Tales from the spacelanes...

[Commander Xvyto]

So, I was testing an oxp I'm writing. As I witchspace into Esenis in G4, I'm jumped by two Geckos and a Mamba. I had added the spawning code so I could make sure that their role was being recognized by the game. I hadn't remembered that I had upped their stats.
I turned and ripped through one of the Geckos. However, as this happened, the Mamba stripped my rear shields to nothing, leaving me with one and a half energy bars left. Spinning around so the two leftover ships would have to deal with my full front shields, I targeted the Mamba and launched a hardhead. It went from red to yellow on my scanner. I turned again, and shot down the second Gecko. I turned once more, just in time to see my hardhead get ECM'd and the Mamba launch an Interdictor mine. "Target lost," and "Ident system locked," messages filled my screen, making it hard to aim. However, his fatal mistake was facing the wrong way. I shot his unprotected back, and the Mamba went down.
Kills: 3
Damage: Only hull, no equipment
As a bonus, the code was working and gave me some excitement.

[Cody]

Pulled out of Atredi on a test run, but as often happens, I got sidetracked. A rustbucket Python (named Contrary, I think) launched right after me, and on a whim I followed it and dived into its wormhole blind, not knowing where it was headed. It was headed for interstellar space, as it happened - a rare npc misjump, taking me with it. Cue a nasty little furball with Thargoids, and I was taking a right slappin’ when I saw the Python jump out - luckily this particular midway-point was right close to Aquti so it obviously had the fuel. I quickly broke-off from battling warships, drones, and jammers and dived into the Python’s wormhole on injectors - next stop, Aquti and hopefully back to the test run. An aptly-named Python, was that!

[Diziet Sma]

First Day on the Job - aka - Baptism of Fire

It had been a tough slog, to reach this point. Even before I'd ever climbed into the pilot seat of a Cobra Mk III, I'd dreamed of becoming a bounty hunter, tracking down miscreants across the 8, and dishing out justice with my lasers.

White-knuckled and sweating, I'd managed to survive the docking practice runs, so I set out into the Ooniverse, to trade my way to all the high-tech kit I'd need for my chosen profession. Month after month of mind-numbingly boring milk-runs passed, hauling computers one way, furs and booze the other, to pay for the basic gear needed to make life in the trading lanes a little less hazardous. Hardhead missiles, an extra energy bank, an escape capsule, docking computers, injectors, and so on.

I stayed clear of the main space-lanes, avoiding combat as much as possible. Damage and missiles cost money I could ill afford to lose, so I only fought when I couldn't run. Even with this attitude, my combat rating slowly climbed, life in space being what it is.

Later came some of the nice-to-have equipment, an advanced space compass, heat shielding and a fuel scoop, and a few other bits and pieces, but my main goal was saving up enough cash that I could afford to take on some of the hauling contracts I'd heard about. I steadily built up a reputation for prompt delivery, and finally began to be offered the really lucrative contracts, transporting precious metals and gems, only to learn, to my chagrin, that I still couldn't afford the larger, high-paying gigs. So I took on multiple smaller jobs, to build up enough of a kitty that I could afford to plunk 50,000 - 100,000 credits down on the big contracts that might return anywhere from 30-60% profit or more.

Along the way, I'd gradually added various items to "Attitude Adjuster", the rather presumptuous name I'd given my trusty Cobra Mk III. A front Military laser, a beam laser aft, mil-grade ironhide armour, shield boosters, a targeting memory expansion, etc.

Then the day came when I'd offloaded almost 5 tonnes of platinum, at a hefty profit, at Xexeti, a typical TL 3 Anarchy of the type which seems to be the favourite destination of cargoes like mine, and I happened to notice that just a few lightyears away was a spick and span TL12 Commie system called Onlema.

Taking stock of my situation, I realised I now had over half a million credits to my name, and a combat rating of Above Average(127). Perhaps it was time to begin my real job..

I jumped across to Onlema and started spending money as if it were water.. all the good stuff I'd been drooling over in the Ship Chandlers catalogues for so long was going to be mine!

Before long my bank account was almost 300,000 credits lighter, but now I had a military shield enhancement, an anti-missile system and darts, a bounty scanner, a military injector upgrade, a chaff dispenser, a police IFF scanner, a self-repair system, fore and aft shield capacitors, a shield equaliser, a sniperlock system, and some other good stuff. I was ready to take on the Ooniverse!

