The Kephan Exploration of Ur Region - 2264 - Part 1 & 2
Jan 7, 2022 12:26:03 GMT -7
trynda1701 and brickwall like this
Post by rarcher on Jan 7, 2022 12:26:03 GMT -7
Greetings everyone! Happy 2022 first off, and with that in mind over the holidays I spent about a week with my usual college buddies, and we ran a short series campaign with both the FASA Trek RPG supplement and the STCS! This mini-campaign entails a small exploration mission by the Unity along their known borders with the Federation, but in a region that is not claimed by either power. I called this area the Ur Region. Named by Unity human explorers based on the Ur ancient Sumerian city on Earth (Info here! en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ur ). The exploration team was a group of mostly humans from the Unity aboard the Mk-1 Loknar Frigate from the Unity's 1st Junk Navy Fleet disengaged from normal patrol duties to perform exploring of new resources, systems, and possible allies/threats. The Loknar was the KSN Pride Of Fire, under the command of Captain Russell Trite a former disenfranchised Starfleet Merchant Marine Captain who left his post and joined the Unity. Also with him among the command staff was his XO and CSO Lieutenant George Georgie a scientist from one of Starfleet's Engineering R&D Corporations who fearing the growth of the Federation turning into a mongeraling Empire State left it. Trite's second in command and Chief Of Security/Tactical was Lieutenant Mike Harp, a former mercenary for hire for more corporate elements in the Federation's merchant and trade arms. Looking for fresh markets for profit and excitement he joined up with the Unity, though he had made it clear that were his demands for excitement not met he would go elsewhere for fun and profits. Lastly among the main command staff was the ship's chief engineer Lieutenant Quinn Von Archibald. Quinn was an heir of the Archibald family from old blood and money on Earth dating back to the medieval times, but when one night he had gotten too frisky, drunk, and high on some assorted partying materials he had been disgraced from his family's tree and sent packing into space. After serving in Starfleet for barely 2 years out of the Academy and feeling his 'talents' were being wasted and overturned by his superiors he left for the Unity. There were of course others among the exploration crew, again mostly humans that made up the other needed posts on the ship but those NPCs weren't important to this story.
The year is 2264, the Unity assigns the Pride Of Fire under Captain Trite to explore the regions of space known as Ur Region. Rudimentary probes sent that way showed there were at least a system or two with possible mineral rich planets and possible indications of some kind of space faring life. On the evening of Tuesday, March 3rd 2264 the Pride Of Fire entered the first system within the Ur Region. Scans quickly painted a somewhat hopeful picture for the ship and crew right off the bat. The system held two planets. They both were small tiny gaseous worlds a bit smaller than Venus in the Sol system. While their atmosphere was clearly toxic to normal life, deeper probe scans found a cave system ripe with plant life which fed on the toxic atmosphere above and produced breathable underground tunnels! More to the point the second planet especially was found to have these breathable tunnel systems ripe in assorted minerals and ore! Eager to follow up on this discovery Captain Trite immediately ordered a landing party to head down planetside.
Minutes later Captain Trite, Lt Georgie, Lt Harp, and Lt Archibald beamed down together with two armed security escorts and a medical technician. They found much to their surprise that in addition to providing a habitable breathing atmosphere in the vast tunnel network, that many of the plants also gave off a natural glow which lit up the tunnels as someone would approach, then dim again to a lower glow when the movement had passed. Eventually the team on tricorder scans found much to their further surprise some kind of energy signal down one side tunnel. Investigations soon found a massive city sized cavern, which as they peered below was home to small 3'0 tall alien humanoids! They were clearly intelligent enough and had a level of technology it seems consistent with Earth's late 1800-early 1900s. Their works included in this city cavern stone and metal wound structures which were clearly buildings for living, working, and commercial trade. Also evident were narrow roadways which were home to small steam powered carts similar to Earth's early car designs.
