CT Apocalypse

[tbeard1999]

Been thinking of a new CT campaign setting and wanted to run it by y'all. Howsabout introducing a deadly, highly communicable virus (a real virus, not TNE's Virus) ala Captain Trips from Stephen King's The Stand into the Third Imperium?

For those unfamiliar with The Stand, "Captain Trips" is the name of an artificially enhanced version of the Flu. It's something like 99% communicable and >99% lethal. It also rapidly mutates, so a cure is almost impossible to synthesize.

A campaign could be set as Captain Trips erupts, amid increasingly desperate attempts to contain it. Or, it could be set in the aftermath ala TNE. Thoughts?

 

[far-trader]

So, how do the players not contract it and die? *



(can't recall much of The Stand, must have been memorable :smirk: )

* exposure (not direct, just normal jumping) to jumpspace kills it maybe, so while the players, and other "Travellers" may contract it, even repeatedly, as long as they jump again before it gets to a terminal stage it is purged and they live?

 

[tbeard1999]

So, how do the players not contract it and die? *

I dunno. Some could be immune, though I like your idea about jumpspace. This would be why I solicited comments

 

[far-trader]

The immune percentage could be good too. Kind of a bootstraps scenario. The world is hit by the virus, a few survive and have their pick of ships in port. Some flee spreading it (unknowingly before, and in fear after the outbreak), some try to warn other worlds and impose quarantine. All in a spreading wave of death. Meanwhile back on the "source" world scientists are working on a cure, or are they? What was the source? Was the outbreak accidental or deliberate? Why (or how) have some key figures been immune beyond the odds of chance? Intrigue...

...could make a very good game for the right group.

 

[Spinward Scout]

Would the virus only affect humans? Terran decendants (Humans & Vargr also Chimps/Gorillas/Orangutan & Orcas/Dolphins if they are IYTU)? Or a larger spectrum? Sophonts only - attacking the higher brain functions? Or lesser animals even? It would need more than a week incubation period to last from starport to starport - before it kills the host. Otherwise, you get ghost ships falling out of JumpSpace. But that could be interesting, too. You could start the virus as Mad Groat Disease and have it mutate. Or a Solomani genetic experiment gone bad. Or even Curse of the Ancients Tomb. Of course, the variation of this theme is Space "Zho"mbies. It affects the Zhodani (or anyone with psionics) differently and turns them all into flesh-eaters.

 

[Ran Targas]

How about a virus that was engineered by some naive pharmaceutical company to correct birth defects by rewriting bits of DNA to match a base sequence. It worked great in a clinical environment, resulting in a significant quality of life improvement.

Eventually it becomes infectious but not dangerous, it goes about spreading through the populace with even positive effects, as long as they are all one species with little variation from the original model. But where multiple strains of human or alien species interact, the virus tries to rewrite the non-conforming DNA to match the base sequence.

Again, humans matching the original donor strain can carry the virus for long periods with it actually making them feel better, but when they come into contact with non-strain humans or aliens, the virus goes to work.

So what this gives us is a virus that could be spread over a large area of space with little notice, where those spreading it seldom show any signs of serious or debilitating infection. The virus may not actually kill even those non-strain humans infected; only making them more like the base strain. Of course, this could be disasterous for non-Terran life forms like Hivers and Aslan, but might have intersting results for a Vargr.

Then it mutants, into a virus that actively seeks superior genes and incorporates them into the base sequence, re-engineering the host to the preferred pattern. Not even the base strain humans are safe. This is where it would become very interesting.

 

[Spinward Scout]

You could also run it like The Invasion, which is an updated version of the Invasion of the Body Snatchers. If you haven't seen it, it's a good movie.

 

[aramis]

Another "Virus" model, used in Better Games' G/Sol and Battle Born games, is the "Pacification Virus"... essentially it renders the victims lobotomized. They will eat, use the bathroom, dress, etc, but won't initiate complex actions on their own, and generally are not capable of intellectual thought nor any but the bases humor. About 0.1% to 1% ofthe population are "immune"... These immunes run the society; the "taints" are essentially labor-drones, needing direct supervision.

 

[GypsyComet]

For those unfamiliar with The Stand, "Captain Trips" is the name of an artificially enhanced version of the Flu. It's something like 99% communicable and >99% lethal. It also rapidly mutates, so a cure is almost impossible to synthesize.

