Freelance
TravellerKelly B’Wa and ‘Gerbil’ Goodepaster
This was originally a featured article in the November/December 2012 issue.
Kelly B’Wa 4B2CE7 7 Terms Age 46 Cr61,000
Merchant Captain, Owner of Free Trader Crimson Folly
Navigation-3, Electronic-3, Medical-2, Jack-o-T-2, Pilot-1, Vacc Suit-1,
Gunnery-1, Dagger-1, Pistol-0
Free Trader, Dagger, Body Pistol
Kelly is a short, attractive woman with jet-black hair cut short. She dresses in surplus IISS coveralls, with ship patches on both shoulders for the Crimson Folly, the Free Trader she has acquired. Over 28 years, she has worked her way up to ownership of the Folly, taking her lumps along the way. She is glad to finally have something of her own to show for her efforts, and will do what she can to keep the Folly flying, with her on board and in charge. When speaking of the Folly, her face lights up, and one might believe her to be about to giggle. Clearly, she loves her Folly, and considers it her pride and joy.
When the PCs encounter her, however, she will look badly stressed, with a pinched look and deep bags under her eyes. She walks or sits hunched in on herself, smokes furtively, and is on a few different medications for stress. A few minutes conversation will reveal that death, thievery, and incompetence have brought her to the point where she has an un-crewed ship, and no means to make next month’s payment (which is due in 3 weeks).
Kelly has no family to speak of. Her mother passed away on Ruie almost a decade ago, and her older brother never survived his first term in the Scouts. Despite a generally crestfallen look, Kelly is sharp as a tack; from an enlisted cargo hand, she worked her way up, often with the benefit of correspondence courses, through all the ranks to Captain. In fact, she has a graduate degree in Astrogation, though that never translated into any commercial opportunity; the practicalities always fell towards taking care of the ship she was on, and the Free Traders rarely used navigators let alone paid extra for one. She still makes it a habit, however, to always personally lay in the best course for the Folly.
Kelly tries to melt away from any physical violence, but she is not squeamish. She carries her dagger in a boot sheath, and her body pistol in a discreet torso rig; both essentially disappear in the folds of the coveralls she wears. In the few times that Kelly has resorted to deadly force to get out of scrapes, it has been without warning or attendant drama, and therefore as a complete surprise. Kelly feels that is how death comes out in the black, and sometimes one must quietly help it choose another subject.
‘Gerbil’ Goodepaster 5A6A35 7 Terms Age 46 Cr7,000
Merchant 2nd Officer
Mechanical-4, Dagger-2, Electronic-1, Snub Pistol-1, Gunnery-1,
Medical-1
Dagger, Snub Pistol
‘Gerbil’ was the medic, gunner and general Mr. Fix-it on the Crimson Folly for several years, until his addiction to Yixter got the best of him. He absconded with Cr 178,540, and has spent almost all of it on his habit. Gerbil is aggressive and verbally abusive, virtually shrieking his demands, and threatening to have the authorities lock everyone up. When first seen, he will be in the manic phase that follows awakening from a Yixter coma. Gerbil has been consistently using Yixter for 3 months. He will, if given any opportunity, commit sabotage or other acts designed to distract or cause confusion, and in the resulting chaos, he will attempt to locate and steal cash or salable valuables to feed his Yixter habit. He wears the dagger like a short sword, his snub pistol in a shoulder rig, and is clothed in an extensive pink muumuu-like robe.