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CV-Argonauta

The story of the Argonauta begins in the Omega-5 system. This carrier was targeted by a small squadron of mercenaries, paid to take out the captain of the vessel. The squadron was composed by One Frigate class vessel, that transported the boarding party and the heavy armament, 4 "Lance" Border Worlds bomber class, 5 "Sichel" Pirate Very Heavy Fighter class and 3 "Skeleton" scout vessel class.The leader of the squad is Valentina Rodriguez, on the jobs like this she's known as "The Viper".
Said vessel was commandeered by a group of traders which have scammed some Corsairs, which then have commissioned said mercenaries.
The squadron awaited for the vessel to come in open field, in the middle of the system.
The job was a rather simple one, but the mercenaries had taken the job, with a secondary intent: to capture the vessel.
They have been awaiting for a job of this kind for quite some time, an easy target for them.
The orders were simple: do not kill anyone that does not pose a threat, and capture the vessel.
Two of the bomber class vessels were equipped with Incapacitor Torpedo Launchers, to completely inhibit the vessel. But the difficulty stood in managing to bring down the shields of the vessel without getting destroyed.

Valentina ordered all the vessels to stand in formation, and sent the scout vessels to give intelligence on the Carrier.
As the data came in, Valentina decided to take a very aggressive approach, since the target was not very well armed. So they started marching towards it.
As soon as they reached it, without wasting time, they started to engage it. And fire was returned.
As the battle begins, the squadron seems to be in a rather stalemate with the carrier, they it is hard for the vessels to approach it as it damaged easily any ship approaching it. After not too long, the shields start to slowly go down, and the first target of the bombers would be the weapons.
One by one the turrets started to be disabled, leaving the free corridor for the bombers to fully disable it.
The boarding party had a 10 minutes window to capture the vessel from inside, without damaging it any further.
As they boarded the vessel, there were not many security agents that tried to attack the heavily armed boarding party, which , in a matter of minutes successfully brought the task to completion.
As Valentina got on the bridge, he/she made an announcement that broadcasted ship wide: “We have no interest in hurting any of the people on this vessel. We are going to take this vessel and seize it, if you want to leave, we will leave the door open. Our next stop will be Barrier Gate Station, so if you’d like we can transport anyone there with us. There is also the choice to stay with us, have a shelter, training and then you are more than welcome to make your future choices. We do not force anyone to follow us. Thank you for your cooperation.”

To the surprise of everyone, only a few people decided to abandon the vessel.
When the carrier reached Barrier Gate, Valentina named the vessel, the Argonauta.
The Argonauta is already an old vessel, so it has various integrity issues, aswell as now that shielding and weaponry do not work at all, but all life systems are operative.
It has a very big crew capacity, with only half being filled at the moment, with an internal biodome to maintain food supplies running, a big repair bay with a hangar that can hold up to 20 small vessels, testing grounds and some other facilities. Most of them are functional, but need an upgrade.
This is going to become a new mobile center of command for Valentina's squadron. It will be used for building small vessels and equipment, process ores and therefore turning it into a small mobile space station that can sustain itself. It’s going to take a long way till the vessel is running up properly again.

In the meantime, Valentina is also planning on taking a more lawful way of gaining funds, with her acquiring an old "L'Ane" and "Serenity" transport class vessels. Those vessels should be able to give a funds boost by taking lawful transportation jobs, aswell as using them for the Argonauta's necessities.
Still, she won't give up her unlawful job, as they also bring funds.

