This is Jiro Taiyouji, your favourite Nito Kaii after Nakamura-san. I've got a couple of patrols to file this time. Here's the first one.
With news of pirate activity in Shikoku, I've scrambled with my bomber to have a look at the reported position. Just to hear that the pirates have left the Kusari borders before I could reach there.
However, as I was on my way back to base, I've spotted a Light Fighter, bearing the marks of the Lane Hackers. It must have been a recon operation, or an attempt to draw our forces to open up a hole in our organization in Shikoku. I've asked the Hacker to stop and listen; he didn't.
Nito Kaii Ujisato Gamo also appeared after hearing of my find. The Hacker pilot's unwillingness to listen to us left us with no choice but to open fire. We followed him to Kepler Gate, trying to land our shots on its tiny hull, but having little success. Though, I could land my Antimatter Cannon while it tried to pass through the gate, and it really impressed Gamo-san.
I had an amazing luck in poker earlier that day, making a killing from gullible wingmates, so I was looking forward to get back to the mess hall and continue from where I left off. I made 60.000 credits, in 20 minutes, can you believe that.
Oh anyways, as I was returning, I've seen a Farmers Alliance pilot, driving a tractor. Nah... I wish. It was a friggin' Hayabusa, another Light Fighter, and this one didn't try to dock to the gates.
As I was gently insulting the Farmer, a lot of pilots swarmed up around us, all of them from the Navy, sadly for the peasant. The Farmer started to shoot at me anyways, he couldn't take it anymore, I had probably offended him a bit tenderly, finding a soft spot with his love for the Emperor.
Lucky me, he was an awful shot, as expected from a peasant who should be plowing fields or catching fish in Kyushu right now, rather than playing soldier or going 'Ahoy! Harr, harr!'
Even though it couldn't hit me much, it was still taking a while to take the mad farmer down. The guy was not used to fighting, his hands were shaking, making his aim shakey, and also his flight pattern. You don't land a SNAC on a shakey Hayabusa; add to that, the peasants are simply too lucky by nature to be hit by a SNAC.
They are good people in essence. They just don't know how good a life they have, and it is frustrating when they sell their tractors to buy Hayabusas with the cash.
Before we could take down the Farmer, a strange, creepy thing [which I am not told really what] appeared. It obviously wanted to shoot at stuff, so Nito Kaii Kenji Tokusha thrusted out to meet it with a single fight. Their fight was occasionally interrupted by our Farmer friend, who apparently hated the creep more than me, somehow.
The farmer didn't last long afterwards. And I don't know what happened to Tokusha-san's fight. I heard that their engagement spanned longer than my patrol hours.
Soon after, as though the earlier pure hearted farmer's curse worked, my headache got awful, and I could barely fly my ship to the closest station. I had to call it a day.
The second patrol's report will be included in a separate file.
Sender ID: Tetsuo Shimizu Target ID: Reporting Center Encryption: High
Opening Message
The patrol in Honshu system yesterday ended with encounter of several criminals. First of all, a smugler hauling artifacts, comm ID - Jespers_The_Moe. On my request to jetison the cargo, he refused, and with newly arrived Corsair gunship, comm ID - 'Cannibal', opened fire on my ship. It took a while, but I damaged trader hard enough to make him comply.
Straight next I engaged the Corsair. It was hardly bearable for a single fighter, but with newly arrived Teta Nakamura and Katsuo Shimoe we managed to destroy the gunboat. Unfortunately, the pod of the high ranked KNF officer, he have been holding as prisoner, was picked up by just arrived Order vessel, comm ID - Order|Constantine. After a very long fight we managed to destroy him in Okinawa system. Unfortunately he managed to kill the mentioned prisoner.
Sender ID: Nito Kaii Katsuo Shimoe
Receiver ID: Kusari Naval Action Report
Location: Planet New Tokyo, New Tokyo System - KNF Fighter Divisions Main Barracks
Subject: Northern Patrol occurrence (820-11-22)
This is Katsuo Shimoe, Nito Kaii, reporting on the events of a patrol made to the northern systems of Hokkaido, Rishiri and Nagano. I apologize for the rather delayed delivery of this report.
