# Golden Path Proof — Star Freight

> A concrete 30-minute play session proving the game feels like one captain's life, not stacked systems. Written as a session transcript — what the player sees, decides, and feels, beat by beat.

## Setup

**Hour 8 of a playthrough. The player has been at this a while.**

- **Location:** Docked at Thorngate (Compact corporate trade station, mid-rim).
- **Credits:** 1,840₡
- **Ship:** Hull 2,450/2,800. Shields 280/400. Systems at 58% (yellow — needs maintenance soon). Cargo hold: 8 units capacity, currently empty.
- **Crew:**
  - **Kethra** (Keth, Tech) — Trusted. Morale 67. Grants Keth cultural knowledge Lv.1, ship ability: Evasive Burn. Fit.
  - **Dax** (Reach, Fighter) — Trusted. Morale 54. Grants Reach knowledge Lv.1, ship ability: Repair. Fit.
  - **Maren** (Compact, Medic) — Stranger. Morale 41. Grants Compact knowledge Lv.1, ship ability: — (too new, skill not unlocked yet). Fit but unhappy. Recruited two sessions ago. Hasn't warmed up.
- **Reputation:** Keth +38 (Respected). Compact -12 (Cold). Reach +24 (Neutral). Veshan +8 (Neutral). Orryn +15 (Neutral).
- **Day:** 203. Keth season: Harvest (47 days remaining). Crew pay due: Day 210 (7 days). Cost: 380₡ (Kethra 150, Dax 130, Maren 100).
- **Active contracts:** 1 of 3 slots filled — "Deliver medical supplies to Relay 9 (Compact frontier). 400₡. Deadline: Day 212."
- **Investigation:** 3 of 10 beats found. Last lead: a Compact intelligence officer named Halden was seen at the Scholar Drift asking about Ancestor navigation data. Kethra recognized the name from the player's court-martial.

**The player's situation:** Crew pay eats 380₡ in 7 days. Ship maintenance is overdue — below 50% means breakdown risk on every lane. The medical delivery contract pays 400₡ but barely covers pay. The player needs a more profitable session or they'll enter next month broke and fragile.

---

## The Session

### 0:00 — Docking at Thorngate

The Captain's View reads:

```
₡ 1,840  │  ⊙ Ship 58%  │  ☰ 3/3 crew fit  │  Day 203
Keth: ▓▓▓▓░ +38  Compact: ▒░░░░ -12  Reach: ▓▓░░░ +24
```

Station flavor text:

> *Thorngate smells like recirculated air and industrial lubricant. A Compact corporate logo rotates on every display. The docking officer barely glances at your credentials — Cold standing means you're tolerated, not welcomed. Maren stiffens when she sees the Compact uniforms. She hasn't told you why she left yet.*

The player's eye goes to ship condition (58%, yellow) and credits (1,840). They know the math: pay is 380 in 7 days. Maintenance is at least 300 to get above 75%. That leaves ~1,160 to work with. They need a good session.

### 1:30 — The Station Screen

The player hits `S` for Ship first. The maintenance quote: **340₡ to restore to 82%.** They wince but pay it. Ship systems climb to 82%. Credits drop to 1,500.

```
₡ 1,500  │  ⊙ Ship 82%  │  ☰ 3/3 crew fit  │  Day 203
```

They hit `M` for Market. Thorngate's market:

```
THORNGATE MARKET (Compact Corporate)
Good            Buy    Hold   Est. sell at...
─────────────────────────────────────────────
Processed alloy  55₡    0    Communion Hub: 140₡ (harvest)
Medical supply   90₡    0    Relay 9: 120₡ (standard)
Compact rations  30₡    0    Freeport: 55₡
Keth bio-crystal 120₡   0    Thorngate: — (local price)
Fuel cell        40₡    0    (consumed on travel)
```

The player already has a medical supply delivery to Relay 9. But the alloy margin to Communion Hub catches their eye — 55₡ buy, 140₡ sell during harvest. That's 85₡ per unit margin. With 8 hold slots, minus space for the medical delivery (2 units), they could carry 6 alloy. Potential margin: 510₡.

