Bounties

Nyava was no longer complaining about anything and was deep into literature about the Rosh'an Locktar. She was looking into the physiology and discrepancies in the knowledge she had. It seemed that my rough treatment of her increased her motivation. I walked out of the medical bay with her used and abused in the exact way that she seemed to want. I felt completely refreshed, and I remembered that I had that Sissy and his wife coming over tonight. 

That would be interesting and enjoyable as I hadn't done anything with a couple in a long time. All of that was unimportant as we were about a day out from the planet, and we would be Dry docking the spaceship there for now. We would be on the planet for a period of time, and I would be able to take some time to bounty hunt on a new world. 

I was still healing but did not play this game to make relationships with NPCs. I was here for combat and killing, and this was a fun game. It was tough fighting, and it would be something that I strived for in this game. It was interesting that this was a game that both infrequently found problems for you, but you also sought out your own fun. I would make a story as a bounty hunter and see how things played out.

Logging out for now after spending the day messing up Nyava was something of a relief as I wanted to make some lunch before coming back to play a day or two before logging out and sleeping. I know that I might annoy some of my sleep watchers about being late, but I wouldn't hear too much about it. 

I ate with everyone before going to bed and logging out of Galaxy Online.

The pod opened up. I got out and stretched and realized I didn't feel hungry. That was a little annoying, but I decided to exercise instead, as I needed to keep my figure. I would go hard working out all over my body today and spend two hours doing it. I walked over to my computer and checked my Vote to see how the progress was today, and I noticed a latex outfit was making it through tonight. I smiled, although this one was a one-piece that was skin-tight and went from the high upper thigh to the top of my breasts. 

It was a piece that I enjoyed, and it was tight, covering everything I needed it to. It was sexy, too, as it showed off my body. I was surprised this might pass the vote, but I didn't care as I enjoyed the tight things over the looser clothing. I then turned on my music application and started to put on my headphones before heading to the bedroom, which was my closet, and started to get changed. 

Tight yoga pants and a sports bra later, I found myself on the floor doing burpees till my body shook. I knew they would hate me for a while, whoever lived below me, but they could live with it. I changed after a bit to core exercises and started to do curl-ups til my abs complained, and I moved to a plank which did not help in the least. My body was dripping with sweat by now, and I was a dripping mess before I got on the elliptical and started to destroy my legs. I made sure that I went for a long time. My arms were left out from all of this, and so once I was almost done, I finished with pushups just because I hated myself.

After two hours, I realized I had exercised twice today, once in the game and now in real life. It was a pain, and my body hated me at this moment, but I had been light on myself lately. I dripped all the way over to the shower, cleaned myself up after all of that, and showered the grime off my body before grabbing the t-shirt and yoga pants I wore before I changed to work out.

I did nothing else before returning to the game pod and got in. The pod lid closed, and I logged back into my character.

My eyes snapped open, and I felt Ura resting beside me, and I got up. I grabbed my guns and everything from the room and crouched out of the crew quarters. I heard a soft moan coming from another room which I did not investigate, and slid down the ladder. I walked over to my bay, and instead of looking at new technical manuals, I brought up the bounty board.

The bounty boards for the planet we were going to had a lot. I started to reduce it and found an interesting section of the bounty board for Forest Bounties. Bounties that were in the depths of the local forest near various cities they believe the bounties have hidden in. The local planet, it seemed, had a cave system and dense canopies where convicts like to flee into. It was something of a local custom almost the Bounty office made it out as.

There were a couple of bounties on some people who just took to the forest and would make great bounty targets. I wanted to start getting into trapping and tracking, and this felt like a great way to start. Although I wasn't into forests, there was always a start, and I wanted to get into the start of it soon.

I was looking things over when I heard a knock, and Ura poked her head in with a smile. "We are soon coming up to the planet and will be exiting slipstream. What are your plans?" Ura asked as she closed the door, stepping in a moment later.

"I plan to take a bounty while we dry dock. I need to get more experience under my belt, and I am not just a bodyguard. I am a bounty hunter and need to learn how to do that better. I am seriously thinking of going into the forest and practicing my craft there," I told her.

Ura frowned, and her lips turned into a cute little pout. "I was hoping to do some shopping with you," Ura said, "Hang out a little and maybe," Her cheeks turned a little purple. "Go on a date, maybe?" Ura finished.

