Serenity RPG

Ruth recieves a wave from her mentor. He has been fooled into going with Guido and Hermes to an Omega Site facility. He waves her again from Santo, but is interrupted. He gives her a planet and a code, then rushes off.

Mr. Mort, Tranquility's undertaker, is an odd man. Wearing blue gloves, he doesn't like to talk, and always has the same dour, helpful manner. When the crew ask him to help them find information about Dr. Bombay's message, he reveals a sophisticated hidden computer setup and quickly discovers the coordinates they need.

When they arrive on Hanson's Moon, they discover the Aces and Eights parked nearby. They approach from another direction and enter the town of Peg Leg. They meet a nervous sheriff who seems desperate for them to go away. They agree and circle around to get a better look at the town.
When they hear a piano being plucked at, they enter the saloon. Immediately, the thug playing the piano shoots at Jim. Only quick reflexes save him as Xyon takes the man down.

Three days out, the crew are on edge about how they are going to get their next antitoxin injections. They have fed the prisoner in the passenger compartment two of the last three days and given him water two days. He is not in the best of moods.

Ruth decided to talk to him. He isn't very keen on chatting. However, once she realizes that he's hungry, she heads to the galley to make him a sandwich. She leaves him outside the room and he immediately runs and hides in the infirmary. Everyone searches for him, but they just can't quite find him.

Then, something on the engine blows and the ship begins to slow down. Jim checks the engine room and finds the problem in the power system, but the engines have been customized with non-standard parts that would take him days to figure out.

In his hiding spot, the prisoner opens a panel and accesses the comm system. First, he creates a massive klaxton burst that stuns everyone for a round. Then, he partially locks up the piloting controls and kills the inter-ship comms. While they others are stunned, he sneaks out and into the cargo hold.

Ruth, still holding her sandwich rushes with the others to check the cargo bay when they hear a loud crash. (Josh rolled a botch!) The prisoner had knocked over a stack of ammo boxes and was pinned beneath them.

Later, sitting in the galley, the prisoner, Josh, is eating a sandwich. Meanwhile, Jim interrogates him. His name is Josh, he was hired as a temp engineer on the firefly. He had nothing to do with running the ship, in fact, we get the idea that the crew might not have liked him. He knows nothing of Hermes' plan or the Omega List. He was hired to do a job: examine the salvage potential of ship's systems. He says he once worked for the Corone Mining Consortium.

Satisfied that he is not a threat, the set course for Jiangyin, a planet rumored to have a safe shipyard away from alliance patrols.

On the planet, they land next to a large shipworks in a small town. The modern shipwork facility is an odd site amidst the rustic hills of Jiangyin.

They are met by Mr. Hargrove, a local merchant and a marching band. Hargrove is the town welcome committee, he invites them to meet with him to discuss financial opportunities. They all join him at his General Store (oddly named Flummerfeld's General Store, not Hargrove's) in his office.

At first he is quite reticent, however, once Jim tells him that they are Browncoats his face lights up and he enthusiastically offers them trade. He tells them that if they have smuggled items in their hold, they can see Applewood at the Shipworks. They move out front to begin shopping when Ruth tells him that they just met Josh and they don't think he's trustworthy. Taking that to mean that he is an alliance spy, Hargrove hurries to the back room. Shortly, a large man enters the shop carrying a gun.

Xyon puts himself infront of the huge man. "You'd best step aside, sir," the man says. Xyon challenges him and the man flashes a badge and introduces himself as the sheriff. He dismisses Hargrove's suspicion saying that if they thought the crew was Alliance, they'd already be dead. He asked if they were smuggling cargo and suggests that if they are they should go visit Applewood at the shipyard. Hargrove comes back out and the sheriff leaves. The group split up.

Xyon buys some booze, then goes with Josh to the bank to convert credits to platinum. Jim goes to Applewood to sell the ship's cargo and Ruth heads to the hotel to meet the town's Reigstered Companion.

