by Kevin Girard

You are the crew of the USCV Hecate, a GATE-certified cargo ship. A few years ago, travel through hyperspace was proven to have unpredictable and dangerous side effects, meaning that the cost of getting basic supplies out to the colonies has skyrocketed. The people of Neptune and Pluto are getting screwed the worst, and they're not going to take it anymore.

With financial assistance from former CEO Alvin Manderley, a group calling itself The Darkworld Coalition has been raiding cargo ships and smuggling contraband. The military of the United Solar Republic has been deployed to Neptune space to put down Coalition forces; things are about to get messy.

What does this have to do with you? Well, Hecate is one of the few ships that can still afford to operate, and right now you have a lucrative contract to deliver supplies to the USR forces. It's dangerous, of course, but that's why you make the big bucks. Just deliver the shipment, then turn around and head right back to Titan. DO NOT get involved in the conflict.

Oh, and make sure you take your pills, and double-check all of the ship's systems and shielding before entering hyperspace. We certainly don't want a repeat of what happened last time.