Power 2[10],
Vehicle[10] –Space 4[14], Stamina[10], Knowledge[10],
Navigation[10] –System 1[11] Drivespace 2[12],
Awareness[10], Interaction[12], Leadership[12] –Command 1[13]

Jacobs has been in the VoidCorp navy for the last 25 years. He is a young man for his
rank. He saw opportunities for his own command in the Verge, and he jumped at the chance. His
current assignment is to escort cargo ships to and from station S7-508B29.

The Jamaican Contact

Human Free Agent
STR 9 INT 11
DEX 12 WIL 9
CON 10 PER 10

Durability: 10/10/5/5 Action Check: 14+/13/6/3

Move: Sprint 20, Run 12, Walk 4 # Actions: 2
Last Resorts: 3

Attacks
Unarmed 11/5/2 d4s/d4+1s/d4+2s
11mm Charge Pistol 14/7/3 d4+2w/d6+2w/d4+1m

Skills
Athletics[9], Unarmed[9] –Brawl 2[11], Modern [12]
-Pistol 2[14], Vehicle[12], Stamina[10],
Business[11] –Illicit 1[12], Knowledge[11], Awareness[9],
Interaction[10] –Bargain 2[12]

The Jamaican contact never reveals his name. His job is to simply offer a reasonably good sum
of money for a really easy job. Then provide the location to pick up the cargo.
Penates Citizen
Human Nonprofessional
STR 10 INT 9
DEX 10 WIL 8
CON 9 PER 8

Durability: 9/9/5/5 Action Check: 10+/9/4/2

Move: Sprint 20, Run 12, Walk 4 # Actions: 2
Last Resorts: 0

Attacks
Unarmed 12/6/3 d4s/d4+1/d4+2s
9mm Charge Pistol 12/6/3 d4+1w/d4+2w/d4m

Skills
Unarmed[10] –Brawl 2[12], Modern[10] –Pistol 2[12],
Vehicle[10], Stamina[9], Knowledge[9], Awareness[9]

This is your average Penates civilian. Gamemasters will need to add more abilities if they
wish to use this citizen for more important functions.

Trigger: “Is it a fast ship?”

Once you have all of the above down, you should be ready to start the adventure. The scene will
open with the following trigger scene.

You’ve all been aboard the Lighthouse for about a month, travelling from one system to another.
[Players name] has purchased a ship, and you have all decided to band together as mutual
crewmembers.

Two days ago, the Lighthouse entered the Lucullus system. With the normal flurry of activity that
happens when the station enters a system, [players name] has managed to meet with a merchant
who wishes to use your ship to transport some goods. He wishes to meet with you at a local bar
in one hour.

Allow the players time to discuss what kind of rates they want. This may also give them
time to purchase any items with their starting funds. Once the players have finished and decided
to meet with the merchant, continue.

You meet the merchant at the bar ten minutes ahead of schedule. The merchant, on the other
hand, shows up fifteen minutes late. He sits at your table and says, “I heard you may be willing to
move some merchandise for my client? I represent the Jamaican Syndicate on Penates. We are
willing to pay you $12,000 to transport machine parts to a space station near Coulomb.”

This is a chance for the players to try out their bargain skill. The Jamaican is willing to
bargain, but will not go above $14,000. Once everyone is settled on the price, read the following:

“The station is 10 light-years out of the Coulomb system.” The Jamaican then offers a dataslate
that shows the course you will need to follow (Use page 88 in the Star*Drive Campaign Setting
for a map. It is no major system, so pick one of your choice). “We will pay you half now, and the
other half once you have reached the station. The station commander is awaiting the parts and
can verify delivery. You can pick up the parts in landing bay 7 of the Spoke in Port Royal. The
Syndicate will cover your docking charges.” With that, the Jamaican leaves the bar.
 At this point, the players should be ready to head back to their ship and head for
Penates. Once they have set down, they will be met by another Jamaican waiting for their ship.
They can then begin loading the cargo immediately. While in Port Royal, the players may
encounter a random event. Roll on the following Event Table.

