CMDR LOG #9: 23-24:JAN:3302
23 Jan 2016Reykur
LOG INITIATED18:22
After a couple days of relaxation in Jera, it's time to head back to Phiagre. Hearing the Aurora Ray creak and moan as she comes back to life makes me smile every time. It's like coming home. After a quick check of the decks to make sure everything is flight ready, I made my way back to the cockpit and fired up the thrusters. Their hushed whine is smooth and steady, so I requested departure clearance. I plot my course to Phiagre, which will take me through Findja. I'm still Wanted there from my last hunt for... what was his name? Ah, it doesn't matter.
I'll skip through the system before I'm noticed. My final destination is Sopheos to make contact with my agents and see how we're progressing. The lack of messages on my console is comforting, however. I'm sure things are proceeding as planned.
19:03
My return to Phiagre was uneventful, and my agents report that things are as the should be. Around us in the bar infrequent whispers are can be heard about the "evil" leader of the Sovereign Justice Collective's leader. How she is a ruthless dictator bent on the takeover of the system. How the word of Phiagre Industry is spreading, bringing droves of pilots to their assistance. The whispers speak of rebellion. Of war.
I couldn't help but smile as I finished my drink. I needed to speak to my Phiagre Industry contact and see what I could do to foster this boldness.
Walking into his off to his office, I noticed that he looked unusually smug. Feet kicked up on his desk, he told me that he was due for a promotion. I didn't hide my displeasure with the news. He naturally assumed I was still jaded about being screwed out of my contract for the Trade Data several days ago. I admit that's true, but my displeasure was more due to the fact that his promotion could put him beyond my reach for revenge when we take the system.
Still, at this point I have to put the faction's needs above my own, so I asked if he had any work for me.
Sliding across a glowing tablet, he explained that his counterpart in CD-61 6801, where Phiagre Industry has been working to build their influence, had reported a group of gypsies moving through the system and wanted them eliminated. He couldn't send one of his own for fear that it would blow back on their CEO, and thus was delegating this to a mercenary from another system.
Asking why they cared about some gypsies, he just grinned at me, that infuriating smirk on his face. I shook my head and accepted the contract, standing to leave. He stopped me and said that he also had some legal documents for some lawyer on the surface installation of Montanari Arsenal. Since I was already going to be in the area, I should deliver this as well. After taking care of the gypsy "problem", of course.
I have no doubt that he is hoping I'll be blown from the sky when the post notices a wanted fugitive trying to land. Unfortunately I don't have anything in the way of contacts at this port to help me through security, so I'll have to resort to smuggling these... legal documents.
The irony made me chuckle as I headed to my ship. On the way I bumped into a friend on the station asking if there was any way for me to pick up some supplies while I was out. I told him it wouldn't be a problem and asked what he needed. "Bioreducing Lichen?", he said.
I asked him what the hell "bioreducing lichen" is. He started talking about chemical processes that had something to do with breaking down asteroids or something, and how... actually, lets face it. I'm no chemist, and frankly I kind of spaced out while he was explaining it. After about 10 minutes of this conversation I laughed and told him I was sorry I asked, but not to worry. I'd find them.
Heading back to the ship, I called a local miner from the squadron. If anyone knew where to source this stuff, he would. Sure enough, he told me I could find it in CD-61 6801. How convenient. He also asked me to help him move some goods to Suri Terminal in Lucab Kui. Apparently he'd taken on a contract but couldn't fit the last 8 tons in his cargo. He advanced me 25,000cr for the inconvenience, promising another 50,000 on delivery.
Departure clearance granted, I'm now en route to Lacab Kui before heading to CD-61, where there are some nomads that have no idea they've made their last jump. I actually feel bad. Perhaps I can just disable their ships and give them time to escape before destroying the craft. As long as my ship's computer registers their destruction, I don't anticipate Phiagre Industry will ever be the wiser.
19:10
Just before jumping, I got a call on the Ray. A contact of mine heard word of some art that went missing from an executive in Sopheos, and he was putting out a reward for anyone able to locate it. I've passed the word on to my agents to check the local black markets for any word of someone trying to fence some newly acquired merchandise of this nature. We'll see what turns up. Anything that puts me in the good graces of the powers-that-be only increases the sway I'll have down the road.
19:19
75,000 credits isn't worth this. My 'friend' neglected to tell me the station is almost 150,000 ls from dropping into the station. The scanners are clean, so I'm setting the Ray on approach speed so I can relax below deck on this journey. ETA: 10 minutes.
19:23
The jar of an interdiction nearly knocked me off the stairs. I scrambled back to the cockpit and checked the scanners. A Courier, looking for cargo. As I began submitting to the interdiction, I noticed a second ship - local security. Falling into normal space I checked my wanted status. With a sigh of relief I saw it was clean. He was here for the pirate then.
Sure enough, he immediately opened fire as I regained control of the Ray. Deploying hardpoints, I joined the fray and between us, picked him apart easily.
The security ship immediately scanned me, and I was relieved to be carrying nothing. He hailed me over comms notifying me that I could proceed, and to be careful.
I told him I would and spooled my jump drive. I'm still 127kls away from this outpost. Can't a guy sit in peace for 5 minutes out here?
19:45
I've reached Suri Terminal and the cargo is being unloaded. There's no sign of my squad-mate, but apparently his cargo has already been delivered. I'm glad to see he made it through this gauntlet. I'll settle up with him later.
Refueled and re-armed, I'm off to CD-61.
20:02
A signal source popped up on my scanners not long after entering. I dropped into it, half expecting these bumbling nomads to be dumb enough to just be hanging out near the Nav Beacon. To my surprise, it was an Anaconda. Competition, no doubt trying to collect on the contract himself.
