ADVENTURE HOOKS INVOLVING ALIENS AND HUMAN-ALIEN RELATIONS

 Luckily for the aliens, none of them have things that humanity is particularly interested in (except perhaps the Tiny Tyrant Species) and humanity must also keep up appearances.  Beyond appropriating some asteroid belt resources without asking (there's hundreds of thousands of years worth of that at current rates of extraction) there's not a lot of incentive to exploit.

THE ELECTRIC-TENTACLED SPECIES

Their homeworld is inimical to human life; frigid, high-gee, poisonous, and air too thick to breathe without a mask.  Worse, it's filled with a veritable jungle of hybrid methane-water life which regards these temperatures as sweltering.  The aliens are willing to trade cultural artifacts with humans in exchange for copper and gold.  Because of the novel biochemistry here, the planet has a large collection of researchers and scientists.  The locals' rich electric storytelling also attracts artists, anthropologists, and creative androids.

5 ADVENTURE HOOKS:

1. Human botanists have inadvertently angered a powerful chieftain by accidentally destroying her overland telegraph wires.  She has hostages.  Party is hired to escort a cable-laying expedition through uncharted jungle.
2. Locals petition human settlement for assistance in dealing with a pod of dangerous (and worryingly intelligent) deep-water predators that have taken to hunting closer to shore.  
3. Dolphin uplift in combat sleeve got loose, is behaving exactly like a typical dolphin.  Wanted dead or alive before the body count gets any higher (who thought uplifting dolphins was a good idea anyway).
4. Local shaman wants android brains -- they have interesting conductive properties and have many ritual and artistic applications.  She can pay in cultural artifacts and favors (free guides).
5. Brushfire war erupts between rival pharmaceutical company researchers; too far inland to annoy the locals but major corporate stakeholders want the conflict resolved.  Peaceful resolution preferred but killing all the belligerents is also acceptable.  

THE SOLITARY SPECIES

Live on a basically Earthlike world (slightly drier, cooler, and smaller).  Because the locals exist as powers unto themselves and don't really have the neurological hardware for language communication is difficult and contact is established on a case-by-case basis.  Very little human interest in this world but small settlements in areas unused by the locals is permitted.  

3 ADENTURE HOOKS

1. A local has obtained and reverse-engineered a pulse rifle, manufactured an arsenal, and taught her near-sapient helpers how to use automatic weapons.  Stop her from capturing any more human technology by any means necessary before she bootstraps enough technology to be really dangerous.
2. Local scientists illicitly trading steel and titanium for near-sapient helper species.  Plan to smuggle them off-world and create an uplifted population.
3. Anthropologist wants you to break into a local's house to study the development of technology in a solitary species.  At least Smaug had a normal number of legs.

THE TINY TRYANTS

Their world is warm, wet, and has low gravity.  Worryingly compatible with terrestrial biology; biosecurity blockade is comparable to the forces quarantining the Deep.  Local population is comparable to a rather large chunk of Humanity & Friends' population.  Serious discussions among corps about how to outsource factory labor to bat fascists without also giving them advanced technology persist behind closed boardroom doors.

5 ADVENTURE HOOKS 

1. Bat fascists belonging to the major superpower have mounted a mission to attempt to capture a human starship to (1) use the drive plume as an orbital superweapon; (2) reverse-engineer human technology; (3) explore and exploit their own solar system.
2. Tight-beam communication from minor polity: will trade gold and rare earth metals for advanced technology but you must deceive the blockade somehow.
3. Human orbital station used as embassy has fallen gravely ill due to novel bacterium transmitted on improperly sterilized alien textiles.  Possible that locals' treatment will work on humans -- rare diplomatic mission to surface of planet authorized to obtain the alien medication (your sponsors are not responsible for the results of any breaches of your hazmat suit).  DO NOT give human technological secrets to the bat fascists. 
4. Rescue the locals' failed moon mission.  Don't get detected (they'll lose face if you do) and make sure to sterilize everything.  Also, DO NOT give human technological secrets to the bat fascists (who will be very curious about the contents of your ship).
5. Minor nuclear war has broken out.  Stop it from becoming a major one.

 

THE WHITE-FEATHERED SPECIES

World is dark, cold, and windy.  Not really attractive to humans (and also not very biocompatible -- don't eat anything).  Local polities are linked by a global trade network and humans usually recognized in most major population centers.  Tourism is permitted (and the locals love it). 

6 ADVENTURE HOOKS

1. Local polity wants to buy more guns; they are on the receiving end of a rather nasty invasion.  Figure out how to help them without completely upsetting regional power structures.  
2. Renowned local poet wants you to explain "color" to him.  Good luck.
3. Princeling wants human courtiers to teach his children about math and natural philosophy (and to show off his humans).  This has been cleared with local authorities and might be very profitable for you as well.   
4. Local trader upset that her imported pets are dying -- teach her how to care for a Lampblack jumpbug properly and probably get involved in high-stakes merchant politics. 
5. Local prophet wants to proselytize to Humanity & Friends.  Local corp wants to negotiate a book deal.  Help the two of them find common ground.
6. Someone implanted an ANI in one of the locals.  It actually sort of works.  Please kill the evil wizard-queen.  Definitely keep the brain intact -- it's an object of intense scientific interest.

THE BOWER-BUILDING SPECIES 

Human friendly world (a bit dry and slightly low-gee).  Locals are regarded as insufferable, sex-obsessed boors.  But their feats of architecture and engineering still draw many off-world tourists.  

5 ADVENTURE HOOKS

1. Local leader wants unique art supplies.  He'll pay for weird pigments, bulk nanotubes, and particularly attractive rocks.
2. Dam collapse has displaced tens of thousands of locals and angered local leader's many (ex) wives.  Assist in humanitarian relief efforts.
3. Local leader wants you to sabotage rival's megaproject.  Do it without getting caught by the corps.
4. Local wants cultural artifacts from The Black Plains.  She seems less boring and more likeable than most of the locals and it is part of her species' heritage.
5. Combination of mating display/"war"/rave between several rivals.  There's not much real fighting going on but both sides need flashy textiles and other shiny objects.  A light show and some fireworks might be nice.  But make sure none of the locals become infatuated with you.