Scavenger One Shot

SPOILER WARNINGS THIS IS FOR GAME MASTERS ONLY All Artwork is temparory AI Generated Art using Gemini. This will be replaced by paid-for human artwork.

Scavenger One-Shot: Derelict Delve on Aethelgard-7

This is a tactical and exploration-based one-shot adventure for a crew of Level 1 or 2 characters. It focuses on Ground Combat and various aspects of dungeon crawling, e.g., dealing with traps, figuring out how to proceed through difficult spaces, etc.

Adventure Premise

The players are a crew of contract scavengers specializing in "Station Stripping." The Players do not play as the Captain. A high-paying contract (100,000 ISC) is offered by Dr. Valen Vance, an executive from the Grayling biotechnology corporation Xeno-Synth Systems. The mission is to board Aethelgard-7, a decommissioned communications and monitoring outpost at the system's edge. The players may keep and sell all salvaged metal and equipment, but they must retrieve specific "cryo-containers" from the cargo bay and download all research data from the mainframe.

In truth, Aethelgard-7 was purchased by the Xeno-Synth Corp to operate a secret laboratory researching a forbidden bio-mechanical nanite pathogen: the Cybertaker Strain. The pathogen escaped, assimilating the staff and even the machines. Xeno-Synth Systems abandoned the station to cover up their illegal research. Now, they want their asset recovered using the expendable scavengers.

Key Characters

Dr. Valen Vance (Grayling Corp Rep): Cold, demanding, and communicates only via encrypted hologram. He warns the crew not to inspect the research files and to use a special data drive that can plug into the system to extract the data. "...Because you would be unable to otherwise."
Mother-7 (Corrupted Station AI): The station's central computer. Infected by the nanites, she oscillates between hostile defense subroutines and fragmented, desperate warnings to the crew to escape.
Dr. Sarah Lin (Assimilated Station Lead): Vance's former head researcher, now fully merged with the reactor core and serving as the primary hive host.

Adventure Map & Key Points of Interest

{{#mermaid:graph TD;

   A[Room 1: The Hangar Dock] --> B(Room 2: Station Foyer);
   B --> C(Room 2b: Central Hub);
   C --> D(Room 3: Cargo Bay);
   C --> E(Room 4: The Core Lab);
   C --> F(Room 5: The Command Bridge);
   E --> F;

|

config.theme = dark

}}

Opening Story Summary

Read the following aloud to the players to start the adventure:

"Space is vast, cold, and quiet—until the Captain's voice barks over the ship's comms, marking the end of a silent transit. The Captain signed the contract before any of you could voice an objection. A whopping 100,000 ISC from Xeno-Synth Systems to salvage and secure Aethelgard-7, a decommissioned communications and monitoring outpost drifting at the very edge of the system.
The official corporate brief says the station was decommissioned and abandoned. But the pay is far too high for a standard station-stripping run, and the corporate executive, Dr. Valen Vance, was far too eager to hand over a custom, encrypted data drive to extract the mainframe logs—warning you not to look at the files. There is a mystery waiting in the dark of that hull, one that Vance is paying handsomely to keep buried. But as scavengers, you don't get to ask questions when the Captain has already accepted the credits.
Through the viewport, Aethelgard-7 looms—a dead, silent leviathan of steel and Fusion Core Radiator panels drifting against the stars. No beacons flash, no docking return signal, no lights shine through the small circular windows. Only the radiator panels, glowing a faint red, indicate that the station still lives.
Your salvage vessel maneuvers close, aligning with the external docking ring. The thrusters roar one last time, followed by the heavy, shuddering clunk of the clamps locking onto the station's docking port. The airlock cycle begins, and your ship's cargo bay doors hiss open. Instantly, sirens blare; you feel air whooshing past you for a quick second before the emergency pressure doors slam shut with a violent clang. Your body flashes in discomfort at the quick change in pressure.
You look through a window to survey the problem. Before you lies the station's docking bay—a narrow metal walkway hangs suspended over a cavernous, dark bay. Sparks shower from failing overhead conduits, casting erratic shadows across the rusted deck plates. On the opposite side of the walkway, the manual override console for the docking clamps blinks a weak amber warning light, indicating the dock is unsecured. Beyond it, the main hangar doors are jammed half-open, revealing the cold void of space.

Rooms

Room 1: The Docking Bay

Read the following aloud to the players when they are ready for Room 1:

The intercom buzzes. The captain's voice is barely heard over the popping in your ears. "The main hangar door is jammed! You grunts will have to seal this place, or the station-side airlock won't open. Use the pressure suits and get to those controls." Another buzz sounds from the intercom as the captain dismissively hangs up.

Overview

Objective: Close the main hangar doors to complete the docking and allow access to the rest of the station.
The Situation: The power is fluctuating, and the main hangar doors are jammed half-open. When the players try to manually override the docking clamps, the station's security grid misidentifies them as intruders and deploys a patrol of Corp Security Droids.
Special System Mechanics:

Vacuum and Bulky Suits: Characters without vacuum-sealed armor must wear Emergency Pressure Suits (AC +0, imposes 1Ad (Disadvantage) on Dexterity-based skill checks) Advantage.
Suit Puncture: Taking a Major Hit punctures a suit. A character must spend a Simple Action to apply a patch, or take 1d6 Thermal (Cold) damage at the start of each of their turns Conditions.

