An Odd Opportunity? (For the new players.)

FORNICE/Mora/Spinward Marches. High Port, orbital spaceport. "Spacers Guild" Hiring Hall.
1600 on April 6, 1115.

The Spacers Guild at Mora is one of the largest in the sector. Second only to Mora itself. It takes up an entire 'block' in a prime location on mid-deck 'Minus Three', just under the deck used primarily for docking high-capacity Freighters and Subsidized Merchants. It's a working-class deck, with Trade Schools, Basic Shopping, Tri-Vid Theaters, a moderately famous Geisha House, and a smattering of decent quality restaurants and taverns. An area of the large station frequented by Spacers, but very much respectable without being luxurious. Basic, decent, fair-priced goods and services.

There are somewhat more than a dozen 'active' hiring booths. Merchant-Guild affilitates, mostly MegaCorporations. And the digital bulletin boards, of course. Again dominated by Mega-Coporation openings. Most ads looking for Able Spacehands and Trainees. A few for 4th-Officers. Absolutely nothing particularly interesting unless you're wanting back into the rigid, controlled, corporate culture. Steady work, but lacking excitement. Interest. Opportunity. No one will get rich working the corporate lines.

There's a good number of job-seekers in circulation. Not a huge crowd, but enough that there are lines in front of two or three of the hiring stations. There are plenty of free comp-stations, though.

A pair of Vargr Spacers are moving towards the exit to the cafeteria. One is talking rather loudly, and you can't help but over-hear: "Well Gashgroer, that was a collasal waste of time! Nothing interesting, just all the same corporate slavery! Makes me almost wish I'd taken to the Corsair life!"

'Gashgroer' answers just as loudly: "Good thing you didn't do that, pal. You'd be dead by now!

"But say, I was waiting to tell you. There's a rumor going; a ship that was re-possessed from 'skippers'. It's got a bad reputation now. But the bank is looking to sell it off, and has buyers lined up. 'Athabasca', maybe its name, don't know. But they're dirtside, at Two-A. That's what I heard. Want to go down in the mud with me and find out more?"

The rest of what they say is lost as they pass through the hatch leading to the cafeteria...

There's no ship "Athabasca" in the recent news feeds...., but there's some big stories from a couple of weeks back about a ship named the "Athelstone". The big news event was a near disaster with its Low Berths; somethng about a cascade-failure that effected 8 of the 10...

But the ship's crew and emergency responders made heroic efforts and no lives were lost. You see that additional information describes the ship as belonging to the First Bank of Fornice, and that it had been re-possessed from a crew that had tried to skip out on its mortgage. An agent name of "Recherrek" managed to bring the 'skippers' to justice, and with a cobbled together crew got the vessel back to Fornice not long ago.

'Wiki' type articles inform you that a bank will usually refurbish and then offer-for-sale a reposses ship as quickly as they can. An empty ship makes no one any credits. Its likely that a ship with a 'bad reputation' like the Athelstone might be on the market for well below its 'book' value... If someone had an inside track to make an offer.

It turns out the ground 'port' of 2-A, near the Arcology-city of Port-au-Prince, runs hourly but Alice misses the boarding 'window' by about 5 minutes. "Sorry" the gate agent says. "Here, take tickee, you first in line next shuttle."

The agent is a very short human, strongly built, gender non-obvious. Possibly a heavy-grav gene-mod; no way to tell for sure. Their name-tag reads "Leslie". They are in the uniform of the Imperial Starport Authority.

"You can stay here in the boarding lounge if you like. There is kaffe, donuts, and quantip (a local salty crispy snacky thing) at the vend-booth over there." The agent is being unusually helpful...

At the entrance to the cafeteria The two Vargr (one apparently named Gashgroer) step back away from the human 'Leilani', one of them growls and his neck fur rises in reaction. The other holds up both arm-paws and says: "Umm hey, we're going to get some vat burgers, that's all. Not looking for any trouble...or meatballs!"

The two humans, one dark-complexioned and very tall male, and the other a shorter, muscular female. Step away, too. Both wear worn dungarees, faded except for shoulders where old ship-crew patches have been recently removed.

The male says to Leilani: "Sheesh, Lady! What's yer problem? We're just going for kaffe and a snack and you push right past us. I should call security!" The woman has her comm-unit in hand and it looks like she may doing exactly that!

MEANWHILE

In the shuttle boarding lounge, waiting for the hourly scheduled trip down to '2A'. Alice watches as two more people wander in and check with the agent, Leslie. After a moment of talk with her, they move to the vendors outside and come back equipped with disposable cups, the pleasant odor of kaffe (almost coffee!) wafts over.

