Stardate: 2354.11.03

Another day, another series of dusty terminals and pushy sales drones. I started at the Stellar Yards today, specifically their ‘Pre-Owned’ section, which is usually a more polite way of saying “scrapped and barely functioning.” I’m still on the hunt for a heavy cruiser. I've got a chunk of credits burning a hole in my pocket, but it’s not infinite, and I aim to be shrewd. Today's potential gem was a decommissioned “Zephyr” class cruiser, a real behemoth. Apparently, it saw some action in the K’tharr skirmishes a decade back.

The sales drone, a metallic thing named Unit 734, insisted on extolling its virtues. "A true testament to Terran engineering! Four quad plasma cannons, a spinal railgun that could punch through a moon, and enough reinforced armor plating to withstand a supernova!” Unit 734’s voice was like nails on a hull, especially when it started listing the price: 1.2 million credits.

My internal scanner registered a few things that Unit 734 conveniently left out. The plasma cannons were older models, finicky and prone to misfires, and that spinal railgun… It’s a power hog, and the capacitors that came with the craft are about as reliable as a paperclip holding together a vacuum seal. As for the armor, well, the K'tharr had a nasty habit of finding weak spots, especially with their kinetic disruptors. I poked around the engine housing. The main drive looked old and needed a full overhaul, another few hundred thousand at least. The interior was a wreck - a maze of busted panels and exposed wiring.

Ultimately, it was too much baggage for the price, even after a few rounds of haggling. I managed to bring Unit 734 down to 1.1 million credits, mostly by pointing out the rust patches that were literally flaking off the hull. I left it there, with Unit 734’s whirring frustration echoing in the hangar bay.

Stardate: 2354.11.04

Today was a different flavour of frustration. I decided to take a look at the lighter end of the spectrum - heavy frigates. They’re smaller, faster, and usually cheaper, which is appealing. I checked out a "Raptor" class frigate. A sleek thing, designed for hit-and-run tactics, and built by the Solari Combine. It boasted speed, maneuverability and a powerful laser battery.

The up-side of the frigate was obvious. The ship, despite being much smaller than the Zephyr, was surprisingly well-armed. It had a pair of heavy laser cannons, good for picking off smaller threats, a missile system and a decent number of point-defense turrets. It was also incredibly fast. The Solari engineers clearly knew what they were doing. The downside? It was a fragile thing. While the armor plating was thick for its class, It wouldn't stand up to the heavy fire a cruiser could absorb. And it was small. There was no space for a crew that sized much better than a squad, and it seemed cramped, especially compared to the cavernous Zephyr. I did consider it for a moment, then I noticed the ship’s log. It was used in a number of high-speed assaults, and though not much damage, the hull showed signs of stress fractures in the main engine mounts.

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There were a few variants. The ‘Hunter’ model had an emphasis on missile payload, but slower engines. The ‘Interceptor’ had better engines and lasers, but few missiles. Both also had their own sets of wear-and-tear issues. After a grueling hour, I pushed back from my terminal, noting that none quite fit the bill. I’d rather spend more credits for something that can take a pounding.

Stardate 2354.11.05

Back to the cruisers. I tried “Cosmic Emporium” today, run by a corpulent, reptilian being named Glar. He claimed he had “the finest selection in the sector.” Glar showed me a “Leviathan” class cruiser. This was a older design than the Zephyr, and looked it. It had heavy armor and a massive railgun, but was slow, cumbersome and frankly, it looked like a flying brick, and one whose paint was peeling.

Glar, through a translator drone, claimed “This is a masterpiece of durasteel! It can outlast any conflict.” I peered at the armor. It was thick, but old. I poked at the railgun; the weapon was powerful, but had a low rate of fire. The engines, again, needed an overhaul and were extremely fuel inefficient. Glar was asking 1.5 million credits. I nearly choked on my nutrient paste.

I spent an hour dissecting the ship’s flaws. I questioned everything, from the state of the jump drive to the age of the navigation system. I pointed out the corroded armor plating in the port side, and the hairline cracks near the engine mounts. I even used a hand-held spectrometer to detect substandard alloys used in its construction. With each point I raised, Glar’s scaly face turned a deeper shade of crimson. By the time I finished my analysis, Glar’s translator drone was sputtering in frustration.

“You… you are terrible customer!” it chirped. “This is a superb ship! I give you…discount. 1.48 million.” I sighed. “It’s still overpriced given the needed repairs, Glar. I’d consider 900 thousand, maybe a million if you throw in some spare capacitors”.

Glar was apoplectic, and his translator practically screamed. I left him there, his translator drone screeching obscenities about my haggling skills. I didn’t buy anything. I’ll probably pay another visit tomorrow, just to see if I can get the price lower. I’m starting to think the thrill of the negotiation is more exciting than the actual purchase. Maybe I should consider a small, cheap, fast ship to annoy merchants more often. Nah, I'm set on a cruiser… eventually.