receiving transmission identifying encryption applying available decryption keys processing transmission format: text checking transmission for hazardous content status: trusted tracing neural net ID trusted neural net ID recognized loading neural net avatar playing transmission
Neural Net ID EZRAELVERTIGA
To whom it may concern,
I am Ezrael Vertiga, Captain of the Apahanta. Today I contact you to negotiate about dropping the bounty on my head and my ship. I believe we have too many common allies and enemies to benefit from trying to harm each other. For that I wish to inquire about what you propose to solve this unnecessary issue.
⧫ LOCATION UNKNOWN
⧫ 12/11/826
⧫ FROM: The Order Overwatch
⧫ TO: Azrael Vertiga
Pardon
The mantra of ‘enemy of our enemy is our friend’ may have a popular following in the Colonies, though not necessarily in the central Omicrons. Most notable example is every ragtag imperialist or technocratic outfit out there claiming to do the job of The Order’s yet falling short if not allying with the menace they claim to fight against. You best do make a list of what you consider our common enemies as well.
There is no official or unofficial suspicion of you or any of your crew to be potentially infected but official procedure is to have you all scanned as prerequisite. We do not trust Core’s, their offshoots and ex-personnel’s lowest effort technology and lackluster abilities to combat infiltrators. If this is fine with you, we will contract a neutral party that we trust to commence such an inspection on our behalf at location of your choosing. Most likely it will be Velvet, so I hope you get along with these Zoners. Until it happens, you have time to make your cause to Order High Command in full.
receiving transmission identifying encryption applying available decryption keys processing transmission format: text checking transmission for hazardous content status: trusted tracing neural net ID trusted neural net ID recognized loading neural net avatar playing transmission
Neural Net ID EZRAELVERTIGA
Inquisitor Valkyrie,
A pleasure to see your reasonable response. Your proposed procedure seems acceptable to me. While I had no business with Velvet so far, I know who they are and where they operate. There won't be any issues in cooperating with them. I recall Freeport 11 as one of the best suited stations to identify and repel incubus-infested humans, so I believe that would be the most suitable place for this. If the proximity to the Core should be an issue - Livadia, Corinth, Freeport 9 or Freeport 6 will do perfectly well either.
As for the list of shared enemies, I am quite certain there are some names that will ring bells here. For example Bassam Hussaini, a higher up of the Commune. Two years ago, he lured and attempted to manipulate one of the leaders of the former mercenary organization "The Forlorn Hope" into submitting to the cause of the Commune. Elena Voigt had hired me as her bodyguard back then and we went to Freeport 10 to meet him. During said meeting, Miss Voigt quickly realized my warnings about him were justified and she found herself trapped by Hussaini and his men. Then I did my job and we got out of there. That was the beginning of repeating hostile encounters with the Commune, and as it is no secret who they worship, I am pretty sure you have quite a bunch of stories of similar hostility with them.
And then, of course, there are the Wild. I used to believe the scanners of APM would be able to detect any infected human entering my ship. As it turned out, they did not. I don't know whether the Vagrants use different kinds of incubi than the K'Hara, but one of my crew members got herself infected. She forced me to comply, threatening to kill my crew if I did not. This lead to a situation somewhere in Sigma-13, where I had to kidnap the daughter of another Forlorn Hope leader and former friend, Nick Stenn, just to get him to get there with a living nomad warform they managed to catch. The Infectee wanted to trade in the warform they had trapped and in return, Stenn would have gotten back his daughter. The situation however went out of control, Stenn's daughter, the infectee - incubus and my crew member - died and my ship was ambushed by a giant Vagrant warform. We barely managed to escape back then.
Now I don't know how much the Overwatch knows about the Apahanta's history and the reasons why we deserted from the Core. One of the two main reasons was the conflict in Omicron Delta in 823, when Core attacked the Zoners of Freeport 11 over something hilariously small, you probably know the story. When I made the deal with the Core, funding the construction of this warship, I wanted to use it against the Nomads, not against some harmless people trying to have a living in the Edge Worlds. That conflict was immoral in multiple ways. But the other big reason is that the Core, celebrated in house space as the heroes and safeguards of the Omicrons with their little empire, have no intention to eliminate the Nomad threat. Something you only learn when you are in the Omicrons. They hunt Nomads, yes, but only to get their materials, to sell them. This was not what I wanted.