The problem with rapid mutation and high mortality in the host race is that you end up with evolutionary pressures that will either render it not-as-lethal, not-as-mobile, or cause it to jump species. Mutation without a Marvel Comics writer behind it is just not that convenient.

 

[tbeard1999]

The problem with rapid mutation and high mortality in the host race is that you end up with evolutionary pressures that will either render it not-as-lethal, not-as-mobile, or cause it to jump species. Mutation without a Marvel Comics writer behind it is just not that convenient.

I misspoke. The virus is a "constantly shifting antigen" virus:

"This means the flu changes every time a person’s immune system comes to a defense posture. For the same reason, a vaccine is impossible to create. The human body can’t produce the antibodies necessary to stop an antigen-shifting virus because every time the body does produce the right antibody, the virus has already shifted to a slightly new form, negating the effect of the new antibodies. It just shifts from form to form until the body is worn out. The result, inevitably, is death."

And, FYI, here are the stages:

Stage One has no frank symptoms, although the victim is infectious. Blood pressure shows unusual variations, and "wagon wheel" shaped incubator cells are present in the sputum.

Stage Two resembles the common cold, with mild symptoms such as nasal discharge, sneezing and coughing. A low-grade fever may be present. Many characters in this stage do not limit their activities; they continue to shop, travel, or work, spreading the disease.

Stage Three at the start may resemble asthma, bronchitis, influenza, or mononucleosis. The cold-like symptoms of Stage Two become more severe. Chills, high fever, swollen lymph glands, dizziness, weakness, and painful urination develop. Most characters in this stage go to bed or try to see a doctor. Late in this stage, the illness becomes more like pneumonia; a few characters show delirium just before entering the fourth, terminal stage.

Stage Four resembles pneumonia, bubonic plague and, in some cases, hemorrhagic fever. Breathing becomes difficult and there is much swelling in the face, neck and groin. Swollen areas turn purple, then black. There is much discharge of mucus, which may be bloody. Fever is extremely high, and delirium is common. Characters in this stage are immobilized in most—but not all—cases; as in the earlier stages, any caregiver will be infected unless he or she is immune. Death is usually caused by respiratory failure.

One issue in a Traveller game is whether Captain Trips would affect other races. In The Stand, it affects dogs, so Vargr could be affected. The novel offers a chilling rationale for spreading tailored versions of the disease to other races: When it becomes obvious that Captain Trips can't be controlled by US health authorities, Col. Starkey (the project commander) orders government agents to covertly release it behind the Iron Curtain, in China and on all other continents. A similar operation could be carried out by the Imperium (at least against the Major Races). (In my own campaign, there are no technologically advanced aliens, so the disease could work as in the novel).

 

[GypsyComet]

I misspoke. The virus is a "constantly shifting antigen" virus:

"This means the flu changes every time a person’s immune system comes to a defense posture. For the same reason, a vaccine is impossible to create. The human body can’t produce the antibodies necessary to stop an antigen-shifting virus because every time the body does produce the right antibody, the virus has already shifted to a slightly new form, negating the effect of the new antibodies. It just shifts from form to form until the body is worn out. The result, inevitably, is death."

Hmm, alright.

I wouldn't touch this for the same reasons I would never use the Valkyrie from G:T or "grey goo" nanotech as ongoing campaign issues. Cliched as it might be, I would rather blame an area of devastation on the Ancients than use what is effectively microscopic sentience.

That aside, this is the sort of apocalypse that would depopulate space pretty thoroughly and evenly, unless some lucky population had a high occurence of immunity. if the bug persisted in an otherwise immune carrier populace, you've created the conditions for the death sentence of interstellar civilization, as surviving re-emergent groups who have never met will have strong historical reasons to not seek out strangers. Planets too small for that last 1% (or whatever the survivor percentage was) to leave viable genetic bases will die out, and no one is likely to go looking.

Not sure that's a very exciting setting to play in, but you may have a further spin...

