Kenneth and Eugene discuss two more episodes of Starhunter Reduc. In Negative Energy, they’ll follow the convoluted quest to get the Trans-Utopian’s engines up to speed, and in License to Fill, they’ll try to figure out how you review a clip show.

Negative Energy Synopsis

The Trans-Utopian fails to catch a bounty because they are not fast enough. Also, their bounty is one of the 5 or 6 ships in the system with an anti-matter drive.  The Trans-Utopian also happens to be one of the 5 or 6 ships with an anti-matter drive, but theirs doesn’t exactly work.

Marcus pitches the plan of getting some Duranium-237 to use Negative Energy as a fuel source for the anti-matter drive.  If they can get the element, he’ll do the math, and if it’s certain that it will work, and only if he’s certain, they’ll give it a try.

“Why has nobody done this before?” They ask.

“I dunno” is the most coherent answer Marcus can muster.

Rudolfo has a contact of a contact that might be able to help, and they pursue that avenue, meeting up with Karina, who is an old “friend” of Rudolfo’s.  She gets her in touch with Jay Becker, a dealer in questionable materials.

Rudolfo sells out Marcus, who Jay has taken a shine to, in exchange for his life and the element.  Then he rescues Marcus.

Meanwhile, in a lawless solar system full of violent crime, graft, and corruption, there is one thing you must do, and that is fill out paperwork to convert your anti-matter engine into… an alternate fuel source.  It’s not one you can skip, so Caravaggio fills out the paperwork.

This draws the attention of a corrupt permit inspector who tells them if the ship isn’t 100% up to standard, will be impounded and scrapped.  Guess what?  It’s not up to standard, and the inspector is actually a crook who uses his position to obtain anti-matter drives for his friends at the Orchard.

That fails when Travis learns that the permit request never reached the database.  With a battle raging aboard the ship and and Orchard vessel in hot pursuit, shooting holes in the Trans-Utopian, Marcus plugs the Negative Energy in, and away they go. Really fast.  But not as fast as Marcus expected.

All’s well that ends well.

License to Fill Synopsis

Mars loves its red tape.  The good crew of the Trans-Utopian are 2 days late for renewing their bounty hunting license, and even though they’re not actually doing any work at the moment, they have people they call “clients,” and because of that, they’re practicing bounty hunting without a license, and that’s a serious crime.

At least it is in the eyes of Senator Calder, recently appointed head of the people that stamp the documents and collect the fees.  He impounds the ship, and in collision with Senator Skaylon – a judge – they set the Trans-Utopian crew for a hard fall that will cost them their ship.

They can’t afford council, but help arrives in the form of Senator Rendall, an old family friend of Callie.  He suspects Calder is up to something.  Rendall will defend them in court.  But remember, “Martian law is weird.”

The “trial” consists mostly of asking Caravaggio questions.  He “testifies” to many things – including things he did not witness – but remember, Martian law is weird.

The “evidence” against the crew of the Trans-Utopian is that Travis was once a Raider.

The defense is that “he got better.”

More “evidence” is that Rudolfo is a duplicitous jerk.

The defense is that “he eventually comes through in the end”

More “evidence” is that Marcus is a bit headstrong, inexperienced, and tries to do more than he’s qualified to do.

The defense is that “he comes through in the end”

Finally, the prosecution brings forth a surprise witness, Percy Montana, who testifies… um… that she owns the ship and that she makes bad decisions.

The defense to that is, “What’s your point.”

This final piece does seem to be the most damning – which I’ve said about Percy all along.

Luckily the crew has discovered that Calder is actually buddies with the guy that shot Callie back in episode 4.  The case is dismissed, and Rendall promises to go after Senator Skaylon, too.

It’s not all’s well that ends well with this episode, though, because Percy is back.