Entry: seventy-six.
The pirate element of our corp asked for help again. They are trying to tame and claim a system known as Ebodold. It is quite literally a dead end backwater of a low-sec system. The only system connecting to it is a hi-sec system. I'm told that this system is not valuable because it is cordoned off low-sec, but rather because of staging capabilities related to capital class vessels, such as the one Sophias lost about a week ago in Otou.
Wolf, Vearde, Soph and I engaged another pirate corp, Bad Passion, off the station.
We primaried the Hyperion, Wolf jamming him out. The Myrmidon let loose drones on Wolf, and he screamed for someone to get the drones off of him as he didn't have any tank at all. I turned around, destroying drones as I set orbit around him.
Damage took the Hyperion down rather low in armor, and then it happened.
The Typhoon lit a cyno.
Two capitals jumped in on us. Deploying fighters and locking us, they also targeted and then repaired the Hyperion even under heavy fire. The Hyperion, Myrmidon, and Typhoon landed points on all of us, making sure we couldn't get away as the fighters tore us to shreds.
We lost a Falcon, Vagabond, Rokh, and my Rupture. They lost nothing.
While I admit to relishing the combat, I greatly dislike losing. In fact, I don't remember a time when we won.
I think I'm going to stop flying in combat with these guys. Quite honestly, we suck, and we don't win, and I'm pretty fucking dispirited at this shit.
...
I could deal with losing my ship if we actually won a goddamned battle.
Computer: terminate recording.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 15, 2010
Day 69
Entry: sixty-nine.
This is my first entry in just over a month. I've done almost nothing except mine and run missions. I've been mining with a corpmate I've recently become friends with named Ranger Omega. He's a pretty smart guy, interesting to talk with, and we make a good mining team. We're both using Retrievers, and for the moment it seems to do fine. In a given night of mining for a few hours we can pull about ten to fifteen million ISK each as a team.
Mining, however, doesn't make worthwhile memories. Neither does running repetitive missions.
Today, our corp was invited to join some pirates we are friends with. These pirates, they're part of our corporation as well, but geared completely towards combat whereas some of us, like Ranger and myself, are geared more towards just making ISK. Since the corp was mostly participating, we joined up as well.
The fleet formed up just outside of Otou. I admit, I was feeling fairly nervous, I still am. Low-sec has never been a place where I've succeeded, but I'm willing to keep plugging away at it until something clicks. Despite that, I picked up a Rupture I'd been able to purchase recently, mostly decently fitted.
We jumped in together as a fleet, and warped to a station. It was a strange Gallente station. We were sitting directly underneath the main body of it, the point which was called the undock. We waited there for someone to open fire on us for a while, maybe an hour, and no one did. JStar though, he played with us, toyed with us. He knew we wouldn't attack on a station. Eventually, this situation changed for the worse.
JStar warped to an asteroid belt. Vearde, feeling clever again, followed them and cloaked in his Vagabond. Being cloaked did not provide him safety, however, as the enemies at the belt approached the spot he landed, decloaking him and destroying his ship. He belatedly called for help, and after the Fleet Commander Wolf fleet warped us to the belt to save Vearde, he reported he was dead.
This was not our biggest problem however, as Sophias had the misfortune of being asleep at the command chair while we warped.
I arrived first. I was pointed by the Hurricane, and destroyed rather quickly before the rest of the fleet landed. I exited the system rather quickly in my pod and docked up in hi-sec, shaken.
Chatter over comms told me that our fleet was losing badly. An enemy guardian had warped in and repaired our enemies while we crumpled under their firepower. They had fewer numbers, but they had Logistics, easily overpowering us. Half way through the fight, Sophias woke up to find himself targeted, pinned, and unable to escape. We were fighting desperately to save his Carrier, worth well over a billion ISK.
I picked up the shards of my composure and reshipped into a Stabber, fitting the mid slots with ECM bursts in the hope of disrupting locks long enough to let Sophias escape. I reentered Otou, warped to the belt, and began firing ECM bursts. My firepower was non-existent though. I didn't last a full minute, losing my Stabber to enemy fleet. I exited Otou once more, being able to do nothing but sit back and listen as I remained docked in hi-sec.