I jumped back to Xexiti and dialed up the local Seedy Space Bar on my ASC. It was named, with a distinct lack of imagination, "A Seedy Space Bar". Somehow this seemed to me a fitting place to begin my new career, so I locked in a course, and in short order was docked at the Bar. Despite my 'Outsider" status, the system seemed willing enough to offer me a contract, and before long the details arrived in my email.

Principal "Thunder Missile" McGreavy was awaiting her destruction in the Esgerean System, only four or five hops away, on the other side of the infamous "Devil's Triangle", a trio of Anarchy systems. I don't even recall the meal I had at the bar before leaving, so intent was I on my very first mission.

Researching my target en-route, I learned that Esgerean was an average industrial dictatorship, TL 10, with about 4 billion human colonials living dirtside. "Shouldn't be too bad", I thought.. "might meet a bit of opposition, but nothing too stiff"..

I sun-skimmed all the way, and arrived at Esgerean ready for a rumble.. or so I thought.

I pointed myself at the Station Nav Beacon, and kicked in the Torus Drive.. I knew it wouldn't be long before I was mass-locked, and I was right.. an Astrofactory, and a couple of ships. The Police IFF showed them to be clean, but I ID'd them, to be sure my mark was not one of 'em, and to have them programmed into my targeting comp, just in case. A few asteroids were drifting about, but that was all.. I realigned with the Nav Beacon, and was about to inject clear, when a couple of ships appeared near the port edge of the scanner. Offenders, according to the police IFF.

Whipping the Attitude Adjuster around to ID them, I noticed another Offender pop up behind me. As I ID'd the first ship, a Gecko, the red alert alarm sounded. The ship behind me had locked on. Muttering grimly, I ID'd the second ship, a Sidewinder, before turning my attention to the newcomer. Before I'd even completed the turn, I heard my shields screech as they absorbed incoming laser fire. The Target Autolock identified the incoming fire as coming from a Python.

Pythons can be a royal pain in the ass, so I resolved to take him out before dealing with the two smaller ships. As I lined up on the incoming Python, the Sidewinder and Gecko opened up on me from behind. Ignoring them, since they were barely scratching my shields, I carefully poured laser fire into the Python until the overheat alarm went off. As he passed overhead, he fired a pair of missiles, but I'd been ready for that, and slapped the ECM three times in quick succession.

I chopped the throttle and pushed down hard, spinning the ship around before feeding in the juice again as I came up behind him. He was a slippery customer, jinking and dodging frantically, as I struggled to get him into my sights. His friends continued pouring fire into me all the while, and I could hear the crackling buzz as the capacitors dumped their charge into the depleted shields. I kept a wary eye on the read-outs of the Numeric HUD I'd had installed long ago, but the mil-spec shields were coping well.

When I glanced at the scanner, it was rather more crowded than before.. there seemed to be several more asteroids, and a couple of extra ships had appeared. Naturally, they too were designated in red. "So, it's a party you guys want, huh?" I growled as the incoming fire stepped up a notch. Now my shields were starting to feel the effect, so I locked a hardhead onto the Python, and sent it off to keep him occupied for a bit while I attended to his mates.

I injected straight at the newcomers, and noticed as I passed that one was a Fer-de-lance. He lobbed a missile at me in passing, which smashed into my forward shield before I could react. The capacitors and equaliser were working overtime, but they were doing a fine job. Nothing was getting through, and the shields were regenerating faster than I'd expected.

Turning, I got a lock on the Ferdy's friend, a Moray, and started chewing away at his shields. As I did so, it occurred to me that the scanner had even more red blobs on it than it did before. Concluding that this worrying development would have to wait, I concentrated my fire on the Moray, and was pleased to see him explode. I was less pleased about the two missiles he launched before dying, but a couple of taps of the ECM killed one, and the other was soaked up by my forward shield. I was beginning to feel quite fond of those military shields!

A quick count of the red markers revealed nine or ten ships, all of whom seemed to object to my presence. There were even a couple of yellow 'clean' markers now, but they appeared to be doing their best to quietly back out of the room they'd blundered into.

The situation devolved into a furball of whirling, twisting ships as I struggled to maintain a bead on anything long enough to kill it. The Python drifted across my sights again, still running from the hardhead I'd launched, so I gave him a blast which left him venting plasma before my laser overheated. I zoomed the scanner in to try and reduce the clutter, and tried to concentrate on one target at a time.

