Peace(s) of Eight - DiD [TC 3.0] (Inactive - Saves Lost)

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Kirlack
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Peace(s) of Eight - DiD [TC 3.0] (Inactive - Saves Lost)

Post by Kirlack » Wed, 21. Mar 12, 20:51

Hey everyone (I hope :p ) It occurred to me a while back that I've been wanting to to write a DiD of my own for a while, since I've been contributing to Scion Drakhars for a year or so, and more recently GOSNELLs. So following a discussion in the main forum about ships people dislike and a remark by Nathancros that a certain type of pirate DiD would be all about ramming...

I've decided to give it a shot :D

So, I hope you'll join me and wish me luck as I boldly go where so many others have been before :p
Last edited by Kirlack on Wed, 20. Feb 13, 17:47, edited 2 times in total.

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Post by Deeparth » Wed, 21. Mar 12, 20:58

Ah. Interesting. Lets see how this turns out. Goodluck :D

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Post by Kirlack » Wed, 21. Mar 12, 21:05

'Peace(s) of Eight'

Prelude: 'Brother' Kirlack comes to town.

Right. Let's get one thing straight right off the bat yeah?

I'm a pirate. I'm no good, double crossing, fuel swilling, back stabbing scum what'll rob you blind and shove your broken carcass in the nearest slave pit at the earliest opportunity. Or if you got some smarts I might just chuck you out the airlock with orders to board yon ship cos I wants it. I got no qualms about sticking a knife in your back when you're looking the other way, or a gun in your face when you're looking right at me. And I relish the sound of some greenhorn pilot screaming his last into the void whilst HEPT fire melts through his hull.

Just so we're clear on that point.

I'm also a standing member of the Yaki. Yes, the Yaki, you heard me right. I call Weavers Tempest home. I kill. I steal. I blackmail. I drag Argon and Paranid into the dark when they ain't looking and deliver swift boot heel justice to their temples. Hahaha. Geddit?



Meh.

Yeah. It's a good joke ain't it. When you quite finished wiping them tears out of your eyes I'll carry on shall I? Well, alright, I suppose you could be forgiven for wondering why I'm stuck in Elysium of Light, with sod all to my name bar the Goner robe I'm wearing and the Gunne be damned piece of crap Ranger I'm flying.

(sigh)

I were on a raiding party. My Fujin were running interference for the Tenjin pilots over in Black Hole Sun and we all got tagged by the local Military Cerberus. I dunno which god might of smiled on me at that moment, but I were the only one left alive, albeit with no ship. It bounced off the gate ring and promptly exploded about 2 seconds after I ejected. Yeah. Close call huh?

So I kicked my thrusters into go and EVA'd my way through Treasure Chest and up into Elysium.

Mistake.

Unbeknownst to me I were being watched. And not by the locals.

Paranid. This one reckoned he were some kinda bounty hunter. He followed me into Elysium and all the way up to the Solar Power Plant, where I finally got to breathe properly again. It's a bloody long trip in a space suit. So anyway, the Paranid tries to jump me at the dock, so I knifed him.

What? Don't you sit there staring at me like that. It was a 'nid for fraks sake. Besides, it were his life or mine, and I don't much feel like giving mine up just yet.

So I'm just about to jump in the elevator leading to his Pericles, when this sodding security patrol rounds the corner. Six of 'em. All wearing nice shiny uniforms and carrying disentegrator rifles. I'd seen them quick enough that I backed into the shadows without them noticing me. As they start poking around the dead 'nid I crept around the side of the lifts what go down to the docking clamps. That Pericles is going nowhere for a while. So I jumped in the lift next to it...just as the Ranger is docking.

That poor Goner never knew what hit him. He stepped out of the ship, I stepped into him, blade leading the way. Job done.

Oh what, you gonna take offence that I killed a man of the cloth now is it? I did mention I'm a pirate didn't I? You don't like that?

Tough. I'll do whatever I got to to stay alive. If you'd do less maybe it's a good thing for the gene pool that we met, aye?

So I took his robe, the keycodes for his ship and his identidity card. I left him with my clothes, my knife and my lack of an identity card. By the time the security team reached the bottom of the lift I'd perfected my 'By Gunne!' face.

“Brother, are you alright?” asked one of the security team. “Are you wounded?” He was looking at the blood on my robes. Judging by the bright shine on his boots and the creases in his trouser leg I'd say he ain't never seen a proper fight. Still I'd been expecting this so I'd planned ahead.

“No Officer,” I said quietly, trying to feign distress, “I am well. It is this poor heathens blood you see upon my robe. I tried to help him, but it was too late. He all but died in my arms.” Now this guy was either not too sharp, or I really am a good liar, cos he bought that without even batting en eyelid. He didn't even ask to see my ID.

“Of course. We will see to this cleanup. Seems this one had a bust up with his Paranid friend upstairs and they both came off the worse for it. Would you like us to escort you on your way Brother?”

