As you may or may not know, a BHG Mako was in O-Minor recently this is a report on it, and the subsequent recon mission to O-Iota that resulted from that encounter.
As I undocked from the Isis in my VHF, I immediately detected a Mako IDed as BattleShark surrounded by a small fleet of Order ships. I flew over to the location and asked for the sit-rep so I knew what I was getting into. The ship apparently was an AI and was looking for friends. I switched out for my bomber, expecting a heavy fight (which I, eventually, got). After watching the interactions for a few minutes I suggested we EMP it, and take the ship for ourselves, after a few minutes though it appeared we didnt have to and I suggested that it could be our friend if it would shoot moving blue targets. Mephisto, who was the lead person talking to it, told this to the AI and, at first, it thought it meant to look on our ships for blue targets. A little while longer and we convinced it to come to O-Iota.
I along with the carriers OSS-Naos and OCV-Malden81 and Sergeant Julian Orley and Mephisto flying fighter escort accompanied the BattleShark AI to the Delta JH and then to the Iota hole.
After we jumped, we came under attack by a few flights of nomad bombers and assassins but they were no match for us, and we managed to get past the weapon platform guarding their side of the JH with little if any damage and we rendezvoused at the wreck of the Mururoa. I suggested that we could make the Mako, this was only a suggestion, go straight into the hornets nest and make it do what damage it could, however it overheard and wasnt to happy about it, we managed to smooth things over though and instead we went in quietly, moving carefully through the minefield. After a few tedious minutes evading mines, we arrived at a clearing that contained what we believed to be a nomad power node and what we confirmed to be a nomad version of a trade lane. After engaging and defeating a few wings of nomad attack wings we established ourselves near the lane, I went through alone first and came under heavy attack and spotted a huge nomad installation similar to the one inside the dyson sphere that was destroyed in the nomad war. I soon retreated back into the lane. After advising the others about the situation on the other end of the lane I activated my guncam and went back through. Everyone else soon followed and engaged the defenders while I concentrated on getting a good batch of recon photos (see attachments). After I got the photos I started assisting in the battle.
We engaged maybe four or five wings of nomads before the order came through to leave. BattleShark had wondered to the far side of the clearing and my scans told me its shields were down. I headed over to assist while everyone else was retreating, that ship could be a good ally in the future and I wasnt about to let that ship be destroyed in hostile territory. After I arrived at its location I escorted it to the nearest nomad lane. It took us to another installation; this one looked more like a human installation although it had some nomad battleships in a human style dry-dock. The AI was spouting things like Bigger places and ooh bigger one and was moving towards the installation. I managed to convince it to retreat telling it that if it got destroyed we would be upset. We moved into the minefield and I got split up because I often had an assassin on my tail. I heard the BattleShark say that it was lost and didnt know where it was. Eventually I came across an unknown nomad structure in a clear area; it didnt match any known designs. It gave me a bad feeling..... I saw another lane at the edge of the clearing, and it took me back to the large nomad installation. I had been through all except one of the lanes and I hoped it would take me to some kind of entry way. I was right but the areas defences proved just as effective at keeping people in as they would at keeping people out as it does keeping people in, I took a lot of damage and barely managed to activate the lane. After I got about halfway through the lane, I dropped out into the minefield. I finally had a break and I used it to plot a course back to the others who were waiting for me at the Mururoa. When I arrived I told them that if BattleShark wasnt located I would stay and look for him. We headed for the JH and the weapons platform wasnt able to stop us. We found the Mako on the other side Mephisto and I where assigned to escort him back to Freeport 11. The ship was a bit quirky though and its course took it straight at one of the stars and it didnt change course until Mephisto asked it to take a course around the star instead of into it. When we got near the Freeport we spotted Jeremy Hunter and the BattleShark, after hearing some of the transmission hunter was sending, commented that he had a big ego. After leaving the mako at the Freeport we set a course for the Isis, the ship followed us though and Im not sure if it came back into minor or not.
I believe that this BattleShark would be a valuable asset to invest in. I also believe that the pilot Mephisto would make an excellent candidate for the ATG wing.