Battleship Hood, Dublin

Hamburg-New Berlin-Stuttgart-Omega 7-Omega 3-Cambridge-New London-Dublin

Of course, the journey took me quite a long time, having, as I did, to stop in every system. And yes, I know that I shouldn't have had to stop in Omega 3, but, well… you'll see.

Anyway, so on Dortmund Station, I check out the bar and have a nice chat with one of the regular boozers who works on the station. He told me that Dortmund processes Toxic Waste (which I'd been carrying) into MOX, which I planned to carry. I suggested that the price of MOX at the station possibly didn't reflect that fact — what with them buying a unit of Waste at $200, and selling a unit of processed Waste, MOX, at $120 — and wondered how the station could be kept financially viable. He just slurred something it about not being his problem and then slumped, face-down, on the table.

I just left him to his intoxication and went back to the market. I still can't see how they make a profit, though. Very odd indeed.

While carrying Engine Components from Freistadt Base, I was jumped seriously in Omega 3, at the Wilkes Ice Field. Dozens of Red Hessians came from nowhere, and with no back-up likely to arrive, I had to leg it. My armour slowly depleted as the Hessians pummelled my ship with their Natters, but fortunately, I was able to make it across the gap just about intact and able to dock at Freeport 1. Another ten seconds, though, and I'd have been toast.

Those are really the highlights of my trip — the rest was the usual routine.

I'm now sat in the bar of the Hood, waiting for notice that my hold has been filled with all that lovely Gold. I think once I've deliver this Gold to Alster, I shall do something different. Perhaps I'll explore the Dresden system.

Alster Shipyard, Hamburg

New Berlin-Hamburg

At long last, a market for Gold. They paid me $1275 per unit, you know. I rose three levels in the Guild almost immediately.

On the way in, I checked the price lists. There's a route back to Dublin which takes in most of my pitstops and allows me to buy and sell goods as I go. My calculations are as follows.

1. Alster Shipyard, Hamburg; buy Toxic Waste @ $170
   
2. Dortmund Station, New Berlin; sell Toxic Waste @ $200, buy MOX @ $120
   
3. Planet Stuttgart, Stuttgart; sell MOX @ $180, buy Consumer Goods @ $258
   
4. Freistadt Base, Omega 7; sell Consumer Goods @ $390, buy Engine Components @ $825
   
5. Planet Cambridge, Cambridge; sell Engine Components @ $1275, buy Diamonds @ $879
   
6. Planet New London, New London; sell Diamonds @ $1056, buy Consumer Goods @ $222
   
7. Battleship Hood, Dublin; sell Consumer Goods @ $300, buy Gold @ $322
   
8. Alster Shipyard, Hamburg; sell Gold @ $1275

I tally that up as $1880 per unit of hold space, less any loss for MOX decay. On 250u, I expect that loss to be negligible. All told, a full run in my Humpback will earn something in the region of $470,000; quite a tidy little sum. I shall make all necessary preparations and sally forth at once!

Bonn Station, New Berlin

Omega 7-Stuttgart-New Berlin

Yet another unscheduled stop. The last before Hamburg, I can promise that.

On the way from Freistadt, I put in a brief visit to the newly-revealed Briesen Mining Facility, which allowed me to have a gander at the market there. Why did no-one tell me about this place before?

Travel through Stuttgart was also a trial. Still, the upside of all this is the Rheinlander Police and Military are getting to know me as a friend of the Republic. Her Bretonian Majesty has already awarded me the status of knight-errant for services rendered to the Bretonian Crown.

I'm just about to re-check the load-out against expected LWB attacks, and then head off to Alster. Finally, my destination is in sight.

Freistadt Base, Omega 7

Dublin-New London-Cambridge-Omega 3-Omega 7

Lane Hackers can never be trusted. I just know they're feeding the Corsairs information about honest, peaceable traders like me. All the way through Omega 3 and Omega 7 (thus far) I have been molested by pirates of every stripe, intent on stealing my Gold. I've had to put in an unscheduled pitstop at Freistadt to carry out much needed repairs, re-equip and swap weaponry around. I'm entering LWB-Red Hessian territory, and I'd sooner meet them with appropriate shields and guns.

I check my intelligence data and observe that the two groups use different sets of equipment. A quick check of the stores yields a satisfactory load-out. Now all I need is the chance to use it!

