It wasn't going to be easy, Connor decided. He'd a second pilot, there was that to be grateful for, even if she was only going to be second pilot for as long as it took her to get to a Grassive ship. He could let go the last two DutyBorn who were his crew, hire another crew, swap out for the cargo pods he'd filled for the government of Winthur, in the hopes they'd take the tribute he offered and not realize that while they took what he offered, he stole the DutyBorn from beneath their noses.
The Grassive looked at him with neutral eyes, "You want what?"
"A pilot," he said. "You've your interstallar certs, haven't you?"
"Yes." the corners of her mouth turned down slightly. "Why should I sign on with you?"
"Because you need a ship, and I need a pilot." He shrugged. "No other ships in port, the Rattlepatch's it. You sign on with me, or you wait for the next ship to port, and I know for a fact this's a quarternary port. Next ship won't be here likely for half a year, if then, next harvest almost a local year away. The place has a shuttle, I'm sure you can sign on with the Port for shuttle pilot duty."
She hissed, nose and mouth pinching. "And find myself locked into a contract for a half year after the last ship picks it's cargo, and no way to sign any but a full year out."
"I'm not much better." he admitted. "Pay's base standard, but crew shares and cargo found. You find cargo that brings profit to the RattlePatch, you get share to the profit, half to the ship, half to the crew, a share to signed crew, a share additional to pilot, a share additional to captain."
"I've heard worse." she admitted. "Open contract, port to port?"
He shook his head, "Six ports at the least. I rendezvous with a ship of the Bennish Lines next port, and lose Vertuth to them. He's signed into their engineer apprentice track." Never mind that two years crewing the 'Patch was engineering enough to pass apprentice and journeyman ranks. "I need time to scout new engineer and second pilot, I lose my second, Anbai the port after next. She's going supercargo to Artois for a junior pilot in their asteroid shuttle fleets."
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