Judge Dredd: Sector 1 Session #3

Training Day Part 3

Introduction

These session logs record gaming sessions using the EN Publishing's Judge Dredd: Tabletop Adventure Game. The four stars of the story (the Player Characters or PCs) are (left to right) Judges Weaver, Click, Brody and Simmons. Brody is a Med-Judge while the others are Street Judges.

Dredd (2012) image copyright DNA Films/IM Global/Reliance Entertainment

This opening storyline - Training Day - is an adventure I have put together which weaves together several of the missions from both the rulebook and first supplement, all under the overall storyline of the new Cadets undergoing their final assessment to, hopefully, earn their full badges! Warning: spoilers follow if you intend playing any of the scenarios from the published material! Fellow GMs wishing a copy of the Training Day adventure can email me at thebissler@gmail.com and I will happily send over the PDF! You will, of course, require to own copies of those books to run the full adventure!

Acknowledgements: A huge thanks to Dan Burgess for keeping me right on "Undersked" terminology on the 2000AD Tat & Chat Facebook Group - this was much appreciated! A massive thank you to Ian  "Anorak" Hollingsworth who also helped me out on this and a number of previous occasions with Dredd lore (even though I have read all of the Complete Case Files, I bow to his encyclopaedic knowledge of all things Dredd). You are a gentleman and a scholar sir!

Previously In Sector 1

The four Cadet Judges have are undergoing their final assessment to become Judges under the watchful eye of Judge Brennan. They have concluded their first investigation, that being into the theft of "Numunce" - arresting the main suspect, Mick Bricklington. Several of the cadets have been badly wounded, but their twelve hour assessment has only passed the halfway point. Having had a chance for a breather and a hottie courtesy of Eddie Seven, the Cadets have taken a call for aid for an ambulance which is under attack...

Date: Saturday, April 11 2099, 1251 hours.

Frankenstein 2

Sirens blaring, as the Cadets speed along the Fiona Bruce Mega-Way, Brennan receives a crackling message from Central.

Judges on Lawmasters by Brian Bolland
Copyright Rebellion 2000AD Ltd

"Judge Brennan, be advised, cadet Simmons is in a critical but stable condition. Unfit to return to duty today."

"Roger that," Brennan says. "Advise Principal Griffin that Simmons'll need to resit his final assessment. Keep me posted if his condition changes."

The rookies exchange glances of concern for their fellow cadet but do not have time to worry; up ahead they spot the parked ambulance which is being raided by two armed gunmen, both of whom are dragging bagged body parts - intended for those in medical need - from the vehicle. A medic lies dead on the ground, grey red matter spilling from his head on to the plascrete.

"Give it up creeps or you'll be making personal donations," Weaver roars as they close in on the ambulance, sirens blaring. 

A former student in Citizen Manipulation at the Academy of Law, Weaver's voice carries a steely authority which causes the perps to instantly freeze and drop their weapons. In moments, the three cadets are upon the perps, have them cuffed and under questioning. They call in a Pat Wagon and Med Wagon to pick up the perps and the parts respectively. Brennan follows up and nods with satisfaction at the efficiency of his rookies.

"Not bad," he says.

While Brody tries in vain to resuscitate the ambulance driver, Click calls upon his knowledge of the law to sentence the perps to thirty years in the Iso-Cubes for organ legging. He explains to the perps that their sentence can be extended by a further five years for obstruction of justice if they don't talk. After some resistance and further barking from Weaver, one of the perps finally agrees to cooperate.

"Sir, they say they're working for a black market surgeon going by the name of Frank N.Stein," Weaver explains. "This perp'll take us to his hideout under the Jimmy Nisbet Undersked."

"Lead on rookie," Brennan nods.

Minutes later, the team pull up at the Underzoom and the perp leads them to a door hidden in the dark shadows at the side of the tunnel. With Weaver at his back, the perp goes through a long and elaborate sequence of knocks to the metal doorway. There is a brief pause before the cadets hear the clacking of locks and the door opens the merest of fractions. 

"Knock knock," Brody says, kicking the door wide open and drawing a startled yelp from the guard behind it. 

Click storms inside and rams his daystick into the guard's mouth. The perp gags as he chokes on a mixture of blood, daystick and broken teeth. 

