When we had last left the crew, they had narrowly escaped an ambush by a group of security guards while searching for a supposed xenos tech trinket that had come in from off-world. While the item in question had been moved before they investigated, but they still ended up with something: a wooden box.
The Ulysses glided to a halt and set down in a small gully between a pair of rocky outcroppings. They had traveled a few thousand kilometers, ensuring there was no ship or vehicle trailing them. Inquisitor al-Nasr got up from his seat after touchdown and greedily eyed the small wooden box they had recovered from the shipping container his lead had pointed him to. It was not the xenos treasure he had sought, but it had to be something.
Acetl handed him a small pry-bar and al-Nasr quickly popped the lid open. Inside, under a few layers of protective wrapping was a small symbol, fashioned from a translucent white crystal. At the top was a sort of three-pronged pitchfork, joined at the bottom to a triangle pointing down. A prong forked off the two bottom sides of the triangle, nearly forming a circle, though they did not touch. Al-Nasr quickly recognized it as a rune of the Aeldari, but not one he recognized. He was instantly disappointed.
Ysuranel quickly grabbed the rune from the Inquisitor. "Now see, all you have here, captain, is a precious rune that clearly belongs to someone. You've stolen it, basically."
"Stolen?" al-Nasr said, huffing, "Based on the condition of that shipping container, and the history of its owner, this thing was not going to be delivered to anyone. We've merely liberated it from captivity and a destiny of being a part of some underworld boss's private collection." Ysuranel rolled his eyes, but said nothing. "Anyway, you can keep it as do with it as you please. I have no interest in decoration."
"I will protect it until we can find its owner." Ysuranel answered, and the two turned to walk away.
Trin Flintfinger stopped them. "So... that's it? I break my gun, nearly get blasted by a grenade, Ysuranel takes a slug to the shoulder, and we get nothing?"
Al-Nasr looked down at him, clearly not interested in a debate. "The target of our objective was already gone before we got there. There was no prize to be had besides Ysuranel's trinket."
"Did no one search the bodies before we left?" Some of the crew averted their gaze. "No? well it's a good thing I did." From his pocked he produced a clump of credits and two sets of pills wrapped in bright pink plastic.
Jalen Ren grabbed the credits from Trin. "You managed to search the merc's body as you ran onto the ship?"
"Just a, uh, procursoly look. That's your word for it, right? Anyways, it ain't much, but it's better than a shot to the shoulder, right Ysuranel?" Trin said as he elbowed the Aeldari in the knee and winked at him.
Al-Nasr spoke, seemingly tired of the show of it all. "Once again, Trin, your skills benefit us all." And with that, he retired to the captain's chambers.
After the Inquisitor has shut the door, Trin said, "Gee, thanks, cap."
Later that night, Trin and Acetl sat in the galley. Acetl was washing up having cleared the dishes from their evening meal. Trin was sitting on a bench, the pieces of his shotgun scattered about on the table. "Is it repairable?" Acetl asked over his shoulder as he shut the water off and dried his scaly hands with a towel.
"Nah, I don't think it's worth the trouble." Trin said, slightly defeated. "It was a cheap weapon anyway. But I can probably convince someone it's an antique or something."
"You think you can get credits for such a thing in that state?"
"Enough to get a new gun, sarge, you bet. And maybe a little something extra."
"Your way with words never stop me from wondering, Trin."
As Trin sorted through the parts, Jalen strode through the galley, a cloak wrapped around his shoulders and a bulging pack on his back. The two stared, puzzled as he passed with a "Gentlemen."
Trin tried to stop him. "Uh, hot date there, Jalen?"
Jalen stopped, turned around, and walked back to them. "Al-Nasr's not the only one who can find xenos tech on this rock. Besides, he's blaming me for the shipping container being empty, so I've got to find something to make up for it." Jalen turned on his heel again and walked towards the side hatch. "I'll be back before light."
Trin and Acetl watched Jalen open the door and disappear into the night beyond. They looked at each other wearily and said, in unison, "Humans!"
