Dossier
Name: Clery, Riordan
Race: Argon
Age: 33
Other Names Used: None
Other Identifying Information: 6'1", 224lbs, Brown Hair, Hazel Eyes, Male
Self-Declared Ancestory: Dark Irish
Citizenship: Argon Federation Citizen by Birth
AF ID/Passport Information: c2d3 1947 aa43 c402 ef94 1e8f 6aa6 ed8f
Residence: None
Previous Residency: See Appendix A
Education Level: Graduate, Post-Graduate
Employment Activities: R&D, Engineering, IT, Commercial and Government Lab
Employment History: See Appendix B
Military History: None
Marital Status: Never Married, Cohabitant
Relatives: See Appendix C
Foreign Activities, Business, Contacts : None of Note
Foreign Travel: See Appendix D
Psychological Health: Stable, Questionable Morality, Driven by Self-Interest
Police Record: None
Illegal Drug Use and Activity: None
Alcohol Use: Non-detrimental
Investigations and Clearance Record: Expired Top Secret
Financial Record: No issues, mediocre credit rating
Use of IT Systems: No criminal record, self-declared copyright infringement history
Association Record: No Terrorist or Foreign Government Associations
-----
It was time to go. 9 years of IT. 8 years of education. 7 years of Engineering and R&D. I was doing alright. A decent job, a few cool toys; I was about to buy a house in an atmospheric dome, with an actual 20 square foot yard. But it didn't feel right. It felt like giving up on the bigger picture. I was getting older, and it was time to take one last big risk; one last grab at the dreams of my youth. I wanted success... not just a little success, but abundant success. Top 10% of planet-dwellers wasn't enough for me. I wanted the lifestyle that only a spacefarer could have.
So I cashed out, and bought this starship. It's only a scout. They said it was an M5 class, Discoverer. I wasn't cleared to purchase any weapons, and the shields are minimal, but you've have to start somewhere. I spent 6 months in training sims, and getting tips from ex-pilots at the lab. They say I've got a knack for it, and I might actually become decent one day... but not to let that go to my head. One mistake is dead, after all.
I have no idea how I'm going to find the success I desire, but... I've got my ship. I've got some cash. I've tied up all the loose ends.
It's time to go.
-----
I've participated in the X-Universe since X-BTF. I tend to come and go. The latest X3:AP content patch has drawn me back into the game, and this DiD is to document my return.
Anonymous Argon gamestart. Missile Defense Mosquito is my only mod at this time; I will expand my mod list as I install them.
My intent is to play this in-character, flavored by my own reactions, and see how that character evolves. I like to think I'm somewhere between Neutral Good and Chaotic Neutral, so assume that as a Starting Point. Wish me luck.
Ambition and Ambiguity. X3:AP DiD
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
The lifter dropped me at my new ship; I've named it Chance. I've been through space before, but the feeling of being a pilot in space... the simulations didn't do it justice. Complete freedom. I waved at the flight school instructor, and set off to explore the sector.
The exchange rate from Federation Dollar to Universal Credit is atrocious. I left the planet with only 2400 credits, and you can't buy anything for that. Also, I'm still not qualified to buy... well, anything. They will allow me Mosquito Missiles for self defense, so I picked up a couple. Looks like I'll need to freelance some work and reputation.
Jobs are pretty scarce. I ran into some pretty shady postings... destroy freighter convey, so-and-so must die, etc. I knew these types of jobs were a thing, but... I kind of expected them to be a little more subtle about it. It will take some time to adjust. Also, if they're so free with death out here, it seems like taking one of these jobs is a good way to end up being one of these jobs.
There were other jobs, but I wasn't interested or equipped for them. I didn't leave planetside to become a taxi. I'll consider doing merchandise runs when I pick up a hauler of some sort. That doesn't leave me with many other options... Asteroid Prospecting seems viable, but the 37k up-front cost for a Mineral Scanner is well out of my budget.
My first job was a ship retrieval job. Not glamorous, but they offered to double my bank account in exchange for a little flight time. I am amazed at how decoupled regional economies must be from the Credit system. I guess that will make retirement easy.
Nothing else was showing up, so I took a Patrol job in Argon Prime. Seriously, what could go wrong in Argon Prime? It sounded like someone called in sick, and they just needed a warm body on the patrol route. I was wrong... a couple Xenon N's showed up. Fortunately, they were destroyed before I was within 10km. They paid me for my time, and I continued to assist the Patrollers when they offered. I was amazed at how many hostile targets died while bouncing off of stationary structures.
The money and reputation from this allowed me to buy my first IRE, and some Fight Software for targetting; Mk2 I believe. Also, Boost extension, a Duplex Scanner, and some aftermarket parts to Tune up the engine and steering.
My next couple missions got weird. They wanted me to shadow a ship back to its Base. The first one was easy; just a single sector hop, and it paid almost 80k! Ridiculous. I botched the second stalking mission due to some erratic flight patterns in an asteroid-heavy sector. They were not amused, and I haven't taken another Espionage job since.
On the trip back though, I salvaged a Remote Guided Warhead, and was attacked by a Yaki Fujin Raider. Holy shit, real combat. It wasn't pretty, but my time in the simulators paid off, and the pilot eject after an extended dogfight. I patched it up, and flew both back to Argon Prime. Chance was a good ship, but it didn't hold a candle to this Yaki ship. After some wheeling and dealing, I have 4 IREs, 2 1xMJ shields, and a fully tuned Fujin Raider. I also picked up the Mineral Scanner. Chance will me missed.
I'm still broke, but my reputation has improved, and I've got a better ship. I've heard rumors of war, which is unsettling. I'm not sure I'm comfortable in a Scout-class ship if War breaks out. Time to kick up my efforts a notch.
The exchange rate from Federation Dollar to Universal Credit is atrocious. I left the planet with only 2400 credits, and you can't buy anything for that. Also, I'm still not qualified to buy... well, anything. They will allow me Mosquito Missiles for self defense, so I picked up a couple. Looks like I'll need to freelance some work and reputation.
Jobs are pretty scarce. I ran into some pretty shady postings... destroy freighter convey, so-and-so must die, etc. I knew these types of jobs were a thing, but... I kind of expected them to be a little more subtle about it. It will take some time to adjust. Also, if they're so free with death out here, it seems like taking one of these jobs is a good way to end up being one of these jobs.
There were other jobs, but I wasn't interested or equipped for them. I didn't leave planetside to become a taxi. I'll consider doing merchandise runs when I pick up a hauler of some sort. That doesn't leave me with many other options... Asteroid Prospecting seems viable, but the 37k up-front cost for a Mineral Scanner is well out of my budget.
My first job was a ship retrieval job. Not glamorous, but they offered to double my bank account in exchange for a little flight time. I am amazed at how decoupled regional economies must be from the Credit system. I guess that will make retirement easy.
Nothing else was showing up, so I took a Patrol job in Argon Prime. Seriously, what could go wrong in Argon Prime? It sounded like someone called in sick, and they just needed a warm body on the patrol route. I was wrong... a couple Xenon N's showed up. Fortunately, they were destroyed before I was within 10km. They paid me for my time, and I continued to assist the Patrollers when they offered. I was amazed at how many hostile targets died while bouncing off of stationary structures.
The money and reputation from this allowed me to buy my first IRE, and some Fight Software for targetting; Mk2 I believe. Also, Boost extension, a Duplex Scanner, and some aftermarket parts to Tune up the engine and steering.
My next couple missions got weird. They wanted me to shadow a ship back to its Base. The first one was easy; just a single sector hop, and it paid almost 80k! Ridiculous. I botched the second stalking mission due to some erratic flight patterns in an asteroid-heavy sector. They were not amused, and I haven't taken another Espionage job since.
On the trip back though, I salvaged a Remote Guided Warhead, and was attacked by a Yaki Fujin Raider. Holy shit, real combat. It wasn't pretty, but my time in the simulators paid off, and the pilot eject after an extended dogfight. I patched it up, and flew both back to Argon Prime. Chance was a good ship, but it didn't hold a candle to this Yaki ship. After some wheeling and dealing, I have 4 IREs, 2 1xMJ shields, and a fully tuned Fujin Raider. I also picked up the Mineral Scanner. Chance will me missed.
I'm still broke, but my reputation has improved, and I've got a better ship. I've heard rumors of war, which is unsettling. I'm not sure I'm comfortable in a Scout-class ship if War breaks out. Time to kick up my efforts a notch.
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
"I want you to take more combat missions," said the feminine voice on the commlink.
"What? Why? Life is cheap out here," I replied. I was more than a little confused that my fiance was encouraging me to kill people.