Captain Trite, informed the Pride Of Fire of their findings, who logged it for later filing with the Unity back home. Trite then inquired on how they should proceed with his fellow crewmates. Lt Harp and his armed guards were of the opinion they find anything useful and strong arm the natives into giving it to them. Lt Georgie suggested that they might consider making formal peaceful contact with the people below, perhaps offering information and technology in exchange for mining rights or other forms of trade. Lt Archibald meanwhile stated that they should go down and install themselves as the native's gods and in turn agreed to taking what they wanted as needed.
Trite of course pointed out to Archibald how could they know the natives even had a god, or gods, or any sort of belief system. Which quickly shut down the richborn Lieutenant with a shrug. In turn Trite told Harp and his men that they would remain in their current observation point here. While Georgie and their medical technician went down to try a peaceful contact. Harp grumbled at his 'boring' assignment but agreed, Archibald meanwhile was tasked to return to the ship with several samples of the plants and minerals they had taken so far and begin examination of them for their future use, and purity tests for value in trade. Archibald also grumbled but did as he was ordered.
Trite, Georgie and the medical technician slowly made their way down into the city. It was not long before they were approached by passing natives who in surprise squeaked and chittered then ran off in fright at the appearance of the new invaders to their homes. Carefully proceeding forward the three heard one of the steam vehicles coming so they took cover. As it passed they observed that it seemed to be manned by some kind of police force group who were armed with primitive gunpowder firearms. The cart stopped a bit away from where they hid and began to fan out in a search pattern. Captain Trite decided this was an opportunity to make contact and lead the other two out of hiding. As he raised a hand in greeting and said "..Hello!" the small 3'0 aliens turned aiming their weapons at the trio chittering again in their native tongue. Thankfully Georgies universal translator was soon able to lock in and translate the primitive language and Trite informed them of who they were and where they had come from.
The seeming leader of the police group named himself as 'Cor', after further exchanges of why the group was here the aliens and Kephan's decided they would be best to continue further talks with someone in a more leadership fashion. Trite as he later wrote in his log commented, "..Well then, Cor, take us to your leader!" to which Cor simply nodded and another steam cart was called to help transport the visitors to someone named 'Qor The First'.
Meanwhile during this exchange it seems the observing Harp and his two guards were getting antsy. Eventually against the orders given, Harp decided he and his men would backtrack and explore more on their own. Backtracking down another tunnel network, the three soon heard the sound of water ahead. Rounding a bend the group discovered much to their delight a vast water filled cavern but which was home to a kind of steam and water powered building manned by the natives. But more to the point was what they were working on! In this case it seems the trio had stumbled upon some kind of gold and silver processing factory! Heaps of pressed gold and silver bars were lined up outside the building bit by bit being loaded it seems onto larger steam powered carts for transport elsewhere. After a brief discussion it was decided by the trio that they would sneak in and use the Pride Of Fire's transporters to beam up small bundles of the gold and silver. The trio were able to get about 400lbs of the combined blocks of metals beamed aboard the ship on the sly after convincing an npc transporter chief to a split of the profits when they were caught by one of the natives. At first Harp tried to lunge at the tiny worker to silence him, but as the trio soon found no sooner had Harp done this when the natives brief cries of alarm had drawn in more of the workers. Unable to communicate without a universal translator the natives, as Harp later told in his debrief, attacked them first and he and his two men were forced to use laser side arms to defend themselves. Stunning 10 of the natives before driving off the rest, though not without taking numerous blows to their lower bodies from rocks and metal pipes thrown at them in return. Figuring now was a good time to 'Get Out Of Dodge' the three bagged up another 100lbs of gold and silver before requesting a beam out.
