[--- Incoming transmission---]
[--- System ID: Stuttgart ---]



Im reporting on behalf of Lieutenant Owens. We'€™ve had some really good news and very bad news within the regions of Rheinland. The Vindicator was on her standard patrol in Omega 7 when we detected two Gunboat class ships. The closer we came to those ships.... it wasn'€™t so much the shock but the impact on the crew. We were all hearing communications when typically its relayed over the comm. systems, but it was in our heads! We quickly learned it was two Das Wilde Gunboats and they caught us at the Stuttgart Jump gate. With no time to get a good tactical analysis, we jumped through as soon as we could. The Das Wilde were right behind us. We were able to get some shots off but they were damn fast for ships of that size and their weapons went through our shields in no time. Sending out a general distress signal, who should show up but the Hessians! I couldn'€™t determine at all if they were going to join us or fire on us so we made an emergency landing and warned the Vigilance in New Berlin of the incoming Gunboats.

The Das Wilde ships moved through Stuttgart, and the station'€™s communications officer heard screams of the Hessian ships being torn apart by those bloody alien bastards. Now I wish we didn'€™t make that distress call. In the attack, the stations comm system were damaged and with the Vindicator powered down, we couldn'€™t transmit anymore to Lieutenant Owens. The kid stood right at the New Berlin jump gate and tried to hold off the two Das Wilde ships but he was simply overpowered. The Perth Rescue entered New Berlin a few hours later and found most of the crew and Lieutenant Owens in their ejection pods and the Vigilance torn apart. It'€™s power core was literally fused when those damn Das Wilde guns hit the aft section of the ship. Talking to the crew, we learned of what happened. I didn't know if Rheinland was able to take them out, but damn were those things a bloody nightmare.

Ending on a positive note, I escorted a Mammoth class transport the Mercuine from Leeds to Stuttgart when I came into communications contact with a transport leaving New Berlin to get a heads up. That transport came under attack in Stuttgart and we decided to risk the venture in while the attackers were trying to secure the transport. It worked! The Vindicator jumped on top of a Hessian Gunboat and Bomber, sounding our attack and opened fire on the Gunboat, then turned up to the Bomber, pulsed it'€™s shields away and fired a missile. The missile preoccupied the bomber enough for us to fly between them. We communicated for that transport near by to get out of there, and it was eventually able to escape. My second in command timed the event and approximately 2 minutes after initial confrontation, I ordered the Mammoth transport Mercuine to take the lane and it flew by before the Hessians had a chance to disrupt it again. The Vindicator opened fire on the Gun Boat at close range, almost bringing its shield down then turned to attack the bomber. This continued for a few minutes and the two Hessians were slowly whittling away at the Vindicator . The Mammoth transport signaled it was all clear and requested to join in the fight. I told it to stay back as that Gunboat could take it out in a moment. Thankfully, it didn'€™t listen. The Mammoth transport opened fire on the Gunboat who probably didn'€™t expect a transport to open fire on it. This gave us the chance to focus on that damn Bomber. We were hammering away at it, and even had time to fire a few pulse blasts at the Gunboat. Within another few minutes, two trade ships and a freelancer in a fighter came by and I believe started opening fire as well. I was just trying to focus on that bomber when we tried to turn, both the Hessians were in retreat! There are few times I'€™m actually proud of the job I do, but seeing other transports defend themselves like this, really brought my hopes up.

On another note, I'€™m taking up patrols through Rheinland and Omega 7 as the Vigilance and her crew are getting fixed up. The repair time to get the Vigilance working is two standard weeks. Most of her crew should be around by then as well.

The Hessians want something in Stuttgart and its not just heightened cargo raids. My Tactical officer has been reviewing their method of attacks and believes they are pulling a Bretonia on Rheinland: Starving out the commerce and thus choke off the few remaining supports which eventually weakens Rheinland all the more. We'€™re just Freelancers but I'€™m also seeing whats happening here, mirror what is happening to my home land in Bretonia. I also don't know what Rheinland plans on doing but my employer Adam Spire, feels this is the start of something much larger. We're holding out here as long as we can, but if Transports are coming to the rescue of gunboats, thankful as I may be, we're going to be in serious trouble. So much for ending on a high note.

[--- transmission disconnected ---]