Did some more runs from and to Berlin. clear "skies" all the way. Not bothered once. can you believe it?
then I went to New york to drop off some luxury food. On Manhattan I picked up some passengers who wanted to go to planet New London. In California I ran into a Lane Hacker and an Outcast. they were quite nice lads actually. very well behaved. didn`t ask for a penny. what one of them DID ask for was crumpets... whatever that may be. had something to do with his co-pilot having taken an overdose of cardimine. strange lot those Outcasts...
Passengers dropped off safely. they were screaming and whining when thsoe two pirates stopped my ship. what a bunch of whiners those rich boys from Manhaatan...
Some sad news lads, A catastrophic reactor leak upon take-off from Cambrige has resulted in me no longer being able to fly the Collingwood. Luckily the leak was contained and I was not affected, though the cost of a replacement reactor, plus some long over-due repairs that I just never got around to, have forced me to retire my long-serving percheron. Luckly, the insurance policy has paid off big time and I have managed to procure a replacement vessel from the brokerage at a very reasonable price. Sadly, this new 'firefly' isnt as pretty as the old perch, but the cats seem to like it and I suppose it'll grow on me.
One major improvement is the size of the hold, i'll be able to accept some more lucrative contracts now, and I have to say that the crew quarters are much roomier. I will be registering the new vessel as the Collingwood, I suppose it's only fitting that the name should carry through, i've just finished riveting on the name-plate an hour ago. Time to grab some champagne to send her on her way!
Anyway, I look forward to better times ahead.
Safe flying,
Bob Barker, Master of the (new and shiny) Bowex)Collingwood.
Comm id: Mart Bellock, Bowex)Wheatstone
subject: New ship
message begins:
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I binned, my 3rd I believe it is, Clydesdale as well. This time not due to some trigger happy, unemployed stray dogs but because I purchased a Large Transport. better cargo hold, better performance and I love the intercom on that thing. Now I can shout at the whole crew at the same time instead of using personal comms.
... Incoming transmission
.. COMM ID: Richard Farbridge, BOWEX office Cambridge
.. Subject: flying time
Righto lads,
My cute little eagle has been taken out, apperently I had a chicken in my air intake and they need to fix it. WIll take a day or two before I'll be able to fly again. I suspect this glasgow transport pilot of stuffing it in.
Cheerio!
... Message terminated
There used to be pictures here
once known as Richard Farbridge, OBE and Ronaldo Benitez
... Incoming transmission
.. COMM ID: Richard Farbridge, BOWEX office Cambridge
.. Subject: flying time
Righto lads,
Today, delivered explorer pecheron Mountbatten to the tau 31 gate construction site in tau 23. She's currently flying exploration sorties in the area. Thanks to the BAF for getting us there in one piece and me back home, bloody noodlemunchers!
Afther that did a run to berlin with the anne Boylen and the wheatstone, took a mandalorian back with us from bretonia. We did not sing in berlin coz of issues with the huge military precense at Berlin planet. Escort was paid 2 mill.
I was flying alongside mr barker and crew in the wheatstone towards manhattan, we seriously flew by a rogue gunboat and a xenos eagle! On the way back that same xeno had an unfriendly encounter with a combination of a mine and torpedo although fairly close to my hull so I had some hull damage, nothing seriously only had 10% of my hull integrity left.
Afther that friendly encouter we continued. Jumped to california, ran into a lone rogue gunboat again, seems wheatstone had more encounters with the bugger. We started running and flew straight into the hands of 2 other gunboats and a greyhound... in the end we decided to pay up for all three of the "hostage" ships, a mandalorian joined our convoy during the time we where "grounded" by the horrible aggressive buggers called rogues in their ugly ships called gunboats. Updated the bounty board accordingly.
Continued home with the mandalorian, did some emergency repairs on the wheatstone at curacou and stopped off at london. Escort paid, 1 mill.
Cheerio!
... Message terminated
There used to be pictures here
once known as Richard Farbridge, OBE and Ronaldo Benitez
Right, this is regarding the maiden voyage of the BES Mountbatten, Golf 12-9. This is the latest of the 'Exploration' class Percheron's to be commissioned. The ship was baptised after our new Prime Minister, in recognition of his victory in the House of Lords over Prime Minister Worthington. I thought it oddly symbolic - as Lord Mountbatten pushes back Bretonia's boundaries in the realm of politics, his namesake will be expanding Bretonia's physical realm out in the edgeworlds.
