The Talented (But not so Brave, Incredible, or even that Good Looking) Lar Ripley Limpet
| 2938-05-12 01:20 | Personal Log – Entry 512-1 – A Fine Kettle of Fish |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
See the universe, she said. Find adventure, she said. Or rather, that's what the likeness of Menelaus wanted me to think posted across that Atreus Shipbuilding Current's propaganda poster. This has been a fine kettle of fish I've gotten myself into.
Its been a strange week. Ever since the head researcher lost contact with Mahi Ma last wozura, she about flipped a pseudopod. Hey, don't go chopping my tentacles off because your research assistant decided to take part in a joint ATF operation and get himself stranded behind Xenon lines fixing some Gate Hub. She also inked herself over that little incident in Great Trench.
Leave it to the entire Fourth Fleet to let a lone Xenon corvette hack our research files. And my egg cluster siblings wonder why I never signed up for the Royal Navy.
Military Intelligence (if that can be called as much), assures us that the Xenon weren't interested in our project's archeology files, just some stellar cartography charts around Ocean of Fantasy. That's real sensitive data all right. Enough apparently to send in a Ray, a Thresher, a Hydra, oh ... and about fifteen heavy fighters and interceptors into the maw of X472. I'm getting ahead of myself here.
Anyway, Project Moon Pool is wayyy behind schedule, and I just know little Miss Spastic Flail is going to have a tizzy if I don't get those condensers in her Angel replaced yesterday. I don't know what the deal is, I just fixed the gravidar on the Marianas two tazuras ago. Word among the other technicians is that Atretus HQ might cut her research funding if she can't crack the glyphs the Helpers left behind back in Kingdom End.
Its not like the black monolith is going anywhere anytime soon. Its been there for 50,000 years. Im sure it will be there for another 50,000 more.
Busi Da is so desperate she wants me to attack some rival Paranid researcher that's been harassing some of Atreus' Dolphin convoys ferrying in research equipment. What am _ I _ supposed to do? Throw a hydrospanner at him? I think I'll just trade in my broken down ship to replace those transports for now, right after I locate a missing Skate Prototype in Menelaus' Oasis and patch up a broken down Vulture in Queen's Retribution.
I have a feeling Miss Flail wont let me advance in Atreus rank unless I do something about that Paranid, though.
What a fine kettle of fish Ive gotten myself into. Where is Bali Gi when you need him?
<End Ultrasonic Log>
The Talented Lar Ripley Limpet [A Coward's DiD - Captured!]
Moderators: TheElf, Moderators for English X Forum
The Talented Lar Ripley Limpet [A Coward's DiD - Captured!]
Last edited by eldyranx3 on Mon, 14. Jun 10, 18:52, edited 1 time in total.
Note: This Story May Contain Plot Spoilers.
Game Start: Atreus Tech
Starting Ship: Broken down Barracuda Raider
Starting Reputation: Trusted Courtier, Federation Associate, Enemy of Ronkar, Priest's Nomad, Profit Initiate.
Starting Sector: Queen's Harbor
Primary Goal: Get a pay raise and some respect. (Complete Atreus Missions)
Secondary Goal: Help with Project Moon Pool. (If I told you, I'd have to cut off your feelers, and that's just disgusting)
Tertiary Goal: Figure out what happened to Mahi Ma. (Complete Hub Plot)
Rules:
Conditional DiD - Excluding Acts of GoD, GOD, Autopilok, Known Plot Bugs, (excluding Khaak), Gatecrashes, and Wanton Use of NPC Nukes (NPC suicide by poor use of Hammerheads, Firestorms, etc)
No Personal Combat: Lar Limpet is a Conscientious Objector to War (read here: Coward), and as such, can not launch missiles or aim lasers at an enemy. Creative use of Turrets, Squad Mines, Drones, and Laser Towers will be expected.
Can only commission ships at Boron Shipyards – Derelict ships, Salvaged ships, 'Second Hand' ships are all fair game.
Can only commission factories at Boron Shipyards – Hiring a Split TL, loading a Split station, and hijacking both, well that's just dirty. Sounds like an expensive job for someone else. See next rule.
Can only hire Boron Marines – Yeah. That could be a problem. Flushing out Rehabilitation Centers will be expensive.
Scripts:
Marine Repairs – Lar Limpet is a tech expert, and directs Boron Marines in Damage Control Ops.
Ship Hijacker – Lar Limpet is a tech expert, and would rather hack than perform a brute force attack.
Collect Wares Mk2 – Ships will no longer be sitting ducks while picking up salvage
Working Freight Drones – Allows use of freight drones at NPC factories
Space Loot Transporter – Allows easy pickup of drones, sats, and lasertowers
X3TC BP 4.1
Mods:
Snowship’s Vanilla Malt Game Starts
Game Start: Atreus Tech
Starting Ship: Broken down Barracuda Raider
Starting Reputation: Trusted Courtier, Federation Associate, Enemy of Ronkar, Priest's Nomad, Profit Initiate.
Starting Sector: Queen's Harbor
Primary Goal: Get a pay raise and some respect. (Complete Atreus Missions)
Secondary Goal: Help with Project Moon Pool. (If I told you, I'd have to cut off your feelers, and that's just disgusting)
Tertiary Goal: Figure out what happened to Mahi Ma. (Complete Hub Plot)
Rules:
Conditional DiD - Excluding Acts of GoD, GOD, Autopilok, Known Plot Bugs, (excluding Khaak), Gatecrashes, and Wanton Use of NPC Nukes (NPC suicide by poor use of Hammerheads, Firestorms, etc)
No Personal Combat: Lar Limpet is a Conscientious Objector to War (read here: Coward), and as such, can not launch missiles or aim lasers at an enemy. Creative use of Turrets, Squad Mines, Drones, and Laser Towers will be expected.
Can only commission ships at Boron Shipyards – Derelict ships, Salvaged ships, 'Second Hand' ships are all fair game.
Can only commission factories at Boron Shipyards – Hiring a Split TL, loading a Split station, and hijacking both, well that's just dirty. Sounds like an expensive job for someone else. See next rule.
Can only hire Boron Marines – Yeah. That could be a problem. Flushing out Rehabilitation Centers will be expensive.
Scripts:
Marine Repairs – Lar Limpet is a tech expert, and directs Boron Marines in Damage Control Ops.
Ship Hijacker – Lar Limpet is a tech expert, and would rather hack than perform a brute force attack.
Collect Wares Mk2 – Ships will no longer be sitting ducks while picking up salvage
Working Freight Drones – Allows use of freight drones at NPC factories
Space Loot Transporter – Allows easy pickup of drones, sats, and lasertowers
X3TC BP 4.1
Mods:
Snowship’s Vanilla Malt Game Starts
Last edited by eldyranx3 on Mon, 19. Apr 10, 04:24, edited 1 time in total.
Reserved for Announcements, Corrections, and Assets
Announcements:
03/22/2010 - Yes, a Boron Lar. How original. But, I refuse to play a Paranid, and I have yet to tie up a small matter concerning the Ancients / Helpers / Sohen, so you are just going to have to suffer
03/25/2010 - Applications now accepted for the following Pilot Positions: 1) Hydra Strike Commander, 2) Scout / Mineral Surveyor 3) Spare Parts Collector (Hub Repair) 4) TL Captain
04/14/2010 - I'm being blackmailed! Suggest a new rule for repercussion of Entry 514-2. Steady loss of income for the Pirate's continued silence? Steady deliveries of illegal goods? Acquiring ships for their illicit activities?
04/18/2010 - I broke down and installed the RC for the X3TC Bonus Pack. Those CAG's are mission critical!
