# Economy & Progression Proof — Star Freight

> One captain tracked from hour 1 to hour 8. Proves the loop is sustainable, pressure stays meaningful, different identities remain viable, and setback recovery creates story instead of dead time.

---

## The Captain

Name doesn't matter. Origin: Compact military pilot, disgraced, starting at Freeport in the Sable Reach. The player knows nothing about the star system except what Freeport shows them.

### Starting State (Hour 0)

| Variable | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Credits | 500₡ |
| Ship | Hull 1,800/2,000. Shields 200/250. Weapons: basic. Engines: slow (2 tiles). Cargo hold: 6 units. Crew quarters: tier 1. Systems: 70%. |
| Crew | None. Solo. |
| Reputation | Compact: -25 (Cold — the disgrace). All others: 0. |
| Cultural Knowledge | All Lv.0. |
| Cargo | Empty. |
| Day | 1 |
| Contracts | None. |
| Investigation | 0/10 beats. |
| Debts | None. |

**Floor costs (monthly):** Fuel ~150₡ (6 travel days × 25₡). Maintenance ~200₡. No crew pay yet. Total: ~350₡/month. With 500₡, the player has roughly 6 weeks before they're dead broke with no intervention.

---

## Phase 1: Survive (Hours 1–3, Days 1–35)

### Run 1: The First Haul (Day 1–4)

**At Freeport.** The board has three contracts:

| Contract | Pay | Danger | Lean | Route |
|----------|-----|--------|------|-------|
| Haul rations → Relay 9 (Compact frontier) | 200₡ | ●○○○○ | Neutral | 2 days each way |
| Salvage tip: debris field near Ancestor's Cradle | 150₡ + salvage | ●●●○○ | Neutral | 1 day |
| Deliver package → Circuit Haven (Phantom Circuit) | 350₡ | ●●○○○ | Pirate | 1 day |

The player takes the ration haul. Safest option. 200₡ for 4 days of work (2 there, 2 back). They spend 50₡ on fuel (enough for the round trip). Credits: 450₡.

**Travel: Freeport → Relay 9.** 2 days. Lane: Reach border, low danger. Day 1: quiet. Day 2: a distress signal. The player investigates (nothing to lose). It's a stranded merchant — human, independent, engine failure. The player can tow them to Relay 9 for a small reward.

> *The merchant's name is Cara. She says she'll remember this. "I trade at Thorngate when I can. Look me up."*

Consequence engine logs: "Rescued merchant Cara. Contact created at Thorngate." This will pay off in hours — Cara will become a trade contact who offers insider market tips. But the player doesn't know that yet.

**At Relay 9.** Deliver rations. +200₡. Credits: 650₡. The Compact frontier outpost is austere — the dock officer checks the player's credentials and notes the Cold standing. No surcharges at -25, but no warmth either.

The board at Relay 9 has one interesting item: a medical supply delivery back toward Keth space. 300₡, 3-day deadline, passes through a lane the player hasn't seen yet.

The player takes it. Buys fuel for the return (25₡). Credits: 625₡.

**Run 1 summary:**

| Metric | Start | End | Delta |
|--------|-------|-----|-------|
| Credits | 500₡ | 625₡ | +125₡ net (after fuel) |
| Days | 1 | 5 | 4 days spent |
| Ship systems | 70% | 66% | -4% travel wear |
| Reputation | All 0 (Compact -25) | All 0 (Compact -25) | No change |
| Contacts | 0 | 1 (Cara at Thorngate) | Consequence engine seeded |
| Crew | Solo | Solo | — |

**Verdict:** The player survived. Barely profitable. The ration haul paid 200₡ gross, ~125₡ net after fuel. That's a 6.25₡/day net income rate. At this rate, monthly floor costs (350₡) eat almost everything. The player cannot stay at this level. They need crew, they need better routes, they need to take risks.

**The squeeze is real but not humiliating.** The player had agency — they chose the safe option, they investigated a distress signal (rewarded with a future contact), they picked up a second contract on the return. They're learning the world.

---

### Run 2: First Culture Contact (Day 5–12)

**Medical delivery takes the player to the Keth border.** The delivery destination is Relay Node (Keth transit hub, least formal Keth station).

**Travel: Relay 9 → Relay Node.** 3 days. Day 2: the player enters Keth space for the first time. The lane narration shifts.