 

[Spinward Scout]

tbeard1999,

I would think that once people started dying from the disease that quarantined worlds would be set up very quickly. The Imperium would write them off and blow any ships from those worlds out of the sky (some will get past, but still...). You'd end up with a Dead Zone - which could be Very Interesting. Communication is by X-Boat and the X-Boats don't have contact - except by radio/meson transmission. Communication of the details of the disease would travel faster than the disease, I would think. Or could outrun it. Once they identify the pathogen, all ship crews would be screened on arrival at any surrounding planets. Probably even in-system ships. And quarantined if they have the bug. It's the initial outbreak that would wreak havoc. But it shouldn't get far. Low-tech worlds would fall. High-tech worlds could see it coming. With the interdiction set-up the Imperial Navy and the Scout Service has, there would probably be a contingency for it somewhere. Maybe at the sector level or subsector level. I can see the crews at the StarPort Lounge talking about friends or family that were left in the Dead Sectors, or something similar.

Unless the virus has a very very long incubation period before killing off the host. Like months or years.

 

[tbeard1999]

tbeard1999,

I would think that once people started dying from the disease that quarantined worlds would be set up very quickly. The Imperium would write them off and blow any ships from those worlds out of the sky (some will get past, but still...). You'd end up with a Dead Zone - which could be Very Interesting. Communication is by X-Boat and the X-Boats don't have contact - except by radio/meson transmission. Communication of the details of the disease would travel faster than the disease, I would think. Or could outrun it. Once they identify the pathogen, all ship crews would be screened on arrival at any surrounding planets. Probably even in-system ships. And quarantined if they have the bug. It's the initial outbreak that would wreak havoc. But it shouldn't get far. Low-tech worlds would fall. High-tech worlds could see it coming. With the interdiction set-up the Imperial Navy and the Scout Service has, there would probably be a contingency for it somewhere. Maybe at the sector level or subsector level. I can see the crews at the StarPort Lounge talking about friends or family that were left in the Dead Sectors, or something similar.

Unless the virus has a very very long incubation period before killing off the host. Like months or years.

The interesting thing about Captain Trips is that its incredibly high communicability rate means that effectively, the battle is over when a single person becomes infected. For all practical purposes, he will infect everyone he comes into contact with. They'll each infect anyone they come into contact with, and so on and so on.

King has a chilling chapter in The Stand where he shows how easily the infection is spread in a series of vignettes.

Seems to me that the fact that communication is limited to the speed of travel would make an organized effort to control the disease even more difficult than in The Stand. Granted, the act of quarantining is easier. But by the time a Sector Duke realizes what's going on (and can transmit the quarantine orders), most of the high population, high travel worlds will be infected.

A few worlds, with decisive leaders might succeed in establishing an absolute quarantine. But such worlds would be in trouble if they required anything critical from outside their planetary system.

Anyhow, Captain Trips has some of the same attraction to me as TNE's Virus, though I prefer a biological weapon to a computer virus.

BTW, the miniseries The Stand was pretty good (unusual for Stephen King movies IMHO). Here are some links to it for those curious about it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qsMp2pZK-Cw (Trailer)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WUAvTn3uz5w&feature=related (beginning "Don't Fear the Reaper")

One way to run a campaign would be to replicate the theme of the novel -- a journey to a presumably safe place. You could even introduce elements of the supernatural as in the novel (characters dreamed of the villain, Randall Flagg, and of his good counterpart, Mother Abigail; they journeyed to Las Vegas or Boulder, respectively, depending on their natures). Or, the characters could learn of a top secret research facility that lies halfway across the sector. This could prompt an epic journey across the plague ridden sector.

And perhaps, borrowing from "I Am Legend" (the novel), the disease doesn't kill everyone who lacks immunity. Maybe it makes, say, 5% of those who are infected but not immune into homicidal maniacs (or somesuch).

That would make landing for resupply interesting, at least.

 

[tbeard1999]

How do these Traveller drugs effect or not effect the Captain Trips virsus?

Dunno. Here are some very prelimary thoughts:

Slow
Medical Slow

Might be dramatic to allow Medical Slow to stave off the disease. Since it kills in a few days, Medical Slow might buy someone 60 days maximum.

Fast

<Poof> You're dead.

Other drugs would probably have no effect.

Liked the Outer Limits link and will hunt the episode down. But "nanites run amuck" is even more of a cliche than a lethal plague wiping everyone out, IMHO.

 

[tbeard1999]

Here's how I'd see starting a campaign at the beginning of the epidemic:

1. Roll up characters normally. Even better, distribute pregenerated characters (see below for why this is a good idea).

2. First session, run a normal short adventure set on the planet that the disease breaks out on. *Lightly* mention news reports that an outbreak of flu has most of a small town down with the sniffles. Maybe a major NPC has a bad cough and case of the sniffles (it would be best if he didn't meet the characters in person, but rather on a communicator).

