Can't Take the Sky from Me Even Now-IC

Terna System, Terna-Alpha, Niven Ring

The Ring furthest out from the star, it has traditionally been home to the least ethical business of Terna. This is the deepest, darkest, most wretched hive of scum and villainy in a system already renowned for such qualities. Generally, it's advised that you higher a small to medium sized mercenary company if you're going to be on the ring for long term business.

The Southern Quadrant is the most lawful area for the most part, controlled by a quartet of powerful gang-lords who maintain order in their section. It's with one of these mafioso's that you have some business.

The Last Whispering Killer is the weakest of the Mafioso's in terms of raw gang strength, but holds his position on the quartet due to his expansive information network and shadowy operatives. Over the past few weeks he's contacted each one of you, requesting your presence about some type of business deal. With little to lose, you've come to the location he specified, a building adjacent to the spaceport guarded by a few dozen men. This isn't a cause for worry as such: the Mafioso's tend to be honorable, in their own way, and he promised safe passage.

Inside the building, you're led to a large meeting room. The middle of the room is dominated by a long conference table, but only 4 chairs surround the table, and 3 of those are clustered at one end.

Starlight is apparently one of the first to pick a seat and she takes the center one at lies in the back. It was perfect for her, the center, place where people focus, the pilot's seat was center, the captain's seat was center, the Imperial worlds were center. The Center was the perfect place for her.

She crosses her legs as she sits, her black body suit shimmering with its shiny material in the light of the room, her arms were folded in her lap and her eyes glanced around the room with an air of curiosity. She wasn't at all sure what the job was but being poor left her little choice. She had to take the job. Finally she directs her eyes to the fourth chair, running a fingerless gloved hand through her shimmering red strands of hair.

Tremia arrived next, humming to herself as she deftly slid into a seat, only to instantly kick her feet up on the table in front of her. Noting Starlight in the seat on the far end of the table, the lunar gave her a quick nod and a grin. "Yo. You the guy offerin' money?" A reasonable assumption really, given the other woman's position in what had to be the employer's seat.

Sheki arrives in the building with her usual style and flair, stomping up to the table. "Sheki Almacosta de Vereste, captain, rabble-rouser and highly attractive walker of all walks of life." She made her introductions with great aplomb and gravitas. "Who are you two?" She doesn't take a seat, instead, she stands, on her hips, surveying the other two with sharp, lively eyes. She manged to loom, even though she was at best a quarter of their height. The standing helped there.

As Sheki asks her question, a man walks through the wall behind Starlight. Short and pale, with unremarkable features, though his eyes are hidden behind large, wrap-around sunglasses. His tweed suit is impeccable tailored, and it matches the bowler hat atop his head, with a cane to complete the outfit. It's quite nice, assuming it was meant for three or four decades ago. He tilts his head at Starlight's choice in seats, before shrugging his shoulders and leaning against the wall, deciding it's not worth all the fuss over a power play.

Directly behind her, of course. It's not worth all the fuss, but a little won't hurt.

"These would be Miss Starlight Nova, and Miss Tremia, no last name given."

The door opens, and a tan, shaved head looks in the room, glancing from side to side. The man tosses some sort of switch to the speaker, before leaving, closing the door as he does so.

"I am Whispering Killer, and you came for a job."

Hitting the switch, a holoprojector comes to life, showing the immediate gate network. A click, and most of it vanishes, showing only 3 systems: Terna, Dagon's Folly, and one marked by question marks.


"The system beyond Dagon's Folly has never been able to be mapped. I think I can change that, though. I've matched the system on the other side, and after that it was simple to get the appropriate codes for the defensive installations there.

Well, most of the installations. It's not impossible that some of the devices have begun to malfunction, and certain lesser systems would require input from the other side. This, of course, is why I asked you here.

After making your way past the defenses, you only need to do two things. First, confirm the system on the other side; that and the codes will satisfy the Empire, and for the ills they have brought their are some benefits.

The second task...on the 3rd planet there is a hanger. In the hanger is a vessel called The Irrepressible Dowager. The contents of that ship are important to me. The Empire's rewards are just that: this is the task I will pay you for."

Spoiler

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Appearance 4, Performance +Charisma 12 vs Mental Defense values. This counts as UMI, and is an emotion effect.

If it is successful/unresisted, you count as having spent 4 scenes building an Intimacy of (Trust) towards him.

Starlight nods to the new comers as she is introduced, a pleasant smile on her face. After watching the holo and getting the information Starlight sighed, well she was on her last few credits. "Well far be it for me to not accept a job offer. I suspect that this ship's contents are valuable and thus the payment for acquition to be equally so?" She leaned back in her seat casually. "Also I assume one of you two who might also accept have a vessel all their own? My fighter is selective and only has room for one other." Still her eyes fall upon the self proclaimed captain to see how she responds to the offer. It would not do to travel that far with only herself, even she knew her skill was not that good.

Well, that was a simple enough job. Fly through a gate, make sure the codes work, and then raid an abandoned hangar? Easy as pie, even with the little detail that some of the defenses might still attack them. "So, that's it? Fly in, check the codes, fly out with whatever's in yer ship?" She leaned forward with a toothy grin, looking between the other three in the room. "Deal: But I want the ship then... Oooor somethin' else I find out there. Who knows what it might be!"

"Oh yes, you'll be rewarded. Money, favors, and information."

He turns to Sheki, obviously not addressing everyone anymore.

"You may claim the ship, though I'm not sure how much use it will be: it was old before the Great War changed things. The contents are what matter to me."

There's an odd finality as he says this. As if he's not just saying they're all that matter to him in the ship.

Sheki giggled sweetly as she mulled it over. "Oh lovely. I could use a new ship... I used to have a spare, but I crashed it into a planet a few months ago. Good times, good times." She leaps up from her seat, pacing around the room slowly, showing off slightly. She's wearing casual clothes, all slanted towards her personal theme. A dark blue jacket and top, well worn pants, all crowned with her scraggly mop of hair, died blue. She looks very young, and her height and clothes certainly don't help with that. But she does manage to pull it off nicely.

Sheki pauses, hands on her hips, and looks over Whispering Killer. After a moment, she nods, smiling and satisfied. "All right Whiki, you've got yourself a deal. We can iron out the little details like payment later, but this sounds like a good time. My ship is yours. Or your little pilot girl's. Whoever wants to drive the old girl."

Tremia nodded, grinning widely. "Well alright then! When are we heading out? Any chance of some advance payment~?" Because why do something for money later, when you get go shopping now? Not to mention it meant that if things went south, she could always just.... Fail to report back. Ever. As the money vanished into another account.

Starlight looks to Sheki with a curious look. "If you have a helmsman I will not put him out, if you have a hanger for my partner then I can pilot for you as well on the way. I do not need a ship other than my partner for now, considering I've... not really flown anything larger than Crimson." Not that she couldn't try, but she was certain that Sheki's craft did not have an AI guiding her pilot. Starlight was already hurting for cash, crashing Sheki's craft would be a thing she would die over.