Better justice system

[swillo]

So I'm in traders edge and a huge fight brakes out between two Dust bandit squads and what looks like 100 hungry bandits, and 4 cops.

Just so happens I'm still on good terms with the hungry bandits and the cops, so I attack all on the dust bandits. This works well and my squad only attacks the Dustys while ignoring and being ignored by the other two factions. When all the dustys are down, I pull my squad back into town to avoid getting pulled into a fight with the other two factions.

I watch as the cops slug it out and slowly gain the upper hand on the hungry hippos. I even run in and bandage a couple cops up when they get knocked down.

Then as the fight is still raging, I loot some of the dustys who are starting to get back up. So I make sure to take their weapons. Turns out one of them had apparently taken a club from one of the downed officers. As soon as I put that in my inventory the chief yells out "Stop Theif" and with one mighty unprovoked swing of his frag axe, drops 3 of my weaker squaddies. The cops stop what they are doing and all attack my guys. The hungry bandits ignore the cops and start to loot my 3 that just got clobbered. Needless to say that is when all hell broke loose. I was forced to take out all the police, and all the starving artists and more of the Dust bunnies who kept standing up. I tried to find my things and get out of there but tough troopers just kept getting up and I was force to take away their weapons as well. And the Slavers who were happy to just shackle all the casualties in the beginning decided that they didn't like me picking on the police, so I had to fight them as well. And where did those damn dogs come from?

Now my whole squad has bounties over $1000 on their heads. The united cities hates me, the cops hate me, and the Starving artists hate me, the traders guild hates. So do the Dusties but they hated me before so no worries.

I wish that if you pick something up that was stolen from someone else, there would be a conversation where the police would demand that you return it, pay a fine, or something, instead of just attacking. If you refuse then let them haul off and attack.

How long so bounties stay in effect? Looks like a life of crime for me.

[Sinnick]

Bounties don't seem to fade. However any of your squaddies without a bounty can pick up a squad member with one and carry them to the police chief to turn in. He takes them, pays you, and gently places them criminal scum into the bed. You can just walk out with both characters, bounty erased. I doubt *VERY* seriously this is intended but it is the only way I've found to get rid of the bounties.