To: Cobra, Xeno Alliance From: A concerned LFR volunteer

[Caffeine]

Incoming transmission . . .
Encryption pattern: [ᏣᎳᎩ] . . .
Starting decryption process . . .
"D. Stevens" detected . . .
Recipient: "Cobra"
Subject: Apparently I am a courier now.
Displaying message . . .

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Hey.

Two days ago I was poaching for lone Rogues and other low-lives when I came across one headed straight into Zone-21 on a modified Odin Mark One with a cloaking device, looking for answers about the whole shit-show those Ageira skids started with Kusari and Liberty. I was gonna put him down but I am as curious as anyone else about what exactly they took and why it's such a big deal, so I decided to postpone the hunting for another time.

I saw the fancy gate and that damned place from rumours, Earhart, it's a graveyard of House pawns and alien shit with a similar glow to whatever's leaking radiation on Sudbury... Anyhow, I saw a ton of wrecks but that Rogue was interested in two in particular, some experimental Kusari battlecruiser and a fuel tanker, the latest stuff out of their shipyards, he claims the Hackers stole the power drive which allegedly has some sort of portable jump gate that can move fleets around in seconds, if true that would explain how Kusari got here and why everyone wants it. I'll attach the recording below, he wanted me to forward this combo to you as "a token of good faith" or some shit along those lines...

