The Force:
All the plans I've got cooked up involve these things happening very recently, like as part of the opening scene. From the sounds of it, you guys were more thinking of having the Ranger and loss of the Captain be in the relatively distant past. I think I can work with that, long as I know what expectations I'm working with.
Iaarkahr, Bril, and Kra, how long ago did you end up stranded on Tarawa? Has your ship been there long? My plan was to start the game with the group fleeing from the death of the captain, trying to get to the ship while you still have it. Does that work, or did you have something else in mind?
I'm good with being stranded recently. Maybe the good Captain thought to cut us out of our share of the loot and he's still trying to get off planet and run the blockade. Either way, we (I!) still want to have words with him.
The Force:
As I see it, we have the following: Bril, Iaar and Kra are crewmembers of the Silver Thorn under smuggler Captain Jalmac, having run the blockade to Tarawa delivering something to the Fines family. Bryce is under orders from Chief Dempsey, who is in turn under orders from Minister Kollos, to acquire the Silver Thorn by whatever means necessary. It's the only starship on the planet capable of running that blockade, now that the starfighters have all been relocated. If Bryce can get offworld, he and his team can either find supplies to get planetside or allies to shoot down the blockade. The Fines want the ship so they can start to take control the planet's supply chain, essentially making them the new government.
Thoughts?
Possibly we have our ship but the good Captain escaped and we want to hunt him down. Or maybe we have him captive and we can turn him in for a bounty of our own, like he owes the local crime lord some Obligation. Or both in order. It sounds like we have a vested interest in getting our ship quickly so we can keep possession of it.
Random related note: some years ago I played in a Silverthorn campaign with my local group, so I like the ship name.