Kidnappers Strike Part 1-4

Kidnappers Strike is a 10-part storyline mission chain that has three variants. Parts 1 to 4 are almost identical across the variants, with only minor differences in the named enemies. The rewards for the entire mission chain include several million ISK, a few attribute/hardwiring implants, and a sizeable faction standing (around 5.5% or 0.55 in-game representation plus Social skill bonus) for a level-3 mission, making this a potentially lengthy but worthwhile endeavor. Note that the courier missions could send you to a station in a low-sec system.

Part 1 - Ambush In The Dark

Level	3
Type	Encounter
Objective	Retrieve 10 x Prisoners (75.0m³)
Best damage to deal	Th Ex
Damage to resist	EM Ex

Mission briefing

I just received news of a grave incident that occurred in <System> a few hours ago. A convoy carrying our esteemed CEO was ambushed by an unusually large and organized pirate strike force. But fortune shone on us tonight, for due to the extraordinary bravery of our CEO's valiant escort team, he managed to escape unharmed, although slightly traumatised as you might expect. We lost many good men in this unfortunate incident, including the commander of our escort team ... may he rest in peace. Now, I'll get right to the point. We believe the pirates managed to capture some of the crew of the cruiser that was escorting our CEO, for we found the wreckage of their ship close by the encounter location, but there was no trace of the bodies of most of the crew. <Faction> special forces have been called in and are scouring the area for any sign left behind by the pirates, who so far remain at large. We'd like you to help out in the investigation. We know of a popular pirate hideout in <System>. I´ll upload the coordinates to your NeoCom: Please search the area for any clues, and if you take any prisoners, bring them back for interrogation.

Single Pocket

Rogue Pirates and sentries feature a relatively balanced resistance profile with thermal as the overall most effective damage type to deal against both armor and shield, while Rogue Pirate Raider is weakest to explosive damage. Rogue Pirates deal primarily EM damage, with sentries and Rogue Pirate Raider dealing primarily a mixture of explosive and kinetic damage. The last enemy to be destroyed drops a container with the prisoners.

Group 1 - 10km

		WD	EWAR	L
	1 x Angel Tower Sentry II
	2 x Cruiser Rogue Pirate

Group 2 - 60km

		WD	EWAR	L
	4 x Cruiser Rogue Pirate
	1 x Cruiser Rogue Pirate Raider

Part 2 - The Interrogation

Level	3
Type	Courier
Objective	Transport 1 x Prisoners (7.5m³)
Ship suggestion	Shuttle or fast frigate
Extra	Possible low-sec destination

Mission briefing

After checking our logs, we noticed that only some of the prisoners you brought back were part of the crew that was captured after the pirate raid on our convoy. The rest apparently are former members of one of the pirate ships you destroyed, who managed to escape from the blast that destroyed their vessel. I need them transferred to some colleagues of mine at another station for further interrogation; hopefully the specialists there will be able to extract the information we need to track down who was behind the ambush on our CEO.

Part 3 - The Kidnapping

Level	3
Type	Encounter
Objective	Retrieve 1 x Prisoners (7.5m³)
Faction	Mercenaries
Best damage to deal	Kin Th EM
Damage to resist	Kin Th EM
Warp disruption	Web/Point (Mercenary Wingman)

