Lave Station, Lave, 01-Jan-3200

Funny how life turns out. You go to sleep in Liaedin (4,3) as a successful smuggler in the "Northern Sectors" with over ¢700,000 and 300 kills to your name, a Corporal in the Federal Navy and owner of a large vessel, decked out with all sorts of kit. You wake up in the Lave system (-3,-6), a fugitive from both Federal and Imperial Law in a practically empty Cobra Mk III, an account holding ¢100.0, and a splitting headache. I just hope I enjoyed it while it lasted. Whatever it was.

Looking over the ship, I realise it is thoroughly inadequate. Sure it's big, but I can't go anywhere or buy anything. So I get it stripped. Four missiles taken off the racks, a 1MW pulse laser removed from the front mounting, as much fuel as we can remove taken out of the hold. Part exchanged for a Viper Defence Craft: it may be a rusting tin bucket, but it's just about spaceworthy, once I add a 1MW beam laser and autopilot.

I get myself a strong caffdrink and settle down to read the local bulletin board and navcharts. There are a couple of folk asking for packages to go to Leesti and I notice that Lave's animal meat would go down well at market there. So off to the market, where I buy 3t of fuel and 16t of animal meat at ¢102.0 per ton. Back to the ship, quickly arrange departure and we're away. Hyperspace to Leesti!