TRIPLE ELITE
30 Nov 2021Jav Marlo
TRIPLE ELITE14 NOV 3307, HIP 118311 system
This is commander Jav Marlo, recording this log at Lubbock Market, an Orbis Starport on the HIP 118311 system.
Jav Marlo at the docks of Lubbock Market
For the last month I have been working as an agent of admiral Denton Patreus, from the Empire, in hope that he will find where my partner Ayumi is being held captive and release that information to me. We have a deal, but my service for him is taking long than I expected.
Jav Marlo walking by the station
Patreus gave me a ship, an Imperial Clipper he called the Mjolnir, and a very obnoxious COVAS, by the name Alix, to keep a watch over me. After some menial tasks, I guess to prove me and the ship, he soon sent me as his herald to system in conflict 58 light years away from Achenar where the Patrons he supported were about to lose control under a rival corporation. He sent me to war.
The Mjolnir joining the fight on HIP 118311
I fought along Patreus forces for days on the Nav Buoy of the system, holding the waves of reinforces sent by the corporation. Once we had secured the place, the most intense fight moved to the surface of the moon of the fourth planet, over a place called Paredes Agricultural Complex.
The Mjolnir joining the fight over Paredes Agricultural Complex
I must say that, while the Mjolnir excels on space combat, with it is superior speed and high mass that makes it an ideal hammer to ram through the hostiles, I guess its name was well chosen after all, it does not behave properly with gravity. There, its mass plays against it. Nevertheless, we managed to clear the sky over Paredes Agricultural Complex creating a free pass for the landing shuttles.
The Mjolnir landing outside Paredes Agricultural Complex before the combat
The battle for Paredes Agricultural Complex was about to start. I landed the Mjolnir on the outskirts of the base and went to the armory. As I expected, the ship was equipped with everything necessary to start a small war. I equipped myself with a Dominator combat suit and chose a Takada Aphelion laser rifle and Karma AR-50 carabine while trying to remember my military training of years ago back in the Alliance. It has been a while for me since the last time I did foot combat, but If Paredes Agricultural Complex was the field where the critical battle for the system was going to take place, it was my intention to win it. The sooner I prove myself useful to Patreus the more willing he will be to help me find Ayumi. Or that is what I hope.
Jav Marlo dismissing the Mjolnir
Leaving the Mjolnir landed there like a sitting duck made me feel uncomfortable, so I compromised and decided to ask the COVAS Alix to put the ship in orbit until I summoned it. It felt incredibly strange to see my ship flying away without me at the controls. But I must admit Alix performed a swift taking off. Then I moved towards the complex to join Patreus commandos shooting everything on my way.
Jav Marlo approaching Paredes Agricultural Complex on foot
It was madness. I used the superior range of the Aphelion to take the enemies shields and then I finished them with rounds from the Karma carabine. I made my way through leaving a trail of corpses behind me. And, in the end, we prevailed.
Jav Marlo after the battle for Paredes Agricultural Complex
My military training comes from my days on the Alliance, and I have never fought along imperials before, well at least not on foot, but I must say they totally won my respect. They were deadly, disciplined and hard as nails. They move themselves on the battlefield like a unique body, with swift lethal coordination. When the battle was over, I was summoned to the presence of the commander in the field.
Jav Marlo talking with the commander of the Patreus forces at Paredes Agricultural Complex
The commander congratulated me on my progress in combat and, to my surprise, engraved on my right pauldron the decal of the Triple Elite commanders. It seemed that, the skirmishes to defend the Nav Buoy of the system have caused my combat rank to advance to Elite. I won the Elite in exploration rank years ago when I reached Beagle Point, and soon later I reached the Elite rank in trade thanks to the business in low temperature diamonds I conducted with my brother Zal. But I never expected to reach the rank of Elite in combat. That means that I have killed an incredible amount of people, much more than I expected. I first became a commander to be an explorer, and now I am a warmonger gun for hire. And it seems that Patreus is loving it and eager to show me as a symbol. He ordered his commander to mark my armor. He must be so proud of having a Triple Elite puppet commander working for him. All the survivors of the battle cheered me as if I was some kind of hero, but I walked in shame again to the outskirts of the base while calling Alix in orbit to land the ship.
COVAS Alix landing the Mjolnir on 118311 4a
I observed as Alix swiftly and elegantly landed the Mjolnir in front of me while considering my recently acquired status. It is just a ranking system, I thought to myself. I never kept a tight relation with the Pilots Federation. Being a commander automatically makes you a member, but besides that, they do not get on my way, and I do not get into theirs. I do not want to have anything to do with what they do in Shinrarta Dezrha or their mysterious Founders World. And I intend to keep my relationship with them like that, even now that it seems they consider me among the best of the bests. I took mental note to remove the Triple Elite decal from my shoulder as soon as I landed on Lubbock Market.
Jav Marlo with the Triple Elite decal on his pauldron flying towards Lubbock Market
I came into the station and walked straight to one of the bars in the docks, looking for something to forget the battle, when I realized that something might have changed forever. I realized that, from now on it will not be so easy to pass unnoticed by a starport, being Triple Elite is a total game changer. Suddenly, everybody was staring at me, looking at the sigil on my shoulder. I ordered a drink and half a dozen agents from the different factions offered to pay for me. Then they tried to approach me offering incredibly lucrative contracts, probably thinking that if I would accept to work for them that could change the status of their factions in the system. In an instant, I became the most notorious gun for hire on the place.
Jav Marlo walking towards Lubbock Market spaceport bar
So, I was there, feeling incredibly uncomfortable with my newly gained popularity, when I received a message from admiral Patreus. It seemed that he had located Ayumi. According to Patreus, she is being held on Chancellor Anders Blaine personal Majestic-Class Interdictor. He provided a proof of life at least, a picture of Ayumi on her cell provided by one of his spies. She is alive. The ship is, presumably, on route now to system Facece… (deep sigh) That system is a fortress, and I lack the permissions to fly there… I must find a way… And… in the meantime, I guess Patreus will enjoy a little bit more his puppet Triple Elite commander.
Ayumi on her cell in Anders Blaine flagship