 |  Lifepod Player Handouts |
On the Board of Directors of the Titan Mining Corporation (TMC), the largest and most powerful of the earth’s megacorps. TMC virtually controls the exploration and exploitation of the solar system, and own and operates the only transport ships between occupied planets, ships such as the space liner Hyperion that is presently en route to earth from Venus.
Director Stern has been on Venus investigating claims by dissidents amongst the Venusian colonists that working and living conditions are unbearable, and that TMC security forces are persecuting any who dare to object to the harshness of the life that has been thrust upon them, and imprisoning them in unofficial dissident rehabilitation camps. He found no evidence of such camps, and came away convinced that conditions are being maintained to a sufficiently high standard, with hospitals, schools, and good habitats.
Stern is a man of late middle age, tall and solidly built, a little overweight but otherwise healthy. He has thinning reddish-brown hair that was once curly, cold grey eyes and an expression that matches his name. As would be expected, he dresses in a smart and elegant suit. He is not a bad man, and sees himself as the conscience of the TMC Board. But he does believe whole-heartedly in the corporation, and will defend it vigorously against what he perceives as unfounded allegations.
An experienced businessman rather than a diplomat, he is a natural leader but lacks tact and the human touch. His larynx has been surgically altered, to give him a more authoritative voice. He has few skills that operate outside the boardroom, but he does carry a six shot revolver at all times (lasers are detected by security sweeps, and thus not permitted on liners, and few gunpowder weapon remain in 2169)
A second year medical student born and raised on Venus. She is on her way to earth to complete her field training. Like most if not all native Venusians, Torres has an abiding hatred for TMC and everything it stands for. She has seen the appalling conditions first hand, the overworked and underpaid miners, the lack of safety precautions, hospitals full of radiation-burn victims, and the rehabilitation camps run by TMC security to "re-educate" any dissidents who might object to their lot in life. Her father was tortured and murdered by TMC inquisitors in such a camp, and she has scars the length of her back as testament to her own experiences there.
Torres is in her early twenties, with short dark hair and an attractive face generally concealed beneath a scowl. She is of Hispanic descent, and is dressed in cheap travelling clothes. There is a fire in her eyes, and she is not afraid to show her temper, but she is not an unreasonable person, and is certainly very intelligent. She is accustomed to inhospitable living conditions, and is resourceful and strong-willed. Her medical skills are still somewhat limited, but she is a promising student. She also knows how to look after herself, and has a small knife tucked into her right boot, for emergencies.
Kane is an escaped prisoner, being shipped from Venus to a penal colony on earth, though he tries to hide this fact from his fellow ‘passengers’ for as long as possible, claiming to be a cargo bay hand. (He also has a cut on his forehead, which he will claim was sustained when a stack of crates fell on him in the cargo bay) He knows it is only a matter of time before he is discovered, however, as he has on his right wrist an electronic cuff designed to administer an intense heat whenever his adrenalin levels get too high (ie. he gets angry). These cuffs are typically used for violent criminals, and Kane knows the others will think the worst of him, which is why he will claim to be a political prisoner, if forced into an explanation. He was in custody when the explosions started, but got free when the detention block suffered multiple explosions. He ran blindly, and found himself in this lifepod.
In truth, he was a water reclamation engineer, responsible for supervising shipment of water to remote Venusian desert towns. On one such trip, the driver didn’t reach the town, but instead dumped the cargo of water into a vast underground reservoir. When he reported this, he was told to keep his mouth shut. When he pressed the issue, he was arrested and charged with subverting the interests of the shareholders, and put in a cell the size of a shoebox. He doesn’t know how long for, but he has suffered from claustrophobia ever since.
Kane is a thin man in his late twenties, with unkempt hair and cheap clothes. He is unshaven, somewhat short-tempered, and rather nervous in case he should be discovered. He is stronger than he looks, however, and knows how to fight.
Having found your way through the smoke to a lifepod, number 42 you think, you arrive to find some idiot standing in the entrance. Its frustrating how easily some people are overcome and virtually paralysed when they find themselves faced with a crisis situation. You have no time for such lightweights, and order him out of the way.
