Drift Stories/Hands Off the Merchandise: Difference between revisions
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Ilyar took the headset from Quartz and keyed up the transmitter. “''Grand Repose'', this is Heavy Freighter…” He glanced around in a panic, his eyes alighting on the crumpled bag stuffed under Bentley’s seat. “… ''Cool Ranch''. Apologies, our transponder has been malfunctioning lately. We are carrying a volatile load bound for Passenger-382-C. Advise maintaining distance, our Drift wake is potentially dangerous to small craft.” | Ilyar took the headset from Quartz and keyed up the transmitter. “''Grand Repose'', this is Heavy Freighter…” He glanced around in a panic, his eyes alighting on the crumpled bag stuffed under Bentley’s seat. “… ''Cool Ranch''. Apologies, our transponder has been malfunctioning lately. We are carrying a volatile load bound for Passenger-382-C. Advise maintaining distance, our Drift wake is potentially dangerous to small craft.” | ||
The reply came quickly. “''Cool Ranch?'' Logistics | The reply came quickly. “''Cool Ranch?'' Logistics Corps sure have run out of ideas. What is this ‘volatile load’? We have orders to inspect cargo in transit through this sector.” | ||
Ilyar glanced down at Quartz, who quickly mouthed a suitable answer. He smiled, keying up again. “We are carrying fifty tonnes of Drift isolate. Our hold is locked down but I ''strongly'' advise against any attempts to scan it.” Bentley was watching from across the bridge, eyes wide with delight. Drift isolate, pure concentrated narrative energy, was just about the most unstable substance in regular traffic; the cutter’s crew knew as well as they did that one scan could blow the entire sector out of existence. | Ilyar glanced down at Quartz, who quickly mouthed a suitable answer. He smiled, keying up again. “We are carrying fifty tonnes of Drift isolate. Our hold is locked down but I ''strongly'' advise against any attempts to scan it.” Bentley was watching from across the bridge, eyes wide with delight. Drift isolate, pure concentrated narrative energy, was just about the most unstable substance in regular traffic; the cutter’s crew knew as well as they did that one scan could blow the entire sector out of existence. | ||