I was passing through one of those edge of the bubble systems with a couple belts and a outpost orbital station when I noticed a System Defence fighter manoeuvring to get behind me. A few seconds later I was indicted.
"Please submit to inspection".
I zeroed the throttle and dropped to normal space.
The Viper dropped out a moment later and scanned the ship. Then I was grilled.
"What are you doing here?"
I explained I was an explorer passing through.
"That's a strange name? Are you from around here?"
The question was vocalised in such a way that it implied he didn't like me much. I replied that it was a nickname that I used.
"Please standby..."
I could hear clicking and clacking over the open com and after a few minutes he continued.
"You did know that using a ship registered in a false name in this system is an offence under Bylaw 23, section 3, subsection 1, regulation A. Please can you give me your real name. "
I don't like using my real name as it can often cause me embarrassment but as I was in an unarmed Asp Explorer and he was sitting with his lasers pointing at me I really didn't have much of a choice.
"Redvers Ganderpoke" I stated.
I waited for the usual response and I wasn't disappointed.
"Are you related to the Fish magnate Baden Ganderpoke?"
"He was my grandfather"
The pilot sang under his breath the cheesy jingle from the video advert that was last shown some 30 years ago before the Great Fish Crash when my grandfather had lost his fortune overnight:-
#Ganderpoke fish is the best in theee Unee verseeee.#
"I thought I could smell something fishy." he added
"Git." I thought, this is the sort of thing that had followed me around the galaxy like a bad smell.
This seemed to lift his spirits a bit and he said.
"I was going to give you a fine and impound your ship, but instead I'll just get the registration changed at the Pilot's Federation."
There was a clacking again.
"Good that's done."
I look up at the HUD and it had changed from CMDR Iron Orchid to CMDR Redvers Ganderpoke.
"Have a nice day" he said and left the comms open as he pulled away humming the fishy jingle.
"Please submit to inspection".
I zeroed the throttle and dropped to normal space.
The Viper dropped out a moment later and scanned the ship. Then I was grilled.
"What are you doing here?"
I explained I was an explorer passing through.
"That's a strange name? Are you from around here?"
The question was vocalised in such a way that it implied he didn't like me much. I replied that it was a nickname that I used.
"Please standby..."
I could hear clicking and clacking over the open com and after a few minutes he continued.
"You did know that using a ship registered in a false name in this system is an offence under Bylaw 23, section 3, subsection 1, regulation A. Please can you give me your real name. "
I don't like using my real name as it can often cause me embarrassment but as I was in an unarmed Asp Explorer and he was sitting with his lasers pointing at me I really didn't have much of a choice.
"Redvers Ganderpoke" I stated.
I waited for the usual response and I wasn't disappointed.
"Are you related to the Fish magnate Baden Ganderpoke?"
"He was my grandfather"
The pilot sang under his breath the cheesy jingle from the video advert that was last shown some 30 years ago before the Great Fish Crash when my grandfather had lost his fortune overnight:-
#Ganderpoke fish is the best in theee Unee verseeee.#
"I thought I could smell something fishy." he added
"Git." I thought, this is the sort of thing that had followed me around the galaxy like a bad smell.
This seemed to lift his spirits a bit and he said.
"I was going to give you a fine and impound your ship, but instead I'll just get the registration changed at the Pilot's Federation."
There was a clacking again.
"Good that's done."
I look up at the HUD and it had changed from CMDR Iron Orchid to CMDR Redvers Ganderpoke.
"Have a nice day" he said and left the comms open as he pulled away humming the fishy jingle.
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