> *The nav buoys change. Compact steel gives way to something organic — bioluminescent markers that pulse in a slow rhythm. Your ship's scanner reads them as navigation aids, but they look alive.*
>
> *A Keth patrol passes. Three ships in formation, hulls like chitinous shells. They scan you and move on. You're nobody to them.*

**At Relay Node.** The player delivers medical supplies. +300₡. Credits: 925₡.

First Keth station. The dock is different — organic architecture, amber lighting, the smell of growth medium. The dock officer is Keth — tall, multi-limbed, antennae tracking. Neutral standing (0): the interaction is formal and brief.

The market here sells Keth bio-crystal at 65₡/unit. The player has no idea what it's worth elsewhere. Cultural knowledge: Lv.0. No crew to ask. But they check the estimated sell prices — the game shows them nothing useful because they don't know any Keth trade patterns yet.

**The board has a crew recruitment notice.**

> *CREW AVAILABLE: Kethra, navigation specialist. Keth Communion, formerly of Sporebridge Station. Seeking transit work. Will negotiate terms at the Relay Node cantina.*

The player goes to the cantina. Kethra is there. The conversation is their first real dialogue — she's professional, reserved, curious about a human captain docking alone at a Keth station with Cold Compact standing.

**Recruitment cost:** 80₡ signing bonus + 100₡/month pay. Credits after signing: 845₡.

**What Kethra immediately changes:**
- Cultural knowledge: Keth Lv.1 (Aware). The player can now see Keth seasonal calendar, basic customs, and estimated trade prices at Keth stations.
- Ship ability: Evasive Burn unlocks.
- Ground combat: Tech role available (Hack/EMP/Overload).
- Narrative: Kethra's story hooks become active.

The player checks the market again with Keth Lv.1 active. Bio-crystal at 65₡ here sells for 110–130₡ at human stations. That's a 70–100% markup. The player buys 4 units (260₡). Credits: 585₡.

Kethra mentions: *"It's mid-emergence season. Good time to trade. Harvest starts in 40 days — that's when the real margins open."*

The player now has information they didn't have before. A 40-day countdown to better trades. A reason to stay engaged with the Keth. A crew member who changes what they can see and do.

**Return trip: Relay Node → Thorngate (Compact corporate).** 3 days. The player is heading to Thorngate because that's where Cara (the rescued merchant) said she trades. A seed planted 8 days ago.

**At Thorngate.** Bio-crystal sells for 115₡/unit. 4 units × 115₡ = 460₡ revenue. Cost was 260₡. **Margin: 200₡.**

Cara is at Thorngate. She remembers the rescue.

> *"You helped me when you didn't have to. I move processed alloy through here regularly. Next time I have a surplus, I'll let you know before it hits the open market."*

Consequence payoff: Cara will offer the player first-look deals on alloy — slightly below market price. A small but persistent advantage that the player earned through a zero-profit rescue on Day 2.

**Run 2 summary:**

| Metric | Start | End | Delta |
|--------|-------|-----|-------|
| Credits | 625₡ | 785₡ | +160₡ net (delivery + trade - signing - fuel) |
| Days | 5 | 12 | 7 days |
| Ship systems | 66% | 59% | -7% (longer trip, no maintenance) |
| Crew | Solo | Kethra (Keth, Tech) | First crew: cultural access, ship ability, combat role |
| Keth standing | 0 | +4 | Traded at Relay Node, delivered medical supplies |
| Cultural knowledge | All Lv.0 | Keth Lv.1 | Kethra grants awareness |
| Contacts | 1 (Cara) | 1 (Cara activated — first-look deals) | Consequence payoff |

**Income rate improved:** ~23₡/day net (up from 6.25₡). Still not comfortable — monthly floor costs are now 450₡ (350₡ base + 100₡ Kethra's pay). But the bio-crystal trade showed a 77% margin. The path is visible.

---

### Run 3: The Setback (Day 13–20)

**At Thorngate.** Ship systems at 59%. The player knows they should repair, but maintenance costs 250₡ and they only have 785₡. Pay for Kethra is due on Day 30 (18 days). They decide to defer maintenance and run one more trade before repairing. **This is a mistake they'll feel.**

The board has a Keth bio-food delivery contract — 250₡, low danger, 3-day round trip to Communion Hub. The player also buys 4 alloy at 55₡/unit (220₡, Cara's first-look deal — normally 60₡) to sell at Communion Hub.

Credits after purchase: 565₡ - 220₡ alloy - 50₡ fuel = 295₡.

**Travel: Thorngate → Communion Hub.** 3 days. Day 2: ship breakdown.

> *A shudder runs through the hull. The reactor coolant line — the one your engineer would have flagged if you had one — has cracked. Emergency shutdown on the port thruster. You're drifting on half power.*
>
> *Kethra: "I can patch it. But it's temporary. We need a real repair."*

**Emergency repair: 150₡ in parts (consumed from the player's wallet). Ship systems drop to 45% even after the patch.** The player is now flying a ship that's one more breakdown from critical.

