Goodreads helps you keep track of books you want to read.
Start by marking “Skyfarer (The Drifting Lands, #1)” as Want to Read:
Rate this book
Endless Sky Hunt Down Town
See a Problem?
We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Skyfarer by Joseph Brassey.
Not the book you’re looking for?Preview — Skyfarer by Joseph Brassey
(The Drifting Lands #1)
An apprentice sorceress is dragged into a vicious quest across an endless sky in this Star Wars-inspired space fantasy
The Axiom Diamond is a mythical relic, with the power to show its bearer any truth they desire. Men have sought for it across many continents for centuries, but in vain. When trainee sorceress Aimee de Laurent's first ever portal-casting goes awry, she an..more
The Axiom Diamond is a mythical relic, with the power to show its bearer any truth they desire. Men have sought for it across many continents for centuries, but in vain. When trainee sorceress Aimee de Laurent's first ever portal-casting goes awry, she an..more
Published September 5th 2017 by Angry Robot
To see what your friends thought of this book,please sign up.
To ask other readers questions aboutSkyfarer,please sign up.
Air 170 books — 11 voters
Colour Splash 139 books — 11 voters
More lists with this book..
Rating details
|
3.5 stars.
No one who reads Skyfarer will ever accuse Joseph Brassey of being hip; this novel is so unabashedly dorky, it reads like something dreamed by a Mountain Dew guzzling twelve-year-old hooked on Star Wars and Final Fantasy. This sword and sorcery space adventure stands apart from everything else currently out there in the SFF market, ignoring trends in favor of the author’s personal tastes. It’s highly derivative, to be sure, but uniquely so.
The story centers around Aimee, a young “porta..more
No one who reads Skyfarer will ever accuse Joseph Brassey of being hip; this novel is so unabashedly dorky, it reads like something dreamed by a Mountain Dew guzzling twelve-year-old hooked on Star Wars and Final Fantasy. This sword and sorcery space adventure stands apart from everything else currently out there in the SFF market, ignoring trends in favor of the author’s personal tastes. It’s highly derivative, to be sure, but uniquely so.
The story centers around Aimee, a young “porta..more
A light space fantasy book that's action-packed and inventive but feels extremely derivative.
The Drifting Lands are continents floating in an endless sky. Somehow humans live on them and can travel between them using magical skyships and sorcerers that allow travel via teleportation portals. Aimee de Laurent is a newly graduated portalmage just starting as apprentice to the legendary mage Harkon Bright aboard his skyship Elysium. An unexpected outcome of her first teleportation portal puts the E..more
Jul 11, 2017Tammie rated it really liked itThe Drifting Lands are continents floating in an endless sky. Somehow humans live on them and can travel between them using magical skyships and sorcerers that allow travel via teleportation portals. Aimee de Laurent is a newly graduated portalmage just starting as apprentice to the legendary mage Harkon Bright aboard his skyship Elysium. An unexpected outcome of her first teleportation portal puts the E..more
Shelves: adult, adult-fantasy, series, netgalley, space-opera, fantasy
I really enjoyed this book! The mages in this story open portals for their Skyships to pass through, allowing them to travel from place to place more quickly. Aimee is an apprentice portalmage whose first portal casting goes awry, and she and the crew of her ship end up somewhere other than where they were supposed to be. They end up right in the middle of a war. While there Aimee and the rest of the crew learn about a mythical relic called the Axiom Diamond that has the power to show its bearer..more
Portal mages, sword and sorcery, space knights in a sci fi space opera type setting, what else can you ask for. Probably some more originality. The plot was solid if not predictable, the dialogue was nerdy, definitely can see that the author is a massive nerd/star wars fan. I feel like the novel was written by a fanboy who knows how to create fun fantasy scifi fi but it was written with fanboys and a younger audience in mind. Aimee waa a fin character, Lord Azrael was just Kylo ren in diguise. F..more
Jun 25, 2018Bob Milne rated it really liked it
Science-fantasy is a criminally underappreciated genre, despite the fact that its responsible for the entire Star Wars saga. Margaret Weis explored it with her Star of the Guardians saga, Simon R. Green offered up what is perhaps its best example in his Deathstalker Saga, and C.T. Phipps & Michael Suttkus gave it new life with their Lucifer's Star series.
With Skyfarer, Joseph Brassey perfectly recaptures the magic of Star Wars, straying even more into the fantasy side of the genre to deliver..more
With Skyfarer, Joseph Brassey perfectly recaptures the magic of Star Wars, straying even more into the fantasy side of the genre to deliver..more
Jul 13, 2017Beth Cato rated it really liked it
I believe I first saw mention of this book on Twitter with a pitch line like 'Final Fantasy meets Star Wars,' and that is totally accurate. It's a fun, rapid-pace read with space opera-like elements; for example, the sky-faring vessels don't come across as steampunk-style airships at all, more like Firefly crafts, and they are capable of jumps from city to city. This is where the magic comes in--and wow, is there a lot of sorcery about, in all forms and uses. You have a sorceress in the model of..more
Jun 19, 2018Joseph rated it really liked it · review of another edition
To begin with: I loved this almost unreservedly -- great characters, fascinating world, fast-paced.
Aimee de Laurent, apprentice sorceress, is brought aboard the skyship Elysium as their portalcaster (kind of a living hyperdrive; she creates gates that allow them to travel between the many, widely-scattered floating world-fragments without having to traverse all of the space between them) and, when she casts her first portal, ends up bringing them to a fragment currently under attack by the Etern..more
Dec 30, 2016Michael Underwood rated it Aimee de Laurent, apprentice sorceress, is brought aboard the skyship Elysium as their portalcaster (kind of a living hyperdrive; she creates gates that allow them to travel between the many, widely-scattered floating world-fragments without having to traverse all of the space between them) and, when she casts her first portal, ends up bringing them to a fragment currently under attack by the Etern..more
it was amazing
Shelves: angry-robot, speculative-fiction, 2016-reads, swords-diplomacy, 2017-reads
I acquired and edited this book because it is exactly my kind of fantasy - exciting, inventive, and optimistic.
It's like Final Fantasy meets Firefly, and it's going to knock people's socks off.
May 20, 2018Holly (The Grimdragon) rated it really liked itIt's like Final Fantasy meets Firefly, and it's going to knock people's socks off.
Shelves: the-infinite-library, grimdragons-achievement-unlocked, fantasy-sci-fi
(Thank you to Angry Robot Books for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review!)
'The air outside the main viewport swam with ships limping across a bleeding sky. The sunset was achingly beautiful: the golden haze of true west spilled forth the last rays of day to paint the clouds the colors of blood and treasure.'
First off. that cover! Ignacio Lazcano kicking me in the face with some nostalgia right there. I love it! The whole book is pretty nostalgic, to be honest. It reminded me of Sat..more
'The air outside the main viewport swam with ships limping across a bleeding sky. The sunset was achingly beautiful: the golden haze of true west spilled forth the last rays of day to paint the clouds the colors of blood and treasure.'
First off. that cover! Ignacio Lazcano kicking me in the face with some nostalgia right there. I love it! The whole book is pretty nostalgic, to be honest. It reminded me of Sat..more
Aug 17, 2017Hobart rated it it was amazing
★ ★ ★ ★ 1/2 (rounded up)
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've read a few interesting mergers of SF and Fantasy this year -- some that were just that, interesting, some that were good -- a couple that were more than good. Thankfully, Brassey's Skyfarer was in that latter camp. Even in those early chapters where I was still trying to figure out the world, remember which name lined up with what character, and get a handle on the plot, I had a sense that this was going to be..more
This originally appeared at The Irresponsible Reader.
---
I've read a few interesting mergers of SF and Fantasy this year -- some that were just that, interesting, some that were good -- a couple that were more than good. Thankfully, Brassey's Skyfarer was in that latter camp. Even in those early chapters where I was still trying to figure out the world, remember which name lined up with what character, and get a handle on the plot, I had a sense that this was going to be..more
DNF at 23%
There are a lot of great reviews for this book already, all leading me to believe I would love this book. Indeed I should have, magic in space is something I LOVE. But I couldn't manage to care for what was happening or for the characters and the 'bad guy's POV was confusing. I've tried on several occasions to read this and never managed more than a few dozen pages at once. I'm sure this is a great book, it seems to be one of these 'it's not you it's me' kind of thing here since I don..more
There are a lot of great reviews for this book already, all leading me to believe I would love this book. Indeed I should have, magic in space is something I LOVE. But I couldn't manage to care for what was happening or for the characters and the 'bad guy's POV was confusing. I've tried on several occasions to read this and never managed more than a few dozen pages at once. I'm sure this is a great book, it seems to be one of these 'it's not you it's me' kind of thing here since I don..more
Sep 05, 2017Online Eccentric Librarian rated it really liked it
More reviews (and no fluff) on the blog http://surrealtalvi.wordpress.com/
Amidst the current crop of harsh pessimistic sci fi books, Skyfarer drops in enthusiastically channeling Star Wars and early 1970s optimism. It was a time when aliens sent us musical symbols as we chased them to Devil's Mountain instead of bursting out of stomachs or exploding people's heads. And the future had mankind into working together and exploring strange new worlds in Enterprise class starships instead of civiliz..moreSep 12, 2017Splatter Geist rated it it was amazing
I literally have no words to describe this novel. I don’t want to say that it was great, because it was epic. I don’t want to say it was an interesting read, it was captivating. Damn, I don’t even want to say that Joseph Brassey is a brilliant science fiction and fantasy author – he is the author.
To say that this novel has Star Wars-like elements to it, or at least some feeling to it, would be like saying George R.R Martin writes like a high-schooler who had never written a sentence before: you..more
To say that this novel has Star Wars-like elements to it, or at least some feeling to it, would be like saying George R.R Martin writes like a high-schooler who had never written a sentence before: you..more
I found this book to be a walking stereotype of what people hate about fantasy novels (granted, the book was scifi-fantasy but the complaint stands). I love fantasy and have read hundreds of fantasy novels, and this... I couldn't stand it. The language was beyond flowery and long-winded; it was incredibly grating and pulled me out of the (weak) story over and over again. The superfluous adjectives nearly killed me. I don't need you to talk about people's actions like 'she drew upon her arcane..more
Feb 03, 2019Matthew Marchitto rated it it was amazing · review of another edition
Skyfarer is absolutely shameless fantasy fun. It's got magic, airships, massive ether cannons, floating islands, and that's just the start.
This book has LOTS of action in it. Airship battles abound, and magic gets flung all over the place. One thing I liked was how there's a simple structure to the magic. There are some basic principles that set boundaries to what magic can do and how it can be cast while still being loose enough to allow for leeway. This makes it believable that sorcerers like..more
Sep 20, 2017Jennifer (bunnyreads) rated it This book has LOTS of action in it. Airship battles abound, and magic gets flung all over the place. One thing I liked was how there's a simple structure to the magic. There are some basic principles that set boundaries to what magic can do and how it can be cast while still being loose enough to allow for leeway. This makes it believable that sorcerers like..more
really liked it · review of another edition
Shelves: 2017, fantasy-adventure, sci-fi, fantasy-sci-fi
I wrote a silly review for this elsewhere, and I’m posting it here too because frankly, I just don’t feel like writing another. But, I also wanted to add that I really enjoyed how this book didn’t pretend to be anything else but a big fantasy space romp, with overblown characters and a silly plot, that fifteen-year old me would have loved the hell out of (and apparently still loves). I will be back for the sequel. I hope there is one.
First quarter, I was giving this story five stars just because..more
First quarter, I was giving this story five stars just because..more
This is an intriguing fantasy story in which the crew of the Serenity face off against Kylo Ren. OK, it's not exactly those characters, but there are enough parallels that that's how I've pitched this book to friends and family, to great success.
Just look at that cover! In this case, it's OK to judge the book by that, because the cover promises so much, and the book delivers.
The pacing of the story was another factor that really impressed me. Several times while reading it, I felt we were gettin..more
Just look at that cover! In this case, it's OK to judge the book by that, because the cover promises so much, and the book delivers.
The pacing of the story was another factor that really impressed me. Several times while reading it, I felt we were gettin..more
Jul 15, 2018Stephanie Hickman rated it really liked it
I wasn't sure if I would like this book because I do not usually read sci-fi. I do think this is a good book. It has just enough sci-fi to not be over my head, but it is blended with magic. The premesis is to retrieve a hidden powerful object before the Eternal Order gets it. The Eternal Order is evil and sadistic and if they get the Axiom Diamond it will show them any truth they want. A portal mage and his apprentice have to help get to it and save an entire kingdom. I do want to read the 2nd o..more
Sep 13, 2017Jo (Mixed Book Bag) rated it it was amazing
A quest filled with interesting characters. While I found the world building familiar (islands floating in the sky) the story fit the place. There is a lot of sword fighting in the story. The characters are capable of many kinds of magic. The good guys are good but one of the bad guys is not what he seems. This is the first book in a new series and while the plot points are solved here there is a lot that can still happen. I look forward to new adventures with this crew.
Apr 03, 2019Sarah rated it really liked it Shelves: sciencefiction, fantasy, physical-books, 2019-challenge-books
Sometimes you just really want that fantasy but still somehow sci-fi, action movie style book. This is a book for those times. It was just a flat out fun read.
I also loved the world/setting and magic concepts, simple but well built for the length of this novel. I'm looking forward to the next book.
I also loved the world/setting and magic concepts, simple but well built for the length of this novel. I'm looking forward to the next book.
Dec 09, 2018Kakashi Hatake rated it it was amazing
Awesome book. Loved the last few chapters especially.
Aug 02, 2017Charlotte rated it really liked it
This review first appeared on Wayward Kitsune.
Finally, I was able to mine a gem in Netgalley. Despite some minor issues, Skyfare didn’t disappoint from beginning to end. The story goes like this: An apprentice sorceress, Aimee de Laurent, just finished school and had a taste of what the real world is by becoming a portal mage for a spaceship named Elysium. As she was learning the ropes, Aimee and the rest of Elysium’s crew crossed paths with an evil, powerful and ruthless mage knight, Lord Azrae..more
Finally, I was able to mine a gem in Netgalley. Despite some minor issues, Skyfare didn’t disappoint from beginning to end. The story goes like this: An apprentice sorceress, Aimee de Laurent, just finished school and had a taste of what the real world is by becoming a portal mage for a spaceship named Elysium. As she was learning the ropes, Aimee and the rest of Elysium’s crew crossed paths with an evil, powerful and ruthless mage knight, Lord Azrae..more
Mar 25, 2018Francesco Lanza rated it really liked it
Such a fast, action filled book! I never really read much high fantasy, not even when I was a kid, and even then, it really was stuff like Eddings and Brooks who were all about banter, exposition, self-loathing, traveling, sporadical fights and drama, not.. You know action-fighting-action, big explosions, 'oh no, we have 24 hours or the world will be destroyed!' stuff, and so on.
This book is structured like a comic, like a screenplay. Except, it's not one of those neurotic, endlessly careening..more
Sep 19, 2018Daniel Shellenbarger rated it liked itThis book is structured like a comic, like a screenplay. Except, it's not one of those neurotic, endlessly careening..more
Shelves: high-fantasy, space-opera, science-fantasy
Skyfarer is sort of like a cross between Firefly (small crew of likeable rogues against the universe) and Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (I'd say why, but that would be a pretty massive spoiler) set on a world that feels like it came out of a JRPG (I mean, come on, we've got magical airships and floating islands everywhere, that's so JRPG, though I don't mean that as a dig, I've always found that idea fascinating). The story mostly follows Aimee de Laurent, a young woman from a noble family who..more
This is getting a reluctant three stars. And by reluctant, I mean I don't if I want to give it two stars or four. I'm pretty sure it's not a three, but I don't see how else to resolve that.
