"We ain't heroes," Strek grumbles.
Akh huddles in with the rest of the team. "A friend taught me that your reputation is worth much more than your current employment. If we don't bring our associates on Castrovel their share, then not only will we ruin their lives, but we'll also be known for it. If we deny EJ their share, well, the only ones upset are the credit counters in their office. They fire us, but we could find other jobs."
"Or, they could start a smear campaign in retribution and we end up rusted out and lying in a ditch on Akiton... oh, that's what's going to happen, isn't it."
"Ayup."
The nuar snorts as he listens in the crew huddle.
I'm with Akh. We keep clients happy first and foremost. We'll see what's left for the 'ol corporate entity. A ditch? Nah, I suspect we're not that important to EJ. Fired is the worst we'll get.
"A'ight, but y'all are treatin' me to a new pack of pop."
Lars spends most of the drift time in his cabin or on the science station, working to crack the universe's code and find the eddies in plausibility to shift fortune enough to get them through the drift as fast as possible.
Lars, dressed in his usual slick suit, stays mostly quiet as the group moves, only stepping in to throw numbers at the client to try to help Guess? grease the wheels of commerce. before stepping back with the group.
"We have some time but this is feeling like a fools errand, the next in a long string of them. I agree, we should pay the client, either way it's gonna be bad for us and EJ is gonna be pissed. Unless we just want to take the money and run..."
He starts, but then grumbles "But then we'd have to dump the ship, poor profit there, then there's new IDs needed if we don't want to be dodging bounty hunters forever, expensive and stressful."
He then sighs and quiets down, ceding the decision to the rest of the group as he tries to make impossible profit figures work in his head, with no success.
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Del nods along with Guess?, Jaraduck, and Ahk, then sighs in relief. "yes, let's takes Ainsley's offer and wire the funds to Runo. I'll accept the repercussions."
Turning to Strek, she adds, "Strek, I'll buy you two packs of pop. Heck, I'll even make you a custom pop one day! When I'm a more talented chef, that's the first recipe I'll perfect: a Strek Special."
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For the first time in a while, an excited look crosses Strek's face.
"Deal! I'll see if I can dredge up the recipe for Nucleation. Non-carbonated. Kept itself bubbly with a radioactive pulse when you popped the top. Never heard why it was discontinued..."
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Speaking to the crew, Guess? says, "Welp, looks like we've got consensus. This time around, we screw The Company and help the lil guy!"
Looking over at Strek, "Yah, I think I heard of Nucleation! Read somewhere that the market for that beverage decayed by one half every six months. keke!"
Guess? turns back to the human and says, "Okay Miss Ainsley, you've got yourself a deal. Now we're taking a big hit on this one in order to cement our friendship. So when you find yourself in a position where you need to move special packages, you contact us - agreed? And I'm guessing in your line of business, special delivery needs will come up sooner rather than later." Guess? winks.
"Please settle payment to this account." Guess? transmits Runo's account (not EJ's) to Ainsley. "And it would be appreciated if your two associates can help with the unloading? Afterall, these berries are best when fresh so unloading them off our truck faster lets you turn the product around more quickly. Them lending a hand would be a win-win all around!"
Once Ainsley confirms transfer of funds, Guess? says, "Alrighty guys, let's unload the cargo!" and Guess? pitches in with the manual labor as much as his stubby lil arms and legs will allow.
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Ainsley looks a little surprised, but pleased, at your decision. She clasps her hands together then grabs the account number before you can change your mind. "Excellent! A little bit of legal business never hurt nobody. Besides, I love me some yaros." You carefully watch and confirm that the shady dealer does in fact send the full (half) amount to Runo's account. It seems the lashunta will be able to retire on time after all.
The shobhads seem utterly unconvinced by Guess?'s plea for help but one snap of Miss Ainsley's fingers and they hop to it. They steal borrow a few hover lifts from the construction crew outside, ignoring the ikeshti's protests and get to work. Within just 4 hours you manage to get the crates off the truck and into the back of the store! As you wipe the juices from your hands, you overhear one of the shobhads muttering to the other. "Ro dhona, bha mi a ’coimhead air adhart gu mòr ri bhith a’ bualadh air an duine bhò sin."
