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"Oh, the neon lights above you exploded shortly after I got here. And then I have found out that there's a science satellite in my neighbourhood that spams my frequency channels regularly and then there was this cultist who tried to off herself by exposing herself to void of space and the worst thing of all this, I don't have any actual, bottled alcohol on hand!"

2*

"Ollard, you aren't very happy with this line of work, are you?" Sieverta looks at you with bemused, even sour, face.

You hum in consternation.

A) "Apologies for the outburst. Do you want another shot?"
B) "I'm just a little drone, and this is harder than I thought."

You serve her a shot of the white-ish Creme Blanco. The bald lady takes her shot, sniffs it, nods in approval, and with happy smile lets you scan her credchip. (+25c)

Today Earnings: 375c
Monthly Earnings: 1472c

Patron ID: Sieverta Wodnekrojjk
Occupation: PCRM State Commissar for Lambda Centauri V
Conv.style: CHATTY
Liked Drinks: SOFT
Disliked Drinks: N/A

She downs the shot in one go, and lets out a happy 'ah!'.

"Wondewriet! I needed just something like that, dear bartender. How's it going on this outpost in middle of nowhere, hm?"

CHOOSE YOUR REPLY!

A) "It's going okay."
B) CHATTY: "It was going okay and now it took a turn towards even better, because I feel I am about to have a nice chat with you, lady commissar."
C) FLIRTY: "Ah, quite well, but not as well as your colorful suit matches your sparkling eyes, lady commissar~!"
D) Complain about stuff that happened so far in just last two days.

"Could you repeat that please?"

"Aw, you only speak Federal. I was saying I was delighted and asked if you speak Centaurian."

"No, I do not."

"Ah, schitze. But sure, I will come down for a drink or two! See you."

What even is Centaurian? You don't remember hearing any language like that before.

A) Go prep the bar for the inevitable arrival of the new customer.
B) Go check the computer core for files on Centaurian language.

You decide to pass the time until 1815 and then go to sleep!


After checking the sensors console (not a ping in entirety of system) you head for the tank bed.

You set the timer for one hour earlier than usual, enter the tightly enclosed area, and begin your programmable slumber.


BEEP-BEEP
BEEP-BEEP
BEEP-BEEP
BEEP-BEEP

Awoken by the security alarm, you stumble out of the tank bed, rubbing your face and readjusting your eyes to the lights of the personnel quarters.

You walk up to the security console to see what is causing the alarm.

Sensors Station Alert! IFF beacon translation in progress...

Done!

"Speed Junkie", an Aviso-class Personal Delivery Craft, is approaching from the direction of Eta Coridani Jump Gate.

Standard docking and refueling request received.

Fuel Pump assigned: #6 (authority: Automated Refueling AI)

Estimated arrival time: 6 minutes.

A potential customer.

A) Nope, I need my beauty sleep for tomorrow's maintenance crew visit!
B) A potential customer! Let's send them an offer of drinks!

Having nothing else to do, you read on Captain Zirconius, Chapter 3.


The date is 666 United Space Year. Crime Prince Borelion contacts Captain Zirconius and meets with him at the Black Roselia Spacebar, to discuss some business. The deal seems pretty simple - Captain Zirconius gets info on Crime Lord Xusxus, enemy of Borelion, in exchange for getting Xusxus killed. Captain Zirconius agrees reluctantly after noticing armed bodyguards of Borelion sitting about the bar. Next day, Hyperion-3 leaves the Space Fortress Poseidonis on a routine patrol to Zeta Manicurii System, only to bump into a crime flotilla led by no one else than Crime Lord Xusxus when Hyperion-3 arrives in the system. Zirconius decides that he wants Xusxus alive and in Poseidonis' holding cells rather than dead. A spaceship fight ensues, but the pirate fighters and armed cargo barges dont do much against Zirconius' corvette. Crime Lord Xusxus is wounded after an attack against his flagship, Pink Galleon, but the lightly damaged vessel mysteriously explodes before Xusxus and his goons can be extracted. Feeling that something's afoot, Captain Zirconius orders a deepscan of the debris field. Miraculously, a comms computer core is recovered intact and handed to Computer Specialist Mikhaila Syarkova, who begins her work on recovering transmissions logs of the Pink Galleon. But shortly afterwards, sensors on-board Hyperion-3 inform the crew that several unidentified vessels are emerging from a warp jump close to the police corvette's position...

So ends Chapter 3.

A) Hmmmm, Chapter 4?
B) Enough! Pass the time!

You decide to switch to a different comms frequency.

Disabling current frequency ping-beacon... Done!
Generating automated N/A hail response... Done!
Calibrating main transceiver for Outpost 254831...
...
...
Done!
Calibrating auxiliary transceiver for Outpost 254831...
...
...
Done!
Preparing new frequency ping-beacon for Outpost 254831. Please select the new comms frequency:

1. MAIN (44500d_su)
2. S_MAIN (89000d_su)
3. Zanzibar_II (52600d_su)
4. Zanzibar_I (57900d_su)
5. Fed_DISTRESS (64641d_su) -- RESTRICTED

3

You don't know that much about subspace radios to understand what these stand for (MAIN is probably what you've been using so far). You do know that d_su is shorthand for 'directed subspace', the everday method for transmitting data over subspace.

A) Switch to S_MAIN.
B) Switch to Zanzibar_II.
C) Switch to Zanzibar_I.
D) Switch to Fed_DISTRESS.
E) My anxiety tells me to stay on MAIN instead!

You pass the time.


Suddenly, the security console sends our a ping.

You think you heard that particular alarm sound yesterday, too.

A) *snooze noises*
B) ...customers?