Star Trek Adventures- USS Magnanimous episode two play report
Wait, Carl, I don’t see the play report for episode one of the USS Magnanimous STA game that you ran. Did I miss it?
Nope, you didn’t miss it. The reason I haven’t posted it yet is because it is the same adventure that I’ll be running at the upcoming SaltCON End-of-Summer event. I know some of the SaltCON attendees read my blog, so I’ll have to post that later.
Today’s episode- The Taylor Incident
Prior to the sit-down session, I had sent emails to the different players with tidbits of information. Some were just fillers. Some were directly connected to what would be happening in this episode
The CO, XO and Chief of Security received a security briefing from Sector Security Command. It talked about Klingon Relief Operations (remember this campaign is set right after the events of Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country), Smuggling and Criminal Activity, various news headlines including a protest from the New Horizon Federation colony believing that their needs were being ignored and a request for intelligence collections on a series of pirates, organizations and rumors that Sector Security was wanting more information on.
The Chief Engineer received a communique with the list of the supplies the quartermaster was able to procure for her, and an apology for the items they could not get. This allowed the Engineer to know about what they were short on when they went into the adventure. There was also some comradery going on as the two individuals had known each other for quite some time.
The Chief of Communications had received a report from the Gamma Shift officer in charge. Most of it was standard, a lot of communication traffic was being delayed due to heavy volume from the relief efforts. Also, he had to reprimand a junior technician for attempting to break into a personal communique addressed to another officer.
The Chief of Science was a “Friend of the Klingons” and was sent a note from the head of House Korvek inquiring about one of their missing house members. It was possible that the missing member was just busy with relief efforts, but something was bugging the older head of house. He had warned Lt. Dulas about some disgruntled Klingons breaking away to the Imperial Klingon States in protest.
Just as Lt. Dulas was a friend of the Klingons, the CMO, Dr. K’Mara is a friend of the Andorians. I had sent the player a communique from the head of an Andorian clan inquiring about one of the younger members who was visiting a nearby Starfleet Museum and asked that the good doctor keep an eye out for her. And perhaps give her some insight into life in Starfleet.
The game began with the following Captain’s Log.
Captain’s Log, USS Magnanimous, Captain Fae Hy-Lyra Commanding
Captain’s Log, Stardate 9532.2.
The USS Magnanimous has concluded a humanitarian assistance mission involving the civilian transport VSS Prosperity’s Hope, a Cestari-chartered passenger vessel carrying migrant workers returning to their home colonies beyond Federation space.
The passengers, members of the Cestari, were attempting to reach the colony world of New Ivor in order to participate in what has become a closely contested government election. While the Cestari are not members of the Federation, their colonies maintain strong commercial and diplomatic relations with numerous Federation worlds.
Three days ago, the Prosperity’s Hope transmitted a distress call after suffering damage from an attack by unidentified raiders near the approaches to the Arcturus Veil Nebula.
Upon our arrival, the attackers immediately withdrew from the area rather than engage a Federation cruiser. Sensor records indicate at least two vessels were involved. Unfortunately, they remained beyond effective sensor range throughout the encounter.
Long-range scans revealed several intriguing details. Residual engine signatures were consistent with modified civilian freighters, a configuration commonly employed by smugglers and pirates. Security personnel have noted similarities to operating patterns previously attributed to the Corsairs of Vondak Reach, although no definitive identification could be made. Additionally, fragments of transponder emissions briefly detected during the withdrawal bear some resemblance to records associated with the Black Nebula Syndicate. At present, Starfleet cannot conclusively associate the attack with either organization.
Once emergency repairs had been completed, it became apparent that proceeding through the Arcturus Veil Nebula posed significant risks. The concentration of Verteron radiation within the nebula severely limits deep-range sensor coverage and would have allowed the attackers ample opportunity to stage a second ambush.