05/03/2010 - Im placing this DiD on hold to help betatest on L3 Devnet. There are enough big changes coming to X3TC that Egosoft will need as many betatesters as possible. Please, sign up for L3 access and help!
06/14/2010 - Ive got just under 10 days to submit this portion of the ongoing story for inclusion in the upcoming Superbox. As such, Ive decided to force a certain Sohen's hand, and end this part of the story on a small cliffhanger. Thanks to all for reading!
As of Entry 516-2:
Fleet Assets:
( 01 ) Boron TM Pleco - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M6 Hydra - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M7M Kraken - - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M5 Octopus Raider - Scout
( 01 ) Teladi M8 Peregrine - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Argon M8 Gladiator - Suggest a name!
( 04 ) Boron TP Manta Hauler
( 01 ) Boron TP Angel - Research Vessel Marianas
( 02 ) Boron TL Orca - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M3+ Skate Prototype
( 01 ) Boron M3 Barracuda Advanced
( 01 ) Boron M4 Mako Raider
( 02 ) Boron M4 Enhanced Mako
( 08 ) Boron TS Dolphin - Sector Traders I - VIII
( 05 ) Boron TS Dolphin Super Freighter - MORTS
( 01 ) Boron TS Enhanced Dolphin - Hub Repair
Station Assets:
Biogas Complex - Unknown Sector near Menelaus' Oasis
( 04 ) Biogas L
( 04 ) Bofu L
( 02 ) Crystal L
( 02 ) Solar Power Plant L
( 01 ) Ore L
( 01 ) Silicon L
( 10 ) Boron TS Dolphin CAG's
Deterrence Complex - Bluish Snout
( 02 ) Hammer Missile
( 02 ) Flail Missile
( 02 ) Tomahawk Missile
Ore Storage - Kingdom End
( 03 ) Ore L
( 05 ) Boron TS Dolphin - Ore Collectors
( 03 ) Vulture Miners
Account:
93,250,543 CR
Announcements:
03/22/2010 - Yes, a Boron Lar. How original. But, I refuse to play a Paranid, and I have yet to tie up a small matter concerning the Ancients / Helpers / Sohen, so you are just going to have to suffer
03/25/2010 - Applications now accepted for the following Pilot Positions: 1) Hydra Strike Commander, 2) Scout / Mineral Surveyor 3) Spare Parts Collector (Hub Repair) 4) TL Captain
04/14/2010 - I'm being blackmailed! Suggest a new rule for repercussion of Entry 514-2. Steady loss of income for the Pirate's continued silence? Steady deliveries of illegal goods? Acquiring ships for their illicit activities?
04/18/2010 - I broke down and installed the RC for the X3TC Bonus Pack. Those CAG's are mission critical!
05/03/2010 - Im placing this DiD on hold to help betatest on L3 Devnet. There are enough big changes coming to X3TC that Egosoft will need as many betatesters as possible. Please, sign up for L3 access and help!
06/14/2010 - Ive got just under 10 days to submit this portion of the ongoing story for inclusion in the upcoming Superbox. As such, Ive decided to force a certain Sohen's hand, and end this part of the story on a small cliffhanger. Thanks to all for reading!
As of Entry 516-2:
Fleet Assets:
( 01 ) Boron TM Pleco - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M6 Hydra - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M7M Kraken - - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M5 Octopus Raider - Scout
( 01 ) Teladi M8 Peregrine - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Argon M8 Gladiator - Suggest a name!
( 04 ) Boron TP Manta Hauler
( 01 ) Boron TP Angel - Research Vessel Marianas
( 02 ) Boron TL Orca - Suggest a name!
( 01 ) Boron M3+ Skate Prototype
( 01 ) Boron M3 Barracuda Advanced
( 01 ) Boron M4 Mako Raider
( 02 ) Boron M4 Enhanced Mako
( 08 ) Boron TS Dolphin - Sector Traders I - VIII
( 05 ) Boron TS Dolphin Super Freighter - MORTS
( 01 ) Boron TS Enhanced Dolphin - Hub Repair
Station Assets:
Biogas Complex - Unknown Sector near Menelaus' Oasis
( 04 ) Biogas L
( 04 ) Bofu L
( 02 ) Crystal L
( 02 ) Solar Power Plant L
( 01 ) Ore L
( 01 ) Silicon L
( 10 ) Boron TS Dolphin CAG's
Deterrence Complex - Bluish Snout
( 02 ) Hammer Missile
( 02 ) Flail Missile
( 02 ) Tomahawk Missile
Ore Storage - Kingdom End
( 03 ) Ore L
( 05 ) Boron TS Dolphin - Ore Collectors
( 03 ) Vulture Miners
Account:
93,250,543 CR
Last edited by eldyranx3 on Mon, 14. Jun 10, 18:47, edited 17 times in total.
| 2938-05-12 03:22 | Personal Log – Entry 512-2 – Like a Mixed Mineral Conglomerate in Aqueous Dihydrogen Monoxide |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
The problem with running remote freight hauling is that you quickly learn how tedious it can become. While some Boron are quite content with meticulously docking at every single factory in Queen's creation to find the best deals, I have better things to do. I simply refuse to squander my miraculous technical thaumaturgy on such menial tasks better suited to a Virtual Intelligence.
Why not just get an Artificial Intelligence to work the books? One, there is that small issue of legality. There are laws about toting around a sentient and self aware construct. Two, its been done before. Three, and the most important, I really don't like computers. Oh sure, someone with my vast intelligence has a natural aptitude for all things technical, but I drew the line last mazura when visiting OTAS HQ. It seems I didn't have enough Corporate trust banked to purchase a jumpdrive, but they thought enough of me that I could sneak in a 5mj shield purchase. So, I bought their pitiful shielding and promptly sold it back to them.
Five hundred times.
Apparently only a Teladi will catch that sort of swindle. Sure, I got my precious equipment so I could take the quick way back to Boron space, but I had to sit and listen to the ubiquitous Argon VI known as 'Betty' taunt me over and over. Selling off several 5mj shields in rapid succession sounds suspiciously like 'Fat-So, Fat-So, Fat-So'.
My personal buoyancy is not in question here.
So that's why I hate computers. But. If I'm going to save my sanity, my traders are going to need some proprietary Teladi software, available only Teladi equipment docks. Unfortunate for me, there isn't any in Grand Exchange. You would think the Profit Guild would have noticed that little glaring omission.
If Im going to head that far past Grand Exchange, I might as well take care of Busi Da's little issue. And rather than risk sticking out my own eye stocks for the almighty Atreus Shipbuilding, Elmanckigttab's going to have to say hi to my little friends. But why in the Queen's name did Atreus Shipbuilding send me of all Boron all they way through a Xenon sector with two carriers duking it out?
What are they trying to do, get me killed?
By pure skill alone (namely, targeting the gate all the way across the sector and jabbing the jump command frantically) did I arrive safely in Zyarth's Dominion where I found the vile researcher and his posse of underpaid graduate students. Both the posse and I were quite content to watch the Mk II drones pick apart the heavily shield Pericles from a minimum safe distance of no less than 5km. Once their boss embraced cold vacuum, my little pretties picked them off one at a time before they could get too close to me.
Which is good, because Im a horrible shot. And my poetry is worse than Paul Neil Milne Johnstone of Terran infamy. The downside was my reputation with the Paranid dropped like a mixed mineral conglomerate in aqueous dihydrogen monoxide.
I made a quick stop in Hila's Joy on the way to Home of Opportunity to pick up some hackerchips (disguised as your average computer components) and some recon drones, but noticed a sensor anomaly at the edge of gravidar range. I was half tempted to ditch the prototype Skate for that sleek ride. In the end I get my much coveted Teladi VI software and put up a Large Biogas factory in an uncharted sector near Menelaus' Oasis. The Bofu factories near Queen's Habor and Ocean of Fantasy are practically squealing for demand.
