Tales from the spacelanes...

[Commander McLane]

... oh, did I mention that Cevera is a Anarchy? (TL10, Rich Agricultural, home of a race of black furry humanoids).

I'm using my magic skills as a seer to declare that you have Ionics OXP installed.

Players who don't use this OXP will have a different experience of the Cevera system.

[Falcon777]

So, I had just made a decent bit of profit in my little milk run when I got a message from my cousin Benny that he wanted to talk. Vid com.

So, I sauntered over to the nearest intergalactic communications office and dialed in the number he sent me. Man alive, he had the craziest story to tell me. Apparently he had already reached chart 5 and had even managed to acquire a bit of high tech, a stealth system that makes your ship go invisible. I was quite impressed, and then shocked when he told me what he managed to do with it. Apparently he was assigned a mission to help out the planet Edre that was about to be invaded by thargoids. He had already tested out the stealth system against some of his marks within the bounty hunter society, but he was curious if the aliens knew how to detect his ship when cloaked. To his surprise and glee, they didn't. He told me he managed to take down three regular invader ships along with 4 cruisers. Seven kills?!

But that wasn't the best part. My cousin Benny became a local hero when he scooped up the escape pods of three navy officers and four reserve pilots! One was a captain Stdi, another the rear admiral Lereon, and the third the admiral himself, Disole! Between those three officers and the four reserve pilots, my cousin managed to get himself 4875 credits! Plus the bounties he had earned from the thargoids, totaling 6275 credits! I was flabergasted!

Naturally I congratulated my cousin on a job well done and wished him the best. It's making me rethink my own position on only being a bounty hunter. Despite the risks, I think I may just go sign up as a reserve pilot myself. Once I've got that supercobra, that is...

[Zireael]

There is only one thing a pilot can do when seeing this. Run like hell!
That's what I did - and a moment later I could start the Torus drive 'cause they were on the edge of my scanner.

I think it highlights the problem with the Torus as opposed to the TAF. Heck, reminds me I had to test Norby's little Torus-to-TAF tweak.

[Falcon777]

There is only one thing a pilot can do when seeing this. Run like hell!
That's what I did - and a moment later I could start the Torus drive 'cause they were on the edge of my scanner.

I think it highlights the problem with the Torus as opposed to the TAF. Heck, reminds me I had to test Norby's little Torus-to-TAF tweak.

I don't mean to sound like a greenhorn here...but what exactly is that? I've faced my fair share of thargoids, pirates, and even the navy on an unfortunate occasion, and I've never seen or heard of anything like that.

[Zireael]

That's seven pirates. The red lightballs come with the Telescope OXP.

[Pleb]

That's seven pirates. The red lightballs come with the Telescope OXP.

Ah that explains it, because I was wondering what that was as well!

[Smivs]

Seven pirates - run like hell? Yes! Towards them with lasers blazing

[Falcon777]

Seven pirates - run like hell? Yes! Towards them with lasers blazing

Aye aye, Capitan! Full throttle to the thrusters, bearing 12 0 0!

[Ranthe]

Seven pirates - run like hell? Yes! Towards them with lasers blazing

Aye aye, Capitan! Full throttle to the thrusters, bearing 12 0 0!

Initiate attack plan "Quebec": arm Quirium Cascade Mine, ready fuel injectors...

[Falcon777]

Seven pirates - run like hell? Yes! Towards them with lasers blazing

Aye aye, Capitan! Full throttle to the thrusters, bearing 12 0 0!

Initiate attack plan "Quebec": arm Quirium Cascade Mine, ready fuel injectors...

Quirium Cascade Mine armed and waiting for your signal, Fuel injectors readied, waiting for you signal, Capitan!

