Journal

Chrono

This story was written using Core Rules (2022) for Mongoose Traveller 2nd edition (MgT2e) by Mongoose Publishing and solo procedures outlined in Mythic's Game Master Emulator, 2nd ed. (2023) published by Word Mill Games.  I also used Emotional Quest Adventures from Mythic Magazine, Vol 14 (2022) also published by Word Mill Games for character enrichment during solo play.  Only the first few scene are offered here to help others who might be looking for deep and interesting solo gaming methods.  All rights are retained by the publishers for their gaming procedures and by me for this original story material (which is currently going into Scrivener, ver. 3, for potential manuscript submission and publishing).

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The story opens with an “Inspired Scene” (Mythic GME term) adapted from Mongoose Publishing’s Bounty Hunter (specifically “Horizon Bounties” on page 109).  The location was changed to Startown on Wildeman to enable the leading character to explore the Trojan Reach setting, the starting date was chosen as 1105-247 so that the Fifth Frontier War background can impact the story, and various names and dates were chosen to facilitate interactions with non-solo campaigns running in the same setting.  Chaos Factor was set at five as it usually is with an opening scene in Mythic GME.  The initial scene was tested.  I rolled an 8 on 1d10 and it exceeded a 5 and so the scene began as expected and played out until a change of scene was indicated (by all four options).  Afterward, there were no changes to Threads except that I added Zoro to Characters.  At the end of the first scene the Chaos Factor was reduced by 1 to 4 because Blane largely controlled the scene.  With that gamesmanship background, here is how the first scene of the story played out.

A man sat as his usual table facing the door.  His brightly colored and patterned jacket did little to fit in with the otherwise drab starmen, stevedores, and petty thieves.  Behind him were a few blinking overhead lights that illuminated the tables and then the unblinking stars beyond against a black sky, visible through the dome that protected the city from a cold and airless world outside.

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Conversations were rarely subdued and the pleasant aromas from the galley and plates combined with the intoxicating drinks to present a general air of good cheer despite the many weapons worn on belts and the bulky padded and armored jackets.

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People coming and going rarely raised a patron’s eye and the man entering was no exception.  He was of average height but full build wearing scratched blue combat armor and a gauss pistol.  He stepped in and scanned the crowd before heading to the man in the brightly colored jacket.

“Mr. Zoro Wanda of Hubble Bounties?” asked the man in blue.

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“I am, and you must be Blane Cordell.  Join me!”  Zoro indicated a seat beside him, not the one across from him that would have put Blane’s back to the door.

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Blane smiled and nodded.  They could both now see the room and the door.  A small kindness, but one not lost on Blaine.  A waiter quickly appeared with a menu pad.

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While he looked at the usual options and chose, Zoro pulled out his portable computer and set it up.

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“So, why a bounty hunter?  Your application says you were a Scout too.  Only three terms despite an impressive record.”

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Blain shrugged.  “There was a girl involved.”

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“Yes.  Anna Corrumda, the girlfriend of your first mark.  Did you hunt him before or after you met her?”

“After.  But it wasn’t personal.  He was a piece of work, and she should have recognized it.  Ultimately, she didn’t.”

“So, it wasn’t really her.  Was it the pay that led you out of the Scouts?  Can’t be the excitement.”

“After my second term I grew tired of the bad guys walking.  That did become personal.  Some people belong in the court system.  Safer for everyone.”

Zorro nodded and clicked his drink again Blane’s.  “Oy.  Getting honest now.  And getting closer to how I think.  My intel says you saved Detective Juno Branham’s son from some very dangerous men.  And he’s still grateful.  You keep in touch?”

“Yes.  Juno is a friend.  He helped me when no one else would.”

Zoro nodded.  “Valuable to have an Imperial detective as a friend, especially one outside the normal boundaries.  Good for you that his son needed saving and you were up to it…even if the son was not as grateful as the father.”

Food arrived and Blane paid it some attention.

“So, what now?  Chase only those who need to go to jail?  Until you feel you’ve done your part?”