Details

Perception Check - If the Players make a Perception check of the room while they cross the walkway:

DC 11 - (GM Note: This can be freely provided through Passive Perception if you desire) The player notices damage all over the place. There are many cargo boxes clogging the hangar doors in the second half of the cargo bay, and it appears that a ship ripped itself free of its clamps.
DC 15 - They determine from afar that the console looks damaged but functioning, and that there may be blood on it. This can be seen without a check when a player reaches it.
DC 17 - The player notices a dead Grayling that is still clinging to the metal structure of the station. The player also notices security droids. They appear damaged, and many of them are piled up with boxes that appear to be jamming the door; others are on the walkway on the hangar's other side, slumped over and apparently off.

The Console: - This console looks damaged but is still functioning. A player who approaches it will notice blood that has boiled dry on the console due to rapid decompression.

Hacking the console requires a Computer Use check (DC 12).

Success causes the doors to reset. They first open all the way, causing many of the containers to float out into space. Then the doors close, forming a seal.
Failure causes all the security droids to activate.

Regardless of the result, the security droids activate, but if it is a success, most of the droids are flushed out the airlock. Only two damaged droids remain. On a failure, many of the droids try to escape the pile-up at the hangar bay door, while some droids (half of the total player count, rounded down) get out and attempt to fly up to the walkway. The rest are pushed out of the hangar bay, and the bay doors close. Note: If a player has a Passive Perception of 14, they can automatically detect that the robots are activating. Otherwise, a player must state that they are watching out for the bots, or the bots get a surprise round.

Read the following aloud to the players after combat is finished:

Another buzz sounds off, but to your surprise it isn't the captain's voice. You realize this is coming from the station's intercom. A cold, somewhat robotic, vaguely feminine voice speaks. "Welcome to Aethelgard-7, property of Xeno-Synth Systems Inc. Please leave promptly. The nearest exit should be available. Self-termination is also a quick way to exit if the door malfunctions. Thank you for your cooperation!" Another buzz cuts in, and silence now fills the hangar bay.

Corp Security Droids

Appearance: A dark metallic chassis using a wheel for locomotion and 3 claw-like arms for stabilization. It also has a small jet booster for quick hops. It has a 4th 'arm' that has a Shock Baton. These droids appear damaged.
Size: Medium
AC: 11
DR: 1
Hit Die/HP: d8 (HP is either 3 or 4). Flip a coin or make half have 4 HP and the other half have 5 HP to reflect their damaged state.
Stats: Str 12/Dex 10/Con 12/Wis 5/Int 8/Cha 5
Initiative: 0
Locomotion: Wheel + Booster for short hop flight (Wheel 20ft Base Walk/40ft Run) (Short Hop 50ft up and 15ft forward)
Software: Infiltration Program +1 to Stealth checks
Features: Sturdy Frame (DR 1)
Subroutines: Guard/Attack On Sight
Feats: Defensive Martial Arts
Skills: Perception, Study, Computer Use, Stealth +1
Items: Shock Baton 1d6+1
Attacks:

Melee: Shock Baton (Kinetic/Electrical) [Rolls: Accuracy: 1d20 + 1d2 + 1 / Damage: 1d6 + 2]
Ranged: None

Room 2: Station Foyer

Read the following aloud to the players when they enter Room 2:

"As you step through the station's heavy inner airlock, the door seals behind you with a reassuring thump, and the atmospheric cyclers groan to life, filling the room with thin, freezing air. You find yourselves in the station's foyer. Flickering, dim red emergency lights cast long, nervous shadows across the room. Directly ahead, the primary corridor is blocked by a massive, reinforced blast door, locked down tight.
The only way forward is a maintenance access corridor to the side, but it has become a death trap. A breached coolant pipe is venting thick, swirling clouds of freezing cryogenic nitrogen gas across the floor. To make matters worse, a severed overhead conduit has fallen into the breach, sending dangerous, blue arcs of electricity dancing across the metal grates. The path forward is blocked by ice and high voltage."

Overview

Objective: Clear the side corridor of hazards to proceed deeper into the station.
The Situation: The main blast doors are locked. The side corridor coolant loop is breached, venting freezing gas, and exposed wiring is electrifying the floor.

Details

If the Players do not make a Perception check, simply inform them of the general problem and remind them that Perception and Study checks may be necessary to discover solutions. Knowledge Science can also be used in place of Study. If a Player has both Study and Knowledge Science, they can roll for both and take the highest.

Perception Check - If the Players inspect the room to find a way through the coolant loop:

DC 11 - They notice the gas is venting from three distinct valves. To shut it off mechanically, the valves must be turned simultaneously, meaning they must coordinate their efforts.
DC 15 - They notice the electrical conduit is sparking in a slow, rhythmic 3-second cycle. Timing their movement grants Advantage on the Athletics check to leap past it.
DC 17 - They spot a secondary electrical junction panel hidden behind a loose bulkhead plate. A character can attempt to cut the power to the severed conduit from here, resolving the electrical hazard entirely.

