The Stepford Crew

STARFLEET ORDERS

[When the crew was officially reinstated, following escape from a temporal rift, the computer had calculated up some rather. . .considerable vacation time.

This issue was discussed at some length.

But since regulations are regulations, and because I have no authorization to impose actual time spent, you are ordered to report to the planet Risa for mandatory shore leave. If no serious emergency occurs in that sector, your regular duties will resume in one week’s time.] – Signed by Admiral Komack.

SYSTEM AND PLANETARY DATA:

Granicus is a binary star system. The third planet is known as Risa, and has two moons. Risa is the homeworld of the Risians, capitol of the Risian Hedony, and a supporting member of the Federation.

Originally a dismal, rain-soaked, and geologically unstable jungle planet plagued by violent earthquakes, the native Risians transformed their world utilizing advanced atmospheric geotechnology. A sophisticated weather control network surrounds the planet, providing nearly constantly desirable weather. Vast underground seismic regulators have been constructed, to eliminate geological instability.

POLITICS AND CULTURE –

Well known for its beautiful tropical resorts and abundance of pristine beaches, Risa has been a popular tourist destination since at least the 22nd century. The staff is especially friendly.

For a population of 3 billion, the culture and politics of the entire planet is remarkably stable. The native inhabitants embrace a form of hedonism, and are able to market it most effectively in the tourism industry.

SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF EVENTS:

* Indicates GM’s note

1. Discuss new house-rule called “scene styles.” Scenes will be broken down into different roleplay forms or styles with special names for each. We’ve been doing these types of scenes already, but I wanted to quickly identify them so we’re all on the same page.

- “All-Play” means everyone is “in character,” (usually including the GM) and everything happens in realtime. This is usually limited to in-character dialogue.

- “In-turn” are scenes that demand tighter control of what each character does within a very sudden or limited amount of time

- “Combat” is self-explanatory and follows the rules of the book.

- “Cut Scenes” are GM-only narratives that give clearer insight into the overall storyline, “Meanwhile, in the Captain’s quarters, Picard has a nightmare that he’s still Locutus of Borg.”

- “Flashbacks” are long-form, usually character-driven, narratives to establish continuity or characterization. A “Retcon” is a smaller form of flashback; usually meant to fix a mistake or clarify a narrative for the benefit of the group.

• 1. [TEASER] Captain’s Log (Matt). The Bretagne is in orbit around planet Risa [001]. (Have Jason retcon summarizing the planet.) The PCs are just returning from their shore leave. Lt. Peterson, Lt. VonTassel, and Nurse McMurphy [002, 003, 004] all get their own interactive “flashback” montage in turn and beam up together with other crewmembers.

1. Commander Harper and LtCdr T’Val are packing up in their rental suites [005]. They are both late getting back aboard the Bretagne for their own individual reasons (justify). Each of them get an interactive flashback scene of their own, before receiving a GM handout.*

• 1. Upon beaming up, Harper, T’Val, Hepzibah, Bianchi, Gauss, and Caldwell are now androids, and are initially mistaken for the normal crew. They are very calm and docile, with goofy smiles on their faces. Chief Engineer Schrödinger cat-coughs for a moment[1] and assumes their demeanor is a side-effect of shore leave. He also notes the strain put on the transporter during that last beam up.

• 1. The Stepford Crew will interact with everyone else on the ship in an odd manner until either Kathy or Jean realize something is terribly wrong.

1. [cue SUSPENSE, THEN OPENING THEME]

• 1. [TITLE CARD] Meanwhile, the real Captain Harper and T’Val wake up in a pitch-dark prison cell of some sort. Clues are given out slowly. They hear engine noises, like the thrumming of a non-Federation FTL engine of some sort. They hear a voice in the darkness, “Who-who’s there? You’re UFP? (pause for role-playing) Lieutenant Commander Dylan McCaffery, USS Ganymede. Serial Number SA-940-0177-R.” At first, Dylan is suspicious his cell mates are not who they say they are, and needs convincing. Max and T’Val must somehow escape (see Map of Orion slave vessel)

1. Meanwhile, Lt. Peterson* and Lt. VanTassel have problems of their own. Action will continually alternate from the Bretagne to the Clotilda respectively (See “Pacing Diagram,” on following page). Over time, Peterson and VanTassel will discover that a total of 6 crewman have been replaced with androids. After the androids have been deactivated, the next problem is finding out what happened to the real crew and then rescuing them.

- T’Val and Harper are obviously off-planet. No one appears to know anything.

- Yeoman Hepzibah and Lt. Bianchi were marooned on a small deserted island off the coast of Suraya Bay. The last thing they remember was they were having a drink together in a Karaoke Bar. Bianchi remembers waking up at one point inside a cave; strapped to some kind of rotating circular bed. Then he was stunned by someone holding a phaser.

- Crewman Gauss and Lt. Caldwell remember surfing with Peterson a little, hitting on Nurse McMurphy for awhile, and then playing some volleyball. “I had to visit the restroom and some freak jumps me just as I walk in.” Then Caldwell adds, “So I wonder what’s taking Jeff so long and I see him getting jumped by some freak in a freak wig and clown nose. I jump in and then ‘wham’ I find myself tied up with Jeff inside some yacht. Someone shot a hole into the hull and it started to sink. We barely escaped in time. Gauss concludes, “Good thing we’re both good swimmers.”

After every crewmember has been rescued, clues will lead to the science seminar and the new Roger Korby android, now operating under the alias of Dr. Gyro Broker (see NPC description).

NEW NPCs

Dylan McCaffrey - One of the missing crew members of the USS Ganymede, now sold into slavery. Knows a lot about his captives, as well as what happened on the Ganymede (See Security report from Ep #3).

Selandra Vossovi – Once a Yeoman 3^rd class assigned to the USS Artemis, then transferred to the Enterprise. Recently placed on extended leave some time around Stardate 2502. She’s biding her time waiting for her next assignment. “I think it’s the Ganymede. . .? But I’m not. . .particularly worried about it.” *sipping a mai tai* She is technically AWOL. Selandra was room-mates with T’Val during her Academy days.

Dr. Gyro Broker/RK3/Roger Korby – An eccentric scientist running an AI booth at the annual Federation Science Seminar. Wears a rainbow afro wig and a clown nose. Talks like Stuart Smalley. He is trying to market his new idea for androids. He was awakened from hibernation on Exo III and liberated from the planet by Captain Zarboza, “He wanted to give me the opportunity the other Roger Korbys never had.” The cold storage may have done something to his logic circuits. The newly constructed android duplicator he brought with him seems just as sub-standard as its creator. He has hidden his whole operation in the Risian caves.

The Orion crew of the Clotildé – See NPC sheet/Supporting Cast Profile.