I heard a sigh come across the line. "That's exactly the reason, Dan. There are way too many things out there that will kill you without giving it a second thought. Pirates. Split. Paranid. And that false peace with the Terrans. Your simulation time is only good for so much. You need to learn how to fight, and I'd rather you do it in the safe sectors, close to home. I'm not calling you a coward. I don't want to lose you; I'd rather have you have the option to hide behind Argon One if you get in over your head."
Maddy had a point.
"Alright. I'll take some more Patrol missions and Protection missions. I'm still not comfortable taking Hit Jobs though."
I could see the tension relax over the commlink. "Thank you, Riordan. That makes me feel better. If nothing else, the extra credits will allow me to join you sooner."
That brought up another point. Would I be running around in 2MJ shields if she was on board? I had images of plasma and tissue paper colliding flash before my eyes.
"Soon. My current ship is good for evasion, but I'd prefer something a bit more robust before you come out."
"I understand. I've got a couple projects of my own to finish up before I leave anyway. I want to send you a package. Where should it go?"
"Just address it to me at the Equipment Dock in Argon Prime. I've got a mail drop set up there. What is it?"
"It's a surprise, " she said with a devious grin. "I've been playing the with Genome Printer lately. You'll see."
"Alright. I miss you. I'll keep you posted, dearest."
"Hugs. Stay safe. Talk to you soon."
I watched the the screen faded. She was right... it would be easier on my conscience if I did this before she joined me, and if war broke out... hesitation would be deadly. Time to thicken my skin, and learn what I must to keep us both safe.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider, fully tuned and expanded
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
21,344 credits
Object Destroyed: Pirate Harrier, 1
"What? Why? Life is cheap out here," I replied. I was more than a little confused that my fiance was encouraging me to kill people.
I heard a sigh come across the line. "That's exactly the reason, Dan. There are way too many things out there that will kill you without giving it a second thought. Pirates. Split. Paranid. And that false peace with the Terrans. Your simulation time is only good for so much. You need to learn how to fight, and I'd rather you do it in the safe sectors, close to home. I'm not calling you a coward. I don't want to lose you; I'd rather have you have the option to hide behind Argon One if you get in over your head."
Maddy had a point.
"Alright. I'll take some more Patrol missions and Protection missions. I'm still not comfortable taking Hit Jobs though."
I could see the tension relax over the commlink. "Thank you, Riordan. That makes me feel better. If nothing else, the extra credits will allow me to join you sooner."
That brought up another point. Would I be running around in 2MJ shields if she was on board? I had images of plasma and tissue paper colliding flash before my eyes.
"Soon. My current ship is good for evasion, but I'd prefer something a bit more robust before you come out."
"I understand. I've got a couple projects of my own to finish up before I leave anyway. I want to send you a package. Where should it go?"
"Just address it to me at the Equipment Dock in Argon Prime. I've got a mail drop set up there. What is it?"
"It's a surprise, " she said with a devious grin. "I've been playing the with Genome Printer lately. You'll see."
"Alright. I miss you. I'll keep you posted, dearest."
"Hugs. Stay safe. Talk to you soon."
I watched the the screen faded. She was right... it would be easier on my conscience if I did this before she joined me, and if war broke out... hesitation would be deadly. Time to thicken my skin, and learn what I must to keep us both safe.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider, fully tuned and expanded
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
21,344 credits
Object Destroyed: Pirate Harrier, 1
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Knucles2
- Posts: 343
- Joined: Sat, 3. Jul 04, 16:57
Good start Poseidon. I think I'm going to enjoy watching this story unfold.
About your fiance`- has she ever hinted that she might have a bit of a ..."mercenary" streak in her personality before you proposed to her?
Just askin'
About your fiance`- has she ever hinted that she might have a bit of a ..."mercenary" streak in her personality before you proposed to her?
Just askin'
X2-The threat, $20
A new gfx card to play X2- the Threat, $100
Having a wife so addicted to GTA/SA she doesn't care how much time I play X2-The threat, Priceless!
A new gfx card to play X2- the Threat, $100
Having a wife so addicted to GTA/SA she doesn't care how much time I play X2-The threat, Priceless!
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
Thanks Knuckles2, and thanks for reading.Knucles2 wrote:Good start Poseidon. I think I'm going to enjoy watching this story unfold.
About your fiance`- has she ever hinted that she might have a bit of a ..."mercenary" streak in her personality before you proposed to her?
Just askin'
Maddy's less mercenary, and more pragmatic. It isn't that she wants me to kill people; she doesn't particularly like weapons or violence. She doesn't want either of us to be a victim, and the X Universe has plenty of people willing to take advantage. Aside from the technical skill, pulling the trigger requires a certain amount of mental fortitude that only comes from practice and experience.
Our relationship has been one of independent people meeting in the middle. She'll help if I ask, but she's giving me the space to work through this on my own if I want. Lethal violence can (and should) be a difficult and personal thing. There's no judgement involved; it's respect for each others pride and ability. I offer her the same when she pursues a new project or endeavor. And if one of us needs help, it's provided. No hesitation, no judgement, no what-ifs or I told you so's. We fix the problem, and only do a post-mortem if the other person wants the feedback.
Not to imply that she's all serious, all the time. Her norm is pretty whimsical. But in this case, the prep for violence made sense, and she's more than capable of tackling a serious topic with the appropriate level of consideration.
Sorry for the rant. I decided to include a healthy relationship in the DiD.
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Knucles2
- Posts: 343
- Joined: Sat, 3. Jul 04, 16:57
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
Application for Employment - Geodome Wildlife Preserve 2RCG-7KF2
Paragraph Vita
Maddy Steele has over 13 years of experience with plant propogation and cultivation. Ms. Steele graduated from Sanctuary University with a B.S. degree in Horticulture, a B.S. degree in Accounting, and an MBA in Finance. On Orbital Module Kismet, Ms. Steele was responsible for designing an experimental self-sustainable permaculture biosphere. In particular, her work focused on perpetual sustainability, nutritional deficiency supplimentation, and controlled propogation of non-native plant species.
Previously, Ms. Steele worked for a landscaping firm, where she managed and directed remote teams to enhance their productivity and reduce their impact on nearby ecosystems. Her expertise has caused her to be invited to numerous regional horticulture workshops to support setup and assist in instruction. Her other areas of interests include Architecture, Culinary Pursuits, Glasswork, and Jewelry Craft.
Other Application Details
Name: Steele, Maddy
Race: Argon
Age: 31
Other Names Used: None
Other Identifying Information: 5'2", 115lbs, Red Hair, Blue Eyes, Female
Self-Declared Ancestory: Irish
Citizenship: Argon Federation Citizen by Birth
AF ID/Passport Information: 14b1 f359 ed4e a03b a1f2 8cc7 5220 8498
Education Level: Undergraduate, MBA
Background Check: Clean
(cont)
...
Paragraph Vita
Maddy Steele has over 13 years of experience with plant propogation and cultivation. Ms. Steele graduated from Sanctuary University with a B.S. degree in Horticulture, a B.S. degree in Accounting, and an MBA in Finance. On Orbital Module Kismet, Ms. Steele was responsible for designing an experimental self-sustainable permaculture biosphere. In particular, her work focused on perpetual sustainability, nutritional deficiency supplimentation, and controlled propogation of non-native plant species.
Previously, Ms. Steele worked for a landscaping firm, where she managed and directed remote teams to enhance their productivity and reduce their impact on nearby ecosystems. Her expertise has caused her to be invited to numerous regional horticulture workshops to support setup and assist in instruction. Her other areas of interests include Architecture, Culinary Pursuits, Glasswork, and Jewelry Craft.
Other Application Details
Name: Steele, Maddy
Race: Argon
Age: 31
Other Names Used: None
Other Identifying Information: 5'2", 115lbs, Red Hair, Blue Eyes, Female
Self-Declared Ancestory: Irish
Citizenship: Argon Federation Citizen by Birth
AF ID/Passport Information: 14b1 f359 ed4e a03b a1f2 8cc7 5220 8498
Education Level: Undergraduate, MBA
Background Check: Clean
(cont)
...
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
So. Violence. It's one thing to train for it. It's another to go out looking for it.
I started in Argon Prime, as she suggested. After pulling on some connections, the patrollers were willing to include me in their rounds. They gave me some tips on dealing with specific ships... how to do a strafing run without colliding with your opponent, and how to position yourself strategically. It helped. It also helped that my first couple opponents were Xenon Ns. Somehow, the fact that they're machine life dehumanizes them for me. This may not be a good thing, but I think it foreshadows the mental adjustments I'll need to make.
