Clarissa (or more properly ‘3- Eyes’) shambled into the Ready Room, assuming there would be a daily briefing and issuing of warrants. It was the end of the holiday season, and Boy did Harvey not look happy: still sporting a hangover she imagined.

In fact there were very few S/D Agents present-there never where at this time of year. The ones with a deal of cash wanted to blow it in someplace where they didn’t mind mutants spending it to have a good time, and the ones that were more broke would find a bolt hole somewhere for a week or two, before the lure of cash and the dangerous life of a Bounty Hunter required they return to the Doghouse.

She looked round- there were only maybe half a dozen present and Harvey didn’t look in the mood to delay-probably wanted to sneak back to his bunk and pretend he was catching up with paperwork.

“Alright you Freaks, I’ve got a few here!” grumbled Harvey.

“Got one here on a Jenine Denkers- apparently poses as some sort of Singing Nun/Teacher and works convent schools. There’s a persistent warrant out for her on four worlds for corruption of minors, and another for fraudulent use of copyright material. Kidnapped five girls too, all later found dead. Any takers?”

“Sounds right down my street Harv” purred the voice of Delores Two Kitties. Most of the male S/D Agents couldn’t fathom why she was called that-stupid boys. “Is she pretty?”

“Er, Kind of” said Harvey, looking slightly embarrassed. “Want it-20,000 Cr Reward?”

“Fine Dahling. You’re such a good boy.” Harvey tossed the warrant over to her and she caught it easily. Smiling she swayed off.

“Ok here’s a real Doozey.” continued Harvey, “Standard contracted Courier Duty assignment for Bide a Wee Orphan Supplies-any of you soft hearted Stronties fancy a couple days babysitting a bunch of snot nosed kids?”

“Gimme a break Harv, we EAT kids” shouted Magilla Gorilla. “Ain’t you got anything juicier?”

The smaller warrants were announced ,and mostly taken up. It seemed most of the SD Agents preferred to pace their arrival into the new year. He came to the end of the list.

“Got one more-a Howler Job.” said Harvey, looking up. The few agents left were waiting for him to continue.

“This one’s on a moon of the Zhuf system. Ain’t surprised if you never heard of it ’cos its outside of chartered space.”

Clarissa sighed-Howlers: bound to be trouble. The sociopathic uplifts were violent and clannish- and that meant lots of them.

“So how do we get there then?” asked ’Enery the Safe.

“If you take the warrant you go to New Caledonia” replied Harvey. "The Iridon Mining Corp. have an orbiting base there, and if you report there they’ll arrange transport on one of their supply ships to their Outer Reaches Holdings: those guys run a number of operations out there, and there’s a regular run to Zhuf. "

“New Caledonia?” Clarissa did a quick mental calculation: about Cr. 18,000 to get there from here with a Mid, and about Cr. 3000 Steerage plus the run from NC to Zhuf.

“So how much Harvey?” she asked.

“Cr. 100,000 dead, or Cr. 250,000 alive-he’s the brother of one Roon the Howler, and if we can interrogate him we might get some info. on Roon’s whereabouts. Cr.25,000 for each of his Goons you can off too: Full Termination Warrants.”

“I’ll take it Harvey” said Clarissa.

“Hey wait a minute” said ’Enery, and several others. “I want that too.”

“Gentlemen, Ladies” smiled Clarissa. “It’s an Open Warrant! But a gang of Howlers? This one has Team Job written all over it.”

At the back of the room Mantis Moe looked on, muttering to himself as usual.

“Don’t take this job Moe, you’re not what others may call a ‘Team’ player”. Besides, we can get that sweet job hunting down that cereal killer Captain Crunch on Durineb all alone…just you and me: just the two of us." said Moe, apparently to himself. Frank Finney noticed this with interest, before wisely taking just four or five steps away.

“Gerrof Emmric yer shirtlifter! ” said Moe irritably, and probably more loudly than he would have liked. The few people around him were well aware of Moe’s outbursts, and paid little attention studiously: a headbutting contest when you already have a hangover just isn’t worth it.

“I’ll pick me own assignments, and I want this one!” he snapped. “Besides I wouldn’t push that posh bird Mc Turk arrar bed on a cold mornin, knoworrameanlike?”

Moe shrugged his right shoulder as if to begin the process of raising his arm. The right arm in question did not raise, and lay limply in a seemingly petulant state on the desk. Sighing he raised his thankfully obedient, and very human looking left arm and said " I’ll join up!"

Harvey nodded as Clarissa inclined her head. “Sound!” grinned Moe, before muttering at his arm once more.

“Ok I got ’Enery, 3 Eyes and Moe. Any more?” asked Harvey.