PRELUDE : Singularity continues his efforts to procure a passport so he can legally investigate the disappearance of Dr. Stevenson in Argentina. His efforts are met with bureaucratic red tape and endless waits on the phone. He also spends several days trying to locate Ogress and the other mutagenically transformed people who escaped from Vault. A computer search reveals that several produce trucks have been waylaid in the Northwestern United States. He searches that area in vain and then finds that she has also used her teleport powers to relieve a truck in Germany of its cargo of expensive chocolates.       Also tied up in a bureaucratic nightmare is Thunderbolt in her secret identity as she tries to put in place some safeguards to prevent the steady stream of illegal immigrants across the southern border. Her night classes in Electronics and her study of Kree go much better.       Light Sabre has been spending several days after the trial of Captain Atlas trying to attain higher and higher velocities in outer space. He finally finds that he can convert much of his mass to light energy and double his speeds at faster than light velocities.       Dark Blade is torn between his dislike of space travel and his curiosity. He finally spends several days practicing his teleport powers to achieve orbit.       Wishing to work on their coordination skills, Thunderbolt puts out a call to all Star Guard members and associates. Singularity, Light Sabre and Dark Blade respond. When Thunderbolt tells them of her desire to practice their teamwork skills, they all agree. Thunderbolt teleports Dark Blade to the base using the teleporter.       Thunderbolt notices the note left by Nemesis saying that he tried to make repairs but could not understand the systems and requesting schematics.       Dark Blade offers to teach any of the group skill in using oriental weapons but Light Sabre responds that the members of the Star Guard are weapons.       Light Sabre uses his powers to create light images of small spheres that move erratically about. The heroes spend some time trying to coordinate their attacks.       After the practice, the heroes talk about ways to earn money to buy much needed equipment for the Star Base as well as ways to earn credits in the Galaxy Commonwealth. After searching the database with his Galacti-Net Card, Singularity comes up with several possibilities including platinum, iridium, certain rare colorful gems (not diamonds) as well as any number of plants or cultural artifacts that Commonwealth Citizens might find interesting.       Thunderbolt provides Light Sabre with samples of platinum and iridium and he uses his powers to scan the nearby asteroids for either precious metal. An Asteroid some 60 miles away shows a higher than normal concentration of iridium and the group investigate.       Concentrating, Light Sabre is able to see through the asteroid using neutrinos. To his surprise, he discovers an alien spaceship tethered inside the hollow asteroid. With much coaxing, Light Sabre accepts a Mind Link with Thunderbolt so that she too can examine the asteroid's interior.       With Dark Blade's assistance, the group teleports inside the asteroid and examine the ship. They discover controls inside the asteroid that pressurise the area and also a means to enter the ship. The ship is a Shi'ar Scout Ship capable of inter-stellar travel at great speeds. It appears to be empty but is capable of housing a normal crew of ten. The ship appears to have been abandoned for many years.       Searching the cargo hold, the group finds most of the cargo long turned to dust. They do find one crate with six silver, grapefruit sized spheres inside. Another crate holds six cartons of tins. The tins appear to be embryos or eggs - possibly food.       Thunderbolt deciphers the markings on the hull and comes up with its registry number.       Maelstrom finally learns of Thunderbolt's call and radios the group that he is coming to join them. The group exit the asteroid, join Maelstrom, and re-enter the Asteroid Base.       After searching the galactic database and learning about the Shi'ar Empire's Salvage Laws, the group put in a formal request to claim the ship as salvage. The claim goes through and they discover that the ship has been lost for over 500 years.       The Asteroid Base is suddenly rocked by a violent explosion! Lights flicker and go out as control consoles explode in sparks and smoke. The emergency systems do not activate and the area is plunged into total darkness. Maelstrom is blinded but Singularity heads for the control room. Light Sabre uses his powers to provide light. No longer blinded, Maelstrom joins Thunderbolt at the hanger door as she attempts to force it open.       