Blane stopped chewing and swallowed.  He hadn’t thought about it quite that way.

“Yes.  And I’m dead broke so getting paid wouldn’t hurt.  I’d like to buy a COYOTE some day.  I still like flying.”

Zoro leaned back and laughed so loud that heads turned.  “Oy!  Excellent!  Excellent, my friend.  It is good to have big goals.”

Blane grinned.  He knew the cost of a COYOTE.

“You’re hired,” said Zoro, waving his hand at the formalities.  “We are going to be good friends.  Trust me, I am a good judge of character.  You have to be in my line of work.”

Blane nodded.  He too was a good judge of character…and a good judge of when a human was lying.  Zoro laughed from his eyes and lacked the crow’s feet of a man living in the gray areas.  A strange thing for a bounty hunter, but just what Blane was counting on.

“Your first mark will be a simple one.  Things will get harder after that, and more rewarding.  You won’t need a COYOTE or any other ship for the first missions.  They’ll be right here on Wildeman.  Good detective skills, good shadowing, and no fireworks will do nicely.  Expect a crypted message from Nightwand100 in twenty-four hours or so.  Welcome aboard, Blane.  Do you have another name?”

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“Hunter Tibbs, but no ID yet.”

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“Okay, good.  You’ll want to operate out of Wildeman for awhile so the investment in a safe ID will be worth it.  Later it will just make things easier.”

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"Learn the names of others in the guild.  We help each other when things get tough.  Think of it as a team, not a competition.  A bit unusal, I'll grant.  But I rarely lose anyone, and I like that."  

Zoro stuck out his hand across the table.  Several sets of eyes watched the formality and Blane suddenly became self-conscious.  Cameras were everywhere.

“I won’t let you down.”

“I believe you, Scout.  Good luck.”

Blane finished his last bite, took a last sip, and pushed back from the table.  “I heard there is normally a registration fee.”

Zoro shook his head.  “Normally.  And other things too when I’m worried.  Instead, look for an account at Wildeman Regional Credit tomorrow.  It won’t be a lot, but it will get you started.  Think of it as a long-term loan with generous terms.”

Blane smiled and nodded.  “I won’t forget this.”

Zoro tipped a finger to his eyebrow.  “I know.  You, I trust.  I was proud of my time in the Scouts…and I never received an award for Exemplary Service.  Didn’t even know anyone else who had.  We’re good.”

Blane looked at the four people who had watched the handshake.  He wanted them to know that he had seen them look.  He did not look for the cameras that he knew were also watching.

​

For those interested in GME solo play and following along, the first Thread List was based upon the Inspired Scene (and adapted information from Hubble Bounties) and was composed of the following: 1) Mundane delivery/collection into Aslan space, 2) Apprehending a truant from the court, 3) Evict armed stowaway from an outbound merchant ship, 4) Investigate a low-level crime, or 5) A lucrative corporate contract.  The first Characters List was based upon the character sheet and the Inspired Scene and was composed of the following: 1) A fellow Hubble bounty hunter, 2) A law enforcer, 3) Message from Det. Juno Branham, 4) Someone connected to the mark, or 5) A random person.

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This next scene was also planned to be in Startown on Wildeman and just after the first.  It was expected to be about spending money and gaining starting gear and a new ID.  The scene was “tested” by GME and proceeded.  I did not yet kick in use of the Emotional Quest procedures but did fill them out for Blane (who is carrying several sets of emotional baggage.)

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Blane headed to the bank.  His gear would determine his options and if Zoro was advancing or giving him a stake it would make a difference.  For the moment he had only his armor, a gauss pistol, and 40 rounds.  Zoro was known as a generous boss and a thousand credits (or more) would be a big help.

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Avoiding the cash machine, Blane headed into the bank and greeted the Assistant Bank Manager standing in as a teller.  He placed his right palm on the illuminated square and looked into the camera, then up at the young man.

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“How much would you like to withdraw, sir?”

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“One thousand.”

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“Do you want to close the account then?” 

