Cepheus: Star Trek Voyager - Session Zero
Introduction
I've been playing a bit of Cepheus Engine lately and enjoying it. While rewatching some old episodes of Star Trek Voyager on Netflix I had the crazy idea of playing through an episode of the show in Cepheus. I could start it from the first major plot point in the first act and begin playing from there, to see how different from the original episode it becomes.
Voyager is a good candidate for this since they're lost, 70,000 light years from Earth and can't simply call for help from Starfleet when they're in trouble, and have to survive using their skills and wits. There should also be the chance for some conflict between the player characters as the crew is actually a mishmash of Federation and Maquis people (the terrorists/freedom fighters resisting the Cardassian occupation of Bajor, established in Deep Space 9).
To make things even easier I'm going to use Alpha Quadrant, the free Star Trek rulebook for Cepheus.
First I'll have to make the crew, which works a bit differently in Alpha Quadrant to vanilla Cepheus. It's worth mentioning that in the show the Voyager crew are among the best and brightest of Starfleet, having been hand picked by Captain Janeway specifically to carry out an anti-terrorism operation in the Badlands. This is reflected in their quite high attributes, which I picked myself rather than rolled randomly.
Also Alpha Quadrant equips officers with a HUGE variety of skills, way more than the washed up space bums of Cepheus or Traveller get. This does make sense as these characters have grown up in a utopian society and a culture that went through a horrific world war 3 before emerging into a bright future where there'd never be an energy crisis again. They get to spend their time studying whatever they want for as long as they want, then head off into space as their best possible self.
Captain Kathryn Janeway
Janeway is in her early forties. Hailing from Indiana on Earth, she first served as a science officer aboard the USS Al Batani, giving her a strong scientific knowledge. She is curious about the discoveries they could make in this unknown region of space but puts the lives of her crew first.
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 8
Endurance: 8
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 9 (+1)
Homeworld
Earth
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Advanced Training, Science Division, Command School
Skills
Computer-5, Astronomy-5, Leadership-5, Botany-5, Physics-5, Law: Federation-4, EV Suit-3, German-3, Culture/History: Federation-3, Ecology-3, Chemistry-3, Sensors-3, Marksmanship: Modern-3, Diplomacy-3, Tactics: Starship-3, Damage Control-2, Maths-2, Combat: Unarmed-2, Instruction-2, Small Equipment-2, Parrises Squares-2, Electronics-2, Administration-2, Sculpture-1, Transporter-1, Zero-G-1, Medicine-1, Deflectors-1, Survival-1, Vehicle: Shuttlecraft-1
Commander Chakotay
A Native American in his mid-thirties, Chakotay worked as an instructor at Starfleet Academy but joined the Maquis when the Federation handed his planet to the Cardassian Empire as part of a peace treaty. Flung into the Delta Quadrant with Voyager, he lost the ship he was commanding, forcing him and his crew to be absorbed into that of Voyager. Janeway made him first officer to inspire unity between the two crews. A good listener, Janeway relies on him for advice and he also helps keep his former crew under control.
Strength: 9 (+1)
Dexterity: 7
Endurance: 9 (+1)
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 7
Social Standing: 9 (+1)
Homeworld
Unknown Federation colony
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Advanced Training, Operations Division, Maquis
Skills
Computer-5, Language: Navaho-4, Marksmanship: Modern-4, EV Suit-3, Sensors-3, Combat: Unarmed-3, Trivia: Native American Culture-2, Survival-2, Damage Control-2, Culture/History: Federation-2, Law: Federation-2, Transporter-2, Botany-2, Instruction-2, Leadership-2, Small Equipment-2, Medicine-1, Astronomy-1, Zero-G-1, Ecology-1, Zoology-1, Geology-1, Hydrology-1, Diplomacy-1, Vehicle: Shuttlecraft-1, Streetwise-1, Electronics-1, Engineering-1, Life Support-1, Tactics: Small Unit-1
Lieutenant Commander Tuvok
A vulcan of about 100 years old, Tuvok was a science officer on the USS Excelsior under Captain Sulu before resigning and returning to his homeworld to teach a Vulcan archery-based martial art. Later he rejoined Starfleet and went undercover in the Maquis, serving aboard Chakotay's ship. This led to tension when the two had to work together on Voyager. Physically and mentally fit, he takes his job as security and tactical officer extremely seriously although he makes time to practice playing the Vulcan game of Kal-Toh in his quarters.
