ND Cragsand S3E14 Part 1: Diplomacy

:Return to character article: Sten Berglund
==Season 3: Neon Divide==
===Episode 14: Diplomatic Efforts===
====In's and outs====
Waking on the couch after staying overnight in the shop Sten resumes work on the harpoon gun order. Running out of scrap they're going to need even more before completing all the orders. Sten tells Willie about this Captain Ahab who is hunting sand worms with Bub. The name doesn't ring a bell to Willie but Sten could swear it sounds familiar.
Shura returns after catching some bug giving him a fever and is updated on current events. Sten recommends checking with Fee-Bee and Willie about heading out on scrapping runs since they seem to be organizing most of them. 
Maxies cybernetics are acting up, almost dropping his work on the floor. Sten tries to help him but he might need to see an expert about getting better cybernetic prosthetics. Working on some project for Ima, he appears and purchases more ammunition. 
Spotting Savire moving towards the scrap arena she snaps angrily at Sten and Willie when they ask if she's alright. While very out of sorts for her she is covered in grease and grime, as if she took a dive in a trashcan. Later in the day she stops by to apologize, asking if she hit or stabbed anyone. Thinking about it, Sten can't recall ever seeing her fight or get mad before and maybe she shares some of that bloodrage in common with McCuldger, more so than Hendersson. Best not get on her bad side.
Bernard stops by asking about the status on making GU rifles again, unfortunately the news are the same as before. Lack of materials the titanium in stock is being kept for the moment.
A familiar face, a friend of Verren known as Elliot brings a damaged kevlar armor to be repaired. Lacking credits he offers a trade instead. Either a shotgun or a revolver. Being quite valuable Sten offers him 20,000 credits for the value difference in exchange for a shotgun and armor repairs.
:-20,000 credits
:+1 Shotgun 
:-2 Kevlar
Henderson hulks by grunting that the council has an announcement to make. The big man has been busy visiting the city lately, making deals to keep the corporations away from scrap town no doubt. Not everyone has as much faith in Henderson as Sten and Willie is vocal about his disapproval. 
Moving to the restaurant to listen on the announcement the injured from yesterday are gathered. Mercury looks severely damaged, Herk has his arm in a cast and is walking with a crutch and Maya has both a cast and a splint for one of her wings. Grabbing a snack before whatever is about to happen Sten orders food at Jyggal's. In the kitchen Jeremy is working, looks like he got hired after coming third place in the competition yesterday. 
:-350 credits for food
Phineas brings some slimes into the restaurant he tells are covered in fecal matter and asks to have them washed. Usually not minding Phineas ways, this time he upsets Sten who shoos him to do that outside. Such disrespect towards Jyggals establishment is unacceptable. Preparing for an emergency Sten fills a waterskin with water he carries on his person. Grabbing the food to go the 
Asking how everything went Fee-Bee reports back from the upper city. No issues with Valkyrie so far, though she haven't giving up on scrapping at the volcano just yet. Her intentions are to bring more firepower next time, making sure they take a hike. Laying claim to the whole volcano is way too greedy for any single corporation.
====Announcement====
The announcement turns out not to be that much news but more of a reminder. 
Hadwyn starts the meeting by extending a hand to all newcomers, telling them that everyone is welcome and that their old backgrounds matter less now. He tells that scrap town is a community first and although the wasteland is hell, literally being in the name of the planet "Hellion", that doesn't stop everyone from working together. 
In the absence of Mercury, since he was damaged in the bandit attack yesterday, deputy Herk is introduced as being in charge of keeping the town safe. Henderson twitching between his sane self and McCuldger, repeats the three laws of the town and announces a new fourth one. 
*First law; No shooting guns except at the firing range or you get 10 bullets back. 
*Second law; No killing in town, any killings have to be taken outside of town or you share their grave. 
*Third law; Stealing a vehicle you get a bullet in your brain with no medical aid given. 
*Fourth law; Nobody leaves town alone without approval from the council or sheriffs office. The reason being the gate left open, increased wildlife and raider activity. 
Communications being bad Gustavo offers to aid with that. Jyggal asks for permission to extend her restaurateurship to include home deliveries and use a dedicated radio channel. All good, Hadwyn reminds again that whatever lives everyone may have had in the city in the past no longer matters, whatever rank or life is gone when you are here. Ending inspiring as ever with; "It may be hell, but it's our hell" a resound "Scrap Town forever!" fills the air. 
The new lead scrapper in charge of crews heading out is Skully. A meeting with the bandit lords is to occur and Henderson representing scrap town asks that four accompany him to provide security. 
It's also rent day. Single lots pay 8,000, double lots 16,000 and business tax is 11,000. That also reminds Sten that it's time to pay salaries.
