The Tale of Ea't s'Quid, a Truly Savage Split.

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Starlight_Corporation
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Post by Starlight_Corporation » Thu, 24. Nov 11, 08:20

Enjoyed reading the story, and as said before, the dead is drunk idea is fun :) Can get confusing if you die plenty in a short time, but some reading gets me quick on track.

Triaxx2
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Post by Triaxx2 » Thu, 24. Nov 11, 13:17

Yeah, I guess I gotta find a better way to separate story from humorously lethal drunkenness.

[--- is what I've been using. I'll try [===] instead. Hopefully that will work better.
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Post by Triaxx2 » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 04:38

Chapter 6: Battles

Have you ever been on a ship just after it's been boarded? It's full of this odd, burned smell, and the stink of charred plastics. When a Split assault team boards a ship, it's a messy, nasty affair, even after the crew has bailed out, by simple fact that a pure Split assault team will feed off of one another and leave a pheremone smell that is intended to make the opposition's eyes water and lose accuracy.

Split in a mixed squad take a supressant to keep this effect down so it doesn't affect their allies. But a squad of all Split STINK. They are immune themselves by being part of the group. It's natural and automatic.

I am not a marine. While I have great respect for my marines, then and now, because I don't have the training and discipline to do it, I really do wish they'd keep their stink to themselves. So I spent the first week in a rebreather, designed specifically to filter out the smell. I shudder to remember it.

It's also full of holes. Admittedly, in this case, it's largely my own fault, since every marine is given a small flask of space fuel before the mission and as a celebration afterwards. Technically they get it even if they have to abort, just because they survived. But it means they're a little drunk when they get on board, and a lot drunk afterwards. But during the mission, it means they're tending to shoot at anything that MIGHT be an enemy, as opposed to what actually is. And true, they're kind of completely untrained in engineering, but that's beside the point.

From this point though, I have two realizations. First, is that I need a bloody jump drive. So with that in mind, I order the Eclipse in Rhonkar's Fire to acquire some 200mj shields from the local Medium sheild complexes. Sadly, they only have one a piece, but it's not a problem. Instead it's a good thing. Why? Because I've just crested a million credits. And that's a good milestone. That's the step necessary to move up to better targets.

Yes, I know what I need now is an M6. Good for you for figuring that out, but two little problems. One, I'm down to 3 veteran marines, and one classroom thickie. Not precisely a dream team there. And they're a man short of being a full squad anyway. That means that I've got to find two more marines and spend money on them, or find two good ones. There's a rumor of a Pirate Base over near Two Grand, but A) that's a bloody long way to go if it's not there, particularly in a slow TM, and B) it's an equally long way back, but C) both problems could be solved by the simple acquisition of a Jumpdrive.

Sadly, that's a hell of a lot easier said than done. There's only one thing to do. Keep on pirating.

So, unhooking from the dock, I engage and destroy two Boron Freight Transporters, and a High-Tech trader, on my way first to the EQD near the north gate, then further north to Rhonkar's Fire, and then Family Whi. Once I'm safely in Family Rhonkar, I'll jump out and fix the ship some. Welding panels back on is not my idea of a fun time, but I do indeed know how to do it. Even with it's speed maxed out, a damaged Zephyrus is no one's idea of a speed demon.

Passing through into Family Rhonkar, I find something I didn't expect. A Boron High-Tech Trader, flying south in a Medusa. After some 'Aggressive Negotiation', involving a PBE, I manage to convince the pilot to give it up. Wonder of wonders, he leaves, not only a 5, and 25mj shield, but also 3 Plasma Burst Generators. I really find it hard to believe my luck. So I don't, and shepherd the ship back, wait until it lands on board Battle Wagon. Once that is done, I shift the shields over, and now safely wrapped in 30mj of shields, I jump out and repair ship. With hull integrity back to one hundred, which is not same as full repair, I am ready for north to Rhonkar's Fire. 140 m/s is not fast, but it is better by far than 44m/s. And somewhat better than 88m/s. A message from a Split selling a Mamba catches my attention, and 500k credits later, I'm the owner of a third ship. This, and the Medusa shall be sold for profit.

