Greed Knows No Limits

[aerelm]

As the freighter finally lands on Quillan, Jean Rousseau, captain of the transport, gets out of the ship and walks toward the two familiar technicians standing not far from the ship and starts talking in a low voice.

Jean.Rousseau: Mes amis, I hope the deal is still in place?
[C]-Technician.01: Oui, le cargo is ready but cash first.
Jean.Rousseau: You talk like I've ever ran away without paying!
[C]-Technician.02: You better than anyone know how risky le faveur we do for you is, so we have le right to ask for money first.
Jean.Rousseau: Alright, alright...

Pulling out his pad, Rousseau taps on the screen a couple of times and then points at the pad one of the technicians was holding as it starts beeping. Nodding calmly, the technician walks up to the freighter and guides the freighter inside one of the maintenance hangars.

After half an hour, the normal time it takes to check up a freighter, the ship moves out of the hangar, followed by the second technician.

[C]-Technician.02: Le transfer is complete, but like always, you're on your own from here.
Jean.Rousseau: No need to worry mon ami, we've been doing this for half a year now, most of the time no one even noticed the missing equipment. Oui?
[C]-Technician.02: But remember... If you do get caught, you didn't get these guns from here.
Jean.Rousseau: Oui, Oui. I know le deal well enough!
[C]-Technician.02: Très bien, bonne chance.
Jean.Rousseau: Au revoir.

As the freighter took off, Rousseau was only hoping that they can leave the planet orbit unnoticed, and after that, it was just a matter of timing to successfully move out of Gallia unnoticed.

What he had just bought from the technicians on Quillan, was two racks of Council fighter weaponry along with a set of Mark VIII standard snubcraft hull upgrade kit, and his plan was to sneak his way out of Gallia and move the gear to Barrier Gate in Coronado to sell it on black market, hoping to make a good amount of cash in the process, because after all, Gallic technology was still considered very rare in Sirius, and he knew there would most definitely be some collectionneurs or crazy freelancers who'd pay a massive amount of cash to get their hands on such weapons.

Despite how easy he thought it would be, a few hours after they had left Quillan, Rousseau received an encrypted transmission on freighter's main console;

[C]-Technician.01: Told you this time your pack is too large to go unnoticed! You'd better be more careful when going through Montpellier.

'Damn..!' Rousseau thought to himself, and thinking of possible solutions, he realized it's best to wait for a while before actually heading to Orkney, because for sure the council forces patrolling the jumphole would've had been on full alert if they gave the slightest possibility that someone might try to run away with their guns.

[aerelm]

It was the freelancer's fifth day in Gallia. After spending some time in the Taus, he had decided to go beyond the region to the place he had only heard about once or twice, called 'Gallia', where he knew he'd find adventure and danger - Both of which were what he, as an explorer, was looking for. So, taking the known route via Orkney system, he reached the unfamiliar and hostile space of Gallia.

Spending a couple of days in outskirt of Gallic border worlds, and only stopping by the few Council bases he knew to rearm and resupply, and in the end, finding nothing as interesting as he had hoped, he decides to call it the end of his journey and return to Sirius taking the route he had came in from, unaware of the other jumphole to Sirius only one system away which would lead him straight into the friendly outcast space.

One thing he hadn't paid attention to when he had first entered Gallia however, was the entrance of the route through the minefield which led to Orkney jumphole. So, in the fifth day of his journey, all he could do was to hopelessly circle around the minefield to find the entrance. But just as he was getting tired, he finally got a neutral target on his scanners, which soon after turned out to be a freighter-class freelancer vessel.

aerelm: Oy, monsieur! Know the way around this field?
aerelm: It's kinda... eh... complicated.
Jean.Rousseau: Oui, there is one indeed.
aerelm: I was last here a week ago and don't remember where I came in from.
Jean.Rousseau: It's so crowded sometimes, but at that time of day there shouldn't be much troubles.
Jean.Rousseau: My ways lays through it, so...
aerelm: Oh, good to know!
Jean.Rousseau: And since I'm... heading there and you're heading there - let me reach the place outside faster, I'll show you the way in return.
Jean.Rousseau: What would you say, monsieur?
aerelm: Hmm... Sounds fair enough.
aerelm: Soo...
aerelm: Where's the way out?
Jean.Rousseau: Genial! I'm a mere... trader, so there are always people wishing to look inside my ship. And, follow me!
aerelm: Err.. I dont remember going down when I came in.
Jean.Rousseau: Should be...