Two women in business attire, both looking 40-to-50 standard years in age. They settle in and each sips kaffe while perusing their comm-units.

"Melody, you see this?" One asks the other. "Looks like that repossesed ship is up for sale.... No, wait. It says they already have a buyer. That was quick. I suppose that 'skip-tracer' Recherrek has something to do with it."

Melody responds with a grunt, looks up from her device. "That damned Droyne gets their snout into everything. What a reputation. But yeah, if anyone could get the bank to make a cozy deal for themselves or their friends, they'd be the one to do it."

Rin was last seen looking over information on the planetary info-web. Does he have additional queries? Or will he be heading down to 2-A ground port as well?

The woman using her comm unit looks up and then seems to change her facial expression from irritated to neutral-apologetic. "Yes? You've just left service? Must have been stressful..., even though the war's been over awhile. I'll try to cancel my security call..."

Too late. A dark-haired robust-looking Vilani-ancestry type woman arrives, dresssed in 'Starport Authority Blues' and probably discreetly armored under the uniform. She has her hand on a stun-pistol mag-stuck to her harness. She looks first to the woman who called, who apologizes for perhaps over-reacting, but points out Leilani anyway.

The guard moves over to the bench, and she glances at her wrist-comp for a moment. "Baron Nekali? You seem to have arrived at Fornice Main Port unannounced. Do you require an escort, ma'am? I'm sorry you were not met upon arrival."

The two 40ish-looking women look to Alice with curiosity. The one you heard called Melody introduces herself, and her companion 'Nuwa'.

Rin enters the lounge about then, in time to hear Nuwa laugh and say: "Starport kaffe, not too bad really. So, going down to 2-A, Port-au-Prince? Big city-arcology, but a small port. Not much there other than the Bank of Fornice's ship facility. You have anything to do with that repossed ship that's being sold? A friend of that Droyne, Recherrek, maybe?"

The two women in business attire look at each other, possibly sharing some sort of inside joke, smiling.

Melody says: "Ah, good ol' Decherrek. Not a Captain, though. And not hiring anybody as far as I know."

Nuwa takes a sip of Kaffe and adds in explanation: "That Droyne works for..., well, that's not it exactly. They're a contract-employee with the First Bank of Fornice. When a ship's crew stops making payment on their bank loan, Recherrek goes after them. A 'skip tracer'. They sometimes hire 'muscle' if they need to when taking back a ship. And then Recherrek hires temporary crew to get the reposessed ship back here. Interesting character, for a reptilioid. Fancies themself some sort of scholar, too. Reposessing ships is a way of studying human economics, according to them."

Meanwhile Melody has been looking at her comm unit, and looks up. "Well, if you're looking to crew that ship, looks like they're already advertising. LC Rains! Now there's a name to conjure with. He was on the infonews a while back, wasn't he? He and that celebrity surgeon...what's her name?"

Merchant Guide Network wide crew hire posting

------Begin Message--------

🚀 Help Wanted – Crew for Athelstone 🚀

Seeking sharp, reliable, and somewhat daring individuals to join the crew of the Athelstone — a 200-ton Far Trader, Beowulf-class lineage, customized for versatility and long-haul independent operations.

We’re a working ship: profit-driven, opportunity-savvy, and aiming to keep flying no matter what the void throws at us. If you know your trade, can keep your head, and don’t mind a little gray around the edges of the law now and then, we want you aboard.

Positions Available:
-Steward – Manage supplies, keep passengers happy, knowledge of low berths essential, handle small crises before they become big ones. Bonus points for a steady hand with a tray in zero-G.

-Broker – We need someone who can find deals, negotiate cargo contracts, and occasionally talk our way out of a bad port fee.

-Mechanic – Systems maintenance, jury-rigging miracles, and a willingness to get very greasy. Must be able to swear creatively at stubborn drives.

-Pilot – Precision flying essential. "Close enough" won't cut it on a grav assist or a dodgy docking maneuver.

Requirements:
Moderate experience preferred — but talent, good instincts, and loyalty mean more than paperwork.

No outstanding warrants that would cause serious diplomatic incidents.

Must be willing to work as part of a tight crew. Divas and loners need not apply (unless you're very good).

Perks:
-Fair shares in profits.
-Room, board, and a ship that’ll treat you better than most ports.
-Travel across the Spinward Main and beyond.
-Occasional hazard pay (negotiable).

Interested?
Message the Athelstone's crew manifest office and ask for LC on comms band 5147.AV or Look for the Athelstone dockside at Bay 14.

-------------End of Message------------