Anonymous argon start, because it has the ship I'm going for.
Rules: No cheating, No unsigned scripts/mods, No loading to get back lost ships.
Note, I have barely played the Terran missions, I fully plan to attempt any story lines I come across, but show them to you through the creative filter of Nebula's mind.
One week earlier aboard the Battle Angel (Argon Titan):
The screams of an alarm wake me, that calm female voice of Betty the ships computer emotionlessly telling us our fate: “Warning entering atmosphere.” Note to self, fire the helmsman, if I ever get the chance. With this in mind I sprint from my quarters to the bridge without even bothering to put a shirt on. “What the hell is going on up here!” I yell out, half the bridge crew panicking and running around like chickens with their heads cut off. Curious enough to note that the three Paranid that normally would be here on the bridge at this hour, the science officer, navigation officer, and helmsman, are all missing.
One of the few people who aren't panicking approaches me. “Captain, we need to abandon ship. Someone's destroyed the circuitry for the ships helm, and there's not enough time to repair it.” Stunned I walk to the helm wondering why it took me so long to notice the glowing red heap of metal in the middle of my ship's bridge.
“It looks like a bomb went off here...”
The girl... Jamila, that's her name I remember now, nice girl, picked her up at the last planet we visited, she didn't know much about anything in space a couple months ago, now she's rising through the ranks of the engineering staff. “Captain, you need to issue the order, we can't change course, this ship is going to smash into the planet.”
I look at her with what I can only imagine as a fury that should terrorize her, however she stands there unflinching. Later I wonder why I directed my gaze at her in those final moments, my only excuse being that she was the one to state out loud what I had been thinking.
“Betty, broadcast the following throughout the ship: This is your captain speaking, the Battle Angel has been sabotaged. The helm destroyed, after a course being plotted into the nearest planet. We're left with no choice but to abandon ship. Everyone get to the nearest escape hatch, the spacesuits should still have enough thrust to get you out of the planets atmosphere. I'll be giving the ship a timed self destruct order, anyone still on board in five mizuras will be unable to escape anyway. Now go, and good luck to you all.” With that I move to my station, my fingers flying across the keys inputting my access codes and setting the ship on auto destruct. The tiny shards of metal that my ship will become will burn up in the atmosphere causing far less damage then this massive, hundred ton behemoth slamming into the ground.
Once I'm done I stand and gaze through the bridges window at the ever closer ground before me when suddenly I hear a voice, startled I turn to find the girl, standing there in front of me. “I thought I said to abandon ship. Why are you still here?”
She looks at me with an odd expression and says simply “you'll not die with your ship this day captain, this universe still needs you.” then a sudden flash of white from a pirate stungun and everything went black.
A couple hours later unnamed Argon Discoverer:
After the sabotage of my titan I awoke in one of the emergency discoverer's, badly damaged, and barely out of the planets gravitational field. Groggily I wonder how I got here, glancing down at the black jumpsuit I'm wearing, before remembering the incidents previous to my unconsciousness. Glancing around the ship I notice this isn't one of my discoverer's like I had originally thought, for one thing someone had modified it so, while the cargo hold would be nearly useless, it would have enough space for two. The young woman who without a doubt saved my life aboard my pride and joy of a ship sleeping in the second seat.
Looking at her now, no longer through the filter of a captains eyes but rather those of just a man, looking at a woman I wonder how it was I was able to forget her name. With a shrug meant for myself more then anyone else I set the autopilot to Argon Prime's shipyard and activate the SETA.
Present day unnamed Argon Discoverer:
A single beep awoke me this time, this ship curiously missing Betty's voice. Glancing around I see the familiar sights of Argon Prime, the beep seemingly a notification that we're within 20km of the shipyard. Glancing at the girl in the back I wonder how it is she's managed to stay awake this long, at the ships current limping speed it only seems to have taken us a mere day to get here however with the SETA having been active I know it was far longer then that.
Across the comms comes the voice of someone I know at last, a man named Jacob “Good god, what happened to you out there, that doesn't look like weapons damage, it looks like you tried flying in low orbit around a star.”
As much as I normally love Jacobs sense of humor 'today' wasn't one where I would be easily amused. “Actually Jacob, I would have went down with the ship but this lovely young lady in the back seat wouldn't have it, so I'm guessing she flew us out of the atmosphere of Brennon's Triumph.”
There was a pause for a couple seconds before Jake's voice burst back through the comms. “Nebula, you're alive. Thank the heavens, though I am sorry to hear about the Battle Angel, she was a beauty of a ship. They said she blew up in the upper atmosphere and that the crew escaped unharmed but I figured there would be no way you'd not go down with your ship”
“I would have Jake, I blame the girl, she shot me with one of those damn stunguns, next thing I new I was in this hunk of junk. How though, did they know it was the Battle Angel?”
“Neb, what other ships do you know of that fly the colors you do with stenciled blood red letters 'le Ang' that's the only part of your ship they recovered that was recognizable. Just a piece of it's nameplate.”
“Hmm” I pondered as the ship finished docking. “Jake can you send a medical team here, she hasn't woke up through the entire trip. I'm not sure if she's alright.”
“Will do man, would you like the ship patched up while you're here?”
“Sure, if you think you can do something about melted hull plating, though with your skills you could probably rebuild this damn thing in a couple of hours from tin foil and old earth duct tape.”
With that I popped the cockpit open and clambered out, dropping the ten feet to the ground like someone who had been piloting fighters his entire life. Which in every aspect was true, I had started my career five years ago when I was 15 flying a custom built split mamba, it looked a bit different from the modern mamba, having been built off the prototype blueprints, and with an experimental new metal, that unfortunately proved to expensive to mass produce. So the project had been shut down, and I had stolen the ship. Over the past few years I had worked my way up the ranks of the Argon Military, becoming the youngest ever captain in their fleet. It was now my duty to get ahold of them, and give them my report on the loss of the Battle Angel.
