This adventure is the first to be run in the Policenauts series. Sorry, it is not formatted according to GURPS guidelines.

Feud On Hallister

A Policenauts Adventure

A man was shot on planet Hallister. Now the bros of the man who was shot and the man doing the shooting are up in arms against one another. The Policenauts are called out to Hallister to defuse the brewing feud and bring justice to the frontier world.

PLANET HALLISTER

A desolate world with no significant atmosphere. The planet has been primarily a mining site for years, now with plenty of empty mines, the space is used to grow artificial meat. The planet is politically independent, and a signatory to several interplanetary treaties, including the Policenauts charter. This is the first murder since the charter came into effect here.

Gravity: 1G (more or less)

Distance from Veralta: 110 light years (59 travel hours).

Atmosphere: standard pressure, sulfuric, moderately toxic, suffocating.

Temperature: -50 to 20 degrees C.

Geology: active, many volcanic zones. Good magnetic field.

Natural resources: Mineral rich soil, heavy metals and radioactives.

Water: scarce, rare sulfuric snow.

Population: 6000 or so.

One major settlement of 4000 people: Hallister Town.

ESSENTIAL SITUATION:

Stanley Earthman has shot Eddie Dawson for selling his sister Stella Earthman a fix of drugs that killed her. Stanley is a prospector who worked for Hallister's miners, while Eddie was one of the world's food producers. The miners and food producers are at odds with one another for a number of reasons and are barely keeping away from clashing with one another. This shooting has brought them dangerously closer to a fight.

STANLEY EARTHMAN

Stanley shot Eddie. He's a prospector who is exploring several claims he has around Hallister. His claims are registered with the Land Management Office in the Government Building. Stanley's homestead is 100 km out of town, where he lives with his elderly father Stan Sr. and two surviving sisters Ella and Allie.

Stanley Earthman has brown skin and curly black hair, and black eyes. He is angry and independent, even by miner standards. If the Policenauts somehow manage to gain the trust of the miners, they will confide that Stanley was often an advocate for the most violent action.

EDDIE DAWSON

Eddie was shot by Stanley. He worked in the Chicken Matrix raising cube chickens for food export. He also had a byline in drug dealing. He lived in Private Residence # 15. His monthly wage was $5,000, but he had $175,000 stashed in offworld accounts after 2 years working. Hm.

He had no family on Hallister, but had a girlfriend, Jilly Hong, who burnt out on the first liner.

JILLY HONG

Eddie's girlfriend. After Eddie got shot she liquidated as much cash as possible ($15K), flushed whatever drugs she could get ahold of, and left on the first liner off of Hallister to Walker's Wrecker. She wasn't involved in dealing with Eddie's suppliers, but assisted him in selling. She has family on Hallister who had warned her about getting involved with Eddie. Walker's Wrecker is a planetoid

EDDIE'S DRUG OPERATION

Eddie was involved with the Cosma Nostra, the interstellar mafia. He was working for Ghengis Garcia. He worked as a distributor for drugs, weapons, and other illicit goods being shipped through Hallister. He also used his facilities as a chicken packer to put drugs into tins. As a byline he sold on Hallister through his girlfriend. Eddie had some goods stashed in his home, most in the starport warehouse.

ELEMENT LEADER TYRELL HALDANE

The leader of the two officers on duty on Hallister has easily figured out that Stanley shot Eddie. However, in the days since he has been more busy trying to keep the two factions from going to war than trying to catch anybody. That's why he has called for backup.

Officer Blake Avery is his second. However, he is related to a miner family, so has been put on leave for the duration of the situation.

GOVERNOR VERNA HIGGINS

The chief executive of Hallister. The first executive that doesn't come from either the miners or foodies, but from the burgeoning service class.

BARNHAM'S BEST CHICKEN

Locally known to others as the Chicken Matrix. A cave full of chickens in boxes, each wired with a VR set to simulate free range (virtually farm raised!) to keep them happy and make better meat. It takes two months to go from eggs to pollo ranchero. The chickens are packed and sent to markets, mostly offworld, in several ways. Many are sealed in a resin that washes off before cooking, more is sealed in cans. Eddie worked in the canning operation.

Eddie's boss notes that he fell behind on getting the chicken canned, but he always stayed late to get his orders filled. Eddie was actually spending the extra time to pack some cans with unauthorized giblets. Co-worker Jenni says Eddie canned chicken as fast as anyone. Supervisor Kenny knew a little about the operation and was paid off $1K a month to supply cans and not say anything.

