Tales of Honor MVP Dialogue -- Chapter 2
Chapter 2 -- Silesian Shoals
Overview
The player is recognized for his efforts with a new assignment as captain of a light cruiser, HMS Furious. His detail is to counter Havenite operations in the Silesian Confederacy, where stray ships from the Secret Fleet have diverted to augment and fund an increasingly bold pirate fleet. The Havenite goal is two-fold: to destabilize and then capture control by-proxy of several profitable Silesian trading worlds and, at the same time, undermine Manticoran influence in the Confederacy. Although outnumbered, Furious’ resourceful crew disrupt the pirate’s plans and ultimately (with the help of one Honor Harrington) hatch a cunning plan to eliminate the vicious pirate commander and short-circuit Haven’s plans in the Confederacy.
Sector 3 (Breslau Sector)
Story Mission 11 - Dirty Dealers
Map Summary
None
Opening Dialogue
LOCKE: Entering Silesian space, Captain.
PLAYER: Thank you, XO. And can I say that new uniform fits you nicely, Lieutenant Commander.
LOCKE: It matches the ulcers, #ADDR. To think, for one hour on Wyvern Station I had the relaxing expectation of moving back to astrogation.
PLAYER: Not on my cruiser, Locke. The HMS Furious needs a man like you as First Officer. The remnants of the Secret Fleet diverted into Silesian territory and are cooking up trouble, probably in league with local pirates.
LOCKE: I was in the briefing, Captain. Intel reported we’d find them very close to the sector entrance. Senior Lieutenant Stark?
STARK: Confirmed, #ADDR. Gravity distortions in the vicinity. Havenite ships from the Secret Fleet.
LOCKE: Oh, and they just contacted us, #ADDR, with a message: “In the name of Governor Greyvin, you are ordered to leave Breslau Sector.”
PLAYER: That’s not very welcoming. Arm broadsides, Guns. Let’s see how Furious handles herself in battle.
Battle: 1 destroyer, 1 light cruiser
Victory Dialogue
LOCKE: Greyvin… Greyvin? #ADDR, there’s no governor Greyvin in our records, in Breslau or anywhere else. The governor of Breslau is named Lauren Steed.
PLAYER: I saw her name in the briefing materials. She has always been friendly to Manticore in the past. Let’s pay her a visit and see if she knows this Greyvin.
Story Mission 12 - Insurrection
Map Summary
We need to warn Governor Steed of the presence of Haven in her jurisdiction.
Opening Dialogue
STARK: Approaching Breslau System, Captain. A lot of traffic… #ADDR! These are pirate ships. Some kind of siege!
PLAYER: I need communication with the surface, Locke. Get Governor Steed.
LOCKE: Just achieved laser link-up, #ADDR. Putting on-screen.
STRANEK: This is Janis Stranek, cabinet secretary of internal affairs. Please help! There are violent men here surface-side. We’re penned in.
PLAYER: Where is Governor Steed?
STRANEK: Gone. Kidnapped. By Greyvin’s men. Please, we need assistance--
PLAYER: Locke, deploy marine cutters to the capitol. Tell them I want Greyvin, and I want him alive. Stark, engage any pirates that threaten their deployment.
Battle: 2 upgraded destroyers, 1 upgraded light cruiser
Victory Dialogue
PLAYER: Welcome to my brig, Mr. Greyvin--
GREYVIN: That’s Governor Greyvin, you interloper! The meddling of foreign powers in Silesian--
PLAYER: Don’t give me that, Greyvin. We both know it was Havenite forces that carried you into the capitol. And that kidnapped Lauren Steed. Where is she?
GREYVIN: If you think--
PLAYER: I’m sorry, was I not clear? If you want to see something other than the walls of a Manticoran Naval brig for the rest of your life, I think you’ll tell me what you know.
GREYVIN: …
PLAYER: Corporal, the prisoner can have his next meal tomorrow at 0300--
GREYVIN: FINE! I don’t know what system it is, but it’s some deserted rock... Bring me a star map and I’ll-- Where are you going? Do I get a meal or not!?