Study Check - The Players can study the environment and the situation to try to discover new ways to deal with the situation. (A Knowledge Science check can also be used in place of Study.)

DC 12 - The players note that they can fix the valves so they are easy to turn and that it will require a Craft Mechanical check.
DC 14 - If they haven't noticed with Perception, they will now notice the electrical conduit is sparking in a slow, rhythmic 3-second cycle. Timing their movement grants Advantage on the check to leap past it.
DC 18 - A Player thinks they have pinpointed the correct wiring to disable the electricity in the corridor.

Note On Take Ten/Twenty: Since the foyer itself is safe, characters can Take 10 or Take 20 on their Study checks to analyze the hazard before entering it. Doing so automatically succeeds on all Study check potential information. However, taking 20 minutes allows time to pass, which causes the station's reactor to warm up: the difficulty to cross the electricity increases by +4, and the damage from the coolant leak increases by 1 damage die. Please read the flavor text below if they Take 20, or if the players take too long at Resolving the Hazards (see below).

Read the following aloud to the Players if they take too long

The station rumbles beneath your feet as if some great beast were awaking within. It stops, and only the sounds of electric sparks and the hissing of coolant can be heard once again. A buzz in your ear precedes the Captain's next announcement over the comms, "Something just happened. One of the reactors just went extra hot! What are you guys doing in there? Get a move on!" You notice that the electrical sounds are now at a different frequency, and the coolant is hissing even louder than before!

Resolving the Hazards:

To clear the coolant leak, the crew has a few options:

Coordinated Shutoff (Valves): Requires three players to turn the valves in sync. The valves appear jammed and even partially frozen over. The characters make a Cooperative Check Strength DC 18 (requiring a majority of participating characters, i.e., 2 out of 3, to succeed). A failure with a NAT 1 on any check will cause that player to be Fatigued and the Players must wait a minute before trying again. Each subsequent attempt grants 1Ad (Advantage) to the check. On the 3rd try, they succeed no matter the result. However, time has passed, and the electricity trap has become fiercer. If the Players had to try all 3 times, then read the text for Take Ten/Twenty.

Valve Repair (DC 12 Study required): The players realize that they can repair the valves with a Craft Mechanical DC 14 check. Each successful repair on a valve reduces the Strength check DC by 4.

Brute Force Run: This is extremely ill-advised. Players can try to run through the corridor. An Athletics DC 25 is necessary to get through without the cold damaging the character. For every 4 points by which the DC is missed, the character must roll a CON save (DC 15) or take 1d4 cold damage (up to a maximum of 3 times). When doing this, they take 1Ad (Disadvantage) on passing through the electrical hazard and ignore any benefit provided by the Perception and Study checks.

To deal with the electrical hazard:

Leap Across: A player can leap across the electrified grates with a DC 14 Athletics or Acrobatics check. Succeeding at the DC 15 Perception or DC 14 Study check grants 1Ad (Advantage) on this roll. Failure causes 1d6 (E) damage.
Junction Panel Disable (DC 17 Perception required): A character can disable the power at the junction panel with a DC 15 Sleight of Hand check, turning off the electrical arcs safely. A failure results in 1d3 (E) damage.
Cutting the Wires (DC 18 Study required): A character can simply cut the correct wiring to disable the electricity, resolving this trap. The GM can optionally require a DC 5 check (Sleight of Hand or Disable Device) to perform the cut safely.

Room 2B: Central Hub

Read the following aloud to the players when they enter Room 2B:

"Already tired and shivering from the hazards, you scramble out of the maintenance corridor and stand in the station's Central Hub, your breath pluming in the cold.
The hub is a circular chamber with four heavy blast doors lining the walls. Overhead, the main lights are dead, leaving the room illuminated only by the faint, amber glow of emergency backup terminals. The silent, empty station stretches out from here in every direction:
The main corridor behind you is fully sealed—a thick steel blast door blocking your way back to the Foyer. The door to the Core Lab is locked down tight. Its access terminal is smashed and burnt out, leaving only a keycard slot blinking a slow, red warning light. The door to the Command Bridge is dark and cold, its control panel completely unpowered and dead. The Cargo Bay door is the only one showing signs of life. Its terminal glows with a steady green light and hums softly, unlocked and ready to open.
Suddenly, without warning, a faint crackling laugh echoes in the chamber. The metallic, malicious sound echoes around this circular room, and you are all unable to determine its source. A cruel voice speaks; "You should have listened to Mother... Mother knows best." More laughter echoes and then silence."

