Seems like you were threatened by that sniffer! Unfortunately I didn't manage to take him down - he might still be lurking around somewhere, damaged.
I don't think the Corse has been introduced to your organization, but the first thing you need to know is that we empathise with anyone who's business is being distrupted by the Outcasts.
To: ............................... Lucien Sarti
From: ........................ William Kelso (Bob) (OSI vessel Pain.Court)
Regarding: ............ Re: Encounter
Good day Lucien,
William Kelso here but be sure to call me Bob from now on. Allow me to commend you on your impeccable timing for the Outcast was about to rob me from the very materials I bought at the Outcast base in Alpha. It doesn't happen all that often but sometime's one of them youngsters take their parent's ship and follow traders like myself. I'd rather be called '"Boomer" than being shot at or forced to pay.
So, many thanks for showing up and taking that problem from my hands. I hope you and your crew managed to leave unharmed. Fortunately there's a good Med Force hospital nearby and they provide excellent care should you ever need it.
Anyhoo, I'll let the folks at OSI HQ know what you did today.
No worries Bob - this is actually kind of what I do, a scar here and there is just a trophy! I just might check out this Med Force to help me get back to hunting faster. I think my higher ups are trying to have some dealings with them.
Speaking of higher ups Bob - I'm trying to show them I am not just a wanderer flying all over the place looking for targets like you've seen me do (which, let's face it, I pretty much am). You know how it is though - want to keep them happy to climb up the ladder and all. You seem to be a seasoned hauler in the Omicrons - you wouldn't happen to know if there's demand for some things Gallic around your parts would you?
You know like Gallic Wine, Molybdenium Ore, some organic substances that help you relax...Opening a trade route would allow me to get my Principal off my back and let me do what I like doing...shooting pests like the one that bothered you for one!
To: ............................... Lucien Sarti
From: ........................ Bob
Regarding: ............ Re: Pleasure
Hi Lucien,
While I do agree about being what you so aptly name "a seasoned hauler" I am not the one for climbing ladders. Now mind you, I do keep up with my crew but the corporate ladder just ain't my thing. You see, I'm 58 and I've pretty much seen it all. Nowadays I settle for my comfy chair, a bottle of wine and a good novel.
Should we ever meet again I can cook you a nice plate of Jambalaya so until then, stay safe and keep doin' what makes you happy.
Hope you have had plenty of time for your comfy chair, a bottle of wine and a good novel lately. Guess what - there's something very valuable I would like to get my hands on. Something that we don't really make in Gallia and would help me stand out indeed.
Now you're probably already thinking "no way Sarti, there is no chance I will reveal my priceless Jambalaya recipe - there's not enough money in the world" but you can relax Bob, this is not what I am after. What did strike my eye was this Sirian "Bustard" vessel I see a lot of you Zoners fly.
Think you can take a break from your good book and wine and give a tip to good old Sarti just who do I talk to and pay amongst your Zoner kind to get my hands on one? I will personally deliver you a shipment of the finest Gallic wine to drink in your comfy chair if you help me find people that will sell or trade me one of those ships of course!
To: ............................... Lucien Sarti
From: ........................ Bob
Regarding: ............ Re: Your wisdom
Hi there Lucien,
It's great hearing from you again. Now you want yourself a Bustard eh? Well that's some ship I can tell you. Those things make my Whale look like a sardine when I'm flying next to them. While I don't know much of the Bustard class vessel (frankly I've never been aboard one) my friend Alex (Lehman) happens to be part of the ship vendor team at Corfu Base in Theta. We and some other folks often play cards together and while he may be a lousy card player he does know his ships. I asked him and he let me know that if you're willing to buy a new vessel he can help you out for sure yet he gave me the advise to scour the market for a second-hand model.
The reason for this, so I'm told, is that a second hand model is often cheaper and when combined with either an upgrade or retrofit you still save loads of money compared to having a new one ordered, which also takes some time. Alex told me that he often refers his customers to Deep Space Engineering as they do most of the overhauls, inspections and retrofits on commercial ships. So when you're buying a second-hand Bustard and you want her upgraded I'd suggest you contact either Lulatia Bellisario or Dan Johnson at DSE. She or he can tell you all about what needs to be done and I've been told the initial scan of a vessel is without cost.
So about the Jambalaya...
Ingredients:
1 tbsp rapeseed oil
1 onion, chopped
3 celery sticks, sliced
100g wholegrain basmati rice
1 tsp mild chilli powder
1 tbsp ground coriander
½ tsp fennel seeds
400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
1 yellow pepper, roughly chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
150g pack small prawns, thawed if frozen
3 tbsp chopped parsley
Method
STEP 1
Heat the oil in a large, deep frying pan. Add the onion and celery, and fry for 5 mins to soften. Add the rice and spices, and pour in the tomatoes with just under 1 can of water. Stir in the bouillon powder, pepper, garlic and thyme.
STEP 2
Cover the pan with a lid and simmer for 30 mins until the rice is tender and almost all the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the prawns and parsley, cook briefly to heat through, then serve.
No secrets for you my friend, not even my Jambalaya recipe
Wow I am damn impressed! It might not seem like it from what you have seen of me so far, but us Corsicans are also very big on the catering and luxury business. There is a big resort station where I come from - the Provence system - named Cannes Resort Station, we are currently trying to get it back to our hands, but I can tell you once we manage that your Jambalaya might just be one of the stars of the opening evening once we do! If you ever want to spice your relaxation you are always welcome to come - I am sure I could even put in a word with another Corsican family who operate the Casino Monte Carlo to give you a nice discount - you as a card player would surely enjoy that.
I am grateful you shared the recipe, I will pass it to our cooks back home - we will market it as an exotic Sirian delicacy despite the inexpensive costs of ingredients and no doubt make it very profitable!
As to the Bustard - well, us Corsicans are wealthy, vastly wealthy. I have personally gained my riches through the methods you witnessed me use against that Outcast that threatened you. But as an organisation we are friends of all back home, or so they think, and keep ammasing large amounts of resources through various means through all of them. So to the Bustard well, it would be a shiny new one I would want - I am ready to pay for it, and we will do the retrofit ourselves. Including Jambalaya for all!
Tell you what - I will bring you that exquisite Gallic wine shipment, and perhaps it could buy me a ticket to the card game that you and Alex Lehman indulge in? I am sure we discussing the specifics will be a lot more fun over a game of cards and some fine wine rather some impersonal Neural Net conversations! I could swing by next week - just let me know if you can get me in and when and where the game takes place Bob!