Story Mission 13 - Hostage No More
Map Summary
Greyvin’s narrowing in on the location of Governor Steed. Who do you imagine will be waiting for us when we arrive?
Opening Dialogue
LOCKE: Captain, this place is too quiet considering they’re holding a high-stakes hostage here. Where are the defenses? Maybe Greyvin has misled us.
PLAYER: Maybe, Locke, but let’s see what the marines on-surface report back with. And confirm that Naval Intelligence received our last report, would you?
STARK: I’ve got gravity signatures outside the system’s hyper limit, Captain. It’s an ambush alright. A sizeable fleet, with one ugly looking battlecruiser backing them up.
LOCKE: Naval Intel has confirmed, Captain, and… #ADDR, just receiving a message from the squad planetside. Not good: Steed’s there, and some of her staff… They’ve all been executed!
GRIEG (on screen): Oopsies! Did I do that? Ol’ Cadogan Grieg never was very good at taking hostages. Or at keeping them anyway. I’ll try to do better after I capture you and bring you on board the Nosferatu, but… no guarantees.
PLAYER: Dead or captured, I’ll be happy knowing you just got yourself boxed in by a full Manticoran battle group, Grieg. I think you’ll see them on sensors in… about ten minutes?
WEATHERLY: The battlecruiser’s a ways off, #ADDR, but the first wave of pirates is approaching our orbit. Engaging!
Battle: 2 light cruisers, 2 upgraded light cruisers
HARRINGTON (on screen): This is Captain Honor Harrington and the HMS Fearless, here to assist. I’m afraid Grieg’s battlecruiser slipped away just after we came in-system.
PLAYER: Captain Harrington. They didn’t give you much time off after the Battle of Basilisk Station, did they?
HARRINGTON: Not sure I would want it. Captain, there’s a friendly Silesian outfitting station next door in Sachsen Sector. When your battle damage is taken care of, please allow me to accompany you there. I believe you’ve been approved for some upgrades.
Sector Exit
Map Summary
The Admiralty has ordered us to Sachsen Sector. All evidence is that Grieg is on his way there as well.
Exit Dialogue
HARRINGTON (on screen): ...but when they told me there was another wing of the Basilisk attack, I was sure glad you were there to stop it.
PLAYER: It’s funny where one desperate wormhole jump can take you. You learn a lot about yourself in those moments. And about your crew. But what brings you to Silesia?
HARRINGTON: Same as you, apparently: Pirates. I see your Warshawski sails are finished deploying, Captain. Go ahead and enter the gravity wave. Fearless will follow in after you.
Sector 4 (Sachsen Sector)
Sector Entrance
Entrance Dialogue
PLAYER: To think that by all rights we should be at war with The People’s Republic of Haven after Basilisk, but because you were there to short circuit their plans, the Peeps were left with some plausible deniability. And so here we are hunting pirates in peacetime.
HARRINGTON (in person): True, but some of these pirates are awfully cozy with Haven. Like Cadogan Grieg.
PLAYER: Were you familiar with him before yesterday?
HARRINGTON: I’d heard some stories, awful stories of pointless violence. He’s not in it for the money. He has no political ambitions. Unlike Andre Warnecke.
PLAYER: Warnecke. He’s the rebel who started an uprising in the Chalice Cluster?
HARRINGTON: Yes, but since that uprising was crushed, he’s been leading a privateer band across the Confederacy, trying to reignite his independence movement.
LOCKE: Pardon me, Captain… and Captain Harrington. It appears that Furious is ready for inspection.
HARRINGTON: Well, then I’ll meet you in space, Captain.
Story Mission 14 - Honor to Serve
Map Summary
No time for a test flight, Captain. Two pirate raiding parties are on their way here. Fearless and Furious have been ordered to intercept.
Opening Dialogue
WEATHERLY: I’m tracking the pirate contingent now, Captain. They’re coming in hot. Must be souped-up destroyers.
STARK: And a cruiser to boot.