So we deserted in late 823 and since then tried to survive, taking jobs here and there. Defending Freeport 11 was one of our jobs, you may or may not recall the battle of Port Carthage. The Core was not at all happy to see us there, but the Zoners had hired us for the same cause so we cooperated this one time. During the final battle, we've been targeting the Corsairs before we had to retreat.
And then there was the incident that resulted in the Overwatch adding us to the bounty board. In Tau-31, when Bretonia had hired us to intercept two of your capital vessels until their carrier and bomber support would arrive. Now I will be honest with you, we've been allied with Bretonia as they were the only house to grant us - a foreign warship - passage through their space, allowing us to reach the Taus and the Independent Worlds from the Omegas. However, now that they invaded Omega-49 and simply took over Gran Canaria, we decided to rather support the Zoners than Bretonia. After all, the Zoners have never used us as a pawn, unlike Bretonia did.
While the Apahanta acted mostly as a diversion in the battle of Tau-31, I believe I need to make up for this intervention. As such I propose to donate 100.000.000 Credits to the Overwatch. It might not look like much to your end, but given our limited resources, I cannot offer more than that.
Also, if you doubt my words, I recommend contacting Generalmajor Heinrich of the Red Hessian Army or Ishibashi, the former guildmistress of the Gas Miners Guild, they will surely vouch for me.
First, allow me to apologize for the delay in response. As you are no doubt aware
things are quite hectic in the Omicrons, especially when fighting the Nomads on one end
and the Core biting at your heels on the other.
Allow me to introduce myself, I am Agent Solandros, a Colonel within the Overwatch.
I have been requested to further handle this matter by the Inquisitor.
I have read your file as well as the information you have provided, it seems you have had quite
the..shall we say, eventful, past.
It is good to hear you have no objections to following our standard procedures so we can make
sure no one onboard your vessel is infected.
We will contact Velvet and see if they are willing to lend the use of Livadia or Corinth for this purpose.
Given their relatively nearby location they seem like the prime candidates.
If not, we shall make other arrangements to perform the tests and scans involved.
Once you and your crew are cleared we can discuss the matter of the bounty.
I thank you for your patience, your words and the references you provided for us to contact,
this should help expedite the process.
receiving transmission identifying encryption applying available decryption keys processing transmission format: text checking transmission for hazardous content status: trusted tracing neural net ID trusted neural net ID recognized loading neural net avatar playing transmission
Neural Net ID EZRAELVERTIGA
Agent Solandros,
I haven't gotten contacted by Velvet yet. I take it my case isn't enjoying a particularly high priority?
Certain operations required immediate action, rest assured we have not forgotten about your case.
We have been in contact with Velvet and they are willing to lend Corinth Research Station for
this purpose.
Order personel will be present on the station to provide security, a safety precaution should infection be detected.
I trust you understand.
Please let me know when you will be able to arrive at the station so I can inform Velvet.
receiving transmission identifying encryption applying available decryption keys processing transmission format: text checking transmission for hazardous content status: trusted tracing neural net ID trusted neural net ID recognized loading neural net avatar playing transmission
Neural Net ID EZRAELVERTIGA
Agent Solandros,
Thank you for the response. I was starting to get worried but understand your situation. The Apahanta will reach Omicron Kappa in two days and will moor there with Corinth. Ship and crew will be ready for inspection. We will fully cooperate with your teams.
![[Image: XNOnMEW.png]](https://i.imgur.com/XNOnMEW.png)
![[Image: gdhlkjhdklghjdklhjfdlh_by_rhulaner-dc2tv7i.png]](https://orig00.deviantart.net/01e8/f/2018/042/3/d/gdhlkjhdklghjdklhjfdlh_by_rhulaner-dc2tv7i.png)
![[Image: fFjZi4I.png]](https://i.imgur.com/fFjZi4I.png)
![[Image: KAQ2z4i.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/KAQ2z4i.png?1)
![[Image: E9d8RnV.jpg?1]](http://i.imgur.com/E9d8RnV.jpg?1)
![[Image: HAcCDJ4.png?1]](http://i.imgur.com/HAcCDJ4.png?1)
![[Image: P9iHz95.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/P9iHz95.jpg)