TO: Guild Defence Division Comm ID: Perihelion Command Channel Subject: Freeport 4 Incident Report
This is Captain Tal Lyrandar of the Perihelion. I am submitting a report on a string of incidents involving Bounty Hunter Guild vessels in the vicinity of Freeport 4.
The day had been fairly quiet up until this point; our patrols were running standard patterns, and the Perihelion herself was on station beside Freeport 4. My XO and Comms Officer, Leftenant Kann, called me to the bridge after sensors picked up a vessel unmooring from the Freeport. Upon reaching the bridge, I was met with the sight of a Bounty Hunter Guild AP-540392 Bullhead Battlecruiser sitting just 800 meters off our port side.
A quick check of the station logs revealed that the ship was indeed registered as a Bounty Hunter Core vessel.
As a Battlecruiser is primarily an offensive craft, the ship's presence was a potential threat to both the Freeport's neutrality, and the safety of the people onboard. I hailed the captain of the ship, and demanded him to explain his reasons for being here. His claim was the system needed to be "cleaned", and because the Bounty Hunters Guild had a station in Manchester, his warship's presence at Freeport 4 was permitted. When I informed him that Freeport 4 was NOT a Bounty Hunter Guild base and that I was in charge of the defense of the Freeport, he uttered what I could only describe as a very thinly veiled threat. Unintentional or not, I couldn't risk the safety of the Freeport's denizens, and, taking into account the ship's class and the increasing number of other ships in the area, I ordered him to leave the Freeport perimeter and to keep his ship off Freeport 4. To my relief, he complied.
However, that was not the last we saw of the ship. Not ten minutes later, a scuffle broke out between four ships about ten klicks out from the Freeport, beyond the defense perimeter. Within a few moments, we picked up a fifth ship coming into range, the same battlecruiser that I had just ordered away. It held position near the battle, and began threatening the ships in the battle to stop or it would open fire. I didn't trust the battlecruiser's captain to respect the Freeport's No-Fire Zone if it engaged and the battle drifted towards the Freeport, so I moved the Perihelion in between the Freeport and the other ships. Eventually, the battlecruiser moved on, and we moved back into position.
Unfortunatly, that was not the last bit of trouble we had with the Bounty Hunters Guild. Another of their vessels, a gunboat this time, arrived at the Freeport shortly after and sat itself near the Freeport's docking tower. I told my crew to ignore it for now, but then my tactical officer shouted to me that we had incoming missiles. Apparently, the Gunboat had launched a single anti-fighter missile at us by mistake. I wasn't impressed. I ordered him to leave the Freeport perimeter, and his ships suddenly shutdown. When it powered up again, I repeated my demand. He chose to ignore me, instead making excuses, and then docked on the Freeport. I had Freeport Docking Control lock down the hangers, and he was soon back out in space. At this point, I ordered my gunners to fire a single Razor shot across his bow as a warning, and to move away from the Freeport. Luckily for him, he complied this time.
I would like to emphasize the urgency of my request for bomber support at Freeport 4. This is not an uncommon occurance here, and while I do realize Guild assets in the Taus are strained to say the least, the situation at Freeport 4 is becoming increasingly more difficult to keep stable. If no Guild bombers are able to be deployed to Freeport 4 within the next few weeks, then I would like to request permission to put out a long term contract offer for mercenaries that frequent the Freeport to act as a reserve force to augment the Perihelion's patrol groups.
I await your response. Captain Lyrandar out.
*****GuildComm Deactivated*****
Characters Alan Markson: The Hellfire Legion's Lord Commander The Perihelion: Freeport Four's guardian, and yet much more. Missing and assumed Lost with all hands. Eric Dresmund: Junker, smuggler, thief. Last seen drunk on Beaumont Vayrn Wyard: IMG Recon pilot turned Neo-Terran Captain. Last location unknown