I launched with my fighter from Planet Honshu an headed to Hokkaido to check upon the traffic coming trough the north, while keeping an eye for criminal activity. There was no other naval pilot present at the time, so I went alone.
The first passing trough Hokkaido went without problems, and both the Battleship Matsumoto and the Otaru border station reported no incidents or enemy sightings in the previous hours.
The Rishiri system was also peaceful, with only independent traders passing trough. All documents and cargo manifests were in order.
I entered Nagano and patrolled the areas surrounding the Luxury Liner Mackinac and the access to planet Tomioka. Although long range scanners indicated the presence of ships of unknown affiliation in the system, no vessels were detected in short range scanners.
Passed trough Rishiri without problem and entered the Hokkaido system again.
Here however I spotted a Order agent which somehow had passed the Battleship Matsumoto surveillance undetected.
The pilot named Sarah Hoffman, Rheinlander, was motionless in the clouds east of the Matsumoto position, apparently focused on long range scanners. The pilot showed cooperation to my interrogation and complied with my orders.
Hoffamn-san declared that she was in Hokkaido after chasing a Nomad ship from the outer systems, and had lost contact with the target. I considered this strange, since there had not been any reports of nomad sightings in Kusari in the previous 6 hours. The Order agent requested passage to Liberty trough Kusari to follow the lead she had on the Nomads. Considering the status of the Order in Kusari law enforcement forces, the existence of nomad based weaponry on the ship, and potential diplomatic incidents with Liberty, the request was denied and an order to leave Kusari space under escort was issued.
Hoffman-san accepted the order and was escorted to the Nagano system, were it was released.
The order agent was shadowed for a few more minutes to make sure it obeyed the order and did not attempt to dock on any base in system. Contact was lost a few clicks away from the Mackinac position and long range scanners confirmed that the vessel had left the system.
Afterwards, I remade the pratrol path from Nagano to New Tokyo, with the only mentionable occurrence being two Bounty Hunter vessels in Hokkaido in transit to Deshima station.
This concludes my report. Katsuo Shimoe signing off.
This is Nito Kaii, Jiro Taiyouji again. This is for the second patrol.
About 2330 SMT, I decided to fly around a little bit. The doctors said that I should rest for a few days, but flying felt a rest enough.
As I was patrolling through Shikoku, I saw the Tokkeitai agent Kiyohime, having a talk with a junker smuggler she caught. Just as I reached their position, another smuggler tried to penetrate into Kusari.
I ran a scan on the smuggler's ship, a Zoner BW Transport, carrying counterfeit software. I told it to stop, it didn't. First it docked to Deshima Station, after being kicked out of there, he started to fly further into Kusari.
I gave chase until it reached Shinjuku Station in New Tokyo, where it docked again, and where it was captured by the station personnel.
A while later, agent Kiyohime got the scent of more Junkers, this time in Kyushu. I was notified and told to assist her, so I tried to reach her position as fast as I could. Kiyohime was following a freighter to Tau 23, and I could reach their close proximity in just about the same time as the Junker jumped to the other side.
I immediately jumped in, without much consideration. On the other side, four Junker Marauders were lying in wait for me. They've come out of their cloaks, and started to shoot at me. There was a bomber, the earlier freighter that led us to ambush, and two frigates.
They were of course not successful with their seemingly cunning plan, and it only allowed themselves to be caught by us in the end.
Kiyohime jumped to the other side as I notified her of the ambush, and we both targeted the frigates. An IMG fighter also appeared to shoot at the Junkers, saying that these group of Junkers are known trouble makers, and have shot the IMG transports earlier.
It didn't take long for the fight to finish. One of the frigates took refuge in the Outcasts' rock, and the other was destroyed. The smaller junker vessels made a run for it before the fight was literally over, seeing that they have no chance. Agent Kiyohime and I didn't take any damage of note.
