[COMM-ID]: Michelle Collins - L.N.S. Montana [RECEIVER-ID]: Mark Cooper - L.N.S. Judgment Day
[SUBJECT]: Your reasons
[PRIORITY]: N/A
[ENCRYPTION]: Alpha - High
Hello, Captain.
While the two of our vessels may have made it out of Liberty together, I've noticed that you never explained to me why you wanted to hop along with us. I know Sader made quite the dramatic scene back in Virginia, and Jones made the whole thing somehow worse, but I never did get the reason itself. I think it goes without saying, but I'd like to know that reason so that I'm not placing trust in the wrong person.
Don't try to think I'm being critical here. I know you're a good man with damn good intentions, but I need to know that your reasons for going AWOL against Jones' order was for a reason we can both understand. I'd rather not go off one night, go to sleep and then wake up the next morning adorning for a court martial because our backup left to go their own way.
You have my trust, but I'd like your reason for actually going along with this. If it's personal, then say no more. I'm just trying to get a feel so that we don't both end up hanged for this.
Comm Sender: Mark Cooper Comm Receiver: Michelle Collins Comm Subject: RE --- Your Reasons
Priority: N/A Encryption: OMEGA --- HIGH
Good day Michelle
I will get strait to the answers, as i have some other work that needs to be done. The will to defect and leave the Navy has been pilling up inside me, and my crew for some time now. The Navy has been getting worse and worse over the years, and in this year, i really started seeing it. The orders that were arriving on my desk for each day, made no sense, the places i had to go, ships i had to destroy and people i had to kill, it all made no sense. Why would Navy want such people dead, or captured in some cases. And the event with L.N.S. Warspite showed me how far nomads got into our ranks. I decided to leave as soon as possible, the crew, me, i wanted none of us to fall under nomad control, and when i learned you were leaving, well. I thought what better way to leave then with a friend, a person who will help me, and who i can help.
You insulted me when you said i could leave you at the will of Liberty, because me, my crew, and this ship, would rather die, then see our close friend, who we will spend the rest of our life with, hang. So have no worries, when you wake up tomorrow, and every single day after it, you will find my ship next to yours, ready for action. And if we have to hang, we will hang together, knowing what we fought for.
All the best,
CO Mark Cooper of L.N.S. Judgment Day
[COMM-ID]: Michelle Collins - L.N.S. Montana [RECEIVER-ID]: Mark Cooper - L.N.S. Judgment Day
[SUBJECT]: Your reasons
[PRIORITY]: N/A
[ENCRYPTION]: Alpha - High
Hello, Captain.
Forgive me if I seemed like I was insulting you. My crew's morale is important to me, much like yours is to you. I simply wished to know the reason why you followed us, and I can respect anyone who sees past the red tape and clear plastic wrap.
I got word from Admiral Hall. He's said he'll have a group of ships ready to escort the Montana to Southampton once I give him a time and date. Logically, I'm very sceptical, and the last thing I want is to have a crisis on our hands if Hall tries something funny. I feel I can give him credit to his words, but trust is another story.
If Hall has a heavy escort awaiting the Montana, odds are Jones and Sader wont be too far off. My name, unusually, wasn't in his database, so I'm getting an indication that he's as scepitcal as I am, and that he'd rather take the word of Sader and Jones over anything I can give him.
I'll give him a time and date soon, but I'd like your input before so. If you share my unsuredness, then it may be smart to overlook Bretonia alltogether. Hall may not have my file, but he does have the belief that I'm desperate. What's more, he doesn't know squat about you and the Judgment Day aside from what files Sader could have sent him, so that may be a saving grace should the worst be realized.
I'll tell Hall to meet up with us in Manchester's Foxtrot-3 sector after I hear back from you. If things go as I hope, then this will just be another simple escort mission and we shouldn't have much issue. If things go haywire, or if Jones and/or Sader are called in, I'd appreciate the Judgment Day being there to help us move out and escape. I've thought up numerous tactics as to how to respond to this. Most are simple, but I'll send you Protocol Delta in the event that we'll need it.
I wish you luck Mike. I know I'm asking a lot from you and your crew, but at this point you and your crew are about the only people I can trust in this whole thing. I appreciate your support, and I promise that when this whole endeavour is over, the whole lineup of drinks are all on me.
Should the event be realized where Admiral Hall sells us out to Admiral Jones and Admiral Sader, a contingency plan will need to be improvised so that we have a viable escape route.
With the meeting spot supposed to be at the Magellan anomaly in Manchester, the best hope for escape will be to proceed back through. From Magellan, we won't have much option to move from there to the Legion's stronghold in Vespucci other than heading across the system to the jump hole. Since the whole system is monitored, we'd be picked up quickly by radar support.
From Magellan, we'd move to Cortez. Assuming they won't try to cut us off, we'll try to acquire fighter cover from the local Rogues at Montezuma. Using them as bait, we'll move for Inverness, where it'll just be a straight shot to Vespucci. This all assuming my sources were accurate and weren't trying to bait us into a trap. We'll need to move quickly to avoid Locklear's justice party, and make quick steam for Kansas.
Once in Kansas, we'll hide out and wait for things to cool off. I doubt we'd find many friends afterwards, but that can be done with time after the escape.
Comm Sender: Mark Cooper Comm Receiver: Michelle Collins Comm Subject: RE --- Your Reasons
Priority: THETA --- HIGH Encryption: OMEGA --- HIGH
Good day Michelle
Admiral Hall is no fool, he won't grant access to one of their main shipyards to a Liberty Dreadnought, not without having all of its details. So we must exercise caution, Liberty Navy is much more of use to BAF then two of the Navies defected battleships. Inform him that you will come, alone. Hall not knowing about Judgment Day and me is very good, that can work out very well for us.
Admiral Jones and Sader indeed won't be far away if Hall does come with a heavy fleet, and that is why you made a right decision to make an escape rout. The ship as well as my crew and me will be ready, just give us the green light.
You are only asking for what i promised i will do, and the trust situation goes both ways. The drinks part sounds very good, lets just hope all of it goes as planed.
All the best,
CO Mark Cooper of L.N.S. Judgment Day
[COMM-ID]: Michelle Collins - L.N.S. Montana [RECEIVER-ID]: Mark Cooper - L.N.S. Judgment Day
[SUBJECT]: Your reasons
[PRIORITY]: N/A
[ENCRYPTION]: Alpha - High
Hello, Captain.
I've informed Hall of our departure for Manchester. As of right now, we're currently inside the system barely within reading distance of the jump hole. I've told my scanner crews to keep an eye open, and to keep our radio waves quiet except under extreme necessity.
Our weapon repair crews have managed to bring some of our primary and secondary battery online. In the event combat will be required, we'll be able to assist, and our hull seems to be accepting the makeshift repairs by Auxesia fairly well. I'd say that the reinforcements did more than intended, which isn't detrimental, but our hull integrity is still roughly near 80%. I doubt we'll survive in a full head-on attack, but in a running and maneuvering battle, we should be able to take hits and keep moving.
I hope this goes well. Hall isn't stupid, but he's not a genius either. I doubt he'll account for everything, and I know he won't account for you and the Judgment Day. We'll just need to make sure that if combat breaks out that none of his ships are completely destroyed. We're already wanted for desertion, but I don't want to tack murder onto that as well.
Hall will be expecting us in less than 15 hours. If what we expect is true, so will Jones and Sader. Keep your crews ready for contact, and we'll keep you informed if things so balls up.