GURPS: Mass Effect, Part Four

As stated, my original thinking was to start with the PCs on a ship about to crash. Following that line of thought, this is what I'm thinking the initial story arc would be:

  • Begin in media res. All PCs at different locations on an Alliance ship that is going down! They must get to the nearest escape pod while the ship disintegrates around them. Think opening scene of Mass Effect 2 (which is still the best opening of the three games.) Maybe run this as a modified Chase of some sort?
  • As "luck" would have it, the only remaining escape pod thing is where all of the PCs end up converging so they get away from the ship together. But then, their pod gets clipped by something and sends them tumbling out of control. The g-forces knock them out.
  • When they wake, they find themselves dirtside, short of pretty much everything. As they weren't on duty at the time of the initial surprise attack, none of them have a lot of gear. Fortunately, this is a military escape pod so there is conveniently enough gear - armor, rifle, pistol, etc. - for all PCs.
  • Unable to make contact with anyone else - major jamming going on which hints at some piece of tech nearby. Someone should be able to determine approaching vehicles are possibly hostile, so set up ambush? Batarians arrive and PCs can take them out, learn the slavers are responsible and that they are holding other Alliance survivors. Duty/Sense of Duty should drive PCs to making the attempt to rescue everyone.
  • Locate the holding facility, discover it is heavily defended so PCs have to come up with something fricking cool to gain entrance. Based on references to Torfan in ME canon, this should probably be a mostly underground facility. Encourage "Action!" ideas like:
    • Sneaking in via the sewers or air vents?
    • Diversionary strike with the captured batarian vehicle?
    • Accessing computer nodes and hacking environmentals. 
    • In general, let the PCs be Big Damned Heroes.
  • Rescue surviving Alliance personnel, discover that PC team leader is highest ranking still alive (should be Lieutenant (naval), so O-3 or so), and then discover the Batarians were taking orders from ... someone! Maybe capture Batarian leader?
  • In course of assault, discover & steal (for the escape) the future "Hero Ship" - I'm thinking of using the Idris frigate from Star Citizen, mostly because I frankly hate the look of canon ME Alliance ships. See below for image:

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