HARRINGTON (on screen): #NAME. Fearless here. We may be able to use this attack to our advantage. Grieg still has a significant fleet, but he’s now shed his perimeter patrols to run this pincer attack.
LOCKE: Not exactly a sane maneuver, but insanity has its tactical upside. If we can’t hold it off--
PLAYER: Locke, stay focused. When we eliminate this wing, we’ll need to coordinate with Fearless on a counterattack.
Battle: 3 heavily-armed destroyers, 1 upgraded cruiser
Victory Dialogue
LOCKE: Captain Harrington, please tell me a counterattack on Nosferatu sounds like bomb-pumped stupidity to you, too.
HARRINGTON (on screen): Captain #NAME, your XO has an awfully loose tongue!
PLAYER: This time he may have a point. Fearless and Furious are the only Manticoran ships in the sector. Nosferatu is big damned game for two cruisers.
HARRINGTON: We are the only Manticoran ships in the sector. But there are others… like Andre Warnecke.
LOCKE: Warnecke...? Oh, God, I’m going to be sick…
PLAYER: Captain Harrington, you’ll have to go over this plan of yours very carefully...
Story Mission 15 - Paring Down
Map Summary
The first step in Honor Harrington’s plan is for Furious to peel away one of Nosferatu’s outer patrol squadrons.
Opening Dialogue
WEATHERLY: Looks like we caught a few in our net, Captain.
LOCKE: Nice work with those spoofed messages, Weatherly. They really seem to believe we’re loaded down with weaponry for our merchants in-sector.
PLAYER: Let’s hope Captain Harrington is having the same good luck. Hold course for another light-hour, Locke, then slow and rotate to an engagement position.
HARRINGTON (on-screen): Captain! I didn’t expect Warnecke’s fleet would pounce so quickly. If we’re going to take advantage of this ruse we just pulled, you need to get to Nosferatu’s location quickly!
PLAYER: You heard her, Locke. Engagement maneuvers now! Lieutenant Stark, let’s make quick work of these pirates.
Battle: 2 light cruisers, 1 upgraded light cruiser, 1 heavy cruiser
Victory Dialogue
HARRINGTON (on-screen): The comm chatter we manufactured about Nosferatu getting refitting courtesy of the Havenites in order to squeeze Warnecke from the sector… I have to admit, it was my plan and I had my doubts.
LOCKE: I’m sure Warnecke doesn’t care to have another homicidal maniac in his territory. And he knows Haven would like to put an end to him as much as we would.
HARRINGTON: His fleet in this sector just swept over Nosferatu like a swarm of locusts. I’m sure he knew that kind of strike would effectively end Grieg’s ambitions, if he had any.
PLAYER: I know you’ve got to keep tabs on Warnecke, Honor. We’ll prepare to take on Nosferatu. And bring Grieg to justice for the murder of Lauren Steed.
Story Mission 16 (mini-boss) - Shine a Light
Map Summary
Cadogan Grieg and his fleet are seriously crippled. But don’t underestimate him. When we’re ready, we’ve got to go in with everything we’ve got.
Opening Dialogue
PLAYER: Cadogan Grieg! You are ordered to surrender yourself to my custody. You are under arrest under interstellar anti-piracy conventions and shall be tried for terrorism and murder of a state official.
GRIEG (on-screen, staticky): AARGH! Who is that? WARNECKE!? Or you puny Manticorans? HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN?
PLAYER: I won’t repeat myself, Grieg. Deactivate your weaponry or we’ll have to fish your body out of the vacuum.
GRIEG: YOU! Royalist filth! Mind-slaves to that stupid queen! Come and get me… COME AND GET ME!
STARK: Some of Nosferatu’s close support contingent are still active-- Well, how about that…
PLAYER: Lieutenant Stark?
STARK: They’re cruisers from the Secret Fleet, Captain. Haven clearly knows all their eggs are in Grieg’s basket…
PLAYER: Well… warm up the frying pan, Lieutenant.
