What’s in a Name – Smelling Sweet

Docking at Minedrill Refinery
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

5 January YC 127

After my altercation with Purkkoken I didn’t expect to hear from him ever again – after all, he all but accused me of starting a full-scale war between the State and the Federation. So, imagine my surprise when this morning I got a call from him with a polite request to come to his office at my earliest convenience. I thought that whatever he had in store for me, I should better get it out of the way and out of my mind, and half an hour later I was sitting in the familiar chair in Purkkoken’s office. The agent was reserved but not aggressively formal as yesterday.

“You know we are on a threshold of war with Gallente Federation, Vlad,” he started setting the scene, “The situation is grave but salvageable. In fact, there is understanding on both sides that the current crisis developed from a really negligible incident at the embassy which eventually was blown out of proportion. Involvement of journalists didn’t help either as politicians were forced to take steps to save their faces. For this reason, all further actions will be strictly confidential. We are sending our envoy to begin secret negotiations with Gallente in an effort to stabilise the relationships and bring them down to the ‘normal’ cold war state.”

I scoffed, “Why are you telling me all this, if it is supposed to be ‘strictly confidential’?” Continue reading “What’s in a Name – Smelling Sweet”

What’s in a Name – Thorny

Federation Hastile
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

4 January YC 127

After a festive break I visited Purkkoken Honuken to check if he had got any missions for me. The agent looked tired and uncharacteristically gloomy.

“What’s up, mate?” I asked jovially, “Still having a Yoiul hangover?”

Purkkoken scoffed, “What Yoiul? I’ve been working non-stop since you had your little fun with the Dominix.”

I felt a bit offended by his choice of words and raised an eyebrow, “As far as I remember, you expressed your appreciation of my actions and enjoyed that encounter yourself in no small measure.” Continue reading “What’s in a Name – Thorny”

What’s in a Name – Poke

Ibis in Biosecurity Responders SKIN
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

27 December YC 126

I was planning another Okela patrol when I realised that I didn’t have a Heron in case I find a sleeper cache.

“Shopping time!” I called out, waking up Aura.

“Again?” she said, surprised, and added hastily, “Not that I object.”

“We have run out of Herons, remember?” I said, loading the capsule into an Ibis and undocking.

“Indeed. Why are you in a corvette, by the way?” Continue reading “What’s in a Name – Poke”

What’s in a Name – Smile When You Call Me That

Gallente Communication Array
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

26 December YC 126

“Anything new and interesting for me?” I asked Purkkoken Honuken, making myself comfortable in his visitor chair.

“Actually, yes,” said the agent, “I have something new but I am not sure how interesting you will find it. Remember that ambassador evacuation mission?”

“Oh, yes. Have you figured out what Caldari Embassy was doing in Caldari space in a station called Caldari Consul?” Continue reading “What’s in a Name – Smile When You Call Me That”

What’s in a Name – Change of Address

Infester Alvi
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

24 December YC 126

“Vlad, I have something very important for you,” Purkkoken babbled excitedly on a commlink, “We have a crisis here and you are my most reliable contractor. I really need you on this mission.”

Intrigued, I went to Purkkoken’s office. As soon as I closed the door, the agent jumped from his chair and cried out, “Vlad, we are on the edge of a war!” Continue reading “What’s in a Name – Change of Address”

A Father’s Love

Merimetso, Cormorant-class Destroyer
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

18 December YC 126

It was five o’clock in the morning when I was woken up by a call from Purkkoken Honuken. Since I started working with him on security missions I whitelisted his number, and he could call me any time.

“Where is the fire?” I asked him, yawning.

“Vlad, I need you to deliver something very urgently,” replied Purkkoken, sounding desperate. Continue reading “A Father’s Love”

Break Their Will

Mercenary Fighter
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

17 December YC 126

My last mission, The Score, was finally cleared by the reviewers and Purkkoken invited me to his office to talk about a new assignment.

“Thanks for taking care of that Guristas patrol, Vlad,” said Purkkoken after we exchanged greetings, “A few more successful missions like that and I will be in Colonel’s good graces again.”

“It doesn’t look like it is my success that has a decisive effect on your fortunes. So far, I haven’t failed a single mission, but your popularity rating has been jumping up and down like a March hare,” I said with an amused smile. Continue reading “Break Their Will”

The Score

Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Ekura system – Mission location

15 December YC 126

Dirty Shipyard
Dirty Shipyard

The Guristas patrol was hiding in an old dirty shipyard tucked away in a deadspace pocket. The shipyard emitted a lot of waste gases which hung around it as a smoke screen. Three haulers berthed at the yard were shut down and I could not determine their registration. What I could see clearly, though, was a group of 10 Guristas ships scattered around the shipyard. They felt pretty safe and relaxed as none of them reacted to my arrival. After facing off 35 aggressive frigates at once, I was rather laid-back too. Without bothering to move from my warp-in spot I targeted the closest two hostiles and started shooting at them from all my guns. While the hybrid charges worked through their defences, I targeted five more. As the first targets exploded I moved fire to the next pair and so on, all the time staying put. The pirates died before they were able to get to me close enough to land a hit on Merimetso.

“Look,” I told Aura pointing at the overview, “Pithi Destructor. I haven’t seen such model before.” Continue reading “The Score”

After the Seven – Finale

Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

15 December YC 126

It took me three days to finally reach Purkkoken Honuken. He invited me to his office and, as soon as I came in, started talking about a new mission.

“Good day, Mr Korff. I have a very important mission for you. We’ve got reports of a Guristas patrol in this sector. Our surveillance reports they are scouts providing intel back to their leaders for a much larger raiding party. We cannot have them discover our weak points or gather any intel on our convoy travel routes. You’ll need to intercept the pirate patrol, Mr Korff.”

I was quite taken aback by that ‘Mr Korff’ formality, as we were on the first name terms for quite a while, but there was a more important question on my mind.

“And what about The Seven?” Continue reading “After the Seven – Finale”

After the Seven – Decision

Locceed
Lonetrek region – Okela constellation
Tsuguwa system – Planet VI
Caldari Navy Assembly Plant Station

12 December YC 126

Next day after my exciting Okela constellation patrol, I received a call from Purkkoken Honuken, asking me to see him in his office ‘at my earliest convenience’. I found the turn of phrase intriguing as with Purkkoken it was always ‘as soon as possible’. Curious to see what was up, I immediately went to his room in the security department.

“Ah, Vlad,” he greeted me with nonchalance which I found a bit strained. “I have a great mission for you.”

I made myself comfortable in the chair and nodded, “Go on.” Continue reading “After the Seven – Decision”