A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, Part 3
A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, Part 3 is a story contract that immediately follows the conclusion of A Wolf in Sheep’s Clothing, Part 2. Commander Harken contacts the player shortly after the final report to initiate the next phase of the operation.
Story
The contract begins when Commander Harken hails the player and requests they return to the CMDR HARKEN system for a debriefing. Harken reveals that her team has developed a plan to finally track down the elusive pirate vessel responsible for the recent attacks and the destruction of the UMC Orion Sentinel.
- Mission Objective: Meet Commander Harken at the Vanguard in the CMDR HARKEN system.
Phase 1: The Trap is Set
Upon arriving, Commander Harken presents the details of her counter-operation, which involves using a decoy ship to lure the pirate vessel into a controlled engagement zone.
The core elements of the plan are:
- The Bait: The UMC commercial freighter UMC Astral Temptress will be used as the bait. This ship was scheduled for scrap, making it a seemingly easy and irresistible target for the pirates.
- The Mission: The player must pilot the UMC Astral Temptress through remote, unprotected systems to bait the pirates out of hiding.
- The Hidden Payload: The UMC Astral Temptress secretly carries tons of advanced military-grade weapon systems that the player must install and activate once the pirates engage.
- The EMP Trick: To prevent the pirate vessel from escaping, the UMC Astral Temptress's FTL drive can be reversed to trigger a massive EMP burst. This will temporarily disable both the pirate ship's and the player's FTL drives and power systems.
- The Rescue: The player must hold off the pirates for "a couple of minutes" after the EMP burst. Commander Harken's strike force will perform a combat drop to turn the tide of the battle.
-
The Bait: Harken explains the plan to use the UMC Astral Temptress as an unarmed decoy to lure out the pirates. -
The Ambush: Visualizing the UMC Astral Temptress facing the target pirate vessel in the empty sector, moments before the EMP is triggered. -
The EMP Trick: Visualizing the FTL drive being reversed to generate a massive electromagnetic pulse (EMP) to prevent escape. -
The Rescue: Showing Harken's strike force that will jump in "a couple of minutes" after the EMP to engage the trapped pirate vessel.
Harken stresses that the pirate vessel will only appear if the UMC Astral Temptress is alone and appears unarmed.
Crewing the UMC Astral Temptress
The player's first action is to take control of the UMC Astral Temptress. The ship requires a crew of 5 to operate effectively.
- A short tutorial on Crew Logistics is initiated upon docking.
- The player must transfer at least one crew member from their primary vessel to the UMC Astral Temptress to begin operating its basic systems.
- The remaining crew members can be acquired either by transferring them from the player's existing vessel or by hiring new crew at a nearby Shipyard or Colony to staff the ship fully.
Phase 2: The Ambush and EMP Activation
The player must pilot the UMC Astral Temptress through unprotected sectors. The pirates will strike after about two jumps into an empty system.
Traveling Restrictions
- Decoy Rule: During this phase, only the UMC Astral Temptress is permitted in the system. The player's other ships must be left behind in an adjacent system.
- Location Rule: The player must jump exclusively to empty systems. Unlabeled star systems are particularly well-suited for this purpose. Important, populated systems like NG0 (with the Stargate Project) or systems with Shipyards/Colonys must be avoided. If the player jump into such a "safe" or busy system, Commander Harken will hail them and point out that the plan only works in remote areas.
Executing the Trap
As soon as the pirate jumps into the sector, the mission is paused. The player must now control the EMP activation via the Contract Quick-View:
- EMP Charging: The player presses the first button to charge the EMP while the pirate approaches.
- EMP Detonation: Commander Harken notifies the player as soon as the pirate is close enough. The player must then press the second button to detonate the EMP.
- Effect: The EMP Burst is triggered, trapping the pirate, and the UMC Astral Temptress loses all power. The player's other ships are now allowed to jump into the system.
Phase 3: Crisis and Counterattack
Immediately following the successful EMP detonation, both the pirate ship and the UMC Astral Temptress lose power and are immobile.
The time the UMC Astral Temptress is powered down is used by the player to install the hidden, advanced military weapon systems aboard the ship.
The Holdout Begins
Once the cannons are installed, the UMC Astral Temptress powers its systems back up, and the battle begins.
A brief Combat Tutorial is initiated to familiarize the player with the operation of the newly installed weapon systems.
Commander Harken immediately contacts the player and instructs them to hold out until the "cavalry" arrives. The player must fend off the pirate for two minutes until Commander Harken's strike force arrives.
Phase 4: Enemy Annihilation and Salvage
As soon as the two minutes are over, Commander Harken's Strike Force jumps into the sector. The pirate ship is swiftly neutralized.
The destroyed pirate ships leave Scrap Metal and Ammo that the player can salvage using Logistics Drones.
Conclusion
After salvaging the wreckage, the player returns to the CMDR HARKEN system to complete the mission. Commander Harken thanks the player, congratulates them on the successful operation, and officially transfers ownership of the UMC Astral Temptress to the player.
- Completion Requirements: Report back to CMDR HARKEN.
- Reward: The player receives a reward of $300,000 Credits and the UMC Astral Temptress as a new ship.