The adrenaline is ridiculous. The guilt from a pirate death message is terrible. I always request a surrender after I strip off their shields. Always. They never accept. It rips me up, but they always have a choice. They could run. They could abandon ship, and float away to the nearest station. I won't sell them into slavery or the military; my job is to neutralize them, and nothing more.
21 kills. I stopped counting assists.
Between the Patrol and Protect missions, I've been promoted to A8: Federation Overwatch. I've earned a little respect now. People salute, and most Argon wares are available to me. It was suggested that I get certified for an Argon Police License, but I declined. I'm not Law Enforcement; I just want to help out a bit. However, this was an indication that I should probably move on. I've got a couple hundred thousand credits in the bank, and I've kept my Fujin Raider in good condition.
Time to get out for a bit.
Exploring the sectors around Argon Prime took some time, even in a ship as fast as a Fujin. I did make it out to Kingdom End and Paranid Prime. For the most part, it was slow and boring with odd jobs here and there, but there were some points of interest.
Pirate's don't forget. They attack me on sight now. In most cases, I can take them. In others, I can avoid them. One particularly large group tracked me down in Boron space, and parked outside the dock waiting for me to leave. 4 Harriers and a Nova, against my sad little M5. I watched the Sector Map until they were slightly out of position, undocked, then Boost straight for the nearest Heavy Weapons Platform. I'm not proud, but there was very little chance of success in a direct engagement.
It wasn't all prudence and cowardice though. I delivered my fair share death and repairs.
Dashcam Video Clip
Fighting and Espionage was getting tiresome, so I started looking for civilian grade work. Asteroid Scanning was ludicrous, but uncommon. That was when I stumbled across a ship-fetch mission. Simple enough. Go get their ship, set it to auto-pilot back to their station, go do other stuff. I'd never done this type of work before, and it seemed odd that they would pay so much for it, but whatever.
4 of these missions popped up in neighboring sectors, all about the same time, so I grabbed them all and got to work.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider, fully tuned and expanded
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
456,516 credits
Object Destroyed: I stopped counting
I started in Argon Prime, as she suggested. After pulling on some connections, the patrollers were willing to include me in their rounds. They gave me some tips on dealing with specific ships... how to do a strafing run without colliding with your opponent, and how to position yourself strategically. It helped. It also helped that my first couple opponents were Xenon Ns. Somehow, the fact that they're machine life dehumanizes them for me. This may not be a good thing, but I think it foreshadows the mental adjustments I'll need to make.
The adrenaline is ridiculous. The guilt from a pirate death message is terrible. I always request a surrender after I strip off their shields. Always. They never accept. It rips me up, but they always have a choice. They could run. They could abandon ship, and float away to the nearest station. I won't sell them into slavery or the military; my job is to neutralize them, and nothing more.
21 kills. I stopped counting assists.
Between the Patrol and Protect missions, I've been promoted to A8: Federation Overwatch. I've earned a little respect now. People salute, and most Argon wares are available to me. It was suggested that I get certified for an Argon Police License, but I declined. I'm not Law Enforcement; I just want to help out a bit. However, this was an indication that I should probably move on. I've got a couple hundred thousand credits in the bank, and I've kept my Fujin Raider in good condition.
Time to get out for a bit.
Exploring the sectors around Argon Prime took some time, even in a ship as fast as a Fujin. I did make it out to Kingdom End and Paranid Prime. For the most part, it was slow and boring with odd jobs here and there, but there were some points of interest.
Pirate's don't forget. They attack me on sight now. In most cases, I can take them. In others, I can avoid them. One particularly large group tracked me down in Boron space, and parked outside the dock waiting for me to leave. 4 Harriers and a Nova, against my sad little M5. I watched the Sector Map until they were slightly out of position, undocked, then Boost straight for the nearest Heavy Weapons Platform. I'm not proud, but there was very little chance of success in a direct engagement.
It wasn't all prudence and cowardice though. I delivered my fair share death and repairs.
Dashcam Video Clip
Fighting and Espionage was getting tiresome, so I started looking for civilian grade work. Asteroid Scanning was ludicrous, but uncommon. That was when I stumbled across a ship-fetch mission. Simple enough. Go get their ship, set it to auto-pilot back to their station, go do other stuff. I'd never done this type of work before, and it seemed odd that they would pay so much for it, but whatever.
4 of these missions popped up in neighboring sectors, all about the same time, so I grabbed them all and got to work.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider, fully tuned and expanded
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
456,516 credits
Object Destroyed: I stopped counting
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
"...and now I'm wanted for Grand Theft, Extortion, Resisting Arrest, and Manslaughter, " I finished with a sigh.
After a few moments, Maddy muttered, "That's ridiculous. Why didn't they report it found after you delivered it? Why would they destroy their own ship over a few seconds? Why wouldn't they garnish your pay based on how late it was? There is so much wrong with this scenario..."
"Agreed. So, after I destroyed the police scout, I panicked a bit. I checked the delivery times on the other ships, and-"
"Other ships? What other ships?"
I groaned inwardly.
"It was a new type of job, so I took a few of them at once. The first ship was a Scorpion... one of those Split M4s. The second was an Iguana Vanguard. The third was a Boron Skate. And the fourth was... a Peregrine."
Maddy sputtered. "You stole an Advanced Heavy Fighter and a Missile Frigate?!"
"Just a Bomber. An M7M is worth 10 times an M8. And I didn't mean to steal them; they were being unreasonable!"
The look on her face spoke volumes about what was and wasn't reasonable. "And that somehow justifies you killing a police officer."
"What? No! I thought it was pirate that had hijacked a police transponder. I've seen that on a few stolen ship jobs. Once they dispatched another police squad to deal with me, I knew I'd made a mistake. I ran."
The silence on the commlink was suffocating.
"You were saying something about panicking and other ships?" she said, finally.
I nodded. "I checked the delivery times, and saw that none of them would make it. I'd spent too much time doing repairs. So I redirected them all to their nearest Shipyard and scrapped them. I managed to get the records cleared through some hackers at a couple Pirate Bases. Then I came back to Argon Prime to talk things out."
"How did it go?"
"They are... not happy. I've been demoted to A6. Other than that, they were fairly understanding. All other privileges have been reinstated. That said, the guys from Patrol look at me sideways now. It's been suggested that I should make myself scarce for a bit. Maybe build some goodwill by helping out with the 'Terran Truce'."
"So now you're going to war?" I could hear the concern in her voice.
"Not just yet, but some time on border patrol might be a good idea. Would you like to meet me at The Argon Prime Shipyard tomorrow? I'd like to see you before I go, and we should go shopping."
"Now you're trying to bribe me as well, huh?" She said lightly. "That actually sounds like fun. Might I suggest you invest some of your ill-gotten gains? As tempting as it is to buy a Nova or Eclipse, I don't expect we'll see this type of windfall again any time soon."
The gentle implication of her last sentence wasn't lost on me. "No, we won't. I was thinking an Elite with a Jumpdrive, a Freighter of some sort, and hiring someone to pilot it."
"Whatever you want; it's your money. I was half expecting a Kestral, given your obsession with fast travel."
"You're the one who drives a Hot Rod."
We both laughed a bit.
"Well, at least the situation cleaned up ok. I need to finish up this project proposal. See you tomorrow for dinner?"
"Sounds good. Love you. See you tomorrow."
-----
In the end, we settled on a Nova Vanguard instead of an Elite. Less acceleration, and a slightly slower to turn, but superior in every other way. Buying a Trade Ship was another matter... neither of us were happy with the Argon and Boron offerings. She mentioned a preference for a Paranid Demeter, while I was favoring the Split Caiman. Since I didn't have the reputation or connections to buy either, the money would stay in savings while I remedied that little problem.
I left the Fujin at the Shipyard for her to putz around in until we buy her a real ship.
We said our goodbyes, and I watched the lifter carry her back planetside. As I entered the cockpit, I noticed a smooth transparent container that wasn't there before. Inside was a miniature lily with 3 small blooms; each bloom was self-luminescent. That was her surprise package; glowing plants. It was a pleasant reminder of her.
I smiled, and set a course for Paranid Prime.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider
1x Nova Vanguard
3.9M credits
After a few moments, Maddy muttered, "That's ridiculous. Why didn't they report it found after you delivered it? Why would they destroy their own ship over a few seconds? Why wouldn't they garnish your pay based on how late it was? There is so much wrong with this scenario..."
"Agreed. So, after I destroyed the police scout, I panicked a bit. I checked the delivery times on the other ships, and-"
"Other ships? What other ships?"
I groaned inwardly.