CV-Argonauta

As the time passes, the Argonauta starts to be more and more organized.
All of the "acquired" crew was reassigned, and whomever was lacking, training in combat and/or piloting.
In order to maintain a rather peaceful environment on the vessel, it was created a council of the heads mercenary groups aboard, which they all democratically decide the rules and take decisions for the sake of the Carrier.
The first decision was, to keep the Argonauta out of politics, therefore the contracts that residents of the Argonauta have to accept, is that the contract's political influence may not impact anyone else, except the individuals. Therefore any contract submitted that goes against any laws, "lawful" or "criminal" factions be it, may not have repercussions on any of the Argonauta's residents or the vessel itself.
Meanwhile Valentina kept being the captain of the Argonauta, it was decided to split the two separate worlds on the Carrier: Valentina will be handling the "lawful" contracts board, while Iris, Valentina's second, will be handling the "unlawful" side of the board.
They also set a vessel's fund, which acts like a tax: for each contract completed and paid, the mercenary/mercenaries have to give a percentage to the vessel for providing the contract. This percentage applies to continuous contracts, like a steady routes and so on. Failing to paying this tax, will result in banning from the Argonauta.
As repairs continue, and everyone on the vessel is contributing to it, a society is building. The old crew of the vessel is starting to bond with the new group, and they usually fill the Carrier's bar.
Valentina is starting to feel more relaxed as she's realizing that the situation is improving slowly from when the take-over happened. That's why, it was time to start building relations with big organizations aswell.

CV-Argonauta

The expansion grows bigger. Slowly, the Argonauta is making more and more contacts around. More contracts are flowing in, aswell as the visitors of the vessel.
A peaceful resting place.

However, the increase of traffic on the Carrier, brings on it more troublesome people, so the Board decided to create a more effective security team, by having highly trained individuals maintaining the peace on the vessel, like a neutral ground for everyone.
More security measures are going to be implemented, as security checkpoints for personal weaponry and any devices that can be used to create chaos. Integrated to this, the Board also agreed to establish funds for a "perimeter security task force", essentially a team of small crafts that is designated to stop any kind of confrontation near the Argonauta, this way keeping the vessel safe from any possible unwanted damage.

While having the last meeting, it was also discussed the necessity of organizing the vessel, in a more concrete way. Therefore, it was decided that all pilots that want to complete contracts from the Argonauta, they will have to also agree to update their identification to the following patterns:

Lawful/Quasi-Lawful Contracts:

Contractor Agent
In order to preserve the lawful status, the Contractor Agent must not be seen by lawful forces or their contractor to have contacts with the unlawful world. If said agent has its contract halted by circumstances like this, the will then be banned from taking other lawful contracts until notice arrives that the agent was cleared of his condition.
Identification: Name/Codename|CA
Unlawful Contracts:

Mercenary Agent
The Mercenary Agent is the one that works in the unlawful world, usually even doing the dirty work of lawful organisations.
Identification: Name/Codename|MA
Special Operatives:

Special Agent
The Special Agent is the operative that is employed by the Board. It can range from security operatives to special designated squadrons for contracts taken on by the Board itself.
Identification: Name/Codename|SA

This division of roles will ease the contracts' organisation.

After initializing a long period contract with the Unioners, to supply the Argonauta with small transport vessels to utilize in a possible route within Corsair territory, they also agreed to repair the Argonauta, so preparations to begin the transfer it to Cologne, where it'll undergo repairs. All Valentina awaited. She has been trying to find a suitable contractor for some time now, and seems it was finally found. Since most of the agents can rely on already existing facilities, as most of them work on their own, only the core crew of the Argonauta will be staying on Krefeld, which has surprisingly increased lately. The few security vessels that have been appointed will be escorting the Carrier, along Valentina's own battlesquad, which will remain near Krefeld, on Heisenberg Research Station, in Cologne, where Valentina will try and go explore what the Research Station has to offer.

CV-Argonauta

The Argonauta finally reached Cologne. A very long flight, for everyone.
Valentina separated from Iris as soon as they reached the system, where Iris continued the road to Krefeld, meanwhile Valentina went on Heisenberg Research Station. She would observe everything from the shadows of the Research station, while trying to explore a bit more the Rheinland unlawful world.

