Merchant's request

This random event occurs in:

• Civilian Sector
• Engi Controlled Sector
• Engi Homeworlds
• Pirate Controlled Sector
• Rebel Controlled Sector
• Rebel Stronghold
  The Long-Ranged Scanners will detect no ship presence. This event can occur only once per sector.

---

You arrive at a populated sector. One merchant seems to be mass-broadcasting a request for a mercenary ship to aid him. Shall we respond?

1. Yes.
   • "Great, I was worried no one would respond. My usual carrier is days late. I need you to deliver this cargo of drone parts to a small station a few jumps from here. I'll pay you a bit of scrap now, but they will surely tip you generously."
     1. Accept.
        • Great! I uploaded their location to your star map. I'm running out of options, so I have no choice but to trust you'll do what you have agreed to do.
          • You receive 5 and Merchant's Delivery quest marker is added to your map.
     2. Decline.
        • "Fine, I'll keep looking for someone who wishes to make some easy money..."
          • Nothing happens.
   • "Your ship seems reasonably equipped... A freighter carrying a shipment of my goods is a week late. The fools flew through a pirate-filled sector in their haste and I fear for the cargo's safety. I'm looking for a less incompetent captain to investigate."
     1. Accept.
        • "At least you're confident, for what little that's worth. Here is their last known location."
          • Merchant's Investigation quest marker is added to your map.
     2. Decline
        • "At least YOU are willing to admit your incompetence. Thank you for saving me the cost of paying more fools to go to their death."
          • Nothing happens.
2. No.
   • Nothing happens.

Merchant's Delivery

The Long-Ranged Scanners will detect no ship presence.

You arrive at the location given to you by the merchant. You are supposed to deliver drone parts to a station here.

• The station doesn't respond to your hails
• The station responds to your hails

The station doesn't respond

You find the small research station and discover that it's putting out a distress signal. Strangely, there is no response to your hails.

1. Dock with the station and investigate.
   • Inside there are signs of a great struggle; scientists lie dead where they fell, brutally dismembered. You grab a few research drone parts lying on a desk near the door and leave quickly.
     • You receive medium drone parts and scrap.
   • You dock with the station and see a frantic person banging on the airlock door. Once inside your ship, he drops to the floor saying, "My... friends... They've gone insane... They're coming!" You hand him a blaster and turn to see a number of people charging toward the ship.
     • You receive a crewmember.
       1. Prepare for a fight!
          • 3-4 human boarders beam aboard your ship.
       2. (Medbay) Have the advanced medbay analyze their condition. (Requires level 3 Medbay)
          • You hold them off while retreating into the med-bay. Its advanced systems determine that an alien neurotoxin is the cause of their frenzy. It synthesizes an antidote and releases it into the room. After a time, the scientists recover. One offers their services as thanks for saving them.
            • You receive a crewmember with 1 skill in repair and medium scrap.
   • As you explore the base, crazed screams are heard. Your team retreats back to your ship with a number of armed scientists in pursuit. One of your team starts to cough and falls in a spasm onto the floor.
     1. Drag him back to the ship and prepare for a fight.
        • As you get back on board, your injured friend rises up and starts to attack you, screaming. Caught off-guard, your remaining crew fall back as the other scientists fight their way onto the ship.
          • You lose a crewmember, who becomes an enemy, and 3-4 human boarders beam aboard your ship.
     2. (Teleporter) Use your Teleporter to retrieve your crew.
        • You beam your away team back to the ship and disengage from the station. Although the ship is safe, the infected crew member quickly becomes frenzied and attacks.
          • You lose a crewmember, who becomes an enemy.
     3. (Medbay) Drag him back to the Medbay. (Requires level 2 Medbay)
        • You hold him down and the medbay is able to stop whatever neurotoxin was on the ship from fully infecting your crew. Once he recovers, you prepare to fight off the scientists, who are beyond help.
          • 3-4 human boarders beam aboard your ship.
     4. (Medbay) Have the Advanced Medbay analyze their condition. (Requires level 3 Medbay)
        • You hold them off while retreating into the med-bay. Its advanced systems determine that an alien neurotoxin is driving your crew member insane. It synthesizes an antidote and releases it into the ship. After a time, the frenzied scientists recover and one offers to help out as thanks for saving them.
          • You receive a crewmember.
2. Leave it alone.
   • Nothing happens.
3. (Anti-Personnel Drone) Send your battle drone in to help.  [ 1 ]  [ bugged: no drone part loss if you get the reward outcome and if it includes drone parts, though you still need at least 1 drone part to choose this ]
   • 2x : You send your Anti-Personnel drone to explore the station. What you find is disconcerting... It appears that something has caused the scientists and guards to tear each other to pieces. You abandon the drone on the station for fear that it is contagious.  OR  Once on board the station, your drone is immediately beset by frenzied scientists and guards. It eventually gets torn apart by the mob but it has bought you enough time to disengage from the station and escape into empty space.
     • Nothing happens.
   • The cameras mounted to your Anti-Personnel drone show a chaotic scene. No people are to be found but the remnants of a recent battle on-board the ship are obvious. You instruct the drone to retrieve some useful materials before leaving.
     • You receive medium scrap with resources.