Shit! I hadn't planned on that! Thinking quickly I was already shaking my head.“No, no. Thank you Officer...but this has been quite...disturbing. I think I will...speak with the head of the Order and...spend some time in...contemplation.”

“Very well Brother.” he nods at me. “Thank you for your assistance.”

And just like that I was free. Frakked, but free.


Assets:
1x Ranger
1x 25Mj Shield
23x Energy Cells
Seta Drive
Transporter Device
Video Enhancement Goggles
350 Credits


Goner Witness Game Start.
Vanilla TC 3.0 (for now. Might switched to ***Modified*** at some point.)

Primary Goal: Survive to get back to Yaki space
Immediate Objective: Get a better ship!

Rules
1: Dead is Dead. No reloads (except for crashed PC). If I can't stop myself flying into the ass end of a Boreas...well I'll be dead. Mourn me...please...
2: No buying new ships, except from the Yaki Shipyard. Second hand ships are fine though.
3: No selling ships unless it's at the Yaki Shipyard. Anything else could be traced back to me.
4: No selling the Ranger. Since it belonged to a Goner it'll be traceable. Can't have that. That also means I can't sell the shields off the Ranger.
5: Trade. I can't openly trade with any Argon station except Trading Stations and Equipment docks. Even then I can only buy upgrades and software and sell off looted bits and bobs. Any other station is bartering only when in Argon space. No trade with the Paranid at all.
6: Repairs. I'm a hacker not an engineer. I can maybe patch holes in my own personal fighter back together, but I won't be repairing fleets. I know nothing about repairing a Ranger.
Last edited by Kirlack on Wed, 9. May 12, 15:36, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Kirlack » Wed, 21. Mar 12, 21:06

List of mods/scripts and chapter added:

Chapter 09 - Yaki Armada 2
Pirate Guild 3
Anarkis Defence System (ADS)
NPC Bailing Addon
Display Rank
MARS
Marine Repairs
Gazz' Missile Display Script
Cycrow's Cheat Package

***
Last edited by Kirlack on Thu, 10. May 12, 23:45, edited 1 time in total.

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Post by Kirlack » Wed, 21. Mar 12, 21:50

Chapter 01: The Road to Hell....

...Is, so they say, paved with Good Intentions. Well one way or t'other that's where I'm going so I guess my nice shiny new ship just got itself a name. Judging by what's on board I might be going sooner than I'd hoped. I'm guessing this was Brother Kalvin's first trip out of the abbey, judging by the fact that he's got almost squat in the way of credits, this piece of shit only moves at 72 m/s and he's not even equipped it with a scanner.

I'm starting to think I might be better off just walking home.

(sigh)

Until I call up Brother Kalvin's map. For fraks sake. That confirms it I guess. He were definitely fresh out of the abbey.

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3527/x3screen00001.png

Maybe I better not walk home. Might forget to turn left instead of right at the Cahoona Bakery. So, I go about changing some details on Kalvins ID so the next time I come across a police patrol or worse I can actually flash 'em something official. Should keep me out of trouble whilst I work out how the hell I'm gonna get halfway across the known universe. I've 350 credits to my name and I daren't sell this ship or anything on it, save for the few cells in the hold, in case they track it back to that dead Goner. So I guess for now I'm gonna have to...hello...what's tha-...

http://img823.imageshack.us/img823/2403 ... n00156.png
http://img19.imageshack.us/img19/6387/x3screen00159.png
http://img812.imageshack.us/img812/8305 ... n00158.png

Looks like I ain't the only pirate what wandered into Elysium tonight. It's a brief battle, the Pirates never really stood a chance. I hold back and watch the CIG fire from the two Heavy Centaurs rip 'em apart one by one. Well, what else was I gonna do? “Chee-arge!” No, I don't think so.

And look! Goodies! Omnomnom.

http://img813.imageshack.us/img813/7741 ... n00157.png

That should net be a bit of cash over at the local EqD. Course, first I gotta reach it. In the meantime though I sell my cells at the Goner Cattle Ranch, which considering I only had 23 of them, almost doubles my current funds. Trying to decide whether that's a good thing or not I 'gun' the engines and 'race' for the southern gate into Treasure Chest.

(sigh)

I miss my Fujin.

Treasure Chest is a bust, for one I got nothing I can trade with the folks on the stations, for another I only have 672 credits to my name. Slipping between a mine and an asteroid and blazing away at top speed I push on into Black Hole Sun.

Now I'll admit, I felt a bit shaky as I crossed the event horizon into the sector. Last time I were here I almost got myself perished, and this time around I'm flying an unarmed, if slightly better shielded, snail. If that Cerberus is still about and decides it wants to pick on me, I'm frakked. With this in mind I pull up out of the trade lane and use the vid gogs to take a good look around. There's nothing bigger than a freighter over by the north gate, and there's only fighter traffic between me and the south gate. Even the military outpost is clear. Nothing is flagging up red to me so it seems my hack on Brother Kalvin's ID is holding up. For now then, that's me. Sakakuro Kalvin, Brother of the Holy Order of the Goners. Gunne...I hope I don't bump into anyone who actually knows him. That'd be awkward.

