Chapter 1: The Job and Debt
The scene opens up with a shot of the crowded arena in Nebula's Edge. The camera pans over to the play-by-play announcer, Jim Johnson, who is sitting at the commentator's desk, microphone in hand.
Jim: "Good evening everyone and welcome to the highly anticipated match-up between the Velocity Vixens and the Astro Avengers! I'm your play-by-play announcer, Jim Johnson, and I'm here to guide you through this exciting zero-g ball game!"
The camera pans over to the two teams as they take their positions in the arena. The Velocity Vixens, led by captain Starla Stellar, are wearing their signature red and silver uniforms, while the Astro Avengers, led by Solar Sniper, are decked out in their blue and gold gear.
Jim: "The rules of zero-g ball are simple, each team has five players who play offense and defense. The object of the game is to score goals by maneuvering the ball through the opponent's goal hoop. The team with the most goals at the end of the game wins!"
The buzzer sounds and the game is underway. The Velocity Vixens take possession of the ball and quickly pass it to Starla Stellar who sets off toward the Astro Avengers' goal.
Jim: "And there goes Starla Stellar, she's a force to be reckoned with on the court. She's making her way towards the goal, but the Astro Avengers are putting up a strong defense."
The camera switches to a close-up shot of the action as Starla Stellar makes a daring move and gets past the defense to shoot the ball through the goal hoop.
Jim: "GOOOAAAALLLL!!! Starla Stellar with the first goal of the game! The Velocity Vixens are off to a great start!"
The game continues with fast-paced action and intense moments as both teams fight for the lead. In the end, the Velocity Vixens come out on top with a final score of 3-2.
Jim: "And that's it, folks! The Velocity Vixens have done it again! They're the champions of this exciting match-up against the Astro Avengers! What a game!"
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Jim Johnson: "Good evening and welcome to another exciting night of zero-g ball. I'm Jim Johnson, and I have the privilege of being here with the Velocity Vixens' captain, Starla Stellar, after her team's hard-fought 3-2 win over the Astro Avengers."
Starla Stellar: "Thanks for having me, Jim. It was a tough game, but we never gave up and stayed focused."
Jim Johnson: "Absolutely, it was a nail-biting finish there. Can you take us through that final goal, what was going through your mind?"
Starla Stellar: "I knew we had to give it everything we had in those final minutes, and my teammates executed the play perfectly. I just focused on getting the ball in the goal and was able to pull it off."
Jim Johnson: "Your team's tenacity really paid off in the end. Can you talk about the team's preparation for this match and how it helped lead to the victory?"
Starla Stellar: "We put in a lot of hard work in training leading up to this game. We focused on our teamwork and execution, and it paid off on the field tonight. It's always a battle against the Astro Avengers, but we stayed focused and were able to come out on top."
Jim Johnson: "It's been a great season so far for the Velocity Vixens, and I'm sure we'll be seeing more exciting moments from you and your team. Thank you for joining us tonight, Starla. It's been a pleasure."
Starla Stellar: "Thanks, Jim. It's always a joy to play this sport and be able to share these moments with our fans."
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As I pushed through the creaky wooden door of the Rusty Anchor, the familiar scent of old beer and cigarette smoke filled my nostrils. I made my way over to the bar, nodding at the barkeep as I took my usual seat.
What'll it be, Kael?" the bartender, a burly man with a thick beard, greeted me.
"Just the usual," I replied, settling in for what was sure to be another long night of exchanging information and making deals.
As I took a sip of my drink, I listened to the murmur of voices and the clinking of glasses, taking note of any potential leads or threats. This was my life in Nebula's Edge, constantly on the lookout for the next job or score. And the Rusty Anchor was my home base, where I came to gather information and make connections.
A wealthy man walks into the Rusty Anchor, his expensive suit standing out among the rough and rugged clientèle. He scans the room with a look of disdain, his eyes settling on Kael sitting at the bar. With purposeful steps, he makes his way over and slides into the seat next to him.
"You're the individual known as The Scavenger, right?" the man said.
I nodded, taking a sip of my drink.
"I've heard you're the best smuggler around. I've got a job for you," he said, pulling out an envelope filled with credits.
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What's the cargo?"
"Can't say too much here, let's go to a private booth," he said, gesturing towards the back of the bar.
“After you.” I nodded as I grabbed my drink, got up, and followed the man.
After sitting down and checking the envelope, I place the envelope back on the table.
“So what’s the job?” I ask.
The man looks around the bar nervously for a few moments before leaning forward.
“I have an associate in Port Ascension that is looking for a specific mineral that I was able to procure.”
“What’s this rare mineral? Is it dangerous?” I ask as I take a sip of my drink.
“It’s not dangerous to transport, it is highly sought after though. Gascil is the mineral.”
“Gascil? Never heard of it. What is it used for?”
