Scaleday Thirdweek, Fieldfire, 147/32

Well, he came back, and quite a tale of heroism and gallantry he brought with him. The story of a plucky young pilot, eager to please his captain by returning with the necessary parts to get the Ketty Jay airborne again. A worthy quest tragically interrupted by some ruffians who mugged him and left him for dead in an alley. Robbed of all but a few shillies, unwilling to return and face the shame of failure, he gambled his last coins and won. Riding his luck, he won again. What followed was a frankly amazing display of skill that ended in our hero making all his money back, enough to buy the necessary components for his captain and save the day. On the way he won the affection of an improbably busty beauty who indulged his every sordid whim (said whims were described in gloating detail later to his crewmates).

Malvery listened to Pinn's entire story with admirable patience and then punched him.

What actually happened was this: Pinn arrived in Aulenfay with some money in his pocket. Within a few hours he'd spent a sizable fraction of that money on booze and whores. The next morning he presumably did some maths and realised he couldn't afford the stuff he'd been sent for. I don't know how he made up the difference and I don't want to know - he probably just stole it - but at least he got the right parts, which is no small feat for someone who is regularly outsmarted by his own shoes.

It's just exhausting listening to Pinn sometimes. Having spent the previous half hour describing all the things he'd done to his imaginary goddess - actually a ropey old slut with gout - he went into a lament for the sweetheart he left back home, declared that he hated himself for giving in to his manly urges, and then tried to drink himself into a stupor. Malvery snatched the bottle and downed it in front of him just to spite the kid.

Pinn moaning pathetically as I write this. Silo fixing the engine. I can't be bothered any more...