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Blane smiled.  “Yes, close the account.  Then open a new one with 100 CR and give me the balance on a bank card.  The new account will be under my name.”  The young man enthusiastically led him around to a chair and did so, and quickly.  Blane decided that an Assistant Branch Mananger received some sort of benefit for opening a new account; the benefit to Blane was control.  Dante, the Assistant Manager, completed the process in less than twenty minutes and even knew a good outfitting store nearby.  Sadly, Blane could not come back to Dante when he opened his alias accounts, but at least his biggest account would stay here at Wildeman Planetary tied to his real identity.

Blane had expected to find 1,000 CR in the account but would have been very happy with more. He tested the expectation.  “Is there more?” and rolled d100 on Unlikely for Chaos Factor of 4 receiving an Exceptional No.  It was therefore exactly 1,000 CR.  (Could have rolled for less than that amount but did not.)

The next scene would be about getting not a fake ID but a usable second ID.  One that would become his bounty hunter ID and keep his personal life separate to an extent.  NPCs were created using a combination of Mongoose’s Core Rulebook Quick Characters (pages 91-92) and Mythic’s GME v. 2 Characters (pages 102-103) and the associated Elements tables.  (And sometimes I use my Mythic GME2 Android app if I’m lazy or in a hurry - super efficient.)

Wild Pharmacy was hard to find.  The sign was broken and hanging, the door was not rimmed or marked, and there was packaging stacked against the front outside wall.  It sat between Harding Liquors and Talid & Moniky Bond Dealers.  Inside a large man with a dirty jumper was eating an unappetizing sandwich while watching a travel vid.  He looked up and then returned to his show.

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The aisles were cluttered and arranged haphazardly with machetes next to radios, but the prices were reasonable.  Blane quickly located an inexpensive tech level 8 portable computer with a communications package, a cheap rugged tech level 3 pair of binoculars, zip ties, and a beat-up backpack. It took him longer to find the right TL 10 cloth armor overcoat.  He wanted one that was both light weight but plain and a bit worn.  Those two were at odds, but eventually he found what he needed in the “used” bin after some grunting and pointing by the sandwich guy.

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With a bit more than 300CR in his wallet and a largely empty backpack holding only a few items, Blane walked out looking for an empty side alley or a mop closet with no cameras.  Eventually he found a fresher near the back door of a holo theater and stepped in as Blane Cordell in a backpack.  He stepped out as a man in an old overcoat and a backpack who thought of himself as Hunter Tibbs with no ID, a hidden gauss pistol, and a backpack full of combat armor except for the boots and a few items. Instead of washing up he had smeared his face with dirt and used water to mess up his hair.  He wasn’t filthy, but he wouldn’t be turning heads anytime soon.  After a cheap lunch he completed his disguise by spilling a little food on his overcoat.

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The ID would be harder.  He wandered through the seedy part of Startown away from the starport and began searching for a small, barely surviving pharmacy in need of shoppers.  He found some cheap cold medicine and went to the counter.

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“Five credits.  ID please.”  The man’s face was scarred and he spoke with an accent.

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“Lost it,” shrugged Blane.  “Hunter Tibbs.  I may be in your system.”

The scarred man frowned and typed into his computer.  “Nope.”

“Okay.  I need a new one.  Know anyone who can help?”

“No, pal.  That’s illegal.  I want no part of that.  You’d need to go to Grat’s Barbershop to find those kind of people.  I run an honest shop.”

“Thanks.” Blane slipped the man five credits and put the drugs back on the shelf.

“My name’s Gompers,” said the scarred man.  “If you see Thuley, tell him I said to keep away from here.  He’s probably four blocks down Bleaker.  On the left.”

“Thanks, friend.”  Blane waved, careful to look sad for the camera.  Then he was off down Bleaker.

​

The barbershop was small and crowded, filled with tough looking men.

  (Mythic GME Meanings Table – Elements pg. 49, Locations: 12, Cluttered and Characters: 91, Threatening)

“Gompers sent me.  Name’s Hunter Tibbs.  Thule around?”