"Too bad, I was really looking forward to beating that cow man."
You're not sure what the two thugs are saying, but they're annoyed. Probably that they had to work to move the crates instead of mugging you for them.
You get away from the store as soon as possible, happy to have gotten rid of the cargo with something. You have a few more days to sell off the berries and your loot, and you haven't heard from Tarika about your next job yet anyway.
You successfully find a buyer for the two boxes of berries, at a moon-bread stall in the bazaar. The owner, a male ikeshti named Kajimi, confides in you that Ichihara Holdings has been pressuring various businesses in Hivemarket to sell, though no one knows why. He gives you 1000 credits for the two crates.
The ikeshti also offers you some specialty moonbread for 20 credits. You do some quick research and expect that you could sell it on Absalom Station, or another Pact World, for 500 credits. (480 profit.)
Strek continues to labor in the Akitonian heat, dreaming of luke-warm irradiated beverages.
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After finishing the unloading, with a broad grin, Guess? says to the shobhad guards, "Hey guys, thanks for your help! The two of you are really, really good at this loading/unloading work - we finished in record time! Good job! We'll look you both up next time we're back, yes? What are your names?"
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Working in coordination with the rest of the team to locate a buyer, we happily accept Kajimi's offer of 1000 credits for the berries.
Replying to Kajimi's statement, "Y'know, we suspected as much but weren't really sure. I mean, all the signs pointed to it - ties to the Golden League (you knew that right?), sudden shut down of a business, sudden opening of a new business in its place. It screams intimidation and racketeering. Unfortunate that Siski 'disappeared.' But hey, I suppose this is Akiton, amirite?? Thanks for the info though - we'll stay on our toes next time we come across Ichihara.
"And yes, we'll take that moonbread, thank you! We'll be sure to pass word of your stall here on to future interested buyers."
If Kajimi is inclined to chitchat, Guess? will also ask a bit about the moonbread - what are its origins, how it is made, etc. Just some generic background info about the product that can be quoted when selling it to the next buyer.
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He then sighs and quiets down, ceding the decision to the rest of the group as he tries to make impossible profit figures work in his head, with no success.
Jaraduk winces at the notion and mutters I think I'm done living on the run. At least I hope so...
Ainsley looks a little surprised, but pleased, at your decision.
The nuar likewise thanks the shobhad guards for their help.
Wow! We got that done in record time. You guys are good at this! You should help us every time we drop off a load!
After this Jaraduk plods along behind Guess?, letting him do the talking when it comes to finding additional buyers and goods to trade. He does pipe up when they realize the potential conversion on the moonbread.
Say, you have more of that moonbread somewhere? Perhaps we could buy more of it off your hands...
"Yes, they were nice." Akh nods sagely.
In the market after Guess? has negotiated the sale of the additional crates of yaro berries, Akh looms over the conversation between the goblin and the ikeshti merchant. He disgorges a fuel canister as they talk and sets it down next to Kajimi's stall. "I don't make any guarantees about the quality of the fuel, but you might be able to use it." Is all he says in explanation.
When conversation turns to the Golden League, Akh comments "They work quick, don't they! Where did you see Siski last? Crossing the League doesn't mean immediately dismemberment, sometimes. Sometimes you just take a time out until you can't mess with their plans any longer."
Once with the rest of the group he asks "Do you remember how Tarika seemed worried when we were arriving? I wonder if she knew we would be having trouble? Maybe we should send a message."
"A message would take just as long as a journey to tha Station. May as well head straight there, an' we can sell tha bread before it spoils."
Strek texts Guess?, "How many days 'til it goes bad?"
"Can typically stretch it to a month. Why d'ya think it's called moonbread? Duh!" Guess? immediately texts back to Strek.
