Sera Banks up to Ser Carmichael
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After having my business on Hades finished, the situation I found myself in gave me a headache. So I didn't feel like heading straight for Bex and I rather checked the ads for some quick mission that's near to Hades and voila, I found one only three or four jumps away. Some crazy jerk in a transport wanted me to waste a few pirate imitations and an (apparently real) pirate cruiser. I disposed of this tiresome vessel as quickly as I could, then headed for Crius.
Stocked up on Medkits and with a news report that there's loads of uncommonly cheap Platinum on Anhur, I was on the short passage and already near to my next destination when an SOS call from Melissa Banks, a woman I've never heard of but who sounded pretty charming, reached me. Since she was only five jumps away and I was in the mood for running errands and cash a few quick ones anyway, the decision whether to help her or not was none. Arriving at Melissa's position, I found no more than two perps but they were all after Sera Banks so I had to hurry anyway in making sure my client survived to thank me.
We agreed to meet at the most famous hephaestean bar after we'd both landed and there she was, already awaiting me when I arrived. She was not that average client, we had a conversation that lasted the whole night and I found out that I and Melissa have a great deal in common. I already supposed that the Tri System is home to a number of haunted souls just like me, but never would I have assumed that one of them is as lovely as Melissa. She asked me to escort her to a nearby jump point the next day from where she would continue her very own quest for thruth and peace of soul, and I gave everything I had to make sure she made it there. It cost me a share of missiles and some rather ugly scratches to my ship but I got Melissa to her destination safely. From there, she then said good-by and jumped away, direction unknown. There was no payment for my help but damn, this wasn't about money. I wouldn't have accepted any credits from her anyway, on the contrary I would've even been willing to PAY for this marvellous and reassuring encounter. After all the unsettling informations about my past I had up to this point collected, and the death of Mitorr, I had finally run into a person that gave me a feeling of being a man doing the right thing and maybe even getting some genuine love for it. Or more satisfyingly, just for who I am without looking at what I do or what I HAD DONE. If only for a day. I just hope I'll see her again some day. And that she'll find what she's looking for.
Landing on Anhur, I finally got the opportunity to buy that super-cheap Platinum cargo. Just one more little stop at nearby Hermes to cash in on it and I'd be on my way to this 'notorious bonvivant' Carmichael person. The ore profit allowed me to upgrade my Aurora a little further: Now all 4 module spots had been taken (coolant unit, shield enhancer, repair bot and afterburners) and I was on a full complement of proximity missiles and the best guns available on the market, the infamous Flux MkII. After having myself very well prepared for the journey to Bex, I decided it wouldn't make a difference if before leaving this ever interesting planet I made another visit to Sinner's, checking out if Joe had any "news" and having a drink celebrating my recent achievements - net worth of my enterprise over 80k credits and more than 120 pirate lowlifes toasted. On entering the as usual crowded and loud joint, I was more than a little surprised to see the familiar (not to mention sweet) back side of Sera Banks, standing at the bar...
I have to admit the main reason for my visiting Sinner's before taking off really was the hope of seeing Melissa again. But I would never have dared assuming that I'd really get that lucky. Now I did. Great. The encounter was again a marvellous one but there's really not much about it to write down. -Not because nothing stunning and important happened, on the contrary, but as a gentleman I reveal any details about it.
Next stop Bex. Well, not quite. On my way I got an email from the CIS asking for my help. I usually don't like working for the pigs if I can help it and the position they gave me was nowhere near my route either, but this mission had something intriguing about it so I checked it out. An unidentified ship had stranded at a nav point and a few Papogods were attacking it, so I had to pick up the ejected pilot. I hadn't seen such a model before, it was significantly bigger than my Aurora and looked in a way like an antiquity. After picking up at the pilot, my ship had suffered a little damage and I thought it best to get the rescue pod to a safe place quickly in case the pilot was inqured so I paid a short visit to superstation Curium that was only two jumps away. Those super stations really had a creative interior designer, I must admit it, but for a Privateer they don't have much to offer. No news, no missions, they buy and sell most of the common trading goods alright but their prices can only be described as mediocre. Lack of production and demand in any amount worth mentioning I suppose.. Taking off from the station, I saw a pirate transport approaching. I got behind it and started firing upon it when it was just performing its docking sequence. It was quite the sight to see four military fighters take off from the station. I first thought they were sent out because of pirate presence and was more than a bit surprised when they started attacking me. A few of my shots must've had strayed towards the station or maybe shooting at a pirate ship while it's on autopilot docking alone already counts as an offence. Anyway, after shooting down the CIS interceptors I hurried to nearby Hermes to fix myself a fresh, clean ID because I really didn't feel like running into a destroyer while having such a bad friend/foe status.
Finally having arrived on Bex, I first visited the local bar where I wanted to enjoy myself for a while. Pretty meditative place, that Blessed Brew joint. Not exactly my place, too "cultish." But on a nice planet. Green hills, purple sky, clean air, monumental architecture, Bex is really an extraordinary place compared to the other worlds of the Tri-System. Would make a nice place for retirement if a way to avoid those monks could be found. It's also a favourite among rookie traders with its steady supply of alcoholic beverages and basic agrarian products. Its business opportunities are bit overrated, though, in my opinion: Since freighter space is scarce and expensive, what's better? Running a thousand tons of grain you bought for 3000 credits and netting a 100% profit or investing 40'000 creds in industrial goods and selling them for 60'000? Right. If you have the liquidity, running food is not the way to go. But for a beginner on a tight budget Bex sure is an idiot proof market. My reasoning about business strategies and holiday destinations got disturbed when this elder lady approached me. First I was a little afraid she'd try to hit on me, but it turned out Auntie Marie only wanted a ride to Hephaestus and was also willing to pay for it. Why not take her along on my next trip, after all my ship did in fact have a secondary seat constructed for visitors and passengers (though I usually used it as a 'mess compartment' where I 'stored' stuff like maps, empty liquor bottles and fast food boxes). After I had finished my beer, I took a Zeppelin ride to Ser Hugo Carmichael's place. He lived in what looked like a monastery, but was just about to move out indefinitely when I arrived. He was an arrogant man but he also had some inside knowledge about the Kindred. He informed me that big man Larn Regis who had died on the Canera and the Kindred goon Malakai were in fact the same person. I didn't know what new light that shed onto the Canera attack but I had a positive feeling that I'd soon find out. Carmichael agreed to letting me escort him to Hephaestus. Nice coincidence, I wanted to fly there anyway but then Hephaestus is the destination of more than 90 percent of the flights leaving Bex so it wasn't too much of a surprise.