I would like to note the excellent suggestion made by ________________, who discovered that Cestari law permits absentee voting through authorized consular offices. Further research identified a functioning Cestari consulate on the Federation frontier world of Gallowmere.
We altered course accordingly.The pirates appear to have recognized our change in destination. Several hours after departure, the unidentified vessels attempted to shadow the convoy and eventually increased speed in what appeared to be an effort to regain contact.
Their pursuit was short-lived.
Whatever advantages they enjoyed while lurking near the nebula, they proved unwilling to challenge a Miranda-class cruiser in open space. Upon being actively tracked and hailed by the Magnanimous, the raiders disengaged and retreated toward the Arcturus Veil Nebula.
The remainder of the journey proceeded without incident. The Prosperity’s Hope and its passengers safely reached Gallowmere, where arrangements were made for the migrant workers to cast their ballots through the local Cestari consular office.With our mission complete, the Magnanimous has resumed normal operations and is awaiting further orders.
End Log.
(in the blank section above, I had randomly rolled one of the characters to have them make the suggestion and wrote it in as the game started).
I gave each player an opportunity to tell me if their characters were working on anything special. Then I had the Communications Chief relay an audio recording from Admiral Stewart Hunsaker who was their commander in the area. What happened next is that my friend Stewart had actually made an audio recording complete with special effects in the file. I turned on a Bluetooth speaker and played the file for them. Here is a rough transcript (as he did some improvisational additions)
Captains Bennett, Okagawa, and Hy-Lyra.
Please accept my apologies for delivering this briefing by recorded transmission rather than direct communication. Unfortunately, time is of the essence and sector command resources are presently stretched beyond normal operating capacity.
At 2112 hours local time on Stardate 9531.5, persons unknown hijacked the Daedalus-class starship USS Taylor from the Tucker Fleet Repository and Historical Museum in the Kestrel Expanse, a remote region on the frontier of Federation space.
Preliminary investigation indicates the theft coincided with a coordinated cyber-attack against museum and depot systems. A sophisticated computer virus disabled local communications, security networks, docking controls, and every vessel in the vicinity capable of immediate pursuit.
Those vessels remain unavailable while undergoing computer systems decontamination and integrity restoration procedures. Engineering teams have not yet determined the full extent or origin of the intrusion.
Due to the continuing humanitarian crisis resulting from the Praxis disaster, nearly all other Starfleet assets in this sector are currently engaged in relief and support operations alongside elements of the Klingon Defense Force.
As a result, the USS Sacagawea, USS Wellington, and USS Magnanimous are presently the only starships available to conduct search, interception, and recovery operations.
Effective immediately, your vessels are assigned to a joint task force charged with locating the Taylor, identifying those responsible for the theft, and ensuring the safe recovery of the vessel and any personnel aboard.
I must emphasize one point. Under no circumstances are Starfleet vessels to enter Klingon territory without proper authorization from Starfleet Command and the appropriate diplomatic channels. Relations between the Federation and the Empire remain delicate following recent events. An unauthorized border violation could jeopardize ongoing relief efforts and create a serious diplomatic incident.
Additional complications remain.Authorities are still attempting to account for all visitors present at the museum during the incident. These include members of the traveling student organization The Horizon Fellowship, attendees of the Interstellar Historical Starship Society Symposium, and a visiting dignitary delegation from the world of Catulla.
At this time, we cannot determine with certainty whether any members of these groups were aboard the Taylor when it departed. Some may remain trapped aboard disabled vessels within the depot. Others may still be inside the museum complex itself, which suffered extensive systems failures during the cyber-attack.
Search and rescue operations are ongoing, but available personnel are limited.
Captains, your orders and mission data packets are attached to this transmission. Until additional assets become available, the success of this operation rests with your crews.
Find the Taylor. Recover her crew and passengers if any. Determine who is responsible.
Good luck.
Admiral Stewart Hunsaker, Starbase 24.