We lost every ship. Every. Single. Ship.
This is fucking disgraceful.
Computer: terminate recording.
This is my first entry in just over a month. I've done almost nothing except mine and run missions. I've been mining with a corpmate I've recently become friends with named Ranger Omega. He's a pretty smart guy, interesting to talk with, and we make a good mining team. We're both using Retrievers, and for the moment it seems to do fine. In a given night of mining for a few hours we can pull about ten to fifteen million ISK each as a team.
Mining, however, doesn't make worthwhile memories. Neither does running repetitive missions.
Today, our corp was invited to join some pirates we are friends with. These pirates, they're part of our corporation as well, but geared completely towards combat whereas some of us, like Ranger and myself, are geared more towards just making ISK. Since the corp was mostly participating, we joined up as well.
The fleet formed up just outside of Otou. I admit, I was feeling fairly nervous, I still am. Low-sec has never been a place where I've succeeded, but I'm willing to keep plugging away at it until something clicks. Despite that, I picked up a Rupture I'd been able to purchase recently, mostly decently fitted.
We jumped in together as a fleet, and warped to a station. It was a strange Gallente station. We were sitting directly underneath the main body of it, the point which was called the undock. We waited there for someone to open fire on us for a while, maybe an hour, and no one did. JStar though, he played with us, toyed with us. He knew we wouldn't attack on a station. Eventually, this situation changed for the worse.
JStar warped to an asteroid belt. Vearde, feeling clever again, followed them and cloaked in his Vagabond. Being cloaked did not provide him safety, however, as the enemies at the belt approached the spot he landed, decloaking him and destroying his ship. He belatedly called for help, and after the Fleet Commander Wolf fleet warped us to the belt to save Vearde, he reported he was dead.
This was not our biggest problem however, as Sophias had the misfortune of being asleep at the command chair while we warped.
I arrived first. I was pointed by the Hurricane, and destroyed rather quickly before the rest of the fleet landed. I exited the system rather quickly in my pod and docked up in hi-sec, shaken.
Chatter over comms told me that our fleet was losing badly. An enemy guardian had warped in and repaired our enemies while we crumpled under their firepower. They had fewer numbers, but they had Logistics, easily overpowering us. Half way through the fight, Sophias woke up to find himself targeted, pinned, and unable to escape. We were fighting desperately to save his Carrier, worth well over a billion ISK.
I picked up the shards of my composure and reshipped into a Stabber, fitting the mid slots with ECM bursts in the hope of disrupting locks long enough to let Sophias escape. I reentered Otou, warped to the belt, and began firing ECM bursts. My firepower was non-existent though. I didn't last a full minute, losing my Stabber to enemy fleet. I exited Otou once more, being able to do nothing but sit back and listen as I remained docked in hi-sec.
We lost every ship. Every. Single. Ship.
This is fucking disgraceful.
Computer: terminate recording.
Friday, February 5, 2010
Day 31
Entry: thirty one.
I haven't been taking my previous losses well these last two weeks. I've only recently earned enough ISK to buy another Rupture, but I've been wary of using it.
Because of my last two deaths to frigate sized vessels, I've been scared to engage anything. I'm taking my first step out of the comfort zone today. I have a Thrasher fitted out.
I've done some research, and it seems that I knew nothing about how to properly fit out a ship. Looking back, I not only tried to do what is called dual-tanking, but I also tried to run both as active fits. The weapon slots were generally ok, although being tech one gear they were a far cry from being good. Using what I've learned, I've managed to fit out this Thrasher in a semi-respectable fashion, although the problem of tech one gear remains. I don't have the necessary skills use tech two gear yet though, so there's nothing I can do about it.
My destination is Hagilur, a zero point four system, low-sec. Let's see how it goes.
Computer: pause recording.
"Recording resumed."
My venture didn't go well, to say the least.
After venturing into Hagilur, I warped to an asteroid belt, attacking the pirates in the belt there. They weren't the capsuleer variety, so I was doing alright. Without warning, something called an Ishtar warped in on me and attacked.