"...and good night," Click says, withdrawing the baton. With a quick flick of the wrist, the blood and bone splash from Click's daystick, spattering the perp's face and clothes. Not knowing what hit him, the guard crumples to the ground in the foetal position and blubbers.

Frankenstein 2 by Mike McMahon
Copyright Rebellion 2000AD Ltd

With Weaver and Brennan moping up the perps behind them, the duo of Brody and Click storm through the premises, taking down perps with baton and gun. Finally, they find Frank N.Stein in a makeshift - and unpleasantly filthy - operating theatre where he has just finished performing a liver transplant and - alerted by the shouting and screaming - has a spit gun at the ready! In an attempt to blind the Judges, he turns the blazing surgery lights at them and opens fire! He hits and wounds Click - but a retaliatory shot disarms him! Stein now apprehended, Brody checks her fellow Cadet's injury. 

"Just a minor flesh wound," she tells her fellow rookie. "Might have been worse were it not for our anti-dazzle visors. It's just like Griffin taught us at the Academy - 'your equipment could be the difference between life and death'."

"I seem to recall you were amused by some sort of innuendo when he said that," Click says.

"A sense of humour can't hurt in our calling," Brody replies defensively. "It'd all be so bleak otherwise."

"It's behaviour unbefitting a Judge. Childish things belong in childhood. We're not children now - we're Judges."

"I'll be the Judge of that," Brennan cracks, unable to resist his own joke, much to Click's unspoken irritation.   

A search of the makeshift theatre reveals that - along with countless body parts - there is a rack of human skins in a huge freezer unit. Faced with a long stretch in the 'Cubes, Stein confesses that he has been provided with a number of 'fresh Juves' by Vito O'Brien's gang; the team remember that this is the same creep whose mobsters wiped out Bricklington's gang at the Mike Pence Block earlier on the day. Following their lead, another team of rookies had raided his hideout but shutdown the site without any sign of O'Brien himself. Weaver is keen to nail O'Brien, but when he puts Stein under pressure to contact O'Brien, there is no reply.

"Only natural given that he's top of Sector One's most wanted today," Brennan advises the frustrated rookie. "He'll be off-grid for a while after this morning's events. You can't win 'em all, son." 

"We do know that Stein used to work for a Bud Yetale at the David Guest Nu Yu Hospital in Matt Damon," Brody explains after calling up Stein's perp sheet. "And guess what? That high-class joint specialises in a miracle procedure that rejuvenates the skin. It's all the rage with the crocks, those oldsters are handing over fortunes to look young again. Med and Tech Divisions have been wanting to analyse the treatment for use in healing therapies but Justice Department has been tied up by legal red tape by Guest's lawyers. What's the betting that Juve skin is the mystery ingredient and that's the reason they don't want Justice Department breaking down their formula? Tell me I'm wrong Stein?"

"We call 'em 'deathcials'," Stein forlornly admits.

Satisfied with Stein's confession, the team sentence him accordingly sentenced and head over to the Matt Damon Block.

David Guest Nu Yu Hospital

Upon arrival at the hospital in Matt Damon Block, Brody marches up to the main desk and a nervous receptionist.

"Ah, J-Judge...oh, Cadet...how can I help you?"

"I'm here for the same reason all these crocks are," she says, gesturing to the clinic which is packed with septuagenarians, octogenarians, nonagenarians and others closer to the grave still. "I'd like a deathcial."

"Err, you're too young for a- I mean, a 'deathcial', what's that?"

"Let's not play games. Get Bud Yetale down here right now," Brody orders.

Some of the crocks start shuffling their way to the exits, but the other rookies bar the way and start sentencing the grizzled grandfathers and grannies as accessories to murder.

"What's the meaning of this?" the manager, Bud Yetale demands as he enters the reception area. "This is a highly-respected Hospital! How dare you harass my clients!"

Bud Yetale

"Thirty five dead in a hideout under the Jimmy Nisbet Undersked do more than dare it - they demand it," Click replies. "Thirty five dead for cosmetic surgery - 'deathcials' - to keep these broken down old crocks looking youthful! Stein, an ex-employee of yours say he's supplying you with Juve skins." 

