Fall of the Phoenix
Summary
Responding to a distress call mid-flight, Captain Steele comes across a small cargo runner, the Phoenix, under fire from a heavy pirate ship, much too large to confront directly. Using the Phoenix's crumbling hull as cover, you rappel into the cargo hauler to try and fight off the pirate boarding party, save the captain, and get out alive!
Recommended Level: 4+
Areas and Encounters
The Phoenix is described as a small vessel, though each of its areas is fully explorable. You begin the adventure dropped into the Phoenix's rec room, with no gravity and only emergency power active. While working to restore the artificial gravity at a nearby computer console, you meet Valeria, the ship's A.I. She'll guide you through the rest of the adventure, first to the cockpit at the far west of the ship, then to the captain's quarters in the north, and back again. Once you've gotten the shields up, preventing more pirates from boarding, you're directed to the cargo bay in the east, where you'll stumble upon the ship's captain, the ausar/kaithrit halfbreed Saendra, embattled against several pirates and badly injured.
Assuming you defeat the pirates, Saendra will thank you for saving her, and ask you to go down to the engine deck and reboot the Phoenix's engines; she's too badly injured to do it. You'll take an elevator down from Cargo to the Engineering deck, where Valeria will guide you through rebooting the engines: you need to bring it up to 45% point -- any more, and the damage to the Phoenix will risk an overload; too little, and you won't be able to escape.
Notable Items and Rewards
- Premium JoyCo Shield Generator found in the cargo bay of the Phoenix.
- Horsecock Hell 2, a holo-DVD of ultraporn starring Nivas Oxonef. Will become functional when holodecks are added; currently serves no purpose.
Bad End
It is not possible to Bad End or be killed in Fall of the Phoenix. Instead, if you are defeated by the pirate gang, you and Saendra will be taken before Mirian Bragga, a Dread Lord of the Black Void pirates. Bragga will strip you of your gear and credits, and throw you back in your ship. Saendra, however, will be looted of a data chit she was carrying and dragged off to be sold as a slave -- assuming she survives her wounds. You can continue your game from there, though Saendra will not be encountered again.
Resolution
Once you've reignited the engines, Saendra will call you up to the cockpit and thank you for saving her, promising to meet you on Tavros Station. You then return to your ship, and both you and the Phoenix escape the pirate attack.
Following this, you'll be able to meet up with Saendra at Anon's Bar as promised, though not all is well for her. It will quickly be revealed that Saendra lost her left arm due to her injuries, and the Phoenix was crippled by the pirate ship. She's been reduced to doing odd jobs and mechanical work to pay off her crushing debts and repair her ship. However, she's more than willing to take the time off to be with her "hero," and offer a suitable reward for your actions.