Time Capsule - The Logs of Melanie Tyler

[Melanie Tyler]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: Commander Melanie Tyler, Liberty Navy Secondary Fleet.
TARGET ID: Commander Melanie Tyler, Liberty Navy Secondary Fleet
SUBJECT: Entry 1.
ENCRYPTION: Internal
PRIORITY: Low

Well, good evening me.

You know, I've never felt like keeping a diary before. Always seemed to me like you were giving up, finally acknowledging that you weren't going to be here forever. At least that's why I assumed people started them. Everyone wants to be remembered, right? We all want to be the heroes of our own little story, even if no-one stumbles across it until long after we're gone. Who knows, maybe they pass it on and you end up at the top of Manhattan's book list.

Here's hoping I'm not a bestseller.

So, if I think diaries are such a waste of time, I guess you're asking why I'm starting one. Perhaps I wised up. Either that, or perhaps the old Commander's getting nostalgic in her old age? They say life starts at forty. I'm barely twenty, and I certainly feel like I've had enough near-death experiences to qualify for living. No, the truth is a lot more simple. I'm writing this to you because, well, you're the only one I can trust with it. There's no-one on this ship I can talk to. Imagine the impact on morale.

"Hey, James, you speak to the Captain recently?"
"Yeah, she talked my ear off about some problem she's having with the X.O."
"Aw, you too, man?"

Then they'd probably go off and vent to LCDR Salver about it. He'd like it too, make him feel special. That man's ego needs stroking like a lancer battery needs missiles. Except the missiles are a lot less likely to explode in your face.

The only other person I might be able to talk to would have been Tom, and he's still working with the BPA in Bretonia. So I guess it's you and me, computer.

I arranged for Archer to make sure this machine was off the network, so it should be safe. Should is the word of course, but if Archer can't keep a basic system sorted then I guess I should be worrying about our electronic warfare equipment instead of sitting here moaning like an old lady in a hot tub. Ancestors, that's a horrible image. Why did I think of that?

We're on track to hit an Outcast warship in about ten hours. Most of the crew's on stand down at the moment. They will be for the next nine hours, if we make Harrison's intercept. Should be picking up decent scans of the thing in an hour less then that. Some trader picked this one up out near the Detroit Debris field a while ago. Not trashing lanes or anything, just sitting pretty. Odd behavior for an Outcast. My guess is that he's running low on crew and needs to stand down the entire ship to let his men rest. The sniffers are sending warships into Liberty like there's a party going down, but they don't seem to send the resources to keep replacing losses on the ships already here. If this Captain's giving his entire crew stand-down just to keep the ship operational, then it could be good news for us in the long-run.

Either that, or he's lost his engines. Or it could all be a trap. Guess I'll have to wait a few hours until I know for certain. Huh. I remember when I was a Flight Officer. It was always the waiting that would kill me. Sitting round on the flight deck for hours waiting for the scramble order. I still wish we could hurry Furious up. Even if we lost, at least we'd know one way or the other, instead of this waiting.

But, as I said. I'm used to it now. There's no point in having the crew sitting at stations for half a day before we make contact, gunnery would get even more trigger-happy then usual. So, I get to sit here in my stateroom and try and look relaxed. I should probably head down to the mess and try to look relaxed there for a while.

A battle-cruiser Captain's work is never done.

Melanie Tyler
Commander
C.O: LNS-Furious
8th Battlecruiser Division
Secondary Fleet
Liberty Navy

Important: This communication remains the property of the Liberty Defence Forces and is subject to the jurisdiction of the Neural Net Communications Act 807A.S, Section 30. If you have received this message in error, you are requested to contact the sender and delete the communication.

****TRANSMISSION TERMINATED****

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This character is retired.