The Ace of Spades Campaign - Alien Base part 01

Introduction
The DSX Timothy has been missing for eight days and has apparently disappeared in the neighbourhood of an F2 main sequence star. Kimberley and are her crew are hired to learn what happened to the DSX Timothy, learn the intentions of any new cultures contacted and rescue any surviving crew members or passengers from the DSX Timothy. This scenario starts on a starport on the planet Robedonostov 2a (Fabergé) in the Saga starsector, 19.2 parsecs from Caliburnus 1 (Breuse).

Fabergé 
Fabergé is an ultra high tech ocean planet noted for its physics labs, specialising in gravity and what to do about it. There is only one city on the planet, located on Easter Island, and it is 77% physics lab with the other 23% being life support, the starport, hydroponics farm, living quarters and entertainment facilities. There are few luxuries - no good hotels, no imported food or drink - but the view is magnificent. The gas giant Tsar Pyotr rises dramatically over the transparent dome on Easter Island every 9.1 hours, filling 15% of the sky. Fabergéans rarely leave their dome; the atmosphere isn't completely terraformed, and the weather is usually unbearable - freezing during the long solar eclipses, hot at any other time. Astronomers regard the air as an insufferable nuisance, reducing visibility, but it's an improvement on the nitrogen-nitride mix that existed previously (the oceans are still rich in ammonia and nitric acid).

Most of the work done on Fabergé is "basic research" - meaning that Sync Ion Grav Incorporated (SIG) is currently running at a loss. However, the lab's reputation keeps the company's shares at record prices - much to the annoyance of Tri-Tachyon and Goliath Weaponry. Fabergéan physicists are using Tsar Pyotr's gravity to test experimental contragrav units and force fields, which if successful, could lead to improved tractor and pressor beams, better sensors, faster stardrives and FTL radio, even antimatter containment.
SIG is always watchful for industrial espionage and sabotage, and everyone on Fabergé is monitored constantly by SIG's incorruptible AI, Uncle Josef. Fabergé's human police force, the Watch, consists mostly of students and technicians looking for extra money or a break in their routine. Their police training and legal enforcement powers are minimal. Prices on Fabergé are high, except for computer software, which is 10-20% cheaper than listed. Fabergé is a UFP member planet with a population of 576,000.
The Ace of Spades arrived at Fabergé simply because it was the nearest UFP planet to Breuse. They dropped off their prisoner, mercenary Captain Erik Finn, with the Interstellar Police Agency in the starport. Kimberley was undecided as to what to do next or where to go. That situation would be resolved very quickly.