Overview

Objective: Determine the direction to take. This room has 4 doors. One leads back to the Foyer, which is unreachable. Then there is a door leading to the Core Lab, another leading to the Command Bridge, and lastly a door leading to the Cargo Bay.
Foyer Door: It has already been determined that this way is completely blocked and cannot be, nor should it be, opened.
The Core Lab Door: This door is completely locked down. The terminal used to access it has been destroyed, so only the keycard port appears to be working.
The Command Bridge: This door is also locked down. The power to this door has been disabled. Its terminal is dead. The Players can try to force entry. The door is tough and cannot be blasted through easily. However, nothing is holding the door down. A Strength check DC 25 could succeed at forcing the door open. A portable power pack could also provide power to the door. At that point, a Computer Use DC 12 is necessary to make the door recognize you and open.
The Cargo Bay: Here, the bay door is both powered and unlocked. This should force the Characters to have to go through the Cargo Bay.

Details

Perception Check: A perception check reveals nothing new.
Study Check:

DC12 - The Players notice that a key card terminal for the Core Lab Door still appears functional.
DC18 - The Players realize that a portable power station could be jerry-rigged to power the Command Bridge door.

Knowledge Mechanic or Electrical:

DC16 - The Players realize that a portable power station could be jerry-rigged to power the Command Bridge door.

Computer Use:(Requires Study Check DC12) This is to try to hack the Key Card Terminal. This is a DC25 Computer Use [Expert] check and should be nearly impossible for the players to succeed on.

NOTE: Stating a check's competency level, i.e., Computer Use [Expert] or Computer User [Novice], is a way to convey to the Players just how hard an action is. You do not necessarily have to say the DC value. Only that it would require an 'Expert' to succeed at the listed DC. The lower the competency level of a player's Computer Use Skill, the higher the DC is for them. These players should be level 1 or 2. Meaning they are novice. So this adds to the DC, making this virtually impossible for them. More on calculating the DC based on competency level here.

Taking Ten or Twenty: If the Players decide again to take ten or twenty, the GM should describe the same rumbling feeling and have the captain get on the comms to demand they hurry up in securing the station. However, nothing notable happens. If the GM hasn't used the text for Take 10/20 from the previous section, feel free to use it here instead.

Room 3: Cargo Bay

Read the following aloud to the players when they enter Room 3:

"As the door slides open and you step into the vast, silent cavern of the station's main Cargo Bay, the air hits you—stale and thick with dust. Massive cargo containers and stacks of metal crates tower around you in the darkness like rusted monoliths. Overhead, high walkways hang silently, casting long, stark shadows.
Arriving at the coordinates listed on the manifest on your datapad, your eyes trace the rows of shipping containers until they lock onto a specific pile in the corner. Stamped with the blue-and-silver corporate seal of Xeno-Synth Systems are the cargo containers you were sent to retrieve. Nearby, a heap of discarded scrap metal and a deactivated maintenance drone chassis lies slumped in the dark; a cargo management terminal blinks a weak, amber status light in the gloom."

Overview

Objective: Retrieve the client's containers from their listed manifest location.
The Situation: The crew finds the containers stamped with corporate logo seals in the Cargo Bay.
The Twist: The containers are empty decoys rigged with Electric Arc Traps and Gas Grenades. When triggered, the bay doors lock, two corp security droids and and two corrupted Grayling scientists rise from scrap piles to attack.
The Resolution: Players can hack the local manifest terminal, DC 10 Computer Use, to discover that the real biological research containers were moved to the Core Lab.

Details

Perception Check: If the Players choose to perform a Perception check

DC11 - The Player notices a manifest terminal that is operational. Passive Perception would also allow the player to notice this.
DC15 - The Players notice a Trap set on the containers marked on their manifest.
DC17 - They notice two Corp Security Droids are actively hiding in the pile of rubble.
DC19 - They notice two corrupted Graylings hiding behind containers, waiting to ambush the players. Upon discovery, they attack along with the Corp Security Droids..
DC20 - Before or after the battle, this reveals a Mobile Power Station usually used for in-the-field repairs and work. This can be jerry-rigged with Craft Electronics DC11, Knowledge Science DC12, or an Intelligence check DC13 to successfully power the Command Bridge door.

Study or Perception Check on the Containers:

If the Players choose to specifically check the Containers, a DC15 Perception check or DC13 Study check will reveal the Trap on the containers.
DC13 Study check of the Console will show the Players the manifest, and also reveal the controls for the Maintenance Droid.

Disable Device (Unlock if a Player discovers the trap): A Disable Device check on the trap with a DC14 will safely remove the trap but also trigger the encounter if it hasn't already.
Triggering the Trap and/or Combat:

Read the following aloud to the players when combat is about to start

(If they trigger the trap) "Suddenly, grenades fly into the air from the box and a bright blue flash erupts as a bolt of electricity shoots from the container."
(If combat starts) "Just then, out of the rubble pile shoot two Corp Security Droids; they look like their companions from the hangar bay. If that sight wasn't bad enough, an even more bizarre sight catches your eye: two Graylings in science uniforms pop out of containers in opposite corners of the hangar bay. They point pistols at you. You notice just then that their skin glistens in an unnatural way."