Credits: 145₡. Cargo: 4 alloy + bio-food delivery. Crew pay in 16 days. The math is suddenly very bad.

**At Communion Hub.** The player delivers the bio-food contract. +250₡. Sells 4 alloy at 135₡/unit (emergence season, not harvest — decent but not peak). +540₡ revenue, 220₡ cost = 320₡ margin.

Credits: 145₡ + 250₡ + 320₡ = 715₡.

But the ship is at 45%. Communion Hub has a repair facility. Full repair to 85%: **400₡.** The player hesitates. 715₡ - 400₡ = 315₡. Pay is due in 13 days at 100₡. That leaves 215₡ to work with.

**They pay for the repair.** They have to. Another breakdown could strand them.

**Run 3 summary:**

| Metric | Start | End | Delta |
|--------|-------|-----|-------|
| Credits | 785₡ | 315₡ | -470₡ (emergency repair + maintenance ate the profit) |
| Days | 13 | 20 | 7 days |
| Ship systems | 59% → 45% (breakdown) → 85% (repaired) | 85% | Paid the deferred maintenance debt |
| Keth standing | +4 | +8 | Deliveries, trading at Communion Hub |

**The setback:** The player deferred maintenance to save money. The breakdown cost more than the repair would have (150₡ emergency + 400₡ full repair = 550₡ total, vs ~250₡ if they'd repaired at Thorngate). They're now poorer than after Run 1.

**But the setback created story, not dead time:**
- They learned that deferred maintenance is a trap (player lesson, not a tutorial)
- Kethra patched the ship (crew relationship: she bailed them out)
- They're at Communion Hub, deeper in Keth space, with Keth Lv.1 knowledge and +8 standing
- The Keth seasonal calendar shows harvest in 33 days — they're positioning for the big margins

**Recovery path:** The player needs 100₡ for crew pay in 13 days. They have 315₡. That's enough — barely. But they need a profitable run to rebuild the buffer. The squeeze is back.

---

## Phase 2: Lean (Hours 3–6, Days 20–90)

### Run 4: Finding the Style (Day 20–28)

**At Communion Hub.** The player is broke but positioned. Keth standing +8, cultural knowledge Lv.1, and Kethra as their lens into this civilization.

The board has a contract that catches their eye:

> *Keth agricultural cooperative needs processed alloy delivered from Thorngate within 10 days. 300₡. Bulk order: 6 units minimum.*

Six units of alloy at 55₡ each = 330₡. The player has 315₡. They can't afford the full cargo.

**But:** The player holds a minor debt from House Vekhari (from the Golden Path Proof timeline — let's say it was earned earlier in this playthrough). No — the economy proof starts fresh. They don't have debts yet.

**Alternative:** Kethra suggests the co-op might advance partial payment. At Keth Lv.1, the player can request a trade advance — a Keth practice where the buyer pays 30% upfront for guaranteed delivery. This is a cultural mechanic: at Lv.0, the player wouldn't know this option exists.

The co-op advances 100₡. The player now has 415₡. They buy 6 alloy at Thorngate (330₡) + fuel (50₡) = 380₡. Credits after: 35₡.

**35₡.** The absolute floor. If anything goes wrong on this run, they're broke.

**Travel: Communion Hub → Thorngate → Communion Hub.** 6 days total. Nothing goes wrong. The ship is freshly repaired (85%) and the lane is low-danger.

**Deliver 6 alloy.** +300₡ contract pay, minus the 100₡ advance already received = +200₡. Credits: 235₡.

But they also bought 2 extra alloy with leftover hold space at Thorngate (110₡) and sell at Communion Hub: +270₡ revenue (135₡ each during emergence). Margin: +160₡.

Credits: 395₡. Day 28. Crew pay due Day 30: 100₡. After pay: 295₡.

**The player is treading water but getting smarter.** The Keth advance mechanic (cultural knowledge creating financial opportunity) turned an impossible contract into a profitable one. Kethra's value is becoming concrete — not just "she grants Keth Lv.1" but "she enabled a trade advance that made the run possible when I had 35₡."

---

### Run 5: The Second Crew Member (Day 30–42)

The player needs to break out of the survival loop. The ration-haul-and-alloy pattern keeps them alive but doesn't build power. They need either: a bigger trade margin, a combat-capable crew (for bounties), or access to a new civilization.