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The barber was actively trimming a particularly scruffy giant.  “Back room.  Having coffee and reading.  Help yourself.”

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Blane nodded.  He had passed the “scruffiness test.”  In the back room were three men.  One was a craftsman bent over a table lined with jars, pens, and an odd collection.  He wasn’t working on a portable computer, but a mat covered in paints and scars.  A second man was seated near him watching expectantly.  The third was watching Blane and was both heavily armored and armed.  A camera covered the barbershop and a speaker monitored conversations.  Since his intro had been heard.  Blane waited patiently.

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When it was Blane’s turn, he nodded to the craftsman.  “Lost my ID.  Need a new one.”

“Profession, Mr. Tibbs?”

“Bounty Hunter.”

Both men straightened up.  The armed and armored man placed his hand on his thigh near his gauss pistol.

“Three hundred,” said the craftsman.

“Fair.”  Blane nodded and placed his bank card on the table.  He could just cover it.  Barely.

The craftsman got to work, and the armored and armed man relaxed a bit. There was no idle chatter while he worked.  It would only have made them all nervous.  Chemicals were mixed, a plate was created, and small chips were arranged.  When he was satisfied the craftsman reached under his table and slid a state-of-the-art portable computer out.  A picture was taken and displayed on the plate which now resembled a completed ID card.  Ten minutes later it was ready for data.

The craftsman slid his chair back.  “Tell me about yourself, Mr. Tibbs.”

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“Not much to tell.  Born here on Wildeman thirty-five years ago.  Odd jobs, some as a courier and some as personal security.  Have only been a bounty hunter for a year.  Starting today, I work for Zoro.”

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The craftsman was typing.  He suddenly nodded.  “Hubble Bounties.  I’ll use the standard address.”

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There were more questions, most of them leading.  Answers were short and uninteresting as needed.  The whole process, start to finish took only forty minutes.  The craftsman scanned the bank card and 300 credits were removed.  An insurance policy listed to Blane Cordell popped out.

“Tell Mr. Cordell that the policy he requested is finished.  He will be pleased with its coverage.  I assume you can find him.  And here is your replaced ID, Mr. Tibbs.”

Blane took the ID and left.  The same men he had seen upon entering were still there.  The haircut was taking a long time.

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Bookkeeping: Added no new Threads but added Dante, Gompers, and Thule to Characters.  Also added Anna Corrumda, his ex-girlfriend turned enemy.  Blane was largely in control again so the Chaos Factor was reduced by 1 to 3.

A little out-of-game research indicated that a bounty hunter’s mark can only be found through sleuthing.  The sleuthing typically follows a pattern.  A data search is usually followed by interviews and then shadowing.  Sometimes special gear is needed.

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Blane was living on the edge of poverty.  He knew he might have to skip meals and lodging while he sleuthed; he had already “zeroed” his bank account.  He knew from earlier research that Zoro usually started a new guild member with apprehending truants from the courts, evicting armed stowaways from outbound merchant ships, or investigating the sort of low-level crime that a better resourced security force could probably handle themselves.  Blane was okay with that.  Although he has street sense, he knew that he had much to learn about being a bounty hunter.  The next planned scene was receiving his first mark and beginning the search.  It was tested by GME2 and proceeded as planned.  Each NPC was generated as needed using the same procedures as before.

After seeting up a bank account for Hunter Tibbs, a short communication came in from Nightwand100 to Blane’s portable computer.  Although surrounded he sat alone in Flash’s Diner and nursed a coffee and pastry that his old bank card had strangely covered.  He should have all but zeroed both accounts by now with the equipment, ID, and whatnot but he instead found 95 CR remaining in the Blane account.  A quick check showed an unrequested 100CR deposit from Hubble Bounties this morning.  His low balance must have been expected by his employer who had somehow located the new account and injected a bit more.  Blane smiled.  He had heard that Zoro inspired unusually high loyalty from his guild members.