Strength: 11 (+1)
Dexterity: 10 (+1)
Endurance: 11 (+1)
Intelligence: 10 (+1)
Education: 10 (+1)
Social Standing: 9 (+1)
Homeworld
Vulcan
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Advanced Training, Tactical Division, Dept Head School, Undercover agent in Maquis
Skills
Computer-5, English-5, Marksmanship: Modern-5, Combat: Unarmed-4, Leadership-4, Kal-Toh-3, Marksmanship: Archery-3, Culture/History: Vulcan-3, Culture/History: Federation-3, Law: Federation-3, Damage Control-3, Vehicle: Shuttlecraft-3, Communications-3, Security-3, Starship Weapons-2, Maths-2, Psychology-2, EV Suit-2, Sensors-2, Tactics: Small Unit-2, Administration-2, Astronomy-1, Transporter-1, Zero-G-1, Ecology-1, Physics-1, Maths-1, Law: Vulcan-1, Instruction-1, Medicine-1, Small Equipment-1, Trivia: Vulcan Philosophy-1
Lieutenant B'Elanna Torres
A klingon-human hybrid, Torres was born in a Federation colony of mostly humans. This led to racist bullying which gave her a combative, abrasive attitude growing up. Now 25, she joined the Maquis after graduating Starfleet Academy and served on Chakotay's ship. When Voyager's chief engineer was killed during the disaster that stranded them in the Delta Quadrant, Janeway asked Torres to take on the role. Hotheaded, she is a skilled engineer.
Strength: 9 (+1)
Dexterity: 8
Endurance: 9 (+1)
Intelligence: 10 (+1)
Education: 8
Social Standing: 8
Homeworld
Kessik IV
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Engineering Division, Maquis
Skills
Marksmanship: Modern-4, Vehicle: Shuttlecraft-3, Engineering-3, Electronics-3, Warp Drive-3, Language: Klingon-2, Physics-2, Combat: Unarmed-2, Computer-2, Damage Control-2, Culture/History: Federation-2, Law: Federation-2, Transporter-2, Chemistry-2, Maths-2, Astrophysics-2, Leadership-2, Small Equipment-2, Parrises Squares-2, Streetwise-1, EV Suit-1, Astronomy-1, Sensors-1, Zero-G-1, Geology-1, Instruction-1, Medicine-1, Batleth-1, Communications-1, Deflectors-1, Life Support-1, Starship Weapons-1
Lieutenant Junior Grade Tom Paris
The 26 year old son of Janeway's former commanding officer Admiral Paris and an excellent pilot, Tom Paris was kicked out of Starfleet after lying about an accident that killed three colleagues. He became a drifter who fell in with the Maquis, only to be captured by the Federation weeks later. While doing time at a penal colony in New Zealand, Janeway offered him a chance to join her mission as an unofficial observer who could use his Maquis experience to help her track down Chakotay's ship. When Voyager's helmsman died in the disaster, Janeway reinstated him and made him flight officer/pilot. He also serves as an assistant to the Doctor as the ship's nurse was killed and he took a course in medicine at the academy.
Brash and facetious, he has a love of classic 20th Century cars and pulp sci-fi holonovels.
Strength: 6
Dexterity: 9 (+1)
Endurance: 7
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 8
Social Standing: 7
Homeworld
Earth (presumably)
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Conn Division, Drifter, Maquis, Prisoner
Skills
Vehicle: Starship-3, Marksmanship: Modern-3, Starship Weapons-3, Astrogation-3, Deflectors-3, Computer-2, Medicine-2, Culture/History: Federation-2, Law: Federation-2, Maths-2, French-2, Sensors-2, Combat: Unarmed-2, Trivia: 20th Century Culture-2, Vehicle: Shuttlecraft-2, Astrophysics-1, Astronomy-1, Physics-1, Chemistry-1, Streetwise-1, Damage Control-1, EV Suit-1, Transporter-1, Zero-G-1, Instruction-1, Leadership-1, Small Equipment-1, Parrises Squares-1, Tactics: Starship-1, Warp Drive-1
Ensign Harry Kim
Fresh out of the academy, 22 year old Earth native Kim was given his first assignment as the operations officer on the bridge of Voyager. Boarding the ship at Deep Space 9, he brought his clarinet and an eager, chipper attitude. He is a hopeless romantic and constantly falls in love. Janeway feels especially guilty after reassuring his mother that she wouldn't let any harm come to him, right before being blasted 70,000 light years away from home. He seems to catch mysterious spacebourne diseases a lot, but has a strong constitution as he always recovers.
