Happy Frigg and Freya’s Day
Story:
Jeremiah felt a moment of Deva Vu as the was waiting in the same waiting room on Regina for his 3rd Officer exam results as he had been for his 4th Officer. The only difference was Kimberly was no longer there. She had been promoted and unfortunately engaged to be married to some other bureaucrat. He had called her as soon as The Regina Strider had touched down in the Starport; only to get the bad news from her own lips that she was no longer available. Perils of being away for a year in space on a charter assignment for a rich patron.
It seemed a shame though, as he and Kim had gotten rather intimately acquainted for three days a year before. A good three days of drinking, sex, and conversation. It ended with a call from Captain Juros who wanted to contract him out for another year. She had contacted The Strider to a rich patron who wanted them to take him and a survey team on tour of some new holdings he had bought in a couple systems. He wanted a Jump-2 capable starship to save time and Juros had offered up the Strider. She needed a pilot for the next year. He took the contract. Kim and he had sex one more time and he kissed her goodbye.
The next year was uneventful and rather safe, to be honest. They only did a hyperjump four times, the last bringing them back to Regina. It wasn’t dull though as he spent a lot of time helping the survey team with the sensors from orbit as the surveyed some areas on a couple planets and some asteroid belt content. The patron was looking for something specific and didn’t find it, so no bonus, but he paid really well for some of the things they did find.
Because of the extra time Jeremiah spent a lot of time learning Navigation from the library computer and any time he could talk to about it with Captain Juros. After the second jump, he tested and logged in Navigator skill to his abilities. The third and fourth jumps, he not only piloted the ship but had been the one who had set the navigation coordinates himself.
“Jeremiah Kilwood”
Jeremiah got up and approached the desk and the masculine voice attached to the new man assigned to Kim’s old position.
Jeremiah identified himself.
“Congratulations 3rd Officer Kilwood, you passed. Here is your new ID.”
He took the new card in his hands which Read “Free Trader 3rd Officer Jerimiah Kilwood – Starship Pilot, Navigator, and Engineer.”
Jeremiah took the card and headed to the local spacer bar. One that most of the Free Traders liked to go in order to drown their troubles or have a good time. To his surprise, Captian Juros was there and she looked like she was waiting for him.
“So?”, she asked as he got near.
“I passed – 3rd Officer Kilwood reporting in”.
“Well, done. let me buy you a drink.”
In the next hour, Jeremiah unburdened himself a little to his captain of two years. He told her of his plans to be a captain himself one day and about Kim. He asked Juros about the whole thing because he had never written her and yet he was a little sad she had moved on. He puzzled about this dual problem of seeming not to care but still feeling sad all the same.
“Can I give you some captain’s advice about relationships?”
He nodded.
“You are a Spacer, kid. My best advice then is to understand that all your relationships are short term. You want a long term relationship, settle down on a planet and find a girl and have kids. That, however, has no place in the life of a spacer. You can have a girl in every port if you want, but if they move on, you shrug and move on yourself. Your lover is space itself. Trust me this will save you a lot of heartaches. Here.”
She slapped a credit note down on the table.
“What’s this for?”
“There is a brothel upstairs, I use it myself from time to time. One of the men has particular skills I enjoy, but they have some pretty great gals too. Girls who understand you are a spacer and won’t be around tomorrow. They will let you fuck them, hold you afterward and listen to you for the time allotted with patience. If you do take a lover sometimes, make it in the context of being a spacer and know it is not permanent.”
He nodded and tried to push back the note.
“No, take it and use it. Consider it a promotion present.”
After she left, Jeremiah nursed his drink for another half hour looking at the note and thinking. He had to admit, Captain Juros had good points. I mean, Kim and him had been a good thing for a few days, but she was clearly a planetside person. He was spacer and any relationship of a romantic nature would have to be with another spacer. Even that though would have to be short term. He had to admit the thing that meant most to him now was being in space. At present, no girl was worth losing that.
He downed the rest of his drink and took up the note. He smiled and headed upstairs.
Megatraveler Notes:
Free Trader 4th Officer Jeremiah Kilwood
UPP: A67A74 Age: 19 Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In
Skills: Pilot – 1, Engineering – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0
Brownie Points: 1
Year Two:
Position Availability: 8+ +1 Int rolls: 8+1=9 Serves as 4th Officer.
Assignment Roll: 8 +1 for Soc: 5- =9 – Charter
Survival: 4+ rolls: 12; Skill: 6+ rolls: 7; Bouns: 10+ rolls: 3 no bonus.
Promotion: 6+ rolls: 10 – Promoted to 3rd Officer. Gain one skill.
Skills: 2 Rolls on Free Trader Business table: 5 – Exploratory Cascade – Chooses Sensor Ops – 1; Rolls on Free Trader Business table: 2 – Space Cascade – Choses Navigation – 1
Having been promoted as an officer this term he is not eligible for another until his second term: Gains one Brownie Point for the promotion.
Megatraveller Shorthand:
Free Trader 3rd Officer Jeremiah Kilwood
UPP: A67A74 Age: 20 Homeworld: Strouden UWP: A-745988-D N Hi In
Skills: Pilot – 1, Navigation – 1, Engineering – 1, Sensor Ops – 1, Grav Vehicle – 0, Computer – 0, Handgun – 0, Vacc Suit – 0
Brownie Points: 2
I remain,
The Rabyd Skald – Wandering Soul, Bard, and Philosopher. The Grey Wayfarer.
Skaal!!!
‘
The Grey Wayfarer 