And the best part about it is that I don't have to get shot at in order to shut them up.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
The problem with running remote freight hauling is that you quickly learn how tedious it can become. While some Boron are quite content with meticulously docking at every single factory in Queen's creation to find the best deals, I have better things to do. I simply refuse to squander my miraculous technical thaumaturgy on such menial tasks better suited to a Virtual Intelligence.
Why not just get an Artificial Intelligence to work the books? One, there is that small issue of legality. There are laws about toting around a sentient and self aware construct. Two, its been done before. Three, and the most important, I really don't like computers. Oh sure, someone with my vast intelligence has a natural aptitude for all things technical, but I drew the line last mazura when visiting OTAS HQ. It seems I didn't have enough Corporate trust banked to purchase a jumpdrive, but they thought enough of me that I could sneak in a 5mj shield purchase. So, I bought their pitiful shielding and promptly sold it back to them.
Five hundred times.
Apparently only a Teladi will catch that sort of swindle. Sure, I got my precious equipment so I could take the quick way back to Boron space, but I had to sit and listen to the ubiquitous Argon VI known as 'Betty' taunt me over and over. Selling off several 5mj shields in rapid succession sounds suspiciously like 'Fat-So, Fat-So, Fat-So'.
My personal buoyancy is not in question here.
So that's why I hate computers. But. If I'm going to save my sanity, my traders are going to need some proprietary Teladi software, available only Teladi equipment docks. Unfortunate for me, there isn't any in Grand Exchange. You would think the Profit Guild would have noticed that little glaring omission.
If Im going to head that far past Grand Exchange, I might as well take care of Busi Da's little issue. And rather than risk sticking out my own eye stocks for the almighty Atreus Shipbuilding, Elmanckigttab's going to have to say hi to my little friends. But why in the Queen's name did Atreus Shipbuilding send me of all Boron all they way through a Xenon sector with two carriers duking it out?
What are they trying to do, get me killed?
By pure skill alone (namely, targeting the gate all the way across the sector and jabbing the jump command frantically) did I arrive safely in Zyarth's Dominion where I found the vile researcher and his posse of underpaid graduate students. Both the posse and I were quite content to watch the Mk II drones pick apart the heavily shield Pericles from a minimum safe distance of no less than 5km. Once their boss embraced cold vacuum, my little pretties picked them off one at a time before they could get too close to me.
Which is good, because Im a horrible shot. And my poetry is worse than Paul Neil Milne Johnstone of Terran infamy. The downside was my reputation with the Paranid dropped like a mixed mineral conglomerate in aqueous dihydrogen monoxide.
I made a quick stop in Hila's Joy on the way to Home of Opportunity to pick up some hackerchips (disguised as your average computer components) and some recon drones, but noticed a sensor anomaly at the edge of gravidar range. I was half tempted to ditch the prototype Skate for that sleek ride. In the end I get my much coveted Teladi VI software and put up a Large Biogas factory in an uncharted sector near Menelaus' Oasis. The Bofu factories near Queen's Habor and Ocean of Fantasy are practically squealing for demand.
And the best part about it is that I don't have to get shot at in order to shut them up.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
-
Master of the Blade
- Posts: 2259
- Joined: Fri, 6. Feb 09, 20:52
That Boron's really grumpy, for a Boron. Nice start, and I like your contempt of Betty's 'special' voice reserved for when you buy/sell stuff really fast - it's surprisins how often it sounds like an insult with any goods. Anyway, let's hope you last a little longer this time. 
P.S. SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM. It's not good and it's not funny. So there. *ahem*
Allergic to work.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
If at first you don't succeed, delegate the job to a minion.
Hey, I think Fourteen chapters are pretty respectable considering some DiD don't make it past chapter Three! And I'm not going to cheat and lie just because I zigged when I should have zagged. This time, I hope to be well away from any danger. How far you ask?Master of the Blade wrote:Anyway, let's hope you last a little longer this time.
Enough to escape anything short of the Big Crunch.
| 2938-05-12 07:52 | Personal Log – Entry 512-3 – Kulo-Fu Barada Nikto |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Its been quiet for the past few hours. And that's really just the way I like it.
No threats, no explosions, no charged particles impacting on my shields. Only the constant warning of my suit's repair laser at critical levels bouncing around inside my space suit's bubble helmet. Well, there was this one Split who thought it would be real cute to have a go at me after the Cobra he was escorting tried to make a run at the OWP in Faded Dreams.
How indignant of him.
The turrets of my Skate kept him at bay while I attempted to make a strategic withdrawal from his unwanted attention. I somehow broke the jump button this time in my eagerness to vacate the area, but not before my defensive PRG's ate up his Mamba. The local defense force elevated me to Graduate combat rank for my 'unique' evasive maneuvers. That's not something I really want to be known for. I'm still cleaning the ink off the cockpit's seat.
No sir. There are plenty of ways to make a living in this great universe besides irritating screams and force fed hard vacuum. And whats more peaceful than safely floating about in well protected environmental suit, a bit of Royal Opera playing in the background, and the feeling that you're doing something you're great at?
Its amazing the deals that some people will make just to offload their dinged up ships. Five mizuras later, after I bang out the dents and slap a fresh coat of paint on, I offload the same heavy fighter at the shipyard in Queen's Retribution for a 200% markup. I can only imagine what the deals in Ianamus Zero can look like. Still, if I'm going to expand the refurb business, I think its time I get a mobile workshop.
I don't know what to name her yet. When it comes to all things technical, Im a Goddess among Insects. When it comes to creative endeavors, well, again my poetry curdles Biogas. Its kinda nice having a spacious hanger. Those space suits aren't quite designed to hold a Lar.
And you can stop right there about the beached whale jokes, Mister.
After raking in a few easy million from used ships alone, I decided to invest in a few extra apprentices to help me around the shop. Which took me to Veil of Delusion. I managed to bribe a fellow hacker to flip some zeroes on my behalf, just so the Rehabilitation Center would allow me to dock. He even convinced the a mercenary clan to patrol the sector with a carrier, handy should the Split or Boron ever try to blow up my labor pool.
Ive now got an apprentice mechanic named Kulo Fu who seems to know which direction to hold the fusion torch. Even if he sometimes tries to pulls the circuits out of my Pleco's life support system to fix the control console on a Mako. I think I can leave him in the hanger for a bit while I oversee a few construction contracts I managed to underbid on.
Uh oh. Whats that proximity kaxon about? The jumpdrive engaged because of a ground fault!?
KULO-Fuu !!!
<End Ultrasonic Log>
Hey! It was a bad gate hug, ok!?eldyranx3 wrote:Hey, I think Fourteen chapters are pretty respectable considering some DiD don't make it past chapter Three!Master of the Blade wrote:Anyway, let's hope you last a little longer this time.
Last edited by X1000 on Thu, 25. Mar 10, 17:08, edited 1 time in total.
Why do you think the proximity klaxon just went off on board the Pleco?X1000 wrote: Hey! It was a bad gate hug, ok!?
I built some fabs in Faded Dreams earlier and wanted to jump in to check on any missions there at the military outpost. I checked the sat in sector, didnt see any gate traffic, charged the JD, and went to the loo in the next room.I came back to the [Game Over] Screen after what sounded like a classic telefrag. Im honestly surprised any X-universe citizens live past three days.
| 2938-05-12 14:52 | Personal Log – Entry 512-4 – The One that Got Away |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
You really want to know what steams my Chelt? When I lose a perfectly good ship for no real good reason.
It certainly shouldn't matter if its purloined.
