Starunner takes place in a balkanised galaxy; the Galaxy-wide Empire has fallen, and centuries later small empires have appeared all over. The re-invented warp (hyperdrive) technology is crude and a little hazardous. Power crystals are relics of the fallen empire, still impossible to create anew, and can be integrated into the engines and computer systems of the ships to make them much, much better performing. You are a power crystal smuggler, or Star Runner. The object of the game is to be the first to smuggle six power crystals to the Para system. As the locations of the crystals are unknown at the outset, you'll first need to accumulate Clues. For every six clues, you find a crystal --that is, you roll to deploy one; although you're the only one who knows where it is, you still need to get there and back... There are three basic strategies: One At A Time, where you find and fetch each of the six crystals in sequence; All At Once, where you locate all six before attempting to retrieve them; and Piracy, where you lie in wait of those who have found crystals...