Hal 4

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Hal 4

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- This is an early plot outline for Hal Spacejock No Free Lunch, the fourth novel in the award-winning and best-selling Hal Spacejock series.
  Please note that at least half the ideas from this outline have been set aside for future Spacejock novels - the only way you're going to find out how this plot outline morphed into a completed novel is ... by reading the novel.
  Hal Spacejock 4: No Free Lunch was published in 2008, and is available in paperback and ebook format. Visit the Hal 4 home page for details:
  ~ http://www.spacejock.com.au/Hal4.html
+ - Day 1
- + - Hal sitting in spaceport cafe
  - Hal enjoying a refreshing glass of water
  - It's very sterile
    - All flouro and formica
    - Like a hospital waiting room, and half as cheerful
  - Meets a girl
    - Harriet Walsh
      - (Make sure this isn't the name of the Dr Who woman!)
    - She buys him a coffee
    - Hal says he'd buy her one but has no cash
      - Currently cash-flow negative
        He SAYS an investment opportunity came up
        
        And other jumbled terms
        
        Amortised our cashflow
        
        Copied from Clunk, badly.
      - We know he put it into a poker machine
  - They get chatting
    - Half day off work and she has to spend it hanging around the spaceport.
      - She's there to pick up some cargo.
      - She tells him about herself
      - Not about Peace Force, just in general
    - Hal says Dulsuil is an apt name
      - She explains it's a retirement planet
      - Wants to get away, but has to serve there for two more years
      - Serve? Like a waitress?
      - Might as well be, mutters Walsh
      - So, what does Hal do? Is he the new janitor?
    - He says he's a pilot
      - She apologises - thought he was wearing overalls
        Retirement planet - like flies to manure
        
        Anyone under 50 is usually a trouble-maker, a con man or a thief
      - Hal regales her with tales of his adventures in space
      - Clunk - his robot - is doing paperwork for their latest job
      - Told Clunk to find them a real job
        He wants to leave ASAP
        
        Do real work, not this postie nonsense
      - Hal asks what about you?
        Grins. I'm a troublemaker
        
        Finds himself drawn to her
    - Do you know if the Volante is in?
    - He says yes - we flew halfway across the Galaxy
      - Deliver a few packets of biscuits
      - and some hoity-toity's bottled water
      - Can you imagine?
      - Clunk said it was essential supplies
        Turns out to be just a couple of boxes
        Chips, chocolate, etc
        
        And lovely spring water to wash it down with
        
        Someone's having one hell of a party
        
        Someone paying full rate for delivery
        Must be insane
        
        AND Clunk even complained about loading the cargo alone!
    - Hal blames Clunk
      - Lays it on thick
      - She asks whether he's fairly tall, bronze and somewhat angry-looking
      - Yeah, that sounds like Clunk. You met him?
      - No, he's standing right behind you
  - Clunk arrives with a problem
    - Hal doesn't
    - It's reasonable here. Retirees do the work.
    - Great, old people messing around with my ship.
    - Not old, experienced.
    - Clunk needs some cash for fuel, supplies, x, y
    - Hal doesn't have any left
    - Clunk reams him out
    - Embarassed, Walsh goes to pay the duty on her water
      - Needs to pick it up
      - Has to get back to work
- + - Return to ship for handover
  - Old man waiting there
    - They discover the cargo has been impounded
    - Old man won't pay
    - Says Hal should have sneaked it through
    - He was paying good money for a smuggler
    - Hal's useless
  - One Flew Over Cuckoos Nest matron type leaps out
    - She had the cargo confiscated
      - He's not getting paid either
      - Admin says she'll pay for fuel only
        'You'll pay' - it's not your money!
      - Hal - what about wear and tear?
      - Wear my patience and I'll tear you a new --
      - Clunk intervenes
        "That's settled then"
    - Accuses Hal of endangering life
      - She runs the local branch of the planet-wide nursing home
      - The residents are on a strictly controlled diet
      - Strictly controlled!
      - This .. junk food could take weeks off their lives.
      - You're single-handedly killing them
  - Hal is still objecting strenuously when Walsh comes in
    - Walsh is prepared to let things slide
    - Until she discovers her water has been impounded too
    - Matron says it's evidence against Hal
- + - Walsh sticks up for Hal
  - Walsh hints that matron is profiting
    - Showdown
    - Woman pays Hal fuel money
    - (We know SHE's keeping money and food)
  - Admin leaving, dragging old guy away
  - Walsh apologises to Hal
    - It's not against the law, just against the rules
    - Oldies have strict diet
  - Clunk wants to dislike her
    - ... finds he can't. She's literal-minded, like him.
  - Hal tells her she handled it well.
