In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 53):

The weapons they ask for are plasma weapons and armoured vehicles. They also ask for robofacs.

OOC: Are they able to pay for them? If not I'll just deliver the message to their head offices when I get back.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 55):

They can give you various artifacts, such as the head of the jumping shark-beasts (2 dTon of Artwork/handicrafts valued at $20k total), 1 dTon of high quality leather hides valued at $40 k, 3 dTons of various grains and spices valued at $16 k together and 5 dTon of wood products valued at $10 k. Of course, exactly how much you get for them is up to your skills.

They may be able to get more if you wait a little, and they could definitely get more meat if you had a cold store section. But even meat is only worth $20 k per dTon...

A single Robofac costs $100,000 and takes up 5 dTon. Other items high on the list:
Battery Tractors, $90,000, 2 dTons
Prospecting and Farming Tools, $20,000, 1 dTon
Armed wheeled Scout, Fusion reactor, $850,000, 5 dTons
All Terrain Truck (ATV), Fusion Reactor, $200,000, 5 dTons
APC, Fusion Reactor, $600,000, 6 dTons
Heavy Wheeled APC, Fusion, armed, $1 mill, 10 dTon
Bioplas suits, $2400 each, 150 per dTon
Gatling Lasers, $70,000 each, 0.5 dTons each
Laser Rifles with underslung 25mm GL, $9,000 each, 15 per dTon
Thermobaric or HEMP (Shaped Charge) 25mm GL rounds, $120,000 per dTon
Batteries, $100,000/dTon
F Cells, 5 per dTon
E Cells, 50 per dTon
D Cells, 200 per dTon
C Cells, 2000 per dTon

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
Cargo hold has 13 dTon empty, and
  50 dTon of Cryogenic units to carry 100 persons.
  14.0 dTons of supplies. (0.15 dTons per week)

Ships Cash Remaining: $250,000
Planet: 1214 (Unfueled)
Date: 05 Jan 2177

Gaius was happy to take their offerings, he said he'd have to see what happened with what he could get. He would give the list to their head office and see what he could arrange to bring back, and he'd use 50% of the value of whatever he sold for them to buy things from their equipment list as well as bringing them whatever their company was willing to pay for.

With that he was headed back to their home office.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 57):

The trip back to Girii takes nearly a month and a week, by the time refueling is done. You are able to sell the good quite readily, getting about $40 k for your efforts, $10 k of which are taken in the taxes and fees for docking, repairs, etc.

The company that sponsored you last time is very happy with the trade, and promises to get together considerable mining assets to send to the planet. They are happy to offer you $200,000, plus taxes and other fees to transport the goods back to the colony on 1214.

But another nondescript gentleman approaches you while you are unloading. He identifies himself as a Girii intelligence officer.

"Violent incursions, as you well know, have been increasing with the backing of the government of Lemrukiri. We believe that they have a reason that is not exactly justifiable to the Ziru Sirka, but we can get no evidence. I understand you and your folk are not exactly pacifists, so we wanted to offer you a reward or $1 million to capture an enemy patrol and extract the evidence we are looking for from the ships computers. You are well euipped for this, and any of their vessels will attempt to capture your ship on sight, since it is not Vilani, but that is in breach of Interstellar law, so your response of capturing their vessel will be legal self-defence, making the evidence acceptable in court. What do you say?"

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
14.0 dTons of supplies. (0.15 dTons per week)
Ships Cash Remaining: $280,000
Planet: Girii (Unfueled)
Date: 12 Feb 2177

OOC: Is it possible to do the trade mission and the capturing one in tandem? Drop the stuff of then go looking for a patrol to reverse capture?

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 59):

Of course. The only difficulty is that they are in opposite directions. But you could look for trade to Lashgimaamrishuk as well.

