I am happy to announce that the HMPS Tayloe has been commissioned into service as the CDI's first directly operated prison ship. Flying under its original flag name of Grand Rapids, the handover from DSE was carried out at Susquehanna Station, Cortez.
Upon taking possession, an escort detail was provided by constables Arai, Montgomery, Pickering and Wels. During the initial shakedown flight, various systems were tested, including helm control and propulsion. Following the jump to Newcastle, an electrical fault resulted in the starboard lateral thruster locking into an active state, causing the liner to spin.
This issue was resolved by resetting the ship's electronics; the matter has been flagged for inspection. The Tayloe was fitted with new turrets at Scarborough Shipyard, and re-registered for police service at Gateshead. While travelling onward through Leeds, further tests confirmed that PLOPS had been activated and the transponder was broadcasting correctly.
Following a technical inspection at Canary Wharf Station, the hangar bay's autodock firmware was activated and then tested by constable Wels. This revealed additional electrical faults, however shunting the hangars onto the emergency circuit restored lighting. At this point, the constables were called away to respond to PLOPS reports of a Corsair vessel moving through Manchester. The DTR-CCS>GatitoExpreso was eventually intercepted near New London's Manchester Jump Gate.
We RVed with the constables a short while later to assume command of the situation. In an attempt to peaceably resolve the situation, constables Arai and Wels demonstrated initiative by shooting off the suspect's turrets. Despite extensive attempts to negotiate the Corsairs' surrender, the pirates eventually attempted to flee, while firing countermeasures with hostile intent.
The constables were forced to intervene, destroying the vessel. After suppressing remaining Corsair patrols in the area, several captives were collected and taken to the Coleraine brig, pending permanent transfer. Overall, a successful shakedown run. Additional diagnostics data is currently being checked over by our technicians. Final provisions and crew will be taken on shortly.