Blog » X3TC » Way of the Gun Chapter 2

Posted by Kirlack on Saturday 2nd March, 2013   ·   3 comments

Chapter 1

Chapter 2: Violence is going to ensue

Room for the night? Check. Somethin' decent to drink? Yeah, alright I'll let 'em have that. Gettin' laid? No frakkin' chance. These OTAS boys can party, but they ain't got the stamina for any post liquor activities. Shame.

So, I started the day with a hot shower, a light breakfast and copious amounts o' coffee to nurse my hangover before gettin' back in the cockpit. My goals fer the day are makin' some more money, hopefully gettin' the pirates, or at least their bounty hunter dogs, off my back and a spot o' general piracy to net me some tools o' the trade.

I'm barely even out o' the dockin' clamps when I get a call from one o' the locals wantin' me to defend his crystal fab. Seems my reputation is spreadin'. Well, it's good for business, if not for my bangin' head. So I took the job and proceeded to wipe out the small crew o' pirates that came a callin'. The payout wasn't much, but it was only the first job o' the day, so I didn't mind. After I'd cleared the scene and picked up the couple missiles left behind I nosed around the sector fer a bit and




picked up a hit from one o' the seeker missile fabs.

That's more like it! The mark's flyin' a Falcon Vanguard just next door in Akeela's Beacon, so I slip through the gate and pounce on her. By the time she's noticed me it's too late and her hull crumbles under PAC fire. I get a mission complete message, but I didn't have time to check it as I was takin' fire from her buddies by then. An awful lot o' fire. Thinkin' somethin' was up I




checked the sector map.

Ah, not only have her buddies started shootin' at me, but my bounty hunter mates have shown up with a view to makin' me dead. Even with the Creed fully fitted I couldn't take them all from my current position, so needin' to break 'em up a bit I put my shiny new jumpdrive through it's paces and short jump to the west gate. Now they got near 100 klicks to cross before we tango again, and I'm expectin' the M5s will break away first at top speed, meanin' I can take 'em down without the heavies to back 'em up. Sure enough, as I'm makin' my way back towards the south gate the first o' the hunters shows up




on my scanner. A quick lock and shred later and I'm onto the next, and we carry on like that until there's only the Nova left, and even he proves no problem on his own. With the sector quiet again I start hooverin' up some o' those handy missiles left in




the wreckage.

I'm just about done with my foragin' when I notice a load of fresh red blips on the scanner.




More trouble? Meh. More bloody bounty hunters. That's okay though, they're gonna be fairly spread out again and this wing seems a little lighter'n the last'n. So I lock and shred the M5s quick like, banjo the Buster 'n' then take out the Falcon. The other pirates in the sector were busy gettin' rinsed by the Centaur and there were even some goodies fer me to scoop up from all the fightin'.

With the sector seemin'ly clear o' trouble I swing back to the west gate and into Aladna Hill. My intention was to head out into Hatikvah's to see if any oppo'tunities present 'emselves, but as I was crossing Aladna I got a comm from the military outpost. Seems there's a pirate in a Viper down in Legend's Home that somebody wants killed, and they're payin' a pretty penny for the privilege. So I jumped back to Legend's and picked up




my mark. He's not lookin' behind him as he creeps deeper into the sector though, so I snuck in on his six and




wiped him out.

Heh. Like I said, a pretty penny. 1.3 million cred better off I slip back through the gate and head back towards Aladna and on into Hatikvah's. I don't think that last mark's pals even noticed me as not a one o' them made a move before I was gone.

As I drop outta the jumpgate into Hatikvah's Faith the first thing I notice is a wing o' hostile pirate fighters centred around a Brigantine. The destroyer at least has a better disposition towards me, but still I give 'em a wide berth as I mooch on across the system. Given how many hostile pirates I'm seein' though I don't know if I'll be workin' the sector over for marks just yet, so I decide to try my luck in




Nopileos' Memorial.

Nah, still a lot o' angry pirates about. Well, I s'pose I have been killin' a fair few o' their mates in the last 24 hours or so. Mayhap I should go see if there's some work I can do fer 'em? So I wheel Creed about and slide back across the event horizon. Once I'm back in Faith I bank around the west gate and line up on the two stations way off in the distance. I'm fairly confident that the Anarchy Port will be friendly thanks to that helpful hacker I encountered yesterday, but I'm none too sure about the pirate base. My




unease is unfounded though and I'm clear to land, and look for work, at both stations.