Roll Event
1-5 Random gang violence erupts in the street
6-10 Drunken civilians from a local bar come stumbling into the landing bay
11-15 Rival Baron threatens Port Royal
16-20 One of the players is attacked in the street

Event Descriptions:

Random Gang Violence Erupts In The Street

There is a street adjacent to the opening to the landing bay and the rest of the spoke. A result of
1-5 on a d20 means that gangs have started to randomly fire weapons in the street. The players
can either react to this, or ignore it. Should they decide to react, treat the gang members as
Penates Citizens (See Supporting Cast).

Drunken Civilians From A Local Bar Come Stumbling Into the Landing Bay
While the drunks are troublesome, they are so drunk that they are of little threat. This may give
the players the chance to show some diplomacy. The drunks will attempt to look in the cargo hold
of the ship, look in the boxes, and act completely annoying. Should the players lose their cool and
blast the drunks, Port Royal authorities will arrive in d4 rounds. The players will remain in custody
overnight and will be released in the morning by the Jamaican Syndicate.

Rival Baron Threatens Port Royal

This poses the most dangerous event in the Trigger scene. The Supervisors come into Port Royal
with a prisoner. They intend to publicly execute the prisoner in the street. A small crowd soon
gathers to watch the execution. Should the players get involved, use the Penates Unprofessional.
However, these individuals will also have the following:

ESP[9] –Battle mind 2[11] Mind reading 2[11], Telekinesis[8] –Electrokinetics 2[10]; Kinetic shield
2[10].

One Of The Players Is Attacked In The Street

This assumes that the players will want to wander around Port Royal once the cargo is loaded.
Pick a player of your choice for the attack. They will be attacked by d4+3 Penates Civilians.
Once the players have loaded up the cargo, they are free to go on their way. Should they
decide to use an Imaging Scanner on the cargo crates, inform them that the crates contain
exactly what they were told they would contain: Machine parts.
Upon leaving Penates, the players can opt to hitch a ride with a larger drive vessel
heading to Coulomb. The vessel will charge $2000 for the trip, and should arrive in Coulomb in
about 25 weeks. Once in Coulomb, the players will need to restock the ships stores of air, food,
and water on the planet Ohmel. The city of Charlotte can provide another 10 weeks for $5000.
Scene I: Enter Insight
As the players exit drivespace and power up the ship's systems, allow them to make a Sensors
roll. Any success reveals a corvette-class ship leaving the area. On a Good or Amazing success,
they will realize that this ship bears Insight markings.
Hails to the ship will be met with silence. The players are still a good distance from the
vessel, so they will not be able to engage. Should the players try to catch the ship, inform them
that it suddenly enters Drivespace. If they do not attempt to pursue, the ship will enter Drivespace
in d4 rounds.
With nothing else to do, it is assumed that the players will continue on to their destination.
It will take the players d4 days to reach the station under normal engines. Hails to the station on
all channels are met with static. Long range scans of the station show that the there is no visible
damage, and that the environment appears to be normal.
Once the players are at close range, allow the Sensors operator to make a Perception–
Awareness check. On any success, the hero recognizes that there is an unknown chemical in the
environment. On a Good success, the hero discovers that there are no life signs on the station
other than plant life. This is a hint that the players should really be wearing e-suits of some kind
when they enter the station.

Scene II: Why Is This Dead Guy Holding The Door?

The players, at this point, may decide to bolt. Remind them of the money they are going to get for
doing this little junket and of the money they have spent on supplies. Because there is nobody
manning the Command section of the station, the pilot will need to make a Vehicle – Space roll to
dock with a +1 modifier. On a Failure, the ship’s engineer (assuming that you have one) will need
to make minor repairs to the ships airlock. On a Critical Failure, the engineer will need to make 4
successes to properly fix the airlock. Note that the players will be located on Module III of the
station when they dock.
When the players open the airlock, a dead crew member slides off the door. Closer
examination shows this to be Dr. Hassels, the stations chief Lab technician. His body shows
signs of open sores on the face and a general destruction of body tissue.
If the heroes are not wearing e-suits at this point, they need to make CON feat checks
within the next hour, or when you feel it is needed. Effects of necrotoxins are given in table G17
on page 60 of The Alternity Gamemasters Guide. In any case, further study of the corridors will
reveal crew members who met the same fate, including the station's security chief, who is
hanging weightless from the Gravlift.
In order to really get anywhere, the players will need to head to the Command module.
This will require a jaunt through the Gravlift. While it is not necessary to plague the players with
zero-g skills, you can inform them that this makes them a little more than sick.