I did a quick scan of his security status. Wanted. Had he beaten me to it?
After a good standoff, he hailed me asking if I'd seen anyone 'from out-of-town'. Relieved to not be too late, responded with a volley of lasers. He quickly launched a volley of his own. Popping chaff, I managed to get on his broadside while I stripped his shields. The Aurora Ray is much more nimble, but his turrets continued to track.
I launched more chaff as his shields failed. The targeting system was easily able to lock onto his powerplant, and I began putting my multi-cannons into it. As each round bored further through his armor, I began to see small explosions from within the ship. The plant was exposed. I squeezed the trigger tighter, as if that would make the rounds penetrate further until I watched his thrusters sputter and fail. His plant was dead. In a last ditch effort to evade, he flooded his engines with everything in his capacitor, trying to boost out of my range.
The Ray easily caught up with him as he tumbled into the darkness, and for a brief moment I considered letting him be adrift there. Being a wanted criminal, he would get no assistance from the local security, and with his power plant down, it'd be hours before he was able to get comms out to anyone - assuming he was able to maintain life-support long enough to repair anything.
I decided against it. Word would spread back to whomever he flew with, and I didn't want more attention. Conserving ammunition, I began melting what was left of the exposed powerplant, knowing eventually it would hit a fuel cell and cause a failure cascade. Within seconds, that's exactly what happened. As his ship came apart, I noted the bounty pop up on my screen. 1,300cr.
I'm reentering supercruise to try and locate the gypsies before someone else does. Somehow this has turned into more of a rescue mission than an assassination.
20:48
So far no sign of these Gypsies. Perhaps they made it out.
21:46
I found them. I picked up some chatter from them that let me triangulate their location. After dropping in alongside them, I explained the situation. No doubt noting the Wanted status of my ship, they were all too willing to listen to reason, and considering they were about to lose their ship, they handled themselves admirably. I noticed their ships were nothing but a lone T7 and a pair of DBS's. No life-boats of any kind, and only the pilot would be saved by Remlock. They hatched a plan to have the pilot eject the passengers in their cargo canisters. I'd have a limited amount of time to scoop them, but so long as the seals held they'd be fine.
They quickly got in the canisters and the pilot jettisoned. I went to work scooping them while their air held.
It went smoothly, and brought the passengers on board. Without putting up a fight, the pilots let me destroy their ships before ejecting upon hull breach.
I recovered the pilots, and all crew are safely aboard the Ray. I'm making best speed towards the nearby surface installation of Gamow Bastion, where they can hopefully start a new life. I have learned that all their worldly possessions - except the ships, of course - were in the canisters, now safely in my cargo bay. No wonder they seem oddly optimistic about their future.
22:06
We have docked at Gamow Bastion, and the gypsies and I have parted ways. They left me one canister as a thank you, and despite my protests, would not take no for an answer. They scolded me for being rude to try and turn down a gift. I acquiesced and wished them well.
My choice of Gamow was not random; this is the station that has the Bio..something... Lichen. I placed the order and am waiting on delivery to my hangar. In the meantime, I'm having the Ray refueled and re-armed. Despite being wanted in the system, Gamow is controlled by a relatively minor faction in conflict with the group controlling the system. They seem unconcerned about my status.
Therefore, I'm taking the opportunity to grab something to eat. I'm starving. In the meantime I'll be figuring out where to go from here.
22:31
Ugh, so that food looked disgusting. I'm heading back to Phiagre where we have food that doesn't also double as construction material. There's a nice spot in Moskowitz that I haven't been to in awhile. It should do nicely.
22:41
I've just landed at Moskowitz, and have decided to stop by a local contact about fencing these "Scientific Samples" those gypsies had. Why the hell would they have this garbage? Anyway, I had no hopes for these things being worth anything until I saw his eyes widen in excitement after looking at my cargo manifest. He managed to recover decently and offer 50,000 credits for it, as if he was doing me a favor. Knowing the routine, I silently took the tablet back and turned to walk out. I actually thought he was going to let me leave until I reached the door and he stopped me, doubling his asking price. Hiding my incredulity, I pretended to ponder the transaction before walking up to shake his hand.
Credits transferred, I had the crew at the dock unload the container for delivery.
Looks like it'll be a nice steak for lunch afterall.
23:51
After a great meal, I'm back in the cockpit. A message was waiting for me when I arrived, saying that my artwork would likely be heading through SHUI WEI SECTOR LI-S B4-2 at around 00:00. I'd better hurry.
00:07
Sure enough, I've found the craft carrying the artwork. After dispatching the thief, I'm on the way back to Sopheos.
I wish I had more to say about this particular engagement, but the Cobra didn't put up much of a fight. I'm only happy that the artwork survived its destruction. Before I head home, however, I noticed a blinking light on one of the consoles. My FSD isn't working properly, and I don't want to risk entering Witchspace until it is repaired. Unfortunately, this system lacks any stations or surface installations to speak of. Hopefully I can get it fixed quickly.
03:56
I've fixed the problem. Basically the problem was I needed to get angry at it and hit it with a rubber mallet. I wish I'd tried that 3 hours ago. Anyway, I'm finally on my way back to Phiagre to turn over the art to its rightful owner.
4:14
I've managed to return the art, and it appears the executives are very pleased with me. Still, I'm exhausted from my day, so I can't be more eloquent about it. Not that there's much to be eloquent about. I think I'll just sleep on the ship tonight. Finding a place on the station will just take too long. So, all that said, I'm heading back to get some rack. We'll see what happens tomorrow.
LOG TERMINATED