Strength: 7
Dexterity: 7
Endurance: 9 (+1)
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 8
Social Standing: 6
Homeworld
Earth (presumably)
Career
Starfleet Academy, Officer Candidate School, Advanced Training, Operations Division
Skills
Computer-5, Sensors-5, Astrophysics-5, Meterology-5, EV Suit-4, Astronomy-4, Marksmanship: Modern-4, Maths-3, Physics-3, Small Equipment-3, Korean-2, Damage Control-2, Culture/History: Federation-2, Law: Federation-2, Combat: Unarmed-2, Clarinet-1, Communications-1, Transporter-1, Zero-G-1, Chemistry-1, Instruction-1, Leadership-1, Medicine-1, Carousing-1, Trivia: Chinese Philosophy-1, Parrises Squares-1, Electronics-1, Engineering-1, L:ife Support-1
Neelix
A native of the Delta Quadrant, Neelix and his girlfriend Kes ended up joining Voyager after the ship was stranded. Looking like a cross between a cat and a fish, Neelix is a Talaxian. He grew up in a Talaxian lunar colony on Rinax, his homeworld's moon but was away from home when the Talaxians' enemies the Haakonan Order committed genocide on Rinax, murdering the entire population including his family.
He then became a drifter and tried many different jobs until he was able to buy his own freighter and make a living as a merchant. Voyager takes him on as a guide to the quadrant but he convinces Janeway to make him morale officer and ship's cook, turning her private dining room into a galley.
Strength: 5
Dexterity: 9 (+1)
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 5
Social Standing: 6
Homeworld
Rinax, moon of Talax
Career
Civilian, Drifter, Engineer, Merchant
Skills
Streetwise-3, Carousing-3, Culture/History: Delta Quadrant-2, Survival-2, Diplomacy, Vehicle: Starship-1, Engineering-1
Kes
A female Ocampan citizen. Voyager was stranded in the Delta Quadrant as a result of Captain Janeway destroying an orbital array to stop the mistreatment of the Ocampa by the Kazon, who had kidnapped Kes. Rescuing her, she agreed to come with them on their journey due to her relationship with Neelix and her explorer's spirit. Bizarrely, Ocampans have a very limited lifespan with rapid ageing and Kes is in fact two years old when she joins the crew. Let's just not mention that again. She eventually learns to awaken her species' dormant psychic powers but to begin with she busies herself making a hydroponics bay to grow food and assisting the Doctor in sickbay.
Strength: 4 (-1)
Dexterity: 6
Endurance: 6
Intelligence: 9 (+1)
Education: 4 (-1)
Social Standing: 5
Homeworld
Ocampa
Career
Civilian
Skills
Farming-1, Animals-1, Botany-1, Medicine-1, Survival-1, Vehicle: Ground-0
The Doctor
During the disaster Voyager's medical staff were killed so they find themselves relying on the emergency medical hologram (EMH) for all their medical needs. This is far from ideal as the hologram is rude and arrogant, and confined to sickbay (which is equipped with holo-emitters). Since he can't be killed or wounded and has no physical characteristics we won't treat him as a player character.
However since he has the combined medical knowledge of all Starfleet doctors including McCoy, Crusher and Bashir, we'll let give him a Medicine skill of 3 when he's called into action.
The USS Voyager
I'm no expert when it comes to designing starships in Cepheus Engine so I'm going to use Alpha Quadrant, the free Star Trek rulebook for Cepheus. It seems to keep ships very simple and doesn't make you build out the ship room by room like you normally would in Cepheus.
The ship has 15 decks, originally 160 crewmen before the disaster, deflector shields, phasers and type 6 photon torpedos. In the Alpha Quadrant rules, ships have a strength and endurance characteristic. Rather than giving the shields a number that gets reduced when hit and recharges, the rules say we'll roll on a damage table to determine whether the shields were grazed, directly hit or penetrated.
When the hull is damaged we reduce the ship's strength and possibly outer components like the phasers or sensors will be damaged. When the strength is zero any hit will land on internal components like the bridge (causing the familar "bangers" to go off on the consoles, possibly wounding or killing bridge crew), or the power plant.
Voyager will have a strength of 9 and endurance of 11.
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