*Yawn*.
Waking up in darkness and slapping my hand on the table in search of my glasses. Grabbing them, putting on my nose and trying to recognize where the flak I am. Well... Kurgan gunboat plastic 1:72 model on the table and PKP machine gun under it. Right, I am in my ship. And where correctly? LPI Huntsville, as i understood when took my personal pad.
Getting shower, dressing uniform and putting my cap on my head, then getting to the cockpit and starting launch sequence.
-Подождите... Ожидаем авторизации... Личность подтверждена, _______ И.И.- кодовое имя Аджай. Проверка систем.
Жизнеобеспечение работает.
Системы радара, РЭБ и связи активированы.
Проверка идентификационных кодов завершена.
Двигатели и ускорители в норме.
Орудийные системы готовы.
Ракетная установка "Немезида" заряжена.
Торпедная установка "Солнцеубийца" ожидает цели.
Блокиратор движения "Москит" готов к запуску.
Установка самонаводящихся мин "Раскрытие" готова к постановке.
Ложные тепловые цели инициализированы.
Щит "Чемпион-у" готов к запуску.
Доступ к батареям щита и наноботам готов.
Системы управления инициализированы.
ВНИМАНИЕ: в системах корабля установлено неизвестное устройство. Обновление... Стелс-устройство готово к запуску.
Чайный пакетик заряжен в кружку, чай будет готов в ближайшее время.
Список воспроизведения загружен в плейер CoalAmp.
CNS "И-939 Бродяга", истребитель космического превосходства класса "Василиск" полностю готов к взлету.
(TRANSLATION:
-Please stand by... Awaiting authorisation... Pilot confirmed, _______ I.I, Codename Ajay. System check.
Life support working.
Radar, ECM and uplink systems activated.
FFI codes check completed.
Engines and thrusters fine.
Weapon systems ready.
"Nemesis" missile launcher loaded.
"Sunslayer" torpedo launcher awaiting target.
"Mosquito" CD ready for launch.
Homing "Revelation" mines ready to be dropped.
False heat targets initialised.
"Adv. Champion" shield is ready to launch.
Access to nanobots and shield batteries is ready.
Piloting systems initialized.
WARNING: Unknown device is detected in the ship's internal systems. Updating... Cloaking device ready.
Teabag is loaded to cup and tea will be ready as soon as possible.
CoalAmp music player playlist loaded.
CNS "I-939 Stranger" "Basilisk"- class Space Superiority fighter is completely ready to take off.)
Grabbing a cup of noodles and pouring boiled water in it. Head tolls like a bell, darn it. "Note to self, Ajay, next time your life will look lost, try at least not to hit the booze THAT hard" - I said to myself while connecting to Gorlowka carrier. Finally, connection established and a calm face of one my former colleague appeared on pad.
-Wow, Ivanich, long time no see! - guy said.
-I have two requests. A) use callsign and B) you just get me the scanners and do your stuff, m'kay? - I snapped.
-Okay...
Scanner data appeared in the left lens of my glasses. Two freelancer pilots in the Texas system. One of them - PodMan.
I knew that guy for a pretty long time. He was a freelancer mercenary from Kusari, or he was just interested in Kusarian culture. It was strange to see that he, when met me every time, found a time to say "hi". No, really! I am a freaking Coalitioner, shunned by most of pilots out there, and he just breaks the stereotype! But I guess he's right. As I heard, he even was part of Siver Arrows Mercenary Group, but left because of wanting more freedom.
Connecting his private channel.
-Hi there! - I said. - You seem to escort someone, maybe, you will use some help?
-Actually he will. He is a novice freelancer. I've got him new ship and some good weaponry, but he would use some more. I have some things to do here, so tell him some stuff about where to get better shield, equipment and stuff... And if you don't mind, get him a couple of W'ar-sy Propulsors.
-Of freaking course!
-We are near LPI Huntsville. I will land and leave him to wait outside.
