[RW] Pegasus Trading Company - Rimworld 1.7

[MonochromeClown]

During the night one of the crash victims got up from resting, stumbling into the workshop. I saw her guzzling down psychite tea, concerned for her healing I tried to convince her to lay back down.

"Ma'am, you shouldn't be up right now, you're still heavily injured." I rested my hand on her shoulder.

"It just... hurts so much, the tea helps." She seemed dazed, delirious.

"I know it does but walking around is only going to make the injuries worse."

"Please..." She sounded desperate. "I'll be okay I just, need a minute."

Frowning I backed away, if she was adamant then I wasn't going to force her. "Alright..."

It's been taking all our efforts to keep the survivors calm, they're all obviously in shock at the moment, sometimes walking around dazed and scared. Maria has been able to calm most of them down thankfully but I'm worried for them, I know we aren't equipped to handle so much trauma at once... all we can do is give them somewhere to rest and recover.

The following morning Maria gives me a check up about the two Yttakins in our holding cell.

"So, how are they doing?" I ask.

"Well I managed to convince the brother to open up."

"Brother?"

"Mhm, they're siblings, twins by the sounds of it."

"No wonder they look near identical."

"Yup, they were sent as a pair alongside who he called their handler."

"Handler?"

"Not sure, but he doesn't seem to broken up about her death."

"And the two of them are behaving?"

"The sister growls at me sometimes but the brother, Hoersh calms her down."

"Do you think we could recruit them?"

"Mmh... Reckon if we get the brother on our side then the sister will follow."

"Better then sending them out there alone."

"I agree, the brother has a wooden foot and some respiratory issues."

"And the sister?"

"She's... well, it's clear something happened to the two of them, they cling to each other like they're about to lose the other."

"Gees... Well, if you can convince them to join..."

"I'll see what I can do."



The next day Maria went into labour, Eddie helped her give birth to a little girl called Andrea. The baby looks near identical to her mother, apparently that's something known to happen with Charmweavers. Maria is extremely relieved and frankly so am I. The thought of a baby in the settlement is stressful, we'll have to make sure we work overtime to get everything running smoothly for this little one... Little Andrea... Maria's resting in the barracks, she'll be on lighter duties for the next few months and Veronica is going to be keeping an eye on both mother and child.

I've been using my healing abilities on the survivors as they're available, they've been very grateful for it even if they are a bit stunned by the unusual powers. I'm a bit stunned myself, over the past few days my connection has grown stronger and stronger. The more I use my powers and hone my connection the more I gain, I'm not sure what all I can do yet but if it's more healing then I'm more then happy to continue down this path.

Eddie approached me, looking pleased with himself. "Hey Cap!"

"Eddie, how are you doing?"

"Great! I'm a bit proud of myself, Andrea came out healthy and I managed to get Kolark to come around a bit more.

"Kolark is the other Yttakin right? The female?"

"Ah Cap when you say female like that it sounds a bit weird."

"Apologies... So, how is she?"

"Well she's stopped growling at me! I was talking to her and her brother about their old lives too."

"Mhm? Maria told me they've had it a bit rough."

"I'll say, yknow that brown Yttakin Brandi killed? Apparently she was their adopted mother or something."

"Maria said she was their handler."

"Yeah, that's the term they use for it. See their parents were killed a long time ago and that Yttakin took them in as uh... what did they say um- Bondsmen or something. They worked for her basically, but it sounds a lot more like slavery then anything else.

"How old were they?"

"Gees uh, kids from the sound of it... and she worked them hard poor things."

I shook my head, slavers made me sick and to do that to a couple of children no less, I was glad that Yttakin was dead.

"Kolark got it really bad, apparently their handler sterilised her." Eddie's voice was very serious and somber.

"What? That's..." I was stunned.

"I know. She doesn't seem keen on talking about it." He sighed.

"Well... I hope she can find peace now that that woman is dead."

"Me too... Gotta be something more we can do for her though."

"All we can do is offer them support right now, maybe we can look into it at a later time."

"Thanks captain." Eddie nodded.



Veronica pulled me into the workshop telling me the coms console had been blaring a call for awhile. I was so wrapped up in meditation I couldn't even hear it, apologising I checked the call.