After an age to consider this whilst waiting to reach the EqD I'd decided I was going to have to upgrade the Ranger and trade my way into a position where I could get home safely. I knew I could trade safely in Elysium on Kalvin's ID, and lived in the hope that his being fresh out of the abbey would give him some measure of anonymity. Out here in the Argon sectors though, I'd only be able to sell off a few goods at their EqDs and Trade Stations as there's no paperwork involved. Course, if I want to buy any hardware from them, then I gotta sign for everything. And it gets complicated. So that's a no no. Still, software and upgrades are open for sale, meaning I can upgrade 'Good Intentions'.

Or not. All those missiles sold for a grand total of 8984 credits. Curiously that is exactly how much a Trading System Extension costs. Which would leave me with trading capital of...672 credits. Bugger.

Dilemma. In the end I decide the TSE just isn't that important and take my 9k back to Elysium. Slowly. Once I'm there I spend a bit of time 'zipping' back and forth between the SPP, the Wheat Farm and the Rimes Fact, building up a steady cash flow from the very friendly Goner residents. Heh. I'm guessing nobody did know Kalvin after all and I can get away with impersonating him. I'm even gaining a bit of reputation with them. Eventually though my trades leave me with 56 Cloth Rimes, and no where to sell them in sector. Time for another race to the south.

Treasure Chest turns out to be a small goldmine this time around. On the FATS I found two guys both wanting to barter rimes for cash, and were paying max price per unit. That cut me down to 34 but left me almost 10k credits better off. These two guys though, they tell me that rimes are a real favoured commodity on the bartering scene. “Sells like weed to pirates Brother.” Well alright then. I'll keep an eye out for good prices.

Checking some of the other stations though I see there's no other good deals. One guy offered me a load of wheat for the rest of my rimes but I don't know if there'll be anywhere I can sell it, so I moved on into Omicron Lyrae.

For the record, I hate OmLy. And Circle of Labour. And Atreus Clouds. You know what, I just don't like green goop. You can't see a damned thing and right now I got sensors that can only sense about 10km. Not sure I can even see that far in this murk. Eventually I pick up a station and start docking procedures with it. A Computer Plant. Well, maybe somebody'll want my rimes. En route though, I get a call.

“Kalvin, Brother Kalvin, you there?” Oh shit. Darol somebody-or-other is the name on the message. Does this guy know Kalvin? Then he proceeds to calmly inform me there's a flight of Terran diplomats heading back to Heretics End, and would I like to escort them. Ah, just a recruitment drive then. At least that means the ID hack is stable. But have you even looked at what I'm flying? What am I going to do if the convoy gets attacked? Smile sweetly and ask if 'by the grace of Gunne' they could very kindly find peace and spread 'the good news'? Idiot.

So I ignored him. Shortly after I docked at the computer plant I found two more people wanting rimes for cash and paying top dollar, so I traded another 15 and made my way over to the EqD. This time around I figured I had enough for a couple of software upgrades. With 19 rimes left in my hold I figure I can make enough money to carry on trading in Elysium, so there's a few things I want. Firstly, a duplex scanner and I gotta say I sighed with relief as that was installed. Sensors with a bit more range than I can spit are going to be a must if I'm going to get any further west. I also bought a TSE so I could see station prices at a distance and special command software in case I came across any more salvage opportunitys.

Heh.

Immediately as I left the dock I checked the system map to check the range of my new dandy scanner...

http://img252.imageshack.us/img252/6821 ... n00167.png

Hello. Looks like that Titan's heading for them Pirates. That's going to end badly for someone. But, it won't be me. Nope, I'm going to sit at least 10 clicks away from the action and see what's left when it's finished.

http://img688.imageshack.us/img688/8307 ... n00168.png
http://img577.imageshack.us/img577/301/ ... n00169.png

Hahahaha. Well, now looks like somebody went and left me a present.

http://img707.imageshack.us/img707/4290 ... n00170.png

I sell the all the missiles at the EqD which leaves me with a touch over 94k and buy a few other software upgrades before sinking the last of my credits into maxing the speed and rudder on 'Good Intentions' and pushing the cargo bay up to a mammoth 336 units. At least now I can say I'm in a fully tuned ship.

http://img18.imageshack.us/img18/8629/x3screen00171.png

(sigh)

Assets
'Good Intentions'
19 Cloth Rimes
528 Credits

Time: 768-05-01 02:41

Gosnell
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Post by Gosnell » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 01:51

Good job,Hope i can return the favour and join your ranks

Stephen"Right Sure" O'Leary

Terran,Irish

Pure countryboy,with a very laid back attitude,Likes the fuel,Likes the girls,Dosent like being shot at.

