07-27-2016, 10:59 PM, (This post was last modified: 07-28-2016, 12:28 PM by Nodoka Hanamura.
Edit Reason: Added more details. It's not much, but I'm going to aim for more detail later.
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NEURAL NET LOG VIEWER
Copyright Ageira Technologies 404 AS. All Rights Reserved.
NN LOG FOR: HANAMURA, NODOKA [0d1413d3-c14c-4075-a211-ccad80e150d2]
Log Number 003-B
Date/Time: July 27th, 823 AS | 02:10 Universal Time
Location: New York Jump Gate, Pensylvania System, Liberty Space
Subject: Out of the Frying Pan : Part 2/8 The Video feed has cut to the Jump Gate. Nodoka Stares at the Jump Gate. She is sweating and seems to be reluctant to jump. What's wrong? Are you still nervous around the Jump Gates because Our External Grav Inhibitor isn't working right? Honya looks to Nodoka, seeing her fear overwhelm her. Traffic around the gate is calm, with the occasional Zoner passing by - yet there are no signs of any Liberty Military or Police Patrols.
What do you think? Every time I go into one of those things, my boobs feel like they're going into my back and my eyes feel like they're going to shoot behind my skull. And don't get me started on Jump Holes! Oh, and the Trade Lanes don't?
No, because at least with trade lanes, the increase in speed is gradual, when I'm going into a Jump Gate or Hole, I feel like I'm being shot out of a CANNON. Well, if you're not going to do it, then I will do it for you. The ship moves without Nodoka's Input. Honya has control of the ship. Nodoka madly attempts to take control of the ship flipping switches and pressing buttons, as well as grasping at the throttle and yoke, but with no luck, Honya is actively rerouting her inputs to the ship's Astrionics dev/null filesystem, rendering all inputs useless.
What the [redacted] are you doing? Stop! Stop damn it! No, Hanamura-sensei. We need to leave. Nodoka moves back into her seat, arms crossed, visibly upset.
..I [redacted] hate you sometimes. You love me and you know it. The Maws of the Jump gate pry open, ready to take Nodoka's Ship into the Jump Hole generated by the gate. The Energy from the gate sends the hairs on her neck straight. The Hole opens before her, preparing to consume her ship whole into the rip in space-time. The three stare into the maw, only for Nodoka to clasp her hands in front of her eyes, frustrated.
Oh God, why couldn't I have just been left on Earth? Because your parents didn't love you enough. Nodoka's ship, just as Pale Bride finishes her sentence, is sucked into the Jump Hole generated by the Jump Gate. Nodoka is flung back into her seat, a prolonged pained grunt eminating from her as her chest contracts into her body, and her eyes open wide. The room is enveloped in the lights of trillions of passing stars, as the sunrider passes through space-time to arrive in New York. The artificial jump hole opens, with Nodoka flying straight out of it. directly behind the Pennsylvania Jump Gate in the Badlands. Behind them is the abandoned Ithaca Research Station. Nodoka sits frozen in her seat, a look of stress and pain still on her face.. Fire Control Initialization - Cockpit - Pilot's seat.. A small hole above Nodoka, built into the housing of the cockpit, used for putting out fires, fires off a liter of Water. Nodoka is left soaking wet, as a result of Honya's attempt to wake her from her stupor. Nodoka's facial expression goes from pained to displeased.
I hate those blasted things. Let's get to Texas. Nodoka takes control of the ship, and docks with the trade lane. The engines on the trade lane kick up, generating a ring of light around them, signifying it is ready to start the seqeunce. Moments later, the Sunrider is engulfed in the trade lane's energy field, and is propelled at speed out of the badlands. The Video Feed begins to show a camera underneath the ship, at least, in a Picture-In-Picture format, at the bottom left, with the cockpit still in the center. The Ship is passing through a trade lane to West Point, debris of the Badlands and Tradelane Relays passing by.
I think it'd be best for me to show my Posterity, well, If I ever have kids, what I saw, instead of seeing their mom react to getting shot without seeing who's doing the shooting. You just want a momento to look back on.
Yep. What's it look like at West Point? Nothing. According to nearby unencrypted comms, West Point is having a field day holding back LSF personnel fighting against Liberty Navy personnel on the station. We should be able to go ahead and pass through without being noticed.
Wonderful. Liberty's Navy is essentially more concerned with it's delinquent contemporaries within it's ranks than to properly govern their own space, meaning the freaking Unlawfuls can go to town on anyone not on a planet or station, Where the hell is the LPI?! Probably overwhelmed with mayday calls and the sort from ships in Liberty. It's pure anarchy. Which means we need to get the hell out of here before it gets worse. Sure, it may look like a government squabble now, but when the citizenry get up in arms over the fighting, and demand heads on pikes, It'll be full on civil war.
You know, it begs the question, what side is the actual STATE on? Who's the President working with? Does it really matter?
You have a point. The ship departs the tradelane, West Point shows sign of interior damage. parts of the station appear to be on fire, albeit sparse in coverage. Suprisingly, West Point responds to Nodoka's presence. This is West Point Military Academy to Incoming Freelancer ship, Please Identify yourself.
This is Nodoka Hanamura, Ident Freelancer Mu 12-7. I have intent on leaving Liberty Space due to rising tensions between the Liberty Navy and LSF. Requesting clearance to proceed onward to Norfolk Shipyard. Freelancer Mu 12-7, affirmative. We advise extreme caution - All LPI Patrols are currently assisting Liberty Navy Ships, engaged with Criminal uprisings, or are out of system. We'd send a fighter to escort you out of Liberty, but we're currently dealing with a disturbance onboard as you can see.