"It was a new type of job, so I took a few of them at once. The first ship was a Scorpion... one of those Split M4s. The second was an Iguana Vanguard. The third was a Boron Skate. And the fourth was... a Peregrine."
Maddy sputtered. "You stole an Advanced Heavy Fighter and a Missile Frigate?!"
"Just a Bomber. An M7M is worth 10 times an M8. And I didn't mean to steal them; they were being unreasonable!"
The look on her face spoke volumes about what was and wasn't reasonable. "And that somehow justifies you killing a police officer."
"What? No! I thought it was pirate that had hijacked a police transponder. I've seen that on a few stolen ship jobs. Once they dispatched another police squad to deal with me, I knew I'd made a mistake. I ran."
The silence on the commlink was suffocating.
"You were saying something about panicking and other ships?" she said, finally.
I nodded. "I checked the delivery times, and saw that none of them would make it. I'd spent too much time doing repairs. So I redirected them all to their nearest Shipyard and scrapped them. I managed to get the records cleared through some hackers at a couple Pirate Bases. Then I came back to Argon Prime to talk things out."
"How did it go?"
"They are... not happy. I've been demoted to A6. Other than that, they were fairly understanding. All other privileges have been reinstated. That said, the guys from Patrol look at me sideways now. It's been suggested that I should make myself scarce for a bit. Maybe build some goodwill by helping out with the 'Terran Truce'."
"So now you're going to war?" I could hear the concern in her voice.
"Not just yet, but some time on border patrol might be a good idea. Would you like to meet me at The Argon Prime Shipyard tomorrow? I'd like to see you before I go, and we should go shopping."
"Now you're trying to bribe me as well, huh?" She said lightly. "That actually sounds like fun. Might I suggest you invest some of your ill-gotten gains? As tempting as it is to buy a Nova or Eclipse, I don't expect we'll see this type of windfall again any time soon."
The gentle implication of her last sentence wasn't lost on me. "No, we won't. I was thinking an Elite with a Jumpdrive, a Freighter of some sort, and hiring someone to pilot it."
"Whatever you want; it's your money. I was half expecting a Kestral, given your obsession with fast travel."
"You're the one who drives a Hot Rod."
We both laughed a bit.
"Well, at least the situation cleaned up ok. I need to finish up this project proposal. See you tomorrow for dinner?"
"Sounds good. Love you. See you tomorrow."
-----
In the end, we settled on a Nova Vanguard instead of an Elite. Less acceleration, and a slightly slower to turn, but superior in every other way. Buying a Trade Ship was another matter... neither of us were happy with the Argon and Boron offerings. She mentioned a preference for a Paranid Demeter, while I was favoring the Split Caiman. Since I didn't have the reputation or connections to buy either, the money would stay in savings while I remedied that little problem.
I left the Fujin at the Shipyard for her to putz around in until we buy her a real ship.
We said our goodbyes, and I watched the lifter carry her back planetside. As I entered the cockpit, I noticed a smooth transparent container that wasn't there before. Inside was a miniature lily with 3 small blooms; each bloom was self-luminescent. That was her surprise package; glowing plants. It was a pleasant reminder of her.
I smiled, and set a course for Paranid Prime.
-----
1x Yaki Fujin Raider
1x Nova Vanguard
3.9M credits
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
I guess it should be said that there are likely to be ***SPOILERS*** in this DiD. My apologies for not mentioning it earlier.
-----
I wish that I could pretend that earning the trust of the Paranid was an adventure, but it wasn't. It was tedious. Their arrogance tried my patience, they offered very few jobs, and the ones they did offer were unpleasant or menial. Suffice to say, I killed a few Xenon, delivered a few Diplomats, and Tailed a few criminals... and they eventually acquiesced to the purchase of a Demeter Super Freighter XL. It took some more grunt work before they'd allow me to purchase 25MJ shields.
Speaking of shields... that was a surprise. Nice shiny Nova Vanguard... only available with 1MJ shields. Fine. I'll go buy some 25MJ shields. Or... not. The nearest Medium Shield fab was Emporer's Ridge, 6 sectors away. In Paranid territory. Where I have no reputation. All the 5MJ shields within 8 sectors were sold out.
So my entire effort to beFriend the Priest King was spent behind 1MJs of shielding. There were Xenon Ms involved. I'd like to think they appreciated my chutzpah.
Once that was done, I bought all the 25MJ shields. I sent the Demeter back to Home to Light, kitted it out, and named it. Maddy wanted to call it Bernard, after the rescue dogs in fairy tales. After a few runs in Queen's Space, it was sitting idle, so I sent it over to Antigone Memorial to continue training. It's not a bad little ship, and I'm fairly happy with the work that Humko Bi is doing. I think he just hit Paygrade 7, actually.
I had a little foresight, and picked up a batch of Advanced Satellites before exploring Paranid space. I can now remotely order ships from Paranid Prime, Trinity Sanctum, and Third Redemption. Also, Third Redemption! I think that's the Primary Shipyard for the Paranid; you can buy anything there. I saw some truly amazing ships for sale.
I spent some time heading West as well, and stumbled across Yaki territory. Savage Spur is a strange sector, and I dropped a Satellite in Senators Wastelands, so I can buy Yaki ships remote as well. None of their ships appealed to me at the time. I did take a glance into Weaver's Tempest before I fled for my life. I guess it doesn't matter how much they like you.
The rest of my time was spent exploring North and East. Teladi territory is dirty, and it fairly easy to get on their good side. Split Territory is strange, but everything is simple in its own way. I don't mind it. I didn't do all the exploration manually. I picked up a Kestral in Teladi space, loaded it up with Explorer Software, Mk2 Fight Software, some Mosquito Missiles, and a 5MJ shield. In general, I'll take one gate, and it'll take the other. It also allows me to do some administrative work while still getting some mapping done.
I asked Maddy for a name. She responded "Log". I was confused. I indicated so. Her response?
It's Log, Log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood.
It's Log, Log, it's better than bad, it's good!
So. A Kestral named Log.
My journey East has led me to Legend's Home. I was not prepared.
Dashcam Video Clip
OTAS HQ itself. I've only heard rumors of these ships while doing dark side work back when I had a security clearance. I don't believe anything out there can compare. My next Trade Ship will be a Mistral Super Freighter, no doubt. I'm also considering upgrading my Nova Vanguard for a Venti, and I'm pretty certain Maddy's ship is going to be a Skiron. She and I have talked about it, and while an agile ship appeals to her, she'd prefer a Tank over a Race Bike.
So, now I'm in Legend's Home, starting down a Gate to an Unknown Sector. Wish me luck.
-----
Nova Vanguard "Folly"
- 9x Phased Repeater Guns
- 3x 25MJ Shields
- All the fixings
Demeter Super Freighter XL "Bernard"
- 5x 25MJ shields
- Level 7 Sector Trader
Kestral "Log"
- 1x 5MJ shield
- Mk2 Fight Software
- 5x Mosquito Missiles
- Explorer Software
Fujin Raider
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
1,063,303 credits
A glowy plant
-----
I wish that I could pretend that earning the trust of the Paranid was an adventure, but it wasn't. It was tedious. Their arrogance tried my patience, they offered very few jobs, and the ones they did offer were unpleasant or menial. Suffice to say, I killed a few Xenon, delivered a few Diplomats, and Tailed a few criminals... and they eventually acquiesced to the purchase of a Demeter Super Freighter XL. It took some more grunt work before they'd allow me to purchase 25MJ shields.
Speaking of shields... that was a surprise. Nice shiny Nova Vanguard... only available with 1MJ shields. Fine. I'll go buy some 25MJ shields. Or... not. The nearest Medium Shield fab was Emporer's Ridge, 6 sectors away. In Paranid territory. Where I have no reputation. All the 5MJ shields within 8 sectors were sold out.
So my entire effort to beFriend the Priest King was spent behind 1MJs of shielding. There were Xenon Ms involved. I'd like to think they appreciated my chutzpah.
Once that was done, I bought all the 25MJ shields. I sent the Demeter back to Home to Light, kitted it out, and named it. Maddy wanted to call it Bernard, after the rescue dogs in fairy tales. After a few runs in Queen's Space, it was sitting idle, so I sent it over to Antigone Memorial to continue training. It's not a bad little ship, and I'm fairly happy with the work that Humko Bi is doing. I think he just hit Paygrade 7, actually.
I had a little foresight, and picked up a batch of Advanced Satellites before exploring Paranid space. I can now remotely order ships from Paranid Prime, Trinity Sanctum, and Third Redemption. Also, Third Redemption! I think that's the Primary Shipyard for the Paranid; you can buy anything there. I saw some truly amazing ships for sale.