My shields started taking a pounding, and no matter how violently I manoeuvred, I couldn't shake the incoming fire. I injectored away from the group, which broke their lock, and while waiting for the shields to regenerate, ID'd some more of my attackers. There were two Ferdy's, and two Morays, a couple of Sidewinders, and that damned Gecko was still there as well.

I love those shields! Man, they regen so fast! In what seemed like no time at all I was back in the fray. The Python came under my guns, and died within seconds. The Target Autolock immediately latched onto a Ferdy that was firing at me, so he was the next to feel my wrath. He twisted and writhed like the snake he was named after, but I kept on him relentlessly, chipping away at his shields a little at a time. After I splashed him, I changed tactics, hammering on any ship that crossed my path, not really using my targeting systems at all. I lobbed another hardhead at one of the Ferdy's, when he began to annoy me too much.

At one point my shields were down to around 15%, both fore and aft. I suspect this was the shield equalisers at work. During the entire battle the buzzing of the capacitors and equalisers was almost constant. I injected away again, and soon was back to strength.

The whirling cluster of ships continued, spinning, twisting, with me in the middle, taking fire from all sides and trying desperately to hold my own, whilst simultaneously doing my best to even the odds. Some of the pirates must have broken away and run, but at the time all I noticed was that suddenly there were less enemy than there had been, giving me time to concentrate on one ship at a time. Four ships remaining, then three. Two, one, and finally I was alone..

Feeling like I'd just spent half an hour in a tumble-dryer, I set course for the station, resuming my hunt for the mark I'd been sent to kill. Wondering what on earth would be next, to be sure, but with greatly strengthened faith in the abilities of my ship.

The run to the station was uneventful, and there was no sign of my target. Sighing, I turned, lined up on the witchpoint beacon, and set off along the lane, ID'ing every ship I saw, but in vain.

Reaching the Astrofactory, I noticed a number of Offenders loafing about. None of them were my mark, of course, but they did turn out to be the regrouped survivors of my earlier encounter. They were also willing to do battle, it seemed.

They fought well, but they died. Reaching the beacon, I turned for my third pass along the spacelane. This time, there was no opposition waiting at the factory. I reached the main station again, uneventfully. Wondering how long I was going to have to keep this up, I about-faced again, and set off for the witchpoint beacon. I encountered a couple of traders being attacked by a pair of Cobra MkI's.. Soon there were two more dead pirates.

A little before I reach the factory again, a lone Offender appeared on my scanner. Resignedly, I ID the ship. It's my mark! They're off about 15km, and sitting dead centre in my SniperLocked sights, apparently heading straight at me, since my target lock holds.

I squeeze the trigger on my stick, and three seconds later there's a small explosion.

My comms show Ms McGreavy first insulted me, then offered to bargain for her life. I didn't even notice the messages until after it was over. It has to be the most anti-climactic kill I've ever made.

Only as I'm setting up the nav-puter for the jump out of system, does it dawn on me.. there was a Rock Hermit located in the asteroids near that Astrofactory.. I'd blundered right into a Pirate Cove!

My rating was now Competent(139). With one exception, the last dozen were the toughest kills of my life. Jumping to Riraes, in the Devil's Triangle, I report to the Seedy Space Bar there, "The Fat Feline". I was now officially a "Recruit"! I collect my 440 credits, and order an Inzaqumaian Mallard Souffle, washed down with a tankard of wicked strength goat blood. It goes down well, and I idly watch the local Vacuum Cricket Charity Match, as I ponder my next mark.. one Rabbi Brynison. He and his MkI Cobby won't know what hit them..

[pagroove]

Very good stories everyone but the last story is well written .

[Cody]

Very good stories everyone but the last story is well written :).

Yeah... Diz will be writing Oofic soon!

[Diziet Sma]

Very good stories everyone but the last story is well written .

Yeah... Diz will be writing Oofic soon!

Why, thank you, gentlemen..

It was quite an epic battle.. made worse by a few episodes of 10FPS that fortunately came and went. To be honest, as I was writing it, I was amazed at how easily I remembered the details of the fight. And it helped that I had a notebook handy to record all those necessary little background factoids that make the story more interesting.

