Operation Nightingale

BARD PAPER: MARI0014

This is more of an extended adventure nugget, rather than a totally fleshed out adventure. GMs should alter it to suit their campaign. If the players were not part of the earlier missions that set up Operation Nightingale, then CIN articles should be written to cover the discovery of plague on Exter and the ongoing attempts at a cure. This will give the players a sense that the universe is bigger than themselves and when they are brought in to assist, they will already be somewhat aware of the problem.

In pre-Collapse times, SuSAG operated a pharmaceutical research center on Exeter. An mission by the RC or one of its member worlds, was launched to uncover any materials and research left behind. During this mission, a viral agent was released. This agent is a highly contagious airborne disease with a high mortality rate. It is quickly spreading through the nations of Exeter. No nation on Exeter has the technology or resources to cure this plague.

In the first month, the plague killed several hundred people, in the second month the casualty rate had grown to just over a thousand, the third month it was several thousand. At this time an RCES mission discovered the plague. Predictions show that if the plague is not stopped, several million people will be dead within the year. Within three years the economy will collapse. Within five years, the population will have been wiped out. If the plague manages to catch a ride on a passing starship there's no way of predicting how high the death toll could rise.

The players could have been on the previous mission, or it could be a third party. It depends on the campaign and the GM's wishes. The plague could have been released through negligence, interference by one of the local governments or intentionally by a traitor on the mission. The traitor could be a Shadow Nest Hiver, an agent of the Vampires, or possibly the Guild. Again, it depends on the individual campaign.

A second RCES mission brought back samples of the disease. In addition the original mission recovered extensive records from the base. Research and analysis of these records took several months, but managed to determine that the disease was most likely a genetically engineered bioweapon of Solomani origin. SuSAG was contracted by the Imperial government to create a vaccine in the event the Solomani released the plague. Unfortunately SuSAG's research was halted by Rebellion and Hard Times.

The RC has sent samples of the plague and copies of all relevant research to the Hiver Federation. It is possible that the higher tech facilities of the Hive Federation may be able to create a cure. The Hiver Federation has TL-15 biological facilities, but they are unfamiliar with human physiology, and will most likely require several years to find a cure.

It is unacceptable to RCES command, to wait several years while millions die. If the plague is not stopped, eventually the civilization on the planet will collapse. Even worse, if the plague manages to escape from the planet, the death toll would be unimaginable. Welzer/Karse/Old Expanses was the site of the Imperial Research Station Beta for Old Expanses sector. The station specialized in genetic research. The station is now run by a virus that resides in the base computer known as KilaKila. It has created thousands of genetically altered creatures. These creatures show that KilaKila has a high degree of understanding of the human genome and its workings. It is doubtful that KilaKila would cooperate with the RC. Normally the RCN would deal with a planet bound virus by attacking the base from orbit. In this case will destroy any information that KilaKila contains. A plan has been hatched to send in a small group to infiltrate the research station and infect KilaKila with a peacemaker strain. (This requires that this adventure be set after the events of Vampire Fleets.)

No plans for KilaKila's compound are provided or details on the defenses. Based on the type of players and their style of play, the GM can create a base that is best infiltrated by frontal assault or by stealth. The adventure can emphasis combat or intelligence. Either should be enjoyable. The players should make contact with natives on the planet and use them to augment their strike force. This would fit in with the underfunded nature of most RCES missions and it will also expose the players to the genetic nightmares that KilaKila has created.

After KilaKila has been infected with a peacemaker strain, the new personality will require several weeks of integration, before it can commence creating a cure for the plague. Each month there after, the GM should roll a d20, on a roll of 18+, the computer comes up with a cure. There is a +1 DM for every month spent on the problem. The players can use this time to explore Welzer. There should be plenty of opportunities for adventure on the planet. For instance, what to do with the upgraded humans. They follow KilaKila, but they could easily follow any authority, such as the RC marine corp. Also they do breed true. Some RC leaders, may fear that the new humans will eventually dominate over pure strain humans. Alternatively the players could depart and let some other group handle the clean up.

Once the cure has been created, it has to be administered to the people of Exeter. Exeter is balkanized and is discussed briefly in Vampire Fleets. Depending on how many casualties occurred, several nations could have been destabilized. Their neighbors may be posed to strike to take advantage of the weakened nature of their enemy. Any attempts to give the cure to just one nation, will spark an instant war by the other nations to seize the cure. This portion of the adventure will focus on diplomacy rather than combat. As always the underfunded nature of the RCES will allow players to craft their own methods and decide their own fate.