Patron: Scientist
Required Skills: None
Required Equipment: Starship

Players’ Information:
Purfyr (2211 C867645-A Ag Ni Ri 6 2 Na)

Purfyr is a thinly-populated but hospitable world in the Mowbrey Subsector, located off the main trade routes in the Foreven Sector and so far not the subject of interest of any of the major powers in the sector. Most often mentioned in trading circles for its agricultural wealth and the friendly neutralism of its nation-states’ governments, Purfyr is known in scientific circles for the colours of its indigenous photosynthetic life–red, orange, yellow–produced by pigments similar to the carotenoid photosynthetic pigments of Terra. These pigments are thought to absorb the bluish light of Purfyrs primary more effectively than would the greens and cyans of Terra.

An Imperial university in the Spinward Marches contacts the party and offers them a one-year contract to transport a party of six scientists to Purfyr, there providing them with transportation, security, and other assistance as they engage in their studies at select points on the planetary surface. In addition to being offered full reimbursement on costs, the party will be paid an initial installment of 250 000 credits, followed by a payment of the same size on the safe return of the six scientists.

Referee’s Information:
1. The six scientists are all actually scientists working for the university in question, operating without secret agendas.

2. Either one or two of the scientists are actually deep-cover agents for the Imperium, hoping to make contact with Imperial agents on Purfyr.

3. Either one or two of the scientists are actually deep-cover agents for the Zhodani Consulate, hoping either to make contact with Zhodani agents on Purfyr or to find a way to safely exit to the consulate.

4. At least one of the scientists is hoping to acquire biological data from Purfyrs life for personal use, whether private biotechnological experiments or resale to a megacorporation (and so violating their contracts of employment with the university).

5. On arrival at Purfyr, the political climate turns out to have shifted in a decidedly anti-Imperial manner (if not necessarily pro-Zhodani), complicating security.

6. As 1, 2, 3, 4, or 5, the Zhodani Consulate takes an interest in Imperial activity on the Consulate’s rimward frontier.