    - Walsh says she's been watching the admin woman, and she knows it
    - She's up to no good
      - I'll catch her out one day
      - She'll be locked up
      - Tighter than her own clients
    - Hal says she should leave all that to the cops
  - Walsh gives him a funny look
    - I AM the cops
    - Detective Harriet Walsh at your service
- + - New POV - an elderly woman entering wilderness
  - Middle-aged woman heading for wilderness with robot
  - She also has an old man with her
    - She's gentle with him
    - He's moaning about the weather
  - Looking for THE HUT
  - Finds it, lands, sets up her camp
    - Old guy asks her what's on TV
    - She says they're communing with nature
    - He says there'd better be something good for tea
- + - Walsh Next bit
  - Walsh explains
    - Off duty. No uniform.
    - Didn't mention it because people fear the Peace
    - She mentions a shocking case
      - Lies, extortion, death threats
      - And then there was the crime itself
      - Not here, of course
      - This place is dull
      - Hal laughs. "Dulsuil! Of course"
      - She frowns. Doesn't get it.
    - Hal - actually, you're quite human
      - Nice to have the law on our side for once
      - Why, which side are you normally on?
  - (He's hiding something from her)
    - Misdemeanour
    - Petty theft
    - Parking tickets
    - Speeding tickets
    - Something like that
    - General fear of the law
    - Smuggling?
- + - They hit it off, but say goodbye
  - Walsh tries one of her bottles of water.
  - Well, there's nobody else there her age ...
  - Walsh says they should check out the beach cafe
    - Much nicer
    - A date?
  - Hal apologetic - they're leaving soon
    - Clunk getting job for them
  - Is Clunk efficient?
  - Only when I don't want him to be.
  - She leaves in a hurry
- + - Hal has a great idea
  - Hal books ship service to hang around
    - Wants the cheap service Clunk was talking about
    - Retiree mechs work cheap to keep busy
    - They offer to do the Volante for next to nothing
  - Now Clunk objects
    - Clunk was already seeking work
    - Hey, it's cheap
    - They're old!
    - No, experienced.
    - I'm not confident they can handle a modern ship like this.
    - That's what I thought about you!
    - Clunk decides not to pursue that particular line of reasoning.
  - Clunk tells him they'll need cash for the service
    - Hal says they just got some.
    - Clunk says it'll be more than that.
    - AND we'll have to book in somewhere
    - Can't stay aboard the ship.
- + - Walsh at the Peace Force station
  - Her intro & backstory
    - Desperate to crack a case
    - With promotion she'll be moved to an inner planet
    - Her big dream
  - She has a romantic notion of inner planets
    - Clunk tells Hal she wouldn't last five minutes
    - Crowded, polluted
  - A bit obsessive
    - Thick case files
    - Reports on locals
    - Sees conspiracies
  - She considered quitting Peace Force, but what else is there?
  - Investigating retirement admin
    - Poking her nose in
    - Suspects sedation of inhabitants
- + - Kent arrives on Dulsuil - competition!
  - They watch another Gamma Class arriving
    - Better model
    - Whisper quiet
      - Kent's arrival sounds like Hal's, only smoooth
    - Realise it's Kent Spearman?
  - Invited aboard for lunch
    - Aboard the Gamma Class
    - Sees Hal - backstory and explanation
  - Makes big thing of his new updated engines
    - No longer uses fuel
    - Hal's ship old fashioned. Get with the program.
    - It's all fuel rods these days
    - They cost 90k each, last more than a year on avg
    - You should trade that tub of yours in
    - I can undercut you any day
  - They discover he's delivering artworks
    - Cushy job
    - Good pay
    - Spearman dismissive of Hal's cargo
    - His cargo is avant garde art, very high tech
    - Load of modern crap, really
    - Hal looks thoughtful
    - Hal determined to compete & defeat
  - Kent offers Clunk a job
    - "That job's still yours if you want it"
    - Hang around with Spacejock and you'll end up worse off.
    - Hang around with Spearman and it's a long walk out a short airlock
    - K: Vicious rumours!
      - The last person to cast aspersions on my personality
      - .. ended up footing the bill for that (points at ship)
      - Record damages payout, it was. Set a new benchmark.
- + - Walsh investigating docile retirees
  - Speaking to residents
    - (Mention her bottled water)
    - Suspects they're all doped
    - Gets nowhere (comical)
  - Interviews admin person
    - Brushed off
    - Notices agent on way out
- + - Agent at old folks home admin advertising expo
  - Visiting the retirement admin
    - Trying to ensure 'bums on seats' for the expo in two days
    - Ticket holders invited to a cocktail party?
    - No chance. That's for VIPs
      - Shudders
      - Old people & booze - there'd be fights galore
      - Last time a disagreement over brush strokes led to a punchup
      - Insists on proper security
  - Agent wants to book another art expo
    - Running ticket scam, splitting proceeds with Admin
    - Admin reluctant (that'll be the third this month!)
