Dreadnought / DREAD

Pirates? That’s what they’re calling us?

Guess they’d be right, what with what we’ve done lately… It’s amazing what a man will do if he’s desperate. I was one of them once. Hard worker, down to the bone. I hogged lithium out of the asteroids in Orion, and so did my father, and his father, and the father before him. He always said it was a great profession, my dad did. But I knew better. I could tell in my mother’s eyes every day he went into the Cold mines. I could tell when he’d get home glad to be alive. I could tell when I’d wake up in the night hearing the sharp sounds of his rad sickness collecting on its debt…

Oh yeah, I can remember now— ‘Debt,’ they called it. We weren’t there because we wanted to be. They made us stay there. We were in debt to the company from the moment we were born. I remember asking my foreman what he ever gave to me, for me to owe him a debt. I remember the twisted smile on his face when he backhanded me right into the lase drill. That’s how I lost this eye, you know.

But it’s ok now. It was.. eh, irony I guess. That same foreman thought it would be funny to send the kid with one eye to go fly the Aurie wagons through the dust cloud between the mines and the collection depot. Gave me the one in the worst shape, knowing that if I hit a cloud of rock between the two, it’d just be another tiny debt in his portfolio.

If it wasn’t for that, I wouldn’t be where I am now, drinking on this stuff and paying the debt off my tab. See, I fell in love with that Aurie. I worked on her, I flew her, and in exchange she repaid her debt to me by teaching me everything I know about a starship. And on that fateful day, when the Vandies flew in and paid off my debt, I escaped alive. I clung to the stick of my Aurie knowing full well she’d lead me on to safety. In the end, it was just me and her out there, floating in space.

Stars, I hated that mining colony. They treated me like a slave my whole life, and what’s worse—I was okay with that for a good long time. I was the bottom of the bucket. I was at the mercy of my debtor. I was worth less than the dirty old Aurie they gave me to fly. That old universe you see out there stole my friends, my family, and years of life.

But now, now things are different. Now the roles are flipped. Now I’m on top.

The way I see it the universe owes me a debt, and I intend to collect in full.

Dreadnought Charter & Letters

Listed below is the Dreadnought letter of Marque, as adapted from the English Letters of Marque against Spain, as written by James the First in 1625. http://constitution.org/mil/lmr/1625engl.htm
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Premise, that all pilots and others who shall desire to have letters of reprisal for the taking and detaining of vessels and goods, shall first make proof or exhibit their ability to do so before the Guild leader, or his second in command of the Guild, or either of them respectively, as they shall think fit and agreeable to the Guild’s intention.

Item, that it shall be lawful within the Guild for pilots and others authorized by letters of Reprisal to set upon by force of arms, and to take and apprehend in space, or upon any planetary atmosphere, or in any starbase or spacedock, vessels and goods not under the protection of the Guild or the allies of the Guild.

Item, that the said pilots, and others, shall give bond before the Guild leader, or his second in command of the Guild, that they and every of them shall bring such vessels and goods, which they shall so take and apprehend, to some such port of the Guild’s space, as shall be most convenient for them.

Item, that all vessels and merchandise taken by virtue of any commission aforesaid shall be kept in safety, until they are sold, spoiled, and wasted, and the bulk of thereof profited from, as facilitated by the Guild’s fences.

Item, that those pilots, and others, which shall have the said letters of Reprisal, shall not attempt anything dishonest or harmful against the Guild or its members, or the members of any other guild in good standing or affiliation with the Guild.

Item, that it shall be lawful for the pilots and others to keep such and so many vessels, goods, and merchandise as aforesaid, as shall be given to them by the Guild as payment, and to make sale and dispose therof in open market, or howsoever else, to their best advantage and benefit, in as ample manner as at any time heretofore hath been accustomed by way of Reprisal, and to have and enjoy the same, as lawful prizes, and as their own goods.

Item, that all and every of the Guild’s members, having been given the letter of Reprisal, or any other persons signed onto said members’ vessels, or who otherwise take part in any contract or adventure, or any other sort deemed profitable to the Guild, according to this letter of Marque, shall be guilty and reported for any offense against the rules of the Guild, or risk having their letter of Reprisal, and the benefits of the Guild thereof, stripped from them.

Item, that it shall be that all manner of persons, as well as the members of the Guild, as any other, who buy of the said vessels and goods, so taken and apprehended by the said pilots and others, as is outlined, shall be allowed to purchase and roam without any danger, loss, hindrance, trouble, or encumbrance, to befall the said buyers or their property.

Item, that the said pilots, and others, before the taking of a contract, shall give notice to the Guild via the proper forums, of their name, the type of vessel or vessels being used, with the number and names of the crewmen signed on.

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Letter of Reprisal:

This letter of Reprisal is to be given to members of the guild, allowing them to function as one of it’s parts. Once given, the Member is to post it, letting all known that he or she is now a full-fledged member of the Guild.

“On this day, (date), it has been proven that the pilot, or otherwise crewman (playername), has the ability to detain or apprehend vessels or goods, or carry out another action beneficial to the guild, and has been granted this letter of Reprisal, admitting him into the protection of the Guild, and the benefits thereof. Therefore, let it be known as of this day that (playername) shall be a member of this guild, abiding by the rules and codes thereof, so help him.

Signed,
(Guild leader or Guild’s second in command).”
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Letters of Association:
There are two types of Association with the guild, both of which require a letter to prove your Association. Associates will be listed on the “Associates and Members” topic.

TYPE M Letter of Association

“I, , hereby recommend to own the status of Type M Associate, by way of a purchase of <# credits> of from the Guild. Therefore, they shall gain the trust and benefits entitled to them as an Associate, and shall follow and maintain the Associate rules, so help them.”

TYPE R Letter of Association

“I, , hereby recommend to own the status of Type R Associate. Therefore, they shall gain the trust, benefits, and ability to earn their own Letter of Reprisal entitled to them as an Associate, and shall follow and maintain the Associate rules, so help them.”