Liberty Forces Message dump

[Jane Hartman]

****INCOMING TRANSMISSION****

COMM ID: Captain Jane Hartman
TARGET ID: Liberty Forces Reporting Centre
SUBJECT: Junker Diplomacy
ENCRYPTION: Low
PRIORITY: Moderate

Good Evening All,

Two matters of note tonight. First among them was a Junker Captain by the name of Cash Ivankov, claimin' to represent a group called the Junker Marauders, and looking to make a deal. Ivankov claims he's got footage of smugglers using the fields for cover, and he's willing to exchange a steady flow of that intel in return for permission for his people to repair and reuse captured smuggling vessels once the LPI's done with them, particularly Pirate Trains. The basic principle of the idea has my support. Though I don't relish the idea of Junkers withholding information in exchange for support, if it eases the production lines for our own ships, I can see the merit. I've transcribed the conversation and uploaded it below.

Code:

[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Waiting for someone?
JM|-Purple.Haze: I have a bet with a friend
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Namely?
JM|-Purple.Haze: I bet at least 5 people a week are brave or stupid enough to try to get artifacts into manhatten
JM|-Purple.Haze: two days in and I've seen 3
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I see. *She said, her tone implying that she didn't see at all.*
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Unusual to see a Junker on the other side of that arrangement.
JM|-Purple.Haze: It's true, one guy flew up quite plainly in a pirate train
JM|-Purple.Haze: Totally loaded with artifacts
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And I trust you've got it all documented?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Funnily enough I do.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And I presume you want me to pay you for it?
JM|-Purple.Haze: I'd rather ask a favor, but I doubt you'd be high enough up to grant it
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: *Raises an eyebrow.* Ask the question.
JM|-Purple.Haze: Well uh
JM|-Purple.Haze: You LN do a fine job of catching smugglers most of the time
JM|-Purple.Haze: And their ships end up as debris
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And you want salvage rights?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Sort of. The bottom line is we can repair and reuse some of the destroyed ships
JM|-Purple.Haze: But even salvaged pirate trains are still illegal.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And where exactly would you be sourcing the parts to maintain those ships?
JM|-Purple.Haze: You taken a good look around new york lately?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Parts are everywhere
JM|-Purple.Haze: It's even worse down in Texas
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: How many ships are we talking about here?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Oh, you saying you think you could make that happen?
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I didn't say anything.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I just asked how many ships your organisation would want that exemption for.
JM|-Purple.Haze: Truth be told i'd have no idea, we find new wrecks all the time
JM|-Purple.Haze: But we also see smugglers all the time as well
JM|-Purple.Haze: They go through the fields all the time
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And you're willing to turn them in for their ships?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Might as well put them into the hands of a group who'd do some good with them
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Right. *She said, implying just how much good she thought the ships would do in Junker hands.*
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And you speak on behalf of your entire organisation?
JM|-Purple.Haze: Finer details would have to be worked out with every one of the higher ups, but for the most part I do.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I can work with that. Don't think I caught your name earlier, Captain.
JM|-Purple.Haze: I'd prefer to keep that private if you dont mind. Especially on open comms in a system like this.
JM|-Purple.Haze: Especially with what we've already discussed.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Then send it privately. I'm not willing to work with someone who's not willing to reveal their identity.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Heaven knows I get too much of that with the LSF already.
JM|-Purple.Haze: If it's going to go in your report anyway I'll just say it out loud. Cash Ivankov's the name.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: *Nods.* Appreciate it, Captain.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: What you're proposing ain't wholly a military matter, so it'd have to go through the appropriate civil channels as well.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And I can't promise that a handful of trigger-happy reserve pilots won't try and keep on enforcing those laws regardless.
JM|-Purple.Haze: Heh, if they're reserve pilots it likely wont matter. When dodging xenos in these fields you pick up a trick or two.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: *Smiles at some private joke.* I'm sure you do.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: For what it's worth, I don't think the proposal's without merit. I'll take it to the Admiralty, and we'll be in touch.
JM|-Purple.Haze: Even if what we offer isnt enough, i'm sure there are other things.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I'm sure.

