Patron: Robot Designer and support team
Required Skills: nothing special
Required Equipment: starship with four middle passage slots and 10 tons of cargo
Location: Industrial world

Players’ Information:
The PC’s are contacted by Jasin Fairchild, a robot engineer for a local company. He is seeking to charter a starship to travel to a robot competition at the nearest rich world or industrial world. He and his team of four technicians are registered to participate in the Industrial Games Olympiad, a competition where different companies display their technical savvy, usually in front of rich patrons with a lot of disposable income. Jasin works for Cyberrogues Ltd., a small company trying to break into the big leagues. Jasin needs to bring aboard his fighterbot, a five-ton bipedal automaton that honestly looks like a piece of junk with an oversized maul that is painted a gaudy shade of reddish-orange from head to toe. Jasin will pay for the trip for his team of four and their cargo space up front half now and half when they return. Jasin will also pay the starport fees for their ship while they wait on them to finish.

If the PC’s are so inclined, they can find out a lot of information on these games. In the league Jasin is competing, they have a strict set of guidelines for their entries. Each fighterbot must be bipedal, they must weigh no more than five tons, they cannot have projectile weapons and they must be controlled through a VRI (Virtual Reality Interface) connection through a regulated network. The “pilot” of the robot stands on a platform overlooking the arena, surrounded by a small VRI cage that has the robot mirror the pilot’s movements. Many of the robots wield an axe, spiked club, mace, flail, battlehammer or saw. Needless to say, sparks fly and as the robot gladiators beat each other into scrap serious wagering is taking place on the sidelines.

Jasin and his three assistants show up a day later is a deal is struck. The robot is hard-wired into a controller box that is allowing the robot to walk aboard the ship. Jasin will introduce his team as they all scramble to get their tools aboard (about five tons worth of gear) and the initial payment is made.

Referee’s Information:
Jasin is a competent engineer and he has a good team. His robot pilot is Shawna Johanssen, a very pretty young lady with excellent reflexes and a knack for showmanship. He has a stoic mechanic named “Rube” and an assistant by the name of Gilman Blunt. Gilman navigates the massive paper bureaucracy usually encountered with these games. He also has the ability to negotiate with any patron if they are successful. Gilman also has a lot of skill in gambling so he works the sidelines during the matches trying to milk the crowd of their money. Gilman handles all the money transactions.

Outcomes:
1. The team arrives a week ahead of time and they are able to get their robot up and running well. The robot may look like junk, but it is apparent that it is an excellent design. They will fight six fights and make it to the semi-finals. (roll 2d6: 2-5 they place fourth, 6-8 they place third, 9-10 they place second and 11-12 they win the championship). Gilman racks up a bundle of cash through his gambling. No matter how they place they do attract the attention of the patrons there and they land a nice contract for a new line of robots to be produced.

2. The team arrives a week ahead of time and they are able to get their robot up and running well. The robot may look like junk, but it is apparent that it is an excellent design. After their fifth fight the team returns early for their sixth fight only to find that their robot has been sabotaged. Despite all their best efforts, they are unable to answer the fighter’s bell and they are forced to forfeit. Gilman does manage to turn a tidy profit and Jasin vows to return in four years.

3. The team arrives a month ahead of time and they are able to test their robot from one end to the other. The robot looks like junk, but it is apparent that it is an excellent design. Before the first fight, a potential patron likes what he sees with this design. He actively supports the team through their fights all the way to the semi-finals. (Final outcome is the same as #1). At the end of their final match, the patron hires that team to return to his estate and the PC’s are released after being paid the money they were promised by Jasin.

4. The team arrives a week ahead of time and it is apparent that this robot is held together by duct tape and super glue. The robot manages to struggle through two matches but is so damaged that it cannot make the final call for the third match. The engineering team tucks their tail between their legs and they return to their homes a little wiser and a lot poorer. They do manage to pay the PC’s the money as promised.

5. The team arrives a week ahead of time and it is apparent the robot really is a piece of junk. The engineering crew loses the first match horribly. When it comes time to return the remains of the robot to the ship, the crew is nowhere to be found. Therefore the PC’s are stuck with some used tools (5 tons worth) and a 5 ton formerly walking robot. Needless to say there will be no return trip.

6. The team arrives a week ahead of time and it seems they have a good design. After the first fight the judges rule that the robot has illegal hardware and software. Therefore they will forfeit their win as well as their robot. Jasin completely loses his temper and he ends up in jail for the night. The next day Jasin and his team return to the ship to fly home in disgrace.