Transmission source: Vogtland Base, Dresden - Aboard the Wallgau
Transmission ID: Michael Hermann
Encryption: High
Priority: Medium
Transmission begins:
Genossinen und Genossen,
You might be surprised to see me, but I am in fact alive.
I heard a lot of the rumours surrounding my person, and i can indeed assure you that I did not get eaten by a bear which i fought on Vogtland while my ship was being patched up. I actually beat that bear badly, but thats a story for the bars on Bruchsal to hear.
I have been on a personal mission. Nobody besides my 1st officer, whom I left the Wallgau with in Hessian space while it was being upgraded, actually knew where I was.
After years I was finally able to track down the murderers of my Parents in the Unioner ranks. Something I was never able to do from a lawful Rheinland perspective I was now able to easily get information from the Unioners and was able to ultimately get onto Leipheim base. I was there able to track down the men behind the attack on Ingolstadt Station, was able to hunt the few remaining alive ones down and then able to exert my punishment on them.[/align] I always promised to hurt those who had destroyed my family, and that is half of my mission done. One of these days I will find those Marinenachrichtendienst Schweine that are responsible for the other half of my pain.
I have now met up again with the crew of the Wallgau which fought valiantly in Dresden and helped in setting up our Base down there. I am at your full service again, Oberst, and I hope you forgive me for leaving without handing in a notice. It was a rush once I had found a lead on my case and personal vengeance drove me to hurt those that had hurt me.
For the Volksrevolution, Michael Hermann Vereinigte Widerstandsarmee
Sparks here. Just in case you hadn't already gathered that.
Welcome back, Michael. I saw the Wallgau popping back into existence on the database. Military gunship, isn't she? I mean, I'm not sure if the engine structure'd be different on an older ship, or what the Hessians would've done with it, but if it runs the same way as the old Type 8's we should be able to keep it running without too much trouble, and if it's still using hardwiring on the nonessential systems, we can probably have a look at rewiring that side of things-
Sorry. Doing it again. I'm Sarah, new here. I'd shake your hand, but that'd probably just break a screen and embarrass me. Anyway, welcome back.
In other news, Oberst, I've been poking around that minefield a little way out from Holstein, and I think I should be able to make it through. I'm not quite sure what the mines actually use as a main charge, but they seem to function on proximity triggers (a few asteroids volunteered to check). Not that different from what the Navy rigged up around Zone 21 back home, actually. If Zone 21 were surrounded by creepy alien explosives, that is, but you get the picture.
Anyway, it should be possible to make it through. The charge doesn't seem like it'd be crippling by itself, and if we can get hold of a current military transponder, I might just be able to patch into one of our ships well enough to fool the automated defenses for long enough to get a quick look at what's stationed there. Even if the station has its own transponder network, I'd be surprised if they shot a ship flashing military identification straight away. I'll ask a few old contacts and see what I can pull up on that front.
In other (other) news, I've had some issues with the analysis equipment on Bruchsal. Not mentioning any names, but someone may have spilled their drink on my datapad over New Year's, so that ship database I was working on'll have to be on hold for a bit until I can get the systems patched up. I'm sure it'll be fine.
End Message
"This is really sort of a personal project of mine."
- James Arland, on single-handedly engaging an enemy regiment.
Report #007: How to win friends and influence people.
I think we all know who it is by now, so let's just move right along.
I ran across an ALG ship on the way out to Kreuzberg to pick up some parts (I swear, they should have loyalty cards. At this rate, I'm just about due for a free cyropump). Anyway, Erica (Erica Hartmann, the pilot of the ALG ship, to clarify) was heading to Augsburg with an urgent shipment for the restoration efforts there. I let her go, of course (not that I could do anything about it, being on the other end of the system, but it's the thought that counts).
The Frankfurt lane network was a handy enough place to hang around, so I managed to grab her on the way back. Apparently the station's still in a pretty bad way. Erica used to live there, so I didn't want to push her too hard, obviously. Still, at least we're doing something to help, and it seems to be earning us a few points.
Code:
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: Alright. How's the station looking these days?
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: I mean, I didn't see it before, so I guess I'm not the best person for comparisons.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: terrible. it breaks mein heart to see mein home system in such a state *she starts to tear up*
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: *Pats the console, as though she could somehow reach the woman in the Behemoth.*
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: Hey, hey. It's okay.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: You're doing what you can, right? You're helping. It's all anyone could do.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: *She paused.* How bad is it? The station, I mean?