So lets start with the Good.
The Good is that the Unabashed Fun meter was turned all the way up to 11. Skyfarer is primarily the tale of Aimee de Laurent, an aristocratic portalmage who's turned her back on the high life in favour of the sky high life and all the freedom that comes with it.
Brassey mentions tha..more
So lets start with the Good.
The Good is that the Unabashed Fun meter was turned all the way up to 11. Skyfarer is primarily the tale of Aimee de Laurent, an aristocratic portalmage who's turned her back on the high life in favour of the sky high life and all the freedom that comes with it.
Brassey mentions tha..more
Feb 01, 2018Betsy rated it really liked it
This was a fun romp. The comparisons to Firefly are well merited. The crew is necessarily not very fleshed out, mostly stock characters that are found in most ragtag crew stories (the super close siblings, the genius engineer, the mysterious captain, the tough fighter) but hopefully in future books they will get more development.
The main character, Aimee, is an example of the rebellious, headstrong Tough Girl which is actually a trope I hate, because it's usually done as an excuse to write a Str..more
The main character, Aimee, is an example of the rebellious, headstrong Tough Girl which is actually a trope I hate, because it's usually done as an excuse to write a Str..more
Jan 14, 2019Daniel rated it really liked it
This review originally published in Looking For a Good Book. Rated 4.0 of 5
Joseph Brassey's Skyfarer is a delightful throwback to science fantasy of the 1970's and 80's.
Aimee de Laurent is fresh out of the academy where she has studied wizardry (wizarding?). She is now apprentice to one of the best teachers in the entire galaxy, Harkon Bright, and they are about to head out on a very long (years) expedition to explore the galaxy in their skyship.
As they begin, however, Aimee casts the initial sp..more
Joseph Brassey's Skyfarer is a delightful throwback to science fantasy of the 1970's and 80's.
Aimee de Laurent is fresh out of the academy where she has studied wizardry (wizarding?). She is now apprentice to one of the best teachers in the entire galaxy, Harkon Bright, and they are about to head out on a very long (years) expedition to explore the galaxy in their skyship.
As they begin, however, Aimee casts the initial sp..more
Aug 31, 2018Amber rated it it was ok
Content Warning: child abuse, torture, and emotional manipulation
I initially did not finish this book but then went back to give it another chance and see if it improved. While I didn't hate it I can't really say I would recommend it either.
The premise of the world and how magic is used is interesting. The mix of technology and scattered kingdoms is interesting. However I never felt like I really got to know any of the characters. Aimee is clearly a special individual with a great grasp on casti..more
I initially did not finish this book but then went back to give it another chance and see if it improved. While I didn't hate it I can't really say I would recommend it either.
The premise of the world and how magic is used is interesting. The mix of technology and scattered kingdoms is interesting. However I never felt like I really got to know any of the characters. Aimee is clearly a special individual with a great grasp on casti..more
Endless Sky Hunt Down By Train
Jun 13, 2018Steven Latta rated it really liked it
Steampunk-ish magic flying machines? Check. Fun heroes? Check. Evil villains? Check. Jim Butcher's 'The Cinder Spires' series? Nope.
This is the first book in Joe Brassey's 'Drifting Lands' series. So, what set it apart from Butcher's series the most for me? It was FUN. Seriously, I love Butcher's 'Dresden Files' series, but I've tried twice to get into his 'Cinder Spires' series and lost interest after a few chapters of the first book both times. 'Skyfarer', on the other hand, had me hooked from..more
This is the first book in Joe Brassey's 'Drifting Lands' series. So, what set it apart from Butcher's series the most for me? It was FUN. Seriously, I love Butcher's 'Dresden Files' series, but I've tried twice to get into his 'Cinder Spires' series and lost interest after a few chapters of the first book both times. 'Skyfarer', on the other hand, had me hooked from..more
Having listened to the author's podcast I expected that this would be more of a comedic novel but it is generally a serious story. While reading the book I got a Star Wars feel about it, I don't know why, I just did.
Plot:
The kingdom (Enter fantasy name here) is attacked by nasty bad guys who call themselves the Order. The Order are after an artefact that will supposedly make them powerful. One of the MCs, Lord Azrael leads the assault in order to get the gem stone for his big bad boss.
The secon..more
Plot:
The kingdom (Enter fantasy name here) is attacked by nasty bad guys who call themselves the Order. The Order are after an artefact that will supposedly make them powerful. One of the MCs, Lord Azrael leads the assault in order to get the gem stone for his big bad boss.
The secon..more
topics | posts | views | last activity |
---|---|---|---|
Eastside Sci-Fi &..:Skyfarer by Joseph Brassey | 1 | 2 | Nov 18, 2017 01:28PM |
Recommend It | Stats | Recent Status Updates
See similar books…
See top shelves…
Joseph Brassey is a freelance writer and medieval fighting instructor who lives in Tacoma, Washington.
He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, son, and two cats. In his spare time, he trains in, and teaches, medieval martial arts. He has lived on both sides of the continental United States and has worked everywhere from a local newspaper to the frameshop of a crafts store to the smoke-belc..more
He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his wife, son, and two cats. In his spare time, he trains in, and teaches, medieval martial arts. He has lived on both sides of the continental United States and has worked everywhere from a local newspaper to the frameshop of a crafts store to the smoke-belc..more
The Drifting Lands(2 books)
Endless Sky Hunt Down By Side
Lyrics to Hell Comes Down From HeavenNow and then I look upon the sky but why?Yet another day is passing by oh my
Not so sure what I am waiting for at your door
For a little faith in you? No more!
Have you ever showed a single sign divine
Have you ever heard a word of mine of mine
Will you ever look me in the eye and lie?
Will you share a tear the day I die? I die?
Can you try and tell me why from the sky
Your hell comes down from heaven
Everyday an endless play's staged away
While hell comes down from heaven
Go insane and spread the pain: let it rain
Let hell come down from heaven
Can you try? And tell me why
From the sky when hell comes down from heaven
Hell, your hell comes down from heaven
You created life it's such a mess, I guess
It never bothered you, could not care less oh yes
I give up you let me down agree? You see
Thanks a lot, your hell comes down on me
Can you try and tell me why from the sky
Your hell comes down from heaven
Everyday an endless play's staged away
While hell comes down from heaven
Go insane and spread the pain: let it rain
Let hell come down from heaven
Can you try? And tell me why
Your hell comes down from heaven
Again and again a part of your plan: again and again
Your hell comes down from heaven
Hell comes down from heaven
Have you ever showed a single sign divine
Have you ever heard a word of mine of mine
Will you ever look me in the eye and lie?
Will you share a tear the day I die? I die?
Can you try and tell me why from the sky
Your hell comes down from heaven
Everyday an endless play's staged away
While hell comes down from heaven
Go insane and spread the pain: let it rain
Let hell come down from heaven
Can you try? And tell me why
From the sky when hell comes down from heaven
Hell, your hell comes down from heaven
You created life it's such a mess, I guess
It never bothered you, could not care less oh yes
I give up you let me down agree? You see
Thanks a lot, your hell comes down on me
Can you try and tell me why from the sky
Your hell comes down from heaven
Everyday an endless play's staged away
While hell comes down from heaven
Go insane and spread the pain: let it rain
Let hell come down from heaven
Can you try? And tell me why
Your hell comes down from heaven
Again and again a part of your plan: again and again
Your hell comes down from heaven
Hell comes down from heaven
Songwriters:
Publisher:
Powered by LyricFind
PermalinkPublisher:
Powered by LyricFind
Join GitHub today
GitHub is home to over 36 million developers working together to host and review code, manage projects, and build software together. Wise care 365 5.1.9 key.
Photoshop live paint. Next, click on the Live Paint Bucket tool, which is hidden under the Shape Builder tool, and click on the selection.This turns the selected objects into a Live Paint Group. With this feature in its arsenal, Illustrator automatically and dynamically detects and closes small to large gaps that may be part of the artwork. See how the different regions become highlighted?.Click when the region you want to fill is activated.Now try it with other fill colors in different regions.A companion feature to the Live Paint Bucket is support for gap detection. Now when you move the Live Paint Bucket tool over them again, the different regions become highlighted, indicating they are ready to paint.
Fallout Wiki: Nukapedia. Then there are the big energy weapons and I'll just get the sprtlewood when I have the caps, mainly because I'd have a good weapon to use ECPs. Also PEW PEW the laser pistol is amazing aswell probably better than both the laser rifle and unique plasma rifle.
Sign up May 17, 2016 - My character is heavy on the energy weapons, so I wanted to know what would be best for him? I currently have a guass rifle, multiplus rifle,. Energy Weapons is a Fallout, Fallout 2, Fallout 3, Fallout: New Vegas and Fallout Tactics skill. This skill determines the player's combat effectiveness with.
Find file Copy path
AmaziniteAdded on visit dialogs for nearly all missions that can trigger thembe9046aJun 18, 2019
18 contributors
# Copyright (c) 2014 by Michael Zahniser |
# |
# Endless Sky is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the |
# terms of the GNU General Public License as published by the Free Software |
# Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or (at your option) any later version. |
# |
# Endless Sky is distributed in the hope that it will be useful, but WITHOUT ANY |
# WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A |
# PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU General Public License for more details. |
mission 'FW Diplomacy 1' |
landing |
name 'Free Worlds Diplomacy' |
description 'Travel to <planet> to meet up with Alondo, who will explain more.' |
source |
near 'Sabik' 1 100 |
destination 'Longjump' |
to offer |
has 'event: navy occupying the south' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`As you are landing, you receive a message from JJ, on behalf of the Council. The message reads:` |
` Captain <last>, sorry that we have been out of contact. We need your help once again, to assist in a diplomatic mission. Please meet up with Alondo on <planet> as soon as possible. He will give you more information.` |
` Sincerely,` |
` Jean-Jacques and Freya` |
accept |
event 'catalytic ramscoop available' |
on complete |
dialog `As you are landing, Alondo contacts you and asks you to meet him in the spaceport as soon as you have a bunk prepared for him.` |
mission 'FW Diplomacy 1B' |
name 'Free Worlds Diplomacy' |
description 'Bring Alondo to <planet> to meet with Parliament. Your guarantee of safe passage will expire on <day>.' |
autosave |
source 'Longjump' |
destination 'Earth' |
deadline 24 |
to offer |
has 'FW Diplomacy 1: done' |
passengers 1 |
blocked 'You do not have a bunk free for Alondo. Return here when you do.' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You meet up with Alondo, who insists on not telling you anything until you are safely back aboard your own ship. Once you have brought him to his room, he says, 'Here's the deal. The Senate has been secretly reaching out to other worlds, and four of them have decided to join us: Harmony, New Portland, Dancer, and New India.'` |
choice |
` 'That's great news!'` |
` 'Why haven't I heard of this yet?'` |
goto heard |
` 'Indeed it is,' says Alondo. 'Any worlds joining us would be reason to celebrate, but these four are particularly important because they are on the trade route to Tarazed. If we control those systems, our supply convoys will be much safer.'` |
` 'Why isn't this public knowledge yet?' you ask.` |
label heard |
` 'Well,' says Alondo, 'apparently the Senate was not being as secretive as they thought. Somehow word leaked out to the Republic that those worlds were defecting, and a massive Navy fleet moved to occupy those systems. Which means we're on the brink of another bloody battle.'` |
choice |
` 'Don't worry, I'm sure we can defeat them.'` |
goto defeat |
` 'Is there any way to avoid a fight?'` |
goto avoid |
label defeat |
` 'I'm sure we can,' says Alondo, 'but with heavy loss of life on both sides. We want to avoid that if at all possible. That's where you come in.'` |
goto plan |
label avoid |
` 'That's what we're hoping,' he says, 'and that's where you come in.'` |
goto plan |
label plan |
` 'How so?' you ask.` |
` He says, 'We've arranged for you to be granted safe passage through Republic space for the next three weeks. That's enough time to bring me to Earth and back. If I can meet with Parliament in person, maybe I will be able to work something out.'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, let's go to Earth!'` |
accept |
` 'How do we know this isn't a trap? You're willing to risk your life for this?'` |
` 'If we can save thousands of lives from being lost in a needless battle, it's worth the risk,' he says. 'Now come on, the clock is ticking. We need to be safely back in Free space before your safe passage expires.'` |
accept |
on accept |
event 'fw safe passage starts' |
event 'fw safe passage ends' 24 |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Alondo hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Diplomacy 1C' |
landing |
name 'Free Worlds Diplomacy' |
description 'Bring Alondo to <planet> to meet with the senior Navy officers. Take as direct a route as possible, because your safe passage expires soon.' |
source 'Earth' |
destination 'New Wales' |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Diplomacy 1B: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Stopped on Earth with Alondo to talk to Parliament and try to head off another bloody battle. But, they were not willing to negotiate.' |
conversation |
`You drop off Alondo and wish him luck. Hours pass, and you begin to worry that he has been taken prisoner or killed. But finally he returns, looking very discouraged. 'It makes no sense,' he says. 'The tax revenue they get from those four worlds doesn't come close to covering the cost of defending them. They should be glad to let them go.'` |
choice |
` 'So, Parliament won't give up those worlds without a fight?'` |
goto fight |
` 'Maybe they're afraid of the precedent it would set if they give in to us.'` |
goto precedent |
label fight |
` 'That's right,' he says. 'Amazing how heedless they can be, sitting in their comfy Parliament house deciding the fates of others.'` |
goto next |
label precedent |
` 'Yes, that seems to be what's at stake,' he says. 'But by now they should see the writing on the wall. Amazing how callous they can be about the lives of the Navy crews who are following their orders.'` |
label next |
` 'So, we just head home in defeat?' you ask.` |
` 'Not quite,' he says. 'While we have the chance, I want to talk with the Navy leadership directly. Landing near the secret base on New Austria would be way too provocative, so I've arranged to meet with them on their base on <planet> instead.'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, if that's what it takes to avoid another bloody battle, I'll take you there.'` |
accept |
` 'Are you insane? Flying straight into the largest Navy base in the sector?'` |
` 'Don't worry,' he says. 'The Navy takes honor very seriously. If they promise our safety, we'll be safe. At least until that grant of safe passage expires, that is.' You have serious doubts, but you have no choice but to obey him.` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Alondo hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Diplomacy 1D' |
landing |
name 'Free Worlds Diplomacy' |
description 'Bring Alondo back to <destination>. Take as direct a route as possible, because your safe passage expires soon.' |
source 'New Wales' |
destination Longjump |
to offer |
has 'FW Diplomacy 1C: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`When you land on <origin>, Alondo says, 'You should join me for this meeting. You may find it eye-opening.'` |
` Four of the Navy admirals who are stationed here have agreed to meet with you. You discover that one of them is from the Dirt Belt. Another grew up in the Rim, and admits to you that if he were not serving the Navy, he would be fighting for the Free Worlds. All four of them seem sympathetic to your cause, and express genuine regret not just for the Navy lives that have been lost, but for the Free Worlds losses as well.` |
` And all four of them state, without any hesitation or equivocation, that if Parliament orders them to continue to fight the Free Worlds, they will fight until all possibility of victory is gone.` |
` Alondo thanks them for their time and their honesty, and you return to your ship. 'Well, it was worth a try. Now we just have to get home safely,' he says.` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Alondo hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
on complete |
dialog `You are still finding it hard to believe that you made it to Earth and back in one piece. Alondo thanks you for transporting him and says, 'Now I just have to break the bad news to the Senate. JJ and I will meet you in the spaceport bar in a few hours, once we've decided what our next steps will be.'` |
