CMDR Eldrich Thames Logbook, entry #9, February 27, 3303
27 Feb 2017Eldrich Thames
The good news is that I bought a near-mint Federal Corvette for my personal use. The bad news are twofold: Since the ship is in such great condition, the Federal Navy wants to keep her on a leash of sorts. I'm free to use her as I see fit, so long as I take any odd jobs the Federation wants to throw at me, otherwise they will take her away. Also, and more importantly, I had the money to buy the 'vette, but not enough to fully outfit her as I wanted.
Thus I decided to head back to Kokojina, while the Corvette, now registered under the name Gipsy Danger, sat inside the drydock at Coke Dock, in the LFT 424 system, located very close to where I bought her. I returned today with enough money to buy her new weapons: twin class 4 cannons (because deep inside I'm an old-school big naval gun fanboy!), a class 3 multicannon (for those ships too nimble for the big guns), twin class 2 beam lasers and twin class 1 burst lasers. All weapons are gimbal mounted to compensate for the Corvette's kinda sluggish turn rate (compared to the smaller ships of course; when I flew her to LFT 424 I noticed she's quite maneuverable for her size).
I also mounted her utilities and most of the internals. Still pending are the power plant and distro, as well as a good layer of reactive armor (which funnily enough, is more expensive than the Corvette itself!).
Sadly it will take me at least two weeks of hard work to get the Creds I need to finish Gipsy Danger's outfitting job. So while the weapons and modules I bought are installed and properly calibrated, I return to Kokojina once more. I just finished docking at Ali Ring when I received a note from a representative of United Kokojina Future, requesting my immediate presence to discuss a special job they have for me. The important parts of the message, however, were something related to "the Federal Corvette you acquired recently" and "Under the Tertiary Asset Act of 3302, you are required to render your assistance on this matter".
My 'vette is not ready yet for action, and they are already threatening me with taking her away from me? These guy really mean business!
At least they said in the letter that I "my assistance will be properly rewarded".
"Welcome, Commander. Glad you could made it in such short notice. Please have a seat.", UKF representative Madilyn McCarthy greeted me. She is Ali Ring's Administrator, in charge of overseeing that all station operations run smoothly. She's also one of the top aides of Michael Hicks, UKF's head honcho, effectively the ruler of the entire Kokojina system.
"Care to have something to drink?", she asked politely.
"Some coffee would be nice.", I nodded.
While Madilyn contacted her assistant to ask him to bring some coffee, we sat and started discussing the nature of my next job.
"I understand that you are a native of the Algreit system. Correct?"
"Yep. Born on good ol' Panmore, ma'am.", I said. "Why do you ask?"
"The reason you've been chosen for this assignment is because it involves your homeworld, Commander.", she replied, her tone somewhat grave.
"Something happened back home?", to be honest, I was starting to get worried.
"Well, there are good news, Mr. Thames. As you might be aware, Algreit was under the control of the Nationals of Algreit, a fascist group with strong ties to EGP."
"Was...?"
"Was, indeed.", she smiled. "Thanks to some important tactical data we received recently from a brave member of the Navy Auxiliary", she continued, looking me in the eye as she said that, "the military, in collaboration with the Algreit Blue Comms Ltd. launched a major offensive in the system. The fighting was fierce, but they managed to defeat the bulk of the Nationals of Algreit's fleet. Yesterday Smith Exchange was taken by the Federal Navy taskforce sent to Algreit, and transferred control of the asset to Algreit Blue Comms. The Nationals of Algreit regrouped around Rothman Orbital, but were too weak and outnumbered to continue fighting, so they surrendered."
Holy shit!
"Well that's terrific news! Algreit is once more a Federal system!"
"A major blow to EGP's tyranny in the sector for sure.", Madilyn remarked. "Sadly, victory had a cost, not only in the lives lost while fighting the Nats, but also the potential lives that can end now. ABC has sent reports on the grim situation in Panmore. Before leaving the planet, the Nats destroyed most of the planet's farmlands by using some sort of bioweapon. This weapon has somehow mutated and is causing an epidemic. They need medical supplies to counter this outbreak, and farming supplies to decontaminate the planet's soil and restore production."
"Those bastards!", I growled while slamming my fist on the Aide's desk. "No need to tell me more. Count me in!"
"Excelent, Commander!", she exclaimed. "As we speak, your ship is being loaded with medicines and soil cleansers. Once there your task is to keep the aid moving in. ABC will keep you apprised of their current needs. We need to secure our position in Algreit, lest the Nats take advantage of this to launch a counteroffensive with EGP's assistance."
Madilyn's assistant finally came with the coffee, as well as sugar and cream. He put the cup full of the dark, steamy beverage in front of me and asked me if I wanted cream or sugar. I nodded, and he proceeded to add those. As he left and I took the cup to my lips to savor its contents, my interlocutor said:
"Hope you like it, Commander. It's Panmorean Select, one of my personal favorites. Too bad it won't be available for a while..."
"Not if I can help it, ma'am!", I declared, as I sipped the last drops of the beverage and promptly raised form the chair. "If you excuse me now, I have some relief packages to deliver..."
"Go ahead, Mr. Thames.", she said as she rose from her chair as well and motioned me to her office's door. "Good luck, Commander!"
(image credit: DeviantArt user Tryingtofly - http://www.deviantart.com/art/Cyberpunk-city-speedpaint-453396017 )
Look at what those Nationals of Algreit bastards did to this once beautiful spaceport!
Smith Exchange, the largest orbital facility in Algreit, serves as Panmore's main trade hub. When the system was first colonized centuries ago, its economy was based on the extraction of raw minerals for neighboring refineries and industrial centers. Unfortunately Algreit's mineral reserves were a bit smaller than expected - or maybe they simply were overexploited - and most of the people left in less than two generations. The only surviving remnants of those years are a couple of dilapidated mining outposts, Rothman Orbital and Blaschke Orbital. Rothman is so old and decrepit it doesn't even have a functioning commodities market!
After the mining boom ended, Smith Exchange was transformed from a mineral processing center into a depot for agricultural products from Panmore. While not as profitable as mining, at least it helped put food on Algreit's tables, and a few Credits to spare. While it might never become an important place, at least it would survive.
Algreit Blue Comms was the corporation chartered under Federal law with the mandate of first colonizing the system, and was given a near monopoly on the extraction business, and oversaw the system's shift to an agricultural economy. The resulting drop in the standards of living caused a group of colnists, feeling betrayed by the Federation, to form the Nationals of Algreit. Ever since that day both factions had been at odds. Algreit has changed hands several times, until the when I was about ten years old. That was when the Nats finally managed to take firm control of Panmore and relegate ABC to a secondary role. The latter kept control of a few business concerns in the system, but the lion's share was for the Nats.
Their authoritarian tendencies became evident soon enough. Those who dared to voice their dissent were either jailed or killed. The luckiest few were forced into signing Imperial Slavery contracts and shipped off-system. They forced most of the farmers in Panmore to produce drug crops to fuel a lucrative trade in illegal narcotics and unregulated medicines. They tried to bring Onionhead in, but Panmore's climate was too harsh for all known cultivars.
While the Nats became filthy rich, the rest of Algreit's inhabitants became poorer. Crime and disease became rampant. Smith Exchange felt into a state of grave disrepair. Many dared to use whatever little money they had to buy passage off-system with the smugglers, but the vast majority were sold into unregulated slavery.
And now the Nats bio-nuked the planet, causing an epidemic in the process. Good thing they were forced to hole up in Rothman! Once the outbreak is under control and the economy back on track, I'll make sure those bastards stay in that rat-hole forever!
CMDR Thames signing out!