I then read different reports on the theft (from the viewpoint of a security chief), and information on the other two vessels. The captain contacted the other ships in the task force and they set out on different assignments. A suspected Orion smuggler needed to be apprehended and questioned. Clues from the museum were investigated and it appeared that the Taylor was heading towards the Arcturus Veil Nebula. The Sacagawea had found the Orion and confirmed that it had dropped off medical and relief supplies to the Taylor, but he didn’t think anything of it. The order was valid, the money was paid and he thought that the crew was a little young, but he completed his part of the transaction. The Starfleet crew couldn’t find anything that tied him to smuggling, so they let him go. But he did confirm that he saw the Taylor head into the Arcturus Veil Nebula even after he had warned them that there was pirate activity in there.
I then read different reports on the theft (from the viewpoint of a security chief), and information on the other two vessels. The captain contacted the other ships in the task force and they set out on different assignments. A suspected Orion smuggler needed to be apprehended and questioned. Clues from the museum were investigated and it appeared that the Taylor was heading towards the Arcturus Veil Nebula. The Sacagawea had found the Orion and confirmed that it had dropped off medical and relief supplies to the Taylor, but he didn’t think anything of it. The order was valid, the money was paid and he thought that the crew was a little young, but he completed his part of the transaction. The Starfleet crew couldn’t find anything that tied him to smuggling, so they let him go. But he did confirm that he saw the Taylor head into the Arcturus Veil Nebula even after he had warned them that there was pirate activity in there.
The Chief Medical Officer got the following distorted video message.
Recovered Video Transmission
Source: Unknown Emergency Transmitter
Recipient: Dr. K’Mara, USS Magnanimous
Signal Quality: Poor. Intermittent static, packet loss, video degradation.
The image flickers into existence. Shen’s face is illuminated by dim emergency lighting. She appears crouched inside a maintenance crawlspace or storage compartment. The signal crackles constantly. She glances repeatedly over her shoulder as she speaks.
“K-K’mara? K’Mara, if this is getting through, it’s Shen. Shen zh’Rennar.”
Static obscures several seconds of audio.
“…don’t know if you can see me. I found an emergency transmitter in one of the supply packs and I’ve been trying to get it working.”
She lowers her voice further.
“You have to be quiet if you answer. Not that I can hear you anyway. Just…”
She swallows hard.
“Just listen.”
“I’m aboard the USS Taylor. The old Daedalus-class ship from the museum. We… we took it.”
Her antennae droop slightly.
“I know how that sounds. We weren’t trying to hurt anyone.”
“There was a group called the Children of the Open Sky. Humans, Andorians, Tellarites, Tiburonians, Catullians… all kinds of people. Most of us were young. We believed Starfleet was changing. Becoming too focused on borders and politics and not focused enough on helping Federation worlds that needed assistance.”
“The Taylor had just arrived to become a museum ship. Everyone knew her history. Everyone knew how many colonies and worlds she’d helped during her years in service.”
A nervous laugh escapes her.
“We thought we were heroes.”
“We snuck aboard. We stole her. We were going to gather relief supplies and take them directly where people needed them.”
“We actually did it, too. We found an Orion merchant willing to sell supplies without asking many questions. That’s where I found this transmitter. It was buried in a crate with emergency equipment.”
The signal distorts for several moments.
“After that… after we left…”
She looks genuinely frightened.
“Everything changed.”
“Four members of the group stunned everyone. Which was a shock because we didn’t bring weapons with us on a mission of peace.”
“Everyone.”
“They rounded up the others and locked them away.”
“I wasn’t with the main group at the time.”
She lowers her head.
“One of the environmental systems had failed and I was inside an access conduit trying to help repair it. Nobody knew where I was. They must have thought I was already locked up with the others.”
“I’ve been hiding ever since.”
The image shakes as though she has heard something.
“I don’t have my communicator anymore. They took it with everything else. No universal translator either. That’s probably why nobody can find me onboard.”
“But I heard something.”
“Two of them were talking when they thought nobody was around.”
