Freighter

It has been a week since your Uncle MacGuffin passed away unexpectedly. Yesterday your uncle was recycled into the earth in the Koto tradition. Today, the clan elders from each founding family are at your parents’ home to preside over the distribution of Uncle MacGuffin’s worldly possessions. Yesterday the ceremony was solemn, remembering the building of the soil that their ancestors sacrificed generations living in makeshift space stations and underground cavern bunkers to provide. Today feels much more business-like.

Torsha McAffee stands at the head of the room and all others gather in a half circle before her. The bagpipe music in the garden fades away and she begins to speak.

“I do attest that this hologram is the certified last will and testament of Jeremiah MacGuffin as registered with the Council of Elders on the 21st of June in the year 3052.” The leader of the Counsel of Elders places a small silver disk into a holo player on the table. A life sized replica of your Uncle appears before you.

“I, Jeremiah MacGuffin, being of sound mind and body do hereby bequeath all of my lands, titles and holdings to my brother’s oldest child, {Name}.” The hologram fades away. The room goes silent. You feel your heart beating in your ears. Two of your guests need to hold your mother up as she nearly faints. Your father doesn’t notice. He is staring at the spot where your Uncle’s hologram stood just seconds before.

You feel a friendly slap on your shoulder. It is Dashen Gravely. He has a huge grin on his face. “How does it feel to be the youngest member of the Counsel of Elders in the past, what, two hundred years?” You find your mind vapor locked. Your parents had been so sure that they were about to finally merge the original family holding back into one estate, one seat of power. They were going to blame you for this. And that’s the kind of blame that hangs around—for decades. Slowly you regain your faculties and shake the hands that are now being offered to you from all directions. Belatedly you look around for your parents but they have fled.

Highlights

• Written in the second person, so you are the character
• Gameplay runs on the Cortex system
• Milestones and checkpoints that track your progress
• Illustrations for key scenes, with more in progress

Who it’s for

Readers who enjoy choose-your-own-adventure science fiction, and players who like games that track character abilities.