“Gascil can be used for many different applications but it’s most commonly used in the production of advanced technologies.” The man said as he looks around the room once more. “It’s a controlled substance and highly illegal to transport unless you have the proper clearance from the governing bodies in this sector.”
“I guess you don’t have the proper clearance, huh?” I say as I take another sip of my drink.
“I hear you’re the best for this type of job. I’m offering you a thousand credits up front and another thousand that my associate will give you when you complete the job. Are you interested or not?”
[compel +shadow get +2 for being a scoundrel: 2+3+2=7 vs 5/9 weak hit agree with my demands but with a demand or complication +1 momentum (3)]
“Yeah, I’m interested but for double the cost. Port Ascension is a highly secured orbital station. I need to grease some palms and make other preparations in order to get your cargo there safely.”
“I don’t care how you do it and I don’t want to know. I’ll give you the price you’re asking but you need to get it there within two weeks.” The man says, a smile crossing his lips.
“Two weeks? That’s pushing it kinda close. It’s a twelve-day journey using the drifts, and that’s if no complications happen along the way.”
“That’s not my problem. And if you deliver it past the two weeks you aren’t getting the extra credits. Are you in?”
Four thousand credits is a lot of money, and I do need to pay off some debts. I know I could make it there within the time frame, most likely.
“Half up front and the other half given to me by your associate when I deliver the goods. It’s a deal.” I say as I grab a hold of my iron medallion.
[Swear an Iron vow: I will deliver the cargo to Port Ascension within two weeks. +heart: 1+2=3 vs 2/3 Weak Hit. +1 momentum (4)]
“I swear on this iron that I’ll deliver your cargo to your man in Port Ascension within the two weeks we agreed upon in exchange for 4,000 credits.” I say before letting go of the medallion.
The man nods and puts his hand in the inside pocket of his suit and pulls out another envelope and places it on the table.
“I’ll have the cargo delivered to your ship within the hour. The man waiting for you in Port Ascension is named Adira. He’s a mechanic that works in the spaceport.”
I down my whiskey, grab the two envelopes and stick them in my pocket before standing up.
“A pleasure doing business with you Mr.?” I say as I stick out my hand.
The man shakes it with a firm grip but doesn’t respond as he gets up and walks out of the Rusty Anchor.
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I stepped into Keppel Square, my heart pounding in my chest. I had a debt to pay off and the leader of the Yellow Jackals, Maximos, was the one I owed. I had placed a bet on the Astro Avengers and lost, and now I owed 3,000 credits. The problem was, I only had 2,000 credits on me from the smuggling job I just took. I had a feeling that this wasn't going to end well.
The square was a mess, garbage littered the ground and the smell was overpowering. Homeless people huddled in corners, their gaunt faces showing the effects of too much dope. Joy-toys walked the street, striking up conversations with anyone who passed by. I kept my head down and made my way through the maze-like alleys, searching for the hideout of the Yellow Jackals.
I had heard that Maximos was guarded by two combat bots and I couldn't help but feel nervous. I didn't want to end up on the wrong side of those machines. I continued down the alley, peeking into dark doorways and keeping my ears open for any sign of the Yellow Jackals.
Finally, I heard the sound of laughter coming from a building at the end of the alley. I approached cautiously, my hand on my blaster just in case. I stepped into the dimly lit room and saw Maximos sitting at a table surrounded by his cronies. The two combat bots stood at attention behind him, their eyes scanning the room for any threats.
I took a deep breath and stepped forward, trying to appear confident even though I was anything but.
"Maximos," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "I've come to pay off my debt."
Maximos raised an eyebrow and a smirk appeared on his face.
"Your debt?" he said, his tone dripping with sarcasm. "Oh, the gambling debt you made. That’s right. How did that work out for you? Why would you bet against the Vixens? What were you thinking?”
“I heard that Starla wasn’t going to play but obviously the information was wrong. I only have 2,000 credits on me.”
“2,000? You owe me 3,000 Scavenger. Or did you forget?”
I felt a knot form in my stomach. I knew this was going to end badly. "I can get you the rest," I said, trying to sound confident. "Just give me some time."
Maximos leaned back in his chair and looked me up and down.
"I'm afraid I can't do that," he said. "But I do have a solution. You can work off your debt by doing a job for me."
I hesitated for a moment, but then nodded. I didn't have a choice.
"Okay," I said. "What do you need done?"
Maximos leaned forward, a sly smile on his face.
"I'll let you know when the time comes," he said. "Until then, consider yourself in my employ."
I nodded, my mind racing with the possibilities of what this job might entail. I just hoped it wouldn't be too dangerous. As I made my way back out of the hideout and out of Keppel Square, I couldn't help but feel that I was in over my head. But it was too late to turn back now, I was in debt to the Yellow Jackals and there was no going back. If I was lucky, I won’t have any problems getting the cargo to Port Ascension and getting the rest of the money from the job.
I made my way to the spaceport. It was time to make some money.
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