Reality Check, or How I Learned to Start Worrying About the Swarm
17 Feb 2023Ember Lacson
I decided to head to Imeut last night and get some combat in around the AXI's current top priority. In all my previous attempts at AX combat, I didn't have to deal with Thargon swarms. Either I was in HIP 22460, where swarms were deployed but idle, or I was within a planetary SOI, where Interceptors don't deploy them at all. So yesterday, not only did I get my ass kicked by those little blighters, but the Interceptors seemed to pay me no mind while I was getting pummeled. I got a handful of Scout bonds and a scorched hull, but nothing else. I came home dejected and frustrated, and I immediately went back to tinkering. I'm finally setting up Ouranos with a Mod Shard build because the Krait is superior in that respect. Small shards, even modified, are little more than a sneeze. The Chieftain just doesn't have the hardpoint diversity to be effective with them.And it's a good thing I contacted Azimuth before heading all the way out to Mbooni, because they want weapon blueprints. I have one left over from unlocking the standard Gauss, but since I want to get four cannons from them, I'll need to head out to Guardian space again. It's just as well; I ran out of Guardian synthesis mats in HIP 22460, and I haven't restocked. I do have two cannons modified personally by Salvation—the so-called God Shards—but only one of those is a class 2, so I'll need to unlock at least 3 more. It's going to take me away from the fight, but it's something I have to do if I want to try shards. I was worried that this detour would throw a monkey wrench in Nicole's plans for her career, but she told me not to worry. Whatever tests they're waiting for haven't come through yet.
You know, when I came back from my little engagement, I tried to hide my frustration from her. I conveyed my disappointment verbally, but I didn't want her to see me doubting myself again. It was no use, of course; she's too perceptive. But this time it was different. She didn't close down in response to it. Quite the opposite, in fact. She was sympathetic. Supportive. She didn't try to allay my self doubt with white lies, but she acknowledged my emotions, validated them. She comforted me and offered to help me with whatever I needed to do. I told her I didn't know if she could help, but I could always use the moral support. So when I went down to Outfitting to get Ouranos reconfigured, she just sat there with me. It was kind of like it used to be when we were kids. Sometimes we would just exist together. It was actually kind of refreshing to have that back. I've wanted to be her lover for so long that I'd forgotten what it was like to be her friend.
I'm presently tinkering on said ship here aboard Kumiho Sky in the Andecavi system. I just bought and installed three Sirius heatsinks. These things aren't cheap, but they're indispensable when it comes to Thargoid combat. I still have to re-engineer my power plant, which means paying another visit to Hera Tani. I also need to head out to Guardian space as soon as I finish there. Or maybe I'll do it as soon as I finish here. I don't necessarily want to move the Morningstar out of Vukurbeh, but.... Wait, what? Let me see.
Oh my God, the Witch Head sector is overrun. Chloe Sedesi is missing, and her base is abandoned. Active attacks, burning stations.... I think I need to go. End dictation and post.