Smugglers of all shades: Claim your Prize!

[Quorg]

(//The meat of the message is a few lines down)

A well-dressed young man, although looking somewhat uncomfortable in his newly-acquired formal attire, watched from a safe distance as officers of the Bretonian Armed Forces were handed out handsome colored ribbons to commemorate their achievements both on and off the battlefield.
"Gosh durned it," he muttered to himself, walking away briskly after getting a suspicious glance from a BPA officer.

"If all them folks get awards, why not me? Why not other folks like me, who work our 'hinds off to get people what they want?"

He headed towards a run-down looking Neural Net Cafe, logged in to a terminal, and posted the following:

In order to recognize the strength, fortitude, and spirit of all those who carry goods across Sirius in spite of the efforts of corrupt House governments and their allies, I hereby establish the following decorations, to be worn by any pilot who earns them, in order of precedence. To qualify for these awards, a pilot must:

1) Be in the act of transporting a cargo at least 90% full of any of the following, or any combination thereof: Artifacts, Cardamine, Slaves, Synthetic Marijuana, Counterfeit Software, Nomad Specimens, or Human Organs, or carrying a profitable cargo (>999 credits profit per unit) across an embargo,

2) Be piloting any Startracker, Starflier, Freighter, Transport, Prison Liner, or Slave Liner, in accordance with the pilot's manual (//following ID)

3) Transmit any of the following IFF's: None, Freelancer, Junker, Zoner, any Pirate organization, or any Guard IFF thereof,


Order of Thermopylae: Bestowed on those who destroy two or more lawful or lawful-allied ships in a single engagement who have fired on them for refusing to surrender contraband- 10 million credits,


Chancellor Rheinhardt Award: Bestowed on those who have destroyed two or more Rheinland Federal Police, Rheinland Military, or Rheinland Special Forces ships (or one if the vessel was a gunboat or larger) after being fired upon for refusing to surrender contraband (can be earned in two separate engagements)- 5 million credits,


King Louis Award: Bestowed on those who have destroyed two or more Gallic Royal Police, Gallic Royal Navy, or Gallic Special Forces ships (or one if the vessel was a gunboat or larger) after being fired upon for refusing to surrender contraband (can be earned in two separate engagements)- 5 million credits,


Emperor Kogen Award: Bestowed on those who have destroyed two or more Kusari State Police, Kusari Naval Forces, or Kampetai ships (or one if the vessel was a gunboat or larger) after being fired upon for refusing to surrender contraband (can be earned in two separate engagements)- 5 million credits,


President Powell Award: Bestowed on those who have destroyed two or more Liberty Police Incorporated, Liberty Navy, or Liberty Security Force ships (or one if the vessel was a gunboat or larger) after being fired upon for refusing to surrender contraband (can be earned in two separate engagements)- 5 million credits,


Queen Carina Award: Bestowed on those who have destroyed two or more Bretonia Police Authority, Bretonia Armed Forces, or Bretonia Special Forces ships (or one if the vessel was a gunboat or larger) after being fired upon for refusing to surrender contraband (can be earned in two separate engagements)- 5 million credits,


Order of Adam Smith: Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 units of valuable cargo (1000 or more profit per unit) across a border in violation of an embargo (Junkers cannot earn this for entering or leaving Gallia, can be earned in multiple runs)- 3 million credits,


The Honorary Cross (THC): Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 units of Synthetic Marijuana from one base to another with at least 1000 credits of profit per unit (can be earned in multiple runs)- 2 million credits,


Technology Medal: Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 units of Scientific Equipment (//Counterfeit Software) from one base to another with at least 1000 credits of profit per unit (can be earned in multiple runs)- 2 million credits


Pharmaceutical Medal: Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 units of life-preserving medication (//Cardamine) from Malta past planet New Tokyo, Planet New Berlin, or the Barrier Gate Station to Manhattan, and provide guncam evidence of all three landmarks (can be earned in multiple runs and those who cannot land on Manhattan may simply take a picture as they fly in front of it)- 1 million credits,


Historian Medal: Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 Cultural Items (//Artifacts) from Crete past Planet Gammu or Planet New Berlin to Manhattan, and provide guncam evidence of all three landmarks (can be earned in multiple runs and those who cannot land on Manhattan may simply take a picture as they fly in front of it)- 1 million credits,


Immigration Medal: Bestowed on those who carry at least 900 migrant workers (//Slaves) from Pennsylvania or Texas past Planet New Tokyo or the Barrier Gate Station to Malta and provide guncam evidence of all three landmarks (can be earned in multiple runs)- 1 million credits.

Nominations for this award can be posted on this bulletin. Please include the name of the individual or the name of the ship piloted by the individual you are nominating. You may nominate yourself. All nominations must be supported on all points by guncam footage, (all eligibility requirements as well as award requirements must be demonstrated to be true by guncam footage).

Satisfied, he logged off, and proceeded to order the following awards for himself:
Order of Adam Smith, Technology Medal, Pharmaceutical Medal, Historian Medal, Immigration Medal

---

ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[RockCrystal]

Comm ID: Harris "Badger" Barclay

'Ow sweet is this? I always wanted an award of me very own, and now I get to nominate meself for two of em!

Name of Pilot: Badger
Name of ship (if different): JSF-Barclay
Award(s) nominated for: Order of Adam Smith, Technology Medal
Guncam images:
Buying blood diamonds
Passed the blockade
Selling the diamonds
Picking up software
Selling the software

---

Be kinder than necessary, because everyone you meet is fighting some kind of battle.
J.M. Barrie

[centauri5pirate]

Hmm.... I wonder if any of these medals would apply to IND pilots? Not saying that any IND trader would dare do anything illegal like this. *Ahem*

---

You ask me why Im weary, why I cant speak to you.
You blame me for my silence, say Its time I changed and grew.
But the war's still going on dear, and theres no end that I know...
And I cant say if were ever...
I cant say if were ever gonna be free.

