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Ensign Kyle Whisperdale reporting in.
2 days ago I encountered a female oucast carrying numerous bounty hunter pilots and several LPI pilots along with some cardi. When I stopped her she told me she was looking for personal house slaves and that us Navy pilots were the best sort. After some negotiations I convinced her to release the LPI pilots to a nearby freelancer who tractored in their pods and returned them to Manhattan safely. As the reverse side of this deal, however, she wanted a chance to take me as one of her personal slaves, but I figured it was worth risking for the other pilots' lives. A battle ensued between the outcast and I that I eventually won when one of her mines prematurely detonated next to her ship. I tractored her in and turned her over to the nearest LPI unit for transfer to prison.
Later on, Ensign Toliman and I were doing routine patrols throughout New York and the adjacent systems but everything seemed quiet. Suddenly, all ships in the system began recieving odd transmissions. They were mostly static, but the occasional word could be made out in a voice that honestly sent chills up my spine. We immediately moved to investigate by checking to see that the major population centers and stations of the system were safe then proceeded to check the more remote areas. Random comms started coming in about possible sightings of the ship broadcasting the odd transmissions, but we still could not find it. Just after we thought we had searched everywhere, another transmission came in mentioning a "closed gate." Ensign Toliman and myself quickly deduced that the message was alluding to the old shut down jumpgate to Magellan. As we made course with all possible speed, new transmissions came in responding to whoever/whatever was sending the odd transmissions. When we arrived on seen, we found the source of the new transmissions to be a civilian pilot who had gotten lost when he accidentally entered the badlands and ran into the source of the odd transmissions. As we approached the 2 ships they began to fire upon eachother. Ensign Toliman and I finally caught up to the 2 dueling ships and to our amazement it was a nomad fighter! Ensign Toliman had never before seen one and I had only fought one once before. I joined in the fight against the nomad ship and Ensign Toliman sat back at first so he could get a better grasp of the sheer quickness and mobility of the craft before he fought as well. My ship was damaged in the fight and Toliman was forced to jump in. Even with the addition of another enemy, the alien ship continued to target and fire upon myself. I was forced to use all of the skills I had learned since joining the Navy to survive while Ensign Toliman and the civi were attacking the nomad chasing me. Just as I thought my ship couldn't take another hit, Ensign Toliman nailed a crucial gun score against the alien craft and it exploded into tiny shards. Toliman immediately flew over to my ship to take a look at the damage inflicted upon it. Once the two of us had concluded that my avenger could safely make it back to Norfolk Shipyards for the major repairs needed, the civilian was gone with no trace of where he headed. Ensign Toliman took a quick scan around the area for him, but it was to no avail so he escorted me as my ship limped towards the nearest tradelane then all the way to Norfolk.
(Though I know I'm only an ensign myself) I personally think Toliman's actions were worthy of a commendation if the Admirality sees fit. It is because of his quick thinking and great piloting skills that day that I am still alive. Without him, the outcome of that fight with the nomad vessel would have turned out quite differently and I shiver to think about the case if I had been forced to eject in the badlands with no hope of rescue or even worse, if that nomad decided to tractor in my pod and take me away.