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The Nightwand communication came to Hunter Tibbs.  It was short and direct.  Gaia’s Gadgets of Starcity Wildeman was being robbed. They had lost ten items worth a total of 3,000 CR over a four-week period.  They had no hired security.  Only a single camera had observed someone in the same dark green jacket and black watch cap take each item.  They had offered Hubble Bounties 2,000CR to apprehend and bring back the thief…or quietly stop the thefts so that an insurance claim would not increase their premium. Discretion was requested.

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Blane smiled across to where Zoro sat at his usual table, not waiting for an acknowledgement.  Then he opened his portable computer and began working.

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A quick scan showed that Gaia’s Gadgets was across town in a better section of Starcity.  The store sold scanners, computers, communicators, and all manner of mid to high tech equipment.  They had been in business for fifteen years and were well respected.  Horace Gaia and his wife, the owners, sponsored a children’s sports team.  Horace had served in the Imperial Navy for ten years and was an amateur astronomer.  His wife volunteered at the library when not working in the store.

Several public cameras covered the area near Gaia’s.  Blane scanned the footage from several angles over the past week and within an hour had found what he was looking for.  A green jacket and a black watch cap that went into a nearby alley and disappeared for half an hour before reappearing in the same spot.  Four days earlier, the same pattern.

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Blane scanned 5 CR into the table to cover his breakfast and a generous tip, pushed his chair back and then back in without looking at Zoro, and headed across town.  It was a good walk, the tram only ran north and south to the shipyard, not east and west.  After passing through the manufacturing and engineering center of Starcity he emerged into a section of town where windows were clean, there was no trash in the walkways, and people did not loiter on corners.

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Gaia’s was painted, dressed in colored lights and bright images, and the entrance was welcoming.  Before he got there Blane looked down the alley where “green coat” had disappeared.  It too was clean and free of trash and there did not appear to be any hidden access plates, just a single back entry with a prominent camera mounted above it.

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Blane entered the front door, looking away from the camera mounted above.  He went straight to the counter and stood in front of a man who frowned.

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“Hunter Tibbs, Mr. Gaia.  Zoro sent me to help.”  Horace Gaia looked like the vids Blane had watched but older.  Blane knew he looked shabby and not like the sort of person Horace would normally be glad to see.

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“Ah!” smiled Horace.  “Welcome, Mr. Tibbs.  Thank you for coming so quickly.”

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“Not at all.  Please forgive the appearance.  It will help while I work during the next few days.  Do you have a list of the missing equipment?”

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“Of course.  Strange collection, actually.”  The file was quickly passed and Blane looked it over.  A tech level 7 audio/visual bug sold for 100CR, a TL 8 portable computer sold for 250CR, a TL 8 cold light lantern-3day for 20CR, a set of Advanced Electronic Binoculars (w/ IR and EO) TL 10 at 750CR, a Radio Jammer-Handheld TL 8 at 500CR, a Bug Sweeper TL 5 for 100CR, Duct Tape TL 6 at 5CR, an Autochef TL 9 that sold for 200CR, a Disguise Kit TL 3 at 200CR, and a Mechanical Tool Set TL 3 that sold at 1,000CR.  There was nothing strange about it and Blane quickly knew a lot about his mark.

“How many access points to your store?  Doors, vents, everything.”

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“Front door and back door.  The back is larger.  Windows along the sidewalls but all are locked.  Vents in and out in the overhead, going to the central city system.  No access panels.  No additional fire doors.  And, no grates.  Don’t know how the thief got in but I have a guess.  Both cameras used to work and cover the doors well.  But we haven’t been pilfered in a couple of years and I got lazy when the back one went out.  That’s why I don’t want to report it to insurance.  They’ll see the loss as my fault.  My rates would go up.”

Blane nodded.  He already knew the thief was getting in from the alley and probably not the back door; he just needed to connect the dots.  More likely the thief probably climbed up to the roof and then in via the vents; it would be easy to tell and he would know soon.

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“Thank you, Mr. Gaia.  This has been very helpful.”

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Gaia frowned again. “Really?  You must know something else.”