3. Second session, run another adventure, but make it more obvious that something bad is going on. At the start, mention news reports that several towns have been quarantined, but that the disease is not lethal. By the end of the adventure, things are getting worse, with martial law being declared in some areas. Maybe sinister rumors of large numbers of bodies being dumped in the oceans or being burned in garbage incinerators. Interleave with government assurances that there is no danger. A unit of soldiers driving by wearing respirators should do wonders for the "oh sh*t" reaction. Reports that hospitals are filling up with sick people. Etc.

4. Third session, involve the players directly. (It should go without saying that they need to be kept on the planet; maybe a critical part is being shipped in for the starship, or whatever). Perhaps their ship is seized to form part of a quarantine patrol -- a good way to put them in dire straits. Perhaps they get trapped in a quarantined town and have to escape. Whatever. In this week, they will probably get infected. Things will begin to seriously fall apart.

5. Fourth session, scythe the PC's down. Kill most of them. Allow 10% of them to be immune (far higher than the general population, but at least one needs to survive for continuity). The rest, KILL OFF. This will impress on the players that something serious is going on. New characters will be immune. Encourage (or require) the players to play a more varied assortment of characters than they normally do -- this will give the feel of a real disaster/apocalyptic movie. Hopefully, one of the PCs will be a doctor, so the referee can roleplay desperate (but unsuccessful) attempts to handle the disease. Regarding new PCs, the immunity could be secretly determined by the referee (say 70% chance); it would help if PCs were genuinely afraid of the disease. And even immune people might have the early symptoms of the disease (or just a normal bout of the flu!)

6. Fifth session, start the real campaign...

 

[far-trader]

(typed up before your edit, have to check out the embellishments later... )

I'm still liking the idea Though I'd probably change up the opening a bit from yours. Offered as another possible playout...

1. Roll up characters normally, allow each player to generate two or more characters each, for backup in case and as NPCs for you the ref to use. Downplay the redundancy, play up the chance to try out some characters the players might not normally play.

2. First session, run a normal short adventure set on the planet that the disease breaks out on. Let the players use all the characters at different times to get a measure of which they better play and more interestingly. Mention a ship encounter with a Yacht as the players leave the world (just a run of the mill random encounter). Let the players hail the Yacht and get brushed off with a I rolled a hostile reaction but not attacking, they say "clear the channel we have a medical emergency aboard" and if the players ask they can listen in and catch something about "his Grace is critically ill and needs immediate transport to a hospital" and ground granting clearance to land very near the best hospital on the planet.

3. Second session, routine stop at next world (trade or whatever), more adventure with multiple characters, and just before leaving a couple ships arrive in port from the previous world and have news that the Noble has died but they're keeping it very under wraps. Hospital "quarantined", media blackout, Navy brought in for security, and such. Must have been a real big shot. On their way out system another random ship encounter. Merchant or Navy, ship drops out of jump space and just drifts, no commo, nothing. It's a long way out of the way to investigate but the players can get there first if they want to. There's no requirement as it's not sending a GK/SOS. Maybe it's a pirate. If the players investigate they will find the ship empty and cold, exposed to vacuum (as a measure of ensuring no contamination, unless your little bugs are some Andromeda strain that can survive hard radiation and cold vacuum...)

4. Third session, yep, time to involve the players directly, unless they already are from the random ship encounter above. If they investigate the ship (play it up as a Mary Celeste type mystery). And while aboard a(nother) Navy ship drops out of jump (before the players can get to the logs or anything that tells the story) and demands with lethal force that both ships power down immediately, that all persons aboard don vacc suits or enter rescue balls and the ships be exposed to vacuum. Then everyone will get checked out (in scary sterile decon and heavy scanning procedure) and then (after passing) be allowed to live, restricted to quarters aboard the Navy ship until dropped into a quarantine camp on the world. Their ship is commandeered by the Navy and crewed with a prize crew who land it at the starport.

If the players don't investigate the ship they get the Navy treatment above when they come out of jump at the next world instead.

I like this part...

...they get trapped in a quarantined town and have to escape (as people start to get infected and die). In this week, they will probably get infected. (no probably about it :devil Things will begin to seriously fall apart. (panic, mass breakout, more infected, mad dash for the starport, troops mowing down people and burning the city, ortillery taking out ships as they lift, etc.)

