TO: Tijuana Freeport Admin | FROM: Dr. Aspen Harlow

[Proselyte]

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Z-NET ACCESS 4.0 | S E C U R E | AUDE version 0543.273719A. Copyright Alex Maccabelli, 832 A.S., Confederacy of Freeports - You are using FREE edition.

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User ID:__Aspen Harlow
Target ID:__James Salworth
Subject:__Local Danger?

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Rendering transcript... Hello, Mister Salworth. Thanks once again for the hospitality in letting me layover out here. I'm still making material deliveries from Penny and Magellan for the quartermasters. Have to say, your station's still doing well for itself, and I hope the same can be said for you in a neighborhood like this, with all the effort you put in. In fact, Vespucci itself is why I'm sending this message. I'd recently accepted an open job posting to investigate the Guerrero cloud for some missing ships, since I needed some serious funding for a few larger purchases. The mission itself wasn't a problem, but the circumstances around it are. Talk of vanishing ships, pirate raiders, the scrambled sigs on scanners throughout the cloud? It's painting a bad picture, and closer to both you and Pennsylvania than I care for. A Gaian patrol craft identifying under "Badb Catha" attested to the rumors - tinged with a threat of violence or two, which is normal, I reckon. Transcript to follow. I'll try to refrain from entering the cloud of my own accord again, given what was said. What's the perspective on this danger within the Guerrero from your office? I can't ignore signs that might shape up to be a threat to my system, too. Am I worrying too much? Attachments (1) Flight Log (24.01.836) [24.01.2026 22:01:20] Badb:Catha: So. [24.01.2026 22:01:23] Red.Dandelion: So, [24.01.2026 22:01:25] Badb:Catha: What brought you into these parts? [24.01.2026 22:01:26] Blackguard: So? [24.01.2026 22:01:33] Blackguard: Wait, didn't you hear a word of that? [24.01.2026 22:01:38] Blackguard: We just talked about it. [24.01.2026 22:01:44] Badb:Catha: Talk about it again, then. [24.01.2026 22:01:46] Badb:Catha: Salvagers? [24.01.2026 22:01:48] Blackguard: Do we have to? [24.01.2026 22:01:51] Badb:Catha: Yes. [24.01.2026 22:02:01] Blackguard: It's stupid to repeat oneself, though. Can't you just scroll up your recorded logs? [24.01.2026 22:02:08] Blackguard: Like, c'mon. [24.01.2026 22:02:10] Red.Dandelion: Now now, let's be courteous. [24.01.2026 22:02:14] Badb:Catha: Look, I don't have patience to play smartass with you. [24.01.2026 22:02:17] Badb:Catha: What's your business here? [24.01.2026 22:02:19] Badb:Catha: Short, concise. [24.01.2026 22:02:29] Red.Dandelion: See? He's being quite straightforward. [24.01.2026 22:02:31] Blackguard: Ship. Space. See thing. Orange. Big scary. [24.01.2026 22:02:34] Blackguard: Uhh. Raider. [24.01.2026 22:02:37] Red.Dandelion: Let's reciprocate: scouting the Guerrero. [24.01.2026 22:02:38] Blackguard: Big... wreck. Ooh. [24.01.2026 22:02:41] Blackguard: Yep. [24.01.2026 22:02:45] Badb:Catha: Well, you should not be doing that. [24.01.2026 22:02:56] Blackguard: Done already. [24.01.2026 22:02:58] Red.Dandelion: Why, perhaps? [24.01.2026 22:03:05] Badb:Catha: Because it's dangerous. [24.01.2026 22:03:12] Blackguard: Well, you're not wrong. [24.01.2026 22:03:15] Badb:Catha: And I don't like cleaning up after people who got into trouble there. [24.01.2026 22:03:23] Red.Dandelion: We're scouting it because it's dangerous. [24.01.2026 22:03:29] Blackguard: Just leave it to the Junkers, then. They've got no qualms with being carrion eaters. [24.01.2026 22:03:44] Badb:Catha: Well, as I said. You should not be scouting it at all. [24.01.2026 22:04:09] Blackguard: Yeah, but the forbidden fruit tastes the sweetest, don't it? [24.01.2026 22:04:29] Badb:Catha: It does. But the fruit in there are not worth dying for. [24.01.2026 22:05:15] Blackguard: Maybe so. [24.01.2026 22:05:19] Red.Dandelion: It's the fruit outside of it I look forward to. Besides, I have a little concern for the well-being of this station. [24.01.2026 22:05:29] Red.Dandelion: I bring them hull paneling on occasion. [24.01.2026 22:05:42] Badb:Catha: I'm sure mister Salworth can take care of it without troublemakers making noise down south. [24.01.2026 22:05:45] Red.Dandelion: If the disappearances in the Guerrero fortell something of concern to them, it'd be nice to know what. [24.01.2026 22:06:00] Badb:Catha: They're already aware. [24.01.2026 22:06:09] Badb:Catha: Poking around down south will only draw more trouble to the station. [24.01.2026 22:06:47] Badb:Catha: You've already met the denizens of Big Orange, from what I hear. What if they followed you here? [24.01.2026 22:07:01] Badb:Catha: Think they'd appreciate the Freeport being a staging ground for people bothering them?