"I provide a high-class service to high-class citizens who like to look classy," Yetale says, his chest puffed up with self-importance. "I make no apologies for putting their interests before those of some deadbeat illegal immigrants invading our fine Mega-City, no doubt rapists and murderers all. Death's too good for that filth!"

"Meathead! You're doing life!" Click shouts, jabbing his daystick at the disbelieving manager.

"W-wait! This is an abuse of power! You'll be hearing from Chief Judge Goodman about this, mark my words you - hah - rookies! You don't even have the authority!"

"They do today," Brennan disagrees. "You can write to the Chief Judge from the comfort of your Iso-Cube creep!"

The cadets find themselves caught up in the administration of sentencing as the whole hospital is put into lockdown and all complicit patients rounded up and sentenced. When they finally send off the last crock crooks to the Iso-Cubes, a robot enters the hospital and approaches them.

"Good afternoon Judges," it addresses them. "My master, the great and illustrious Charles Faster Kane, requests several minutes of your time. Please accompany me to his offices."

"Charles Faster Kane? CFK?" Weaver asks. "Isn't that the creep rumoured to be running for Mayor?"

"Yeah, and we need to sit and listen to what he has to say," Brennan grunts, following the robot as it exits the surgery. "Word from up top is that we treat this creep with kid gloves. Voting for Mayor is virtually meaningless but it's one of the few democratic decisions the citizens of this city still have. Maintain the illusion that what the citizens want or think is important and we keep a lid on what could be a powder keg of anger ready to erupt all over the city. No 59(c)'s* in here, no sentencing unless I say so, got it?"

[*59(c) aka Crime Blitz: Judges have the legal right to enter a citizen's home and search for incriminating evidence.]

"Who up top? Sector Chief?" Weaver asks.

"No, up top. You know, top, top?"

"Chief Judge Goodman?" Click asks.

"Took a while but we got there," Brennan replies sarcastically. "Glad I can still say with confidence that the Academy of Law doesn't make dumb Judges."

The team are led to the elevators and the robot picks the penthouse as their destination. It starts humming along to the muzak tunelessly, the high-pitched drone emanating from its voice box not unlike the sound of fingernails down a blackboard.

"Don't do that," Weaver orders. 

"Don't like robots?" Brody asks. "They keep this Mega-City One running. Without them the city would be in chaos."

"Like's got nothing to do with it," Weaver answers. "Don't trust 'em. It'll all end in tears, mark my words."

Charles Faster Kane

The robot leads the team from the elevators and into offices which have huge depictions of Charles Faster Kane and his name emblazoned on the screens in ten feet print. 

"Anyone remember who we're here to see?" Brody asks.

"Ah Judges! Welcome to my modest theatre. Please, be seated.

The robot leads them into a large auditorium and asks them to sit in the front row. Weaver ignores the robot's repeated requests to be seated. After a whispered threat to tear the robot's circuits out, the robot finally falls silent and steps back into the shadows.

The room is suddenly filled with show music and bright lighting and the wall behind the stage slides open to reveal a huge luxurious apartment adorned with valuable art and sculptures, dozens of robot servants and a party of fifty or so scantily-clad citizens out in the plastiglass sky pool which looks out across the vista of Sector One. 

Charles Faster Kane's sky pool

"Nice apartment, isn't it?" Weaver says.

"Just look at those citizens. It's like they're gripped by some kind of fit of anarchic clothlessness. It's verging on public indecency," Click mutters distastefully. "They should all get six months for that."

"Not now," Brennan grunts.

A troupe of dancing girls pour into the auditorium and suddenly break into chorus, and perform a full song and dance routine to the bemused rookies.

C! Charles! 
F! Faster! 
K! Kane! 
He's Charles Faster Kane
Don't vote for more of the same 
He's a man on top of his game
Matt Damon's international man of fame
Don't listen to the competition's policies lame
C! 
F! 
C, F K!
He's Charles Faster Kane!

The dancing girls suddenly form a huddle and scream excitedly; appearing from their midst is Charles Faster Kane himself. The girls merrily cancan off-stage as he takes his place a podium which is sliding up out of the platform.

A spotlight is trained upon him, revealing him to be clad in his standard tuxedo attire, teeth sparkling as he greets the group with a wide smile and addresses them with a deep, theatrical bluster.