I comm the anarchy port on the approach and find




another hacker who's willin' to get me dockin' access at the PBG Forge over in Danna's Chance. Bloody lucky really, cos the next guy I spoke to wanted a




quick taxi over there. So I agree to the job, hopin' it'll at least get some o' the pirates off my tail, and make a quick pit stop at the base to pick up a lifesupport system for my cargo bay. Cos it'd be kinda hard to complete this mish without one, ya know?

I have to dodge a couple groups o' pirates on the way across NM, but they seem less inclined to pounce on me than they have been, and then I'm through the far gate and into Danna's. As I'm headed in to drop my fare at the forge I pick up a cartographer who's willin' to provide me




jump coordinates for a few sectors I've not seen yet. A few moments later I'm docked at the forge, my fare pays his fee and I buy the one PBG in stock. It'll at least give me sommat I can use when I'm surrounded by fighter drones I s'pose.

I'm just about to leave and head back towards HF when I come across a Paranid pirate in the docking bay. He claims in his strange, guttural language, that the forge is his station and he needs someone to protect it from, (sigh), pirates. I'm a bit loathe to take the job seein' as I'm meant to be gettin' the clans back on side, but given that




he's payin' I agree to help him out.

Funny thing is, it's not a bunch o' pirates that come a-knockin'. Maybe that three eyed pillock just didn't know the difference between 'Pirates' and 'Argon'. Whatever,




they're here now and I got a job to do. I close on the Gladiator first, wantin' to make sure he can't launch a hail of nukes at the forge, and he goes down to PAC fire pretty quick like. By the time I'm done with him all but one of the M5s have flown into the super structure and blown 'emselves to smithereens, and I'm just left to mop up the stragglers. A few minutes later and I'm sailin' away and smilin' to myself at a job well done. Some of the hostile pirates that were tappin' up the trade lane have switched to friendly, so I'm thinkin' I'm on the right track here. Better'n that though, is what the poor traders have left




in their wake.

Now, missiles, lasers and shields might be important on a ship, but I'll always feel naked without a weapon at my side, so first up I grab those low yield sidearms. What I don't need for myself I can sell off at the base in Hatikvah's, so I snag the lot and use the last of my energy cells jumping to the HF west gate. That Brig's still knockin' around the sector and enough o' his fighter wing are still hostile toward me that I wanna keep 'em at distance, so I shoot on over to the PB and sell off six of my pistols. I don't really need more'n one for myself, but I'll keep a backup, just in case. Don't hurt to be prepared.

With that done and hopefully a few more points in my favour with the clans I move off across the sector lookin' for likely marks. I'm just thinkin' about tappin' up a Paranid freight transporter in some kinda Perseus variant, when he decides to make a




suicide run on yon Brigantine. Naturally the Brig slags him, but he does leave me a




couple presents. Oooh. Hammerhead's are quite literally 'teh bomb' when it comes to mass removal of light targets, and can hurt something bigger quite significantly.

I carry on fer a while, knockin' on doors and demandin' tribute. I even manage to snag a second hammerhead whilst I'm at it. Then suddenly one of my monitors flares to life. See, you might remember I put a link to that angry Kraken up on one yesterday after he tried to flail the bejeezus outta me. Well,




he's back. Crap.

Not wantin' to give him a second chance to batter me with missiles I cut him a wide berth'n'all and break towards the north gate, where I come across a Paranid weapons dealer with




far more shields than he needs. Seein' no reason for him to keep all o' them when I could be usin' 'em I give him a tap and demand he cough up. He keeps tellin' me no, but I'm not takin' that fer an answer, and he finally




changes his mind down by the west gate. I conclude our business by turnin' him to shrapnel and set about pickin' up all o' those shields. I'm just about done when the threat detectors kick off again and I look up to see




this frakker barrellin' down on me outta the gate.

Shit! Run!

It looks like the Hydra bought a few buddies along fer the ride, and being as how I got about one quarter the firepower this Mamba's capable of I think it's a good idea if I give 'em some space, so I bank to port and make for the pirate base.