**At Communion Hub, Day 30.** Crew pay deducted: -100₡. Credits: 195₡. Ship at 79% (degrading from travel).

A Reach mechanic named Dax is looking for work at the Communion Hub. He's been fixing ships at the Keth docks — out of place but competent.

> *Dax: "I don't care where we go. I care that the ship doesn't fall apart. Your port thruster casing is held together with Keth bio-resin and hope. Let me work on it."*

**Recruitment cost:** 60₡ signing + 130₡/month pay. Credits after: 135₡.

**What Dax immediately changes:**
- Ship ability: Repair. The player can now heal hull damage mid-combat.
- Ground combat: Fighter role (Charge/Shield Wall/Intimidate). The player now has a ground team: Dax (Fighter), Kethra (Tech), Player (Captain/Face).
- Reach cultural knowledge: Lv.1. The player can now read pirate faction dynamics.
- Ship maintenance: Dax's engineering skill reduces Systems degradation by 20%. The 2%/day wear drops to ~1.6%/day. This saves ~40₡/month in maintenance.

**New monthly floor cost:** Fuel ~150₡, maintenance ~160₡ (reduced by Dax), crew pay 230₡ (Kethra 100 + Dax 130). Total: **540₡/month.**

The player's income rate needs to exceed 540₡/month. At the current rate (~20₡/day = ~600₡/month), they're barely above water. They need higher-margin work.

**Dax opens a door:** With Reach Lv.1, the player checks the Freeport job board remotely (Dax has contacts). A bounty contract is posted: Ironjaw scout harassing the Keth Corridor. 800₡. Danger: moderate.

The player now has a 3-person combat team. Ship has Volley + Evasive Burn + Repair. Ground has Fighter + Tech + Captain. For the first time, bounty contracts are viable.

**They take the bounty.** This is the first time the player chooses violence as a revenue source.

**Travel: Communion Hub → Keth Corridor.** 1 day. The bounty target is a light raider. Ship combat: 5 turns. Player takes 350 hull damage but the raider is disabled. Bounty captured.

**Bounty turned in at Relay Node: +800₡.** Credits: 935₡. Minus repair for combat damage (~150₡ at Relay Node): 785₡.

**Run 5 summary:**

| Metric | Start | End | Delta |
|--------|-------|-----|-------|
| Credits | 195₡ | 785₡ | +590₡ (bounty - recruitment - repairs) |
| Days | 30 | 42 | 12 days |
| Crew | Kethra only | Kethra + Dax | Second crew: combat viable, Reach access, maintenance reduction |
| Ship abilities | Volley + Evasive Burn | + Repair | Third ability slot filled |
| Keth standing | +8 | +11 | Bounty cleared a Keth lane threat |
| Reach standing | 0 | +5 | Dax's presence + bounty involved Ironjaw target |
| Ironjaw standing | 0 | -8 | Bounty on their scout |

**The first real momentum.** 800₡ from one bounty vs 200₡ from a ration haul. The player sees the power curve: crew composition doesn't just add stats — it unlocks entire economic tiers. Without Dax, bounties were impossible. With Dax, bounties are the best ₡/day income available.

---

### Run 6: The Gray Choice (Day 42–55)

**At Relay Node.** 785₡. Ship at 74%. Pay due Day 60 (18 days, 230₡). The player is comfortable for the first time — 785₡ minus next pay (230₡) = 555₡ buffer.

The board:

| Contract | Pay | Danger | Lean |
|----------|-----|--------|------|
| Bio-crystal trade run (Relay Node → Thorngate) | ~200₡ margin | ●○○○○ | Clean |
| Escort Keth convoy to Communion Hub | 300₡ | ●●○○○ | Clean |
| Deliver "agricultural samples" to Circuit Haven | 500₡ | ●●○○○ | Gray |

The agricultural samples contract is suspicious. Circuit Haven is a Phantom Circuit hideout. "Agricultural samples" from Keth space to a pirate tech faction smells like bio-weapons components — contraband in Compact space, legal nowhere, valuable to the Circuit.

Kethra frowns. *"Those aren't agricultural samples."* Morale risk: Kethra values Keth cultural integrity. Hauling Keth biology to pirates bothers her.

Dax shrugs. *"Circuit pays on time. Nobody gets hurt."* Morale risk: none for Dax. He's Reach — this is normal business.

**The player takes it.** 500₡ for a 2-day trip is the best ₡/day ratio they've seen. They buy the "samples" (included in the contract — no purchase cost) and fly to Circuit Haven.

