Ships Guarding: Two mining ships and two transports
Encountered Enemies: QCP Privateer in a Britionia Gun Boat
Two casualties on our side: A transport and Miner I believe
An interesting encounter was preceded by a Lane Hacker Gunship IDed Easy.to.Find who (gave a good RP) stayed on the outside of Java requesting access to the station to meet some scientists. After some time of chatter Gene Starwind joined up and he and I gave the Hacker ample polite reasons to find another port of harbor. I honestly believed the Hacker was a distraction as I was up by the mine fields guarding the mining efforts.
Bottom like it sure seemed like it when that QCP Privateer started demanding Mining right Levies against the miners. I think a combination of slow thinking on my part and the out right unbelief that a Britionia would pirate us caught us off guard. He had taken out Miner.Lisa and another transport before I arrived and saw Gene, a Miner ship, and another openly attacking the QCP Privateer. We managed to drive off that Privateer and he did something I havent seen in a while. Using the nearby suns corona to nearly destroy his ship but managing to buy himself time and room to escape. Thought its also been a long time since Ive seen a Gunboat hobble away with not even any armor left to detect on sensors.
Hours of mining work were wasted and a frustration that was felt by Gene and I along with the other miners.
I have a proposal to make to the IMG council and hope they will consider it. In other factions there are systems and areas of space where restrictions are so declared that any unauthorized ship is subject to attack without declaration or warning. My proposal is to make locations of Tau 23 secure zones.
Common sense tells us the only thing Outcasts mine are our miners and transports, not ore. Many Red IFFed ships are not in tau 23 for normal legal commerce and shipping, and any approaching Outcast class vessel to Java station and the mine fields are not asking for donations to feed the poor.
Therefore, this is what I propose.
The map here shows a 20k ring distance from Java station. A simple restriction in that area would be unreasonable as it cuts over the boundaries well out side what IMG typically frequents. So a more moderate area located in the Yellow shaded sectors depict a heavely monitored zone by which all ships are IDed, searched, and restricted or allowed depending on the content of their cargo. This is pretty much the SOP already so no surprises there. The Red area is where the attention should be placed. Any aforementioned enemy ship entering this region of space is to be fired upon, either to drive out or to be eliminated. I felt Miner.Lisas frustration after all that work to be ended in a few seconds. This is not an end all solution but more a better way to protect our miners, transports and the IMG in general. There are more things to consider, which is why I bring this into the open for further talks.
Sometimes, when all you want is to gain your freedom, you must be willing to risk it all.