But Communion Hub is in the opposite direction from Relay 9. Two trips or one efficient route?

### 3:00 — The Job Board

The player hits `J` for Jobs.

```
THORNGATE CONTRACTS
─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────
1. [ACTIVE] Medical supply delivery → Relay 9 (Compact)
   Pay: 400₡  │  Deadline: Day 212  │  Danger: ●○○○○
   Lean: Clean

2. Bounty: Pirate scout "Ratch" — last seen Sargasso lane
   Pay: 1,100₡  │  Deadline: none  │  Danger: ●●●○○
   Lean: Clean
   Note: Ratch flies a light raider. No escort reported.

3. Cargo escort: Orryn trader to Communion Hub
   Pay: 350₡  │  Deadline: Day 208  │  Danger: ●●○○○
   Lean: Neutral
   Note: Orryn Drift merchant. Route passes Keth corridor.

4. Unmarked package → dead drop, Sargasso Belt
   Pay: 700₡  │  Deadline: Day 210  │  Danger: ●●○○○
   Lean: Pirate
   Note: No questions. No inspection.
```

The player stares at this for thirty seconds. This is the decision.

**The calculation:** The escort to Communion Hub goes the same direction as the alloy trade. Take the escort (350₡), buy 6 alloy (330₡), sell at Communion Hub during harvest (+510₡ margin), and they're on the Keth corridor where Kethra's cultural knowledge pays off. That's roughly 530₡ net profit from one trip, plus they can look for the Scholar Drift (Orryn mobile station, currently in Keth sector according to the map) where the investigation lead on Halden sits.

Three layers in one route: trade (alloy margins), tactics (escort means possible combat on the lane), plot (Scholar Drift for investigation beat 4).

But the medical delivery to Relay 9 is the other direction and the deadline is Day 212. They can do Communion Hub first (3-day round trip) and still make Relay 9 if nothing goes wrong. Tight but possible.

The smuggling job pays 700₡ — tempting when you're broke. But the player's Compact standing is already -12. Getting caught smuggling would push them toward -25 (Unwelcome), which means surcharges everywhere in Compact space. Maren, the Compact crew member with morale at 41, would not react well. The player passes.

**They accept the escort contract.** 2 of 3 contract slots now filled.

### 5:00 — Buying and Launching

The player buys 6 processed alloy (330₡) and 2 fuel cells (80₡). Credits: 1,090₡. Hold: 6 alloy, 2 medical supplies (loaded from the existing contract).

They check the crew screen before launching:

```
CREW
1. Kethra (Keth)   Tech     ♥♥♥♡♡  Trusted   [FIT]
   → Keth access Lv.1 │ Ship: Evasive Burn │ "Harvest season —
     good time to trade at the Hub"

2. Dax (Reach)     Fighter  ♥♥♡♡♡  Trusted   [FIT]
   → Reach access Lv.1 │ Ship: Repair │ "Sargasso bounty
     looks doable"

3. Maren (Compact) Medic    ♥♥░░░  Stranger  [FIT]
   → Compact access Lv.1 │ Ship: — │ "..."
```

Kethra's narrative hook mentions harvest — she's encouraging the Keth route. Dax noticed the bounty — he's thinking about the Sargasso. Maren says nothing. She's still a stranger.

The player hits `L` for Launch. Destination: Communion Hub, via Keth Corridor. The escort convoy joins them on departure — an Orryn trader vessel appears as a dot on the route display.

### 6:30 — Lane: Day 1 of 3

```
EN ROUTE: Thorngate → Communion Hub (escorting Orryn trader)
Day 1 of 3  │  Lane: Keth Corridor  │  Danger: ●●○○○
Sector: Keth border  │  Season: Harvest
```

> *The Keth Corridor opens up ahead — a wide lane between two asteroid fields that the Keth have kept cleared for centuries. Trade traffic is heavier than usual. Harvest season pulls merchant convoys from every sector.*
>
> *The Orryn trader you're escorting runs ahead of you, drive signature fluid and quick. Dax watches it on the scanner. "Orryn build their ships like they build their arguments. Fast, slippery, hard to pin down."*
>
> *Kethra is quiet. She's watching the Keth nav buoys. Each one pulses amber during harvest — a tradition she explained to you last month. She hasn't talked about her sister since mentioning her at Deepwell.*

The player reads. Absorbs. The corridor is safe today. They press Continue.

