One of the things I really like about 2nd edition is that despite removing nearly all passive mods to improve the health of the game, FFG was merciful enough to remember the low-ship-count players and give back pseudo-passive mods (and I'm sure without things like those gas clouds, many of us scrubs would not be rolling our black dice). Lone Wolf is a recurring charge, the Force is recurring charge-based, Fanatical being the alternate and nerfed version of Expertise, Fearless changing instead of adding a result, etc. And sure, Kallus' effective use was halved, but he now has some sort of use so long as he is alive. What I am saying is that through A: nerfing abilities, B: nerfing frequency, and/or C :increasing cost, past passive mods can be implemented in the game. And few designs were as interesting as A Score to Settle, so it would be a shame to lose it.

How about make it charge based, then? 4pt, obviously unique, 1 non-recurring charge:

" Setup: Assign an enemy ship the A Debt to Pay condition card.

While attacking the enemy ship with the A Debt to Pay condition card, you may spend 1 charge to convert 1 <focus> result into a <crit> result.

If the ship with A Debt to Pay is destroyed, assign A Debt to Pay to another enemy ship."

A Debt to Pay: (1 non-recurring charge)

" Setup: After this card is assigned to a ship, remove 1 charge.

If the charge on the enemy A Score to Settle is inactive, gain 1 charge.

While attacking the ship with the A Score to Settle talent card, you may spend 1 charge to convert 1 <focus> result into a <crit> result. If you do so, the A Score to Settle talent card of that enemy ship recovers 1 charge.

You may not spend or recover charges for this card outside of this card's ability."

This creates an interesting dynamic of rather throwing all the results back and forth at once, there is a *** for tat dynamic between the two ships. Sure, the one equipping the talent has the initial advantage, as it typically was in 1st edition, but the clause about it always being in play for the ASTS' ship's life means any ship in the enemy list has a chance to retaliate. You also spice up the talent slots for things that carry chopper (after the Debt to Pay attacks, you can spend that talent mod to regain a shield, but now they recharge that ability) or the likes of Tomax (instead of waiting, you can reload and gain that mod back for your next attack. And with both you and your opponent now having active charges, if you shoot first in the next engagement, you basically had a free charge. If they shoot first, that ability was wasted! Interesting!). Multiple attack ships (such as things with Vet Gunners, Cluster Missiles, or Quickdraw) could consider gaining more consistent dice this way, or ships that try to make the engagement unfair (Midnight, a few of the N-1's, or a ship with L3-37 on board) could push the envelope on their abilities (i.e., no longer does this become a cheap and dumb auto-include for 0 pt). Best of all, it makes Bossk relevant in extended, serving as a far more controlled and effective version of Greedo's dynamic.