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Vicksen Aureola
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Skecis MK II
Cost: 260
Quote: "Mmmmmmm... I'm feeling hot today."
Booth Biography:: Pilot, Pin-Up and Philanderer, Aureola is a favourite with traders both in and out of the cockpit. Whereas her buxom charms have generated her a healthy income and widespread recognition across the Tri-System, she chooses to devote the majority of her time to piloting the fighter Bathukolpian. Although her skills are not fantastic, she is a dedicated and persistent wingman, whose hire fee belies her level of commitment. One added bonus is that her fame as a model often leads to assailants feeling reluctant to attack her -- usually to their demise.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Eryl Barsteadly
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Shaman
Cost: 335
Quote: "Kites at 1400 hours. Toodlepip!"
Booth Biography:Of all the families on Janus IV, the Barsteadly clan is indubitably the oldest, snobbiest and most inbred. Relics in their family museum date back many thousands of years, and it seems that Eryl (youngest son of the present Duke Barsteadly) developed an osbession with stories in a piece of crude, antique literature that describes the antics of the pilots of primitive aircraft. Eryl's conversation is now liberally peppered with meaningless phrases culled from this source. As a wingman, he is competent, with his fighting ability lent extra verve by his insistence on using ancient, unwieldy -- yet surprisingly effective - combat maneuvers.
Darkening Team Member: Paul Hughes
Brad Califaryan
Rating: Connoisseur
Skill Level: 6
Ship: Velacia
Cost: 360
Quote: "Mess with the best, die like the rest." (and other clichés)
Booth Biography:Having graduated top of his class at the Hades Aeronautics Martial Academy, Califaryan snubbed entry into the Anhurian Starfleet in favour of freelancing as a mercenary. Brash, arrogant and impulsive, he is still something of an unknown quantity; his statistics on military simulators are impressive indeed, but there is a significant difference between theory and practice. The few contracts he's taken have been successes, but he has yet to be truly tested, and his hot head and inexperience may well fail to justify his high price.
Darkening Team Member: Nick Elms
Alopecia Cook
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Heretic
Cost: 265
Quote: "D'ya want some? I'm 'andy!"
Booth Biography:All mouth, no trousers. That's the only fair assessment of Ser Cook; known as the largest bore weapon in the galaxy, his voluminous braggadocio rings loud throughout every recruiting hall and drinking establishment in the Tri-System. He is not unskilled -- poor pilots rarely live long enough to boast at all -- but he certainly ranks among the most cowardly wingmen ever to put glove to joystick. He's cheap, sure, but unless you envisage facing no more than equal numbers of enemies on your voyage, you're best advised to leave him propped up at the bar in his own inimitable fashion.
Darkening Team Member: Dan Blackstone
Cinquante Delores
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Jendevi
Cost: 265
Quote: "Because it just is, OK?"
Booth Biography:Originally an inter-system translator for the diplomatic corps, she ditched the 9 to 5 monotony in favour of living on the edge as a gun for hire. Her diminutive stature belies her ability; her father was the legendary cruiser captain Pietr Velasquez Delores, and she learned combat skills at his knee, only to put it all aside to marry a Hepaestan ex-poet. Following her husband's death in a freak shaving accident, she returned to her original vocation, where she is a solid, dependable and reassuringly natural-blonde wingwoman.
Darkening Team Member: Julia Chapman
Delphinius
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Aurora
Cost: 280
Quote: "Hang on, I'm watching something."
Booth Biography:A curious being, Delhinius is unique in the Mercenary Guild as the only wingman who flies exclusively on autopilot, all the time. The main reason for this, some have suggested, is that he hasn't the first idea of how to fly a ship, but likes the lifestyle anyway, furiously screaming down anyone who questions his abilities. His only supporters are rumored to be as hapless as the man himself. A fiendish exponent of ducking and diving in a dogfight, he won't contribute much during combat, leaving you with ... well, nothing much at all, really.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Lerissa du Voille
Rating: Average
Skill Level: 3
Ship: Faldari
Cost: 240
Quote: "En garde, maggot filth!"
Booth Biography:The scion of an Anhurian banking family, du Voille is a prime example of the so-called "poor little bitch girls," wealthy and educated females who rebel against their upbringing by exposing themselves to severe risk. Sporting big hair and Satanic tattoos, du Voille flies like a woman possessed and has frequently been seen employing the extremely hazardous "head-on" attack, afterburning straight toward her foe with guns blazing. However, she can also be extremely petulant, and employers are warned that she has been known to abandon her charges on a whim.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Pinet el-Susse
Rating: Novice
Skill Level: 1
Ship: Aurora
Cost: 120
Quote: "What pirate?"