[Quorg]

Hmm.... I wonder if any of these medals would apply to IND pilots? Not saying that any IND trader would dare do anything illegal like this. *Ahem*

Much of the smuggling underworld is aware of the achievements of the Interspace Neural Net Division.

They have, through both their diplomatic and economic mastery, accomplished what no other smuggling organization has: decent relations with a wide variety of both lawful and unlawful associations.

However, being even loosely associated with a lawful organization, the IND has historically had an advantage that no other smuggling group has: legitimacy.

As a result of this, individual IND pilots benefit from the organization's relations, and thus often do not face the exact same hazards as other smugglers. Because of this, I will permit the following:

Individual IND pilots may earn the following:
Order of Thermopylae
Chancellor Reinhardt Award
King Louis Award
Emperor Kogen Award
President Powell Award
Queen Carina Award

So for those awards, any IND pilot may be nominated (or nominate him/herself) and receive the award.

Regarding all other awards, the IND may submit a single nomination; meaning that if awarded, the award will be for the IND as a whole. Not that the IND needs an extra 20 million credits anyways.

(Disclaimer: This statement is hypothetical and in no way implies any illegal activity or unlawful associations on the part of the Interspace Neural Net Division)

---

ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[Ximen_Benitez]

Comm ID: Austin McConnell -- Smuggler

Pilot: Austin McConnell
Awards Nominated For: Historian Medal

"This wasn't easy, but I did it. Here's my guncam footage."

Buying/Leaving Crete 1|2
Passing Planet New Berlin 1|2
Landing/Selling Manhattan 1|2

I hope this is adequate proof.

McConnell

---

[Quorg]

Comm ID: Austin McConnell -- Smuggler

Pilot: Austin McConnell
Awards Nominated For: Historian Medal

"This wasn't easy, but I did it. Here's my guncam footage."

Buying/Leaving Crete 1|2
Passing Planet New Berlin 1|2
Landing/Selling Manhattan 1|2

I hope this is adequate proof.

McConnell

Well-done, sir. Once you provide evidence of your ship's affiliation, we can proceed with your medal.

And Mr. Barclay, the same goes to you.

---

ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[Ximen_Benitez]

I am affiliated with no group, I work for myself as I please.

Affiliation

Thank you,

McConnell

---

[Quorg]

Austin McConnell glanced around nervously as he was driven in the back of a long, white hoverlimousine to the ceremony. The burly-looking individuals sent to ensure his safe arrival did not appear quite as nervous. The ceremony was to take place at the house of a prominent LPI official, after all, with his full knowledge.

Upon his entry into the front door of said police official, McConnell noted with a smirk that the mansion was decorated largely with the items that he himself had brought to Manhattan. The butler guided them out the back door, where a sizeable contingent of police officers and criminals stood around a stage sipping white wine, served by tuxedo-wearing individuals with shackles on their feet and "LPI Prisoner" emblazoned on their backs.

On the stage, a young man in a denim jeans and a synth leather jacket and real leather boots beckoned him to climb the steps and join him.
When McConnell had ascended to the stage, the young man read the following from a letter in his hand aloud to the crowd:

Through the powers vested in me by the Almighty Credit, I hereby bestow Austin McConnel, independent cultural item trader, with the Historian Award, for his work regarding the study and proliferation of knowledge of alien cultures.

The audience clapped politely. Austin prepared to step down from the stage, but was stopped as the young man continued reading from the letter.

Not only did he earn the Historian Medal, but he is also hereby bestowed with the Adam Smith Award, for his transportation of valuable cargo across the senseless Rheinland-Liberty embargo line.

Congratulations, sir.

The young man beamed and pinned the ribbons on Austin's shirt.

Now tell me, to which bank account shall the financial grant of four million credits be sent?

---

ATTENTION SMUGGLERS
The Midnight Express: A Slaver <strike>who doesn't completely realize what he's doing.</strike> (video)

Quorg, you're officially a moron.

...mongs like Quorg being like a malignant little cancer...

Way to be useless, Quorg.

[Ximen_Benitez]

Austin had almost forgotten of the monetary awards as he beamed at the ribbons he had received. He looked up.

Thank you, sir. Thank you very much.

He always did try to be polite, even though his line of business sometimes didn't allow that.

I had never imagined getting an awards for doing what I do best. It's a great feeling, one I may want to bring back later, after I succeed at more challenges.

Maybe if you hang around long enough, a shipment of Cardi might just come in. He smiled. And maybe I'll just give you a discount...

Most of the audience's faces lit up and some clapped.

He turned to the man on the stage and said in a lower voice, The account for the award is A.McConnell. You'll have to use this security key to get in, I have it locked down pretty tight. He handed a small card to the young man.

Thanks again, everybody.

---

[TFinnegan]

Aye lad, well ye had to know I'd be apllyin fer a few o' these....

here's me submission for the Immigration medal:

Pickin' up 'passengers' at Niverton...
And being thanked by Liberty police I was grouped with!
Slidin' past Barrier Gate with 'passengers'...
...While grouped with the police... (is'nt this aiding and abetting????)
Malta airspace

Junker Guard ID

Now...I looked and looked but I couldn't find a 'Brass balls' award anywhere, but Slaving.....erm,...hauling 'passengers' while grouped with Liberty's finest ought to count for something...

I'll be completeing Pharmecutical Medal next...

T.Finnegan, Captain
Finnegan's Wake

P.S. note the *twists pinky ring* Billion plus dollars in me accounts! So ye can keep yer cash, I just want the bloomin' medal!

---