JANUARY 13 29482
Scarcity looked around Lumen Orien's communications hub. This really wasn't the job she had hoped for.
Llesa, her prospective employer, swept a hand across the room.
"I want all of this ripped out and replaced."
Her new boss peered at her over amber shades
"Do you think you can handle it?"
Scarcity sighed, she needed the work though and this org president looked like she could pay at least.
"Like I told you, I can do anything comms"
Scarcity really could, this job was way below her particular talents but she needed a start.
She had come to Rubi-Ka believing there was easy money to be made here, boy was she ever wrong.
The young fixer shook her head slightly.
She needed to get the hell off this rock...
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July 07 29462
Perrin swore at the console.
"Dumb ****ing robot!"
Perrin Hanratty, skipper and sole crew of 'The Pony Express' was having a bad day.
As if plying the outer reaches of civilisation for salvage wasn't stressful enough. Now he'd have to suit up and go over to the derelict he found himself.
He had figured this for an easy job too. Send the robot over, check for any valuables, tag the ship for the authorities to retrieve and he would collect a fee.
The fee was rubbish, just about covered maintenance on the ship but the rare finds could be something else.
Rare indeed though after the pirates had been through the place.
Pirates were generally in a hurry and frequently drunk so every so often they missed something, or he found some good tech on board to salvage or sell.
The wreck itself was too far out for him to get back with his salvage boat. Not very cost efficient.
Still it was the best pickings out here, just had to steer clear of scumbags.
Now his robot had frozen up and he had to go get it back.
How he hated leaving his ship in space...
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"So I want all the latest tracking...radar..."
The Lumen Orien president waved her hand around vaguely.
"You know, all that...stuff."
Scarcity wondered just how rich the metaphysicist was.
"All that 'stuff' costs you know?"
Looking at Llesa she went on
"I don't usually do such small jobs but I will take this on, I do have some free time."
The 19 year old had way too much free time but wasn't about to let on.
"Right, it will take a while for all the new equipment to arrive. But of course you don't want to be blind and helpless in the meantime."
Scarcity smiled
"I will put together a plan so we can do the switchover smoothly. First of all..."
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He felt naked without his ship. And he could really do without the bodies. Especially looking as fresh as these did. He hoped it had been quick for them at least.
The derelict's power was still on and the emergency lighting was giving everything a dark and sinister tone.
Hanratty carefully made his way to where his robot had frozen.
"There ye are, ye crock of ****!"
A loose power conduit had fallen on the robot's shell and the surge had scrambled something inside.
"Something expensive I'll wager!"
It wasn't too bad, he could easily patch it up enough to get back to the 'Pony' for proper repairs.
Well he'd have to fix it after he checked the rest of this wreck for something to make it worthwhile.
He'd had a run of bad luck lately so he could really use a break.
Grumbling and swearing to himself he went on through the ship...
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Llesa was glad all that technical talk was over.
"Please, stay in the org while you do the work, we have everything you might need right here."
She smiled at Scarcity
"Though I suppose you would prefer to be nearer the parties? Hmm?"
Scarcity nodded weakly.
"Yeah sure, all those...um, parties."
She turned away towards the door then stopped and looked back at Llesa.
"Oh, I will need the numbers of everyone's comm to link them into the new system."
Llesa scrabbled for her comm
"Of course, mine is..."
Scarcity cut her off
"No, nearer the time...I have your number anyway silly..."
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Hanratty had almost done with the ship. The pirates hadn't left much worth salvaging.
Just one more room with a busted door. It was jammed almost shut and he figured it for a sick-bay or something.
He could even see some type of equipment still functioning through a crack.
Might be something sellable if he could just get that door open...
"Aye, yer still useful then."
Closing the access plate on his robot he switched it back on and checked his repairs.
"Right then, come open this door and I may even let ye back aboard!"
The robot went through, ripped the door out and stood aside. Hanratty approached a large metal humming unit, lights blinking across the surface.
He looked inside and for once in his life he was lost for profanity.
Amid this mayhem...floating through space in a virtual slaughterhouse...
Looking right back at him was a baby girl...
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) me here and in game. After this episode there will be a longer break as I am shortly going back to Ireland for a couple of weeks))
Originally Posted by Rustinel
))
) and I doubt I will ever meet many of your calibre again. <3<3<3