Gaius thought about it and decided he'd rather have the more martial assignment, so he looked for a trade assignment in the direction of Lashgimaamrishuk, he was somewhat apprehensive of trying to capture another ship but it was what his men were trained for, and it wasn't like they had to drive the ship back, just take the information in it's computers.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 61):

It is not hard to find a trade for Lashgimaamrishuk, apparently most traders are no longer willing to risk the run. It seems you have a choice of passengers or cargo, and some variety of both! Your preferences?

If you are looking to capture a vessel, there are a few extra passengers willing to come to make the most of your low berths as well, to crew the vessel once captured! They are even willing to pay their way, out of the proceeds of selling the vessel!

Gaius is eager to take on the people who are willing to fight with him, letting them fill the low berths, making sure everyone signs the right paperwork. Then he focuses on getting a cargo, while passengers are nice they tend to get in the way if he has to fight. Cargo just stay strapped to it's pallet, so he loads up on something relatively tough, in case things got a little rocky.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 63):

There are an additional 50 mercenaries, taking up 25 dTon in the cargo hold and offering half of any takings of any vessel sold.

In addition, you take on a cargo of 3 Buses, a Mini Bus and 15 dTons of fine food. The cargo is for delivery to Lashgimaamrishuk, where Lemrukiri have been taking a strong interest lately.

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
14.0 dTons of supplies (0.15 dTons per week)
Cargo Hold space: 76/77
Ships Cash Remaining: $280,000
Planet: Girii (Unfueled)
Date: 13 Feb 2177

All loaded up Gaius makes a few enquires with his shadowy employers about which lanes has seen the most of their targets, he would rather go along a route that guarantees he'll encounter his foe than wonder around aimlessly.

He wants to take into account places to refuel as needed as well.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 65):

The route through Seru is the most logical, as that system has been beset in recent times by Lemrukiri 'Police' patrolling for 'smugglers'. However, they have been more numerous there, and have been spotted in Dashkimner in smaller numbers. Much smaller, though the vessels have been Shamshirs, with crews of up to 60.
This message was last edited by the GM at 07:21, Thu 22 Aug 2019.

After some thought Gaius planned to travel through Dashkimner, the smaller ships would be easier for his crew to handle. And he could convince them to either let him board or counter-attack thier boarding party.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 67):

Dashkimner s a binary system with 3 gas giants, all outside the colony planet. Which do you head for?

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
13.85 dTons of supplies (0.15 dTons per week)
Cargo Hold space: 76/77
Ships Cash Remaining: $280,000
Planet: Dashkimner (Unfueled)
Date: 20 Feb 2177

Start for the one closest to the jump point, refuel and scan the system for any surprises. If possible see what's on the planet as well.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 69):

Vilani jump points are planet to planet. So jump straight to the planet?

No, fly from the star (Which I assume is the Terran way point I have) and fly towards the planet to see if I can shake free any bad guys.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 71):

The programmable nature of Terran computers means they can set any large body in any system as either source or destination as long as they have the system map. As such, Terrans have maps, with which they decide when they jump what the source and destinations are. Vilani, by contrast, rely on tapes that have all that information in them, and the information is the usual trade routes from Colony to colony. The Terran method is more prone to errors, but more flexible. As such, you can set your current location as the source and either the Star (S), the Colony (C) or a gas giant, (G#) where # = 1 for the inner Gas Giant and 3 for the outer one.

Interpreting the message, you exit hyperspace at the planet. Waiting for you is a single warship, which immediately moves to intercept. It is a Shamshir class Escort!

"Tiny Terran freighter, we have you covered. Surrender and stand by to be boarded."

A single ships boat is launched from the other vessel. Your passengers are still in the low berths.

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
13.85 dTons of supplies (0.15 dTons per week)
Cargo Hold space: 76/77
Ships Cash Remaining: $280,000
Planet: Dashkimner (Unfueled)
Date: 20 Feb 2177
This message was last edited by the player at 06:10, Sun 01 Sept 2019.

Gaius made sure they were recording the conversation between himself and his soon to be enemies,"You cannot board us, that is in breach of interstellar law....please desist from this course of action you are breaking the law!"