* * *
Slowly and feeling like a much older man I walked into the bar of the shipyard, making my way like I had a hundred times before to the private communications terminals in the back and waiting for the door to close behind me. With a sigh I punched up the communications channel to the Argon One and then typed in my pincode for direct comms to the admiral. With what must have been a shocked expression I stared at the screen as it calmly told me that my identification code did not exist. Figuring I must have pushed a wrong button I carefully re-input the code and sent it again getting the same error and message that the terminal would now be locked for thirty mizuras.
Still in a state of shock I walked out and up to the bar ordering a drink reaching into the pockets of the jumpsuit before remembering that I hadn't had time to grab my cash-card. “Bartender, is there an automated transaction system nearby?”
He looks at me a little strangely before shrugging and replying “Go back into the hall and go right, then take your next right and you can't miss it”
So I followed his directions getting to the ATM and stating that I had lost my card, it then prompted me for my account number, voice identification, and thumb print, which I gave. After a couple seconds it popped up with an account terminated notification. Now I was starting to get creeped out, running through the lists of still living enemies I had made over the past five years, thinking of which ones could be able to hack both the Argon Military network and delete my files/authorization codes, and the Galactic bank and do the same. The only name that rang a bell was that of the Paranid Emperor's son Olmanckabssit.
That would explain the missing Paranid on my ship, as well as the sabotage, I had stumbled upon his joint operations with the pirates, his plot to overthrow his father and expand his empire into Argon space. After reporting my findings to both the head of Argon Military, and to the Emperor himself, a joint operation was undertaken to destroy the new experimental weapons facility, and if possible recover data implicating Olmanckabssit. The destruction of the facility was doable, but one of the Paranid 'misplaced' the data, resulting in Olmanckabssit in being able to recently have his father assassinated and take over the Paranid empire.
With a sigh and a new goal in mind, I head off to check on the girl, then to assist with Jake's “reconstruction” of the disco.
The Curious Life of Nebula Nyx *Spoilers Inside*
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Mingan
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The Curious Life of Nebula Nyx *Spoilers Inside*
Last edited by Mingan on Sat, 23. May 09, 05:40, edited 2 times in total.
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Mingan
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Mingan
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A few hours later aboard the Argon Prime shipyard:
Jake and I had just finished repairing the disco to it's “original” shape, by that I mean everything about it stock except for the modded cockpit, when he took me to the bar for a drink. I had explained to him what was going on and he told me not to worry about paying for the repairs this time, the news of finding out I was still alive was enough for him.
The downside to the mass amount of damage the disco had taken was that it's weapons had been destroyed and ship computer severely damaged. Navigational charts were irrecoverable, and Jake kept telling God must have had my back for the autopilot to have not embedded me into the side of a jump gate or asteroid.
Once he and I were done with our drinks we headed out to go see whether or not the girl responsible for my still being alive was conscious or not yet. I'm not sure if you've ever spent enough time on an Argon station to realize that each docking bay has individual medical facilities, sophisticated enough to handle most any injuries, but if you have you'll understand why I was anxious when I found out Jamila had been moved to one of the station's main medical wards. The place they take people who will be staying for a while. Once we got there though the sound of her arguing with a doctor about how long she would have to stay told me they wouldn't keep her here for long.
Standing outside the door Jake and I listened as she weaseled the doctor down from the month he originally wanted to a mere three days. “Remind me to never try and sell her anything” Jake said to me with a grin. Once the doctor came out I felt sorry for the pour guy, he looked like a high school student who's first love had just told him she had only dated him because his family was rich. With a grin Jake and I walked in through the open door.
When I saw her I was once again curious as to how I had never paid her more then a passing glance aboard the Battle Angel. My early training as a captain had been under a rather cold man, to him, and because of his teachings me, my crew had become a list of names, ranks and numbers. Neither he nor I ever made friends aboard our ships, not because of mistrust but because in a capital ship battle there was a 33% estimated casualty rate. Hull breaches were guaranteed, and as such it was a common practice to seal the different sections of the ships as soon as an enemy cap ship was sighted.
But now, with no ship under my command, just what I can only think of as “Her Disco” I wanted to learn everything about her. “How are you feeling... wait stupid question, based on the expression on that doctor's face you feel fine. So how about this one... Why did you save me?” At this Jake looks at me oddly then back at her.
“Would you like the real reason or the one you would like to hear?” She smiles slyly. “I saved you because I couldn't have lived with myself if I had just walked away and let you die. When you took me off Nopileos' Memorial, you saved me from a future as a slave working the ore mines or worse. It's a debt I owed that you never even thought about but now I consider it paid in full.”
“So that's it is it?” I said calmly leaning against the wall and studying this girl, “Jamila Lyn Aliana, age 17, parents are both farmers in a backwater mining system owned by pirates. Engineer, third class, worked your way up from knowing absolutely nothing about any spaceship, the chief engineer had you recommended for a promotion the next time one came up. Said you were the hardest working engineer on the ship. Now it all makes sense. You were solidifying your place on the crew, learning as much as you could as fast as you could to make yourself irreplaceable.”
She looks at me, her butch cut black hair and bright green eyes creating such a stunning affect that I stopped breathing for a couple sezuras. “Sorry” I whisper taking a breath “That's all I know about you, what's in your file.”
At this time the doctor walks back in and asks Jake and I to leave and let his patient get some sleep. “I'll talk to you tomorrow, get some sleep, give the poor doctor some slack.” Jake and I turn and leave before parting ways ourselves. “I'm going to take the ship and see if I can make some quick cash, keep an eye on her for me will you?”
Commence actual gameplay:
Jake and I had just finished repairing the disco to it's “original” shape, by that I mean everything about it stock except for the modded cockpit, when he took me to the bar for a drink. I had explained to him what was going on and he told me not to worry about paying for the repairs this time, the news of finding out I was still alive was enough for him.
The downside to the mass amount of damage the disco had taken was that it's weapons had been destroyed and ship computer severely damaged. Navigational charts were irrecoverable, and Jake kept telling God must have had my back for the autopilot to have not embedded me into the side of a jump gate or asteroid.