There are traces of drugs on the packing equipment, but not enough to trigger customs. There are more traces in the incinerator. There are also two reels of can labels that are being used. One is slightly misprinted. There are several spools of misprint labels at Eddie's home.

• Boss: Sanders Barnham
• Supervisor: Kenny Aoshima
• Co-worker: Jenni Walters

CHICKEN SHIPMENT

There is a shipment of chicken canned by Eddie being taken to a waiting ship, the Braver Than You Thought, that is imminently launching for planet Kappa. The misprinted cans contain drugs. This shipment and many others in the past are being sent to Kappa Food Distribution.

• BTYT Captain: Barnaby Lucas
• BTYT Load Master: Rufus O'Rielly

FOODIE POSSE

People of the Food Producer's Union have gathered a posse and have bought an all-terrain vehicle called a HESTER, a Hostile Environment Squad Transporter. They have bought it in the name of the Veralta Exoplanet Research Academy. VERA, of course has no idea. At any rate, they're fitting out the HESTER and are going to roll out to Earthman's homestead, once they figure out where it is, and they're going to lynch him. The posse is unaware of Eddie's illicit activities.

MINERS

There are about 500 miners on Hallister, supporting twice as many dependents. The miners are mining heavy metals and radioactives, not commonly available on asteroids.

The miners believe Stanley should be punished, but as he is one of their own, his punishment should be on their own terms. They resent outsiders coming in and trying to enforce their justice on them. This includes the Policenauts. Dozens of miners from around the world are gathering in Hallister Town to prepare for a fight with the foodies. The miner's official HQ is the Miner's Guild, but the HQ for the most radical element is a bar named “The Green Nugget”.

If the Policenauts go to the Green Nugget asking questions, they better get ready for a fight.

If the Foodie's Posse sets out, several miner's vehicles will pursue and try to block them. A fight is likely to ensue.

HALLISTER MINERS' GUILD

The Miners' Guild is going to be uncooperative without actually being hostile. They will resist giving away the location of Earthman's homestead. They will not do so without a warrant from the Administrator (or an adequate threat which will be protested). They will “suggest” that they go talk to Earthman's supervisor, Deek Halbane over at the Green Nugget, where they hope they will get their asses beat.

• Guild Chief: Rodger Dimmitt
• Secretary: Bethany Dimmitt (Rodger's daughter)
• Prospector Supervisor: Deek Halbane

EARTHMAN'S HOMESTEAD

Earthman's homestead is defended by Earthman himself, his father, older sister Ella, and four friends.

• Stanley Earthman, Sr: Operates the Gatling Laser on the hillside. 73 years old, med-brown skin, white hair & beard, some black hair. 9/9/12/9, reduced Move 3, BW pistol and rifle 12, gunnery bw 13, brawling 12, mostly clean criminal record, weapons charge on Hearne Station, served in Herne Station security force, earned 2 bravery medals. BA engineering-materials. Heavy laser pistol, DR 20 vaccy.
• Stanley Earthman Jr: 45 yo, black hair and eyes, some white hair. No criminal or military record. Heavy blast pistol 14, gunnery bw 13 squad blaster, karate 13 wrench limb, neck snap. Bad Temper. Dr 40 vaccy. 13/13/12/12.
• Ella Earthman: 47 yo, black hair with a broad gray streak. Blaster Pistol 11, 9/12/12/10. DR 2 skinsuit.
• Albert “Al” Livingstone: 38 yo white male, overweight brown hair and eyes. 13/9/11/9. Blaster rifle 15, brawling 14, DR 30 armor
• Josef Sigorski: 27 yo white male, military h2h 16, laser pistol 16 13/14/12/12, dr 20 armor
• Roscoe Jones: 61 yo black male, gauss rifle 13, dr 10 armor, brawl 12 12/10/10/10
• Gary Sancho: 54 yo hispanic male, blast rifle 13, dr 40 armor, brawl 13 14/12/10/12 awol from Herne Station security.

RAINBOW SQUAD LASER

TL 11; Dam: 7d(3) burn; Acc: 18; Range: 8000/24000; Wt: 70/Dp; RoF: 10; Shots: 45(5) or 450(5) using E cell; ST: 16M; Bulk: -8; Rcl: 1; Cost: $60,000; LC: 1