Ship Of Choice:Mamba,H.C.P,Tiger
Weopons:Hept

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Scion Drakhar
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Post by Scion Drakhar » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 02:45

I go to sleep and wake up to this! Awesome. Simply awesome.
A Pirate's Story.pdf(KIA) by _Zap _ From Nothing.PDF(complete) by _Zap _ Prodigal Son(active) Original Thread, Prodigal Son_PDF

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Post by Triaxx2 » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 03:33

Very awesome indeed, and also added to the DiD list.
A Pirate's Revenge Completed Now in PDF by _Zap_
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Kirlack
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Post by Kirlack » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 11:07

*tips hat* :D

Thanks for your support guys :)

Gosnell, I will be recruiting pilots, as and when I have ships for them to fly. But the first fighter I come across is mine :D Course, that'll probably be the death of me :lol:

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Post by Nathancros » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 17:18

Whats this!? why isnt it called "Giggity"????

bahaha never new u were this good at this :P


if ya need pilots ill draw an Unlucky dip and see wat pilot you get stuck with ;)

baaaahahahaha

good work mate :D
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Post by Alan Phipps » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 18:50

@ Kirlack: Nice story but grateful if you would use links or thumbnails rather than embedded big pictures. Well done and thanks.
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Post by Triaxx2 » Thu, 22. Mar 12, 21:10

I found links work well, but not until you're a bit in. Thumbs are better. You can usually see what's going on, but don't have to click it to figure out and don't end up with screen stretch.

That said, a few large images are good.
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 Scion Drakhar » Fri, 23. Mar 12, 05:13

MOAR!
A Pirate's Story.pdf(KIA) by _Zap _ From Nothing.PDF(complete) by _Zap _ Prodigal Son(active) Original Thread, Prodigal Son_PDF

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Kirlack
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Post by Kirlack » Fri, 23. Mar 12, 15:13

Alan Phipps wrote:@ Kirlack: Nice story but grateful if you would use links or thumbnails rather than embedded big pictures. Well done and thanks.
Awww, do I have to? :p Ok, Ok, links from here on in :D There you go though readers, blame Alan for my lack of multimedia goodness (joke Alan, we all appreciate your efforts :D )

@ Nathancros, I will be looking to sign up pilots as and when I have ships to spare. There'll be a roster of all my unpiloted ships at the end of each chapter, so if you're interested just holler :D And the reasons for the title will become clear if/when I reach Yaki space :)
Scion Drakhar wrote:MOAR!
By your command... :D

Chapter 02: Action & Consequence...

So, having scouted around OmLy for anyone else wanting rimes for a good price I'm bitterly disappointed to discover that nobody does. Seems those two fellers over in Treasure Chest might have been lying to me. If I were armed I might be tempted to head back over there and gut 'em both, but I'm not, and I don't much fancy beating two guys to death with their own boots...

Well, alright I do, but it's not really practical now is it?

Instead, whilst harbouring thoughts of dire vengeance and bloodshed I make for the west gate into Nyanna's Hideout.

Now, it's not often folks'll comm the likes of me, especially when they're trying to sell off the ship they're flying. So I were quite surprised when I rolled through Nyanna's east gate to be immediately commed by this guy.

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8224/x3screen00002.png

I tell you what, if I'd had the cash I woulda snapped it up. It might only be an M4, and hideously over priced, but it's a damn sight better than floating around in 'Good Intentions'. As it was I were about 573k short, so I meandered across the sector. You know, I kinda like Nyanna's. It's a nice wide sector and there's no goop, which is always a bonus. Being right on the border of Teladi territory there's a fair chance I might come across a weed runner making for the local pirate clans. If I do and they get shut down by the Argon authorities there might be some left overs. More profits for me. Sadly, it's a pipe dream. Never mind.

The downside to Nyanna's then, is how spread out the stations are. By the time I'd picked 'em all up even on the periphery of my scan range, I'd been in the sector for over an hour. Still, it's nice to know I'm not the only scum in the system.

http://img100.imageshack.us/img100/5193 ... n00004.png

Hmm. Might be worth my while investing in a cargo life support system. Once I get a ship what can actually scare folks outta theirs of course. And some credits.

So, I dock at the trading station and look around the flight deck for anyone wanting my last few rimes. This one joker makes an offer, but the money just weren't good enough.

http://img171.imageshack.us/img171/8749 ... n00005.png

Nah mate, I'll hang onto them until someone can gimme at least close to full price. I might have taken the fuel off his hands to be honest, but I figured getting caught red handed trying to smuggle fuel across Argon space wouldn't do my 'keep a low profile' theory any good. So instead I undock and start rolling for the east gate towards Scale Plate Green. Teladi territory might offer me up a few more opportunities. Besides, once I get that far I can trade openly with the lizards. Cos let's face it, the Teladi don't give a shit who they deal with, as long as you ain't hurting their profitsss. Hmm. Note to self, keep the Teladi on side for now.