The pilot is only Tech level, and does not have the authority to launch the Lifepod without having a senior officer on board. You hate it when people fail to follow correct procedures, and could have her de-commissioned for failing to wait for the arrival of an officer. The fact that she is prepared to argue with you also signifies that she has no idea who you are. On reflection, it might be a good idea to keep your identity a secret for the moment, at least until you’ve had time to assess the situation and evaluate your fellow survivors.
What does she mean the auto-release doesn’t work? Of course it works. TMC ensures that all ship operations are checked on a regular basis, in accordance with company safety protocols.
You also recognise this woman. She is a reporter, well-known for her ruthless determination in pursuit of a story, and lack of morality. TMC also had a file on her ex-husband, who was and outspoken businessman regarded as a troublemaker.
You know that part of a toolie’s oath of service is to ensure the safety of his passengers, even to the extent of sacrificing his own life where necessary. They take their oath very seriously, which is why Q3 is so upset at Ryland’s death.
You object to such important decisions being taken without your consent, and feel obliged to make the point to the pilot. But before you can do so, your thoughts are interrupted by Corrigan who is seated next to you.
He says that he could detect a note of strain in Brookes’ voice when she reported on the supply buoy. He thinks she may be lying in order to keep up their spirits. He confirms the excellence of his hearing by pointing out the alteration to your larynx which gives you a more authoritative voice!
So the saboteur is revealed at last. This psychopath has cost TMC a fortune by destroying the Hyperion, not to mention the cost of the resulting operation on Venus that is sure to follow. Oh, and the loss of all those lives. If you could overpower him now, at least the rest of the survivors would be safe from further danger. And you’re no doubt the only one here who’s armed.
How can Corrigan remain so calm all the time? And what about that bag he always keeps hold of. Does he have something to hide?
You notice the distraught woman, Ryland, going over towards the airlock, still holding onto her baby in its hyperstasis tube.
You know the others will only think the worst of you, now that they know you’re a criminal. They have their prejudices, and they wouldn’t believe you if you told them the truth. What do you care what they think? Let them have their suspicions, you know better.
As he returns to his own cabin, you hear Q3 mumble "No, this can’t be happening again."
You appear to be the first awake, so you decide to go check and see how Parker is doing. When you get to him, you discover that he has died in the night. Obviously the pain was too much for him in the end.
Lost in quiet reflection, something that has been nagging at you for the past couple of days starts to come into focus. Something happened while Parker’s leg was being amputated, but in all the confusion that followed it slipped out of your mind. You know it was something odd, and have a gut feeling its important, but you can’t quite place it.
You hate the idea of that woman filming everything. On Venus, TMC security record everything people do, spying on their lives, looking for anything that might be used to incriminate them at a later date. Is it possible that she might work for TMC?
Erin Torres - Handout #2
You personally helped to strap the woman down. There was no way she could have swallowed the water-ball, as her arms were secure. The straps were loosened when you tried to resuscitate her, so it is impossible to prove, but you’re certain she couldn’t have put the tube down her own throat.
A fusion smelter is much more than a simple mining tool. It is effectively a mini fusion reactor, capable of generating enough energy to liquefy minerals. They use them on Venus, and they have been responsible for more deaths and serious injuries than any other industrial ‘accident’. But why would anyone have a fusion smelter on a space liner?
What's more, a smelter cannot be activated by remote, so the saboteur must have been on board the Hyperion.
This is typical of the opinion of those on earth, their prejudices and misconceptions fed by the news services and controlled by the TMC propaganda machine. People on earth have no idea of the conditions on Venus, and people like Stern make sure they never find out. He’s just visited Venus, what did he think of the conditions there? How can he justify the rehab camps, and the sort of punishment that results in scars like the one on your back?
You know of a way to control your breathing so as to conserve oxygen, which is taught to all Venusian colonists at an early age.
There is no option, if you want to save Parker’s life, the leg will have to be amputated. The only way seems to be to use Q3’s mini-chainsaw, while the rest of you hold Parker down.
It is clear that Parker did not die as a result of his leg wound. His neck has been broken, and Kane was first to wake this morning.
