It is a great honor to be accepted into your ranks, and I look forward to serving with you all. It's also wonderful to finally be working off the surface and given the opportunity to enjoy the incredible views we have here in our House.
I have just finished my first patrol in my Wyrm through the New Tokyo and Honshu systems. Fortunately my first day was fairly quiet and there weren't too many problems to deal with. I did encounter a GC bomber floating around Honshu near the New Tokyo jump gate. Flying was erratic and our conversation very disjointed, the pilot was clearly high on cardi at the time and had possibly been mixing that with some unknown pharmaceuticals. Moving in closer and conducting a scan of the ship revealed a few miscellaneous bits of junk and almost a dozen units of cardi and pharmaceuticals.
Unfortunately I was unable to engage and destroy the bomber and arrest the pilot as a couple wings of Blood Dragons where in the area and the KSP pilots engaging them were clearly out numbered. By the time that was taken care of the bomber, who had been sitting a short distance off monitoring the situation, decided it was time to leave and cruised out of the area.
Returning to New Tokyo I met up with Sakura Kai-san, who assisted me in obtaining a Nuclear Mine and Cannonball missile launcher. After the deck crew had finished installing the equipment we conducted a patrol through the system and monitored the traffic around New Tokyo. No problems and everyone was behaving.
Some independent trader did manage to float into the area flying a Bretonian transport, claiming he'd won it in a game of cards. We got him out of the area as quickly as possible to avoid any conflict.
Thank you Kai-san for your assistance, it was much appreciated.
Another patrol finished, and darn, I met some strange people today. My patrol started at Planet New Tokyo where I was monitoring the constant stream of mostly transport traffic in and out of the system. It was mostly uneventful until a Bretonia Destroyer, JimmyFantom, suddenly dropped out of the trade lane almost on top of me. I sped away from it sending out an alert to the traders in the area and cursing myself for failing to have detected it coming in on the trade lane. But the reason for this soon became clear as the destroyer slowly drifted towards the next set of trade lanes without firing a shot and my ship completed the full scan; the destroyed was carrying a Freelancer ID and the scan clearly revealed that it was barely operating with only a skeleton crew. The captain could give no reasonable explanation for being in the system and he willingly enough followed my instructions as I escorted him back out.
A short while after that bizarre event a Red Hessian, with the ship name of [RHA]RHT-Blitz, was detected traveling through the system in a Pirate Transport. I was able to get within scanner range and detected a cargo hold full of counterfeit software, but the smuggler knew he was well out of range of my weapons and mostly ignored my hails. He was detected leaving Honshu into Sigma 13 at which point I broke off the pursuit.
The final incident today involved a small transport working for the Renzu corporation. It was carrying 7 Golden Crysanthemums near Planet Honshu. Talking to the pilot I became suspicious of her as the way she spoke suggested she was a user of Cardi. A full system scan did not reveal any Cardi on board. As we talked further and I ran a background check on her ID it was revealed that she was a former member of the GC terrorist group. However she had been clean for several years and did not have any outstanding warrants with the KSP, I was also able to confirm that the GC in her cargo hold were indeed prisoners being transported to a prisoner work program. The transport was allowed to proceed without incident.
Several incidences to report on for today's patrol. The first involved a transport hauling 2600 artifacts near Planet New Tokyo, ship ID is Stann, a Borderworlds class transport. After a bit of a debate, and attempting to land on Planet New Tokyo, the captain finally agreed to transport the artifacts to the surface where they were confiscated by the local authorities, as well as pay the fine of 2,000,000 credits for hauling contraband.
I continued my patrol and aside from a Junker who was trying to slip through Kusari space, it was mostly uneventful until later in the day. While monitoring traffic in orbit around Planet New Tokyo two transports dropped out of the trade lane and immediately switched on their cruise engines to the next set of trade lanes. Ship scans revealed both transports were packed full of contraband: thousands of units of counterfeit software. The transports (Freedom's and Cryer|Avion) at first argued they had the right to transport the cargo as they worked for a research company. I sent the information in but received a negative as expected. When I confronted the captain's on this fact they started arguing with me and asking to be allowed to pass through, "just this once".
At about this point a KNF patrol was passing by, [KNF]Kiith, and I requested that he stand by in case his assistance was needed. After again demanding that he comply, deliver his cargo to Planet New Tokyo and pay the fine, the Cryer|Avion activated its cruise engines and made a run towards Honshu. Firing a cruise disruptor I managed to catch up with him but he continued to run and KNF Officer Kiith and I opened fire on the transport. The transport immediately opened up with all of its turrets targeting my Wyrm. Unable to withstand the onslaught I had to fall back and having failed to reload my shield batteries I had to fall back, taking the only cruise disruptor with me.
