Steve 'Hollow Way' Tales

[Ryummel]

Prologue

[color=#FFFFFF]'Writing a diary? Are you kidding me?' That was my answer when Kate made that suggestion to me. It seemed nosense for me, but she was right. Why writing a diary? Maybe because in 40 years I'll spend all the time reading it, remembering the 'old' times. Maybe because it's always good to remember the past so you don't make the same mistakes. Mistakes? Every human commits mistakes, but... well, let's see how my life ends.

24 April 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]I love the battleship Hood. Why? Because it's the place where I've met every women. Two years ago, I met a Libertonian woman called ... Well, can't remember now, but I spent a wonderful night with her. Women... They can change you... a lot. Three days ago I met another one. She claimed she was a terrorist, and looked slightly Kusarian despite the fact she spoke like a Bretonian. Well... After having a quick talk, she wanted me to ... have sex with her! Weird, isn't it? But, I'm not going to lie myself, she was like a tigress in the bed. I still have contact with her. Seriously, would be awesome to repeat that experience.

Today I escorted a researcher called... Damn it, can't remember right now, but his ship tag was '{L}Sukarland'. His destination was New Berlin. While jumping on systems, I enabled the comms buoy and contacted the girl I've been talking of in the previous paragraph. Her name? Zoey Sakura. I'm a polite gentleman, so I offered to bring her a gift from Rheinland. Flowers? No. Chocolate? No.

When we reached Freeport 1, Dennis Jameson was there. There are lots of rumours about this guy. Anyway, we hadn't any problem with him. After jumping on New Berlin, I asked the researcher where to buy 'souvenirs':

Kreuzberg Depot. May God bless the Junkers. Their black market weapon supplies were fantastic. I bought a Neutron hand gun for Zoey... and a 'nade launcher for me, I think I'll come back again.


P.S. -> I won't use the 'image' log converter anymore!

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[Ryummel]

25 April 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]To be honest, I'm nervous. Why?



A Neutron hand gun, an illegal grenade launcher... and a Code-named weapon! Shizuma thinks I'm a warehouse. What the hell am I going to do with a JADE? I'm pretty sure that if I lose it, she'll cut my throat. Shizuma likes using blades... A lot.

Anyway, the day was boring. I jumped on New London. I spotted a guy called Davis Williams. I remembered him from Dublin, escorting gold ore miners.


Davis_Williams: Whats up steve
Steve.Holloway: Hey David
Steve.Holloway: Nice to see you out of Dublin
Davis_Williams: It's Davis

I know, I know! Huge fail. Davis, David, Dave... Sounds the same for me!

Steve.Holloway: Oh, didn't pay attention, don't kill me, please
Davis_Williams: I don't spend all my time there
Steve.Holloway: Oh, Liberty?
Davis_Williams: Most likely I am in Liberty
Steve.Holloway: Yesterday I went to Rheinland... Nice place
Davis_Williams: aww bit of a badland for me
Steve.Holloway: Why?
Davis_Williams: just don't like em
Davis_Williams: I gotta go now.
Steve.Holloway: Okay... see you around!
Davis_Williams: Steve get a merc ID, I might be starting a business.
Steve.Holloway: I'm already identified as a mercenary
Steve.Holloway: Unless the Bretonian government has deleted my profile from its database
Davis_Williams: check out my neural net David Williams for more info. and I shall send you the info.
Steve.Holloway: Received

I think I'll contact him later. But first I need to give Zoey the Neutron hand gun and get rid of the JADE.

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[Ryummel]

27 April 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]I still have the 'big gun' on my cargo bay. I'd like to drop it in the Planet Leeds atmosphere and watch it going Kaboom!. So I went to Planet Leeds, but finally decided not to drop the Jade.
Today had a long talk with a guy called Leonardo Ramirez, a former Outcast pilot. We talked about... Love issues. Women, women... women. He had no problem because he met a corsair woman... and finally they started to live together!

Leonardo.Ramirez: It's a hard decision. You got to be totally sure what you're doing.

He was so right. 'Cold Head, Warm Heart'.