I mean, really, if the original owner lost it in the first place, why should I be held accountable when the ship makes a slight detour into Pirate space? Anyway, Im getting ahead of myself again. I was quite content with spending my time sub-contracting around Queen's Harbor when some fellow Boron implored me to salvage his damaged Argon Gladiator.
Why certainly my good Chum! I would be pleased to acquiesce. And where did you say you originally obtained this fine piece of restricted Argon military hardware? What? No answer?
No matter, I thought to myself. Since our own Royal shipyards don't produce a M8 class, I'd be more than thrilled to use it to take out those pesky Xenon Q's roaming about Ocean of Fantasy. They need their Biogas deliveries after all. I'm a bit puzzled as to why the Royal Navy produces Tomahawk missiles but no bombers. What's more Boron than eliminating an encroaching threat waayyyy over there before it can get within snarling range?
It was a trite task to locate and override the access codes in the bomber's cockpit. After a quick refit of engines and shields, I decided to park it over in Veil of Delusion in case the well meaning but dim-witted Police decided to try and track it down. Or maybe not. Well, this certainly puts a bit of flotsam in the gills. A Paranid task group against a Mercenary Galleon and Carrack? Despite my better judgment, I decided to see how exactly this was going to pan-fish out.
From nothing short of minimum safe distance, of course.
Well, things didn't start off well for that Carrack, not surprising. I figured that would be the end of that, but in predictable military fashion, someone decided to throw a nuke at the frigate's atomized, but apparently still threatening, remains. So long, Odysseus, and thanks for all the fish!
And that opens the escape hatch to let my newly acquired asset slip into formation with that indifferent Galleon looking mildly miffed at all the radioactive debris floating about the nebula. For all I know the Gladiator was in the same escort formation just stazuras ago.
As predicted, law enforcement did show up, led by none other than Sargent Po Po. The Gladiator's jump drive engaged at 30% shields remaining, more than what I could say for the police flying around that angry Galleon, but I was dismayed to check my asset logs. Oh well, there went a quarter million credits in shielding and refits down the maelstrom.
No use in squealing over spilled plankton. Ive got two super freighters to refit before the tazura is done. I'll have Kulo-Fu get right on that, once he buffs out the scratches in my workshop's keel from that little fender bender earlier. Coincidently, I also need a mercenary to perhaps pilot a heavily shielded Hydra. It seems that Atreus Shipbuilding is expecting some trouble at one of their stations, and they're looking at me.
When all else fails, delegate the job to a minion.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
You really want to know what steams my Chelt? When I lose a perfectly good ship for no real good reason.
It certainly shouldn't matter if its purloined.
I mean, really, if the original owner lost it in the first place, why should I be held accountable when the ship makes a slight detour into Pirate space? Anyway, Im getting ahead of myself again. I was quite content with spending my time sub-contracting around Queen's Harbor when some fellow Boron implored me to salvage his damaged Argon Gladiator.
Why certainly my good Chum! I would be pleased to acquiesce. And where did you say you originally obtained this fine piece of restricted Argon military hardware? What? No answer?
No matter, I thought to myself. Since our own Royal shipyards don't produce a M8 class, I'd be more than thrilled to use it to take out those pesky Xenon Q's roaming about Ocean of Fantasy. They need their Biogas deliveries after all. I'm a bit puzzled as to why the Royal Navy produces Tomahawk missiles but no bombers. What's more Boron than eliminating an encroaching threat waayyyy over there before it can get within snarling range?
It was a trite task to locate and override the access codes in the bomber's cockpit. After a quick refit of engines and shields, I decided to park it over in Veil of Delusion in case the well meaning but dim-witted Police decided to try and track it down. Or maybe not. Well, this certainly puts a bit of flotsam in the gills. A Paranid task group against a Mercenary Galleon and Carrack? Despite my better judgment, I decided to see how exactly this was going to pan-fish out.
From nothing short of minimum safe distance, of course.
Well, things didn't start off well for that Carrack, not surprising. I figured that would be the end of that, but in predictable military fashion, someone decided to throw a nuke at the frigate's atomized, but apparently still threatening, remains. So long, Odysseus, and thanks for all the fish!
And that opens the escape hatch to let my newly acquired asset slip into formation with that indifferent Galleon looking mildly miffed at all the radioactive debris floating about the nebula. For all I know the Gladiator was in the same escort formation just stazuras ago.
As predicted, law enforcement did show up, led by none other than Sargent Po Po. The Gladiator's jump drive engaged at 30% shields remaining, more than what I could say for the police flying around that angry Galleon, but I was dismayed to check my asset logs. Oh well, there went a quarter million credits in shielding and refits down the maelstrom.
No use in squealing over spilled plankton. Ive got two super freighters to refit before the tazura is done. I'll have Kulo-Fu get right on that, once he buffs out the scratches in my workshop's keel from that little fender bender earlier. Coincidently, I also need a mercenary to perhaps pilot a heavily shielded Hydra. It seems that Atreus Shipbuilding is expecting some trouble at one of their stations, and they're looking at me.
When all else fails, delegate the job to a minion.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-12 17:25 | Personal Log – Entry 512-5 – Certified Parts Distributor |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Well, at least it started out as a quiet stazura.
Aside from finding a pirate's hidden stash in an uncharted sector and a close call involving a missile frigate, things had just been rather peachy.
Hey buddy, my rear end isn't that big that you have to swerve out of the space lane avoid it.
Peachy that was until some anonymous informant aboard a modified freighter contacted Busi Da and informed her that he knew the location of both the gate Hub AND her stranded research assistant, Mahi Ma. Was she too busy to go look for him? Yes. Was his knowledge vital to deciphering the Helper's Glyphs back in Kingdom End. Yes. Was it crucial that someone go fetch his sucked butt and bring him safely back to Atreus HQ? Yes. Was I ecstatic to find out yours truly was peripherally nominated to execute this order?
Hell no.
I guess someone up in Atreus Shipbuilding management found out I was dragging my tentacles about that incoming pirate attack on the Atreus silicon mine. Hey I can't help it if no pilots have applied, I even offered a comprehensive funeral plan. Why don't you send one of those four Threshers you have circling us like hungry sharks to go deal with it?
I digress. No one listens to intelligent, common sense. Especially from a Lar.
So, finding Mahi Ma. I'm told that he's behind two sectors of aggressive, cold, unrelenting, homicidal machines. I think that's a job for an unmaned recon drone. Imagine my surprise when it just sat here after I ejected it from my cargo bay. Sold without warranty indeed! That's okay, I had a rather expensive back up plan. No expense is too great when securing my personal safety. Go Baby Go! F-me. He even cleared it.
So Ive got the gate coordinates for this Hub thing, and a quick jump later Im inside. I guess the Xenon obliterated all the Teladi stations that had set up shop here earlier after a foolhardy ATF operation went sour. I found Mahi Ma intact, thank Queen, but I guess some stray Xenon shots smashed up what he had already fixed. Not my problem, mister.
Imagine my tantrum when little Miss Flail changed course and instead wanted me to take the Marianas and fetch parts for his little science project. This supposed 'unavoidable' pirate attack, now I'm tasked with collecting spare parts? I only have eight tentacles you know! At least I got a free ship out of the deal.
I wonder who that masked informant was?
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Well, at least it started out as a quiet stazura.
Aside from finding a pirate's hidden stash in an uncharted sector and a close call involving a missile frigate, things had just been rather peachy.
Hey buddy, my rear end isn't that big that you have to swerve out of the space lane avoid it.
Peachy that was until some anonymous informant aboard a modified freighter contacted Busi Da and informed her that he knew the location of both the gate Hub AND her stranded research assistant, Mahi Ma. Was she too busy to go look for him? Yes. Was his knowledge vital to deciphering the Helper's Glyphs back in Kingdom End. Yes. Was it crucial that someone go fetch his sucked butt and bring him safely back to Atreus HQ? Yes. Was I ecstatic to find out yours truly was peripherally nominated to execute this order?