**Travel: Relay Node → Circuit Haven.** 2 days. Day 1: a Compact patrol scans them on the border. The patrol checks the hold.

```
ENCOUNTER — Compact Patrol Inspection

The officer notes your cargo manifest: "agricultural samples."
Your Compact standing: -25 (Cold).

[1] Submit to full inspection (they will find the contraband)
    Result: cargo confiscated, fine 200₡, Compact standing -5.
    Contract failed.

[2] Bluff — "routine Keth agricultural shipment" (requires
    Compact knowledge Lv.1)
    ⚠ You have Compact Lv.0 via no crew member.
    Wait — Maren is not on the crew yet. No Compact voice.
    This option is unavailable.

[3] Bribe the officer (300₡)
    Result: officer looks the other way. Compact standing -3.
    Pirate standing +2 (word gets around you handle checkpoints).
    You keep the cargo but you're 300₡ poorer.

[4] Flee (your ship is faster than the patrol vessel)
    Result: Compact standing -10. Possible pursuit.
    Cargo preserved. Dax: "Not our first run from the law."
```

At Compact Lv.0, option 2 is invisible. The player can't talk their way through Compact bureaucracy without someone who knows the language. **If they had Maren (Compact medic) aboard, they could bluff.** They don't. That missing crew slot has economic consequences.

**The player bribes.** 300₡. Credits: 485₡. The patrol lets them pass. Compact standing: -28 (deeper into Cold). Pirate standing: Phantom Circuit +2.

**At Circuit Haven.** Delivery completed. +500₡. Credits: 985₡.

Kethra's morale: -4 (she didn't approve of the cargo). Dax: +2 (paid work, no trouble).

**Run 6 summary:**

| Metric | Start | End | Delta |
|--------|-------|-----|-------|
| Credits | 785₡ | 985₡ | +200₡ net (500₡ contract - 300₡ bribe) |
| Days | 42 | 55 | 13 days |
| Compact standing | -25 | -28 | Bribed a patrol |
| Phantom Circuit standing | 0 | +4 | Delivered cargo, handled checkpoint |
| Kethra morale | 67 → 63 | -4 | Disapproved of the cargo |
| Dax morale | 54 → 56 | +2 | Approved of the pragmatism |

**The gray choice produced less net profit than the bounty** (200₡ net vs 590₡) because the bribe ate the margin. And it cost Kethra morale and Compact standing. The player learned: gray work pays well on paper but has hidden costs (bribes, morale, reputation). The legal bounty was actually more profitable AND cleaner.

**But the gray choice created story.** The player now has Phantom Circuit standing (+4). Circuit Haven is accessible. A new faction, a new set of contracts, a new cultural zone. If the player continues down this path, Circuit contracts get better — but Compact rehabilitation gets harder and Kethra gets unhappier.

**The captain's style is emerging.** After 6 runs, this player leans toward bounty hunting with occasional gray work. They're building Keth access through Kethra and flirting with the Reach underworld through Dax. Compact rehabilitation is stalled. They haven't touched Veshan or Orryn space yet.

---

### Phase 1–2 Ledger (Day 1–55)

| Metric | Day 1 | Day 55 | Change |
|--------|-------|--------|--------|
| Credits | 500₡ | 985₡ | +485₡ |
| Ship | Hull 1,800, systems 70%, 0 abilities | Hull 1,800, systems 74%, 3 abilities | Same hull but dramatically more capable |
| Crew | Solo | Kethra (Trusted) + Dax (Trusted) | Two crew: combat, culture, ship abilities |
| Monthly floor cost | 350₡ | 540₡ | +190₡ (crew pay + reduced maintenance) |
| Best single-run income | 200₡ (ration haul) | 800₡ (bounty) | 4× improvement from crew |
| Keth standing | 0 | +11 (Neutral) | Trade and bounty work |
| Compact standing | -25 | -28 (Cold) | Worse — bribe + no clean work |
| Reach standing | 0 | +5 (Neutral) | Dax + bounty |
| Phantom Circuit | 0 | +4 | Gray delivery |
| Cultural knowledge | All Lv.0 | Keth Lv.1, Reach Lv.1 | Two crew, two cultures |
| Contacts | 0 | 1 (Cara at Thorngate) | Consequence engine payoff |
| Investigation | 0/10 | 0/10 | Not yet engaged — survival first |
| Consequence log | Empty | Rescue Cara, breakdown, bounty, gray delivery, bribe | World is starting to remember |

---

## Phase 3: Commit (Hours 6–8, Days 55–90)

### Run 7: The Investigation Opens (Day 55–65)

The player is stable. 985₡, two crew, combat-capable. Monthly cost: 540₡. Income: 600–800₡/month. Positive trajectory.