Trap Details: The closest person to the container, or the one opening it, must make a Dex saving throw DC 14 or take 1d4 + 1 (E) damage. The gas grenades go off at the end of the Players' Vanguard phase. The grenades have a diameter of 20ft and automatically cause all people within that range to roll a Conn Save DC 12 or take 1d4 Conn damage. The gas dissipates by the end of the round.

Combat Details

Note: During combat, the first time a Player succeeds at damaging a Grayling, the GM should inform them that it appears that the damage dealt is slowly healing, that the glistening skin seems to move around and over the wound. A Knowledge Science or Tech check DC15 will tell the person that this is some sort of hybrid nano/bio technology. It should be obvious to the Players that the Grayling is regenerating lost Hit Points.
Round 1/Surpise Round: During the first round for the enemies, whether it's a surprise round or a standard one, the Droids will use their round to get close to the players, while the Graylings will not move but will fire their laser pistols.

At the beginning of Round 2, read the following to the players

Suddenly, a scratching of metal can be heard over the sounds of the battle. A rumbling as boxes and metal containers of scrap fall down off the rising behemoth of the Maintenance Droid. Its control chair and console glisten with the same strange substance that coats the Graylings' skin. The Maintenance Droid is clearly booting up. It will take a few more seconds, but you get an odd feeling that this mindless machine seems eager to join the battle.

Note: The Maintenance Droid is slow and will not enter combat until the next round. GM Note: If the combat is not going well for the enemy and the player is easily winning, have the Droid enter combat at the end of the Rearguard phase of Round 2.

Overall Tactics: The Corp Security Droids will try to do melee attacks with their knives while the Graylings will not move even if an enemy gets right on top of them. Once the Maintenance Droid enters combat, it only wants to smash the players. If it cannot do melee, it will pick up a chunk of debris and throw it at the party.
Perception Check During combat: If the Players choose to check out their surroundings during combat.

DC12 - They notice that one of the Graylings has a Key Access Card on their lapel.
DC15 - They notice that the maintenance console lights have changed, likely because the Maintenance Droid is being controlled through the console.

Computer Use: In combat, if the Players choose to hack into the console, it is a Computer Use DC14 check. They can choose to disable the maintenance droid. By successfully rolling a Computer Use DC 18 or more, they can reprogram the Maintenance Droid to attack enemies, if they are still alive. If not in combat, it's DC 10, and they can learn that the contents of the Containers were moved to the Core Lab.

Maintenance Droid

Appearance: This massive, hulking Droid stands almost twice as tall as a normal person and has two widely spaced legs for bipedal movement. Its arms are meant not only to pick up smaller objects but also to slide into the sides of large cargo containers to lift them as if it were a forklift. This was clearly not meant for combat. Its control circuitry seems to glisten with a weird substance.
Size: Large
AC: 9
DR: -
Hit Die/HP: d10 / 20
Stats: Str 18/Dex 8/Con 10/Wis 5/Int 5/Cha 5
Initiative: -1 (Must always be in Rearguard)
Locomotion: Bipedal
Software: Skill Upgrade
Features: Artificial Strength
Subroutines: Aid/Deliver
Feats: -
Skills: Athletics +1, Perception, Study, Computer Use
Attacks:

Melee: Improvised Smash 1d6 + 4 [Roll: Accuracy: 1d20 + 4 - (1d2+1) / Damage: 1d6 + 4] This Attack takes disadvantage. Also, it is so slow that the target can attempt to dodge with a Dex Save of DC 14.
Ranged: Improvised Throw Trash 1d8 [Roll: Accuracy: 1d20 - (1d2+1) / Damage: 1d8] This Attack takes disadvantage. Also, it is so slow that the target can attempt to dodge with a Dex Save of DC 14.

Corrupted Grayling Scientist

Appearance: Short with grey skin, and large dark eyes. Their white lab coats hide more colorful tattoos. However, their skin and tattoos are hard to see through the weird, glittering substance covering most of their body. These Graylings have a sickly and crazed look about them.
Size: Medium
AC: 11
DR: -
Hit Die/HP: 1d6 / 6
Stats: Str 10/Dex 12/Con 10/Int 17/Wis 15/Cha 8
Initiative: 3
Attacks:

Ranged: Laser Pistol x2/20 +1 1d8 (T) [100ft] [Rolls: Accuracy: 1d20 + 1d2 + 2 / Damage: 1d8 (T)]

Special: They regenerate 1HP per round. If knocked out, the regeneration continues, and once they reach 1 HP, they rise again. In order to stop this, they must take at least 6 negative damage, or burn, or otherwise destroy the bodies.

Room 4: The Core Lab

Read the following aloud to the players when they enter Room 4:

"The heavy blast door slides aside to reveal the station's Core Lab, but the sterile laboratory you expected is gone. Instead, you face a pulsing, bio-mechanical nightmare. Thick, black cables and metallic vines sprawl across the floor, walls, and ceiling like frozen roots, dripping with a glistening, iridescent fluid. The air is warm and smells faintly of ozone and burning synthetic flesh.
At the center of the chamber, bathed in the blinding, erratic glow of the exposed fusion reactor core, stands a horrific silhouette. The upper body of a woman in a shredded research coat is fused directly into the main power junction. Wires and nanite-laced conduits weave through her skin, and her head hangs limp until you step inside. She snaps her head up, her eyes glowing with a cold, artificial light as a massive energy shield crackles to life around her. In the shadows of the machinery, several mutated, jerky figures—assimilated crew members—begin to step forward."

