LOG BOOK # 3 - COMMANDER ISABELLA LEVINE - TITAN SQUADRON
29 Oct 2021Isabella Adair-Levine
DATE OF RECORDING: 10/28/3307TIME OF RECORDING: 12:43 UTC
RECORDING LOCATION: 'Bake Sale' - Type 10 Defender
LOG TYPE - Audio
ENCRYPTION DETECTION: No Encryption
VOICE RECOGNITION: Commander Isabella Levine
USER IDENTIFICATION LICENCE:
LOG START:
"Been trying not to do so many logs so soon. I want to try and space them out yet here I am. A lot's happened in the past two days here...to me I guess. We'll start at the beginning.
"So it was me resting in my ship watching stupid videos on my PDA when I decided to open up our squadron's digital concourse. There I noticed a few talking about the recent strike against Paladin Intersteller and how we successfully disrupted their supply line. Conner was on and had mentioned something about a few settlements that Paladin Mercs had control over yet local factions 'ran'. Ah, dunno if I should sit and explain who Connor is but he's essentially the Herald's son...the guy who was the leader of Hivemind. Yeah...he had intel on bases that were practically run by Paladin. So I asked for a location and he hesitantly gave one. Few wanted to fly in and shoot the place up. I didn't know if they were serious or not so I suggested I'd go in and provide recon from a distance. See if anything came in via shipments that might look important. Of course, the risk of that is getting into the system without being tagged by one of their ships. Being in TITAN we all have tags that identify us and our allegiance. Make it hard to be covert. Luckily for me, I made it into the system without any issue besides a few [#$@!]holes that tried interdicting me. I think it was a lawless system. The SOB got brave and pulled me in. Started shooting. For a second I thought my cover was already blown and my little solo mission ended but this guy was just a lousy pirate that couldn't fight if his life depended on it. I took out 'Dragonfly', my Asp Scout, and so I had my burst lasers and shock mines. Mix of throwing his trajectory off course and pumping his hull full of deep burn holes, the bugger got the message and retreated. I took my ship back into supercruise and arrived at the location Connor had given and landed outside their scan range. We were on the dark side so visual identification was near impossible and sensors at eight kilicks couldn't pick up a ship running cold."
"I touched down and deployed my SRV driving the eight kilometers to the base. Had Thallia with me in Orbit, keeping a watch out just in case something went wrong. She...well she somehow managed to encrypt our comms channel so we could talk without blowing my cover. She's brilliant with that stuff. A true wonder....ah anyway. I arrived and huffed it for the next kilometer. Scouted the area from the outside like I said I would. Observed some supply ships like a Keelback come in. Few dropships that unloaded workers. Noticed there were ground and air patrols as well. The place was a bloody fortress. The air patrol spotted my god damn SRV because I left the stupid parking lights on...idiot, I know. I was well enough away so the patrol team they diverted only found an unoccupied SRV. But that raised suspicion across the base no doubt. Could have done things there a little differently but hey, hindsights a b[#$@!].
"Ah, but I decided to take a closer look because why not, right Bella? Thought it was a good idea to try to gain access to one of their Kiosks. Brought a handy E-breach with me and hacked into it. Found their command center and marked a data port, settlement alarms, and the command locker room. Good places to look for intel and stay off the radar but do you think any of that plan actually came to forwishen? No...of course not because one of those Paladin mercs came out of [#$@!]ing nowhere and saw me with the E-breach. Asked to see my hands and submit to a scan. So what did I do? Shoot her. I shot her and she brought her shields up and fired back. I...ugh...I killed her. I know...so much for a changed Isabella...I hate myself too a little. But it was her or me. And I might hate myself but I'm not looking to die so I chose me instead. The little shit managed to break my shield and get a few sneaky hits in with her Tormenter Plasma pistol. The suit took most of it but it still hurt and put me into shock a bit. Luckily no one heard anything but I think I panicked a bit and ran for one of the storage rooms. Hid there and waited. While I did so I contacted the Thallia and then the digital concourse. Commander Sharales Kryik, aka Spectre, asked me for a sitrep so I told him what happened. He and I think Commander Solix with Thallia offered to come help but...I don't know...I'm trying to remember but everything started to go downhill so fast and my memory is a bit blurry."
"I was looking at their messages and I guess one of the workers in storage saw me. Asked what I was doing. I freaked out and ignored him. Kinda...fast-walked away. I think he called security as two armed men entered. I got out by then but I saw them from one of the windows when I was back outside. Again, me being me and wanting to get important intel from this place that could help with the war and make it end faster, decided to continue on my mission and head into the Command Center. I should have aborted but...I don't think I was on my game. In my headspace. Focused. I just...cut the pannels to get in and overloaded the energy port. Broke in. I remember taking the staircase at the end of the foyer of the Command Center up and running into a security worker. he looked at me and I looked at him before I took out my Energy Link and zapped him. I did it because he had level three access and I needed that to get to the command room."
