I decided to do something similar. In the vien that TW has chosen to start over as a bankrupt pilot in X3, I have done the same. And the following is his story. I don't know how much of this I will write or how much of it I will update, but I want to try and see what happens.The bulkhead was cold…
So much for warm hospitality! I find that when in space, there is no cure for being cold. It’s always there, permeating your very soul. It’s almost as if the Gods, whoever or where ever they are, never intended us to come out here. But life on a rock doesn’t suit me; I like the travels and dangers of the dark void. She is my friend, my companion. We talk often. And in my dangerous travels I have come to the complete understanding that life, however warm or cold it may be, is never fair.
My name is Darien Uudaar at least that is the name I tell everyone. My current rap sheet fills no less than four pad screens and then some. If only they knew who I really am I wouldn’t have got free this last time, but that’s not for now.
They got me about four months ago, wasn’t paying attention I suppose. I was floating out around Boron space in Hilda’s Joy sniffing for profit like I always do. You see, I’m a bit of a scavenger. I find stuff that people don’t seem to want anymore, and I sell it to someone who does. Occasionally however, someone still tries to claim it as theirs so I have been forced to use methods that some in authority do not like. A lot fo times I will drift dead in space as the Xenon from a few sectors over come and use the locals as target practice. I just wait till the laser fire clears and fly in and claim what I can. It pays for repairs, and sometimes its very profitable. I once claimed three ships in ten minutes a heavy profit for me that day. But that is the past.
Now I usually work in a three system area between Ocean of Fantasy, Bluish Snout, and Menelaus’ Paradise. It was rough there with the Xenon so close, but it was home. I’ve had no reason or inclination to go beyond those systems. But this time I was given a hint that there may be some juicy tidbits dropped by a cargo hauler about three hundred kilometers from the west gate in Hilda's Joy. So I took up the bait, as it were, and set off to my new bounty. Unfortunately those d**n Boron stiff necks let it out that this cargo would be dropped, and it did, but it was in the form of those pesky little Fighter Drones. They were cleverly disguised in false crates and they swarmed me when I got close and was forced to jump ship or die. Bastards. I liked my old ship. I was forced to watch the drones take it apart as I was taken aboard in the cargo hold of a Boron - M4 Mako Sentinel. Quaint little ship, if you like fish which I don’t.
I was then picked up by a Boron M2 Ray later that day, named the Avenger. Nothing to avenge in my opinion but hose Boron are stuffy sorts. Thier ships are so, I don’t know, odd. I think they belong stuck on planet somewhere floating in the water, once a fish always a fish I’m thinking. They locked me up in the brig and transferred me from ship to ship for about two weeks. Could be longer as I lost track of time ages ago. They then shipped me to Ocean of Fantasy where I was charged for smuggling, pirating, murder, and destruction of Boron property. They actually thanked me for the few confirmed Xenon kills on record, so much for a thanks. All it got me was cold food and leg irons.
I said ok on the smuggling charge, I was caught hauling a cargo bay full of Space Weed, but that was for personal consumption not to sell or distribute. Pirating is a little bit more in the grey area. I did take claim to a few ships that I did not purchase, but the pilots just left them out in space, to drift like garbage. So I took them and sold them to the quickest bidder. Which came to the murder charges. I have never killed anyone that wasn’t trying to kill me first. The murders that they are speaking of were of the pilots found drifting cold and dead in space where they jettisoned and could not make it to a shipping lane and hitch a ride. Not my fault no one picked them up. Trumped up charges if you ask me. The destruction of Boron property I must confess was me. I was tired of being locked up in a cell without a view, so I tore the one down I was in until they moved me. Hey, I don’t like tight spaces. That’s why I like the void.
So now that leaves me on some ship I never saw the outside of. I was moved in a cell with no windows or doors and placed on board like some piece of cargo. This ship was big though, I could tell by the hum of her engines and the way it moved out of port. Slow and deliberate like, heavy. Security here seems a little lax though, not like that d**n Avenger of theirs. I have only seen one military personnel since arriving here, and he looks like some greenhorn, he isn’t even Boron he’s human. I was on board for three weeks but it felt like, longer perhaps. Finally we docked somewhere and I had no choice but to act. Time passed and I know we jumped a few times. The hairs on my neck always rise when I jump, its an cold feeling.
So I cause this ruckus, act like I am having a medical issue and hit my head. No to big a deal since I already have stitches from all the “talk’s” I had when they were charging me with murder. I open it up and start to bleeding, and wham, kid runs in all pale and scared. I took it easy on him though, didn’t want to kill the poor guy as he would be in enough trouble when they find him instead of me in that cell. Not his fault I was locked up. Hell, after this he could end up like me. No friends and on the run. I took his clothes and left mine so he wouldn’t be cold, almost fit if a little tight.
Most ships I know only bother you if you don’t know where you’re going, and the higher you are up in the ship the less likely they will ask questions if you’re heading down. So I made it to a freight elevator and headed up and up. I made it as high as I could and began working my way down to the cargo and hangar bay. Ship this size had to have something docked in there I could borrow.
I realized now that I was being transferred on a civilian ship, very little military and all civilians. The ladies I saw walking hand in hand to what looked like a dining hall were tempting me to stay, even after one turned and looked my way like she wanted me to follow, but I knew I had to leave and fast. If they discovered I was gone while still on board I would be hard pressed to leave without being caught.