"This is the Pegasus Trading Company, how can we help?" I said bleary from my meditative state

"We're not the ones who need help." A man with a posh accent spoke.

"Excuse me?" I was alarmed, were these more pirates looking for ransom?

"You're excuse, I am King Aristonymos of the Newa Dynasty, I have called to inform you of a siege camp my men spotted forming near your little campsite"

"Oh? Who would be doing that?"

"Pigs from the looks of things, though my men only reported four of them."

"How armed are they?"

"Pah, those blasted armaments with gunpowder and smoke, but I hear you have access to those... charged guns, correct?"

"Well... Yes, sort of."

"Good then you shall have no issue putting down those gutless beasts"

"What do we owe you for this information?"

"Hah! My boy it's a favour, if you wish to reimburse us then do so at your leisure... I'd gladly rest easy knowing there's less pigs in the world."

"Right... Well thank you, your majesty."

"Good hunting my boy!"

The line goes dead, I look to my side to see Veronica scowling intensely. She and I both knew we were underequipped for this.

"Is everyone on this planet a xenotypist?" She scoffs.

"Hah... I guess I should go out and see if anyone has any decent guns?"

"Yes, take those statues Brandi has been making, they should sell."

"Here's hoping." I sighed.



A couple hours and a sporadic trading trip later we stood in the field just outside the Pigskin's camp. Veronica kept scoffing at my weapon of choice.

"Sir, that thing it's..."

"I know"

"It's a doohicky."

"I Know."

"Sorry sir, it's just- That's an assault rifle?"

"They were pretty adamant it was. It's all I could find!"

"I think it looks cool, just hope it shoots well." Eddie chuckled, I shot him a desperate look. "It's going to be alright Cap"

"Yeah, this'll be quick." Veronica started to zero in.

"How many do you see?" I was nervous, my hand twitched on the holster.

"Use your eye, cap, it has an inbuilt zoom... I'm nearsighted." Veronica sighed.

"OH, yeah... Okay. Still not fully used to this thing."

My bionic eye, I'd only had her for a couple weeks when the attack on the Pegasus happened... Focusing I shut my natural eye and my bionic instinctively zoomed into the camp. I could see five pigskins, or four that looked like pigskins and another which was much larger then the others.

"There's five, four regular guys and a large one."

"Boarskin?" Eddie spoke.

"Tch, might be a pain in the ass." Veronica grumbled.

"Either way, we need to take this group down before they become a problem for the settlement. Andrea-"

"We know what's at stake Cap." Eddie remarked, I backed down.

"Alright... Lets do this, for them." I motioned us forward.



An hour later the firefight was over, fire burnt to the west of us from a Pigskin who was throwing moltovs. No survivors save for one, his arm had been shot off and he was on the brink of passing out from bloodloss.

"P-Please..." He tried to grab at my foot.

"Eddie-" I strained, the sight was making me sick.

"I don't know cap, I-"

"I don't w-want..." The Pigskin was barely holding on.

"Eddie just- Just tend to him, quickly!" I barked.

"I- Alright, you're the boss."

Eddie leant down to help the Pigskin, I also tried to assist where I could. I wasn't being careful, the Pigskin jumped up at me brandishing a dagger he'd hidden in his pants. I barely leant back to avoid it cutting at my throat, stumbling I pulled back from the Pigskin and Eddie did the same pointing his pistol at the panting man.

"Fuck- Fucking kill me then!" He cried.

"Eddie put your gun down!" I also, cried.

"But Cap he tried to-"

"I know but he's about to die anyway!"

"Fuckers, you killed my crew!"

"You were trying to kill us!" Eddie growled.

"You don't exactly have my sympathies." Veronica added.

"Just... Just let me stop the bleeding." I didn't want to see him die.

"Stay away from me!" The pig screamed, waving his knife in the air.

"Sir this is a lost cause, let him die." Veronica's voice was steady.

"I- I can't." Mine trembled. "I don't want to just-"

"Fucking, die!" The pig screamed again, lunging forward.

As the knife clinked off my armor I reeled back then pushed forward, landing my fist against the pig's jaw. He crumpled, falling unconscious on the floor. Veronica shook her head, watching me with a scowl while I started to tend to him, using my meager first aid skill to do what I could.