Graves Station, Dublin

Well, my guess was right. I had to fight off a few Corsair raiding parties as I went, but the BMM station, Graves, is located on the other side of Dublin's star from the Hood. There seems little doing here, although a wreck did show up on my scanner just a little way south of of Graves. Perhaps one day I'll come back and have a gander at it, see what there is to see.

Checking the charts, it looks like the Republican facility Alster Shipyard, Hamburg, is the best place I can come up with to sell my Gold. I'll plot a course there and set off at once.

Battleship Hood, Dublin

The Gold stocks here are plentiful and cheap. I bought 250u at $322 — the first time for a while that my cash reserves have been bled low. While here, I had a little wander around the ship. The soaks weren't much of a gold-mine of information, if you'll excuse the pun, but I did hear tell of a BMM station located somewhere in the system. I have my suspicions as to its location, having seen Corsairs heading to what seemed to be an asteroid field off my maps — I'll see what's doing over that way as I wend my way out of Dublin.

Battleship Essex, Dublin

Stuttgart-Omega 7-Omega 3-Cambridge-New London-Dublin

Well, the sight of a freighter, fully loaded with H-Fuel seems to make pirates attack with glee. Even in this incredibly sluggish Humpback, I still made mincemeat of them. On the way through New London, I spied the Battleship Suffolk and paid a visit to download the price listings and check the news. 'Twould seem that all's quiet on the Western front — for the time being, at least.

Otherwise, my journey was dull and uneventful. For sure, the pirates broke the monotony, but even so I was left for the most part to amuse myself, reading bad space action books and listening to poor-quality music.

On arriving at the Essex, I sold my H-Fuel, all 250u, for $389 the unit. A tidy profit, although my trader's thumbs are pricking; I think there's better that I can do. I'd better sit down with the price lists at some point.

For the time being, though, I'll settle for selling looted equipment and heading off to the Battleship Hood for a cargo of Gold.

Planet Stuttgart, Stuttgart

Stuttgart-Omega 11-Stuttgart

I made a brief visit to Omega 11 — it's far too hot for me! Not only does the local star emit radiation which damages a ship's hull, but the Red Hessians are out in full force. I think we'll leave them to the system, at least until the Rheinland Military gets a grip in there.

Back at Planet Stuttgart, I bought a Humpback freighter and filled her up with 250u of H-Fuel, at $240 the unit. My plan is to fly to Dublin and carry as much Gold as my freighter's monstrously large hold will allow. Before that, however, I must visit a mechanic and kit out my ship properly.

Planet Stuttgart, Stuttgart

Omega 7-Stuttgart

The rumours of Rheinland space on the other side were certainly not wrong. I found Stuttgart, which I know to be linked to New Berlin, just on the other side of the jump gate; Ulm Station greeting me in the traditional Rheinlander style — a cargo scan and a squadron of Red Hessians — while the patrons of Stuttgart's many bars are friendly and talkative. Although I suppose it may just be the Rheinland Bock talking.

A drinker on Freiburg gave me a tip about Stuttgart's imported Diamonds: they get them from the Border Worlds and send them on to Cambridge. Duly logged and noted, that's what I told him. Another booze-guzzler, on Stuttgart proper, said the imported Light Arms and Construction Machinery came from The Ring in New Berlin, while Consumer Goods came from Planet New Berlin itself.

Apparently, there's a jump gate to Omega 11 around the corner. The Colony News Network, not usually known for its utility, gave me this small hint while I was in Omega 7: there's riches in Omega 11, and radiation, too. I'm off for Diamonds and a suntan, me.

Freistadt Base, Omega 7

The insurance company won't let me out again until I promise not to go near the wrecks. Something about this being the third time they've had to shell out for a new ship and how there's no premium high enough to pay for a third ransom to the Corsairs. I don't know; some people have no sense of adventure.

Well, I'd better do as the bean counters say. I'll be continuing on my eastward journey, then.

Freistadt Base, Omega 7

Omega 3-Omega 7

Freistadt, an IMG base, is a nice little hole. Sells various minerals and so forth. On the way, I was jumped by Corsairs, and while killing them off, my scanners picked up a few wrecks. I think I'll head off to see what's inside.

