Dead Reckoning
Set-up: While stopping on a backwater planet for supplies, the characters end up in the wrong place at the wrong time: they stumble across a dead man just as the local police arrive. The deceased is a policeman himself; the characters are accused of murder. But this planet has an odd sense of justice: the accused have only one solar day to prove their innocence. If they succeed, they go free. Otherwise, they are sent to the prison-mines for the rest of their lives.

Action: The characters have travel where they will within the city, but they are not allowed to board their ship, and they cannot leave the city limits. Their weapons will be removed from them until they prove their innocence. If they engage in any further acts of violence, (except self-defense), they face immediate execution. The police are legally obligated to assist the characters in their efforts, but most seem less than thrilled with helping a band of accused “cop killers.”

The characters can take whatever action they like, but most will likely be investigating the murder in an attempt to prove their innocence. The target was beloved by the residents of the city. He was known for being a fair and honest officer, and utterly incorruptible. No one has any idea who would wish to kill him.

The truth of the matter is that the officer was murdered by his own partner, who was having an affair with his wife — a capital crime on this world. When the officer found out, he threatened to report him. The partner murdered him before he could tell anyone. If the characters get close to discovering the truth, they may be targeted by the angry (and frightened) killer. They won’t have weapons to fight back with, and if they manage to get their hands on some, they face immediate execution. If they are captured, it will be their word against the police’s, and the characters’ claims will fall on deaf ears. They must find evidence when they report the officer’s crimes. And they only have one solar day to figure everything out…

A Hostage Holiday
Set-up: The characters are visiting Tianna, a resort world. They must leave their ship in orbit and take a shuttle to the surface. On the way down, however, the shuttle pilots revolt and take them hostage.

Action: The characters are offered a complimentary shuttle down to the planet. Parking planetside is a far more expensive option and the shuttle does have other incentives, such as a flirtatious pilot and co-pilot. When the PC’s board the shuttle, the pilot receives a message (via open channel so the players hear it). It’s an aristocrat of the world who says, in a level voice, “Jerrim Rolldel, this is a quick message regarding the files on my desk. Please report to me when you land the shuttle.” At this moment, the characters have a chance to notice the co-pilot take out a gun and surreptitiously aim it at the pilot.

The pilot panics and immediately puts the shuttle into a barrel roll, while announcing that they are all prisoners of the Alliance for Tianna. All characters, (except the co-pilot who automatically fails), must make a Reflexes save in order to keep their balance. Anyone who botches is knocked unconscious by falling debris. When the pilot comes out of the maneuver, the characters can try and subdue him. Regardless of who has control of the shuttle, the pilot begins frantically talking about the true conditions of the workers on the planet (see the description in Planets) and how he must escape or expose the movement. The pilot then offers a generous sum, and informs the PCs that the planet will probably kill them for fear of bad publicity.

The PC’s will have a choice. If they chose to work with the pilot, another announcement will follow the decision. The same administrator, over the still-open (or newly-opened) channel, orders the planetary defenses to open fire. If they have to crash land, the characters will have to find a way to escape the planet. If they subdue the pilot and decide to go down to the planet for their vacation, the voice over the com will offer a reward for their prisoner. Once they reach planetside, the pilot and the PC’s will be turned over to the authorities, and the characters will need to find a way to escape.