The Companion turns out to be a mammoth woman so huge that she seems confined to a massive couch in the lobby of the hotel. The woman doesn't quite understand what Ruth wants when she's asking for intelligent conversation since this is a whorehouse and not a library. She gives Ruth some advice: "Out here on the rim, there's not alot of use for higher learning. You fight to live and nothin' is ever easy to come by. Don't be askin' simple folks questions that it would take a college educated person to answer. There ain't any colleges out here on the rim, in fact, you're lucky to find a school."

Ruth leaves frustrated and ready to return home.

Jim sells the cargo for 5000 platinum.

Tranquility would be a good place to live if they weren't dying from a toxin given to them by a ruthless businessman. According to Captain Jax, they have 3 days before the sickness begins and 6 days until they die. If only Tranquility had a doctor's office.

Xyon awakens on the bridge, shot in the gut. Outside, two space suited figures float untethered. He knows that they must be Jim and Ruth.

This adventure was told out of order. We started at the end and interspersed the past with the present. This is a linear description of events.

Having recovered the coordinates to a shipwreck that Hermes' employer had been searching for for years, the crew followed the course for several days. Life had developed a routine, Ruth taught Rose to make protein taste good while Jim and Guido worked on the engines. Xyon was hopelessly drunk in the game room. Hermes and Captain Jax would talk privately for hours.

Just as they enter visual range of their destination, Hermes informs them that they are inside Reaver territory. The crew is upset, but Hermes seems relaxed and eager to share information. He tells them that the shipwreck is that of the Independent Firefly-class Blockade Runner "Sweet Dreams." Many of the crew recognize the legend of the lost Independent ship that vanished without a trace on it's way to reinforce Independent troops fighting the losing Battle of Serenity Valley. Attacked by reavers, the crew had detonated the engines rather than be taken. However, one survivor escaped. He was the man on Lilac.

Hermes leaves by himself to be the first to put on his space suit. Shortly, the crew join him, arming themselves and exiting the Aces and Eights. Once they reach the Sweet Dreams, Hermes has them separate into two teams.

Ruth and Jim join Hermes searching for a data disk he calls the Omega List. He explains that it will lead them to great wealth and an antidote for the toxin killing them. Xyon and Guido enter and pressurize the bridge to check the status of ship's systems and salvage any systems that may be working.

Ruth and Jim split off from Hermes to search the cargo hold. They find it full of heavy weaponry. They know they can't simply turn over a valuable commodity like that, but it might be the only way to a cure. They discover two doses labeled antidote, a red data disk, and a blue data disk. The blue data disk is the Omega List!

On the bridge, Xyon and Guido have gotten some systems working. Guido shows Xyon when to hit a switch on a system he is working on.

Hermes asks Jim and Ruth if they have found the disk. They tell him that they have and give the disk to him. Quickly, he pulls out a hidden communicator and says, "we have it." On the bridge, Guido asks Xyon to hit a button again, but when he does, he hears a gun cock. Looking up at Guido, who stands tall instead of his normal slump, he sees a man of intelligence, not the foolish mechanic.

"Thank you Mr. Xyon. Initially, I had my doubts about you, but you have proven yourself very capable. Too capable."

Guido shoots Xyon in the gut. Meanwhile, Hermes hits a button on his comm.

"Pleasant dreams," says Guido into the comm, "I couldn't have done this without you. To show my appreciation, I will let you live until the salvage crew arrives."

The crew then collapse unconscious, victims of gas charges inserted into the breathers in their suits.

When Xyon awakens, his suit's helmet is gone and the outer airlock door is off it's hinges. He can't leave the bridge! Jim and Ruth are unconscious outside the ship. They all have about 6 hours of air!

By timing the ship's rotation, Jim manages to grab Ruth and pull himself into the cargo hold. They aren't sure how long they have been unconscious. Xyon manages to get short range sensors, and immediately discovers an incoming ship. Just visible to the naked eye, he recognizes it as a Firefly class transport.

The crew all wait in ambush as the ship goes through it's docking procedures. The ship chooses to dock with the unconventional narrow nose dock rather than the main airlock. Immediately, two figures circle around to the cargo hold. They carry spearguns. Xyon finds a hidden compartment beneath the captain's chair; in it, a disk, a pistol with one bullet, and a bottle of whisky.

