Rock-man kung fu

Where is everyone? Not in our home system. And I only see two bubbles in our neighbouring class 3 w-space system. Hoping there is more lying out of range of my directional scanner, I launch probes and blanket the system. The three anomalies and seven signatures I pretty much expect, with only the quantities varying, but the one ship gives me something to find.

The ship is a Heron frigate, sadly inside the force field of a tower, and more sadly empty of a capsuleer. I'd better scan if I want to find someone. Three of the seven signatures are chubby: one is our K162; a second will be the static exit to low-sec; will the third be a pocket of gas? Thankfully not, it's another wormhole. Maybe I can have adventure tonight after all.

I hit the U210 first, to get the exit system. Khanid today, with a few extra signatures should I need them. I hope I don't, as I have this excellent second wormhole in C3a to explore through. Or maybe I'll scan low-sec after all, given that the other wormhole is a dying K162 from class 3 w-space. Although being isolated is far from the end of the world, a wormhole at the end of its life is generally a fair indicator that there is also a lack of capsuleer life behind it.

The signatures in low-sec don't get me excited either. Just a combat site and a relic site. I try another system, hopping a stargate, where one signature entices me by resolving to be a wormhole. A wormhole that comes from another low-sec system, of all places. But still a wormhole, I suppose, and I jump through anyway, in to a faction warfare system in Essence that I really don't care for.

Back through to Khanid low-sec, and activating another stargate. A bunch of pilots are in the system, presumably mingling about somewhere, some trying to find the others, and the others trying not to be found by the some, and one extra signature prompts me to launch probes. They are soon recalled, as the signature resolves to be a combat site. Okay, now what do I do?

I may as well try to make the best of what I've got, which is a relic site in the exit system. It's something positive to do, at least. And sometimes I don't care to risk my over-expensive Loki strategic cruiser when a cheaper ship is just as effective, this being one of those times. I head home through w-space, stow my Loki at our tower, and bring out my hacking Buzzard covert operations boat. Just the ticket.

Returning to low-sec sees a Maller cruiser in the system, hopefully just passing through. I warp to the relic site and remain cloaked, waiting, as the Maller shouldn't take long to leave. It gives me time to admire the rock formation dude do his kung fu. Rather more time than I anticipate, in fact, as a Caracal cruiser enters the system and he and the Maller start chatting to each other.

See, this is why we don't have the local channel in w-space, it just makes for awkward encounters. Neither pilot wants to say goodbye to the other, probably. Thankfully they do, eventually, and I finally get around to decloaking my Buzzard and scanning the containers scattered around. Nothing special, obviously, but there is ISK waiting to be realised.

I crack the first container as the Maller, like syphilis, makes an unwanted return. Well, he's probably just ratting, and even if he wanted to take a crack at me it's unlikely he's taken the time to scan this relic site, probably not even being fitted to do so. I keep going, hacking and cracking, stuffing my hold, and finishing as the Maller leaves. It was all rather anticlimactic, much like earning 17 Miskies from the relic site. But it'll do for a casual run.

Posted in Gaming |
Tags: buzzard, caracal, eve online, heron, loki, low-sec, maller, mmorpg, penny ibramovic, scanning, w-space