5. Fourth session, the player's get away on their ship (very lucky) with as many other refugees who appear healthy as can cram on. Then after a couple days in jump all looking ok scythe the PC's and NPC's down. Kill most of them. Allow 1 PC for each player to be immune to form a core party.

6. Fifth session, start the real campaign...[/quote]

The players come out of jump in the backwater system they hoped would be a good place to go to ground and wait out whatever madness has erupted, or whatever half-baked plan they had...

 

[Spinward Scout]

Me personally, if I was in this scenario, after Number 5, I'd be loading up the hold with as much foodstuff and life support as possible and hightailing it to the nearest large cometary body that I can get water from and just monitor any and all communications. Populations of planets start dying and "oh, hey, look at the time - gotta go!" The Navy would know of clean planets and may broadcast that. But then there's the "landing without getting blown out of the sky" part if you do get to a clean planet. Better to stay put and wait it out? Or look for a needle in a star constellation? (Oooh, now there's a descriptor for ya! Make a constellation point the way...) If the PCs are receiving information on where to go through psychic visions, that would change things.

Number 5a - "Where are we going?"

If I remember right, in The Stand, the bad guys went to Las Vegas and the good guys went to Boulder?

tbeard1999, this wouldn't be why you've been putting up Survival Kit posts, is it?

 

[tbeard1999]

(typed up before your edit, have to check out the embellishments later... )

I'm still liking the idea Though I'd probably change up the opening a bit from yours. Offered as another possible playout...

Very interesting. I'd like as many suggestions for the setup as everyone cares to give. This campaign will be a significant departure from most Traveller campaigns (most of mine anyhow). Thus, the setup is critical. It has to (a) be exciting/interesting; (b) impress on the players that the disease is Very Nasty and (c) intrigue the players enough to continue the campaign after having most of their initial characters annihilated by the disease.

So any help anyone wants to give will be appreciated.

I thought of an entertaining mechanic for determining immunity. Once it's clear that Captain Trips is loose, require all players to draw a playing card from a normal deck. Without letting the player (or referee) see the card, place it in an envelope and seal it. Have the player sign the envelope across the seal. When a character is exposed to Captain Trips, roll for infection (99% chance). When it comes time to start the fatal phase, the player opens the envelope and learns if he's immune. Characters who are generated after the initial adventure will be immune if the card is a 4-10, J, Q, K, A. The Ace of Spades means instant death.

Here's my initial conception of Captain Trips.

Exposure. When a character is exposed (by breath or even contact), 99% of infection.

Stage 1: No obvious symptoms, although the victim is infectious (even if ultimately immune). Blood pressure shows unusual variations, and “wagon wheel” incubator cells are present in the sputum. Lasts ~24 hours on average. (4d6-2)*2 hours if it matters.

Stage 2: All victims (including immunes) have symptoms resembling the common cold, with mild symptoms such as nasal discharge, sneezing and coughing. A low-grade fever may be present. Many folks in this stage do not limit their activities; they continue to shop, travel, or work, spreading the disease. Lasts ~24 hours on average. (4d6-2)*2 hours if it matters. Immunes are still infectious at this stage.

Stage 3. Determine immunity. Characters who are immune will recover in about 1 day. (4d6-2)*2 hours if it matters. At this stage, immunes are no longer infectious. Recovery is complete, though the person will be weak (-1 to all physical tasks for a couple of days).

About 25% of non-immune folks will have a "false recovery" in Stage 3. It looks just like Stage 3 for the immunes and the victim will seem to be getting better (it looks just like the recovery of the immunes). However, it will be obvious to doctors with decent medical gear that the victim is still dying. At the end of the false recovery (~24 hours), the victim goes directly to Stage 3.

Stage 3: Symptoms may resemble asthma, bronchitis, influenza, or mononucleosis. The cold-like symptoms of Stage Two become more severe. Chills, high fever, swollen lymph glands, dizziness, weakness, and painful urination develop. Most characters in this stage go to bed or try to see a doctor. Late in this stage, the illness becomes more like pneumonia; a few characters show delirium just before entering the fourth, terminal stage. Lasts ~3 days on average, but more variable. 2d6*10 hours if it matters.