The IMG fighter thanked us. I'll also forget to mention that he gave me 2.000.000 credits as thanks. Oops. Drinks are on me, fellas... I doubt Agent Kiyohime would drink though... she'd even scold me for asking... so I didn't.
We decided to return home from northern Kusari, after the fight was over. Not much to tell about most of the flight, our scanners were totally clean. Only Kiyohime was trying to do her job and making me talk, something which she'll report herself, I am sure.
In Honshu, however, we found a couple of smugglers. Both of them were smuggling counterfeit software. I stood by one of them who couldn't escape, while the other made a run for it through the lanes, which Kiyohime chased after to no avail.
The smuggler didn't want to drop the contraband, and didn't want to stop and listen. So I had to shoot it down. Both the transport and its cargo were destroyed on spot.
That's all from the Patrol 11-23 NT-23-A. Nito Kaii Jiro Taiyouji out.
Along with the heavy unit Henkyou, i have been patrolling in core worlds. In doing so, i encountered again a smuggler i caught a few days ago.
The log of the first encounter is the following :
[KNF]'Kiyohime': Hold it. Cut your engines at once, smuggler.
[KNF]'Kiyohime': You shall drop those slaves.
[KNF]'Kiyohime': Cut your engines, i said.
[KNF]'Kiyohime': Good.
Hugh_Miller: ok well, how about 2 million and we call it a day [KNF]'Kiyohime': You are carrying slaves. This is a violation of our laws.
[KNF]'Kiyohime': I won't accept any bribe. Keep insulting me and i will dust your ship.
Hugh_Miller: do it, im suicidal [KNF]'Kiyohime': You shall drop those slaves and pay a fine.
Hugh_Miller: i shall do noting [KNF]'Kiyohime': Fine.
Hugh_Miller: hm
Hugh_Miller: hahaha
Hugh_Miller: this is getting tiresome
Hugh_Miller: are we done here? [KNF]'Kiyohime': Far from done.
Hugh_Miller: mhm
Hugh_Miller: you know there are pirate the are on the shikoku lane
Hugh_Miller: and your wasting your time here [KNF]'Kiyohime': Good.
Hugh_Miller: good?
Hugh_Miller: arent you a naval officer?
Hugh_Miller: shirking your duties?
Hugh_Miller: some honor code [KNF]'Kiyohime': I'm taking care of you first.
Hugh_Miller: clearly.....
Hugh_Miller: this is getting ridiculous
Hugh_Miller: you need to rethink your priorities
Hugh_Miller: yawn [KNF]'Kiyohime': Good.
Hugh_Miller: im bored [KNF]'Kiyohime': Go away.
[KNF]'Kiyohime': Get out of my sight.
As shown by the logs, i started to destroy the slaver's ship guns. One by one. Until he decided to drop his slaves.
This method is quite effective.
After having attempted to discuss with the slaver, we were forced to destroy his ship. I then waited until one of our transports could be redirected to Osaka to rescue those slaves.
The Amakusa was able to rescue a fair part of them. Several of them died, sadly. We moved them back to the closest freeport.
Lastly, as we were dealing with an Artificial Intelligence cruiser in Shikoku system, i received a peculiar message from a Gas Miner Guild vessel :
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: Kon'nichiwa. [KNF]Kyokotsu: Speak, miner.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: I found AFA transport with artifacts, I'm requesting permission to destroy it. [KNF]Kyokotsu: Is it in Sigmas?
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: We are following him from SIgma-17
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: He flew from Gamma, we think. [KNF]Kyokotsu: If he entered in Kusari space, then you don't have the clearance to destroy a civilian ship.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: And if that civilian is smuggler? [KNF]Kyokotsu: You aren't allowed to enforce Kusari laws in Kusari sovereign space.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: Hmmmm. [KNF]Kyokotsu: Nor can we enforce Kusari laws in Sigmas.
[KNF]Kyokotsu: Until a new treaty is made between the Republic and Gas Miner Guild.
[KNF]Kyokotsu: Your organization has been ignoring our attempts to do so.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: I'm not interested in this... [KNF]Kyokotsu: Good.