As they finally pulled up and the freelancer finally managed to find the guard station on his scanners, they were approached by a Council patrol wing who ordered them to halt, but not knowing what's going on, the freelancer decided to stay formed on the freighter.

[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Bonjour. Please, identify yourselves.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Hold it, mes ames.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Hold there merci.

But as Rousseau tried to simply ignore he Council patrol, freelancer and the freighter were finally disrupted near the mine field's opening.

aerelm: Err... What?!
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: What is that monsieur Rousseau?
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Hold it, mes ames.
aerelm: Come on we're just passing through!
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Prepare for a standard inspection.
Jean.Rousseau: Ah, bonjour, Sergents.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Where are you headed?
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Victor. Do a scan.
Jean.Rousseau: Taking a usual way to the Sirius for the shiny things from the local market I am.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Colonel! We have a situation. Code 4.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Oui?
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: This is ... Interesting.
Jean.Rousseau: Weapons? Do you mean... 'those' weapons?
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Transport Rousseau, power down your shields.
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Code 4? are you sure?
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Code 4. Oui.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Oui, I detected Council ID codes on the transports cargo.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: I would like to see some papers coming with those weapons, monsieur.
Jean.Rousseau: Oh, don't tell me that you are talking about 'thoooose' weapons, mon dieu!
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Looks like our friend has been helping themself to out equipment non?
Jean.Rousseau: Those are... let me take a look, oh, they are somewhere around here. I'm pretty sure.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: I have no records of you having these approved by our technology release board.
Jean.Rousseau: That's not the robo... the weapons you're looking for.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: So they are either short-notice, or stolen.
aerelm: *Tells Rousseau in private comm 'You didn't mention -this- part!"*
Jean.Rousseau: Oui! I remember, the officer that asked me to deliver them 'cross the minefield was so sorry.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Alright Colonel, shall I inform Montpelier to prepare to cells, for their new visitors.?
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Officer's name, rank and base of service, please.
Jean.Rousseau: He... he couldn't do a thing. It's all because not enough time and so much wine.
Jean.Rousseau: Oui...
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: We will see.

Seeing how it was going down-hill, the freelancer decided to talk his way out of it by telling them he wasn't involved with Rousseau's business and was only looking for the way out.

aerelm: Eh, look... I was just looking for the way out and this man told me he'll show me the way, alright?
aerelm: I don't know or care what he's done or doing right now!
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Dock with the guard station for questioning, mes ames.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Routine procedure. We will check on the weapon permit.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: While you can enjoy some wine.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Montpelier, prepare bays 3 and 5, you should be receiving two vessles shortly.
Jean.Rousseau: Mon ami, those weapons, that was...Le Frog, his majesty the high Overlord.
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Le Frog?
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Le Frog serves under me.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: This is a joke, oui?
Jean.Rousseau: Non! You see, he serves under monsieur Sanzio.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Dock, or we will assume you are a thief.
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Montpellier link me to Commander La Frog please.
La.Frog: Oui capitaine Sanzio?
Jean.Rousseau: You see, mon ami, that's how they treat the people out there. Step left, step rights... La vache..
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Have you approved Vessel named Jean.Rousseau to move several council weaponary?
La.Frog: Non monsieur.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: 4 Falcons, 8 Coulverins.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: As for you.
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: La Frog are you sure, 4 Falcion 8 Bastards II?
La.Frog: I havn't authorized anything for few days!

