Thursday 10-02-3200
13:59
"And here he is now, right on time! Have a seat friend, order something on me; soon as you're ready we can get down to business." Kal Kasama's usual cloyingly gracious patter greets the final member of the team to arrive at the mid-sized restaurant, populated only by the fixer himself, his usual contingent of shotgun-toting bodyguards, one disinterested barman, the other four members of the recently-established crew, and two concerned-looking men you don't recognise. As if noticing you taking in the surroundings, Kal pipes up. "Don't worry, nobody but friends here. Owner owes me a few favours so I rented the whole place out for for a little private party. Unfortunately you'll be off-world by the time it starts, but we'll get to that in a minute."
Any food and drinks requested are promptly delivered to the large table Kal and the crew are seated around, and after everyone is comfortable the broker begins. "To business, gentlemen. My client, and now your own generous benefactor, is gravely concerned with the climate over on Kakimides, and how it could negatively influence the well-being of someone close to him that happens to be caught in that ongoing dispute. He wishes for a capable and competent team, namely yourselves, to head over there and secure this person, then bring them home safely to Mejo." Kal taps his wrist-mounted comm with deft fingers and pings a 3D holophoto to each of your own commlinks. "Katya Novaro, 26 years old. Member of the Emergency Response Medical Unit for two years now, very good at what she does apparently; comes with being bio-psy, I imagine." He catches your reactions. "Oh yes, she's psy. Registered on the National Database and everything, just like her father was. I'm sure now you can understand how precarious her situation is, and how it will be in all of our best interests for this job to get done as expediently as possible."
Kal wait a few moments for you to gather your thoughts before he continues, holding an open palm up to any questions raised. "Now I know what you're all thinking; 'Kal, my dear friend, why would we want to go diving head-first into a war-zone, other than to keep our mutual associate happy?' Well, let me give you three good reasons why: 1, you won't be flying on a helpless shuttle. When you touch Kaki soil it'll be from inside an Eriboan military boat." The fixer taps his wrist again and another message is sent to you all. "2, your fee was negotiated to include ample hazard pay; 100,000 credits for the safe return of Ms Novaro, or half upon confirmation of her death. Let's hope it doesn't come to that, but either way your journey will be well worth your while. And finally, number 3, you won't be going in blind." He motions to the two men sat at a table to the rear of the restaurant, the same two men you spotted before, who make their way over to you now. "Allow me to introduce Romer Kwik, and his lawyer Wei Xuan. Between the two of them, you'll have no problems getting past any little obstructions down dirtside. I'll let you all get acquainted, there's an urgent call I need to make. Shouldn't be long." With a wink, Kal leaves the two groups alone.
