Amanda Zhao's log, 302-1105
It's been several days since I have logged an entry. That is because things have gone particularly smoothly (once the appropriate paperwork was filled out; thankfully, Qlotl proved her worth once again in assisting with that). We have lifted and are about to enter Jumpspace as I write this. Our hold is full of freight, our passenger staterooms and low berths are fully occupied, and the ship's bank vault has been stocked with the requisite amount of Imperial Credit notes. It feels good not to be nearly on the edge of poverty again, although I still need to make crew salaries and ship fuel costs.
Now for a relaxing week reading.
Showing posts with label Faerie Queene. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Faerie Queene. Show all posts
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
Saturday, October 25, 2014
[From the Log of the Free Trader Faerie Queene] 298-1105
Amanda Zhao's Log, 298-1105
I started negotiating with a broker for some starship software, but he was fairly intractable so I broke it off and left. Went to listen to the goings-on and ended up talking with a local policeman. Well, that is to say that I got stopped and my papers checked. I didn't realize that they were allowed on this side of the XT line, but apparently there was some sort of "hot pursuit" thing or whatever. I wasn't able to help them, but I think that it probably involved the commotion that occurred several berths down. Word is that someone was trying to smuggle Slow drug. Could be worse, I suppose.
Qlotl tells me that she has already found plenty of potential passengers, but she's trying to locate two more wanting to take High Passage. Still, at the moment she has found four High Passengers and enough Middle Passengers that if anyone bows out we're still going to fill our six beds. Zauer is pretty sure that he's got enough Low Passengers to fill our eight freezers. I may decide to lift early, since things are going so well. I wouldn't want to outstay our welcome here, and it's not like we need to wait on any shipments. Perhaps tomorrow or the next day. I will talk with Qlotl and Zauer to see if there would be any problems with that.
I started negotiating with a broker for some starship software, but he was fairly intractable so I broke it off and left. Went to listen to the goings-on and ended up talking with a local policeman. Well, that is to say that I got stopped and my papers checked. I didn't realize that they were allowed on this side of the XT line, but apparently there was some sort of "hot pursuit" thing or whatever. I wasn't able to help them, but I think that it probably involved the commotion that occurred several berths down. Word is that someone was trying to smuggle Slow drug. Could be worse, I suppose.
Qlotl tells me that she has already found plenty of potential passengers, but she's trying to locate two more wanting to take High Passage. Still, at the moment she has found four High Passengers and enough Middle Passengers that if anyone bows out we're still going to fill our six beds. Zauer is pretty sure that he's got enough Low Passengers to fill our eight freezers. I may decide to lift early, since things are going so well. I wouldn't want to outstay our welcome here, and it's not like we need to wait on any shipments. Perhaps tomorrow or the next day. I will talk with Qlotl and Zauer to see if there would be any problems with that.
Friday, October 24, 2014
[From the Log of the Free Trader Faerie Queene] 297-1105
Amanda Zhao's Log, 297-1105
This new Steward is pretty efficient. She's already found two excellent candidates for Engineer and Ship's Medic, and I have hired them both. The Engineer is a kid, fresh out of the Scouts, named Malissa. She's bright enough and a happy girl, though a little out of shape. The Medic is a Marine veteran, a Vilani named Simar, who has apparently seen his share of action. He's a little melancholy, but he's proven himself. His resume says that he was beginning Medical School at University when he enlisted as an officer. He made it to 1st Lieutenant, apparently, and he's been decorated for his service. Qlotl says that she'll keep an eye out for possible Gunners while she is drumming up passenger trade. Zauer is out looking for people who are desperate enough to ride reefer.
As for me, I signed on for freight at the Starport exchange the other day. I checked in and found that we've been offered lots that make a total of 82 tons exactly, so I'm not going to bother looking for cargo this trip. Better to take the sure thing than hope to re-sell something at a profit, at least while I'm operating on such a shoestring. When I can get enough to put myself ahead a bit, I'll try speculating some. In any case, we're going to lift in 4 days, to give Qlotl and Zauer time to find passengers. Those should put me ahead enough to have some buffer in the bank account. I really hope that we can lift with all beds full.