Overview

Objective: Defeat the assimilated Dr. Sarah Lin and secure the true cryo-containers.
The Situation: The Core Lab has been transformed into a bio-mechanical nest. Dr. Sarah Lin has been fused into the station's main power grid, drawing energy from the energy reactor.
The Encounter: The Cybertaker Host (Dr. Lin) and a swarm of assimilated crew thralls attack. The Host sweeps the area with mechanical tentacles. If her Shield is disabled, she also uses a breath weapon.

Details

Perception Check: If the Players choose to perform a Perception check

DC 12 - The player notices large shield emitters behind the mangled body of Dr. Sarah Lin. These are plugged directly into the reactor and are vulnerable to attack.
DC 14 - The player notices a lapel security key badge hanging off what is left of the Doctor's lab coat.
DC 16 - The player notices that a control panel operated by one of the corrupted people is active and displays information about the reactor status. It is the reactor control computer!

Computer Use (Requires Perception DC 16): A player can use Computer Use to access the terminal and start turning off the reactor. There are 3 reactors. Each reactor shutdown will disable one of the tentacles Dr. Lin controls and weaken the shield by removing 2 DR and 1 point of HP regeneration from Dr. Lin. After the final reactor is shut down, Dr. Lin's shield drops completely, all the mechanical tentacles fall still, and her regeneration stops.

Tactics

The minions all have ranged laser pistols in one hand and a knife in the other. If the players get close for melee, the minion will use the knife. If not, they will use the pistol. They will target whoever is closest without any tactics or care for the environment; they appear mindless.

Dr. Sarah Lin will use her mechanical tentacles to do ranged touch attacks. These act like a whip, dealing 1d4 - 1 (K) + 1d4 (E) damage. The tentacles are weak and not able to do much, as they were not meant for combat; their main purpose is to electrify the opponent. The Doctor is a boss and thus gains special boss features. They can act in both Vanguard and Rearguard phases. They can also choose to sacrifice the round to act at the top of the round before anybody else. In each phase of combat, Dr. Lin uses 1 of the 4 tentacles to attack. She will focus first on anyone trying to access the console. Second, on anyone who has succeeded at dealing her damage. And lastly, the person who has done the most damage to one of her minions. If someone is at the console, at the start of a round she can choose to act first to use all 4 tentacles to grapple the target. For every tentacle lost, she takes disadvantage. If it looks like she is going to be defeated (all her minions are dead, she has lost her shield, and has less than 1/2 health while the Players are better off), she will try to convince the players that assimilation is better, while secretly enabling a self-destruct. A Perception or Sense Motive check (DC 14) reveals the deception.

Note: If the GM is so inclined to make combat more difficult, or to account for when the players take too long (such as choosing to Take 10 or Take 20), they can add extra buffs to Dr. Sarah Lin, as if the reactors powering up are enhancing her. Perhaps adding an extra tentacle to destroy or another shield emitter that must go down before the shield drops.

Shield Emitters

These are Items and take Battle Scars under the Item Damage rules. They have R2/H5/AC 10, and by default there are 2 of them. Remember that an Item can only take 1 Battle Scar per Phase of combat. And that damage is accumulated between players for that Phase.

Dr. Sarah Lin's Mechanical Tentacles

These are also Items and can take Battle Scars under the Item Damage rules. They have R2/H5/AC 15, and by default there are 4 of them.

Dr. Sarah Lin Corrupted Human Scientist

Appearance: If you only saw her upper body, you would find her surprisingly beautiful in an almost artificial way. The glistening skin shines and reflects patterns from the light cast all around the room by the reactors. She doesn't appear as malnourished as the others around her. Her hair of a black/brown color surprisingly still seems well-kept, as if the person standing there still cared about their appearance, which stands in stark contrast to the lower half of her body, which brutally transforms into a web of wires and tubes.
Size: Medium
AC: 8
DR: -
Hit Die/HP: d6 / 10
Stats: Str 10/Dex 6/Con 18/Int 20/Wis 8/Cha 10
Initiative: 0
Attacks:

Ranged: Breath Weapon (She opens her mouth wide, and a glistening cloud emerges and settles in the air). Anyone within visual range must succeed on a Wisdom save (DC 11) or be blinded for 1 round. Anyone within 20ft (including the control console) must also make a CON save (DC 15) or become stunned for 1 round.
Melee: Can attack both phases of combat. Per phase, one Tentacle Whip Ranged 50ft Touch Attack x2/20 1d4 - 1 (K) + 1d4 (E) [Roll: Accuracy: 1d20 + d2 / Damage: 1d4 - 1 (K) + 1d4 (E)] (50ft is meant to include the whole lab and extend slightly into the corridor)
Grapple: This can be done at the top of the round as a special and requires that she sacrifice all other actions in the round. She uses her 4 or whatever remaining tentacles to grapple any person at the control console. For every remaining tentacle after the first 1, the Dr. gets advantage on the Grapple strength check. At the start of the next turn, the Dr must choose 1 of the following options.