I spent some time heading West as well, and stumbled across Yaki territory. Savage Spur is a strange sector, and I dropped a Satellite in Senators Wastelands, so I can buy Yaki ships remote as well. None of their ships appealed to me at the time. I did take a glance into Weaver's Tempest before I fled for my life. I guess it doesn't matter how much they like you.
The rest of my time was spent exploring North and East. Teladi territory is dirty, and it fairly easy to get on their good side. Split Territory is strange, but everything is simple in its own way. I don't mind it. I didn't do all the exploration manually. I picked up a Kestral in Teladi space, loaded it up with Explorer Software, Mk2 Fight Software, some Mosquito Missiles, and a 5MJ shield. In general, I'll take one gate, and it'll take the other. It also allows me to do some administrative work while still getting some mapping done.
I asked Maddy for a name. She responded "Log". I was confused. I indicated so. Her response?
It's Log, Log, it's big, it's heavy, it's wood.
It's Log, Log, it's better than bad, it's good!
So. A Kestral named Log.
My journey East has led me to Legend's Home. I was not prepared.
Dashcam Video Clip
OTAS HQ itself. I've only heard rumors of these ships while doing dark side work back when I had a security clearance. I don't believe anything out there can compare. My next Trade Ship will be a Mistral Super Freighter, no doubt. I'm also considering upgrading my Nova Vanguard for a Venti, and I'm pretty certain Maddy's ship is going to be a Skiron. She and I have talked about it, and while an agile ship appeals to her, she'd prefer a Tank over a Race Bike.
So, now I'm in Legend's Home, starting down a Gate to an Unknown Sector. Wish me luck.
-----
Nova Vanguard "Folly"
- 9x Phased Repeater Guns
- 3x 25MJ Shields
- All the fixings
Demeter Super Freighter XL "Bernard"
- 5x 25MJ shields
- Level 7 Sector Trader
Kestral "Log"
- 1x 5MJ shield
- Mk2 Fight Software
- 5x Mosquito Missiles
- Explorer Software
Fujin Raider
- 4x IRE
- 2x 1MJ shields
1,063,303 credits
A glowy plant
-
Sabrina Bergin
- Posts: 2239
- Joined: Sat, 12. Apr 08, 10:53
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
The plants are actually real, although the Lily is fiction.shaun bergin wrote:thissss Teladi wissheeess to buy your glowey plant
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/ant ... electricit
-----
The universe has a certain majesty to it, and mapping it out sounds like a grand, noble quest that will lead to some voyeuristic understanding of its inner working. It's beautiful and terrifying and sometimes altogether bewildering.
How did that sector settle on the exact balance of nebula and asteroid field required to make it nigh impossible to navigate?
How can an asteroid that large have an Ore Yield of 1?
How far apart can you put 2 Gates before it's no longer considered a Sector, and is instead considered Wasted Space?
Exploration has been slow, but not altogether unpleasant. It's nice to progress between jobs at my own pace. Lately I've only been taking Protect missions. I don't do hits, I'm not in the mood to do Espionage jobs, and the Nova Vanguard is too slow for fetch quests and asteroid scan jobs, even with the Jump Drive. I'm glad I've never been so hard up that I had to rely on Taxi service. Some of these jobs involve Station Building, which boggles the mind. I knew it had to be done, but I had never considered contracting it out; in retrospect it makes sense.
Log was destroyed. A Terran raiding party decided to harassing Omnicron Lyrae while I was mapping it. It was an unmanned scout, but the loss still caused some grief and rage. I jumped over to extract revenge, but the local sector patrols had taken care of it. It was probably better that way. I did make a quick trip into the Terran sectors, and made it as far as Venus before I decided to come back later with more Satellites and a Faster ship. They weren't hostile; I guess I should thank the aforementioned sector patrol for saving me from that mistake as well.
I continued mapping and doing odd jobs. Bernard has been a profitable investment; Humko Bi was pulling a ridiculous salary at this point (rank 20), but he still manages to turn a tidy profit. He's started using his Jump Drive, and it's amusing to see him using the Satellites I've deployed. I'll need to expand that network.
Eventually I was able to purchase a new Mistral Super Freighter, and named it Hippo. Fully equipped, it cost just shy of 3M credits. That's a lot of credits, especially considering how little I was making planetside. I expect it'll pay for itself fairly quickly.
My explorations seem to end in a lot of Xenon sectors. Xenon Sector 101 has capital ships at the Gate, so I turned around and bolted as soon as I entered. Xenon Sector 347 appears mostly empty, and I was able to sneak around long enough to get transponder codes for both gates that I could see. My journey through Split space dumped me in a strange, unsettled area. I poked around Xenon Sector 597, and glanced in 596.
Getsu Fune is a very odd sector. I might actually like it if it wasn't for Xenon Sector 534 to the north. So many capital ships. Lots of potential, but I don't see it being exploited until the Xenon are cleared out of 534. Either way, there were no shortage of "Protect my Station" missions in this sector, and they're usually fairly trivial, so I took all 3 at once. If things got really bad, I could always land at one of the Equipment Docks, do some repairs, and head back out.
The first fleet of pirates descended on the Wheat Farm, and I cleaned them up in short order. I landed briefly to let my shields regen before I hopped over to the Cattle Range to deal with the other 2 attacks. They were actually putting a dent in the station shields, and I wanted to be at full capability before I engaged.
I charged up, and made sure to have some Silkworm missiles in the tubes. Then I took off.
Right into the face of a Xenon Q.
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Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
I felt bad bailing on Getsu Fune, but I was seriously outclassed. I did clean up the pirates and the xenon fighters though, so a single M8 should be able to finish the job.
I continued to roam around and explore, taking odd jobs and saving up to expand my trade fleet. The number of Gates leading to unexplored teritory continues to decrease, although I don't know what lies to the Far East and South.
Bernard hit Pay Grade 25, and is bouncing all over the known universe. Hippo is also doing well, and my most recent reports show him at Pay Grade 23. The income from them, along with the income from various jobs, have enabled the purchase of 2 more Mistral Super Freighters. I named the first Progress, and the second is unnamed as of yet. Suggestions?
I traded out the Nova Vanguard for a Venti. I am... not as enthused as I thought I would be. 30m/s faster, 2 more front guns, an extra 25MJ shielding... but less weapon energy, slower energy recharge, and a reduced cargo hold. Even if I trade out for Energy Bolt Chainguns, the cargo space required for Ammo makes the ship unsuitable for frequent Jumpdrive activity. It feels better suited to participate in a Fighter Wing than to act as a Flagship. I'm actually quite disappointed. Time to find another ship.
The Protection jobs are getting a bit difficult. They've started sending multiple M3 class ships on their collections runs, and I think it's time to upgrade to a Corvette. I'm not entirely certain how I feel about this either... I've gotten used to the agility of the small, faster craft. Maybe a Split Chimera? I dunno... none of these ships feel right. There's a lot of room for improvement here.
For now, I'm going to continue with exploration and administrative tasks. These freighters pay for themselves awfully quick.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Hippo"
- Rank 23 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Progress"
- Rank 3 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter - Unnamed
- Currently being provisioned
1.4M credits
Broker / Fighter Chief
I continued to roam around and explore, taking odd jobs and saving up to expand my trade fleet. The number of Gates leading to unexplored teritory continues to decrease, although I don't know what lies to the Far East and South.
Bernard hit Pay Grade 25, and is bouncing all over the known universe. Hippo is also doing well, and my most recent reports show him at Pay Grade 23. The income from them, along with the income from various jobs, have enabled the purchase of 2 more Mistral Super Freighters. I named the first Progress, and the second is unnamed as of yet. Suggestions?
I traded out the Nova Vanguard for a Venti. I am... not as enthused as I thought I would be. 30m/s faster, 2 more front guns, an extra 25MJ shielding... but less weapon energy, slower energy recharge, and a reduced cargo hold. Even if I trade out for Energy Bolt Chainguns, the cargo space required for Ammo makes the ship unsuitable for frequent Jumpdrive activity. It feels better suited to participate in a Fighter Wing than to act as a Flagship. I'm actually quite disappointed. Time to find another ship.
The Protection jobs are getting a bit difficult. They've started sending multiple M3 class ships on their collections runs, and I think it's time to upgrade to a Corvette. I'm not entirely certain how I feel about this either... I've gotten used to the agility of the small, faster craft. Maybe a Split Chimera? I dunno... none of these ships feel right. There's a lot of room for improvement here.
For now, I'm going to continue with exploration and administrative tasks. These freighters pay for themselves awfully quick.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Hippo"
- Rank 23 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Progress"
- Rank 3 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter - Unnamed
- Currently being provisioned
1.4M credits
Broker / Fighter Chief
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
"So when do I get my ship?"