    - They're charging them 200c each. They're like sheep, but still ...
    - Worried about Walsh. Sniffing around. Suspicious.
    - Agent talks it up.
    - Admin says she'll round up their savings books and ensure they all come
  - Leaves.
    - Who's she going to find on Dulsuil to be a bouncer?
- + - Hal and Clunk visit gallery to get art transport job off Kent
  - Hal intends to reveal all about Kent and take his job
  - It's an old building
  - They're at the art expo during setup
    - Nut & bolt gag
  - Hal corners agent re: doing shipping
    - "You look like you can handle yourself"
    - Hal swaggers
    - More compliments
    - She's talking about giving him the art job
    - He accepts
    - 'Make sure you wear something suitable. VIP event.'
    - 'Eh?'
    - The cocktail party. Black tie.
  - Hired, but as bouncers
    - For cocktail party
      - It's a meet-the-artist do
      - Expo is in two days
      - Wants a pair of bouncers to keep the riff-raff out
    - (Very manipulative)
    - Hal explains Kent's a jailbird
      - (Kent's criminal history)
      - Agent doesn't care
      - As long as the job's done ...
    - Another nut and bolt type gag. This one's real.
      - (Do something wrong and leave quickly.)
- + - Walsh called to Gallery over art problem
  - Build is in progress
  - Artist has screaming fit
    - Something minor about his works
    - e.g. Stolen
  - Walsh unmoved, suggests fix
    - Agent realises they weren't all collected
    - Important pieces missing
  - Learns Hal and Clunk will be there later
- + - Evening. Hal and Clunk being bouncers
  - Hal over enthusiastic
    - Little old lady frisked
    - She's lost her ticket
    - Explains she paid 200 credits for it
    - And she doesn't have a lot of money
  - Clunk angry someone ripped the old lady off
    - Shouldn't be paying at all!
    - Hal - yes, it's an art expo. They usually pay people to go
    - Clunk determined to investigate
  - Meet the artist, Max Bright
  - Annoys the wrong people
- + - Walsh takes call about a Forzen resident
  - Caller is chief of security from Forzen
    - Mining planet nearby
  - Very dismissive of Walsh
  - Just wants to know whether woman X is on Dulsuil
  - Walsh asks why, he says it's none of her business
    - X is a Forzen citizen
    - Has to tell him
  - Walsh says X isn't there
  - Man asks whether Y is there
    - Y is a Dulsuil resident
    - Walsh says it's none of his business
    - Privacy laws
    - He's out of his jurisdiction
    - Hangs up. Bloody private cops.
  - Walsh checks if Y is there, but no record
- + - Walsh attends party
  - She wears her uniform to the do
    - Doesn't have anything to wear
  - Sees Hal on way in. Clunk realises she's Peace Force
    - Why's your girlfriend wearing a Peace Force uniform?
    - Is it a fancy dress event?
  - Discusses her water theory
    - Avoids the stuff
    - Why don't you analyse it?
    - Someone would switch it
    - Clunk sniffs, swills, tastes a glass
    - Spits it out, pronounces it clean.
    - Walsh says he could be in on the --
    - Conspiracy? Clunk smiled
    - Walsh reddens. Make it sound like bad tv
  - Agent puts her down
    - Agent hints she and Hal are a thing
    - Just being nasty
  - Walsh leaves, angry. Goes back to office
- + - Afterwards, Hal and Clunk fleeing thugs they angered
  - Locked out of lodgings
    - Oil on carpet
    - No cash for anywhere else
    - It's all shut, anyway
    - Posh hotel doorman chucks Hal out
  - Go to shipyard but it's locked
  - Wreck security system, cause problems
  - Think about getting aboard Kent's ship?
  - Escape, flee to beach
    - End up sleeping there
+ - Day 2
- + - Walsh takes second call - told about missing person
  - First, head on beach.
  - Then, missing person
  - This time it's the head of the mines at Forzen
  - Caller is a mining exec from Forzen
    - He's calling about a missing person
    - Missing person is his wife
    - He didn't notice for three days
    - She was visiting her father on Dulsuil
  - Apologises for previous day's call
    - Says the security force is heavy handed
    - Wants her to visit Forzen unofficially
    - Drop by on a ruse
    - Security mean well but they're guards
    - She won't have any jurisdiction but ...
    - Walsh agrees
  - Walsh rings admin. Father missing too.
  - Now she has to go to Forzen
    - Looks up info on the planet
      - She's never been there
      - Company-run planet
      - Mining and manufacturing
      - Processing fuel rods
      - Prev military use but now for civilian ships too
      - Revolutionary
      - 80% duty on them to replace lost revenue
    - Who's she going to travel with?
- + - Walsh asks Hal to fly her to Forzen
  - He'd love to. It's a date.
    - I mean, a deal
  - She asks him about oldies on Dulsuil
    - Did he notice they're all docile?
