Here is enclosed an account of my life since it was turned upside down by Ageira's corruption:
I Was a computer/lab technician working for a theoretical physicist at Ageira Technologies. His specialty was wormhole theory and we worked in R&D on various aspects of jump gate technology. He had a fascination for the naturally occurring wormholes found throughout Sirius. Agiera publicly proclaims them to be navigational hazards and insisted that they are too dangerous and unstable to be used safely. However, he wasn’t able to determine any scientific reason for this, and had somewhat of a passion for collecting data on these phenomena in an attempt to conclusively prove once and for all the truth about them. His superiors forbade him from such vain and foolish pursuits while on duty, so he studied it much on His own. Both of us spent many evenings and weekends in his private lab poring over sensor data and crunching numbers. It became a bit of an obsession for both of us, and after extensive data collection and rigorous mathematical tests, we finally had results that were truly ground breaking. The in-inescapable conclusion we came to, was that natural jump-holes aren't the navigational menace they were thought to be. Rather, by careful measurements of the radiation emanating from a wormhole, one could determine how stable it is, and, once determined safe, the only thing remaining would be to send a probe through and find out where it goes. We were ecstatic about this development, enthusiastic about the implications - just think of all the new systems that could be explored, all the new routes that could be opened! I encouraged him to show his report to his superiors - to show them that his idea wasn’t so worthless after all.
Unfortunately that was the last time I ever saw him. He died in some kind of docking ring malfunction a few days later. At first, I didn’t imagine this had anything to do with his discovery, and grieved for the loss of my friend. Apparently a certain amount of naivety is inherent in spending one’s life in a laboratory...
Naturally, I was interested in the legacy of my brilliant friend. I knew he would want me to carry on his work, so I decided to see what became of his report. I went to his lab where we had spent all those years working together, and was shocked to discover the entire lab had been destroyed by an accidental fire the very day he died! Years worth of data - all gone! Only then did the truth dawn on me. Only then did I realize how foolish and naive we had been. It had never occurred to our naive, scientifically focused minds that Agiera would suppress such information if it threatened the profits from their jump gate technology.
Troubled and confused, I wondered what to do next. I couldn't let them get away with such a heinous crime! It took me a few minutes to realize that that was the least of my worries - it wouldn't take them long to realize I had worked with him all those years. Surely they would be coming after me next. I did what I could to cover any sign I had been looking through the lab, went home, emptied my savings account, packed a few belongings, and left everything - especially my name - behind.
I have kept a journal since leaving home of what has occurred since then, hoping that someone would find it in the event I was killed. My entries are enclosed below:
I’ve spent the last few days at a seedy motel, paying cash and using a fake name. I’ve been biding time and trying to stay invisible while I figure out what to do next. During that time I happened upon my obituary in the local news - it said I committed suicide following the death of my long-time friend the physicist. I better stay invisible now. It is not hard to get away with killing someone who is already dead.
Today I found a hacked computer terminal that I can use to anonymously access the net. Hopefully my days operating the computers for the professor will pay off, and I can sneak around the net without being noticed. Knowledge is power, and I need to find some knowledge I can use to survive.
The last few days have been a harrowing and fruitless exercise in futility. I’ve broken into Ageira’s encrypted network twice now in an attempt to find some proof of their crimes. Each time I get close to the data I need, the link goes dead, and I find myself making a hasty exit before the cops come busting down the door. I’m going to need another strategy before Erie runs out of seedy motels to hide in.
It has occurred to me that I might find some potential allies among Liberty’s criminal element. I had heard of a group called the Lane Hackers who insist upon the horrible corruption of Liberty’s major corporations. I never paid much attention to them - always figuring that they were just making excuses to justify their crimes. Maybe there is something to their claims.
I’ve now managed to gain access to an encrypted message channel used by the Lane Hackers. They left instructions to follow in order to join their organization. I left a message for one of their leaders announcing my intentions to join them, spent the small remainder of my credits on a tiny piece of flying detritus and left planet Erie for the last time. I sure hope I know what I’m doing, and I sure hope this thing optimistically called a “space ship” that I’m in holds together.
I feel like my entire worldview has changed over the past week. After dodging cops and bounty hunters, and weaving my way through hopeless labyrinths of space junk, I have finally found Rochester base. Talking to the inhabitants there has completely changed my outlook of Liberty. Everyone here has been completely exploited. Those without the appropriate connections have the choice between eking out a living on the slag heaps or mines, or going criminal and having a chance of making a better life for themselves - if they can stay out of prison. I’ve lived such a sheltered life I never even knew what was going on right under my nose.
Its been a while since my last journal entry. I’ve spent the last week or so finding my way around the criminal elements here in Liberty - I visited Cochrane Depot, Buffalo base, and traveled through a number of worm holes. I have to say it’s incredibly exciting to finally be using these things. If only the professor could have seen this for himself. Anyway, I’ve mostly been running around the New York system fighting off cops and bounty hunters; and selling loot hoping to earn enough credits to buy a better ship before this one falls apart on me. I learned a hard lesson the other day during a tangle with a few patriots: always keep an eye on your scanner, even when you’re in the middle of a fight. I was so absorbed in knocking off the last patriot when a blaster bolt bigger than my ship came sailing past my peripheral vision! Apparently the cops radioed for help and a nearby cruiser came in for the assist. I managed to lose them in the nearby debris field, but not before losing several important pieces of my ship. I limped back to Rochester, leaking air like a sieve. I had to spend some days in the medical unit of Rochester, and the medical bills and repair bills set me back a ways saving up for a new ship.
Well, I’ve finally done it. After collecting bounties on a number of police and bounty hunter pilots, I’ve saved up enough money to buy a Dagger. This ship is night and day from that beat up old Starflier. I’m now running missions out of Mactan base - mostly knocking off bounty hunter bases. I guess they are really trying to ramp up operations in this area.
I’ve been here at Mactan for a couple of weeks now. Things are going very well. I’ve gained the complete confidence of the Lane Hackers and I am adjusting well to new life fighting the evil corporations of Liberty. Hopefully some day our efforts will lead to the downfall of the current system and make way for a truely just society.
