Tales from the spacelanes...

[Jack_Sterling]

What-ho chaps, Sterling here.
The maiden voyage of my Cobra Mk III 'Bulldog One' was largely a great success if a little eventful at one point.
Only 100Cr, what! Not enough, so I sold my missiles to raise more cash and bought some Ale to take to Zaonce. By avoiding the 'lanes I was able to get there quickly and safely and made a small but welcome profit. I bought computers there and headed for Bemaera which looked like a likely market for those.
I dropped out of witchspace and noticed three ships near the beacon, about 1500k away and above my starboard side. Their scanner flags were yellow, and as I was mass-locked I set course for the planet and engaged full speed. The other ships started moving towards me and I sensed trouble. Two of the scanner flags turned red, and my aft shields took a hit. Being brand new, 'Bulldog One' is a standard model, with just a forward pulse laser and no defences to speak of, and these vagabonds meant business. I had no option but to try and deter them as best I could. I stopped and turned to face them...two Sidewinders and a Python. I opened fire on one of the Sidewinders, which eventually turned and moved away. I turned to the second one and opened fire. This one didn't turn and after what seemed like an age it exploded to my great satisfaction.
However as I re-targeted the first Sidewinder again, I detected a missile launch. I turned through 180 degrees and engaged full speed watching the missile close in on me on the scanner. There was clearly to be no escape, but there was still a slim chance. As the missile approached I started ducking and weaving vigourously, and by Jove it worked! The missile took out the aft shields and an energy bank, but I survived.
The Python and other Sidewinder hadn't given up though and opened fire on me. Again I turned to face them and fired at the Sidewinder. We were close now and I could see him starting to throw sparks. Somehow despite the poor odds this battle was going my way....until they launched another missile. The energy banks had re-charged, but aft shields were out and front shields were at half-strength at best. The blackguards had got me! Press Space.
I picked up from Zaonce, and the next time had an un-eventful run to Bemaera, from where I went to Ensoreus, and settled into a milk run between these two. There were no further incidents, and I ended the sortie with a Large Cargo Bay and just over 1000Cr to buy some cargo with. A spiffing start!
Tally Ho!

Bulldog One launching from Lave Coriolis on her maiden flight

[maik]

Nice start, SmivsCommander Sterling!

[Cmdr. Maegil]

This brings to mind another discussion - the one about Oolite being hard on the beginners. If an old spacer can get the ol' "Press Space" in their re-maiden voyage, how frustrating must it be for the real young Jameson?... But there's plenty about that in other threads, let's not hijack this one too.

Good hunting, Commander Sterling!

[RyanHoots]

Well, there I was, in my Cobby Mk1, cargo bay full of Computers, flying towards the planet at full speed, when I see a Python with two escorts, all of them offenders. My Cobby's pretty well armed, Mil lasers on the front and Beam on the back, plus some defensive equipment (not much, though). I decided to attack the Python.
It went very well. After redlining my forward laser on him, I turned around and gave him a taste of my rear gun. He bit the spacedust before long. His escorts, a Sidewinder and a Mamba, were shot down one by one. Surprisingly, they hadn't turned red until I attacked them. It look they were in a fight already. I identified one of their three attackers, a Cobra Mk3. But, surprisingly, it was an offender!
I fired, thinking about my good luck, and that I was top dog cat in the fight, but after blowing up the Cobby, I leaned that his two Fer-de-Lance friends with beam lasers and Offender status weren't happy. After my energy banks were drained thanks to ECM and enemy fire, I ran on injectors, firing with my rear lasers, hoping that they would run.
One of them did. The other must have had a grudge against me, because after redlining my rear gun on him, he was still chasing.
I deactivated my fuel injectors, and turned to face him. My rear shields were gone, but my energy banks were almost back and my fore shields were full strength. I was ready to die. I fired on him with my forward guns, and he exploded almost instantly. I was relieved. After scooping some cargo to replace the destroyed computers, I started my journey back to the Coriolis station.