"Ahh but guess what. Command center doors to the main room open and out came three guys. They see me scanning the poor sod I shocked to near death and they drew their guns...started shooting. So...I did too. I...I killed them all. Yeah...I mean...it's like before. I defended myself. But damn...can't believe I'm already killing again. I had to...right. There was no other way...unless I just left? Ugh...I should have with what's coming next. After I shot them the rest in the whole building heard the shooting. The alarms went off and I...I just...I panicked. I actually panicked. I was afraid...I was scared that...I might be stuck...killed there. I just...I ran to the command room and disable the alarms but to no avail because when I left to go to the data port and download the items the alarms were turned back on...I think there were two alarm consoles. Those Paladin mercs closed in on me fast. I was shot while trying to download all the data that there was and broke the connection trying to get away. Ran down a corridor and met three...no four mercs coming up the stairs...I shot one with my pistol but their shields were...strong. Like...very strong. It did nothing. I...I think I threw a grenade at a wall to bounce it...heard one of them scream. They threw a disrupter grenade back at me...landed at my feet and went off killing my shield...that's when I rand back down the corridor and two other mercs were there...they [#$@!]ing flanked me...one-shot me in the left side torso with an Intimidator Shotgun. I just remember the purple flash of plasma and then...darkness?"
I...woke up in this dimly lit room. On a bed. Crap all attached to me...head throbbing and my left most torso. My god...it hurt. Really bad third-degree burns. Plasma damage to mostly outer skin tissue. My suit actually saved me from being blown in half by plasma. I'm grateful but I just lost an expensive thing. Ahh, but anyway, these people showed up...didn't know at the time but it was just BLUSTAR medical personnel. I was on board the Flagship Carrier TOC Solaris. The story goes that Thallia, Commander Solix, and Sharales came to help. I...I think something happened with Solix during some engagement. He went dark and it was just Sharales and Thallia. Everything to me is...it's confusing...hard...Thallia...oh...Thallia...I'm so sorry. Sh-...she was hit I think and Roza...her T-10...it went down and she crashed. She was apparently hurt but still good to help Sharales with finding me. Think Thallia hacked a few locked doors and fighting through a bunch of these merc a[#@!$], they got to me. I heard Sharales contacted G.R.I.D. and had CSF units deployed to assist. Long story short, CSF came, crashed the party, and arrested everyone. Apparently, commanders can't interfere with CSF operations and this unauthorized...well now it was a raid, was a violation or...whatever. Paladin are using normal settlements to do their operations out of...so 'technically' if it wasn't a Paladin Interstellar stronghold then it was literally a raid on a settlement and any and all charges or bounties would be placed on us for doing what we did. But guess what...we're at war. Squadron Commander Auroura Adair pardoned everyone. She got all the charges and whatever might have happened, dropped. Heard she gave them a warning not to do something like this again as it interferes with CSF operations. It was me...really. I own it. They came for me down there because I was hurt. I was the stupid one for thinking I could get inside, get a bunch of data and try to get out."
"Early the other day Squad Commander Adair came and actually visited me. I..well I was flattered a bit but also totally embarrassed. Like...I think she's pretty damn cool and I respect her a lot so when she came in knowing most likely what I did...what all four of us did...ugh...totally embarrassed. I expected a stern talk about what I did was silly and dangerous but she wasn't like that at all. She was very calm and just told me that she was glad I was ok. That I shouldn't do what I did and pretty much explained what I said above. About CSF operations and whatnot. I tried to spark up a little bit of conversation but it looked like there was a lot on her mind. Plus she had her PDA with her and was focused on that...you know...Important Squad Commander stuff. Wasn't long until Thallia showed up. It was nice to see her. She came to me and asked if I was alright. If the medics were treating me alright. I said they were and she held my hand. I never have seen someone relieved and upset at the same time but...there she was. At the time I didn't know about her ship and her being injured but I noticed she had some marks on her face covered up with makeup. I asked and she told me what happened after I went dark. I...ughhh I got so emotional then...I just...I tried saying I was sorry. That I didn't mean to put her through so much. I really meant all those things...I...I didn't and I could see her fighting back some tears. Ughhh, we were an emotional mess. It was again, embarrassing in front of the Squadron Commander...she was kinda just on the sidelines watching. Ah but then a few others showed up later. Commander Novus and later Sharales. They all asked the same thing. Talked and whatnot. They all spent a few hours with me. It was...really nice. I enjoyed the company. So...thank you, guys. Really. Thank you all who came to see me."
