Captain's Log - Deep Space

Still trying to avoid my pursuers I took a zig zag course through the system. It seems to have worked, I seem to have lost them at least for the moment. I need some minor repairs and hope to land at Blackburne Downport later today or tonight. I miss my new family there. I missed Immi's wedding although was able to catch up thanks to the cortex Hales Moon Herald.

I did notice more warship signatures around Hale's moon. I hope all is well there, I just had to stay away as it was too dangerous to even approach the area from where I was.

Captain's Log #3 - In The Black and On The Run

They moved far quicker than I anticipated and they had been watching me since about my first week on Blackburne. I had to get away, to think, to regroup and plan my next steps. I knew they would someday find me and two years of not having them on my heels was a good break.

I didn't waste those two years, I have a plan. I checked on my family, my brother, and he is fine. It's been only the two of us since the Alliance took Beaumonde during the war. I had hoped to keep my brother out of this mess but he's handling it all well. They hadn't even made contact with him but he had noticed people keeping an eye on him. I gave him his new papers and new identity I gotten for him. I knew he would need it sooner or later; at least it waited till later.

After loosing the tail and having my ship cleaned of all their tracking gadgets I'm on my way to retrieve some of the microchips they have been after for all these years. I've been in transit for nearly three days now.

I forgot the loneliness that space can leave one with. I have to get a crew, this is a big ship to pilot by yourself and if I run into trouble it's going to be nearly impossible to handle everything. I miss Firefly's and the comraderie. I even miss the action of the Reaver and other things trying to come in and take over. It's nice having a little action in your life.

I missed Immi's wedding this weekend. I hope everything went well. Would be like the Alliance to throw an attack at Hale's moon during the nuptials. They might actually be smart enough not to piss Immi off on her wedding day though as well! Let's hope so.

MaxwelW Hellershanks

What an interesting evening last night was. I got back to Blackburne Downport a little earlier than I expected. Everything was a typical Sunday night at Firefly's. I was exhausted from all of my travelling and was feeling a little meloncholy. I took a stroll with Mikie down to the Blackburne Art Gallery, there's good art and out the loading bay doors is an excellent view of the radioactive ocean. It was sunset and it seemed like a nice place to sit and relax with a friend.


Then I get a personal wave from LilyBell telling me about a man who was asking about a Joshua Krenshaw and showing a picture of me. The gentleman, MaxwelW Hellershanks said that he represented the family of Joshua Krenshaw. He said Joshua had been missing from his family since just before the start of the war and they had hired him to find him. He had news for him about his family and that it was very important that he find him.


Of course my friends at the bar said they had never heard of a Joshua Krenshaw and hadn't seen him around. The photo of course was of me but the name didn't fit, nor would it.


It also became perfectly clear why my contact had not shown up on Whitehall. The photo Hellershanks was passing around is a survellence photo from my visit there. It was a setup after all. Meant to bring me out into the open and confirm the reports they had been hearing.


I haven't used the name of Joshua Krenshaw since before the war. I changed my name in an attempt to keep my family protected from whatever may arise I became Lance Ducatillon. I spent most of the money I had saved on the fake ID's and credentials to simply loose Joshua Krenshaw forever. Then I hitched a ride out to the border planets and signed up with the Independents.


My past seems to have caught me. I knew when I saw my name plastered in the Blackburne Observer that it would only be a matter of time. I did not know they were able to link me to my family.


MaxwelW Hellershanks is the representative for the "Conglomerate of Wealthy Business Men" who I took my last job from. Them coming here and using my birth name was a warning. A warning that they know who my family is and that it's time to give them what they want. The ball seems to be firmly in my court though; they can't hurt my family while I still have what they want.
OOC NOTE: I have no idea who MaxwelW Hellershanks true identity is. I have given out the background story to a few of my non SL playing friends. My theory is that one of them has started an account and is trying to mess with me. I don't believe it can be anyone I have met online because I have not, until this post, given out this much back story on Lance?!?! Let's hope a comment comes in from the real MaxwelW Hellershanks.

