****Incoming Transmission****
----ID: Lt. Mike Ypsilantis----
---->Downloading<----
I wish the bests of luck to Lt. Darkmoor.
Now onto the report.
Today, two things of interest occurred. We got a tip off from a trader about a massive smuggling run that was about to enter Texas. I headed to the Junker base, Beaumont I believe, which was notorious for being a dropping point for smugglers. I never quite understood why the Navy hasn't cracked down upon it, but in any case I caught sight of the three smugglers, all in advanced trains, making a beeline to Beaumont. I knew I did not have any time to halt them as they were about to enter the station so I quickly recorded cargo scan imagery displaying the many tons of Cardamine aboard.
I then waited outside the station, as the uneasy Junkers stood by and watched. Suddenly, two of the smugglers undocked from the station. One fled as soon as he saw me, and try as I might, the bloody wreckage strewn about prevented any CDs from reaching him.
However, we did manage to stop the smuggler Weedalot. After some reinforcements arrived, we demanded he pay the tax of four million credits. Surprisingly, he did not consider this worth his life, and scorned us, refusing to pay. When we attempted to disable his shields and arrest him, he fired upon a LPI officer and we returned fire. Needless to say, he was destroyed, laughing as his 100 million credit ship was destroyed from underneath his feet....
Returning to NY, then came reports of a pirate near West Point...Phate. After some brief chasing, Phate fled to California, when I got a report of a pirate near Manhattan. Moving there I detected an Outcast...Jim McKinsey. I engaged, and soon reinforcements arrived. While Jim was a speedy pilot, and managed to force Lt. Gunner to flee and destroyed Officer Hasting's ship, it was clear he would not survive long.
But, no, suddenly two Phantoms appeared. They engaged, and soon Lt. Commander McTyre fell. It was a furious fight, and my scanners picked up a large hostile incoming...It was a Lane Hacker gunboats. While the Phantoms ranted on about getting a pig to leave, I ordered the silent Iowa, a cruiser class ship nearby, to open fire on the gunboat. However, to my dismay, even when the gunboat fell, the phantoms still attacked the cruiser, still rambling on about pigs. Try as the brave crew may, the Iowa fell after a furious battle.
Then, only me and Hobgl were left, and the fight continued. The minutes ticked by, and eventually Hobgl was hit by a lucky missile and forced to eject. The sole officer left, I evaded my way towards Trenton, hoping to gain assistance from the naval pilots loitering there. Weaving in and out, thrusting close to the Atmosphere in a attempt to push my opponents in, I dodged and skipped, moving about, turning and shooting once the chance came up. But, I had two phantoms and a outcast on me, and by no means did it seem like I could escape...When..
The firing stop. The Phantoms started screaming about the king of pigs, and Jim prayed for his life. I stared in amazement until I saw the Bounty Hunter Battleship loom from behind, firing at the outcast. Returning to my sense, I immediately ordered to Battleship to disengage and leave Liberty, but despite my objections and commands the Battleship simply ignored me, not stopping until Jim's ship lay in peices. The Phantoms...simply blabbering about the king of pigs, fled.
While the help was a reprise from battle, The increasing number of Bounty Hunter Battleships alarms me. Four have now been spotted during my shifts, and all of them refused naval orders to cease fire and leave Liberty, giving outrageous excuses such as "just passing by" or "Bounties > laws."
Perhaps something should be done....
****End Transmission****