[Cody]

A tale of the dice: I took a virgin Jameson out in strict mode this morning. A well-seasoned veteran I may be - but the old familiar tension of that first vulnerable flight is still there. Anyway, I took a parcel contract and jumped to Diso, and to my relief local space was clear - but not for long. A bunch of five or six bandits hove into view, and demanded tribute - but my hold was empty. No choice but to try and evade, so I came about to put them on my six and crossed my fingers, running hard - to no avail, of course. I took a few heavy hits, and was prepared for the worst - but I was saved by the sudden intervention of a Thargoid warship, which distracted the bandits nicely, enabling me to make good my escape. Strange how the dice roll, sometimes!

[Sendraks]

I took a few heavy hits, and was prepared for the worst - but I was saved by the sudden intervention of a Thargoid warship, which distracted the bandits nicely, enabling me to make good my escape. Strange how the dice roll, sometimes!

The Thargoids are a deeply misunderstood race. Clearly they're here to help. Indiscriminately. With massive lasers.

[Yah-Ta-Hey]

Tic tic, tic, prepare for online message……tic, tic, Donggggg.
Location: Galaxy 2
Planet: laeser
Government: Multigovernment
Ship Identification: D.T.T. Cyclops
Ship Name: Out of Mind
Owner: “out of” LCC. Heavy Lifters for Hire.
Crew: C aptain Newt Hooper
Engineer Marn Ongl
Cargo Master: Fendwing
Shipmaster: Sonny Ling (brain)
Sonny Ling reporting in to Laeser ground control…” all systems are go for transit to launch in 10 time units. All crew is aboard and accounted for. Cargo is sealed and battened down. On your mark.”While we are waiting for the preps to be done, a little introduction is in order. I am the shipmaster of the Out of Mind… what is that??? I imagine that some have not come across a shipmaster… I am a “brain” and I use my intellect to keep track of what is going on in my body(the ship) and communicate that to the captain. Yes, I am a real entity…. When I was born, I was unable to continue life without excessive medical accommodations that my parents were unable to pay for. The State took me, and modified my body to fit within a sealed encapsulation that was fitted to the Out of Mind’s electrical Net. As I grew and developed, certain hormones were adjusted so my body would not grow but my mind and intellect would continue to develop… actually growing into my metal body as you would say.My education is more complete than any that a normal person would have. Math, physics, astronomics, business skills are just a small part of my training. Also my socialization with non brains and with other brains is most complete and integration is quite complete. The skipper and crew all interact with me on a daily basis and we do form quite a team. I am the first of 3 brainships that the Company plans on having for this galaxy. Knowing that some people would not understand, I keep a very low profile when interacting with them… they get the impression that I am a very good AI. There goes the alert… “Roger that Laeser control, tuning to fq 124.97 for final clearance. Thank You.”“Laeser ground, I have have sqwuak 124.97 and a go for launch…. Ready for impulse launch. Thank you and have a good day.” As for the rest of my tale, I will give feedback when dockside is achieved , look for me in the BB. Sonny/Out of Mind

[Paradox]

...Ship Identification: D.T.T. Cyclops...

<sniff> I think I got sumthin' in my eye... };]
Seriously, this is a rather fascinating background story, can't wait to read more!

[Sendraks]

Had my first encounter with one of the new thargoid carriers last night, which was in the process of attacking the local Taxi station.

I'd barely got halfway through the heat levels of my front military laser when it packed up (ship maintainence is important folks!) and I had to switch to my aft laser. By this point the Carrier had already launched support vessels and a great many insectoid guns were pointed my way. I launched all my combat drones in an effort to buy myself some breathing room and take out as many of the bugs as I could, but with only a functional aft gun I had to keep getting further and further away from the fight. I took out the support ships, went back for my drones and found that the local defense forces had finished off the carrier which was a relief.

However, a Thargoid Thargon Cruiser and Terroriser Frigate decided to see if they could make me pay for my interference. Nailing the frigate was easy and I was chipping away at the cruiser when my aft laser packed up! Crap!

I contemplated ruinning, but then another idea occurred. I was close enough to the main system station, could I persuade the cruiser to follow me there into the arms of the waiting local defense force?

Yup, bugs are that stupid. Scratch one cruiser and I flew round to pick up its drones for a tidy profit.