Project: Cepheus

[TheKusari]

PROJECT
CEPHEUS

. . Met a Lane Hacker... Glass, or whatever his operating name is. Not exactly a Navy Carrier like my last report, but still something to record and send back. After carefully making sure that I won't be shot on sight, the Hacker seemed interested in my task of observing and eavesdropping. They might make good partners, might not. With this little encounter, there's an avenue for development with my newly assigned task. The Freelancer got off easy... . .

Code:

[13.08.2021 07:09:00] Cepheus: ?: Hmm..
[13.08.2021 07:09:11] LH~Glass.: Hmm yourself.
[13.08.2021 07:09:22] LH~Glass.: Unless you're interested in telling me who you are.
[13.08.2021 07:09:22] Cepheus: ?: Want me to reveal myself, Hacker?
[13.08.2021 07:09:43] LH~Glass.: In any case, I shouldn't linger here.
[13.08.2021 07:09:46] Cepheus: ?: Turn to your left.
[13.08.2021 07:10:05] Cepheus: ?: Maybe you don't want to know.
[13.08.2021 07:10:15] LH~Glass.: This being an environment more to my advantage.
[13.08.2021 07:10:21] LH~Glass.: I'll take your secrets.
[13.08.2021 07:10:29] Cepheus: ?: Take. Interesting wording.
[13.08.2021 07:10:46] LH~Glass.: At the least, it'll be easier to ensure I've escaped you with more data.
[13.08.2021 07:11:03] Cepheus: ?: My task is to collect data.
[13.08.2021 07:11:22] LH~Glass.:  ...now, that is interesting.
[13.08.2021 07:11:25] Cepheus: ?: Though if I reveal myself...
[13.08.2021 07:11:28] LH~Glass.: And what thereafter?
[13.08.2021 07:11:55] Cepheus: ?: ...I don't have any gaurantee your weapons will run hot.
[13.08.2021 07:12:23] LH~Glass.: To fear me now, you must be in a larger ship... not a snubcraft...
[13.08.2021 07:12:44] LH~Glass.: Which bodes poorly for my "wait you out" strategy.
[13.08.2021 07:12:48] Cepheus: ?: Come towards the jumphole, you may be surprised.
[13.08.2021 07:13:01] Cloaking device off
[13.08.2021 07:13:20] LH~Glass.: A Democritus? A rare sight.
[13.08.2021 07:13:30] LH~Glass.: And a good scanner, too.
[13.08.2021 07:13:40] Cepheus: ?: Thanks to your organisation.
[13.08.2021 07:13:49] LH~Glass.: Indeed. Who are you, then?
[13.08.2021 07:13:51] Cepheus: ?: Black market serves my needs nicely.
[13.08.2021 07:14:19] Cepheus: ?: Call me... Cepheus. For now.
[13.08.2021 07:14:39] LH~Glass.: Sorry, perhaps I should've been clearer.
[13.08.2021 07:14:44] LH~Glass.: Who are you to me and mine?
[13.08.2021 07:15:02] Cepheus: ?: Not an enemy.
[13.08.2021 07:15:15] LH~Glass.: I get the sense that you're more use to me alive and intact, yes.
[13.08.2021 07:15:30] LH~Glass.: Be thankful it's me and not the hotter heads you've encountered.
[13.08.2021 07:15:51] LH~Glass.: So, you're collecting data. A budding information trader and hacker, then?
[13.08.2021 07:15:53] Cepheus: ?: Hotter heads... I'll keep that in mind.
[13.08.2021 07:15:54] LH~Glass.: Or something else?
[13.08.2021 07:16:11] Cepheus: ?: Data-collector via observation.
[13.08.2021 07:16:18] Cepheus: ?: Oeavesropping.
[13.08.2021 07:16:25] Cepheus: //eavesdropping*
[13.08.2021 07:16:43] LH~Glass.: Others might see your ship and think you a fat target to chew on or exploit. That is the gist of it.
[13.08.2021 07:17:06] Cepheus: ?: I'm equipped for a quick escape.
[13.08.2021 07:17:09] Cepheus: ?: Despite this.
[13.08.2021 07:17:18] Cepheus: ?: Smaller craft can and will catch up.
[13.08.2021 07:17:24] LH~Glass.: And yet, you're unaffiliated? Spies don't often lack the backing of a house, let alone any organisation.
