Re: Extracts from Straylight0's logbook
Posted: Tue Aug 04, 2015 9:04 pm
Received this nice goodbye; even if he does rose-tint his first encounter a little
Transmission to Straylight0
This morning as I awoke, I felt something strange. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was, I just knew something was off. I went about my usual business; checking my transmissions, replying to the Imperial High Command, deleting the Winters hate-mail (now par for the course).
Upon entering the 13th Legion’s barracks, is still had this strange feeling in my gut. I looked around and saw my men, many of whom I am proud to call friend. I saw Derrida, planning his next duel with a smirk on his face. I saw Nightshady, pouring over military plans and ship schematics. I saw Xakto, writing furiously, no doubt planning his next mining vacation. Then I noticed something peculiar. I walked across the room to an empty locker, hanging wide open. I slowly closed the door and when I read the name, I realized why I felt something was amiss. “Straylight”
I remember when I first met you, in fact, you, Derrida and Johnny were the first other members of the Pilot’s Federation I ever met. It was back before I was Legate, back before I even knew who Aisling Duval was. I was a young man, trading in my home system of Drevlyada. I had recently lost my parents in a pirate raid and I was disillusioned and not sure what to do with my life. As I made a routine shipment of tea to Wheeler dock, an old friend of mine ran up to me and said: “Andariel, we need your help! The Federation is here and they are trying to take over Drevlyada by force!” I had been in a few fights before, but they were always against smugglers and pirates trying to disrupt my trade routes, nothing too serious. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I hopped in my Cobra and zipped off to the combat zone.
I dropped out of supercruise on a combat beacon, and I was taken aback by what I saw. lasers everywhere, Anacondas being ripped apart by swarms of eagles, explosions, mass chaos, death. I dove headlong into the fray, avoiding the larger ships while shooting down eagles and vipers. I was surprised by how well I fared in the battle, but all that changed when I noticed three new blips on my radar. These signals were different, they bore the mark of the Pilot’s Federation, and they were red. As I turned to scan them, I read three names; “Derrida, Johnny Gamma and Straylight0”
I charged them in my little, second hand Cobra and opened fire. What ensued was a brutal battle, one I don’t remember much of, but I do remember how it ended. I shot down both Derrida and Straylight as Johnny Gamma fled with low hull. I myself was on the brink of destruction, but I didn’t let it show as I chased Johnny into supercruise. Much to my own surprise, I had won.
I limped back to Grandin Port to repair my ship, and as I visited the pub for a drink, I noticed two new faces there, a man and a woman. I approached, but when I read their nametags, I stopped in abject horror. They read “Derrida” and “Straylight0”. I realised they had seen my own, and as I turned to leave I heard Derrida say “wait!”. I stopped, frozen with a mixture of fear and guilt, and as I turned I saw him holding out a drink. “That was one hell of a fight, why don’t you come have a drink with us?”
I learned a lot that night. I learned about the galaxy outside of Drevlyada, about how there was credits to be made as a hired gun like you were, about home much more there was out there. You both turned out to be great people and inspired me to seek out adventure. I left Drevlyada, and it would be months of trading, fighting and exploring before I happened upon you guys again in Cubeo, working for Aisling Duval, who I had recently pledged to. We quickly became close friends, and I felt invincible when I had you by my side.
You never talked much, Derrida usually did most of the talking. But I felt like you knew real pain, I felt like we understood each-other without needing to explain it. That is why I knew something was wrong this morning. That is why I wish you the best and I hope you find what you are looking for.
That is why your seat at my side will remain, gathering dust until the day you return to wipe it off.
Transmission to Straylight0
This morning as I awoke, I felt something strange. I couldn’t put my finger on exactly what it was, I just knew something was off. I went about my usual business; checking my transmissions, replying to the Imperial High Command, deleting the Winters hate-mail (now par for the course).
Upon entering the 13th Legion’s barracks, is still had this strange feeling in my gut. I looked around and saw my men, many of whom I am proud to call friend. I saw Derrida, planning his next duel with a smirk on his face. I saw Nightshady, pouring over military plans and ship schematics. I saw Xakto, writing furiously, no doubt planning his next mining vacation. Then I noticed something peculiar. I walked across the room to an empty locker, hanging wide open. I slowly closed the door and when I read the name, I realized why I felt something was amiss. “Straylight”
I remember when I first met you, in fact, you, Derrida and Johnny were the first other members of the Pilot’s Federation I ever met. It was back before I was Legate, back before I even knew who Aisling Duval was. I was a young man, trading in my home system of Drevlyada. I had recently lost my parents in a pirate raid and I was disillusioned and not sure what to do with my life. As I made a routine shipment of tea to Wheeler dock, an old friend of mine ran up to me and said: “Andariel, we need your help! The Federation is here and they are trying to take over Drevlyada by force!” I had been in a few fights before, but they were always against smugglers and pirates trying to disrupt my trade routes, nothing too serious. I figured I had nothing to lose, so I hopped in my Cobra and zipped off to the combat zone.
I dropped out of supercruise on a combat beacon, and I was taken aback by what I saw. lasers everywhere, Anacondas being ripped apart by swarms of eagles, explosions, mass chaos, death. I dove headlong into the fray, avoiding the larger ships while shooting down eagles and vipers. I was surprised by how well I fared in the battle, but all that changed when I noticed three new blips on my radar. These signals were different, they bore the mark of the Pilot’s Federation, and they were red. As I turned to scan them, I read three names; “Derrida, Johnny Gamma and Straylight0”
I charged them in my little, second hand Cobra and opened fire. What ensued was a brutal battle, one I don’t remember much of, but I do remember how it ended. I shot down both Derrida and Straylight as Johnny Gamma fled with low hull. I myself was on the brink of destruction, but I didn’t let it show as I chased Johnny into supercruise. Much to my own surprise, I had won.
I limped back to Grandin Port to repair my ship, and as I visited the pub for a drink, I noticed two new faces there, a man and a woman. I approached, but when I read their nametags, I stopped in abject horror. They read “Derrida” and “Straylight0”. I realised they had seen my own, and as I turned to leave I heard Derrida say “wait!”. I stopped, frozen with a mixture of fear and guilt, and as I turned I saw him holding out a drink. “That was one hell of a fight, why don’t you come have a drink with us?”
I learned a lot that night. I learned about the galaxy outside of Drevlyada, about how there was credits to be made as a hired gun like you were, about home much more there was out there. You both turned out to be great people and inspired me to seek out adventure. I left Drevlyada, and it would be months of trading, fighting and exploring before I happened upon you guys again in Cubeo, working for Aisling Duval, who I had recently pledged to. We quickly became close friends, and I felt invincible when I had you by my side.
You never talked much, Derrida usually did most of the talking. But I felt like you knew real pain, I felt like we understood each-other without needing to explain it. That is why I knew something was wrong this morning. That is why I wish you the best and I hope you find what you are looking for.
That is why your seat at my side will remain, gathering dust until the day you return to wipe it off.