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: it is mostly intact. but only some portions are safe for humans. and that is in part due to work by junkers und ALG
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: * workers
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: I'm sure you'll be able to move back, one day.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: it hurts all the same to see it like that. ALG und the junkers do what they can. but the government just seems to talk
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: ach... it takes no action.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: The same thing happened back in Liberty, in Texas. It took a while, but things worked out eventually.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: *Shrugs.* You can't help what other people are doing.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: *more sobbing is heard*
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: Hey, Erica. It's okay. Well, I guess it's not. It doesn't do anyone any good pretending it all is, but you're working. You're
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: helping fix this.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: i have heard that the VWA is helping efforts. It ist good to see that, despite any difference, rheinlanders can help -
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: each other still
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: *Nods.* We do what we can. It's not much, but- *Shrugs.*
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: *Smiles.* I'd be able to do a lot more if that hulk of a ship worked, but, hey.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: We take what we can get, right?
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: indeed,
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: You're heading back to New Berlin?
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: Ja.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: Come on. I'll give you a lift.
VWA|Sarah.McFarlen: Well. Not so much lift as tag-along, but I guess it's something.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: Danke. *changes the transmission range* If the VWA needs anything, send me a message.
[ALG]-TGX-Westerwald[R]: Erica: one good deed deserves another...
Score one for the good guys, I guess. Here's hoping we can get that place fixed up one day. It's just not right for people to have to see their home like that, so I'm glad we're doing something about it (even if my personal contribution is sitting in Bruchsal's hangar bay with bits falling off it. The Streb is temperamental like that). I left Erica's ship once it headed back down the lane to New Berlin (the planet, not the star system).
Sparks. I'm out of witty introductions for the moment.
So, I've got good news and bad news. The good news is that I've managed to secure some Rheinswehr weapons for testing, as well as some slightly more experimental stuff. The bad news is that I haven't actually fixed the systems to test them yet. Still, like I said, working on it.
Was a matter of dumb luck (I mean, highly intelligent guesswork), really. I was leaving Kreuzberg and ran across a Junker Transport with the transponder ID of JM|-Innocent.Bystander sitting outside waiting on docking privileges. Turned out he (he refused to share his name, and insisted on boring pseudonyms, such as Bob or Mr X, so for the purposes of this report, I'll call him Pimpernel) had a cargo hold full of salvaged equipment, military and otherwise.
It wasn't until later on, in Stuttgart that I was able to arrange a meeting spot between the Omega-7 and 11 jumpholes. That's not a bad spot for meetings, really. I couldn't pick Pimpernel up on scanners until I was just over two kilometres out, and I can't imagine the transport he was flying would have had an easier job of it. Anyway, aside from calling me shady (the thought!), the deal went without incident, I'm four million credits lighter and we're now the proud owners of the following:
Since Strep's still doing a fine job of sitting there looking useless, I've converted her into a temporary storehouse. Once I get the leaks sealed up, I should be able to use it as a testbed for those weapons. If nothing else, at least we'll know what we're being shot with. That helps, right?
Just darting around New Berlin, and picked up a station hanging around in low orbit. I thought it might've been someone trying to drag the bits of Krupp back together into something resembling an airtight environment, so thought I'd best take a look. Turns out it was quite the opposite. A station by the name of Rheinland HQ (which it evidently wasn't) was under siege by three military battleships and one bomber. When I asked what the station had done to justify that sort of force, the bomber came after me, so that just about answers that question in the clearest possible terms.
As far as I could see, the attacking force consisted of a relatively small group:
RNC-Blitzkrieg - Dreadnought
Bismarck - Dreadnought
RNC-Wotan - Dreadnought
Nurburg - Roc
After the bomber gave up on trying to shoot me, I doubled back to Bruchsal. Figured someone might find the information handy. Oh, and there is a spot of good news. I managed to get the analysis and scanning systems on my datapad working again, so progress on the database is moving along nicely.
To:Communications Hub Sender:Sparks Origin:Seasons Base, New Caledonia
Report #010: Vagrant Refugees
Sparks again,
Alright, so this might sound a little odd, but I'm currently sitting in a docking bay on Seasons Base in New Caledonia waiting to hear back from a Natio civil response team on the four hundred-odd ex-slaves currently resting in Donnerkind's cargo bay. Things here are moving pretty quickly, so I can't really stay on the line too long, but I'll try and update you again once this all settles down.
Suffice to say that I'm okay, and it looks like most of these people will be too, given time. There's a few that could do with some medical attention, but nothing life-threatening that I know about. That, and Donnerkind's overdue for instrument overhaul.
Hang on, I'm needed below. I'll be in touch soon.
End Message
"This is really sort of a personal project of mine."
- James Arland, on single-handedly engaging an enemy regiment.
