Pleased to make your acquaintance, again. My name is Audaz Alarcón, current leader of Malta Hyperspace Starfleet.
We remember your trespassing into our home system without previous authorization, I was there when you arrived with some OS&C liners; but we Outcasts are no pushovers or zealots, like those in the Houses using their convenient regulations to cripple everyone. It does not mean that we are lax in our security, though; we took interlopers seriously. Your vessel was not turned into bits because a freelancer ship of your type could prove valuable in the future. Moreover, you showed respect to us, and curiosity for our history. Freelancers are welcome to us, if they provide a service suitable for our needs.
I recently received a message from another maltese, Fiorella Arianna de Marco from Guardia Svizzera, endorsing your labor. As Malta Hyperspace Starfleet, exploring is one of our main goals, and your line of work is known to us. What kind of additional services do you offer? We understand that surveying is your specialty, but we want to know more about your operations so we could arrange something that could benefits us both, if opportunity arises. Also, we have some available trading jobs, if you are interested.
As a final advice, we encourage you to not cross the vicinity of Malta uninvited, we do not like outsiders meddling and sightseeing comfortably near our home. As an old saying goes: La curiosidad mató al gato.
Esperando Atte. su Respuesta
Audaz Alarcón
Alpha Explorer
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Civilian Level Beta██
Leon, Starfliers██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
I do remember this encounter. That day I mentioned seeing the glorious Hispania to the two OS&C liners, and they were off duty. So we all decided to take a trip there to pay respects. I'm very appreciative that my vessel - and the two liners - weren't outright destroyed that day. This was during a time when I was not contracting my services. It was merely a time when I was curious about Sirius and everything it can offer. During my travels, I see other groups using Jump Drive technology, much like my own hardware. This is where my curious adventures turns into contracted business, and where you see an previous intruder becoming an potential asset.
Recently, I've invited a couple of Freelance and Zoner vessels to form a group known as Starfliers. We mainly obtain rift data for anyone who pays, this you already know. However, we have other vessels that are specialized in system mapping. This entails sending out our smaller, faster ships to obtain locations of bases, battleships, jump holes and the like. Of course, we do record any deployments for those who are interested. Currently, we have no transports. Just our flagship, my vessel, and a couple of light fighters. All of our vessels are unarmed, as we are pacifists, however we do have countermeasures in place to try escape and survive. We like having a small footprint, doesn't cause too much trouble. In this case, I hope you can see we mean no harm and no disrespect, if our history is anything to go by.
All information we are able to obtain - this includes system maps, jump drive co-ordinates and the like - are kept and stored securely on Starflier Base in the Kepler System. Each client has their own databank and there is no crosstalk, so you can be sure that the information you request us to get you is for your eyes only.
You say you received a message from Comandante de Marco? I did meet them, and seems my message was relayed to you. They also informed me not to enter Omicron Alpha under any circumstance. I have told them that staying away from your home system to retain future co-operation is a trade I can easily make. You can trust I won't be entering the system again.
I hope you find this information satisfying. I'll be waiting to hear from you soon. . .
It has been some time since we communicated through this channel. We have been doing talks in Alpha Command, about your services, and we have considered a couple of tasks that you can assist us with.
In our pursuit for discovery, we realized that there are 2 systems that need to be surveyed extensively, through mapping and rift data.
First, we would like these tasks made in Kepler. The Dark Matter in the area shows a fascinating opportunity for further technological advancement; its properties can improve the energy usage in propulsion and life support systems, implying that the efforts are feasible for our future projects. For this to happen we require accurate data to deploy our researchers and technicians efficiently.
Second, we require mapping and rift data of Thuringia. As you may or may not know, this Rheinland space is not an area of interest for the Outcasts, but we do know that there are particular phenomena that could be invaluable for our goals. Due to the lack of our operations in this particular zone, we need you to chart this system deeply, so we can arrive with solid information beforehand.
It is important to note that this task must be kept in total secrecy. If, for some strange reason, our efforts get disrupted by an ambush in the coordinates established by your help, we will come for you.
Esperando Atentamente su Respuesta
Audaz Alarcón
Alpha Explorer
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Technocracy x Starfliers Hybrid Encryption██
Leon, Starfliers██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
It has been some time since our last conversation. Thank you for thinking of us, it's much appreciated and we will perform our services with the utmost efficiency and care. You can rest assured that our records are not shared with any parties, so if or when you send out your research parties, it will be unknown to any hostile entities. With that out of the way, let's get to your order.
System mapping, according to my pilot Halpert, has been set to around 15,000,000 credits a system. One of the last jobs he finished almost killed him, so it's just a bit of insurance on our part. I'm sure you understand. Don't want to lose the only vessel that can do the job better than the NX-01. As for your requests for Rift-Data, that will run you 10,000,000 a scan. I'll put together a full invoice for your Starfleet once the job is completed.
Godspeed, Audaz Alarcón.
PS. Our base of operations is located within the Kepler System. Once your research parties are deployed, you may notice an installation called "Starflier Base" hanging around the Ames Research Station. Any HS> vessels will be tagged as friendlies and you may dock. I hope that my hospitality in this regard won't result in missiles pounding my front door - so to speak. . .