[KNF]Kyokotsu: I'm merely explaining you the situation.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: I've told you, what I wanted to... Now you can be happy that Artifacts are in safe of Farmers Alliance. [KNF]Kyokotsu: Your concern is noted.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: Concern? [KNF]Kyokotsu: Yes.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: That's truth... not concern [KNF]Kyokotsu: There can be many truths.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: If you want I took some guncam shoots. [KNF]Kyokotsu: I believe you.
[KNF]Kyokotsu: No need for them.
GMG|~Taruko,Ishibashi,: If you say so...
I have to admit i find rather amusing the Guild is expecting us to allow them to enforce our laws in Honshu, when its leaders persistently ignored our attempts to negotiate a new treaty, that would replace the Aomori one, virtually considered void by the two parties after the Emperor's decision to attack the GMG, following the Kurile crisis.
Regardless, we caught the Farmer Alliance transport undocking from Kabukicho depot, thus further incriminating Hogosha of covertly assisting that criminal organization.
The Raba transport was eventually destroyed in Kyushu system.
To conclude this report, i recommend the captain of the ship callsign'd "Hugh_Miller" to be added to the criminals list, and its ship to be destroyed on sight, given its repeated violations of our laws and his refusal to cooperate to our orders.
Lately, patrols are not as full as they are, and they are more often than I could actually manage to file them all separately. I'll just mention some of the more interesting parts.
There was a smuggler in Kyushu, which Nakamura-san and Yamo-san were chasing after. I was called to help them out, so I was heading their way.
However, the lane I was taking was crippled by a dragon with a very erratic behaviour. It had a strange transponder ID, and it started to engage me suddenly.
Luckily for me, the guy was terrible at flying, and I could easily land my Antimatter on him.
As I continued my way towards the rest of the team, they were chasing smugglers into Tau 29. When I got to their position, the smugglers were caught by the Baffin hole, before they could jump into the system.
One of them were carrying Black Market Munitions, the other, Side Arms.
We told them to stop, they didn't. Munitions carrier engaged our ships and thrusted for the Baffin way. Side Arms carrier did not engage us, however she actively helped the other smuggler by purposefully creating a long traffic on the jump hole.
As we jumped to Baffin, the smuggler was out of our reach, but we still had the other one.
Some long debate on stuff started... About who's right and what happened. In the end, I just had to make it clear for everyone what we have to do, and what the case is.
The smuggler didn't agree, threatened us and started to cruise... We took it down and left Baffin system which got rather crowded.
Yamo-san started to call me Master-Jiro, afterwards.
The next day, in another patrol, we were flying with Yamo-san. Yamo-san claimed that he's really good at sniffing out treasures, which's what he calls the threats. So having Yamo-san as my vanguard, I let out to the unknown depths of space.
He was right, he could indeed locate threats accurately, and I don't know how he gained that skill. It's as amazing as it sounds.
When I asked, Yamo-san mentioned something about some theory or another he learned in the Academy, but I might have slept through those courses back then. Yamo-san did not, however, and he claims to be a perfect student... Still keeps on calling me Master-Jiro.
As a result of his skill, we found an Order alias vessel, carrying alien equipment. The arguments were long, discussions were tedious, but in the end, we just had to do what we were supposed to.
No terrorist carrying alien equipment would be allowed to exist within the boundaries of Kusari. It'd be too dangerous to allow it.
The suspect didn't want to surrender. Yamo-san quickly took the vessel down. Nothing remained from the debris for our scientists to study on.
As we were wrapping up, we heard a call from Katsuo-san. He caught a suspected pirate on the lanes between New Tokyo and Shikoku, and was still on the course of interrogating the suspect as we reached his position.
It took us a while to sort it out. Apparently, Katsuo-san witnessed the suspect bomber as it was shooting Hogosha marked vessels, near a trade lane which he assumes the suspected pirate vessel disrupted.
Discussions led us to believe that the suspect is indeed a pirate, and in either case, I advised everyone that we escort the ship to Fuchu Prison, where more detailed investigations could be held.
