This is my entry to the Inspired By Images Of Eve Competition 1. More details and links to all entrants can be found at Starfleet Comms
The day started out so average – a ticket with my name on it came up for a Transport run to low sec to pick up a load of Pirate loot and ill gotten salvage. I wandered out into the hangar and decided to take the Viator – stubby, nasty and quick like a jackrabbit. It is decidedly not a fun ship to fly but its operational specs make it the right ship for this run.
Our top mechanic, Wacked Walleye had just finished fitting some rigs to the hull for a little extra space and I haltingly requested a shield module upgrade. He smiled a typically awesome and gnarly grin , turned out his pockets and cheerily informed me that there were none in stock and corp funds were low. I thanked him, shook off a feeling of total dread and went with the stock Tech 1 mods augmented with crossed fingers.
Once inside I set about completing the preflight checklist – ticking off the current equipment status, checking comms for the trip, arranging for Rothschildia Cinctan to scout me to the destination. All that accomplished I fired up the impulse drives, taxied to the undock point and set the nav computer for the shortest and most risky route. Fingers crossed we launched and began another run for the logistic support squad.
I met up with my scout at a quick warp point off the station and we verifed the route to take. Rothschildia fired off towards the first gate and I waited for his all clear before initiating warp. The monotony of warping to gates and jumping, spatially reorienting and warping to the next gate gets all too numbing after a while but this was not Empire – damn near anything could happen – and probably would.
Rothschildia crackled over the voice comms with another all clear and we had one last jump. I initiated warp and watched as space and time distorted around me – wondering how I got pulled so far from Empire and the utter thrill of mining asteroids and Icesteroids by the cubic ton to be a loot ferryman for the Corporation Navy. As I jumped into the final system I got an all clear for the gate and aligned and started the Docking request sequence. A familiar voice reassuring me. She confirmed my warp status and then informed me that my request to dock had been approved – Aura I think her name is. She is either a very attractive person or the latest Amarrian synthesized voice font. I roused myself from these musings and opened the cargo hold to pick up the courier package.
No Navy members were nearby so I signed the courier contract – loaded the freight and contacted Rothschildia for the ride back. He indicated we had a Blue route all the way back to Akora and I breathed a little easier. Just as I undocked we both received a call over comms that the Navy had pinned down an enemy freighter and were calling for dps. Rothschildia had a battlecruuiser in the hangar locally that fit the bill and I waved him off to join the party. After all it was a blue route and only 8 jumps to make in a Transport designed for this exact purpose – what could go wrong.
Fast forward 4 gates – uneventful and kinda boring – but in a good way, when I noticed a name in the Local Comm Channel that seemed familiar – Ugluuk – a bad sort indeed. I came to rapt attention – refocused on my mission to get back to Akora with my cargo and ship intact. I jumped into the next system and started to align for warp when suddenly the dreaded sound of a fast targeting Interceptor filed the air and I was unable to warp. Scrambled – pinned down and taking damage! Shots rang out as I activated my shield mods. I manuevered to start moving back towards the gate through which I had just jumped – 12 KM of slow agonizing empty space. The gate guns began tearing away at his ship and I was quickly high from the unique adrenaline rush that comes as your ship is slowly being picked apart. My shields kept dropping and soon the armor was beginning to evaporate from the serious damage the Taranis was dealing. I got the notice I was hoping for finally, after spamming the jump command that traffic control mercifully informed me that I could finally jump.
I aligned to the closest gate and warped as he dropped through the gate. We cat and moused through several sytems when I was able to warp to a safe spot in line with the gate and finally shook the pirate off my heels. As my blood pressure slowly lowered and the pounding became less acute all I could say was Taranis – what a nasty little ship – I never wanted to see him or his freakin frig again – ever.
After an hour of safespotting I headed back to Akora. After completed the run I docked up at the Akora station. The Navy was so glad to get their cargo, I collected my commission and stopped to talk with Wally. I couldn’t help but notice the grin on his face when he saw the swiss cheese armor plates. He pulled me aside and let me know that the Tech II invulnerabilty fields that we ordered had become available 15 minutes after I left.
But thats a story for another day. . . . .
Automerias Priore
