How did I Cutter out this story? With images, multiple!
21 Feb 2021CMDR CWolfXUK
I have just realised that on other logs I mention my Imperial Cutter, the majestic work of art that can absorb damage and deal it like some sort of killer sponge, plated in gold. Yet, despite various mentions I never actually spoke about getting it!
Following my surprise recruitment by Princess Duval (see older log) I found myself working for the Imperial Navy, or rather, a faction of the Imperial Navy. Now, I originally said I wouldn't get involved with the various military powers too much when they defrosted me, I got rather too heavily involved in all that during the original wars and didn't see the point if it was just going t be a continuation. Later I realised that the various factions have various special technologies, very tempting however, I still held off. As you know my whole outlook got changed for me and at first I did genuinely worry that the agent's unspoken threat could come true. That feeling slowly waned as I looked more into the reasons the Princess fights the abolition of slavery being a big drive, it felt less likely I would be topped for knowing she had look-alike spies.
Other benefits became available too, starting with the Imperial Eagle. I have always been a fan of the Core Dynamics Eagle II, having flown the original Eagle back in the day, I always found it a capable fighter boasting incredible agility and a really small targetable surface when flying at a potential threat. The only real downside was that the three small weapon mountings could leave a lot to be desired. I had managed to take down some fairly large ships using engineered weapons, as long as those ships did not use engineered shield systems.
The Imperial Eagle fixes that aspect a bit, replacing the overhead weapon hardpoint with a medium size mount. This meant I now had a much more capable Eagle, which, to be honest, I kept for my collection yet would not fly very often due to having a fully equipped Vulture.
It was nice to unlock access to new ships, my next Imperial exclusive being the new Gutamaya variant of the Imperial Courier. I say variant as I still remember the old style Imperial Couriers, with their spinning nuclear waste creating drives. They were both the pinnacle of combat ships and also the bane of a pilot needing an emergency fuel. It was following all of the various problems that these military drives caused that the modern Frame Shift Drive was created. The FSD actually solved a lot of issues, one of the main ones being the removal of the requirement to set aside weeks on a journey to compensate for the effects of Witch Space travel.
I have digressed completely. The Gutamaya Imperial Courier, a fantastic little ship which became my main data running ship - unironically it lived up to it's name perfectly.
Next came the Clipper. Now I have spoken a little more about the Clipper before, I do love this ship - especially with the modifications I have made to it inside and out. Insanely nimble and a lot of fun to fly, very luxurious inside but maintaining a sense of purpose. My only grumble being that it is a medium size ship that needs a large landing pad due to the, gorgeous, wings.
For a long time the Clipper replaced all my ships for general use, only swapping to my Federal Gunship - yes I know, Imperial mission running in a Federal ship - when I needed to dock at a medium base and defend myself.
Finally I got a string of missions that lead me to my goal. The first was a straightforward delivery mission, just information. This produced a delivery mission of physical goods, apparently crafted from the data I had provided. In shipping this to the required base I was intercepted by a Federal Corvette who outgunned my Imperial Clipper by many weapons. Luckily for me the drives still appeared to be the stock fitting as it was unable to keep up with my dodging and weaving as I landed shot after shot on the huge craft. I left the area satisfied that I would not be further followed.
Upon arriving at Cubeo the package was taken from me with much haste. It lead to yet another follow on mission. Apparently the ship which had been sent to stop me was the possession of a rival faction also wanting the device. My new mission for the Imperial Navy? Take out the leader of that faction. For this I took my anaconda, Stellar Wolf, and a fighter bay, remembering to take my old pilot buddy Jarvis Graves with me. I will have to talk about both the 'conda and Jarvis another time.
Arriving in the system I started scanning to find my target. I need not have bothered as he was waiting for me, pulling me out of supercruise as I scanned. Deploying weapons and launching the fighter, a GU-97 Imperial Fighter, armed with plasma accelerators and a very nice paint job (Gutamaya makes all paint jobs look good), I turned to face my attacker. Slightly surprised I was facing another anaconda and another ship I didn't immediately recognise.
Beams of deadly energy splashed across the shields of both large ships whilst Jarvis focused on the support craft, which promptly blew the tiny fighter apart. Luckily for Jarvis ship launched fighters are remote control, having a dual bay fighter hangar he was able to launch again straight away, more aware of the capabilities of the other ship.
"The hell is that thing? I thought it was a type nine but it's got guns all over it!"
I checked my scanner and then realised Jarvis hadn't flown in a while, of kept himself up to date with new ships being launched.
"Type Ten Defender my friend, they rolled those out when the Thargoids returned!"
"Ah, ok, you need to update the targeting computer!"
I span passed the other anaconda, both of us seemed incredibly well matched in both hardware and pilot skill. Instead of returning to fire on the big ship again I went for the other big ship, the type ten. It's multiple turrets had been set up to take out smaller ships, like my fighter. Presumably the plan was to have the lead ship take out big things and the Defender take out any fighters or escorts. This plan would have worked apart from the fact my anaconda was as equally engineered as theirs.
"Jarvis, you get behind the 'conda and work on his shields, seems to be using mainly fixed weapons so if you keep at the back he shouldn't be able to get you."
"OK boss!"
The Defender now fired everything at me, to no avail. I had been working with Aisling Duval for several months now and unlocked the glorious prismatic shields, allowing me to pretty much ignore the shots hailing from the flying brick in front of me. My own weapons were now firmly in range and I stripped a massive chunk of my opponent's hull. Realising there was no chance the Defender turned and ran. Meanwhile the anaconda was down to one ring of shield, thanks to a persistent Jarvis.
"Swap!"
The fighter peeled off from behind the big ship and boosted hard to catch the fleeing type 10, lacerating the drives with his plasma accelerators.
My opponent couldn't recharge the damage done to his shields before I started my own onslaught, as they fell my system detected his FSD spinning up. With a ring of shield advantage I switched all power to my drives and weapons, hammering the target with laser and cannon fire before hammering it even harder with the shielded nose of my actual ship.
The faction leader exploded along with his vessel and as the flames receded from my view a second explosion denoted the terminal end to the support, Jarvis cracking the drives, reactor and everything else apart.
We returned to Cubeo with much excitement, this was it. I had to be promoted following this, meaning the Imperial Cutter would finally be mine. Jarvis was also jubilant - after all, if I was flying the Cutter then I would be taking on bigger targets, bigger targets mean bigger pay!
Arriving at the station there was a small ceremony in which my biometric record was permanently added to the Imperial Military roster as worthy to fly the flagship class starship. Walking to the hangar I was greeted to Gutamaya's finest, with the same general style of the Clipper but much, much bigger. A quick paint job and refit later and the Basking Wolf was launched.