event 'navy using mark ii ships' |
mission 'FW Southern Recon 1' |
name 'Reconnaissance' |
description 'Fly through <waypoints> to get a sense of the Navy's strength in those systems, then report to <destination>.' |
autosave |
source 'Longjump' |
waypoint 'Rastaban' |
waypoint 'Delta Sagittarii' |
waypoint 'Albaldah' |
destination 'Trinket' |
to offer |
has 'FW Diplomacy 1D: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
event 'fw safe passage ends' |
conversation |
`Alondo and JJ are in a somber mood when you meet up with them in the bar. You can't help remembering that Tomek always used to be a part of these gatherings, before he turned against the Senate. And now it looks like your next major battle will be fought without Tomek's expert guidance.` |
` JJ says, 'We've done all we can. Sooner or later we will have to fight the Navy for those star systems. So to start with, <first>, we'd like you to scout them out and report back to us on the Navy's presence there. Freya is on Trinket, gathering a fleet. Report to her there when you're done.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog phrase 'generic waypoint on visit' |
mission 'FW Southern Recon 1B' |
landing |
name 'Electron Beam' |
description 'Steal an Electron Beam from a Navy gunboat and return it to <planet> for Freya to look at. She thought your best bet for finding lone gunboats might be the Wei or Alnasl systems.' |
autosave |
source 'Trinket' |
destination 'Trinket' |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1: done' |
on offer |
log 'It looks like the Navy has begun using some more powerful beam weapons and torpedoes. Tasked with plundering one of the electron beam weapons so Freya can get a closer look at it.' |
event 'gunboats in Alnasl' |
conversation |
`Freya thanks you for performing the scouting mission, and you give her a copy of your ship's logs to analyze. As she looks through them, almost immediately something catches her eye. 'Looks like the Navy is fielding some new weapons,' she says. 'Some higher-yield torpedoes, and a beam weapon even more powerful than heavy lasers. Those beam weapons in particular worry me.'` |
choice |
` 'Yes, that kind of negates the advantage I was hoping we'd have due to our new plasma turrets.'` |
` 'Does that mean we're not going to attack them after all?'` |
goto attack |
` 'Well,' she says, 'the plasma turrets weren't the only ace up our sleeve, but still, it's frustrating that the Navy still has such an advantage over us technologically.'` |
` 'What should we do?' you ask.` |
label attack |
` 'We're going to have to fight them eventually, but first we need as much information as we can get on their new weapon systems. I'd like you to find one of their gunboats that has the new electron beams installed, steal one of them, and bring it back here. I imagine one of them can't be much bigger than twenty or thirty tons, so you ought to be able to find space for it. Think you can do that?'` |
choice |
` 'How can I find a gunboat that's all by itself? They're usually a part of a bigger fleet.'` |
` She thinks about that for a moment, then says, 'The Navy has shifted most of their capital ships to the defecting systems in the south. That means that some of the systems up north will have lighter defenses. You might try Wei or Alnasl. Good luck, Captain.'` |
accept |
to complete |
not 'FW Southern Recon 1B (Turret): done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1B (Turret): done' |
on visit |
dialog `You've returned to <planet>, but you don't have an Electron Beam. Try finding lone Navy ships in Wei or Alnasl to disable and plunder from.` |
on complete |
fail 'FW Southern Recon 1B (Turret)' |
outfit 'Electron Beam' -1 |
dialog `You hand off the Electron Beam to Freya's science team. They tell you that she's waiting for you in a cafe in the spaceport.` |
mission 'FW Southern Recon 1B (Turret)' |
landing |
invisible |
source Trinket |
destination Trinket |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1: done' |
to complete |
not 'FW Southern Recon 1B: done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1B: done' |
on complete |
fail 'FW Southern Recon 1B' |
outfit 'Electron Turret' -1 |
dialog `You hand off the Electron Turret to Freya's science team. They tell you that she's waiting for you in a cafe in the spaceport.` |
mission 'FW Southern Battle 1' |
name 'Escort Battle Fleet' |
description 'Travel to <planet> to gather a fleet of experimental new warships, and escort them back to Trinket.' |
source Trinket |
destination Zug |
to offer |
or |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1B: done' |
has 'FW Southern Recon 1B (Turret): done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
event 'normal in Alnasl' |
conversation |
`Because this world is a tourist destination, there are innumerable fancy cafes in the spaceport. You meet up with Freya in one of the smaller ones. 'Thank you for acquiring that weapon sample for us,' she says. 'It's typical Republic weaponry: far more efficient than anything we're able to make, and very well designed. My engineers were kind of in awe as they disassembled it.'` |
choice |
` 'Do you have any tactical advice on fighting ships with one of those installed?'` |
goto advice |
` 'Is there any chance we can reverse engineer it and build our own?'` |
goto reverse |
label advice |
` 'Well,' she says, 'its range is very slightly shorter than our plasma turrets. You might be able to use that to your advantage if you can position your ship just right so that you can hit an enemy target but they can't hit you. You may find that useful in the upcoming battle.'` |
goto battle |
label reverse |
` 'Maybe, although we haven't even mastered the art of building heavy lasers yet,' she says. 'We certainly won't have time before the upcoming battle.'` |
goto battle |
label battle |
` 'So we're definitely going to attack the Navy?' you ask.` |
` 'We have no choice,' she says. 'We tried diplomacy. If we don't show a willingness to support new worlds that want to join us, or if we don't seem to have enough strength to defend them, some of those that have joined us already may start to return to the Republic.'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, I'm ready to fight.'` |
` 'I wish it hadn't come to this, but if you think it's our only option, I'll join the fight.'` |
` 'Thank you,' she says. 'But there's one more thing we must do to prepare for battle. I mentioned before that we have an ace up our sleeve. It's a new warship designed by Southbound Shipyards, intended to be a match for a Cruiser. They've only finished building three of them. I'd like you to travel to Zug and escort them back here. Once you return, we'll prepare for battle.'` |
accept |
mission 'FW Southern Battle 1B' |
landing |
name 'Escort Battle Fleet' |
description 'Escort a fleet of experimental warships to <destination>.' |
autosave |
source Zug |
destination Trinket |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Battle 1: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`When you land on <origin>, a Southbound Shipyards executive leads you to a hangar. The hangar is huge, but it clearly was not meant to hold a ship as large as the one it now contains. There is barely enough space for the cranes and catwalks being used by the construction crews. He says, 'The Dreadnought is a new design, the largest ship we've ever built. Only three of them have been completed so far.' You can't help but be impressed at the size of the Dreadnought: as bulky as a Cruiser, it looks like a cross between a Bastion and an Argosy freighter.` |
` He then leads you out to a section of the spaceport where three Dreadnoughts are parked. Next to them, and looking tiny by comparison, are five Furies. You ask, 'Are those Furies part of the battle fleet, too?'` |
` 'Yes,' he says, 'equipped with some fancy new weapons from Barmy Edward up at Kraz Cybernetics. I haven't seen them in action yet, but he's convinced they'll be useful against the Navy.'` |
` You thank him for his time, and meet up with the captains of the battle fleet, arranging for them to follow you back to Trinket.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality timid escort |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Sequoia' |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Sitka' |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Rosewood' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Montag' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Faber' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Beatty' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Mildred' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Clarisse' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left part of your convoy behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
on complete |
dialog `You land on <planet> with the battle fleet. Time to meet up with Freya in the spaceport.` |
event 'battle for Rastaban' |
'reputation: Republic' = -1000 |
system Rastaban |
fleet 'Small Free Worlds' 10000 |
system Lesath |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 800 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 1600 |
fleet 'Small Free Worlds' 800 |
fleet 'Large Free Worlds' 1100 |
system Sargas |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 2500 |
fleet 'Small Free Worlds' 1000 |
fleet 'Large Free Worlds' 1500 |
mission 'FW Southern Battle 2' |
name 'Attack Rastaban' |
description 'Travel directly to the <system> system, so that you will arrive on <day> and join the battle against the Navy. Disable or destroy all Navy ships in system.' |
source Trinket |
destination Dancer |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Battle 1B: done' |
deadline 3 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Preparing for another major battle with the Navy, this time in the Rastaban system, which just recently expressed an interest in joining the Free Worlds but has not been able to do so due to the Navy presence. The Free Worlds will be using a new model of warship, the Dreadnought, in this battle.' |
event 'battle for Rastaban' |
conversation |
`When you meet up with Freya in the cafe, she looks like she hasn't slept in several days. 'I can't believe we're headed for another major battle,' she says. 'I keep hoping the Navy will just pull back and not force us to fight them.'` |
choice |
` 'It doesn't seem likely that Parliament would allow that.'` |
` 'Yes, their sense of honor can be inspiring at times, but right now it's annoying.'` |
` 'Indeed,' she says. 'Although, based on what Alondo said, the Navy hinted that if we made such a show of force that there was no way they could win the battle, they could honorably choose to retreat. So, if they start trying to retreat, let them go. But I suspect it will be a difficult battle to win.'` |
` 'What's the battle plan?' you ask.` |
` 'The fleet from Southbound Shipyards will be traveling with you,' she says. 'Other fleets with other commanders will be converging on Rastaban separately, at approximately the same time. So, you have no time to lose. You must travel directly to Rastaban from here, or else you will arrive too late to join in the fight. Good luck, captain.'` |
accept |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic disables escort |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Sequoia' |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Sitka' |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Rosewood' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Montag' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Faber' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Beatty' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Mildred' |
ship 'Fury (Flamethrower)' 'F.S. Clarisse' |
npc |
system Rastaban |
personality heroic uninterested staying disables |
government 'Free Worlds' |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Plasma)' |
'Osprey' 2 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Plasma)' |
'Osprey (Missile)' 2 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Heavy)' |
'Osprey (Laser)' 2 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Plasma)' |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Bastion' 2 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
fighters 'free worlds fighters' |
variant |
'Skein' 2 |
'Finch' 12 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon' 2 |
npc evade |
system Rastaban |
personality heroic uninterested staying |
government 'Republic' |
fleet 2 |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Carrier (Mark II)' |
'Lance' 4 |
'Combat Drone' 6 |
fleet 3 |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Cruiser (Mark II)' |
'Combat Drone' 4 |
fleet 3 |
names 'republic small' |
variant |
'Rainmaker (Mark II)' 2 |
fleet 2 |
names 'republic small' |
variant |
'Gunboat (Mark II)' 3 |
fleet 2 |
names 'republic small' |
variant |
'Gunboat (Mark II)' 2 |
on visit |
dialog `You've landed on <planet>, but there are still Navy ships circling overhead. You should take off and help finish them off.` |
on complete |
event 'fw southern expansion' |
mission 'FW Southern Battle 3' |
landing |
name 'Sweep for Navy Ships' |
description 'Travel through the systems near Rastaban and make sure that the remainder of the Navy occupation fleet is retreating. (If they are fleeing, let them flee.)' |
autosave |
source 'Dancer' |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Battle 2: done' |
waypoint Girtab |
waypoint Albaldah |
waypoint 'Delta Sagittarii' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The Navy has been driven out of the Rastaban system. That will allow the people on Harmony, Dancer, New Portland, and New India to join the Free Worlds.' |
conversation |
`As soon as you land on <origin>, you contact Freya and let her know that the system is yours. 'That's great news,' she says. 'Now we need to make sure they've pulled back from the neighboring systems, too. Take a few ships and sweep through Delta Sagittarii and Albaldah and make sure they're clear. Leave the rest of the fleet on Dancer to handle the prisoners and repairs.'` |
choice |
` 'What should I do if I encounter Navy ships on my patrol?'` |
goto patrol |
` 'What are we going to do with the prisoners?'` |
goto prisoners |
label patrol |
` 'If they're fleeing, let them flee,' she says, 'but if you discover a strong Navy presence remaining in one of those systems, report back to Dancer before engaging them. Meanwhile, I'll ask Alondo to contact the Navy admirals and see if we can get Katya back in exchange for those prisoners.'` |
goto katya |
label prisoners |
` 'Well,' she says, 'my hope is that we can trade them for any of our people who have been captured so far in this war. Including Katya.'` |
goto katya |
label katya |
` 'You think she's still alive?' you ask.` |
` 'Certainly, and having this many Navy prisoners gives us a great bargaining chip for negotiating her freedom. Now, gather your patrol, and by the time you get back, I hope we will have arranged for her release.'` |
accept |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Delta Sagittarii' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Girtab' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Albaldah' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
on visit |
dialog phrase 'generic waypoint on visit' |
on complete |
dialog `You've finished patrolling the nearby systems. Now you can meet up with Freya in the spaceport, and hopefully she will have good news about Katya.` |
mission 'FW Southern Prisoners - Release' |
name 'Return Navy Prisoners' |
description 'As a goodwill gesture, return the Navy prisoners to <destination> rather than imprisoning them on Clink. Your safe passage ends on <day>.' |
source Dancer |
clearance |
destination 'New Iceland' |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Battle 3: done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Southern Prisoners - Keep: done' |
deadline 7 |
on offer |
conversation |
`You find Freya and Alondo watching over a large hangar where several hundred Navy crew and support staff are being kept under guard. Alondo says, 'I contacted the Navy admirals. They say Katya is not under their control; she is a prisoner of the Intelligence bureau, and arranging her release could take weeks. But they promised that if we return their prisoners now, they will ensure Katya's release and return her to us soon.'` |
choice |
` 'How do we know they won't break that promise?'` |
` 'Why not just keep the prisoners until we have Katya back safely?'` |
` Freya sighs. 'Alondo claims that the admirals value their honor so highly that we can trust their promise. I am not so sure. Even if the admirals do their best, what if Intelligence refuses to honor the deal we make?'` |
` Alondo says, 'On the other hand, if we release these prisoners on parole as a gesture of good faith, it could bring us much closer to a diplomatic end to this war. Which would be far preferable to another battle as bloody as this one.'` |
` Freya says, 'And meanwhile, JJ is off on a top secret mission. And that means he's not available to consult with, and we need to make this decision now.'` |
` 'And since we cannot agree,' says Alondo, 'we are giving you the deciding vote.'` |
choice |
` 'What do you mean?'` |
` 'We will be putting you in charge of the prisoner convoy,' says Alondo, 'and arranging a week of safe passage for you. If you think we should return the prisoners as a gesture of goodwill to improve our chances of a diplomatic end to this war, bring the convoy to <planet>.'` |
` 'But if you think we should hold on to the prisoners until we receive Katya safely back,' says Freya, 'bring the convoy to Clink. Understand?'` |
` It's a serious choice facing you, with no clear right decision. You thank them for trusting you, and begin preparations to escort the prisoners.` |
accept |
on accept |
event 'fw safe passage starts' |
event 'fw safe passage ends' 7 |
npc accompany save |
government 'Escort' |