Battle: 1 upgraded light cruiser, 1 heavy cruiser, 1 weakened battlecruiser
Victory Dialogue
GRIEG (in person): COWARDS! Hateful peons! Oh, what have you done?! My Nosferatu! She’s gone… Fire! Dust...
GREYVIN: What are you doing? You can’t put that madman in the same cell as me!
PLAYER: You got in bed with the weasel, Greyvin, and suddenly you can’t stand the smell? You get to live with him until your trial on Breslau.
LOCKE (on-screen): Captain! Emergency transmission from the Fearless! Harrington says Warnecke’s fleet is after her!
PLAYER: Can we intercept--? Nevermind. Either way, we’ve got to try!
Story Mission 17 (boss) - Honor Among Thieves
Map Summary
Captain Harrington is being pursued by Andre Warnecke’s fleet! I don’t like our odds here, Captain, but we have to try to help!
Opening Dialogue
LOCKE: Warnecke’s ships are definitely gaining on Fearless, Captain, but we’re on course to intercept the closest contingent.
STARK: Captain, there are many more ships trailing behind them, though. That includes one that can only be a battlecruiser!
PLAYER: All we can do right now is get Fearless out of immediate danger. After that…
WARNECKE: Meddlesome fleas! You think Andre Warnecke is your plaything? Some junkyard dog you can sic on your enemies? I’m no fool. I knew you were up to something. Well now I’ve got you. The Chalice Republic finds you guilty of unlawful interference in its affairs. The penalty is death.
LOCKE: Captain, how are we going to--
PLAYER: Don’t worry about the fleet, Locke! Run up alongside those point ships and keep them off Harrington’s stern.
LOCKE: And then what, Captain? I count two dozen--
PLAYER: LIEUTENANT COMMANDER, THAT WILL BE ALL!
Battle: 2 upgraded light cruiser, 1 upgraded heavy cruiser
Victory Dialogue
HARRINGTON: I’m not sorry to see you, #NAME, but I’m afraid we’ve gotten ourselves in a chase we’re bound to lose.
PLAYER: I think that depends on our destination, Honor. Is that hyperspace rift I see on my charts the Sachsen Wave?
HARRINGTON: It is… You are aware that hundreds of ships have been torn apart crossing the Sachsen Wave. You have to go across it at low impeller speeds, or--
PLAYER: I wasn’t thinking of crossing it, Captain.
LOCKE: #ADDR, if we hit that wave at the wrong angle--sails or no, the hyperspace shear will--
PLAYER: Then let’s not hit it at the wrong angle, Lieutenant. Start crunching the numbers. Get Engineering crunching the numbers! Tell them every decimal place is going to count!
Sector Exit
Map Summary
The turbulent Sachsen Wave will take us back to Wyvern Station. If we can survive the hyperspace shear…
Exit Dialogue
PLAYER: Chief, I’m counting on these vector calculations to be spot-on.
GRACE (on-screen): Stop sweating in your dress panties. If Petty Officer Weck and I worked out the trajectories, they’re as perfect as God’s own farts. We’ll survive the transition. Not that we won’t get pretty shaken up in the process.
PLAYER: I owe you a box of your favorite cigars when we get to Wyvern Station, Chief. Captain Harrington? You’ve received the numbers?
HARRINGTON: Indeed, Captain. Warnecke’s going to be one angry son of a bitch when we slip into the Sachsen Wave.
PLAYER: It warms the cockles of my heart to think of it, Captain.
HARRINGTON: You’ve saved my ship and crew, #NAME, and I won’t forget it. You’ve also put the hurt on Haven’s plans in the Silesian Confederacy. It’s been a fine effort, and I’m proud to have sailed alongside you.
PLAYER: From the Hero of Basilisk, that’s a high compliment. But maybe you should wait until we find out if these numbers really are correct. I’m suddenly worried that Chief Grace might have been dipping into the brandy again.
HARRINGTON: Deploying sails now. See you on the other side, Captain.
PLAYER: Here goes nothing. Mister Locke, punch in the numbers and configure sails.