Unless I can acquire a jump drive, it seems I'll have to fly escort for Battle Wagon on the way south to Family Pride, because it only holds four ships, and four ships I have to be transported.

“What's with the tenses?”

“What tenses?”

“You keep swapping between past and present tense.”

“Am telling from memory. Memory has many holes, like Mighty Split Warship. Have problem? Too bad.”

“I just asked. Sheesh.”

Anyhoo, continuing north, I picked up a patrol mission from the Trading Station. The Yaki won't be happy, but I really don't care too much. No ships out of it, but I get a Boron Military Supply Transporter with a cargo of Mass Driver Ammunition to bail, and leave 72 units intact. Excellent. If only I had some Mass Drivers...

But I know where I can get some. North in Rhonkar's Fire at the Military Outpost. They'll sell them to me, because I've been slowly murdering every single Boron I come across. Long and boring job, but someone has to do it. Busting up a Boron Energy Trader, I head northwards, aiming to reach Rhonkar's Fire. Suddenly I'm very tired, and I need a port to put into. But I have a plan, and I intend to see it done before I retire to sleep. Whether I succeed before I EXPIRE, I have no idea.

“Obviously you did.”

“I said from memory. This part from journal.”

“A journal eh?”

“Stop digging, journal not here! Journal in safe place. Safe from you.”

“Where?”

“Not tell – AIGHH!”

[---

Unfair woman. Now listen to rest of story. While I trek north from Family Rhonkar, Eclipse runs ragged around Rhonkar's Fire, buying up all available 200MJ shields. I need four. One for Eclipse, three for Zephyrus. If only have time to wait for more production. Oh well. Not my problem.

Undocking and heading through the East Gate into Rhonkar's is the best decision I've made all day. First I undock in Fangs, the name I finally decided on for my Mamba Vanguard, and head off after a Boron Barracuda Sentinel. Battle Wagon, my Zephyrus is ordered to follow. An OTAS High-Tech Trader escapes my notice, until it attacks Battle Wagon.

I turn around and engage the first of it's escorting Solano's. It dies quickly once I put PAC and HEPT into it. The other is more obliging and bails. Then I engage the TM itself. It bails. More than that, it does so with an intact jump drive. In short order, my Toucan arrives and the marines are aboard. After several tense moments... success. Jumpdrive, 3 200MJ shields, IRE's and 3 PRG. But more, a Trading System Extension. Which makes two, since the Solano also had one.

Transferring the Jumpdrive to Battle Wagon, and the three fighters aboard it to the Zephyrus, I jumped north to Mines of Fortune. Split say: He who leap, then look find trouble. In my case, what I found was a Boron Ray battlegroup. Spinning around and heading south through the gate pulls me out of it's sight. Of course, in the manner of all wise Split, I book it south as soon as I'm into Home of Opportunity. As bad luck would have it though, I'm heading straight into a Boron Heavy Hydra Battlegroup.

It's here I begin to suspect that my pirate actions have been noted. Though since I've only been operating in Split space, it's more privateering than piracy. But I manage to slip past, by putting fellow Split between me and the evil fish.

Only to be rammed from behind by the Heavy Hydra.

[---]

I hate those funny drinks. You know, the ones with stupid names. The ones made up by Teladi bartenders without a proper sense of humor. Lost Profits. Idiots gamble. Argon Folly.

Sitting on the floor, staring at the names of the drink on the menu, and failing to find a reason to get up and get away from my drunken dreams, two things become clear to me.

First, I need some more firepower. Okay, so I knew that already. But second, I need wingmen. Reliable wingmen. Intelligent ones. So what I need to do, is some trading so I can put my hands on some guns to outfit these ships. But the small area I'm in now is not suited at all to it. It's just too small. First I'm going to explore the pirate corridor leading to Paranid Prime. I need a route to the western Split sectors, and the only other option is to head south to the Paranid sectors there. But then I have a Boron sector to cross. And I'm unprepared. But going west to Paranid Prime means I can head south through the Teladi Sectors, and get to my fellows that way. Then I'll head to the south Paranid sectors and find a path to the south eastern sectors. There are only three, but one contains a shipyard.