> [24.01.2026 22:07:40] Red.Dandelion: They don't seem to particularly appreciate anyone. I doubt that's something we can change. But, it's a fair point. [24.01.2026 22:08:02] Badb:Catha: They don't. They're best given a wide berth. [24.01.2026 22:08:10] Badb:Catha: This whole system is, really. [24.01.2026 22:08:20] Red.Dandelion: Maybe I should ask Salworth about it so I don't mis-step twice? [24.01.2026 22:08:41] Badb:Catha: You should've done it before your misstepped for the first time. [24.01.2026 22:08:42] Red.Dandelion: You and he being in the know, that seems wise. [24.01.2026 22:09:26] Badb:Catha: Either way, as I said. Shouldn't be going anywhere near the Big Orange. [24.01.2026 22:09:27] Badb:Catha: I mean it. [24.01.2026 22:09:31] Badb:Catha: As a warning, not a threat. [24.01.2026 22:09:47] Badb:Catha: Though I suppose it might turn into a threat if you keep at it. [24.01.2026 22:10:28] Red.Dandelion: Duly noted. I'm surprised a Gaian is the one threatening me, but, so it goes. [24.01.2026 22:10:36] Red.Dandelion: Do you reside in this system? [24.01.2026 22:10:47] Badb:Catha: Occasionally. [24.01.2026 22:10:50] Badb:Catha: Why is it a surprise? [24.01.2026 22:11:03] Red.Dandelion: We're pretty far from the place your movement concerns itself with, and you're the first I've seen. [24.01.2026 22:11:10] Red.Dandelion: I've passed through here for years. [24.01.2026 22:11:22] Badb:Catha: Bad luck, then. We concern ourselves with this system quite extensively, after all. [24.01.2026 22:12:25] Badb:Catha: Well, I'll not hold you back from talking to the administrator any longer. [24.01.2026 22:12:30] Red.Dandelion: ... the second, actually. You'd be the second. [24.01.2026 22:12:31] Badb:Catha: I hope you took my warning to heart. [24.01.2026 22:12:37] Badb:Catha: Oh? [24.01.2026 22:12:39] Badb:Catha: And who was first? [24.01.2026 22:13:02] Red.Dandelion: Not a local. Someone who spends most of his time on Sprague. [24.01.2026 22:13:14] Red.Dandelion: Saved my life. Then stole from me. I doubt you'd know him. [24.01.2026 22:13:20] Badb:Catha: I just might. [24.01.2026 22:13:35] Red.Dandelion: Anybody named Rudy come to mind? [24.01.2026 22:13:42] Blackguard: Wh-- [24.01.2026 22:13:50] Badb:Catha: Hm. No, not really. [24.01.2026 22:13:56] Red.Dandelion: Blonde, Bretonian, flies a Leatherback, insufferably smug? [24.01.2026 22:14:12] Badb:Catha: A Bretonian in a Leatherback? How very specific. [24.01.2026 22:14:28] Red.Dandelion: For all I know there could be a thousand of you here or five. [24.01.2026 22:14:42] Badb:Catha: I'll keep that a secret. [24.01.2026 22:14:45] Red.Dandelion: I don't know how many Rudys there are in Bretonia. [24.01.2026 22:14:56] Red.Dandelion: If you don't know, then you don't. [24.01.2026 22:15:07] Badb:Catha: I'm sure I'll meet them eventually. [24.01.2026 22:15:34] Red.Dandelion: But, one's a coincidence, and two's concurrence, so, I'll believe you when you say you have an interest here. [24.01.2026 22:15:48] Red.Dandelion: No more poking around the Guerrero. Understood. [24.01.2026 22:15:55] Badb:Catha: I'm glad to hear it. [24.01.2026 22:16:09] Blackguard: ...Yeah. [24.01.2026 22:16:12] Red.Dandelion: Yeah. [24.01.2026 22:16:25] Badb:Catha: Your friend doesn't sound very convincing. [24.01.2026 22:16:32] Red.Dandelion: It's chronic. [24.01.2026 22:16:45] Badb:Catha: Right. [24.01.2026 22:17:10] Red.Dandelion: He's just here as my escort. We don't have any more business. [24.01.2026 22:17:20] Badb:Catha: I see. [24.01.2026 22:17:26] Badb:Catha: Well then. I have places to be. [24.01.2026 22:17:36] Badb:Catha: Knowing life, I'll probably see you around again. [24.01.2026 22:17:46] Blackguard: Until next time! [24.01.2026 22:17:50] Red.Dandelion: I hope bringing Salworth hull panels is no great offense? [24.01.2026 22:17:55] Blackguard: IF there will be a next time! [24.01.2026 22:18:06] Badb:Catha: So long as the panels don't go into or through the Big Orange. [24.01.2026 22:18:14] Red.Dandelion: Then everybody's happy.