Gamer

Session name: Into the Black
Session type: Con One-off
Game system: Serenity RPG/Cortex System
Number of players: 7+GM

About the script:Into the Black was written for the launch of Serenity RPG in 2005.

Play resumè: Our Heroes (Mal, Zoe, Wash, Simon, Jayne, Kaylee and Inara) have just delivered a shipment of dogs to Whitefall, and are hard pushed for spare parts and fuel. As luck would have it, Roland A. Sharpe (Fmr. Admiral, Independent Fleet), is on moon, looking for a crew to help him. He has his former aide-de-camp, Saul Potter, recruit our heroes for a transpo-mission to Bellerophon, promising them a hefty payment (enough to clear their debts) and five drums of fuel for the job.

They accept the job, knowing that Patience has probably got wind of them being there, and go to pick up the fuel. Somehow, though, the man who Saul Potter had agreed with about the fuel, has not informed anyone else, and as they finish loading the fuel, some folks start shootin'.

Getting off Whitefall in a hurry, our heroes head toward Bellerophon. On the way, Simon is called in to consult on "mr. James'" lung condition. He recognises his face from the Cortex Warrant Notice, but reveals nothing, helping his patient instead, as his training has taught him.

As they approach Bellerophon, Saul Potter has everyone assemble in the dining area. Jerome, his strong man, is notably absent. "Mr. James" enters the room, and is immediately recognised as Admiral Sharpe. Saul Potter tells everyone that they need to change course. He tries appealing to their patriotism, then paying them. In the end he has to turn to blackmail, and thell them that Jerome has "the girl" (River, who has been sedated for a while) in the sick bay, and if they do as they are told, she will not be harmed.

They change course to Pegasus, a moon of Bellerophon, where the "Freedom's Glory", the flag ship of the independents during the war, awaits dismantling. Through a series of trials, they get into the Processing Plant (run by Blue Sun), and get into the Glory. Kaylee manages to make her run, and they get off planet, almost without a hitch.

Three weeks later our heroes receive a package from Adm. Sharpe, containing 3000 Alliance Credits worth of Platinum.

Notes on the script: The script is intended for seven players, but that didn't work too well. Inara, especially, was left out, with not a lot to do. Simon had some work some of the time, but otherwise was also loose flesh. The module is probably better off with five players, leaving Inara and Simon as NPCs.