I smiled and got up, looking her up and down, "When I get back, we can make some time for that. I don't plan to go right away," I told her a little lie. I planned to go once I got supplies and some better maps of the area I was looking to hunt in. A bounty and a timeline of how long it would take to fix the ship. "I will go after we learn the Dry dock timing," I told her with a wry smile. 

I closed the distance a little, and Ura slowly grinned, "That might take a day or two," Ura said, "Why not do something before going?" Ura asked.

"I was planning on supplying myself, studying, and gathering some forest maps. It will take a lot to go out, but how about this," I said, leaning down and closing the distance. "I will ensure we can go to a store and shop a little. I plan to pick up something to wear anyways, and I would love it if you could assist me with that," I grinned, "You can see me in a couple of outfits and dress up for each other."

Ura shuddered and nodded, and I could see she was feeling shy from the closeness despite us sleeping together. "I would like that," She replied, and I kissed her quickly.

"Good, Now I am going to hunt down some information, and I will see you soon. I cannot wait to take you out soon." I told her, stepping back.

Ura looked at me, and I could feel slight annoyance, but she stepped back and nodded. "We will be exiting slip stream soon, Be ready. We can exit much closer to the planet." Ura said and opened the hatch before walking out. I watched that amazing ass leave, and I sighed. 

I walked back over and looked up toward the door Ura just left out of. Why did I feel like I was now playing a dating simulation? Ura was supposed to be a stupid NPC that I didn't need to reassure and date. She was the part owner of this ship, though, and frankly, I liked her personality. She was strong to those who she needed to be strong against but turned soft in my arms. She was a little bit of a masochist, but I knew there was a strong side in there that took charge. 

I could not help but wonder when she would attack me with that dominant side.

Shaking my head, I went to the information on the planet.

There were five major forests convicts ran to, and the one that had my focus was called Saints Forest. It was a translation apparently from the native language to galactic common, and it was the easiest of the forests. It was populated, though, and there was even a town somewhere in it in some cave for convicts to trade. The convicts did not defend it, though, and I couldn't help but wonder if the planet's government was purposefully leaving it there for some reason.

Thinking about it for a short amount of time, I could come up with a couple of reasons, and most of them had to do with the paycheck. The reasons for its existence, though, were not a good thing to think about when the existence was technically in question, and it was useful to me. I pulled back up the bounties, looked through the names, and thought in my head what would be the best for me to confront now.

Mages were unpredictable, and after Oxrock, I didn't want to try them again. I wanted to try someone in melee combat and lure them in. That should be where I am the strongest and the weakest simultaneously. Maybe going for something in mid-range combat would be for the best. A sniper rifle had limited utility in the forest, but it was still very useful to keep on me.

I looked through the information on bounties and went down a list of much smaller bounties and soon started to end up with a list. There were eight hundred active bounties in Saint Forest. It was a massive eight hundred or so square kilometer forest and was considered a Planetary protected land. The active bounties were followed by old bounties that you could legacy file, too, with another thousand of them. I didn't know much about the difference but I looked through many of them.

Quickly some names came and went, and I found the main form of combat was guns and non-magical means. Mages were rare but not nonexistent in the bounties, and I frowned. I couldn't help but wonder what other classes there were. I found a couple of berzerkers and more than I expected among the melee types. 

I found a dangerous-looking man with a hoody on in his picture and was one of the few Human pictures among them. The Race was unknown, but he was an assassin, and his bounty was low, but there was a warning tag on him. "Dangerous, Bounty low but believed to be much more dangerous than first believed. Has Taken down Novice Bounty hunters but has left them alive." 

Very ominous warning tag, and If he was leaving bounty hunters alive, I wondered if I could kill him. Maybe recruit him too. We were not exactly a lawful ship, and having an assassin would greatly help as both a scout and a damage dealer. I shook my head, moved on from the assassin, and just took in general information.

Many of the convicts, though, were wanted for murder or extreme assaults in bar fights or something of that nature. They fled into the forest and hid to the best of their ability. Trapping would be useful, and I found that many of the low credit bounties had a bonus for capture over killing them.

Trapping and booby traps would be my best friend for capturing, and I wondered if I should buy some collars for that. My mind spun when I heard Ura speak suddenly over the ship. "We are now coming out of Slipstream." The announcement made me stand, and I got up to join Ura. I couldn't help but feel that my coming trip into the forest would be fun.