Upon hitting the text 'send' button, Guess? has a noticeably confident look on his face, which turns into a quizzical look, then a doubting one, then finally a troubled look.
Looking worried, Guess? quickly, quietly, and outside of Strek's earshot if possible, asks Kajimi about the moonbread, "By the way, how many days 'til it goes bad?"
Akh looms over the conversation between the goblin and the ikeshti merchant. He disgorges a fuel canister as they talk and sets it down next to Kajimi's stall. "I don't make any guarantees about the quality of the fuel, but you might be able to use it." Is all he says in explanation.
Seeing Akh Xi puke up a fuel canister for Kajimi, Guess? stares in silence for a moment then turns back to Kajimi and says with a cheekily straight face, "He's not with me."
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Kajimi goes on at length about the special moonbread, to the point where everyone but Del is utterly bored. When asked for more bread, he laughs. "This moonbread is sacred to the ikeshti people, each male only makes one per cycle - to give to a mate in case it is our time to Rut." He shrugs and smiles. "But I'm feeling lucky this month. I'm a late bloomer." He laughs again and continues. "Moonrise was three sol's ago, so you have 43 sol's until it goes bad." He notices your blank stares and translates from local time. (Those of you who are more cultured are trying to do the math in your head.) "That's 44 Pact Standard days, spacers."
As Akh disgorges the petrol can, the lizard's eyes widen. "Uh... thanks? I suppose my speeder needed a fill-up." Kajimi shrugs at the question. "Nobody's seen her. I expect she's taking a nap out in the desert. Violence happens quick around here due to the Khulan."
Night is falling when you leave the market and head back to your ship. Your route takes you past Ichira Holdings. The new sign is up and the signs of construction are nearly gone. You slow down as you get close, staring at some odd phenomena. For almost a minute you've seen a soft pink light slowly floating down from the spire. Now that you're closer you can see that it is heading directly towards the warehouse, and is at least five feet in diameter! The light lands on the roof of the warehouse, then disappears.
That light is certainly given off by a Khulan, though the size is wrong. Normally a Khulan would give off at least double the amount of light, this one may be injured or young.
Khulans are glossy-eyed fey that act as enigmatic custodians of special locations that sustain life. Most often, khulans appear as vaguely humanoid beings with large heads, ephemeral bodies, and limbs that seem to trail away into nothingness. A typical khulan is 7-1/2 feet tall.
These ghostly fey spend most of their time deep below-ground, drifting through the mantles and blazingly hot metallic cores of many rocky planets. When they surface, khulans often travel through convective conduits, old lava tubes, or active volcanoes, emerging with minimal fanfare to survey the upper ecosystems’ health. Where they sense disturbances in their planets’ cosmic defenses, khulans silently study the causes and swiftly retaliate against any mortal tampering they deem harmful. Otherwise, the surface’s relative chill displeases the fey, who either retreat deep underground or sap warmth from living creatures in order to sustain a healthy body temperature. On occasion, a khulan adopts a surface settlement or population under threat, most often one at risk from environmental degradation or unnatural weather.
"Uhh... Is that one of them fey we were told about?"
Jaraduk snorts, and is almost tempted to humor Strek.
Um, maybe its... Aww, we don't have time for that! If the ghost mucks up the warehouse, I don't see what we stand to gain from looking into it. We've got to hit the road and be ready for our next job! Our luck, those Shobhad would rough us up in the process.
Looking puzzled, Guess? says, "Honestly, I have no idea what that was. But it gives me the heebie jeebies. Anyone have any idea?"
Although a bit freaked out by the UFO, Guess? is curious to know what it was and whether there are any potential revenue opportunities stemming from it.
Del squints at the weird glow then shrugs. "Nope, doesn't ring a bell. But it sure was pretty." She pauses, staring after it. "Curiouser and curiouser...."
"Do you think... it's... I don't know. Up to something?" she shakes her head. "Or maybe we're just seeing things. A trick of the light, you know?"
