As the next day started, the Bug-out began to warms up it's engines. Their work all completed on Jacob's Reach, it was time to follow the trail to Shard's End. The data stick they had retrieved from the Extra-solar Implementations compound pointed them towards some recent activities on this new world.
As part of their final preparations, Matt and Linda squared up the ship's outstanding debt with the surplus depot. The ship was now fully paid for and they were free to do with it as they pleased.
With his contract now complete for the sector government, Lucas Clyde was now a free agent. He expressed to Matt that he had some political aspirations and that he liked what the crew of the Bug-out were doing. Matt offered Lucas a place in the crew, and as a career mercenary, already had his gear ready to go and grabbed a bunk on the ship. Matt and Linda took the conn and the ship took off as it head for the stars.
The journey through the sector was fairly quiet. The crew began to settle into their routines and keep themselves busy. Equipment maintenance, some casual conversations, and other activities were used to pass the time. The routine was interrupted however when a distress call came over the speakers;
"The is Licensed Trader Cyberwolf. Our ship's drive core is malfunctioning and we are in need of immediate assistance!"
The crew sprang into action. Linda brought the ship around to intercept the trader and Matt hailed the crew asking for details about what was going on. Luckily, Matt was good with drive core technology after performing several missions in his past and was able to figure out what the problem was. He talked the crew through some repairs to make that would keep the Cyberwolf from having a core failure and once the Bug-out arrived, he boarded the ship with Linda and Sebastian's help and was able to repair the core before it could explode.
The crew was very jubilant for the save and offered up some of their cargo as payment. Turns out the trader was an arms transport and Matt and his team were paid with a shock attachment as well as a quality sight and a laser sight. Graciously accepting the gifts, Matt and this team returned to the Bug-out and resumed their course for Shard's End.
The rest of the journey was uneventful. As they made approach for the planet, Matt provided a brief overview of the world. Shard's End is predominantly a mining world as it's surface was littered with various sized crystals. These crystals provided the world much of it's wealth but as a biproduct of all the mining operations, a crystalline dust permeated most of the air making energy weapons much less useful. Several tribes of local primitive life forms roamed about, not always having a positive interaction with the mining companies and their workers.
Sebastian cleared the ship for landing at one of the public space ports just outside of a small settlement called Ingram's Reach. After landing, Matt met with the port authority. He paid up for their stay and then made his way into town to look for some work for the crew. The local government had posted that sightings of local primitive tribes had been reported and that credits would be paid out for successful defense of the local Starport and surrounding town.
It didn't take Matt long to get approached at the cantina while checking it out for work. The contact said he represented Optimized Deliveries and they were in a bind as they needed a package delivered immediately but none of their teams were available. Their brand was "On time, Every time!" and they weren't about to have that brand tarnished. Matt said his team was very capable and so accepted the job. The contact gave him the delivery coordinates and said the package would be sent to his docking port so they could deliver it.
Meanwhile back at the ship, Lucas asked A-113 if they'd spar with him as he wanted to see how an ex-Agent Soulless fought. Sebastian and Jeb made for the markets to see what there was to work with. Sebastian bumped into an old contact who was able to provide some information about local ESI operations. Turns out they'd been spotted somewhere just outside of town dealing with one of the local primitive tribes. Jeb meanwhile was able to gather some much needed medical supplies for the ship.
Linda and Tyris wandered into town explore. Tyris found himself at a local dojo, headed by none other than the legendary Sarrail, a K'Erin martial arts master. Gripping his fist tightly, he knew he had to spend some time with the master, both to see what he could learn and to prove himself worthy. Linda was not as interested in the training, but offered to stay and watch. While she was there, a local approached her and asked if she was heading off world to deliver a package for her. Linda agreed but said she wasn't sure where they might be heading next. The local woman said it was ok, it was cheaper to send it with a random crew than pay the exuberant cost that Optimized Deliveries charged for shipping.
Later that evening, the crew reassembled at the Bug-out and Matt gave the mission briefing. They were to deliver a package into a pretty rough neighborhood on the outskirts of Ingram's Reach. Matt had found out that the area was experiencing unrest as different mining factions were fighting over who got to live there. The disagreements had gotten so bad that the mining gangs had taken to hiring muscle to enforce their claims. But the mission was straight forward, get in - deliver the package - get out.
The set out for their mission. Taking their time to navigate the streets and alleyways, they finally made it to near the drop off location. However, the crew found themselves in an ambush as a small group of individuals closed in on them from out of the shadows. It was a group of Soulless mercenaries being lead by a K'Erin warrior.
"Our employer has paid us well to retrieve this package. Surrender it to us at once or experience my wrath!" barked the K'Erin leader.
Tyris stepped out from the crew and advanced to the opposing K'Erin, addressing him in a commanding voice; "You are just a whelp! Take your gaggle of a group and leave here!"
The K'Erin leader grinned as he bared his teeth. "I recognize you! You are the failure of Hakarm! An incompetent!" The K'Erin laughed as he advance towards Tyris. Then his voice grew more gravelly and serious as he addressed the whole crew. "Come then, test your metal against ours!"
The K'Erin leader drew his sword and charged Tyris. Tyris drew his own saber as he parried away the initial strike. The two began to trade blows in the middle of the field of battle as the rest of the crew and the gang of Soulless took cover and began to open fire.
A-113 felt conflicted. These were his own people. They were not use to engaging their own kind. Matt could sense the hesitation in A-113 and ordered them to focus on delivering the package while the rest of the crew engaged the Soulless. A-113 nodded and started to make their way to the drop off point.
Tyris grew more focused as the fighting continued. Drawing on his earlier teachings from Sarrail, Tyris dodged and parried each attack from the K'Erin leader before striking him down with a final slash from his saber. As the leader feel to the ground, Tyris could see Lucas getting struck by a shot from one of the Soulless knocking him to the ground. He dashed over to try and take out the Soulless, but was then knocked out with a hit from behind as another member of the gang had gotten behind him and taken advantage of their positioning.
Matt and Sebastian Then nodded to each other as they split to do a flanking maneuver and catch the remaining gang members in a pincer. One of them almost made it out but A-113 returned after dropping off the package and took out the final gang member.
Their work complete, they helped up their fallen comrades and picked up some gear from he fallen Soulless, including a plasma gun and a hand flamer. Lucas was a little beat up, but Tyris had taken an injury and would need time to recover.
After making it back to the ship, Matt decided it was time to reward the crew a little after earning their payout from the mission and sent out a requisition to update the crew quatres so that everyone could have a comfortable living space. After Tyris got patched up in the infirmary, they all gathered around and shared some drinks and played some card games before heading off to bad.
Later that evening, just before going to bed, Lucas received a message. Turns out word about the crews deeds was getting around and they had a job offer.