“Its so damn boring out here!” I think to myself. I Check over comms and scanning one more time. The Dastryns System had that effect though. It wasn’t protected by active Concorde patrols and being one of the quickest traveling routes into Syndicate space it was a less than hospitable place. If pilots meandered there it usually meant they were up to no good. Which was exactly why I was there.
I had been piloting Battlecruiser Class ships for The federation against the Angel Cartel for so long that when the opportunity to change duties and ships came along, I was more than a little enthused. It gets a little unrelenting when your battling entire fleets on team Patrol with only one combat ship and a remote repair escort. That kind of work can make a person a little edgy and tense. So when a change of ship and duty presented itself I was on board.
It has been 2 weeks since I was implemented into this ship. An “Enyo”. It was a Gallente Frigate Class Assault Ship, and it was a welcomed change of pace. It was built by Roden Shipyards with the latest innovations from the Serpentis Corporation Facilities. Just the improved 1MN propulsion upgrade gave the ship a 15% increase in defense and efficiency. Making it that much harder to hit, and with the newest armor repair modules installed and manned it was a formidable tank. But for all its abilities and crew members, I still felt tense and wary.
Maybe you just get used to a ship when your a capsuler. They “grow” on you so to speak. As I daydream the alarm sounds, snapping me from my thoughts are the reports from comms telling me the gate is active. I open feed to external vid and see the flash of blue. Insticntively I activate damage control and align to planet. I’m not scared i’m just no fan of surprises. If this ends up being something I can’t handle I’m out. I watch intently waiting as the jump gate timer counts down the cloak cycle. It takes almost 20 seconds for the jumper and the destination to merge. It’s like that particular section of space has to slide back into time.
And then it appears!! A Minmatar Frigate, the Rifter!!. I zoom the video feed into the ship and watch as first he materializes and then turns towards my ship. Instantly I set up orbit. All the while watching the gate for any further activity. Just then Concorde security rating for this capsuler comes in!! He’s wanted by Concorde and on the Free to fire list. This is what I took the transfer for!! My sensors indicate the ship is attempting to gain target lock, I answer likewise. I immediately open with a Corelli Class Warp scramble to keep him from retreating. The Tech 2 nuetron blasters rip thru his shield defenses in 2 volleys. But the bastards fast, damn fast, He leaves my guns range in no time and initiates a webifier on the enyo. Max speed has just reduced beyond consideration. I check the ships capacitor array, and make comms with repair systems.
The little bastard is making peacemeal of my shields as he leaves my optimal and enters his. Crew is screaming bloody murder as shields drop below 10%. I inform them to calm down and watch the armor status. Having Serpentis upgrades should prove useful in the next few moments. And they do!! The rifters projectile ammo starts making dents in the armor and just as quickly the peacful green lighting begins as the new Coreli armor repper we had installed makes quick work of any damage. All that is left now is too wait and see If i can trick up his orbit.
I bring ship to full stop, straining the ability of even the new repper to keep up and it happens! He has left himself open and his orbit swings him too close. I punch the afterburner,regain scramble and open fire remembering the Hobgoblin II drone I was carrying and quickly set it loose. Little fuckers are violent and I find myself thinking I should probably plan an upgrade if I make it out of this. The Neutron blasters once again tear into him like hes made of paper (which is an upgrade for Minmatar) and then scanners start screaming. There’s a Strategic class cruiser falling out of warp 35 Kilometers off to my left between me and the damn gate.
I run ship type scan and quickly recognize it!!! A “Loki” the little fucker had backup. Quickly planning my escape route I take a chance and barrel towards the loki catching flak fire all the way in. I set up to a tight orbit and light the afterburners.
The incoming slows as my armor repper picks up but it may be too late. Noticing my readouts I see shields 0% Armor 0% hull 15%. Holy shit !!! Burning Close and panicked I notice that there is still incoming damage from somewhere, quickly glancing at vid to see if Loki turrets are firing I notice the damn rifter come back around. In my haste to get under gun of the Loki I had completely forgotten about him. Damnit!! Thats how capsulers die, I tell myself. I regain gun control and bring them to bear on the rifter. He may not have noticed my targeting and hoping against that I wait to fire. I check my overview to see if the hobgoblin had made it and it hadn’t. Expendable soldiers they are. I wait just a few seconds more and I engage the heat on the guns and afterburner.Closer now 7k,just a little more!! Closer 5K,almost.As he approaches 3k and opens fire I immediately engage afterburner and blaze directly for him. Guns screaming their sweet death song as his shields fall in one fail action followed by armor that only momentarily acts as if it will hold. Im burning towards gate now hoping to not come from under the Loki’s guns when I realize the rifter is on fire and hauling ass. Seems his afterburner has held up and is taking him from my range. I approach gate and look back at the rifter burning away as the warp lock broke. I notice his 15% hull that he now leaves with as I activate the gate and jump from system I think to myself “next time I’ll bring backup!”
Well here we are again. Sitting at the desk wasting what will probably be referred to as my best years, writing about a video game. I know I think Eve is so much more too. Don’t get me wrong what with the countless people to chat with, buckets full of tears to collect and whatnot. But there it is, its a game. Albeit a most amazing, capturing,mesmerizing game of all games. But a game none the less. So with that out of the way I push forward. (I felt that little touch with reality was a needed precursor to what was to come )
