The Potential of the Python
07 Nov 2020OmegaPaladin
When I walked up to the Faulcon de Lacy counter at Davis Gateway, I knew what I wanted. The iconic spacer's ship, the Python. While the Krait Mk. II was a great design, I was looking to focus on the business side of things, so the Python's extra cargo . After a week of heavy mining, I was ready to take the plunge. I had already reserved a garage for the Klondike, since it was always good to have backup. The dealer didn't need to show me around, I had seen the Pilot's Federation review, the official holographic walkthrough, and more. I knew exactly what I was getting:The best mining vessel in the galaxy. I had dreams of traveling across deep space and taking the fight to the Thargoids, but they would stay dreams without an adequate credit supply Everything costs money out here, and there are not many better ways to earn it than mining precious metals and gemstones. (This honestly makes me wonder who is mining all of the less valuable metals. Megaships? Ore carriers with mining drones?) I browsed through the various packages of loadout options, and there were several mining designs with ample power for a blistering laser array, with the appropriate prospecting sensors. The cargo capacity was going to be several times my Keelback, and I had the space for other useful mining tools.
The deal was done. Credits changed hands, and the dealer pocketed one hell of a commission. As I walked up to the wedge-shaped craft filling my hangar, the name came to me in a flash - the translation of the constellation of my home system, Southern Triangle.
When I sent the images of the ship over ansible, I got a plethora of delighted responses from my family (my aunt the miner was ecstatic) and a cryptic message from a person I had never heard of before.
"Mining is a waste of your potential. If you want to see the stars, I can help you."Could this lady be one of the Engineers I had heard about? The secret, bleeding-edge technology rumored to incorporate government black project tech, corporate espionage, and even some reverse-engineered alien technology was not something widely discussed, but apparently they could turn a high-end combat pilot ship into a threat for capital ships! I'd seen footage of these ships, but people claimed it was faked using software like they used in CQC or training sims.
There was only one way to find out.