### 7:30 — Lane: Day 2 of 3

> *Day two. The lane is busier. A Keth grain convoy passes — twelve ships in formation, organic hulls glinting amber. The Orryn trader adjusts course to give them room.*
>
> *Your scanner picks up a faint signal on the edge of detection range. Not a ship — a beacon. Kethra leans forward. "That's a Scholar Drift transponder. They're nearby — probably a few hours off the main lane."*

**The investigation lead surfaces.** The Scholar Drift is near the Keth Corridor right now. The player can detour to investigate Halden (investigation beat 4) — but they're escorting the Orryn trader. Leaving the escort to chase the lead means abandoning the contract.

```
[1] Continue escort (safe, contract honored)
[2] Ask the Orryn trader to detour to the Scholar Drift
[3] Abandon escort, detour alone (contract failed: -rep with Orryn)
```

Option 2 is interesting. The player hasn't dealt with the Orryn much — standing +15 (Neutral). Asking the trader to detour is a social interaction. The game shows:

```
⚠ Orryn cultural interaction: The Telling
  Your Orryn knowledge: Level 0 (Ignorant)
  No crew member from the Orryn aboard.
  Risk: unknown protocol. Moderate misstep chance.
```

The player doesn't have Orryn cultural knowledge. They don't know how the Telling works. Attempting it at Level 0 is risky — they might offend the trader.

But Kethra speaks up: *"The Orryn won't detour for free. But they respect honesty. Tell them exactly why you want to go — the officer, the court-martial, all of it. They can tell if you're holding back."*

This isn't Keth cultural knowledge — it's Kethra's personal experience with the Orryn (she's Trusted, so she volunteers useful information). The game isn't giving the player the answer. It's giving them a crew member's read on the situation.

**The player chooses option 2.** They attempt the Telling at Level 0 with Kethra's advice.

### 10:00 — The Telling (Orryn Encounter)

> *The Orryn trader's communication screen flickers to life. The trader — a cephalopod with mottled blue-green skin — regards you. Their chromatophores shift through several colors before settling on a calm amber.*
>
> *"You wish to change our route. Speak the Telling: your position, your need, your constraint. I will hear you."*

The player's options:

```
THE TELLING — speak your position honestly.

[1] "I'm tracking a Compact officer who was involved in my
     court-martial. The Scholar Drift has information."
     (Full honesty — reveals vulnerability)

[2] "I have business at the Scholar Drift. It won't take long."
     (Vague — insufficient for the Telling)

[3] "There's profit at the Scholar Drift for both of us."
     (Framing — risky at Level 0, you don't know how to frame)

[4] Withdraw the request. Continue escort as planned.
```

Option 2 would fail — the Telling requires real disclosure. Option 3 is a Level 2+ move the player can't execute yet. Option 1 is vulnerable but honest.

**The player chooses option 1.** Full honesty.

> *The trader's chromatophores bloom deep violet — surprise — then settle into warm gold. They were not expecting honesty from a human.*
>
> *"Your position is clear. Your need is personal but real. My constraint: I lose half a day. My position: I trade in information. The Scholar Drift is worth my time regardless."*
>
> *The trader adjusts course toward the Drift. "You owe me nothing for this. Honest words in the Telling are their own currency."*
>
> *Orryn standing: +5. Kethra nods — she was right about the honesty.*

The player gained Orryn reputation without a trade, without combat, without a contract. They gained it by being honest in a cultural interaction that their crew member helped them navigate. Kethra's morale ticks up +2 — she gave advice and it worked. The Orryn trader is now a potential future contact.

**Three layers active simultaneously:** The detour serves the investigation (plot). The escort continues (tactics — the trader is still with them, still needs protection). The trader becomes a contact (trade potential). And crew was the bridge — Kethra's advice made the Telling work.

