Change of plans

Well, just as I had earned enough money to buy the PASC, and was very close to being promoted to Count, the newly promoted Marquis IcyBluenose asked me to take over for him as commander of Stepping Stone Starbase. I have paid him for the starbase, and soon the transfer will be official. The only delay is the new fighting in Nari, which is a sector that stands between me and Stepping Stone. (I am in the PEC smuggling for the Empire again, and Stepping Stone is in Nunki.) The Federal starbase Peace Offering was conquered by valiant Imperial pilots and is now (rightfully) an Imperial base, "Pax Imperia". However, the Feds continue to attack it. This makes it difficult for unarmed freighters to travel through the sector.

Part of the agreement is that Stepping Stone remain a TIRO asset, and the Marquis has the right of first refusal when I choose to sell it again.

So, rather than step up into fighting and improving my experience and skills, I will instead manage Stepping Stone for a while. Hopefully, building new ships and repairing passing ships will help me regain my wealth. I have already hired a stocker to bring food and water to the base.

Hopefully I will be able to squeeze in some smuggling for the Empire while I run the base. I hope to do so to be promoted to Count. I may also spend some time hacking at the nearby Union starbase Lahola Bunnies. I also should probably spend some time arranging for my homeworld cloning services to be transferred from Rigel to Lahola I.

I have also decided to make a stop in Waihopi (which is seriously out of my way in the ESC (Empire Ska'ari Core) to pick up some 120 MT Magnetic Defractors (these are electromagnetic weapons) because if I'm going to stay in my Constrictor I'll need some modicum of armament, and the 120 MT Defractors are the most mass-efficient weapons known.