The path of Prospector

[Bernadotte]

Sacre bleu, since when there are more escorts than transports?! Complained Bernadotte

The convoy raiding wasn't going exactly as planned, the escorts proved too numerous for two undergunned xenos to hope for anything but certain death

All the xenos had was Bernadotte's old Aigle and the Flamingo - a reverse-engineered freighter. Against them, a massive convoy bound for liberty. Its cargo was extremely valuable for the corrupt government. A very rare species of alien organisms - supposed to accelerate the Los Angeles terraforming efforts multifold. A successful strike would likely draw mass attention.

- Milia, for this one nous devong to go to Alaska. Yes, I know it's far from Ouray, but only there we can hope to pick at least one ship off.

- Roger that

Alaska is a frightening place. cold, desolate and empty...
evading libety patrols, the two xeno ships were finally at the Omicron minor jumphole. They waited...
Long-range scans from the upgarded array of the Flamingo indicated movement. the convou was moving closer and closer every minute.

- They'll be here any second, preparez-vous

- Got a jump signature

- Oui, a liner. leave it, the thing has a shield tres-forte.

- More jumps

- A train! get it, quick!

The unlucky ship was amodern, zoner-built large train, the Shamballa. Zoner ships are known of sturdiness. Increased repair set capacity makes them all but quick to kill.

- Encore a few more shiots...

- And WHAM! the bugger is in flames, poor little bacteria..

- Yeah, I pity them more than th pilots too, but I think they'll do fine in here. Ok, let's hightail it before those escorts get a lock on us.

- Alrigtie, cruising out.

1 hi and run. Typical for xenos. But this time the escorts weren't willing to let up. they chased the terrorists to Connecticut. An ambush was set just outside the jumpgate.

- Ok, hold here and hit the first one to emerge.

- There's one!

Another zoner ship. The pilot was should thank his armor for saving him. A few shots stood between him and the void. A most curious encounter took place then

- What the...

- a nomad ship? What is it doing and why isn't it shooting them?!

- How am I supposed to know. it's shooting us and as such we should return the favour. Tirez!

The nomad ship behaved weirdly. As if the zoners were its friends. Nevertheless. After a few strafes it blew up/in (or whatever happns to a nomad fighter when it gets destroyed). Other escorts withdrew. The xenos destroyed 2 ships without losses. The rest of the convoy passed the battle and headed for California. 1 other train would have been destroyed, but ammo was depleted and the ship couldn't be knocked out of cruise. the repair kits saved his life.

As the convoy reached California, the xenos planned to go there as well. This time however, the escort was far more organized. They all waited just outside the jumpgate. They attacked en-masse and werem't even thinking about retreat. the Flamingo went down first and Bernadotte soon after. The rescue pods cruised back to Ouray still to be welcomed by celebrating xenos. For the Shamballa was ferrying a small, but crucial part of the load. Another decade of delay for LA.