### 12:00 — The Scholar Drift

> *The Scholar Drift resolves on your scanner — a massive, slowly rotating station that looks like it was grown rather than built. Organic arches and translucent membranes. Navigation data streams from every surface.*
>
> *Dax whistles. "Never seen one of these up close. Looks alive."*
>
> *Kethra: "The Orryn grow their stations from engineered coral-analogues. The Scholar Drift is the oldest in this system."*

The player docks briefly. Docking fee: 50₡ (Orryn, neutral standing — standard rate). Credits: 1,040₡.

They search for information about Halden, the Compact intelligence officer from investigation beat 3.

> *An Orryn archivist at the navigation data exchange confirms: a human matching Halden's description purchased deep-system navigation charts three weeks ago. Specifically, charts for the Ancestor ruin field in the Sargasso Belt.*
>
> *The archivist adds, with chromatophores flickering curious teal: "He paid in Compact military scrip. Unusual. That currency is not accepted here — he converted it through a Veshan broker at House Vekhari. The broker's name is Torren."*

**Investigation beat 4 found.** The player now knows: Halden is connected to the Ancestors (the endgame thread), he's using military resources (suggesting Compact involvement, not just personal), and there's a Veshan connection (House Vekhari broker named Torren). This lead points in two directions: the Sargasso Belt (Ancestor ruins, dangerous) and House Vekhari (Veshan territory, requires standing).

The journal updates:

```
INVESTIGATION
▸ Beat 4: "Halden purchased Ancestor ruin charts at the Scholar
  Drift using Compact military scrip. Converted through Torren,
  a Veshan broker at House Vekhari. He's looking for something
  in the Sargasso. Something the Compact wants found — or buried."
▸ [4 of 10 leads found]
```

The player's Veshan standing is +8. House Vekhari is at 0. To get access to Torren, they'll need to build Vekhari standing — which means Veshan trade, or helping a Veshan house, or earning debts. That's a future session's problem, but the seed is planted.

**Plot fed back into the trade layer:** The investigation lead points toward Veshan space, which means the player now has a reason to invest in Veshan reputation — creating future trade and cultural engagement that they wouldn't have pursued otherwise.

### 14:00 — Back on the Lane: Day 3

The player undocks from the Scholar Drift and rejoins the escort route. The Orryn trader signals readiness. One day to Communion Hub.

> *The final stretch of the Keth Corridor. Traffic thins as you approach Communion territory. The asteroid fields narrow — natural chokepoint.*
>
> *Scanner contact. One ship, holding position in the asteroids ahead. No transponder.*

**Encounter: ambush.**

```
ENCOUNTER — Unidentified ship blocking the lane

The ship is running dark in the asteroid cover. Your gunner
reads the drive signature: light raider, Ironjaw-class.
Single vessel.

The Orryn trader slows behind you. They're not fighters —
they're relying on your escort.

[1] Hail the raider (attempt communication)
[2] Engage (ship combat — your ship vs raider)
[3] Evade (attempt to bypass — risk: the trader is slower)
[4] Check bounty board — is this "Ratch"?
```

Option 4 is sharp. The player remembers the bounty contract on the Thorngate board — a pirate scout named Ratch, light raider, no escort, Sargasso lane. This is the Keth Corridor, not the Sargasso — but pirates move. They check.

> *You cross-reference the drive signature with the bounty posting. Match confidence: 72%. Ratch flies an Ironjaw light raider. This could be them.*
>
> *The bounty is 1,100₡. The raider is alone. Your ship is in good condition (82%). Your crew is fit.*

**The player engages.** This turns a defensive encounter into an offensive opportunity. The escort is still their job — but if they take the raider out, they protect the trader AND collect a bounty.

