Incoming Transmission from Planet Curacao
Cortez, Barrier Borderworlds
02. FEBRUARY 827 A.S.
To:NO Internal Affairs Priority:Normal Topic:Pirates, Terrorists, and Other Assorted Wildlife
Message Contents:
Konnichiwa,
While the Frozen Princess was on a passenger run ferrying Envoys from New Tokyo to Freeport 2, we were accosted by two Xeno pilots (Callsigns Cobra & Rainbow) who predictably took issue with our presence in Liberty space. Well aware that I was badly outgunned and not being an idiot, I chose to withdraw back to Kusari space rather than attempt to fight or run. Apparently they weren't idiots either, because they escorted me all the way back to the Kusari border, not trusting me to stay out, apparently. The shame of it, I promised that we'd leave, I'm a man of my word. I'd never turn around and go back via another route as soon as they were out of sight.
So, as soon as we entered Shikoku and lost our unwanted escort, I immediately set course for the Galileo jump hole, in hopes of finding an alternate route through Libertonian space. As we passed Leiden in Galileo, the Lane Hackers there passed us updated coordinates on some of Liberty's jump holes. Because there was no easy and safe route to Bering on the back routes through Liberty, my passengers agreed to redirect to Curacao instead. On our way through Colorado to the Ontario jump hole, we passed the two Xeno ships again, but they were otherwise engaged and we passed by without incident.
There was no way they didn't notice, though. Any other Guild ships passing through Libertonian space should be cautious. I'm not sure that the Xenos will be so kindly disposed towards us in the future.
[02.02.2020 12:38:07] XA-Cobra: A princess falling into my lap?
[02.02.2020 12:38:18] NO-Frozen.Princess: Good morning, gentlemen.
[02.02.2020 12:38:20] XA-Cobra: Slow down now.
[02.02.2020 12:38:26] XA-"Rainbow": Cut your engines.
[02.02.2020 12:38:38] NO-Frozen.Princess: Can't. I'm paid to get these people where they're going on schedule.
[02.02.2020 12:38:42] XA-Cobra: Oh, I see.
[02.02.2020 12:38:47] XA-Cobra: Saw this piece of shit open.
[02.02.2020 12:38:58] XA-Cobra: Motivated now?
[02.02.2020 12:39:00] NO-Frozen.Princess: So, that's how it's going to be?
[02.02.2020 12:39:03] XA-"Rainbow": I maybe not holding my guns then.
[02.02.2020 12:39:24] XA-Cobra: Where are those envoys from?
[02.02.2020 12:39:27] XA-"Rainbow": From where are those people?
[02.02.2020 12:39:38] XA-Cobra: Jinx.
[02.02.2020 12:39:38] NO-Frozen.Princess: So, what's the "noble cause" behind this particular shakedown, and how much is the "donation"?
[02.02.2020 12:40:02] XA-Cobra: We aren't highwaymen.
[02.02.2020 12:40:08] XA-Cobra: We don't pretend to be running a toll service.
[02.02.2020 12:40:11] NO-Frozen.Princess: Some from Kusari, some from elsewhere returning home.
[02.02.2020 12:40:16] XA-Cobra: Either people are in line with our agenda, or they're dead.
[02.02.2020 12:40:38] XA-"Rainbow": We are not interested in donations. We are interested in cleaning our home.
[02.02.2020 12:40:46] NO-Frozen.Princess: Well, I assume your agenda involves Liberty in some way, and since I'm not actually stopping in Liberty, we have no issue.
[02.02.2020 12:41:01] XA-Cobra: You still decided to pass through it, with people that don't belong here.
[02.02.2020 12:41:05] XA-"Rainbow": You are transpassing our home and bossing us around.
[02.02.2020 12:41:19] XA-Cobra: Let's also not forgot how your rudely did not stop on command.
[02.02.2020 12:41:24] XA-Cobra: Forget, even.
[02.02.2020 12:41:25] NO-Frozen.Princess: Unless you know another way to Freeport 2, I didn't exactly have much choice, now did I?
[02.02.2020 12:41:39] XA-Cobra: Where is that, exactly?
[02.02.2020 12:41:52] XA-Cobra: One in Bering, right?
[02.02.2020 12:41:53] XA-"Rainbow": You could go via Rheinland.
[02.02.2020 12:41:54] NO-Frozen.Princess: One jump past Texas, but the Rheinland side is closed.