Captain's Log #2

Finally, a job offer. It's been awhile since I've found any real work. I've been getting some med supplies for Blackburne but I haven't made any money on it. Luckily I have a buddy who had a surplus of them and he owed me a favor or three.
I am enroute to a meet on Whitehall to discuss transporting farming equipment between a couple of the local moons. It's not an extremely high paying job but it will keep me flying and at least it is a legite job.
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I'm enroute back to Blackburne after the meet that never happened. No one showed. I waited at our designated coords for over an hour. Had a spooky feeling the whole time I was on that planet too. I'm probably just paranoid though, at least that's what I keep telling myself.Looks like I'll miss most of the partying tonight at Firefly's. I wonder if there have been anymore Reaver attacks?

More Reaver Attacks

These things are relentless. After the last attack Nack Barnes was able to get a scout report back about the crashed Reaver ships and discovered that were a total of 12 Reavers shat survived the crash. Three attacked the other day and another attacked today. We should be down to 8 Reavers we belive. At least we only took one casualty this time around, your truly.

They have even been launching multiple attacks in a single day. After the earlier attack another came into town and set off some kind of smoke bomb. Jayne inhaled some of the gases and coughed a bit. I was off world setting up a deal when I got while all of this was going down and received a wave from Cobb that they needed a med person to look at Jayne.

By the time I arrived Jayne had stopped coughing and sounded fine. I tried to give her a mild brochial dialater but she pulled her arm back. Since Jayne is deaf and mute it's hard to communicate with her. She went through a lot as a child and she lives at the downport. She mostly stays to herself and does odd jobs around the downport. Nack has pretty much taken her under his wing. Most of us think she is a reader of sorts. Sometimes it's like she can read our minds and she has a deep intuition of when attacks are pending. She's a valued member of Blackburne.

We think we're down to about 8 Reavers left. I'm heading off world to meet a client and will be away from Blackburne for a day, maybe two.

REAVERS!!!