As soon as I drop into the sector I pull up outta the trade lane and take a good long look south with the vid gogs. Scale Plate Green borders Xenon space and since I got no weapons and might just be able to outrun an asteroid I consider it prudent to be sure of my course before I go any further. The sector looks to be clear of any hostile contacts, so I push on. As I pass by the trading station though I gets a call.

http://img687.imageshack.us/img687/7321 ... 00007l.png

Hmm, a Jaguar Hauler. It's only an M5 but it's Split so it'll be speedy, if under shielded, and will also be able to mount weapons. I think I might have dribbled some at the thought of being properly armed again. It's over in Treasure Chest and with a shade over 3 hours to return it should give me a bit of room to be mischievous. Not that I was ever going to be returning it. Yeah. I'd kinda made the decision to steal it as soon as this Teladi tells me where it's at.

So, I rolled back across Nyanna's into OmLy and finally Treasure Chest, where I find my new ride sitting a few clicks offa the west gate.

http://img195.imageshack.us/img195/5886 ... 00010h.png

Well now, would you look at that? 493m/s top speed and even at just 44% hull integrity it's already faster than 'Good Intentions'. Oh yeah, I'm definitely keeping this one. It might even be fast enough to get me all the way home. If I'm careful. We'll see.

Hopping out of the Ranger I mosey over to the the Jaguar and take ownership. My space suit pings a message at me, so checking it on my wrist monitor I can see it's my soon to be ex-employer telling me to return the ship to the trading station.

Uhm...yeah....no. I need it, and you're a lizard. Frak off.

I start welding some of the worse torn up parts of the hull so they kinda resemble smooth metal again, and transfer my software off of 'Good Intentions'. Then I send the ranger back up to Elysium where it can do some remote trading for me whilst I see what other trouble I can get into. With the hull patch complete I hop into the cockpit and fire her up.

http://img839.imageshack.us/img839/5531 ... n00011.png

Kinda pretty ain't she. I do like Split ships. Needs a name though. Ok, left hand stick, right hand throttle...

Oh yeah! Now we're moving baby!

Yeah...at 140 m/s. Far superior to 'Good Intentions', but still pitiful for an M5. Still, I should be able to make some money, even with the bugger all capital I have, by running cells around Elysium, as long as the free traders don't cut in with one of their bulk freighters. With a bit of cash in my pocket I can get some speed upgrades and then hopefully we'll be in business. With this in mind I head back into OmLy with the intention of running some missions for the lizards. A bit more cash coming in would be good and raising my rep with them is a must if I'm gonna be buying weapons and shields. But then I get a call from this guy...

http://img705.imageshack.us/img705/3547 ... n00012.png

...and 28k is just too much to pass up. I knew it were risky taking a covert op in a ship what can just about keep up with a slow M3, but I weren't gonna pass on that kinda cash. As it turned out the Split I were meant to tail were flying a Hermes, so speed wise I was ok. He's over in Treasure Chest so I nudge the controls back the way I just came.

The Hermes immediately comes up on my scanner so I start heading for it and take a look around. There's a Buster Sentinel for sale...

http://img850.imageshack.us/img850/4276 ... n00013.png

...but I'm woefully short of cash so that's a no. If I can get to this Hermes and follow it to it's destination in time then sure, I'll be back for it.

Hmm.

As it turns out, I think that Split were on to me from the moment I entered the sector. He cut his engines as soon as I got within 18km and just sat there. So I sat, just behind a rock, waiting for him to move...when all of a sudden he just vanished. No explosion, no flash of a jumpdrive, nothing. Nada. Frak all. He were just gone.

Now, I'm none too happy about this for three reasons. One, I ain't never seen a ship just vanish like that, never. Two, I ain't gonna get paid for following him and three, I'm now getting a very mouthy message from my employer.

Riiight. Like I can be held accountable for disappearing ships...

I need to get myself a new blade. Maybe a phase pistol. Bastards!

I'm just about to cross the event horizon back into OmLy when I gets a comm from this feller wanting to sell his Discoverer. He only wants a touch over 11k for it and it's in pretty good condition, but I ain't got the money for it. Shame really, as a Disco would be much more useful to me right now than this here Jaguar. Being able to carry M class cargo means I can take passengers, and there's some good money to be had in playing the taxi driver to folks. Plus I'll be able to fit it with a Triplex scanner. Hoo boy. That'd be nice. Next time maybe?

Once I hit OmLy I gets a comm from another feller wants to sell his Pericles. I know, an Argon trying sell a Paranid ship in Argon space...and he really expects to sell it? In truth I would have taken it, just to give me something with a bit of bite, but he wanted 27k and I'm still skint. That disappearing Split screwed me big time. Might have to rectify that little issue after I get home.

Pushing through into Nyanna's then I come across two of my Yaki brethren. I resist the urge to comm them and say hello just in case it blows my cover. Besides, they're only flying Fujins and are currently taking a beating from a pair of OTAS Escort Solanos.

http://img838.imageshack.us/img838/4083 ... n00018.png

I watch in feigned horror and mild amusement as they get taken apart by PRG fire. Poor bastards. They didn't even leave me any salvage.

