Tales from the spacelanes...

[CaptSolo]

Ouch! Let me tell you a tale. I accepted this level 2 RandomHits mission - my first one - which took me to Tiriusri, some distance out of my usual area of operations. I arrived at the system somewhat apprehensive, but did not encounter the guy on my way in. So I docked, refueled and headed back out to the witchpoint beacon. Same story as the only encounters were with pirates and some of them were Smivs Tough Guys. So I turn around and head back to the station for more fuel and ordinance.

Second trip out again to the WP beacon and more dog fights with pirates. After dealing with them I resume on to the beacon, and turn back in-system when seven bogeys appear along with a message from the dude calling me a moron! That got my ire up so I press the attack. He flees after launching a hard head at me, but four of his cronies remain behind to deal with me. After a lengthy battle, in which all my lasers were fired until they glowed hot, I finally dispatched them.

I resumed my flight in-system and after a short time up he pops again with another insult, launches a hard head and runs away. But now there is only two of his buddies to contend with and I finish them off in short order. What now? He's all alone so I take a guess at the direction he ran away and engage the Torus drive in a vain hope of catching him. Catch him I did and with injectors got on his six. I'm pounding him with my front laser and he repays with blasts from his rear laser - a military laser at that. I see my fore shields withering under his attack so I inject in front of him and give him what for with the aft laser. He fires back and my aft shields get pounded. Suddenly my aft shields are depleted:
Energy Bomb damaged...
Escape pod damaged...
Injectors damaged...
In a state of panic I take evasive action, get under him, pitch up and open fire with the front laser which has cooled by now. To my elation his ship starts throwing sparks and my hope rises that I may yet win and live to fight another day.

Oh yeah, I should have known, he opens a wormhole and hypers out. I foolishly follow him in, crippled though I was, because by now I was burning mad. I exit witchspace but don't know where I am. I only know that my enemy is nearby. I quickly spot him, lock onto him and redline the front mil laser and then... oh joy... his ship comes apart at the seams in a glorious explosion. I consult the chart and see I have enough fuel to take my banged up Cobrak Mk III to Orarra and safety. But as the wormhole opens I wonder if the repairs will cost me more than the reward. What a game!

[DaddyHoggy]

Excellent Story!

If I had more time I'd collate these into a work of fiction!

[Cody]

Excellent Story!

If I had more time I'd collate these into a work of fiction!

Yeah... they'd make a good collection, some of these tales.

[DaddyHoggy]

I was thinking of some of the tales mixed with some screenshots from the screenshots thread plus adverts from YAH thread would make a nice "Pilot's guide to the Ooniverse". The tales where the teller has a "Press Space Commander" moment would go in the Obituary Section of course...

[Cody]

Very cool idea, DH.

[Zireael]

Very cool idea, DH.

Seconded.

[Bugbear]

(I only wish I had the skill with words that some of the authors here have)

Uscequus.

It's been a rough few jumps for me. Ever since I shot down Ern D'erculs, causing him to eject and storm off in a huff, I've been suffering a fugitive headhunter ambushing me every time I jump into a system in this south east corner of Galaxy 3.

So far we're about 3-all...maybe I should stop collecting his escape pod for the insurance, but I think there's a gentleman's agreement in play here - either that or a mutual insurace scam, at least it would be if I didn't have to keep on buying escape pods...

Today I find myself in Uscequus - Lobsters and Earthquakes. These guys have an odd way of showing appreciation. Let me explain...

After dealing with that damned headhunter, I started the long haul to the system station, but I found myself being constantly mass locked behind a convoy of Asps and Sidewinders. 'There's got to be a way around this' I though, so checking the compass, I spied a Rock Hermit in system. A good opportunity to pick up some cheap metals.

The hermit was towards the sun, and thankfully, away from the convoy, so once they were off scanner, it was torus drive all the way. Once I got there, I was confused. There were an awful number of asteroids on screen, and an unexpected amount of traffic. To my suprise, I was seeing two navigation buoys! A bit of searching and I was seeing two hermits within a couple of kays of each other! Double bonus!!!

The hermit closer to the sun must have been a bit of a piss-head, cause he was offering well above market rates for my liquor. I sense another opportunity here.

Hightailing it to the main station, I picked up as much grog as I could lay my hands on. Within a few minutes I was back at the rock hermit ready to make what I thought was going to be a welcome delivery.

Hell, I only thought a bit of style was in order so I lined up my trusty Boa with the docking bay and feathered the injectors all the way in. Turns out the hermit must have been a bit of an angry drunk, 'cause as soon as I docked, I was slapped with a 300cr bill and found myself doing time cleaning the dock.

I never will understand these lobsters...

