To: The Sirius Coalition's Revolutionary Army - Engineering Section

[Sarah McFarlen]

Message Received

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To: Sirius Coalition's Revolutionary Army Engineering Section
Sender: Sparks
Origin: Frankfurt Relay #5

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Overenthusiastic Anti-Tamper

Hullo,

I'm not exactly sure how you guys set up your engineering sections, so my apologies if it's ended up in the wrong mailbox. My name's Sarah, Sarah McFarlen if you're in the market for last names, or Sparks if you're not. You see, I've been helping out the Widerstand in Rheinland with maintaining their ship stores, and I was hoping you might be able to help out. Not generally, but just with your ships, since I've er, run across some problems trying to figure it out on my own.

Namely, they keep on exploding.

Constantly. I try to remove the wrong hull panel, explosion. Unscrew an engine bay? Explosion. Replace a damaged module. Explosion. Empty the shipboard latrine. Explosion (and no, I'd really prefer not to talk about that one, thanks). I'm sure you get the idea. It's not just explosives. I'm pretty sure an Insurgent tried to gas the engineering bay when I tried reprogrammed the cockpit display to track for Lugers instead of Kalashnikovs.

Is there some trick I'm missing here? Some code I need to enter, or an order I should follow when I'm working on these things? I mean, they're fantastic ships, don't get me wrong. The modular setup's awesome, and would really make my job a lot easier if fitting a new one didn't involve dodging bullets.

Anyway, it'd be great if you could provide some sort of guidance here because, frankly, I'm out of ideas, and I'm getting sick of having to tiptoe around the northern hangar bay for fear of setting off another Texas incident.

Thanks!

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End Message

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"This is really sort of a personal project of mine."

- James Arland, on single-handedly engaging an enemy regiment.

| Character Sheet | Craft of the Widerstand | Sarah's Theme | Feedback |

[Aphil]

[Transmission Begins]

From: Field Marshal Joseph Garcia
To: Sarah McFarlen
Priority: MEDIUM

[Message Begins]

McFarlen,

As you may have already deduced for yourself, it appears that you have run into the anti-tampering devices of the SCRA. Or rather, I suppose anti-curiosity devices are a much more appropriate name. These devices are in place so that people such as yourself do not discover any secrets or confidential information that the SCRA might have.

Now, the fact that the ships you're currently working on are trying to kill you tells me one of two things. One, you stole it. Two, you somehow managed to buy it before it was converted into a less-lethal variant.

For the purposes of diplomatic relations I'll assume it's the second. Normally, the SCRA does not abide by the distribution of its technological secrets. With that being said, it is not unheard of for a small number of craft that were on their way to be scrapped to be stripped of any classified technology and refitted with older technology that is widely used throughout Sirius. This process of course involves the removal of our anti-tampering devices and the deletion of our databanks. For example, if you had tried to access a file on the data banks named "Commissars Gone Wild", the cockpit would have been incinerated by multiple flamethrowers discreetly located around the terminal screen.

When you see a Hessian or a Molly flying an SCRA vessel, it is because they have acquired one of the modified variants. As far as I can tell, your organization is the only one that has managed to get their hands on vessels that still explode.

Now, as to your current problem, I recommend that you immediately stop any work on our ships. I will redirect assets to come and collect them from you. Don't worry, I'll have some of the refitted vessels delivered as well. These won't try to kill you, though I do warn you that the cockpits smell strongly of Vodka.

Trusting that you have not incinerated yourself,
Field Marshal Joseph Garcia
Sirius Coalition Revolutionary Army

[Message Ends]

[Attached Files: NONE]

[Transmission Terminates]

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[Sarah McFarlen]

Message Received

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To: Field Marshal Joseph Garcia
Sender: Sparks
Origin: Frankfurt Relay #1

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Re: Overenthusiastic Anti-Tamper

Field Marshal Garcia,

Well. Now you tell me. I was wondering what those nozzles were for. Good thing no-one tried to access the files. Or at least, no-one tried to access the computers until Cameron saw your reply earlier. I wouldn't worry about it too much. He wasn't really using those eyebrows to begin with.

Prying recon pilots aside, I'll get the ships lined up for departure when your pilots arrive. I can't say I won't be glad to have them off our base. I mean, I work on bombs normally, but it's an entirely different thing to flying them. I'm sure Cameron won't mind cleaning that vodka out, so we should be fine there.

I can't really say how we ended up with them. Those ships were aboard Bruchsal before I was, so I figured they must have been the remnants of some deal between the Widerstand or Volksfront. Alternately they could have been any one of the general Bundschuh members that use the base frequently. People tend to forget ships with alarming frequency out here. Still, better that they go back home.

Thanks for the help. I'll let you know if anything else starts melting its way through the walls.

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End Message

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"This is really sort of a personal project of mine."

- James Arland, on single-handedly engaging an enemy regiment.

| Character Sheet | Craft of the Widerstand | Sarah's Theme | Feedback |