-Okay - I said and then switched to Huntsville storing part. - Hey there, Docker. Please, beam me my two W'ar-sys and Shield Upgrade MKX. I've got a charity customer.
-Charity? Oh, Coalitioner, you are either foolish or too generous.
-Could you please hurry? - I said with a fake calm voice. Voice that, despite being calm, sounds a bit agressive.
-Okay, okay.
After getting two guns and shield regenerating device, I requested take-off.
I took off from station and gave a novice two guns and shield upgrade.
-Now, I am sorry that I don't have any good shield or power generator in my storage. Actually getting Adv. Champion shield is a bit hardened, since it is sold in a center of maze. But there is second-to-best shield, Adv. Brigand MK2 that is sold on Roppongi Station in New Tokyo system. It is a bit weaker, but is much cheaper - 300-400k. After you'll get it, you will have a needed minimum. You can get money by fulfilling missions in Oasis system. - I said coordinates of Oasis jump hole and coordinates of Orion Outpost. - Fighting Outcasts and Corsairs. When you will gather many escape pods - a bit less than a full cargo bay - fly to Texas and meet a commodity dealer, and he will extract them - for a good reward, of course. Single Outcast or Corsair escape pod has a basic reward 100k.
-Okay, thanks. Much appreciated.
Novice took his way to Oasis, and I began to talk with PodMan.
-So, you are doing charity, huh? - I asked.
-I got a bounty contract fulfilled, and I spent money that was got by a bad deed to make a good deed. Karma, you know...
-Yes - I said. - Won't be asking you about that, but i guess... "wet work", right.
-Yep.
-Anyway, do not worry, next time I'll see that guy, I will try to help him. Maybe I'll even get him to Altair and Inner Core. You know, I met another Coalitioner in Sirius once... Long time ago. I had presented him Cataclysm launcher... Now he is my "combat buddy" and sometimes my wingman - I can actually say that he's one of best wingmates ever. Callsign ANybIS, ever heard?
-Yes, I know him.
-I help people, because when I do it, I begin to know them better. When I know people better, I am not afraid of asking them to, for instance, join an Inner Core expedition. More Inner Core expeditions and more survivors mean not only happy people and good equipment in my store, but also either something to remember when I will be sitting home old and almost falling apart, or it will be something that will show that all my life wasn't that pointless in case if I will be killed in battle. And moreover - more people will be thankful. More people will know that not all Coalitioners are murderers.
-Mhm. Like me, or like that guy now.
-But another goal... It disproves the statement life taught me in school. It disproves that kindness will get you nowhere. Me being nice to people made me one of the Coalitioners that can fly free though the space, and it gave me almost everything I have with myself now - I said, finishing. - Well, one hell of philosophical speech. I always hated that stuff when I was simple communications officer. Seems like air of Sirius planets is making me sound like a film protagonist. Okay, I need to move. See you!
-Good luck out there, Ajay.
-Thanks, you too.
I took the noodles cup, set an autopilot course to Oasis Jump Hole and started my breakfast.
Cool beginning of the day, much better than all the others. Day should be no worse.
Author's Note: Sorry for getting all-philosophical and distorting things that actually happened. Ajay's speech originates not from game, but from my head. Everybody sorry for that, I've just felt that I need to add some warm speech that makes Ajay sound like a victim of Marty Sue Phenomenon.
PodMan asked me to introduce himself to CF lore, so I decided to let him venture in it through my blog.
And CF Ajay disowning "kindness will get you nowhere" statement doesn't means that RL Ivan K. aka "Ajay", I.E. me, disowns it nor it means I accept it.
And Gorlowka communications officer calls Ajay "Ivanich". "Ivanich" is shortened "Ivanovich", Ajay's third name or "father name" (meaning "son of Ivan" if somebody cares).
Stay alert & stay alive, pilots, and good luck, no matter who you are.
