Edge of the Storm part 1: Youbos: The homestead.

Youbos is a dustball. On the edge of UCS space, the government presence is minimal. The sector Govenor is out to enrich himself, and as such cares little for the plight of the average citizen. On this planet, there is the barest minimum of regular UCS military forces, found in a small garrison on the planetary capitol city.

One of the only ways to make a living on Youbos is to farm moisture from beneath the desert, or from the air. It is on one such farm we find ourselves now: another evening, another shakedown by local "law enforcement".

Pleasantries exchanged, the lawmen get down to business. Sara wants none of it. She has hired some help to disuade the uniformed thugs from bothering her again. Failing to reason with the men, she gives the signal to her help.

Corde Tane leans out from behind one building and opens up with her shotgun, pinning one thug and missing another.

Ulrich Nolan pins another with a shot from his Lenherr rifle. The Lenherr rifle is designed to be used by large game hunters. It can punch through the armoured hides of some of the toughest creatures the galaxy can throw at you. This attribute has not gone un-noticed by those who would shoot at other humans though.

The squad leader opens fire on the farmers, wounding Jane.

The squad's backup open fire, one being armed with an assault rifle. Jane falls in a hail of bullets, Sara looking over, unable to hide her emotions.

Corde opens fire again, pinning some of the lawmen, bullets flying everywhere.

Sara and another lawman exchange fire, the lawman falling to the ground, hit by a shot to the head, dead before he lands.

The lawmen keep Sara pinned down while they seek better cover.

Having backed off, the lawmen decide to advance in order to end the firefight and loot the premises.

Caught in a crossfire the squad leader takes a few rounds, takes a few steps, then keels over bleeding. There is nothing his men can do for him. Shaken, they decide to fall back, return to town and regroup.

1. 

On their way back, Ulrich manages to take down another with a pinpoint shot.

Sara looks over the carnage: Jane is gone. Was it worth it? Three lawmen escaped and will surely be back in greater numbers. Ulrich and Corde forgo their fee, this is less about making money than it is about helping those in need.

"I could use some help packing. I won't be staying here" announces Sara.

"Sure thing, we will do what we can" replies Ulrich.

"We will need to go into town and get a flight offworld" says Corde. "We have another conract surveying potential colony sites in the Khalla sector. We could probably help you get work over that way, further away from the arm of UCS law?"