Personal Log, 23 June 3304
23 Jun 2018User78245
It was an easy pair of missions: drop off a load of mineral extracting equipment at LFT 1231, then onwards to Allen Terminal in LFT 1249 to drop off a delegation from my employers, the Alliance League of BD+40 2903. It was none other than Overseer Efren Shannon himself and his 4 person diplomatic entourage. Overseer Shannon was a middle-ranked official in the government, but a face well-familiar amongst the privateers working for the League: he was the person who most often gave us our marching orders, handed down from the higher-ups, in addition to his diplomatic duties. The Alliance League has been interested in expanding their operations out into the neighborhood around their home system, LFT 1249 being the first step.The Alliance League owns a mining platform in LFT 1231, Laird Vision, and its a frequent stop for our contracts, being their only possession outside of BD+40 2903. It was purchased from LFT 1231 Group for a hefty sum some time last year, and it's used to supply raw material for Hahn Dock's refinery operations in the home system. LFT 1231 itself is controlled by Jet Netcoms, a corporation chartered by the Federation. Jet Netcoms gained control of the system from LFT 1231 Group in November of last year by way of a coup, then set about proving themselves patently uninterested in doing anything resembling sensible governing of the people. Jet Netcoms Security, their private police force, only harasses ships suspected of being a threat to their corporate operations, turning a blind eye to the numerous pirates operating in the shipping lanes. Word has it around Chilton Port that the locals are fed up.
The local nav beacon pulls you out of witchspace 10 kilo-light seconds from the inhabited part of the system. We picked up a tail about halfway in; I saw them hanging back waiting for us to start deceleration for the landing at Laird Vision. Sure enough, they roped us with an interdiction tether about 1 light second out and my ship bucked wildly as the Alcubierre bubble started collapsing. See, if you're roped by a savvy enough pilot and you can't escape the tether, you'll by yanked out of supercruise and sent spinning with an overloaded FSD. If you can escape, your pursuer drops out of supercruise and you're all the way on the other side of the system laughing by the time they get their FSD back online. On the other hand, there a handy little trick I learned in the ADF. If you time it just right, you can zero out your throttle, and...
...Success. We dropped out of supercruise 100% in control, and the Eagle interdicting us came out just behind, cartwheeling off into space. Two more ships, a Vulture and another Eagle, dropped out in front us. Well, this could be trouble. My copilot barked for our passengers to get into survival suits and strap in while I deployed our hardpoints and made to address the pirates' hail.
"Drop your cargo or suck void!" Do people really talk like that? And they're really ambitious with a Vulture and two Eagles to haul cargo back under their rock. They must have a Type-7 in their pocket I don't know about. I checked my nav computer; 0.83 light seconds from Laird Vision. Really?
"I don't think so, friend. I suggest you take another look at your scanner and reevaluate what you just said." I've been busy these last few months, I drive a Python now. Pirates only see the big cargo hold and forget that a Python carries enough firepower to give everything short of an Anaconda pause. The pirates answered by opening fire.
I targeted their friend still spinning away in his Eagle. Two bursts of laser fire brought down their shields, a salvo of multicannon fire vaporized them completely. A flash of light brought to my attention four Vipers dropping in from supercruise. I glanced at my scanner; Jet Netcoms Security flying as reserve Federal Security Service, picking the worst possible moment to show up. The pirates broke off in a panic and low waked out, two JNS Vipers hot on their heels. Well well...they can be moved to do their jobs.
"Victor-Foxtrot-Sierra-Zero-Zero, stow your weapons and submit to arrest." This from the other two Vipers.
"I don't think I'll be doing that. This ship is a licenced privateer with the BD+40 2903 Alliance League and we are legally executing our letter of marque." I glanced at my message queue and grinned at what I saw.
"Commander, in case you didn't notice this is a Federal system. You will be tried for murder and your ship impounded." This old song and dance again.
"Sir, our current distance from Laird Vision is 0.83 light seconds, Alliance League zone of control extends 1 light second from the platform. You're in Alliance space and out of your jurisdiction." As if to punctuate my statement, two more Vipers dropped out of supercruise behind the Jet Netcoms ships. Laird Vision's Allied Police Force detachment. They must have emptied the office.
Not liking their chances, both JNS ships low waked out. We've been having problems like this for awhile. Jet Netcoms is not happy an Alliance political patronage owns a mining platform in their system. Just a matter of time before someone does something stupid.