Meanwhile back on the ship during all this time, Archibald was busy studying the initial findings they had brought up from the tunnels. His results soon painted a merry picture for future trade, mining, or the like. The plants were it was found a useful resource for medicinal purposes, and for natural terraforming and breathing. Further, the ore samples they took showed high concentrations of quite pure resources in value and for building both of which the Unity and its allies could make use of in a variety of matters. As he finished filing his report into the ship's computer though on the bridge, Archibald was informed by an npc science officer that sensors had picked up a strange energy blip at the edge of the system. Deciding to investigate he set a course (luckily for Harp and his two conspirators they had just returned into the nick of time, but in turn no one had informed anyone else of this fact!). Coming out of orbit and to the system's edge Archibald and the ship found a more intriguing delight to opening to a wormhole! Scans quickly were able to determine that the wormhole seemed stable and based on a few probes launched while it remained open led about 10 light years away to another neighboring system which initial probe scans showed was similar to the one they were now in! Unfortunately the wormhole closed up at this point and further probing would have to wait. It was at this point that a delayed comm call reached the ship from Captain Trite, returning to orbit Archibald waited for his Captain's return (and now innocently joined by Lt Harp at his own station on the bridge)
Lastly while all the above played out (with Harp and Archibald) Captain Trite and his team had met with the native's leader for this city-state. Qor as he was named was one part mayor, and one part military general. It seems the natives which they learned were called the Collians. Were a people who had once lived on the surface of the planet and for a brief time in their advancement even had primitive inter-system space flight technology where they had settled on the other planet nearby. But rivalries between both worlds and who controlled what soon lead to a interplanetary war which devastated both world's people, surface worlds, and technology levels back to effectively the Stone Age when nuclear and fusion missile laid waste to both worlds. Both people moved underground and cut contact with the other for hundreds of years. Qor explained that to his knowledge no contact with the other planet has been made since, nor does he care. Trite and his company explained again why they were here and who they represented. Qor after some discussion with his advisors agreed to a small scale trade of goods and services with his city state and the Unity. In exchange Qor's city state and his servants would provide the Unity first rate picks of any minerals they needed and in exchange the Unity would provide any technologies which could help Qor's city state and servants grow in influence and power for the planet region. In particular he wanted technology which would help him send colonies to the surface to trove through the rubble of their lost surface world. Something which in their society was seen as a true 'power' move when successful. After some consideration Trite agreed provisionally, agreeing to transport down several atmospheric suits sized for Qor and his people. Anything further he explained would need to be approved by the Unity's Congress if it involved, weapons, or larger scale equipment. Qor nodding agreed for now.
In the end the first exploration into the Ur Region was deemed by the Unity in the debrief a rounding success! Trite and his crew mates were given a successful mission party and while debate is still being waged in the Unity Hall's on what further exchanges are wanted or to be given to the Collian people (aka brickwall you can determine how the future effects will be done or not since the Kephan's are your people!). Harp and his small contingent were able to also successfully make a hefty sum of credits off the private sale of the unfound gold and silver bars to various Orion concerns in back room deals. In the end the Unity reprovisioned the Pride Of Fire for another mission within a month to scope out further the wormhole discovered and if it was deemed safe to enter it and survey the second system found while the Congress debated furtehr contact with the Collian
Note: Part 2 coming soon!!
So what you all think?
The year is 2264, the Unity assigns the Pride Of Fire under Captain Trite to explore the regions of space known as Ur Region. Rudimentary probes sent that way showed there were at least a system or two with possible mineral rich planets and possible indications of some kind of space faring life. On the evening of Tuesday, March 3rd 2264 the Pride Of Fire entered the first system within the Ur Region. Scans quickly painted a somewhat hopeful picture for the ship and crew right off the bat. The system held two planets. They both were small tiny gaseous worlds a bit smaller than Venus in the Sol system. While their atmosphere was clearly toxic to normal life, deeper probe scans found a cave system ripe with plant life which fed on the toxic atmosphere above and produced breathable underground tunnels! More to the point the second planet especially was found to have these breathable tunnel systems ripe in assorted minerals and ore! Eager to follow up on this discovery Captain Trite immediately ordered a landing party to head down planetside.