    - He: not really
  - Also art colony sponsored by mine.
    - PR Exercise
    - Run by boss's wife
- + - Hal discovers his ship has been dismantled
  - Workers say Hal's mate approved it
    - What, Clunk?
    - No, turns out it was Kent
    - He's nobbled Hal good and proper
  - (b) Volante nowhere near ready
    - Engines out, etc
    - Workers go overboard
  - Engines out, etc
    - Chief mech's son works in Navy dockyard
    - Same place this guy worked at
    - Fantastic stuff being thrown out every day
    - Too good to waste. You'll see.
    - Hal - how about some guns?
    - Mech - yes, well, there are limits.
  - Completely redoing it
  - Workers hand him a commset
    - 'It's for you'
    - It's the Navcom
    - Not a call - she's been saved to the comset while ship being refitted
    - Keeps ringing throughout the rest of the book
    - Keeps the Navcom in the plot
    - Navcom keeps asking to be held up 'for a look'
  - Won't be ready for ages
- + - Has to tell Walsh he can't take her
  - She says she'll find someone else
    - Both reluctant
    - Both sense it could have been good
    - They realise they're holding hands
    - Spring apart
  - Hal realises who that will be
    - Scandalised
    - Kent will be all over her like a rash.
    - She won't stand a chance once she's in his clutches
    - Clunk = You were trying to get her in your clutches
    - That's different. I'm not Kent Spearman.
  - Hal really angry. First the job, then the girl.
- Walsh leaves for Forzen with Kent
- + - Clunk & Hal watching Kent preparing to leave
  - Clunk watches Kent take off
  - Clunk realises Hal is missing
- + - Walsh and Kent
  - Walsh says it's a shame about Hal
    - Kent dismissive
    - He's a loser. Couldn't navigate a toilet roll.
  - Kent with girl. Trying to impress, goes to put arm around her
    - Loud Moaning sounds
    - Goes to look, comes back
    - CLANG! from hold
    - Goes to look, comes back
    - Ship suddenly goes sideways
    - Goes to look, comes back
    - All mysterious
    - Goes to look, comes back
  - She escapes his attentions
    - Goes to her cabin
    - Hears footsteps
      - Assumes Kent is watching her
      - Creep
  - Decides to take a shower
    - Undresses, wraps towel
    - Walsh turns water on without looking
    - Yell of anguish
    - Figure springs from shower, sopping wet
    - Uses all her unarmed combat training
    - She lays him out with a punch
    - "Get your filthy hands off me, you pervert"
- + - Hal aboard Kent's ship, causing mayhem
  - Backtrack to ship leaving
  - He sneaks aboard (overalls, mechanic)
  - Doing all the noises
  - Running away
  - Hiding in cabin, hears footsteps
  - Gets in shower cubicle
  - Water comes on
  - Leaps out, KO'd
- + - Hal wakes groggy & wet, lying on floor
  - Walsh crouched over him
  - Walsh is about to give him mouth to mouth
  - Jumps back now he's awake.
    - She thought Hal was Kent
    - Copping a perve
  - Kent knocks on door
    - Heard shouting and screaming
    - Walsh: I was singing
    - I'm perfectly all right
  - Hides Hal?
    - Walsh asks what the hell is he doing there?
    - He comes up with some really lame excuse
  - Hal accuses Kent of being a lawbreaker
    - Sabotaged my ship
    - Took my job and ... other things
    - Should be locked up or something
  - Walsh tells Hal he's the one breaking the law!
    - Rants: Stowaway, Illegal entry, trespass
    - Hal tells her about the Spacer's code
      - Hasn't she heard of it?
      - No.
      - Brothers in arms
      - Friend in need, etc
      - Walsh - How extraordinary
      - Hal - Yes, we're all very close
      - W - no, I mean it's extraodinary how my uncle
      - .. ran a freighter for 30 years and I never heard about this code
      - H - Of course you didn't. It's a secret code.
      - We can't break the sacred trust. centuries of tradition
      - W - but you just told me
      - H - Right, and you'd better forget I mentioned it.
    - Forzen is high security
      - They'll lock Hal up in a shot
      - No ID, no excuse for being there
      - Hal says he's more than a match for plod
        Oops. She IS plod.
      - She's v. angry at him
      - Whatever possessed you to hide on board?
      - Hal stumbles out his reply
    - I'm an officer of the law! Supposed to uphold the uniform!
    - Hal points to towel - what uniform?
- + - Walsh hides Hal in her cabin for the night
  - She says he'll have to stay on the ship until it leaves
+ - Day 3
- + - They land on Forzen in the morning
  - Walsh avoids Kent
  - She's waiting for him to leave
  - Ignores his offer of breakfast
  - He tells her the ship will lock up when she leaves
  - Says she should help herself to breakfast
- + - Kent leaves to collect artworks
  - Recorded message for him
  - Artworks are twelve hours drive away
    - With sleepover at remove artists colony
    - Truck provided
    - Keys etc too. Drive safely.