I had been so focused on provisioning the new Mistral SF, I hadn't heard the commlink chirp alive. Maddy's perturbed face showed on the screen, with a raised eyebrow and a minuscule hint of a smile.
"I... uhm... soon?"
"I see you have a nice new M3 Fighter. You're up to... what... 4 Super Freighters? I'm still stuck with your old Yaki Scout. I'm beginning to wonder if you've forgotten about me." Her eyes smiled, but I could hear the seriousness behind the words.
"You're right. I've been focusing on setting up a solid financial situation first. I thought it would be simple enough to save up and buy a couple decent ships, but... everything is more dangerous and more expensive than I expected."
Maddy pulled up a terminal window, and moved it over to the commlink screen where we both could see. It was my ledger, live fleet status, and a bunch of other logistical details. "16 million credits. You've moved 16 million credits since you left. I know it's none of my business, but... that's not enough for us to get me a ship?"
"We both know it's not quite that simple. We need a station to call a home base. I'd prefer it someplace away from the core sectors, but not too remote, so we have privacy without being too isolated. Hostile activity is on the rise, and that's not including the War. Last week I ran into a raiding part of 5 Xenon Ls. I jumped away and engaged with missiles, but at least a dozen civilian ships were destroyed before I could finish them off. Nevermind the Q ran into just yesterday."
Her face paled a bit. "Oh." I continued.
"I know we had talked about an M3 for you, but I'm leaning towards an M6 or a TM with fighters and drones. A Zephyrus with 4 Fighters will easily run 15 million. A Skiron starts at 14.5 million, before upgrades. And we'll need expendables like missiles. You've got a good thing going at the Biodome. I didn't want to take you away from that without having something equivalent or better in place."
She sighed. "That's... frustrating. I've saved some cash; why don't we go 50/50 on an Ecli-"
An audio warning sounded, and the screen flashed red.
"Your ship Hippo was destroyed in sector Omicron Lyrae by Terran Katana."
"Wasn't that...?"
"Yeah." I said. "That was our first Mistral. 150MJ of shielding; just a little less than an Eclipse. He'd just reached Paygrade 25. A Katana is an M6."
...
"Change of plan, " she said. 'How about a Guppy?"
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Progress"
- Rank 3 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter - Unnamed
- Currently being provisioned
4.8M credits
Master Broker / Fighter Chief
I had been so focused on provisioning the new Mistral SF, I hadn't heard the commlink chirp alive. Maddy's perturbed face showed on the screen, with a raised eyebrow and a minuscule hint of a smile.
"I... uhm... soon?"
"I see you have a nice new M3 Fighter. You're up to... what... 4 Super Freighters? I'm still stuck with your old Yaki Scout. I'm beginning to wonder if you've forgotten about me." Her eyes smiled, but I could hear the seriousness behind the words.
"You're right. I've been focusing on setting up a solid financial situation first. I thought it would be simple enough to save up and buy a couple decent ships, but... everything is more dangerous and more expensive than I expected."
Maddy pulled up a terminal window, and moved it over to the commlink screen where we both could see. It was my ledger, live fleet status, and a bunch of other logistical details. "16 million credits. You've moved 16 million credits since you left. I know it's none of my business, but... that's not enough for us to get me a ship?"
"We both know it's not quite that simple. We need a station to call a home base. I'd prefer it someplace away from the core sectors, but not too remote, so we have privacy without being too isolated. Hostile activity is on the rise, and that's not including the War. Last week I ran into a raiding part of 5 Xenon Ls. I jumped away and engaged with missiles, but at least a dozen civilian ships were destroyed before I could finish them off. Nevermind the Q ran into just yesterday."
Her face paled a bit. "Oh." I continued.
"I know we had talked about an M3 for you, but I'm leaning towards an M6 or a TM with fighters and drones. A Zephyrus with 4 Fighters will easily run 15 million. A Skiron starts at 14.5 million, before upgrades. And we'll need expendables like missiles. You've got a good thing going at the Biodome. I didn't want to take you away from that without having something equivalent or better in place."
She sighed. "That's... frustrating. I've saved some cash; why don't we go 50/50 on an Ecli-"
An audio warning sounded, and the screen flashed red.
"Your ship Hippo was destroyed in sector Omicron Lyrae by Terran Katana."
"Wasn't that...?"
"Yeah." I said. "That was our first Mistral. 150MJ of shielding; just a little less than an Eclipse. He'd just reached Paygrade 25. A Katana is an M6."
...
"Change of plan, " she said. 'How about a Guppy?"
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Progress"
- Rank 3 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter - Unnamed
- Currently being provisioned
4.8M credits
Master Broker / Fighter Chief
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
"Command Accepted."
That was the last in the latest round of ship provisioning tasks. 2 more Mistral SFs with Mk3 traders, and a Yaki Fujin for Satellite Network deployment. I sat back, and stared into the emptiness for a few moments.
The loss of Hippo had shaken me up more than I expected. It didn't make sense. Every time I was in Omicron Lyrae, the Terran ships registered as Friendly. I travel to Terran Space with no issue. But if any of my ships entered those territories, the Terran ships were flagged as hostile. They weren't willing to attack me directly, but they had no problem destroying my other ships regardless of who piloted them.
I'm probably going to need to find a way to blacklist certain sectors.
I made a few trips into contested and terran space, just to be sure. I happened to be present for a Capital Ship fight, and scooped up 14 Hammerhead missiles on the way by... a little over 1 million credits, just floating around. Those credits were blood money though, and this truce was costing a lot of lives.
I stumbled across a new sector, Harmony of Perpetuity. The solar output of this sector is insane, but there are warnings of lethal solar activity, and a caveat against building stations here. I'm tempted, but that seems like a pretty heavy risk. Not a home base sector, but something to keep in mind.
The unknown sector by Legend's Home has promise, but I'm nervous being so close to OTAS headquarters. Not that I plan anything nefarious, but sometimes it's nice to have some privacy.
The search for a decent home sector continues.
I am wholly unsatisfied with the Venti. I just doesn't have enough cargo space. Everything else is great, but the lack of cargo space cripples its usefulness. I have yet to find a suitable alternative, short of a TM... and I'd prefer something with a bit more combat ability. I may end up with a Skiron anyway.
I really wish I had my own ship R&D facilities. I guess I'll put that on the list.
All my future plans depend on finding a good home sector. I think it's time to trade out the Venti for a better exploration ship.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Yaki Fujin "Trojan"
- Satellite Deployment
Yaki Fujin Raider
- Idle
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Dane" (was "Progress")
- Rank 24 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Korgi"
- Rank 21 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Husky"
- Rank 7 Sector Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Mastiff"
- Rank 7 Sector Trader
8.7M credits
Master Broker / Fighter Chief
That was the last in the latest round of ship provisioning tasks. 2 more Mistral SFs with Mk3 traders, and a Yaki Fujin for Satellite Network deployment. I sat back, and stared into the emptiness for a few moments.
The loss of Hippo had shaken me up more than I expected. It didn't make sense. Every time I was in Omicron Lyrae, the Terran ships registered as Friendly. I travel to Terran Space with no issue. But if any of my ships entered those territories, the Terran ships were flagged as hostile. They weren't willing to attack me directly, but they had no problem destroying my other ships regardless of who piloted them.
I'm probably going to need to find a way to blacklist certain sectors.
I made a few trips into contested and terran space, just to be sure. I happened to be present for a Capital Ship fight, and scooped up 14 Hammerhead missiles on the way by... a little over 1 million credits, just floating around. Those credits were blood money though, and this truce was costing a lot of lives.
I stumbled across a new sector, Harmony of Perpetuity. The solar output of this sector is insane, but there are warnings of lethal solar activity, and a caveat against building stations here. I'm tempted, but that seems like a pretty heavy risk. Not a home base sector, but something to keep in mind.
The unknown sector by Legend's Home has promise, but I'm nervous being so close to OTAS headquarters. Not that I plan anything nefarious, but sometimes it's nice to have some privacy.
The search for a decent home sector continues.
I am wholly unsatisfied with the Venti. I just doesn't have enough cargo space. Everything else is great, but the lack of cargo space cripples its usefulness. I have yet to find a suitable alternative, short of a TM... and I'd prefer something with a bit more combat ability. I may end up with a Skiron anyway.
I really wish I had my own ship R&D facilities. I guess I'll put that on the list.