Anyway, Shizuma appeared 20 minutes later, as always, she mocked me and we engaged in fight. Ah! What kind of fellow is she? This time I was near to disable her ship!

Well, wasn't sure of that...
Steve.Holloway was put out of action by Shizuma.Sakuragi (Gun).
I don't know how she did that, but my ship was completely disabled. What a lucky ba-*blurred*

We had an encounter with some corsairs. A BPA officer appeared, then, Stoat, that guy from the Hunter Guild. I don't know what Shizuma pretends, but she's being rude with Bretonian authotirities, with the Guild members... I don't like her behaviour towards them...

Shizuma.Sakuragi: *Sighs dissappointed* I want to shoot some...
Steve.Holloway: Seriously, you're going to get kicked from Bretonia!
Shizuma.Sakuragi: *Shrugs* if I go down, i'll drag you down with me *laughs*
Steve.Holloway: Don't dare to do that...
Steve.Holloway: Where would we go? I'm very happy here!
Shizuma.Sakuragi: *giggles* oh I don't know *she says playfully* Kusari perhaps?
Steve.Holloway: KUSARI!? Oh my ... They'll chop my head if they discover I'm Bretonian!
Shizuma.Sakuragi: they aren't savages you know...
Steve.Holloway: They are! I'm pretty sure!
Shizuma.Sakuragi: Not when you stay close to me.
Steve.Holloway: Imagine! "Hello there, I'm Steve" "Oh you sound Bretonian, I'll chop your head with my katana!" I don't want to run that risk!
Shizuma.Sakuragi: baka... i'm Kusarian... did I try to chop of your head?
Shizuma.Sakuragi: hell, even Zoey-chan is half kusarian!
Steve.Holloway: Ah... Don't talk me about Zoey now...
Steve.Holloway: *Sighs* I'm docking, need a drink

I don't want to imagine how it'll end. Flying around Kusari!? I think I'll get mad...

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[Ryummel]

New Note.txtb

[color=#FFFFFF]I'm stupid... I'm stupid...

I can hardly recognize it, but Shizuma is the closest thing I had to a sister. I know, not the perfect definition of sister but... She really worried about me. And this is how I thank her, talking crap behind her back...

I've contacted her, but I'm having static problems... Maybe the Naval Forces firewalls. Anyway, I know for sure she's on Kusari.

Thinking about going to look for her in Kusari? Maybe, maybe...

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[Ryummel]

28 April 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]People could call me a madman. Actually I am. I bought every necessary supplies on Leeds: Food, oxygen , higienic paper... Now I just needed the right person. I was lucky because Leo was near the planet.

Steve.Holloway: Oh! Leo!
Leonardo.Ramirez: Hey there.
Steve.Holloway: Leo, I know it would sound rude, but I need your help!
Leonardo.Ramirez: No problem, what is it ?
Steve.Holloway: Remember Shizuma? She got angry with me and she have left me! She went to Kusari!
Leonardo.Ramirez: Oh.., Do you think she's serious about that ?
Steve.Holloway: Yes, she's... I've contacted her...
Leonardo.Ramirez: Oh..
Steve.Holloway: You were serving on the Maltese navy or whatever you call it, isn't it?
Leonardo.Ramirez: Si, you could say so.
Steve.Holloway: And... Do you know any... backdoor... to enter Kusari?
Steve.Holloway: Well, If I try to enter by the lanes, those Kusarians will kick me out for being Bretonian!
Leonardo.Ramirez: Sigmas should be your best bet.
Steve.Holloway: Sigma systems? That's far away! I need a direct way trough the Taus!
Leonardo.Ramirez: Well, there is a way through the Tau's.
Leonardo.Ramirez: And I guess you are sure about that.
Steve.Holloway: But I'm not going to take the direct way, it's guarded by the KNF!
Leonardo.Ramirez: I know, there's a jumphole. Should be uncovered.
Steve.Holloway: A jumphole!? Where!?
Leonardo.Ramirez: I can escort you, if you want.
Steve.Holloway: AH! Really!?
Leonardo.Ramirez: Of course.
Steve.Holloway: Oh Leo... Thank you very much...
Leonardo.Ramirez: Not a problem, Steve.
Steve.Holloway: If I'm still alive after this... I'll invite you to a drink!
Leonardo.Ramirez: *laughs* Alright, I'll remember that. Well, follow me then.
Steve.Holloway: Right behind you!