  - Kent moaning like hell
    - Going to take two days!
  - Hal finds that amusing
- + - Walsh tells Hal to stay on ship
  - But he wants to leave with her
    - He has no cash, no visa, nothing
    - She's there on official business, unofficially
    - Hal says he could be her unofficial partner
      - Hired muscle
      - Deputy
      - Hal - Do I get a gun?
      - Hal introduces himself as Special Agent Spacejock - but you can call me Hal
    - No!
    - She leaves for the spaceport
- + - Clunk subplot
  - Ship repairers are Orally men
  - Navcom in comset
  - Hal's vanished - assumes he's hared off after Walsh
  - Nothing he can do to help
- + - Hal sets fire to it
  - Hal has breakfast on Kent
  - Catches fire to something
  - Makes it worse
  - Throws it into waste disposal outside
  - Then realises the ship locked him out
  - Grabs a piece of scrap and tries to lever his way in
  - Bashes the door
  - Throws scrap away and heads for terminal
- + - Someone waiting for Walsh in terminal
  - Shadrick: He's head of IT at the mine
    - Also handles security. Watches cameras, mostly.
    - He's attractive, young
  - Walsh surprised to be met
    - Supposed to be there unofficially
    - Shadrick says the boss has no secrets from him
    - He won't reveal her ID to anyone
    - The plan is to get to the old Peace Force office
  - Shadrick is friendly, earnest, eager to help
    - But insists on impounding her weapon until she leaves
    - Not her jurisdiction
    - Take their responsibilities seriously
  - Say he'll drive them to old Peace Force office
    - Assumed you'd use it
    - Bed made up
  - She sees big ugly sculptures and crappy paintings everywhere
  - Shadrick fills her in on the situation
    - ID of missing woman
    - Nobody really worried
    - She's strong willed, does what she wants
    - Her husband is the big cheese so naturally everyone's panicking
  - Also about art colony
    - He's very anti
    - Bunch of sponging lefties living off handouts
    - Scathing of their work too
    - Boss set it up to keep his wife happy
      - She likes to paint
  - Goes over fuel rods etc (What mine does)
    - Something valuable & worth smuggling
    - New type of solid fuel
    - Dismissive of theft idea
  - Walsh theorises wife kidnapped
    - Organised crime?
    - Hoping to swap her for fuel rods?
  - These fuel cells will revolutionise the industry
    - Not in a good way (for Clunk)
    - Mine uses bug robots
    - 3000 town people in support
    - Boss still suspect
- + - Hal's an illegal immigrant
  - Sneaks into terminal
  - Looks up Peace Force office - nothing
  - Avoids a pair of armed guards
  - Does something else iffy
  - Lost, homeless, broke
- + - Hal turns up at the PF office too
  - Borrowed a car?
  - News on the radio about a violent criminal terrorising the spaceport
  - Wilful damage etc
  - Hal figures it's lucky he didn't run into this terrorist
  - Walsh shocked to see him.
  - Gets him inside, tells him to stay. She has to go somewhere.
- + - Shadrick leaves Walsh at old Peace Force office
  - Peace Force carpark used by shoppers
    - They give Walsh lip
    - She finds an old pad of ticket infringements
    - She books them all
    - Thought you were here unofficially?
    - A peace force officer must always keep her eyes open for revenue raising ops
    - It's in the handbook right after interrogation techniques
  - Dusty storeroom full of junk
    - Old groundcar covered in dirt
    - Hal says it's a pity Clunk isn't here
    - Why, so he could mend this stuff?
    - No, he'd but he'd fit right in
  - Was in use before mine took over
  - She struggles to get old gear working
  - They do some tidying up
    - Put lots of old boxes in dumpster outside
    - Cardboard
    - Mouldy cushions
    - Look up at roof
    - Hope it rains before someone sets fire to this lot
  - Finds old hand-cannon. Sets it charging up.
  - Investigates boss using shaky terminal
    - Terminal is tapped/bugged?
    - Everything she does is reported
    - Second wire hanging out the back
    - Newer
    - Fresh sawdust where they drilled the desk/wall
  - Wife an art lover/supporter
- + - Walsh has a meeting with the mine boss.
  - Without Hal
  - Thinks he's hiding something
  - Suspects him re his wife
  - He explains about fuel rods
    - Shadrick present
    - Rods very valuable
    - Can't be stolen
    - Computer tracks them all
    - Walsh laughs. Computers can be hacked.
    - Boss defends Shadrick.
    - Random audits anyway
    - One tomorrow, as a matter of fact
    - Shadrick surprised. Didn't know
  - She sneaks a copy of his terminal
  - He takes her on a tour of the mine
    - (Sticking lift)
      - Explains it's flaky. Repairs make no difference.