I attempted to fight back, locking the Ishtar and afterburning towards him, but it was to no avail. He was at range, kept me farther away than my autocannons could hit him, and these little flying things called Hobogoblins attacked me, wrecking my ship. I tried to save myself by killing the drones, but my efforts didn't last long.
My ship exploded. Another loss. I warped my pod away into hi-sec asap and managed to prevent another migraine. Really, my fear of those is worse than my fear of losing my ship. I've also had to replace my implants every time I've been killed, a venture I don't enjoy doing.
I had no idea that tech two ships existed, that drones existed, that there was another way of fighting instead of close range. I've learned something valuable, managed to save my life, and am now safe thanks to CONCORD. I'm still distressed at how impotent I seem to be in combat, but perhaps one day I'll be useful. I'm not entirely distraught though, as I've managed to glean some new vital information with this loss.
Still...that loss is going to take a few missions to recover from. Guess it's back to running missions.
Computer: terminate recording.
I haven't been taking my previous losses well these last two weeks. I've only recently earned enough ISK to buy another Rupture, but I've been wary of using it.
Because of my last two deaths to frigate sized vessels, I've been scared to engage anything. I'm taking my first step out of the comfort zone today. I have a Thrasher fitted out.
I've done some research, and it seems that I knew nothing about how to properly fit out a ship. Looking back, I not only tried to do what is called dual-tanking, but I also tried to run both as active fits. The weapon slots were generally ok, although being tech one gear they were a far cry from being good. Using what I've learned, I've managed to fit out this Thrasher in a semi-respectable fashion, although the problem of tech one gear remains. I don't have the necessary skills use tech two gear yet though, so there's nothing I can do about it.
My destination is Hagilur, a zero point four system, low-sec. Let's see how it goes.
Computer: pause recording.
*********
"Recording resumed."
My venture didn't go well, to say the least.
After venturing into Hagilur, I warped to an asteroid belt, attacking the pirates in the belt there. They weren't the capsuleer variety, so I was doing alright. Without warning, something called an Ishtar warped in on me and attacked.
I attempted to fight back, locking the Ishtar and afterburning towards him, but it was to no avail. He was at range, kept me farther away than my autocannons could hit him, and these little flying things called Hobogoblins attacked me, wrecking my ship. I tried to save myself by killing the drones, but my efforts didn't last long.
My ship exploded. Another loss. I warped my pod away into hi-sec asap and managed to prevent another migraine. Really, my fear of those is worse than my fear of losing my ship. I've also had to replace my implants every time I've been killed, a venture I don't enjoy doing.
I had no idea that tech two ships existed, that drones existed, that there was another way of fighting instead of close range. I've learned something valuable, managed to save my life, and am now safe thanks to CONCORD. I'm still distressed at how impotent I seem to be in combat, but perhaps one day I'll be useful. I'm not entirely distraught though, as I've managed to glean some new vital information with this loss.
Still...that loss is going to take a few missions to recover from. Guess it's back to running missions.
Computer: terminate recording.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Day 14
Entry: fourteen.
Today I learned that even in hi-sec I wasn't safe. As if the lesson about low-sec wasn't enough, this is starting to become a much heavier burden to bear than I had ever suspected.
A corpmate of mine, MaiteK, was under attack. She called out for help, and I came in to save her. She had apparently had her can flipped by a pirate, WildAtHart, and had unknowingly given the pirate the rights to attack her by stealing her stolen ore back.
I responded, and only a jump or two out, made best speed to Magiko in my second Rupture so far.
I made it into system rather quickly, and warped to the asteroid belt given to me by MaiteK. Upon landing, I saw the pirate, red on my overview in a Rifter, and engaged. The pirate immediately set orbit in close on me, and I found myself unable to hit her while she kept a warp disruptor on MaiteK. It didn't take long for her to destroy me and MaiteK.
To be clear, I lost yet another cruiser, and to a frigate, and the frigate also destroyed a mining vessel I'd been trying to protect. I feel helpless, as if I'm doing everything wrong and unable to help anyone. I can't even kill a lowly frigate, and yet I've now lost approximately fifteen million in ISK, and am barely able to keep myself afloat with all the missioning I'm doing. I quite literally have to go back to doing level one missions in a destroyer I had left over, as I don't have the ISK to replace my cruiser, and I can't yet do level two missions in anything smaller than a cruiser.
