The Mega Dungeons of Silent Running 1972 For Your Old School Space Opera Part II

Yesterday I did an over view of Silent Running from 1972. A wonderful movie with a powerful ecological message. 
You can read that right over HERE



This Is Not the Earth We Know 

The Earth of yesterday was a corporate controlled ruined wasteland or so we are led to believe. This is the world of 2008 according to the film. This is a place where a limited Nuclear exchange devastated the Earth.
 Space Flight and interstellar commerce is controlled by the Corporations. Mankind's survival is even funded by them.
 Ion Drives have been invented  and the realm of space exploration has started to open up.Those with enough power have begun the process of leaving Earth.
Could this be a future created by the rise of the genetic supermen who presence advanced mankind across the stars at the cost of the Earth? Could the war have started in 1999?
 

According to Wiki: 

 Khan is one of a group of genetically engineered super-humans, bred to be free of the usual humanmental and physical limitations, who were removed from power after the Eugenics Wars of the 1990s.^[2] Khan had been both the most successful conqueror and the most benign ruler of the group, ruling more than a quarter of the Earth's area across Asia to the Middle East from 1992 to 1996 with a firm but generally peaceful hand until he was deposed. While most of the supermen were killed or sentenced to death, Khan and 72 others escaped Earth by way of the sleeper ship SS Botany Bay.

Khan is such an important figure that his very presence warps history around him. Like Lincoln and many other figures of history his deeds shape the time line for millions of generations to come.

So by the time 2008 rolls around we've got Ion Drive sleeper ships, Heirloom genetic, the Preserver movements and some corporations still advancing system traffic and space exploration.

Corporations by the time 2008 rolls around are the central authority for space exploration. Corporations like these fill the vacuum of power left by Khan. 
 This allows the rise of Weyland and his ilk. Advances in technology allow the Earth to push forward. Because even with the death of so many.
The Earth is still way overcrowded.
The Discovery Incident in 2001 was a game changer and showed the Earth that we were not alone in the universe. 

Interstellar colonies, exploration, and exploitation is the watch word. Even with the discovery of  hyperdrive and finally warp the push outward is going to happen soon rather then later.

These fleets of ships are out in the system in 2008 for the same reason that corporations maintain Heirloom seed vaults in Antarctica. Its a matter of survival of the human species on this planet.
  The idea of the corporations launching such fleets right after WWIII to save the planetary genome presents a unique opportunity.
 These ships are a prize that even by the time the Federation or something like is around their still going to be very valuable.
Let me let you DM's in on a little secret, because Stars Without Numbers is based on OD&D. Metamorphosis Alpha 1st edition easily converts and slips in the back door. For the type of game I'm writing about here this combination is perfect. 

In this world the rise of the floating cathedral in space comes of age.
 Here no longer bogged down by the practicalities of physics, geniuses such as Dr. Hans Reinhardt take us to the stars and beyond. 

It should be noted that with the advent of  World War III there was a step back in the technology with the world wide EMP pulses until the introduction of  Deutronic circuitry by the Tyrell corporation 





The Outward Expansion 

Teacher: Earth that was could no longer sustain our numbers, we were so many. We found a new solar system, dozens of planets and hundreds of moons.

With the introduction of cheaper Ion Drive systems and the mass production of space craft for commercial  applications by companies such as Yo Yo Dyne Industries. The expansion beyond the solar system began in earnest.

Wayland farmed out much of its propulsion work and had very close relations with Tyrell when it came to the introduction of A.I. related cybernetic systems.

Both Weyland and Tyrell maintained colonies out around Alpha Centuri. There was also a deep relationship between YoYo Dyne Propulsion and Zefram Cochrane. This was  after the improvements he made to the Oscillation Overthruster which became a fundamental part of 'Warp Drive technology'. 



 The Overthruster of course is still used on Warp capable ships and is an internal part of the Spike Drives which have come to replace warp technology. 

'The Human Corporation Sponsored Expansion' into the universe had already begun and was well on its way by the time of the introduction of the Warp Drive. 

By the time of the Romulan Wars mankind had been exploring the universe for quite some time. The Delos corporation was dealing quite well with Tyrell and giving Weyland a run for their money. A.I. had come into its own and the interstellar community was quite used to dealing with the many aspects of both androids and robots helping them in the blackness of outer space.

The universe was a far more hostile place then mankind was led to believe and there were corporate as well as  the interstellar  United Planets Corps that dealt with many incidents of xenological activity which seemed to bother mankind. They served with distinction in many theaters across the galactic gulfs.
Some of their craft can be found HERE. The tools of their trade right over HERE & An adaption of their standard blaster  for Star Ships And Space Men HERE

 Weyland operated through a number of fronts including American Airlines to produce the space freighters for the  2008 Earth genome missions. Those missions  placed beyond Saturn were in deep orbit and allowed the corporation to study certain anomalies found within the orbits of both Saturn and Jupiter.
 Not every single one of those freighters has been accounted for. There are still treasures floating in the deep blackness of space waiting. 

The Standard  Maintenance Drones 

The Maintenance Drones were produced by  the Delos corporation and are the industry standard in every way. These are the same drones found in the Stars Without Numbers rule book. They have a higher then normal intelligence after modification and have an ecology bot programming. These drones are tough, reliable , and quick learners. They make excellent companions for adventurers on long voyages. 

These minis are available right over HERE
These drones have been in service for a hundred years and show no sign of being less mass produced. They can do many standard  repairs in a 1d20 hours  and are quite adaptable to many conditions. They have 4 hit points or better depending on upgrades and an armor class of 7 or better. Over time and modification they often develop quite complex intelligence and emotional matrices.