[ClymAngus]

Yes well as a paid up member of UK Steampunk, the official line on this kind of action and scant trivialisation of this Sceptred Isle is, of course;

Poop poop! Chin chin and tally ho!

What? You expected Derogatory? From ME? Never! This is a wonderful example of a fine young gentleman sowing his wild (and fantastically well breed) oats to the cosmos. I see nothing but a good, hard and stiff upper lippage in this flyers immediate future!

Mines a Darjeeling.

Cheers!

[Jack_Sterling]

Evening, Gents.
Time for another de-brief - all is well and progress is brisk. So far I've been playing a cagey game, avoiding the spacelanes and concentrating on trade. Truth is this Ace hasn't got a single kill to his name yet, but I have been concentrating on raising some cash to start equipping Bulldog One.
I've started kitting-out the old crate now - she was pretty basic to start with. I've bought a large cargo bay, fuel injectors, ECM, fuel scoops and an advanced space compass so far and aim to add some heat shielding as soon as possible. I've also upgraded the old girl's guns...she now has a forward Beam Laser.
So, time to spread my wings a bit, what! But first, a bit of sight-seeing. As I'm still in the bottom-left corner of G1 I decided to go pay my respects to the departed, and made my way to Tionisla.
The trip there was pleasant, and after re-fuelling at the main station, I launched and headed for the Sun. Before long I found myself approaching the Orbital Graveyard. A most impressive sight, indeed!
I eased in amongst the monuments, and a wave of emotion overcame me. All those great Commanders, sadly no longer with us. Will I ever be worthy of a place here?
I made a pot of Tea, sat back in the cockpit couch and put 'Nimrod' on the speakers, and just soaked-up the whole experience.
All too soon it was time to move on, and I left the Graveyard, making my way back to the main station. Where to go next? Well, according to some of the chaps back in the ready-room the Tianve Pulsar is worth a look, so maybe it's time for a longer haul.
I'm game for it and Bulldog One is now up for a scrap or two if we happen upon any bogies, so Tianve it is! I'll report in from time to time as I can.
Oh, and Barkeep, a pint of your best for Mr Angus!
Sterling signing off.

The Tionisla Orbital Graveyard

[DaddyHoggy]

A jolly spiffing update Sterling old boy.

Fancy a game of tiddlywinks when you pass this way (Diso Constore - Level 23)?

[ClymAngus]

Ding dong, to that sir!

[Jack_Sterling]

What-ho Chaps, Sterling here.
Well half way to Tianve now, and things are getting a bit more lively! I'm doing some trade en route and have continued to equip the old Kite. She has heat shielding, an extra energy unit and an aft beam laser now.
I also had a run-in with some rum character in an Asp...my first real combat experience. He fell in behind me while I was making for the planet and sat on my six for quite a while. Eventually I gave the old injectors a nudge to see if I could shake him off, and his response was to inject up much closer behind me and open fire on me. Scramble! I lined up the aft laser and emptied the magazine at him. He launched a missile and then turned and fled! Yellow-bellied blighter! The ECM took care of the missile, and I was free to continue on my way to the planet.
***Top Secret Intelligence***
I've also discovered there are Bugs out there! I'd overlooked a maintenance overhaul on Bulldog One, and one jump went pear-shaped, leaving me in interstellar space. I was surrounded by six ships of an unfamiliar configuration - strange green and red octagons. These were certainly not your normal Bandits!
I didn't like the look of these characters at all, but was fortunate in having enough fuel to complete my jump. I hit the jump engines just in time. These bogies opened fire and their weapons were ripping Bulldog One apart with their strange green beams. I jumped out just in time.
At first I didn't report this incident as I thought the authorities would think I'd been hallucinating, or just lost the old marbles, but having heard other chaps mention them, I thought it best to report in.
Life out here in the 'lanes is never boring, is it, and there are certainly some jolly japes to be had.
Sterling signing off.