**At Circuit Haven.** For the first time, the player has bandwidth for something other than survival. They check the broader map. The investigation hasn't started — they've been too busy staying alive.

A Phantom Circuit information broker approaches them. (Consequence engine: the gray delivery earned enough Circuit standing to trigger this contact.)

> *The broker — human, augmented, twitchy — slides into the booth. "You're the disgraced Compact pilot. I know because the Compact is still talking about you. Specifically, a man named Halden. He's been asking about Ancestor navigation data. And about you."*

**Investigation beat 1, found through pirate contacts.** The investigation didn't wait for the player to pursue it — it came to them because their actions created the conditions. The gray delivery to Circuit Haven put them in front of someone who had information.

> *The broker offers more: "I can get you Halden's dossier. 200₡. Or you do a job for me and I throw it in free."*

The job: deliver a data package to the Scholar Drift (Orryn). 300₡ + the Halden dossier. 3-day trip. Low danger.

**The player takes it.** Investigation and income in one contract.

**Travel: Circuit Haven → Scholar Drift.** The Scholar Drift is currently in the Keth sector (mobile station). 3 days. Day 2: the player encounters a Keth convoy and Kethra translates a market rumor — harvest season starts in 15 days. Bio-crystal prices will spike at non-Keth stations. The player files this for later.

**At Scholar Drift.** First Orryn station. Orryn Lv.0 — the player is ignorant of Orryn customs. Docking is straightforward (Orryn are welcoming to everyone), but the data delivery requires a Telling.

The player has no Orryn crew member. They attempt the Telling at Lv.0.

> *The Orryn receiver asks: "Speak your position."*
>
> *The player has no cultural training. They say: "I have a delivery from a Circuit Haven broker."*
>
> *The Orryn's chromatophores flash red-orange. Displeasure. "That is a fact. Not a position. You have not told me why you are here, what you need, or what constrains you. I will accept the package, but I will not engage further."*

Delivery completed: +300₡. But the Orryn standing gain is minimal (+1 instead of +3–5 for a proper Telling). The player missed an opportunity because they lack Orryn cultural knowledge. **If they had an Orryn crew member, they could have earned a contact here.**

Credits: 1,285₡. The Halden dossier reveals: investigation beat 2. Halden is a Compact intelligence officer who was assigned to suppress information about an Ancestor discovery. The player was framed because they were in the wrong place at the wrong time — their patrol route intersected with the suppression operation.

**Investigation: 2/10 beats.** The plot is moving. And it came through pirate contacts and Orryn delivery — not through a dedicated "investigation mode."

---

### Run 8: Harvest Season (Day 65–75)

**Day 70: Keth harvest begins.** Kethra told the player about this on Day 3. The player has been waiting.

Bio-crystal at Keth stations drops to 50₡/unit (harvest surplus). At Compact and Reach stations, bio-crystal demand spikes: 140–160₡/unit.

The player has 1,285₡. They buy 6 bio-crystal at Communion Hub (300₡) and fuel (75₡). Credits: 910₡.

**Trade route: Communion Hub → Thorngate (Compact).** 3 days. Clean route. No incidents.

**At Thorngate.** Bio-crystal sells at 155₡/unit. Revenue: 930₡. Cost: 300₡. **Margin: 630₡.**

This is the best single trade the player has made. It happened because: Kethra told them about harvest (crew cultural knowledge), they had Keth Lv.1 to access bio-crystal (cultural gate), and they'd spent 70 days building enough capital to buy a full hold (economic foundation).

Cara is at Thorngate with a tip: alloy is cheap right now because a Compact factory overproduced. 45₡/unit (normally 55₡). The player buys 6 alloy (270₡) and a return load of medical supplies (180₡ for 3 units). Credits: 1,390₡.

**Return: Thorngate → Communion Hub.** 3 days. Sell alloy at 140₡ (harvest demand) = 840₡. Sell medical supplies at Keth rate: 100₡ each = 300₡.

Total revenue: 1,140₡. Total cost: 450₡. **Net margin: 690₡ on the return trip.**

**Run 8 total: 1,320₡ net profit over 10 days.** 132₡/day. The player's income rate has gone from 6.25₡/day (Run 1) to 132₡/day (Run 8). A 21× improvement.

Credits: 2,080₡. Day 75. Crew pay due Day 90: 230₡. Buffer: 1,850₡.

