Pirates of the Frontier
Several infamous pirates & privateer bands ply the shipping lanes throughout the Outer Colonies. Some are formed from the hardest criminals in society, who look upon piracy as their 'civil duty' to become pirate kings & force entire systems to bow before them. These 'kings' as they call themselves often use some of the most modern warships they have 'acquired' from the military, or converted merchantmen. Others are nobles looking to capture the glamour & myth of the 17th Century buccaneers. Armed with a Letter of Marque from their government, often plying their trade from converted transports or pleasure yachts. None-the-less, they are an annoying thorn in the side of civilian & military authority.
Micheal 'Mad Monk' Peters
Status: Pirate; 5 MCr reward, Dead or Alive (preferably dead).
Vessel: NAC 'Furious' class Escort cruiser "Double Crossbones"; Pulsetorp replaced by 2 needlebeams.
Background: 'Mad Monk' is an NAC mutineer who started his career after being thrown in the brig after torturing an ESU prisoner to death. His accomplices freed him & then spaced every officer aboard. The ratings were given the choice of joining him or being set adrift in a lifeboat. Nearly 2/3 joined the mutineer, but more than 1/2 (the ones who were suspicious of the offer) jumped ship at the first port after Peters set the loyal crewmembers adrift, more than 2 light years from the nearest star. Believed to have captured or destroyed more than 500,000 tons of shipping along the NAC/ESU border, he is considered a threat to internal security by both sides. The last known sighting reports that he now commands a squadron of 2 destroyers & 5 frigates.
Lady Alison 'Mayflower' Rosemount
Status: Privateer; 2 MCr reward offered by FSE for capture alive.
Vessel: Converted Starliner "Dawn's Promise"; upgraded to MD6, armour 6, +2 firecons, 2 x SMR(er)-(FP/F/FS), 2 x needlebeams (F), 2 x Class-2 (6-arc), +2 PDS, 2 x MT needle missiles, 8 mass passenger & 16 mass cargo. (Lady Alison has modified the SMRs to fire one missile salvoes, giving 6 turns worth of munitions).
Background: Lady Alison operates along the FSE border, preying on military transports & other high cost cargo. Known for the fair treatment of prisoners, she removes the crew & drops them off within easy distance of FSE bases, flirting with the danger of capture. 2 FSE light cruisers, 'Bordeux' and 'Bastille' recently attempted to capture Lady Alison, but both had their drives shot out by salvo & needle missiles with heavy casualties.
'The Sandman'
Status: Pirate; 3 MCr reward, Dead or Alive
Vessel: Custom built Privateer "Sands of Time"
Background: Little is known about the Sandman, except he (or she) is believed to be of African or West Indian descent. Operating in PAU space, his (or her) favoured tactic is to order the merchant crew to abandon ship; failure to do this has resulted in the immediate destruction of the vessel on every occassion. Approach with extreme prejudice & weapons free. Custom Privateer "Sands of Time" Mass: 70 Hull: Average FTL: Std Main Drive: 6 Damage Track: 21 [ooooo*/ooooo/*oooo/o*oo*] Screen-1 2 Firecons 3 Pulsetorpedoes (F) 3 x Class-2 beams (AP/FP/F; FP/F/FS; F/FS/AS) 4 PDS