[aerelm]

Realizing the situation is in no way in their favor, both the freelancer and the freighter captain decided to split and try to get away from the Council patrol.

aerelm: Err... Ok. Thank you gentlemen for showing me the way out... I'd better be on my way now!
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Monsieur aerelm... Identify yourself.
aerelm: Err... No need.
aerelm: Hey! Come on! I'm just leaving.
Jean.Rousseau: Oui. And I still owe that man to show him the places around, but... I will head in other direction!
aerelm: And I thought GRN were the hostile ones...
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: You will dock and answer a few questions first.
aerelm: Ok, no need to get all pushy on me.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: The transport is on the move!
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Catch it.
Jean.Rousseau: Monsieur, don't believe them!
aerelm: That other guy who's running is the one who you should shoot, see?
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Montpelier, lock down the sector, we have a situation!
[C]-Refaello.Sanzio: Colonel should i engage fire?
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Oui. Disarm it and shut down the engines.
aerelm: Ah for cryin' out loud.
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Remember we want him alive.
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Understood Colonel!
Jean.Rousseau: Bon sang!
aerelm: Ok... Enough being nice to you. You'll let me and this freighter go -Now-, or you wont like what's next!

But as the situation goes out of hand and Council forces engage the freighter, they realize running is pointless and decide to turn and fight their way out.

aerelm: That's it!
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Watch out! The Freelancer has engaged!
[C]-Nicole.Blanchard: Engage the hostiles!
Death: Jean.Rousseau was killed by [C]-Victor.Cezanne (Gun)
Jean.Rousseau: *The sound of air being sucked out of some of the scrap floating around clearly indicated, that if someone was there... now he is a cheese.*

Freighter's explosion and no escape pods appearing soon after only meant that the captain and the crew couldn't make it to the pods in time, or something went wrong and the pods weren't ejected before the explosion. The freelancer however, hitting the tractor button by reflex, managed to beam in a part of the freighter's loot - The council weaponry.

[C]-Victor.Cezanne: Your choice freelancer, one way or another, those guns are coming back to us!
aerelm: Don't even think about it!
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Miner... Move away from the fight.
Slaine: freelancer do you require assistance
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: I dare you.
aerelm: Nah you and all your frenchie buddies can all go to hell!
Slaine: im bretonian
aerelm: Then I suggest you get back to whereever you've came from!
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Wise suggestion

With the freelancer refusing to surrender the cargo, all three members of the Council patrol wing turned on him to either destroy his ship or force him to drop the guns.

Jacquotte.Delahaye: Bon jour, Council
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Save your breath. Too busy fighting.

As the fight went on, the freelancer managed to take down two of the council fighters.

Death: [C]-Refaello.Sanzio was killed by aerelm (Gun)
[C]-Victor.Cezanne: We lost one!
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Merde!
aerelm: One down, two to go!

[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Ba'tard.
[C]-NicoIe.Blanchard: Die already!

Death: [C]-NicoIe.Blanchard was killed by aerelm (Mine)
aerelm: Two down, one to go.

But as the fight with last remaining Council fighter went on, the freelancer realized with all the regens he had lost during the fight he won't be able to take down the third and last fighter, so decided to make a run for it and don't risk his life on a pointless fight.

Thrusting his way to Orkney jumphole, he managed to outrun the last Council fighter after the jump to Orkney, and by the time the last Council fighter jumped to Orkney and alerted Reunion, the freelancer was already on cruise and at the opening of the minefield. So, failing to stop him, the freelancer managed to cruise his way to Kirkwall, and dock safely with his ship intact and cargo secure.

[aerelm]

Most of the guns were damaged from the freighter's explosion, and on top of that, they used a totally different wiring system than freelancer's Sabre. But he wasn't giving up. He had risked his life, nearly got his ship blown up twice, and had only gotten a bunch of useless guns. So his plan was to at least get to use some of those guns to make up for the trouble it caused him.

Asking around for someone who could possibly know how to repair the guns, he finally found out about a Gallic Junker on Yanagi who called himself 'Jacques le forgeron'. Deciding to try his luck, the freelancer moved to Sigma-13, hoping to find the Gallic Junker and get him to fix the guns for him. When he finally reached Yanagi, he managed to find that same Junker half-drunk in the bar.

aerelm: Jacques le forgeron?
Jacques: Oui?
aerelm: I was hoping you could help me with something.
Jacques: I can't, so get away.
aerelm: Not really good in keeping business going, are you?
Jacques: I don't need a business running from a random stranger who's probably here looking for some tizonas.
aerelm: Tizonas? Nah, I've got something better!

