Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station
2 December YC 126
After the meeting with Lenka, Aura and I gave AIR Career Program some thought and finally decided to have a go at it. Aura reviewed the lengthy contract and confirmed that the information gathered by AIR would indeed be anonymised. I would be given a unique secret ID which only I could use to retrieve information about my progress and check the rewards. The progress would be tracked through so called career points. When a certain milestone was reached, a bonus reward would be allocated. Moreover, AIR also had daily goals and rewards which were used to focus capsuleer activity on a certain type of task which was of most interest for the researches at the time. On the whole, it looked like a cushy way to earn more kredits. As to my ethical concerns, the decisive factor which dispelled them was SOE’s support of AIR. I had huge respect for Sisters and trusted their judgement in ethical matters. So, to see the Career Program in action I decided to take a new mission.
When I came to Purkkoken Honuken’s office I found the agent in a foul mood but, on seeing me, he brightened up.
“Vlad, I am so glad to see my most reliable contractor,” he greeted me cordially.
“Reliable?” I raised an eyebrow. “This is not an epithet I hear often from agents. Any particular reason you’ve chosen to use it here and now?” I asked cynically.
Purkkoken rolled his eyes, “I can’t begin to count how many times I’ve been let down over the years by capsuleers lacking the proper skills, judgment, diligence, or a rudimentary attention span. Just today I sent a few pilots to provide an armed escort for a convoy of civilian transports, and they are nowhere to be found. The convoy commander told me they didn’t turn up at all. For all I know, they found a more lucrative job with another agent and reneged on our agreement.”
“To be fair, your department is not all that generous with mission rewards,” I remarked.
“To be fair, I am not sending pilots to fight cruisers!” retorted the agent.
“Okay, so you said you were glad to see me. How glad?”
“62K ISK for the mission and 61K ISK time bonus.”
Not much, but I expected to augment my mission rewards with AIR bonuses, so I decided not to bargain that time.
“And the mission is?”
“To replace those assholes and escort the convoy to safety.”
“Ah, an asshole replacement mission, my favourite,” I guffawed. “Alright, I’ll take it.”
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Iidoken system – Mission location
The mission location was centred on Caldari Starbase which was surrounded by three civilian transports and a dozen pirate frigates classified as Coreli Spies, Scouts and Initiates but all named Seven Plebe.
“What’s Seven Plebe?” I asked Aura.
“Dunno. Looks like a small-time Serpentis gang,” she replied.
At that time the gang leader broadcast a message in the local channel.
Hey gang, it looks like the second string escort has finally arrived. We’re done with this transport, so we’re going to get out of here. Take out this new trash quickly so you can empty the rest of the convoy and catch up.
After that a number of pirate frigates warped off the grid.
“New trash? What did he mean?” I wondered.
“Apparently, it’s you and me, darl,” replied Aura as the remaining frigates yellow-boxed me.
When the pirates engaged us, two of the transports warped away. I didn’t have time to look at the third one which remained on grid, what with all that name-calling and ensuing unpleasantness. The Plebes were a tough-ish lot and they hit me as often as I hit them. However, my training in shields and railguns and a capsuleer’s direct connection with the ship meant that the damage I suffered was an order of magnitude lower than the damage I inflicted. And when I finally remembered to turn on my microwarpdrive, their hit rate dropped almost to zero.
“Ha! Who is trash now?” I cried triumphantly when the last of the Plebes was converted to a smoking heap of metal scraps.
Then I remembered the remaining transport and looked at the overview. Unfortunately, it was already classified as a wreck. I scanned its hull just in case but there was no sign of life.
“It looks almost intact,” said Aura, “Why does Neocom call it a wreck?”
I flew around the ship and pointed at the large hole in the midship, “They sent a raiding party. The boarders would damage the engine beyond repair. The only ‘good’ thing about it is that the people onboard were likely to be captured rather than killed. They’ll probably leave the rest of their lives as slaves on some Amarrian plantation, but at least they’ll live.”
As there was nothing else to do, I called Purkkoken and told him about the mission outcome.
“I’ll blacklist those bloody loafers,” cursed the agent. “If they arrived to the rendezvous point in time we would not have lost that ship. And the only reason the other two transports managed to escape is because you agreed to take this mission. Given you had a late notice I consider this mission successful. By the way, what did you say those pirates called themselves?”
“Seven Plebes.”
“Damn! It’s those slavers again!”
“You know them?” I asked.
“Unfortunately, yes. It’s a roaming Serpentis gang which specialises in human trafficking. They came to Okela constellation two years ago. We managed to expel them but not to destroy. This time round, I am not letting them off the hook. Can I rely on your help?”
“Of course,” I said emphatically. “What do I need to do?”
Purkkoken looked grateful and said, “At the moment just wait. I need to get intel on the gang’s whereabouts, and also obtain a mission approval. I’ll be in touch when I have everything organised.”