It's so frustrating, I don't understand, and no one seems able to help me understand. I can take the losing, I can take the dying, I just can't take NOT UNDERSTANDING. To be honest, I'm on the verge of tears, only the shreds of manhood holding them back.
What choice do I have though, except to push forward and persevere? I can't go back to being a baker, not now. At the same time, I'm completely unprepared for everything going on out here. I can't protect my friends, I can't destroy ships I've moved past. I can't even keep myself in enough ISK to afford new ships. I can barely afford to buy myself a new clone to make sure I don't lose skills I've already trained.
Please, someone, help me...I can't take this...
Computer: terminate recording.
Today I learned that even in hi-sec I wasn't safe. As if the lesson about low-sec wasn't enough, this is starting to become a much heavier burden to bear than I had ever suspected.
A corpmate of mine, MaiteK, was under attack. She called out for help, and I came in to save her. She had apparently had her can flipped by a pirate, WildAtHart, and had unknowingly given the pirate the rights to attack her by stealing her stolen ore back.
I responded, and only a jump or two out, made best speed to Magiko in my second Rupture so far.
I made it into system rather quickly, and warped to the asteroid belt given to me by MaiteK. Upon landing, I saw the pirate, red on my overview in a Rifter, and engaged. The pirate immediately set orbit in close on me, and I found myself unable to hit her while she kept a warp disruptor on MaiteK. It didn't take long for her to destroy me and MaiteK.
To be clear, I lost yet another cruiser, and to a frigate, and the frigate also destroyed a mining vessel I'd been trying to protect. I feel helpless, as if I'm doing everything wrong and unable to help anyone. I can't even kill a lowly frigate, and yet I've now lost approximately fifteen million in ISK, and am barely able to keep myself afloat with all the missioning I'm doing. I quite literally have to go back to doing level one missions in a destroyer I had left over, as I don't have the ISK to replace my cruiser, and I can't yet do level two missions in anything smaller than a cruiser.
It's so frustrating, I don't understand, and no one seems able to help me understand. I can take the losing, I can take the dying, I just can't take NOT UNDERSTANDING. To be honest, I'm on the verge of tears, only the shreds of manhood holding them back.
What choice do I have though, except to push forward and persevere? I can't go back to being a baker, not now. At the same time, I'm completely unprepared for everything going on out here. I can't protect my friends, I can't destroy ships I've moved past. I can't even keep myself in enough ISK to afford new ships. I can barely afford to buy myself a new clone to make sure I don't lose skills I've already trained.
Please, someone, help me...I can't take this...
Computer: terminate recording.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Day 12
Entry: twelve.
I've been reluctant to admit this, but ten days ago, I lost my first ship at the hands of pirates.
At the time, which was my first real day as a capsuleer, I had the idea that I would harvest gas clouds for ISK. I remotely purchased a gas cloud harvester, and set the autopilot for Dal, where the purchase was to be made. While the autopilot handled the trip, I handled watching the television.
Some time later, I arrived in Amamake. I really had no idea what happened, finding myself back in the system I started in, Huadagago. I've learned, only recently, that I had been caught by what is called a gatecamp. Apparently, pirates sit at the hi-sec to low-sec gates on the low-sec side, and prey on people silly enough or naive enough to go through. So, not only did I lose my Stabber, which I had worked so hard to earn the ISK up for, but I also got podded.
The headache was excrutiating. Only after it passed did I have an inkling what happened, but I was still in shock, unable to register what happened. These days since then I've mostly blocked out the experience. Today it all came rushing back.
I had recently acquired a Rupture. I knew, at this point at least, that low-sec was dangerous, but seeking ISK, I ventured in anyways. With my tech 1 fitted Rupture, I warped to an asteroid belt, and engaged an Angel Battleship. Evading the battleship was simple, though killing it was taking some time. Evading the pirate piloting the Wolf that warped in on me was impossible.
Shock had once again set in. I saw him on the overview, I saw him warp in, I noticed I was taking a lot of damage rather quickly. I was in so much shock I didn't have the presence of mind to disengage the battleship and engage the Wolf.