On a personal note, I have to say that I am really happy that Qlotl doesn't go around wearing Zho clothing. Without that, she looks like a somewhat exotic, but still friendly, human. It makes me more comfortable to see her that way. She has nice hair. Zauer says that she smells friendly enough, too, so I hope that I'm right to trust her. Malissa and Simar seem like they'll be good additions, too.
Zauer tells me that he had a run-in with the local constables today. Regina is like that, though, so it's probably nothing. All they did was stop and question him, so it's not like it was a real problem. Regina is pretty intrusive, and I can't wait to get into space. All this filling out forms to do anything, requirements for paper trails to buy toilet tissue, laws about every damned thing is claustrophobic. But it's nice to have access to some of the amenities here. The weather control they use keeps things really pleasant nearly all the time. They generally keep the rain to the nighttime, when most of the population is asleep. Their entertainment is good, too. Plus, knowing that it is really unlikely that anyone on the outside of the XT line is going to be armed makes walking around a certain kind of joy. I still find myself watching my back, but knowing that there are going to be constables around to keep attackers away takes a lot of the pressure off. You know, until I get stopped by those constables, which is just a terrifying experience without a gun in my belt. The way that they treat you, like you aren't really a person, like you are an object to be processed, is an experience I don't really recommend in itself, but I guess it goes with the territory. Still, I tend to stay in the port most of the time. There may be more guns here, but there aren't so many people sticking their nose into why you're walking around either.
Speaking of the port, there's a good nightclub here, usually with live music, loud and fast, the kind of stuff that Tramps like these days. The music is not really my thing, but the atmosphere is good and everyone has a good time there, and that is my thing. I'm planning to go again tonight.
This new Steward is pretty efficient. She's already found two excellent candidates for Engineer and Ship's Medic, and I have hired them both. The Engineer is a kid, fresh out of the Scouts, named Malissa. She's bright enough and a happy girl, though a little out of shape. The Medic is a Marine veteran, a Vilani named Simar, who has apparently seen his share of action. He's a little melancholy, but he's proven himself. His resume says that he was beginning Medical School at University when he enlisted as an officer. He made it to 1st Lieutenant, apparently, and he's been decorated for his service. Qlotl says that she'll keep an eye out for possible Gunners while she is drumming up passenger trade. Zauer is out looking for people who are desperate enough to ride reefer.
As for me, I signed on for freight at the Starport exchange the other day. I checked in and found that we've been offered lots that make a total of 82 tons exactly, so I'm not going to bother looking for cargo this trip. Better to take the sure thing than hope to re-sell something at a profit, at least while I'm operating on such a shoestring. When I can get enough to put myself ahead a bit, I'll try speculating some. In any case, we're going to lift in 4 days, to give Qlotl and Zauer time to find passengers. Those should put me ahead enough to have some buffer in the bank account. I really hope that we can lift with all beds full.
On a personal note, I have to say that I am really happy that Qlotl doesn't go around wearing Zho clothing. Without that, she looks like a somewhat exotic, but still friendly, human. It makes me more comfortable to see her that way. She has nice hair. Zauer says that she smells friendly enough, too, so I hope that I'm right to trust her. Malissa and Simar seem like they'll be good additions, too.
Zauer tells me that he had a run-in with the local constables today. Regina is like that, though, so it's probably nothing. All they did was stop and question him, so it's not like it was a real problem. Regina is pretty intrusive, and I can't wait to get into space. All this filling out forms to do anything, requirements for paper trails to buy toilet tissue, laws about every damned thing is claustrophobic. But it's nice to have access to some of the amenities here. The weather control they use keeps things really pleasant nearly all the time. They generally keep the rain to the nighttime, when most of the population is asleep. Their entertainment is good, too. Plus, knowing that it is really unlikely that anyone on the outside of the XT line is going to be armed makes walking around a certain kind of joy. I still find myself watching my back, but knowing that there are going to be constables around to keep attackers away takes a lot of the pressure off. You know, until I get stopped by those constables, which is just a terrifying experience without a gun in my belt. The way that they treat you, like you aren't really a person, like you are an object to be processed, is an experience I don't really recommend in itself, but I guess it goes with the territory. Still, I tend to stay in the port most of the time. There may be more guns here, but there aren't so many people sticking their nose into why you're walking around either.
