GalDate: 3-1-4216

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The company landed on Onususorus without incident. Registering the Scalawag they discovered the more restrictive firearms laws on the planet, something not quite unexpected given the high population and thin atmosphere. Many of the dwellings were encased in atmospheric domes to provide breathable air and the potential threat of puncturing walls from firearms was too great a threat to public safety.

They began their investigation tracking down Duke Winston Allister and made some headway. He was found to be on the planet and his craft still docked in the spaceport. Speaking with locals they learned of another neighboring city, Rylandas, that was known for being a place to lay low. A smaller city of 200-300K people, it was remote and had somewhat less surveillance than the capital.

The company during their investigation discovered two other small jump craft that also arrived from Sasiria but came in after the duke had arrived. What stood out was that these craft did not list any passengers (likely a bribe to the right people, not unusual being an X class port). The group took the only mass transit option to Rylandas, a train that ran once a day to the remote town. On the train they discovered some other travellers. A group of three rough looking individuals, as well as a smaller, scarred man that appeared to be a ball of muscle, were among the many train passengers.

The train stopped at its final destination and the company exited. All wary that likely competing bounty agents had arrived on the same train as them.

The Galactic Credit

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While some worlds issue their own currencies, they are usually only accepted within that home system. The universal currency accepted in both the Federation and the Imperium is the newly founded Galactic Credit (or GalCredit). This currency is modeled after the old Imperium Credit.

Once the 100 year war ended, it was recognized that having two different currencies would be problematic. Talk was made to maintain the Imperium Credit as the monetary standard, but hardliners from the Federation balked. The Imperium was willing to compromise on issuing a new form of currency, but with a catch. The Federation would be responsible for printing and distributing this new money note. Both governments agreed and with a considerable expense, the newly minted Galactic Credit began circulation 18 years ago.

Credit notes are almost impossible to counterfeit. Made of plastic fibers woven under high pressure and temperature, they compose of a variety of anti-counterfeit measures such as various colors, holographic images, and DNA tagging all of which is incorporated into the material of the credit itself (instead of being printed). The resulting credit note is rectangular with the texture and thickness of paper along with a 21 digit alphanumeric code. Credits as plastic notes are issued in 5, 10, 50, 100, 500, 1000, and 10,000 denominations. For smaller value transactions, plastic coins are used in denominations of 1/10, 1/4, 1/2, one, and five credits. Credit coins utilize similar anti-counterfeit technology during production as seen with the plastic notes.

Most commercial transactions within systems do not utilize physical currency. Instead digital commerce using electronic transfers through established accounts are used instead. Individuals which primarily deal in credit notes are travellers. As they jump from system to system, they have a delay in digital financial records catching up with them. Because of the potential for criminal activity, most systems will not take any digital currency from travellers, and insist on credit notes instead. Starports will always request fuel and expenses be paid in physical credits. Only long established local system residents have the luxury of paying expenses through USIN financial transfers.

However, local systems can readily open USIN bank accounts for travellers. They recognize some may be hesitant about about possessing large amounts of GalCredits on their person. While credit loans are impossible to attain, banks willingly open USIN debt accounts if a traveller desired (as long as they provide cash up front as a balance). However they will have to close out the account once they leave the system, with the financial institution charging a modest fee. These accounts are always non-interest and banks charge a small fee (1/10th credit) for transactions. Because of these limitations most travellers rely on carrying credit notes and only bother opening an account if staying in a system for several months (or if worried about theft of their credits on hand).

The Federation has contracted printing and distributing galactic credits to almost every megacorp over the years. Because of these efforts the GalCredit is now a commonly seen currency throughout the galaxy. However Imperium notes still can be seen in circulation. Since money is difficult to destroy, they are slowly being removed from circulation as established banks collect older Imperium credits and replace them with the new GalCredit. As tracing of Imperial credit bills is nearly impossible but still recognized as legal tender, they are highly desired by criminal organizations.

GalDate: 1-1-4216

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The company landed on Sasiria and browsed USIN postings for opportunities. Sasira is openly contested and run by Dahl, Kisuton, and Torgue megacorps. Grand Duke Adam Allister is effectively a figurehead for the Imperium within the system. All three corporations maintain large security forces and respective areas on the planet as well as each having offworld mining operations on local moons and planetoids.

They accepted a contract for 6,000 GalCredits to steal a series of data disks from a local company. This was intended to be an operation as stealthy as possible and avoid serious physical injury to any security personnel. The group executed their plan and were successful in obtaining the disks before heavy security arrived accompanied with a poised, elderly woman.

Grand Dame Vera Allister was pleased with the company utilizing restraint in obtaining the disks and admitted (once taking possession of the data disks) that the operation was a trial of sorts. She required a group of individuals with unique skillsets to find her nephew, Duke Winston Allister.

Playing a 2D hologram, the group viewed grainy, soundless image of a man sitting in an office. They saw Duke Winston approach the figure calmly from behind, pull out small pistol, and shoot the individual three times. Grand Dame explained this was an assistant manager to Dahl megacorp. Her nephew was quickly arrested the following day.