He waited for them to make their demands again before powering down his weapons,"If you insist on coming aboard we will not fire upon your ship...." At least not till they had boarded, with that he grabbed his gear and his men and got them ready to take over the boarding party.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 73):

The response reeked of Vilani arrogance.

"We are the Interstellar law.If you did fire upon this ship, it would be the last thing you did.

You will now cease transmission. Our small craft has a jammer to ensure that. I will see you when they bring you aboard..."

The large warship comes even closer, even as the ships boat docks. The boarding party, armed with gauss pistols, opens the outer door, before knocking for you to open the inner door.
This message was last edited by the player at 09:15, Tue 03 Sept 2019.

Gaius could only smile, so easily baited, he turned his own jammer on so that the boarding party couldn't communicate with the main ship.

The knock on the door had him waiting his own force in cover their shotguns ready, it was time to take the fight to the Vilani.

In reply to Gaius Sattius (msg # 75):

It occurs to you that waking the 'passengers' would give the best option...appear to surrender and allow them onboard, before storming their ships boat and capturing it before they had time to respond or try to escape, then dealing with the rest.

As such, he has everyone put their weapons in hidden positions where they can grab them quickly, with most on the bridge and near the docking station, and has the passengers' low berths deactivated just minutes before they arrive, with notification to prepare to be boarded as the passengers awake.

And so they arrives. Knocking on the door, one crew member opens the door. A Vilani, the boarding party are a little taken aback. They were expecting Terrans.

"Kimashargur scum, show us the passengers!" He agrees politely, 9 other boarders follow the leader to the cargo hold, and two more depart the small craft with orders to guard the bridge. One comes close to you, trying to intimidate you, and you sense your time is right, as two of your crew move in behind the other. You notice they have their knives ready by their legs, still not obvious though.

[OOC: Blades will have the advantage of not raising the alarm, and the are the weapon of choice for the  Shigniid Dia Ugkin, but of course they do not do the same damage. Feel free to open combat...]
This message was last edited by the GM at 20:23, Tue 03 Sept 2019.

In reply to Fate (msg # 76):

The passengers are woken before the crafts arrival and are armed by the time they begin to board.

As the forces split, Gaius waited for the others to leave, before drawing his knife. It was at the throat of the boarding officer before he even saw it, and his crew behind the backup drew their own blades across the throat of his guard.

Motioning for silence, he warned the officer of what would happen if the parent ship learn't he was a prisoner...they would fire upon them, destroying both the officer and his men alike. Using him as a shield Gaius called some of his men to him and went to board the shuttle. He was successful in subduing the pilot and communicator before word came back up that the rest of the boarding party were neutralized.

But bigger challenges lay ahead. A Shamshir typically had 56 crew aboard, of which 4 were designated troops. The shuttle had a crew of 10, now dealt with, though it could carry 48 in seats and more in the cargo hold. With the 50 mercenaries, they can easily be made to fit in, but the issue is getting back to the Shamshir. Gaius decides to use the officer with the knife at his throat, though he hands him over to one of his more threatening men while he goes over 'discussions' with him. Discussions intended to be so intense he would not notice the number of mercenaries boarding. Discussions to convince him to inform the Shamshir that they were on their way back with the crew, something that was in fact true.

The officer was convinced to comply, and in his calmest voice informed the Shamshir that they were returning with the crew. Clearance was given, and the shuttle departed. Once it landed in the vessels hanger, all hell broke loose.

Gaius urged the mercenaries forward with gusto. Their training soon showed on the Vilani spacefarers, who quickly fell before them as they gained defensive positions. 5 Mercenaries were injured as you mowed down 15 defenders who were woefully unprepared, though they managed to raise the alarm. The Vilani Commander tried to organize his troops into a counter-attack, attempting to push back into the shuttle, but the booby traps there soon made a terrible mess of the men, and the 15 man counter-attack was smashed with just a couple of injuries, leaving the Vilani commander holed up and away from the bridge, which was taken in the counter attack.

