"Drifter", © 1992, 2000-2005 by
Michael C.
LaBossiere, originally appeared in _Challenge_ #64 (pages
38-40, 49).
Text-entry & HTML by: Steve C.
I remember my old biology professor saying life could exist anywhere as long as energy was available - or something like that. And space has plenty of energy. Still, I never expected to meet anything that called space home, especially nothing like this.
A human robot probe's sensors detected a large object drifting in space about two weeks ago. The onboard computer dismissed the object as an asteroid, at least until it began maneuvering (a most unasteroid activity). Following its programming, the probe returned. At first, it was feared that another bout of human-Kafer hostilities was on the way. However, once the probe's data was examined, it was determined that the vessel was not of any known Kafer design. In fact, it did not appear to be the product of any known race. The more cautious pointed out that it would be a simple matter to alter the appearance of a vessel. And the more scientifically minded asserted that this could be a vessel from a previously unencountered alien race.
Eventually, a compromise was reached, and it was decided that an armed vessel with a research team would be sent to meet the vessel. The player characters are to be part of the crew of the vessel. If they own their own ship, it can be hired for the task. If they do not own a ship, then they will be hired as part of the crew. The exact vessel is left to the referee, but it is likely to be an auxiliary cruiser. The exact location of the adventure is also left to the referee, but it is recommended that it begin on a frontier world.
Once the ship is outfitted and the crew is selected, the team will head toward the last known location of the alien vessel. If the referee desires, the vessel used by the expedition can suffer from a variety of minor (but annoying) glitches. For example, the food dispensers might occasionally mix the beverages into the main course (orange mashed potatoes due to the orange soda mixed in, scrambled eggs and beer, etc.), the vacuum toilets may get out of control, or the entertainment system may show only Lawrence Welk tapes and Madonna videos from the 20th century. Use your imagination.
The trip can also be spiced up a bit with a few accidents (engineering problems, computer failure, etc.) or perhaps an encounter with a (small) Kafer vessel. These side encounters should not pose insurmountable obstacles, however.
Once the ship gets into the area where the probe encountered the alien ship, the crew will be surprised that the vessel has not gone very far. The scientific team will suggest that the vessel has been waiting for them.
The alien vessel will not respond to any attempts at communication. It will maneuver around apparently at random, using what appear to be chemical jets. If the science team members examine the situation, they will determine that the vessel is moving through pockets of material in space and seems to be scooping up the free-floating elements. It is also emitting a broad range of radiation in what appear to be scanning sweeps.
If the players' vessel is brought within one kilometer of the alien vessel, it will move toward the human ship and attempt to touch hulls. It will also move toward any smaller vessel (like a missile, for example) that might be launched from the human ship or any space-suited human.
From the outside, the alien vessel looks odd to humans. Rather than the smooth hull that human ships have, the alien vessel has a convoluted and knotted hull that looks almost like it was grown instead of built. It also looks oddly shrunken, as if it were once larger. The hull is scarred from encounters with small objects in space, giving the impression of being very old and very alien.
An obvious metallic airlock can be seen on the side of the ship. The interior contains an atmosphere, but it is very thin and contains elements humans would find unpleasant. The team members will need space suits or oxygen masks to live within the vessel.
Being inside the vessel will give the players an odd feeling, as if they are inside a living thing. One of the science team members will dub it the "Jonah Feeling." This expression is quite apt, since the vessel is actually alive.
The science team will want to spend at least a few days examining the vessel and will conduct a wide variety of tests. They will eventually determine that the vessel is a cybernetic organism. The vessel consists of a fusion of organic parts and mechanical parts, and it possesses a rudimentary intelligence. They will also determine that the vessel has been adrift for centuries, maybe even for thousands of years or longer. They will also find out that the vessel is nearly dead, due to lack of food and spare parts.
Unfortunately, an accident may convince some of the humans that the alien vessel is an alien monster. One of the science team members will find what he takes to be a bunk set into the wall. He will climb into it and be shocked when the opening begins to close. He will call for help over his radio, and his transmission will end with a horrible scream as acids break him and his radio into component elements. It seems that the vessel ate him - but not out of any cruel intentions. The science team member blundered into a waste disposal area, and the vessel did not register him as living, due to breakdowns in its sensors. So the waste disposal converted him into raw materials. This incident may set off a debate on the PC's ship as to what should be done about the alien vessel. If the situation is carefully investigated, the truth may turn up and the incident revealed as a horrible accident, but an accident nonetheless.
If the team members decide not to destroy the alien vessel, they may want to bring it back with them. The vessel is not large and could be linked to the players' ship (depending on its size). The vessel would be a gold mine of information in terms of technology and data on the civilization that produced it. If it is left alone, it will perish in a few weeks. If it is destroyed, it will be a loss for the human race. If the vessel is brought back and cared for, it will expand a bit, and its hull and interior walls will smooth out. It will also regain its full consciousness and will be willing to communicate with the humans, within its limited abilities for communication. It may even live for a few more centuries.
There are three groups of NPCs.
Military Team: A Veteran NPC leads four Experienced NPCs, armed with military rifles and equipped with light armor.
Ship's Crew: These are Experienced NPCs equipped with light sidearms. The exact number of the crew members depends on the vessel used.
Science Team: These include four Novice (for combat purposes) NPCs, without weapons.
The alien vessel consists of an organic hull with organic and artificial equipment in its interior. The doors, airlock and many of the controls are machines. The walls have an odd, shrunken organic look to them. Everything looks quite old.
Drives: The ship has two drives. The mechanical drive has failed and seems to be similar to human stutterwarp drives. The other drive is a cybernetic chemical drive which is fueled by hydrogen and oxygen. This drive is still working.
Bridge: The bridge contains odd, organic-looking chairs for a multilimbed, non-humanoid race. There are numerous mechanical control panels set into the walls and linked into the vessel's nervous system. The floor hatch is metal.
Cargo: This area is the vessel's cargo bay. The airlock is metal. Two waste disposal systems are set into the walls of this section.
Quarters: This area contains the sleeping, eating and bathroom facilities for an obviously nonhuman crew. The door is metal.
Engineering: Deck 1 contains mechanical and electronic engineering panels. The hatch in the floor is metal. Deck 2 contains controls for manipulating the organic parts of the ship.
Electronics: This area contains the ship's electronic systems, including the main computer.