[13.08.2021 07:17:47] Death: The_Warmonger_Tamigin was put out of action by a hostile vessel.
[13.08.2021 07:17:57] LH~Glass.: Mmm, Order technology. I did wonder if that might be a factor.
[13.08.2021 07:18:21] LH~Glass.: At the least, with that equipment, you're no friend of Liberty.
[13.08.2021 07:18:49] Cepheus: ?: The 46th fleet definitely deems me unfriendly.
[13.08.2021 07:19:03] Cepheus: ?: Or at least, this vessel is on a list.
[13.08.2021 07:19:10] LH~Glass.: I'm not surprised.
[13.08.2021 07:19:29] LH~Glass.: Mind, I don't consider the standards and estimations of the 46th to be of much value or consistenct.
[13.08.2021 07:19:42] LH~Glass.: So, to get back to the matter at hand.
[13.08.2021 07:19:49] LH~Glass.: Why the spying? Why the eavesdropping?
[13.08.2021 07:20:15] Cepheus: ?: An... experimental adventure.
[13.08.2021 07:20:19] Rules Tip: Pirates can issue only one cargo or monetary demand per encounter. Telling the trader to stop is not a demand, however, if they ignore the request, they can be shot down without issuing further demands.
[13.08.2021 07:20:29] LH~Glass.: Thrill seeker, is it?
[13.08.2021 07:20:33] Cepheus: ?: First I've tried this little job.
[13.08.2021 07:20:42] Cepheus: ?: Perhaps.
[13.08.2021 07:20:44] LH~Glass.: Have you survived long then, or is this the early days?
[13.08.2021 07:21:12] Cepheus: ?: Hmm, managed to gain data on one of the 46th fleet carriers.
[13.08.2021 07:21:25] Cepheus: ?: Evaded their cloaking jammers.
[13.08.2021 07:21:50] Cepheus: ?: Only one real encounter so far, since my departure from home.
[13.08.2021 07:21:59] LH~Glass.: I suspected as much.
[13.08.2021 07:22:29] LH~Glass.: I'll caution you; the life of a fugitive is not forgiving. You'd better toughen up fast, or that pretty ship will end up kaput.
[13.08.2021 07:22:46] LH~Glass.: Not that that isn't obvious, but I thought I'd make it explicit.
[13.08.2021 07:23:01] LH~Glass.: If you're going to be of any use to me, we'll need you alive.
[13.08.2021 07:23:04] Cepheus: ?: As long as I stay cloaked, I'll be better than being visible.
[13.08.2021 07:23:13] LH~Glass.: Any particularly interesting data on this carrier, then?
[13.08.2021 07:23:34] Cepheus: ?: Let me access my records.
[13.08.2021 07:23:53] LH~Glass.: You need support if you're going to survive, so I'm glad to induct that you're already in touch with our equipment dealers.
[13.08.2021 07:24:19] Cepheus: ?: Carriers name: Argonaute.
[13.08.2021 07:24:34] Cepheus: ?: Atlantis-class, carries a long range cloak disruptor.
[13.08.2021 07:25:10] Cepheus: ?: Didn't get close enough to scan unfortunately. There's always another chance.
[13.08.2021 07:25:42] LH~Glass.: The knowledge that their heavy vessels are carrying cloak disruptors is something, I suppose.
[13.08.2021 07:25:54] LH~Glass.: Though I can't say it isn't already part of the threat assessment.
[13.08.2021 07:26:04] Cepheus: ?: Early days.
[13.08.2021 07:26:30] LH~Glass.: Now, did you have some interest in me or the hackers? You must have, to have followed me away from the hunter,
[13.08.2021 07:26:34] LH~Glass.: and into the Badlands.
[13.08.2021 07:26:59] Cepheus: ?: *chuckles*
[13.08.2021 07:27:26] Cepheus: ?: Disrupting your little chat with the Colossus-Class transport earlier was an accident.
[13.08.2021 07:27:38] Cepheus: ?: Was on my way to Rheinland.
[13.08.2021 07:27:43] Cepheus: ?: But now that we're here...
[13.08.2021 07:28:16] Cepheus: ?: Perhaps secure comms would give us a chance...
