The viewscreen flickers to life, revealing a sturdy dark-haired man in his early thirties. The man hasn't shaved for a while, his has a couple of old scars, and an eyepatch covers his right eye. Apparently the man is on board of some run-down ship, sitting in the pilot's chair. The transmission is occasionally interrupted by static, the interference probably caused by an asteroid field.
Bonjour there. The name's Claude Bertrand. If that's the Brigands you were looking for, you got one. Les Damnés? Oui, I'm one of them. Two shots, and both hit. But let's get to the point. You want to grab yourself a "Courier" and an "Asco", huh? They ain't no toys, but they sure pack a punch. So I see why you want to put your pretty little hands on those babies.
The "Courier" is a pretty common ship, there're plenty of those flying around under Brigand or Corse colors. I suppose you could just buy it from one of those shady guys you'd find at Narbonne or wherever. They usually don't ask many questions, so as long as you don't mess with the local Brigands, you should be fine.
The "Asco", however... Now, let's make this clear: normally you don't just come to the Brigands and ask for an "Asco", they'll laugh in your face and then they'll probably kill you. Those ships are just too rare and valuable to sell to strangers left and right, let alone it's a pain to build them without a dedicated shipyard. But the circumstances I'm aren't normal, so I might as well help you out.
I know from a reliable source that there is an "Asco" hull that's been floating around for years now. It ain't new, it ain't fancy, it doesn't fly... Not yet, anyway. If I had enough people to get it operational, I'd have already claimed it for my fleet. But I might as well take the money you're offering and give you the coordinates.
Word of warning: although I don't give a -a sudden burst of static- about some random people flying around in Brigand ships, others may not be as tolerant. Les Damnés have a simple rules: let live and live, mess with us and die, no matter what ship you fly. Other Brigands might get angry though. Don't tell me I didn't warn you.
The message ends abruptly.
The viewscreen flickers to life again. Claude Bertrand appears in a dimly lit room, now brushed up and looking almost normal, if you don't count the eypatch.
Bonjour again. Guess I should've been more serious, or at least I shouldn't have mentioned the possible extreme outcomes. *he chuckles* It's just that we usually like our Ascos just like we like our money - in our hands. But things get even more complicated, if you consider that every Brigand base is like an independent community. Some of them might be more protective of Brigand tech than others. But lucky for you, it works both ways, so you may find almost every piece of tech if you search for long enough.
And oui, despite all that, we are some of the most reasonable people out there. We aren't as prejudiced as the Royalists, more tolerant than the Council and generally let people go about their business, as long as they don't act like they're running the place.
Now, I know you don't like the fact that the Asco would be second-hand and damaged... But you see, Ascos are built of flotsam, so I guess it's even more convenient for you that way: you get it cheaper, and the flotsam is already arranged in a way to resemble a fully-functional Asco. According to my sources, you just need to repressurize it and fix the power plant to get it flying again. Then you'll have to install shields, better armor plating and weapon systems, if you want to take the ship into battle.
The only problem with the plan is Tau-23. You see, I can only get the ship pressurized and flying, but outfitting it would be up to you. And I sure can't get a shieldless Asco past the guard station and Royal battleships into Tau-23... Not to mention that the IMG and the occasional Colonials might not be happy to see the ship there. Since you're on good terms with les Maltese, I would suggest Berne system instead... I think Sirians call it Omicron-80. The path there isn't monitored as closely, and it's easier to sneak through the mine field there.
An even better option would be you taking that ship in Lorraine system. We've seen an increse in Maltese vessels in the area, especially around the Toul nebula. I think you might find that place secure enough to retrofit the Asco. So, what do you think?
The message ends abruptly.
The viewscreen flickers to life again.
Transfer has been confirmed, and your Asco is waiting for you. I've sent the coordinates as a separate data burst, you should have them in your navigation computer by now.
Sirian Credits might come in handy even in Gallia, so you needn't worry about that part. I'm sure we'll find a way to make the most of it. If you're going to Gallia though, watch out for the Royalists and the rebels, neither of them are quite welcoming of les Maltese. As for the bringands, it depends on whom, where, and when you run into. Some might be more opposed to foreign presence than others.
Also, one more thing... If someone asks, say that you found that wreck somewhere in the Taus yourself. I don't want people calling me and asking questions.
The message ends abruptly.