The characters have undergone a familiarisation course on the XLS 490 Laboratory ship, St Christopher class. The patron, who will accompany the party, will work the laboratory computer during flight. With the exception of the pilot and the engineer the rest of the team are commandos and have been trained as such. Players may reassign gun and blade combat skills before play starts to any other weapons in any combination, so long as the total number of skills in each category is the same. The mission team may employ any equipment that they can carry up to tech level 13, this does not include battle dress. The team has an air raft with turret auto cannon. Also available is an ATV crash tender for the starport. These vehicles are with the team at Alpha Warehouse 12 hours from loading time, 18 hours from takeoff time. It is almost dusk, and the evening is characteristically warm and still. There is a certain urgency about the city as the populace prepares to leave.