    - But not trapped
    - Shown the miner bugs
  - Shadrick meets them up top
    - Says there's been unauthorised access to the system
    - Did the boss see anything?
      - No, nothing. I was there the whole time.
      - Shadrick eyes Walsh
      - Suggests searching her
      - Boss says no. She's a guest.
      - But ...
    - He's shut it all down and will try to find out what happened
    - Probably bored teens trying to steal some CPU time
- + - Hal in the office alone
  - Sends a message to Clunk
  - Bring the Volante and meet me at the spaceport
  - Makes free use of the facilities
- + - On the way back, news on radio
  - Right wing shock jock
  - Rumours of a heavy Peace Force contingent on Forzen
  - Tearing the place up looking for a dangerous criminal
  - (WE know they're talking about Hal. Reader doesn't ... yet)
  - Could this desperate felon be connected with the disappearance of (old woman)?
  - (Mention other crimes)
  - Couple of talkback callers
    - More police on the streets
    - Stiffer penalties
    - Don't waste money on a trial - shoot the bastard on sight, that's what I say
    - Thank you, minister.
    - Can't be a local. We're all good, law-abiding citizens.
    - Mark my words, this is one of those immigrants.
  - Jock: Me, I've got my trusty sidearm at the ready
  - If this filthy crook shows up I'll make a citizens arrest
  - And then we'll have a citizen's funeral
  - Remember, always take the law into your own hands. Red tape is for wusses.
  - And speaking of red tape, Crow Curtains are having an unbeatable sale on ...
- + - Back at HQ Walsh needs to use computer, but can't
  - Walsh discovers her computer is compromised
    - Extra wires out the back
    - Terminal at spaceport also hacked
    - Maybe use Kent's ship to send a message?
  - Peace Force one doesn't work - now
    - She's making coffee
    - Curses, smoke in next room
    - He says the chip has blown
    - She takes it back
      - Govt issue. Protected
      - Still retrieve the data
  - Hack one at spaceport?
  - Or get back to Dulsuil and use hers
  - Shadrick learns she has data from boss's computer
- Clunk subplot
  - Half destroyed robot deep in Volante?
- Walsh and Hal go to dinner
- Return to office, where she makes Hal sleep in an armchair
- Walsh has nightmare about mining bugs.
+ - Day 4
- Clunk subplot (ship ready?)
- + - Walsh discovers they were targeted overnight
  - Finds holes in window & pillow
  - Sniper shot from roof of nearby building
  - Doesn't mention it to Hal
- + - Hal tells Walsh he has to go to the spaceport
  - Urgent business
  - Clunk arriving to pick him up
  - Freight job to do
  - Walsh entrusts him with message chip?
- + - Walsh asks Hal to deliver her report to Ted
  - Gives him a verbal summary
  - Downplays her danger else Hal wouldn't leave
  - Self-sacrifice
- + - Hal at spaceport
  - Still angry at Kent for nobbling Volante
  - Hal nobbles Kent's ship to gain time
  - Pumps ship full of sewage
    - (Pipe in via airlock. Backs away from stink)
- + - Walsh investigates building opposite
  - It belongs to the mining company
  - In data, Walsh discovers discrepencies in the mine's accounts
- + - Kent arrives at spaceport to find ship nobbled
  - Was enjoying a sandwich
  - Are you the owner?
  - He asks whether another ship came in. The Volante?
  - (No ships at all)
  - Going to take them ages to sort it out
- + - Meanwhile, Hal drives off with the truck full of artworks
  - Has the artworks.
  - Lifts the tarp, cow staring at him
  - Glass eye. Sculpture
  - Hoping Clunk got his message
  - Finds half-eaten sandwich in cab and wolfs it down
- Hal hiding, waiting for Clunk
- + - Walsh explores the missing person's house
  - Others try to talk her out of it - why bother?
  - No trace of woman
- + - Clunk arrives and they load art
  - Clunk meets Hal. Explains about Volante
    - Was assembled and ready
    - Men were polishing it
    - Transformed & uprated
  - Now uses fuel rods. Military engines
  - They load artworks
    - Hal tells him Kent's ship had a problem
    - Clunk v. suspicious
- + - Kent turns up
  - He and Hal actually come to blows
  - Clunk separates them
  - Learns truth. Suggests truce
  - Neither interested.
  - However, Clunk reasons well and they agree
    - Split the proceeds
    - Hal gives his half to Kent to cover sewage cleanup
    - Kent gives his half to Hal to cover the extra repair bills for Volante
    - Understood?
    - They both look confused
      - Yes, but ...
      - Well, I guess ...
      - Good. Settled.