"Guess? was lying. We are comrades in the shipping trade." Akh reassures the ikeshti before taking his leave. "Thank you."
On the way back, he stops and watches the floating light. "It certainly looks like one. The khulans are supposed to enforce the law, yes? Then if this one is stopping by, maybe its caught a whiff of something... interesting?" Akh floats up to the roof of a nearby building and looks out to see if he can see an entrance on the roof that the creature took. "I wonder if Siska is in there after all?"
"Guess? was lying. We are comrades in the shipping trade." Akh reassures the ikeshti before taking his leave. "Thank you."
Guess? is unable to hold his cheekily straight face and breaks down in a laugh. "Yes, sorry Kajimi, just goofing around. This android is indeed my crewmate! Honestly though, I have no idea why he spit up a fuel canister. He doesn't do that for everyone - I guess he likes you!"
Guess? winks at Kajimi.
Guess? shakes Kajimi's hand and turns to Akh Xi, "C'mon Akh Xi, let's head back to the ship."
Kajimi watches as the odd couple departs the stall, the silhouttes of a small goblin and large dragonkin android walking side-by-side, fading into the background flurry of activity that is the Hivemarket. Just before they disappear completely from view, Kajimi can just barely hear the goblin saying to the android, "That was embarassing, buddy. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to begin giving you lessons on proper manners and social graces. And it won't even cost you!
"...much..."
Lars lets Guess? handle the negotiations and largely sulks in the back, dreams of new augmentations dashed into anxiety of losing his job.
not that it's a great one but after that thing with the Temple honest work has been hard to come by. And dishonest work is so much ... work
He observes the pink thing with the rest of the group but shrugs, "No idea." is all he says as they discuss it.
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Akh eyes an open skylight in the roof of the warehouse, perhaps the mysterious light went through that. The group, not worried about the light, continues back to the ship. It's been one day since you arrived on planet, so it's not surprising that you haven't heard back from Tarika yet. It'll be at least a week before you hear from her, Drift messages being what they are. There is a message waiting for you however...
[u]WORK TEAM ST1CH626[/u]
Your recent job, [u]Qabarat, Castrovel to Hivemarket, Akiton[/u], resulted in company profits of [u]0[/u] credits. This is [u]100%[/u] short of target. You have been issued a Corrective Action Memo for your [u]Failure to Perform[/u]. Your employee records have been updated accordingly. Future failures to reach performance goals will result in termination.
You have forfeited your job-related performance bonuses.
Sincerely, Evgeniya-Jaimisson Corporation Human Resources Artificial Intelligence
If you have any disputes with the decision of the EJCHRAI, file a complaint with Human Resources. Current dispute disposition lead time: [u]42 Weeks[/u]
Take it to the EJ!
The message came to you so quickly because the local banks must have reported the (correct) income deposit to Runo's account and the lack of a deposit to the EJ account. This report was handled by the local copy of the EJ HR AI program, so no Drift messages were required. Just another EJ profitability measure in action!
"Let's hope Del's skills at piloting can shave off some costs to make the honchos back home happy."
Lars sighs dramatically at the message and notes to the group, "That was just an automated AI response, to come that quickly. We're probably still going to be in for an in person tongue lashing in the near future as well."
Looking about the group, "Not super excited for that, so what's next?"
The nuar's heart sinks at the severe disciplinary message from corporate.
We knew what we were choosing but... that still stings. Load of bull...
After muttering to himself for a moment he looks back up at the group. Anybody know how many more of those we get until we're fired?
"Don't know but we can ask Tarika when we see her. Or it may be in the company employee handbook if I can find my copy..."
Guess? will see if he can find a digital copy of the handbook, if any. And he'll let the party know if Guess? finds any mention of standards in place for performance goals and dismissals.
Seeing that the rest of the team isn't interested, Akh heads to the ship.
"I'm surprised the automated message didn't come with a deadly data-toxin to silence us permanently for our failures!" Akh booms "Looks like we get a second chance. Maybe even more than one."
