You are a free trader with over fifteen years left on your ship's mortgage. Unfortunately, you've been getting the butt end of the stick when it comes to trade in the Spinward Marches. You've busted your ass trying to make an honest credit, but for the last seven months, you've only been able to send 50K out of the 100K credits that you owe the bank each month. You've been rushing along off the beaten path trying to avoid paying the piper, but one fine day in startown on Heroni a business dressed man with a large briefcase approaches your table and identifies himself as Agent Krueger of the First Imperial Bank of Mora and he is here to discuss the state of your mortgage.
He immediately explains that he is not trying to take the ship back; "We already have twelve ships just like yours rotting in a parking orbit, putting another up there isn't going to turn any red ink black." He wants to keep the ship operating, but he is going to have to review the captain's logbook and account ledger. The agent having legal authority to repossess the ship, the captain has little choice but to comply.
After asking a few sharp questions about some investments that failed, the agent agrees that times have been tough and commends the captain for dealing as fair as circumstances have allowed. Then he offers the captain a deal.
1.) Bring the ship in to Mora and have that overdue maintenance taken care of... on the bank.
2.) Several operational changes will be necessary, like either making that gunner start helping with the passengers or firing him.
3.) The ship will be running jobs for the bank for the next 12 months.
4.) The crew will keep all incidental profits, and the bank will forgo payment for those 12 months as well as forgive the past due.
5.) One stateroom will be available for bank agents at all times, free of charge.
What are the jobs that the captain and crew have to take?
The first thing that comes to mind is looking for other defaulting / skipping ships and at least reporting their whereabouts and doings, but this is distasteful work for a free trader. But the bank has other investments other than in free traders. The bank loans to planets, schools, nobles, it even loans to subsectors. These investments require travel and cargo room, and sometimes they require adventure.
He immediately explains that he is not trying to take the ship back; "We already have twelve ships just like yours rotting in a parking orbit, putting another up there isn't going to turn any red ink black." He wants to keep the ship operating, but he is going to have to review the captain's logbook and account ledger. The agent having legal authority to repossess the ship, the captain has little choice but to comply.
After asking a few sharp questions about some investments that failed, the agent agrees that times have been tough and commends the captain for dealing as fair as circumstances have allowed. Then he offers the captain a deal.
1.) Bring the ship in to Mora and have that overdue maintenance taken care of... on the bank.
2.) Several operational changes will be necessary, like either making that gunner start helping with the passengers or firing him.
3.) The ship will be running jobs for the bank for the next 12 months.
4.) The crew will keep all incidental profits, and the bank will forgo payment for those 12 months as well as forgive the past due.
5.) One stateroom will be available for bank agents at all times, free of charge.
What are the jobs that the captain and crew have to take?
The first thing that comes to mind is looking for other defaulting / skipping ships and at least reporting their whereabouts and doings, but this is distasteful work for a free trader. But the bank has other investments other than in free traders. The bank loans to planets, schools, nobles, it even loans to subsectors. These investments require travel and cargo room, and sometimes they require adventure.
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