Convoy SE-119 (STA)
The Players have been assigned to escort a convoy of merchant vessels carrying supplies from Narendra Station to a small research outpost deep within the Shackleton Expanse. Because the exploration of the Expanse is a joint concern between the Federation and the Klingon Empire, the Players’ vessel is supported by a Klingon cruiser, the K’Vort-class bird-of-prey I.K.S. MupwI’ (Hammer), under the command of Captain Akul.
During the mission, both the Players’ vessel and the MupwI’ experience unexpected issues with their newly-upgraded sensor and defensive systems, apparently caused by strange electromagnetic disturbances prevalent throughout the Expanse. When the Mupwl’ suffers an explosion, they are knocked out of warp speed and the convoy soon follows. Engineering and sciences teams work to correct the issues before the convoy’s safety is threatened. However, the crew of the MupwI’ is particularly slow to correct their technical problems, and the crew of the Players’ vessel runs into challenges of their own.
As the convoy traverses a region of space with dense pockets of electromagnetic disturbances, a mixed group of pirate vessels attacks the convoy. Two heavily-armed freighters attempt to occupy the two escorts so that attack fighters can isolate the slower and weaker transports, board them, and then escape.
Over the course of this mission, the crew of the Players’ vessel will have the opportunity to:
- Correct the technical flaws on their ship to better interact with the strange electromagnetic disturbances within the Expanse
- Help the crew of the MupwI’ correct the technical flaws on their ship so that they can help protect the convoy
- Learn that there is something peculiar about the electromagnetic disturbances within the Expanse
- Protect as much of the convoy from the pirates as possible
- Arrive at the research outpost with the convoy’s surviving ships
In addition, there may be an opportunity for the Player Characters to board or capture one or more of the pirate ships and interrogate the captain and/or crew of those ships. In so doing, the crew might discover more secrets about some of the personalities lurking within the Expanse.