Once he and I were done with our drinks we headed out to go see whether or not the girl responsible for my still being alive was conscious or not yet. I'm not sure if you've ever spent enough time on an Argon station to realize that each docking bay has individual medical facilities, sophisticated enough to handle most any injuries, but if you have you'll understand why I was anxious when I found out Jamila had been moved to one of the station's main medical wards. The place they take people who will be staying for a while. Once we got there though the sound of her arguing with a doctor about how long she would have to stay told me they wouldn't keep her here for long.
Standing outside the door Jake and I listened as she weaseled the doctor down from the month he originally wanted to a mere three days. “Remind me to never try and sell her anything” Jake said to me with a grin. Once the doctor came out I felt sorry for the pour guy, he looked like a high school student who's first love had just told him she had only dated him because his family was rich. With a grin Jake and I walked in through the open door.
When I saw her I was once again curious as to how I had never paid her more then a passing glance aboard the Battle Angel. My early training as a captain had been under a rather cold man, to him, and because of his teachings me, my crew had become a list of names, ranks and numbers. Neither he nor I ever made friends aboard our ships, not because of mistrust but because in a capital ship battle there was a 33% estimated casualty rate. Hull breaches were guaranteed, and as such it was a common practice to seal the different sections of the ships as soon as an enemy cap ship was sighted.
But now, with no ship under my command, just what I can only think of as “Her Disco” I wanted to learn everything about her. “How are you feeling... wait stupid question, based on the expression on that doctor's face you feel fine. So how about this one... Why did you save me?” At this Jake looks at me oddly then back at her.
“Would you like the real reason or the one you would like to hear?” She smiles slyly. “I saved you because I couldn't have lived with myself if I had just walked away and let you die. When you took me off Nopileos' Memorial, you saved me from a future as a slave working the ore mines or worse. It's a debt I owed that you never even thought about but now I consider it paid in full.”
“So that's it is it?” I said calmly leaning against the wall and studying this girl, “Jamila Lyn Aliana, age 17, parents are both farmers in a backwater mining system owned by pirates. Engineer, third class, worked your way up from knowing absolutely nothing about any spaceship, the chief engineer had you recommended for a promotion the next time one came up. Said you were the hardest working engineer on the ship. Now it all makes sense. You were solidifying your place on the crew, learning as much as you could as fast as you could to make yourself irreplaceable.”
She looks at me, her butch cut black hair and bright green eyes creating such a stunning affect that I stopped breathing for a couple sezuras. “Sorry” I whisper taking a breath “That's all I know about you, what's in your file.”
At this time the doctor walks back in and asks Jake and I to leave and let his patient get some sleep. “I'll talk to you tomorrow, get some sleep, give the poor doctor some slack.” Jake and I turn and leave before parting ways ourselves. “I'm going to take the ship and see if I can make some quick cash, keep an eye on her for me will you?”
Commence actual gameplay:
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Nanook
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Good idea! This thread is in imminent danger of being shunted off to the Creative Universe forum.Commence actual gameplay:
Have a great idea for the current or a future game? You can post it in the [L3+] Ideas forum.
X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.
X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.
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Mingan
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Nanook
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Ok then, off to Creative.
Nice story, btw. Well written. If you decide to actually do the DiD gameplay, start a new thread in the main forum and link this to it. It'll give some good background, especially if you continue with the story at the same time. I know I'll probably follow it.
Nice story, btw. Well written. If you decide to actually do the DiD gameplay, start a new thread in the main forum and link this to it. It'll give some good background, especially if you continue with the story at the same time. I know I'll probably follow it.
Have a great idea for the current or a future game? You can post it in the [L3+] Ideas forum.
X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.
X4 is a journey, not a destination. Have fun on your travels.
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Thufar
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Mingan
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Mingan
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Wed, 7. Jan 09, 09:11
Day 1: Commence exploration/profit making
Taking off from Argon's shipyard, I headed out towards the north gate to start replacing the lost maps. Almost immediately out of the station I noticed a few red blips, a squad of 4 pirate M4's headed for the center of Argon Prime, with a smile I follow them watching as the Argon Military tears them apart, and theres a nice haul left, a couple firelance missiles, and a disruptor among others, without even thinking about it I start salvaging. After filling my measly 10 holds with missiles, 1 disruptor, 2 remote guided warheads and 1~2 firelance, I docked at the EQ Dock and sold them all off, after buying 4 IRE's I'm left with my measly 2500 cr turned into 57,240 cr. Much better, now I have something to work with. About this time I received a message imploring me to help ease the Terran's transition into the commonwealth or something like that, frankly I have other things to worry about right now.
Leaving the station again I make a mental note to myself to upgrade the cargo and speed of the ship when I come back with the other missiles. One more quick gathering mission and I come back to sell and upgrade. After fully upgrading my cargo space and speed I dump what cash I have left into my rudder. Down to ~2000 credits I set off once more to go and find some more stuff to sell. “This will take a while” I think to myself, staring out into the vastness of the cosmos.
After a short flight south to Home of light I angle immediately for the President's End “Graveyard” wishing this had happened a few years earlier so I could have been one of the salvager's taking advantage of that incident. A sick thought I know but at the very least I could have made a fortune. But anyways my goal is actually the next sector east, bordered on two sides by pirates this was my favorite hunting ground in the Battle Angel, and as such it shall be my favorite salvaging ground now.
Funny that the system “Elena's Fortune” shall become the place where I attempt to rise up out of the ashes and remake my fortune. Now it's just a game of “Pirate the Pirate” for me. With that in mind I head to sit just in scanner range of the south gate to wait, either for a pirate ship to come through at me, or possibly a Paranid ship heading into pirate space, that's the option I would enjoy so much more...
After only a few sezura I hit the jackpot, a Paranid livestock transport came through the south gate and headed for the north, now if only I can get him to eject once through the north gate. DOUBLE JACKPOT! Following it to the north gate there was another Paranid livestock transporter. Hmm, my spider sense is tingling, I'm going to wait to go after these ships until I get a freight scanner so I can find out whether or not they're carrying drones.