Finally the hardest, the northeastern sectors. The dream says it would be dangerous to go now, so I'll wait on plans. If all else fails, I perhaps must take an M5, and trek the dangerous Argon Sectors.... I hope it's not needed, but I will prepare for the event in any case. First though, I think that I need to put a little more effort into procuring some armaments for the other fighters I've acquired. I mean, the Medusa and Mamba aren't too bad. Both of them mount PBE, and Spli produce PBE. The two best weapons for the Solano however are MD and PRG. We make MD, but no PRG. And sadly, MD require ammo. Which requires a continuous injection of funds. Trading only goes so fast, but the quick way to make money pirating is not in fighters, but in Freighters, and those are vulnerable to destruction by other enemy ships. And it's a long way from either Family Whi, or Haktikvah's Faith, to a shipyard. Admittedly, it's a bit shorter from Haktikvah's if I send them to the Teladi SY in Ceo's Doubt, but then I run a further risk of pirates. The other option is to park them up in Thuruks and convoy them up under my protection when I have say... 20 of them? I'd have to station some fighters up to defend them, perhaps using the second Zephyrus? Yes, I think that will work out just perfectly.
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Nathancros
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Post by Nathancros » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 07:25

wait did u say ur lookin for wingmen? ;) u takin signups?
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Zaitsev
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Post by Zaitsev » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 07:29

Yei, the story of Ea't continues :D *jumps with joy*
I'm sorry, I can't hear you over the sound of how awesome I am :D

DiDs:
Eye of the storm Completed
Eye of the storm - book 2 Inactive
Black Sun - Completed
Endgame - Completed

Triaxx2
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Post by Triaxx2 » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 12:38

Yes, I am taking sign-ups.

And yeah, it's still going, but for one, Ea't is a little more... violent to get started than my prior DID. Though I'm finding I really like the Dead is Drunk style. Not only does it fit Ea't as a warrior, but that it means I can have some of these thoroughly hilarious deaths and still continue to tell the story.

Now I just have to find something to board that's not friendly... ;)
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
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The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

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Post by Nathancros » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 15:51

well in that case sign me in :P

if u can find it. use my wingnut char from your other story :P

also how much detail we plan to be going into???

full char or just a ship with a name? :P
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Post by Triaxx2 » Sun, 27. Nov 11, 23:23

I like characters, but my story telling abilities as relates to them is not precisely up to par. I can try, but if you want to be more than a named ship, you'll need to have input on your characters.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

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Post by Nathancros » Mon, 28. Nov 11, 15:00

kk then

Name: Wingnut

Argon or terran*whichever fits better for u*

Absolute Nuthead. completly crazy. is perfectly calm during some fights. absolutly boucing off the inner hull of his ship othertimes. absolutly INSANE..

tho give him a good enough pay. point him at the enemy.. and watch the feathers/scales/tentacles fly XD

ship name "What?"

if u need more give me a shout in pm or here :)

but if i leave it up to u to do wat u want when it comes to how much detail :) i will happily conform to the great Eat squid and triaxx!! :D
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Post by Triaxx2 » Fri, 2. Dec 11, 14:05

Chapter 7: Exploration

I made the decision at this point, to take Battle Wagon down to Haktikvah's Faith. From there, I had two choices, west as I originally planned, or south into the Southern Paranid sectors. I flipped a coin, and swung south. It seemed an auspicious choice. But hidden windfalls are often found by trusting chance.