All my future plans depend on finding a good home sector. I think it's time to trade out the Venti for a better exploration ship.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Energy Bolt Chaingun
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Yaki Fujin "Trojan"
- Satellite Deployment
Yaki Fujin Raider
- Idle
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard"
- Rank 25 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Dane" (was "Progress")
- Rank 24 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Korgi"
- Rank 21 Universe Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Husky"
- Rank 7 Sector Trader
Mistral Super Freighter "Mastiff"
- Rank 7 Sector Trader
8.7M credits
Master Broker / Fighter Chief
Last edited by Poseidon on Wed, 12. Jun 13, 18:32, edited 1 time in total.
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
"So how do you feel about drugs?" I asked the commlink.
Maddy looked at me, confused. "Uhm... in general, no? Is this is political question?"
I chuckled. "Not at all. I've been exploring, looking for sectors that would make a good home base. I found a few, but their locations tend to flavor their usefulness. One of them is near pirate space. Illegal goods would sell well there."
Her face darkened into a scowl. I started to speak up, but she gestered for me to stay silent. I waited.
"Honestly, I don't mind if you're involved in illegal activities, as long as you can keep me from becoming involved. That said, I'm not comfortable with the destructive side of the drug scene. Do you know anything about the popular goods?"
"I didn't, so I did some research." I pulled up some references and displayed them for her to read. "It appears Space Fuel is an illegal spirit. It's a knock-off of real Argon Whiskey. Ingredients were undisclosed. Space Weed is smoked or ingested, and is illegal everywhere except Teladi space."
"So it could be as benevolent as beer and weed, or as terrible as absinthe and opium. That's a pretty broad spectrum of possibilities."
I nodded. "Space Weed is listed as habit forming, so I think that pushes it towards tobacco and opium side of the spectrum. I'm not too comfortable with selling an addictive product."
We thought in silence for a minute.
"In certain planetside regions, it's illegal to distill spirits without a license, " she said, thoughtfully. "If we had stayed here, I wouldn't have mind if you'd decided to make moonshine in the garage. I would have been bothered if you'd started dealing in any sort of drug, though."
"That's good enough for me," I replied. "When the time comes, we'll start our own liquor label in that sector. We'll leave the drugs to the malicious."
Maddy looked at me, confused. "Uhm... in general, no? Is this is political question?"
I chuckled. "Not at all. I've been exploring, looking for sectors that would make a good home base. I found a few, but their locations tend to flavor their usefulness. One of them is near pirate space. Illegal goods would sell well there."
Her face darkened into a scowl. I started to speak up, but she gestered for me to stay silent. I waited.
"Honestly, I don't mind if you're involved in illegal activities, as long as you can keep me from becoming involved. That said, I'm not comfortable with the destructive side of the drug scene. Do you know anything about the popular goods?"
"I didn't, so I did some research." I pulled up some references and displayed them for her to read. "It appears Space Fuel is an illegal spirit. It's a knock-off of real Argon Whiskey. Ingredients were undisclosed. Space Weed is smoked or ingested, and is illegal everywhere except Teladi space."
"So it could be as benevolent as beer and weed, or as terrible as absinthe and opium. That's a pretty broad spectrum of possibilities."
I nodded. "Space Weed is listed as habit forming, so I think that pushes it towards tobacco and opium side of the spectrum. I'm not too comfortable with selling an addictive product."
We thought in silence for a minute.
"In certain planetside regions, it's illegal to distill spirits without a license, " she said, thoughtfully. "If we had stayed here, I wouldn't have mind if you'd decided to make moonshine in the garage. I would have been bothered if you'd started dealing in any sort of drug, though."
"That's good enough for me," I replied. "When the time comes, we'll start our own liquor label in that sector. We'll leave the drugs to the malicious."
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
I continued to work through my administrative tasks. We were up to 10 Mistral SFs at this point, and the last of them had reached Rank 8, so they were all Universe Traders now. The profit was seeing diminishing returns, which was to be expected, but the efficiency was far lower than I expected.
I bundled up the data, and sent it off to Maddy for analysis. She's the finance expert.
Keeping small ships alive was difficult. I had lost more M5 Mapping and Satellite Network vessels than I cared to think about. I'd been lucky, in that I had been able to jump away a Mistral (Korgi) when it was threatened, but I didn't want to babysit them all the time. I did add Phased Repeater Guns to Korgi's turrets, with orders to Missile Defense.
Some time on the Cortex revealed the existence of a well reviewed Blacklist software package. I loaded it up, and immediately marked the Terran/Argon "Truce" sectors as off limits. Here's hoping that keeps them out of trouble.
Despite my frustrations, I was still flying in the Venti. For all my complaining, it was a remarkably robust ship. I had managed to hack a Plasma Burst Generator factory in Dannas Chance, and buy everything they had (4 units). The good news? They're very effective weapons, and they're kind to the Generator. The bad news? Station Protection jobs required some extra finesse, if you didn't want to anger your employers. I spent one mission encouraging pirates to leave while dodging fire from a Military Heavy Centaur Prototype who refused to believe it was an accident.
My explorations had yielded 3 useful Unknown Sectors, and the dangerously tempting Harmony of Perpetuity. How I wanted to use them was still up in the air.
I also found a small, strange, abandoned ship. I once again queried the Cortex for guidance; a Kha'ak Scout perhaps? I took it back to a shipyard, and spent some time reworking the controls. While the design looks foreign, its age showed, and it doesn't seem exceptionally capable. Most modern M5s significantly out-performed it. There was very little information to be found on the Kha'ak, which struck me as odd.
The beam weapon was odd too. I took a 3D scan, ordered a Pegasus from Cardinal's Domain, and headed out to a remote corner of Unseen Domain to do some tests regarding power draw, range, destructiveness on shields and hull. Moderate range, light shield damage, but heavy hull damage for a weapon of its size. Very low power draw, especially when compared to weapons that could do equivalent damage over time. Average fire rate makes it less effective though. In general, you'd be better off with a Phased Repeater Gun... if your ship could handle it. I don't know any M5s that can.
My curiosity wasn't satisfied, so I packaged up the data and sent it to one of my Dark Side buddies from my government research days. My clearance was expired, so I doubted he could share anything, but he may be able to point me in the right direction, and if not... the data might be useful, even if the ship seemed dated.
I had a message from Maddy waiting for me when I returned.
---
Hey hey,
Looking at your data, it appears all the needs for simple goods are being met. You've saturated your known market. I know you're exploring, but I don't know how much more there is to find.
There are some major breaks in the flow of materials between simple goods and high tech factories... it's out of balance. Sounds like an opportunity to me. Do you know anything about building stations?
Loves. Be careful.
Maddy
---
I'd seen a few Build Station jobs floating around. It sounds like it was time to see what they were all about; they'd also serve as good practice before I started building my own stations.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Plasma Burst Generators
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Yaki Fujin Raider
- Idle
Your Kha'ak Scout
- 1x Alpha Kyon Emitter
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Great Dane" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Korgi" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Mastiff" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Husky" (23)
Mistral Super Freighter "Boxer" (23)
Mistral Super Freighter "Rottweiler" (13)
Mistral Super Freighter "Pit Bull" (12)
Mistral Super Freighter "Pug" (12)
Mistral Super Freighter "Bulldog" (10)
21.6M credits
Master Economist / Master Chief
I bundled up the data, and sent it off to Maddy for analysis. She's the finance expert.
Keeping small ships alive was difficult. I had lost more M5 Mapping and Satellite Network vessels than I cared to think about. I'd been lucky, in that I had been able to jump away a Mistral (Korgi) when it was threatened, but I didn't want to babysit them all the time. I did add Phased Repeater Guns to Korgi's turrets, with orders to Missile Defense.
Some time on the Cortex revealed the existence of a well reviewed Blacklist software package. I loaded it up, and immediately marked the Terran/Argon "Truce" sectors as off limits. Here's hoping that keeps them out of trouble.
Despite my frustrations, I was still flying in the Venti. For all my complaining, it was a remarkably robust ship. I had managed to hack a Plasma Burst Generator factory in Dannas Chance, and buy everything they had (4 units). The good news? They're very effective weapons, and they're kind to the Generator. The bad news? Station Protection jobs required some extra finesse, if you didn't want to anger your employers. I spent one mission encouraging pirates to leave while dodging fire from a Military Heavy Centaur Prototype who refused to believe it was an accident.
My explorations had yielded 3 useful Unknown Sectors, and the dangerously tempting Harmony of Perpetuity. How I wanted to use them was still up in the air.
I also found a small, strange, abandoned ship. I once again queried the Cortex for guidance; a Kha'ak Scout perhaps? I took it back to a shipyard, and spent some time reworking the controls. While the design looks foreign, its age showed, and it doesn't seem exceptionally capable. Most modern M5s significantly out-performed it. There was very little information to be found on the Kha'ak, which struck me as odd.