Scene III: Luuucy, IIIII’m HOME!

Once the players have made their way to Module I, space sickness aside, they should find it easy
to get to Command. Here, they find more of the same: Bodies. Nobody in particular stands out,
until they reach the Commander's Office (section 1a).
The Commander is slumped over his desk, clutching an active Dataslate. Checking the
Dataslate reveals that the Commander was in the process of searching data from the security
chief, and will show that something toxic is in the air. If the players are not wearing e-suits, have
them make CON checks now.
Hopefully, the heroes are a little more than paranoid by now. They may want to consider
purging the atmosphere of the station and allowing it to restart. Now is an excellent chance to
allow Gridpilots to do their thing, and to allow the rest of the players to look around and see
what's going on in Module I. It is assumed that the players will split up, though this is not needed.
Crew Quarters:
Just a bunch of bodies, and some underwear. If the players are desperate for weapons, let them
find a charge pistol or two. You could super charge this by having the heroes discover the first
officer in bed with the security chief's wife. Of course, they are bothdead, so it doesn’t really
matter.

Lab Section:
This section should prove interesting. It contains numerous species of plant life, all of which
appear normal. Apple trees, various vegetables, etc. If one of the players has Physical Science
skills, they may determine that these plants are all infected with the necrotoxin, but do not show
any signs of damage. Naturally, eating any of these fruits and vegetables results in a painful
death. Players will also find the chief lab technician's notes on the toxin (if theGridpilot has not
already found them). These files are encrypted, as stated in the map description.

Sickbay:
This area will also prove interesting. On the main table, there is a crew member in various forms
of autopsy. Should the group contain a Doctor or a Medtech, the heroes will discover that this
crew member died as a result of the toxin on any success of the Medical Science–Forensics skill.
Likewise, there are three other crew members on examination beds in this area.

Security Office:
There is really nothing here of interest. Though, it may interest the players that there are three
ARZ 6mm charge autorifles and six Falcon T9 stutter pistols in the weapons locker.

Scene IV: The Party Is Over

Let the players take as much time as they want roaming around the station. There is a lot to be
found here. In fact, the Gridpilot may want to make copies of the information he/she has found, or
other heroes, for that matter. Numerous 3Ds can be found all over for storing data, and there are
a lot of dataslates.
Ultimately, you need to bring in a reason for the players to leave, even if they haven’t
figured out that they can still get paid. Allow the Gridpilot the first chance at making a Perception–
Awareness check (assuming that he/she is logged in). If you have no Gridpilot, then allow any
character in the Command section to make a check, or set off the station alarms. There are three
VoidCorp corvettes heading toward the station, and they want to know why nobody is answering.
The players have a lot of time to figure out what they want to do here. The corvettes have
just made Starfall and they have a little bit of a trip ahead of them. However, the players really
don’t want to be around when these guys show up. Captain Jacobs will not like the idea of the
players running around the station. Captain Jacobs’ corvette is designed for pure combat, while
the other two are light corvettes assigned to cargo duty. Stats are as follows:
VoidCorp Assault Vessel
Compartments: 8
Dur: 60
Maneuver Rating: 0
Acc: 2 Mpp
Cruise Speed: 1.5 AU/hour
Berthing: 12
Armament: Plasma Cannon (Range 4/8/16 Mm) d6+2w/d8+2w/d6+1m
2 Particle Beams (Range 6/12/18Mm) d6+3s/d4+1m/d6+1m
Defenses: Jammer, Point-defense gun
Armor: Moderate Neutronite d6+1/d6+1/d6
Computer: Ordinary computer core, all systems dedicated (+1)
Engines: Induction Engine
Power: 2 mass reactors rated at 25 Power Factors each
Drive: 10 light-years per starfall