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Technocracy x Starfliers Hybrid Encryption██
Halpert, Starfliers██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
Kepler and Thuringia, eh? I can get both done. Recently, I've mapped the Kepler System, since we're based out of there, thought it would be a good idea to see what's around.
The report on the Thuringia System will be coming soon. Leon tells me he will get you the Rift-Data once both systems have been charted. For now, here's Kepler. Invoice is also attached. . .
Superficial scan reports the Kepler System is shrouded in a Dark Matter Storm. Scanners cannot penetrate it to make a more detailed report. Time to fly...
Leon tells me he has seen zero activity from this installation. The hull has been hit again and again by the storm. Probably won't last long. Docking bays are functional at least.
A "Mr. Davies" runs this place... but the place looks abandoned, no one around. Must be an important place to have three defense platforms around the installation.
This storm can be deadly to small craft. Lightening strikes appear everywhere and the radiation slowly melts and warps your hull. Decompression can happen if left unchecked. Recommended to land on Starflier Base or Ames for repairs.
My scanners are tuned to registering targets at a great distance, not to scan for information on a cosmic oddity like this... maybe your research crews can do a better job. Don't fly too close to it.
Unstable Rift - VISUAL // ERROR
Location: B4
One of the last things I had to figure out, where this rift leads. I entered the wormhole only to find that it leads to the Ontario System. Thought it'd be a little more interesting than that...
Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay. Here to stay.
Here's the final transport! Seems all three were hauling different materials. Can't tell what exactly, got no arms to detach the cargo container from the fuselage. I'm sure someone will find out.
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Technocracy x Starfliers Hybrid Encryption██
Halpert, Starfliers██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
The Thuringia System is done, report is attached below. I've split it into two parts, because one area is as interesting as the system itself. Your research teams will have a field day with this I think. Refer to my last transmission for the payment information and invoice. Here's your backdoor access to the rift-data you requested. . .
A Rheinland Battleship. Marking indicate it's controlled by the Military, but the crew on board acted a little more secretive than any normal battleship personnel...
A dense minefield surrounds Fort Sommerda and the Frankfurt Rift. There's three tunnels, marked with buoys to get in and out. Three Rheinland Battlecruisers are waiting inside this area.
The equipment on board appears to be notably more advanced than standard Rheinland technology. The scan feedback is similar to Jena Station... AI fighters?
According to the crew on board Tennstedt Base, the nebula occupying the southern end of Thuringia is quite the natural disaster. One person told me: The Suhl expanse is a naturally occurring nebulae. Nothing is as mysterious as the Suhl, which you can almost not even see! Crazy! There's some crazy chemicals or composites that aid the Suhl with system-wide disturbances that heavily disrupt scanners and communication systems. Rumour has it that the MND experimented with military jump technology.
Sounds extremely dangerous. So this is Part Two: the Suhl Anomaly. Worth investigating? Yes.
Explosive pockets are everywhere in this sector! I steered a little too far away and one pocket blew my shields out! There's buoys marked to get into the centre, from Battleship Bayern.
Battlecruiser wreck... not much left of it. Just a spinning disc in space...
Wreck: "Karl Speer" - VISUAL // ERROR, TOO FAR INTO ANOMALY
Location: C7
Admiral Karl Speer of the Rheinland Military... the anomaly is preventing the rest of the Military to secure the wreckage... damn, imaging being in there alone...
Classified - everything. Can't get a lick of info on this place. Docking bays are here, but frozen. Must be a tightly kept secret, whatever is behind these doors.
Buen trabajo, the data has been received and it shows promise. It will take us some time to unravel the mysteries of these systems, but our exploration efforts will definitely benefit from the information you have provided us, speeding up the process. As we have previously agreed, payment has been sent:
We really appreciate the quality of your work, and we will contact you if we require more of your services.
Se Despide Atentamente
Audaz Alarcón
Alpha Explorer
It has been quite a while since the last transmission, I hope everything is going well on your part. We have a job that needs to be done, something related to system mapping. Are you interested?
Esperando Su Respuesta
Audaz Alarcón
Alpha Explorer
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Technocracy x Starfliers Hybrid Encryption██
Albert, Starflier Base██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
Greetings, Audaz Alarcón. My name is Albert, I run the research wings and communications office on Starflier Base. Thank you for your communication. It has been quite some time since our last job for you, Mr. Alarcón. At this point in time, the Starfliers are not ready to return to our normal contracts. With all our pilots still under training in the New York System, we can resume our regular work when they return with improved starship handling skills.
Before Leon, Rex and Halpert left, I heard that Halpert wasn't exactly fond of the type of training they had organised to undergo. If, however, we can table this job until Halpert returns, I'm sure he'll be eager to get back out there. If there's anything else I could help you with, Mr. Alarcón, do not hesitate to message us.
Connection Established ██ Transmission Opens██ Technocracy x Starfliers Hybrid Encryption██
Leon, Starfliers██ Audaz Alarcón, Malta Hyperspace Starfleet██
. .
Good day, Audaz.
Albert was right, I have been absent for quite some time, sorting out some personal things that have come up recently. As of now, the Starfliers have resumed operations and I can task Halpert to map out any systems you wish to have information on. We're ready as soon as you give the word.