To: Liberty Forces
Comm ID: Ensign Greg LaCroix
Subject: Patrol Log and Re-entry into Service
This will serve as the first report during this time of service to Liberty. I am no stranger to what dangers lurk out in open space as this is my 3rd time to enter active flight duty. First off, I'd like to apologize for the long delay between the approval of enlistment papers and start of patrol runs. I've been battling my medical condition, which at the moment has been kept in check with meds and therapy. Rest assured this will not hinder combat capability. I have yet to complete my ship upgrades and as such find myself a regular visitor to sickbay as opposition seems to frequently use me as target practice. Of the past 8-9 odd hours of patrol time logged, I'm counting 1.5-2 hours left to drifting in my escape pod. Seems lawless individuals have really stepped up in terms of equipment, bringing gunboats to swat down crotch-rocket fighters, but we face them none the less. I do however question the means of how we deal with certain situations. Case and point of my last patrol run with Junior Lieutenant Rohj Teerin. I was escorting a independent Bounty Hunter capital ship during its business transaction (lawful, not a combat mission, escorted ship to ensure peaceful activity) when we I received notification of a smuggler Elisa.Ibanez (Slave liner, Outcast ID, Outcast Tagged) from an Independent LPI officer John.Whitney. I apprehended the suspect my West Point - California trade lane and was shortly joined there by Teerin. Unknown to me Independent Liberty Navy Battlecruiser, Astute, was en-route as well. Upon halting the smuggler, suspect was reluctant to comply with dropping the cargo. I therefore insisted compliance with the threat of me physically boarding the ship and doing a number on the crew. With a little more pressure from Lt. Teerin threatening to bring down the smugglers shields, the suspect peacefully emptied her cargo hold. I then attempted to tractor in the slaves for processing and debriefing at the nearest Naval facility. Before anyone could react, Astute up and blown the suspect ship to bits, the 3000 slaves left floating in space were vaporized with the ensuing blast. Maybe I've gone soft, or just used to the VBSS (visit-board-search-seizure) procedures, but this is definitely excessive use of force. I'm still trying to figure out the gun-cam programming new to the ship but I am attaching photo evidence of what I was able to record at the bottom of this report. The only consolation to us who witnessed the event is that at least we didn't hear 3000 screams of agony of people being vaporized in space. Would like to ask high command how to handle the Astute and its crew if ever we encounter it again. Lt. Teerin reports that some issues that risen from that ship in the past. Furthermore, I have had earlier long distance from Kusari forces that Astute was wandering around, chasing a unmentioned vessel in KUSARI ZoI. I will devote the majority of this weeks flight time to income generation and finally purchase an armor upgrade to serve more useful the the cause.