Minutes later Captain Trite, Lt Georgie, Lt Harp, and Lt Archibald beamed down together with two armed security escorts and a medical technician. They found much to their surprise that in addition to providing a habitable breathing atmosphere in the vast tunnel network, that many of the plants also gave off a natural glow which lit up the tunnels as someone would approach, then dim again to a lower glow when the movement had passed. Eventually the team on tricorder scans found much to their further surprise some kind of energy signal down one side tunnel. Investigations soon found a massive city sized cavern, which as they peered below was home to small 3'0 tall alien humanoids! They were clearly intelligent enough and had a level of technology it seems consistent with Earth's late 1800-early 1900s. Their works included in this city cavern stone and metal wound structures which were clearly buildings for living, working, and commercial trade. Also evident were narrow roadways which were home to small steam powered carts similar to Earth's early car designs.
Captain Trite, informed the Pride Of Fire of their findings, who logged it for later filing with the Unity back home. Trite then inquired on how they should proceed with his fellow crewmates. Lt Harp and his armed guards were of the opinion they find anything useful and strong arm the natives into giving it to them. Lt Georgie suggested that they might consider making formal peaceful contact with the people below, perhaps offering information and technology in exchange for mining rights or other forms of trade. Lt Archibald meanwhile stated that they should go down and install themselves as the native's gods and in turn agreed to taking what they wanted as needed.
Trite of course pointed out to Archibald how could they know the natives even had a god, or gods, or any sort of belief system. Which quickly shut down the richborn Lieutenant with a shrug. In turn Trite told Harp and his men that they would remain in their current observation point here. While Georgie and their medical technician went down to try a peaceful contact. Harp grumbled at his 'boring' assignment but agreed, Archibald meanwhile was tasked to return to the ship with several samples of the plants and minerals they had taken so far and begin examination of them for their future use, and purity tests for value in trade. Archibald also grumbled but did as he was ordered.
Trite, Georgie and the medical technician slowly made their way down into the city. It was not long before they were approached by passing natives who in surprise squeaked and chittered then ran off in fright at the appearance of the new invaders to their homes. Carefully proceeding forward the three heard one of the steam vehicles coming so they took cover. As it passed they observed that it seemed to be manned by some kind of police force group who were armed with primitive gunpowder firearms. The cart stopped a bit away from where they hid and began to fan out in a search pattern. Captain Trite decided this was an opportunity to make contact and lead the other two out of hiding. As he raised a hand in greeting and said "..Hello!" the small 3'0 aliens turned aiming their weapons at the trio chittering again in their native tongue. Thankfully Georgies universal translator was soon able to lock in and translate the primitive language and Trite informed them of who they were and where they had come from.
The seeming leader of the police group named himself as 'Cor', after further exchanges of why the group was here the aliens and Kephan's decided they would be best to continue further talks with someone in a more leadership fashion. Trite as he later wrote in his log commented, "..Well then, Cor, take us to your leader!" to which Cor simply nodded and another steam cart was called to help transport the visitors to someone named 'Qor The First'.
Meanwhile during this exchange it seems the observing Harp and his two guards were getting antsy. Eventually against the orders given, Harp decided he and his men would backtrack and explore more on their own. Backtracking down another tunnel network, the three soon heard the sound of water ahead. Rounding a bend the group discovered much to their delight a vast water filled cavern but which was home to a kind of steam and water powered building manned by the natives. But more to the point was what they were working on! In this case it seems the trio had stumbled upon some kind of gold and silver processing factory! Heaps of pressed gold and silver bars were lined up outside the building bit by bit being loaded it seems onto larger steam powered carts for transport elsewhere. After a brief discussion it was decided by the trio that they would sneak in and use the Pride Of Fire's transporters to beam up small bundles of the gold and silver. The trio were able to get about 400lbs of the combined blocks of metals beamed aboard the ship on the sly after convincing an npc transporter chief to a split of the profits when they were caught by one of the natives. At first Harp tried to lunge at the tiny worker to silence him, but as the trio soon found no sooner had Harp done this when the natives brief cries of alarm had drawn in more of the workers. Unable to communicate without a universal translator the natives, as Harp later told in his debrief, attacked them first and he and his two men were forced to use laser side arms to defend themselves. Stunning 10 of the natives before driving off the rest, though not without taking numerous blows to their lower bodies from rocks and metal pipes thrown at them in return. Figuring now was a good time to 'Get Out Of Dodge' the three bagged up another 100lbs of gold and silver before requesting a beam out.