Freeport 1, Omega 3

Cambridge-Omega 3

A short trip and fairly quiet. The price list, which I found buried in the middle of a folder of paperwork dating from the Nomad Incident, told me that Cambridge's Food Rations would sell well on Freeport 1. They sell at $29 in Cambridge, and Freeport 1 offers $70 — so I bought a full cargo hold, 70u, and plotted a course to Freeport 1.

This is only a quick lay-over here, really. I'm re-equipping the ship on nanobots and shield batteries, giving her a once-over to make sure the hull's in good condition, and then heading off to the next system. Goodness only knows what's waiting for me there.

Planet Cambridge, Cambridge

Magellan-Manchester-New London-Cambridge

The usual assortment of vagabonds and pirates harassed me on my way, but I turned their ships into scrap and the pilots into spacedust. All in a day's work for your local hostile Freelancer.

At Cambridge, I re-checked the navcharts and looked up the Omega systems. Someone told me that there was a shorter way through to Rheinland space from Bretonia if I took them all the way; so I think I'll do that. The first stop on the itinerary is Freeport 1, Omega 3. Now, where did I put that price list…?

Freeport 4, Magellan

New London-Manchester-Cortez-California-Magellan.

I explored the Manchester trade lane system, and then pushed off to explore Cortez. I carried on into Liberty space and then swung right around for Magellan. Pirates were plentiful, so much so that the sale of loot at Freeport 4 resulted in the Guild awarding me level 26.

I took a job for the IMG battling Outcasts, and am now returned to Freeport 4. I think my next move will have to be Cambridge.

Planet New London, New London

New Tokyo-Kyushu-Tau 29-Tau 31-Leeds-New London

Some Hogosha scum demanded my cargo as I was leaving Planet New Tokyo, but I made a quick escape to the trade lane. Blood Dragons and Golden Chrysanthemums formed the basic fare for my cannon as I made my way to Kyushu, while Tau 29 saw the easy despatch of some Outcasts.

In Tau 31, I noticed an interesting planet, shortly before I was due to hit the Jump Gate for Leeds. A short cruise to the planet led to the happy discovery of Planet Harris, a Planetform, Inc. terraforming project. There seemed to be nothing much doing there, but the addition of another price list is always welcome.

Leeds was a fairly boring run, while New London saw me engage the Mollys twice and also a group of Corsairs.

Upon arrival at New London, I sold my engine components for $1199, and I then took a job from the Bretonian Police against the Corsairs. An easy job, soon completed, placed me near the Manchester jump gate. I write as I wait in the queue for my turn to jump— I think that's the signal. Signing off.

Planet New Tokyo, New Tokyo

Hamburg-Hudson-Texas-New York-Colorado-Galileo-Shikoku-New Tokyo

I took the decision to fly my boat from Hamburg to New Tokyo the long way round, exploring Hudson as I went, and then onto Texas and New York. From New York to New Tokyo, I took the same route as previously (only without the detours).

The diamonds I bought ($483/u) seemed to be a magnet for all sorts of undesirable scum, and I was fighting off pirates right through Hudson and Texas. New York was some respite, as few pirates dare launch their attacks under the watchful eye of the Liberty Police. But once I was in Galileo, the attacks started up all over again. I finally made it to New Tokyo, barely scratched and with considerably more notches on my Lugers.

At the market, I proved my tipster correct in his information. The diamonds sold for $1250 per unit, which netted me a cool $53,690 for my troubles. I spent some of my hard-earned profits on 70u of engine components at $225 the unit. My plan is to fly them to Planet New London, where the shipyards' agents will pay handsomely for such equipment.

As I made my way to the bar, a Guild message came through. Level 25, and so quickly. The bar regulars were not only pleased to see me, but also to hear my good news. We celebrated with a round of sake, and I made my way to the ship. As I write this, I'm on autopilot from New Tokyo to the trade lane, and am charting my course back home to Bretonia. At long last…

Planet Hamburg, Hamburg

Hokkaido-New Tokyo-Honshu-Sigma 13-New Berlin-Hamburg.

I used the Sigma 13-New Berlin jumphole near Yanagi Depot, which was a very close call. Twice, I had Corsairs jump me as I made my way through the Yanagi Debris Field. All I was thankful for was that the Junkers — the owners of Yanagi Depot — saw me as benign. That time is now passed, and so may be my use of the jumphole.