Booth Biography:Some poor souls cannot help but be drawn into the ruthless world of mercenaries and pirates, attracted by the danger and excitement through their own inadequacy. El-Susse is a prime example, a bespectacled buffoon whose ineptitude behind a joystick is matched only by the poverty of his aim. Pilots of his caliber die by the dozen every hour of the Standard Day, but despite all the odds, El-Susse has managed to come through unscathed, largely through blind luck. If you're thinking of hiring him, note that his very low hire fee is an accurate representation of his use, though some of his good fortune may well rub off on you.
Darkening Team Member: Chris Batson
Ignatius Furorum
Rating: Connoisseur
Skill Level: 6
Ship: Velacia
Cost: 390
Quote: "Gonna batter and fry your ass, amateur."
Booth Biography:Some pilots operate on adrenaline. Some stay on edge through sheer terror. Furorum is motivated solely by anger of his previous life being shattered overnight. Originally a mild-mannered janitor on one of Leviatha's deep-space fish farms, he became unwittingly caught up in one of the last Cod Wars and, through a series of events that are unlikely to become clear again in the near future, has been on the run ever since. In the cockpit, this loss of his dearly loved job translates into ferocious, uncontrolled aggression. Previous employers have remarked how amazed they were to see Furorum throw himself headlong into the fray (despite being hugely outnumbered), only to emerge victorious as his enemies succumbed to or fled from his relentless assault.
Darkening Team Member: Mark Goldsworthy
Norus Heggardly
Rating: Average
Skill Level: 3
Ship: Faldari MK II
Cost: 240
Quote: "Look at the size of those Nebulas."
Booth Biography:A promising career in unpopular music met an untimely demise when Heggardly wiped out the rest of his group, Apoplexy, with one bass solo too many due to "musical differences." Sine the, he has been on the run from his record company, briefly laying low in the guise of a biology master at the Van Vista Finishing School for Young Ladies in the Hom system. Although a highly skilled combater, Heggardly nevertheless persists in letting clients down. Many years of living in the fast lane have taken their toll on his short and long term memory – he has even been known on occasion to forget whose side he is on in the middle of a dogfight! Very much an unfathomable force, you just never know what he'll do.
Darkening Team Member: Paul Chapman
Welppe Iuvenil
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Faldari MK II
Cost: 325
Quote: "Gee, look, pirates. Let's get 'em!"
Booth Biography:Wetter behind the ears than a Bexian Diving Elephant, Iuvenil is a prime example of the many young men eager to risk death in the search for fame and (more importantly) fortune. Although the code on his pilot's license is still bug-free, he seems more than keen to throw himself into the fray, and his hire fee is a clear indication of this. As to his abilities, well, who knows? He could be another Sativa or space debris within the week. The choice is yours.
Darkening Team Member: Alex Camillieri
Hengist Magnusson
Rating: Connoisseur
Skill Level: 6
Ship: Duress
Cost: 380
Quote: "Aaaaaaaargh!"
Booth Biography:Ser Magnusson was only recently released from the Crian State Mental Rehabilitation Facility, following treatment for Severe Neurochemical Psychosis (sustained after Magnusson was accidentally exposed to experimental nerve toxins while delivering prisoners to Hades). Despite extensive leucotomy, Magnusson still persists in his believe that he is a mythical warrior known as a Wyking, and flies into berserk rages whenever faced with a combative situation. However, his skills as a pilot remain undiminished, and his fearless demeanour has made him a favourite wingman among merchants, especially those attempting the perilous Dreby-Gastrin run.
Darkening Team Member: Nick Goldsworthy
Bruiser McDoozer
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Aurora
Cost: 265
Quote: "Let's be 'avin' yer, then!"
Booth Biography:Brutish, crass and bullying -- the three adjectives most commonly used in conjunction with McDoozer's name. Shunned by most of the mercenary community for his obnoxious ways, McDoozer is usually mercilessly pounding some unfortunate bloke in a bar brawl within hours of completing a mission. Indeed, he wouldn't be tolerated at all if not for his prowess in the cockpit. Fortunately for him, he is as skilled with a laser and missile as he is with boot and bottle. If you wish to add a little thuggish brutality to your convoy's defense, McDoozer's the man.
Darkening Team Member: Phil Meller
Phungid Mykofyle
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Faldari MK II
Cost: 325
Quote: "I smell trouble."