Akh boots up the computer and starts a message draft to be sent to Tarika "Maybe she has some good advice for us on how to get new contracts. We can send it and then head to Absalom Station to sell these mooncakes while we wait to find out how bad things are."
Del clicks her tongue is distaste at the message, then hops into the piloting seat. "Buckle up, boys! We're taking off. Absalom Station, here we come."
Once they're in the air, she calls back to the others. "Someone pass me one of those mooncakes. I've got to try one!"
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You check the handbook, and your spirits fall. A complete failure to achieve profit is an automatic Corrective Action. Two of those within a Pact Standard year and your performance will be automatically reviewed; being fired would be one of the possible results of that review.
Deciding to head towards Absalom Station, you buckle up and head off! Del points the ship in the general direction of the Station, relying on the Starstone to take her home, and starts the drift engines!
You spend three days in the drift, the monotony of it all setting in as it always does. But here you are again at the third shift meal time.
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Back on Akiton...
Ainsley the Hunter crawls backwards until she collides with the corner of the office. Fear and a soft pink light travel across her face. Shobhad blood is splattered across her rugged outfit and her fingernails are stained with purple yaro berry juice. "No, please! I was just following orders!" The perspective changes, zooming out to reveal a pink skinned humanoid who glows with a soft light. It's eyes are large and glossy, it has fins coming off several limbs, and it's legs seem to fade away to nothing. The fey floats several inches over a pair of dead shobhads. Both aliens' skin is nearly drained of color. The creature speaks with a deep and quiet voice. "You killed the creature known as Siski. Your crimes were sensed. I will balance the scales. You will die." Ainsley screams, diving towards a drawer in her desk and pulls out a small pistol. She points the pistol at the figure, who continues inexorably towards her. It twitches a finger and her pistol glows a hot red as the battery overheats. She drops the thing, crying out in pain. The humanoid comes close to her, firmly grasping her forearm. "Ainsley the Hunter, you have wronged this settlement of life. Justice, and vengeance, shall be appeased." As he speaks a layer of frost spreads across the Akitonian's skin. By the time it reaches her face, she is already dead. As silently as he came in, the khulan releases her and floats up towards the warehouse skylight.
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At third meal, Strek recounts one of his "close encounters" working on the waterworld of Entha:
"So there I was, two waves into my second shift, sixty nautical meters down, an' my oxygen gives out. No biggie, that's why I got these fellas installed in my neck," he turns to show off his gill sheath augmentation, "so I just keep at it, weldin' these new struts, breathin' in that unpolluted sea water, when some giant fish comes right at me! Benthan Gulper, turns out. Son-of-a-monster, I tell ya. It was THIS big," and he STRETCHES his arms to demonstrate maybe 14-15 feet.
"Bastard latched onto my welder and swallowed it whole! So already I know I'm out eighty creds for a replacement. I start climbin' up the ladder, thinking the fish had enough, and it latches onto ma leg! No biggie, I can grow another when I get up top, so I give it to 'im. Then it comes for my arm. I give it to 'im. Then it comes at me again... And again..."
Strek detaches his limbs one by one as he tells the story, for added effect.
"By tha time my buddy Shan fished me outta tha water, she said they'd have to change my nickname from 'Stretch'... to 'BOB'! "
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Del bursts out laughing, spitting her drink all over the place.
Jaraduk chews listlessly as Strek tells the story. He doesn't get why Del bursts out laughing, so when she does he turns to her and frowns slighty.
Chewing a few minutes more he asks, So, do you miss your old arms and legs?
"So what you're saying is the welder cost you not just eighty credits, but it in fact cost you an arm and a leg?"
So, do you miss your old arms and legs?
"Not as much as those eighty creds. That was tha most painful part."
Lars laughs with the group at Strek's story, "Ha, good one. I'd like to replace some of my arms and legs with tech. Cost more than 80 creds though.' he chuckles over his usual gruel flavored by his magical nature.
As is his fashion, when he comes in for the third shift meal he offers, usually with a look at his bowl, to flavor any of the other crew's meals.