"Ahh, but the fun ended and people started to leave. Last person was Thallia then Novus who just...this guy and his french fries. Anyway...they're all sweet but they needed to leave as I was getting tired. Once they were all gone I fell asleep and...well I had a nice dream. It was ironically everyone that was in my room. We were on this beach...I was sunbathing. Had these sunglasses on. Saw everyone and finally Thallia who was beside me. Looking gorgeous in swimwear. Ah, excuse me though. Good things come to an end as a nightmare followed after. Of [#@!$]ing course. I mean...can't have good dreams right? Ugh...it was bad...Styx again...just...with the stupid base I was just at. Guys shot at me and I ran. I had nothing to defend myself. I won't go into an explanation. I just...woke up in a sweat and just...blankly stared for...god...hours? Just at the boring ceiling. BLUSTAR medical came in and changed my bandages. Gave me so fresh clothes instead of that horrid gown. Put it on and they told me I was healing much faster than they thought. I had an idea why but I...It's not important. The medications worked wonders. They said I could move freely, go to the lounge area or the Rehabilitation center. The medics said that if I go to the rehab center I needed supervision. Ugghh...but I asked for my personal device back and they gave it. Was kinda sleepy again so I went back to sleep a little longer before I woke up and screwed around on the digital concourse. I also read the latest squadron internal affairs. Ughh, yeah. Mentioned the base I was at. CSF took it over and were pulling SSE. Paladin came back and came back hard though. Struck the place and killed nearly all the men there...captured six of them. I really beat myself up over that one. I felt it was my fault because they were run pretty thin and since I...well...we took over the base with the help of CSF reinforcements, well...Paladin Interstellar struck back and made it personal. They brutally murdered them all. I freaked out on the digital concourse and Thallia saw it. She tried to hurry to get to me and talk but I didn't see her message until...well now...as in much later. I went for a walk and headed to the rehab room. It's the only place in the whole medical wing that has a large window that's actually nice to look out. So I was there when Thallia and I guess Sharales again showed up."
"I...ugh..it's been really rough...emotionally. Everything. Just...literally everything. I...I'll just cut it short because no one needs to hear this but I broke down again. Thallia was comfort and support while Sharales was the logic and reason. Both trying to help me. They...calmed me down and things were good until another one of those internal affairs came out. This time it was bad. I know everyone was trying to protect me but...they hid what the article was from me knowing it would bother me. It was a message from Paladin Interstellar. The six men that went missing? They were brutally tortured and Paladin recorded it. Threatening us and saying this was the fault of Adair. Her declaring war. I thought what I did got people killed...I...I can't imagine how Squadron Commander feels right now. I mean knowing about it got me really worked up...just...angry. Really angry that they could do something so cruel and make smug threats. Thallia tried to stop me but...I...I pushed her aside like I was in some trance...like I...had some goal. I had...well I had half a plan but it wasn't really legal. I won't explain my plan because...well it never even happened. It never happened because Thallia kept trying and trying to stop me and I kept pushing her aside. Still lost in his...rage like trance. Thinking back I just....I just want her to know that that wasn't me. I was just so upset. Distraught. Ughh...I know we made up Thal, but I'm sorry again, love."
"Anyway, I reached the express lifts and she lost it...her face...I...ugh I have never seen her upset like that. Angry...scared...sad. I reached the hangar deck and just...I went back for her. I...just...when you love someone and you see how hurt you make them...it hurts you. It hurt me. I had to turn back and I did. She tried using the maintenance access way to reach me. I...I think she was so upset she wasn't...thinking. I found her and she was pretty shocked to see me come back. She thought she lost me for a second time and...I hugged her. Told her I was so sorry. That I did that to her. We made up and...kinda planned a date together. Her ship was fixed and renamed from 'Temna Roza' to...haha...'Bake Sale'. We went out and did some flying for a bit. Got to try out her fighter hangar and shoot at some hostile ship in a CZ. Blow off some built up steam. It was fun but it didn't last long as I was getting really sore wearing my pressure suit over my wound. We called it a night, got some take-out food and we just...headed back out into the black together. Alone to enjoy ourselves. Think I'll just leave it at that...our night pretty much ended and I passed out. Woke up here on 'Bake Sale' where I'm at now and...holy shit this logs gone one for way too long. Holy crap!"
"Uhhh, yeah! Sorry! If you listened till now... you're awesome. Wow! I'm gonna close this now. Thank you. And bye! Commander signing off!"
LOG END...:
