Apologies in advance for some informal talk, however man oh man that was a big patrol.
Commodore Robinson, Sub. Lt. Redline and myself started what we thought would be an ordinary patrol.
No less than two minutes flight time and I'd already found an Outcast. He was hassling some Navy and LSF officers, so I let them take care of him. Unfortunately, the LSF officer fell to the Outcasts weapons and he fled towards Rochester by the time I met up with Commodore Robinson in Texas.
As we started our patrol, two traders were intercepted attempting to break the trade blockade in Texas. Commodore Robinson convinced them that their lives were worth more than their cargo and they chose to return to Kusari with their cargo intact. However, once we'd escorted them to Norfolk, they suddenly changed their minds and made a B-line for the California gate. I didn't like that one bit, but apparently they'd found greater profit in Bretonia for their goods. Once we reached the California gate, I was bringing up the rear when an apparent "Miner" came through the gate...
His comm ID was merely a distraction as once I scanned his cargo, I soon began to realise he was indeed a criminal of sorts. When I requested he halt for an immediate scan, he ignored it and proceeded to open fire. Naturally, I returned fire with the full brunt of my new weapons on my Guardian. His shield was soon down, but his ability to dodge outranked by ability to aim. With that in mind, Redline came to assist me.
After a short while, I left Redline to his own devices and the Commodore and myself went to scan California due to goons being reported in the sector. Joker goons, that is. Once we arrived, they disappeared quicker than a Rogue at the sight of a shower.
We went back to New York and scanned the lanes for any hostiles. Another officer in the field sent out an sos from sub-sector D6 - The Badlands. Not ever leaving an officer behind, I called Commodore Robinson into it and we both made our way to the battle-bruised officer. Upon arrival, two of the Joker's lackeys were assaulting our officer and split as soon as they saw us. I began chase of number 15.
After an unduly long pursuit, he finally came to his senses and stopped his ship. He started stalling for backup and that didn't go down too well with me. I started firing on the little so-and-so and he slowly made his way towards another Joker goons for backup. Knowing the power of two bombers, I called Commodore Robinson in for backup. By this time, Sub Lt. Redline was well and truly <strike>drunk off his face</strike> refueled to the brim.
Again, after an unduly long battle, number 15 flew veerrry far away and his backup ran towards another "big battle". I didn't get a chance to catch my breath before I found an unusual fighter at West Point. I asked Commodore Robinson if she'd seen it before and apparently there was a warrant out for his arrest - For slave driving.
He refused to stop for a cargo scan and yet another unduly long pursuit started. He started threatening that I'd "need backup" and such. However, the good Commodore was busy dealing with pirates elsewhere in the sector, so he was stuck with little ol' me. After he deceived me once by saying he was willing to pay the fine, I cornered him next to West Point and scrapped his ship.
The Commodore then requested that I make my way to the Norfolk-West Point tradelane due to increased pirate activity. As she was saying that, I came across a Rogue in Manhatten orbit. I chased the little begger to the site of a larger battle which the Commodore was involved in.
Soon after I entered the battle, the enemy came to their senses and realised who they were versing here and retreated back to their hole in the Badlands.
At least, I like to think my arrival made them all scram...
Anyway. As soon as we were done with those pirates, more appeared at Manhatten. I was starting to think their ships grew on trees. Crackz had some balls to pirate in front of Newark, but not enough to answer to his pirating charges. Long pursuit number three started as I chased him half way across New York into the Jersey debris field, towards Rochester. As we got closer to the Junker base, a Greyhound bore down on my ship and now I was chasing two pirate suspects. Minutes after I started pursuit of the Greyhound (Norban Rhicter), a Rogue transport appeared from a jumphole anomaly. Guess what? He decided to run as well.
The Rogue wasn't too happy about being found out and exchanged some nasty words with Crackz. Whilst they were busy arguing amongst themselves, Commodore Robinson was getting into position to intercept. Before she could, Crackz ran away crying, leaving only Norban and the Rogue. Chasing them towards Pittsburg, Commodore Robinson fired a few CD's their way and they finally came to a full stop.
After some playful banter, Norban ran from us and the Commodore ordered the transport to be damaged irreparably. We left the Rogue with little other choice than to abandon his ship as we left it floating towards Pittsburg.
Finally, I had a spare moment to catch my breath. All that nice "breathing" didn't last long as we made our way to patrol California. Seems there's an invisible barrier preventing me from entering California, as I only made it to the gate again before we came across an annoying Hacker, Kieran. Commodore Robinson began pursuit and I went around to Detroit to head off the Hacker. On the way there, I came across our old friend, Norban. He wasn't too happy to see me as I changed course to track down his little Greyhound.
He soon came to his senses and Commodore Robinson joined me in requisitioning his ship. I gave him two choices - Eject from his ship with or without the aid of my weapons. The sun would surely make his ejection system overload and make a forceful jettison. Taking his word that he was headed for the sun, we followed him only to realise he was headed for the debris field. I'd given this guy enough leeway and now I wanted his ship destroyed. Commodore Robinson joined me in this decision as the chase began.
We made it to a strange little part of the Pittsburg debris field where some sort of Rogue destroyer was positioned.
Norban circled the thing for quite a while as we shot at his ship. An annoying battle of "who's ship can dodge more" ensued - We lost this battle and Norban got away. Fortunately, I've been informed that a Navy Dreadnought is going to pay that Destroyer a little visit. By that time, it'll probably have gone to some other hidey-hole in the sector though.
It had been a long and enduring patrol for both the Commodore and myself - The next character we found would be the icing on the cake, so to speak. When we were finally trying to make our way to California to investigate pirate reports, again, something stopped us at the gate. Alfred Neumann was piloting an interesting ship, obviously acquired from a pirate background. Feeling in a somewhat sarcastic mood, I made a few bad jokes to Alfie and he got quickly confused and "lost my question". My question was simply how he obtained that ship. After a mind-numbing talk to the captain, Commodore Robinson gave him until the end of the calender year to change his ship or he'd find an arrest warrant out for him.
Finally we made it to California to a single Rogue pirating the lanes - The same one who whizzed past Manhatten in his Barghest. Again, the pirate quickly made a B-line for the asteroid field...and I started to hear a hooting noise in the background.
Getting a little annoyed at the slithering nature of these pirates, Commodore Robinson and myself weren't going to let this one go. We chased him to what appeared to be a small Rogue base within one of the asteroids in the field - He thought he'd be safe there. Oh how wrong he was, I razored his shield and the Commodore shoved a SNAC into his framework. He didn't survive that.
We got out of there before their backup arrived and I never thought I'd be glad about ending someones life - But to finally have one of the many pirates destroyed felt relieving. Feeling good about finally downing one of their ships, we made our way back to New York. Alas, we weren't suppose to make it back to New York as we intercepted two Rogue ships passing overhead. We went to investigate and found one of them was a destroyer! Neither the Commodore nor I were willing to let this little puppy go, and they didn't seem to happy about stopping for us. A firing solution was necessary.
Moments in, the Commodore SNAC'd her second Barghest for the day.
The destroyer had powerful shields and equally powerful weapons. As experienced as Commodore Robinson was in her bomber, a light mortar managed to snag her wing, sending her bomber spiraling out of control. I picked up her escape pod and dropped her off at West Point to get a new ship - Not before the good Commodore complained profusely about the mess in my cargo hold. It deserves a mention that just as we were entering the New York jumpgate, two Junkers accompanied by an Outcast gunboat were headed the opposite direction.
Just as both myself and the Commodore were about to relieve ourselves of duty, I came across two Hackers in Manhatten orbit. Fortunately, LSF Director Christian Deus came on duty and assisted us with the issue.
Getting a little annoyed at this point, both Hackers were my next targets. Kieran, in all his geek-ish glory, once again ran - towards Rochester. This little runt had been spouting propaganda all kinds of other nonsense into the general New York comms channel. As I approached Rochester, a Rheinland fighter came from nowhere and started firing on the Hacker. Hesitant about firing, or even being to one of the Junkers questionable outposts, I paused to assess the situation. Alas, that pause probably saved my ship when a Rogue gunboat undocked from the base and started firing on us, no questions asked.
Fortunately, the gunboat was a terrible aim and I made it back to Manhatten quite easily. On approach to orbit, a small Rogue fighter joined me outside Trenton. The Rogue presence in California was building, and I wasn't gonna let him join 'em. Commodore Robinson was obviously as annoyed as I was with their presence within our borders as we marked the ship for scrap. The Rogue started whinging (As all Rogues do when slightly overpowered) and alas, a misplaced shot by an officer in the Secondary fleet made his getaway down a tradelane assured, with us unable to pursue. The Rogue quickly got cocky and started laughing in our faces. Annoying little runt.
About to collapse at my controls, I was just about to dock at West Point when a smuggler came my way. He was flying a Junker Salvage Frigate - I'm really not trusting these Junkers.
My patience wearing down to the bone, he was given an absolute ultimatum to either drop the artifacts or be destroyed. Somehow he gained access to West Point's mooring facility and managed to dock there. I gave him ten seconds before an arrest warrant was issued - Commodore Robinson obviously knew how annoyed I was and didn't take charge on this one. We received no response from the Junker.
There is now an arrest warrant out on Dark.Revolver
That, was the end of an almost six hour patrol throughout Liberty. Although I was glad to hit the sack at the end of it, I had a great sense of patriotism at the end of it.
Commendations
Commodore Robinson was an outstanding wing-lady and has earnt a heap of respect in my eyes. Thank you for the patrol, ma'am.
![[Image: 2ndflip.png]](http://img248.imageshack.us/img248/6868/2ndflip.png)
![[Image: 2nda.png]](http://img696.imageshack.us/img696/7370/2nda.png)
![[Image: 10464194.png]](http://img268.imageshack.us/img268/3421/10464194.png)
![[Image: roba.png]](http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/2813/roba.png)
![[Image: rob2n.png]](http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/4482/rob2n.png)
![[Image: 1stsmallsvg.png]](http://img27.imageshack.us/img27/8962/1stsmallsvg.png)
Commendations![[Image: sigfinalresize.png]](http://img684.imageshack.us/img684/2617/sigfinalresize.png)