That M6 is more'n happy to just wander off away from me, so I cruise towards the PB where I pick up




another hacker and get him to net me access to the rehab facility in Danna's. That's actually a massive bonus as it'll give me another cooperative sector where I can find work to help keepin' the clans happy. Speakin' o' which I ain't seen any bounty hunters fer a while, not since that wing attacked me down by the south gate o' Akeela's Beacon. I wonder if that was the last o' 'em?

Whilst I'm mullin' it over I grab a drink from one o' the bars on the base and take a look at the swag in my hold. Creed's very nearly full, especially with those extra shields aboard. I need some storage space and I need it sharpish. I also need some more firepower. The PACs have done a sterlin' job so far, but if another Hydra decides to drop in right on top o' me I'd like to at least have the option o' slaggin' it. Somehow I can't see me doin' that with just four PACs and a single PBG in my laser bank. Now, my preference would be to snag some EBCs offa the Teladi as my PACs burn through energy right quick like, but EBCs need ammo and I'm woefully short o' storage for it. I also wouldn't mind gettin' the Split on side so I can maybe snag a couple PBEs. With all this in mind I finish my drink and undock, headin' for Thuruk's Beard.

There's no work fer me in Split space, but I dock up at the local EqD and sell off some o' the more useless missiles in my hold, but even that doesn't make much room. The dock has four HEPTs in stock, but the Split don't trust me enough to sell 'em to me, so I'm gonna have to curry some favour with 'em. Fer now though, I make the trip through the west gate into Company Pride. The dock here has 2 EBCs fer sale, and since it's Teladi turf I ain't gotta worry about playin' nice to get 'em. So I part with my cred and undock, intent on headin' north into Ceo's Sprite. My buddy Yohandris works on the shipyard in the sector, but I'm kinda avoidin' him right now as I still owe him near 5 million cred and I ain't got it. Yet. I don't make it to the gate though, cos I notice a




new combat mission just popped up.

Killin' pirates eh? Not good for my rep with the clans, but I do need the money, and I just spent 300k odd on my currently useless EBCs. Ah, to hell with it, I'm in. It's only a Gladiator and a Nova Raider, backed up by a bunch o' Harriers, who all choose to kamikaze the flower farm whilst I banjo the bomber out o' existence. On his own the Nova's got no hope, and once I'm settled on his six he goes up pretty quick. I get paid and finally slip across the event horizon into Ceo's.

I make a bee-line fer the military outpost hopin' to snag a couple more EBCs and maybe some ammo fer 'em. The outposts got the guns, but not the ammo, so I bought 'em anyway. 4 EBCs will be quite deadly when I find somethin' for 'em to actually fire. For now though, as I don't wanna attract attention and tip off Yohandris that I'm in his yard, I head back into Thuruk's, where I get offered a




hit on a Split pirate. Sadly he's all the way up in Rhonkar's Fire, and I've got no jump fuel, no gate coordinates even if I had jump fuel and only 13 minutes to erase this frak. Highly doubtful that I'll make it I set off anyway. Gotta at least look like I tried ya know?

I'm about halfway across Family Rhonkar when I get the message that my mark




got him self killed by somebody else. Bugger it. Somehow I don't think that's gonna net me a rep boost with the locals.

So I mooch about the sector fer a bit lookin' for more work. There's




a patrol on offer, but it's all the way down to Clarity's End. Which is Paranid turf. Plus it'd mean patrolling through a pirate sector. Er...no. Ta.

After a while I spot a guy at one o' the mines who wants a convoy taken out before it can get to Company Pride. Bein' kinda desperate to get an in with the Split I take it and my contact tells me my two marks are right here in the sector! How cool is that eh? The first one I spot is a Paranid in a Vulture, but this gives me cause to pause for a mo'. Killin' three eyes in Split turf is gonna open up a can o' worms as the two usually get on alright. I wonder if this mish is gonna be more trouble'n it's worth? Still, I don't like to back out o' a deal, so I slag him. Then I spot the second and final mark.

Only this one's an Argon.

Huh? Never seen that before. Normally convoys are all made up of the same species, saves on the infightin'. Still, I'm gettin' paid to make sure they don't make it to their destination, so I slag him'n'all. Feelin' all pleased with myself for completing a mission for the Split, imagine my horror when I realise killin' those two frakkers has actually lowered my rep! Son's o' frakkin' bitches!

I'm not happy, and normally when I'm not happy I take my frustrations out on whichever poor berk's on my target list, or whatever happens to be in range. Right now there's nothin' about and my Split rep needs a kick in the backside. So I creep back over to that feller who was offerin' the patrol.