Mission briefing

We urgently need help intercepting a group of kidnappers who just managed to snatch the niece of our CEO while she was visiting her uncle in this very system. We believe the perpetrators were a gang of mercenaries led by a felon working for <an illegal organization called the Darkonnen/the illegal organization, the Komni Corporation/the Maru Rebels>. I'll fill you in on the details of that organization in your mission journal. What I need you to do is capture this agent of theirs, alive if possible. We must have him here for interrogation, for we suspect he is the missing link between the kidnapping and those who are truly responsible for this heinous crime. We need to get to the bottom of which organization stands behind these grave assaults against our people. And it so happens that we know the whereabouts of a certain pirate who has had many dealings with a <Darkonnen/Komni/Maru> agent in the past; we hope this pirate will be able to lead you to the agent. The only catch is that he will most likely require a bit of "convincing" on your part before he parts with the needed information. I'll upload the bookmark to his location into your NeoCom; once you have extracted the information from the middleman, I expect you to find the <Darkonnen/Komni/Maru> agent and bring him back to me. The Darkonnen The Darkonnen is an organization that sprung up from rogue elements within the Khanid Kingdom, starting off as a small band of smugglers operating between lawless space and Khanid-controlled territory. They were renowned for their ruthlessness in dealing with their competitors, eliminating a good deal of small-time criminals within the Kingdom, as well as cleverly eluding the local authorities most of the time. A few years ago, their founder and leader, Michelin Adonnis, was captured by Khanid secret police and sentenced to life in prison for various offenses. His arrest caused a slight setback for the outlawed organization, but in the end it turned out to be not enough to halt their inevitable expansion. Today they are a well known pirate/smuggler network who base their operations in numerous systems in Amarr and Khanid space. The Maru Rebels The Maru Rebels were once part of a gang of pirates who turned into a sinister terrorist network claiming to fight for Minmatar freedom. In fact, they're little more a ruthless gang of criminals dealing in the black market, smuggling, and extortion and blackmail, even sometimes working as hired assassins. Their official agenda is to murder as many citizens of the Amarr nations as possible ― i.e., Amarr Empire, Ammatar, and Khanid Kingdom ― hoping to force them to withdraw eventually from historically Minmatar systems currently under Amarr control. The Minmatar Republic leadership has denounced them as being cutthroats and criminals even though they support Republic goals, and has put up a sizable bounty on their leader's head. But even so, the Rebels do maintain some support within the Minmatar Republic, which has allowed them certain freedoms other criminal networks do not have.

Pocket 1

Mission Info

This asteroid field has just recently been settled, by a group of pirate freelancers. A hastily erected mobile habitat floats idly in the midst of the giant rocks, while three groups of mercenary ships lazily orbit various asteroids in defensive positions. One of the ships clearly has the markings of your target, Drazin Jaruk, who seems to be the leader of this bunch. You also notice another acceleration gate nearby, which you guess, judging from it's fairly clean exterior, has been only recently installed. Where it leads to is anyone's guess.

Enemies in the first pocket feature mixed damage and resistance profiles. Mercenary Fighters, Mercenary Lieutenants, and Mercenary Corporals deal kinetic and thermal damage and also are weakest to these damage types. Mercenary Elite Fighters and Mercenary Commanders deal EM damage in addition to these and are weakest to EM damage. Drazin Jaruk and Mercenary Wingmen deal primarily explosive and EM damage, and they are more receptive to thermal damage.

Group 1, 25-35km from warp-in

		WD	EWAR	L
	4 x Frigate Mercenary Fighter
	3 x Cruiser Mercenary Corporal

Group 2, 40-45km

		WD	EWAR	L
	4 x Frigate Mercenary Elite Fighter
	2 x Cruiser Mercenary Commander

Group 3, 40-45km

		WD	EWAR	L
	2 x Frigate Mercenary Wingman
	2 x Cruiser Mercenary Lieutenant
	1 x Cruiser Drazin Jaruk
	1 x Habitat

Pocket 2

Incoming Transmission
I take it that imbecile Drazin led you to us. Too bad you won't be leaving this area with your ship intact.

Requires Drazin Keycard (consumed on use) from Habitat structure in Pocket 1.
There are several versions of this group, depending on the named Cruiser. The Zerak Cheryn version is at 10-20k on warp in and his Gallente cruiser can be extremely harsh at close range and would be best taken out first if you can tank the two webbing frigates. The Kuran 'Scarface' Lonan version (Caldari based) is at 40-50k on warp in & and is easy to tank.

		WD	EWAR	L
	2 x Frigate Mercenary Wingman
	1 x Cruiser Mercenary Lieutenant

In addition, one of the following will be present:

		WD	EWAR	L
	1 x Cruiser Drazin Jaruk/Korrani Salemo
	1 x Cruiser Kuran 'Scarface' Lonan/Lynk
	1 x Cruiser Zerak Cheryn

Part 4 - Possible Leads

Level	3
Type	Courier
Objective	Transport 1 x Encoded Data Chip (0.1m³)
Ship suggestion	Shuttle or fast frigate
Extra	Possible low-sec destination

Mission briefing

While we wait for the interrogation of the prisoner you captured, I'd like you to transport a data chip we retrieved from his belongings to <Station>. We need it deciphered, and I happen to know the perfect man for the job, who lives at that station. We aren't sure if there is any incriminating evidence in the data, but we'd like to make sure nonetheless. By the time you get back, I expect our interrogators will have found some more leads.

Part 5 to 10

Three variants exist for Parts 5 through 10:
Blood Raiders
Guristas Pirates
Sansha's Nation