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Blane nodded.  “It’s my business.  I’ll look at all the doors, cameras, windows, and vents now.  Then I’ll shadow for a couple days to see if we get lucky while I’m trying to backtrack.  When was the last theft”

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“Three days ago.”  Gaia paused a second.  “Not telling you your business, but don’t kill him, okay?  I don’t need that on my conscience.  It’s just money.  I need him stopped, not hurt.  Take him straight to the police or scare him off a bit, your call.  I don’t need to personally rough him up.  You know what I mean?”

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Blane stuck his hand out.  “I don’t often get to meet good guys in this business.  Okay, I promise,” he adlibbed.

​​

“Thanks.  Be careful.”  But Blane was already looking at the front door and its camera.  Ten minutes later he had checked the back door, found all windows securely locked, and found the small, neat access panel cut into the ventilation outflow on the roof.  It was no bigger than a boy could crawl through.

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The next planned scene was the big one.  It was likely to increase the Chaos factor; anything could happen.  Using GME2 many questions could have been asked but none were needed until the fun started.  Again the scene was tested and would play out as planned.

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Blane knew that special gear normally came next, but he had no money and was already sure he would not need any special gear.  He could spend time searching public camera vids to track the mark to and from Gaia’s, but he would probably just wait.  It had been three days and the thefts were almost predictable…as if self-control or a desire to avoid getting caught was missing.

Blane stayed on the roof and found a corner away from the alley where he could hear and not be seen.  He had no money for a hotel anyway and settled down for a nap using his backpack as a pillow.  He did not have long to wait.

It wasn’t noise that awoke him.  It was more the feeling you get before an alarm clock goes off.  He lay very still, gauss pistol still holstered and listening.  As a screw was backed out there was the tiniest squeak.  Then a soft clink as the access plate was laid on the roof near the vent.

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A slight motion of clothing, a smell of something putrid, and then silence.  Blane crept quietly over and peaked in.  He could see only feet receding down into the store, not the flashlight and body of the thief. 

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There was nothing to do now but wait back in his corner.  Ten minutes later the thief was back and Blane could make out the shadow of someone in a jacket and watchcap.  He could not see a backpack or the inevitable weapon but he could tell the thief was not big enough to be a match for him in a brawl.

The thief quietly went over the edge.  Blane followed, far enough behind that he was sure not to be seen in the night lighting.  He was pretty sure he already knew where they were headed.

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When he got to the machinery and engineering section of the city he moved closer knowing the layout and that he could not be heard against the background humming.  The jacket and hat still hid all features and the thief was smart enough to not talk or delay. 

They were strangely near yesterday’s barbershop when they came to a dumpster.  The thief looked all around and Blane had to scramble into the shadows to avoid being seen.  Then the thief was gone…apparently into the dumpster which stood against a garbage strewn building.  As he drew close he could smell the same putrid stench from the roof.

Blane sighed.  He didn’t mind enhancing his own disguise, but he didn’t have a room to clean up in afterward.  He was beginning to get angry. He knew what he needed to do…and didn’t want to do it.

Pulling his pistol more from anger than need, he quietly and carefully climbed into the dumpster trying to breathe from his mouth and not his nose. It was the music that alerted him to a secret panel in the back of the dumpster.  He had not heard any springs squeak earlier so he pushed now and was suddenly standing inside a small room with a bed, a girl, and an old laptop with music playing.  Gadgets with little LED lights glittered everywhere.  It was messy and not.

​

The girl was a pre-teen with very short hair and more dirt than skin.  Her eyes were enormous in the soft electronic light.

“Don’t move,” Blane warned softly.  “This is a gauss pistol and it’ll blow a hole through you and half of what’s behind you.  If you have any traps, call them out now.”

“There are traps all through here.  You’re standing on one and another is to my left.  My hand is on the safety; if you back out, I can continue to protect you.”

“Nice try,” offered Blane.  “I have no food, no money, and no family.  Nothing to lose. I was hired to stop you from stealing.  I have no other plan.  Do what you have to, or we sit down and talk.”

​

It was like the air went out of a balloon.  She sat and put both hands in her lap.  She obviously wasn’t holding onto a safety switch.