There's nothing else going on in Nyanna's of any interest, so I decide to risk flaunting my newly stolen Jaguar in Scale Plate Green. As it turns out the lizards are pretty good at losing ships. Seems there's a Discoverer Vanguard waiting for someone to go pick it up over in Heretics End. I consider it for about a second. I've got over 2 hours left to return this Jaguar, and like I said a Disco would give me better mission options. Thing is this guy wants it back inside of an hour, which probably won't be enough time. If I had money for engine upgrades then maybe, but I don't. But I want the ship. Cursing at having to turn back on myself again I spin the Jag round and make for the east gate. A fairly quick cruise back across Nyanna's and then I'm into OmLy and heading north.

Circle of Labour is just green goop and boredom for a few minutes, before I'm through the north gate and into Heretics. Which is when I suddenly realize that Brother Kalvin was in fairly tight with the Terrans. According to his ID he's considered a 'Regional Representative'. Hmm. I might be able to trade safely up here too. That'd expand my options a bit.

I grab the Disco Vanguard and tell it to dock at the nearest station before heading back south. Seconds after the ship docks at the local Rimes Fact I get a message from my Teladi employer. He's not happy. Tough. It's far more valuable to me than the 9k odd he were gonna pay me to bring it back. This little stunt though, costs me a bit of rep with the lizards. I'm now a 'Profit Liability'. Not really what I was aiming for. Still, I do now have three ships, even if one's shortly to be under surveillance and another needs to be returned in an hour.

(sigh)

By the time I get back to Scale Plate Green I've only got about 30 minutes left on the clock. I figure that's just long enough to scout PTNI a bit and get back down here in time to return this ship, if I decide to. So I head through the north gate and get a decent look around the western side of the system, including the shipyard, EqD and trading station, before dropping back through the south gate.

Still undecided what to do about my ships I dock at one of the oil refineries and take stock of the situation. I've 17 minutes left to return this Jaguar or not. If I don't my rep with the lizards will take another kick to the nuts and I might lose docking rights to their sectors completely. As it stands I'm not allowed to dock in core systems. If I keep the Jag I'll have to deal with the police, but I'm in SPG and the whole sector's full of rocks so that shouldn't be an issue.

Dilemma.

Assets:
'Good Intentions'
Jaguar Hauler (soon to be under surveillance?)
Disco Vanguard 42% (under surveillance)
16,489 Credits

Time: 768-05-01 06:32

Triaxx2
Posts: 7229
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x4

Post by Triaxx2 » Fri, 23. Mar 12, 18:13

You know you want to keep it, and pull a Steve. DO IT!
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
Posts: 674
Joined: Tue, 30. Nov 10, 04:46

Post by Nathancros » Sat, 24. Mar 12, 07:34

hehehe yeeeess,

If i may try and give some advice

Find the biggest, thickest chain of asteroid and make it more clustered :P then aim your ship at a safe route thru the asteroids and wait.

oh and pray. allllllllllllllwaaaaaaaaaaaay prrayyying always sayyiiiing

YOUR GOING TO DIIIIIIIIIIE AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA

Dont mind me. phycosis ;)
Nullam et arcu vitae magna instabilitate omnia solvit

Am a recovering Addict of the CREATIVE FORUM.

Long live X3

User avatar
Scion Drakhar
Posts: 932
Joined: Wed, 27. Oct 10, 03:15
x3ap

Post by Scion Drakhar » Sat, 24. Mar 12, 12:52

:D
A Pirate's Story.pdf(KIA) by _Zap _ From Nothing.PDF(complete) by _Zap _ Prodigal Son(active) Original Thread, Prodigal Son_PDF

User avatar
Kirlack
Posts: 1995
Joined: Fri, 25. Jun 04, 15:59
x3tc

Post by Kirlack » Sun, 25. Mar 12, 16:07

Chapter 03: The frustrations of being dishonest.

Not a moral dilemma of course. You need a conscience for that and clearly I don't got one of those. No, this was a dilemma born of practicality. See, if you remember, I transferred all my software modules and ship extensions to the Jaguar when I picked it up. Good Intentions is 3 sectors away running cells around for me and making me a bit of money. My Disco Vanguard is still under surveillance by the Teladi and for one thing is also 3 sectors away in Heretic's, but more importantly, is slower even than Good Intentions. I can't afford to piss the lizards off any further as that would deny me the option of trading with them any time soon, which I'm going to need to do in order to kit out whatever fighter I end up with.

In the end then, I decide the only prudent course of action is to return the Jaguar to its owner and get Good Intentions to pick up all the cargo I'll have to punt out the bay. So I undock from the oil refinery and make for the east gate back into Nyanna's. At the same time I order the Ranger to follow me.

