Adventures in Thallium Hauling
08 Sep 2023Joseph "Ghostshade" Wood
Stardate: 3309-09-07, CMDR Joseph Wood's LogAs the soft hum of the Type 9's engines vibrated through the hull, I ran a quick check on my cargo hold, confirming the presence of the precious Thallium. I was well-aware of the risks involved in hauling such a high-demand commodity; it's a siren song for every space pirate in this quadrant. But the return promised by this cargo was too tempting, and I’d been around the galaxy enough times to handle any scoundrels who fancied their chances. My fingers brushed over the ship's controls, ensuring that the defenses were at maximum readiness.
I was passing through the Andronov Nebula when my ship's sensors picked up a sudden spike in energy signatures. A shadowy fleet of pirate interceptors decloaked, their predatory intent clear as day. Their leader, a notorious rogue known as Black Mantis, hailed me with a threat, demanding I drop my cargo or meet oblivion. Little did he know that I wasn’t some inexperienced hauler fresh from the docks of Sol. As their swarm formation tightened around my supercargo ship, I made a swift maneuver, angling the ship so that the nebula's gases obscured their sensors. Then, with precision only experience could afford, I activated my ship's lateral thrusters, evading the barrage of incoming missiles. Within moments, my turrets were aflame, picking off the confused and blinded pirates one by one.
By the time the nebula cleared, debris from the pirate fleet scattered the starlit expanse, a testament to their folly. Black Mantis' interceptor, now just a smoky husk, drifted silently in the vastness. I couldn't help but chuckle, knowing that in space, overconfidence could be as lethal as a well-placed torpedo. With the Thallium secure and the pirate threat nullified, I engaged my warp drive, ready to deliver my cargo and add another tale to the legend of CMDR Joseph Wood.