I woke up not even a minute later back in Huadagago, another excrutiating headache. I couldn't understand what was going on. I KNEW I lost my ship, I KNEW I lost my capsule, but I couldn't register it.
It's taken some time today, simply dwelling on it, before I understood.
I'd lost yet another cruiser to pirates, again in low-sec. All the ISK I'd earned had to be put towards a replacement, draining me of most of my hard earned ISK over the last ten days. Only in hi-sec did I seem to be safe from other capsuleers, and in low-sec I was something akin to a donut to a fat man: irresistible and not long for the world.
I think the lesson is simple, if difficult to grasp at first: everyone is out to get you.
Computer: terminate recording.
I've been reluctant to admit this, but ten days ago, I lost my first ship at the hands of pirates.
At the time, which was my first real day as a capsuleer, I had the idea that I would harvest gas clouds for ISK. I remotely purchased a gas cloud harvester, and set the autopilot for Dal, where the purchase was to be made. While the autopilot handled the trip, I handled watching the television.
Some time later, I arrived in Amamake. I really had no idea what happened, finding myself back in the system I started in, Huadagago. I've learned, only recently, that I had been caught by what is called a gatecamp. Apparently, pirates sit at the hi-sec to low-sec gates on the low-sec side, and prey on people silly enough or naive enough to go through. So, not only did I lose my Stabber, which I had worked so hard to earn the ISK up for, but I also got podded.
The headache was excrutiating. Only after it passed did I have an inkling what happened, but I was still in shock, unable to register what happened. These days since then I've mostly blocked out the experience. Today it all came rushing back.
I had recently acquired a Rupture. I knew, at this point at least, that low-sec was dangerous, but seeking ISK, I ventured in anyways. With my tech 1 fitted Rupture, I warped to an asteroid belt, and engaged an Angel Battleship. Evading the battleship was simple, though killing it was taking some time. Evading the pirate piloting the Wolf that warped in on me was impossible.
Shock had once again set in. I saw him on the overview, I saw him warp in, I noticed I was taking a lot of damage rather quickly. I was in so much shock I didn't have the presence of mind to disengage the battleship and engage the Wolf.
I woke up not even a minute later back in Huadagago, another excrutiating headache. I couldn't understand what was going on. I KNEW I lost my ship, I KNEW I lost my capsule, but I couldn't register it.
It's taken some time today, simply dwelling on it, before I understood.
I'd lost yet another cruiser to pirates, again in low-sec. All the ISK I'd earned had to be put towards a replacement, draining me of most of my hard earned ISK over the last ten days. Only in hi-sec did I seem to be safe from other capsuleers, and in low-sec I was something akin to a donut to a fat man: irresistible and not long for the world.
I think the lesson is simple, if difficult to grasp at first: everyone is out to get you.
Computer: terminate recording.
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Day 2-1
Entry: two, supplemental log one.
The Representative laid out his plans for me. I wasn't pleased. I did not, however, see a way out. That changed earlier today, after meeting with the Representative.
I was contacted by another capsuleer, one of the first in my brief existence as a a pod pilot. We talked briefly, and his intent became clear: he was looking to recruit me into his corporation.
He made it plain that were I to accept, I would not join the corp proper, but rather a recruiting corp for the head organization. After a time, and the ability to pilot certain vessels, I would be allowed into the main corp should I choose to join.
I suppose I don't have many options at my feet right now. As it stands, I am only allowed free rein in that I can stay in Minmatar space, and fairly soon, join the militia as yet another warm body on the front lines against the Amarr. This could offer me a way out.
I've heard through bits of overhead conversation that capsuleer corporations have technology that rivals National governments. Perhaps they have the tools to save me from this predicament. If such is the case, I'll probably join up with them.
This programmed-bomb in my head is not a pleasant thing to have on my shoulders.
Computer: terminate recording.
The Representative laid out his plans for me. I wasn't pleased. I did not, however, see a way out. That changed earlier today, after meeting with the Representative.
I was contacted by another capsuleer, one of the first in my brief existence as a a pod pilot. We talked briefly, and his intent became clear: he was looking to recruit me into his corporation.