The beam weapon was odd too. I took a 3D scan, ordered a Pegasus from Cardinal's Domain, and headed out to a remote corner of Unseen Domain to do some tests regarding power draw, range, destructiveness on shields and hull. Moderate range, light shield damage, but heavy hull damage for a weapon of its size. Very low power draw, especially when compared to weapons that could do equivalent damage over time. Average fire rate makes it less effective though. In general, you'd be better off with a Phased Repeater Gun... if your ship could handle it. I don't know any M5s that can.
My curiosity wasn't satisfied, so I packaged up the data and sent it to one of my Dark Side buddies from my government research days. My clearance was expired, so I doubted he could share anything, but he may be able to point me in the right direction, and if not... the data might be useful, even if the ship seemed dated.
I had a message from Maddy waiting for me when I returned.
---
Hey hey,
Looking at your data, it appears all the needs for simple goods are being met. You've saturated your known market. I know you're exploring, but I don't know how much more there is to find.
There are some major breaks in the flow of materials between simple goods and high tech factories... it's out of balance. Sounds like an opportunity to me. Do you know anything about building stations?
Loves. Be careful.
Maddy
---
I'd seen a few Build Station jobs floating around. It sounds like it was time to see what they were all about; they'd also serve as good practice before I started building my own stations.
-----
Venti "Duster"
- 4x Plasma Burst Generators
- 7x Phased Repeater Gun
- 4x 25MJ shields
Yaki Fujin Raider
- Idle
Your Kha'ak Scout
- 1x Alpha Kyon Emitter
Demeter Super Freigher XL "Bernard" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Great Dane" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Korgi" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Mastiff" (25)
Mistral Super Freighter "Husky" (23)
Mistral Super Freighter "Boxer" (23)
Mistral Super Freighter "Rottweiler" (13)
Mistral Super Freighter "Pit Bull" (12)
Mistral Super Freighter "Pug" (12)
Mistral Super Freighter "Bulldog" (10)
21.6M credits
Master Economist / Master Chief
-
Poseidon
- Posts: 325
- Joined: Wed, 6. Nov 02, 20:31
The Argon Mammoth attempted to gore me during its transit to Home of Light; I'm pretty sure it missed by less than 10 meters.
"You drive like a Paranid Marine!" I shouted at the cockpit window in vain. He was carrying a station for me, and I didn't want to to piss him off. The venting helped a little though.
I asked him to Drop the Station at the Nav Beacon. He stared at me blankly, and asked for coordinates. I highlighted the Nav Beacon on the map. He shook his head. "COP requires you to supply explicit sector and coordinates." A few minutes of fiddling pulled up the exact coordinates for the station, and he began unloading the Chip Plant.
There had to be a better way.
I was sitting on no small amount of credits at this point, so I jumped down to Patriarch's Conclusion. I could have gone somewhere closer, but this Shipyard had the largest selection of Split ships I'd ever seen, and my satellite network said they were fully stocked.
25 million credits later, I sat aboard my first Split Elephant, named "Pink". I had loaded it up with 5 factory-equipped Asps. Everything had Mosquito Missile Defense system in place. I had also purchased a Mamba Raider as a secondary personal ship, and named it "Tequila Weasel".
Well, there went over half my bank account.
The elephant paid for itself rather quickly. My trade ships have built inroads with the various shipyards, and purchasing foreign stations was a non-issue... except for that one order for a Paranid 2GJ Shield station. That job didn't pay very well anyway...
I spent a good chunk of time exploring the rest of the universe, and throwing down stations where I could. I wish I could say it was exciting, but aside from some rather spectacular views, it was mostly a non-event. I finished my loop through what I believe are the most South-Eastern sectors in the known universe, and ended up in Grand Exchange.
Xenon Sector 598 loomed to the north. I poked through the gate, and took a quick look around. 2 gates in the distance, and... nothing? Oh, over there, a couple small fighters, and it looks like a... Xenon P maybe? I hit the Boost, pushed the new Mamba's engines to their max, and swung wide around the sector, tagging gates on the way by. A Xenon N took notice and chased me down, but Space Flamethrowers are merciless. (Actually, they're too merciless... I've lost a number of ship caps to the persistent flame cloud after the would-be pirate bails).
Bolting through the sector worked well, so I primed my Jumpdrive, and took a peek into Xenon Sector 627.
That... was a lot of missiles pointed at me. I flipped a U-turn and ducked back into the gate before they arrived.
Exploring to the north was less eventuful. Zyarth's Dominion was a wasteland patrolled by Xenon warparties led by Qs. The east side of the sector held a single Silicon Mine, and a Split defense force. I made sure to Blacklist the sector to my traders; not somewhere I wanted them to wander.
Beyond that sector lay a small region of Split territory that had been completely cut off from the rest of the Universe. I didn't see a single facility capable of Jump Technology; they seem to gather supplies by counting on external traders or by making kamikaze runs through the Xenon sectors. Wow.
I made plants to stop by and help them rebuild their infrastructure, then I hopped back out to Grand Exchange, and headed west. Belt of Aguilar held a similar surprise at its North gates.
The Alboin sectors are amazing and terrible. I really have no words for this right now.
So, now what? I've explored everything I could find. There may be a couple sectors hidden behind Xenon Sectors or in the Maelstrom perhaps. I've got an Elephant, a few fighters, a Fleet of 10 Universe Traders, and 54M credits. Time to start talking Empire with Maddy.
"You drive like a Paranid Marine!" I shouted at the cockpit window in vain. He was carrying a station for me, and I didn't want to to piss him off. The venting helped a little though.
I asked him to Drop the Station at the Nav Beacon. He stared at me blankly, and asked for coordinates. I highlighted the Nav Beacon on the map. He shook his head. "COP requires you to supply explicit sector and coordinates." A few minutes of fiddling pulled up the exact coordinates for the station, and he began unloading the Chip Plant.
There had to be a better way.
I was sitting on no small amount of credits at this point, so I jumped down to Patriarch's Conclusion. I could have gone somewhere closer, but this Shipyard had the largest selection of Split ships I'd ever seen, and my satellite network said they were fully stocked.
25 million credits later, I sat aboard my first Split Elephant, named "Pink". I had loaded it up with 5 factory-equipped Asps. Everything had Mosquito Missile Defense system in place. I had also purchased a Mamba Raider as a secondary personal ship, and named it "Tequila Weasel".
Well, there went over half my bank account.
The elephant paid for itself rather quickly. My trade ships have built inroads with the various shipyards, and purchasing foreign stations was a non-issue... except for that one order for a Paranid 2GJ Shield station. That job didn't pay very well anyway...
I spent a good chunk of time exploring the rest of the universe, and throwing down stations where I could. I wish I could say it was exciting, but aside from some rather spectacular views, it was mostly a non-event. I finished my loop through what I believe are the most South-Eastern sectors in the known universe, and ended up in Grand Exchange.
Xenon Sector 598 loomed to the north. I poked through the gate, and took a quick look around. 2 gates in the distance, and... nothing? Oh, over there, a couple small fighters, and it looks like a... Xenon P maybe? I hit the Boost, pushed the new Mamba's engines to their max, and swung wide around the sector, tagging gates on the way by. A Xenon N took notice and chased me down, but Space Flamethrowers are merciless. (Actually, they're too merciless... I've lost a number of ship caps to the persistent flame cloud after the would-be pirate bails).
Bolting through the sector worked well, so I primed my Jumpdrive, and took a peek into Xenon Sector 627.
That... was a lot of missiles pointed at me. I flipped a U-turn and ducked back into the gate before they arrived.
Exploring to the north was less eventuful. Zyarth's Dominion was a wasteland patrolled by Xenon warparties led by Qs. The east side of the sector held a single Silicon Mine, and a Split defense force. I made sure to Blacklist the sector to my traders; not somewhere I wanted them to wander.
Beyond that sector lay a small region of Split territory that had been completely cut off from the rest of the Universe. I didn't see a single facility capable of Jump Technology; they seem to gather supplies by counting on external traders or by making kamikaze runs through the Xenon sectors. Wow.
I made plants to stop by and help them rebuild their infrastructure, then I hopped back out to Grand Exchange, and headed west. Belt of Aguilar held a similar surprise at its North gates.
The Alboin sectors are amazing and terrible. I really have no words for this right now.
So, now what? I've explored everything I could find. There may be a couple sectors hidden behind Xenon Sectors or in the Maelstrom perhaps. I've got an Elephant, a few fighters, a Fleet of 10 Universe Traders, and 54M credits. Time to start talking Empire with Maddy.