The second item for discussion powered into Manhattan orbit shortly after I finalized my discussion with Captain Ivankov. A second Junker, a Collector Fighter flashing the name of Scraper entered Manhattan orbit with a full load of cardamine. In a rare bout of common sense, the pilot obeyed Fort Wayne's order to halt, and Junior Lieutenant Travis was in the middle of organizing a pick-up by the LPI's Manhattan Narc squads when a Bounty Hunter Gunboat identifying as BH-Roena.Calintia exited the West Point lane and proceeded to engage the smuggler, in the middle of negotiations, in defiance of my orders. The smuggler was agile enough to evade most of the hunter's fire, and transferred the majority of his cargo to Fort Wayne for disposal. Meanwhile, the hunter's errant firing stuck Long Island Station amidships, triggering the automated defenses, which opened fire, forcing the hunter from the area, and burning enough fuel in the process to necessitate me calling up a reservist Grizzly from the 724th on Pittsburgh to replenish supplies.

It's a disappointing day when a cardamine smuggler proves to have more common sense then the supposed 'proud partners of the Republic.' I'll be dispatching a message to the Hunter in question shortly regarding his attack on a Republic facility, and in the meantime, I'm requesting that the Orca gunboat BH-Roena.Calintia and any other ships registered to that pilot be removed from the registered hunter's registry indefinitely.

The log is documented below.

Code:

[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Lieutenant, send an alert to the narcs. They can confiscate this rubbish planetside.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Travis: Aye, aye, Ma'am.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And where was that?
BH-Roena.Calintia: Cardamine and a bounty eh scraper? Nice and easy now
Scraper: somewhere in New york
[BH-Roena.Calintia opened fire.]
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Easy, Hunter. The situation's under control.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: And I don't recall telling you you could move, Scraper.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Hands off the trigger, Hunter.
Scraper: i cannot stay under fire
BH-Roena.Calintia: HE is bountied. He is mine
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I appreciate that. You're cleared to evade.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: He's my subject, Captain. This isn't open for debate.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Stand down, or I'll have you out of that ship faster then you can say 'liscense revoked.'
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Scraper, get planetside. The narcs'll confiscate that load at Hatten's docking port.
Scraper: i`m sorry, i cannot do that
JM|-Purple.Haze: Oh how I've missed the joys the liberty.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Travis: Tell me about it.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Travis: Ma'am? Which one of these morons do we shoot?
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: I'd prefer both of them, Lieutenant, but that ain't an option.
[Scraper attempted to transfer contraband to Fort Wayne's cargo bay for disposal.]
[14.01.2014 21:41:59] Scraper: take some
[JLT Travis ejected alloy for later collection.]
[14.01.2014 21:42:33] [LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Cargo's cleared.
[14.01.2014 21:42:35] Scraper: your cargo space is full
[98 standard units of Cardamine transferred to Fort Wayne's bay. 1 remained aboard Scraper.]
BH-Roena.Calintia: Gonna run like usual Scraper?
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Scraper, I expect that ship on Manhattan in the next twenty four hours.
Scraper: Im not running, just avoiding some useless people.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Roena, I'd advise you start looking through the classifieds.
Scraper: But what happened if i`ll refuse?
BH-Roena.Calintia: I did my homework. LN. That Junker is bountied and I fully intend to collect his head from the wreckage of his ship
Scraper: And that guy make a bounty for Gallics.
[LN]-LLS-Fort.Wayne: Hartman: Oh, you want to talk now? You had a chance, earlier Hunter. We're done here.

For reference, neither the Criminal Database or the Republic Bounty Board lists Scraper by name.

On a marginally brighter note, my appreciation to all the pilots who have contributed and continue to contribute to the continual operation of Long Island Station. It's thanks to your tireless efforts that the station remains in place, despite the occasional act of idiocy, as we've seen today.

Regards,

Jane Hartman
Captain
Officer Commanding
21st Combat Support Group
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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