The station responds

You find the station and they respond to your hails immediately, saying, "It took you long enough! We have practically no use for these now... I refuse to pay full price, take this and leave the cargo in our holds."

1. Accept the paltry payment.  [ the actual offer is shown prior to the trade ]
   • You drop the parts off and take your pay.
     • You receive 20-30 and lose 5.
2. Refuse and keep the drone parts.
   • "Fine, I was bluffing. I'll pay the full price."
     1. Accept the new offer.  [ the actual offer is shown prior to the trade ]
        • You receive 40-55 and lose 5.
     2. Leave.
        • Nothing happens.
   • The merchant disconnects in a huff.
     • Nothing happens.
3. (Mind Control) Convince him that he's being 'unfair'.
   • "I'm being unfair. You did the job and the parts are here safe and sound. Here is the agreed upon amount."
     1. Accept the new offer.  [ the actual offer is shown prior to the trade ]
        • You receive 40-55 and lose 5.
     2. Leave.
        • Nothing happens.
4. (Weapons) Remain silent but power up your weapons. (Requires level 6+ Weapon Control)  [ the trade result is unknown till the transaction is complete, negotiation is unavailable ]
   • "You make a good point. You traveled all the way out here to fulfill our request, despite what must have been... a difficult scenario to cause such a delay. Here, we'll even tip you for the inconvenience you must have gone through..."
     • You receive 55-70, 2-5 and lose 5.

Merchant's Investigation

The Long-Ranged Scanners will detect no ship presence.

You arrive at the last known location of the merchant's delivery. You begin to scan for the lost ship.

• You find the remains of the ship. It seems to have severe external damage, but you cannot pinpoint a cause. The majority of its cargo seems intact. You manage to discern the ship's intended destination.
  • You receive medium scrap with resources.
    1. Take the cargo and head to its original destination in search of a reward.
       • Deliver to the Station quest marker is added to your map.
    2. Take the cargo for yourself.
       • Investigate the cargo.
• You find a severely damaged ship floating among some debris. The crew hails you, "I can't believe that cheap bastard sent someone after us! I thought we would freeze to death. If you help us complete the delivery, we'll share the reward and join your crew."
  1. Promise to deliver the cargo and ask if any would be interested in joining your crew.
     • They upload the delivery destination once on board. One takes you up on your offer, the rest you drop off at a nearby station.
       • You receive a crewmember and Deliver to the Station quest marker is added to your map.
  2. Take the cargo but drop them off at a nearby station.
     • Investigate the cargo.
  3. (Teleporter) Beam the cargo aboard and leave them to their fate.
     • Investigate the cargo.
• After a quick scan, you find a ship being chased by a pirate. This must be the missing delivery ship! You move in to rescue them.
  • Fight a Pirate ship.  (no surrender offers, no escape attempts)
    • (After destroying enemy ship or After killing enemy crew) You contact the delivery ship, who are grateful for your assistance. They offer you a reward for saving them.
      • You receive medium scrap with resources.

Investigate the Cargo

• The cargo was some food and medical supplies, nothing that you need right now. You make a note of the delivery destination in case you want to drop off the cargo for the payment.
  • Deliver to the Station quest marker is added to your map.
• You find a prototype weapon inside. You quickly install it on the ship.
  • You receive a weapon.
• There were general military supplies in the cargo crates. You take what you can use.
  • You receive high scrap with resources.

Deliver to the Station

The Long-Ranged Scanners will detect no ship presence.

You find the station that had ordered your cargo. You drop it off and they respond, "Ignoring the fact that this is days late, we really appreciate that you delivered our materials. We realize how dangerous this sector is these days. Take this as payment."

• You receive a drone schematic with medium scrap.

Trivia

This event is called "MERCHANT_REQUEST" in the datafiles.

• The station doesn't respond subevent in the Merchant's Delivery scenario can be found as Small research station with no response standalone event, but with a slightly different intro text and an additional blue option for the Lifeform Scanner.