"Captain you're going to regret this, he isn't a sob story like the others." She said.

"I know... I know but... maybe we could just, let him go... once he's healed?"

"That's if he survives, those injuries could get infected." Eddie notes.

"Just let me handle it as it comes, I couldn't just watch him die..."

"That's how it is, sir." Veronica sighed. "But, you're the boss... If you want to try to save him-"

"I do.

"We'll follow your command." Her eyes narrowed.

The heat of the fire started to draw closer. Eddie helped me get the pigskin onto the shuttle and we left the burning camp and dead bodies behind.



Still reeling from the events of last night I'd been devoting my time to meditating, hoping to use my healing powers to help assist the Pigskin, he was unconcious and sweating in his sleep. It looked rough... but for all my powers I just couldn't make the healing work, my connection felt strained and weak. I didn't understand and meditating just led my thoughts back to that night, the knife swinging at my throat, arguing with my crew, the blood and fire.

I needed a break, I gave up on my attempts to meditate, walking outside where I saw a group standing outside the barracks. Argus' pups were playing by their feet, the three adult dogs were very... friendly with each other and now there were four pups running around the settlement. As excited as I was about the new doggies my eyes settled on the three women. I approached, nodding a greeting.

"There he is, our brave captain." Brandi smiled at me, I returned it. "You saved our asses once again."

"Ah, well, Eddie and Veronica were also there." I noted.

"Sure sure, but I'm interested in you and your new rifle, have you got a name for her yet?"

"Please, naming guns is so... personal, they're just tools." One of the survivors Hilde spoke up. "As long as it gets the job done that's all I care about."

"Never cared for guns, artilleries are where it's really at." Phyllis, another survivor, added.

"I've never had to carry a gun, my knife works just fine." Brandi scoffed. "A gun is just.. liability."

"A knife is the liability, what are you going to do with that when a sniper has you in his sights?" Hilde was bewildered.

"Run really fast?" Brandi shrugged.

"Ridiculous, your head would come right off!"

"A mortar would solve the issue, take out the sniper and his whole hide out with him." Phyllis chuckled.

"That's overkill, what about civilians?" 

"As if a gun can't misfire or shoot into a crowd." Brandi leered at Hilde.

"Uhm, ladies-" I tried to speak.

"Knives are just more precise, that's all."

"Uh huh, sure but you can't outrun bullets." Hilde frowned.

"I bet I could."

"No way!"

"You could probably outrun a morter... they're fiddly" Phyllis relented.

"See!" Brandi shouted.

"That doesn't go against my point at all!" Hilde shouted, louder.

"Ladies!" I yelled over their voices. "Could we keep the uh... discussions of violence to a minimum, I was just out there, people died"

The three women looked at me, stunned. Brandi suddenly got a look of guilt on her face, Phyllis and Hilde looked away.

"Ah sorry captain, I forgot you're not as used to it." Brandi shrugged.

"What do you mean used to it, how could anyone get used to that!" My voice cracked a little.

"This is a Rimworld, ain't a single day doesn't go by without someone getting shot down." She shook her head.

"I'm starting to understand why people avoid these worlds." I shook my head, sighing.

"Hey our world wasn't much better." Hilde said. "We might have had more but there was still violence."

"Yeah, riots, police... There's a reason we left." Phyllis added. "Maybe it's not great on this world but, this place is... nice, if a bit lacking."

"I'm trying to make it better, even if it means... killing." I grit my teeth. "I don't want anyone to suffer."

"You're doing good Cap, hell you saved that pig guy from what I heard, pretty rare thing to happen in these parts" Brandi tried to comfort me.

I nodded, though I didn't feel too reassured. "You girls have had it rough I can tell, just... let me know if there's anything I can do... to make life easier."

"You're doing plenty Cap, just try to take it easy yourself okay?" Brandi smiled a little.

"I'll... Try." 



My meditation was a bust, try as I might I just couldn't get it going. I entered the prison barracks, it was a dump... We hadn't had time to make it more comfortable, just putting some beds in and one of those passive coolers Maria taught us how to make. The two twin Yttakins were resting, still healing from their wounds, Maria told me Yttakins naturally had trouble with recovering but all they needed was extra time. The pigskin on the other hand looked completely wiped out, still sweating and gasping in pain as he lay. His eyes opened weakly, looking at me as I stood over him.

