Ekaez (world)/secret

Referees Only: An alien lifeform arrived in Ekaez system shortly after the world was declared a victim of the Wolvesbane Project. The hive of creatures precipitated from Jump Space aboard an asteroid husk that served as an interstellar seed-hive. This asteroid had no propulsion and had to crash into one of the Iceworlds in the Outer System which caused the Iceworld to fracture and begin to break apart. The surviving queen-mother and her drones then launched another chunk of the Iceworld toward the Inner System to deposit the creatures on Ekaez. The hive has survived on picking through the ruins and eating the local fauna unable to compete with the hive. Working on low Intelligence and Instinct, this hive has remained small and secluded in the same chasm holding the only intact city and its Naval Base. The hangars holding space and starships have served the queen-mother’s purposes for a new hive. In 1105, the hive has had centuries to settle and expand its hive, though food supply has kept the alien infestation population low. The probe mission to Ekaez will miss the hive on the initial, orbital survey because it is nestled in the deep chasm and shadowed over. But neutrino emissions from the only power plant still active (kept fueled by the queen-mother by instinct) has kept the hive warm. This neutrino emissions will beacon the expedition to the Downport and into the same chasm.

This hive of insectoid Trapper-Hunters is hungry to expand if new food is found outside the chasm. Since the creatures have the Perception sense, they will likely send scouts to find and bring back food to the queen-mother.

The probe mission must piece together what has happened to the chasm city, the downport and the alien structures that have arisen since Wolvesbane. The teams must analyze what they find, download as much TL-15 Library data as they can and escape Ekaez before they become the hive’s next meal. Using various assets in town and at the Naval Base, can the explorers escape Ekaez?