Hell no.
I guess someone up in Atreus Shipbuilding management found out I was dragging my tentacles about that incoming pirate attack on the Atreus silicon mine. Hey I can't help it if no pilots have applied, I even offered a comprehensive funeral plan. Why don't you send one of those four Threshers you have circling us like hungry sharks to go deal with it?
I digress. No one listens to intelligent, common sense. Especially from a Lar.
So, finding Mahi Ma. I'm told that he's behind two sectors of aggressive, cold, unrelenting, homicidal machines. I think that's a job for an unmaned recon drone. Imagine my surprise when it just sat here after I ejected it from my cargo bay. Sold without warranty indeed! That's okay, I had a rather expensive back up plan. No expense is too great when securing my personal safety. Go Baby Go! F-me. He even cleared it.
So Ive got the gate coordinates for this Hub thing, and a quick jump later Im inside. I guess the Xenon obliterated all the Teladi stations that had set up shop here earlier after a foolhardy ATF operation went sour. I found Mahi Ma intact, thank Queen, but I guess some stray Xenon shots smashed up what he had already fixed. Not my problem, mister.
Imagine my tantrum when little Miss Flail changed course and instead wanted me to take the Marianas and fetch parts for his little science project. This supposed 'unavoidable' pirate attack, now I'm tasked with collecting spare parts? I only have eight tentacles you know! At least I got a free ship out of the deal.
I wonder who that masked informant was?
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-13 00:00 | Personal Log – Entry 513-1 – Fish and Chips |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
I had a good stazura. We'll, it would have been good aside from management squealing over the comm about that 'imminent' pirate attack on Atreus Shipbuilding assets. Sure. Sure. Its on the list.
After skimming over Mahi Ma's little shopping list, I realize that 400 computer components aren't that big of a demand, so I attempted to re-appropriate some incoming shipments from those convoys I helped protect from Elmanckigttab's little tantrum last tazura. No sooner than I had filled out the appropriation forms than a mass of wriggling feelers and two glaring eye stalks popped up on the view screen.
I guess somehow diverting computer equipment from Project Moon Pool had Miss Tizzy's suckers in puckers. Right. So after that regrettable bit of parley Busi Da wrote up the work order for said parts, taking it out of my salary. Next on the list, 500 microchips. Well, that's going to take a while. Not only do I know of two chip plants, they're up near Ocean of Fantasy, where Xenon Q's like to patrol.
First order of business, clear the Xenon. And my initial plan of a laser tower blockade left much to be desired. They couldn't even keep up with the poor turning of a PX. Well, that was a good 500k credits wasted. I wish I still had that Gladiator on station.
After a small run in with a marauding Tiger I decided that my small rivalry with the Split just was not conductive to microchip collecting. Not that it was much of an issue. After three 'Very Hard' taxi runs, the Split elevated my status from 'Enemy of Rhonkar' to 'Creature', 'Comrade', then finally 'Family Friend'.
I'm certainly no 'Creature'. I'll have them know this Lar came from the prestigious spawning ground of The Black Lagoon back in Kingdom End!
That just leaves the occasional Pirate and Xenon who want to eat me. If only the machines could think, maybe there would be a way to come sort of rational agreement for mutual co-existence ...
After some bit of remote exploring I came across an odd find in the military sector, Depths of Silence. Its nice to see the Boron Navy using my tax credits in an efficient manner and keeping tabs on all their appropriations! Speaking of appropriations, I decided on picking up my own Orca to help with station subcontracting. Again, no idea on a name yet, or a pilot, but it may help if I have to set up my own microchip production if I can't lever a deal with the Paranid for their two chip plants in Preachers Refuge.
As long as the ATF doesn't try to attack the Priest's Military Outpost there. War ... huh... yeah. What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
I had a good stazura. We'll, it would have been good aside from management squealing over the comm about that 'imminent' pirate attack on Atreus Shipbuilding assets. Sure. Sure. Its on the list.
After skimming over Mahi Ma's little shopping list, I realize that 400 computer components aren't that big of a demand, so I attempted to re-appropriate some incoming shipments from those convoys I helped protect from Elmanckigttab's little tantrum last tazura. No sooner than I had filled out the appropriation forms than a mass of wriggling feelers and two glaring eye stalks popped up on the view screen.
I guess somehow diverting computer equipment from Project Moon Pool had Miss Tizzy's suckers in puckers. Right. So after that regrettable bit of parley Busi Da wrote up the work order for said parts, taking it out of my salary. Next on the list, 500 microchips. Well, that's going to take a while. Not only do I know of two chip plants, they're up near Ocean of Fantasy, where Xenon Q's like to patrol.
First order of business, clear the Xenon. And my initial plan of a laser tower blockade left much to be desired. They couldn't even keep up with the poor turning of a PX. Well, that was a good 500k credits wasted. I wish I still had that Gladiator on station.
After a small run in with a marauding Tiger I decided that my small rivalry with the Split just was not conductive to microchip collecting. Not that it was much of an issue. After three 'Very Hard' taxi runs, the Split elevated my status from 'Enemy of Rhonkar' to 'Creature', 'Comrade', then finally 'Family Friend'.
I'm certainly no 'Creature'. I'll have them know this Lar came from the prestigious spawning ground of The Black Lagoon back in Kingdom End!
That just leaves the occasional Pirate and Xenon who want to eat me. If only the machines could think, maybe there would be a way to come sort of rational agreement for mutual co-existence ...
After some bit of remote exploring I came across an odd find in the military sector, Depths of Silence. Its nice to see the Boron Navy using my tax credits in an efficient manner and keeping tabs on all their appropriations! Speaking of appropriations, I decided on picking up my own Orca to help with station subcontracting. Again, no idea on a name yet, or a pilot, but it may help if I have to set up my own microchip production if I can't lever a deal with the Paranid for their two chip plants in Preachers Refuge.
As long as the ATF doesn't try to attack the Priest's Military Outpost there. War ... huh... yeah. What is it good for?
Absolutely nothing.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-13 04:52 | Personal Log – Entry 513-2 – Those Who Live in Glass Houses |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Ive had it.
No more listening to middle management's shrill, condescending lectures about how I'm not towing my weight in this company. If they can't handle a few miscreants with scout ships and malicious intent then how are they going to handle one miffed off Lar. It's time to take action!
I wrote a cease and desist letter to those devious hooligans intending to harass Atreus' steady income of 25MJ shields.
When that didn't work I ran them down with the Orca. Problem solved. And my reward? A terse thank you and blissful silence afterwords. I didn't like the bit about harder tasks in the future, however. I've got biogas shipments overdue and at least three rebuilds of second hand Barracudas to oversee.
While Im sure the TL's shields can hold out against a smattering of lightly armed scouts, those Xenon Q's are proving to be most bothersome. Ive managed to curtail losses so far with judicial use of advanced satellites and early rerouting of affected trade convoys. I almost lost the Marianas to a blind jump in the Hub, however. Considering she was carrying 200 microchips at the time, I would have been most annoyed. I'm not about to dish out on a used Hydra with 120% markup though!
Its a good thing this showed up on the salvage network then. A quick jump across X472 allowed me to evade most of the authorities, aside from one rather tenacious M5 Octopus. Now the Teladi M8 flies with about as much grace and beauty as a Teladianium brick thrown off the Grand Exchange Tower, but in a pinch it gets the job done. Still, I might be tempted to barter it off for something more ascetically pleasing.
Yes, I do live in a glass house, thank you very much. It's called an aquarium.
