TEXT: Circling the
  Planet
  An open System Module set in DEEP space
  Version 1.2
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  2
  Contents
  Author’s Note..............................................................................................................................................................3
  Description...................................................................................................................................................................3
  History..........................................................................................................................................................................3
  Plot Hook .....................................................................................................................................................................3
  Entering the System....................................................................................................................................................3
  Automated Satellite....................................................................................................................................................3
  Plot................................................................................................................................................................................4
  Ship...............................................................................................................................................................................5
  Components Needed..................................................................................................................................................5
  Ring of Debris..............................................................................................................................................................5
  Mission 1 – Damaged Fighter / Power Regulator .................................................................................................6
  Mission 2 – Damaged Research Craft / Environmental System Processor........................................................6
  Mission 3 Damaged Cargo Craft / Fuel Flow Regulator......................................................................................6
  Mission 4 Warship / Communications Unit...........................................................................................................6
  Mission 5 Escape Pod / Navigation Computer......................................................................................................6
  Boarding the Satellite .................................................................................................................................................7
  Crashing to the Planet................................................................................................................................................7
  CONCLUSION............................................................................................................................................................7
  NPC ..............................................................................................................................................................................7
  Covert Photo courtesy of NASA
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  3
  Author’s Note
  This RPG module is an open system module (meaning it works with any system). I have planned on
  utilizing it with Fudge, GURPS, or Traveler. This version does not have much art but future versions
  may have art. If you wish to contact me about this or any other RPG element I create or should create I
  welcome comments at: contact@arirpg.com Also, please visit my website which will focus on the game
  system I am creating along with the rest of my RPG related creations, http://www.arirpg.com/. Since
  this module is open system, it requires a read through and tailoring to make it playable.
  Description
  This module is about players who get stuck in a dilapidated cargo ship in an orbiting debris field
  guarded by an automated satellite. They must use cunning to survive, escape and steal their spacecraft
  back.
  History
  An ancient brutal race of aliens built automated defense satellites around planets deemed valuable. The
  race is gone but not all the satellites have been destroyed. This particular satellite is around a desert
  planet that was mineral rich. While it is not valuable by today’s standards, the satellite still guards the
  planet.
  Plot Hook
  
  Players are part of a salvage company told that they have a contract to retrieve a vehicle from one
  of the orbital debris fields generated by this satellite. They will be given a signal generator that
  will allow their vehicle to pass by the satellite unmolested.
  
  Players receive a distress signal from a man stuck in this debris field. He will pay them
  handsomely if they can get him and his spacecraft away from the debris field. He will explain
  that a signal generator at a special frequency is needed to pass by the satellite unmolested.
  Acquiring the signal generator should be fairly easy.
  Entering the System
  The system is not developed as it does not currently have any significant value. The system is an average
  star with four planets orbiting it.
  
  Outer Most Orbit – Small Rocky planet, no significant resources, basically an oversized asteroid.
  Trace Atmosphere.
  
  Second Outermost Orbit – A large gas giant, several small moons, no significant resources.
  
  Second Inner Orbit – A large gas giant, several small moons, no significant resources.
  
  Inner most orbit – A barely habitable desert terrestrial planet with a breathable oxygen
  atmosphere. The highest forms of life are small scrub plants, which generate the oxygen. This
  planet has a desolate ring of damaged and destroyed spaceships and a small asteroid shaped
  moon.
  Automated Satellite
  The small moon orbiting the desert planet is in fact a large defense satellite disguised to look like a
  natural body. Its armaments can vary based on the game system but it always operates in the same way.
  
  It interrogates all nearby spacecraft for certain signals. If it scans the correct signal it then ignores
  them.
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  4
  
  If it scans an incorrect signal or does not receive the signal after a certain amount of time, it
  activates its main functions.
  o
  Uses large energy or other type of limitless ammo weapon to damage and disable but not
  destroy a ship. Aiming for weapons, engines, and shield generators.
  o
  Once the satellite determines the ship is no longer a threat. The satellite moves the
  disabled vessel via tractor beams into orbit around the planet.
  o
  The satellite then sends out a signal to notify the alien race that there are ships available
  to salvage.
  
  The automated satellite is heavily armored/shielded making it a difficult target.
  
