Five Parsecs From Home

Meet the crew of repurposed science vessel, The Enlightenment. The group is led by Jaryk Tarff, son of High Admiral Jervis Tarff, who is now a wanted deserter from the Unity army. Turning his back on the family path, seeking fame and fortune as a mercenary, he persuaded another soldier, Jase Rookson to join him and collaborate on their desertion. Next to join was ‘Leela’ (real name unknown), an engineer who for non-disclosed reasons underwent cosmetic surgery to look like a pre-expansion pop culture icon. What Jaryk doesn’t know is that ‘Leela’ is a secret agent, inserted into the military outpost by Jervis to keep an eye on his son and report back should he show any signs of leaving the family path. Angry but curious, Jervis instructed Leela not to interfere with Jaryk’s plans but to continue to follow and report on his activities. Leela was given the job of taking Tarff’s credits into the wastes to buy a ship. The Enlightenment was the best she could do. Old and battered but serviceable. Leela also reprogrammed two Patrol Bots, PB23-GEF and PB23-GIM (Jeff and Jim as they would be known) to obey Jaryk’s commands. It was on their patrol shift that the bots sub-routines would be overridden and facilitate the group’s collective escape. For good measure they also broke a K’Erin alien called K’Vani out of the outpost’s prison. A fearsome warrior, with a berserker-like grudge, she could be useful in a pinch. Outcast from her tribe who forbade female warriors, all she wants is to die a noble death in battle, and for word of her deeds to be returned to her tribe elders. Jaryk happily agreed to these terms. After all, it was free muscle…