[13.08.2021 07:28:25] Cepheus: ?: ...to know eachother better.
[13.08.2021 07:28:31] LH~Glass.: Secure comms established.
[13.08.2021 07:28:48] Cepheus: ?: Hacker equipment links easy...
[13.08.2021 07:28:56] LH~Glass.: It's fast.
[13.08.2021 07:29:04] LH~Glass.: By design.
[13.08.2021 07:29:47] Cepheus: ?: Our interests may align, I hear you aren't a front lines group.
[13.08.2021 07:30:03] Cepheus: ?: More back end, ethereal as it were.
[13.08.2021 07:30:11] LH~Glass.: At times a direct intervention is necessary.
[13.08.2021 07:30:31] LH~Glass.: For the most part, we act as intermediaries or directors for the immediately interested parties.
[13.08.2021 07:30:51] LH~Glass.: I prefer to coordinate and luxuriate than stick my neck out.
[13.08.2021 07:30:58] LH~Glass.: What of it?
[13.08.2021 07:31:47] Cepheus: ?: The prospect of collecting intel without direct conflict, for the both of us sounds...
[13.08.2021 07:32:09] Cepheus: ?: ...like a sublime idea.
[13.08.2021 07:32:28] Cepheus: ?: To me, at least.
[13.08.2021 07:32:50] LH~Glass.: Reconnaissance is not always so simple. But, with your interest, you might make an ideal candidate for our intelligence.
[13.08.2021 07:33:19] LH~Glass.: On the topic of recon being dangerous, where was that cloaking system manufactured?
[13.08.2021 07:33:47] Cepheus: ?: It was purchased second hand...
[13.08.2021 07:34:00] LH~Glass.: I see.
[13.08.2021 07:34:09] Cepheus: ?: ...and that person got it from an installation in the Omegas.
[13.08.2021 07:34:23] Cepheus: ?: Didn't ask questions, it suits this vessel nicely.
[13.08.2021 07:34:31] LH~Glass.: Understandably.
[13.08.2021 07:35:07] LH~Glass.: So then, do you have a business proposal? A willingness to join the hackers?
[13.08.2021 07:35:08] Death: RM|Peter.Forsch was put out of action by a hostile vessel.
[13.08.2021 07:35:17] LH~Glass.: I assume you have something in mind.
[13.08.2021 07:35:32] Cepheus: ?: Work with, potentially. For? We will see.
[13.08.2021 07:35:52] Death: Dellingr|Aoi was put out of action by a hostile vessel.
[13.08.2021 07:35:57] Cepheus: ?: Damn this comms array. Still getting used to this.
[13.08.2021 07:36:26] Cepheus: ?: My job in Liberty may take a while...
[13.08.2021 07:36:27] LH~Glass.: See one of our engineers at your pleasure. I'm sure they can tune it appropriately for you.
[13.08.2021 07:36:49] Cepheus: ?: ...so there's time for some sort of proposal to come up.
[13.08.2021 07:38:01] LH~Glass.: I'm afraid it's likely that we can't pay for second-hand information without verification, and even then it has to be of some
[13.08.2021 07:38:02] LH~Glass.: interest.
[13.08.2021 07:38:18] Cepheus: ?: You misunderstand.
[13.08.2021 07:38:24] LH~Glass.: If you're new to the information bartering trade, you'll need to be good at valuation.
[13.08.2021 07:38:34] Cepheus: ?: I'm not operating this ship for profit.
[13.08.2021 07:39:03] LH~Glass.: Then for what other than the thrill of the chase are you operating that ship?
[13.08.2021 07:39:08] Cepheus: ?: As described before, this is a new enterprise. We're seeing if it's viable.
[13.08.2021 07:40:02] LH~Glass.: Then I encourage you to contact us when you have a proposal in mind.
[13.08.2021 07:40:20] Cepheus: ?: Awknowledged.
[13.08.2021 07:40:23] Death: RM|Peter.Forsch was put out of action by a hostile vessel.
[13.08.2021 07:40:33] Tip: To interact with other players, open up your Chat Window (default button Y). The default chat type for all players is LOCAL and will be visible to all players currently on your scanner. You can privately message another player by selecting their name in the Chat Window.