Naturally, as luck runs, I forget I should be hunting Argon, and not boron and almost immediately incur the wrath of the local Paranid Customs ships, by hitting a Boron weapons Dealer, rather than it's Argon Counterpart who escapes north. Heading towards the east gate, I find something very nasty, and do something very naughty. An Argon Military Heavy Centaur and it's escorts show up to try and kill me. Naturally being a Split Pirate, I take offense to their next move, which is all three of the Bombers flinging a single Tomahawk at me. Fortunately, I've got a bunch of Mosquitoes on board and three of them wing out to smash the incoming missiles. Launching Fangs from Battle Wagon, I send Battle Wagon through by remote then engage the tailing Gladiator. The barrage of HEPT and PAC is too much for it and the crew bails. The other two turn on me and open fire, but by the time they've come around for a firing solution, I'm clear through the gate and on into Third Redemption. I'll pick the Glad up on the way through back towards safety. If I'm truly lucky, it's got a jumpdrive, but for one I don't think I'm that lucky, and for two, I'm not counting on it. It'd be nice if it had some Tomahawks though.

A quick stop at the Paranid Equipment Dock nets me an Ore Collector, a Motion Analysis Relay System and Patrol Command software. Heading west, I see the efficacy of the MARS Goblins for my self. Through Perdition's End, and then south into Desecrated Skies. There I see a Paranid Nemesis trounce first a Duke's Freight Transporter, and then get trounced in the process of trying to take on a fully loaded Caravel. Oh well, I didn't want to capture it that badly. South into Priests Refuge it is.

Yes, yes, I could indeed have gone through the south gate of Moo-Kye's Revenge into Cardinals, but some little voice told me this was a better bet. Hard to say precisely why. Of course, if I knew, it wouldn't just be a feeling, but something definitive. Possibly the pointy end of a capital ship.

As I'm heading for the sanctuary of an SPP near the West gate of Priest Refuge, I have to jerk my ship sideways, and end up crossing the gate threshold. Why was I so close? Because I was being shot at by a passing Atreus Trader and it's escorts, and I was trying to avoid fire by closing with the gate structure. It worked well.

At least until I hit the threshold and found myself in Barren Shores. While the Zephyrus has many fine qualities, it does not in fact have a very tight turning radius. Finally I got it turned and slipped back through the gate, just as that stubborn Atreus trader appeared, seemingly intent on killing me as much as possible. Fortunately, it didn't follow me back to Priest Refuge. I hope the Priest doesn't mind that it's also My Refuge as well, at least for the moment. Finally docking at the SPP, I take a big, deep breath. On my way north, I am definitely going to have to stop and pick up a Docking Computer or two, one for Fangs, and one for Battle Wagon. At least.

Undocking from the SPP, I swung east, and shortly after, saw it was good that I had. Heading down from the north was a Boron Thresher. I suspect that was the source of the bad feeling about Cardinals Domain, since it certainly wasn't behind me in Third Redemption. So Good to Trust my feelings it is. Heading towards Cardinal's, I get tagged by an Argon High-Tech Trader, who launches escorts as if I did it. Buckethead.

Well, Buckethead without a ship. Using up a bunch of my missiles, and some judicious ramming, I cause it to bail. Now I just need to get my marines here from... where are they anyway? Oh, right, Rhonkar's Fire Military Outpost. And I have a grand total of 1 jumpdrive. Delightful.

Okay, so swap to Fangs, and then kick Battlewagon to an SPP up north in Family Rhonkar, then to the Military Outpost to transfer the jump drive to the Toucan. I hope this bird has a jump drive, or better, a Transporter Device. The Toucan arrives with my 4 available marines, and then it's all up to them. Fortunately, it's still got several 200MJ shields aboard, so it's relatively easy to control them, even with the reasonably meaty weapon configuration of 3 PAC, and one HEPT. The worst part is waiting for the marines to actually make hull contact. I must get an M7M soon.

I take the ship, but at the cost of three of my 4 marines. Nu t'Nnk has proven himself a more than capable warrior. As such, he will be sent back to the Rhonkar's Fire Military Outpost, and be transferred to my Toucan for further training. With that done, I've decided that the Magnetar is more valuable to me as scrap, considering it has a mere 39% of it's hull remaining. Selling a few other ships at the Family Pride shipyard, nets enough to both start his training in Engineering, as well as pick up a second marine. This one has 3 stars in engineering. He joins Nu in training. I'll pick up more, but for now, those two will be enough. Heading towards the Paranid Equipment Dock in Cardinal's Domain, I'm after a docking computer, since this is more convenient than stopping in Third Redemption. Arriving it turns out that I haven't enough Paranid Rep to purchase one, which is disappointing to say the least. Before I can leave though, I'm accosted by a Paranid. He's calling himself Wingnut, and insists he's Terran. I think he's bloody mad. On the other hand, it takes six of my ships security personnel, all firmly built ex-marines, to bring him to the ground.