The noble family was able to secure him under house arrest until his trial. Duke Winston stated he had no memory of the incident at all. The Grand Dame admitted freely she believed him and helped him secure a small craft and funds to escape. She suggested the Onususorus system until a solution could be found. This was three weeks ago.

Meanwhile her brother Grand Duke Adam Allister had employed bounty agents to find out where Duke Winston is. She fears that Winston will be killed. She thinks her brute of a brother will try to see to a quick end to the situation in order to appease the megacorps within the system. He has another son that is favored to rule and wants to ensure a smooth future transition of power.

Grand Dame Vera admitted that she made a mistake. She wants the group to find Winston and return him to the noble family before any law enforcement or bounty hunters do so first. She offered a small, little finger ring with the family crest. She stated that the ring will ensure Winston will believe what they tell him about returning to Sasiria. There will be a trial, but Duke Winston returning on his own volition will likely help ensure leniency in sentencing.

For payment she has offered 15,000 credits (in addition to the 6,000 provided for the trial theft operation). The company agreed and began to make plans to leave the system.

Past Stories of the Travellers

Grog served as a Yazarian scout in the newly formed Federation. While working with a scientific team on a remote planet, they were trapped by a hostile species which had an unusual spawning cycle. What they thought was a relatively safe planet became swarmed with aggressive alien predators. As the spawning event was several weeks, they put out a distress call and Deacon “Deek” Oake’s marine unit responded. Even though his unit were Imperial Marines, this was deemed a humanitarian mission. Under his command, his platoon rescued the trapped scientists and Grog and Lieutenant Deacon Oake became fast friends under those hostile conditions.

Unfortunately, Lt. Deacon and many of the marines were exposed to an exotic parasite. It ravaged the muscle tissue of humans (Grog being a Yazarian was immune). Most under his command for that operation eventually died. He was one of the few survivors. False rumors milled about Lt. Deacon had denied needed medical supplies and aid to his men in order to ensure his survival. He was quietly offered an honorable discharge and the Imperial Marines urged him to accept it or face a formal inquiry. Feeling betrayed by the very service which he had dedicated his life to, Deacon resigned and sought out his own fortune.

Grog a year later was called for an independent planetoid survey by a group of private miners. There she met Rom Krӧll, became good friends, and confirmed that his group had found a large deposit of an unusual element. The system had a tenuous relation with the Federation, and the Imperium began making overtures to the system government to defect and join the Imperium once Grog’s findings were made public. Pressure was put on Rom’s companions to sell their claim to Atlas megacorporation.

The miners refused and the planetoid became a hot spot of political dissent as Atlas megacorp moved in with their own private security force. Rumors were circulating that Atlas was also being supported by resources of the Imperium. If they established order and secured the claim to the planetoid, the system government would abandon their ties with the Federation and become a system under Imperium control.

Coming by a recommendation from a criminal syndicate, Atlas megacorp employed Roxie Hart to assassinate key figures in the miner resistance. She contacted her information operative, Syn, to help her track down the contract targets. Once on the planetoid however both had a change of heart. Whether being tired of acting as a tool for their employers, realizing they were on the wrong side of this conflict, or Roxie suffering from her growing drug addiction, they abandoned the contract. While making a 'performance' on the planetoid, Roxie crossed paths with Rom Krӧll and warned him of Atlas megacorp and the local government’s desire to assassinate his fellow miners.

Syn using Rom’s face as a public figure broadcast this information to all within the system. Seeing how the system government could be implicated in switching alliances publicly, local military swarmed in and brutally declared martial law. Atlas would not be able to secure the mining rights and the system would remain under Federation control. To tie things up, the system government rounded up most of the rebel miners, and handed them prison sentences which were to be conveniently carried out in an Atlas security facility. Grog got word of the situation and ended up resigning her post in the Federation Scout service in protest.

En route to the security facility, the spacecraft had a mishap. Roxie Hart and Syn cunningly used their skills to ensure that there would be an opportunity for Rom to escape before the ship reached its destination. He scurried away to another system and lay low as an asteroid miner. To this day he is listed as a saboteur and instigator against Atlas megacorporation operations, with rewards being offered for his recapture.

During this time Roxie found herself having difficulty serving as an assassin. Both psychologically and physically she found unable to effectively carry out contracts. By fortune, a member of her security entourage that she had merely hired for show actually had a keen medical eye. Deacon spotted the spiraling effect of narcotic addiction that she was afflicted with. He knew of a narcotic alternative, Pancrosynth, which could help in easing the symptoms and eventually help her kick her dependency. She still would need years of treatment before she could shake off the grip of her drug addiction. But this event cemented her friendship with Deacon and she opened up her hidden persona of being a contract assassin.

Rom working asteroids in a loose conglomerate of miners hit a big claim. With a substantial amount of money in his pocket, he sought a way to other remote systems and distance himself from Atlas megacorp. He contacted Grog who herself managed to have had a favor called in. An old retired friend from the scout service was settling down and looking to sell his freighter at nearly cost. If she could wrangle up the ship shares and crew, the craft was hers. Grog in turn contacted one of the best pilots she knew, asking if Deacon knew of anyone else with enough money on hand (and trained enough) to join in the venture. Deacon immediately thought of Roxie and Syn, and all five ended up signing ownership papers to the Scalawag.

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