New perpectives
03 May 2022Claude Lecardunoie
I will not come back on the unfortunate events that occured in Veroandi in April 3308. The article that I found on the Veroandi Gazette web portal, the unofficial news network of Veroandi authorities, says it all:"During the last months, Veroandi has seen the raise of anti-social, anti-corporation and anti-business ideologies carried by the so-called Revolutionnary Party of Veroandi. Last week, in order ensure civic order, the Council of Veroandi, representing the main corporations and delegates of Panshin Hub and Vardeman Gateway took drastic measures:
1. The Revolutionary Party of Veroandi is forbidden, any of the Party's assets (money, estate, communication equipment, ships) will be seized by the Council of Veroandi
2. Its main leaders are wanted and will be trialed in front of the Veroandi Special Court of Justice. Rewards will be granted to any citzen giving valuable information on the whereabouts of Revolutionary Party of Veroandi main figures.
3. Sympathizers of said Party are guaranteed immunity if they turn themselves in. They will be guaranteed safe passage to Leighton Cultivation Center."
At least, my friends were safe in Leighton Cultivation Center. As for me, I decided to flee to Fjorgyn. I worked a while the Fjorgyn Natural Liberty Party. I mostly traded for them. My last mission led me to Liebig Station in Ehecatl. I paid a visit to Juergen. He was as usual, behind is desk. His office was just above the station's landing pads where he could keep a close eye on the trafic: what ship is coming in, what type of goods are they delivering, which bounty hunter is leaving etc. When I came in, he was in front of is computer, ploting some new trade route or comparing the price of Bertrandite between two systems.
- Claude, come in. I am glad to know you are safe. I kept watching the whole situation in Veroandi but I knew you would make it somehow. But then again, I told you not mix business and politics.
I explained him that my intention was to leave Fjorgyn. The work there was not very interesting and to close from Veroandi.
- Ok, I think there should be something for you. Look at the window. See all these pilots near the pads 23 and 25? They are about to leave to Leesti. It is all over GalNet, Sirius Corporation is launching a humanitarian operation to support Didio System. Thargoids have been attacking them and Sirius is collecting first aid goods for the population there. What do you say? Of course, Sirius Corporation will be rewarding the contributing pilots.
I did some quick thinking: ok, as usual I would be working for a corporation, and not any corporation, Sirius, the biggest of all, but the situation in Didio required it. And also, my own situation required me to go far from Veroandi auhtorities
- All right, I'll do it, but Leesti is about 120 light years from here, and my poor Cobra MkIII can't carry much cargo.
- Well, I've got a T-6 in my hangar, for 1,000,000 credits it's yours.
As much as I like Juergen, I must say he is kind of crook. I bought his T-6, ok, but I had to put some other credits on better modules. I also bought a fuel scoop: I am about to start my longest journey across the galaxy so far and I have to face any situation like getting out of fuel.
Two days later, I was ready to leave. I gave a hug to Juergen, thanked him: although I spent a lot on his T-6, he agreed to keep Coby, my Cobra MkIII in his hangars, with my old Sidewinder, le Petit Baigneur.
I was a little worry on this T-6, which I named Estafette. It's a Lakon manufactured ship and until then I only had flown Falcon DeLacy's. But for a transport ship, it is actually very easy to manoeuvre. And I really lile how they designed the cockpit: almost 180° view, port to starboard, and little less bottom-up. So, I engaged my FSD for the first of many jumps to Leesti.
Piloting Estafette, my new T-6
HR 8061, Samequit, Crucis Sector JC-V b2-5, Crucis Sector JC-V b2-3, Bangwa, another Crucis Sector system... about 20 or so jumps to Leesti. I stopped in some stations on the way, trying to make some money on goods here and there. But I was not as wise as Juergen in the ways of trading. And the exploration data I sold barely compensated the credits I lost on poorely planned goods shipping operations.
Eanes Port, Garneau Hub, Brahe Gateway are among the stations I stopped in. I didn't really had time to visit them, but while flying, I saw some stellar formations and types of stars I never saw before. I'll enjoy stations and the pleasures they can offer later. I had to go fast: the goods collected by Sirius Corp. are to be delivered on the Chariot of Rhea, a mega-ship, stationed in Leesti, before the 5th of may.
En route to Leesti
Finally, on the first of may, I docked in George Lucas, Leesti. Leesti, where they produce the legendary Azure Milk. I never had a chance to taste it. You can't find any where I come from, or if you do, you can't afford it. While loading my ship with about 80 tons of food cartridges, I indulged myself with a glass of this local speciality. "Why not need trading that, next time", I thought.
My ship loaded, I made my first delivery to the Chariot of Rhea. I expected heavy trafic there, but the call from Sirius Corp. for this galaxy wide operation, was not a success. Many systems were threathened by Thargoids then, and I thought that why would one bother about Didio, knowing that the Thargoids could show up in your own system tomorrow. On my way to the Chariot of Rhea, I looked for a station with largest stocks than George Lucas. I found Back Enterprise, and from then I could fill the 104 tons of my ship. The route between this station and the megaship was short and moreover, safe. I did 6 or 7 rotation whithout any hostile encounter.
Supercruise to the Chariot of Rhea
I am now docked in Back Enterprise, some 120 light years from my home systems, making nice benefits out of humanitarian operation. I guess Juergen would be proud of me.