Jim and Ruth retreat out of a breach in the far side of the cargo hold as the two armed figures scan the cargo bay. Xyon hides as two crewmen enter the bridge and begin to examine the ship's systems.

Finally, Jim can't wait anymore. He sneaks up behind on of the suited figures and destroys his airhose, then throws him into space. He then works his way around the ship and Ruth spears the other space suited salvager. They then work their way around to see into the bridge.

Xyon shoots the leader and grabs the unarmed engineer. He interrogates the engineer to see if there are any more on board, but there are not. The ship is theirs! He takes the engineer along because he can't abandon him on a ship in deep space.

Jim and Ruth enter the ship through the airlock and examine their situation. Guido and Hermes are gone without a trace taking the Aces and Eights with them. Captain Jax and Rose were on that ship. Were they in on it? What about the Omega List?

They watch the disk with the red label. It is a letter from the captain's family. After it is over, it has an odd burst of static. However, all of this becomes the least of their problems when they realize that they have seven days to live unless they get either a booster or an antidote!

The crew unload their cargo on Santo. Captain Jax has negotiated a great deal with a mysterious older man to take on a single crate and him for the price of a full cargo hold. This will be a small windfall for the entire crew.

Just as their fare arrives, Mr. Hermes strolls into the cargo hold and tells them that they are not accepting passengers at this time. The passenger protests, but Hermes closes the bay door in his face. When the crew protest to the Captain, he tells them to prepare to get under way.

Hermes tells them that they are required to fulfill their end of the deal. He has provided the anti-toxin, now they must help his employer. He gives them the coordinates to travel to and retires to the card room.

The crew discusses the situation en route. Hermes is not forthcoming with information. He tells them all will be revealed when they reach their destination.

At their destination, a dusty little plant called Lilac, Hermes gives them landing coordinates in the middle of a desert 30 kilometers from the nearest settlement of Skyler.

They arm themselves and head north towards a box canyon. On the way, Ruth feels like she’s being watched. Gravel trickles down the wall of the canyon. They draw their guns. Suddenly, with a loud crash a man falls down the hill at their feet.

He introduces himself as Xyon. He says that he has business in the building up ahead. He is as suspicious of them as they are of him, but they tentatively agree to join up. Just before the valley at the end of the canyon, the walls narrow. Hermes begins unpacking something from a case he brought with him. He explains that the informant he needs to meet with his on the lowest level of the adobe structure before them. It is guarded, so they will need to sneak through.

While the others discuss their approach, Hermes completes his sniper rifle and shoots a sentry from atop the structure. Everyone is shocked, but Hermes urges them through. They must cross quickly to the entrance.

Inside, they navigate around guards, knocking two out before reaching a commons room. In the commons room, Ruth yells at the others alerting the guards in the next room. A firefight breaks out. It turns out that these were lawmen guarding a prisoner and they are well fortified in the jail room.

They try to fight it out, but no one can get the upper hand. Finally, Ruth walks into the jail and is instantly taken prisoner. The Marshall asks how much money she has. He tells them that if they give him the money, he and his man will just walk away. The crew take the deal, letting them leave.

In the jail is a man who has lost his mind. He has the facial scarring of a reaver, but seems to blink in and out of sanity. Once he knows they are there he begins to throw himself at the window. They shock him with a sedation button attached to the viewing area window. He seems to fall into a daze.

Hermes immediately enters the chamber and begins to torture the reaver-to-be. He breaks his fingers systematically, then pistol whips him. Each blow seems to excite him, he writhes in ecstasy. Pulling Hermes off, Jim covers the creature while Ruth interrogates him.

The reaver used to be a pilot. He saw the reavers devastate his ship and lost his mind. He can just remember the coordinates. Once he reveals them he just keeps repeating, “Sweet Dreams, Sweet Dreams, SWEET DREAMS!!!” Finally, he goes totally over to the madness, he has become a reaver before their eyes. Xyon shoots him, but it only slows him down. Jim shoots the creature in the head putting it out of it’s misery.

