Singularity interstellar gate relays. Trade lane tachyon transmitters. Planetary grids. Billions of billions bits per nanoseconds. The Sirius Neural Net Network. For most a world of chaos flooded with useless garbage. For a Lane Hacker a collection of hidden patterns waiting to be discovered. A source of truth.

When a message from a small terrorist group known as Antimatter Disaster Maniacs of Infinite Nocturnal Sinisterness, in short the Maniacs, reached Mactan Headquarters it was not treated seriously at first. The group preyed mostly on individuals of severely limited intellectual capabilities - a typical Liberty Navy secondary fleet captain or an independent corporate slug. Good riddance. However, recently the Maniacs had also hit several high priority targets. It is rumored that Estefania Casta, administrator of the Ghosts of Razgriz was assassinated by them. It is also believed that Lord Moka of the Padua Liberty Rogues withdrawn from public life due to threats issued by the group. The pattern was too obvious for Professor Nicole Hunter. For an unknown reason The Maniacs wanted to destroy the alliance between The Outcasts, The Liberty Rogues and The Lane Hackers within Liberty. She was obviously next on the list. This fact coupled with the intense neural net activity linked to the original transmission has caused a serious stir in Mactan's Headquarters.

- Maybe it's just a provocation...
- It must be LSF, nobody else has such a tech...
- I wouldn't treat it seriously, it's a hoax...
- Seven singularity engines using event horizon particle acceleration effect could produce that much energy...
- It would be so unstable, maybe a week before...
- Silence!

Professor Nicole Hunter entered the command room and everyone focused their eyes on her. Recently she was completely occupied with a top secret project called Transcendence and rarely interfered into daily Hacker affairs.

- We all know that it can be a hoax. We also know what it is at stake if it isn't. But we will do it our way and we will strike first. We will monitor all transmissions on this frequency and wait for a winner of this lottery to emerge. And once it happens, we will intercept the package in transit. Mr Rafael Drake, you're responsible for monitoring this frequency. Mr Scorpius, Mr Trigger, you and your strike teams take command of our Equivocator liners. Load them with Interceptor fighters and enough fuel to stay cloaked in the Border Worlds for next several days. Any questions?

***

Several days later a young Lane Hacker was referring fresh intelligence to Professor Nicole Hunter in the Mactan's Headquarter.

- It's true, Professor. Direct witnesses we interrogated in Leeds saw two Valor class battleships being torn apart by a lone bomber without escort.
- The energy...
- Yes. The energy signature was not like anything we saw before.
- You said...
- Yes m'am. Without escort. We believe that Bretonians...
- ...prefer to ambush unsuspecting Gauls with small forces. Thank you. Inform Mr Scorpius and Mr Trigger that we are going to Leeds. Our Equivocator liners should be equipped with Spyglass arrays this time. And one more thing, Initiate.
- Yes, m'am?
- If you ever interrupt me again you will end up chained in the Airdrie Mania Interrogation chamber. Understood?

***

Aboard HMS Thunderer, a Dunkirk class Bretonian battleship, a young officer was reporting news from Leeds to Admiral George Richard Hall.

- They went down like flies, Admiral. They did not even send a distress signal.
- Were there...
- No sir. There were no survivors.
- The explosion...
- Yes, Admiral. The impact was of magnitude we never saw before. Now we will surely win the war...
- ...only if the Gauls won't manage to destroy this prototype. We need every available unit to form quick reaction forces. If Thor falls into an ambush, we need everyone to rush and save it at all costs. Even the bloody Privateers and BPA, so please inform Chief Commissioner Marcus Wright. And one more thing, Lieutenant.
- Yes, Admiral?
- If you ever interrupt me again you will end up in the infantry on Leeds on the very front line. Understood?

---

Scenario

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• LH uses Spyglass array to create a decoy resembling a lone Valor battleship in Leeds.
  
• BAF sends Garret's Thor to destroy the battleship.
  
• LH forces uncloak and ambush the superbomber.
  
• BAF and its allies rush to protect the Garret's Thor.
  
• LH allies arrive and provide cover until superbomber is disabled and secured on extraction liner.
  
• Only fighters are allowed.
  
• Garret's Thor may not receive additional nanobots or shield batteries during combat.
  
• Extraction liner may not be attacked nor can share nanobots or shield batteries with combatants.
  
• Goal of each side is to completely destroy its enemy.
  
• In case of lower or uneven number of players event scenario will be simplified.
  

DISCLAIMER: This is predefined outcome event agreed between BAF| and LH~ that aims to establish Hackers acquisition of Garret's Thor. Besides that it is a standard fighter PVP event.

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Operation report, Nicole Hunter, The Lane Hackers

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The operation was a disaster. Approximately around 2045 me, Mr Rak and two Liberty Rogue fighters took position in Leeds at sector G-7. Meanwhile Mr Trigger aboard our Equivocator liner with Mr Anton Chigurh ready to launch in the docking bay cloaked and set an ambush in sector F-8. Once the signature of the hostile Valor battleship was emitted it was only a matter of time for BAF forces to arrive. It appears, however, that they triangulated the source incorrectly and due to this mistake, instead of falling into our trap in sector F-8, they found our reinforcements in sector G-7. Once Thor accompanied by two BAF fighters discovered our position, we had no other choice but to quickly attack the hostiles and focus on disabling the superbomber. I immediately called Mr Trigger to come to our position. Once Equivocator uncloaked, Mr Chigurh joined the fight, while we pinned down the Thor. Just when Mr Trigger was about to send a strong EMP pulse to disable Thor and beam it, Mr Rak destroyed it due to inaccurate cover fire.

This is when the entire operation became a total chaos. Mr Trigger beamed the remnants of Thor into Equivocator's docking bay and initiated cloaking procedure. In the same time one of The Liberty Rogues was shot down. Just a second later another BAF fighter appeared on scanner. When we managed to destroy one of the escorting BAF fighters, they called for any reinforcements on system frequencies, which attracted a large group of secondary fleet of Liberty Navy visiting Leeds. Several cruisers forced us to disperse. Mr Rak withdrawn immediately due to concentrated fire of two cruisers. Me, Mr Anton Chigurh and one remaining Liberty Rogue were making a chaotic distraction to allow Mr Trigger safely reach Mactan. Once it happened I ordered retreat.

I can only hope that we will manage to put the bomber together and all this nightmare wasn't for nothing!