The suspect eventually agreed to follow us there. On the way, a couple more of our pilots joined us, and the suspect successfully docked to Fuchu where the station personnel took care of him.
Well. Not. The next day I and Nakamura-san saw him pirating in Shikoku again, and we took him down. The pirate explicitly said that he could bribe his way out of the prison, with his bomber, even.
Seriously... Do we risk our lives for nothing here? I hear that the Minister of Defence is back in business. Give it some hustle, lady.
This is Itto Kaii, Jiro Taiyouji, reporting several more interesting encounters through the last few day's patrols.
The first case is when me and Santo Kaisa Nakamura-san were on a patrol through the lanes in New Tokyo. Two smugglers were caught that day.
Firstly, a freelancer transport was carrying Black Market Munitions. The suspect complied and the Munitious were destroyed. No fine was taken, but I took note of the name for future encounters.
Secondly, there was a cardamine smuggler who didn't want to listen, and started to shoot at my ship. Nakamura-san and I shot back and destroyed the vessel along with its cargo.
Santo Kaisa Kobayakawa-san got in trouble in Hokkaido and called for assistance as I was patrolling my usual route in New Tokyo. Once I've reached his position, he was already taking down a fighter. A gunboat remained afterwards, and it wasn't much of a fight either; took refuge in the closest unlawful piece of scrap heap.
I've caught two transports, carrying Military Vehicles in New Tokyo. I've stopped them as I thought they'd be heading towards the Taus.
As I asked them about where they were taking the vehicles, they replied 'We are taking it to one of your Battleships, you can escort us'.
By that time, I was trying to organize another operation regarding a freelancer with a Junker ship, and was also trying to get the team ready for these two suspects who might just be lying. So, I was busy with communications regarding those, as the transports started to shoot at my ship and drained nearly all of my hull.
I've asked for help, while keeping the transports from running away, as they were both trying to cruise away and shooting at me whenever they could. Once Itto Kaii Shimoe-san reached my position, I thought he'd be able to keep one of them in check so they won't be able to run, but I might have misjudged Shimoe-san's distance at that time to the transports.
One of the transports could use the lanes and get away, while I stood on my target and took it down. I hear the other one was caught in Planet New Tokyo later on.
Sender ID: Dayu Yamo, Nitto Kai
Receiver ID: Kusari Naval Action Report
Subject: Patrol Data
Konnichiwa commanders and fellow pilots.
Today I have followed a distress call from Cryer|Tyler_Durden. Upon reaching the destination in Shikoku, I attempted to arrest the criminal LH~Dr.Julius.No. After a long chase, during which I manage to take the aforementioned criminal down to only 8 nanobots, after the help Master-Jiro has given me, and "dry" on all other accounts without losing anything significant but Cruise Disruptors ammo.
However, to much of my surprise the chase after the criminal has lead me to some unknown Casino, which I doubt that operates legally. The station identified itself as an Hogosha one, which was quite surprising to me as I know that the organization strongly opposes the Cardimine trade which the Lane Hackers support.
I am forwarding any attached evidence I have collected, wishing that serious measures will be taken against this facility that brings much harm to our nation by supplying cover to gaijin pirates.
Sender ID: Itto Kaii Katsuo Shimoe
Receiver ID: Kusari Naval Action Report
Location: Battleship Nagumo, Kyushu system
Subject: Patrol of the Tau systems battle report (07-12-820)
It's been awhile since my last report, and until today most of the sorties involved only just some encounters with smugglers throughout all of our systems, and some escorts of various merchant vessels. Today however, our patrol to the systems bordering Kyushu provided a different story.
Nitto Kaisa Tetsuo Shimizu assembled a small wing of 3 fighters, which included me and a Kempeitai agent, callsign Aya.Sahmeimaru. The formation departed from New Tokyo to Kyushu, where long range scanners had indicated a possible presence of Junker's engine signatures.