Roll Compartment System (Dur/Pow) Dur

-- Command Airlock (0/0) 14/14/7
Reentry Capsule (0/0)
Crew (2/0)
Multiband Radar (0/1)
EM Detector (0/0)
IR Detector (0/0)
Mass Detector (1/0)
Laser Transceiver (0/1)
Radio Transceiver (0/1)
Mass Transceiver (1/1)
Turret (1/0)
Plasma Cannon (3/3)
1-2 Electronics Computer Core (1/0) 2/2/1
3-4 Auxiliary1 Mass Reactor (10/*) 20/20/10
Autosupport (0/3)
5-6 Auxiliary2 Mass Reactor (10/*) 20/20/10
7-9 Engineering1 Induction Engines (10/10)
20/20/10
10-12 Engineering2 Stardrive (3/*) 6/6/3
13-16 Weapons1 Point-Defense (1/1) 4/4/2
Jammer (1/1)
17-20 Weapons2 Turret (1/0) 20/20/10
Particle Beam (4/5)
Turret (1/0)
Particle Beam (4/5)
VoidCorp Cargo Transport
Compartments: 7
Dur: 60
Maneuver Rating: 0
Acc: 2 Mpp
Cruise Speed: 1.5 AU/hour
Berthing: 12
Armament: Plasma Cannon (Range 4/8/16 Mm) d6+2w/d8+2w/d6+1m
Defenses: None
Armor: Moderate Neutronite d6+1/d6+1/d6
Computer: Ordinary computer core, all systems dedicated (+1)
Engines: Induction Engine
Power: 2 mass reactors rated at 25 Power Factors each
Drive: 10 light-years per starfall

Roll Compartment System (Dur/Pow) Dur

1 Command Airlock (0/0) 14/14/7
Reentry Capsule (0/0)
Crew (2/0)
Computer Core (1/0)
Mass Transceiver (1/1)
Laser Transceiver (0/1)
Radio Transceiver (0/1)
Mass Detector (1/1)
Multiband Radar (0/0)
EM Detector (0/0)
Sickbay (2/0)
2-3 Auxiliary1 Mass Reactor (10/*)
20/20/10
Autosupport (0/3)
4-5 Auxiliary2 Mass Reactor (10/*) /20/10
6-8 Engineering1 Induction Engines (10/10)
20/20/10
9-11 Engineering2 Stardrive (3/*) 6/6/3
12-15 Weapons Turret (1/0) 8/8/4
Plasma Cannon (3/3)
16-20 Cargo Cargo Space (10/0)
20/20/10

Scene V: RETREAT!
There is no doubt about it, the heroes need to get off the station, since their small ship is no
match for this kind of firepower. Captain Jacobs will shoot first and sort through the debris later,
so the heroes need to go.
While it is not necessary, the players may want to enable the fail-safe device in Module III's
Auxiliary compartment. If they decide to do this, you can allow them a –1 bonus to Navigation–
Drivespace rolls, since the VoidCorp ships will be more concerned about the explosion. However,
doing this will also require a Vehicle–Space roll at a +1 penalty, since the shockwave will be so
large. It is presumed that the players will not be dumb enough to attempt to engage the VoidCorp
ships, and will want to head back to Coulomb to head off to some other location in the
Verge…perhaps Aegis…
Conclusion
While the players have made their escape, VoidCorp is on the lookout for their ship. Don’t let the
players know that VoidCorp did not get the exact markings of their ship, just let them know that
VoidCorp is after them (Grid news reports is one way). For information on how VoidCorp is going
to track them down, I recommend checking out the next installment, The Dark Verge: Intrigue On
Bluefall.

About the Author:

Chris Wilson has been playing the Alternity system since it came out, but took a break from 2001
st
to 2004. Currently, there are plans to release a source book for The Corner and for the 251
Rangers of the Concord. The last two installments of the Dark Verge campaign are planned and
forthcoming. Both will be in the Alternity Rules System, since he has disdain for the D20 system
in this setting. That’s not to say that he won’t get over it. People get over Rabies, for instance.

Original Document 1999.. Currently 2004