personality timid escort |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Charity' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Good Hope' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Stoutheart' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Nightingale' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Turtledove' |
npc |
government Republic |
personality staying uninterested |
system 'Kaus Borealis' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 4 |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left part of your convoy behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
on complete |
karma ++ |
set 'fw delivered prisoners' |
log 'Was given the choice of what to do with the Navy prisoners from the battle for Rastaban, and decided to parole and release them rather than imprisoning them. Hopefully that will earn some goodwill from the Navy in the future.' |
mission 'FW Southern Prisoners - Keep' |
name 'Keep Navy Prisoners' |
description 'Rather than releasing the Navy prisoners, deliver them to the mines on Clink, to be held until Katya is returned to you.' |
source Dancer |
destination Clink |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Battle 3: done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Southern Prisoners - Release: done' |
on complete |
karma -- |
set 'fw delivered prisoners' |
event 'fw prison on Clink' |
log 'Was given the choice of what to do with the Navy prisoners from the battle for Rastaban, and decided to imprison them on Clink. Hopefully that will weaken the Navy, a little bit.' |
mission 'FW Southern Prisoners - Released' |
landing |
name 'Report to Dancer' |
description 'Report back to Freya and Alondo on Dancer that you chose to release the prisoners.' |
source 'New Iceland' |
destination Dancer |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Prisoners - Release: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`<origin> has become the home of a major Navy base almost overnight; the number of ships and people here is almost overwhelming. You return the prisoners, who have all taken an oath of parole to take no further part in the war against the Free Worlds. One of the four Navy admirals who you and Alondo met with earlier is here, and as you are unloading the prisoners, he says, 'More volunteers for the 'Oathkeepers,' I see.'` |
choice |
` 'Who are the 'Oathkeepers'?'` |
` 'The officers you granted parole to months ago. We reassigned them all to duty in the north, patrolling for pirates.'` |
` 'You mean they really do honor their promise not to fight us?' you ask.` |
` 'Of course. They swore a vow, after all.' You suspect it's not quite that simple, but decide that questioning this admiral's word would be pointless. As you are getting ready to leave, he says, 'Don't worry, we will be returning Miss Reynolds to you shortly. The ship carrying her should arrive here in a week or two.'` |
` You hope he is telling the truth. Now, it is time to meet with Freya and Alondo and decide what should be done next.` |
launch |
npc accompany save |
government 'Escort' |
personality timid escort |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Charity' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Good Hope' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Stoutheart' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Nightingale' |
ship 'Blackbird' 'F.S. Turtledove' |
npc |
government Republic |
personality staying uninterested |
system 'Kaus Borealis' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 4 |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left part of your convoy behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
mission 'FW Southern Prisoners - Kept' |
landing |
name 'Report to Dancer' |
description 'Report back to Freya and Alondo on Dancer that you chose to keep the prisoners on Clink.' |
source Clink |
destination Dancer |
to offer |
has 'FW Southern Prisoners - Keep: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You drop off the prisoners at the mines of Clink, to be held until the Navy returns Katya to you. Now, it's time to meet with Freya and Alondo and decide what should be done next.` |
accept |
mission 'FW Southern Break' |
landing |
source Dancer |
autosave |
to offer |
has 'fw delivered prisoners' |
on offer |
log 'Once again there is no immediate work to be done for the Free Worlds. This would be a good time to earn some money for an upgraded ship, if possible.' |
event 'fw occupying the north' 50 |
conversation |
`You land on Dancer and report to Alondo and Freya that the prisoner transfer is complete. 'What do we do now?' you ask.` |
` Freya says, 'Well, I hope we're done with fighting for a while, now. We'll stay here to hold this system against any Navy retaliation. And, we'll keep hoping that Parliament might come to their senses and agree to a diplomatic end to this conflict. In the meantime I suggest you spend some time doing whatever it is you do to earn money on the side - carrying passengers or freight or hunting pirates. We'll contact you when things begin to move forward again.'` |
choice |
` 'Sounds good. I'll hope to hear from you soon.'` |
decline |
` 'You're sure there's nothing else I can do to help the Free Worlds right now?'` |
` Alondo says, 'You might hear from some other folks who could use your assistance, but as for the Council, I think it's a waiting game for us right now. Please don't think we aren't grateful for your help, Captain. All we're saying is that hopefully, for a few months at least, we'll all be able to take a break from fighting and go back to actually living our lives. And don't worry, we'll contact you as soon as things get interesting again.'` |
decline |
mission 'FW Southern Break Ends' |
name 'Return to <planet>' |
description 'Travel as quickly as possible to <destination> to rejoin the main Free Worlds fleet.' |
landing |
source |
near Rastaban 1 100 |
destination Dancer |
to offer |
has 'event: fw occupying the north' |
not 'FW Northern 1: offered' |
on offer |
conversation |
`Soon after you land on <origin>, you receive a message from Freya: 'Greetings, Captain <last>! I hope you've made good use of your time off, because we're about to be right in the thick of it once again. As soon as you're able, please come rejoin the fleet on Dancer. We have some urgent and sensitive work to do.'` |
accept |
mission 'FW Northern 1' |
landing |
name 'Northern Expansion' |
description 'Take a fleet to <destination> (visiting <waypoints> along the way), securing those systems to allow them to defect to the Free Worlds.' |
autosave |
source 'Dancer' |
destination 'New Tibet' |
waypoint 'Alphecca' |
waypoint 'Seginus' |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'event: fw occupying the north' |
passengers 1 |
blocked `You receive a message from Freya: 'Captain, please meet up with us as soon as you have a bunk free for Alondo.' You have no bunks free, so you should return here once you have made one available.` |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Three more planets have decided to defect to the Free Worlds: Clark, New Tibet, and New Holland.' |
conversation |
`When you land on Dancer, the Free Worlds fleet appears to be preparing for another battle: missiles and torpedoes are being loaded onto ships and crew members are running around. You eventually find Freya and Alondo, and ask them what is going on.` |
` 'Another three worlds have secretly told us they are ready to defect,' says Alondo, 'and this time around we want to get there before the Navy does.'` |
` Freya says, 'We need you to take Alondo, along with the ships that we've been able to muster, and fly through the <waypoints> systems, then land on <destination>. If all goes well, you will get through to <planet> before the Republic can muster reinforcements. Drive off any Republic ships you encounter along the way.'` |
accept |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort |
fleet 'Large Free Worlds' 3 |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Wei' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Seginus' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
npc |
government 'Republic' |
personality fleeing uninterested |
system 'Alphecca' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
on visit |
dialog phrase 'generic waypoint on visit' |
on complete |
event 'fw northern expansion' |
dialog |
`As soon as you land, Alondo rushes out of your ship to meet with the governor of <planet> and 'get these papers signed before they change their minds.' He tells you to meet him back in the spaceport in an hour.` |
mission 'FW Northern 2' |
name 'Meet With Freya' |
description 'Now that the northern star systems are secured, go back to <planet> to meet with Freya and work with her to remove any surveillance equipment the Navy installed in the Wei system or elsewhere.' |
source 'New Tibet' |
destination 'Dancer' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 1: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You wait in the spaceport bar for a while. Your Free Worlds uniform has drawn a good deal of attention from the locals: a few of them waved to you when you came in, or gave other subtle signs of approval, but no one is sitting with you. They probably want to avoid getting into trouble with the Republic if the Free Worlds is not able to hold this planet.` |
` Finally Alondo arrives. 'Come on,' he says. 'Let's talk outside.' He seems tired, but not frightened.` |
choice |
` 'Is everything okay?'` |
` 'Did they agree to join us?'` |
` 'Yes, yes, of course,' he says. 'But taking on six more worlds all of a sudden - I just hope it's not more than we can handle. When the Navy recovers from the battle at Rastaban and strikes back, now we have much less idea where that strike will fall.'` |
` 'So, what do we do next?' you ask.` |
` 'We need to move more of our fleet up here to the front,' he says, 'but I'd be willing to bet that the Navy has installed surveillance equipment on Hope, and maybe a few other planets in this sector too. Which I should have thought of before, because in order to be sure we've tracked every last one down, we need Freya's expertise in signals and sensors. So, I'm sending you to meet up with her on Dancer.'` |
choice |
` 'No problem. Don't worry, we'll be able to handle this just fine.'` |
accept |
` 'Aren't you afraid the Navy will strike while I'm off fetching her?'` |
` 'Of course,' he says. 'But I talked with JJ, and he thinks they're still recovering from the last battle. And if their sensors all go dark, that will be a big deterrent to keep them from attacking - certainly more of a deterrent than you could add by staying here with our fleet.'` |
` 'Understood,' you say. 'I'll go get Freya.'` |
accept |
mission 'FW Northern 2A' |
landing |
name 'Sweep Hope' |
description 'Bring Freya to <planet> and destroy any Navy sensor emplacements that she finds there.' |
source 'Dancer' |
destination 'Hope' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 2: done' |
passengers 1 |
blocked 'To continue this mission, you need a bunk free for Freya. Return here when you have made one available.' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`As soon as you land, Freya shows up at your ship with a small suitcase full of clothes. 'No time to waste,' she says. 'Let's get going. Our first target will be <planet>, since we know for a fact that they were installing something there.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Northern 2B' |
landing |
name 'Sweep Clark' |
description 'Bring Freya to <planet> to check for any Navy surveillance stations.' |
source 'Hope' |
destination 'Clark' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 2A: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`As you approach the planet, Freya sits down at your ship's sensor console and begins fiddling with some settings that you didn't even know existed. She seems entirely focused, and clearly knows what she is doing. You recall being told that she is an engineer, not a politician or a military commander, which makes the fact that she has been able to step up as such a strong leader in the Council very impressive.` |
` 'Yup, eight different stations,' she says finally, 'including this one that I nearly overlooked, buried twenty feet under the ice, that is acting as a relay for them.' She points out each station on your map, and you fly by each one and destroy it. 'Now,' she says, 'that was what had me most worried, but for the sake of completeness we should sweep the other new worlds, too. Let's go to <planet> next.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Northern 2C' |
landing |
name 'Sweep New Holland' |
description 'Bring Freya to <planet> to check for any Navy surveillance stations.' |
source 'Clark' |
destination 'New Holland' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 2B: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Once again, Freya works some sort of magic with your ship's sensors and manages to locate another surveillance station. 'Right in the middle of the city,' she says. 'We'll have to go there on foot and disable it.'` |
choice |
` 'Are you worried that it might be guarded?'` |
goto guard |
` 'Okay, I'll grab my favorite guns and explosives!'` |
goto guns |
label guard |
` 'A little worried,' she says. 'We should be armed, just in case. But I'm not picking up any human heat signatures from the building, and it wouldn't be like the Navy to leave some of their own behind for us to capture.'` |
goto destroy |
label guns |
` 'Now, now,' she says, 'we just convinced this world to join us, let's not go blowing up their whole factory district. I don't see any human heat signatures, but you can bring your weapons anyway just in case.'` |
label destroy |
` Warily, you approach the sensor installation, kicking down the door to an old abandoned warehouse. Freya is right - it's not guarded. She shuts down the transmitter, then asks for your help bringing some of the sensors and other equipment back to your ship. 'I always love having a chance to look at Navy technology,' she says. 'Now, let's head to <planet>.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Northern 2D' |
landing |
name 'Sweep New Tibet' |
description 'Bring Freya to <planet> to check for any Navy surveillance stations.' |
source 'New Holland' |
destination 'New Tibet' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 2C: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You spend quite a while flying back and forth above the surface of <origin>, but Freya is unable to locate any Navy signals originating from the surface. Finally she gives up. 'It's an out-of-the-way planet,' she says. 'Any fleet coming here would pass through Alioth or Seginus first. So I guess they didn't bother to put anything here. Time to head to New Tibet and meet up with Alondo!'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Northern 3' |
landing |
name 'Freya to Zug' |
description 'Bring Freya to <destination> to help with ramping up Dreadnought production.' |
source 'New Tibet' |
destination 'Zug' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 2D: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The shipyard on Zug is still trying to ramp up Dreadnought production. So far only a few ships have been built, but Freya will be helping to speed up the process.' |
conversation |
`As you approach <origin>, Freya quickly locates two Navy surveillance stations and contacts Alondo, asking him to send some Free Worlds personnel to destroy them. Then you land, and Alondo comes aboard your ship to discuss your next steps in person.` |
` 'There's a good chance we've taken care of all the sensors in this sector,' says Freya, 'so we can start moving our fleets around here without tipping the Navy off. And I just heard from Southbound Shipyards that they've got two more Dreadnoughts ready for service.'` |
choice |
` 'Only two? I was hoping to get a Dreadnought of my own soon!'` |
goto two |
` 'Don't we need to defend Rastaban and the other systems to the east, as well?'` |
goto east |
label two |
` 'Patience, Captain,' says Freya. 'Building prototypes is very different from doing mass production.'` |
goto zug |
label east |
` 'Yes,' says Freya. 'Which means our fleets will be stretched thin. We really need them to ramp up Dreadnought production.'` |
label zug |
` Alondo asks Freya, 'Do you think you could help them in the shipyards? After all, you were a superb fleet supply manager back in the Defense Pact days.'` |
` 'I'll do what I can, if you think you're all set here,' says Freya.` |
` 'I'm fine,' says Alondo, 'and JJ is on Rastaban now, guarding our other flank. So you can take a break from being on the front.' He heads back outside, and you and Freya get ready to visit the shipyards on <planet>.` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
on complete |
log 'Agreed to become a member of the Free Worlds Council, taking Tomek's spot.' |
'salary: Free Worlds' = 2500 |
conversation |
`As you are landing on <planet>, Freya says, 'I miss Katya. It's hard being the only woman on the Council.'` |
choice |
` 'Don't worry, the Navy said they're trying to find her and return her to us.'` |
` 'Do you think the Navy reneged on their promise to free her?'` |
` 'I don't know,' she says. 'I hope the Navy will keep their promise. But in the meantime, three people on Council is too few. We didn't want to say anything to you until the Senate cleared it, but we've nominated you to take Tomek's spot on the Council. What do you say?'` |
choice |
` 'I'd be honored. Thank you.'` |
` She grins. 'Don't mention it. You've been with us since the beginning, and we've all come to trust what you have to say. I wish we could throw you a big dinner or something to celebrate, but.. well, we're all busy with the war right now. But Alondo and JJ both said to tell you they're glad to have you on board. And you'll get a salary increase, of course. Which you ought to celebrate by buying us both a few drinks in the spaceport bar before you leave. Okay?'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, I'll meet you back at the spaceport in a few hours.'` |