[02.02.2020 12:42:00] NO-Frozen.Princess: So, no I can't.
[02.02.2020 12:42:10] XA-"Rainbow": Wait where's Freeport 2?
[02.02.2020 12:42:13] XA-Cobra: Bering.
[02.02.2020 12:42:18] XA-Cobra: It's smack-dab in the middle of it.
[02.02.2020 12:42:20] XA-"Rainbow": So it's Liberty/
[02.02.2020 12:42:29] XA-Cobra: It's a border system, contested interest.
[02.02.2020 12:42:35] XA-Cobra: Fallen into pirate hands lately.
[02.02.2020 12:42:44] XA-Cobra: So why are you taking envoys to a station run by scum?
[02.02.2020 12:42:52] XA-Cobra: Not adding up to me.
[02.02.2020 12:42:55] NO-Frozen.Princess: Because they wanted to go. I'm just the taxi.
[02.02.2020 12:43:11] NO-Frozen.Princess: I'll be picking up Pilgrims there for a trip to that wierd base in Baffin.
[02.02.2020 12:43:19] NO-Frozen.Princess: All in a day's work.
[02.02.2020 12:43:22] XA-"Rainbow": Well, too bad you chose the wrong route.
[02.02.2020 12:43:26] Rules Tip: Do not run Freelancer at a framerate above 155fps - for more information on this, please visit our forums @ Discoverygc.com.
[02.02.2020 12:43:27] XA-Cobra: Freeport 2's inhabitants are no friends of ours.
[02.02.2020 12:43:29] NO-Frozen.Princess: I chose the only route.
[02.02.2020 12:43:31] XA-"Rainbow": This is Liberty, the land of no scum.
[02.02.2020 12:43:32] XA-Cobra: So you won't be going through Liberty.
[02.02.2020 12:43:51] NO-Frozen.Princess: Well, that's a dilemma, then.
[02.02.2020 12:43:58] XA-Cobra: You've got two choices now, back off and get the heck out. Or try your luck.
[02.02.2020 12:44:13] NO-Frozen.Princess: Well, that's not much of a choice, now is it?
[02.02.2020 12:44:21] XA-Cobra: Depends on whether you're lucky.
[02.02.2020 12:44:35] NO-Frozen.Princess: Have you ever seen me gamble? I'll just be going.
[02.02.2020 12:45:05] NO-Frozen.Princess: This is going to cut into my income for the month. Thanks a lot.
[02.02.2020 12:45:11] XA-"Rainbow": Always welcome.
[02.02.2020 12:45:13] XA-"Rainbow": We don't care.
[02.02.2020 12:45:13] XA-Cobra: I hope it stings.
[02.02.2020 12:45:29] Ship is out of range
[02.02.2020 12:46:07] NO-Frozen.Princess: You gents don't do "trust" do you?
[02.02.2020 12:46:19] XA-Cobra: We trust our own.
[02.02.2020 12:46:22] XA-Cobra: You aren't one of us.
[02.02.2020 12:46:28] NO-Frozen.Princess: Probably a good thing. I used to be a smuggler. I'd have found a way around the second I was out of sight.
[02.02.2020 12:46:39] XA-"Rainbow": If we will see your kind in Liberty one more time, you will have a really warm welcome. So warm that you will burn. Got it?
[02.02.2020 12:47:22] NO-Frozen.Princess: Yeah, the implication seems clear enough.
[02.02.2020 12:49:14] XA-Cobra: How much did that flying art project cost?
[02.02.2020 12:49:52] NO-Frozen.Princess: Not much. I got it fairly cheap at a police auction and converted it to mass transit instead of a luxury yacht.
[02.02.2020 12:50:08] NO-Frozen.Princess: Turns out that there isn't much in the mid-sized passenger transport class that isn't a yacht.
[02.02.2020 12:50:13] NO-Frozen.Princess: So, the conversion was necessary.
[02.02.2020 12:50:20] XA-Cobra: Might tear one open and salvage it for ourselves.
[02.02.2020 12:50:36] NO-Frozen.Princess: Well, pick a different one. I'm rather fond of this.
[02.02.2020 12:50:47] NO-Frozen.Princess: Don't hit any asteroids on the way back to Liberty.
[02.02.2020 12:50:57] Ship is out of range
[02.02.2020 12:51:04] XA-Cobra: Mad talk for being in shooting distance.