Hook:     You’ve got the cargo, you’ve got the passengers, everything’s loaded up, ready to lift.  Err ... anyone seen Zeke?

Problem: A key crewmember (preferably an NPC, or whichever player couldn’t make the game session) has gone walkabout.  Last anyone saw s/he had blown months of accumulated pay and patronized a local Companion who’d actually come across.  Sorry, says the courtesan, left six hours ago, can’t help you, but the crewmember did say s/he was dissatisfied with a party member with whom words were recently had.  But your crewmember’d never jump ship and leave behind his/her favorite cat/pillow/guitar/assault rifle, and you don’t leave people behind.

Complications: The “Companion” is nothing of the sort, and won’t show up on any registries or records (not that anyone local would ever bother to check).  S/he’s a front for the local crime ring, and nailed your crewmember on hire for an old enemy who’s holed up in a warehouse, planning on doing Vile Things to said crewmember.  No offense, just business, but they’re not keen on being exposed either.

Meanwhile your investors are bitching about their cargo not moving, your passengers are bitching about not flying, and your first mate’s eyeballing that cat/pillow/guitar/assault rifle with hungry eyes ...

Resolutions: Get your crewman back, get flying.  Try to mollify everyone who wants to sue you for every additional day you wait.  Get suitable vengeance on the Old Enemy.

Fun Stuff: The local crime ring boss is a former crewmember/war buddy/relative from way back.  Good feelings and all, but honorable as the day is long - she stays bought, and backs up her own ... don’t you dare mess with her pet Companion, hear?  In the meantime of the passengers is a priest from a particularly loudmouthed sect who’s insistent on prayer meetings in front of the ship, as long as she’s grounded, and his soon-to-be-ex-flock gather in loud, prayerful numbers.  They’d like to baptize your ship, please; would you kindly lift to Curlew Pond over there and give her a dunking?

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