[SandJ]

Only as I'm setting up the nav-puter for the jump out of system, does it dawn on me... there was a Rock Hermit located in the asteroids near that Astrofactory... I'd blundered right into a Pirate Cove!

Well done!

[SandJ]

Resurrection!

At the end of a testing session, rather than just quit, I prefer to die, either by crashing or Q-Bombing myself.

Sitting outside a particular station which is fitted with turrets, and surrounded by asteroids, I hit the Energy Bomb prior to deciding what method of auto-termination to adopt.

The space station took exception to being Energy Bombed and before I realised what was going on, it had blasted my ship away using its turrets. In the second or so it took, the half a dozen systems were damaged or destroyed, including the damn auto-eject! What's the chances?

So I died.

And when you die, you get switched to the rear view and head off backwards.

And so I did, right into the docking port of the station that killed me.

I am now docked, and alive.

Kewl!

On launching I discover I have been resurrected in the main station. (So I Q-Bombed that instead.)

A bug, I suspect, but one so rare and unlikely that it was worth it for the novelty value.

[CaptSolo]

Arrived Xexdi in chart 1, clean for a change. May I add that my modified version of Galactic Navy has it's SecCom here for sector 3. So, exiting witchspace, the fleet was there as expected. Started in system when a large number of hostiles showed up. Great, I thought, I'll help out the Navy and injected to close quarters and splashed three of the brigands when all of a sudden I hear a BIG BOOM! What the frack was that? Then I see the scanner, which was crowded before, is now nearly clear except for some very hot navy vessels closing in after ME! So I check my legal rating. What the frack? I am a fugitive?! I checked my flight log (thank you Thargoid) and it reports I have 16 kills! That can't be right!

Now a couple Navy Asps, or whatever they were, are not going bring me to grief, but it is futile to make matters worse. Let me add that I have never purchased an energy bomb or Q-mine. Whatever happened to the fleet was not my doing. I think it was the Underworld Kingpins trying to get their revenge on me. I will stand by that till my dying day. Meanwhile, I got clear and hypered out of there toot sweet.

[xzanfr]

I spent the whole of Friday building flat pack furniture and by 6pm all I wanted was to have a few pints of hobgoblin and a fly of my PCC
All was going well and I was making my way around the left hand third of galaxy 2 when I was set upon by a pirate fleet consisting of 2 imperial couriers and a few assorted escort ships. I'd had trouble before with couriers and, to be honest, only downloaded the oxp as I was thinking of trading up from my PCC not realising that they would actually appear in game and repeatedly kick my ass - schoolboy error!
Now 1 pint of hobgoblin in to the fight I managed to destroy one on the IC's... I was pleased. Next I set upon the 3 or so escorts which, while tricky, were defeated following a further beer. Finally the last IC lay in my path. Another beer had hone my senses (!) and it took what felt like an hour to destroy it. I was left with no shields and a tiny ammount of power - my cargo had been pretty much destroyed and the auto repair system was working flat out.
I turned to my Mrs and explained the amazing feat that I had performed - clearly not understanding the weight of the situation she simply shrugged and claimed that "it's not real" as I looked back at the screen to see my very damaged ship pile in to the IC's cargo canisters followed closely by the 3 missiles that I had not seen!
<press space, commander>

The lessons to be learned from this encounter are:
1. don't drink and fly - at best you play the game later wondering where you are and why you've got so many missions; At worst you've poured beer over your keyboard / laptop.
2. Your other half doesn't care in the slightest what you've been up to!!

[Fatleaf]

Funny story xzanfr. But that would definitely qualify you for the Darwin Award thread!

[Smivs]

Your other half doesn't care in the slightest what you've been up to!!

That doesn't matter, you are still a hero. You can assemble flat-pack furniture!

[xzanfr]

Funny story xzanfr. But that would definitely qualify you for the Darwin Award thread!

Sorry Fatleaf, I should have checked that thread out first as its a bit more fitting for my useless endevours!

That doesn't matter, you are still a hero. You can assemble flat-pack furniture!

Unfortunately not as I managed to break the flimsy fitting and had to "supplement the design" with my own screws.... now the doors don't shut properly but at least I can play oolite in a less cluttered room!

[Cody]

.... now the doors don't shut properly

I thought that was standard for flat-packs.

[Smivs]

Yeah, I'd count that as a success