` 'Great,' she says, smiling. 'See you then.' She picks up her suitcase, and hurries over to the shipyard.` |
mission 'FW Northern 3B' |
name 'Dreadnoughts to <planet>' |
description 'Escort two more Dreadnoughts to <destination> to help defend the front against any Navy incursions.' |
autosave |
source 'Zug' |
destination 'Clark' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 3: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Freya turns out to be a whiskey drinker, like Tomek. By the time she has finished her first drink, she is chattering quite passionately about starship design: load balancing, stress lines, shield matrices, shipboard computers. Rather than dulling her intelligence, alcohol just seems to reduce her ability to explain things in ways a non-specialist can understand. You try to steer the conversation towards something less technical..` |
choice |
` 'So, why did you join the Council, initially?'` |
goto council |
` 'Where's your home planet?'` |
goto home |
` 'How long do you think it will be before they're mass-producing Dreadnoughts?'` |
goto dreadnoughts |
label council |
` 'Well,' she says, 'you know the Council. Visionaries, big picture people. They needed someone who could take care of the actual concrete details. Data crunching for our 'thousand eyes' program tracking pirate fleet movements. Supply chain management. This was back in the days of the Pact, of course, before we had officially separated from the Republic. And I had worked with JJ in the past, so he asked me to come with him and help out on a larger scale.'` |
goto leave |
label home |
` 'I grew up on Earth,' she says, 'deep in the bowels of one of the major cities. Even as a kid I hated that dirty old planet and knew my only shot of leaving there was to be smarter than everyone else. It wasn't until years later, when I came back to visit with some money in my pocket and a bit more perspective, that I was able to travel to the few parts of Earth that are still pretty, and realize how precious our home world is.'` |
goto leave |
label dreadnoughts |
` 'Ugh,' she says, 'let's not talk about work while we're busy relaxing.' You refrain from commenting that all her talk about starship design sounded a lot more like work than like a fun relaxing topic of conversation.` |
goto leave |
label leave |
` You hang out in the bar for another hour or so, and then she says to the bartender, 'Two bottles of champagne to go, please.' He gives her an odd look, but the Council is well enough respected that he does not question her.` |
` You walk over to the shipyard, where the two newly completed Dreadnoughts are parked side by side. 'Time to christen our new ships,' she says, handing you one of the bottles. You each fling a bottle at one of the ships, and shout out..` |
choice |
` 'For victory!'` |
` 'For peace!'` |
` 'For justice!'` |
` 'May it come soon,' echoes Freya. 'Now, tomorrow morning the crews for these ships will be ready, and we'll need you to escort them to <planet>. I'll stay here and do my best to help manage the equipment supply chain and construction crews.' She says goodnight, and wishes you a safe journey tomorrow.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality timid escort |
ship Dreadnought 'F.S. Bartlett' |
ship Dreadnought 'F.S. Magnolia' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but without both the Dreadnoughts you were assigned to escort! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
mission 'FW Northern 4' |
landing |
name 'Meet Convoy' |
description 'Travel to <destination> to escort a convoy of medical supplies. Watch out for Republic attacks.' |
autosave |
source 'Clark' |
destination 'New Kansas' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 3B: done' |
clearance |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Waiting for you on <origin> is a message from Alondo: 'Hello Captain! We've got another minor crisis: a merchant fleet was supposed to bring us a shipment of medical supplies from up North, since many of our worlds are running short. But, the Republic is threatening to attack the convoy if they try to cross over into our space, so they're waiting on <planet>, just inside of the Republic's territory. Please go meet up with the fleet and bring it back to New Tibet.'` |
accept |
mission 'FW Northern 4.1A' |
landing |
name 'Medical Convoy' |
description 'Escort a convoy carrying medical supplies safely to <planet>. Do not fire on the Navy Oathkeeper ship that is in orbit there.' |
autosave |
source 'New Kansas' |
destination 'New Tibet' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 4: done' |
not 'FW Northern 4.2A: offered' |
karma >= 2 |
'reputation: Navy (Oathkeeper)' >= 0 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You land on <origin> and meet up with the fleet you will be escorting. A few minutes later, an urgent message comes in from Alondo: 'We've got a crazy situation here. Return to New Tibet immediately with the convoy. You will find a Navy Oathkeeper ship in orbit. Do not attack them, just see to it that the convoy lands safely.' The Oathkeepers are Navy officers who swore not to fight the Free Worlds, so you can't help wondering what they are doing on <planet>.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
personality escort timid |
government Merchant |
fleet |
names 'civilian' |
cargo 4 |
variant |
Freighter 4 |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left part of your convoy behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
npc save |
government 'Navy (Oathkeeper)' |
personality heroic staying uninterested |
system Alioth |
ship 'Cruiser (Mark II)' 'N.S. Peacemaker' |
mission 'FW Northern 4.2A' |
landing |
name 'Medical Convoy' |
description 'Escort a convoy carrying medical supplies safely to <planet>.' |
autosave |
source 'New Kansas' |
destination 'New Tibet' |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 4: done' |
not 'FW Northern 4.1A: offered' |
or |
karma < 2 |
'reputation: Navy (Oathkeeper)' < 0 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You land on <origin> and meet up with the fleet you will be escorting. A few minutes later, an urgent message comes in from Alondo: 'We've got a crazy situation here. Return to New Tibet immediately with the convoy.' He provides no further information.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
personality escort timid |
government Merchant |
fleet |
names 'civilian' |
cargo 4 |
variant |
Freighter 4 |
npc |
government Republic |
personality heroic |
system Sarin |
fleet 'Small Republic' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left part of the convoy behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
mission 'FW Alphas 1.1' |
landing |
name 'Liberate Poisonwood' |
description 'Destroy all pirates ships in the <system> system with the help of the Navy Oathkeepers, then land on the planet and let the Navy troops eliminate the Alphas.' |
autosave |
source 'New Tibet' |
destination Poisonwood |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 4.1A: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The Republic world of Poisonwood in the south has apparently been taken over by Alpha warlords. It is such a dire threat that despite the war, the Navy Oathkeepers have agreed to fight alongside the Free Worlds to liberate the planet.' |
event 'alphas capture Poisonwood' |
conversation |
`You land the convoy safely on <origin>, but everyone seems to be busy with whatever new crisis it is that Alondo alluded to; no one approaches you to help unload the ships. Eventually you track down Alondo and ask what is going on, and why there is a neutral Navy ship in orbit. 'We just received word that Poisonwood has been captured by pirates, while all of our fleets were busy guarding the front,' says Alondo. You recall that Poisonwood has remained loyal to the Republic, even though they are deep inside Free Worlds territory.` |
choice |
` 'If we liberate them, will they switch their loyalty to our side?'` |
goto loyalty |
` 'If they're not one of our worlds, why should we help them?'` |
goto help |
label loyalty |
` 'Possibly,' says Alondo. 'But that's not what is important. Before they were overrun by pirate troops, one of the colonists managed to take a photo of the pirate leader.'` |
goto photo |
label help |
` 'Because one of the colonists took a picture of the leader of the pirates who attacked them,' says Alondo.` |
goto photo |
label photo |
` He hands you a small printout of a photograph. It is a somewhat blurry picture of a group of armed pirates running down a street in a desert town. What grabs your attention immediately is that several of the pirates appear to have green skin. You recognize that as the mark of the Alphas, the sociopathic, genetically engineered super-humans who enslaved entire planets during the Alpha Wars, five centuries ago.` |
choice |
` 'It must be a trick. There can't still be Alphas around. Maybe the pirates dyed their skin green to make people fear them.'` |
` 'How is it possible that some of the Alphas are still alive?'` |
` Alondo says, 'This may be a trick, but we can't afford to take that risk. The Alphas were the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. And before they contacted us for help, Poisonwood reached out to the Navy.' As he is speaking, a shadow passes overhead. You look up and see the unmistakable silhouette of a Navy cruiser, coming in for a landing.` |
choice |
` 'Are you insane? You're letting the Navy come here?'` |
` 'We're going to work side by side with the Navy right after that awful battle?'` |
` Alondo explains, 'It's only one cruiser, an 'Oathkeeper' ship, sworn to take no part in our war. The Free Worlds have almost no troops trained for ground combat, so without the Navy's help we would be unlikely to be able to eliminate the Alphas.'` |
` The Navy ship lands, and a man steps off who you recognize immediately: Admiral William Danforth, who is something of a folk hero throughout human space, and who you have heard is the commander of the entire Oathkeepers regiment. With him is a man who he introduces as Commander Aaron Nguyen of the Navy Humanitarian Corps. As Nguyen shakes your hand, you are struck by the fact that although he is your enemy, you see no trace of hostility in his eyes - in fact, his expression is surprisingly warm and affectionate.` |
` 'We have no room for error,' says Danforth. 'These Alphas must be eliminated, and they must not be allowed to escape. On that, at least, we can all agree.'` |
` Freya says, 'Captain <last> will lead the attack.' She beckons to two of the Free Worlds captains. 'Marco, Emily, you will join them with your Falcons. Destroy any pirate ships in orbit, then land and secure the facility. Understood?' You nod, and prepare to take off for the <system> system.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government 'Navy (Oathkeeper)' |
personality escort heroic |
ship 'Cruiser (Mark II)' 'N.S. Peacemaker' |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Alder' |
ship 'Falcon' 'F.S. Starry Warrior' |
npc kill |
government 'Pirate' |
personality heroic staying target |
system Graffias |
ship 'Leviathan (Heavy)' 'Dread Lord' |
ship 'Leviathan' 'Dominator' |
ship 'Firebird (Plasma)' 'Vengeance' |
ship 'Firebird (Missile)' 'Revenant' |
ship 'Firebird' 'Draugbreath' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but the battle is not over - you've either failed to kill one of the pirates, or left one of your ships behind in a different system.' |
on complete |
event 'liberation of Poisonwood' |
conversation |
`The ships in orbit are eliminated, but there are still the Alphas and their servants here on the ground to take care of. Danforth's ship unloads a squadron of troops in heavy battle suits. The Navy troops move with far more precision and purpose than you have ever seen among the poorly trained Free Worlds soldiers.` |
` They sweep the city and quickly ascertain that the Alphas are holed up in a large factory. The troops encircle the building and burst through the doors, and soon you hear the sounds of explosions and gunfire within. You wait with Commander Nguyen in an alley facing the building. 'I'm with the Humanitarian Corps,' he explains. 'Killing things is not in my job description.'` |
` Just then, one of the second floor windows shatters and a figure comes tumbling out, rolls, and starts running in your direction. Then it does something you would swear no human being is capable of: while still moving in your direction, it begins leaping from one wall of the alley to the other as easily as you would run up a staircase, gaining altitude with each jump so that soon it will pass two or three meters above your heads. Several Navy troops are running after it, but they hold their fire to avoid hitting you and Nguyen.` |
choice |
` (Try to shoot it.)` |
goto shoot |
` (Try to grab it.)` |
goto grab |
label shoot |
` You open fire, but it is leaping back and forth so fast that it is almost impossible to hit. But then you see Commander Nguyen climb onto a nearby dumpster and leap into the air, managing to grab the creature by the leg as it flies by.` |
goto pin |
label grab |
` Unfortunately, by now the creature is far outside your reach. But then you see Commander Nguyen climb onto a nearby dumpster and leap into the air, managing to grab the creature by the leg as it flies by.` |
goto pin |
label pin |
` The two of them fall to the ground and roll over and over in a jumble of limbs. You and the Navy troops run after them, afraid to shoot for fear of hitting Nguyen. But somehow Nguyen gets the upper hand, pinning the creature in a full nelson hold, with his legs wrapped around its body to keep it from kicking him. 'Kill it!' he shouts.` |
choice |
` (Kill it.)` |
goto kill |
` (Let the Navy troops deal with this.)` |
goto navy |
label kill |
` While Nguyen holds the creature still, you put a gun to its head and pull the trigger. Not even an Alpha can survive that; the creature goes limp. Now that you can get a good look at it, you can see that it does indeed have green skin.` |
goto end |
label navy |
` While Nguyen holds the creature still, one of the Navy troops puts a gun to its head and pulls the trigger. Not even an Alpha can survive that; the creature goes limp. Now that you can get a good look at it, you can see that it does indeed have green skin.` |
goto end |
label end |
` Nguyen gets shakily to his feet; he looks stunned and very pale. 'Thank you,' he says. The sounds of gunfire within the factory eventually dies down. 'We'll continue to patrol the city,' says Nguyen, 'in case there are more of them. Then I'll meet you in the spaceport.' He heads off back into the city.` |
mission 'FW Alphas 1.2' |
landing |
name 'Liberate Poisonwood' |
description 'Destroy any pirate ships in orbit around <planet>, then land and eliminate the Alphas and their servants who have occupied the city.' |
autosave |
source 'New Tibet' |
destination Poisonwood |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Northern 4.2A: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The Republic world of Poisonwood in the south has apparently been taken over by Alpha warlords. Hopefully the Free Worlds will be able to liberate the planet and capture or kill the Alpha leaders.' |
event 'alphas capture Poisonwood' |
conversation |
`You land the convoy safely on <origin>, but everyone seems to be busy with whatever new crisis it is that Alondo alluded to; no one approaches you to help unload the ships. Eventually you track down Alondo and ask what is going on. 'We just received word that Poisonwood has been captured by pirates, while all of our fleets were busy elsewhere,' says Alondo. You recall that Poisonwood has remained loyal to the Republic, even though they are deep inside Free Worlds territory.` |
choice |
` 'If we liberate them, will they switch their loyalty to our side?'` |
goto loyalty |
` 'If they're not one of our worlds, why should we help them?'` |
goto help |
label loyalty |
` 'Possibly,' says Alondo. 'But that's not what is important. Before they were overrun by pirate troops, one of the colonists managed to take a photo of the pirate leader.'` |
goto photo |
label help |
` 'Because one of the colonists took a picture of the leader of the pirates who attacked them,' says Alondo.` |
goto photo |
label photo |
` He hands you a small printout of a photograph. It is a somewhat blurry picture of a group of armed pirates running down a street in a desert town. What grabs your attention immediately is that several of the pirates appear to have green skin. You recognize that as the mark of the Alphas, the sociopathic, genetically engineered super-humans who enslaved entire planets during the Alpha Wars, five centuries ago.` |
choice |
` 'It must be a trick. There can't still be Alphas around. Maybe the pirates dyed their skin green to make people fear them.'` |
` 'How is it possible that some of the Alphas are still alive?'` |
` Alondo says, 'This may be a trick, but we can't afford to take that risk. The Alphas were the greatest threat humanity has ever faced. We have very few people trained in ground combat, but I've gathered some of our best and loaded them onto a fleet that will be accompanying you. Destroy any pirate ships in orbit, then land and secure the facility. Understood? And don't let any of your escorts die; they're carrying the troops you'll need for the ground battle.' You nod, and prepare to take off for the <system> system.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Oak' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Alder' |
ship 'Falcon' 'F.S. Starry Warrior' |
npc kill |
government 'Pirate' |
personality heroic staying target |
system Graffias |
ship 'Leviathan (Heavy)' 'Dread Lord' |
ship 'Leviathan' 'Dominator' |
ship 'Firebird (Plasma)' 'Vengeance' |
ship 'Firebird (Missile)' 'Revenant' |
ship 'Firebird' 'Draugbreath' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but the battle is not over - you've either failed to kill one of the pirates, or left one of your ships behind in a different system.' |
mission 'FW Alphas 1.1A' |
name 'Danforth to <planet>' |