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

Location: galaxy one
Planet: Inera, a level 14 planet in the eastern quadrant
Objective: tour galaxy 1 and vist all level 13 and higher planets while staying 1 step ahead of galcop.
Situation: It is a quiet evening, just pulling my dinner pack out of the rejuvenator when the red alert claxon goes off... Doing a quick scan, I see that there is a fugitive python with an escort of several sidewinder types, a mamba and gecko forming an advanced screen. They are attacking a hapless Python until they register my ship, they quickly finish off the Python and turn to me. My indicators turn red just as the first volley hits the ship. Being low on fuel and missiles, I turn into them anyway and ignite the front mil laser 'til it glowed red... taking out the gecko ( I really hate those, nimble and hard to hit), I target the mamba while turning slightly to port.. he is within 2 kilometers and my shields are going down fast, then I get the message that the bounty for the mamba is awarded.. I take a quick look and my whole side of the ship is green with pieces of the mambas' hull flying in all directions. the sidewinders make a fast run and turn to get on my tail... only to have a greeting committee of bright orange subspeed globes hammering their shields. Turning, they take off and disappear into the void. The Fugitive Python is busy picking up scattered containers and is slow to respond to my first missle. He manages to ECM the missile before it hits but he is now aware of my barreling down on him with the front mil laser screeching it's bolts against his hull.
I notice a number plasma leaks as he turns to run. I hit the ejectors and come up along side within 5 km of him angling in to close the distance.... I watch my side erupt in a green glow while the Python twists and turns in a vain attempt to escape.. His fate is sealed and his doom comes quickly. I take my time gathering up the 40 tonnes of containers that I can carry, leaving many more tumbling into the black void, before getting back to my table for a late dinner. Several minutes later, I get a quick printout that all repairs to the ship have been made and once again I am nearly 100%. Only my military grade iron hide is left unrepaired, so I will need to put into the nearest station to effect the repairs.
I make port at Inera, get the iron hide repaired, the cargo offloaded and register my new vessel with the sector authorities: Alpha Caud: 'Calypso'.


Yah-Ta-Hey

[DaddyHoggy]

Right on Commander!

[Cody]

A worthy tale indeed... may your long-lances fly straight and true, brother sky warrior.

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

As yours Brother. I look to the day that there will be a Personalities2.oxp for the new and upcoming warriors. Then we all ride the stars together. Until then, Rolling Thunder is ever present in my shadow dreams.
Yah-Ta-hey

[Cody]

To the tune of 'Hot Rod Lincoln', by Commander Cody and his Lost Planet Airmen.

• Pulled out of Diriis late one night
  The moon and stars were shining bright
  Had me a hold full of megaweed
  And I knew a planet that had the need
  
  I hit the boost, headed for the leap
  Once in the tube, I’d get some sleep
  But those damn Vipers came out to play
  Left me wondering if I’d get away
  
  As the clock ran down, I thought I could make it
  If only my battered shields could take it
  But as the count hit one, I took a heavy blow
  A bloody Interceptor puttin’ on a show
  
  Got knocked aside as the wormhole gaped
  Caused a mis-jump, but hey, I’d escaped
  Next thing I know, there’s bugs to fight
  And breakers to blow… oh what a sight
  
  I took them down, all warships five
  Badly damaged, but I’m still alive
  Blew the breakers, one, two, three
  Damn well lost one… oh stupid me
  
  A frantic search of interstellar space
  Left me thinking that I’d lost the race
  At last I checked the short range chart
  And saw a sight that cheered my heart
  
  Right next to me, within a light year
  Zaquesso loomed, and brought good cheer
  I had just enough fuel, with none to spare
  And whooping wildly, I jumped out of there
  
  Next thing I know, I’m skimming the sun
  Then off to Artear… man, what a run
  I torused in and docked at speed
  Before them Vipers could draw a bead
  
  I sold my weed for a princely sum
  Then hit the bar, and ordered rum
  Got thoroughly drunk… could barely stand
  But what the heck, I’d made three grand!

[Ganelon]

And your daddy said his son is going to drive him to tranqing
if you don't stop flauntin' that Elite...
Combateer..
Ranking.

LOL

[Cody]

I’ve been running a sort of elliptical patrol route between Xele and Zaquesso recently, offering my services as an unpaid escort. I pulled out of Xele station this morning, loaded for bear but with an empty hold, and loitered around waiting for a free wormhole… soon enough a Cobra MkI launched and jumped to Tirizaan. I followed him through, and came across a poor Sidewinder escort with two missiles spiralling inwards around him, while he weaved and dodged desperately. I injectored in and ecm’d the missiles for him, then set-about the Moray that had been attacking him… that disgorged four or five cargo pods, which I happily scooped. I left the MkI in the company of the Sidewinder, and headed in-system, engaging and splashing a few bandits along the way (and ‘duelling’ with a scavenger MkIII for the pods), only to find a right royal furball occuring in station space. Being a model citizen, I waded-in and assisted the Vipers… took a few kills, then to my delight I saw a fugitive Anaconda launch. I’ve been in space for almost 2,400 ship days, but never yet killed an Anaconda… I have never operated as a pirate, you see. So my eyes lit-up and I went for him, while a Griff Krait was chewing-up my aft shields… he in turn was being hit by Viper fire… that’s a furball for you. Anyway, I gutted the Anaconda, came about and finished-off the Griff Krait, went back for the Anaconda’s pods (loads of them), then set about a few other brawlers. When I eventually docked, I had thirty cargo pods aboard, and twelve more kills on my tally… a deeply satisfying patrol.

[DaddyHoggy]

Right On Commander!

(I really must find the time to start playing again!)