Commanders log: Aussie in the Black
12 Oct 2024Grouchybhaal
In the expansive universe of Elite Dangerous, where explorers, traders, and mercenaries carve their paths across the stars, one name begins to echo across the fringes of the galaxy—Redback One. A descendant of a long line of Aussie adventurers, Redback’s reputation wasn’t forged through grandeur or wealth but through his relentless pursuit of thrill, danger, and the need to finish the job before bedtime.
Redback One was not born into the elite ranks of the Pilots' Federation, nor was he some grand figure in galactic politics. Instead, he came from a rugged lineage of explorers and risk-takers from the old Earth colony known as Australia. His ancestors had braved hostile environments and dangerous creatures back on the blue planet—now, he’d inherited their thirst for adventure and applied it to the stars.
Sitting in the cockpit of his well-worn Cobra Mk III, Redback grinned as he adjusted the settings on his thrusters. His ship, Dropbear, may not have looked like much—a rugged, scraped hull that had seen far too many skirmishes—but it was his home, his companion in endless escapades across the galaxy.
“Alright, mate, let’s see what kinda trouble we can get into today,” he said with a grin, his accent still thick with Earth’s Aussie twang.
His approach to life was simple: take the job, face whatever comes, and make sure it's wrapped up before the sun (or star, or artificial station lights) set on the day. "Happy-go-lucky" was how some described him—though those who knew him well also saw the steely resolve beneath the playful surface. No matter how dangerous or hard the mission was, Redback had a way of brushing it off with a shrug and a laugh. Rugged, sure. Laid-back, absolutely. But when the action started, he was all business.
Today, the mission was a high-stakes cargo run for a Federation outpost under siege by a rogue pirate faction. The outpost was starved for supplies—medical packs, rations, and, most importantly, some heavy-duty mining equipment to keep the pirates at bay. Most pilots would balk at the prospect of running the blockade, but Redback? Nah, he saw it as another good day in the black.
He pushed the throttle forward, feeling the familiar hum of his ship as it rocketed out of supercruise and into realspace near the beleaguered outpost. Redback glanced at his ship’s chronometer, smirking. "Still got a few hours 'til bedtime, mate," he muttered to himself, already plotting his entry route through the asteroid field that shielded the station from easy access.
His cockpit comms crackled with a panicked voice. "Redback One, this is Outpost 27, do you copy? We’ve got pirates closing in—if you’ve got that cargo, now would be a really good time to—"
"Too easy, mate!" Redback cut the channel with a grin. He loved it when the stakes were high, and the tension was palpable. Pirates, asteroid fields, a dangerous approach? All in a day's work. He flipped a few switches, adjusting the ship's shields and preparing for the inevitable pirate skirmish.
The pirates, a ragtag group of scavengers flying Vipers and Eagles, quickly noticed Dropbear’s arrival. They began their pursuit, but Redback was already ahead of them. His Cobra nimbly danced through the asteroids, evading enemy fire with the practiced ease of someone who had been outmaneuvering danger his entire life. He laughed to himself as his shields took a few glancing blows.
"Alright boys, let’s dance," he said with a chuckle, pulling hard on the flight stick to bring his ship into a tight loop around a large asteroid. The pirates followed, but Redback knew this field better than they did.
In a split-second decision, he cut power to his thrusters, allowing Dropbear to drift between two massive space rocks, spinning just out of reach of the enemy fire. He waited for the perfect moment, then reignited the engines, sending his Cobra blazing forward. The pursuing pirates overshot their target, smashing into the asteroids they had foolishly followed him into.
"Too bad for you blokes, guess it's bedtime," Redback quipped, pushing his ship into full throttle and heading straight for the outpost, leaving the debris of the pirate vessels behind him.
Docking was smooth, and as the station's crew hurriedly unloaded the much-needed supplies, Redback leaned back in his chair with a satisfied sigh. The outpost commander thanked him profusely, but Redback waved it off.
"All good, mate. Just another day at the office. Now, if you don’t mind, I’ll be grabbing a cold one and hittin' the sack. Gotta be ready for the next thrill, y'know?"
With that, Redback One strolled off, carefree as ever. Tomorrow would bring another job, another danger, another adventure—but as long as it was all done by bedtime, Redback was happy.
And so, the legend of Redback One grew. A pilot with the rugged tenacity of his ancestors, a thrill-seeker who laughed in the face of danger, and a man who knew that no matter how hard the mission, it could always be done in time for a well-earned rest.