We patrolled around the system in search of said signatures, but they eventually faded away before we produced any results. We found a vessel of denomination Ray.Walker heading to Nansei Research Station and we stopped him for questioning. Apparently the pilot was in some sort of passenger transport assignment and no irregularities were detected in his documentation. He was however in possession of some weapons of Dragon an GC origin, and an order to surrender those weapons was issued, which he complied.
After we have left this pilot, Commander Shimizu led the formation on a patrol to the neighboring Tau a systems. We passed through Freeport 6 and Shinkaku Station in Tau-29 in no incidents or contacts.
However, when we entered Tau-23 system, we soon started receiving a strong stream of radio chatter, and found ourselves in the vicinity of a struggle between a lone Kusari Navy pilot of the mobile divisions, denomination Cho.Okamura, and several Junker and Outcast vessels. Immediately , Commander Shimizu went to aid the Navy pilot, and we engaged the pirate vessels. Guncam images do not accurately reveal all of the elements of the action, but the enemy formation consisted of several fighters and a gunboat.
At the same time, short range scanners began detecting vessels of IMG, Colonial Republic and Gallic forces in the combat zone. The battlefield became a confusing stage of several dispersed engagements.
The commander focused our efforts on the Outcasts, and under fire form several different battlegroups, the pirates either were destroyed or fled. On that moment, I had lost visual contact with elements of the IMG, and GRN and CR vessels were few. During the conflict it seems there was several interventions by freelancers.
At some point a wing of Order agents showed up.
With the pirates out of battle, the commander ordered our wing to engage the Order vessels.
The fight continued for a long period, and the defenses were getting gradually weaker. Images of the action are few, and only have one confirmed kill by Itto Kaisa Tetsuo Shimizu.
The combat transited to Tau-37, and by then my Chimaera had sustained heavy damage. Commander Shimizu ordered the wing to return to Kyushu, but I was unable to fly away before the combined fire from the Order and freelancer vessels destroyed my ship. I was stranded for a few hours before the KNF could send a recovery ship to pick me up and bring me back to Battleship Nagumo in the Kyushu system.
I have not been able to contact the rest of the patrol to know the aftermath of the engagement.
I have suffered some light injuries, and I'm awaiting response to my request for a replacement fighter to be deployed.
I suggest to add this vessel to the criminal database.
CommID : Hatsuyuki
Today, we caught the transport callsign'd "Gallia.Explorer" and confronted its captain about his previous laws violations.
Logs are the following :
[KNF]Ii.Katsuo.Shimoe: My colleagues say that you previously refused orders from KNF officers. Gallia.Explorer: Perhaps
[KNF]Ii.Katsuo.Shimoe: And you was found carrying illegal commodities.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: You have been refusing to drop nox, and docked to New Tokyo. Gallia.Explorer: I had engine components the previos time you people saw me
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: The same thing happened in Kyushu.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: You should know this is a grave offense. Gallia.Explorer: and I have engine components now
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: I know you do.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: We have evidences of you violating the law however. Gallia.Explorer: I realise that
[KNF]Ii.Katsuo.Shimoe: Still, the past occoruences cannot be overlooked.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: You will have to pay a fine for those violations. Otherwise, we will have to add you to the criminal database.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: Which will end up in us blowing your ship everytime we see you in Kusari.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: Do you understand? Gallia.Explorer: and how much is this fine?
Gallia.Explorer: Well?
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: You will have to transfer 10 millions of Sirian credits to Oda.Izumi. Gallia.Explorer: bit steep dont you think?
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: No. Considering your past offenses, it isn't.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: Then Gallia Explorer. Please comply. Note that if you try docking to a station in Kusari again, you will be considered as a criminal for good.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: Very well, Gallia Explorer.
[KNF]KDS-Hatsuyuki: Your refusal to comply is noted. Gallia.Explorer: Still, 10m is a little steep.
[KNF]Ii.Katsuo.Shimoe: He headed to Kyushu, I'm not pursuing further. Returning to Shinagawa.
As shown by the logs, the captain refused to comply, and ran away while the patrol had to deal with an Outcast destroyer.
This vessel should now be considered as a hostile target, to be destroyed on sight.