He says he's a pilot, and that he can help. I'm not entirely sure if I should trust him, but I figure the worst that happens is that he doesn't do too well in his M5 and dies horribly. Best case he does a lot of damage, and I decide to bump him up. Possibly to that Medusa I snagged a while back. Since I only have one ship on me, that he's definitely not flying, I have him 'escorted' to the brig. I'll deal with him later. For now though, I take the Battle Wagon south to Friar's Retreat. There I find something nicely nasty. An Ares, defended only by a pair of M4's. I plot an intercept course, though I have no way to actually capture it, nor do I have the ability to get the hell then out of dodge after pissing off the authorities. It's compounded by two problems. One, it's more than just a pair of M4's defending it. Second it's very heavily armed. Third? It's bloody well being followed by a second Ares. This one is much less well armed, but is apparently piloted by a complete imbecile. It crashes into a Hercules as it's approaching the gate. The additional shields keep the Ares from going up, but don't prevent the Hercules from doing enough damage to cause it to bail.

This is perhaps the ultimate demonstration of piss-poor piloting. Ever. Of course, I still have no way to take it, nor do I have anyway to get it out of here. So for now, it will have to sit here and wait for my return. Instead, I continue east, heading for Patriarch's Conclusion. Rumor has it there's a Military Outpost in Contorted Dominion which is east of there. I suspect it would be a simple matter to pick up some more experienced Marines there. If so, it should bolster my ranks enough to take the ship. If not, well... What can I say? Perhaps I'll have to do it myself? For now I'm heading to Pontifex' Seclusion. From there, I'll see where I have to go. I suspect I'll find myself flying that Ares north manually. I do not suspect I will enjoy that. Ideally, a second jump drive would be a fantastic thing to have. It would mean I could bring just two ships. But for the moment I have places to be. There's a Paranid Military Outpost in Pontifex' Seclusion, so possibly a mixed group will be more useful than a straight Split Squad.

Picking on the Escorts of a Terracorp high-Tech trader nets me no goodies, but rank enough to get a Docking Computer. This is fortunate, since I end up smashing face first into a second Terracorp freighter, this one with a much better equipped fighter compliment, and several drones. I lose some hull integrity, and my Carrier Command Software. This is somewhat distressing. With Fangs out collecting cargo, I have to order it to defend me. I think I can definitely use 'Wingnut' and his 'talents' as a pilot.

And miracle of miracles, an opportunity presents itself. Entering Patriarch's Conclusion, I find a pilot offering a Scorpion Raider for sale. It's almost entirely intact, and frankly, since it was second hand, if it blows up and Wingnut dies, not much skin off my nose. If not well... I suppose I can think of something. Anyway, we dock at the local Equipment dock and I treat him to some speed and rudder upgrades. Along with a slap in the head and admonishment not to break my ship. Some fight software, and nav mk1 goes as standard equipment.

Meanwhile I replace my Carrier Command software. From there, we head to Contorted Dominion. I'd never been there before. With a Tiger in the background, highlighted against the nebula, it felt like a home coming. I was born after the destruction of Goto by Boron. Contorted Dominion is like pictures of Goto before the moon was broken up by Boron miners. It was beautiful.

Now, from the future I look back and understand the feeling again. That Tiger would later, much later, become mine. Indeed, checking logs now, I see Osan'gar is that Tiger. Perhaps that is why I feel so much at peace. I take two missions from the local military outpost. One from a Teladi, one from a Split. The Teladi gives me maps of the local Boron sectors. The Split wants a Scorpion. Retrieved from the local Boron sectors. Goody. Glad I bought the maps.