"You want Split?"

"Yeah. You still hirin' for that patrol mish?" I swear he smiled at me, evil like. I think he knew what was comin'.

"Sending data now. Do you wish to take this job?"

Yeah yeah, you know I do. Frakbag.




Oh shit.

Remember how I ran away from that Hydra earlier? Hydra's carry maybe 600 Mj of shields, tops. That bug ugly frakkin' Khaak corvette out there carries 1 Gj, has turrets and fires Kyons that'll rip my shields to shreds in...ooh, half a second? I'm in trouble. The sensible thing to do when you're in that much trouble o' course, is run away. So I didn't do that. I tried to tango with yon corvette. Only fer about 20 seconds though, and then it became painfully apparent that in a race between our respective firepower'n'shieldin', he was gonna win.

Nuts.

So I backed off a ways and let my shields recharge a bit. This is gonna require some help. Once again though, luck is on my side, as guess who's




just shown up to help me out? I reckon between us we can strip that bug right proper. Whilst the Dragon carries on the dance and keeps the Khaak busy I slip in and put my PACs to good use. Even with the Split helpin' me out it takes a little while, but eventually I score




my first M6 kill, albeit with assistance.

Now that has the desired effect and suddenly




I'm on the locals christmas card list. Mayhap it'll be worth me seein' this patrol to the end? For now though I get the all clear for the sector and am asked to head down to Thuruk's fer the next stage. Hopin' it'll be a mite quieter I slip through the gate.




No such frakkin' luck. He's got company though, in the form of a small wing o' fighters and they've dropped his shields to a hair over 50%. Now, I've been itchin' to empty my hold some to make room for more swag and better weapons, so I cycle through some o' my bigger warheads. The 2 thunderbolts and 2 tempests are both takin' up a lot o' room in my bay, and they pack a significant punch, so I launch all o' them at yon Corvette, along with a remote guided warhead. As they're all closing to target I launch the 2 wasps in my bay to at least try to keep his turrets occupied. By the time my missiles are in range o' his guns though he's dealt with the fighter wing and promptly eats every last warhead I put in the air.

Nuts!

Okay, plan B. Strafin' 'n' rollin' to try and keep as much o' his fire offa me as possible, I start hittin' him with




everything Creed's got, namely my 4 PACs and my single PBG. It's slow goin' and like his buddy up in FR I can't see me takin' him out all by my onesy. In fact by the time his shields are down to 40% mine are down to a shade over 10% and it's well past time I backed off fer a bit. I'm thinkin' I might be done fer here, but suddenly he's taking HEPT fire




from behind.

It's a Teladi freight transporter, and between us we manage to beat the Corvette's shields right down and start anhialatin' his hull. Then the damned thing pulls the tightest turn possible, pins me out o' position and starts banjoin' my almost recharged shields. I'm firin' back through blasts of Kyon beams which are makin' it right hard to see, and he's right on top o' me...

BANG!




...

Oof. Now, there's close and then there's frakkin' close, ya know? Funnily enough, I got credited with the kill. I think a repair session's in order. Only problem is,




the Khaak ain't done yet. Crap. It's a good distance away though, so I risk hoppin' out to at least patch some of the worst banged up panels on my now far less'n shiny Mamba. By the time I felt that Interceptor was too close for comfort I'd gotten Creed's hull back to 44%. So I locked and shredded the M4 and was about to hop out again for another patch session, when I spot




this frakker creepin' up on me.

Awwww, man!

Right. There's a wing o' Fighters knockin' about the sector as well, so I'm not gonna risk hangin' my ass out in a spacesuit any longer. Sadly, the Corvette's slightly faster'n me. Happily, takin' out that second M6 has netted me even more rep with the Split, enough to buy those 4 HEPTs they still got at the EqD. All I gotta do is get there...

Full throttle, engage strafe boosters and hope like hell I make it to the dock before yon Khaak make it to me!

It's tight, and had the dock been another 10 klicks or so away the Corvette woulda prob'ly caught me, but I made it. Safely docked I




bought those four HEPTs, fitted 'em to my laser bank and got ready fer round 2. I even get time to add another 12% to Creed's hull integrity after I undock, but then the Khaak are cuttin' too close for comfort again and I'm off across the system. The locals seem to be on to my plight though, as they send in some




reinforcements. Sadly this'n don't seem to be sportin' full shields as the Khaak rip it to pieces.

