"Do I give you guys too little treasure?"
Shrugs
Player 1: "Why don't we just fast forward through this section of space?"
Me: "You have plans I should be aware of?"
Player: "It'd just be a bunch of random encounters."
Me: "And possibly the resources, contacts, or other means to accomplish your goal (of paying off a 250,000 debt) once you reach Guild Space.
Player: "OK, good point."
Me: "You have to make a decision where you are going to go. The less populated area, the more populated area, or out into the wilds with damaging terrain."
Player: "Why not go through the most populated area? What could go wrong?"
Player 2: "We would be noticed and if we got into a fight, we'd likely be destroyed [] their ships are twice as big as ours (and would do massive damage if they hit)."
Player 3: "Why don't you want to go through the less populated space?"
Player 1: "We'll meet bad guys there and they'll attack us. Why do we think that the more populated area is less safe?'
Players 2 & 3: "There ships are bigger, there are more of them, and they have more sensors operating in that area. We may face a few outcasts in the less populated area, but we will definitely face more if we go into the more populated space."
And on it went in contrary-land for a while.
Travelling through the less populated space, they detect a habitable planet almost perfectly textbook perfect. Player number 1's other character receives a vision of a dragon who invites the party to meet and discuss the planet. The dragon is described as a higher-reality creature who is projecting its presence into normal space. It wants the party to send humans to populate its planet. In exchange, it will give them their pick of treasure. Player 3's PC finds a piece that will more than cover the 250,000 debt. The other four PCs (between Players 1 & 2) will choose their loot next week.
Next bit of post-game conversation is about other players at the store I am known not to get on well with. Feels like a bit of a wind-up.
Weird.