Booth Biography:Life as an escort pilot is nothing if not strenuous. With the constant fear of death and the unremitting slaughter going on all around, it's not surprising that the pilots who survive develop their own idiosyncrasies and foibles. For Mykofyle, the price he's had to pay for survival is the acquisition of chronic agoraphobia. He has refused to leave the cramped confines of his ship for at least two years, and the stench on board is reputedly ferocious, with mould, algae and the like coating every surface. However, all this doesn't seem to have affected his abilities as a mercenary, and he is a reliable, able escort.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Clevis "Guts" Nugget
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Freij
Cost: 335
Quote: "Gonna kick your ass, sea bass."
Booth Biography:The fattest pilot ever to achieve triple-Ace status, "Guts" Nugget's corpulence and appetite are standing jokes among the mercenary community. (It is rumored, for instance, that his ship's cockpit had to be specially widened for him to sit in it. A habitué of the Galactic Gourmet, he has traditionally spent every deca-credit of his hire fee on luxurious foodstuffs before his retro-jets have cooled. It is fortunate for him that his skills warrant such prodigious expenditure; he is more than competent as a combat pilot, and his appetite means that he is most unwilling to desert a paying client. All in all, a good hire; just don't stand him lunch.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Orpheus
Rating: Specialist
Skill Level: 8
Ship: Icarus
Cost: 465
Quote: "Look behind you."
Booth Biography:Among the annals of escort pilots, none is more mysterious than the feared Orpheus. Contactable only through an anonymous mail link, this pilot's name, appearance, and even gender are unknown. His (her?) coolness in combat is famed, his flying of incredible precision and his aim unerring. Orpheus' combat style is in line with all great aces – attacking form the blind spots above, below and behind. His only failing is his loyalty -- if he considers a battle unwinnable, he will just quietly slip away, although instances of this happening are rare.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Jak Perdies
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Duress
Cost: 275
Quote: "Another death, another dollar."
Booth Biography:Workmanlike. That's the best description for Jak -- a competent pilot flying for a living, nothing more. Good enough to stay alive, not talented enough to earn the really big bucks, Jak shuttles his battered cruiser back and forth on job after job, entering combat only when absolutely necessary. You get what you pay for – if he takes the job (and he has been known to turn down missions that strike him as particularly dangerous), you'll have him by your side until you touch down; his reputation isn't strong enough for him to risk running away.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Tallboy Rickardson
Rating: Above Average
Skill Level: 4
Ship: Shaman
Cost: 280
Quote: "God, it's cramped in here."
Booth Biography:Very few Karatikian mutants drift into the life of escort piloting; by and large, they prefer to exercise their superior physiques in more physical pursuits, and their large, muscular frames are ill-suited to the confines of a fighter cockpit. Rickardson is an exception, drawn to the profession by the twin lures of glory and profit. This has not been without mshap; his discomfort often leads to him being twitchy and overeager to finish a mission, and a significant amount of his income has gone toward repairing the damage caused to controls by his sheer, brute strength. However, he is an able and relatively inexpensive wingman, well worth a look.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Liston Sativa
Rating: Specialist
Skill Level: 8
Ship: Drakkar
Cost: 495
Quote: "Don't worry – I'll leave you one."
Booth Biography:Whenever pilots gather, they speak in hushed tones of those whom they admire – Magnusson, du Voilla, Orpheus and the like. However, when those pilots get together, they speak of one man, and one man only – Liston Sativa. Without doubt the most masterful pilot the Tri-System has ever seen, his ability represents the acme of the warrior's art: beautifully intuitive flying, compounded by supernaturally accurate aim. Savage ferocity tempered by iron discipline. An irreproachable sense of honour matched by ice-cool strategic analysis. When things heat up, there is no one you'd rather have on your side. If you can afford him.
Darkening Team Member: Tony Stockton
Lazenby Simpson
Rating: Apprentice
Skill Level: 2
Ship: Velacia
Cost: 180
Quote: "I'm gonna get you now."
Booth Biography:In the good ship Appleseed, Lazenby Simpson cruises the galaxy looking for the unrighteous to bring to justice. A distinctive figure in his Cuban heels, lime-green astrakhan leisure suit and floppy brimmed hat, he is without doubt the best-dressed wingman in circulation (not to mention a favourite at social gatherings, with his sartorial elegance and ready wit). Unfortunately, his flying skills aren't as colourful as his wardrobe; although possessed with a certain natural flair, and with numerous kills to his credit, he is too erratic to be trusted with hazardous missions, and his more suited for added security on the less dangerous routes.