The actual retrieval is a bit of a doddle. The scorpion is in very poor shape, and so it takes a bit to dock, but when all is said and done, I succeed in more than enough time. Docking at the outpost, I decide I've had enough for one day. Wingnut is allowed to sleep in one of the state rooms, under lock and key for the moment and I retire.

---

Couldn't make Wingnut Terran or Argon, since they both hate my guts. Fortunately, I had an alternate plan. And yes, I did plan to put him in an M5, but if you've seen a Scorpion Raider, it's as fast as most M5's and as lightly shielded.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

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Olterin
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Post by Olterin » Fri, 2. Dec 11, 18:04

A crew of nutjobs, is it? Very well, let's see... don't expect me to write up anything significant for this character - he's just a meatshield (and I'm not that good at writing Split :p)

Name: G'tt S'hht
Race: Split
Ocupation: Interceptor Pilot, currently unemployed, probably sitting in a Teladi bar somewhere being robbed of his last credits


___

Keep it up :)
"Do or do not, there is no try"
"My Other Overwhelming Mixed Assault Fleet is a Brigantine" -Seleucius, commenting on my ship naming scheme

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Post by Triaxx2 » Sat, 3. Dec 11, 01:12

Hmm... Gut Shot huh? Optimistic. :D

I just take a normal character and exaggerate warrior aggression, and one other slightly odd characteristic.

But I can work with that. I hope he doesn't mind flying by the seat of his pants. :D
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

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Olterin
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Post by Olterin » Sat, 3. Dec 11, 10:02

Triaxx2 wrote:[...]But I can work with that. I hope he doesn't mind flying by the seat of his pants. :D
Flying by the seat of his pants is his job - interceptor pilot :D

So no, he wouldn't mind that at all - and I'm well-aware that that may well get him killed very soon - I'll just come up with some other character then. Should he live, though, well ... we'll work on that if and when that happens :P
"Do or do not, there is no try"
"My Other Overwhelming Mixed Assault Fleet is a Brigantine" -Seleucius, commenting on my ship naming scheme

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Post by Nathancros » Sat, 3. Dec 11, 15:35

ahahahahahaah

tbh him being paranid*or watever u did* is more of a laugh. cause like I/we said. hes bloody crazy. he would call himself a boron humping split/teladi crossbreed. and say it without batting an eye. tho probably cacking himself laughing bout it 2 weeks later.. he's a bloody nutjob.

also if u want/need u CAN shorten the name to Nut. tho if ur all good with writing Wingnut then awesomesause :D
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Post by Triaxx2 » Sun, 4. Dec 11, 00:27

Wingnut is fine. Considering I strapped him into a Scorpion Raider (296m/s, 5mj) I rather expect he won't live too long. Certainly not long enough to move up to something less hazardous to his health.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

Dovie'andi se tovya sagain

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Post by Nathancros » Sun, 4. Dec 11, 12:07

Triaxx2 wrote:Wingnut is fine. Considering I strapped him into a Scorpion Raider (296m/s, 5mj) I rather expect he won't live too long. Certainly not long enough to move up to something less hazardous to his health.

hehe i has ideas to make him survive after 'deaths' if u want :P

like i said. he is crazy. :P means anything goes ;)

means u can do watever. means i can do watever if u want me to :P

also i laughed like hell in that chapter :P

Typical triaxx ;) bahaha
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Post by Triaxx2 » Mon, 5. Dec 11, 20:38

Chapter 8: To take a God of War...

Rising and shining to find myself awake in comfort for the first time in a long time is quite an experience. You never understand how badly you can sleep until you actually sleep well. Even the psychopath just down the hall didn't really bother me that much on that morning.

“Yeah, not much bothers you does it?”

“Only when I am paying for booze.”

“Now that figures.”

Anyway, first order of business was to find best marines available. I did that, both at the Contorted Dominion Military Outpost, then at the one in Pontifex' Seclusion. Turns out that there are a couple of good Paranid Fighters available, including 4-star Timancketvahs. He's not precisely a genius mechanically, but in combination with others who are, I should be able to take the ship without problem. I think I'll even sell the Medusa, and use the funds to pick up some cannon fodder. Not bad cannon fodder mind you, but cannon fodder still.