Then leaning toward the old man and whispering in a low voice that only the Junker could hear, he continued.

aerelm: I have a whole bunch of Gallic weaps with me, and I want you to repair them for me.
Jacques: Holy mother of...! Stop joking with me kid, I'm not in mood for silly jokes.
aerelm: I'm not joking. As a matter of fact, I'm totally serious.
Jacques: And if you really have "a whole bunch of Gallic weaps", what are they?
aerelm: Why don't you come and see for yourself?

Leaving his drink unfinished, Jacques followed aerelm to the hangars, where two workers were already unloading the weapon racks from the freelancer's Sabre. After moving the weapons to Jacques' workshop, he started scanning the guns and said without taking his eyes off the screen.

Jacques: Seems you had a busy day with the Council, son...
aerelm: Sure as hell busy it was!
Jacques: So what do you want me to do with these?
aerelm: Install 'em on my Sabre?
Jacques: Easier said than done. Plus, these guns are mostly scrap.
aerelm: Can't you repair them? Then change the wiring system or something?
Jacques: Hmm... Depends on how heavy your pocket is!
aerelm: Heavy enough to buy at least ten of these workshops.
Jacques: I'll see what I can do then... Give me four days.

Nodding and pointing '4' with his fingers at the Junker, the freelancer walked out of the door and back to the bar.

Four days later, when the freelancer returned to the workshop, the Junker was busy working. So, just like the other time, he started talking to the freelancer without even looking at him.

aerelm: So, any progress monsieur?
Jacques: Oui, Oui. Not as much as you'd like though.
aerelm: Tell me anyways...
Jacques: Well, these were two full sets of Bastard IIs & Falcons - Just so you know the names -...
aerelm: Already knew, so?
Jacques: So... The whole rack of Bastards was fried, cause of an explosion or somesuch.
aerelm: *Mutters 'Explosion or somesuch...'*
Jacques: But! I managed to repair two of the Falcons using parts from the other two.
aerelm: Good, but does that mean they're usable now?
Jacques: Oui!
aerelm: Nice, how much?
Jacques: Well monsieur... What about I ask for less credits, but in return you let me keep these antiques? *Points at the rack of Bastard IIs*
aerelm: That's ok with me. Long as I know you'll be able to repair the Falcons if I'll ever need.
Jacques: Oui, repair won't be a problem. Just come here whenever you get out of a fight and I'll sort out your guns for you.
aerelm: Very well... How much?
Jacques: Ten million plus the rest of the guns.
aerelm: Eh, that's too much but I won't argue. Get 'em installed on my ship and you'll get your cash right after.
Jacques: *Nods*

After paying for the guns when they were finally installed on the ship with a bit of trouble, the freelancer entered his ship and undocked from Yanagi. First thing he did after undocking was to activate the weapons system and fire a few shots at open space. Surprised by the blaze of his new guns, he mumbled 'That old bastard knew his job well it seems!' and activated cruise with a smirk on his face.

[aerelm]

[Related Documents]

The [C]ouncil & 'Guests' Mini-Event

» Players Involved:

• The Smugglers:
- Freelancer: aerelm, Sabre (Played by aerelm)
- Smuggler: Jean.Rousseau, Aurochs (Played by sadtranslation)

•€ The Council:
- Patrol Wing 1: [C]-Victor.Cezanne, Agama (Played by Veyron)
- Patrol Wing 2: [C]-Refaello.Sanzio, Agama (Played by Pancakes)
- Patrol Wing 3: [C]-NicoIe.Blanchard, Agama (Played by Queen Espi)

The Grand Department Of The Council's Weapon Control

Downplaying French Stereotypes Since 816 AS

The notorious freelancer, Aerelm, survived our best efforts and managed to steal 2 Falcons. Q_Q

They also get a complementary white fla.....too easy.