Techno
01 Nov 2022Claude Lecardunoie
It's been 2 months or so, but I needed a break. At one point, I'd got tired of sleeping in austere ship's cabins, tired of wearing uncomfortable pilot suits, sick of spatioports'docks and buvettes. I had seen 10 Tauri, Clairaut city and its people too much. But credits were running low after such long vacations.Last time I worked, it was in the Pléiades. In HIP 22460 actually. I had been supporting the Azimuth Biotech project by delivering medecines and reactive armour on the Heart Of Taurus. Luckily enough, once that done, I flew back to 10 Tauri. Call it fate or destiny, but I left the Pléiades just in time before the Proteus Wave fiasco. It's not that I had seen it coming, not that I didn't care about Thargoid attacks in the Pléiades or on the Nebula, it's just that I had finished my job, I had received my paiement. So, I simply decided to get back home in Clairaut City.
Back there, as I said, I decided to stay off grid for while. I heard about the Azimuth Biotech failure. It was all over newsfeeds, from any Galactic power: Vox Galactica, Federal Times, Marlin Standard, Alliance Tribune or Imperial Herald. But I didn't feel concerned that much. We've been waging wars for centuries with each other, why should it be any different with the Thargoids? Just a conflict like another. So far, I hadn't encountered any, and carefully avoided to have to fight them, just like I would avoid taking on an Imperial Fleet capital ship, even with my best fighter.
What did I do during those 2 months? Well leisure time mostly. I had my parents, coming from Dromi. Couldn't go there, since I'm still wanted in that system, and according to Rob Timlson, the last contact I have in Pilot's Federation, I may very well be cast away from Dromi forever. I also visited Juergen Michel in Ehecatl. His business is going better than ever. In addition of his commercial activities, he dived into cultural events organisation. I guess that is what you do when you have enough money. Anyway, he pulled off an awesome music festival in Liebig Station. I had backstage accreditations for bands like "High", "Pudding Radio", or "Umininos". I could never thank Juergen enough.
As I said, I think I've had seen it all in Clairaut City. I decided it was time to leave. By talking to other pilots and cross checking their information with various online trading tools, I found a very profitable trade route between LFT 133 and LHS 142. So I gave Silvius, my butler, his leave, plus 3 extra months of salary, dropped by ArmBorr Ind. offices to bid farewell, and took off from Clairaut City: destination Sullivan Dock in LFT 133.
I give you... the Marco Polo Merchantman !!!
I decided to go there, because I identified a trade route between Sullivan Dock, an industrial and extraction station and Watson Station in LHS 142. Silver trade in one way and food cartridge in the other. Soon enough, I made enough money to first, buy a T-7 as a commercial vessel and then recycle my old T-6, l'Estafette as a liner. I registered the T-7 as the "Marco Polo Merchantman". By increasing my cargo capacity, I made about 4M credits for any rotation between LFT 133 and LHS 142.
The Marco Polo on duty
So, the Estafette became my first liner. Ok, we are far from a Saud Kruger luxury ship, but still, I managed to accomodate economy, business and first class cabins. Credit wise, it didn't pay off like trading with a T-7, but transporting passengers from local organisations helped me politically. I took Federal refugees from one system to another and businessmen from various Federal Corporations from one market to another. Aside from the credits, I received permits to Sol and access to Federal Navy ships.
Superficial? May be. But I quite like the new paintings on my Vulture
At one point, I was actually thinking of buying a Federal Dropship. I checked online its technical specifications, speed, max. jump, fighting abilities etc. Well, I was not impressed. Nonetheless, I went to Sullivan Dock's Core Dynamics representative. The executive there was Darell Steele. I told him that I was a Federal Auxiliary Navy Midshipman and showed him my clearance level, but explained him that I would have to be convinced to buy a Dropship, because I was very doubtful.
- "The Dropship, if not the best seller from Core Dynamics, is a very reliable ship. Its polyvalence, for 15M credits makes it the best choice as a multipurpose"
Hum, he had to do better if he wanted me to buy that Dropship!
- "Listen, Mr Steele...", I started
- "Call me Darell, please."
- "Listen, Mr Steele", I insisted, "I already have a merchantman, a liner, a fighter, and when it comes to multipurpose, sorry but I'll stick with my Asp XP. So if there is no more to say about the Dropship, goodbye then"
- "Wait, wait Commander..."
- "Lecardunoie", I said
- "Commander Lecardunoie", said Steele, "I see now that you probably don't need a Dropship. An Assault or a Gunship would be a better choice. But you don't have the required Federal rank and I can't make any exception. I am a Core Dynamics representative... Core Dynamics and the Federation, it's aaah... well..."
- "It's pretty much the same thing, right? That is what you meant?"
- "Oh, you read my mind... But although I have a Core Dynamics license here, on Sullivan Dock, I also have my own business, and I feel like you could be interested. I don't have the skills to do it myself, but nearby, there is a guy, in G 268-47, who could improve some of your ships'modules. Here is a list of stuff he can provide"
- "Ok, but what does it have to do with you?"
- "Well, he can improve your modules, as long as you bring him the required materials, raw or manufactured or data for said improvement..."
- "I still don't see what it has to do with you, Mr Steele"
- "Darell, please...", he insisted back, with a smile on his face. "I actually do trade raw materials: lead, chromium, iron, sulphur, nickel, you name it. Bring me raw materials, and I can trade it for what you need for your modules upgrade".
- "It is, indeed, very intersting... Darell... ", I told him. Finally, he was worth my visit. "Listen, I give up on the Dropship. But we'll defenitely see each other about this raw materials. Bye now..."
Back in my appartment, I checked the modules manufactured by this guy, this technology broker, in G 268-47.
Shock cannon? From what I heard, if not in good hand, you'd better stick with multicannon.
Meta-Alloy Hull reinforcement? Looks usefull only against Thargoids and currently I have more problems with pirates, humans, I mean, or rival organisation's pilots.
Flechette launchers, Enzyme missiles? Same, may be worth it if you are a skilled enough combat pilot or flying with other crew members...
No, only one thing stand out: corrosion resistance cargo racks. Only this module provides something more.
I contacted that guy in G 268-47. For corrosion resistance rack, I needed to bring him meta-alloys, radiation baffles, neofabric insulation. These, although hard to find, I could buy.
What else? Chemical Manipulators. Well, actually, I collected enough of those from convoy attacks aftermath salvage operations. Ok.
And then? Iron. That was more difficult: I didn't have any. You don't find raw iron on any market, even on reffenery stations. No choice, I'll have to mine it myself.