I am pleased to report the successful induction of our latest batch of military servicemen, and the conclusion of their initial training. The former crew of Bautzen have applied themselves to the study of our history with commendable vigor. Though there remains much to teach them before I would be content to place them behind a fighter's control column, I can state with confidence that they can be trusted to assist in the operation of base facilities, and two have expressed an interest in serving aboard our ships delivering aid for the Munich disaster. All are naturally hesitant at the possibility of fighting their former brothers in arms. Consequently, I recommend keeping them from active duty in the immediate future.
My own ship; however, is a different matter. I doubt the military will be accepting my communications again in the immediate future so, in the absence of recruitment and retention duties, I look forward to once again taking a more active role in ensuring the security of our facilities.
Further, I am lead to believe that Daumann has recently completed an installation within spitting distance of our own. If that is indeed the case, I may have to pay it a visit. They must be foolish or desperate to take such a risk. Neither bodes poorly for us.
Starting to wonder if I've got the right frequency here. Anyway, safe to say that I'm now back in Rheinland, with the Donnerkind, Cameron, and my sanity intact. Which is nice. We've been running fertilizer out to the Zoners on Gran Canaria and hauling heavy water back to Munich for the Augsberg restoration.
So, the first run went well. So well, in fact, that the docking officer mentioned there was a bit of a pick up in demand. Go us. With that in mind, the Oberst was good enough to lend Cameron and I use of Arsenal, which made a few runs over the past couple of days. Alex(ander Fuchs) has been good enough to provide us with an escort for most of the time, aside from that one night he ran off with my co-pilot, but that's..Er... Between the two of them, I guess.
Anyway, Steve Harlow joined us aboard Liberty for a run out to Canaria, when Alex caught sight of this signature hanging around on the edge of the scanner's range. Despite the initial fear that it might've been a pirate out to plunder our ships and enslave the crews, and all the associated fun that would involve, the pilot turned out to be a Libertonian tourist (sound familiar?) named Lily looking for somewhere safe to dock in Munich. So, as we were heading that way anyway, we ended up playing tour guides. In all honesty, I think Steve was a little disappointed not to run into someone trying to kill him.
The trip passed without incident, minus a Hessian cruiser flashing the name Vidar waiting at Augsberg. The captain was nice enough, so no harm done there, and we dropped Lily off there. We did run into the Vidar and a crew of other Hessian cruisers later on, though.
Three Hessian cruisers were attacking military ships in New Berlin's orbit, so the Oberst, Alex, Steve, and I headed out to take a look. Obviously there wasn't really a lot we could do at that point, but Erich eventually convinced them to move on, with a promise to offload the captured prisoners, which is something, I guess. Alex and I managed to retrieve seven escape pods between us, which have been offloaded on Bruchsal for processing. It's not a great result, but it's a lot better then it could have been.
Oh, and I managed to grab a picture.
From left to right: Steve Harlow, Erich Klugman, and Alexander Fuchs.
I heard about the attack and bring some repair supplies to Zwickau.
Food and Water, medical stuff and side arms as well.
Still see the wrecks, all this pointless things....
I bet the Excalibur was there as well, should have disabled her when I had the time.
Regret this...but still...
My idea, I'll do it. Give me a few hours, and you will see something happen.
I need to fix this, and erase this mistake of my past.
Excalibur...
I need to stop this ship, no matter what....
I haven't finished assembling a proper account of what happened at Zwickau yet, beyond the fact that the engineering bays are full of ships that we simply don't have the capacity to fix right now. Metropolis is somewhere in Luneburg - I don't know where yet, but Alex is on it, and I'm trying to drag up enough engineers and materials to get her moving again if we can find her.
I still don't know where those ships came from. I didn't manage to get a full scan of any of them, but as far as force composition goes, this is what I've got:
SGHQ-Josef_Kurran - Cruiser
BDM|RNC-Niedersachsen - Cruiser
SGHQ-Konrad.Demerzel - Unknown
[RM]_Ge.Michael.v.Reims - Unknown
[RM]-Niflheimer - Dreadnought
At least we know what we're up against now. That's something, I guess. As far as I know, Alex and I were the only ones who made it out of that, and me only because I left before the bullets started flying. Erich's hurt - I don't know how badly, the Rose went up once I was well clear. In the chaos, I managed to slip past the cruisers to the base. It doesn't look to have any defense platforms in place, or even a shield generator. I'll be surprised if that doesn't change pretty soon though.
I called Cameron and Donnerkind back from Cloppenburg, and he's back on Bruchsal sorting out our resupply efforts now. In the meantime, I've managed to deliver a few vital items to Zwickau. It's not much, but along with Marco's cargo it'll have to do for now. I've also given the Natio ships stranded on Zwickau access to our equipment. After what they gave up defending it, it's the least I can do until we can get them flying again.
I need to go. Metropolis is still out there somewhere.
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