Crypt Ship Aftermath

Quarter Mistress Danica was unusually calm. She was in charge of transforming the pirates’ largest haul ever into nice hard currency. The Tricon in front of her always tried to run a hard deal but Danica wasn’t worried this time. In fact, she was looking forward to his usual complaints.

That was because she had asked Captain Grognard if she could borrow Skippy. The seven foot tall hulking menace towered behind her. His chiseled body bursting with steroid enhancements would be enough to intimidate people but the black executioner’s hood that he wore really finished the look. He was a killing machine just waiting for permission to work his bloody magic and sometimes he didn’t even wait for that.

Unusually, all three heads of the Tricon were awake. The Crypt Ship that the pirates had brought in was a rare find. Everything on board that ship, from the precious metal air ducts to the gem encrusted door handles, was a work of art. It was a traveling treasure vault and except for a few holes from a missile and some laser fire, it was mostly intact. The heads were arguing among themselves as they consulted an expansive list of the ship’s inventory.

The heads stopped talking. The center head looked smug. The right head looked irritated. The one on the left looked exhausted.

“We can offer you 150 MegaCreds,” the head on the left said.

Danica should have been outraged. She just smiled and shook her head.

Skippy growled. He stepped forward, his hands clenching and unclenching.

“Told you,” the head on the right said.

“Hold on!” the head on the left said. “That is a fair price! We’ll have to take this ship apart and sell it piece by piece. That is a lot of man hours and that eats into our overhead!”

Danica said nothing. Skippy took that as permission to take another step towards the Tricon.

“Okay, 200 MegaCreds!” the head on the left said.

“And you’re lucky to get that!” the head in the center said.

Danica’s smile turned into a laugh. “Now you guys are just being greedy. We brought you a fine ship and all we are asking for is a fair price.”

Skippy reached into his pockets and pulled out black gloves. The spikes on the gloves sparkled in the station light.

“225 MegaCreds!” the head on the left said.

“You can’t kill us, we’re the best dealers in the sector for your kind!” the head in the center said. “You kill us and you won’t be able to sell your goods!”

“I don’t mind going to another sector,” Danica said. “If I can’t get a good price for the haul of the century, I don’t need to do business here. Skippy, kill the center head last.”

“275 MegaCreds,” the head on the right said. The head in the center was about to say something but the head on the left glared at him.

“275 MegaCreds AND that Xoeg necklace I saw in your jewelry bay,” Danica said.

“Deal,” all three heads said.

Skippy sighed and took off his gloves.

***

The pirates rack up an amazing 276 points of CV. They will probably never see that much money for quite a while.

The pirates made their Campaign Morale roll and it stays at 4. The Reroll and Omega Murder Comet fail to raise their Reps but Reps of 4 is nothing to dismiss. They are still bad asses.

At 393 CV, they get to spend 200 of it for a roll on the recruitment table. They get a Class 3 Marauder with a Rep 3. Wow, we are up to four ships in the fleet.

***
Captain Grognard’s communicator alarm went off. He took one last look at the board and moved a piece. “Checkdeath,” he said.

“Drok,” his opponent said. She was also the board. She knocked her Commander piece over and it fell down her naked breast. “I guess this one was free.”

“Later, I have an appointment,” Grognard said. He kissed the prostitute goodbye and left her some money.

“I said it was free.”

“I know, the money is for the good game,” Grognard said. Good players should always be appreciated.

Grognard headed out of her compartment and made his way through the station. He had posted a notice on Arris Station’s SpaceBook asking for all interested Pirate Captains to meet him on the Level Three Observation Deck to be interviewed for the honor of joining his pirate fleet.

He expected a lot of applicants. News of the Crypt Ship’s capture had spread quickly through the station. The ease of the capture spread even quicker. Pirates liked money but they loved easy money more.

He reached the doors to the Observation Deck. The smell of fried flesh and burnt blood was in the air. Grognard pulled out a laser pistol and his energy sword. He debated calling for reinforcements from his crew but decided against it. He just won a game of Galactic Chess on a prostitute’s naked chest. Grognard was feeling cocky.

The doors opened and a dozen bodies littered the floor. A blood splatter covered a large portion of the glass wall. One body was struggling to get up but the only standing body walked over and put another laser shot through their head.

Grognard took a good look at the standing person. It might have been a female but it was hard to tell with all the cyber enhancements on her. What he thought was a pistol was actually the woman’s robotic hand. Her bionic eyes zoomed on him and he raised his weapons. He was surprised when she put her weapons down.

“I read your offer for new pirate ships,” the woman said. “Inferior alternatives also read your offer. I assisted in narrowing your options.”

Grognard laughed. “That you did. What’s your name?”

“Atheta-3,” the cyborg said. “I command The Recursive Function.”

“I like your initiative,” Grognard said. “Consider yourself hired. Welcome to my fleet.”

“I will upload our communication protocols to your ship immediately,” Atheta-3 said. “I look forward to assisting in the procurement of material goods.”

“Cool,” Grognard said. “Hey, do you play war games?”

“My brain matter has recently acquired the 6th edition rules for Grimhammer 50K as well as the latest version of Hishen Wars.”

“You are my new favorite pirate,” Grognard said.