Rogue Transmission 001
14 Feb 2018Joska Rifinaukr
Commander's Log: February 14, 3304. Entry 1.And they say there is no such thing as fate. I finally met the love of my life today. St Valentine's Day, if you follow the ancient ways. I've known of her for more than two years now. But then I was a lowly serf, an outsider, untrusted in the Empire. And she ... Well, she is royalty.
What? You thought I was talking about the Emperor? Or maybe Princess Aisling? Who doesn't love Emperor Aryssa? But of course, you, me, the rest of the pilots here, we're little people. Regular. Skilled in our own way, but most of us will be unknown in the annals of history, unless one of us manages to perform an act of unrivaled bravery ... or stupidity.
As for me, I'm happy right now just basking on the bridge of my Cutter, taking in that smell of new leather. Of course the gel couches aren't really made of leather. Remlok is in the business of keeping us alive, and even the most blue-blooded Imperials aren't going to convince them to change their line-up over a matter of sheer decadence. No, the leather upholstry is back in the crew quarters and common area.
But now we've serious business to attend to. Outfitting and engineering. I can already tell, though, that my credit balance is woefully anemic for the purpose of truly doing right by her. No matter. For now I'll put in the best modules I can muster. The shield I used in my Clipper and Anaconda will be a touch on the light side, but it'll let me get a feel for her systems while I decide on what I want to use permanently. Surprisingly, the power plant will be sufficient for power constraints, for now at least. I need to get used to the hardpoints, and once I fit a proper thrust system I'll be able to see whether I can get away with a more accuracy-intensive weapon, like a particle accelerator. For now, familiarity will serve me better than experimentation. Besides, this huge beam laser was produced by one of the best weapon manufacturers in the galaxy: Manticore Munitions.
As far as role goes, she's obviously best-suited for bulk cargo hauling, but I really want to take her out on a cruise around the galaxy. Maybe I'll replace one of my cargo racks with a passenger hangar. Rich tourists who want to see the sights just outside of the Bubble are usually willing to pay a goodly sum for the journey. That'll be a great way to get a feel for how she handles without getting into more trouble than I can afford right now. I'll also be able to see how much weight I can play with before getting into truly abysmal jump ranges. I hear the engineers are working to set up a new system for earning their wares. That might let me tweak the mass of my heavier modules to a greater extent, but I'll worry about that once I've got only the best parts in her.
I decided to take her for a quick flight outside the station here, just to get a feel for how she handles. Even with B-rated thrusters, she can manage a better top speed than the Anaconda. Definitely can't outpace the Clipper, but I think I'll make the thrusters and power distributor my top priority. Once that's engineered, I'll be able to outrun the biggest ships. The turning axes are not great, though. Good thing I practiced maneuvering with flight assist off. I'll need to keep the top side facing any enemies in combat to give all four laser turrets maximum time on target.
All in all, I'm very happy with the Imperial Cutter. We are going to have quite an adventure together. I'll need to think of a good name for her. Something a bit more grand than "Darkstar." Plenty of time for that in the future, though. For now, I shall retire to my quarters and enjoy a good night's sleep in the most luxurious mobile home in the galaxy.
Commander Joe Raveneye, signing off.