This beauty rolled out of Scarbourgh but three weeks ago and has just had it's crew of seven taken on. I was given command after serving as a co pilot on Mr. Maloney's beloved Bramall.
From Scarborough, the Mountbatten was piloted down to Cambridge where we took on three experts in astrophysics and geography that had signed on from the University. One of them is also acting as a delegation from BMM so they can file claims for any exploitable mineral fields they come across.
From Cambridge we RVed with Mr. Farbridge who was to fly escort with us to the Bretonian outpost located furthest into the Taus - the Tau 31 Construction Site. Outside Planet Cambridge Lieutenant Carter of the BAF also agreed to help protect our convoy.
The journey passed without incident until we hit Tau 31 itself, where we had a close call with a wing of KNF Dragons. After that, I jumped to Tau 23 and Mr. Farbridge and Lt. Carter headed back to Bretonian Core space. I believe Mr. Farbridge was headed to another Bowex convoy.
After I'd signed in with BMM management on the construction site, we proceeded to trial some of the equipment by probing one of the areas some of the miners claimed had been emitting unusual amounts of radiation in the north-west segments of the system. So far we've come up with nothing, although there is debate among our 'experts' about the possibility of a 'jump hole' phenomenon at cause due to some unusual magnetic readings we've been receiving.
This is an account of the first few trips back and forth between Cambridge and New Berlin. I chose a simple route recommended on the company boards. Prisoners from Cambridge to New Berlin, and Engine Components back.
The first trip there was uneventful, On the return trip I met Division Director Farbridge who kindly escorted me back to Cambridge, engaging some corsairs who disrupted a trade lane in Omega 7. The shock of the journey was when we came across a Cryer Pharmaceuticals IFFed Rhineland Battleship in the Omegas, heading for Bretonian space.
Upon our arrival at Cambridge I was temporarily delayed due to planetside problems. When I returned to the vessel I found that Division Director Farbridge was assisting BAF fighters in the Tau 31 system against a Colonial Remnant incursion.
I then headed back to New Berlin and then back to Cambridge and bar a few outcast attempts on my cargo the trip was uneventful.
I was then chartered to carry some passengers to Munich however once I entered Rhineland space I was informed that among them was a dangerous terrorist and I would have to deviate from my route and proceed directly to Vierlande prison to drop him off. My passengers were somewhat annoyed by the detour I was forced to take and even more annoyed when we were informed that they would have to disembark at new Berlin so that the authorities could screen them for accomplices.
Indeed as I write this I am sitting in a bar in New Berlin, drinking some rather cold beer and admiring the local barmaids. They also have these rather contorted bar snacks, "Bretzeln" I think they call them, dashed salty things. Once the authorities have finished I shall be taking my passengers to Munich, although I fear I may have to offer them a discount.
Comm id: Mart Bellock, captain of the Wheatstone
subject: trade runs
message begins:
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here`s a report from my trips up to now.
I`ve been flying back and forth between Bretonia and New Berlin quite a lot. I also did some trips to Liberty. all relatively quiet runs. untill I ran into a rogue called CorpseMonger. I slipped through his fingers and he took that quite personally. maybe had something to do with his pirating qualities I commented about over the comms.
later I ran into him again when Richard was escorting me. he brought his buddies and was sitting in california. with no less that 2 gunboats and 2 fighters they were ambushing traders. I tried to make a run for it but 4 guys shooting at me is a bit too much. The Wheatstone sustained heavy damage but was still flyable. we paid the "tax" they wanted and left. someone please keep the accountant of my back.
I have the Wheatstone back in tip top shape and I`ll resume flying today.
[Comm ID] Captain John Harrington commanding Tradeship Bowex)Stephenson
[Callsign] Delta 01-2
[To]Bowex Info net
[Subject]My latest Trade work and ship status report.
I have been running late with my reports.
Ever since i took over the new ship, it feels like i spend more and more time making paper work.
I have realised that a 5 man Crew was simply not enough, So i have hired 5 new crew members, more or less Dockhands.
When all papers are processed i will post a valid list of the new crew members.Incl, our new Ship dog.
When the 5 new probies got on board i wantet to take Bowex)Stephenson out on a training run, to make some exercises,
But our brooker had other plans, Seems he has a big trading aggrement with a third party dealer on New Berlin, so we have more or less beeing flying from Leeds to NB and back.