- + - Only they can't leave because Hal has no ID
  - Clunk suggests they ask Walsh
  - Hal refuses - not asking her to break the law
  - Kent puts them onto Mac the Machete
  - Hal accidentally buys huge screen for Volante
  - Appears on screens as a dangerous fugitive and vandal
  - Vandalism, theft and movie piracy
  - NOW he realises they've been talking about him all along
  - Suddenly he's Forzen's most wanted
  - TV footage shows him levering the ship, stealing a car, etc, etc.
- + - Takeoff with new engines.
  - Kent acts as capt of Volante so they can leave
  - Ship searched thoroughly?
    - By dozens of robot sniffers?
    - Unwilling to let him go?
  - HIS ID says he's Hal Spacejock
    - (Could we use this later?)
    - E.g. to get away?
  - Describe difference in flight characteristics
    - Rapid acceleration hurls rock around the hold
    - They sling it underneath
    - They lose the rock in space and have to find another
    - 'Be careful - some of those rocks look big enough to swallow us whole'
- + - Walsh goes back to missing person's house
  - This time she smashes the floor up
  - Shadrick is there with her.
  - She finds smooth holes underneath - eventually
  - (After S tells her she's gone mad etc.)
- + - They land on Dulsuil
  - It's the afternoon of the expo
  - Discover gallery problem.
    - IE they knocked the building down?
  - Hand over data to Ted
    - But Hal mangles the verbal message
  - Hal still concerned about Walsh
  - Thinking about her
  - Hal introduces Kent to agent. Matchmaking
- + - Walsh has a dream about bugs - only this time it's real
  - Wakes to discover it's real
  - They're coming up the stairs
  - Trapped on roof
    - Only option is to jump
    - Throws herself into space
+ - Day 5
- + - Let's hold expo in my ship!
  - Hal makes secretive plans.
  - Ordering printed T-shirts and food to sell.
  - Gets Clunk making signage
    - For what?
    - Where did food come from?
    - And does Clunk do a couple of pics?
- + - Walsh landed in skip full of cardboard
  - Unhurt but winded
  - Any way she can check contents of message sent with Hal?
  - E.g. she finds HER chip in the dumpster
  - Hal sent off with another
  - Realises no help is coming
  - Up against an efficient and well-organised crook
  - Decides the answers are at the mine
  - She's alone, but if she pulls it off she'll be a hero
  - Otherwise, dead and forgotten
  - Drives off
- + - The expo is a disaster
  - Bright incensed at commercialisation
  - But Hal makes a mint selling T-shirts and junk food
  - Guests all stick to magnetic asteroid (replacement rock)
  - Bright blows a fuse
  - In the middle of the big argument, Ted turns up
    - There with his wife
    - In an aside, mentions Walsh's note
    - Says she's fed up with her job and looking to take some time off
    - Hal shocked - that's not right
- + - Walsh breaks into mine boss's office
  - Early morning
  - Sneaks around
  - Almost caught
  - It's the boss
- + - Hal decides they need to leave quickly
  - Kicks the crowd out (fires into the air) and locks ship. Let's go
  - They race for Forzen
    - Clunk shows off the Volante's new tricks
    - Speed, baby. Speed.
    - They escape pursuit
- + - Walsh confronts the boss
  - Confronts him about figures
  - Or smuggling
  - or whatever the hell it was
  - He's as surprised as she was
  - They check, but computer is down
  - Check the one in admin, also off
  - They're ALL knocked out/gassed/whatever
- + - Hal and Clunk arrive on Forzen
  - Sneak a car and drive
  - Peace Force office a mess
  - Off to mine
- + - Walsh & boss wake groggily
  - They're tied up
  - ( ) is there - he's the bad guy!
  - Has stolen large stockpile of rods
  - Was financing the plan by taking the odd one
  - Latest shipment too big to hide
  - Auditors coming to inspect books - brought on his plan
  - Now he's going to set off a rod explosion
  - Through window, large stack of rods and one set up to blow.
  - Gives them a choice - shot now, quickly, or left for a few minutes
  - They chose to be left
  - Clinging to life, eh? Well, cling away
- How do we separate Hal and Clunk?
- + - Hal sees ( ) leaving
  - Thinks he's a security guard
  - Asks whether he's seen Walsh
  - Hal knocked out
- + - Clunk waiting nervously outside
  - No sign of Hal or Walsh
  - Unsure whether to wait or go find
  - Sees ( ) leaving in a hurry
- + - Hal wakes with Walsh and boss
  - They wake deep underground.
  - Walsh explains the problem
    - Threatened by bug miners
    - Mortal danger. Mining creatures will have them
    - Elevator disabled
    - Power off
    - Doomed
- + - Clunk to the rescue
  - Lift only carries three. (Try it, but won't rise under their weight.)
  - Clunk says he knows how to disable explosion
    - First, asks Hal to keep a copy of Clunk's OS in Navcom's comset
    - Just in case. Precaution.