Meanwhile back on the ship during all this time, Archibald was busy studying the initial findings they had brought up from the tunnels. His results soon painted a merry picture for future trade, mining, or the like. The plants were it was found a useful resource for medicinal purposes, and for natural terraforming and breathing. Further, the ore samples they took showed high concentrations of quite pure resources in value and for building both of which the Unity and its allies could make use of in a variety of matters. As he finished filing his report into the ship's computer though on the bridge, Archibald was informed by an npc science officer that sensors had picked up a strange energy blip at the edge of the system. Deciding to investigate he set a course (luckily for Harp and his two conspirators they had just returned into the nick of time, but in turn no one had informed anyone else of this fact!). Coming out of orbit and to the system's edge Archibald and the ship found a more intriguing delight to opening to a wormhole! Scans quickly were able to determine that the wormhole seemed stable and based on a few probes launched while it remained open led about 10 light years away to another neighboring system which initial probe scans showed was similar to the one they were now in! Unfortunately the wormhole closed up at this point and further probing would have to wait. It was at this point that a delayed comm call reached the ship from Captain Trite, returning to orbit Archibald waited for his Captain's return (and now innocently joined by Lt Harp at his own station on the bridge)
Lastly while all the above played out (with Harp and Archibald) Captain Trite and his team had met with the native's leader for this city-state. Qor as he was named was one part mayor, and one part military general. It seems the natives which they learned were called the Collians. Were a people who had once lived on the surface of the planet and for a brief time in their advancement even had primitive inter-system space flight technology where they had settled on the other planet nearby. But rivalries between both worlds and who controlled what soon lead to a interplanetary war which devastated both world's people, surface worlds, and technology levels back to effectively the Stone Age when nuclear and fusion missile laid waste to both worlds. Both people moved underground and cut contact with the other for hundreds of years. Qor explained that to his knowledge no contact with the other planet has been made since, nor does he care. Trite and his company explained again why they were here and who they represented. Qor after some discussion with his advisors agreed to a small scale trade of goods and services with his city state and the Unity. In exchange Qor's city state and his servants would provide the Unity first rate picks of any minerals they needed and in exchange the Unity would provide any technologies which could help Qor's city state and servants grow in influence and power for the planet region. In particular he wanted technology which would help him send colonies to the surface to trove through the rubble of their lost surface world. Something which in their society was seen as a true 'power' move when successful. After some consideration Trite agreed provisionally, agreeing to transport down several atmospheric suits sized for Qor and his people. Anything further he explained would need to be approved by the Unity's Congress if it involved, weapons, or larger scale equipment. Qor nodding agreed for now.
In the end the first exploration into the Ur Region was deemed by the Unity in the debrief a rounding success! Trite and his crew mates were given a successful mission party and while debate is still being waged in the Unity Hall's on what further exchanges are wanted or to be given to the Collian people (aka brickwall you can determine how the future effects will be done or not since the Kephan's are your people!). Harp and his small contingent were able to also successfully make a hefty sum of credits off the private sale of the unfound gold and silver bars to various Orion concerns in back room deals. In the end the Unity reprovisioned the Pride Of Fire for another mission within a month to scope out further the wormhole discovered and if it was deemed safe to enter it and survey the second system found while the Congress debated furtehr contact with the Collian
Note: Part 2 coming soon!!
So what you all think?
