You've Just Won the Viper Mk. 4, What Are You Going to Do Next?
19 Jan 2016Tuts
*** Barnard's Star, Miller Depot, StarDate 1.17.3302 ***In a sentence: The Viper Mk. 4 seems like it could be a great ship, but I can't be sure until I find a port with the proper upgrades.
With a small nod to caution (or paranoia), I left the Pilgrim II docked in Groombridge 34 and paid cash for a dinged-up Eagle with minimal outfitting for the last leg to Barnard's Star. I didn't even bother to name it, and immediately sold it again once I arrived.
Apparently a large number of Viper Mk. 4's are being given away to pilots as part of some huge promotional deal, I'm kindof foggy on the details because I didn't really listen. The fly in the ointment here is, Miller Depot doesn't have a lot of the necessary modules available to outfit it properly. I am, for example, stuck with the stock thrusters, which I wouldn't even fly in a sidewinder under other circumstances. And the FSD unit is terrible - after paring down to the minimum weight I am willing to fly with, my max jump range is STILL under 6 LY! That poses a bit of a problem.
I suppose I could just take the V4's credit value and rebuy that eagle and fly back, but it seems a shame. I flew her around the station for a bit and even though it's supposedly a slower, less agile version of the Mark 3 variant, I find it to be peppy and responsive*. More interior compartments than I expected too. I really would like to give her a real tryout, but I need to find a better outfitter.
So I've decided, I've got this Sol permit I've never used, and it's one of those places I've always intended to visit but have never gotten around to. I think I'll give myself a vacation, see the sights in the "cradle of humanity" like touring the fabled ruins of ancient Disneyworld, and while I'm at it I'm sure I can find decent upgrades. I don't expect to make many credits, but it could be interesting!
* I've never actually piloted a Viper Mark 3 so take my opinion here with a grain of salt.