The Let's Play Archive

Gazillionaire Deluxe

by Didja Redo

Part 27


Well. Complain all you want about the extra ad costs, but they're definitely doing the trick.
Hmm. Two more than we have room for.
We should go see our mechanic. If he can make space for more cargo, maybe he can do the same for passengers.



What if he doesn't want to, though? You know what he's like.
Yeah, I know what he's like. I'm sure he'll come around once I threaten to fly the ship up his...
What the fuuuck...?



Good lord.
uhhhhh
Okay, he's not dead. Maybe we can still get this done.
who is it
It's Slev and Tark'la. We, er...we thought we might get you to do some work on the ship.
non
non, i do not think that will happen today
So I gathered. Are you alright? What happened in here?
it is my mistress, monsieur. sometimes she is an angel, others, a demon. last night, it was ze demon
Your...mistress did all this?
We'll come back some other time, then.
monsieur
before you go
Yeah?
kill me





Guess we'll just make do for now.
Poor guy. Nobody should have to go through that.
Through what?
Through that. You saw the state he was in.
He brought it on himself, dude.
Tark'la! That's a terrible thing to say!
Why? It's true.
What, just because he's a man, it must be his fault? Abuse is abuse. It doesn't matter who it's coming from.
...
Slev. His "mistress" is booze.






Ohhhh.





This is getting right the fuck out of hand, my friend. If we don't knead Zinn some dough by next week, we're boned.
Don't remind me. Maybe we should just give him what we have now?
No. We can't keep juggling loans like this. Gotta start making some cash of our own. Once we've sold off our stuff and picked up next week's passengers, we'll start paying him back.
If you say so. I just hope he doesn't start getting suspicious. We haven't made a single payment in two months.
Ah, don't worry. He won't start pestering us unless we actually cross the line. He's not the type t-
Sirs? You have an incoming transmission.
...
It's Zinn, isn't it.
I'm afraid so, sir.
Tell him I'll be right with him once I've got my foot out of my mouth.



Hello, boys.
Mr. Zinn! Nice of you to call. Listen, I know we're getting a little behind on our payments, but I promise you-
Behind? According to my records, you're still three thousand kubars under your credit limit. You are not "behind" as of yet.
Unless I've miscalculated.
No! Not at all. It's just, you know, we haven't paid anything back yet, so we thought...
Nonsense. You need only begin to worry when I begin to worry, and I only begin to worry when limits are exceeded. Which brings me to the reason I am contacting you today.
As it happens, I have been keeping tabs on your business. You have made some very wise investments over this short time, gentlemen, and I know better than anyone that investments take time to show results. I believe that your results will be very substantial indeed. That is why I'm prepared to offer you some leeway.
As of this moment, your credit limit is 250,000 kubars. Have a good day.



...
...
250,000. That's what he said, isn't it?
Yep.
That's more than it was before.
Yep.






God, I love being alive.
Yep.





Incoming transmission, sirs.



Good day to you! I hope I'm not interrupting anything. My name is Scooter Jay. I was wondering if I might make a proposition?
We're listening.
Just a little transaction, really. Quite simply, I would like to buy all the cargo on your ship.
I'm sure you're aware that import and export tariffs only apply when goods actually leave or enter a planet, yes? By conducting deals like this, in space, I needn't pay just for the privilege of leaving with my cargo. And of course, you needn't pay to bring it to wherever you intend to go. A loophole, perhaps, but entirely legal.
Sounds good, but what are you actually offering?
No less than two hundred thousand kubars, my good man.
200 grand, huh?
Correct.
That's four times as much as we paid for it. Lot of cash to lay down for some oxygen. Hell, we wouldn't get half that selling it on Pyke.
Very astute. Very astute. So does that mean we have a deal?
It means you're gonna cut the bullshit and tell us what the catch is.
...tch. Now why's there gotta be a catch, huh? I swear, you Kukubians. Ain't got half an ounce of trust between the lot of ya.
"You Kukubians"? You mean you're...
I'm from Pata Pata Pita. There's yer catch.
...what, is that it?
Trading with Pata Pata Pita is illegal. That means he's a smuggler. So yes, that probably is "it", and "it" is a bigger deal than you think.
Chill out, will ya? I just take this crap home and sell it. Ain't like I'm doing wrong. I mean, hell, we had a little war. It was centuries ago. Now I can't make a living just 'cause some royal bastard's still pissy? Guy wasn't even alive for it.
That's all well and good, but it's not going to help us if we get caught.
Look. I'm a pro at this. If the shit hits the fan, I guarantee it won't be your fan. Dig?
Can't argue with that logic.
Tark'la...
Dude. It's not like we're gonna make a habit of it, okay? This is a one-time thing. And like he said, he's not really doing anything bad. It's always been a dumb law anyway.
Also, need I remind, two hundred thousand kubars.
Yeah. And that.