I grew up on Nanomam 2 and went straight from school into the Federation Naval Academy. I received first class combat training and dabbled in engineering before completing my service term and venturing out on my own as a freelance trader in a clapped out Sidewinder Mk1.  

After a couple of years scrabbling to make ends meet, I was desperate to find something that paid more and that would hopefully lead to better opportunities. In my early twenties, I got lucky one day and ran into a young entrepreneur by the name of Hugh Journings who showed tremendous faith in my abilities by taking me onto his payroll to serve as a hauler flying a Python for trade runs out of Gresley Dock. His trading company trebled in size whilst I was with him but his success put a lot of other companies out of business. Many of the traders who went to the wall, became pirates and our trading ships became primary targets. My combat skills were severely tested on regular occasions but I continued to thrive under Hugh until his untimely death at the hands of mercenaries, who were paid handsomely to see his demise.

I was 49 at the time. Hugh had been like a father figure to me and his death hit me hard. Even harder to swallow was the fact that the company he had built from practically nothing was wound up and his assets taken over by the Federal authorities. His last will and testament had at least rewarded me with the trading Python I had commanded for over 25 years. However, I was only able to retain the Python after a lengthy legal battle with the Federal Authorities.

I left Nanomam and fed up with the way I had been treated by the Federation, I turned my back on them too. Putting some of the funds I had built up to good use, I converted the Python to a mining ship and quickly learnt the three methods of mining in asteroid fields. Very soon, I found I was making enormous amounts of money which I duly invested into other ships and eventually a fleet carrier and crew.  

I established my own mining company, Deep Core Universal in 3306 and took on a mining crew working out of my fleet carrier the “Hugh Journings”. Much of what we did involved surveying pristine systems and then working asteroid fields that contained rich pickings.

In late 3308, a chance meeting with a spokesperson for the Deep Core Empire in Etznabal resulted in a contractual arrangement to serve the faction.  All mined materials in and around the Etznabal system would be used to fufil mission work, and our trading and combat ships would also be utilised as and when required by the faction. The long term goal is to see the Deep Core Empire faction expand into neighbouring systems.

In the early part of 3307, I took on the services of a crew member Rosie Poole to serve as a fighter pilot on my Federal Corvette and trading Cutter. She had a pilot ranking of “Almost Harmless” when she started but under my tutelage, has quickly risen to a ranking of “Elite”.

No-one can accurately predict what the future will bring, but I’m hoping for continued success out here on the fringes of the bubble in my new home of Etznabal.