Stage 4: Symptoms resemble pneumonia, bubonic plague and, in some cases, hemorrhagic fever. Breathing becomes difficult and there is much swelling in the face, neck and groin. Swollen areas turn purple, then black. There is much discharge of mucus, which may be bloody. Fever is extremely high, and delirium is common. Characters in this stage are immobilized in most—but not all—cases; as in the earlier stages, any caregiver will be infected unless he or she is immune. Death is usually caused by respiratory failure. Lasts ~3 days on average, but more variable. 2d6*10 hours if it matters.

Stage 5: For a small percentage of victims, death is not permanent. The body seems to die, but is still barely alive. Within 1 day, it will begin to recover. Recovery is complete within 2 days of "death". The victim is typically driven insane and is homicidal to boot. He still has his intelligence, but he's driven by a murderous rage. Think Firefly's Reavers. (Alternatively, I may make them vampires ala "I Am Legend"). In any case, these folks make the post superflu world rather interesting.

Percentages:

Infection -- 99% per exposure
Immune -- 5% (75% for PCs once plague gets going)
Not Immune -- 95% (90% die; 5% become reavers/vampires/whatever).

Also, the disease may mutate. Mutated versions can have other symptoms (or not), but the main effect is that immune characters may not be immune to the new strain. 90% (Or any card except a 2 or Ace of Spades). I think that the PCs need a healthy respect for the disease in the campaign; this would do it, I think.

To give the PCs a good perspective on the disease, one of them will be a doctor. I may, through GM fiat make him immune.

Note that a world filled with decaying corpes will become unhealthy and unpleasant, especially during summer time.

I'm also working on the Quest. My conception of the campaign is that the PCs will journey across the sector to a destination. Question -- what is the destination, why do the PCs want to go there, and how do they find out about it?

Ideas/Rumors:

1. A top secret bioweapons Research Station that the PCs suspect is the source of the disease. They suspect that the station may still be trying to synthesize an antidote. The doctor would point out that immunes would be valuable to that activity.

2. A garden planet on the other side of the sector whose atmosphere contains *something* that counteracts Captain Trips.

3. PCs are dreaming about an evil ruler on Planet A and a good ruler on Planet B...

4. Home. Wherever the majority of PCs are from; they want to get back and see what has happened to their families.

Any others?

 

[tbeard1999]

Me personally, if I was in this scenario, after Number 5, I'd be loading up the hold with as much foodstuff and life support as possible and hightailing it to the nearest large cometary body that I can get water from and just monitor any and all communications.

Yeah, that's a campaign challenge. Why wouldn't the PCs just hole up somewhere? What could motivate them to undertake a dangerous journey across the sector?

Populations of planets start dying and "oh, hey, look at the time - gotta go!" The Navy would know of clean planets and may broadcast that. But then there's the "landing without getting blown out of the sky" part if you do get to a clean planet. Better to stay put and wait it out? Or look for a needle in a star constellation? (Oooh, now there's a descriptor for ya! Make a constellation point the way...) If the PCs are receiving information on where to go through psychic visions, that would change things.

Interesting. And note that dreams may not actually be supernatural. Maybe psionics are much more effective once you get rid of 95% of the intelligent beings in the sector? Or maybe the disease somehow enhances a small percentage of psionics so that they can transmit at interstellar distances. (Maybe this is the long-awaited instantaneous FTL communications?)

Or maybe they're just group hallucinations...

The good thing is that the referee needn't decide what The Truth is until the campaign is going for awhile.

Number 5a - "Where are we going?"

If I remember right, in The Stand, the bad guys went to Las Vegas and the good guys went to Boulder?

Yes. This was King's mechanism to create the Epic Journey -- competing dreams from Randall Flagg and Mother Abigail.

tbeard1999, this wouldn't be why you've been putting up Survival Kit posts, is it?

Maybe. I think that I've been drifting that way for awhile...

 

[tbeard1999]

Interesting vignette idea.

If you go with my setup, the PCs will suffer through the plague and see most of the planet's population succomb to Captain Trips. They decide to leave, but there are no servicable ships on planet. Somehow, they manage to get to the orbital high port. The only ship left at the port is a 70,000 ton Azhanti High Lightning class cruiser (crew dead).

Imagine the fun of six adventurers trying to get somewhere on a 70,000 ton ship -- especially when there might be several dozen homocidal crewmen hiding in the ship spaces...

I'd probably let them get to the next system, then have something go badly wrong and the ship crash. But at least for one or two adventures, the PCs would have a major warship...