Charles Faster Kane

"Good to see new cadets, Judge Brennan! This city needs more young blood! More Judges! Finer than the most opulent of wines, we need the lifeblood of the fine upstanding men - and women! - of the Justice Department! Without the Judges, we would never have survived the dark days! Never risen up out of the ashes of the radioactive hell that was the Atomic Wars. Chaos. Anarchy. Despair! Thank grud that you are here to protect us! You are like a shining beacon guiding us through the fog of midnight! And here we are - Mega-City One! Biggest, grandest, richest, and best! - of all the Mega-Cities! But make no mistake - this is no utopia we live in. We are besmirched by that most persistent of humanity's stains - crime! Even here, oh yes, even here in this magnificent block-"

"Err, I'm sorry, we're on a tight schedule here, so if you could you get to the point?" Weaver interrupts.

Charles Faster Kane pauses for a moment in puzzlement, before his expression eventually changes to one of displeasure. 

"Is this how the Academy of Law teaches our Cadets to conduct themselves, Judge Brennan?" he asks. "I am getting to the point cadet! Perhaps if you could still your tongue for the merest of moments and allow me to finish my oratory, I will indeed get to the point! Now I've lost my place. Rewind the autocue. Ah yes, 'most persistent of humanity's stains - crime,' Yes, I'll pick up after there... 

"Even here, oh yes, even here in this magnificent block which I metaphorically built up from city bottom with my own blood, sweat and tears, even here there has been a surge in rampant criminality. And when I discovered that you were raiding such a reputable and well-regarded establishment as the David Guest Nu Yu Hospital, I said to myself, 'Charles Faster Kane, you can't just stand idly by and do nothing'. Which logically means I have to do something. And something I did! I seized the initiative and ordered new security robots to patrol the block! I only hope it will prove sufficient to bolt the doors against the rising tide of criminality, criminality in which we will all drown if we do not plumb the depths of our humanity! So I thank you! And grud-speed young cadets! May you burn brightly! Judge Brennan, if you would pass that part about the security droids on to the Sector Chief, I, Charles Faster Kane, probable Mayor of Mega- City One in 2100, would consider it a mighty boon indeed!"

Brennan grunts something to the affirmative at which point the backdrop reopens and CFK drifts backwards (probably on a mini-pedway) into his apartment. The backdrop closes again and the lighting returns to normal.

"Let's out the hell outta this gruddamn place," Brennan snarls, storming off. 

"Quite the show," Weaver says.

"Yeah," Brody says. "Did you hear the surprise in his voice when he looked at me and mentioned the women of Justice Department? What difference does it make? Men, women; we're all Judges. What a scumbag."

As usual, as soon as the cadets return to their bikes, more radio calls cackle through their bikes.

"Incident: Futsie* cannibal eating self at Twin Pine Mall, Michael J.Fox Block. Judges required to apprehend citizen for incarceration in the Psycho-Cubes."

[*Futsie: Victim of Future Shock Syndrome. A condition where citizens were overwhelmed by the pressures of living in the overpopulated future city and run amok, usually with violent consequences for fellow citizens. Always sent to the Psycho-Cubes which are colloquially known as the 'Kook Cubes']

"Incident: Multiple vehicle collision on Easy Rider Slipway, vicinity of Dennis Hopper Block."

"Hopper's closer," Weaver states, calling once again upon his local knowledge. "We'll take it."

The cadets put the foot down and head for Hopper...

To be continued...

NEXT PROG: DROKK THE BLOCK!

Session Supplementary

I've probably made this session sound a little better than it was; unfortunately I was tired and my energy wasn't right for the session. Sometimes these thing happen but I also let myself down a little in the preparation. I'm determined to put on a better show next time! Must do better!

More next week!

Updated Sector 1 Map

1) Grand Hall of justice

2) Statue of Judgement

4) Movie Special Effects Museum

5) Nu Face Clinic

6) Flavulike Research Facility

7) Eddie Seven's Hottie House

8) Dan's Van Hire

9) Mike Pence Block

10) O'Brien's Synthi-Olive Oil Co
12) Matt Damon Block
21) Jimmy Lisbet Undersked