By the time I find my way down to the hanger we undock from where we were at and head out again. I am forced to sit tight in a closet for about an hour or two before heading down again to the hanger as they ask for everyone to return to their quarters to prepare to use a Jump Gate. Another one? Great, where in the void will I be when I jump out?
I make it to the hanger finally and see plenty of ships for the taking. But I keep looking for the right one. Not the fastest or the best shielded mind you, but one that is getting ready to depart with a group of others. Escort like. I see a group of fools parading around their fast little ships like they are a rooster at a chicken fight. Mine does this, mine does that, mine is all shiny and pretty. Blah, blah, blah. Idiots!
So I spy me a young strapping little man who is arrogant enough to have his name painted on the outside of his ship. Ship still looked like it had the factory building manifest on its side from where it was spit out the shipyard. An M3 - Split Mamba, ugly ship personally but I am not being too picky at the moment. Probably a gift from his daddy for doing something stupid and inane like breathing.
Either way I had my chance, all his friends were jumping into their ships while pretty boy ran off to the head, small bladder or just scared of the void. Who knows, and I don’t really care. I followed him and hit his head on the bulkhead and forced him into a linen closet. He should be found in a few days no harm no worry. I grab his flight suit which annoyed me that it fit, and his ident card to use his ship, which I could reprogram later when I had time.
His friends were gone by the time I returned, and with his helmet on who would say I wasn’t him. I jump in and get clearance to depart and off to the freedom of the void I go. I jump out into space and make a straight line for a solid object that isn’t a ship, station, or planet. I look at the controls and realize that this is the first time this ship has been flown; they must have docked it while at the last station. It had full vectors for the system I was in but nothing else. Great, I don’t even know where I am. I hide nearly powered down for an hour to let the passenger ship leave, don't want any witnesses and the group of primped up fools left completely, no telling where they were.
The on board console said I was in Aladna Hill and that it looked like Argon space, Boron lovers. I hate them too but that’s just by default. I do a quick scan of the system and no real threats here. One Boron TS Dolphin which had no escorts, nothing else in range. Perfect! It was heading in a slow manner south, where I was. Time to see what this thing could do, and get get the dust off my trigger fingers. I let it pass by me close and turned and opened fire. I wanted restitution and I wanted it now. Besides, the ship was registered under some idiot who was locked in a closet.
“Stop, Boron want no fight!” The captain chimed back at me in its watery voice. I proceeded to pound that much larger ship wanting its pieces to float back to its home dock. But he surprised me, he jumped ship. I watched as he floated off toward the gate and I accidentally bumped him. I realise now if your going to get charged it might as well be legit. Hey the Split hasn’t been known for unique paint jobs. I jump out and shinny over and claim it as my own. Perfect, an hour free and I already have two ships. I pilot this hulking thing out of the shipping lanes and order my other ship to follow.
Now, able to handle five minutes of non-worry time, I reprogram both ships computers and change the ident codes of each. That way should anyone scan me it will look like they are mine and not theirs, an old trick I picked up at a bar. While waiting for the Mamba to finish programming I searched the data bank for any interesting information. Cargo, there was two pallets of missiles, no designation of course and nothing else. The ship took quite a beating as I noticed a few breaches in some of the holds which I sectioned off. A free ship, but one with problems. I'll probably just sell it when I find a ship yard.
Next, I look for a place where I may be welcome and far enough away from the Boron that they won’t come looking for me. I remember my drinking buddies always telling me that if I went total rogue to find Teladi space. They didn’t care who you are or who you pissed off they would buy and sell from you any day of the week. I realize I am no where close to home, if Boron space could be called home for me. I’m lost, have two procured ships which one has holes in it, and no friends to speak of to help. Sounds like fun to me.
I get the general idea that Teladi space is somewhere north of where I am so I plot a vector there and send it to my Mamba. In waiting for the transfer of data to complete I see a feed come across the network. A derelict ship one sector over actually. I jump out and back into my Mamba and send orders to the slow junker to head to the gate to the west. I figure at the speed it is going I could get the derelict and get back before it made it there.
I fly into the east gate and pop into Akeela’s Beacon. With the coordinates downloaded from the Dolphin I begin searching for this supposed derelict. After about an hour of searching I find it. D**n thing must have drifted as it wasn’t where it was supposed to be. Nice, an Argon M4 – Buster Sentinel. What perfect luck I have. What it is doing here alone and by itself is none of my concern. I jump out and slowly make my way over and claim it as my own. Less than three hours and I have been set free and acquired three ships. I order it to follow me and begin my long trek back to the slow moving Dolphin.
Back into Aladna Hill and I see my Dolphin slugging toward the west gate, so I make a straight line for it. We make it roughly the same time it does and all jump to Hatkvah’s Faith nearly at the same time. From here I know to head north but there is a problem. I hear that dreaded alert of enemy approaching and see two M4 - Boron Mako Vanguards heading for me. Apparently the captain of the Dolphin must have radioed for help before he jumped ship. Bastard! The Dolphin won’t last long in this fight so I tell it to dock at the closets facility, which I think is a Solar Power Plant but I could be mistaken in the rush to set it on its way, and I sent my new Buster after it to act as an escort. They may leave it be since it was one of theirs to begin with.
Time will tell if I can make it out of this unscathed. I’ve led a charmed life but I’m untested in months and this is a new ship I’ve never piloted before. Here is to hoping. I target the closest ship and head on an intercept course.
Too be continued. . .