And speaking of Teladianium, after I repaired some free floating capacitors (which I did a fabulous job of I might add), Mahi Ma asked me to bring in a small shipment of the dried mud. Why? I'm not paid to ask questions, just to fix things when someone tries to insert the control rod backwards or better yet, reverse the polarity without the safeties engaged.
Kulo-Fu, Im looking at you.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Ive had it.
No more listening to middle management's shrill, condescending lectures about how I'm not towing my weight in this company. If they can't handle a few miscreants with scout ships and malicious intent then how are they going to handle one miffed off Lar. It's time to take action!
I wrote a cease and desist letter to those devious hooligans intending to harass Atreus' steady income of 25MJ shields.
When that didn't work I ran them down with the Orca. Problem solved. And my reward? A terse thank you and blissful silence afterwords. I didn't like the bit about harder tasks in the future, however. I've got biogas shipments overdue and at least three rebuilds of second hand Barracudas to oversee.
While Im sure the TL's shields can hold out against a smattering of lightly armed scouts, those Xenon Q's are proving to be most bothersome. Ive managed to curtail losses so far with judicial use of advanced satellites and early rerouting of affected trade convoys. I almost lost the Marianas to a blind jump in the Hub, however. Considering she was carrying 200 microchips at the time, I would have been most annoyed. I'm not about to dish out on a used Hydra with 120% markup though!
Its a good thing this showed up on the salvage network then. A quick jump across X472 allowed me to evade most of the authorities, aside from one rather tenacious M5 Octopus. Now the Teladi M8 flies with about as much grace and beauty as a Teladianium brick thrown off the Grand Exchange Tower, but in a pinch it gets the job done. Still, I might be tempted to barter it off for something more ascetically pleasing.
Yes, I do live in a glass house, thank you very much. It's called an aquarium.
And speaking of Teladianium, after I repaired some free floating capacitors (which I did a fabulous job of I might add), Mahi Ma asked me to bring in a small shipment of the dried mud. Why? I'm not paid to ask questions, just to fix things when someone tries to insert the control rod backwards or better yet, reverse the polarity without the safeties engaged.
Kulo-Fu, Im looking at you.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-13 13:29 | Personal Log – Entry 513-3 – The Paradox of Deterrence |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
I'm sooo close to getting a promotion, I can almost taste it in the water.
Ive ran so many taxi runs for Atreus Shipbuilding that the Pleco has a sector mass transit permit affixed to its dented bumper. Then there was that messy business about that industrial spy. But it will all be worth it soon. Oh yes. I'll be promoted to Senior Engineer L2, and I'll get two Wozora of paid vacation every Jarzura. I'm not as thrilled by the reduction in tax credits earned, but I probably wont be thinking about that when Im sunning myself somewhere on a beach in Menelaus' Paradise.
Or, I could take a small leave in Shore of Infinity and perfect some of my cybernetic designs. I don't know why everyone hates the Paranid. They may be a bit condescending, but they at least appreciate those of high intellect. Why not take a small leave in a backwater sector like Menelaus' Oasis?
Well. Some enterprising and overachieving Lar spurred too much economic development in Menelaus' Oasis, Queen's Harbor, Faded Dreams, and Queen's Retribution. There's currently more traffic in those sectors than there is in all of Rolk's Fate. And I do appreciate my peace and quiet. So, Menelaus' Paradise it is.
Shipments of Teladianium to the Hub came in slow these past couple of Stazuras, but I didn't mind. This isn't a race, despite what Miss Tizzy says. She took a small team of engineers over to the Hub structure to RE its design, but I think Mahi Ma's had all eight tentacles full with fusion welders trying to reinforce the gate network's superstructure. What this has to do with Project Moon Pool is beyond me.
Ive offset the credit drain of buying up Teladianium with quite a few sector traders. It was only about five million set up about nine traders, and they should bring in a steady flow of income. Much more than I can say about the Biogas market. The Bofu fabs near Ocean of Fantasy filled to capacity, and I couldn't stuff any more into the Hi-Tech factors near Queen's Harbor even if I wanted to.
And no, I can't eat it all, Bofun. A Lar has to watch her slippery figure.
I needed to build some type of cheap complex to drain the excess Bofu, Energy, and Minerals from around the area and get the Biogas shipping business profitable again. I considered quantum tube or chips plants, but the factories were expensive. After I went through list of available factories in Queen's Retribution I realized that Flail, Hammer, and Tomahawk missile fabs were less than three million each, and most of the end products sold for much more.
I can use the Tomahawks for Q pacification, and sell the excess others to various Military Outposts until I secure a Missile Frigate. What does someone of my superior caliber need with a crude implement of mass destruction? While I've pacified the Split and Pirates with taxi runs and marine training, its hard to reason with the Kha'ak or Xenon. Who knows when the next invasion of President's End might occur?
The best kind of deterrence is a weapon you never have to use.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
I'm sooo close to getting a promotion, I can almost taste it in the water.
Ive ran so many taxi runs for Atreus Shipbuilding that the Pleco has a sector mass transit permit affixed to its dented bumper. Then there was that messy business about that industrial spy. But it will all be worth it soon. Oh yes. I'll be promoted to Senior Engineer L2, and I'll get two Wozora of paid vacation every Jarzura. I'm not as thrilled by the reduction in tax credits earned, but I probably wont be thinking about that when Im sunning myself somewhere on a beach in Menelaus' Paradise.
Or, I could take a small leave in Shore of Infinity and perfect some of my cybernetic designs. I don't know why everyone hates the Paranid. They may be a bit condescending, but they at least appreciate those of high intellect. Why not take a small leave in a backwater sector like Menelaus' Oasis?
Well. Some enterprising and overachieving Lar spurred too much economic development in Menelaus' Oasis, Queen's Harbor, Faded Dreams, and Queen's Retribution. There's currently more traffic in those sectors than there is in all of Rolk's Fate. And I do appreciate my peace and quiet. So, Menelaus' Paradise it is.
Shipments of Teladianium to the Hub came in slow these past couple of Stazuras, but I didn't mind. This isn't a race, despite what Miss Tizzy says. She took a small team of engineers over to the Hub structure to RE its design, but I think Mahi Ma's had all eight tentacles full with fusion welders trying to reinforce the gate network's superstructure. What this has to do with Project Moon Pool is beyond me.
Ive offset the credit drain of buying up Teladianium with quite a few sector traders. It was only about five million set up about nine traders, and they should bring in a steady flow of income. Much more than I can say about the Biogas market. The Bofu fabs near Ocean of Fantasy filled to capacity, and I couldn't stuff any more into the Hi-Tech factors near Queen's Harbor even if I wanted to.
And no, I can't eat it all, Bofun. A Lar has to watch her slippery figure.
I needed to build some type of cheap complex to drain the excess Bofu, Energy, and Minerals from around the area and get the Biogas shipping business profitable again. I considered quantum tube or chips plants, but the factories were expensive. After I went through list of available factories in Queen's Retribution I realized that Flail, Hammer, and Tomahawk missile fabs were less than three million each, and most of the end products sold for much more.
I can use the Tomahawks for Q pacification, and sell the excess others to various Military Outposts until I secure a Missile Frigate. What does someone of my superior caliber need with a crude implement of mass destruction? While I've pacified the Split and Pirates with taxi runs and marine training, its hard to reason with the Kha'ak or Xenon. Who knows when the next invasion of President's End might occur?
The best kind of deterrence is a weapon you never have to use.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-13 22:35 | Personal Log – Entry 513-4 – Provincial Use of Gravity |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
What is it about Boron that gives others incorrect assumptions? Why does everyone assume we are weak because we avoid conflict? I can't speak on the collective behalf of my squishy kin, but as a technician, my personal eidos is to build things, not destroy them.