    - If anything happens to me, find me a new body.
    - I won't remember any of this - the backup's already been taken
  - Can't send it up in lift - cable only a certain length?
  - Sends Hal and Walsh ahead
    - Above ground, Walsh says how brave he was
    - Clunk, not Hal - freeing us and sacrificing himself.
    - Yeah, I wouldn't like to be disarming that thing
    - Walsh shakes head. Those timers can't be disabled
    - Hal says no, Clunk can do anything
    - Walsh disagrees. They covered the things in training. Unstoppable.
      - THought you realised.
      - He was saying goodbye to you.
  - Clunk alone underground. Resigned.
    - Once the others have left Clunk just sits down
    - Eyes bugs on the benches.
    - They're going up too.
  - Hal runs for shaft but she tackles him
    - Holds him down, explains
    - Explosion deep underground
  - Hal and Walsh still tangled together when Clunk steps out.
    - I didn't expect a celebration
    - Put the explosive in a bug and send it off down the tunnels.
    - Some damage, but it was muffled by rock
    - H & W sit up hurriedly
- + - Final showdown
  - ( ) the enemy
  - Get name of associate
  - Realise it was ( )
  - They were working the scam together
  - (Something with Kent? Knocked out?)
  - Fuel rods were hidden in Bright's asteroid
  - ( ) will be long gone by now
  - Hal starts laughing
- + - Old people doping scandal tied up
  - Missing woman found okay
    - Mine boss's wife took her father on a nature jaunt
  - She was caring for her elderly father
    - He was an early resident of Forzen
  - Convinced admin were doping the old people
    - You'll think I'm being silly, but ...
      - Walsh reassures her - doesn't sound paranoid at all
    - Feeding him untainted food, seeing whether he became less docile
    - Did he?
    - No, he just complained about my cooking
    - And the hut
    - And the heating
    - And no sports channel
    - And something about missing an art expo
- + - Happy ending
  - Walsh discovers she's being reassigned to a rock with three inhabitants
  - Superiors say "Maybe THIS will keep you out of trouble"
  - Clunk, in aside, tells her Hal would never have settled down
    - "House, job, kids?" Walsh shrugged. "I know."
  - Instead, quits Peace Force and goes with Hal and Clunk
    - Adventure
    - Hal
    - Replaced
    - Downsized
    - Branch closing
    - 4 weeks leave
    - "Show me the galaxy"
  - Walsh says she has nothing to wear
  - Clunk suggests a T-shirt.
    - Hal has loads to spare.
  - Hal says set course for the asteroid belt
    - There's a certain rock I want to get my hands on
    - Hal wants to get fuel rods.
      - (Volante no longer needs refuelling)
      - Perhaps going after lost asteroid stuffed with rods.
+ - Main Characters
- Hal
- Clunk
- + - Walsh
  - Peace Force officer, 20-ish
  - Used to busy inner planet
  - Sent to Dulsuil as punishment
  - (Based on Dulsuil)
  - She's a literal person
+ - Minor Characters
- + - Agent
  - Has a stable of artists
  - Classy, brassy and cold
- + - Shadrick
  - Private security chief for mining co.
  - (Based on Forzen)
  - Earnest, helpful, friendly
- + - Bright
  - Self-important artist
  - Not as famous as he thinks
- + - Kent Spearman
  - From Book 3
  - Released from captivity
  - Compensated for false arrest
  - Sets himself up as freighter pilot
  - Bigger, better, newer than Hal
+ - Bit players
- + - Ted
  - Retiree desk sergeant
  - Sense of humour
  - Walsh misses it all
- + - Missing woman
  - (Dorning's wife)
- + - Dorning
  - Boss of the mining company
  - (Based on Forzen)
- + - Admin person
  - Implicated in things
+ - Locations
- + - Planet Dulsuil
  - Retirement planet
    - Art expos here
- + - Planet Forzen
  - Cold mining planet
+ - Unused ideas
- + - A truce. Clunk helps Kent fix ship
  - Clunk angry at Hal
    - Irresponsible
    - Dangerous
  - To make amends, Clunk will fix Kent's ship
- + - Nervous oldies go over the cargo.
  - Bliss. Like they're starving
  - Excited, naughty kids
    - Good lad
    - Eating as fast as they can
  - Hal tells them to slow down
    - They can't - have to hurry
  - They pay up in full
  - You think I'm made of money?
    - Payment burning a hole in your pocket?
  - Clunk - I notice it ended up in YOUR pocket, not mine.
- + - Steal fuel and leave
  - (Might have to save this scene for book 5)
  - Since they're using fuel rods
- + - Clunk annoyed that Hal was gambling again
  - Gambling machines on the planet they just left
  - Hal - I've known you to gamble before now
  - Clunk - I bet you haven't
  - Eh, eh?
  - Just a figure of speech