description 'Escort Admiral Danforth's ship to <destination> so that he can leave Free space without being accidentally attacked.' |
autosave |
source Poisonwood |
destination 'New Tibet' |
to offer |
has 'FW Alphas 1.1: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
npc accompany save |
government 'Navy (Oathkeeper)' |
personality escort heroic |
ship 'Cruiser (Mark II)' 'N.S. Peacemaker' |
on visit |
dialog phrase 'generic arrived-without-npc dialog' |
on offer |
log 'With the help of the Oathkeepers, liberated Poisonwood from the Alpha invaders.' |
event 'death of nguyen' 35 |
conversation |
`When you meet up with Nguyen, he still looks very worried. 'We think we killed them all,' he says, 'but we can't be sure. Also, we recovered some instruments for genetic manipulation from the factory. The Alphas can't breed normally, because if their offspring inherit some of the Alpha mutations but not others, the result is rarely viable, and even those that live long enough to be born don't have all the Alpha traits. So, they rely on artificial insemination instead.'` |
choice |
` 'Well, it's good news that you recovered those instruments, then.'` |
` 'It would be,' says Nguyen, 'except that we also discovered that several dozen of the women who were taken as slaves.. are now pregnant. We'll have to ask them to terminate their pregnancies. It's the only safe decision, but I still don't like it.' He sighs. 'I'm a Buddhist, you know. Committed to doing harm to no living thing. That's why I joined the Humanitarian Corps. They promised me I'd never be asked to take a life.'` |
choice |
` 'Is that why you didn't kill that Alpha yourself, on the street?'` |
goto street |
` 'That doesn't seem like a moral dilemma to me. We know those children will grow up to be monsters.'` |
goto kill |
` 'Couldn't we let the children be born, if that's what the women want, then imprison them or something if they do turn out to be Alphas?'` |
goto live |
label street |
` 'Yes,' he says. 'Silly, isn't it? Anyway, this is my job to deal with; you need to go find Danforth.'` |
goto end |
label kill |
` 'Well,' he says, 'I envy you for living in a universe where decision like this are easy. But to me it's still a painful choice to make. Anyway, that's my problem to deal with, not yours; you need to go find Danforth.'` |
goto end |
label live |
` 'The Alphas were originally bred to be super-soldiers,' he says, 'a weapon in the hands of a despotic government. As much as I hate to admit it, there are certain branches of the Republic who would love to get their hands on a small army of impressionable Alpha children. Far better for them to die than for that to happen. Anyway, that's my job to deal with; you need to go find Danforth.'` |
goto end |
label end |
` He leaves, and you return to Danforth's ship. Danforth says, 'Hello there, temporary ally. It was an honor to fight alongside you, while it lasted.'` |
choice |
` 'You too. I wish we could bring this war to an end.'` |
` 'If the Republic would just leave us alone, we wouldn't need to be enemies.'` |
` 'I know,' he says. 'But for now, I need to return to my fleet. Which means I'll be needing an escort out of your territory, just to make sure no one attacks me. Maybe you could take us by way of New Tibet? I'm sure Commander Nguyen would appreciate one last visit to the Buddhist monasteries there before that world becomes closed off to us completely.' You agree, and he begins preparing his ship for takeoff.` |
accept |
on complete |
set 'fw alphas done' |
mission 'FW Death of Nguyen' |
landing |
source |
near Sol 100 |
to offer |
has 'event: death of nguyen' |
on offer |
conversation |
`Soon after landing on <origin>, you receive an encoded message from Admiral Danforth, the leader of the Oathkeepers. 'Captain <last>,' he says, 'I would like to thank you once again for allowing us to assist you on Poisonwood. Unfortunately, I have bad news that may concern you. Commander Nguyen, who was with you when one of the Alphas was apprehended, has been assassinated, shot in the head at point blank range. His attacker has not been found. We fear that this may be retribution for his part in the action on Poisonwood, and we urge you and your crew to be cautious. With deepest regards - Danforth.'` |
decline |
mission 'FW Alphas 1.2A' |
landing |
name 'Return to the Front' |
description 'Travel to <destination> to bolster the defenses there.' |
source Poisonwood |
destination 'New Tibet' |
to offer |
has 'FW Alphas 1.2: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Liberated Poisonwood from the Alpha invaders. Had to bombard them from orbit, and many civilians were killed in the process, but at least the planet is free again.' |
event 'Poisonwood reverts to Republic' |
conversation |
`The ships in orbit are eliminated, but there are still the Alphas and their servants here on the ground to take care of. Your escorts unload the troops, who spread throughout the city and quickly determine that, as far as the locals know, the Alphas are all holed up in a large factory on the outskirts of town. The locals also inform you that the Alphas have taken dozens of prisoners and are holding them in the factory.` |
` As you are trying to prepare the Free Worlds troops to storm the building, suddenly one of your escorts, the Starry Warrior, takes off. You radio the captain, who responds, 'Sorry, Captain, but I'm following orders. Alondo suspected you wouldn't like this.' Then he opens fire on the factory, destroying everything within several blocks with blaster fire and torpedoes. He does not stop firing until there is nothing left but smoldering rubble in that entire section of the city.` |
` The Alphas are presumably dead. So are their prisoners, and any of the locals who were unlucky enough to be close to the factory when it was destroyed. The governor of Poisonwood, unable to conceal her anger, asks you to take your troops and your ships and leave her world immediately.` |
` You send a message to the Council asking what you should do, and they tell you to leave the planet and join Alondo on <planet>, to help bolster the defenses there. You leave <origin> with a heavy heart, glad that the Alphas are gone but wishing things here on <origin> had ended differently.` |
launch |
on complete |
set 'fw alphas done' |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1' |
landing |
name 'Alondo to <planet>' |
description 'Bring Alondo to <planet> to try to convince the locals to join the Free Worlds.' |
source 'New Tibet' |
destination 'Bloodsea' |
clearance `Alondo manages to convince the spaceport to let you land 'free of charge.'` |
to offer |
has 'fw alphas done' |
passengers 1 |
blocked `Alondo contacts you and asks, 'Do you have a bunk ready for me?' You do not, so you will need to free one up to continue this mission.` |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You report in to Alondo, who listens to your description of the battle for Poisonwood with a grim expression on his face. 'It's not the end, of course,' he says. 'It seems like no matter how many times we win a battle against the Alphas, there are more of them out there. But I'm glad that the immediate crisis has been dealt with.'` |
choice |
` 'Isn't there any way we can track down the rest of the Alphas?'` |
` 'What is our next mission now?'` |
goto next |
` 'Not really,' he says. 'There are probably small enclaves throughout human space, and perhaps beyond our space as well. All we can do is make it harder for them to grow powerful.'` |
` 'And how do we do that?' you ask.` |
label next |
` 'The Senate has authorized a diplomatic mission to Bloodsea,' he says. 'It's the smallest of the pirate worlds, and we're going to see what we need to offer them to get them to join the Free Worlds. The official settlements there only amount to a few thousand people, so it shouldn't be too hard to convince them that joining us is better than resisting us.'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, sounds like fun!'` |
accept |
` 'Wait, didn't things go south rather quickly the last time we attempted this?'` |
` Alondo grins. 'Yes, but the Free Worlds is in a much stronger position now, and the pirate worlds know it's only a matter of time before they are forced to become civilized. And, the incident on Poisonwood proved that we can't afford to fight a war on two fronts. We need to eliminate the pirate threat, and a diplomatic solution with them is the only sort that will last. So, let's get going!'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Alondo hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1.1' |
landing |
name 'Ships from <planet>' |
description 'In order to work toward a peace treaty with Bloodsea, meet up with a convoy of heavily armed merchant ships on <planet>.' |
autosave |
source Bloodsea |
destination Zug |
to offer |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1: done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1.2: done' |
passengers 1 |
on offer |
log 'The local leaders on the lawless world of Bloodsea have said that they will join the Free Worlds, and stop supporting piracy, in exchange for the equipment to build a more modern spaceport. However, they may just be trying to steal the construction materials; it might be simpler to just attack and conquer them.' |
conversation |
`The local leaders are unwilling to meet aboard your ship, and Alondo is afraid you will be ambushed if you venture too far away from it, so eventually they agree to set up a tent on the landing pad next to yours and meet there. Outside, a storm is raging, the rain mixing with salt spray from the blood-red ocean nearby.` |
` As you talk, it becomes clear that the inhabitants of Bloodsea are ashamed of how destitute and undeveloped their world is. Several of them have visited the island spaceport on Deep, and after dancing around the issue for a while, they make a request: if the Free Worlds builds them a real, modern island spaceport, they will join the Free Worlds.` |
` One of them lays out a detailed list of amenities the port must have: concrete seawalls, raised landing pads, floating docks, sturdy hangars and warehouses, and various defense systems 'for when the others learn that we've decided to join you.' Also, the deal is off if you show up in orbit with a fleet that 'looks like an invasion fleet rather than a construction fleet.'` |
` You thank them and return to your ship. Alondo asks, 'What do you think?'` |
choice |
` 'Well, building a spaceport is probably cheaper than fighting a major battle.'` |
goto port |
` 'They're asking a lot. Why don't we just invade them?'` |
goto invade |
label port |
` 'Yes,' he says, 'except that I can almost guarantee that when we show up on their doorstep with everything they asked for, some local warlord will attack our ships, steal our supplies, enslave our workers, and build himself a nice cozy island fortress.'` |
goto attack |
label invade |
` 'That's certainly the simpler option,' he says, 'especially because I can almost guarantee that when we show up on their doorstep with everything they asked for, some local warlord will attack our ships, steal our supplies, enslave our workers, and build himself a nice cozy island fortress.'` |
goto attack |
label attack |
` 'So, we attack them?' you ask.` |
` 'You're on the Council now,' he says. 'I'll leave it up to you. Option one is, we bring them the supplies and workers, in merchant ships, but use very heavily armed merchant ships in case they double cross us. Option two is, we go to Dancer and see if JJ can lend us an invasion fleet.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Alondo hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1.1A' |
landing |
name 'Supplies from <planet>' |
description 'Stop on <planet> so that the ships you are escorting can pick up more supplies and workers, then bring them to Bloodsea to help build a new spaceport.' |
autosave |
source Zug |
destination Deep |
to offer |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1.1: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Waiting for you in the spaceport on <origin> are two Behemoth heavy freighters, which will be carrying the equipment and workers to Bloodsea. You can't help notice that nearly a third of their cargo space has been converted into extra outfit space, and both ships have a pair of plasma turrets mounted on them, and what looks like torpedo launchers as well.` |
` While you are on Zug, you and Alondo meet up with Freya and ask how the Dreadnought production is going. 'We're nearly there,' she says, 'just one or two kinks left to work out. They've produced another two prototypes, but not enough to start selling them yet. I know, you're itching to pilot one of your own. Believe me, we're working as fast as possible.'` |
` Your next stop is to pick up more workers and construction supplies on <destination>.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government Merchant |
personality escort heroic |
ship 'Behemoth (Heavy)' 'F.S. Bungles' |
ship 'Behemoth (Heavy)' 'F.S. Humble' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left the freighters behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1.1B' |
landing |
name 'Supplies to <planet>' |
description 'Escort these two freighters to <destination> to help build a new spaceport. This may just be an excuse for pirates to attack you.' |
autosave |
source Deep |
destination Bloodsea |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1.1A: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`You stop on <origin>, and wait as more supplies are loaded onto the two Behemoths you are escorting. Your final stop is <planet>. Alondo thought it likely that some pirates would try to intercept your convoy and steal its cargo, but as long as both freighters land on the planet without being captured or destroyed, you will be able to begin the construction project and thus meet the demands of the people on <planet> to convince them to join the Free Worlds.` |
accept |
npc accompany save |
government Merchant |
personality escort heroic |
ship 'Behemoth (Heavy)' 'F.S. Bungles' |
ship 'Behemoth (Heavy)' 'F.S. Humble' |
on visit |
dialog 'You have reached <planet>, but you left the freighters behind! Better depart and wait for them to arrive in this star system.' |
npc |
government Pirate |
personality plunders staying disables |
system Antares |
fleet |
names pirate |
variant |
'Raven (Afterburner)' 2 |
Hawk 2 |
'Fury (Flamethrower)' 3 |
Sparrow 5 |
on complete |
set 'fw bloodsea done' |
event 'dreadnoughts for sale' |
event 'dreadnought deployment' 40 |
event 'bloodsea joins free worlds' |
event 'bloodsea spaceport completed' 100 |
log 'Brought the construction supplies that the people of Bloodsea requested, and they have agreed to join the Free Worlds.' |
conversation |
`A few of the locals on Bloodsea appear surprised that you actually brought the supplies for a new spaceport, and that you arrived with all the supplies intact. But after meeting up with Alondo, they agree to hold their side of the bargain: from now on, Bloodsea will be a part of the Free Worlds, with all the rights and responsibilities that implies. And that means that they will refuse to knowingly harbor any pirate fleets or other known criminals.` |
` Alondo tells you that he will catch a ride back with the freighters when they return. 'But, you'll probably want to head out sooner,' he says, 'because I've got some good news for you. Freya just contacted me, to say that they're now ready to start selling Dreadnoughts to certain select members of the Free Worlds, including you. That also means she's done with her work on Zug, so she'll need you to give her a lift from there.'` |
accept |
mission 'Ijs catches another ride' |
landing |
to offer |
has 'fw bloodsea done' |
has 'FW Conservatory 1: active' |
on offer |
payment 10000 |
event 'fw conservatory founded' 30 |
conversation |
`Ijs approaches you with his duffel as you're stepping off the <ship>.` |
` 'Thanks for getting me this close, but I really need to get to Winter as soon as possible. I hope you don't take offense that I've booked passage on another transport. Here's <payment> for getting me this far, anyway. I hope to see you again soon, Captain <last>.'` |
decline |
fail 'FW Conservatory 1' |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1.2' |
landing |
name 'Invasion Fleet' |
description 'Rather than pursuing a diplomatic agreement, meet up with JJ on <planet> and gather a fleet to invade and subjugate Bloodsea.' |
source Bloodsea |
destination Dancer |
to offer |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1: done' |
to fail |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1.1: done' |
mission 'FW Bloodsea 1.2A' |
landing |
name 'Capture Bloodsea' |
description 'Take a Free Worlds fleet to invade the <system> system and eliminate any pirate resistance, then land on <planet>.' |
source 'Dancer' |
destination 'Bloodsea' |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Bloodsea 1.2: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
event 'battle for bloodsea' |
karma -- |
conversation |
`When you meet up with JJ, he says, 'So, it's going to be battle rather than diplomacy? I suppose that may be for the best; I'm sure the pirates were planning some sort of double-cross. But still, it's too bad we couldn't find a peaceful solution.'` |
choice |
` 'Alondo convinced me that the Bloodsea natives were just planning to betray us.'` |
` 'I don't think the pirates will understand any language except overwhelming force.'` |
` 'Perhaps,' says JJ. 'At any rate, we'll never know, now. I need to keep most of my fleet here, to defend against the Navy, but I've selected a few of the strongest ships to accompany you to Bloodsea. Good luck, Captain.'` |
accept |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Bombastic' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Equalizer' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Enforcer' |
npc evade |
personality heroic staying |
government 'Pirate' |
system 'Antares' |
fleet |
names pirate |
variant |
'Firebird (Plasma)' |