Iris, along side with the Argonauta's escorts, managed to reach Krefeld's docks, where most of the mercenaries left, as expected.
Meanwhile the core crew remained on Krefeld, in the assigned rooms by the Unioners, Iris saw this as an opportunity to get to know the newly made partners, and what better place than the station's bar.
Going around the station, it was obvious a difference in technology, as the Unioner's technology seemed to differ from the Black Market one Iris is used to, but quite similar to what the lawful forces are seen to deploy. So it was indeed very interesting to stay there and explore, while the Argonauta was getting the repairs completed.

Valentina reached Heisenberg, with her small escort, where she moored the CV-Saturn, the only Frigate class the Argonauta's defense and logistics wing, aswell as being one of the most armed vessel within the ranks.
The Saturn was moored to perform some maintenance work ,as the long flight was pretty intensive for the vessel, as it's not usually used for this type of flight.
The team undocked and went to rent the necessary number of rooms on the station, to be able to rest after this journey, but Valentina's curiosity of the Rheninland underworld is taking over the lack of sleep, so she decided to go at the station's market, to see what is going on.
As she arrived there, she was able to see a very different view from the usual one on Sierra or Barrier Gate; different people, different technology for sale: a simply very different environment.
Making her way through the people, she found this broker, with whom, she stood there over half an hour to negociate, the acquisition of 3 not so new vessels, RH-GM32 "Odin Mk. I" Rheinland Black Market Very Heavy Fighter, RH-GM07 "Loki Mk. I" Rheinland Black Market Heavy Fighter and RH-GM72 "Thor Mk. I" Rheinland Black Market Bomber. She got those for under ten millions credits, so it was quite a bargain.
The vessels all work, but unfortunately are old and require the necessary repairs, aswell as improvements.
Maybe the Unioners are aware of those vessels better than the Saturn's crew, so Valentina informed Iris about this, with the hopes to manage to have at least those working properly.

CV-Argonauta

The time is going as slow as possible. Valentina’s patience was running out, even if she knew there was nothing to be done. Just wait. The Unioners are well known engineers, so everything was going to go according the schedule.
In order to keep herself busy, Valentina started taking private contracts on Heisenberg with her crew, doing low risk jobs. Mostly escorting researchers off Cologne system. This gave her the chance to consider of actually starting a Research and Development department. A proper one.
The small R&D group on board of the Argonauta, already proposed a project to Valentina, called “ARBALEST”. But her reluctancy to actually present it to the Board, has always set back the project. Till those weeks. That’s when she decided to start looking for some external help.

Project ARBALEST

Project “ARBALEST”

Subject of research:
“Claymore” Border Worlds Super Heavy Fighter.
Subject of research:
Claymore’s weaponry systems: vessel’s integrated weaponry system.

Phase One:
Phase One consists in the studying of a functional model. Testing its capabilities, from toughness to how much firepower it can produce.
A testing area is required.
As the testing is completed, the vessel would have to be disassembled, to understand its inner systems, with managing to effectively have all the knowledge possible of the vessel.
In this testing phase, is also required to test all the choices of weaponry that are built from factory, therefore discovering what are the heights already achieved.

Phase Two:
Phase Two consists in integrating already existing weaponry, unusual formats that cannot be found on the market directly by the manufacturer.
Usually technology found fits this description.
If deemed necessary, modifications to the vessel are to be done.

Phase Three:
Phase Three consists in developing actual new weaponry that would fit the vessel’s integrated systems.
This phase requires the development of a new powersource for the vessel. Various modifications will be decided on the moment.
Proposed technology:

Railgun Project

Her days on Heisenberg started to become shorter. Time started to pass faster than expected. However her search was leading to nowhere. No private contractor she proposed this to, had the right infrastructure to support said research. Most of private researchers have a small laboratory or small vessels. Heisenberg could be an option, but too many eyes, at least for her taste. So she sent one of her operatives to go around in the private sector on other installations as-well, in order to expand the search.
Hopefully he’ll find something.