You hear the stories and figure they are boogie man tales to keep children in their beds at night. I'm here to tell you they ain't no stories that even get close to the savagery brought on by these soulless monsters. They just keep comin.
Blackburne got hit hard by Reavers tonight. We heard the ship coming in. We heard the ship crash over the ridge. No one really knew what had happened. We were enjoying, what we thought was, a very nice evening on the front porch of Firefly's. Thought the action was over for awhile. We'd already been hit two nights in a row and everyone was recovering from injuries and just relaxing for a bit. Should've known.
Security cams caught some movement in the SE, the direction the ship went down in. I went to investigate as we made sure the civilians were taken care of. Then they were there. I reacted immediately, backstepping and pouring rounds into him. He just kept coming. I managed to stave off his first attack as he got distracted and went after someone else.
I was heading for the new communications gear in the bar when my comm unit went off. Someone had beat me to it, the mayday was out. The few of us who were there implemented the SOP's (Standard Operating Procedures) we had discussed the night before. I started trying to suss out the situation so we'd be ready when the reinforcements arrived. We had one Reaver in the town attacking whatever and whoever it could. Even Milo, the local mutt, started playing dead when the Reaver came around. I chased him to the sewer cover and he was gone. I don't know how they fit into the lower drainage system but they do.
It was quiet again. By now we had militia crawling outta everywhere, our plan had thus far worked. Then, they were on us again, two Reavers attacking. They seemed like there were ten of them. They were fast and all over the place. The radio started going nuts with reports of their whereabouts and then the cries of the wounded could be heard.
We managed to regroup around the bar using the courtyard as our alamo and triage area. It wasn't enough. We had to get to the Med Pav for the advanced gear that's kept there. I took a small group of walking wounded and a few folks still able to fight and set off for the other side of town. It was another lull. They seem to hit us fast and hard and then retreat into the sewers, regroup, and then pop up in another part of town.
We made it to the Med Pav and the other radio that was there allowed us to keep in contact with the bar. Man was I glad I was able to get more than one transmitter, they saved the day. We setup a security perimeter around the Med Pav to guard and help heal the wounded. Brave, tough people we have on the militia. No one ever thought of giving up, not that surrender was an option. I watched countless people come in, get patched up and head right back out to the fight.
Belize did an amazing job coordinating her end of town. The fight raged on so long I lost track of the time. Times like these you don't think, you just act.
Next thing I know it's quiet. Im covered in blood, mostly other militia members blood and, reaver blood. The adrenaline scorching a trail through my veins like hot molten lead. I'm shaking. With no targets in sight and no outlet my body looses control. I walk back to the bar to see how bad we'd been hurt, hoping the shakes would die down before reaching everyone. I was able to regain control of myself as I walked into the courtyard. I wasn't alone, EVERYONE was scared, anxious and shaking.
We'd done it. We'd managed to pull ourselves together as a team and hold the town. We took some casualties. Some were pretty severe but none life threatening. We had at least one dead Reaver, 6 severe militia casualties and one MIA. Aeon was last seen chasing a Reaver into the Wastes. Immi was shook but stayed around tending to the wounded. Aeon can take care of himself, we'll see him again.
The reinforcements disbanded as the regular militia drifted inside for some much needed libations and nerve control. "Drinks are on the house!", I yelled as I made my way behind the bar. Nack was off world on business, his business. We don't ask and he doesn't tell. I knew he wouldn't mind though, I mean hell at least he had a bar to come back too. The hooch that was flowing free could be remade with our in house libation dispenser, the still. There wasn't a rosy cheek in the place, everyone was pale.
A few strangers came by the bar as we were regrouping. When I say strangers I mean STRANGErs. One guy had a specific message for Nack, "It's half past the hour with 10 minutes to go." He made sure we had it, word for word. Then someone from Mann's crew showed up. Best we could get outta him was that he thought Mann had been taken by the Alliance but wasn't sure. He's supposed to keep us posted. Just more craziness on a crazy night.
Words can't describe the savagery I witnessed this night, nor the bravery. It wasn't everyone for themselves anymore. We'd become brothers in arms, baptised by fire. For the first time since I've arrived on this rock everyone worked together and fought for the person next to them. It made a difference, it made all the difference.
Yes, we're still very much rough around the edges but we're closer than ever. For the first time in a long while I can see the future and have hope. I belong again and it feels good. Whatever tomorrow brings we will face it, and defeat it together.
Look out verse, we're the Blackburne Militia and Blackburne Downport is our home. Come Raiders or Reavers, Mutants or Purple Bellies, it's ours and you can't have it!

Personal Log #4, The Jack of Trades

When it rains it pours. Not only did we get a mutant attack last night the Raiders came back in force and were successful in liberating the abandoned firefly, The Jack of Trades. I got back into town about 4 or 5 minutes after the attack started. It must have been a total surprise attack, there wasn't even a distress signal sent out. By the time I got to the Firefly and engaged the Raiders it was taking off! Now the gorram raiders can attack other settlements. In the after action briefing, drinking beer on the porch, I helped organize the militia a bit. We discussed some tactics that can be used in the future to make sure we keep control of Blackburne. We can't have every mutant and raider in the verse walking in here and taking what they want and leaving the rest. I hear Belize received a commendation for putting her own life at risk to get the civilians to safety. Otherwise it was a bitter defeat. There was much crying into our beers this night. I have accquired a number of emergency transmitters and we have placed them around Blackburne so that in the future we can get a call out for reinforcements. Protecting the civilians and localizing the enemy should be the next priorities. Hopefully the first ones to respond will have an idea of what is going on by the time reinforcements can get to the scene and can be properly directed to where they are needed. It's time the militia starts kicking some ass. We're in need of a leader, someone who can rise to the top and keep the militia organized and trained. We've teamed up with the colonists on Hale's moon and hope to start joining them in their small unit training. Most of us are sky jockies at Blackburne, we have leadership experience but few of us have spent any real time in the dirt and muck. That's about to change.