“Not Federation Standard. Not Andorian. Not anything I recognized.”
“I only caught one phrase.”
She carefully pronounces the words.
‘tlhIngan wo.’
“I don’t know what it means.”
Heavy static briefly obscures the image.
“And later…”
“I was hiding while two others passed by.”
“One of them said a word.”
‘Shiar.’
Shen’s eyes widen slightly.
“I don’t know what that means either, but the way they reacted… it mattered.”
“A lot.”
She takes a shaky breath.
“K’Mara, I’m scared.”
“These people aren’t trying to help anyone. Whatever they told the rest of us, that’s not what this is.”
“The Taylor is moving at high warp. I don’t know where we’re going. I don’t know what they want.”
“I just know that everyone else is locked up and I’m the only one they missed.”
A metallic sound echoes faintly in the background.
Shen immediately freezes.
“Someone’s coming.”
She hurriedly leans toward the camera.
“Please find me.”
“Tell the Magnanimous to find the Taylor.”
“I’ll try to contact you again in four hours.”
“I can’t keep the transmitter on long. If they detect the signal they’ll know someone is hiding.”
“Four hours, K’Mara. I’ll try again.”
“Please…”
The image breaks apart into static.
END OF TRANSMISSION
The Magnanimous was able to make contact with Shen and instructed her to stay hidden. Asked where the other hostages were located (all being kept in the empty shuttle bay) and how many hijackers there were (four).
The Magnanimous reached the nebula and met up with the Sacagawea. With its superior sensors, the Sacagawea was tasked with staying outside the nebula and scan for any ships entering or exiting. The Wellington hadn’t arrived yet but was given instructions to head inside the moment it arrived and join in the search for the Taylor.
Once inside, the ship started searching (think the two vessels searching for each other in Star Trek II: The Wrath of Kahn). Dr. K’Mara received a quick audio from her god-niece that she had disabled the warp drive on the Taylor (disobeying instructions to stay hidden) and was now being chased buy the hijackers. Because the radiation within the nebula was dangerous with prolonged exposure, the Magnanimous (which had discovered which one of the pings was the Taylor) and lowered their shields to beam over a strike force.
Unfortunately (and some threat was spent) that is the exact same time that the pirates the Magnanimous had chased away from the Cestari vessel attacked. With the shields down, the Magnanimous suffered damage that knocked out their communications.
The strike force was able to free the captured hostages and also took out the pirates before they had killed Shen. The Magnanimous scared one of the pirate vessels into running and was able to disable the other. The strike force, realizing that they had to get out of the radiation zone, started piloting the Taylor back to Federation space (there was a danger that they would have exited on the Klingon side).
My players haven’t seen this next part yet, but I had two more Captain’s Logs written up after the events of the day.
Captain’s Log / After Action Report
USS Wellington (NCC-4395)
Captain Hiroshi Okagawa Commanding
Stardate 9533.1
Captain’s Log, Stardate 9533.1.
Pursuant to orders associated with the search for the stolen USS Taylor, the USS Wellington was initially tasked with investigating reports concerning the Orion merchant vessel Silver Current, commanded by Captain Varek.
Intelligence traffic suggested Varek may have been involved in suspicious cargo transfers potentially connected to ongoing events surrounding the Taylor. Upon arrival, however, I was informed that the vessel had already been intercepted and searched by the USS Sacagawea under Captain Bennett.
No contraband or evidence linking Captain Varek to the theft of the Taylor was discovered, and the Silver Current had subsequently been released.
While I continue to believe Varek is the sort of merchant who occasionally prioritizes profit over curiosity, available evidence did not justify further detention.
Shortly thereafter, the Wellington received updated orders indicating that the USS Magnanimous had entered the Arcturus Veil Nebula while pursuing leads related to the missing Taylor. We were directed to proceed immediately and provide support.