Speaking of the port, there's a good nightclub here, usually with live music, loud and fast, the kind of stuff that Tramps like these days. The music is not really my thing, but the atmosphere is good and everyone has a good time there, and that is my thing. I'm planning to go again tonight.
Thursday, October 23, 2014
[From the Log of the Free Trader Faerie Queene] 296-1105
Amanda Zhao's Log, 296-1105
I am not sanguine about staying here for long. Expenses will pile up, and before you know it we'll be deeper in debt than we already are. My good friend Zauer tells me that he has located a woman who can help us find a new crew, and she'll make a good Steward as well. If she's as good as he says, we should be able to get an Engineer and Medic quickly and be on our way. I'm meeting with her later today. I'm already resolved on hiring Zauer on. I'll call him a "handyman" or something. Since he's been a Corsair up in the Extents before coming down here to Regina, he's an excellent troubleshooter.
Supplemental: Met with Zauer's Steward. She's a Zho, which creeps me right the fuck out. It's like she's looking into my brain every time she glances at me. Her name is Qlotleqiepr, which I thought meant that she's some kind of Zho Noble, but she says that she isn't, and just wants to be called Qlotl. She says that she was never in the military, that she was just a low-level bureaucrat, and that she came to the Imperium to find a missing relative. I don't know if I believe her about all that, but she seems like she has skills that we need, so I've retained her. She says that she'll get right on the search for a Medic and Engineer. I just hope that she can find some useful candidates in the next five days, or we're going to be looking at taking out a loan just to get off this rock, not even considering the mortgage is due too soon. While she's doing that, I'm going to start looking into some paying cargo and passengers, and maybe pick up something on spec. Zauer says he'll advance me if necessary. I'll get started on that tomorrow. I think that we're going to head to Jenghe, unless someone with a lot of money wants to go somewhere else. I think that my ultimate goal will be to get to District 268, to check out places to retire someday. Tarsus sounds nice, but I'd like to see for myself.
Additional: Zauer reminds me that we may have to find a Gunner somewhere, maybe two. It's a dangerous universe out there.
I am not sanguine about staying here for long. Expenses will pile up, and before you know it we'll be deeper in debt than we already are. My good friend Zauer tells me that he has located a woman who can help us find a new crew, and she'll make a good Steward as well. If she's as good as he says, we should be able to get an Engineer and Medic quickly and be on our way. I'm meeting with her later today. I'm already resolved on hiring Zauer on. I'll call him a "handyman" or something. Since he's been a Corsair up in the Extents before coming down here to Regina, he's an excellent troubleshooter.
Supplemental: Met with Zauer's Steward. She's a Zho, which creeps me right the fuck out. It's like she's looking into my brain every time she glances at me. Her name is Qlotleqiepr, which I thought meant that she's some kind of Zho Noble, but she says that she isn't, and just wants to be called Qlotl. She says that she was never in the military, that she was just a low-level bureaucrat, and that she came to the Imperium to find a missing relative. I don't know if I believe her about all that, but she seems like she has skills that we need, so I've retained her. She says that she'll get right on the search for a Medic and Engineer. I just hope that she can find some useful candidates in the next five days, or we're going to be looking at taking out a loan just to get off this rock, not even considering the mortgage is due too soon. While she's doing that, I'm going to start looking into some paying cargo and passengers, and maybe pick up something on spec. Zauer says he'll advance me if necessary. I'll get started on that tomorrow. I think that we're going to head to Jenghe, unless someone with a lot of money wants to go somewhere else. I think that my ultimate goal will be to get to District 268, to check out places to retire someday. Tarsus sounds nice, but I'd like to see for myself.
Additional: Zauer reminds me that we may have to find a Gunner somewhere, maybe two. It's a dangerous universe out there.
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