Freelance Traveller

by Joel Callahan

Scenario

The players have landed on a TL13-ish world, and have put out numerous 'feelers' in an effort to gain employment. After a few days, a Corporate CEO Assistant approaches them. Seems the Company has recently developed a prototype of a new Air/Car (think air/raft with guts -n- attitude) and they have a buyer off-world interested. The car has not reached the assembly-line process yet, but they have produced a handful of prototypes. The Company has several rival companies on this world, and industrial espionage is feared. The Assistant is authorised to hire your ship and crew (at a very profitable rate).

The prototype is delivered late at night, and is freighted in on an enclosed semi-truck. The prototype is in a metal crate with numerous locks on it. Tamper seals are in place as well.

The crew manages to secure it in their cargo bay.

Early the next morning, someone else responds to their earlier efforts at employment. This potential Patron seeks to put their sleuthing skills to work. Seems this patron is employed by an air/raft manufacturing company (local to this world) and someone stole their prototype! They wish the players to track down the thief and return the prototype.

Possible directions to take this adventure:

1. The second Patron is really trying to steal the prototype that's sitting in their cargo bay. He does not know the players have it.
2. The second Patron knows the players have it, and is trying a reverse approach at getting them to hand the prototype over.
3. Same as #2, only if the players refuse or play dumb, the second Patron will send in a Merc Team in the middle of the night to try to kill the players and steal the ship.
4. It is as the second Patron has described. The First Patron has stolen the prototype from them. If the players hand the prototype over to the second Patron, a reward will be paid. The first Patron will attempt to kill the players afterwards.
5. There is no prototype. It's a bomb and the Company is a front for a terrorist organization.
6. There is no prototype. It's an elaborate ruse to smuggle drugs offworld. If the players get boarded, the company will deny they employed them for anything. The Assistant paid them in cash and there is no record of the Company being involved.