Entry 006: [Slight Setback]

LOCATION: Bakewell Point, Pallaeni System, Independent Territory, Inner Orion Spur
REPORT TYPE: Expeditionary Update

Captain's Log. 
There's been a bit of a setback in the expedition on the part of the Avenger. While traversing independent space on the way to the first waypoint for the Distant Worlds expedition, we were attacked by a crew of pirates. 

We detected a distress signal on our way through Col 285 Sector BX-F B26-1. Upon dropping into normalspace at the signal source, we found a passenger ship running on emergency fuel. We launched fuel limpits to give the ship enough fuel to make the flight to the nearest station, and the minute the stranded ship got underway, panels on the front opened to reveal hardpoints that were previously undetected by our scanners, and banked to attack. 

The skeleton crew of the Avenger scrambled to battle stations, and with the information that Keve was able to get from a ship scan before the scanners were jammed, we could tell immediately that we were outgunned. We elected instead for a retreat, hoping to lose them in hyperspace. Engaging the FSD, we left normalspace and started making our way back across the system, hoping to make the jump before the pirates caught up to us. No such luck. 

Upon entering hyperspace, our scanners picked up 3 more ships: fighters all of them. We maxed out our speed and put nearly full-power to engine modules. We had almost made it within range of a jump point when we were hit with an interdictor blast. I took over the helm from Adam, while he ran back to the rear of the ship with Katha to make emergency repairs to the propulsion systems and to lash everything in the hold down safely. 

The ship dropped forcibly into normalspace, knocking everyone in the cockpit around rather severely, the emergency dropout function engaging, slowing the ship to a fraction of its normal running speed. As I battled desperately with the controls to regain full speed, Murph started plotting a route back to the nearest station: Bakewell Point, several systems back in Pallaeni. She reluctantly put in the coordinates, cursing the fact that there weren't any closer stations, and the computer began its calculations. Just as we regained full flight control, we heard the blast of a ship dropping out of supercruise just behind us. Pushing the throttle to full forward power, we zipped away just in time to avoid an EMP blast, no doubt targeted at taking out our shields. 

Adam and Katha returned topside, Adam despondent about the state of the FSD. It appeared that even if the navicomputer completed its calculations before we were shot out of the black, the FSD would still need several minutes of cooldown before we could hope to go anywhere. We all settled in with a grim determination. 

Everyone was sent to perform a different task in the hopes of delaying our attackers. Keve began releasing emergency broadcasts to any Federal Security agents in the system or nearby; Katha took position on the rear turret and began making precision shots to take out enemy modules; Murph took the forward gun, while Adam went to coax the FSD back to health and I maneuvered to dodge laser fire and hopefully get a few shots back with the primary weapons. A few minutes of stressful dogfighting passed, and we managed to destroy our first pursuer. However, the explosion of the enemy fuel reserve was followed almost immediately by the blast of 3 other FSD wakes, and the other 3 members of the pirate crew arrived, hot on our tail. Their combined fire kept us in retreat, unable to return much fire of our own. For a moment, I almost lost hope, and then the navicomputer beeped. The FSD was charged. There was a collective sigh as I initiated the jump. Already at full speed, the charge-up didn't take long and we blinked away from the pirates.

Upon dropping into normalspace at Pallaeni however, we found that our FSD had been damaged irreparably, and there didn't seem to be a single part of it salvageable. Adam and the remaining team, who were rather surprised to see us back so soon, certainly have their work cut out for them. 

SUPPLEMENTAL: The Avenger has been outfitted with a new FSD, this one more powerful and longer-lasting than the last. Adam has recommended the purchase of a fuel scoop as well, to prevent our needing to slow down in potentially-dangerous systems in the future. The scoop is a more sophisticated piece of technology, however, and is taking significantly longer to fit on the ship. The rest of us have the next day or so to relax from our ordeal, and make a few calls to different parties who would be interested in this newest addition to the pirate activity surrounding the expedition. We also received news that a rather infamous CMDR had apparently sided with the pirates and has taken to attacking Expedition ships. The Expedition being so big (10,000 CMDRs was the last count I saw!), it was bound to draw some more-sinister attention. 
[LOG END]