Taking off from Argon's shipyard, I headed out towards the north gate to start replacing the lost maps. Almost immediately out of the station I noticed a few red blips, a squad of 4 pirate M4's headed for the center of Argon Prime, with a smile I follow them watching as the Argon Military tears them apart, and theres a nice haul left, a couple firelance missiles, and a disruptor among others, without even thinking about it I start salvaging. After filling my measly 10 holds with missiles, 1 disruptor, 2 remote guided warheads and 1~2 firelance, I docked at the EQ Dock and sold them all off, after buying 4 IRE's I'm left with my measly 2500 cr turned into 57,240 cr. Much better, now I have something to work with. About this time I received a message imploring me to help ease the Terran's transition into the commonwealth or something like that, frankly I have other things to worry about right now.
Leaving the station again I make a mental note to myself to upgrade the cargo and speed of the ship when I come back with the other missiles. One more quick gathering mission and I come back to sell and upgrade. After fully upgrading my cargo space and speed I dump what cash I have left into my rudder. Down to ~2000 credits I set off once more to go and find some more stuff to sell. “This will take a while” I think to myself, staring out into the vastness of the cosmos.
After a short flight south to Home of light I angle immediately for the President's End “Graveyard” wishing this had happened a few years earlier so I could have been one of the salvager's taking advantage of that incident. A sick thought I know but at the very least I could have made a fortune. But anyways my goal is actually the next sector east, bordered on two sides by pirates this was my favorite hunting ground in the Battle Angel, and as such it shall be my favorite salvaging ground now.
Funny that the system “Elena's Fortune” shall become the place where I attempt to rise up out of the ashes and remake my fortune. Now it's just a game of “Pirate the Pirate” for me. With that in mind I head to sit just in scanner range of the south gate to wait, either for a pirate ship to come through at me, or possibly a Paranid ship heading into pirate space, that's the option I would enjoy so much more...
After only a few sezura I hit the jackpot, a Paranid livestock transport came through the south gate and headed for the north, now if only I can get him to eject once through the north gate. DOUBLE JACKPOT! Following it to the north gate there was another Paranid livestock transporter. Hmm, my spider sense is tingling, I'm going to wait to go after these ships until I get a freight scanner so I can find out whether or not they're carrying drones.
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collins50
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Mingan
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Continuation of day 1:
With that in mind and the decided lack of pirate activity I headed to ore belt, taking a slight detour through Cloud Base SE and mapping the stations while there. After a quick run through of ore belt and finding no pirate activity I'm beginning to wonder if they are throwing a party thinking that I will no longer be harassing them. Back to Elena's Fortune and score, there's a Teladi at the local Cahoona bakery who wants revenge, eagerly I took his assassination mission. A pirate named Himi Ba, guess he took this guys daughter, but being a Teladi she was probably sold for “profitsss.”
This trip took me through Boron space, and by the north gate of Atreus' Clouds, there was a group of 3 pirates, I left them to the sector defenses. Unfortunately the time limit on the mission expired before I could even take his hull to 70%, damn this simi-auto targeting. Note to self, but combat upgrade. Off to see what I can salvage from the pirates. I sigh after a good 10 mizuras of searching, not a single sign of any battle in these damn clouds.
Oh well time to search for something else. After another short trip south I find myself sitting outside the southern gate in Elena's Fortune once more, this time though, I'm not planning to camp it, my goal is Aladna Hill, on the other side of pirate space. Just as I was about to go through the gate an alarm started screaming, the ship is in imminent danger of collision, without even thinking about it I pull hard down and left on the flight control stick, my right foot stepping down on the 'rudder' sending the disco into a tight spiral away from the gate. Glancing down at my gravidar I see a blip that looks massive compared to this tiny ship, a Pirate Carrack... M7 light frigate, I thought the transport ships might give me a bad day, if this thing starts shooting at me I might as well space myself. The disco would be nothing more then slag by the end of the first barrage.
On the other hand, if the Argon Military takes this thing out, there will probably be some damn good loot. Beautiful, after carving a path through the traders in the system the Carrack was finally wiped out by a group of Argon Millitary frigates. 30 different containers of loot scattered throughout the system, mine for the taking. After selling some energy cells at a drone construction complex I went to undock and had a minor scrape against an argon energy cell transport, leaving me with 7% hull and no shields, leaking air I quickly ejected and set at patching up the disco with the suit's repair laser. “Jake's going to kill me” I mumbled to myself. After salvaging all the missiles left over and selling them I bought, both a triplex scanner and fight command software mk1 with 96k left over. A decent haul.
Deciding that's enough for the day I picked up a quick assassination mission on my way back to Argon Prime, some poor sap that resulted in the death of another mans daughter. Anyways, the target is in the sector The Wall, so it's not exactly out of the way. He's in a pirate Harrier, easy pickings, takes me less then 10 sezuras to tear his ship apart, another mizura I've gathered what he left behind, and five mizuras later I'm docked at the EQ dock in Argon prime, after selling the loot I finish upgrading my rudder and pick up a couple upgrades, including an mineral scanner, opening up a wider range of missions I can take now.
After I'm done shopping a quick flight back to the shipyard and I can get some sleep today. [/Day 1]
With that in mind and the decided lack of pirate activity I headed to ore belt, taking a slight detour through Cloud Base SE and mapping the stations while there. After a quick run through of ore belt and finding no pirate activity I'm beginning to wonder if they are throwing a party thinking that I will no longer be harassing them. Back to Elena's Fortune and score, there's a Teladi at the local Cahoona bakery who wants revenge, eagerly I took his assassination mission. A pirate named Himi Ba, guess he took this guys daughter, but being a Teladi she was probably sold for “profitsss.”
This trip took me through Boron space, and by the north gate of Atreus' Clouds, there was a group of 3 pirates, I left them to the sector defenses. Unfortunately the time limit on the mission expired before I could even take his hull to 70%, damn this simi-auto targeting. Note to self, but combat upgrade. Off to see what I can salvage from the pirates. I sigh after a good 10 mizuras of searching, not a single sign of any battle in these damn clouds.
