Working with a hacker had its benefits. So did getting dragged into the 'unlawful' side of things, but just like any other line of life, it had its difficulties as well. The one major problem with it though, was the black and white view everyone had on stuff like this. Once you get dragged into the mess, you keep getting deeper and deeper into this 'business', not because of your background, but only because of the reputation you get. Once you're labeled as a 'criminal', it doesn't matter whether it's because of a neuralnet crime, or serial killing. Once you're labeled as a criminal, you get shot at by the lawful groups, and start getting on the better side of the unlawful groups -Or some of them, at least -, and end up making a bunch of new friends in your own line of work. That's the turn my life decided to take. Working with a hacker meant getting closer to the rest of them, and through them the Rogues, and in the end getting shot at by the Navy and the Police regardless of my background.
Now, starting to work with a hacker was more beneficial than anything else. There was this group back in Liberty who called themselves "Vagrant Raiders". Some messed up ex-smuggler ex-outcast ex-pirate lane hackers or something - And they didn't last as hackers long -, but flying with them was fun. They weren't much defensive toward outsiders like some other hackers, and they always had this raiding parties they went on to hit on transports around Liberty, which usually ended up with far too many Navy caps involved, so they could always use an extra bomber, and my old Roc didn't fail me at that. They didn't have many people with them, but they were always around. No matter when you took off for a spin, there was at least one raider you could run into, and seeing how those poor traders turned out after running into them, sometimes I felt glad I was on their good side.
Now, the real trouble from Navy really didn't start from there, but that's another story. Working with the Raiders and the Rogues, I was just another gun-for-hire to them, but that wasn't really the case. I was there for the action, and action I did get with them. It was around those times I actually started to realize how much of excitement life of an outlaw can have. Them lawful boys always had to spend hours after hours patrolling through empty lanes, and risking their lives for a bunch of ungrateful traders, but the unlawful bunch on the other hand.. They could waste all the time in the world without having to answer to anyone, do whatever they like, and live the life they want. And then there was all the booze! I don't know if it's just me, or do the unlawful types actually have a far better taste when it comes to drinks, but hell... The stuff I got to drink around Buffalo and Vogtland, is on a whole different level compared to the horse-piss they served on Manhattan and New London. Sadly.. Can say the same about Junker and Zoner bases too.