While this change in Valentina’s thoughts happened, obviously mercenaries started sending reports from their respective installations they use as temporary home. She didn’t believe it. Destroyed vessels, over twenty Fighter and Bomber type vessels. Others had lost contracts. However not all of them were bad news. The logistics division had seen a 40% increase in income and a 25% increment.
Even with the good news of increased profits, she knew she had to fix somehow the loss of the vessels.
That’s when she decided to take the night off, and hit the bar with the crew in the hopes to forget, at least for a few hours ,about everything.

CV-Argonauta

The twist of fate. Valentina was not expecting this.
Blood Dragons offering the necessary resources for “ARBALEST”. And even agreeing to her terms.
As she saw Tsuya’s invite to join her on neutral grounds, to discuss further details on the project, her first thought was to contact BP, the head engineer on board of the Argonauta and part of the small research team.
So she called and asked him to reach her at Freeport 1. From there, Valentina would wait in a Claymore, part of Argonauta’s defence grid , so they can directly show what they would be working on.
He agreed, so they set the date for the meeting.

Valentina knew Iris won’t disappoint.
Even in between the laughs of how she got drunk with a stranger, Valentina was surprised about what she got told about that stranger.
Her idea to improve Blackwing, would be ideal.
But depends at what costs. If they are too high, neither of the two was ready to take the risk. But those data has to come first. They agreed to wait for the data and BP’s opinion on those, and they hoped she was not lying or bluffing.
At least one of Valentina’s concerns was taken away from her mind: Blackwing’s ships. Orbital contacted her with the need of more Artifacts, which made Iris quite interested since they paid them quite decently and also with the report on the vessels. They thought that with the next batch of Artifacts, the ships will be ready.
But there was another issue at hand: how to make them disappear. That’s when Iris sent Valentina the logs of Tenerife with a Lane Hacker in Coronado, apparently right after the first drop off for Orbital.
So Valentina thought to give that way a shot.

The last point the two partners discussed was the active agents around, and it seems that Iris did manage to get a hold of two crews to have on the newly taken Frigates from the Unioners.
She assigned those two in Rheinland, with the possible reassignment if needed, as they are the best the Argonauta’s team could give. For the moment.

CV-Argonauta

Going back to hunting was turning out to be more exhausting than expected. Valentina sure liked her job, but also enjoyed the tranquility the Argonauts gave her.
However, the bounty on Lambda’s head did not go down so easily on her, so getting paid by the Coalition to kill the Rheinland Military, was just a side bonus.
As she’s awaiting the coalition’s response to her last communication, se was travelling to Bornholm Depot, to get some basic supplies for her next flight. She was being assisted by two other vessels, a Courier Freighter class holding a small 5 unit assault team along the two pilots, and their equipment.
The other one was a Reaper bomber class vessel, one of the newest additions to the line, which Valentina did not hesitate to buy to test out.
They entered the system through the Omega 11 system, as they were stationed in Rheinland so that Valentina could complete her last contract.
Jumping in the system, it seemed like a normal flight, even if there is always a bit of concern of Nomadic raids. But it did not faze Valentina. She knew everything was going to go normally, or so she thought.
While passing the Kattegat Field, the Courbe’s sensors picked up a very weak signal coming from 10 clicks from their actual location. It seemed to be an emergency signal.
However nothing could be seen on radar so then Valentina decided to track the signal and see what was going on.
As they are approaching the signal, sensors start to pick up odd radiation coming from the position of the signal, but the dosages do not seem fatal.
This startled Valentina’s curiosity even more.
One click from the location, visual has been established with the object. Two Eagle class Fighters and one Krestel Freighter class, what they seemed to be completely intact, but inactive.
So she decided to see what is going on inside the Freighter.
She contacted the Courbe’s crew, and she attached her ship to the Courbe, so she could leave her Sichel with the second pilot, while she was going to suit up to go on board of the Krestel.
The team was gathering the last pieces of equipment needed to enter the lifeless hull, hoping to find all the answers.

