With my freelancer Kusari Explorer Gunboat I took a round about tradelane through New Tokyo and found a Hogosha asking someone in a mining craft for a Tax to fly through New Tokyo space. I took it upon myself to place my Gunboat between the miner at the disrupted trade lane and the Hogosha ship. Staring him down the Mining ship was able to make it away. The Hogosha player said because I was not escorting the Miner and had no Bounty on him, I had no RP basis for firing at him. Thing was I never fired a shot, only stared him down long enough for the miner to get away. In fact, nither of us exchanged weapons fire at all and it ended with me using the trade lane to leave New Tokyo.
My freelancer character has had dealings with other Hogosha in the past resulting in several firefights so IN RP, he is not friendly with the Hogosha. As many transports know in RP Hogosha frequently 'pirate' or ask for donation in the name of the Kusari government. I had no idea who this Hogosha was, who was taxing a miner, only that he was a Hogosha. My freelancer character has had scrapes with the Hogosha in the past and I have taken escorts to other transports but not this one. This was a genuine random encounter and I choose to get in the middle of it.
My question is, was I within my RP to simply delay and stand off the Hogosha while the Miner escaped?
Sometimes, when all you want is to gain your freedom, you must be willing to risk it all.
No shots were fired, no engagements made, your character has perfectly in-RP explanations for your actions. You could have engaged the Hogosha if you PMed the transport and asked for a 'distraction' fee. Freelancers aren't all soulless money-hungry husks of men.
Enough said. For this exact line my IMG characters sometimes assist trade faction transports if I find them under attack by pirates. Any (lawful) trader not belonging to Daumann, Kruger or BMM can usually count on help. And yea, for a symbolic fee the trader could have hired you on the spot, thus designating you escort.
Wide awake in a world that sleeps, enduring thoughts, enduring scenes. The knowledge of what is yet to come.
From a time when all seems lost, from a dead man to a world, without restraint, unafraid and free.
Mostly retired Discovery member. May still visit from time to time.
I would go with the distraction Fee Otherwise i would say No shots fired No harm No foul.
But if he refuses to pay you just move on your merry way and watch the Hogosha make him go boom
http://signavatar.com/15890_s.gif First: You've got a picture in there that's 800x286 pixels. The maximum signature size is 700x250.
Second: Your other picture in the rotation fills the full 700x250 boundaries by itself.
With an image that big, you can't fit any text below it. Please fix this.
-Zuke
A sane man must become insane to look sane
In an insane world.
You do a right thing... I do the same few times - and I never ask for the money since I just stare and do nothing... but sometimes Miner/Trader just send me a thanks gift.