I explored New Berlin as I went — my last visit being very brief and somewhat on the wrong side of the Rheinlander law, I wanted this one to be leisurely and legal. I took my time, visiting every major installation in the system.

Upon arrival at Hamburg, I was greeted by a space-battle involving the Rheinland police and a group of ne'er-do-wells calling themselves the Red Hessians. My blasters mysteriously started firing on the miscreants — I have no idea how that happened! For some reason, the Red Hessians haven't taken too kindly to me after that incident. Such wonders will never cease to amaze me.

After the last of the Red Hessians was mopped up, I took myself into Lübeck Border Station, administered by the grateful Rheinland police. My fuel sold for $222 per unit, which helped the wallet so much that the Guild's automated system informed me shortly afterwards that I had attained level 23. A quick trip through the trade lanes took me to Planet Hamburg, where I bought 70u of diamonds. I am presently plotting the next leg of my journey — my broker on Tokyo, on learning that I planned to fly to New Berlin, commented on the shipments of diamonds which regularly arrive from New Berlin and the apparent affluence of the merchants making the run.

Now, where did I put that jump map…?

Out of character

I decided that the best way to become Edison Trent — on the side of the angels — was to have a few house rules. This list of house rules will probably grow as time goes on.

1. If there is combat between me and my destination, and House police or military are involved, it is my duty as a good citizen to intervene on the side of the House governmental forces.
   
2. No dealing in illegal commodities.
   

I want, also, to explore the whole Sirius Sector as a "good guy", and then I'll use that information to stand myself in good stead when I start again and join the bad guys.

Ainu Depot, Hokkaido

From Manhattan, I went to Colorado and took a look around the trade lane systems, docking briefly with a few stations to download their commodity lists. From Colorado to Galileo &madsh; much the same routine. Thence to Shikoku, Kepler (where I, once more) did a little exploration work), back to Shikoku and New Tokyo. A routing blunder took me into Honshu, but I turned round and headed to Hokkaido. And here I am now, flying out of the system.

My 70u of luxury consumer goods sold for $1440 each, which is a princely sum by anyone's reckoning. At $70 per unit, I thought the deal on hydrogen fuel was a winner, so I bought a full hold of that and logged a flight plan to New Berlin. As I left, the Guild informed me that my rating had been increased to 22.

This was my last ever visit to the Blood Dragons' hide-out in Hokkaido, I fear. The notice publicly advertising cardamine in the warehouse was the last straw.

Planet Manhattan, New York

So I'm back. The Office of the President has issued a full pardon, the Rheinland State Chancellery has issued a declaration of Citizen-Extraordinary against my name, and the Shogunate of Kusari has declared me an honorary subject of the Shogun. The Bretonian Parliament seems to have forgotten about me completely — but I plan to set that record straight as soon as possible.

In addition, the Liberty Treasury paid a reward as a token of their thanks. And I can tell you, it was only a token. A payment of $20,000 from the thankful people of Liberty didn't even cover the costs of the jaunt, while the goods I carried in my hold, once sold, made considerably more than that. Juni sounded more upbeat, thinking that it was a handsome bonus. I hate to say it, but the poor girl is only on a government salary, so of course she'd think it was a sweet amount of cash. Maybe it is, if you don't run your own business.

Anyway, all told and sold, I started back at Manhattan with about $100,000 and a Guild accreditation level of 19. The market trader seemed pleased to see me and was keen to relate all the events of the recent weeks. Did I know that Rheinland had declared war, he asked? Who in the Libery Security Forces could have had it in for me to abuse the situation and hound me out of Liberty? Did I have any news from Kusari? And so on. It got so tiresome, I wrote my order on a slip of paper, put it in his hand and told him I had a hot date at the bar.

Well, it was half-true. I did go the bar, but all I got was a reminder of how poorly the Liberty security apparatus paid. It seemed hardly worth the effort even of reading the sits. vac. columns, so I wandered round the bar asking after some old friends, and then returned to my ship.

The talkative marketeer had done as I asked and loaded 70u of luxury consumer goods. My trade journal reminded me that I could get a decent price on my goods if I headed north to Kusari space, so I dragged up the maps and had a look at the surroundings. I was aware that there should be a passage to Shikoku via Colorado and either Galileo or Kepler, but had never done those routes.

I logged a flight plan to Colorado as far as the Galileo jump gate (merely a formality) and left Planet Manhattan.