Just about as I'm nearing the halfway point of crossing Nyanna's I pull up and check time. I have a little over 9 minutes to return this Jaguar. I kick all the software and extensions out and then bail myself before ordering the ship back to the trading station in Scale Plate. Then I kick start my thrusters and proceed to EVA my way through the east gate into OmLy. Halfway across OmLy I hook up with Good Intentions...

http://img215.imageshack.us/img215/3527 ... n00001.png

...and roll for the west gate back into Nyanna's to retrieve my precious and expensive cargo. The Jaguar has reached its destination by this point, so I transfer ownership to my client and he pays me my paltry 1007 cred. On the plus side, I am now once more a 'Profit Initiate' amongst the Teladi which means I can trade with them in both border and core sectors. So that's what I do, once I pick up all my goodies. I spend a little time feeding the oil refineries in Scale Plate with Sunrise Flowers from the local farms, before shuttling 100 units of Nostrop Oil at a time north into PTNI. This goes on for some time as it seems that most of the fabs in PTNI are a little short of Nostrop. Watching my credits slowly creeping up I'm just undocking from the swarm missile 'plex when I see a few ships in my native pirate colours.

http://img443.imageshack.us/img443/669/ ... 00002t.png

Unfortunately for them the local Shrike patrol has also spotted them, and seemingly taken offence to their being in its sector...

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/4346 ... 00003u.png

So much so that its first volley misses completely and ploughs into the trading station. Oops! After that though the NMMC Phoenix gets involved...

http://img717.imageshack.us/img717/8749 ... n00005.png

...and proceeds to spray half the system with IBL fire before finally tagging all the pirate ships. When it's all done there's even some yummies for me to scavenge.

http://img401.imageshack.us/img401/1840 ... n00007.png

So I sell that lot and realising that I've run my immediate opportunities dry here, push on into Profit Centre Alpha.

Immediately upon entering the sector I am elated to discover somebody has a used Harrier Vanguard for sale...

http://img846.imageshack.us/img846/5531 ... n00011.png

...and instantly gutted when I enquire as to his price...

http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/222/x3screen00012q.png

...which is about 200k more than I currently have. Seriously I'm starting to think there's some kinda conspiracy. I swear these guys just know when I ain't got the money but like to wind me up in the hope I'll make a mistake and pick a fight I can't finish. Like what them pirates just did. Assholes.

Being now thoroughly bored of running oil around for the lizards, and tired from having not slept for around 34 hours, I dock up at the Medium Shield 'plex and take a nap for about 40 minutes.

http://img85.imageshack.us/img85/4276/x3screen00013.png

When I wake up again I'm feeling a lot less foggy headed and the ache behind my eyes has worn off enough that I can concentrate properly. I also seem to have woken up with a sense of clarity. See, if I remember rightly, Two Grand, the next sector north of here, has facilities for production of both weapons and shields that will fit my Disco Vanguard. So, having offloaded my oil I make for the north gate. On the way as more and more tech fabs appear on my scan range it's becoming clear that the whole PTNI region is desperately short of nostrop. So much so in fact that I may invest in a factory at some point...

Hahahahaha. Right, me, fearsome pirate and cold blooded killer, building factories to feed the lizards?

What has the universe come to?

As I drop through the gate into Two Grand then I spot a couple of opportunities...

http://img7.imageshack.us/img7/3064/x3screen00014.png
http://img831.imageshack.us/img831/6668 ... n00015.png

...the Buzzard of course is well out of my price range and even more hideously over priced than that Mako I saw in Nyanna's a while ago. The Demeter though...well, I couldn't say no really. 48K for a XL sized freighter, even one that's slower than a landlocked Boron Lar, is too good an opportunity to pass up, and it means I can shuttle more than 100 units of oil around the region at a time, which'll be nice. So, with my less than shiny new freighter on its way back to the PTNI shipyard so I can see how much it's worth and how much it might cost for repairs, I mooch around the sector looking for shields and weapons. It takes a bloody long time to pick up all the local factories, but lo and behold....

http://img9.imageshack.us/img9/4492/x3screen00017.png

...there's a 'plex what produces what I'm looking for. Right now it's out of stock, but once my Demeter has made a few good runs to feed the workers I should be good to equip the Disco. There's also two IRE forges here, both in the same position, which lends even more weight to my theory of building a nostrop refinery. This whole region, three sectorss of tech fabs, are all in desperate need of oil. Opportunities abound then.

By the time I've gotten the whole sector mapped my Demeter has made it to the shipyard and I can see that it was a genuinely awesome deal...

http://img851.imageshack.us/img851/8190 ... n00021.png

...as even in its current condition it's worth 343k. Not that I can sell it. Nor can I afford to repair it, so for now it's going to be making slow but steady progress shipping sunrise flowers to the refineries in Scale Plate and then nostrop to the fabs up here in Two Grand.

There's no more scouting to be done up here then for the moment, and I don't fancy pushing west into Split territory just yet, so I start making my way back towards Argon space to try and barter off my last few rimes and give the Demeter a chance to make me some money.

Nyanna's proves to be quite lucrative and I sell off almost all of my rimes, one or two at a time, to eager buyers willing to pay max price for them. By now though I'm thoroughly sick of moving at an outstanding 84m/s and decide to go up to Heretic's and see what's happening with my Disco.