  Vulnerability – The satellite ignores small and slow moving craft, like a person in a spacesuit as
  they are not threats.
  Plot
  When the characters arrive within scanning distance of the inner most planet, read the following:
  “Upon scanning the desert planet, you find an artificial ring of metals, plastics, and artificial materials, in a cloud
  of debris in an unstable orbit around the planet.”
  If they scan further:
  “The debris contains the remnants of spacecraft. The spacecraft cover nearly every spectrum from cruisers and
  fighters to cargo and research vessels. The spacecraft are in various states of disrepair. Some of them seem to be in
  better shape than others though.”
  If they scan for the vessel they are looking for they find a small cargo craft, relatively intact that is part of
  the ring in a low orbit around the planet.
  Attempting audible communications with the small cargo craft will be difficult but is possible, visual
  communications is not possible.
  If they establish contact
  “The air is filled with static… you are about to give up on this attempt when a voice breaks the noise… “eetings.
  My name is Favin… Favin Martock…. Am a trader with the …. Federation…. Thank goodness you arrived….
  Careful of the satellite…. Ship is damaged…. In low orbit… must act quickly!”
  No more communications is possible with Favin; all conclusions are that the communications system is
  damaged.
  If they attempt to drag the spacecraft
  All scans indicate that the satellite will fire upon the spacecraft, if they attempt to drag it without
  restoring communications on the ship. Both ships have to be transmitting the frequency, which requires
  they be hardwired together.
  If they attempt to dock with the spacecraft
  Make sure the entire party gets aboard Favik’s ship. Once they are, they will be gassed or shocked in
  order to render them temporarily unconscious. Favik will then steal their ship, abandoning them on his
  ship.
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  5
  Ship
  The ship is short-medium journey, small cargo transport capable designed to carry a crew of 2 or 4. The
  ship during its last overhaul was equipped with a faulty power regulator. When the ship got grazed by
  the satellite, the power regular blew taking many essential components disabling the ship in the process.
  The ship has a couple of urgent items to note once they are onboard:
  
  The ship will run out of air in 2d10 times number of characters worth of hours until the
  environmental system processor is back online. Emphasize that Favik was one person taxing the
  system as opposed to 4-6 player characters.
  
  The ship will deorbit and enter the planet in 2d10 hours until the fuel flow regulator is back
  online.
  
  The player characters can degas the ship and lose 1d4 hours of air to gain 1d4 hours of orbit.
  
  The player characters can manually use the maneuvering thrusters requiring a moderate
  engineering check, which gains 1d10 hours.
  
  The ship has enough spacesuits for the player characters to do space walks. The spacesuits only
  carry 2 hours’ worth of air.
  
  In the passenger room, they can find a journal kept by Favik that explains what is wrong with
  the ship, and where the parts can be found. Favik isn’t dumb, but he didn’t have the skills to
  make it work.
  Components Needed
  
  Power Regulator - The Ship requires a power regulator for main systems to come back online.
  Mission 1
  
  Environmental System Processor - The Ship requires a new processor for the environmental
  system to generate new oxygen. Mission 2
  
  Fuel Flow Regulator - The Ship requires a fuel flow regulator for the ship to fly without
  manually flowing fuel. Mission 3
  
  Communications Unit - The Ship requires a new communications unit in order have
  communications capabilities. Mission 4
  