He made it plain that were I to accept, I would not join the corp proper, but rather a recruiting corp for the head organization. After a time, and the ability to pilot certain vessels, I would be allowed into the main corp should I choose to join.
I suppose I don't have many options at my feet right now. As it stands, I am only allowed free rein in that I can stay in Minmatar space, and fairly soon, join the militia as yet another warm body on the front lines against the Amarr. This could offer me a way out.
I've heard through bits of overhead conversation that capsuleer corporations have technology that rivals National governments. Perhaps they have the tools to save me from this predicament. If such is the case, I'll probably join up with them.
This programmed-bomb in my head is not a pleasant thing to have on my shoulders.
Computer: terminate recording.
Day 2
Entry: two.
Yesterday I made the decision to become a capsuleer. I admit, the change, as incomprehensible as it was, was terrifying. I had no idea what was going on, much less why. Perhaps here I can recount what happened and make sense of it all.
After telling the representative from the Republic Military School that I would take the plunge, he turned and walked away. It seemed clear from his attitude that I follow, so I stayed a few steps behind him.
We made a quick route through the station to the cloning facilities. Perhaps we had already been close by the facilities when we met at the dock. I felt disoriented though, unable to tell left from right, and eventually up from down, or even up from sideways. Apparently, gravity generation on space stations is a tricky thing, sometimes just because the designer has a sense of humor.
When we arrived the Facility, I was told to lie down. I did I was asked, and the technician came over to my side, flicking my arm so that he could find a good vein.
"This will all be over before you know it, sir," he said to me. It sounded as though he was perhaps a bit bored. I wondered how often he did this sort of job, making me wonder how many capsuleers existed.
There was a small prick, a slightly unpleasant sensation, and then I went to sleep.
I woke up in excruciating pain. My eyes flared open as far as they could go as I reeled from the pain. My arms jerked involuntarily to grab my head, only to hit a plastic wall of some sort. I writhed, dimly noting the tubes and wires attached to me in this vat of liquid, and then the pain ceased almost immediately. Seconds later, my vision changed as the liquid drained. Everything was returning to normal.
As the last of the liquid drained away, the wall around me split apart, and I fell out. I struggled to get myself back on my, and after a minute or two, I managed to do that, ripping out the wires and tubes that were attached all over my body. The sensation of doing so was...unsettling...
"Welcome to immortailty," the representative said to me, a smile on his face but cold calculation in his eyes.
Computer: terminate recording.
Yesterday I made the decision to become a capsuleer. I admit, the change, as incomprehensible as it was, was terrifying. I had no idea what was going on, much less why. Perhaps here I can recount what happened and make sense of it all.
After telling the representative from the Republic Military School that I would take the plunge, he turned and walked away. It seemed clear from his attitude that I follow, so I stayed a few steps behind him.
We made a quick route through the station to the cloning facilities. Perhaps we had already been close by the facilities when we met at the dock. I felt disoriented though, unable to tell left from right, and eventually up from down, or even up from sideways. Apparently, gravity generation on space stations is a tricky thing, sometimes just because the designer has a sense of humor.
When we arrived the Facility, I was told to lie down. I did I was asked, and the technician came over to my side, flicking my arm so that he could find a good vein.
"This will all be over before you know it, sir," he said to me. It sounded as though he was perhaps a bit bored. I wondered how often he did this sort of job, making me wonder how many capsuleers existed.
There was a small prick, a slightly unpleasant sensation, and then I went to sleep.
I woke up in excruciating pain. My eyes flared open as far as they could go as I reeled from the pain. My arms jerked involuntarily to grab my head, only to hit a plastic wall of some sort. I writhed, dimly noting the tubes and wires attached to me in this vat of liquid, and then the pain ceased almost immediately. Seconds later, my vision changed as the liquid drained. Everything was returning to normal.
As the last of the liquid drained away, the wall around me split apart, and I fell out. I struggled to get myself back on my, and after a minute or two, I managed to do that, ripping out the wires and tubes that were attached all over my body. The sensation of doing so was...unsettling...
"Welcome to immortailty," the representative said to me, a smile on his face but cold calculation in his eyes.
Computer: terminate recording.
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