[13.08.2021 07:40:58] LH~Glass.: Otherwise, there's nothing more to be discussed.
[13.08.2021 07:41:16] LH~Glass.: Rest assured I've communicated to the extent possible that you're not a target.
[13.08.2021 07:41:35] LH~Glass.: Hopefully then, all you'll have to worry about is hostility from everyone other than the hackers.
[13.08.2021 07:41:35] Cepheus: ?: Well, can't say I'm not appreciative of that.
[13.08.2021 07:42:04] LH~Glass.: If you do find any information of merit, I encourage you to contact me.
[13.08.2021 07:42:26] Cepheus: ?: If I were to contact you, what name shall I put in the digital message?
[13.08.2021 07:42:28] LH~Glass.: And even though it is apparently not your motive, I will reimburse you if it is of value.
[13.08.2021 07:43:03] Death: Dellingr|Aoi was put out of action by a hostile vessel.
[13.08.2021 07:43:08] LH~Glass.: Securely access the public interface of the Mactan Network through the neural net, and address your message to Glass.
[13.08.2021 07:43:44] LH~Glass.: The usual channels are also scraped and routed to us.
[13.08.2021 07:43:50] / ?: may return to magellan before i do that, makes things a little easier.
[13.08.2021 07:43:56] Cepheus: ?: May return to Magellan before I do that, makes things a little easier.
[13.08.2021 07:44:32] LH~Glass.: Then you could well leave your message with the staff at whichever base you might've acquired that scanner from.
[13.08.2021 07:44:57] Cepheus: ?: Well, Glass. Good flying.
[13.08.2021 07:45:19] LH~Glass.: And to you. Stay alive so that you may be of some use.
[13.08.2021 07:45:38] LH~Glass.: Hello there.
[13.08.2021 07:45:42] Cepheus: ?: *chuckles* You'll hear from me.
[13.08.2021 07:45:47] Nathan.Rios: Why does this lead into the badla- Ah...
[13.08.2021 07:45:50] LH~Glass.: Don't go anywhere, Nathan.
[13.08.2021 07:45:55] Preparing to cloak...
[13.08.2021 07:46:16] Cloaking device on
[13.08.2021 07:46:17] Nathan.Rios:  ....Hello?
[13.08.2021 07:46:17] LH~Glass.: Explorer, are you?
[13.08.2021 07:46:30] Nathan.Rios: Yeah, kind of.
[13.08.2021 07:46:51] Nathan.Rios: Had been reupdating my navmap
[13.08.2021 07:47:01] LH~Glass.: Hmmm... nothing of particular value.
[13.08.2021 07:47:28] LH~Glass.: Most who know about this jumphole are smart enough not to use it.
[13.08.2021 07:47:49] LH~Glass.: So what are you going to do now?
[13.08.2021 07:48:06] LH~Glass.: Unless you're here to return those Rogues, I suspect they'll find some problem with your being here.
[13.08.2021 07:48:16] Nathan.Rios: I would have headed back after seeing that it led into the badlands...
[13.08.2021 07:48:28] Nathan.Rios: But I supppose you want the rogues then...
[13.08.2021 07:48:33] Cloaking device shutdown, no fuel
[13.08.2021 07:48:33] Cloaking device off
[13.08.2021 07:48:37] LH~Glass.: I'll take all of those pilots.
[13.08.2021 07:49:05] LH~Glass.: Now, you ought to leave.
[13.08.2021 07:49:10] Nathan.Rios: Right
[13.08.2021 07:49:36] Cepheus: ?: Didn't expect that.
[13.08.2021 07:49:55] LH~Glass.: Freelancers have the most unusual timing.
[13.08.2021 07:49:57] Cepheus: ?: I'm gonna land of Buffalo. Be seeing you.
[13.08.2021 07:50:08] LH~Glass.: Likewise.

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Discovery's Best Faction:  Starfliers
Second Best: Liberty Navy 46th Fleet

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