Oh well time to search for something else. After another short trip south I find myself sitting outside the southern gate in Elena's Fortune once more, this time though, I'm not planning to camp it, my goal is Aladna Hill, on the other side of pirate space. Just as I was about to go through the gate an alarm started screaming, the ship is in imminent danger of collision, without even thinking about it I pull hard down and left on the flight control stick, my right foot stepping down on the 'rudder' sending the disco into a tight spiral away from the gate. Glancing down at my gravidar I see a blip that looks massive compared to this tiny ship, a Pirate Carrack... M7 light frigate, I thought the transport ships might give me a bad day, if this thing starts shooting at me I might as well space myself. The disco would be nothing more then slag by the end of the first barrage.
On the other hand, if the Argon Military takes this thing out, there will probably be some damn good loot. Beautiful, after carving a path through the traders in the system the Carrack was finally wiped out by a group of Argon Millitary frigates. 30 different containers of loot scattered throughout the system, mine for the taking. After selling some energy cells at a drone construction complex I went to undock and had a minor scrape against an argon energy cell transport, leaving me with 7% hull and no shields, leaking air I quickly ejected and set at patching up the disco with the suit's repair laser. “Jake's going to kill me” I mumbled to myself. After salvaging all the missiles left over and selling them I bought, both a triplex scanner and fight command software mk1 with 96k left over. A decent haul.
Deciding that's enough for the day I picked up a quick assassination mission on my way back to Argon Prime, some poor sap that resulted in the death of another mans daughter. Anyways, the target is in the sector The Wall, so it's not exactly out of the way. He's in a pirate Harrier, easy pickings, takes me less then 10 sezuras to tear his ship apart, another mizura I've gathered what he left behind, and five mizuras later I'm docked at the EQ dock in Argon prime, after selling the loot I finish upgrading my rudder and pick up a couple upgrades, including an mineral scanner, opening up a wider range of missions I can take now.
After I'm done shopping a quick flight back to the shipyard and I can get some sleep today. [/Day 1]
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Mingan
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Dead is Dead
I am removing the Dead is Dead rule.
Why: because I am falling in love with this story as I write it, and I don't want that ruined in the off chance that I get killed.
Why: because I am falling in love with this story as I write it, and I don't want that ruined in the off chance that I get killed.
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Mingan
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Argon Prime Shipyard:
As I climbed out of the Disco I was greeted by Jake's scowling face. “What in blazes did you do to her?” To which I burst out laughing.
“Jacob my friend, it's been a long time since I've had to pilot a fighter myself, and never in my life have I flown a scout ship. So unless you have my ol' prototype hidden somewhere in your back pocket or know where she is...” I trailed off at the look on his face.
“What's wrong?” He just shook his head at my question and turned leading me back to his apartments before lighting a cigarette and stretching out on the couch. Now his apartment was a nice place, definitely one of the higher end suites, rumors always said he won it from a Teladi in a bet, and the place looked like it. Every piece of furniture was lined in black velvet, silk drapes covered the windows which I knew had space on the other side. The walls were paneled with rare carved woods depicting the Teladi's history for the past thousand years, each panel spaced by a strip of gold, and this is just the front room.
“Neb, I had an interesting piece of information sent to me today.” He takes a drag of his cigarette and I lean against one of the panels. “Not five minutes after your ship was out of the bay I got a message on my personal communicator, a garbled computerized voice said: “CHECK YOUR MAIL!” and then hung up. What else was I supposed to do, I checked it and it had one message. Just a sector and co-ordinates, along with the name of the company that used to run the project that built your ship to begin with...”
“You're telling me you received a message containing the name Black Sun Enterprises?” I shake my head, “Black Sun is dead Jake, the planet that used to house it stripped clean of life in a Xenon attack. I know, the Battle Angel was the first ship there after the attack. I went down with the team myself, I lead them straight past where the facility used to be, you'd be surprised how quickly the environment can reclaim the site of a full missile barrage. There is nothing left, if I hadn't stolen the proto when I did I would have been killed with everyone else who worked there.
“The message must be a trap. However... it would be nice to see if there's actually anything there...” My mind is racing, filled with images of my first ship. I know now that she was a prototype of the Chimera, if there was even a chance of my regaining her, or a ship like her. “What's the sector and co-ordinates?”
Jake looks at me a little funny at that one, “You planning on going, if so I can't stop you...” He hands me a piece of paper, glancing down at it I immediately start swearing. “IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PARANID SPACE! What's more, it's a Yaki sector... Do they think I'm crazy? Am I crazy, cause I'm still considering going...”
Jake just stares at me “I don't have the answers Neb. Whether you go or not is completely up to you. Just don't get yourself killed man, for the girls sake. I talked to her today and other then engineering she doesn't know shit about space, she said she had some sim time, that's how she got the two of you out of there alive, and honestly man, I think your taking her off that rock meant a lot more to her then either of us realizes. With her looks I can guarantee if she was a slave she'd wind up on a pleasure complex within the week. With your ship gone and it's crew scattered to the winds you're the only one she has. I could teach her how to be a better engineer but when it comes to surviving in this universe, I think she should learn that from you. After all, you always seem to escape death by the skin of your teeth. Just do me a favor and sleep on it, alright?”
“Yeah Jake, I'll sleep on it, and first thing in the morning I'm going to see her again...”
As I climbed out of the Disco I was greeted by Jake's scowling face. “What in blazes did you do to her?” To which I burst out laughing.
“Jacob my friend, it's been a long time since I've had to pilot a fighter myself, and never in my life have I flown a scout ship. So unless you have my ol' prototype hidden somewhere in your back pocket or know where she is...” I trailed off at the look on his face.
“What's wrong?” He just shook his head at my question and turned leading me back to his apartments before lighting a cigarette and stretching out on the couch. Now his apartment was a nice place, definitely one of the higher end suites, rumors always said he won it from a Teladi in a bet, and the place looked like it. Every piece of furniture was lined in black velvet, silk drapes covered the windows which I knew had space on the other side. The walls were paneled with rare carved woods depicting the Teladi's history for the past thousand years, each panel spaced by a strip of gold, and this is just the front room.