Upon entering the nebula, communications with the Magnanimous proved impossible despite repeated attempts. Given the unusually dense concentrations of Verteron radiation throughout the region, I judged sensor and communications interference to be the most likely explanation.
Approximately three hours into our search, the Wellington was approached by an unidentified vessel traveling at unsafe velocities for local conditions.
The vessel ignored hails and immediately opened fire.A prolonged engagement followed.
The enemy vessel demonstrated detailed familiarity with nebular navigation and attempted to use sensor distortions to mask maneuvering. Despite these advantages, the Wellington maintained tactical superiority throughout the encounter.
After sustaining significant damage, the vessel attempted to disengage and flee deeper into the nebula. The attempt was unsuccessful. Concentrated weapons fire from the Wellington resulted in the destruction of the attacker.
Believing additional hostile vessels might be present, we continued deeper into the nebula.
Several hours later, we located both the USS Magnanimous and the stolen USS Taylor. Both vessels had suffered damage during earlier fighting but remained operational.
The Wellington immediately rendered engineering and tactical assistance while helping secure the area.
Once the immediate threat to both Starfleet vessels had passed, attention was turned toward a second pirate vessel that had been heavily damaged during its encounter with the Magnanimous.
Security teams from the Wellington boarded the crippled vessel.
The boarding party discovered that much of the pirate crew had perished during the battle. Survivors were located in several compartments and successfully evacuated for medical treatment.
Recovered records, markings, and intelligence materials identified the vessel as belonging to the criminal organization known as the Black Nebula Syndicate.
Preliminary interrogation of survivors and evidence recovered aboard the ship suggest that the Syndicate had established operations within portions of the Arcturus Veil Nebula. From there, they preyed upon smugglers, independent traders, and other vessels attempting to transit the region discreetly, particularly those seeking passage toward Klingon territory without attracting official attention.
Current evidence indicates that the attacks against the USS Taylor and USS Magnanimous were likely crimes of opportunity rather than part of a larger directed operation. The pirate vessel destroyed by the Wellington appears to have been attempting to escape the area when confronted by Starfleet forces and chose to attack rather than risk capture.Following completion of search, rescue, and evidence recovery operations, the surviving pirate vessel was secured under tractor beam and transported to Security Outpost EA-72 for processing by Starfleet Security authorities.
While the operation did not fully answer every question surrounding the theft of the USS Taylor, it significantly reduced pirate activity within the Arcturus Veil Nebula and resulted in the recovery of valuable intelligence concerning the Black Nebula Syndicate’s operations.
The Wellington remains available for follow-on assignments.
End Log.
An additional log entry.
Captain’s Log / After Action Report
USS Sacagawea (NCC-598)
Captain Rachel Bennett Commanding
Captain’s Log, Stardate 9533.1.
As part of the ongoing search for the stolen USS Taylor, the USS Sacagawea was assigned to investigate the Orion merchant vessel Silver Current, commanded by Captain Varek.
Upon intercepting the vessel, the Silver Current made no attempt to evade our approach and responded promptly to all hails. Captain Varek and his crew cooperated fully with our requests throughout the encounter.
During initial interviews, several members of the Silver Current’s crew appeared noticeably uneasy while interacting with Starfleet inspectors. Captain Varek attributed their behavior to inexperience, explaining that several crewmembers were participating in their first supply run beyond local trade routes.
Varek confirmed that he had accepted a contract to transport medical and emergency relief supplies from Carson Station, a non-aligned trading post. According to his testimony, he had been instructed to rendezvous with another vessel just outside the Arcturus Veil Nebula.
Captain Varek further stated that, in accordance with his standard operating procedures, he scanned the cargo prior to transport and discovered nothing unusual or suspicious.He described the individuals who hired him as relatively young and somewhat inexperienced, but noted that payment was transferred successfully and all contractual arrangements appeared legitimate.
