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COMM ID: [color=#33FF33]RECRUIT James Lambert
TARGET ID: Liberty Navy High Command
SUBJECT: Patrol Report #OED-2284
ENCRYPTION: High
PRIORITY: URGENT

Well it was my first official day on the job, and boy it wasn't a quiet one either.

To start, Lieutenant Alan Polstari was kind enough to volunteer to help get me some equipment and help me sort through all the necessary paperwork. So many requisition forms! He also gave me a quick tour of the Virginia system.

Just as we were heading back to New York from Cali, we picked up an unfriendly IFF on long range scanners. We closed a bit and saw it was fellow by the name of Jack_Package, and he was carrying Liberty Rogues ID. I chased him down with cruise and managed to catch him with a cruise disruptor to put a stop to his fleeing. We took up station on him, and then had a little discussion with him. Lieutenant Polstari spoke with higher authorities and determined he was to be placed under arrest.

Guncam 1

It seemed we had nearly convinced him to accompany us to Huntsville when another freelancer showed up, this one with a neutral IFF. This was Alan.Winston, and despite his IFF the Lieutenant informed me he was a known pirate. Initially he seemed to be rushing to Package's backup, but once he saw we were just circling rather than fighting, he stood down.

Guncam 2

However, about a standard minute later, two more hostiles came out of the nearby jumpgate. Now potentially outnumbered 4-2, the Lieutenant ordered a hasty retreat. I made it back to the New York jumpgate, and the Lieutenant urged me to continue on to Manhattan. Yet he didn't make it through behind me, so I called for backup with his permission.

Guncam 3

I gathered several secondary fleet units, including Lt.John-Twitter, LNS-Freedom, LNS|Braveheart.Escort and Timothy. We passed through the gate into California and encountered several units, including Package and Winston. Lieutenant Polstari was lost right before I went through the gate.

There was some initial confusion after I returned to the system with no less than three capital ships at my back. I'm not sure how hostilities began but we engaged. One pirate was destroyed, and another retreated. Winston stood down, and seemed to be about to surrender. As I prepared to take him into custody, he abruptly opened fire on my ship. I was fortunate to bail out with not an instant to spare, but my brand-new Executioner was lost.

Guncam 4

From my understanding afterwards, the remaining pirates were driven off and my pod was rescued by the Freedom, which returned to Virginia to drop me off. A few other units pursued the pirates. Unfortunately I can't provide any further detail as to events in California beyond this point.

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However, after passing into Texas, I was contacted by a Junker, .:j:.Alex.Cooper. He informed me that he had spotted a Rheinland capital ship near the Zone 21 minefield. I did not manage to capture all of our conversation with my guncam though here is part of it:

Guncam 5

I proceeded to Zone 21 where the Freedom and Twitter were already on station. There was no sign of the Rheinlander. Soon thereafter, two more friendly capital ships emerged from the Alaska gate and proceeded half-way through the minefield. These were TF7|LNS-Wyoming and Centurion. I moved to the neck of the minefield near Melbourne Base.

Over private comms, the Freedom informed me that he had seen those same ships near the Rheinland ship previously. With some concern, I questioned them as to their intentions and previous events.

Guncam 6

Captain Buddmen reported in. Apparently he and his companion had encountered the Rheinland ship firing upon Melbourne Base, engaged, and then held position when the enemy fled. They had then decided to continue their patrol into Alaska. His story seemed a bit fishy to me, so I held position and did not let them through the minefield. Unfortunately the situation was complicated when Twitter recieved an urgent distress call from another system and departed with the Freedom. This left me alone, facing down both of these capital ships.

Then Buddmen decided to invite me aboard and examine his records for myself. I think he had detected my wariness, and wanted to prove to me he was telling the truth so he could be on his way. Warily, I agreed to dock and come aboard, but not before contacting the Timothy, which was still in system and nearby, via private comms, ordering him to my location as backup. I was still very uncertain about the whole situation, and felt better knowing a battlecruiser was en route.

Guncam 7

After docking with his ship, but before exiting my own ship, I picked up an ominously garbled transmission. I couldn't fully make out what it said, but I have the log:

Guncam 8

Now worried, I urged the Timothy to hurry.

Guncam 9

I've attached records from my personal recorder of the events which transpired in his ship:

Guncam 10
Guncam 11

I departed his ship, and flew back to Melbourne. Abruptly, damage and error alarms started going off in my cockpit. Best I could tell, I had a scanner malfunction and possibly a faulty thruster. Concerned for my own safety, I realized I was going to have to return to a shipyard for repairs immediately. At the time, I figured it had to have been a glitch with the brand-new ship that had evaded the builder's checks. I was forced to depart and leave the Wyoming on station at Melbourne.

Guncam 12

Unfortunately, when I got back to Norfolk, the staff informed me it was a grave series of issues with my ship. After about an hour of repairs, I was summoned to meet with the shipyard's ranking officer, who informed me that my ship was deliberately sabotaged. I've appended his report to mine for your inspection.

Being as how I am still brand new to the service, I am uncertain of how to proceed with my ship still undergoing repairs. I would strongly recommend that you send immediate backup to Melbourne Base and conduct an investigation of the actions of the LNS Wyoming.

Lambert out.

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