Unexpected Surprises.
04 Jan 2016Kitsu Sean
While the Knighthood and ship before Solstice was a big surprise, apparently I wasn't done getting them. Woke up on New Year's day with the Great Aunt of all hangovers. Guess I'm not as young as I thought I was the night before. Tequila mixed with .... ya know I'm really not sure what those were mixed with. Might have been Reactor fuel from the way my whole body felt that morning. Thankfully a double dose of Hydration shots and some Nanite gel made things better after an hour of pure hell and promises to never do that again.After making myself presentable, I headed down to the surface to see about acquiring some new parts for the Stark Raven. What I found was so worth the trip! Apparently there was an Lottery being held by some of the Ultra Rich if citizens and visitors would contribute to a children's charity. I immediately thought of my sisters kids. Those girls could have been here and homeless a few years ago if it weren't for some luck, skill, and a decent chunk of my money at the time. Not gonna lie, I've always been a bit of a softie for kids. Can't help it. I was lucky...I had loving parents, two sets even, and a good family but I've seen kids on worlds and stations throughout the black that were far less fortunate. I try to help where I can. A little cash, some food, even a few quiet words with bullies now and then help occasionally. I figured what the hell. A good cause and the deities know that I could use whatever redemption I can find these days. Lots of sins in my past that I'm trying to make up for. I dug deep into my accounts and bought a few tickets. Stuffed em in my pocket and went in search of my parts. Days later I finished the refits to the Raven and went back down to see if there was any cargo heading in my direction. Time to get back out there and make some more money.
Seeing one's image on a holoscreen in a docking bay with a WANTED tag tends to make your boys shrivel up. What the hell had I done?! My mind went into overdrive examining events from the past week I'd been in-system. I hadn't broken any laws I was aware of! Must be some sort of mix-up. I read the reporting agencies comm details and immediately called them to see what this was about and how I can fix it. Surprise surprise! It wasn't a Bounty posting, it was just informational because apparently I'd won that Lottery drawing and then vanished from the city! Apparently I had less than an hour to present my ticket or I'd forfeit the prize. I didn't even know what the prize was to be honest but I figured I'd check it out. Holy hell was I shocked! The prize was a fully outfitted Federal Assault Ship! Only minor weapons systems though. I'm not gonna lie, I'd known about the new Assault Ship series and the Gunships from my Navy days. I'd seen the projected specs and I knew I wanted one BAD but I figured I'd never get one. Those things cost a small mint and to get them fully kitted was gonna be expensive. I made perhaps a hasty decision right then. I signed all the associated paperwork for my prize and paid the levies and taxes out of my account which left me pretty much busted broke. I named her the Chief's Delight because that was exactly what she was! A delight to fly compared to the Stark Raven. While she loses some firepower and shielding, she more than makes up for it in grace, speed, and sheer armor! Good gods was she fast and tough! After getting back to the station, I arranged to strip some stuff off the Stark Raven that would do well on the Chief's Delight. I then sold everything I could get away with except for the Knightengale and those refitted parts. Got a nice bit of cushion in my accounts again now so I figured I'd take her out and put her through her paces on a hunt through the local Extraction sites and the navigation beacon. Pirates love to hangout in those places.
Gods she's frighteningly fast and maneuverable compared to the Stark Raven. We danced through the stars and left frozen wreckage in our passing. It was like taking a Shark into a school of feeder fish. I'm in love with her. Yeah so I lost a lot of cargo space and some firepower but I've definitely got my best Courier vessel! I put the word out that I was looking for high-risk, high-reward Courier runs and my first was a cakewalk in the Chief's Delight. I'm now set down in LP811-17 for a while. Turns out there's a significant fight going on between a couple factions here that some old friends are involved with. Figured I'd wing up with them and do some serious damage to the other faction. Normally I stay out of these sort of messes but this ship just begs to be in the fight. Right in there blasting away at the enemy. I'm comfortable knowing that I've got the best shields I can fit her with and the toughest armor along with some serious firepower. Delightful!!