I hit the cruise engines and headed back to PNT, they had a reloaded Wyrm standing by and I immediately launched again, heading back out to assist Kiith. But by this point it was too late and the transport had managed to put considerable distance between us. I pursued it to the Honshu/Sigma border, where I finally managed to catch up to it, but only moments before it made the jump to Sigma. During the pursuit the transport attempted to bribe me. Apparently he's been spending too much time with Liberty Police Inc.
Unable to pursue both vessels simultaneously the Freedom's managed to escape to Kyushu and then sneak across Kusari space, where he was briefly detected jumping to the Sigmas.
On patrol in New Tokyo today I had a run in with a Zoner transport Planophore-II-. The vessel was carrying several items of contraband but only in very small quantities. Contraband included Gaian Wildlife, Synthetic Marijuana, Cardi, and Counterfeit Software. The captain claimed they were a research vessel and at first denied having any Cardi on board. He finally admitted that several of his crew were users, but that it was also for research purposes. He was not a registered researcher, but everything else tended to indicate he was telling the truth, especially considering the negligible quantities he was carrying (12 units of cardi, 1 or 2 of everything else). The vessel was also completely unarmed. I instructed him to jettison all but 1 unit of the contraband and he could go on his way. The jettisoned cargo was destroyed.
Later encountered 2 Kusari Trains hauling Counterfeit Software in a convoy. Combined they had roughly 10,000 units of the contraband. They were both researcher ID vessels and thus had a right to carry 500 units each. The captains stated that they were somehow associated with The Order and argued that this was an emergency and the software had to be delivered "for the safety of millions of people." He refused to give me the name of his CO and our records did not recognize them as being an exception to the law.
They were ordered to unload all but 500 units of the cargo on Planet New Tokyo and pay a fine of 2 million credits, which they complied with. They continued on after the transfer was completed and the event ended peacefully.
That's all for today! Signing out and heading home.
I have been busy with administrative work, mostly regarding the prospects from the Special Recruitment division. It is rewarding work, but I admit I have been neglecting my regular patrols. Fortunately the new recruits seem up to the task. I did manage to conduct several patrols and intercepts in the past week however.
In chronological order...
A pair of Blood Dragon gunboats, Haze and Soryu were pirating traders in new Tokyo between the planet and Shinjuku station. Blood Dragons are bold, but they should really stay in their fighters. A response force comprised of myself and Naval forces fighters and bombers quickly responded, along with a Farmer's Alliance ship. Between all of us and prodigious amounts of firepower being tossed around (nearly all from us) we destroyed both gunboats. A note: Soryu had extensive armor plating on his ship, comparable with the standard mk8 capital ship armor upgrade. Unfortunately it didn't serve him quite well enough for this encounter.
Shortly after that encounter, I happened across an independent trader by the name of Freedom's, flying a Borderworlds Transport. He also happened to be hauling a full load of pirated software.
With the assistance of KNF officer George.Takei|KNF the smuggler was halted and made to explain his actions. Officer [KSP]Okita.Soji also arrived on the scene at this time, as well as [KNF]Kiith. Soji-san informed me that this trader had been spotted by himself and Kiith earlier also with the same cargo in his holds, which the trader vehemently denied, accusing Soji-san and Kiith of lying. Of course, this added yet another charge to his list of crimes, and I informed him of such. After quite a while, it was apparent that he was not going to dump the cargo and pay the fine. During this, a freelancer named Seigetsu appeared on the scene flying an Eagle with all civilian kit. He said that Freedom's was his friend and that we should let him go. Of course, we all had a good laugh at this. The standoff eventually led to us opening fire on the smuggler, with Seigetsu coming to his aid. At about this time, a criminal ship, [GC]Yuki.Mandalore arrived, flying a GC fighter. Even with these distractions, we destroyed the smuggler ship, then opened fire on the GC and the freelancer. They both fled after their apparent friend had been relieved of his ship.
The next time I was conducting a regular patrol in my Wyrm, I spotted yet another software smuggler by the name of Willdog, flying a Borderworlds Transport. After confronting him about his cargo and much negotiation, he dropped the cargo, but claimed he could not afford the 1 million credit fine. All officers are instructed to process said fine the next time this smuggler is encountered.
During the encounter, another smuggler ship went by, a Rheinland Behemoth going by the callsign Ernie'sball, carring a full load of Artifacts towards New Tokyo. Officers are instructed to confront this trader the next time he is encountered and process a 2 million credit fine.
And finally, just yesterday, I scrambled my bomber in response to a distress call from a Farmer's Alliance ship. [AFA]Grower's.Pride was under attack from two ships, a Junker frigate [Junker]Black.Mantis and a Falcata bomber "Red.Friday"-ProjectX. Also responding to the distress call were [IG]Miyazato.Sensai and [AFA]Food.For.Thought. Between all of us, we quickly downed the frigate, turning it into scrap metal and perhaps a few salvageable parts. The bomber fled and I pursued, eventually destroying with the help of [AFA]Grower's.Pride.
