Coalition Bribe ?!

Well, it looks like I might have hit a brick wall with this game.

I went through Sol, entered into Altair, and from there into Coalition space. I noticed they were unfriendly towards me.

Now, from reading the posts, it would seem that there is *no way* to get on the Coalition's good side, because I did not get the bribe on Earth before entering their space.

Reading through some other posts, the "cure-all" seems to be starting a new character.

Start a new character?!

You gotta be kidding me!

Just losing the system map alone is enough to make me shout that idea down. You start out with a character, you develop it, you expect it to remain your main character.

If this is the only "solution" to the problem, you are looking at one thoroughly discouraged participant. I just don't see the point in going back and starting an entirely new character. That just does not seem too desirable.

There ought to be a huge warning in the game, like a big flashing neon sign saying "don't go here without bribing the Coalition first."

Am I missing something? Is there any point in continuing? Or have I pretty much locked myself out from further exploration?

If so, then it's a pity that an irreversible trap like this would be left in place. It's a real fly in the ointment.
:lost:

Well,

I took your advice, even though my rep with the Coalition was well into the red.

I took a couple missions to make some dough and pick up some escape pods for quick cash. I quickly earned the 3+ million I knew I needed to bribe the Coalition (I was tapped out from recently buying Adv. Champion H.F. Shield, shield upgrade, power supply, etc.).

I headed over to Sol (the Neptune and Hyperion warp gates were invisible this time, and not functional; but I just let it cruise and left the pilot's chair for a few, rather than restart). Finally, I landed on Earth. I just <i>knew</i> the Coalition reps were not going to speak to me.

But they did. [10]

Now, I had not fired on any Coalition nor on any Order ships; all I did was go into Altair before getting the bribe. After this, I had a pretty bad rep with the Coalition. I thought my goose was cooked, and I was not thrilled with the prospect of starting a whole new second character to be my primary all-around character. I had always figured, after reaching this point, any new characters would be for support roles.

It's a funny thing, eh? Thanks for talking me through it, Marshal.

P.S.
Another weird thing: I distinctly remember the first time I visited Earth, <i>before</i> going into Altair. There were no Coalition reps around. I remember lingering in the bar scene, listening to the amusing risque dialogue that was cooked up between Trent and Juni, and there were only three other people in the bar: the bartender, a Zoner sitting in a booth, offering a Zoner bribe, and a Blood Dragon female standing near the center. It wasn't until I came back the second time that there was a full bar, with two Coalition reps. I had actually headed back to Nephele after my first visit to Sol; I had heard from someone or somewhere that Nephele was where I needed to be to get the Coalition bribe. After I got the bad rep with the Coalition, and revisited earth, I was able to obtain the bribe. Weird.