"I'm... I'm sorry I killed your crew, you were trying to-" I was fumbling, trying to get the words out. "There's a child, a newborn... We couldn't let you hurt her."

The pigskin was too weak to talk, his eyes rolled away, I thought I saw guilt in them but... It could have been wishful thinking.

"I know you... You couldn't have always been a pirate, right?" I tried to find something. "You were a kid once, we all were. I can't imagine that kind of violence came naturally to you."

The pigskin didn't look at me, his eyes narrowed. Was I projecting, or hitting the mark?

"Whatever the case is, I wasn't going to let you die... My crew, most of them died... We're still waiting to see if any are still out there." I swallowed, my thoughts going to the three I still hadn't accounted for. "I know what it's like to lose people."

The pig looked at me again, I felt like crying. He looked so awful, blood was still staining his clothes and his arm... I couldn't believe we just, blew it right off.

"My mom... She died when I was just a kid." I hadn't thought about her in so long... "We were nomads, we ran out of water- It... It was awful, my dad didn't want her to suffer so he- god."

I felt tears slip down my face, why was I telling him all this? Where was this coming from?

"Now every time I hold a gun I think about her, what he had to do... And what I've done. And will keep having to do." My voice hitched. "I don't want to kill people, I know survival comes first... you were trying to kill a child but- Seeing people suffer, die, I can't handle it!"

I shook my head, wiping the tears from my eyes. This was useless, the pig would probably forget all this anyway. He wasn't going to make it, it was obvious his wounds were infected thanks to my useless medical skill. I reached out, placing my hand on the pigs chest.

"Look I'm sorry, for what it's worth... I'm sorry if you suffered, if you're still suffering. I know I can't save everyone... but you deserved to live. Everyone does, in.. in some way."

Before I could pull away I felt it, my connection to the archotech started buzzing loudly. A power surged through me, like the night of the crash but even stronger, it crashed through my nervous system, blasting through my fingertips and into the pigskin. The energy was invisible but we both felt it. The pig jolted with a loud squeal and I fell to the floor, my arm vibrating and twitching.

I had no idea what I'd done, the pig lay unconscious again sprawled ontop of his bed. I could see the twins staring at me with fear and amazement.

"I... I don't-" I couldn't finish my sentence.

I left the prison barracks, my mind was on fire. What had just happened? 



Before bed a caravan arrived at the colony, they looked tired, I went out to greet them and trade away some of the art Brandi had been making. It fetched us around eight hundred silver and a couple books, a fictional story about a cleric facing his fears and a document about pulse munitions which could come in handy. Placing the books in the workshop I passed Brandi who was still working on a new sculpture.

BRANDI POV

The captain looked almost delirious ever since he'd come out of that prison cell, that pig must have been on his way out. It was a shame but, this was life on the rim. As much as his gentle heart charmed me Petre would have to catch up to reality some time or another. He nodded at me.

"Up late?" He said, sounding exhausted.

"I'm in a flow state, I'll get into bed later, not like I'm doing anything else around here."

"Yeah... Sorry about that, but it's been real handy having a stock of trade goods."

"Darling it's art, the people of this world might be rough but even we can value good art." I smiled at him, trying to ease his tensions.

"Yeah... Guess people don't really change much even out here." He smiled back, tiredly.

"Go get some rest cap, I'm going to hit up the kitchen myself."

"Right right, well... goodnight and- thank you."

I nodded, smiling as he left. Petre was sweet, kind-hearted, it'd be a shame to see what Xtabay does to him. Giving it a couple minutes I finish up on this section of my artwork, it was shaping up alright but I was still unsatisfied with the direction... At least Petre seemed to enjoy my pieces, even if I struggled to find the beauty in them after all this time.

I left my workbench, opening the door to the kitchen. Veronica was there, reading over a document of some kind. I ignored her and walked towards the foodstock. However the Dirtmole had other intentions, she peered over her shoulder to glare at me.

"Something on your mind, doll?" I raised my eyebrow.

"You're flirting with the captain more openly these days." She said.