Anyway, on my way west, back to the Ares, I run across a battleground, containing a Hornet and Cyclone missile. An Argon Freight Transporter trips my sensors, and I send Wingnut winging out to meet, and kill it. Watching M4's is entertaining, but after a bit it becomes apparent that what I've got lying around, isn't enough firepower for him to kill, or bail the target. I get involved with Battle Wagon, since Fangs is what went up north with the Jumpdrive. I manage to bail the M4, but then crash into it. Waste of time.

On the other hand, there are a pair of Hades off to the east, that were bailed by Pirates. They're both in excellent condition, so I'll pick those up after I find out if I can take the Ares. Through the east gate and we're into position. The bailing left it with no shields, so I don't have to worry about suppression. I just hope we can get through the hull. That's a no. Hmm... Okay, so I guess I'll need to send them back to the Military Outpost for some remedial hull cutting.

Damn. Okay, new plan. I'll escort the Toucan back to the Military Outpost, and focus all the money on hull cutting. While it's doing that, I'll pick up my three Bombers, and escort them north again. I'm not sure which of those two or the Gladiator is superior, so I'll have to investigate them a bit. But I do know two things. One is that they have good shields, and two is that they sell for a good price. So I'll have two that I can sell, and one that I can keep. Unless I think of another use for them. I probably can, but I figure it won't be more useful than selling them. Heading for the Military Outpost, I realize I'll need to try and fly the Toucan north manually. While I don't really need it again after I take the Ares, it's always helpful to have a ship that can train marines.

“You're more logically oriented than you pretend to be.”

“Always strive to be underestimated.”

“Enlightening.”

I did catch sight of a training barracks in Pontifex, and I might send the Toucan to go check that out while the marines are learning the fine points of applied hull ass kickery. The decision to snag the two Hades turns out to be a fantastic decision. Not only do they have 38 Tomahawks between them, but one of them even has a Jumpdrive. Investigating the differences mentioned in the encyclopedia, shows that the Hades seems to be superior in every way. The downside is that fully repaired, and tuned, neither are capable of matching my Zephyrus for speed. Nor in fact, is the Gladiator. Which means I need something heavy to do the job. So, heading for the relative safety of the local Marine Barracks, I decide I'll send the two M8's up north to the Rhonkar's Military Outpost, and then go retrieve the jump drives manually. True, it's a longer trek, but I have to pick up the Gladiator anyway. Besides, if I'm very lucky, the Gladiator will also have a jump drive on board. I don't think I'll be that lucky, but you never know. In any case, I'll be on my way that way anyway, and there's no sense in letting the effort of bailing the Gladiator go to waste.

Yes, it's also true that I have a second Zephyrus I could call to bring down the jump drives. But it would be stranded down here and it has no way to get back. So it's just as easy for me to go up there as it is for it to jump down here. Besides, I'll also need the second jump drive to get the Ares out and it's a waste of energy cells to bounce around. So it's off I go, once more to work my mighty magic.

First though, I hire four Paranid Marines. They have the unenviable job of monitoring my... protector... Good for them.

“Who the hell was this Wingnut?”

“No idea. Just some wacko, thought he was Terran. I suspect he was concussed at some point in time, and no one could bear to tell him the truth. Or rather no one could hold onto him long enough to tell him. He got kind of... violent.”

“Too violent for a Split?”

“Too violent for twenty marines. Twenty Grumpy marines.” Ea't paused. “Twenty Grumpy Split Marines, with Hangovers.”

“Wow.”

Indeed, so with that done, I set course for Clarity's End, and a date with destiny. Err... and a Gladiator. Anyway, the actual travel was fairly uneventful. Passing through Friar's Retreat, there was a Boron who tried to start something, but with Wingnut restrained in the hold, I let it pass without incident. I left the turrets on Missile Defense only, not wanting to have them respond to things like that any more than I did Wingnut. Particularly not since Paranid are neutral to the stupid Squids. Anyhoo, about the time I entered the south gate of Cardinal's Domain, the Hades made it to Rhonkar's Fire and docked with the Military Outpost. Bringing Fangs to me, I let it dock and transferred the jumpdrive. Feeling far better now, I jumped to Priest Refuge for fuel and then to Clarity's End.