“I’ll go first.  I’m Tibbs, Hunter Tibbs.”

“Is that a name or a title?”

“A name.  Nickname maybe.  Both I guess.” He hadn’t thought about his motivations for choosing his name.  Maybe it was a poor choice.

“Mysha.  Babangida.  My name.  But I made it up.  No family either.  I do have some food.”

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“Mysha, I’m going to put the gun away no matter what you do.  But, I’d take it as a kindness if you shared even a bite or two.”

Mysha smiled.  She was almost cute when she smiled.  “I have a new Autochef,…until you take it back.  Want a grilled cheese sandwich?  I hear it makes great ones.”

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Blane’s mouth began to water and his stomach grumbled. “Yes, that would be great. And we can talk about what I take back and don’t, and what comes next while you’re pushing buttons.”

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“Okay, okay.  If you could leave me with the Autochef that would be really great.  I was going to sell the binocs and bug sweeper but you could take those and I’ll be alright.”

​

In minutes the putrid smell was gone, overridden by the aroma of really good grilled cheese sandwiches.

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“We’re halfway to a deal already, Mysha.”

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She smiled and turned with two plates of food.  Blane’s eyes almost watered. He hadn’t eaten since breakfast with Zoro.  He had no interest in hurting this girl.  None.

​

“Thanks,” he muttered and then chewed.

“What’s the other half?  You need me to stop stealing?  I can’t do that. I need the things that make this work and the batteries for my computer music.  You’re not going to take the portable are you?”

“No, the computer is yours.  I just need you to steal somewhere else.”

“Okay, okay.  I can do that.  I tried to stop stealing once,…but I can’t.  When you grow up without, you know.  It becomes a thing to get stuff.”

Blane nodded.  He understood.  And there was probably some abuse along the line that led to a predilection to steal. He looked around the room full of tech, tiny tools, and mechanical tools…and decided to take a chance.

“Unless you want a real job.”

She stopped in mid bite.  He continued.

“I’m a bounty hunter.  Sometimes I work where the law doesn’t reach.  I prefer not to hurt anyone, but I always catch my mark.”  Here he was expanding upon the truth a bit.  This was at most his second case.

“Information helps.  Gadgets can help.  I could see hiring someone who moves quietly, doesn’t draw attention, and understands tech gear and surviving out of sight.”

“I do that.  I can do that.”

“I believe you. I only caught you because you got into too much of a pattern.  I can help you learn to avoid that.”

“Okay, okay.  When do we start?”

Blane stuck his hand out.  “We just did.  One hundred credits per week initially.” 

The girl’s jaw dropped.

“Then we’ll take it from there.  And if anyone gives you trouble, you work for Hunter Tibbs, Bounty Hunter.  That will either back them up…or mark them as dead.”

​

A tear ran down Mysha’s cheek.  “You won’t regret this, Hunter.”

“I already don’t.  As long as you don’t return to Gaia’s, our first paychecks are in the bank.  I’ll set you up with a bank card tomorrow.  Do you want it in your name or a secret name?”

“A secret name”, she whispered. “Asari.  Asari Babangida.  My mother.”

“Done. I’ll be outside at lunch, with card or not. Thank you for breakfast.”  Blane began to rise.

“Did you have a wife or daughter once?” she asked.

“No.  A woman loved me once.  She hates me now.”

“She is a fool.”

Blane laughed.  “Probably anything but.” He paused at the door.  “But if she had given me a daughter, I’d want her to be tough like you.”

​

He left before he could see the tears.  He knew Mysha had never been spoken to like that.  And it made him sad…and angry.

He went to collect his bounty.

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Chaos Factor increased by 1 to 4.  Horace Gaia and Mysha Babangida added to Characters.  Employ Mysha added to Threads.

Art on this page was generated using Gemini (AI).   All rights are retained by Mongoose Publishing and Word Mill Games for their games and gaming procedures and by me for original story material (which is currently going into Scrivener, ver. 3, for potential manuscript submission and publishing).  Copyright 2025.