Huw Solo and The Final Countdown

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Huw Solo, former Vidnews caster, unlicenced hyperspace courier ("Never knowingly Imperialy entangled") has just collected CR5000 from a cigar smoking Viper pilotette for the recovery of the Arrow of Artemis, or as it appears on the invoice "serv misc trans". Sadly for Solo as the Vipers takes off, he realises he's been paid in something called "Colonial Fleet Credits" which have a market rate of just above not a great deal. Desperate for cash to install new fuellie heads on his 396 Hurst Drive, Solo accepts a contract from a pair of Aslan from the Muillett clan of Kintire - to recover a data chip, on the history of Muilletts, from the interdicted planet of Llanaucuf - flagged as RED due to the presence of UXBs ("Huh?" says Solo?).

Solo and his sidekick, Gryff the giant Woollyback, sneak into Llanaucuf system and land The Millenium Nova in the lee of a gratuitously damaged factory complex. Large craters dot the landscape. As they make their way towards the ruins a hologram of a floating metallic eye appears and in an annoyingly pedantic voice announces:

"Greetings! I am Iskra, Guardian of All Data, the information that your feline clients require is simply not available for download. My resources will now terminate your access."

In the distance several large explosions could be heard; Solo and Gryff jogged towards the coordinates supplied by the Aslan. As Solo reached the lip of the crater, Gryff howled "GGGGGwuuuuuuubbbbs" as a mob of shambling lumpen critters armed with crude machine guns emerged. Solo realised UXB - Unidentified Xeno Bioweapon! He sprinted ahead while Gryff shot off a frag from his bowcaster; bits of gwub flew in a grey pulp and Gryff growled happily.

Meanwhile Solo was facing down the data retentive artefact and threatening it with a blaster bolt in its interface - Grudgingly the Iskra spat a data disc out which Solo pocketed with a jaunty whistle.

Gryff reported all was clear and the duo sprinted back into the ruins - an avalanche of debris revealed another mob of gwubs lumbering towards them; holding his S&W MiliBlaster in the approved two handed grip, Solo started putting bolts down range and dropping gwubs. With a fierce KRAK another of Gryff's frags tore into the mob, hurling gwub in all directions. The pair were off and running toward the Millenium Nova. As Solo reached the cockpit, a burst of gwub fire parted Gryff's shaggy hair and the Woollyback ducked for cover - pinned down as the Hurst drive began to spool up.....pressing the "HOLD" key, Solo jumped down into the belly turret and pulled the metal of the .750 autocannon; as the heavy calibre slugs ripped into the gwubs, Gryff dashed for it and hurling his heirloom bowcaster into the hatch, swung up into the Nova.

Solo hit the "GO" tab and the Nova began to lurch into the air, it's modified Hurst rattling alarmingly. Neither Solo nor Gryff noticed a small metallic eye settling down in the corner of the hold, slightly scorched from a frag blast.

MasterChef