Pinned down in the cargo hold, the last remaining Vilani tried in vain to repel the attackers, but the mercenaries knew these ships as well as the defenders, and they rained fire down on them from all directions. An hour after boarding, The Vilani commander was out of men. His XO down, just a pair of scared sailors beside him, he angrily surrendered.

The mercenaries were delighted, and escort you back to Girii with your prize and a healthy reward! They are interested in doing this again some time, though for now Girii has requested something else. Planets to coreward need to be mapped to allow further pirate activities to open a second front. It is suggested taking a mercenary crew with you again in case another hostile Shamshir is encountered.

[OOC: Similar number but Good quality troops vs Average ones, so TS 1.5:1, +2. They are surprised so only start with PB of +2 and must rally on first round (-2). All out attack give a +2, but doubles casualties suffered. Risk Modifer Gaius chooses +2, Vilani commander is surprised and chooses -1, to protect his ass! So final modifers: Gaius +6, Vilani: -1. Result is a margin of victory of 7. For the second round, Gaius choose to take advantage of the losses and try an indirect attack. This reduced his bonus from 1--7, -3 for indirect attack, -1 (+1 for enemies choice of defence), to a total bonus of +4, since his win or +2 PB last round enabled him to obtains a good foothold aboard the vessel. He won the roll by three, increasing his margin of victory to 7, which is doubled to 14 due to indirect attack! It is not good to do that twice in a row, however! Having captured the bridge, he now has a maximum position bonus of +2. Things are looking very grim for the Vilani, who now have just 20 men still holding out.
The next round the Vilani Commander orders his men to defend again. This time you beat his roll by 5+13+2-1=19.]

                                        Results                          Modifers for next Rnd (Risk, R)
Round    Gaius              Vilani       Gaius              Vilani       Gaius         Vilani
1        All out Attack     Rally       -10% cas, +2 PB    -30% cas      (R=+1) +1     (R=-1) -7
2        Indirect Attack    Defence     -5% cas,  +3 PB    -30% cas      (R=+1) 0      (R=-1) -13
3        All Out Attack     Defence     0 Cas,             -35% cas


10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
13.85 dTons of supplies (0.15 dTons per week)
Cargo Hold space: 76/77
Ships Cash Remaining: $500,280,000
Planet: Girii (Fueled)
Date: 27 Feb 2177

The Scutum is welcomed back with considerable stir. A small cargo ship capturing a Shamshir is a shock to military commanders, and also an encouragement that smaller forces can with cunning, defeat much more powerful foes.

But things on the captured ships data banks indicate worse is to come. Gadarur is considered the second capital of the sector after Shululsish, and their governor has long contended that their military spending should be used to deal with local problems rather that Lemrukiri's Kimashargur issues. But they are being pressed by Shululsish to contribute forces, pointing to the lack of need for them to deal with a few pirate ships that can be blocked at known points.

Girii would therefore like to mape many systems near their borders to open up the number of potential pirate entry points, giving them plenty of reason to keep forces back. To that end they are offering you 100 million credits to chart the systems all the way between 2102 and 2209, returning the charts to both Girii and Lone Pine (2312). The trip is expected to take a year, with the first report to Lone Pine about 300 days after you depart.

You plan the path from Girii > Uamkua > Tralp > 1911 > 2110 > 2209* > 2208* > 2207 > 2206* > 2205* > 2104* > 2103* > 2102* > Irkhimmui(2302) > 2340* > 2239* > 2040* > 2102 > 2104 > 2004* > 2106* > 2007 > 2009 > 1911 > 2012 > 2213 > Lone Pine > 2213 > 2012 > Tralp > Uamkua > Girii

* Systems requiring Charting

10 Laptops, 50 Palmtops
20 dTons of supplies (0.15 dTons per week)
Weapons, Survival supplies, vehicles, etc carried.
Cargo Hold space: 51/51
Ships Cash Remaining: $500,280,000
Planet: Girii (Fueled)
Date: 27 Feb 2178