[Jack_Sterling]

Sterling here, reporting from Tianve.
It's been a long journey from Tionisla, and Me and the old Kite have had a few adventures along the way. I've been continuing to trade and have added some more equipment to Bulldog One, who has an extra energy unit and a scanner targeting enhancement now. I've also added an aft beam laser as the old girl needed some more teeth.
And we did need them as well. We were passing through Beor system, a tech level six agricultural world when we were set upon by two ruffians, in a Moray and a Sidewinder. The Moray came at me from 10 O'Clock and opened fire without warning so I turned and emptied the forward gun's magazine at him. He exploded just as the laser was about to overheat. Both he and the 'winder had been peppering my hull because being a gung-ho sort of chap I'd been closing on him at full speed, and by the time I bagged him the Sidewinder was behind me, so I switched to the aft gun and opened up on him. He exploded in a ball of flame. I had my first two kills under my belt. Two scoundrels who the Ooniverse won't miss.
Victory was mine, but at a cost. Shields were low and the energy banks were slowly recovering - I was down to one. And the blighters had damaged my nice new extra energy unit.
I set course for the station and engaged the torus drive until I was masslocked a short distance from the station. Two ships engaged in a dogfight! I received a mayday from the Cobra Mk 3, and realised the Krait was the agressor, so targeted it. He was a fugitive, and was roughing up the Cobra quite badly, so I had to do the decent thing. I opened fire. The Krait turned back and opened up on me in turn and we exchanged fire for a second or two until he blew.
I gave the other Cobra pilot a friendly wave and then carried on to the planet with no further incident.
A few hops later and I arrived at Tianve. By Jingo that's a strange system. The nebulae glow vividly due to the pulsar, and as you approach the station there are massive billboards, and fleets of tourist liners everywhere. A bit over-commercialised for my taste, but clearly very popular.
On final approach I was hailed by some filly by the name of Rebecca Weston, who seemed to know me and said she'll be keeping an eye on me. "Ding Dong!" I thought.
After a quick pit stop I launched and headed out to the pulsar. Quite a long tedious trip really, as I was constantly being mass-locked by tourist ships, but worth it. The Tianve pulsar is a most impressive sight indeed!
After a while I set course back to the main station and docked there. I have not yet decided where to go next, so I may stay here for a few days. What-ho, I might even look-up that totty I met outside the station. What was her name? Rebecca, that's it. Who knows where that might lead......
Toodle pip,
Sterling out.

Click on the images to enlarge them.

Arrival at Tianve Main





The Tianve pulsar

[Cmdr. Maegil]

Hi, Jack

Although it's generally accepted that there's no better food than one's own mum's food, we all know that while some countries are famous for their culinary others are downright infamous for their eating habits.

So, while the very idea gives me goosebumps (I fancy myself kind of a travelling gourmet), you may have use for this - even if only for nostalgia...

[drew]

Good to see the ol' pulsar is still ..er.. pulsing... ol' bean.

You're right, Tianve completely bally spoilt by all the bloody tourists, dreadful state of affairs, who's responsible for that I'd like to know, someone should write a stiffly worded letter, frightfully bad show.

As for Ms. Weston, all I can say is - you lucky blighter! I'd recommend an immediate 'Chocks away!' and 'Tally Bally Ho!'

Howdo,

Drew.

[Zrg Zkx]

I am an alien.

As in a foreigner, that is, the like of whom you may or may not have ever met.

I have come here from a long ways away. Now, you may have heard such stories before, or you may not be interested; I could hardly hold it against you if you ignored me. But if you'd like to know how it all came about, do draw a chair, and listen to an old sailor spinning his yarn. Bring your drink, and help yourself to some of my pipe-weed, those of you who like such stuff and are of age.

I come from a different part of the galaxy, that, as I realise only too well, may be considered inimical by the inhabitants of the Ooniverse. Let me hasten to add that I came here with no hostile intention at all, rather perchance ending up here, as it was, through no cunning of mine.