### 15:30 — Ship Combat

The grid loads. Space theater. 8x8, asteroid field terrain.

```
SPACE COMBAT — Ironjaw raider (Ratch?)
Turn 1  │  Your move: Captain's Ship

  1  2  3  4  5  6  7  8
 ┌──┬──┬──┬──┬──┬──┬──┬──┐
A│  │  │**│  │  │**│  │  │  ** = asteroid (cover)
 ├──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┤
B│  │CS│  │**│  │  │  │  │  CS = Captain's Ship
 ├──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┤  OT = Orryn Trader (non-combatant)
C│  │  │  │  │  │  │  │  │  R  = Raider
 ├──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┤
D│OT│  │  │**│  │  │R │  │
 ├──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┼──┤
E│  │  │  │  │**│  │  │  │
 └──┴──┴──┴──┴──┴──┴──┴──┘

YOUR SHIP  Hull: 2,450/2,800  Shields: 280/400
  [1] Volley (range 4) — 72% on R
  [2] Evasive Burn (dodge +30%, no attack) [crew: Kethra]
  [3] Repair (restore 200 hull, no move) [crew: Dax]
  [M] Move (3 tiles)  [B] Board (adjacent only)
  [R] Retreat

ENEMY: R — Ironjaw raider. Hull ~1,800. Behavior: closing fast.
Escort: OT is non-combatant. If R reaches OT, escort fails.
```

The player's ship has 3 abilities: Volley (base), Evasive Burn (from Kethra's pilot skill), Repair (from Dax's engineering skill). If Maren were higher loyalty, she'd grant a fourth ability. She doesn't yet — she's still a Stranger. The player feels the crew binding: Kethra and Dax make the ship combat-capable. Maren's absence is felt as a missing ability slot.

**Turn 1:** The raider is 5 tiles away, closing. The player fires Volley — 72% hit. Roll: hit. 340 damage. Raider hull: ~1,460.

**Turn 2:** The raider closes to 3 tiles and fires. 65% hit on the player. Roll: hit. 280 damage to shields. Player shields: 0. Next hit goes to hull. The player uses Evasive Burn (Kethra's ability) — dodge +30% for this turn.

**Turn 3:** Raider fires again. 65% base, -30% evasion = 35% hit. Roll: miss. Evasive Burn saved them. Player fires Volley — 78% at closer range. Roll: hit. 340 damage. Raider hull: ~1,120.

**Turn 4:** Raider tries to move past the player toward the Orryn trader. The player moves to intercept — blocks the lane to OT. Raider can't reach the trader without going through the player. The player fires Volley — 80%. Hit. 340 damage. Raider hull: ~780.

**Turn 5:** Raider is hurt. It turns toward the player and fires — a desperate attack. 65% hit. Roll: hit. 310 damage to hull. Player hull: 2,140/2,800. The player uses Repair (Dax's ability) — restores 200 hull. Player hull: 2,340.

**Turn 6:** Player fires Volley. 80%. Hit. 340 damage. Raider hull: ~440. The raider's behavior shifts — it's trying to flee.

**Turn 7:** Player moves to adjacent tile. The raider is trying to run.

```
[1] Volley (85% — close range, likely kill shot)
[2] Board (adjacent — ground combat inside the raider)
[3] Hail ("Surrender and confirm identity — bounty collection")
[B] Let them go
```

Hail is available because the player is the Captain (permanent role, always has Hail). The player hails: "Surrender. If you're Ratch, there's a bounty. If you come quietly, you keep your ship."

> *The raider's comm crackles. A voice, human, rough: "Yeah, I'm Ratch. Ironjaw doesn't take me back if I lose the ship. You want me or the hull?"*

```
[1] "You. Come aboard. I'll tow the ship to the nearest station."
    (Bounty collected, Ratch in custody, clean reputation +,
     Ironjaw standing -)

[2] "The hull. Get in an escape pod."
    (Salvage the raider for parts/credits, no bounty,
     Ironjaw standing neutral — you let them live)

[3] "Both." (Take Ratch prisoner AND the ship. Maximum profit.
    Ironjaw standing --, Ratch's crew may resist → boarding combat)
```

**The player chooses option 1.** Clean bounty. They don't need the heat from the Ironjaw, and the 1,100₡ bounty is worth more than a stripped raider hull.