Varek also reported that he specifically warned his clients to avoid travel through the Arcturus Veil Nebula due to increasing pirate activity in the surrounding region. He appeared genuinely disappointed to learn that the USS Taylor had entered the nebula despite his warning, stating that the young individuals involved had seemed to take his concerns seriously during their meeting.
Acting upon information provided by the USS Magnanimous, I ordered a thorough inspection of the Silver Current under applicable Federation Health and Safety Regulations.
The inspection uncovered no hidden cargo compartments, smuggling spaces, weapons caches, or other evidence of criminal activity.
Captain Varek and his First Mate, Torrik, were found to be carrying licensed Orion disruptor pistols. The remainder of the vessel’s fifteen-person crew carried only civilian-grade stun pistols commonly employed for shipboard security and cargo protection.
With no probable cause for detention and no evidence of wrongdoing uncovered, I authorized the Silver Current to continue on its journey.
Prior to departure, however, my engineering and sensor teams conducted detailed scans of the vessel’s warp and impulse systems. The resulting profile has been added to our records and shared with Starfleet authorities to assist future tracking efforts should the need arise.
Following completion of the inspection, the Sacagawea rendezvoused with the USS Magnanimous near the approaches to the Arcturus Veil Nebula shortly before that vessel initiated pursuit of the USS Taylor.
Due to the scout’s advanced sensor capabilities, I elected to maintain a position near the nebula’s perimeter and monitor for any vessels attempting to enter or exit the region.
When the USS Wellington arrived on scene, the destroyer proceeded directly into the nebula to support the Magnanimous.
Shortly thereafter, communications with the Magnanimous abruptly ceased.While Verteron radiation interference was the most likely explanation, the timing of the signal loss was concerning. My crew immediately prepared contingency plans and stood ready to enter the nebula upon my order should circumstances require it.
During this period, long-range sensors detected several disturbances within the nebular interior. Analysis suggested multiple localized explosions inconsistent with previous scans of natural nebular activity. Due to sensor degradation, we were unable to positively identify the source of the events, though I did not believe they originated from Starfleet vessels.
These observations were partially corroborated when the Wellington reported engaging and destroying a suspected pirate vessel while searching for the Magnanimous. Captain Okagawa further advised that communications with the cruiser had also been lost.
While maintaining surveillance of the surrounding region, our sensors briefly detected what appeared to be a D-17 Lara’atan-class Klingon destroyer operating within the Klingon sphere of influence. Verteron interference prevented positive identification of the vessel, and no hostile actions were observed.
Later, following renewed contact from the Wellington, the Sacagawea was requested to assist in recovery operations.
Upon arrival, we found that the USS Taylor had been secured while the Wellington began investigating a disabled pirate vessel discovered within the nebula.
Utilizing tractor systems, the Sacagawea assumed responsibility for towing the USS Taylor from the Arcturus Veil Nebula and escorting it safely back to the Farpoint Fleet Repository and Historical Museum, from which it had originally been stolen.
The USS Wellington subsequently transported the captured pirate vessel to Security Outpost EA-72 for processing by Starfleet Security, while the USS Magnanimous departed for Starbase 24 with recovered hostages and other rescued personnel.
Final assessment: Captain Varek and the Silver Current appear uninvolved in the theft of the USS Taylor beyond unknowingly transporting cargo associated with the perpetrators. Evidence gathered during this operation has significantly improved Starfleet’s understanding of pirate activity within the Arcturus Veil Nebula and contributed to the successful recovery of the stolen vessel.
The USS Sacagawea remains mission capable and available for future tasking.
End Log.
This scenario was altered from the STA Mission Briefing “In Pale Battalions Go” from the Cold War Mission Briefs by Modiphius. I moved the timeline up to match the campaign (TOS to Star Trek VI) and added another briefing that may come into play on episode III.
Overall, the players had a lot of fun. They loved the pre-game communication and the audio mission briefing (especially the sound effects). I’m typing this up a few weeks afterwards so I may be missing some details. If any of the player say “Hey you forgot this” I’ll add them later.