Recording

[22.01.2025 02:23:11] [R]-Double.Down: Now with them out of the way.
[22.01.2025 02:23:20] [R]-Double.Down: Let's see where the anomaly he was sitting on led.
[22.01.2025 02:23:28] [R]-Double.Down: Oh.
[22.01.2025 02:23:38] [R]-Double.Down: What a fine one.
[22.01.2025 02:23:59] [R]-Double.Down: If my memory serves me correctly.
[22.01.2025 02:24:09] [R]-Double.Down: This one will bring you to a quite lovely system.
[22.01.2025 02:24:22] [R]-Double.Down: But you'll find little of substantial value.
[22.01.2025 02:24:31] [R]-Double.Down: Or is that the one with the Alien ruins...
[22.01.2025 02:24:38] [R]-Double.Down: Well, one of the two.
[22.01.2025 02:24:40] Daniel.Stevens: Don't really care either way.
[22.01.2025 02:24:48] [R]-Double.Down: Then why are you here?
[22.01.2025 02:25:07] Daniel.Stevens: I care about what the Hackers got.
[22.01.2025 02:25:21] [R]-Double.Down: Very well.
[22.01.2025 02:25:26] [R]-Double.Down: Back to the Kusarian ships.
[22.01.2025 02:25:37] Changing screen mode=windowed
[22.01.2025 02:25:42] Changing screen mode=full
[22.01.2025 02:26:43] [R]-Double.Down: Argh.
[22.01.2025 02:27:00] [R]-Double.Down: Platforms make this a bit more akward.
[22.01.2025 02:27:11] Daniel.Stevens: I can see what wrecked it to pieces.
[22.01.2025 02:27:15] [R]-Double.Down: Mhm.
[22.01.2025 02:27:34] [R]-Double.Down: That and two LABC's attempting to deny the Hackers their prize from what I've heard.
[22.01.2025 02:27:53] [R]-Double.Down: Note the other Kusarian ship.
[22.01.2025 02:28:04] [R]-Double.Down: The transport.
[22.01.2025 02:28:13] Daniel.Stevens: The one closer to that thing?
[22.01.2025 02:28:48] [R]-Double.Down: Thing refers to a lot of things out here.
[22.01.2025 02:28:58] [R]-Double.Down: Ah.
[22.01.2025 02:29:03] [R]-Double.Down: Yes, that transport.
[22.01.2025 02:29:10] [R]-Double.Down: Notice anything about it?
[22.01.2025 02:29:23] Daniel.Stevens: I can't see a fucking thing.
[22.01.2025 02:29:27] Daniel.Stevens: Can't get close enough.
[22.01.2025 02:29:46] [R]-Double.Down: Well...
[22.01.2025 02:29:53] [R]-Double.Down: The cargo is all blown to pieces.
[22.01.2025 02:30:12] [R]-Double.Down: As if the cargo itself was explosive.
[22.01.2025 02:30:37] Daniel.Stevens: Fuel.
[22.01.2025 02:30:45] [R]-Double.Down: Mhm.
[22.01.2025 02:30:50] [R]-Double.Down: My thoughts exactly.
[22.01.2025 02:31:09] [R]-Double.Down: Now we have a bulk fueler and a wrecked Kusarian warship.
[22.01.2025 02:31:17] Tip: Did you end up lost? Can't find your way back? Use the Interactive NavMap on our forums.
[22.01.2025 02:31:25] Daniel.Stevens: Only way someone can get close to that is with a cloak.
[22.01.2025 02:31:34] Daniel.Stevens: Or with something really small
[22.01.2025 02:31:50] [R]-Double.Down: Both of which are within our targets capabilities.
[22.01.2025 02:32:06] [R]-Double.Down: Especially if the fleets from two different nations are causing havoc
[22.01.2025 02:32:33] Daniel.Stevens: Don't you have a cloak?
[22.01.2025 02:32:40] [R]-Double.Down: I do.
[22.01.2025 02:32:45] Daniel.Stevens: Go for it.
[22.01.2025 02:32:47] [R]-Double.Down: But I already have my answers.
[22.01.2025 02:33:01] [R]-Double.Down: I am elaborating to give you the ones you came for.
[22.01.2025 02:33:25] Changing screen mode=windowed
[22.01.2025 02:33:44] Changing screen mode=full
[22.01.2025 02:33:58] Daniel.Stevens: Underwhelming.
[22.01.2025 02:34:24] [R]-Double.Down: Look at the warship if you can.
[22.01.2025 02:34:35] [R]-Double.Down: Kusari can't get here normally.
[22.01.2025 02:34:53] Daniel.Stevens: How do you know they don't have a gate?
[22.01.2025 02:35:00] Daniel.Stevens: Or some anomalies.
[22.01.2025 02:35:12] [R]-Double.Down: Never seen an anomaly lead here.
[22.01.2025 02:35:21] [R]-Double.Down: Not one naturally occurring anyway.
[22.01.2025 02:36:32] Daniel.Stevens: There's that or they reached here flying, somehow.
[22.01.2025 02:36:46] [R]-Double.Down: Maybe.
[22.01.2025 02:37:09] [R]-Double.Down: But note the drone near the warship.
[22.01.2025 02:37:49] Daniel.Stevens: Picking something.
[22.01.2025 02:38:53] [R]-Double.Down: Of all the wrecks from everything here.
[22.01.2025 02:39:00] [R]-Double.Down: This one caught specific interest.
[22.01.2025 02:39:32] [R]-Double.Down: And the warship itself is missing any of it's internal powerplant or drive system.
[22.01.2025 02:39:36] [R]-Double.Down: Not destroyed.
[22.01.2025 02:39:42] [R]-Double.Down: Missing.
[22.01.2025 02:39:57] Daniel.Stevens: You think that's what the Hackers took?
[22.01.2025 02:40:04] [R]-Double.Down: It's a fair bet.
[22.01.2025 02:40:24] [R]-Double.Down: Especially since rumor is that both Kusari and Liberty were involved.
[22.01.2025 02:40:35] Daniel.Stevens: Ageira?
[22.01.2025 02:40:46] [R]-Double.Down: Well...
[22.01.2025 02:40:59] [R]-Double.Down: They do make Jumpgates and the Supergates.
[22.01.2025 02:41:35] [R]-Double.Down: Reckon whatever got that ship here is the same thing the Hackers ran off with.
[22.01.2025 02:41:54] Daniel.Stevens: So the ship itself was the gate?
[22.01.2025 02:42:04] Daniel.Stevens: A portable gate sounds so convenient.
[22.01.2025 02:42:12] [R]-Double.Down: Mhm.
[22.01.2025 02:42:15] [R]-Double.Down: Very.
[22.01.2025 02:42:44] [R]-Double.Down: And something that would upset the balance of power of the houses themselves.
[22.01.2025 02:43:01] Daniel.Stevens: Ruining Ageira's monopoly.
[22.01.2025 02:43:10] Death: Kevin.Mitnick suffered a self-inflicted catastrophic decompression.
[22.01.2025 02:43:11] Daniel.Stevens: Makes sense why the Hackers would want it.
[22.01.2025 02:43:20] Daniel.Stevens: And I'm sure the LFR will want it just as much.
[22.01.2025 02:43:37] [R]-Double.Down: Ask Moretti about that.
[22.01.2025 02:43:43] Daniel.Stevens: I will.
[22.01.2025 02:43:51] [R]-Double.Down: This sort of tech comes with it's own risks.
[22.01.2025 02:44:15] Daniel.Stevens: Who the fuck are you anyway?
[22.01.2025 02:44:16] [R]-Double.Down: I wonder if he and the LFR will take the risk.
[22.01.2025 02:44:26] Daniel.Stevens: You're too smart to be the average Rogue.
[22.01.2025 02:44:45] [R]-Double.Down: Well.
[22.01.2025 02:44:54] [R]-Double.Down: I'm flattered.
[22.01.2025 02:45:52] [R]-Double.Down: They call me the Gambler, and if you are speaking to Cobra, tell him what I've just shown you.
[22.01.2025 02:46:05] [R]-Double.Down: And tell him that is my show of good faith.
[22.01.2025 02:46:19] [R]-Double.Down: He had enough on his hands with Sudbury.
[22.01.2025 02:46:24] Daniel.Stevens: Why do you care?
[22.01.2025 02:46:40] [R]-Double.Down: The hackers have just multiplied those issues.
[22.01.2025 02:46:53] [R]-Double.Down: Sudbury is bigger than any of us.
[22.01.2025 02:47:26] [R]-Double.Down: Whatever is down there has the potential to fuck us all.
[22.01.2025 02:47:56] Daniel.Stevens: Yeah, we figured that out when the Order knocked at our door about it.
[22.01.2025 02:48:07] [R]-Double.Down: So far the Alliance and the LFR have done admirable job keeping the Technocracy and everyone else away from it.
[22.01.2025 02:48:27] Daniel.Stevens: And we're committed to keep it that way.
[22.01.2025 02:48:36] [R]-Double.Down: And it's going to get harder now.