Once I was a trader, like so many of you. I started out in a very small ship. A ten-ton vessel, like the Cobra Mark I you have around here, maybe, if a tad slower. And, by your reckoning, this was nearly a thousand years ago. How so, you'll say, smiling to yourself and thinking the old guy is having you on. I'm not. The only explanation I can think of is that that last wormhole sent me tumbling not only through space but through time as well. Sounds incredible, I know, and I can hardly believe it myself. But here I am, still alive, and on my way to being a trader again.

But I am getting ahead of myself. I was, back then, not particularly successful in trading, to own the truth. I kept getting side-tracked by my curiosity for remote star systems, and ever so often I left the profitable trade-routes behind on some kind of fool's errand. I've been places that way, make no mistake, but it didn't pay.

Still, one day I had made enough money to buy a bigger ship. A ship, well, if one may call it that ... salvaged from a space junk heap by a backwater ship-yard, which hardly deserved the name, it had nevertheless been outfitted with some younger-than-neolithic technology, and it offered thrice the hold space. Did that help make me a successful trader, you may ask? Not in the least, unfortunately, it only got me deeper into trouble.

Some day, in one of those seedy space bars, I happened to come across a less-than-salubrious looking chap, who insisted on buying me a drink, and wanted me to consider his offer. Well, I could hardly say no once I had grudgingly accepted the ale. Had I heard about this sector of space where an insurrection was about to take place, he asked, and was I willing to take some risk for a possibly quite substantial profit? Down at heel as I was, I do admit I let myself be drawn into this, and before I knew I it -- I was gun-running federation blockades for the rebels! After a while, when they knew they could trust me, they asked my to join their cause.

Well, to cut a long story short, the rebellion did happen, the oppressive government was overthrown, the enslaved people were indeed liberated, and we did make peace with their spiritual ancestors. It was by no fault of mine that I got decorated after the final battle, no sir. We were victorious, and I had played my part, but I left the realm of the New Order soon after that.

With - finally - some money in my pocket, I had bought a small, fast, well-built ship. Not new, mind you, just a few years further away from the scrap-heap. And I took to exploring the galaxy. This was what had incited me to leave my home planet in the first place, as I realise now in my old age, and this was what I was going to do from now on. Sailing under distant stars, between the strange suns never before visited by my kind.

It was after only a few months that I noticed the ship wasn't going to last. She was a tough one, and no mistake, but she weren't built for this kind of journey. We'd hit some rough patches, once in a while, and it began to show. Now, out there in space there were no hyper-gates, of course, so we had to run the worm-holes as we found them. And that last one we hit, what with the navigation tools already malfunctioning and all, it blasted us right here ...

And this is the end of my story. A sailor turned rebel turned explorer, lost on an unknown sea, I ended up a fugee here in your neck of the woods. My ship fell to pieces soon after we arrived. I was rescued by a friendly captain who even managed to scoop up some of my cargo flotsam. It's all in storage now, as I am looking to set out again under new suns. Maybe I can arrange with the proprietor to stock some of the spirits I brought ... then y'all can have a drink on me. Cheers.

[Cmdr. Maegil]

Cheers, stranger!

Thanks for the drink, and for your tale; I hope you fare better here as a trader than back at home...
If, otherwise, you still have the the flame of Liberty burning in your heart, I might have a job for such a grizzled veteran as yourself.

By the way, welcome to the friendliest board this side of Riedquat!

[Jack_Sterling]

What a tale! Old chap you are in good company for many of us started elsewhere and arrived here by mis-chance or accident.
For my part I was swallowed-up by a strange blue vortex that opened up right in front of me as I was bearing down on a Heinkel over London in 1940. Next thing I knew I was in orbit around a planet called Leesti, and the Spitfire's engine was sputtering in vacuum!
Luckily I was scooped by a Scavenger before my air ran out, and since then I used the money I made selling my tale to train at the academy. I'm now trying to find my feet in this strange place just as you are.
But fear not old chap, you'll find some good friends and have some jolly good times. Just watch out for the bandits on your six.
Tally-Ho!