You've all just boarded a 'slightly used' Kestrel-class transport ship at the behest of various contacts you have with the Federation Government. You've all been promised healthy sums of money to participate in this endeavor, though nothing has really been explained to you until now. So here you are, at the ass-end of the galaxy, with a decidedly unhappy man staring at you via a computer screen.
Sid, the lead scientist of scientific outpost 821-Z, is a burly man with a thick black beard and is currently looking out at you via a communications screen. Sid does not look pleased at all.
"Well if it must be you, so be it. The cargo drone has secured the cure in the Medbay. Who among you will be captain?"
Oats and Doban shuffle back a bit and nudge Wymar forward.
"Very well. Computer!"
A quiet beep is heard from the wall panel.
"Register Wymar Sane as the new captain and transfer all command level access to his voice print. Wymar, please speak for the computer."
"Uh..."
"That is good enough. Computer, register voice print and confirm."
A soft androgynous voice speaks from the ship's internal comms system, "-Confirmed-"
"Now then. You've all been selected for a mission of utmost priority. A cargo drone has just finished securing a container in your medbay. This container must be kept safe! Within it are research materials and a vaccine which will cure an outbreak of a plague of unknown origin upon the Federation Homeworld. The container also stores an access beacon which will let you pass the Quarantine Zones around the homeworld which are keeping the plague from spreading. The lives of billions of Federation citizens are in your hands. Do not fail!"
With that, the screen winks out and the ship abruptly undocks from the station. The computer reports all systems ready.
The navigation screen shows three possible warp beacons from this location which will eventually take you to the Federation Homeworld, but this outpost is so remote and the borders have shifted to such an extent during the war that any possible course to the Homeworld will take you through potentially hostile space. The computer has plotted three possible routes you could take. While all three courses will get you to the Homeworld in about the same amount of time, they may be more or less dangerous depending on what you meet along the way.
Course 1 leads into a Mantis sector, Course 2 leads to an Engi controlled sector, and Course 3's first sector is currently held by the Rebels. The navcomputer is requesting the captain choose which course to follow.