On the way back to the Aces and Eights, they spot a Reaver ship! Fortunately, it is moving away from them. Xyon gets a ride to Skyler to collect his bounty and accepts a job offer from Captain Jax.

Mr. Hermes, delighted that they have retrieved the coordinates of his employer’s ultimate goal, shakes Xyon’s hand. He then immediately injects Xyon with toxin.

The Alliance patrol announces that they have 30 minutes until they are boarded. They must hide the smelly case of rations. Once in Jim’s quarters, they are confronted by Rose, she is what the patrol is looking for. She tells them that they MUST hide her or they will all rot in an Alliance detention center. Reluctantly, the pair agree. Rose tells them that she will disguise herself as male engineer.

They hide the case in an access panel in the engine room and swear Guido to secrecy. They are asked to meet the patrol at the dock.

It’s immediately apparent that this is no ordinary patrol. An average patrol is made up of four or five officers, the highest ranking generally no higher than a second lieutenant. Not only does this patrol have six troops, but they are led by a Commander!

He begins to speak, bu Ruth confronts him first. She demands to know who they are and asks if they recognize her. The Commander is amused, but informs her that despite her notoriety, he is not interested in who she is. She continues to badger the Commander until his patience is stretched to the limit. He tells his men to confine them all to quarters. He then turns to Ruth and informs her that if he hears another word from her, she would be escorted to an airlock.

Later, they are all confined to quarters. They are informed that the Commander is speaking to the captain. For some time they can only sit and wait.

Finally, Jim is allowed to go check the engine room and Ruth is allowed to go to the bathroom.

Jim finds Guido hiding in the engine room. He has an idea to get the patrol off of the ship. With gestures and patience, he asks Guido if he can rig a plasma leak or somesuch. Guido seems optimistic.

Ruth in the bathroom manages to modify the comm. to speak point to point with the engine room. They work out a plan to fake a poisonous leak. Guido gestures that it will cause a terrible stench, but nothing fatal.

Ruth is summoned by the Commander. He has been expecting her to try her influence tricks on him. He dismisses them and gets to the point. He explains that he is looking for a fugitive. Despite his own opinion of the subject’s value, his superiors have made it his sole task to find this individual. He knows that they just left Beaumond, from a port near the last known location of his fugitive. More specifically, he knows that they were the only ship to leave that dock and Ruth’s signature was on the manifest. Had they picked up any passengers?

Ruth talks around the problem, evading answering any questions. This approach infuriates the Commander and he sends her back to her quarters. He will send for her in an hour and he expects to be informed where the passenger is hiding. He knows this type of ship contains many smuggling compartments, and he wants to know when she is.

In the galley, Jim observes Captain Jax tinkering with the stove. Later, in the engine room, a patrolman begins to poke around. He finds the hidden panel! When he opens it, all are stunned to find that it’s empty.

Jim chastises the soldier for interrupting them, the patrolman apologizes and leaves. Rose has been sitting in the galley all along pretending to be “Ron.” She doesn’t speak or make eye contact. She is terrified.

Jim and Guido have prepared the stink bomb, they are waiting for Ruth’s signal as she explains that there’s a preexisting technical issue in the engine room. She will then sneak over to the comm. console and silently signal them.

The Commander has spent far too much time searching the ship. He knows that the fugitive is on board, but he can find no proof. As an honorable soldier, he cannot simply arrest them without some type of proof. He is ready to begin strip searches of the crew.

“What do you want, Ms. Livingston?” he asks.

“I want you and your men off this ship.”

The Commander gets more and more angry as she avoids his questions. He is frustrated and trying to get her to slip. She manages to sidestep his attempts to manipulate her into giving something away.

As he is ranting about throwing them all out of the airlock, she hits the comm. switch signaling the engine room. The stench that fills the ship is nauseating. The Commander gathers his men. Jax tells them that this happens every now and again, the lifesupport system gets cross injected with this stuff, it takes months to get the smell out.

The Commander orders his men off the ship, promising that they will see him again.

Rose breathes a sigh of relief. The captain reveals that the food crate had been crammed into the oven.

They find a dispenser in the infirmary. In it, two hypos wait for them to take their anti-toxin.