Waiting

They are coming, the only question is how long you have left, and what to say before you face the end.

One for those who want Romance and Angst in their roleplaying. Not a problem-solving game.

Genre/Influences: The Vorkosiverse, Bladerunner, Aliens, The Ship Who Sang.

Warning: References to non-consensual sex, same sex relationships, and suicide. Longer character sheets.

Character and scenario summary

The universe:

Synthetics: Artificial humans, stronger, faster, brighter, but with short life expectancy. Used in limited numbers as support staff by the Barrayaran Military.

Brainships: Craft built around a formerly human “Brain”, which Barrayar has started to deploy over the last two decades.

Beta Colony: Beta Colony has strong scientific and R&D industries and has a strong Survey tradition. Betans are often quite open about sex.

Barrayar: An Empire with a 'feudal' feel, run by a military caste. Modernising after a period of technological and cultural isolation.

Cetaganda: An Empire run by genetically enhanced humans. Very advanced in the biosciences.

The player of the Brainship “Goshawk” should be treated as invisible/omnipresent. They can move their focus of attention around the ship without others noticing. Other players should avoid looking directly at the Goshawk player.

The situation:

The Betan Survey ship Rene Magritte captained by Cordelia Naismith found an old Cetagandan facility on the newly surveyed planet Acheron. They awoke an old Ceta project - genetically engineered alien bioweapons. Most of the Betans were killed, or captured and turned into hosts for alien larvae.

The remaining Betans were fighting a losing battle from behind barricades when Captain Aral Vorkosigan, in command of the Barrayaran Marine Brainship “Goshawk” arrived in system. Picking up the Betan distress call, he proceeded to mount a rescue mission.

Many Marines died during the rescue before finally the Betans and the remaining Marines took off in their dropship, and “Nuked the site from orbit”. The Goshawk then jumped back towards Barrayar.

Unfortunately some aliens made it aboard unnoticed before dust-off. The underprepared Marines were attacked, and many were killed or wounded.

The Plan:

The Captains have a plan to clear the lifeforms from the Goshawk. Somehow the aliens can sense humans, and home in on them. The aim is to use this to draw the aliens in. The Betans, and wounded marines have been ordered to the life-pods, leaving the aliens with only one small group of well armed humans as target; the bridge - a small, easily defensible area with more than one exit. This is where you will make your stand.

While falling back to the bridge, remote detonation mines were laid in each of the sealed sections. The plan is to wait while the aliens break through the bulkheads, and then the captain will detonate the mines in sequence once they are all in range. “Goshawk” will watch and advise.

The Bridge has two entrances. Armed to the teeth, Vorkosigan and Naismith wait at one, Vasquez and the Synthetic Batty at the other. You all know that, although this isn’t a suicide mission, the plan may not work.

The aliens are coming… now all that is left is to wait.

Character summary:

NB: The letters in parentheses above indicate the perceived gender of each character in this game. (N) Indicates the player may choose the character's perceived gender.

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