Personal Log #3

As if it's not enough that we're all on edge expecting a Raider attack sometime soon, a gorram mutant attacked us tonight. I managed to get out a distress signal before being knocked out, again. Luckily reinforcements showed up cause that thing wasn't going down easily. When I woke up the battle was still raging. I stumbled over to where the others finally trapped the damn thing in a corner and we just blasted it.Looked like a cross between a pink grasshopper and a Giensu knife, with teeth. It was hideous and smelled extremely bad. Luckily there was only one of them. It seemed to be an unorganized attack aimed at kicking the crap outta us. It worked but we took it down.I don't know how many of us went down, I saw at least 3 militia members coming or going from the med pav. I bandaged up everyone that I could and almost exhausted the med supplies I have been bringing in. Luckily I've managed to keep the supply up to meet the latest demands but my source is running dry. I gotta find someone else with an in for med supplies.

Tomorrow....ugh, today

The Raiders didn't wait long to come back and, of course, they come back right in the middle of my biggest hangover in..... days. I don't really know how it started, I was passed out on one of the sofas on the porch.

I was awakened by gun shots and bullets whizzing by my nice comfy sofa. I went out and started trying to suss out what was going on. I guess reflexes took over, i started bandaging up anyone I could find. I found Grei first I think, he wasn't quite down yet but was wounded pretty good. I patched him up and moved on.

Belize, I believe, got Jayne and a few other civilians to safety. It's so foggy I don't even remember who all was involved, but we managed to launch a counter attack. We charged into the abandoned Firefly, guns blazing of course and managed to chase it out. I took a few grazes but nothing major. It ran off into the Wastes.

These things want that old Firefly for something. I can't believe I let my emotions take over and kill that gorram raider yesterday before we could get any info out of her. That one was for Cobb though. It came down from the Blackburne Militia leadership, 'the brass', that Raiders are to be thourghly interrogated and THEN killed until they are dead.

At least my med skills are improving and I'm able to keep a steady stream of supplies coming in. As one of the few people around with some medical training I'm looked to anytime someone gets hurt. I've kinda taken the Medical Pavillion's computer over for Medical research.

Not Thinking of Tomorrow

Firefly's doesn't play country music that often, but when they do......

And yes, that's me center stage in a cowboy hat, chaps and g-string. Hey, sometimes out here on the rim you gotta just let it all hang out. If you don't, you'll burst. You gotta scratch a livin outta the land with little more than a blanket and shovel and party like there is not tomorrow. Cause hey, there may not be.

Never A Dull Moment

I was sitting at the docks on Hale's Moon and had just finished some minor modifications to Prosperity when the distress call came in. A Raider was discovered in Blackburne. I fired up the engines and got there as quick as I could.

They were beginning the search for the thing when I arrived. Mannheim, Archer and Kaato were on the trail. It was found in Nack's Firefly and a hefty firefight insued. It was everywhere and no where all at once.

I had my hands full with the wounded and trying to take care of myself all at the same time. We cornered it in the cockpit but it came out fighting. Finally Archer was able to capture it. We tried to interrogate it but it would do nothing but glare. It was a female and to keep the breeding population down I finished her off with a salvo of bullets to the brain. That was all it took.

We figured it had time to get its message out so another attack is expected at anytime.

Captains Log #1, Prosperity

I'm a Captain again. Feels good, the sky is mine once more. I'm finally Free after all these years.

Now it may be time to get back into my old routine :)

Hale's Moon

I got word from some of the residents of Blackburne that there were some ships for sell on Hale's Moon. They recommended them highly, some type of modified Firefly class of ship. It sounded exactly like what I needed.

After commadeering a ride to Hale's Moon I find a desolate, heavy gravity world of grey. It seems they've recently been experiencing raids by the Purple Bellies (Alliance Troops) and even bombing runs. That would explain the heavy blockade around the Moon and it seems that they will never learn how to setup a proper Blockade. It wasn't even hard to breach the blockade, if you knew what you were doing.

Anyway, as promised I found the shipyard. They've got a ship I have my eye on, I only need a few more pieces of platinum to get her. I already know what I'm going to call her, got a name all picked out. Hopefully it won't be long now.

