Pirate Attack In The Black -- The Clement Sector & The Starguard Class System Defence Boat

 "The Starguard Class System Defence Boat is a 400ton multi-purpose starship. It is not a true “System Defence Boat” as it has limited Jump-1 capability, but is popular with smaller systems who wish to have a reasonably capable ship able to be deployed in a variety of roles including system defence, customs inspection, police actions as well as being able to operate in a ground support role. It is also common with Mercenary Companies operating in a system defence role." 

The Starguard Class System Defence Boat is a ship that was manufactured by Principal Industries in the Clement Sector. Tonight's Clement Sector game session the mission was simple. We were playing delivery boys and bringing this new Starguard to it's planetary defense position. We collector our fee and we're on our way to our next assignment. This of course is the Clement sector and nothing is ever really that easy. 

Well we just get her out of port and towards our jump point. Then all Hell breaks loose. We've got pirates! Not just any pirates mind you, oh no we've got the renagade androids that have been making our party's lives sheer Hell for the past two months. 
This all started when one of our intrepid lot found a renagade A.I. in an old abandoned wreck. From here it jumped aboard a miner's ship after we restranded it! Then it managed to get a ride on a robot and then put itself into an android batch of combat units. 
Since then this crew of androids has been quietly raiding other ships for profit and fun. But also for parts as it wants to keep replicating itself! We've shut the horror down several times blowing up several ships in the process. And then there was that slaughtered colony. Tonight's game was a real cat and mouse affair as three of our number were following the Star Guard in our party's Rax from last session. We knew something was wrong the second we saw the other ship. We tried to engage in communication but to no avail. 

We hung back and had full weapons but the Starguard did but it did have full shields. And so it was a game of playing possum until we got close enough to blast them from the sky. How?! We had our two cybersneaks disable thier weapons and defenses. Knowing that these were the Andies and they wanted aboard the Starguard. We didn't heistate when it came to blasting them! We went to jump and off to deliver the Starguard to her new owners. 

We got paid and delivered the Starguard. The Providence system government wanted a word with us and claimed that they were having trouble with rustlers as they put it. What freaked us out is that these rustlers asked them to turn us over by name! The Providence system government wants to hire us to put an end to the raids on merchant ships specializing in robotic and cybernetic systems including androids. We have an idea who might be involved! 

Giving The Pirates A Bloody Nose In The Black - The Clement Sector & The Ship Files: RAX Type Protected Merchant From Moon Toad Publishing

 "The trade routes of known space can be dangerous, even with the presence of securityforces and local law enforcement. The RAX is a well armoured and armed merchant, which affords more protection and security, which is especially important when carrying expensivecargo. Even more dangerous are the routes out on the frontier, fortunately this vessel is well equipped to look after itself if need be." 

Let's dive back into the blackness of the Clement sector and look deeper into the one of the tried and true starship designs from Moon Toad Publishing. In this case this case the Ship Files: RAX Type Protected Merchant. And yes I'm going back to the well here when I first got into the Cepheus Engine Rpg two or three years ago. This blog entry picks up right from here on the blog. 

The Ship Files: RAX Type Protected Merchant is perfectly suited to be a corporate sponsored style trader/scout ship. A small fleet of these exploring the blackness of the Clement Sector is perfectly suited to reestablish communication with colonies that have lost contact with the main branches of the Clement sector. 
And the RAX is perfect for corporations to gain thier own over reach deeper into the blackness while spreading thier influence to these far flung colonies. 
This also makes the RAX a perfect target for pirates however you can see that the RAX could easily give a couple of pirate ships bloody noses while dealing with the unknown dangers within the Clement Sector. 
The RAX is a ubiquitous design and the production of these ships over the years gives some solid groundings for them to take thier place among the trade ships of the Cepheus Sector. The crew rounds out at thirteen and the RAX has a weapons to back up thier positions. Ian Stead's artwork is on point here enabling the DM to get very accurate references on RAX's  specs and designs. Layout, writing, fonts, etc. all fit the Independence Games usual guidelines and quality. 

The RAX can also be used to keep open very distant intergalactic trade routes with both drive power and weaponry. This enables these corporations to service so called company store colonies. And the RAX is a key starship for such areas with weaponry and gusto in a second to defense such colonies. 

 The RAX is also key for deep exploration missions into the blackness of the Clement sector with it's ability to be configured for missions requiring extended stays and deep space roles. The RAX is well suited to these missions with weapons to take on unknown threats.