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
Monk Skungous
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Straith
Cost: 340
Quote: "Let us prey."
Booth Biography:Of all the weird and wonderful religions that the Tri-System supports, without a doubt the most paradoxical is the Sacrilegious Order of the Murdering Monks of Malefiction. Worshippers of a beneficent deity, they selflessly condemn themselves to spiritual damnation by murdering those they feel worthy of salvation. A victim of unlawful killing automatically achieves entry into their Paradise. Brother Skungous is a member of a splinter group known as the Maudlin Monks, who have noted that, hellbound as they are, they will not be reunited with those they consider worthy of transcendence. Therefore, to make eternal damnation more pleasant, they kill instead of those unworthy of entrance to Heaven, and spare those they consider worthy in the hope that they will achieve damnation through their own actions, providing the Monks with good company for their eternal suffering. Skungous has taken the opportunity to mix religious with business – after all, he's damned anyhow, so big bucks pleasure borgs won't do him any spiritual harm, will they?
Darkening Team Member: Actor from the FMV
Leon J. Spudley
Rating: Average
Skill Level: 3
Ship: Heretic
Cost: 215
Quote: "You couldn't hit a cow's backside with a spade."Booth Biography:Of all the Tri-System planets, Bex has spawned the least warriors. An exception to this is Leon J. Spudley, a strapping farmer's son whose natural proficiency with the scatterpistol and electric crossbow and skill driving a hovertraktor have translated into above-average pilot skills. A simple soul, Spudley's rural ruggedness has made him a tenacious and outstandingly loyal wingman, although on dangerous trips a second, more skillful wingman is recommended.
Darkening Team Member: Adam Medhurst
Paetas Sturge
Rating: Connoisseur
Skill Level: 6
Ship: Karnenan
Cost: 365
Quote: "Here we go again…"
Booth Biography:Experience counts for a lot in this game, if only due to the fact that there's very little of it about; few pilots last beyond the two year mark, whether due to death, loss of nerve or retirement. Ser Sturge is the longest of the long-timers; he's been at it for over 10 years now, though a mixture of luck and judgment, and what he doesn't know about interplanetary haulage and piracy could be written with the electrons of a hydrogen atom. A very handy addition to your convoy, whatever the assignment, but he doesn't come cheap.
Darkening Team Member: Mike Cottam
Iuste Suttilis
Rating: Reputable
Skill Level: 5
Ship: Kalrechi
Cost: 325
Quote: "See that ship? Watch this…"
Booth Biography:Being an escort pilot is not exactly what you'd call a vocation – the danger is considerable — unless the calling you feel is an irresistible urge to acquire large sums of cash. The sums involved mean that many people drift into the profession through their possession of relevant abilities. Suttilis is a prime example: a medalist in the Inter-System Firearms Championship (he took Gold in beam Weapon/Pistol and Beam Weapon/Rifle), he decided to apply his phenomenal accuracy to more practical purposes. The wisdom of his decision is clear – although an undistinguished pilot, his aim and vision are so good that he has often destroyed enemy vessels before other pilots have even seen them.
Darkening Team Member: Paul the IT guy
Wendy Wellington (aka Murray-Thew Latchford)
Rating: Righteous
Skill Level: 7
Ship: Duress
Cost: 425
Quote: "Has anyone seen my rucksack?"
Booth Biography:Originally a hot air balloon pilot on Bex, she made the decision to go freelance in search of excitement, adventure and the odd afternoon off. Not an exceptional pilot by any means, she is still a good hire because of the ferocious computational and fire power that her expensively modified ship possesses. A good all-round hire, all the same.
Darkening Team Member: Jacqui Odell
Jaren Xi
Rating: Righteous
Skill Level: 7
Ship: Danrik
Cost: 415
Quote: "Softly, softly, catchy missile."
Booth Biography:Xi is a member of a nomadic asteroid-mining 'tribe-company.' Displaying a natural flair for piloting fighter craft, he was soon tasked full-time with the defense of the vulnerable drilling rigs and homedomes, honing his combat skills to their present level. Having left the clan to seek his fortune, he has been embroiled in some of the system's most notorious encounters, such as the Khamrad Belt Ambush and the Bel-Dhangri Affair, where he single-handedly accounted for over 15 devotee craft. Although he is clinical and ruthless in combat, prospective employers should nevertheless be warned of his propensity for quoting obscure, Asiatic mystical texts.
Darkening Team Member: Mike Cottam
Mystery 1
Darkening Team Member: Jason Reeve
Mystery 2
Darkening Team Member: Unknown
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