Those who take him up on it do get a flavor change that sort of approximates the request, but the flavors feel just a little off, like they are tasting another person's poor imitation of what one would imagine a meal would taste like, which of course is exactly what they are getting.
But still, it's better than pre processed protein shake anyway.
Sobering a bit, Lars does add "I keep re-running the numbers, things are going to be bad when we hit port. Paying the client and stiffing EJ is going to be costly... for us. Hopefully they just send us off on some suicide mission to recoup instead of putting us in debt, which we'll never get out of, or handing us our walking papers. I've been on the wrong end of that a few times and it ain't fun. I'll see what I can find in the universal code to help us once we leave the drift."
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As you're slurping down your preprocessed bioprotein, you notice the lights flicker. While EJ only pays for the repairs that are absolutely required for a running freighter, Strek keeps the ship running smoothly and flickering power is certainly out of the norm! As you discuss the flicker, and toss a few ribbing jokes Strek's way, a shipwide alarm begins to blare! FIRE IN PORT LAVATORY. FIRE IN PORT LAVATORY. FIRE IN PORT LAVATORY.
This is certainly an electrical problem, though an odd one. The lavatory and the lighting system are on different circuits...
You look down the hallway to the front of the ship and see a weird purple light float in the upper corner then... shift through the door of the bridge? Perhaps it was just a trick of the light...
That wasn't a light, it was a Drift Mote! Drift motes are tiny balls of electrical energy that flit aimlessly through the Drift until they sense passing starships. Instinctively attracted to the electrical currents within most vessels, a Drift mote enters a ship through its sensors or other technological components. Once inside a ship, a Drift mote moves haphazardly through the ship’s rooms and corridors, bouncing off walls, floors, and ceilings. As it travels, its random bursts of electrical energy often damage sensitive equipment or start fires.
Drift Motes are immune to electricity and the effects of the void.
Drift Motes are occasionally known to release massive waves of electricity that can be deadly.
"My warranty doesn't cover tampering. The lavatory and the lighting system are on different circuits... I think we gotta stowaway."
Looking a bit puzzled, Guess? says, "First, pink lights back on Akiton. Then flickering lights on the ship. And now purple lights moving around..."
But his attention quickly snaps back to the situation at hand, "I'll check out the fire alarms."
Guess? moves to grab a fire extinguisher and begins heading in the direction of the port lavatory.
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Akh, having heard at least a similar version of Strek's story before, mimes out the swimming of a deep sea predator. He snatches up each of Strek's rejected limbs and gobbles them up to add to the 'realism' of the retelling. As the story continues, he comments "Not all of us can be so delicious. Maybe your future is in opening a restaurant?"
----
"Oh, the budget reactor they put on these ships is going to explode." Akh comments, then nods as Strek provides a more expert opinion "Also possible. I will look around."
"Fire in the ... OK who left a curling iron plugged in?" Lars jokes as he gets to his feet.
Lars nods along with Strek's idea, "Sure, that sounds right.", having no clue himself.
Seeing the odd light,
He ignores it and follows the group looking for stowaways, calling to mind some of his more viral bits of universal code.
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Del realizes that it wasn't a light, it was a Drift Mote! Using a lot of culinary metaphors, Del explains the dangers of the beings. Fortunately(?) the beings won't harm you unless threatened. Unfortunately(?) they will continue damaging systems and setting electrical fires as they feed on your ship! You poke your head around the ship and notice 6 of the Drift Motes floating through the walls to land on electrical conduits.
The nuar looks a little stunned as the mote zips back and forth, damaging specific systems along the way.
Uh, is there a way we could throw it off the trail with a bigger source of energy? I suppose if that were the case it would already be attracted to it, but maybe we could fly near something that seems juicier?
Still frantically thinking through the possibilities, not comfortable with fighting inside the ship, he continues belting out ideas.
What if we exited the drift for a moment? Would that throw it off?
He looks to Del and shrugs.
"Can... can we punch them though?"