“Neb, I had an interesting piece of information sent to me today.” He takes a drag of his cigarette and I lean against one of the panels. “Not five minutes after your ship was out of the bay I got a message on my personal communicator, a garbled computerized voice said: “CHECK YOUR MAIL!” and then hung up. What else was I supposed to do, I checked it and it had one message. Just a sector and co-ordinates, along with the name of the company that used to run the project that built your ship to begin with...”
“You're telling me you received a message containing the name Black Sun Enterprises?” I shake my head, “Black Sun is dead Jake, the planet that used to house it stripped clean of life in a Xenon attack. I know, the Battle Angel was the first ship there after the attack. I went down with the team myself, I lead them straight past where the facility used to be, you'd be surprised how quickly the environment can reclaim the site of a full missile barrage. There is nothing left, if I hadn't stolen the proto when I did I would have been killed with everyone else who worked there.
“The message must be a trap. However... it would be nice to see if there's actually anything there...” My mind is racing, filled with images of my first ship. I know now that she was a prototype of the Chimera, if there was even a chance of my regaining her, or a ship like her. “What's the sector and co-ordinates?”
Jake looks at me a little funny at that one, “You planning on going, if so I can't stop you...” He hands me a piece of paper, glancing down at it I immediately start swearing. “IT'S ON THE OTHER SIDE OF PARANID SPACE! What's more, it's a Yaki sector... Do they think I'm crazy? Am I crazy, cause I'm still considering going...”
Jake just stares at me “I don't have the answers Neb. Whether you go or not is completely up to you. Just don't get yourself killed man, for the girls sake. I talked to her today and other then engineering she doesn't know shit about space, she said she had some sim time, that's how she got the two of you out of there alive, and honestly man, I think your taking her off that rock meant a lot more to her then either of us realizes. With her looks I can guarantee if she was a slave she'd wind up on a pleasure complex within the week. With your ship gone and it's crew scattered to the winds you're the only one she has. I could teach her how to be a better engineer but when it comes to surviving in this universe, I think she should learn that from you. After all, you always seem to escape death by the skin of your teeth. Just do me a favor and sleep on it, alright?”
“Yeah Jake, I'll sleep on it, and first thing in the morning I'm going to see her again...”
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Mingan
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Wed, 7. Jan 09, 09:11
Day 2, Shipyard Argon Prime:
Somethings not right, that's the only thought in my mind as I sit up and grab my boot from beside the bed. Carefully I slide my knife out of the built-in sheath, drawing a slow breath and standing in the dark room. I slowly ease my way over to the wall beside the door, holding the knife in a reverse grip, it's blade running down my forearm.
With a hiss the door slides open and I stand ready, my hand inches from the light switch waiting for them to come on, and there it is, the quick flash as the lights turn on. Lighting quick I grab the wrist there and yank them towards me stepping a bit to the side and snapping up with my hand pressing the blade to the throat of my uninvited guest.
Jamila for the lack of a better term 'squeaks' her eyes wide as she looks into my face. With a sigh I let go and step back tossing the knife onto the bed as Jake steps in behind her. “Jake grab a cloth or something please” I say gently and step forward wiping at the small cut my knife had made on her neck.
Jake leans around and looks at it, “Shit Neb, what we're you expecting? The Devil or something?” He shakes his head and turns around walking out.
“Sorry I whisper to her, but with what's been going on lately I don't think I can be to careful...” I shake my head softly. “Someone other then you and Jake knows I'm alive, and also where I'm staying. He got a message yesterday with a sector name, co-ordinates and the name of the company I 'obtained' my first ship from. The day before that company was destroyed by a full missile barrage. The only thing I can expect is a trap.
“Aren't you supposed to still be in the med ward anyways?” She shakes her head sitting on the bed and looking up at me as Jake comes back in and hands her a damp rag. She only glances at it for a sezura before pressing it against her neck.
“I talked the doctor into letting me out, he was very easily persuaded...” She smiles one of those smiles that tells me I don't want to know.
“Jake...?” I look at him.
“I don't know I was just contacted to come pick her up. What did you expect me to do, tell them to lock her in the nearest airlock?” I sigh shaking my head.
“This complicates things. Jamila, I need you to stay here, help Jake out if he wants your help or do whatever it is you feel you want to do. I...” I trail off for a couple sezuras before shaking my head. “I'm going to go see what's at those co-ordinates.”
Both of them look at me strangely before Jamila chimes in “If you think it's a trap why would you go? Are you crazy?” she just stares at me like someone who's mentally addled.
I just shake my head and grab the jumpsuit from the wall, sliding my legs into it and then my arms through the holes before finally sliding the zipper up to my neck. “What other choice do I have? What would you have me do Jake? Jamila? I'm a fighter jock, not a farmer, hell, I wouldn't even say I'm a captain, my entire space career all I've wanted was to be behind the yoke of a heavy fighter tearing apart the opposition.” I shake my head one more time and sit down beside Jamila to put my boots on, grabbing the knife and sliding it back into the boot.
Jake just looks at me before standing and walking away “Whatever Neb, just don't get yourself killed.” That much I expected but Jamila shoving me onto my back and kissing me full on the lips like a young girl kisses her first love... well that I never expected. Reluctantly I press her gently away from me.
“I'm sorry but I have to go, if it is someone from black sun at the very least I want to know how they survived.” I kiss her neck right where my knife had drawn her blood. “I don't intend to die, even if it does wind up being a trap, I promise I'll come back. If only because I'd like to know you better... So will you please get off for now...?”
My words were as gentle as I knew how to make them though I know they were cold. The look on her face confirms it as she climbs off of me and practically flees from the room. I sigh and stand walking slowly into the main room, Jake looking at me. “Neb you ass, she's crying.”
“Jake if this goes according to my plan I'll be back in 6 stazura, until then can you please watch after her. When I get back here I'll take care of her myself...”
“Fine, if that's what you want.”
