Don't mention the debt, Eve sent.

Why not? Alan asked.

Basic negotiation tactics. If they know you're over a barrel they'll squeeze you for all you got.

Uh, okay. Alan sent a reworded message and quickly received a reply.

Alan: Hello Phantom, I wish to try out for the Black Rose guild. I am a highly skilled human player capable of learning new things quickly. Chief Administrator 170 recommended I join your guild.

PhantomGlitch: Hello. So you’re the player that the old Chief recommended? Alright, I’ll give you a simple task I want you to complete. If you complete the task I’ll interview you to see if you can be my squire. How soon do you think you can make it to Khersath? I can arrange to get you transport or get you teleported somewhere closer if you’re really far away.

Alan: Um, I’m just nine hours away, aboard a ship named the Titan. Also, this is the first time I’m doing something like this, anything I should prepare? What position is a squire? Can you tell me more about the guild/what would be required of me?

PhantomGlitch: Oh cool, you should make it in time then for the next noob launch. It should be an interesting time… Following the Chief’s advice has never failed me so far, so no need to prepare anything special. If you have his class you should be able to assist me with my research quite easily. Don’t worry, I won’t give anything away to anyone else. I’ll tell them you’re a promising recruit, and as the Chief Administrator told me you managed to survive all three rounds of the Survival Test, you are.

Now, a bit about the guild, I suppose. The “rigid” hierarchy is as follows: Elissandra (the Guild Leader), Generals, Knight-Commanders, Knights, Lieutenants and then everyone below that you can generally ignore or order about. That’s what I do. I’m a Knight of the guild, and the third highest ranked science officer.

Oh right, I’ll send you an example contract, it has the details of working for the guild. A squire is an apprentice basically. Being my squire shouldn’t be a difficult task. In fact, it will allow you to do your own thing, mostly testing experimental equipment, so you’ll get shiny new items not on the market if you get the position! The starting pay will be about 10,000 credits a month, plus whatever bonuses you get from missions or quests you finish, minus guild taxes, demerits and whatever other debt you have.

If it doesn’t seem like you’ll be a good fit as my squire, then we’ll figure out if you fit somewhere else in the guild. But, like I said, the Chief has never been wrong as long as I’ve known him. The initial contract binds you to the guild for five years. If you want to quit, you’ll be able to, but it’ll cost you around a million credits. No one’s quit in the first five years for as long as I can remember though. Sure, a few deaths, betrayals, and spies, but no one quit. Anyways, I got to go, but I look forward to meeting with you. Complete my task and get to the Black Rose Docking Bay on Khersath by 1100 tomorrow morning. If you know anyone else that might be a good fit for the guild, invite them too.