The Lane Hackers | Internal Comms

[Lost Highway]

...hack.initiated...decryption..in..progress...
...comm.id.Highwayman.recognized...uploading data...

Status update for 7-1.

After I obtained guard reputation, I began my patrol with intent to complete promotion requirement number two, command of a piracy team. I enlisted the assistance of Konstantine.Romanos and Eric.Knox. Romanos had prior engagement as an escort for a Lane Hacker transport to Malta. Eric Knox and I began our sweep of the area. While searching for probable targets, one transport by the name of Jack. We had a short conversation, outlined below.

Highwayman.: Mammoth transport, Universal Shipping, Toxic waste...
Jack: Hello there friend.
Jack: Ya some one needs to clean up for say.
Highwayman.: You are however, trespassing our space and we're going to have make you pay for that.
Highwayman.: For a ship of your size, I believe the charge comes to around, 1.25 million credits...
Highwayman.: Otherwise, we have to discombobulate you.
Jack: all i have is around.. lets see.
Jack: 200 000 just a dot over that.
Highwayman.: Well, then we are at an impasse.
Eric.Knox.:: It looks your job doesn't pay much
Eric.Knox.:: get another one
Eric.Knox.:: after you pay us
Highwayman.: I think you're trying to weasel out of this, and we're not falling for it.
Highwayman.: Well... Shame. Disgronify him.

He refused our reasonable demands, so we were forced to decompress his ship. Shame, truly.

Regardless! We caught work from the Eraser of an ore shipment inbound for Liberty. We were a little slow, Knox and I, so he managed to escape to Detroit Munitions. We were caught by a number of Navy vessels, TF7 and [LN]. While we made our escape, we were informed of an IND transport hauling Tobacco.

LH~Eraser.: IND here with tobacco.
LH~Eraser.: Leeds hole, heading to lIberty...

By this point, Romanos and Paco Pistols had both returned from Malta. Pistols obtained a Dromedary, Knox was in a Waran, and Romanos was in his gunship. I was, of course, flying my Scimitar.

The Liberty Navy quickly became aware of Romanos' gunship and left my Scimitar alone to chase him into California, where I followed and flew past. At this point, I encountered the IND transport. Romanos was engaged with and distracted the LN forces that were pursuing us until we could lay waste to the treacherous IND transport. I called for support from Knox and Pistols. Eventually the Lawfools caught on the ruse and made their way over, but much too late. The transport was on it's last legs and destroyed before they could interfere.

[IND]Running.Dry: Morning!
Highwayman.: Interspace Neuralnet Division..
Konstantine'Romanos: I'll keep the navies with me
[IND]Running.Dry: Affraid so.
Highwayman.: Drop all of your cargo. Right now.
Highwayman.: Knox, jump and fly past them to me please.
Eric.Knox:..: got it
[IND]Running.Dry: Uhhh... Why would I do that?
Highwayman.: Because you will be atomically disgronified otherwise.
Eric.Knox:..: no playing around
[IND]Running.Dry: Ugh.
[IND]Running.Dry: So pushy.
[IND]Running.Dry: I mean now I have a dent.
[IND]Running.Dry: Dents are bad!
TF7|SK-M.Ralusch: Bad, bad.
TF7|SK-M.Ralusch: See Mister Knox, you'll probably die.
Eric.Knox:..: probably
TF7|SK-M.Ralusch: So I'd leave the transport, because you won't escape me.
TF7|SK-M.Ralusch: Now's the time to see if you can
Paco:Pistols:: Ah my favorite captain, prepare to be disgronified
Death: [IND]Running.Dry was put out of action by Highwayman. (Gun).
Highwayman.: Everyone scatter.
Paco:Pistols:: Send our regard to Ageira

Paco Pistols made it out first with a load out tobacco, 622 units, leaving Romanos in his Gunship, Knox in his Waran, and myself in a Scimitar versus two very competent Liberty Navy pilots in Guardians. Primary goal was to split the hostiles leaving insufficient firepower to destroy Romanos on his gunship and leaving an opportunity for Knox to flee. With some careful use of CDs, Romanos and I were able to get the better of the two to be unable to follow Knox, leaving him alone with one [LN] pilot. The TF7 engaged Romanos' gunboat, and I found it time to catch up to Knox to provide fire support so the tailing bogey couldn't sit on his six. All the way back to Alcatraz I kept the [LN] pilot busy. Knox docked and I kept her engaged until Romanos could catch up and land on the base. Unfortunately, just before high-tailing it myself, I ... drifted into a mine I was not aware of and lost my ship. Fortuantely, I was close enough to Alcatraz to simply be picked up by the Rogue patrols in the area.

All in all, not too terrible. We managed to avoid the promised loss of Eric Knox, save the cargo carried by Paco Pistols, and prevent the terribly expensive gunship Romanos flew from taking heavy damage. All while eliminating an IND pest. Only losses were of course, my light fighter.

-Highwayman.

addendum; digging through my archives I seem to have found proof that I have driven a man of the law to utter insanity. Unfortunately.... I do not have further proof of my mania interrogation of him, so I will likely have to wait to complete that requirement.


...encryption.in.progress...hack terminated...