“One more favor Jake, I'd like you to find us an apartment here please. Just a couple bedrooms and a kitchen unit should be fine. You know how to access my new account, pay for a couple mazura up front.” Without even waiting for a reply to that one I grab the pilot helmet off of the table by the door and pull it on as I head out the door. After a short walk I climb into the cockpit of the disco my mind elsewhere as I undock and mentally plot my route through sectors this ship's computer doesn't have.
Somethings not right, that's the only thought in my mind as I sit up and grab my boot from beside the bed. Carefully I slide my knife out of the built-in sheath, drawing a slow breath and standing in the dark room. I slowly ease my way over to the wall beside the door, holding the knife in a reverse grip, it's blade running down my forearm.
With a hiss the door slides open and I stand ready, my hand inches from the light switch waiting for them to come on, and there it is, the quick flash as the lights turn on. Lighting quick I grab the wrist there and yank them towards me stepping a bit to the side and snapping up with my hand pressing the blade to the throat of my uninvited guest.
Jamila for the lack of a better term 'squeaks' her eyes wide as she looks into my face. With a sigh I let go and step back tossing the knife onto the bed as Jake steps in behind her. “Jake grab a cloth or something please” I say gently and step forward wiping at the small cut my knife had made on her neck.
Jake leans around and looks at it, “Shit Neb, what we're you expecting? The Devil or something?” He shakes his head and turns around walking out.
“Sorry I whisper to her, but with what's been going on lately I don't think I can be to careful...” I shake my head softly. “Someone other then you and Jake knows I'm alive, and also where I'm staying. He got a message yesterday with a sector name, co-ordinates and the name of the company I 'obtained' my first ship from. The day before that company was destroyed by a full missile barrage. The only thing I can expect is a trap.
“Aren't you supposed to still be in the med ward anyways?” She shakes her head sitting on the bed and looking up at me as Jake comes back in and hands her a damp rag. She only glances at it for a sezura before pressing it against her neck.
“I talked the doctor into letting me out, he was very easily persuaded...” She smiles one of those smiles that tells me I don't want to know.
“Jake...?” I look at him.
“I don't know I was just contacted to come pick her up. What did you expect me to do, tell them to lock her in the nearest airlock?” I sigh shaking my head.
“This complicates things. Jamila, I need you to stay here, help Jake out if he wants your help or do whatever it is you feel you want to do. I...” I trail off for a couple sezuras before shaking my head. “I'm going to go see what's at those co-ordinates.”
Both of them look at me strangely before Jamila chimes in “If you think it's a trap why would you go? Are you crazy?” she just stares at me like someone who's mentally addled.
I just shake my head and grab the jumpsuit from the wall, sliding my legs into it and then my arms through the holes before finally sliding the zipper up to my neck. “What other choice do I have? What would you have me do Jake? Jamila? I'm a fighter jock, not a farmer, hell, I wouldn't even say I'm a captain, my entire space career all I've wanted was to be behind the yoke of a heavy fighter tearing apart the opposition.” I shake my head one more time and sit down beside Jamila to put my boots on, grabbing the knife and sliding it back into the boot.
Jake just looks at me before standing and walking away “Whatever Neb, just don't get yourself killed.” That much I expected but Jamila shoving me onto my back and kissing me full on the lips like a young girl kisses her first love... well that I never expected. Reluctantly I press her gently away from me.
“I'm sorry but I have to go, if it is someone from black sun at the very least I want to know how they survived.” I kiss her neck right where my knife had drawn her blood. “I don't intend to die, even if it does wind up being a trap, I promise I'll come back. If only because I'd like to know you better... So will you please get off for now...?”
My words were as gentle as I knew how to make them though I know they were cold. The look on her face confirms it as she climbs off of me and practically flees from the room. I sigh and stand walking slowly into the main room, Jake looking at me. “Neb you ass, she's crying.”
“Jake if this goes according to my plan I'll be back in 6 stazura, until then can you please watch after her. When I get back here I'll take care of her myself...”
“Fine, if that's what you want.”
“One more favor Jake, I'd like you to find us an apartment here please. Just a couple bedrooms and a kitchen unit should be fine. You know how to access my new account, pay for a couple mazura up front.” Without even waiting for a reply to that one I grab the pilot helmet off of the table by the door and pull it on as I head out the door. After a short walk I climb into the cockpit of the disco my mind elsewhere as I undock and mentally plot my route through sectors this ship's computer doesn't have.
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Mingan
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Wed, 7. Jan 09, 09:11
Day 2 Argon Prime
First order of business today is simple, I'm headed to Ocracoke's Storm, to see what's there. The co-ordinates are out of the way in a back water sector. My mind screams trap, but my heart wants to know how they knew about Black Sun if it is a trap.
Since I told Jake I would be back in six stazura I have no choice but to brave Paranid space. Luckily the Disco is unmarked, and if it came down to it not owned by me. No one should have any guess that I'm the pilot so even if it is Paranid space I should be safe. Hopefully this flight will be uneventful, my route simple: Argon Prime → Home of Light → Ore Belt → Cloud Base Southwest → Emperor Mines → Paranid Prime → Empire's Edge → Savage Spur → Ocracoke's Storm, and then back. Well off to my destination I go.
A couple hours later:
I inch my way towards the co-ordinates, watching carefully on the scanners looking for mines, anything. There is a single ship floating in space as I get closer I realize I can't see it even though the computer says it's there. Straining my eyes I realize why, the ship, registering on the scanners as an M3 Eclipse, is jet black, the only part of it not black is the blazing white sunburst. The symbol Black Sun used to use, like looking at a star during an eclipse, a pitch black circle rimmed with white. Ejecting from the disco I slowly manuver the suit closer and 'claim' the ship popping the cockpit open and sliding in, pulling up a manifest of weapons etc.
It's equipped with 2 High Energy Plasma Throwers or HEPT's as fighter pilots call them. Also, in it's rear turret it has a Fragmentation Bomb Launcher, the front turret mounting a Mass Driver. Checking the cargo list I'm shocked to find 2 MK II Combat Drones, with a tag attached to their name marked 'experimental' popping up the ships information on them I'm shocked to see a familiar face. The man who ran my division of Black Sun staring back at me.
