AFA Message Dump

[Marlowe221]

*******
Begin Transmission
From: Hamato.Yakata
To: Artisan Farmers Alliance

Konnichiwa Brothers,

My first day as a full member of the Alliance was, indeed, an eventful one. After being issued a Black Dragon fighter and ensuring that it was properly equiped Sosuke Patro, I, and other members of the Alliance received a call from a KNF vessel that an AI controlled Outcast battleship had entered the Kyushu System from the Tau 23 jump hole. The KNF officer had lost sight of the ship so we moved, with the efficiency only the Kusari possess, to cover all jump gates and known jump holes in Kyushu.

The net was drawn tight and his escape seemed impossible. But all gates and jump holes reported no sightings of the battleship. Suddenly, however, a call came in that the battleship had been located approximately 35 klicks above the Tau 23 jump hole. All vessels began to converge on the AI Outcast ship flying under a Harvester tag. While en route, we received a report that a Zoner carrier, tagged Syros, was in the area as well as a representative of the TAZ.

I must confess, my jaw dropped when I made visual contact with the ships. I have spent all my life in Kusari and had never seen such ships. The TAZ Zoner was attempting to mediate the situation as KNF and AFA vessels surrounded the Harvester capital ship. My comm system could not interpret the transmissions by the Harvester ship (//only OOC "requests"). Scans revealed that he was carrying Kusari civilians and KNF officers in his hold! We attempted to reason with the Harvester through the TAZ representative who seemed familiar with AI constructs. It took some time but the Harvester finally agreed to release the Kusari prisoners and be escorted back to the Tau systems.

The Harvester dropped the prisoners (albeit one at a time...) and began moving - but not toward the Tau 23 jump hole as it had agreed. We followed for some time at impulse speed. KNF officers gave repeated orders to change course. Those orders were ignored. At one point our strange pursuit took us 100k above the orbital plane of the system.

Suddenly, the Harvester battleship engaged cruise and set a course toward Hokkaido - the opposite direction it had been ordered to go. We halted his ship as quickly as we could. KNF officers gave one more order to change course. When that was ignored we opened fire. Our combined firepower made short work of the Outcast-made ship and it was destroyed. We then escorted Zoner Syros out of the system.

I had heard tales of such things in my previous life as a trader... but to actually witness these events and take part in them is something else entirely! My gun camera was operational but I confess to being so utterly taken aback at the events unfolding before me that I failed to take any pictures for our records. (//Don't know how to post pictures) I trust that I served the Alliance well and will continue to do my best in the future.

Hamato Yakata