-- Encrypted Private Log -- Stealthship Manticore
07 Jul 2017Vizz Curio
::CMDR Vizz Curio on the planet [ R E D A C T E D ], [ R E D A C T E D ]::::encrypted private log::
I need to chronicle this so I can go back and re-read it over and over to remind myself this happened. Especially if things get sketchy moving forward with this set up... Not sure who I can trust, so encrypting this entry for my own safety.
I spent all that time to get the ranking credentials to buy a Federal Gunship I had been coveting and before finishing, through my local fame in Niu Hsing, I made a new contact. Now all of my plans have been thrown out the window.
All of them.
In one of the lounges I was frequenting during my time in Niu Hsing, a lady approached me to chat me up. Real heavy on the compliments of my reputation and abilities. Naturally I was suspicious; I hate when someone gushes over how great they think I am.
Actually that's not true. I love it.
What I hate is when I see right through their words, sincere or not, and recognize they have an agenda and want something from me. (It's rarely simply carnal like "I want you" -- most of those kind of women then want money.)
She was goooood, she knew what she was doing. Had an air of professionalism and seriousness, not just corporate but maybe a military experience in her past too.
Fast-forward past the romp back at my ship that night and the conversations...
She offered me a deal to join [ R E D A C T E D ] and be a test for something called "Project Anubis" and set me up with stealth tech for a ship. (That's stealth as in radar/visual/EM/targetting stealth, not those fictional make-you-invisible devices you see in the holofilms.)
Stealth technology!
How could I resist an offer like that?
Of course... there were conditions.
One was flying solo; no crew. This was okay for me. Zaya and I had built a good working relationship as a pair of bounty hunters and excelled at it. But outside of the combat she was starting to get... really friendly. Sure I could have entertained that and had some fun, but it made her increase to 10% cut of my profits harder on me.
The Pilot's Federation notified me of the 28 Million credits awaiting me in Asellus Primus from their recent criminal hunting appeal, and so not having to give 2.8 Mil of that away sounded good. Rakapila also owed me 5 Mil. I let Zaya go and blasted off to pick up my millions, and was heralded as "The Hero of Asellus Primus" when I docked at Beagle 2 Landing. A bit of hyperbole, but that's fine; I wasn't staying long to milk it.
See, the other big condition to this deal was that [ R E D A C T E D ] needed to test this stealth setup on a Python-class ship. They said they definitely didn't want any Federal ships (hmmm...) so the Gunship I had my eyes on, and the Assault Ship I owned, were not viable. They said the ships were too fat & chunky, same with my Keelback Jupiter Jazz.
Okay then.
I always wanted a Python, didn't think I had the funds. So I checked my finances, that 28 Mil was a good boost that made my bank account happy. I wouldn't need my red Federal Assault Ship, The Raven, anymore so I had the good parts removed to transfer over and sold what was left for a nice chunk of credits. Plenty to purchase a brand-new Python and spec her out as requested, with a few alterations of my own.
There were no conditions of secrecy except of the name of this company and its employees. I wouldn't have to hide my ship, I would be free to fly everywhere as normal.
I left the Jupiter Jazz safely stored at Jameson Memorial and wasted no time and flew my new hotness to [ R E D A C T E D ].
Such a wonderful ship. The cockpit, no the bridge, felt like a home in itself. I've never had that much space at the helm of my ships. It handles well, engine purrs quietly. Had I known I'd enjoy a Python-class ship so much I would have aimed to own one years ago.
That station where they're retrofitting my new ship is in orbit of a pleasant Earth-like planet, and they've given me an all-expenses-paid vacation on the beaches down here. If working as a test pilot of prototype technologies for a clandestine faction means getting treated to luxuries like this, I'm wooed.
The build-out they said will take about a week. Soft sand, warm sun, ocean swimming, and sweet cocktails for me then.
I'll use this time to trawl GalNet and some of the dark-holoweb for as much information as I can get about [ R E D A C T E D ].
::CMDR's log supplemental::
Now I'm thinking this group, [ R E D A C T E D ], is a shadow (no pun intended) company in employ of the Empire. If I'm not paranoid, it makes sense. When I used to freelance for the Empire and earned my rank of Master, they then asked me to renounce allegiance to the Empire and enlist in the Federal Navy (yuck) and act as a double-agent to spy on the Feds for the glory of the Imperial blahblahblah-whatever. I refused to be a pawn and left Empire space, flitting around the bubble ever since.
This may be the Empire's way to get me back in their pocket, if not openly then sketchily.
I must be very, very careful in my dealings with [ R E D A C T E D ] going forward. Use them as they're using me.
This may be the Empire's way to get me back in their pocket, if not openly then sketchily.
I must be very, very careful in my dealings with [ R E D A C T E D ] going forward. Use them as they're using me.
::end amendment to log::
::end transmission::
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Bought a Python, my most expensive ship to date since starting playing Elite:D on PC launch Day 1. Fell in love with it. Gave it the Black Friday paint job and the shipkit with wings, long nose, and shark fins -- it just *looks* like a stealth ship in every way!
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