The operation began. Valentina was leading the boarding party, all in anti-radiation suits to avoid any contamination.
The Sichel was detached from the Courbe so it could attach itself to the Krestel.
All the boarding equipment was ready for use, so as soon as it attached, they started to forcefully open the hatch. But it seemed that it was not necessary.It opened very easy.This started to rise suspicions.
They all got their weapons in their hands with the safety off then she waved them to follow her in the ship.
All of the vessel’s systems were down, except the emergency power supply, which was used to broadcast the weak emergency signal.
Inside it, there was no sign of forced entry, nothing. Yet.
She started to slowly advance towards the cockpit, to see if somebody survived. They entered in a diamond formation, this way it was easy to spot anything at any angle.
However no luck there either. Empty.
Then leaned on the console, and tried to seal the ship and restart life support, but most of electrical equipment was completely fried. Except a databank found in the data center of the ship.
Seems the emergency systems managed to save one , and can contain what has happened to the crew.
That’s where they started to head to.

All this silence was very strange, almost like it was too silent in the ship. Only a faint sound could be heard from the emergency alarm, and the light red lights that surrounded the inside of the ship.
As they reached the room, the door was wide open, with a flickering light attached to the side of the wall. At the center of it was the database central server, where all the databanks were attached to, so they started to search for the intact one.
However what Valentina found weird, was that they still did not find anything regarding the radiation, while the sensors did not pick any spike either.
But decided to focus on finding the databank for the moment.
At a certain point, you can hear somebody saying that it has been found.
The databank was hidden under the floor, where there the only to it was to find this small hidden button.
Whatever happened here, seems nobody cared about it.
Valentina gets up and goes to her crew and starts to explain the second part of this plan, which was to explore the vessel in the search of the radiation’s source.
So they divided in two teams, one that went to the ship’s powercore and one that went to the cargo bay.

The team that went at the powercore of the vessel, has found the room closed, so they had to forcefully open it.
They took out the equipment and started to cut the door. So they can take it down.
Not too long after, they managed to enter the room.
It was all dark inside, except the yellow light coming from the auxiliary core, which, according to the scans, would not last much longer after it’s discovery. Estimated time was fifteen minutes.

Meanwhile Valentina and another mercenary headed for the cargo bay.
As they were approaching it, the sensors started to pick a slight increase of radiations.
Until they reached two big sliding doors. Valentina tries to open it normally, but it seems that the door’s mechanisms are fried aswell.
She reaches a pocket to her left thigh, and takes out a small device which she attached to the doors.
When she attached it, se took about a few meters of space, and pressed something on her wrist.
Suddenly a small explosion occurred which forced to open the cargo bay doors.
Inside there was not much to be seen, except this big black box with a writing on it. “Unknown”.
This definitely had Valentina’s curiosity but how she was about to open it, she received the news from the other team about the auxiliary core meltdown.
So she had to make a plan to take the crate out of the ship.

It was all laid out.
The plan was quite simple: the Sichel would fire on a precise spot signalled by Valentina from inside, this way they could throw the crate in space and have the Courbe tractor it, after all the crew reentered the vessel.
So they started to act on this plan.
All the team gathered in the cargo bay, where they decided that the best place would be it’s outer doors, which would be first marked by a small explosion from the inside, and the Very Heavy Fighter would finish the job.
That’s when Valentina planted the explosive, and everyone hid behind the inside doors of the cargo bay to prevent anything happened to them.
First explosion goes off. It barely scratches the hull, but it’s good enough to have a precise target on it. The Sichel starts to fire its weapons at the Krestel, destroying the doors with very much ease.
When it stopped firing, the crew started to run towards the crate, to push it in space.
After taking off all the security systems keeping it in place, they started to drag this incredibly heavy yet small crate, almost two meters high, that resembled a black cube.
After a few minutes of effort, they managed to throw it in space, and started running towards the Courbe’s attachment point.
As they were running they started to hear a registered voice: “Meltdown in two minutes”.
They kept running till they reached the hatch, just a rough minute before meltdown.
The pilot was ready to un-engage the safeties of the attachment point, and as soon as he was free, he tractored the crate in the cargo bay of the Courbe and escaped from there, therefore everyone being brought to safety.

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