Item: Trask Universal Fuel Core (PAL)

Effect / Mechanics

• Starship Operation: A single PAL provides 1 unit of fuel. This equates to one drill jump (1 hex) or approximately two weeks of in-system sublight maneuvering.
• Volatile: If the item suffers critical damage or the magnetic containment fails, it is effectively a localized antimatter bomb.

Description

A bulky, industrial rectangular prism roughly the size of a footlocker. The exterior casing is a composite of high-impact polymers and heat sinks, finished in Trask’s signature utilitarian grey.

• Visual: The casing is “matte” and non-reflective (diamond/tungsten coating). When active, a small status display glows a soft amber.
• Tactile: The unit is extremely heavy and always cold to the touch due to the internal cryo-cooling systems. Condensation or frost frequently forms near the exhaust vents.
• Auditory: There is a constant, barely perceptible hum—the sound of the magnetic field containment struggling against the Positronium Hydride inside.
• Smell: Handling a PAL often leaves a scent of ozone or metallic “static” in the air.

Ship Power

Origins

• Source: Trask Intermediaries
• Notes: While fusion works for stationary ground-side generators, the PAL is the gold standard for mobile interstellar travel. Trask Intermediaries maintains a ruthlessly protected monopoly on the large-scale creation of the tungsten crystal lattices required to bind the antimatter.

GM Notes

Volatility: If a PAL takes damage equal to 10 HP (AC 12) or is subjected to an EMP without shielding, the magnetic bottle fails. The resulting positronium annihilation causes a 6d10 explosive damage blast in a 20-meter radius. This is enough to breach a ship hull from the inside.

Counterfeit Units: “Refurbished” PALs exist on the black market (Cost: 1,500 cr). These use degraded diamond lattices. When used for a Drill Jump, roll 1d6. On a 1, the fuel is consumed, but the drive fails to engage, stranding the ship until a fresh core is inserted.