One more thing. One of your volunteers, -callsign Harlequinn-, seemed pissed off at the fact my Rebel has some artistic value to it, they insisted I got one of your custom built Rebels, I told them I'm an irregular and these aren't given around like candies, but the paint job represents the LFR as a whole, not just the XA, or so I'm told... I assume there's no problem if us commoners start painting our ships to wear whatever flag we want.

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Transmission terminated . . .

[Reeves]

☠ Incoming transmission.
☠ Signal source: Free Republic relay, Liberty
☠ Opening video feed...

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Sender: Alliance Commander "Cobra"
Recipient: D. Stevens
Subject: Re: Apparently you're a courier now

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I'm positive we've never met or spoken before, because I'd remember a haircut like that.

But of course it's one of the old Wolf's pack that's willing to see the bigger picture of why we're fighting so desperately in Ontario. Doesn't surprise me much even if the "gambler" as he likes to call himself seems like a bit of a tool, or a headcase. I'm not sure which yet.

And as for painting your ship to represent your own little cause - break a leg and go for it. The problem Harlequin had is that you quite literally "stole" one off our reserved production line on Barrow and that ship was already assigned and in the process of being shipped out to a pilot. A pilot who is now petitioning my office to dispense with expedient production of the vessel you decided to take. I'm not entirely sure how you did it. Credit to you, where it's due at least, but our refit is meant solely for our militia at this time.

I trust we understand each other?

"Liberty or death."
-"Cobra"

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☠ Transmission signal lost.

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On indefinite hiatus because the current state of gameplay sucks - ping me over discord if replies are needed