Tau 23...

Steve.Holloway: So... Where's that backdoor? The jumphole, I mean
Leonardo.Ramirez: We're almost there.
Steve.Holloway: Ah! Great!
Steve.Holloway: Oh! Is that the jumphole?
Leonardo.Ramirez: That's it.
Steve.Holloway: Well... Thank you, Leo
Leonardo.Ramirez: Like I said, no problem. Do you need anything more ?
Steve.Holloway: No, now it's my turn but, I'll buy a souvenir if you want!
Leonardo.Ramirez: Heh, no need. Thank you.
Leonardo.Ramirez: Anyways, good luck with that Steve.
Steve.Holloway: Thank you again, Leo... Nice to see you

I jumped... I felt a strange sensation. Leaving Bretonia, the Hood... I don't know if I'll see the Hood again...

'So... This is... Kusari...'

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[Ryummel]

1 May 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]I've been orbiting on the dark side of a gas giant... Aso. I detected a station on the other side of this planet, but I'm trying to avoid every contact with the locals.

My food supplies are running out. Oxygen levels... Medium-Low. Water... Low.

I need to find a comms buoy. But... If the Kusarians find me, they'll chop my head.

I'm scared

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[Ryummel]

2 May 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]Everything is happening very quickly: Contacted Shizuma successfully, went to New Tokyo with the help of Leo, brought Shizuma back to Bretonia... And a Phantom hired us in Dublin to fight Hunters and BAF officers... After those fireworks, I bet my neck the Hunters Guild will want my head soon. And the BAF? Maybe...

I hope the Hood is still safe. Actually, I don't know what those Hunters are capable of.

Postcard from Kusari (Shizuma has a good eye in this things)

P.S: Every time I see Zoey... I feel something strange, something I can't explain with words...

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[Ryummel]

[color=#FF6666]8 May 818 A.S.

[color=#FF0000]>>>LOCKED<<<

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[Ryummel]

9 May 818 A.S. MIDNIGHT

[color=#FFFFFF]I don't know how I've reached Trafalgar. My Sabre is wrecked and I can't remember anything. Freeport 1? Oh, yes! But... Trafalgar!? Strange...

Anyway, I think I overreacted. I can't stand loneliness, as well as Liberty, the land (or space) of madmen! So, I got it! PIE-RAT! Starting a new life as a pirate!

Seriously, I don't know why I wrote the previous entry... Sounds... Weird for my personality...

Updated:
I had... flashes... That voice had been talking to me... They were right: I'm sick. They call it... Bipolarism. If I only had a chance to clear that voice from my mind...

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[Ryummel]

26 May 818 A.S.

[color=#FFFFFF]17 days later, I'm writting here again. Lots of things have happened -again-. Found an effective cure to treat mental sickness, but the side effects are risky. Well, only a fool would inject a palladium disolution, unless you've a serious problem. So I did, no more voices are heard, I feel free... I'm Steve Holloway again!

Actually, I'm not 'liberated'. I injected too much palladium doses and now a leukemia will kill me in a few days unless I find a cure. Ironic, isn't it? Anyway, a junker in Trafalgar told me about Gallia. Those people have developed technology that doesn't exist in the rest of Houses... And this includes a possible cure for my palladium intoxication.

Leo told me he was living in Gallia when I met him for first time in Leeds orbit, so, that's what I needed: The Navmaps of Gallia! Well, now both Leo and Shizuma are now living together... and they still think I'm a freaking psychopath. I feel too lazy to write what happened with them, but I managed to get the navmaps.

I still remember the route to Tau-23 -Where the backdoor to Kyushu was located-, and there was another 'backdoor' to Gallia: Orkney. It wasn't difficult to find the jumphole, because Leo's navmaps were very precise, so I jumped to Orkney. Now I've 'parked' the ship next to a station wreck, or whatever it is. I'll take a look to the navmaps and I'll resume my trip to Gallia later.

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