'Raven (Afterburner)' 2 |
'Hawk (Rocket)' 2 |
'Fury (Flamethrower)' 3 |
Sparrow 5 |
ship 'Leviathan' 'Freedom' |
ship 'Manta' 'Lucifer' |
ship 'Bastion (Heavy)' 'Punisher' |
on visit |
dialog `You've landed on <planet>, but there are still pirates defending the system. All pirates in the system must be eliminated before <planet> can be taken.` |
on complete |
log 'Conquered Bloodsea in the name of the Free Worlds. With enough militia ships patrolling their star system, they ought to think twice before returning to piracy.' |
set 'fw bloodsea done' |
event 'dreadnoughts for sale' |
event 'dreadnought deployment' 40 |
event 'bloodsea independent' |
conversation |
`You land at the main spaceport on Bloodsea with Free Worlds ships circling overhead, ready to bombard the locals if they show any sign of resistance. It is a tense atmosphere, and the leaders sullenly agree to give the Free Worlds access to their planet and to avoid knowingly supporting piracy or other criminal activity. You have won this world, but you have clearly not won the hearts of the locals.` |
` A while later, you receive new orders from Alondo. 'I've got some good news for you,' he says. 'Freya just contacted me, to say that they're now ready to start selling Dreadnoughts to certain select members of the Free Worlds, including you. That also means she's done with her work on Zug, so she'll need you to give her a lift from there.'` |
accept |
mission 'FW Dreadnoughts Ready' |
landing |
name 'Meet Freya on <planet>' |
description 'Freya is done overseeing the initial production run of Dreadnoughts in the shipyard on Zug. Meet up with her there, to give her a ride to wherever she is assigned next.' |
source Bloodsea |
destination Zug |
to offer |
has 'fw bloodsea done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Freya has announced that Dreadnoughts are now for sale on Zug. Finally the Free Worlds have a warship that can stand up to Navy capital ships.' |
mission 'FW Albatross 1' |
landing |
name 'Freya to <planet>' |
description 'Bring Freya to <planet> to meet up with JJ and make plans for convincing Albatross to give up piracy and join the Free Worlds.' |
autosave |
source Zug |
destination Dancer |
to offer |
has 'FW Dreadnoughts Ready: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Freya comes to your ship soon after you land. She is beaming, and looks more relaxed than you have seen her in months. 'Southbound Shipyards is churning out Dreadnoughts now!' she says. 'Still only at a rate of one a week or so, but for a ship this big that's quite impressive. And it means you can now buy one of your own, if you've got enough savings. Seriously, even if you can't afford one yet, be sure to stop by the shipyard and check them out.' She is clearly very proud.` |
choice |
` 'Great job, Freya! I'm really glad to have a talented engineer on the Council to help get things done.'` |
` 'Glad to hear it. Now, what is our next action against the pirates?'` |
goto pirates |
` She smiles. 'Thanks. It was actually really refreshing to be able to tackle a concrete, solvable problem for a change, instead of all this nebulous political stuff. Speaking of which, our next step will be to go visit JJ. He's going to be doing the diplomatic outreach to Albatross.'` |
goto alondo |
label pirates |
` 'Right, right, back to work,' she says. 'Well, it sounds like the next order of business is for you to transport me to <planet> to take JJ's place there while he makes a diplomatic visit to Albatross.'` |
goto alondo |
label alondo |
` You ask, 'Wait, doesn't Alondo usually handle the diplomacy?'` |
` 'Usually, yes,' she says. 'But the locals on Albatross specifically asked for JJ. They're a very traditional population, and JJ is well-known as both a family man and a brave soldier. Whereas Alondo is.. Alondo.'` |
choice |
` 'Fair enough. Let's head to <planet>!'` |
accept |
` 'Wait, I don't understand. Why don't they like Alondo?'` |
` She looks genuinely surprised that you don't know. 'Alondo is gay,' she says. 'There are few worlds here in the South where that would bother anyone, but Albatross is one of them. So Alondo is taking a break to go visit the Senate, while JJ deals with this particular diplomatic situation.'` |
choice |
` 'Okay, I feel silly for even asking. Let's go meet up with JJ!'` |
accept |
` 'Actually, I'm gay too.'` |
goto metoo |
` 'Ah. That certainly explains a lot.'` |
` 'It seems crazy that anyone would be bothered by that in this day and age.'` |
` 'Yes,' she says. 'Yes, it does. Now, let's go meet up with JJ.'` |
accept |
label metoo |
` Freya raises an eyebrow. 'I hadn't heard. We don't have time to find someone else for this mission, so try not to say that so loudly when you're on Albatross.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
mission 'FW Albatross 2' |
landing |
name 'Visit Albatross' |
description 'Bring JJ to Albatross to negotiate with the local leaders and perhaps convince them to join the Free Worlds and give up their support of piracy.' |
autosave |
source Dancer |
destination Albatross |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Albatross 1: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`When you meet up with JJ, he looks exhausted. 'Our scouts are reporting that the Navy is building a massive base on New Iceland,' he says, 'just a few jumps away from here. So every day I look up at the sky and wonder if today is the day when they will invade.'` |
` You talk for a while and agree that despite the threat from the Navy, dealing with the pirates is important. JJ explains that Albatross started out as a sort of farming commune: independent, but not associated with any illegal activity. But they were dominated by pirates, and since then, one pirate overlord after another has held sway over the planet. So in principle at least, the locals ought to welcome the idea of Free Worlds protection.` |
` While you are traveling with JJ, Freya agrees to stay here and work on a better surveillance network, to give Dancer advance warning if the Navy decides to invade.` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying JJ hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
npc |
system Nunki |
government Pirate |
personality staying disables plunders |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 2 |
mission 'FW Albatross 2A' |
landing |
name 'Hunt Ryk Bartlett' |
description 'Hunt down the pirate warlord Ryk Bartlett, who has been plundering merchant convoys in the vicinity of Zeta Aquilae. (Only his personal ship, the Dread, must be destroyed.) Then, return to Albatross.' |
autosave |
source Albatross |
destination Albatross |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Albatross 2: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
conversation |
`Your meeting with the elders of Albatross happens in secret, by night. They are afraid that if their current pirate overlord, Ryk Bartlett, finds out that they have met with you, they will face retribution. JJ begins by describing the Free Worlds' offer: all the benefits of the mutual defense pact, in exchange for an agreement to uphold human rights and the rule of law, plus offering financial support for the Free Worlds.` |
` 'Begging your pardon,' says one of the elders, 'but what makes you different from any pirate organization that comes in here, demanding our money in return for 'protection'?'` |
choice |
` (Let JJ answer that.)` |
goto jj |
` (Try to give an explanation myself.)` |
` 'We're a representative government,' you say, 'with open financial records and clear human rights guidelines that we uphold.'` |
goto unconvinced |
label jj |
` JJ explains about the Senate, that each world has a say in how the Free Worlds income is spent. 'And,' he says, 'we will not take your children as slaves, or force you to work in factories producing illegal drugs.'` |
label unconvinced |
` The elder who spoke seems unconvinced. 'Seems to me that you 'Council' folks are the real rulers, and your 'Senate' is a figurehead,' he says. 'So I don't call that true democracy.'` |
` 'Maybe,' says another of the elders, 'but they're still better than Bartlett. I say, if the Free Worlds can free us from him, we'll at least give their new government a try.' A few of the others nod in agreement.` |
` They explain that to the best of their knowledge, Bartlett is spending most of his time near the Zeta Aquilae system, plundering merchant convoys of heavy metals coming out of Rand and Oblivion. If you can destroy Bartlett and his flagship, the Dread, his followers will probably disperse.` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog phrase 'generic bounty hunting on visit' |
npc kill |
personality staying plunders disables heroic nemesis target |
system Orvala |
government Pirate |
ship 'Bastion (Heavy)' 'Dread' |
dialog 'You have destroyed Ryk Bartlett's ship. Hopefully now the elders on Albatross will be more inclined to bargain with the Free Worlds.' |
npc |
personality staying plunders disables |
system Orvala |
government Pirate |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 3 |
mission 'FW Albatross 2B' |
landing |
name 'Return to Dancer' |
description 'Return to Dancer with JJ, and meet up with Freya.' |
autosave |
source Albatross |
destination Dancer |
clearance |
to offer |
has 'FW Albatross 2A: done' |
passengers 1 |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The people of Albatross, another anarchist world, have agreed to join the Free Worlds in gratitude for having been liberated from Ryk Bartlett, a warlord who was extorting them for protection money.' |
event 'albatross joins free worlds' |
conversation |
`When the elders on Albatross learn that you have destroyed Ryk Bartlett and freed them from his rule, they grudgingly agree to join the Free Worlds, 'at least on a trial basis.' You hope that you will be able to live up to the promises you have given them.` |
` After you return to your ship, JJ says, 'So far Freya says there have been no hints of a Navy attack against Dancer, and she has a new set of surveillance satellites up and running in Alpha Arae to monitor fleet activity. So, let's go meet up with her and decide what our next steps should be.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying JJ hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
event 'battle for zeta aquilae' |
'reputation: Republic' = -1000 |
system 'Zeta Aquilae' |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 5000 |
mission 'FW Rand 1' |
landing |
name 'Occupy Zeta Aquilae' |
description 'Take a Free Worlds fleet to Zeta Aquilae, drive away whatever Navy ships are there, and then land on Rand, which has decided to join the Free Worlds.' |
autosave |
source 'Dancer' |
destination 'Rand' |
clearance |
passengers 2 |
blocked 'You need a bunk free for Freya (in addition to JJ) to continue this mission.' |
to offer |
has 'FW Albatross 2B: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'Another two planets, Rand and Oblivion, have expressed an interest in joining the Free Worlds. They are rather far from the rest of Free Worlds territory, however, so JJ is worried that it would create an indefensible tactical position.' |
event 'battle for zeta aquilae' |
conversation |
`When you land on Dancer, Freya has just received some exciting news. 'It turns out taking out Bartlett had some unexpected side effects,' she says. 'Bartlett has been hounding the systems on the northwestern fringe of the Dirt Belt for years, and had a lot of enemies. The governments of Rand and Oblivion are so grateful to you for eliminating him that they've reached out to us to begin the process of joining the Free Worlds! And several other worlds in that region are interested now, too.'` |
` JJ frowns. 'That's really awful timing,' he says, 'and would put us in a really bad tactical position - spread out, and with the Navy right in the middle.'` |
choice |
` 'Are you saying we shouldn't let them join, even though they want to?'` |
` 'Well, I say, if they want to join us, we should let them. Who knows if they'll be this enthusiastic about the Free Worlds later if we let them down now.'` |
` JJ thinks about that for a moment, then says, 'Well, I guess we should let them join. It will mean we may need to launch an assault to drive the Navy off New Iceland. But if we do that, our tactical position shifts from one that's worse than what we have now, to something much better. Freya, did they say if there's any sign that the Navy has gotten word of this?'` |
` 'A few carriers are in orbit around Rand,' she says, 'so they must suspect something. But the bulk of the Navy fleet is still to the north and east of here.'` |
` JJ says, 'Okay Captain, here's what I propose. We'll leave the bulk of our fleet here to defend Dancer and New Portland, but take a few of our best ships to Zeta Aquilae and drive out the Navy. Freya and I will travel with you so that if we need to make any decisions, we'll have most of the Council there in person. How does that sound?'` |
choice |
` 'It sounds like a good plan. Let's do it!'` |
accept |
` 'I'm still worried we're over-extending ourselves.'` |
` 'You may be right,' he says. 'Freya, what do you think?'` |
` 'I think we need to take this opportunity while it's available,' she says. 'Sorry, Captain, but I'm with JJ on this one.' They both board your ship, and you get ready to travel to Zeta Aquilae.` |
accept |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic disables escort |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Elder' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Reliant' |
ship 'Falcon (Heavy)' 'F.S. Bismark' |
ship 'Skein' 'F.S. Lapwing' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 8-4' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 0-9' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 6-2' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 3-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 1-5' |
ship 'Finch' 'Bravo 9-1' |
ship 'Hawk (Rocket)' 'F.S. Echo' |
ship 'Hawk' 'F.S. Shadow' |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic disables |
system 'Kochab' |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Linden' |
npc evade |
government 'Republic' |
system 'Zeta Aquilae' |
personality staying heroic |
fleet 2 |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Carrier (Mark II)' |
'Lance' 4 |
'Combat Drone' 6 |
'Gunboat (Mark II)' |
on visit |
dialog `You've landed on <planet>, but there are still Navy ships circling overhead. You should take off and help finish them off.` |
on complete |
event 'fw expanded and cut' |
mission 'FW Rand 1B' |
landing |
name 'Regroup at Wayfarer' |
description 'The Free Worlds fleet has been scattered by a Navy invasion. Regroup with the ships that fled to <destination>, and plan your next move.' |
autosave |
source Rand |
destination Wayfarer |
passengers 2 |
to offer |
has 'FW Rand 1: done' |
on fail |
dialog `You have failed an essential Free Worlds mission. If you want to complete the story line, revert to the autosave or another earlier snapshot of the game.` |
on offer |
log 'The Navy has invaded Rastaban and Delta Sagittarii, effectively slicing through Free Worlds territory and splitting up the Free Worlds fleet.' |
conversation |
`You meet up with the governor of Rand, and sign the papers to make her planet a part of the Free Worlds. The nearby systems are reporting no Navy interference: they seem to have been allowed to switch allegiances without any attempt by the Republic to stop them. Of course, that might partly be because these are mining planets, not as necessary to the Republic's survival as the farming worlds on the other end of the Dirt Belt.` |
` Freya leaves the meeting to check up on her surveillance network, and rushes back into the room a few minutes later. JJ takes one look at the expression on her face and quickly excuses himself from the table. You join him outside in the hallway, and he asks Freya what's going on.` |
` 'The Navy just invaded Delta Sagittarii and Rastaban,' she says. 'We're cut off from the rest of Free space. Our defense fleet was woefully outnumbered. Many ships were destroyed, and the rest fled back toward the Rim, or to Tarazed.'` |
` 'I was afraid of this,' says JJ, 'but I didn't think it would happen so quickly. I wonder if they knew that these new worlds were joining us, and deliberately used them as a diversion.'` |
choice |
` 'What do we do now?'` |
` JJ says, 'Freya, you said part of our fleet fled to Tarazed?'` |
` 'Yes,' she says. 'Probably not a strong enough fleet to drive them off, though.'` |
` 'Well, I guess we should regroup with them,' he says. 'Hopefully then we can plan a coordinated strike. Or if necessary, we can abandon this sector and get our fleet back to the Rim without losing too many ships. Captain <last>, can you take us to <destination>?'` |
choice |
` 'Sure.'` |
accept |
` 'What if the Navy follows the fleet to Wayfarer? We're three of the four Council members. Shouldn't we avoid a situation where we could all be killed?'` |
` From JJ's expression, it's clear that he doesn't even want to dignify that question with a response. 'If we die, the Free Worlds will live on,' he says, 'and there's no way we're abandoning a whole section of the fleet just to save our own skins. So, let's go to Wayfarer.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You land on <planet>, but realize that your escort carrying JJ and Freya hasn't entered the system yet. Better depart and wait for it to arrive.` |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality staying timid |
system Tarazed |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Holly' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Nebula' |
ship 'Skein' 'F.S. Larkspur' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 6-2' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 0-9' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 3-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 9-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 1-5' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 8-4' |
