Message to: RHA command
Comm ID: Conrad Egon
Location: Vogtland Base, Dresden
Things did not go well today. They began well enough; I launched in time to find our first cruiser about to depart on a shakedown cruise, and I chose to come along as fighter escort. We made our way through the Omegas, and decided to raid the Corsair's Tripoli shipyards. An audacious move, and one that I thought we could pull off. We approached from open space.
And were greeted by an Osiris-class battleship, a Corsair gunboat, and no fewer than three Titans. All but one of those were piloted by TBH, as I recall. The Major, at the helm of the cruiser, engaged the Osiris whilst I fought the Titans and gunboat. We knew we could not win against such odds, and soon found ourselves retreating. I barely managed to get away, but turned too sharply towards the jumphole, allowing the gunboat to get a cutoff angle on me. One blast from that awful forward cannon, and I found myself floating through space, having failed to down even a single Titan.
Major Michel picked me up and fled, leading the Osiris on a wild chase through two systems. At last, it gave up, and we were left to continue back to base. I decided, in light of the past few engagements, to replace my Marauder with a Sabre. More heavily armed and armored, it seemed a prudent choice. While I was equipping my old loadout on the new fighter, Michel (now in his own Sabre) was engaged by an RM Wrath. I launched to join the fight, but after only a few minutes a close-range pass punched through my shields and took me out of the fight. Again.
A friendly fighter tractored my pod in and returned me to base, where I could do nothing but watch...our good friend Nightblade came onto the scopes, and I quickly directed him to the place I'd last seen the Major dueling the Wrath. Together, they defeated the enemy . . . but my confidence in my own fighting abilities is very badly shaken.
I'm going to Omega-7 tomorrow to visit my wife and children. I will think on this, and decide what to do. I will not abandon you, my comrades, my brothers; but I must think of my family, and of how I can _best_ aid you. Perhaps I could do more good as a commerce raider in a freighter than as a fighter pilot . . . I do not know. This is still new to me, and I must think about it. I would welcome any advice, too.