====Special requests====
Herk limping slowly asks for a special request and to speak in private. Moving to the shop Sten tells him that the town leadership didn't always have the best interest of everyone at heart. Years ago a fish looking man with his own private pool ruled fiercely. Baths being a luxury Herk tells he did take a shower but with his armor on. His reason being to always be ready. Back at the shop he asks to replace his cracked helmet and broken armor but is unwilling to part with it currently. He seems to have a strange attachment to his armor. Agreeing to find some sturdier material than scrap, Sten suggests steel and sets Maxie to work. Herk nervously asks to speak alone. His big secret seems to be that the gas tank he carries around can explode violently. Containing both oxygen for breathing and fuel, in combination it's pretty much a bomb. Carrying that around might make people nervous so Sten agrees to keep it secret. At least for now.
:-1 Steel
:-2 Nitrolium for kevlar
:+12,000 credits
Bub resumes his hunting adventures and purchases more harpoons and another harpoon gun. 
:-1 Harpoon gun
:+10,000
Seeing such good business and great effort from all the employees Sten pays out a fair share of the store earnings. 150k per person. Sten asks Willie what would be good upgrades for his cybernetics, maybe make the arms he has malfunction less perhaps. He has an idea of getting a better eye helping his aim.
:-450,000 to Willie, Fee-Bee and Maxie.
Ima announces another race. This time around there's a lot of participants even including pillbugs and a group of wastelanders who are dressed like raiders. Probably apart of Hendersons deal to broker a peace out there with the bandit lords. Other participants are Ty, Charles, Hendersson and even Jeremy who is driving one-handed. 
By the racetrack Maya is seated next to a ledge overlooking with a rope tied around her waist, carried by Willie. From how she's moving while in a cast and splint its obvious the purpose is to prevent her from hurting herself by falling down into the canyon. Skittish and with little care she would be the one to accidentally hurt herself even more.
Ty takes a dominating lead in the race. She is an excellent driver and flies over the finishing line, even lapping some of the other contestants.
Sten suspicious about the bandit racers keeps an eye on them, thinking they may not take their loss very well. Racing with a truck carriage filled with 4 others doesn't seem like a good idea, looks more like a "Trojan horse". Their leader is a fiesty woman. Ima dispensing the winnings of 50,000 credits to Ty, opens the bar for the other participants with drinks on the house. Jeremy helps him out bartending. Tomorrow is another planned race with even more generous prizes. Must have some corporate sponsor. In the back Henderson crashed and managed to somehow get the car stuck on a ledge. It's totaled and is going to need repairs. 
The so called "raiders" are not what they initially seem to be, it turns out. One is strangely well spoken and another even studied in community college in the city. Who are this bunch? Hungry for more of what Scrap Town can offer they agree to fight in the arena. Leaving out the back Jeremy spots an extra bottle of liquor for Sten since it's "free".
:Next Episode: S3E14.5 Part 2: Unknown Threat
==Inventory==
Sten personal inventory tracker after episode...
==Store inventory==
Store inventory tracker after episode... This is shared with employees, credits are stored in the smithing registry.
==Links==
*Twitch VOD: Neon Divide Season 3 Episode E14: Diplomatic Efforts 
*YouTube VOD: Neon Divide S3 E14: Diplomatic Efforts
===Twitch Clips===
*Maya had an owie
==Gallery==
ND Crag S3E14p1 01 Sten Ima Maxie.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 02 Elliot.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 03 Elliot.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 04 Sten Herk broken helmet.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 05 Jyggal Jeremy.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 06 Sten Jyggal Jeremy.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 07 Jeremy Norbert.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 08 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 09 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 10 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 11 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14 Council Meeting Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk crop.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 12 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 13 Council announcement Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 14 Council announcement Fee-Bee Sten Henderson Hadwyn Ima Herk Charles Jyggal.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 15 Sten Fee-Bee.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 16 Sten racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 17 Maya cast.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 18 Ima declaring a winner raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 19 Raider racers Ima.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 20 Hendersson crashed car Shura Bub Peaches Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 21 Hendersson crashed car Shura Bub Peaches Herk.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 22 Jeremy Pillbugs Raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 23 Jeremy Chester Raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 24 Raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 25 Henderson FeeBee raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 26 Ima Savire FeeBee Hendersson raider racers.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 27 Sten Ima Raider racers Savire Henderson.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 28 Herk broken helmet.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 29 Herk broken helmet.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 30 Herk broken helmet.png
ND Crag S3E14p1 31 raider racers.png
NeonDivideCreditsInfographicThingy.png|Neon Divide RP approximate prices infographic (outdated)
Category:Neon Divide Cragsand Episodes