And once again, I'm runnin'. I'm faster'n the Corvette now though, so I'm none too concerned, especially when a




Heavy Dragon drops through the north gate and starts movin' to intercept. He's a good dancer too, and before long that last Corvette is down, and the sector is clear, other than the debris. My contact for the patrol mish gives me the all clear and tells me to head down to Hatikvah's, but I'm done for this job. Frak fightin' any more Khaak today man. I got what I needed, namely a huge boost to my Split rep. So whilst my heart slows down to a more reasonable level, I do somethin' nice 'n' relaxin'. Yep, you got it, I put my weldin' laser to good use. Felt like a frakkin' age, but finally Creed was looking less like swiss cheese and a lot more like a ship.

Takin' a look at the sector map reveals a tidy amount of EBC ammo that I'm guessin' was aboard that Dragon that got perished, and bein' in dire need of it I cruise on over and pick up as much as I can cram in the bay. Almost eight and a half thousand rounds all in all. Now though, my original problem has reared it's ugly head again. I need storage space. Being as I'm now in Split turf and universally despised by the Boron, it's time to do some huntin'.

I spend a good long while flittin' between the gates and bustin' up any Boron ships I happen upon, including takin' out a Hydra and it's couple of fighter buddies so I can have a clear pop at the Angel it's escortin'. The Angel didn't bail, and nor did anythin' else, but havin' the now fully functional EBCs to partner up with my PACs has made me a whole helluva lot more dangerous. By the time I'm bored of shootin' squids and pissed off with their constant refusal to give up their ships I've accounted for so many that the Split have moved me up from 'Family Friend' to 'Distinguished Associate'. Heh. Wonder how long that'll last? They'd sell me PBEs now, but there's none at the dock, so I make for the gate to Hatikvah's for some more piracy.

Now, considerin' how long I was hittin' up Boron and not gettin' any bails, imagine my surprise when the first three eyed prick I went at jumped




outta his ship! It's only a Pegasus, but it's my first bail o' the day, and that makes me happy. So I claim it and send it off to the Aladna Hill trading station. Other'n that though, HF yields up nothin', so I head into Nopileos'. After a few runs at passing freighters, none o' whom give me anythin' but grief on the comm, I spot a passin' TP with a Paranid at the wheel. So I




make a play fer him.

Awww yeah! I've even got shields aboard for it! So I kick three o' them out, patch up the Hermes and send it off towards the east gate. Moments later though, a Boron weapons dealer in a Skate comes through and looks like he's headin' for my new TP. Not willin' to let that go now I've got it, I take




a pop at him 'n' all.

Score! And I got enough shields for this'n too! Plus she came with a couple PRGs. So she gets patched up, shielded and told to make for Aladna, whilst the Hermes follows along behind her. All I gotta do now is shepherd my new ships to safety...

It's a long, slow flight, but eventually all my ships are docked and safe. I might make the switch to the Skate ya know? In fact, let's compare shall we?

The Skate is slower, but has an extra 50% o' shieldin', and thicker skin than Creed. It also has a bigger weapon generator, meanin' I can fire at target fer longer, plus the two turrets for additional anti missile duty. She's also got a more spacious cargo bay, although she's not rigged to take anythin' bigger'n M class cargo crates. Yeah, I think I'm sold. I switch over all the gear I'll need from Creed to the Skate, including every shred of software, and then send Creed down to OTAS for a new jumpdrive. Whilst I'm waitin' fer it to get back I mosey on over to the military outpost and pick up a couple more PRGs to round out my armament. Sweet, I think she'll do quite nicely.

I head back in to the trading station, buy a handful of fighter drones and check on Creed's progress. She's docked at OTAS, so I buy her a jumpdrive and a triplex and give her orders to head back.. In the meantime, it's been




a long day, bein' as how I almost died 'n' all. Successful, but long. Time I got drunk I reckon.

Assets

'Violent Tendencies' – Skate
Fully tuned
3x 25 Mj shields
4xPRG
4x EBC
2x PAC

'Assassin's Creed' – Mamba
Hermes
Pegasus

114,152 Credits

Bad attitude, bubblegum and a sidearm

Chapter 3

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