  Navigation Computer - The Ship requires a new navigation computer so that the ship will fly in
  the desired direction. Mission 5
  Ring of Debris
  The ring of debris is crowded with pieces and sections of spacecraft. Use normal zero gravity rules for
  moving through the debris. If the system does not have any zero gravity rules, then follow these simple
  steps. Make a jump/acrobatics/strength type of roll versus an average difficulty and you will move that
  many spaces a round until the character hits an object or uses some other way to slow down or change
  directions. If they jump in a random direction they will travel 1d10 rounds and use the chart below to see
  where they end up.
  D10
  Result
  1
  Damaged Fighter or Mission 1
  2
  Damaged Research Craft or Mission 2
  3
  Damaged Cargo Craft or Mission 3
  4
  Damaged Warship or Mission 4
  5
  Damaged Escape Pod or Mission 5
  6
  Large Piece of Metal
  7
  Large Piece of Plastic
  8
  Large Piece of Glass
  9
  Damaged ship half
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  6
  10
  Large Cloud of debris which disperses on
  impact
  Mission 1 – Damaged Fighter / Power Regulator
  This fighter was part of a group of military spacecraft sent to investigate the nature of ship ring. The
  ships weapons and engines were damaged but its electrical systems are intact. The pilot was knocked
  unconscious and slowly suffocated. The ship is still in standby mode. His body is still in the seat. The
  power regulator for this ship is under the seat. A zero-g check followed by an engineering/craft check is
  required to remove the body and power regulator. Any failure related to removing the regulator, either
  through the engineering/craft check or zero-g check, results in the ship’s maneuvering thrusters
  activating causing the ship to proceed to spin wildly. A piloting check is required to get the ship under
  control and remove the power regulator.
  Mission 2 – Damaged Research Craft / Environmental System
  Processor
  This research craft had a mandate to explore and catalogue this solar system. They had found a small
  organic pod on one of the small moons orbiting the second gas giant. The pod turned out to be an egg
  sack for small spider creatures. The creatures hatched and attacked the crew. The satellite just added
  insult to injury crippling the craft and moving it to the debris field. Use creatures that are low hitpoint
  and small threats on their own, but are dangerous in groups. There are enough creatures on board to
  pose a serious threat. If the players are gun-totters, then fight their way through. If they are puzzlers
  then they can flush the creatures into space or use the environmental system to decontaminate the ship.
  The decontamination procedure floods the ship with flammable gas and ignites it, which is why the
  research team didn’t use it.
  Mission 3 Damaged Cargo Craft / Fuel Flow Regulator
  This cargo craft was part of an organization working for a military contractor. Their goal was to setup a
  military research base on the plant. The ship’s cargo is full of land based weapons and temporary quick
  setup buildings. The ships reactor was hit and flooded the ship with radiation. Fortunately the system is
  a match for the one on their cargo. The high radiation levels killed the crew within hours. The spacesuits
  will provide some protection, but emphasis they must work quickly in order to survive.
  Mission 4 Warship / Communications Unit
  This warship was part of the group of military spacecraft sent to investigate the nature of ship ring. The
  ships weapons and engines were damaged but its communications unit is still intact. The spaceship is
  equipped with defense robots that are currently active trying to protect the ship. They are not smart and
  can be easily tricked or disabled by stealthy characters. They are very lethal in direct confrontations
  though. They are programmed simply to protect the ship from all invaders. The player characters could
  explain that they are not invaders or they are not harming the ship, etc.
  Mission 5 Escape Pod / Navigation Computer
  This escape pod was one of the many that escaped from a larger ship that has since crashed into the
  surface. Grabbing the navigation computer should be fairly straight forward, but there is a lone survivor
  could be found unconscious/hyper sleep. If the navigation computer is taken, it will disrupt the system
  and kill the occupant. If the occupant were awoken earlier, then the system can be taken apart easily.
  The occupant does not remember who they are and are extremely disoriented. It is up to the game
  master to determine their significance.
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
  7
  Boarding the Satellite
  Once the ship is built the satellite can be boarded and disabled. It has anti-tamper mechanisms, which
  will activate in the case of failures to disable the satellite. The anti-tamper mechanisms will activate in the
  following order:
  1.
  Activate an alarm and send communications to the group who put it there.
  2.
  Fill the satellite with knockout gas.
  3.
  Electrify panels causing damage to whoever touches them.
  4.
  Activate a self-destruct mechanism with a 5 minute timer. Note: The self-destruct mechanism
  will damage a large radius around the satellite and kill anyone left onboard.
  Crashing to the Planet
  If they fail to stop the ship from deorbiting they will end up on the planet. The ship will survive the
  reentry with the characters in various states of injury. There is numerous debris scattered on the surface
  of the planet. The planet is a desert planet with small bits of scrub grasses. Emphasis that life will be hard
  but escape is possible either through the construction of a ship or transmitter. Escaping from the planet is
  beyond the scope of this module, but elements of it can be used once they do escape, although Favik will
  be long gone with the spacecraft. A campaign could be made to track him down.
  CONCLUSION
  Once gone from the debris field, they will find Favik in orbit around the last planet. He is busy going
  through the stuff on the ship, along with taking showers and eating food. If the players are fast or
  stealthy they can quickly board the craft and take the ship.
  NPC
  Favik Martock
  
  He is a skinny weasel guy who is desperate to get away and does whatever he can to make a
  quick buck and has no qualms about screwing people over if it benefits him. He is a low level
  trader in a local trade federation. Favik is smart, sneaky, and lazy. He has very little weapon
  skills, but trickery and deceit has saved him so far.
  Traveller Guy (order #10464794)
  
SOURCE: textdata/thevault/Traveller/EXTRA/Fan Materials/Version agnostic adventures/Circling_the_Planet.pdf