**For the first time, the player has a real buffer.** They can afford to: repair the ship fully, buy a ship upgrade, recruit a third crew member, or invest in reaching a new civilization. The survival phase is over.

---

### Run 9: The Setback and Recovery (Day 75–85)

The player decides to use their buffer for a ship upgrade. At Communion Hub shipyard, engine upgrade tier 1: **800₡.** Ship speed increases from 2 tiles to 3 tiles. Fuel efficiency improves 15%. This reduces monthly fuel cost and makes the player faster in combat.

Credits: 1,280₡.

**Then the setback.** The player takes a bounty contract — Ironjaw raider near the Sargasso border. 900₡. They're confident after the first bounty success.

The raider has an escort this time. Two ships.

**Ship combat: 2v1.** The player's ship has 3 abilities (Volley, Evasive Burn, Repair) but no fourth slot. Against two enemies, they can't dodge and repair simultaneously. Hull takes sustained damage. By turn 5, hull is at 600/1,800. The player retreats.

**Retreat cost:** Contract failed (no bounty). Cargo jettisoned to increase speed (2 bio-crystal dropped, ~300₡ lost). Ship hull at 600/1,800 — critical. Emergency limp to the nearest station (Freeport, 1 day drift).

**At Freeport.** Emergency repair: 500₡. Credits: 780₡ (1,280 - 500). Plus the lost cargo: effective cost is 800₡ total.

The buffer is halved. The engine upgrade still holds — it actually helped them retreat faster. But the bounty overconfidence cost them.

**Dax:** *"Two on one. We need another gun."* Morale: -3 (combat failure affects him).
**Kethra:** *"I told you the Sargasso was dangerous. Even the Keth don't patrol there."* Morale: -2.

**Recovery takes one run.** The player does a safe bio-crystal trade: Communion Hub → Thorngate during harvest. 3 days, ~500₡ margin. Credits: 1,280₡. Buffer restored. But 10 days were spent on the failed bounty + recovery.

**The setback created a decision:** the player needs a fourth crew member. They've been running with 2 crew and 3 ship abilities. The failed bounty proved that 3 abilities aren't enough against multiple enemies. The fourth crew member isn't a luxury — it's a tactical necessity.

---

### Run 10: Recruitment as Strategy (Day 85–90)

**At Thorngate.** The player has 1,280₡ and a specific need: a crew member who fills the fourth ship ability slot and ideally opens a new civilization.

Available at Thorngate:

| Candidate | Civilization | Role | Ship Ability | Monthly Pay | Recruitment Cost |
|-----------|-------------|------|-------------|-------------|-----------------|
| Maren (Compact defector) | Compact | Medic | Shield Boost | 100₡ | 70₡ signing |
| Vasek (Veshan exile) | Veshan | Face | — (unlocks at Trusted) | 150₡ | 120₡ signing |

**The decision is not simple.**

**Maren** gives immediate tactical value (Shield Boost fills the 4th ship slot) and Compact Lv.1 (enables bluffing past patrols — would have saved 300₡ on the bribe in Run 6). Monthly cost: 100₡. Total floor cost becomes 640₡/month.

**Vasek** gives no immediate ship ability (Stranger tier) but opens Veshan access (Lv.1), the Debt Ledger system, and a path toward the investigation lead on Torren the Vekhari broker. Monthly cost: 150₡. Total floor cost becomes 690₡/month.

**The player chooses Maren.** Immediate tactical need outweighs long-term cultural investment. Shield Boost would have prevented the bounty failure. Compact Lv.1 opens patrol bluffing. And 100₡/month is cheaper.

Credits: 1,210₡. Monthly floor: 640₡/month (fuel 130₡ + maintenance 140₡ + crew 370₡).