I find it much more gratifying to construct a solar power complex to help fuel plankton production in a backwater sector struggling to feed its citizens than to atomize a trading station with brute, inexact fusion. Besides, imagine all the statements that have to be filed concerning the stellar impact of said implosion on nearby planetary ecologies.
So when I stumbled across a Split Task Group laying waste to the Energy Production base in Bluish Snout, I found myself marginally perturbed. Granted it was the L sized solar plant, not the XL, but between the sectors Bluish Snout and Light Water, those two sectors supply the majority of the cheap energy feeding my Biogas and Deterrence Complexes. The next closest XL solar plant would be in Tkr's Deprivation.
I doubt that it was a cunning plan by the Split to increase business on their end, but maybe they started taking notes from the Teladi in Home of Opportunity. No, the sheer gall of the Task Group's unwarranted and unprovoked attacks on unarmed boron convoys almost convinced me to bring all myself to bear on the bestial Split.
Har Har. No, I can't end the Rhonkar Dynasty's barbarous reign with provincial use of gravity.
But on reconsideration I doubted that my single Peregrine had sufficient capacity to annihilate the aggressors. And seeing as how I'm a few million short of a Kraken, I'll let the Split off with a stern letter of official protest this time. I will however, readily accept any and all means offered to me that might make the Split think twice about kicking sand in our eye stalks. Another jump over X472 lost the sadly predictable Boron authorities, but isn't all that surprising considering they flee from pirates half their patrol size.
While anecdotal, I highly doubt this provides an argument for the evolutionary corollary between lack of chordate physiology and acute survival instinct.
While the Gladiator seems to outperform the Peregrine, at least on Q patrol, I'll reserve judgment to see if the Hades or Viper is worth keeping on station. Until then its back to collecting low yield missiles for Atreus Shipbuilding. Fitting job for the new Senior Engineer L2 indeed.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
What is it about Boron that gives others incorrect assumptions? Why does everyone assume we are weak because we avoid conflict? I can't speak on the collective behalf of my squishy kin, but as a technician, my personal eidos is to build things, not destroy them.
I find it much more gratifying to construct a solar power complex to help fuel plankton production in a backwater sector struggling to feed its citizens than to atomize a trading station with brute, inexact fusion. Besides, imagine all the statements that have to be filed concerning the stellar impact of said implosion on nearby planetary ecologies.
So when I stumbled across a Split Task Group laying waste to the Energy Production base in Bluish Snout, I found myself marginally perturbed. Granted it was the L sized solar plant, not the XL, but between the sectors Bluish Snout and Light Water, those two sectors supply the majority of the cheap energy feeding my Biogas and Deterrence Complexes. The next closest XL solar plant would be in Tkr's Deprivation.
I doubt that it was a cunning plan by the Split to increase business on their end, but maybe they started taking notes from the Teladi in Home of Opportunity. No, the sheer gall of the Task Group's unwarranted and unprovoked attacks on unarmed boron convoys almost convinced me to bring all myself to bear on the bestial Split.
Har Har. No, I can't end the Rhonkar Dynasty's barbarous reign with provincial use of gravity.
But on reconsideration I doubted that my single Peregrine had sufficient capacity to annihilate the aggressors. And seeing as how I'm a few million short of a Kraken, I'll let the Split off with a stern letter of official protest this time. I will however, readily accept any and all means offered to me that might make the Split think twice about kicking sand in our eye stalks. Another jump over X472 lost the sadly predictable Boron authorities, but isn't all that surprising considering they flee from pirates half their patrol size.
While anecdotal, I highly doubt this provides an argument for the evolutionary corollary between lack of chordate physiology and acute survival instinct.
While the Gladiator seems to outperform the Peregrine, at least on Q patrol, I'll reserve judgment to see if the Hades or Viper is worth keeping on station. Until then its back to collecting low yield missiles for Atreus Shipbuilding. Fitting job for the new Senior Engineer L2 indeed.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-14 06:22 | Personal Log – Entry 514-1 – Water Ballet in the Moon Pool |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Lets see. Oh Queendom. This can't be correct. Ah, that floating point is off. Yes. I forgot to adjust for Pi there ...
Is this thing recording? Oh well, no bother. I just seem to have miscalculated a few things. But that's not going to deter Project Moon Pool. At least if Miss Tizzy is going to have a say about it. And I do think she fancies her generous research stipend.
Ah yes. Project Moon Pool. What is it? Well, from what little bits Ive managed to gleam from quick peeks at computer terminals Ive fixed, the aim of Project Moon Pool is to gather archeological and technological data on the Helpers under a safe, controlled environment. Who are the Helpers you ask? The problem is no one really knows. The Argon call them the Ancients, those who constructed the gate network we use today, but its arbitrary what anyone calls them really.
It seems our cephalopod ancestors first met them roughly 50,000 years ago. A blink of the eyes in evolutionary scale, mind you. But the Old Ones gave us great knowledge, and erected a huge black monolith right on the equator of our home world before leaving to beyond the current gate network.
We believe that the Helpers are benevolent, at least to us. Not so much to the Teladi, when they closed off Ianamus Zero and the majority of the male population in one of the the last gate network orientation changes back in the Terran year 2147. Had the Teladi females not perfected cloning technologies, our profit oriented reptilian friends probably would have died out. So, unfortunately no one knows their true intention.
What we do know is that they may have used gate controls to seal off the Xenon from a larger gate network. For what reason? That's the ultimate aim of Project Moon Pool. To decipher how the gate network works, and to possibly arrange it so that we can quietly observe the Xenon core sectors and or the other side of the gate network.
And so, you can now understand why the Hub excited Mahi Ma and Busi Da so much. After much study, we believe it to be one of the minor control hubs the Helpers once used. Because of its age and disuse, its clear that the Helpers have either abandoned it or forgot it long ago.
I was very skeptical about this whole hypothesis until Atreus Shipbuilding asked me to follow a Teladi hacker who had infiltrated some of our research files in Queen's Harbor. Everything seemed well and good till a lone Xenon interceptor appeared and attempted to assimilate the Falcon. That is peculiar for two reasons: 1) Xenon tend to sortie as a flight group 2) the interceptor in question only used PBE's, despite having PACs aboard as well.
Most disturbing, this is. Almost as disturbing as the rouge Xenon corvette that hacked our research files at the Research Station in Great Trench a few tazuras ago.
The border patrol in Menelaus' Oasis forced the odd Xenon craft to break off, and I was able to follow the Teladi to a Pirate Base in the nearby Unknown Sector. Who this Teladi worked for and what she wanted our research files on the Helpers for I'm not entirely sure.
Either way, Ive managed to secure about a quarter of the required Teladianium that Mahi Ma has requested. Im now looking ahead to that ore shipment, which may take a while. Ore is fairly cheap, but its the sheer quantity that presents a formidable quandary. I think I may decide to clear Kingdom End of its little debris field just to make it look prettier. While I was there surveying I glimpsed a strange but captivating sight; three unarmed TL's doing what looked like synchronized water ballet.
What? Me jealous of their grace and beauty? Preposterous!
I have much bigger fish to fry, as it were. Atreus Shipbuilding has managed to find the Split Commander responsible for that Task Group's attack in Bluish Snout. And now, if you don't mind, I think Mr. Na t'Hnk is going to find himself victim of a terribly horrific but provincial traffic collision involving one ponderous and as of yet unnamed Orca.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
Lets see. Oh Queendom. This can't be correct. Ah, that floating point is off. Yes. I forgot to adjust for Pi there ...
Is this thing recording? Oh well, no bother. I just seem to have miscalculated a few things. But that's not going to deter Project Moon Pool. At least if Miss Tizzy is going to have a say about it. And I do think she fancies her generous research stipend.
