Dangerous Encounter: Assault On Hanger 18

To start off on this encounter, the PCs should hear rumors of a huge Bygone stockpile of technological artifacts. The Mutant Lord can have them discover a map on a dead mutant, hear tales spun by an insane wasteland wanderer, or perhaps they're given the information as a reward for another mission they've completed. Regardless of how the information is introduced, the location of the stockpile is in a remote section of the badlands where the fallout from The Final Wars was particularly destructive. No one dares to go there as the background radiation is a constant hazard (class 3 radiation exposure), and the creatures that lurk in the area are quite dangerous. (The Mutant Lord should use the Radioactive listing on the Monster Encounter Table (MF rules, page 104) for any Wandering Monsters encountered.)

When the PCs arrive at the location of the stockpile, they should find a large Bygone complex surrounded by the remnants of a rusted, twisted security fence. There are long, wide strips of broken pavement criss-crossing the area, and several destroyed Bygone air vehicles are scattered over the complex. At one time, this was a military airfield that was one of the first places blasted into ruin during the Apocalygeddon. In the center of the complex stands a large Bygone aircraft hanger that's in surprisingly good condition after all this time. On the side of the hanger is stenciled a large number "18." What the PCs don't know (and the players might not be aware of) is that Hanger 18 is rumored to be the final storehouse for an alien ship that crashed in 1947 near Roswell, NM. Here, those rumors are true. And after all these years, the original owners have returned to reclaim their craft.

As the PCs approach, they should see a humanoid shadow standing in one of the doorways of the facility, acting as a lookout. This is one of  several Ligreemen who recently left their long-buried status chambers and are now working to repair the damaged craft. Unless the PCs were approaching at night or were cautious, the lookout takes a cube from its belt, tosses it at the PCs, then rushes into the hanger and slams the door shut. The cube flashes brightly when it strikes the ground, and three light-based humanoid figures blaze into existence. These creatures are Luminions -- guardian creatures formed out of pure light-energy. They each teleport next to a PC and begin their attack.

Luminions (3) (AL N, MV 120' (40'), AC 4, HD 6, #AT 1, DG 5d6, SV L3, ML 12, mutations: teleport (special), energy ray)

When a Luminion is defeated, it "winks" out of existence, returning to the Luminion Cube on the ground. If the PCs are able to defeat the glowing guardians, they can reclaim the Luminion Cube as an artifact of their own. (Whether they can get it to work or make the Luminions obey their commands is left to the Mutant Lord.)

Inside the hanger, the scout has informed five other Ligreemen that there are intruders outside the structure who seem intent on gaining entrance. The damaged craft will be repaired in another 60 minutes at which time the aliens plan to escape this primitive rock. (Though they may first blast a few nearby villages and Brain Lasher lairs to tiny vaporized bits.) Two of the Ligreemen will continue the repairs while the other four take up positions just inside the door, brandishing their Mk 1 Laser Pistols.

Ligreemen (6) (AL C, MV 120' (40'), AC 6, HD 7, #AT 1 (laser pistol), DG 5d6, SV L4, ML 10, mutations: telepathic communication)

If the PCs wait outside the hanger for the full hour, the Ligreemen "mechanics" will telepathically call their brethren to the craft, they'll silently enter, and with a CRASH, the saucer-shaped vehicle will explode through the roof of the hanger and into the distance. The PCs will see the destruction caused by the UFO and will hear horrific tales of destruction for years to come.

If they manage to storm the hanger and defeat the Ligreemen before the hour is up, they'll see a large saucer-shaped craft sitting in the center of the hanger and piles of various alien tech on the floor nearby. However, the Ligreemen have booby-trapped the UFO, which will explode 2 minutes after the last Ligreeman has fallen. (Each alien possessed a type of "dead man's switch" that was to activate when no Ligreemen lifesigns are detected.) The Mutant Lord should start a 2 minute countdown the moment the last Ligreeman falls.

Before the explosion, the PCs have access to all manner of technological wonders (for a short time anyway). Each Ligreeman is armed with a Mk1 Laser Pistol, and the following devices are nearby: two Geiger counters, a motion detector, a pair of X-ray goggles, a plasma rifle (no charges left), and three suits of ballistic nylon (AC 5). Allow the PCs to take stock of what's there, gathering up and inspecting what was left behind. At T-minus-30 seconds, there should be a flashing red light filling the interior of the saucer craft, getting brighter with each passing second. At T-minus-10 seconds, each red flash should be joined by a piercing BEEP as the UFO's fusion reactor begins to reach critical levels. At 0, the ship explodes, destroying itself, leveling the hanger, destroying all artifacts remaining behind, and doing 1d100 to each PC within 100 yards of ground zero. Anything the PCs managed to salvage is theirs to keep.

And if the Mutant Lord allows them to stop the countdown and explosion, go ahead and reward them with their very own UFO. However, if anyone pushes a button or flips a switch, have the craft launch straight up out of the building, out of the atmosphere, past the moon, and out of the solar system. (This could be the start of a new Starships & Spacemen campaign for your players!)