---

## Hour 8: The Captain's Life

### Final State (Day 90)

| Variable | Hour 0 | Hour 8 | Story |
|----------|--------|--------|-------|
| Credits | 500₡ | 1,210₡ | 2.4× starting capital. Modest but stable. |
| Monthly floor | 350₡ | 640₡ | Nearly doubled — more capable, more expensive. |
| Best income rate | 6₡/day (rations) | 132₡/day (harvest trade) | 21× improvement. Seasonal knowledge is power. |
| Ship | 1,800 hull, 0 abilities, slow | 1,800 hull, 4 abilities, faster engines | Same hull, radically different ship. |
| Crew | Solo | Kethra (Trusted), Dax (Trusted), Maren (Stranger) | Three crew. Two cultures. Combat-viable. |
| Keth | 0 | +18 (Neutral, approaching Respected) | Primary trade partner. Cultural ally. |
| Compact | -25 (Cold) | -26 (Cold) | Worse than start. Bribe + gray work. Maren may help reverse this. |
| Reach | 0 | +2 (Neutral) | Bounty work balanced by Ironjaw conflict. |
| Phantom Circuit | 0 | +4 | Gray work opened a door. |
| Orryn | 0 | +1 | One awkward Telling. Barely known. |
| Veshan | 0 | 0 | Untouched. Future investment. |
| Cultural knowledge | All Lv.0 | Keth Lv.1, Reach Lv.1, Compact Lv.1 | Three cultures, three crew. |
| Investigation | 0/10 | 2/10 | Opened through pirate contacts. Leads point to Veshan + Ancestors. |
| Contacts | 0 | 2 (Cara the merchant, Circuit broker) | Consequence engine paying out. |
| Consequence log | Empty | 12+ tagged events | The world remembers a rescuer, a bounty hunter, a smuggler, a captain who bribes patrols. |

---

## What This Proves

### 1. The early squeeze creates movement without humiliation
The player started with 500₡ and a 350₡/month floor. They could have done nothing but ration hauls and survived — but at 6₡/day net, they'd have felt the ceiling immediately. The squeeze pushed them to recruit crew (which costs money but unlocks income tiers), take risks (bounties, gray work), and invest in cultural knowledge (which opens better margins). At no point were they helpless — they always had a safe option. But the safe option was clearly insufficient.

### 2. First momentum hits at crew recruitment
The inflection point was Run 5 (Day 30–42): recruiting Dax enabled bounty contracts (800₡ vs 200₡ hauls) and reduced maintenance costs. The second inflection was Run 8 (Day 65–75): harvest season + cultural knowledge + capital reserves combined for the first big trade. Momentum came from system mastery, not grinding.

### 3. Legal, gray, and predatory play are all viable
- **Legal:** Bio-crystal trade + bounties = the primary income source. Sustainable, builds Keth and Compact standing.
- **Gray:** Circuit delivery = 500₡ gross but 200₡ net after bribe, plus Kethra morale cost and Compact standing damage. Viable but expensive. Opened a pirate door (Circuit standing) and triggered the investigation.
- **Predatory (not yet explored):** The player chose legal/gray. A predatory player could have taken the smuggling contract on Day 1 (350₡, pirate lean), doubled down on Reach/pirate work, and built a pirate identity. The economy supports this — Reach contracts pay well, pirate factions are accessible from Freeport, and the pirate path has its own progression through Ironjaw/Circuit/Cult standings.

### 4. Setback recovery creates new story
- **The breakdown (Run 3):** Deferred maintenance → emergency repair → 550₡ total cost vs 250₡ if repaired early. The player learned the maintenance trap. Kethra bailed them out. It cost money but created a crew bonding moment and a player lesson.
- **The failed bounty (Run 9):** Overconfidence → 2v1 fight → retreat → cargo jettisoned → 800₡ effective loss. Recovery took one trade run (10 days). The failure crystallized the need for a fourth crew member — turning a combat loss into a recruitment decision.

Neither setback created dead time. Both created decisions that shaped the captain's identity.

### 5. The economy feeds tactics and plot
- **Money buys time:** The player deferred the investigation for 55 days because they couldn't afford to chase leads. When they had buffer, they explored.
- **Money buys safety:** The engine upgrade (800₡) enabled retreat from the failed bounty. Without it, they might have been disabled.
- **Money buys access:** Keth bio-crystal trade requires Keth Lv.1 (crew recruitment cost) + capital for cargo. The best margins are behind cultural gates that cost time and money to unlock.
- **Money buys leverage:** The Vekhari debt (not yet earned in this playthrough) would cost time and trade investment. Veshan access requires either combat reputation or economic engagement. Credits → standing → access → investigation.

### The Captain at Hour 8

This is not the same person as Hour 0. They're a bounty-hunting trader with Keth connections, Reach awareness, Compact baggage, a pirate contact they'd rather not talk about, a crew that's starting to trust them, a ship that's better but still modest, and two investigation leads pointing toward Veshan space and Ancestor ruins they can't reach yet.

They're making different decisions than they were at Hour 1. Not bigger versions of the same decision — structurally different decisions. At Hour 1, the choice was "which safe contract do I take?" At Hour 8, it's "do I invest in Veshan access for the investigation, recruit Vasek for cultural depth, save for a hull upgrade, or run harvest routes while the season lasts?"

**The meters are not being serviced. The life is being lived.**

That's what proves the loop has legs.