At first, there's no sign of any police surveillance, so I creep across the sector...

http://img141.imageshack.us/img141/1401 ... n00029.png

...and there he is. As I see his current speed though a dark and dastardly plan begins to form. See, by this point my freighter has managed to make a couple of decent runs and I'm up in the 180k range which is nice. If I can do a bit of damage to his hull and then get the Disco's hull patched up and engine tunings installed I should be able to easily outrun him. Harriers have only one fifth of Good Intentions current shielding, so if I can just get him close enough...

It's not happening. He lets me get within 60m and then pulls away at his blistering top speed of 236m/s. But I'm not the type to just give up without a fight! No sir, not me. So I comm the lizard copper and demand his surrender. He laughs at me. “Sssurrender to you I will not!” and cuts comms. Arrogant bastard. But he has put himself in position as he banks around to get a good look at the mad Goner creeping up on him...

BANG!

http://img809.imageshack.us/img809/3747 ... n00031.png

Hahahaha. Frak you lizard!

So, with my Teladi problem currently kinda solved I head on over to the Rime fact, dock and switch over to the Disco. I transfer all my software and equipment offa Good Intentions and start running for the trading station so I can buy some speed and rudder upgrades.

http://img256.imageshack.us/img256/125/ ... 00032x.png

Ok then. Shieldless and weaponless I pull out of the station to see my Teladi tail is trying desperately to catch up with me. I'm moving almost three times faster than him now though so he's got no chance. A few short seconds later and I'm through into Circle of Labour and all but free. Now, considering my method of liberation for this here ship there's really only one thing I can name her...

http://img718.imageshack.us/img718/7923 ... n00034.png

So that's me set now to do some crime, once I get the right equipment on board. With this in mind I make my way back towards Scale Plate. On the way though, I get a message.

'One of your ships is under attack in Scale Plate Green.'

Uh-oh. That can't be good. Have the Teladi taken offence at my ramming that cop? I'm in Nyanna's at the time so blaze on into SPG just in time to see...

http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/7844/x3screen00037.png

...which is accompanied by the message: 'Your ship your Demeter Super Freighter XL was destroyed in sector Scale Plate Green by Xenon Q'

FRAK!!!

And I'd just spent the last of my free credits on another load of nostrop to send north. I'm telling you, it's a conspiracy. Even the machines are in on it.

Now feeling thoroughly angry and ready to rip somebodies eyes out of their head I make a sudden swing to the south. I might not be able to kill anything out here in the trade lanes, but I'll be damned if I'm gonna just let that pass with nothing to show for it! So I burn into X-347.

Actually, traversing the sector at my handy dandy top speed of 380m/s is quite easy, although I'd not wanna try it again any time soon. The machines are quite happily munching on idiot traders what're trying to get from one side of the system to the other with a top speed of maybe 100m/s, so I slip around them and race for the west gate into Eighteen Billion.

Now well and truly displeased at my situation I dock at the Military Outpost, swear several times into my cockpit to let off some steam and finally pass out, exhausted.

Assets:

'Good Intentions'
'Giggity'

421 Credits

Time: 768-05-01 14:26

User avatar
Kirlack
Posts: 1995
Joined: Fri, 25. Jun 04, 15:59
x3tc

Post by Kirlack » Sun, 25. Mar 12, 16:19

Triaxx2 wrote:You know you want to keep it, and pull a Steve. DO IT!
If I'd not had any other ship that I could call home I might have. As it stood I had other choices, so I went for the 'soft' option. :p
Nathancros wrote:hehehe yeeeess,

If i may try and give some advice

Find the biggest, thickest chain of asteroid and make it more clustered Razz then aim your ship at a safe route thru the asteroids and wait.

oh and pray. allllllllllllllwaaaaaaaaaaaay prrayyying always sayyiiiing

YOUR GOING TO DIIIIIIIIIIE AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA
*force choke* I find your lack of faith disturbing....

:p

And look! I even named my new ride in your honour! So shhh :p

Nathancros
Posts: 674
Joined: Tue, 30. Nov 10, 04:46

Post by Nathancros » Mon, 26. Mar 12, 08:33

Kirlack wrote:
Nathancros wrote:hehehe yeeeess,

If i may try and give some advice

Find the biggest, thickest chain of asteroid and make it more clustered Razz then aim your ship at a safe route thru the asteroids and wait.

oh and pray. allllllllllllllwaaaaaaaaaaaay prrayyying always sayyiiiing

YOUR GOING TO DIIIIIIIIIIE AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA
*force choke* I find your lack of faith disturbing....

:p

And look! I even named my new ride in your honour! So shhh :p
Ahaha you cant choke a crazy ma*chokes* Arrrgggghh!

*turns and see's ship name and falls the ground rolling in laughter :P

Giggity giggity GOOOO
Nullam et arcu vitae magna instabilitate omnia solvit

Am a recovering Addict of the CREATIVE FORUM.

Long live X3

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