> *Ratch ejects in a pod. You lock a tow cable on the raider. The Orryn trader pulses grateful colors from across the field.*
>
> *Bounty contract: RATCH — confirmed. Collection available at any Compact or neutral station.*
>
> *Reach standing: -3 (Ironjaw: -8). Compact standing: +4 (bounty for a pirate). Escort contract: intact.*
>
> *Dax is quiet. He knows Ironjaw people. He doesn't say anything, but his morale dips: -4.*

**The consequence web:** Bounty collected (+1,100₡ pending), Compact standing improved (moving from Cold toward Neutral — this helps with the medical delivery and long-term rehabilitation), Reach standing dropped (the Ironjaw won't forget), Dax took a morale hit (he's from the Reach — this affected him). The player made money and moved the needle on their redemption arc, but it cost them something with their crew.

### 21:00 — Communion Hub: Arrival

> *Communion Hub resolves ahead — an enormous organic structure, amber lights pulsing in harvest rhythm. The docking approach is flanked by Keth escort drones that scan your hold passively.*
>
> *Kethra straightens in her seat. She hasn't been here in a long time.*

The station greets the player warmly — Keth standing +38, Respected. No surcharges. A senior dock officer addresses them directly:

> *"Captain. Welcome during harvest. The market is active. If you are here to trade, the alloy exchange is through the central arch."*

The player docks. Docking fee: 25₡ (Respected discount). Credits: 1,015₡ (before selling anything).

**Market at Communion Hub during harvest:**

```
COMMUNION HUB MARKET (Keth — Harvest Season)
Good               Buy     Sell    Your hold
──────────────────────────────────────────────
Processed alloy     180₡    145₡    6 units    ← SELL HERE
Keth bio-crystal     60₡     —      0
Bio-food             45₡     —      0
Living material      95₡     —      0
Fuel cell            35₡     —      0
```

Alloy sells at 145₡. The player bought at 55₡. Margin: 90₡ per unit × 6 units = **540₡ profit.**

The player sells. Credits jump: 1,015 + 870 (6 × 145) = **1,885₡.**

They also complete the escort contract at the Orryn trader's destination (the trader docked alongside). **+350₡.** Total: **2,235₡.**

The bounty for Ratch can't be collected here (Keth station, not Compact or neutral). They'll collect at Relay 9 or Freeport. That's **+1,100₡ pending.**

```
₡ 2,235  │  ⊙ Ship 82%  │  ☰ 3/3 crew fit  │  Day 206
Keth: ▓▓▓▓░ +38  Compact: ▒░░░░ -8  Orryn: ▓░░░░ +20
```

Compact standing moved from -12 to -8. Still Cold, but four points closer to Neutral. The bounty collection will add more.

### 24:00 — The Keth Gift and a Lead

Kethra's narrative hook has been sitting at "Harvest season — good time to trade at the Hub" for several sessions. Now that they're here during harvest, the game triggers a crew moment.

> *You're walking through the harvest market. Kethra stops at a stall selling dried floral arrangements — traditional Keth harvest keepsakes. She picks one up, turns it in her hands, and puts it back.*
>
> *She doesn't ask. But her morale is 67, she's Trusted, and her antennae are drooping — the Keth equivalent of a long stare out a window.*

The game doesn't tell the player what to do. But the harvest arrangement costs 15₡ and the player has 2,235₡.

```
[1] Buy the arrangement for Kethra (15₡)
[2] Ask her about it
[3] Move on
```

**The player buys it.** 15₡.

> *Kethra holds the arrangement carefully. Her antennae lift. "My sister used to make these. Every harvest." A pause. "She's at Sporebridge Station. I haven't spoken to her in four years."*
>
> *Kethra loyalty: +6. Morale: +5. Narrative hook updated: "Her sister is at Sporebridge Station. Personal mission approaching."*

**The crew binding in action:** A 15₡ gift during a trade stop advanced Kethra's loyalty arc, which will eventually unlock her personal mission (which connects to the investigation), which will grant Keth cultural knowledge Level 2 (unlocking restricted bio-goods for trade). One small human gesture ripples across all three layers.

### 26:00 — Planning the Return

The player has 7 minutes of session time left (in real player time). They need to plan the next leg.

