Quiet, both of you.

Serious.

Shirley Serious ? No, that'd be dishonorable. Being a horrible Gallentean 'net tabloid reporter is not a crime. I don't abduct innocent people.

But I don't even "want to bait him into action", he's willing enough on his own anyway.

So far, at least.

She is not a horrible reporter. Among other things, she reported the Khanid Bottomless Pit, a discovery that vindicated my theology on several points. Please don't slander her.

She is not a horrible reporter. Among other things, she reported the Khanid Bottomless Pit, a discovery that vindicated my theology on several points. Please don't slander her.

I can think of no stronger foundation for knowledge than the work of Shirley Serious. Please do not slander her.

You know Shirley Serious is a joke, right? Gutter Press is all just a parody.

Know your enemy, pilot - what does he fly, how does he like to fit them?

Plan from there.

I adapted exactly to that. The error made was that I didn't dig too deep into his loss history. The Kestrel fit he used against me today was last used in July.

Upship him. Cruors

Also, you can call me for back up, I can just bring a svipul or something similar

I would like to take Nauplius's blood to the covenant just so we have some.

I adapted exactly to that. The error made was that I didn't dig too deep into his loss history. The Kestrel fit he used against me today was last used in July.

The only adapting you need to do is your choice of God. Turn to the Red God

Or just.... You know, upship to a cruor

or get a friend with links and use a slicer. That should work alright...

I'd like to face him on equal terms in honourable combat, of course.

But first, I'd like to make sure that continuing fighting him 1v1 on his terms is absolutely futile.

Thank you for the advice, Deitra, but I'm not going to fly filthy Blood Raider hulls, never ever, regardless of whatever advantage they provide. I've heard that the Raiders sacrifice prisoners and slaves to "sanctify", or, rather, further desecrate their war machines, so that blood paint is there for a good reason... No. :(

I'd like to face him on equal terms in honourable combat, of course. But because our skills are obviously not so equal - a magister's degree in history of the Second Ardishapur Period and colony management versus decades of service in the Khanid Navy - I might as well ultimately resort to something along those lines.

But first, I'd like to make sure that continuing fighting him 1v1 on his terms is absolutely futile.

Also, who knows, maybe he'll repent and see the horror of his murderous and heretical ways?

Not that it'll help all the people he slaughtered, anyway.

Only idiots fight fair.

Respectfully, while, as a matter of principle, I don't duel, I don't think it's always an empty gesture.

The point here isn't to kill Nauplius. Killing him temporarily barely inconveniences him; killing him permanently is not an achievable goal for any of us. However, there may be victories to be won outside of pure economic damage.

Approaching an honor duel honorably is not about anything ephemeral; it's about making the victory count. The challenger here is a relative unknown, and lacks Nauplius' experience. Considering their relative strength, she doesn't lose much for a loss relative to what he stands to lose if he fails. It's about the only sort of victory that might even get Nauplius to reexamine his beliefs, especially if she ever starts beating him consistently. Really, she gains a little credit even if she never wins for just being tenacious, so long as she keeps it up. But it has to be clean, or the whole point of the thing is lost.

For my own part, I'll never duel him. I don't have anything to prove in such a way. Tamiroth does, though, and multiple ways to prove it.

Being careful about how crew are selected might be wise, though. Neither pilot's life is at stake, but other people's are.

You aren't that naive to think he's returning the same sentiment are you? Don't be silly. He more than likely has links, a head full of inplants and boosters as his "honor."

No. I have only the Red God.

No. I have only the Red God.

Also, the "faith" issue cuts both ways, here. Neither is going to want to prove their own faith weak by resorting to honorless tactics.

If your faith is so weak you cannot bring along links and a neutral Falcon pilot, something is wrong.