Before leaving Cardinal's though, make a serious consideration of a Hyperion Vanguard hanging around. Sadly, I don't have enough PBE's to succeed at knocking down 825MJ of shielding. I'd have to use several heavy missiles, but those all want hostile targets and by that point, it'll have gone turrets hot. Pity it's not fully shielded, a full 1GJ would be precisely a Firestorm. Ah well.

Arriving in Priest Refuge, the SPP has a patrol mission on offer, for Priest Refuge. You cannot really, truly understand how absurdly large of a sector it is until you're trying to hunt through it for enemies. Seriously. I had 3 Triplex Scanners. One on Fangs, one on Wingnut and one on Battle Wagon. And I still have a hell of a lot of sector covered by fog, both sensor and visual. Fortunately, I ran straight into the Yaki that the mission was talking about.

Between Fangs, Wingnut, and the Goblins generated by MARS, it's a slaughter for the Yaki, and a boon for me. 8 ships bailed, though one was a Split Freight hauler, and not a Yaki anything. They must have punched it out before I closed in. Using the Zephyrus from up north and the remaining jumpdrive from the other M8, it comes in and begins picking up the fighters. I rather like the Goblin's ability to drag bailed fighters into range for capture. Slipping into Perdition's End, skipping across Desecrated Skies, I pick a fight with a Plutarch trader. With that taken care of, after Fangs and Wingnut launch to deal with a Buster Raider somehow succeeding in avoiding 3 Mk1 Goblins and an Mk2 Goblin. Once it's just Wingnut is quite the fighter pilot, when he's not shooting me up trying to get at his target anyway. Fortunately, a blast of HEPT across his nose reminds him who's paying, and who has the destruct device. The raider doesn't last long under the combined fire of Fangs, and it's PBG, plus Wingnuts IRE's and PAC. With the Buster out of the way, it's fighter drone on fighter drone and the battle is over in just a couple minutes. Heading west, I get into Third Redemption, and half-way through the sector, I notice something interesting. A Dead in Space Hades. Up near the north gate. Yes, it's a bit out of the way, but since I have nothing else of interest to work with until my marines finish training. It's got no shield, but that's no big deal. It does however, have 18 Tomahawks. Very nice. Heading south towards the west gate. As I go, I notice something big, and green coming straight at me from behind. A Boron Military Thresher, heading towards the west gate. Punching the throttle, I run straight for the gate. The Hades peels off to the north. I'll send a jump drive back for it. Getting through the gate, a Deimos waits on the other side.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
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Nathancros
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Post by Nathancros » Tue, 6. Dec 11, 19:46

oh dear :P stuck betwen a rock and a hard place.. or a fish and a.. umm.. nope i got nothing for paranids :P


am still loving it. i have no critisism cause its all perfect :P

and wait a sec.. the hades had tomahawks??? why not fire them at the boron thresher? or the paranid deimos? :P
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Triaxx2
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x4

Post by Triaxx2 » Wed, 7. Dec 11, 13:40

Ea't likes Paranid for one thing. And for another the Hades didn't have the necessary fight software and the Thresher was escorted. So I didn't want to risk it shooting down the Tomahawks and then shooting me.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
APR Book 2: Best Served Cold Updated 8/5/2016

The Tale of Ea't s'Quid Completed

Dovie'andi se tovya sagain

Nathancros
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Joined: Tue, 30. Nov 10, 04:46

Post by Nathancros » Wed, 7. Dec 11, 14:08

Triaxx2 wrote:Ea't likes Paranid for one thing. And for another the Hades didn't have the necessary fight software and the Thresher was escorted. So I didn't want to risk it shooting down the Tomahawks and then shooting me.
fair enough there mate.. tho that leaves us in a predicament :P
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Am a recovering Addict of the CREATIVE FORUM.

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