"Jealous?"

"Hardly... Petre is very pretty but he's not for me."

"Then what's the problem?"

"You're distracting him."

"Distracting... Right, well what are you doing to make money around here again?"

"Unless you forgot it was my gun keeping your pretty little ass alive."

"I think Eddie was helping you out fair enough, being a Hussar and all."

"What do you mean by that, Impid." She scowled, hard.

"C'mon, you're a Dirtmole, I know you guys are nearsighted... Wouldn't you rather stop pretending to be something you're not?"

"Go on."

"You're just a lost little girl, like me, you wish the Cap would just lift you off your feet already don't you? That's why I keep seeing you glaring at me." I smirked. "You are jealous, but you won't let yourself drop that hardass act."

"Go fuck yourself Brandi, you think this is a game?" She stands, putting her document down. "People are going to die sooner or later and he's going to snap like a twig, you want to get in bed with that?

"I bet I could keep his spirits up, I'm pretty handy y'know."

"You're pathetic." She rolled her eyes, a look of disgust on her face.

"Mhm, and you're a fucking dry cunt bitch."

"Get your fucking food and get out of my sight before I put your in your damn place." She growled, almost beast-like.

"Ugh gladly."

I rolled my eyes, leaving the hard case. What would she know anyway? A woman like her probably never got laid in her life... Petre might be on edge, maybe it is a mistake to go after him... but that's what I had to do, I wasn't gonna let someone like Veronica kick me out. I wasn't going back there, to him. 



PETRE POV

"Petre, I have to talk to you about the new prisoner." Maria spoke in a hushed tone.

"Oh... Go on." I prepared myself, knowing this conversation was bound to happen soon.

"Well I don't know how to explain it but, his arm it's... it's come back?"

"I'm sorry?"

"His arm is back, it's- regrowing?"

I blinked, staring at her dumbfounded. Banz leans on the chair beside me, having heard the conversation.

"Yup, I've heard about this... You got those healing powers right?" He said.

"Yes but... I've only been able to heal wounds on existing body parts, and slow bleeding." I responded.

"Mhm, so you're one of those protectors. The empire's got all kinds of psycasters, protectors are healers and they can do all sorts of shit, like regrowing limbs."

"Seriously?"

"Yup, you noticed any other powers?"

"N-No just... the healing."

"Huh well, I heard they can make kind of... force-field type things."

I shook my head. "I don't know if I can do that, at least not yet..."

"Well you did something to that pig, you should see it, looks like... muscle reshaping into an arm." Maria said.

"I don't know if I want to see that exactly." I shuddered at the thought. "Is he okay?"

"He's unconscious still but he's stopped sweating, I think the infection has broken, was that you too?"

"Might have been... I don't know, I was having some kind of moment and it all just... spilled out of me."

"Pyscasting is tricky like that, your mental state effects things." Banz nodded.

"Is there any way I can get it under control? Sometimes it's there and then it's just... gone."

"That's up to you and the archotech, they're not always in the mood and if you're all fucked up they'll probably avoid your weird mental state." Banz shrugged. "But I only know what I've heard second hand."

"Right... Well I'm glad he's okay anyway, even if regrowing an arm sounds... painful."

"I keep you up to date, and about the twins too." Maria added. "They're both pretty taken aback by it as well."

"They uh, probably saw me freaking out..." I admitted.

"In any case, they're coming around... Are we doing okay with food?"

"We got those potatos growing, if anything I could go buy us some more food... Brandi has been killing it at the sculptures."

"Good. We should think about building individual rooms at some point soon... and a research bench."

"You got it. Now that we have those documents we could probably start figuring out how to improve things around here." The thought was comforting for me.

"One step at a time captain." Maria smiled.

"Yeah, it's shaping up around here bit by bit. I don't regret joining so far." Banz smirked, rubbing his head.

As the two left I looked down at my hands. The one I had used to heal the pig still tingled somewhat, I flexed the fingers, feeling my blood rushing through my arm. I never felt so... aware of my body before. I'd have to start  getting serious about using my abilities, and getting my mental health in check... If Banz was right then it was up to me to foster this... connection, keep it going, keep it strong. It could mean life or death for the settlement...