Deep Cover

>>> Incoming Secure Transmission
>>> Source Identifier: Captain Stalwart Band # TE3-Firebrand
>>> Destination Identifier: Her Glorious Command#Starlight Ebbing#Endeavour#Unquiet Journey#Muse IX#*
>>> Subject: Special Operation
>>> Decrypted Message Begins

Discrete and dependable persons required for an anti-piracy mission on behalf of the Galactic Cooperation. Specific details will be shared with selected candidates but applicants should be prepared for interplanetary travel and be able to operate undercover. Rendezvous on TE3-Firebrand at 1100.

>>> Decrypted Message Ends
>>> End Secure Transmission

• Genuine Article - Anna
• Wretched Export - James

• The party travel to Kylal where they meet their contact who directs them to the abandoned Test Site Gamma. While there, Wretched Export gets into a bar fight and Genuine Article runs into one of her crewmates who discretely passes her a transponder code to call them if she needs them.
• Test Site Gamma was built during the early colonisation phase to investigate the newly terraformed planet. It has since been left to collapse and has been taken over by aggressive flora. There, Export and Article meet Lt Cmdr Strong Arm of the Galactic Cooperation, Chief Constable Blossoming Rose of Kylal security, and Hedonistic Faith, a former pirate of the Pandemonium. Together, they help the party plan a heist to catch the attention of the Pandemonium - stealing an ancient skull found frozen deep in the ice and now on display in a high security museum wing.
• That night, Export and Article sneak in through the air vent and subdue the guards. Export is quite concerned when Article kills the unconscious guards but they continue on together, disabling the alarm system, stealing the skull, and blasting open the wall into rock beetle warrens to cover their tracks before fleeing to the surface via an air vent grappling hook.
• After a rough night in the cold, surrounded by ice beetles, the crew of the Pandemonium make contact and welcome them aboard, on the condition that they first prove themselves by raiding a freighter leaving Kylal for Mytene. They do so, despite the Pandemonium continuing to bombard the ship while they're trying to get inside. They intimidate the freighter crew and loot their platinum bars. However, there's a slight setback that Hedonistic Faith is a passenger on the freighter and makes it back to the Pandemonium where he tips the pirate crew off that Export and Article are Cooperation agents.
• Fortunately, Article is able to catch Faith and convince him that he'd be better off as a member of her crew while Export disables the engines. They then go to the bridge and cause a distraction while Faith enters the transponder code that Article gave him.
• Finally, Export and Article go to find the captain of the Pandemonium who they strongly suspect is the ship heart. Indeed, while the captain's quarters are well appointed, they are empty and the bed looks like it hasn't been slept in. A secret passage leads through to the ship heart chamber where they meet Pandemonium.
• Article attempts to convince Pandemonium to join forces with her and claims to be “the greatest organic pirate of all time”, to which Export responds that she'd be nothing without him. To settle the matter, Pandemonium demands they fight, throwing its own laser turrets and blade drones in for good measure. In the end, Export is triumphant but they both impressed Pandemonium enough that it accepts the suggestion of forming a pirate fleet, becoming the Admiral King Pirate. However, there's just one small matter of an unidentified ship approaching…
• Article goes to hail the ship. It is only when the airlock opens and out steps someone who is definitely not a Galactic Cooperation peacekeeper that Export realises he's been betrayed. Surrounded by enemies, he has no choice but to reluctantly go along with Article as she finalises the agreement with Pandemonium and sets out for a “gala” on the Vestiges of Heroism.

• Wretched Export declines Genuine Article's offer of a permanent stun barrel upgrade to his gun.
• Genuine Article and the Wandering Sun successfully raid the Vestiges of Heroism while Pandemonium watches via viewscreen.
• During the commotion, Wretched Export escapes in an escape pod and sends a signal to the Firebrand requesting assistance.
• With the Firebrand closing in, the pirates take as much as they can which isn't bolted down and make their escape. Genuine Article, knowing that her cover is likely to soon be blown, leaves on the Wandering Sun.
• Captain Band meets Wretched Export at the airlock, demanding to know what went wrong. As soon as Export gets them up to speed, they order a team of medics and engineers dispatched to the Vestiges of Heroism, then set course for the Pandemonium's last known position. Unfortunately, it seems the pirate crew have had time to make repairs to their engines and once more elude the Galactic Cooperation.
• In time, Wretched Export gives a full debrief to Captain Band, who is grateful for the intelligence shared and commends Export's performance and bravery under the circumstances.

• A new policy is instituted on the Firebrand for stringent background checks on anyone applying for work.
• There is a degree of tension between Captain Band of the Galactic Cooperation and Chief Constable Rose of Kylal Security.

• +4 Clout with either the Firebrand or the Galactic Cooperation, or +1 Clout with any other faction
• The personal favour of Captain Stalwart Band

• +4 Clout with either Space Pirates, Pandemonium, or Wandering Sun, or +1 Clout with any other faction
• Converts all Clout with the Altarian Dynasty to Clout with either Space Pirates, or Wandering Sun
• -3 Clout with Galactic Cooperation (and are now on a criminal database)
• The personal favour of the ship heart Pandemonium
• Nemeses: Captain Stalwart Band (for the betrayal), and Chief Constable Blossoming Rose (for the murder of the guards)
• An Ancient Kylalian skull which, while it appears externally to be made of bone, turns out to actually be metal. (Ask a ref for details)