So what didn't pilot school tell you...
I called into the passenger lounge at Marley Port hoping to find a rich tourist. Turns out an old biddy wanted to look at the ice geysers on a rock somewhere and was willing to pay big. What the heck, its only 75 ly, how hard can it be? So I take the contract and we're out of Marely Port on a day trip. I reach the destination (with hieroglyphics for a name) and make a course for the ice geysers. What the... its 385,000 ls from the star. I'm temped to turn around, but don't want to disappoint the biddy, so I flip on some music and settle back.
Next thing, she springs to life. I'm half way to nowhere and she wants two tonnes of domestic appliances to make the trip more comfortable. How much more comfortable can she get, she's been in a coma until now. She opens her purse and the moths fly out as she offers a meagre 65k bonus for my trouble. I can understand an ice cream or snack, but what is she going to do with two tonnes of appliances? Anyway, I wanted to keep her happy as my rep at Marley sucks, so I put on the Python brakes and consult the Galaxy Map. No consumer technology centres to be seen, must be a public holiday.
I then have an idea. I'll go to the nearest orbital, surely the people there use all sorts appliances. I bring up the system map and the nearest orbital is also over 300,000 ls away. By this time I think about putting the old biddy in the escape pod myself. I compose myself, I'll just go the biggest population centre in the next system. They are bound to have more appliances than they know what to do with. I jump to a nearby system, cruise to the nearest port and enquire about appliances. Sure enough they have a market in domestic appliances. I order two tonnes, but you guessed it, the old biddy wants me to pay. I can't leave the station until the goods are paid for, so I shell out for a bunch of microwaves and washing machines. I'll tack it on her bill.
I'm soon back in the system (with the hieroglyphics) heading for the planet with the ice geysers. Switch on the music to drown out the noise of the old biddy unpacking her appliances. When we arrive and I check my nav for the tourist beacon. Sure enough its there and I glide down to, well nothing actually. Its night and pitch black. Couldn't see the ground. By now the old biddy's got her nose pressed against the glass. "I can't see any geysers" she says. She has a point. So I try to get close and thrust this way and that. Somehow end up 10 feet from the beacon upside down. Remind me to thank the guy who invented shields. I kick myself for not being content to scan the beacon from a couple of k's out and tell her the geysers melted.
Anyway, we have a gawk, I right the ship and make a course for Marley. I didn't hear a peep from the biddy on the way back. She must be asleep. No such luck, when I dock at Marely and check the passenger cabin she's gone and so are the domestic appliances I paid for.
P.S. Not a rant. Finished the mission and got paid... all good [smile]
I called into the passenger lounge at Marley Port hoping to find a rich tourist. Turns out an old biddy wanted to look at the ice geysers on a rock somewhere and was willing to pay big. What the heck, its only 75 ly, how hard can it be? So I take the contract and we're out of Marely Port on a day trip. I reach the destination (with hieroglyphics for a name) and make a course for the ice geysers. What the... its 385,000 ls from the star. I'm temped to turn around, but don't want to disappoint the biddy, so I flip on some music and settle back.
Next thing, she springs to life. I'm half way to nowhere and she wants two tonnes of domestic appliances to make the trip more comfortable. How much more comfortable can she get, she's been in a coma until now. She opens her purse and the moths fly out as she offers a meagre 65k bonus for my trouble. I can understand an ice cream or snack, but what is she going to do with two tonnes of appliances? Anyway, I wanted to keep her happy as my rep at Marley sucks, so I put on the Python brakes and consult the Galaxy Map. No consumer technology centres to be seen, must be a public holiday.
I then have an idea. I'll go to the nearest orbital, surely the people there use all sorts appliances. I bring up the system map and the nearest orbital is also over 300,000 ls away. By this time I think about putting the old biddy in the escape pod myself. I compose myself, I'll just go the biggest population centre in the next system. They are bound to have more appliances than they know what to do with. I jump to a nearby system, cruise to the nearest port and enquire about appliances. Sure enough they have a market in domestic appliances. I order two tonnes, but you guessed it, the old biddy wants me to pay. I can't leave the station until the goods are paid for, so I shell out for a bunch of microwaves and washing machines. I'll tack it on her bill.
I'm soon back in the system (with the hieroglyphics) heading for the planet with the ice geysers. Switch on the music to drown out the noise of the old biddy unpacking her appliances. When we arrive and I check my nav for the tourist beacon. Sure enough its there and I glide down to, well nothing actually. Its night and pitch black. Couldn't see the ground. By now the old biddy's got her nose pressed against the glass. "I can't see any geysers" she says. She has a point. So I try to get close and thrust this way and that. Somehow end up 10 feet from the beacon upside down. Remind me to thank the guy who invented shields. I kick myself for not being content to scan the beacon from a couple of k's out and tell her the geysers melted.
Anyway, we have a gawk, I right the ship and make a course for Marley. I didn't hear a peep from the biddy on the way back. She must be asleep. No such luck, when I dock at Marely and check the passenger cabin she's gone and so are the domestic appliances I paid for.
P.S. Not a rant. Finished the mission and got paid... all good [smile]
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