On 1 round trip yesterday i was flying with Bowex)Bramall
and today in a nice Alpha-1 convoy with Bowex)Flashman and Bowex)Wheatstone.
I took the trading time and run a 24 hour drill so that my new crewmembers learnd all the emergency procedures.
I will bet that they now hate me for it, But if we suffer a decompression they will thank me for the never ending drills.
Bowex)Stephenson is currently parked on Planet Leeds for a routine inspection and truster maintanence.
Signed Captain John Harrington and Crew
Bowex)Stephenson
[Closing Download in 3.....2....1....Download close]
[Comm offline]
I am not a native English Speaker, so i make grammar errors.
But it annoys me when people make silly comments about that... especially brits who for the most part can't speak their own language let alone anyone elses!
This record begins in Munich. Having dropped off passengers, I then headed to Omicron Theta through Sigma 17.
Trip 1: (Omicron Theta)Freeport 9: Alien Organisms --> Omega 41 --> Omega 5 --> Cambridge Research Centre
Having headed to Omicron Theta with no problems I docked at Freeport 9 and picked up some alien organisms. One of the loaders at the dock malfunctioned and dropped a crate, showering me with these damn squidgy things. Naturally Freeport 9 agreed to reimburse me, not just for the organisms but also for the dry cleaning my clothes required. You wouldn't believe how those things stain.
I then left Omicron Theta and, perhaps unwisely, followed the advice of a chap in the bar and headed to Omega 41. While crossing Omega 41 I came under attack from a rather vicious group of Hessians. Attempting to evade them I found myself in a highly radioactive area that started to chew away at the hull. I barely made it to the jump hole, my ship was slightly ablaze and even on the other side the Hessians didn't let up. They chased me through Omega 5.
Imagine, if you will, the ship, on fire, a horde of hessian pirates firing missile and lasers upon her. I was praying at the helm. As long as the shields held it was still possible for me to survive. They did, barely. I knew spending that little extra on superior shields would pay off eventually.
I entered Cambridge and made straight for the research station. You would not believe the looks I got as I landed my ship, still ablaze, and starting preparing to offload the remaining organisms while dock services rushed to put out the fires.
Would you believe it, the scientists gave me a bonus. Apparently they hadn't tested the effects of extreme heat on these organisms before and I had somehow given them a breakthrough. When I left they were preparing a blowtorch and a large microscope. Sometimes I'm glad they don't conduct human testing.
The bonus went towards repairing my ship and giving the old girl a new paint job and control modules. She's even prettier than before.
Rule Bretonia!
Trip 2: Round trip, Cambridge to New Berlin, Oder Shipyard to Planet Malta,Falkland Base to Leipzig Station to Cambridge.
Having scanned our infonet and noticed our agreement with the outcasts I thought I would try a test run. Using outlying systems I made my way from New Berlin to Planet Malta carrying MOX. The trip was uneventful although I did see a junker getting a going over from some outcasts. I then went through into the Tau's and picked up Niobium at Falkland. I then went back through my old route to New Berlin, then to Dresden where I sold the Niobium and purchased High Temperature Alloy for transport back to Cambridge.
Trip 3: (Cambridge) Planet Cambridge: Luxury Food --> New London --> Manchester --> Cortez --> California --> Planet Manhattan
Leaving Cambridge I ran into a BMM vessel that informed me that BMM was attempting expansion and resurgence. I think we can agree that that would be a good thing and would take some mining away from the noodle munchers.
The rest of the journey was unusually quiet. No signs of Lane hackers or rogues. Something must be going on in the sector. The pirates may be preparing a large offensive. Let's hope its towards Liberty rather than Bretonia.
Trip 4: (New York) Planet Manhattan: Passengers --> Texas --> Bering --> Hamburg --> Frankfurt --> Munich (Augsburg Docking Wing)
Ran into repeated rogue piracy throughout the southern libertonian systems, Liberty Navy as usual were not around. Upon entering Bering Rogue piracy gave way to Unionist piracy. Exiting the Frankfurt jump hole I ran into about 30 of them but managed to evade fire for long enough to reach the nearby trade lane to Munich. Munich itself is peaceful, I am currently resting in Augsburg and I will soon head to New Berlin for Engine Components to take back home to Cambridge.
Incidentally, I was informed that Flashman is an unsuitable name for a ship, given the recent Lady Hardinge scandal, so I have renamed her to Bowex)Gordon after the great Charles George Gordon.
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