**Current state:**
- Credits: 2,220₡ (+1,100 bounty pending)
- Hold: empty (alloy sold, medical supplies still aboard for Relay 9)
- Active contracts: medical delivery to Relay 9 (deadline Day 212, 6 days), bounty on Ratch (collected but not turned in)
- Investigation: beat 4 found, points to House Vekhari (Veshan) and Sargasso (Ancestor ruins)
- Kethra approaching personal mission threshold
- Dax morale dipped from the Ratch bounty
- Maren still at Stranger, hasn't warmed up

The player checks the Communion Hub job board. One contract catches their eye:

```
5. Keth medical sample delivery → Relay 9 (Compact frontier)
   Pay: 250₡  │  Deadline: Day 211  │  Danger: ●○○○○
   Lean: Clean
   Note: Fragile bio-samples. Must maintain cold storage (ship
   systems above 60% required).
```

This goes to the same destination as their existing medical delivery. Two contracts, one route, one trip. The player accepts it. 3 of 3 contract slots now filled.

They buy Keth bio-crystal at harvest prices (60₡/unit, cheap) to sell at Relay 9 (estimated 110₡ — Compact stations import Keth biologicals). 4 units = 240₡ cost. Hold: 4 bio-crystal, 2 medical supplies, 2 Keth medical samples.

**Credits: 1,980₡.** They launch for Relay 9. Two travel days.

### 28:00 — Lane to Relay 9: Quiet

> *The cross-system lane from Keth space to the Compact frontier is well-patrolled. Quiet. Dax is cleaning a sidearm in the common area. Maren is reading something on a datapad — Compact news feeds. She glances up when you pass but doesn't speak.*

No encounters on this lane. The player reads the narration, checks their route, and presses Continue twice (two travel days).

**Day 208. Relay 9.**

### 30:00 — Session End at Relay 9

The player docks at Relay 9 (Compact frontier outpost). They complete two deliveries:
- Medical supplies delivered: **+400₡** (contract 1 complete)
- Keth medical samples delivered: **+250₡** (contract 2 complete)
- Bounty on Ratch turned in at Compact security: **+1,100₡**

They sell 4 Keth bio-crystal at 105₡ each: **+420₡**

```
₡ 4,150  │  ⊙ Ship 78%  │  ☰ 3/3 crew fit  │  Day 208
Keth: ▓▓▓▓░ +39  Compact: ▒░░░░ -4  Reach: ▓▓░░░ +21
```

Compact standing moved from -8 to -4 (medical deliveries + bounty). Two more good sessions and they'll cross 0 — back to Neutral. The rehabilitation arc is moving.

Crew pay is due Day 210. Cost: 380₡. They have 4,150₡. Comfortable for the first time in a while.

But Dax's morale is at 50 — Trusted but fragile. The Ratch bounty stung. The player needs to do something that aligns with Dax's values (Reach solidarity, pragmatic survival) before his morale slides further. Maybe take a Reach-friendly contract next session. Or avoid bounty-hunting Reach pirates for a while.

Maren is still at Stranger, morale 41. The Compact deliveries didn't move her — she's not impressed by routine work. She needs something personal. The player doesn't know what yet because she hasn't opened up.

The player saves and closes.

---

## Campaign State Change: Before and After

| Variable | Session Start | Session End | What Moved It |
|----------|--------------|-------------|---------------|
| Credits | 1,840₡ | 4,150₡ | Trade (alloy), contracts (escort, deliveries), bounty |
| Ship condition | 58% | 78% | Paid for maintenance, took combat damage, Dax repaired in-fight |
| Keth standing | +38 | +39 | Trade at Communion Hub during harvest |
| Compact standing | -12 | -4 | Bounty turned in, medical deliveries completed |
| Orryn standing | +15 | +20 | The Telling (honest interaction with escort trader) |
| Reach standing | +24 | +21 | Bounty on Ironjaw pirate, Dax morale cost |
| Kethra loyalty | Trusted (mid) | Trusted (high) | Harvest gift, cultural respect, advice heeded |
| Dax morale | 54 | 50 | Ironjaw bounty conflicted with Reach ties |
| Maren morale | 41 | 41 | No movement — still a Stranger, needs personal engagement |
| Investigation | 3/10 | 4/10 | Scholar Drift lead found via escort detour |
| Contracts completed | 0 | 3 | Medical delivery, escort, bounty |
| New leads | Halden at Scholar Drift | Halden → Vekhari broker Torren, Ancestor ruins in Sargasso | Investigation beat 4 opened two new threads |
| Kethra arc | "Mentioned sister" | "Sister at Sporebridge. Mission approaching." | Harvest gift triggered personal disclosure |

