Star Trek:31

[ghosty]

I just got my "24" DVD box set and watched it over the last week or so and well I thought that it'll make an interesting mini-campaign featuring a Section 31 operative.

Its just a rough outline at the moment and some comments would be nice.

The idea is that its election time in the UFP and the leading candidate, a proponent of a strong Federation is threatened by assassins working for a militant group of separatists from a variety of Federation member worlds who plan to split up the Federation.

Although both Starfleet Intelligence and its civilian counterpart, the FSB have agents working on the case, but it is Section 31 who have the better handle on the situation, only they have the manpower, resources and ruthlessness to stop the plot. THe only problem is that there might be moles in all the agencies.

The candidate is campaigning on a planet with a 31 hour day (hehehe) and the assassins are determined to strike within that day, election day. Section 31 has 31 hours to stop the assassins who are as ruthless and uncompromising as they are and they have inside information...

[Michael Barratt]

Even better if the assassins are rogue 31 agents who've decided this candidate would be the end of Federation security - and then you could take your characters into the whole "fight the system from within" angle thereafter.

The Doc

[ghosty]

Originally posted by Michael Barratt
Even better if the assassins are rogue 31 agents who've decided this candidate would be the end of Federation security - and then you could take your characters into the whole "fight the system from within" angle thereafter.

The Doc

I'm not so keen on pitting Section 31 against itself. There is a mole (or maybe more) inside Section 31 whose sympathies lie with the separatists but they are more valuable as moles and not as shooters or triggermen. The separatists will have their own assassins.

One idea is that the sepratists are aware of Section 31 and want to expose them and the best way to do so would be the frame Section 31 with the assassination.

[Dan Gurden]

The only problem that I can see is the loss of all the morality if this involves S31. All the drama of forcing a character to make the hard choices and choosing the lesser of two evils has gone.

After all the Section 31 introduced in Trek is a closer kin to the bad guys in 24, the ones rigging the election that cleaned everything up behind the scenes...

For example translated into Trek '24' would have been about '8', after all S31 operatives would have absolutely no compulsion about killing a presidential candidate (especially one with Palmers history and prospects), in order to sniff out the bad guys.

I think the campaign would be better suited to another agency, the FSB strike s me as a better option, making the character work for the greater good within their morals, rather than have been a member that specifically recruits candidates willing and able to take the role of evil in the name of the greater good.

But then I have a similar reaction with most mentions of S31...

[AslanC]

Haven't seen 24 so I can't comment on it I am afraid.

Maybe once I watch it all

[Ensign Arrgh]

For the moral issues, maybe the characters could be recently admitted in Section 31, it's not an obligation that they are hardcore operatives ready to do anything to prevent the federation from crumbling in the face of its neighbours (even if it involves support to the Leyton coup). They could still have the remnants of a moral code somewhere behind the flag officer grade security clearance, feeling ready to protect the Federation, but still not certain about the at all costs part which is implied by being admitted in S31. Otherwise Starfleet Intel might also be an interesting option, but the FSB might not have the same ressources as a Starfleet related Agency, due to its more civilian nature.

[Siroth]

You could also have the rogue Section 31 assassins be opposed by the loyal 31 members, only they can't oppose them themselves for some reason and so 'enlist' some traditional Starfleet officers to do the dirty work for them...

Given how Sloan used Bashir on occasion that would seem to fit nicely, as does the way Cole uses Bashir in the "Abyss" novel (no, that's not a spoiler). Some hiring people to clean their diryt underwear seems to be Section 31's M.O. : "Well, you can work for us or you can let this horrible thing happen... Your choice, of course..."

For example, you can introduce a new character who is sort of described as the protagonists' new benefactor or so... If they've heard of Section 31 and seek to oppose it, even better - just let 31 know it, then have this person approach the heroes saying that he is an inside man who wants to leave but can only do so if they help him expose them. Then, of course, he manipulates them into stopping the assassins for him.

After all, if Section 31 operatives went rogue and others had to stop them, that might attract a lot of attention. It is better for the organization if that attention is attracted to somebody who really doesn't know about them and so cannot be made to reveal anything. They only have to keep a close eye on the unwitting 'recruits' so they can kill the rogue agents before they can be captured and reveal anything. Remember: First rule of an assassination - kill the assassins!

[Roger Stenning]

Not quite true:

First rule of an assassin: Live to enjoy the money.
Second rule of an assassin: make sure your escape route is clear.
Third rule of an assassin: Kill the other assassins prior to the mark getting into the killzone.
Fouth rule of an assassin: tell no-one you're an assassin. A Ballistic Systems Test Engineer, maybe, but NEVER tell 'em you're a hired killer!