In For A Benny #1 - Introducing Morrigan and Starkweather

 

In For A Benny

General Idea/Purpose:

The setting takes place in a future where the ancient ones (Humans) have vanished and the stars are inhabited by genetically modified descendants that take on bestial traits. So bearfolk, ratfolk, rabbitfolk, and etc. Technology is based on particle accelerators (blaster tech) with slug weaponry typically appearing as either the medium pistol or hunting rifle. This looks at three adventurering types: Starkweather, his girlfriend Morrigan - both Rabbitfolk, and Ozzie Bleu, an Otterkind.

#1 - Introducing Morrigan and Starkweather

Benefice, Lepus-Major Sector

A scarred deep gray furred wolfhound by the name of Yeats met with the pair that had arrived willing to do independent work for Barncombe. The only civilized point on a planet of river land, forests, and hills. Temperate, which was a relief to the wolf hound, but rainy and a touch cold. It was a world that scaled types dreaded receiving a posting there. It was a world meant for furred types.

Yeats smoked a thin cigarillo when he met the two Rabbitkin that were standing in an open garage where one of the personal transports was being gassed up and fitted with a tracker by the planet’s satellite. The Commander walked over to the pair and acknowledged them with a nod.

Rabbitfolk. The female of the two was athletic, with tan and cream colored fur covering her body. She wore a simple reinforced vest over her shirt and a pair of utility breeches that were spattered with mud. The guards had not asked her to remove her blaster pistol, which was still tucked under her arm. The female’s name was Morrigan.

Standing behind her was a gray and white male who had to check his blaster rifle, but like Morrigan, carried a blaster pistol that hung from his hip like a gunslinger. The two stood together at equal distance from one another, an equal relationship, neither one seeing the other as a step ahead or behind them. They stood close, but kept their posture professional: hands to themselves, but their shoulders occasionally brushed together as they naturally swayed beneath the glare of the garage light. They drew energy from being close together.

The only person who directly reported to Yeats was Ozzie Bleu, who leaned against the side table. He had two-toned brown and pale creamy fur that was short and naturally slick to repel water, making him ideal to swim in the cooler waters of the Benefice’s central rivers. Benefice was ideal for Otterfolk like ‘Oz’. They were some of the first colonists to the planet from Cardania Prime, the glorious republic that both Yeats and Bleu held in high esteem and who had sponsored the first trek to Benefice within the Lepus Major Sector.

Yeats nodded at the introductions given by his adjutant, a fellow Dogfolk by the name of Kaiser, who walked away when Yeats gave him the nod. “What brings you two to Barncombe?”

Morrigan spoke, “Landed here a few days ago from Old Ashton, looking for work.”

Starkweather added, “We’re independent tradesmen, in-between jobs and very flexible.”

“I appreciate the flexibility,” Yeats said, “You know much about this planet?”

“It’s on the thin line between being a full state and a border colony,” Morrigan answered.

Yeats nodded, “To the galactic south and east, the Pleiadian Protectorate have set up the colonies. The Pleiades are not as belligerent as the Saurians, but they do have their own agenda, and that may include this planet. It’s why I want to hire some people to quietly investigate a nearby settlement that has stopped answering communications. It’s gone dark.”

“What else shares this planet?” Morrigan asked.

“Besides us here at Barncombe… the Benny settlement that we are sending you. The planet’s native population are wolfling barbarians, various tribes, some of them packing energy weapons or at least slugs, some of them using melee weapons and bows, but we’ve made an effort to try and maintain cordial relations. This would be the first time we’ve seen an aggressive pack if they were the ones to attack Benny. We want to prevent provocation by sending officially marked vehicles out into the wilderness. I’m told you know how to operate a hover vehicle,” Yeats said, looking at Morrigan.

“I know how to drive,” Morrigan said.

“You know how to drive, he knows how to heal, and Ozzie is one of my scouts who knows the region and is freed up at the moment. A winning combination if I ever saw one,” Yeats said, “I’m willing to pay standard contract rates. You perform reconnaissance and report back. If it’s an enemy threat, we need to know about it. We’ll pay a bonus on any premium information you can supply us.”

“Is there anyone we should try to contact while we survey the town?”

“Commander LaChance is my counterpart in Benny. Kaiser is getting the orders to give for Ozzie to present once you reach Benny,” Yeats snapped a salute to Ozzie, the only one who was under Cardania military jurisdiction and received a salute in return.

“What I am also concerned about is that Benny has decided to rebel and go independent. I pray that’s not the case, and if it is, then my sincere hope is that we can reason with the colony to return to us. An independent city would only be a target for the wolves or the Pleiadians. Good luck.”

---

The party leaves from Barncombe towards Benny in an unmarked hover transport with Morrigan at the controls. Starkweather was in the co-pilot chair, turned to face Ozzie who was laid out on a suspended cot in the cargo section of the cab. An evening storm created a gentle motion that carried through the vehicle. Starkweather looked at Ozzie with interest.

“Have you been on this planet for a while?” Starkweather asked.

“One of the first security units on the planet when we began to colonize it,” Ozzie said without looking up, “What brings you two out here?”

“Good place as any to settle down, I suppose,” Starkweather said, “Anything exciting around here?”

“Some of the farmers on this planet liked to brawl with one another, but we haven’t had any real trouble before Benny went off the grid. The last time I went out ranging was when we detected the first Pleaidian vessel in the area. I watched them establish their first outposts east of here. We never did find their main colony and slowly the outposts were abandoned.”

“Are they still on the planet?” Morrigan asked over the shoulder while keeping her concentration on the forward viewscreen and making sure the autopilot was functioning correctly. Morrigan wanted to be ready for manual controls in case a hostile threat attacked the vehicle.

Ozzie nodded, he shifted and sat up on the bunk in order to better look over the pair, “They are. They detected our established colonies and then pulled out. There are at least two separate continents on the planet. Plenty of room,” Ozzie said.

“You weren’t interested in taking part in any action?” Starkweather asked.

“I don’t mind boring,” Ozzie said, “Plus the wolf barbarians are plenty of excitement.”

“How dangerous are they?”

“They take their title as ‘barbarians’ very seriously. They also take their borders very seriously, and it can be a little gray where their borders end and our borders begin, especially on these roads.”

“Don’t you have an agreement with the wolves?” Morrigan asked before eyeing the exterior cameras, wondering if they were about to have contact with a canid threat.

“Some of the tribes, yeah, but not all of them,” Ozzie replied.

---
Encounter Check (1-in-8): 3 - No Encounter