---

## Systems in Play

Every system fired during this session:

1. **Trade** — bought alloy and bio-crystal, sold at margins, evaluated market
2. **Reputation** — shifted with Keth, Compact, Orryn, and Reach from different actions
3. **Cultural knowledge** — Keth harvest customs (alloy demand), Orryn Telling (level 0 attempt with crew assist)
4. **Combat (ship)** — 7-turn fight against Ironjaw raider, used 3 ship abilities, all crew-granted
5. **Travel** — 5 travel days across 2 lanes, lane narration, encounter generation
6. **Crew** — Kethra advised on Orryn, Dax took morale hit from bounty, Maren remained distant, Kethra's loyalty advanced from a 15₡ gift
7. **Ship** — maintenance paid, damage taken and repaired in combat, cargo managed
8. **Contracts** — 3 contracts completed, job boards at 2 stations evaluated
9. **Consequence engine** — Ratch bounty logged (Ironjaw will react), Orryn trader contact created, Compact rehabilitation tracked
10. **Investigation** — beat 4 discovered at Scholar Drift, two new leads opened
11. **Veshan Debt Ledger** — not active this session, but the investigation now points toward Veshan space (future engagement)

## Emotional Arc

| Phase | Player Feels |
|-------|-------------|
| Docking at Thorngate | Anxiety. Ship is yellow, credits are thin, pay is due. |
| Reading the job board | Calculation. Weighing routes, stacking contracts, planning the efficient path. |
| Launching with alloy and an escort | Purpose. The route is planned, the math works, three objectives on one path. |
| Kethra spots the Scholar Drift | Surprise → opportunity. The investigation surfaced naturally on the trade route. |
| The Telling with the Orryn trader | Tension → relief. Vulnerable honesty paid off. Kethra was right. |
| Investigation beat 4 | Intrigue. The conspiracy deepened. New threads to follow. |
| Ship combat vs Ratch | Adrenaline. The escort turned into a bounty opportunity. Tactical decisions mattered — Evasive Burn saved them, Repair kept them fighting. |
| Post-combat choice (spare Ratch) | Moral weight. Clean bounty vs maximum profit. Dax's morale cost made the choice real. |
| Selling alloy at Communion Hub | Satisfaction. The harvest trade paid off. The cultural knowledge advantage felt earned. |
| Buying Kethra the harvest arrangement | Warmth. A small human gesture. The crew binding made tangible in 15₡. |
| Docking at Relay 9, session end | Relief → anticipation. Wallet is healthy. Compact standing is recovering. But Dax is unhappy, Maren is distant, and the investigation points toward Veshan space and Ancestor ruins. Next session has texture already. |

## Why This Feels Good

The player lived 5 days of a captain's life. They:
- Made an economic plan under pressure (alloy trade + stacked contracts)
- Navigated an alien culture they don't fully understand (Orryn Telling at Level 0)
- Followed a conspiracy lead that appeared naturally on their trade route
- Fought a pirate who turned out to be a bounty target
- Made a post-combat choice that shifted reputation and hurt a crew member's morale
- Advanced a crew member's personal arc with a 15₡ gift
- Ended the session in a different campaign state than they started

**No layer was decorative.** Trade funded the session. Combat created reputation consequences. The investigation appeared because of a trade route detour. The crew binding was felt in combat (Kethra's Evasive Burn, Dax's Repair, Maren's empty slot), in cultural navigation (Kethra's advice on the Telling), in narrative progression (Kethra's sister, Dax's discomfort with the bounty), and in economic decisions (the gift that moved loyalty).

**The player made one set of decisions, not three.** They didn't switch between trade mode, combat mode, and story mode. They lived one captain's day where trade, combat, and story were inseparable.

That's the thesis.