Ah yes. Project Moon Pool. What is it? Well, from what little bits Ive managed to gleam from quick peeks at computer terminals Ive fixed, the aim of Project Moon Pool is to gather archeological and technological data on the Helpers under a safe, controlled environment. Who are the Helpers you ask? The problem is no one really knows. The Argon call them the Ancients, those who constructed the gate network we use today, but its arbitrary what anyone calls them really.
It seems our cephalopod ancestors first met them roughly 50,000 years ago. A blink of the eyes in evolutionary scale, mind you. But the Old Ones gave us great knowledge, and erected a huge black monolith right on the equator of our home world before leaving to beyond the current gate network.
We believe that the Helpers are benevolent, at least to us. Not so much to the Teladi, when they closed off Ianamus Zero and the majority of the male population in one of the the last gate network orientation changes back in the Terran year 2147. Had the Teladi females not perfected cloning technologies, our profit oriented reptilian friends probably would have died out. So, unfortunately no one knows their true intention.
What we do know is that they may have used gate controls to seal off the Xenon from a larger gate network. For what reason? That's the ultimate aim of Project Moon Pool. To decipher how the gate network works, and to possibly arrange it so that we can quietly observe the Xenon core sectors and or the other side of the gate network.
And so, you can now understand why the Hub excited Mahi Ma and Busi Da so much. After much study, we believe it to be one of the minor control hubs the Helpers once used. Because of its age and disuse, its clear that the Helpers have either abandoned it or forgot it long ago.
I was very skeptical about this whole hypothesis until Atreus Shipbuilding asked me to follow a Teladi hacker who had infiltrated some of our research files in Queen's Harbor. Everything seemed well and good till a lone Xenon interceptor appeared and attempted to assimilate the Falcon. That is peculiar for two reasons: 1) Xenon tend to sortie as a flight group 2) the interceptor in question only used PBE's, despite having PACs aboard as well.
Most disturbing, this is. Almost as disturbing as the rouge Xenon corvette that hacked our research files at the Research Station in Great Trench a few tazuras ago.
The border patrol in Menelaus' Oasis forced the odd Xenon craft to break off, and I was able to follow the Teladi to a Pirate Base in the nearby Unknown Sector. Who this Teladi worked for and what she wanted our research files on the Helpers for I'm not entirely sure.
Either way, Ive managed to secure about a quarter of the required Teladianium that Mahi Ma has requested. Im now looking ahead to that ore shipment, which may take a while. Ore is fairly cheap, but its the sheer quantity that presents a formidable quandary. I think I may decide to clear Kingdom End of its little debris field just to make it look prettier. While I was there surveying I glimpsed a strange but captivating sight; three unarmed TL's doing what looked like synchronized water ballet.
What? Me jealous of their grace and beauty? Preposterous!
I have much bigger fish to fry, as it were. Atreus Shipbuilding has managed to find the Split Commander responsible for that Task Group's attack in Bluish Snout. And now, if you don't mind, I think Mr. Na t'Hnk is going to find himself victim of a terribly horrific but provincial traffic collision involving one ponderous and as of yet unnamed Orca.
<End Ultrasonic Log>
| 2938-05-14 12:02 | Personal Log – Entry 514-2 – Sleepin' with da Fishes |
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
For the record, I am a law abiding citizen of the Queen's Habor area fiefdom. Sure sure, there were a few regrettable circumstances where a few juvenile miscreants forced to hack into some advertisement billboard systems to defend my egg sack female sibling's honor, but I digress. Being on the wrong side of the local constabulary lands one in so many types of trouble.
Between biogas shipments and overseeing the progress of the sector traders, I found a freelance job that sounded too good to be true. While the plight seemed genuine, I couldn't help but wonder about its authenticity. While intelligent, I have been called gullible in the past.
Yes yes. Those less than endearing buoyancy descriptors as well, but that's not the point of this meandering ramble.
Besides the issue with finding a large supply, I misjudged just how much the Pleco's hold could carry the sought after medicinals, and had to improvise a bit. I think Miss Tizzy would fry me herself I she found out I was using the Marianas to ferry illegal narcotics. Well, to cut an increasingly verbose story short, I also misjudged the jump distance between the trade station and the Marianas' fuel supply. Just 10 EC's short, I nevertheless had to inform the trade station's owner I regrettably could not make his timetable.
I suspect that did not sit well with the dock owner's distributor, as I found a sheepshead wrapped inside the Pleco's docking permit one stazura later. Between that and the death threat I received from the local pirate clan in Veil of Delusion in response to that stern cease and desist letter I sent earlier, I felt my marginally amicable reputation with the Pirate factions in danger of plummeting with exponential acceleration.
So not only did I get roped in ferrying dangerous cargo, there was a problem getting to the destination. That didn't sit well with the Pirates either, who I think were running a job to taint the Omicron Lyrae food supply. In the end, with pirate sidearms pointed in my general vicinity ...
Har Har. No, my relativistic displacement does not break known scientific laws, thank you so very much!
... they forced me to use my extensive code breaking expertise to not only procure stations that I normally don't have access for, but insisted I use my own TL to deliver the said stations! Needless to say my employment with Atreus Shipbuilding would be tenuous if this were to ever come to light. As it is they are wondering why I haven't been responding to mission hails or why Q's seem to be running rampant again in Bluish Snout, unchecked.
Oh dear. Oh Queendom. What have I managed to get myself into?
<End Ultrasonic Log>
<Begin Ultrasonic Log>
For the record, I am a law abiding citizen of the Queen's Habor area fiefdom. Sure sure, there were a few regrettable circumstances where a few juvenile miscreants forced to hack into some advertisement billboard systems to defend my egg sack female sibling's honor, but I digress. Being on the wrong side of the local constabulary lands one in so many types of trouble.
Between biogas shipments and overseeing the progress of the sector traders, I found a freelance job that sounded too good to be true. While the plight seemed genuine, I couldn't help but wonder about its authenticity. While intelligent, I have been called gullible in the past.
Yes yes. Those less than endearing buoyancy descriptors as well, but that's not the point of this meandering ramble.
Besides the issue with finding a large supply, I misjudged just how much the Pleco's hold could carry the sought after medicinals, and had to improvise a bit. I think Miss Tizzy would fry me herself I she found out I was using the Marianas to ferry illegal narcotics. Well, to cut an increasingly verbose story short, I also misjudged the jump distance between the trade station and the Marianas' fuel supply. Just 10 EC's short, I nevertheless had to inform the trade station's owner I regrettably could not make his timetable.
I suspect that did not sit well with the dock owner's distributor, as I found a sheepshead wrapped inside the Pleco's docking permit one stazura later. Between that and the death threat I received from the local pirate clan in Veil of Delusion in response to that stern cease and desist letter I sent earlier, I felt my marginally amicable reputation with the Pirate factions in danger of plummeting with exponential acceleration.
So not only did I get roped in ferrying dangerous cargo, there was a problem getting to the destination. That didn't sit well with the Pirates either, who I think were running a job to taint the Omicron Lyrae food supply. In the end, with pirate sidearms pointed in my general vicinity ...
Har Har. No, my relativistic displacement does not break known scientific laws, thank you so very much!
... they forced me to use my extensive code breaking expertise to not only procure stations that I normally don't have access for, but insisted I use my own TL to deliver the said stations! Needless to say my employment with Atreus Shipbuilding would be tenuous if this were to ever come to light. As it is they are wondering why I haven't been responding to mission hails or why Q's seem to be running rampant again in Bluish Snout, unchecked.
Oh dear. Oh Queendom. What have I managed to get myself into?
<End Ultrasonic Log>