Shock Grappled Person: If the grapple is still intact, the Dr can do 1d8 (E) damage to the target.
Toss: If the grapple is still intact, the Dr can choose to throw the opponent 20ft back towards the door.
Ignore: She can choose to ignore the target, keeping the grapple but using 2 of the tentacles for other things. Even if she chooses to use her Breath weapon, two of the tentacles will be released. If this happens for a second, the target is automatically freed. This reduces any advantage she may have against opposing Strength checks when the Character tries to escape.

Specials:

Regeneration: Each round she regenerates 3HP as long as the reactors are working.
Shield: She has powerful and redundant shield emitters behind her. Providing her with DR6 (A)

Human Minions

Appearance: Medium height for a human. They appear to be going bold. And their skin is covered in this glistening substance. Their lab coats have cuts and burn marks where it seems they were shot and stabbed. And yet they still stand. Their skin clings to their body as if they are malnourished.
Size: Medium
AC: 11
DR: -
Hit Die/HP: d6 / 7
Stats: Str 12/Dex 12/Con 12/Int 14/Wis 8/Cha 8
Initiative: 0
Attacks:

Ranged: Laser Pistol x2/20 +1 1d8 (T) [100ft] [Rolls: Accuracy: 1d20 + 1d2 + 2 / Damage: 1d8 (T)]
Melee: Advanced Knife x2/20 1d6 [Roll: Accuracy: 1d20 + d2 / Damage: 1d6 + 1 (K)]

Special: They regenerate 2HP per round. If knocked out, the regeneration continues, and once they reach 1 HP, they rise again. In order to stop this, they must be reduced to -6 HP or lower, or their bodies must be burned or otherwise destroyed.

Grayling Minions

These are the same as the Graylings noted above with two exceptions. One, they now have an optional melee attack, and two, they have 2 regeneration instead of 1.

Melee: Advanced Knife x2/20 1d6 [Roll: Accuracy: 1d20 - 1d2 / Damage: 1d6 (K)]

Room 5: The Command Bridge

Read the following aloud to the players IF the players enter this room before entering the Core Lab (Room 4):

The Command Bridge is bright, almost straining the eyes against the stark contrast with the station's dark corridors. A familiar voice comes from one of the console speakers. "Hello, and Welcome to the Command Bridge of the Aethelgard-7 Station. Property of Xeno-Synth Corp. I had hoped you would take my request and depart hastily. Please reconsider your actions and egress from this facility immediately."

Read the following aloud to the players when they enter Room 5 after defeating Dr. Lin in the Core Lab (Room 4):

"Stepping onto the Command Bridge, you are greeted by the deafening blare of evacuation klaxons and the frantic pulsing of red emergency strobe lights. Through the wide, sweeping viewports, the starfield outside tilts slowly, and sparks shower from overhead consoles. At the center of the deck, the main command console stands active, its screen flashing with the station's final logs. Nearby, the heavy security door to the station's secure armory sits slightly ajar, its lock disengaged by the emergency override. You have only minutes to download the files, grab what you can, and escape before Aethelgard-7 becomes your tomb.
Over the intercom, the station's AI's corrupted voice glitches: 'Hello, Welcome to Aethe-Aethe-A-A-A-lgard-777-vvnnn. Property of... X... of... Reactor containment failure. Evacuate immediately. Evacuate immediately. I... I... I told you to leeeaaave. This is no place for flesh and blood. Reactor containment failure. Evacuate immediately. Evacuate immediately. You will diiiieeee nooowwww.' The containment warning keeps repeating, but otherwise the AI doesn't feel the need to speak to you.
Another person does, however; your boss buzzes in your ear. "What in all the Ring is going on in there! The station looks like it is about to explode, and the hangar bay doors just shut closed and will not respond to my request to leave." He pauses... "Which I was prepping to do so that WHEN you get here I would be ready to instantly lift off." The AI speaks again. "Containment of nano-machine cyborg experiment is top priority. Muuuuuuuust not allow substance to escape. You flesh and blood not allaaaallllewaaaaa... not allowed to liiiiiiive. Please kindly stop living.""

Overview

Objective: Download the station's research log, salvage remaining high-tech equipment, and escape before the reactor collapses.
The Challenges:

If Dr. Lin hasn't been defeated yet, the console is locked out. It is locked out by BOTH Dr. Lin and Mother-7 the AI system. If asked, Mother-7 explains that she doesn't want these evil experiments set free. To obtain the data, 2 different players will need to succeed on Computer Use checks (DC 25) simultaneously. If even one fails, the system completely locks up and cannot be tried again. Also, the players cannot take 10/20. If the players somehow succeed, Mother-7 will plead with them not to go through with it and deploy security droids to stop them (4 undamaged droids appear through a heavy security door; this is the door to the armor; see below for more details).
If Dr. Lin has been defeated, special protocols have been activated because of the reactor failure. The consoles are open. When the players try to extract the data, Mother-7 pleads with them not to proceed. The security door to the room with the droids is also open, but the droids do not attack if someone enters; they simply politely ask the players not to panic and to find the nearest available exit for their own safety.