As if we needed further reason to drive out the Junkers, they seem to be allying themselves with Outcasts now, certainly a foolish move on their part (though who knows what goes on in their deranged minds?) and a death sentence for those involved, especially in trafficking of the orange poison. I will also investigate the increase of counterfeit software coming through our borders, and take the appropriate measures to see this trade stopped.
I was patrolling the space just outside of Planet New Tokyo today, keeping an eye on all incoming and outgoing ships. Only a few things to report.
First, there was a Bounty Hunter fighter, callsign "Left," coming from the Shinjuku tradelane, on his way to the Shikoku Jumpgate tradelane. I reminded the pilot that Bounty Hunters were not allowed past Deshima Station, and he responded saying that he knew this, and was sorry. He said he was coming from "the other way," and was on his way to Deshima just then. I let him off with a warning, and told him be quick about leaving the New Tokyo system.
Not long after this, a Corsair-tagged Pirate Train, callsign "Amorfis," with a hold full of alien artifacts exited from the Shinagawa tradelane, and quickly made his way towards the planet. I was unable to stop him before he landed on Planet New Tokyo. When he re-entered space, I remarked that it was quite bold of the smuggler to bring a train full of illegal goods straight to Planet New Tokyo, directly under the nose of a KSP officer. He headed for the Shinjuku tradelane, which I disrupted. Amorfis then began drifting along towards Shinjuku station, myself and a nearby freelancer in pursuit.
I told Amorfis that he had to pay a fine of two million credits for his smuggling, but he tried to bargain with me. Amorfis said that he would pay both myself and the freelancer two million credits, if we would ignore him the next time he returned to New Tokyo with alien artifacts. For whatever reason, the smuggler thought that the freelancer was also a KSP officer. The freelancer agreed immediately to his deal; I did not. I told him that he would pay the fine, and that he would still be fined again for any future transgressions.
The smuggler spent quite a while trying to convince me to take his bribe. By the time we were almost at Shinjuku station (drifting on impulse engines), I agreed to his bargain. He would pay the two million, and I'd ignore his next illegal trade run.
So then I set up a plan with Officer Sakura Kai.
I would sit back, "ignoring" Amorfis, while Officer Kai would intercept him in Honshu, and catch him again with a cargo hold full of artifacts.
However, the smuggler was a no-show. Sakura Kai left after it was apparent that Amorfis would not return to Kusari any time soon.
So my suggestion is that we watch out for this smuggler Amorfis. His statistics are as follows:
Callsign: Amorfis
Ship type: Pirate Train
ID: Smuggler
Tag: Corsair
Though he has technically "paid" his fine for this offense, he has made it clear that he plans to return. Keep an eye out for him.
PS: I apologize for my lack of images. I really should get into the habit of recording my encounters.
Konnichiwa. I wish to apologize for my lateness in preparing, but during the fitting of my Wyrm, the Techies hit a wrong button and reset all the calibrations they had been making the past few days. As of this moment however, my ship and I are ready for duty, and are marking out a route for patrol as we speak.
Keigu,
Satoshi Motohiro.
--End Transmission--
"The pen is mightier than the sword." -Edward Bulwer-Lytton. "Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword never encountered automatic weapons." -General Douglas MacArthur
This is Kuroto Nabematsu, Im reporting for yesterday's patrol with Kai-san. There were no suspicious traders or anything out of the ordinary for almost the entire day. After some time though LRS picked up a Mandalorian sitting just outside of firing range. We tried to talk him down for some time but when he wouldnt leave a passing battleship patrol helped us to...pursuade him. Anyways, only a few minutes after the attack I was recalled to New Tokyo because of forcastings of an Ion storm. I rather hope the gaijin was cought in the storm....
Nabematsu, out.
---End---
Some say that he is allergic to a fungus found only between the toes of Corsairs,
and that he is oblivious to 98% of Liberty Law. All we know is... He's called the Busdriver!
Aimi Natsuko here, reporting from a first official patrol. Although my ship has been in service for quite some time, its only been now that I've seen some proper action.
While passing through the lanes in Kyushu, I encountered a certain member of Nova Power Generation, a group of terrorists known as the Blood Dragons. Fortuantley for me, he was in a Bomber. Quite a nice target for a Wyrm. At the time, it appeared he was interrogating a trader carrying Deuterium. Unfortunatley, I was not able to stop him from destroying the trader, but we did come close. The battle was raging, but unfortuantley, the Blood Dragon called for help from a nearby person known as a... "Lane hacker". What they are doing in Kusari, I do not know.
Captured Images:
Unfortunatley, my ship was overpowered by the two ships. I am sure another patrol will pick them up later and destroy them.
I'm not going to make a full report of today's events. I will only say that two traders, Nathan_Crebaine and Harrass, were caught smuggling Military Vehicles through Kyushu, their destination being Tau 31. I was unable to stop either one. Keep an eye out for them.