Using the few remaining systems still active in the control room, Singularity discovers that the base has been hit by a powerful EMP Blast. Ninety percent of the systems and circuits have been fried and totally destroyed by the blast. Radiation levels are at near lethal levels.       Thunderbolt and Maelstrom manage to open the hanger door bays only to discover a huge Shi'ar Battle-Cruiser parked about 2 miles away. To make matters worse, five costumed individuals are hovering some 100 meters away. Thunderbolt recognizes them as members of the Shi'ar Imperial Guard. THE ADVENTURE : Acting quickly, Dark Blade takes cover and concentrates. His cloak stirs and wisps of shadow emerge that coalesce into a inky black, man-sized dragon.       Thunderbolt radios on all frequencies, "Shi'ar Battle-Cruiser, What is your Business Here?!"       The Imperial Guardsman known as Smasher radios, "In the name of The Shi'ar Empire. you are ordered to surrender at once for your crimes against The Shi'ar Empire and Captain Atlas!" Hearing the order, Singularity rushes toward the hanger bay.       Light Sabre flashes out of the hanger bay at unbelievable speed and moves toward the guardsmen. Smasher moves toward him and cries, "I am Smasher of The Imperial Guard. Give it up!"       Darkness suddenly envelops Maelstrom and he is blinded. He retreats back into the hanger bay and emerges from the darkness.       Dark Blade is also blinded by the darkness but moves forward, into space. His Shadow Dragon roars in frustration at being blinded.       Singularity races down the corridor, unable to use his flight powers in the narrow confines of the base.       Manta emits a blinding light that focuses on Dark Blade, knocking the dark hero from his feet. His cloak wraps about him, protecting him from the laser light.       Thunderbolt flies to meet Shifter who suddenly grows in size and becomes a tentacled monstrosity! She strikes the shape-shifted guardsman and knocks it sprawling! Its tentacles whip about and it quickly regains its balance.       Light Sabre hits Smasher with a beam of solid light. The guardsman shrugs off the attack and hurtles toward Light Sabre, smashing into him and knocking him backwards over 60 feet!       Astra flies at full speed toward Thunderbolt and flies right through her! Astra continues on and also flies through the Shadow Dragon. Thunderbolt and the Dragon feel a jolt as Astra moves through them. Astra laughs and calls out, "Nyahh Nyah Nyah Nyah Nyahh!!"       Maelstrom flies toward Shifter, whose tentacles lash wildly about. Nightside flies toward the hanger bay, looking for a target to blind.       Astra lands next to the Shadow Dragon and lashes out! Her hand seems to penetrate the creature's chest and it shrieks in pain and is tossed back like a leaf in the wind! Astra looks in amazement at her hand and seems surprised at what has just appeared! She is puzzled since her powers usually have little effect on living beings. Dark Blade appears to be disoriented by the blow, perhaps because of him psychic link with the creature.       Appearing at the far end of the hanger bay, Singularity quickly sizes up the situation. Seeing the yellow clad woman in the midst of the group and not knowing her powers, Singularity wraps Astra in a gravity straight-jacket! Astra laughs and steps through the entangle, doing a little dance and waving at him.       Staggered by Smasher's blow, Light Sabre recovers his balance and flies toward the powerful guardsman, keeping a wary eye on the looming battle-cruiser.       Thunderbolt hits Nightside with a blazing bolt of energy, stunning the dark guardsman and sending her flying back toward the battle-cruiser.       Shifter leaps at Dark Blade but the dark hero manages to dodge the flailing tentacles.       Maelstrom charges Smasher as the guardsman nears his position but he misses the agile foe.       Astra flies toward Singularity and says in a playful voice, "You want to play?!" Having dealt with intangible foes in the past, Singularity creates a gravity field around her designed to trap even desolidified foes. "Sure!", he cries. "Let's lay!"       "You Bad Man!", cries Astra as she struggles against the entangle. She seems annoyed that she can not slip out of the gravity field but manages to disrupt it by partially solidifying her hands and ripping through the field.       Light Sabre targets Smasher and sends a brilliant beam of laser bright light at the powerful guardsman. Smasher veers and avoids the attack.       