ship 'Skein' 'F.S. Ironwood' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 5-3' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 4-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 2-3' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 5-8' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 2-4' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 6-9' |
ship 'Argosy' 'F.S. Nightingale' |
event 'battle of alioth' |
system Rutilicus |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 2000 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 8000 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 1000 |
system Cebalrai |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 2000 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 4000 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 1000 |
system Alioth |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 400 |
fleet 'Large Northern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 1200 |
fleet 'Large Southern Pirates' 2400 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 3000 |
event 'end battle of alioth' |
system Rutilicus |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 2000 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 8000 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 1000 |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2000 |
fleet 'Navy Surveillance' 1600 |
system Cebalrai |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Large Southern Merchants' 2000 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 4000 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 1000 |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2000 |
fleet 'Navy Surveillance' 1600 |
system Alioth |
fleet 'Small Southern Merchants' 400 |
fleet 'Large Northern Merchants' 600 |
fleet 'Small Southern Pirates' 1200 |
fleet 'Large Southern Pirates' 2400 |
fleet 'Small Republic' 3000 |
fleet 'Large Republic' 4000 |
fleet 'Navy Surveillance' 1600 |
mission 'FW Defend New Tibet' |
landing |
name 'Defend New Tibet' |
description 'Defend New Tibet from a Syndicate fleet that is attacking them, then land to rescue a Syndicate defector carrying vital evidence and information.' |
source Wayfarer |
destination 'New Tibet' |
passengers 2 |
to offer |
has 'FW Rand 1B: done' |
on offer |
log 'As a member of the Council, must make the deciding vote on a difficult decision. A defector from the Syndicate is claiming to have proof that the Syndicate was behind the bombings of Martini and Gemini. If that is true, the Republic may agree to make peace with the Free Worlds. But, refusing to return the defector to the Syndicate would certainly earn their enmity.' |
conversation |
`The fleet in orbit around Wayfarer is pitifully small, surely not enough to take on more than a couple of Navy capital ships. JJ orders one of their communication officers to try to establish a secure link to Bourne or to any Free Worlds post on the other side of the Navy blockade. After about ten minutes, the officer returns and says, 'Sir, we're receiving communications from New Tibet. You need to talk to them.'` |
` 'Our fleet is there?' asks JJ.` |
` 'No sir, the Syndicate. They're under attack by the Syndicate.'` |
` 'What?' says JJ. He rushes into the communication room, and you and Freya follow. On the video screen is a Buddhist monk in a maroon robe; behind him, you see other monks rushing about with none of the serenity you would usually expect of them. 'What's going on there?' asks JJ.` |
` The monk explains, 'Yesterday a Syndicate ship landed near our monastery, and the pilot sought refuge with us. He brings evidence that the Syndicate, or some faction within the Syndicate, was behind the attacks on Geminus and Martini.'` |
choice |
` 'Why would the Syndicate do that?'` |
` 'What sort of evidence?'` |
goto evidence |
` 'He claims that a certain faction within the Syndicate values economic growth above all else,' says the monk, 'and incited this war for that reason.'` |
` 'That's insane,' says Freya.` |
` 'But not completely implausible,' says JJ.` |
label evidence |
` The monk says, 'He brought a great deal of evidence. Plans for a nuclear device. Data from underground testing. A manufactured bomb casing. Samples of fissile material. And he named the planet where the development was done: Mutiny, in the Gienah system. We hid his ship in a cave. A day later, a Syndicate fleet appeared in orbit. They do not know where the defector landed, but they say they will destroy whatever settlement is harboring him unless he is returned to them immediately.'` |
` After a moment, JJ says, 'If these allegations are true, if we can prove that the Free Worlds was innocent of any involvement in those attacks, the Republic might make peace with us, or at least agree to a ceasefire. I vote that we try to shelter this defector and hear his story.'` |
` 'And if it's a lie,' says Freya, 'and we refuse the Syndicate's demands, we lose our only ally. And many civilians will be killed, as well. I care about justice, but trading a definite ally for a slim possibility of peace: that is an unwise investment. I vote that we hand this man over to the Syndicate.'` |
` The monk says, 'We want to see justice done, and peace prevail. If you ask us to, we will flee to the mountains and take refuge until help arrives.'` |
` As the third Council member present, you have the deciding vote, and the entire course of this war may rest on your decision.` |
choice |
` 'I say we rescue the defector, even if it means war with the Syndicate.'` |
goto rescue |
` 'I say we hand the defector over to the Syndicate, and focus on winning the battle against the Republic.'` |
goto surrender |
label rescue |
` 'Are you sure?' asks Freya. 'A lot of lives hang in the balance.'` |
choice |
` 'Yes, I'm sure. We rescue the defector.'` |
goto 'definitely rescue' |
` 'Fine, we'll hand him over. But I don't think it's the right thing to do.'` |
goto 'definitely surrender' |
label surrender |
` 'If Katya were here,' says JJ, 'she would tell us to choose justice over political expedience.'` |
choice |
` 'Well, she's not here, and I say we can't afford to lose the Syndicate as an ally.'` |
goto 'definitely surrender' |
` 'I suppose you're right. Let's mount a rescue operation.'` |
goto 'definitely rescue' |
label 'definitely surrender' |
apply |
set 'fw did not rescue defector' |
` 'Very well,' says JJ. 'In that case, we'll need to meet with the fleet captains and figure out how to take on the Navy. Let's meet in the spaceport bar in an hour.'` |
decline |
label 'definitely rescue' |
` JJ seems very relieved at your choice. 'I think that's the right choice, Captain,' he says. 'We can take the fleet we have here, sweep up north to avoid the thickest part of the Navy's occupying fleet, and cut over to New Tibet to drive the Syndicate ships away. Let's just hope these monks can stay hidden until then.'` |
accept |
on accept |
'reputation: Syndicate' = -1000 |
event 'fw at war with Syndicate' |
event 'battle of alioth' |
npc evade |
government Syndicate |
personality heroic staying |
system Alioth |
fleet |
names 'syndicate capital' |
variant |
'Splinter (Mark II)' 2 |
'Manta (Mark II)' 3 |
'Quicksilver (Mark II)' 5 |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort disables |
ship 'Dreadnought' 'F.S. Holly' |
ship 'Falcon (Plasma)' 'F.S. Nebula' |
ship 'Skein' 'F.S. Larkspur' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 6-2' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 0-9' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 3-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 9-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 1-5' |
ship 'Finch' 'Charlie 8-4' |
ship 'Skein' 'F.S. Ironwood' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 5-3' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 4-1' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 2-3' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 5-8' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 2-4' |
ship 'Finch' 'Echo 6-9' |
ship 'Argosy' 'F.S. Nightingale' |
on visit |
dialog `You've landed on <planet>, but there are still Syndicate ships circling overhead. You should take off and help finish them off.` |
on complete |
'reputation: Republic' = 1 |
event 'fw armistice' |
event 'end battle of alioth' |
conversation |
`It doesn't take long to find the monastery that contacted you earlier, but nothing is left of it but burnt-out shells of buildings. You land and look around for survivors. You find several corpses dressed in maroon robes, some of them badly burnt, but no sign of the defector or the monk you spoke with earlier.` |
choice |
` (Wait to see if anyone approaches now that the Syndicate fleet is gone.)` |
` (Give up and contact the rest of the Free Worlds fleet to figure out what to do next.)` |
goto leave |
` You wait around for a while, but this mountain valley seems to be entirely desolate. Then finally, when you are about to give up hope, Freya spots the distant figures of a few dozen people coming down the side of one of the mountains.` |
goto gunboat |
label leave |
` You are just about to leave when Freya spots something and points. 'Look,' she says, 'someone is coming down the mountain slope toward us.' Sure enough, it's a group of several dozen people wearing the distinctive robes of the monks.` |
label gunboat |
` As you wait for them to approach, JJ receives a message from one of the militia crews. 'Sir, you have incoming! A scout ship, with Republic markings. Apparently unarmed. Shall we intercept them?'` |
` 'Oathkeepers?' asks JJ. 'Or ordinary Navy? Who are they?'` |
` The voice on the other end pauses. 'Neither. Navy Intelligence.'` |
` JJ thinks about that for a second, then says, 'Let them land. But follow them down, and if you see so much as a hint of them powering up weapons, blow them out of the sky. Understand?' The officer acknowledges his order and signs off.` |
` As the group of monks approaches from the mountainside, the scout ship comes in for a landing and skids to a halt in the dirt a few dozen meters away. A woman steps off it. She has dark skin, and is dressed entirely in black. Even the whites of her eyes are black: when she gets closer, you can see that it is actually a scleric tattoo, an intricate Celtic knotwork pattern inked into the whites of her eyes. She sees you staring at her, and winks at you with a friendly grin.` |
choice |
` 'I'm Captain <last> of the Free Worlds. What is your business here?'` |
` 'Who are you, and what gives you the right to land on our planet?'` |
goto hostile |
` 'My name is Raven,' she says. 'I'm here to question this defector. If he is telling the truth, our war with you will end today.' She pauses, then adds, grimly, 'And, another war will begin.'` |
goto questioning |
label hostile |
` She frowns. 'My name is Raven,' she says. 'I am here to question this defector. If you are interested in knowing the truth, you will allow me to do so.'` |
label questioning |
` The monks approach, and you see that among them is a man in more ordinary attire, who must be the defector. 'Now,' says Raven, 'I will question him alone, on my ship.'` |
choice |
` 'No, we insist on being present for your interrogation.'` |
goto present |
` 'Very well, we'll wait outside.'` |
` 'No!' says JJ. 'We're staying here.'` |
label present |
` She hesitates for a long moment. This is probably going against whatever orders she is following. But finally she says, 'Very well.' The monks step aside. She approaches the defector, and reaches out her hands to him. Hesitantly, he takes her hands. It's an oddly intimate scene, the two of them quietly holding hands and locking eyes - not like any interrogation you have seen before. 'Now,' she says, 'tell me your story.'` |
` 'My name is Sawyer,' says the man. 'I'm a physicist, a Syndicate employee. We had a secret project on Mutiny, a planet in a pirate system. We were developing nuclear weapons.' He hesitates, and looks away for a second, then says, 'They told me it was for fighting the pirates. I didn't realize otherwise until--'` |
` 'That is a lie,' says Raven, calmly.` |
` He seems flustered. 'Okay, they didn't tell me what the weapons were for, and I didn't ask.'` |
choice |
` 'Why would the Syndicate attack the Republic?'` |
` 'Why did you wait so long to report this?'` |
goto wait |
` They both seem surprised at you asking a question. Sawyer says, 'War is good for business, especially if you're in the business of making weapons. The Syndicate's profits have more than doubled since this conflict began.'` |
` 'What led you to report this?' asks Raven.` |
label wait |
` He says, 'It was when I heard that there had been another major battle. Up until then I had been telling myself that the worst of the damage was done. But after that battle, I knew that millions more could die because of our crime, and that I had the power to stop it.'` |
` Raven continues to ask questions: who was involved, how the facility was hidden, where the raw materials came from. At one point, JJ pulls you aside and says, 'She must be a Questioner. How they operate is a tightly kept secret. I'd always assumed their methods were.. a bit more medieval.'` |
` Finally, Raven is satisfied, and radios her ship. 'He's telling the truth,' she tells them. 'Send word to the admirals at once. And, release the captive.'` |
` The door of her ship slides open, and another woman steps out - shakily, hesitantly, shielding her eyes against the sunlight. It takes you a few seconds to realize that it's Katya.` |
` As you all rush over to greet Katya, Raven taps your shoulder and says quietly, 'Meet me in the main spaceport in a few hours and we'll figure out what's going to happen next.' She returns to her ship.` |
mission 'FW Liberate Delta Sagittarii' |
name 'Liberate Delta Sagittarii' |
description 'Lead a Free Worlds fleet to drive the Navy out of Delta Sagittarii. Another fleet ought to be arriving from the Rim at about the same time.' |
source Wayfarer |
destination 'New Portland' |
clearance |
passengers 2 |
to offer |
has 'FW Rand 1B: done' |
not 'FW Defend New Tibet: done' |
on offer |
event 'fwc southern battle' |
conversation |
branch surrender |
has 'fw did not rescue defector' |
`A few of the Free Worlds crew members are still milling around the spaceport in confusion. You help to gather them together and explain that you are headed out on a very important mission to New Tibet.` |
decline |
label surrender |
`When you and Freya enter the spaceport bar, JJ is talking with someone on his communicator. 'The code word is 'havoc,' he says. 'Yes, I'm certain. It's the only option we have left. Good luck.'` |
` 'What was that about?' asks Freya.` |
` JJ says, 'I was calling in some reinforcements,' he says. 'A group of ex-militia folks and bounty hunters who want to further the cause of the Free Worlds, but want to do it freelance instead of taking orders from us or the Senate. They call themselves the 'Wolf Pack.' Have you heard of them?'` |
branch know |
has 'FW Wolf Pack 2: offered' |
choice |
` 'No, I haven't.'` |
` 'Too bad,' says JJ, 'they've managed to get their hands on some technology I'd love to have access to. But anyway, they've agreed to make an initial strike and fade attack on the Navy fleet to soften them up, before our own fleet gets there.'` |
goto plan |
label know |
choice |
` 'Yes, I helped them get access to some better ramscoop technology from the Deep.'` |
goto yes |
` 'No, I haven't had any dealings with them.'` |
` 'That's odd,' says JJ, 'I thought they said you helped them to get their hands on the catalytic ramscoop. But anyway, they've agreed to make an initial strike and fade attack on the Navy fleet to soften them up, before our own fleet gets there.'` |
goto plan |
label yes |
` 'Ah yes,' says JJ, 'an excellent piece of corporate espionage. A little shady and underhanded, of course, which is why we let the Wolf Pack handle things like that rather than doing it through official channels. But anyway, they've agreed to make an initial strike and fade attack on the Navy fleet to soften them up, before our own fleet gets there.'` |
label plan |
` 'That'll need to be one hell of a strike for it to make any difference,' says Freya.` |
` 'Don't worry,' says JJ, 'it will be. They've been itching to get into the fray for months now. Captain <last>, we'd like you to fly along with the fleet and help to mop up whatever the Wolf Pack leaves behind in the Delta Sagittarii system. Then we'll land on New Portland and figure out what our next steps are. Freya and I will ride on your ship.'` |
accept |
on visit |
dialog `You've landed on <planet>, but there are still Navy ships circling overhead. You should take off and help finish them off.` |
on complete |
event 'fwc southern liberation' |
npc |
government 'Free Worlds' |
personality heroic escort |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Plasma)' |
'Osprey' |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Falcon (Heavy)' |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
fighters 'free worlds fighters' |
variant |
'Skein' 2 |
'Finch' 12 |
fleet |
names 'free worlds capital' |
variant |
'Dreadnought' |
npc evade |
personality staying heroic |
system 'Delta Sagittarii' |
government 'Republic' |
fleet |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Carrier (Mark II)' |
'Lance' 4 |
'Combat Drone' 6 |
'Gunboat (Mark II)' 4 |
fleet |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Cruiser (Mark II)' |
'Combat Drone' 4 |
'Rainmaker (Mark II)' 4 |
npc |
personality staying derelict |
system 'Delta Sagittarii' |
government 'Republic' |
fleet |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Carrier (Mark II)' |
'Frigate' 2 |
fleet |
names 'republic capital' |
fighters 'republic fighter' |
variant |
'Cruiser (Mark II)' |
'Frigate' 4 |
npc |
personality staying heroic |
system 'Rastaban' |
government 'Free Worlds' |
fleet 'Large Free Worlds' 4 |
npc |
personality staying derelict |
system 'Rastaban' |
government 'Republic' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
npc |
personality staying heroic |
system 'Rastaban' |
government 'Republic' |
fleet 'Large Republic' 2 |
Copy lines Copy permalink