“I knew the 'experimental' tag would have caught your attention, that's why I embedded this video instead of their description. Nebula, it's been a long time, I know you're in trouble and I'm here to help, sorta... The primary facility is dead, that much is true about Black Sun; However, there were several other facilities, a couple have been found and utilized. Several moved by me, when I died in the missile onslaught nothing much happened. I knew it was going to happen so I backed up my brain, thoughts, memories, everything, to the computer core, when it detected a hostile fleet in orbit it sent all the data it contained to the other Black Sun facilities along with a program I had written that allowed me to take over the computers at those places. I've given you this proto-type because I know you need help.
“Officially it will show up as an argon eclipse if anyone scans you. However this is the new 'Black Ops' model, built designed around the pirates modified eclipse this one boasts the capacity for more guns and better missiles. It's upgraded speed, while nothing compared to the Discoverers should be sufficient for a combat ship.
“There is a communicator in the back of the seat, keep it with you, I can contact you through that at any time. Any place. Now go Nebula, you were the best pilot we had, and I'll be damned if I let the only one sneaky enough to steal a ship and survive fail at his goals.” Then the video abruptly terminates. Just like his old briefing videos used to, shaking my head I command the disco to go dock at Argon Prime shipyard with the command to send a message to Jake when it arrives “I'm fine, in a slower ship, will take a bit longer then expected.” before setting my own autopilot and leaning back in the seat.
First order of business today is simple, I'm headed to Ocracoke's Storm, to see what's there. The co-ordinates are out of the way in a back water sector. My mind screams trap, but my heart wants to know how they knew about Black Sun if it is a trap.
Since I told Jake I would be back in six stazura I have no choice but to brave Paranid space. Luckily the Disco is unmarked, and if it came down to it not owned by me. No one should have any guess that I'm the pilot so even if it is Paranid space I should be safe. Hopefully this flight will be uneventful, my route simple: Argon Prime → Home of Light → Ore Belt → Cloud Base Southwest → Emperor Mines → Paranid Prime → Empire's Edge → Savage Spur → Ocracoke's Storm, and then back. Well off to my destination I go.
A couple hours later:
I inch my way towards the co-ordinates, watching carefully on the scanners looking for mines, anything. There is a single ship floating in space as I get closer I realize I can't see it even though the computer says it's there. Straining my eyes I realize why, the ship, registering on the scanners as an M3 Eclipse, is jet black, the only part of it not black is the blazing white sunburst. The symbol Black Sun used to use, like looking at a star during an eclipse, a pitch black circle rimmed with white. Ejecting from the disco I slowly manuver the suit closer and 'claim' the ship popping the cockpit open and sliding in, pulling up a manifest of weapons etc.
It's equipped with 2 High Energy Plasma Throwers or HEPT's as fighter pilots call them. Also, in it's rear turret it has a Fragmentation Bomb Launcher, the front turret mounting a Mass Driver. Checking the cargo list I'm shocked to find 2 MK II Combat Drones, with a tag attached to their name marked 'experimental' popping up the ships information on them I'm shocked to see a familiar face. The man who ran my division of Black Sun staring back at me.
“I knew the 'experimental' tag would have caught your attention, that's why I embedded this video instead of their description. Nebula, it's been a long time, I know you're in trouble and I'm here to help, sorta... The primary facility is dead, that much is true about Black Sun; However, there were several other facilities, a couple have been found and utilized. Several moved by me, when I died in the missile onslaught nothing much happened. I knew it was going to happen so I backed up my brain, thoughts, memories, everything, to the computer core, when it detected a hostile fleet in orbit it sent all the data it contained to the other Black Sun facilities along with a program I had written that allowed me to take over the computers at those places. I've given you this proto-type because I know you need help.
“Officially it will show up as an argon eclipse if anyone scans you. However this is the new 'Black Ops' model, built designed around the pirates modified eclipse this one boasts the capacity for more guns and better missiles. It's upgraded speed, while nothing compared to the Discoverers should be sufficient for a combat ship.
“There is a communicator in the back of the seat, keep it with you, I can contact you through that at any time. Any place. Now go Nebula, you were the best pilot we had, and I'll be damned if I let the only one sneaky enough to steal a ship and survive fail at his goals.” Then the video abruptly terminates. Just like his old briefing videos used to, shaking my head I command the disco to go dock at Argon Prime shipyard with the command to send a message to Jake when it arrives “I'm fine, in a slower ship, will take a bit longer then expected.” before setting my own autopilot and leaning back in the seat.
Last edited by Mingan on Sat, 24. Oct 09, 14:31, edited 1 time in total.
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Hieronymos
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Fri, 30. Dec 05, 22:14
![[ external image ]](http://www.flatrock.org.nz/wolf/images/X2_Pix/x3_DDRS_Hieronymos_Logo.jpg){kind=link}
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X1000
- Posts: 896
- Joined: Mon, 22. Jun 09, 16:59
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Mingan
- Posts: 69
- Joined: Wed, 7. Jan 09, 09:11
Sorry guys, I had been a bit out of the loop lately, decided to wait on playing x3 until I got a better video card. Now that I have one I'll resume the story... so expect an update most likely l8r today.
Also within the next few days I will be installing DeadlyDa's DDTC mod, for the purpose of it's story line All shipyards/EQ Docks will be engineered and privately owned by Black Sun.
Also, thank you Egosoft for removing the copy protection, now I don't have to worry about getting my disk stuck in my drive again. (Broke dvd drive a few months ago, had to pry it open to get my disc back)
Also within the next few days I will be installing DeadlyDa's DDTC mod, for the purpose of it's story line All shipyards/EQ Docks will be engineered and privately owned by Black Sun.
Also, thank you Egosoft for removing the copy protection, now I don't have to worry about getting my disk stuck in my drive again. (Broke dvd drive a few months ago, had to pry it open to get my disc back)