Manta moves toward the heroes and sends a dazzling beam of laser energy at Maelstrom! Maelstrom shudders in pain and is sent reeling.       Shifter again attacks the nimble Dark Blade but the shadow-cloaked hero dodges and dances around the tentacled beast, with maddening ease.       Thunderbolt targets Smasher as he charges Maelstrom! Her lightning jolts the powerhouse but can not prevent him from delivering a powerful blow to Maelstrom! Using the energy from the blow to increase his strength, Maelstrom is now stronger than Smasher! He charges the guardsman, sending Smasher reeling.       The battle continues with the Star Guard slowly gaining the upper hand over the Imperial Guardsmen! At last, the battle-cruiser commander decides to take chrage and orders the Star Guard to surrender or he will fire! The ship's powerful weaponry could easily vaporize the base but the heroes know they would have difficulty targeting something as small as individual people, especially since they are mixed in with the guardsmen.       Trusting to the honor that Li'landra has shown in the past, the Star Guard decide to surrender and allow themselves to be taken into custody. They are taken aboard and confronted by the Ship's Commander, Captain D'Nil. He charges them with attacking the penal base where Captain atlas was held prisoner and taking him captive. The Star Guard protest their innocence but their protest are met with scorn.       The Captain finally agrees to use a Mind Probe to ferret out the truth. Each is subjected to the painful experience until only Light Sabre is left. He will not agree to this mental invasion and prepares to fight to the last. Captain D'Nil defuses the tense stand-off by announcing that the Mind Probe has verified their story. Comparing notes, they conclude that this is yet another instance of shape-changers trying to frame members of the Star Guard. There is little doubt that the Skrull are behind this latest deception.       Thunderbolt is furious with their treatment and the destruction of the base and storms off the ship. The captain tries to make amends when he learns of the salvage claim by granting deed of the scout ship to the group. He also arranges to buy the tins of eggs from the group and arranges the credits to be transferred to individual accounts for the group, including Nemesis.       Captain D'Nil also gives the group specifications on the Scout Ship and the silver spheres which turn out to be something he calls Mark XII Sensor Drones. Lastly, to make amends for the destruction of their base, he off-loads a repair robot that has a service life of 1-2 months. With hard work, it should be able to repair most of the base.       As they say their farewells to the Captain, a message is received from the Kree Galaxy. The Kree Star Force has mutinied and renounced the authority of the Shi'ar Empire.       As the group prepare to leave the ship, the members of the Imperial Guard gather and salute the group.       When the Shi'ar Battle-Cruiser leaves, the group return to the ruins of their base. They activate the repair robot and program it to repair the systems to function normally. The robot starts work but soon shudders to a halt and will not continue. When ordered to report its failure it is discovered that its programming will not allow it to re-construct systems that have been sabotaged! It has detected many systems integrated into the equipment that are designed to cause various system failures. Worse yet, the fusion reactor has been sabotaged to explode if given a certain command!       The group can only conclude that one of the scientists who worked on the base was a saboteur. Samantha, Betty or even Dr. Minsc was perhaps a Skrull in disguise!       Re-programming the repair robot, the group has it dismantle the existing systems and start building new systems - based on Shi'ar technology!       As the new construction starts, the group hold a meeting where Light Sabre is voted to become a full member and Maelstrom is accepted as a Probationary Member.

EXPERIENCE	DARK BLADE	LIGHT SABRE	MAELSTROM	NEMESIS	SINGULARITY	STARSHINE	T-BOLT
Base Experience	2.00	3.00	2.00	--	3.00	--	3.00
Overall Bonuses	0.20	0.40	0.30	--	0.40	--	0.40
Roleplaying	0.20	0.30	0.20	--	0.40	--	0.30
Notes	0.00	0.20	0.20	--	0.30	--	0.30
TOTAL	2.50	3.90	2.70	--	4.10	--	4.00

K A R M A	DARK BLADE	LIGHT SABRE	MAELSTROM	NEMESIS	SINGULARITY	STARSHINE	T-BOLT
Starting Karma	10	10	10	15	25	--	15
Karma Used	00	00	05	--	00	--	00
Karma Earned	00	00	05	--	00	--	00
KARMA TOTAL	10	10	15	15	25	--	15