Mother-7 (Her story): The AI system is called Mother-7. The station is named Aethelgard-7 because it is the 7th Generation of this station type, and this AI is the 7th-generation model. The company that built the station built it for the local government as a comms and observation facility. Its time has passed, and it was sold to Xeno-Synth Corp, who simply considered the AI part of the purchase and thus didn't replace it with their own. This AI, however, was built for the local government and had the local citizens in mind, as they were also the ones who operated it during its initial service. She/It sees these people as under her care, even though they no longer live on the station. She hates what the Xeno-Synth Corp has done here and will attempt to stop anyone who tries to take the research off station, especially if it ends up back in the Xeno-Synth Corp's hands.
The Revelation: The downloaded files reveal that Xeno-Synth Corp under Dr. Vance's administration had taken on a new medical contract to expand a nanite healing system. However, this was just a cover story for further research into advancing a new type of highly integrated cybernetic implant. You also learn that Dr. Vance hired a human scientist named Dr. Sarah Lin and her team to lead the illegal work, possibly for plausible deniability. At some point, Dr. Lin began infecting the station's staff with the nanomachines. It is unknown if this happened before or after she herself was infected. A Knowledge Culture check (DC 12) reveals that advancing cybernetics beyond medical application is illegal in the Grayling government. A Knowledge Culture check (DC 14) reveals that Graylings take a lot of pride in their intellectual abilities; it would be extremely scandalous for a Grayling scientist to admit to having alien help, especially from a human. A Computer Use check (DC 15) reveals that Dr. Vance was not only aware of but also encouraged Dr. Lin's unorthodox and highly illegal research methods, which was another reason for placing the station so far out of reach.

Details

Escaping Aethelgard-7: The players will either need to override the locks in the computer system or use Diplomacy or Bluff (Intimidate will not work). The AI will know if the players take the research, so if they wish to take the research, they must explain it will be used only to incriminate Xeno-Synth Corp.
Perception Check: DC14 reveals a Station map on display showing all the exits and the quickest way to get to each possible exit. A quick glance reveals to the players that there is a 2nd Hangar Bay highlighted. But further questioning of the AI or review of the computer systems will be necessary to determine whether that is an actual way out.
Computer Use:\

(Requires Perception DC14) DC5: The Players learn about the private hangar gay detailed in the DC 12 section below.
DC 14: A player learns the full layout of the station, including a secondary private hangar bay accessible through the Cargo Bay. In the hangar is an experimental prototype Cruiser-class Grayling civilian personal luxury transport, upgraded with corporate security in mind. The player learns that this ship is the personal property of Dr. Valen Vance, who loaned it to Dr. Sarah Lin as a corporate perk. The ship requires a full crew of players to activate and fly, and it also requires Dr. Sarah Lin's personal keycard, which she drops when she dies.
DC 17 is necessary to override the lockdown. The players can try twice before they cannot try again.

Diplomacy:

DC 22 to allow the players to leave with the research to be used to incriminate the Xeno-Synth Corp.

Bluff:

An opposing Bluff check against the AI's Sense Motive check to swear you will not sell the research but send it to the local government to incriminate them.

The Salvage (Reward): In the bridge's secure armory, the players find:

A Tactical Laser Pistol
A Frequency Sword
A Improved Ballistic Vest
High-grade salvage components worth 10,000 ISC Wealth and Money.

Moral Dilemma & Endings:

The Way Out: If the players discover the prototype cruiser ship, they now have a second means of escape. They no longer need to escape with the scavenger ship and free the captain. If the team cannot unlock the hangar bay doors or convince the AI to do so, they can take this route, but at the cost of the captain's life. However, a player may convince the AI to let the ship go with a Diplomacy DC 10, arguing that the captain isn't the one in possession of the research. (Note: If the GM continues this story outside of the one-shot, it is up to them whether the AI releases the captain anyway. This could create a grudge, leading to a vengeful captain hunting down the player characters in future adventures.)

Take the Ship: Dr. Vance will want the ship back. If the players choose to deliver the containers, he offers an additional 50,000 ISC as a personal thank you for returning his lost property. If the players refuse, regardless of the other options they take, Dr. Vance and Xeno-Synth Corp will send Tracers (Bounty Hunters) after the crew.

Option A (Corporate Payout): Deliver the containers and data to Vance. Earn 100,000 ISC, gain +1 Credit Score, but the bio-weapon program continues.
Option B (Leaked Files): Leak the files to the local system government. Vance blacklists the crew (-1 Credit Score), but the Local Government rewards them with 5,000 ISC per crew member, celebrates the crew as heroes, and offers them future work.
Option C (Black Market Broker): Wipe their tracks, keep the data, and sell the pathogen on the black market. Earn 250,000 ISC on the black market, but corporate bounty hunters will hunt them in the future.