Affirmative, West Point. Can you at least give us a SITREP on the threats in the region? We saw A flight of Rogues heading towards Norfolk, but couldn't dispatch fighters to intercept. If you come across them, do us a favor and take them out for us.
Roger that, West Point. God Speed, And God Save Liberty. Thank you for the kind words, Freelancer! To you as well! Nodoka's ship flies into the Trade lane, and initiates the sequence. Seconds later, Nodoka's ship is gradually accellerating west, towards Norfolk. Not even 10 seconds pass, and alarms blare, detecting a Interruption in the trade lane. A group of 4 Lane Hackers are seen directly in front of Nodoka as the Trade lane cuts out. They aren't opening fire, but are closing in on her in a tight formation. Contacts ahead! 4-ship of Lane Hackers, Azimuth Null, on the plane! I'm ready to open fire. Tell me when. The Lane Hacker leading the formation flies closer to Nodoka's ship. His video feed is played for Nodoka. he is a Libertonian man, bearing Blond hair and a chiseled face. Freelancer Nodoka Hanamura, Stand down! We do not mean any harm.
How do you know my name? The Lane Hackers have a lot of access to the neural net. We knew you were coming. We're here to give you a warning. The LSF are engaged with the Liberty Navy at Norfolk. Me, my crew, and a few other civvie sympathizers are actively redirecting ships to other paths out of Liberty. Nodoka looks to Norfolk Shipyard in the distance, seeing ships duking it out, some civilian ships even getting caught in the crossfire, including an Ageira Transport which is accidentally hit with a missle, splitting the Train Transport in two, leaving the pilot alive for the moment, but stranded in the battle. The fire only seems to intensify as things go on, as Nodoka watches. "Why are Unlawfuls helping out civilians and freelancers?"Nodoka thinks to herself.
Why are you doing this? We're not doing this as an act of the Lane Hackers per se, but doing it out of good will. We've said before the enemies of Liberty are our friends, but in this situation, me and my team can't stand idly by and let civilians and those who have no business in Liberty's Military and Corporate Affairs get caught in the crossfire. Where are you headed? "The guy seems to be honest. I'll give him that." Nodoka whispers to herself.
Rheinland Space. Very well. I'll have my Number 4 escort you to one of the closest safe trade lanes to the Jump Gate through open space. That's as far as we can allow, as LPI are spread paper thin, cracking down on Unlawfuls, and we're risking our [redacted] out here enough as it is. Martinez, Escort this lady out of New York for us, and make sure neither you or her get blown to pieces in the process. We'll be waiting for you back here. Yes, sir. Ma'am, form up with me. It's best we stick together. We'll cut across Open space towards the Norfolk-Texas Gate Trade Lane. You should be good to go from there. The Lane Hacker turns towards the Texas Trade Lane, Nodoka proceeds to follow the ship, and forms up, to make for the Trade lane, passing by Norfolk. as they fly through open space, they can see the battle taking place at Norfolk, Torpedoes, Missiles and Guns galore, coming from vast amounts of LSF and Liberty Navy Ships. Nodoka can make out a Nova Torpedo flying towards a LSF capital ship. It impacts, splitting the ship in two, rendering it destroyed, and almost all it's personnel dead. Just in front of it, a LSF Defender has it's engines and left wing destroyed, sending it flying into a Liberty Navy Gunboat who had the shields knocked down. The two ships collide, the Defender exploding, putting out damage equivalent to a Nuclear Mine. The Gunboat is hit, with a massive hole in it's side, personnel and scrap of the ship flying out of it.
Damn.. Jesus.. It's like they say.. War is hell.
And Civil War is hell in your backyard. True. Where you from?
Kusari. Then why aren't you heading back to Kusari, then? Nodoka tries to keep it brief, without giving away too much detail about her self-exile from Kusari.
I.. I don't consider that place my home anymore. Ah. Well, we're half way to the Safe part of the Trade Lane. The other Unlawfuls should see you with me and Ignore you.
That's reassuring. Thanks, uh.. Martinez. And don't mention it. The two ships finally arrive at the tradelane. This is your stop. take care, alright?
I will. Thanks. If you Lane Hackers ever need a favor, let me know. Gladly, now get out of here before [redacted] gets worse than it already is.
Roger that. Good Luck, Lane Hacker. To you as well, Freelancer. Nodoka Begins the trade lane sequence, and seconds later, is sent towards the Jump Gate to Texas. That.. was suprisingly kind. Yeah. The Jump Gate's ahead. Nodoka, you ready?
You know, to be frank, after seeing the hell that is modern warfare up close today, I think Jump Gates are the worst of my problems, really. Onward to Texas. Good, Hanamura-sensei. I'll begin the jump sequence and see if the EGI will work this time.. Hmm. Seems that power needed to go to it for full operation is going to the.. Coolant. Adjusting Energy Allocation... Done. We shouldn't have to worry about the Jump gate pummeling you into your seat.
Why the hell wasn't this fixed on the Freighter? Or the Civilian Shuttle I used? You Imported Settings and preferences from the Shuttle when you transferred to the Freighter, and then transferred that same data to the Sunrider.
... Next stop, Texas.
Here's hoping that fixed the EGI. Nodoka's ship flies into the maw of the Jump Gate, and seconds later, is thrown through the jump hole made by the gate. The feed cuts out, but doesn't end.