Raider Scout Attacked

A little too much action last night. Myself and a few other patrons were sitting on the front porch of Firefly's waiting for the drinking to start. We were just goofing, feeling a bit too relaxed it seems. Pariah was the first to see it, a Raider nosing around Jayne's shack. Cobb was the first to react, but not quickly enough. I don't even know if he got off more than a few rounds before he went down. No one was around, the few folks who were on the porch were unarmed. I jumped up and went offensive. This Raider was REALLY BIG and incredibly fast. I fought with him for as long as I could. Then the lights went out. When I woke up I was on the porch. Nack was there and said he saw the Raider running off into the wastes. It looks like Cobb and I scared him off but why I don't know. He thourghly kicked our gorram asses into the dirt. I'll be sore for days. There's bound to be more to come, the calm before the storm I suppose. Thankfully our wounds weren't serious, nothing the newly stocked med pavillion couldn't help us through.

Personal Log #2

Blackburne Downport is becoming home. I'm finding there are people, like me, just trying to stay outta the way of the Alliance. Troubled and shady pasts are the norm around here and most people have the decency not to ask too many questions. Even those who support the Alliance know not to pry, at least not openly. This place is so far off the beaten path one may wonder if there was ever a path. We're all lost in the wilderness, some by choice. I've joined up with the Blackburne Militia to help keep the Raiders and Reavers under control. I've taken it upon myself to keep the Med Pavillion stocked with whatever first aid supplies I can scrounge together. Once I get a ship maybe I can make a difference. It seems we're always in need of supplies around here, things are stretched thin. The people of Blackburne seemed resigned to it and to even prefer these conditions over those on the core planets under the thumbs of the Alliance overlords.

Coldest Beer in the Verse

I made it into town this evening very parched from the walk through the waste lands. It's the most in-hospitable place I've ever laid low in but the Alliance won't come anywhere near the wastes.I needed a beer, a cold beer.Just as I got to the local watering hole in Blackburne, Firefly's, the bullets start flying! I duck behind the wall wondering what the hell is going on. The Blackburne Militia was organized and fighting back amazingly quick. It seems the downport was being scouted by a couple of Raiders from the Wastelands.I just sat and cooly drank a cold beer as I was unprepared to take part, unless of course someone threatened my frosty cold one.They even managed to take a Raider hostage but Chol managed to go and get himself shot. I gave him a hankie and told him to apply pressure, then ordered another beer. I had to go shortly afterwards as the paranoia of being around unknown people began to settle in.I have to get a ship soon, the sky is calling. I've laid low long enough, it's getting time for some payback.

Personal Log #1

After hopping a few freighters, a garbage scowl and a crazy ass shuttle ride I finally made it to Blackburne Downport. Doesn't look like much but that's what I was hoping for. I need a place to regroup. It's been many years since I've smelled freedom. With any luck it won't take me long to get a ship. This backwater town should be just what I need to keep my head outta sight of the Alliance.

Where In The Verse Is Lance Ducatillon

Cortex News Report
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During the war Lance Ducatillon had his own ship and crew. He become a well known independent supply hauler/smuggler for the Independents.. Some would say he became too well known. He always found a way to get his cargo through; ensuring a steady stream of Medical Supplies, Food and Ammunition to the Browncoats on the border worlds. He might get shot up, but he never lost his ship, and he never lost his crew.

During the battle for Serenity Valley Lance's ship and crew were the last ship able to penetrate the Alliance's blockade. In so doing he allowed the independents a few more weeks of survival and resistance.

After the war Lance continued his trade, finding work where he could and doing his best to stay under the radar of the Alliance. It is rumored he had ties and affiliations with the radical group known as the "Dust Devils" but this reporter was not able to confirm or renounce that claim.

Little else is know of Lance after the war years, other than he no longer has a ship of his own. He took a job that ended up being a setup by the Alliance. He lost his ship and his crew was killed by the troops who ambushed them. For some reason the Alliance kept Lance alive. He spent many years inside an Alliance prison, rotting.

In a daring move that made headlines all over the cortex, Lance managed to escape. He vanished, simply vanished from the verse.

There are some who think he made it and that he is hiding out on the rim. Stories have been told of men in suits landing on the rim planets and moons, asking locales if they have seen Lance Ducatillon. They flash a photo, wait for an answer and move on.

by Alanna Tipi, Cortex News Reporter