Act 2: Jindarian Welcome

Since they are being welcomed by Shindar, the Jindarian, the PCs have managed to approach the asteroid without triggering any security alerts--nearly impossible to do if not for Shindar's help. If the Orions are aware of the shuttlecraft's approach, then skip this act and proceed directly to Act 3: Orion Welcome; unless, for some reason, the Orions are playing possum, e.g. they think the PCs still think they're just an asteroid and they believe they've nullified the Jindarian's interference. In that case, go back to the Act 1: Analyzing the Asteroid scene.

Shindar is functionally a slave, but he joined this Orion pirate team about four months ago. He wants to enlist the PC's help in removing the pirates from his ship. He also wants to keep the bio-mimetic gel--what he'll call "his inheritance"--for himself. He believes if he returns to his caravan with the ship and gel, he'll be accepted. He will not die for the gel, however. (The Orions will.)

Jindarians are a rare (-5) exoskeletal (-15) species.

Scene 1: The Spacewalking Jindarian

Setting: In a shuttlecraft, approaching within visual range of the asteroid, whereupon they will encounter a spacewalking Jindarian. He will beckon them into the asteroid ship. If they don't comply, he will spacewalk to the shuttle to communicate. If they decide they want to risk active scans of the asteroid, go back to the Act 1: Analyzing the Asteroid scene.

Activities:

Piloting (High Performance Spacecraft) vs 5 (The Jindarian has disrupted security systems): How close do you want to get? Matching velocity with the asteroid. A confirmed failure triggers a proximity alert--Shindar (the Jindarian) is monitoring their approach and will warn them if necessary Slow your approach.
Perception and blast shields are down: +10: An asteroid about 4x larger than the shuttle is motionless in front of them.; +5: From the "side" of the asteroid, a dark reflective/light mat humanoid can be seen beckoning them.; 0: The humanoid seemed to emerge from solid rock.; -5: The humanoid was wearing something, but not on its midrift, head, hands, and feet. Follow-up Xenology-5 to recognize species.; -7: The humanoid has hands for feet: three fingers plus an opposable thumb.
E Op (Sensors-Radscan) +10) if they think to do it: Will provide range and bearing of an object at the coordinates given by coded neutrino pulses/triangulation. Allows an Astronomy follow-up.; +10: see Jindarian Handout; +6-Range: whatever it is, it's gravity suit is powered.

Success: They see the Jindarian and choose to follow him into the asteroid.

Failure: They see the Jindarian but choose not to follow him into the asteroid. The Jindarian will make a more overt attempt to contact the PCs by spacewalking to the shuttle.

Scene 2: The Jindarian Approaches the Shuttle

Setting: If the PCs don't act quickly enough, the Jindarian will spacewalk to the shuttle's view ports. From there, he can communicate.

Activities:

Perception and blast shields are down: +10: The Jindarian is approaching.; +5: If the Jindarian sees they're preparing to spacewalk, he stops. Otherwise, he is attaches something to his nose and mouth, then eventually something to the view port. Once he's "connected" to the view port, his mouth starts moving.; 0: Xenology-5 (or IQ-11) follow-up roll to recognize species as all the following becomes obvious: hands for feet: three fingers plus an opposable thumb and he's not wearing a helmet.; -3: His skin is made up of sliding segments.; -6: His entire body glistens.
Hearing-5 and Jindarian is "connected": The Jindarian is pleading for rescue.
Lower of E Op (Communications) & E Op (Science): A tricorder could be rigged to feed the vibrations to a communicator.; Jindarian [(Romanian) accent]: Please, you must help me. Orion pirates have stolen my ship and I am their slave. They are now sleeping. I've tried to override their security protocols, but I don't know how long. Please, you must help...

Success: They choose to follow him into the asteroid or not.

Failure: They choose not to follow him into the asteroid. The Jindarian will make a more overt attempt to contact the PCs via neutrino communication, but at the risk of alerting the Orions.

Scene 3: The Jindarian Returns to the Asteroid Ship

Setting: The PCs have apparently not acted, so the Jindarian is forced to return to the asteroid ship and risk contacting them via neutrino comm.

Activities:

E Op (Electronic Warfare or Communications-4)+5 vs 5 (Jindarian has overrided Security systems): Succeed:Jindarian [(Romanian) accent]: Please, you must help me. Orion pirates have stolen my ship and I am their slave. They are now sleeping. I've tried to override their security protocols, but I don't know how long. Please, you must help...; Fail: Over the neutrino comm link, the lights will dim/redden, a klaxon will be heard, Shindar flinches, and the link will be abruptly cut. Security systems have detected the unauthorized communication.

Success: They get Shindar's story and decide to help him or not. They may decide get more intel before doing anything else. In that case, go back to the Act 1: Analyzing the Asteroid scene. If they decide to disengage, go back to Act 1: Disengaging and Calling Home.

Failure: The use of the neutrino comm may have triggered a security alert. Or, if they decide to leave, Shindar will wake the Orions himself in a desperate attempt to force their involvement. Eventually the Orions will wake up. If this happens, proceed to Act 3: Orion Welcome.

Scene 4: Spacewalking to the Asteroid

Setting: Somewhere in and/or between the shuttlecraft and a 30 x 20 x 18 yd³ asteroid.

Activities:

Vacc Suit: Roll for yourself and again to check at least on buddy. Even on a critical failure, it should be obvious once depressurization starts that something is wrong and should be aborted. If not, another Vacc Suit rolls could be made by a buddy to fix a bad seal, but not after some FP loss. If these is not buddy around, the GM might have to get creative to keep the hapless PC from eventually loosing all pressure. As these vacc suits make use of mechanical counter-pressure (MCP) technology, there is no -1 to DX while wearing them in most cases e.g. E Op, Beam Weapons. There is a -1 to Perception, unless the helmet is removed.
Free Fall or HT when first encountering zero-G: On a failure: nauseated (-2 to almost everything) [B428]. Check HT again to keep from Retching [B429]. All this should be played more for amusement as opposed to life threatening.
Free Fall: Consider this skill a cap to DX and all DX based skills.
Free Fall: To float to/from the shuttle to an airlock without embarrasing yourself.

Success: Have made it to or back from the asteroid ship..

Failure: You puked and/or look like a cadet trying to make your way to an airlock.