Costly Mistake | Hauling Robotics for Community Goal
13 Feb 2017BloodSteyn
CMDRs LogDate 3303.02.13
I heard Phillips Dock in the Peacock system were taking in all the Robotics the could get with lucrative incentives for the Top contributors and decided it would be worth my while to go out there and get in on the action, seeing how my last pay-day was a bust when I "cratored" my ASP, passenger and all. Thank the gods for Auto Ejecting Escape Pods (AEEP).
I was doing rather nicely with my Python outfitted to haul as much cargo as possible. Running 272 Tons at a time I could easily climb the rankings. I opened up all the news sources, scoured the trading archives and found a route that would suit my needs.
I found that Hynek Terminal | HIP 101587 was producing around 400 to 700 units of Robotics in the time it would take to make the 2 jumps over to Peacock and back. That's a haul of roughly 544K worth with very little in the way of profit. Just enough to pay for fuel and some spare change. But it was pushing my name up on the contributors list fairly quickly and as it sits now I'm looking at around 8M as an incentive bonus.
It had been smooth sailing until today. I was just short of reaching Phillips dock when I got a call over the comms. It was a Commander Robotroll... I thought it must surely be a joke with a name like that. But a moment later I was in a tug of war as he was attempting to pull my ship from Super Cruise. I usually have no trouble finding the escape vector and wriggling free, but today I was weighed down with 272 Tons of cargo. I decided to submit... at least my Cool Down would be faster and I figured I could weather a few shots while I spool up again.
We dropped out of SC, I flipped up my targets and saw a lone ASP Scout... Oh it was on... The Python groaned as I punched the throttle and did as fast a turn as she could muster to line up for engagement. Power to Shields, Fangs Out... the whirring of servos could be felt in my seat as the Python deployed her 3 Large Pulse lasers... This ASPhole was in for it now. Grade 3 Rapid Fire modification from an Engineering buddy of mine would be a nice parting gift for this Commander.
We closed range and I let rip a volley of red hot laser... They were shooting all over the place, as my Engineering friend still needs to iron out a few kinks in the Jitter correction... but when they hit their mark it was evident. In that first pass I left him with zero shields and ripped his hull to shreds... She groaned as thrusters fired to turn as tightly as she could for the second and final pass... Capacitor emptied and bits of ASP bouncing off my flickering shields. That will teach him.
In the heat of the fight I hadn't noticed his buddy had arrived, another ASP bearing down on me. My shields failed as I struggled to turn and face him. No worries, power to Engines and Weapons then. I got a bead on him and opened fire. 2 seconds alter his shields were gone but I just couldn't turn fast enough. I hit the button for Chaff... but it failed.
SHIT...
I'm a sitting duck with all this weight. Hull taking a pounding, now and without my trusty Reinforcement modules installed it wouldn't last long... Damn you cargo bays.
Second pass, and he's ripped to shreds, rest in peace ASPhole. . . But what's this I'm still under attack. I flip for highest threat and there he is... CMDR Robotroll.... in his shiny Imperial Clipper. His henchmen had knocked the wind out of me and he was here to finish me off. I barely had enough hull left to line up a shot before my AEEP kicked in. I could just see the Security Forces arrive, late as usual, before my vision faded.
I awoke back in the Medical Facility in Hynek Terminal... and for the second time in two weeks an Insurance Rep was standing by my bedside wanting his dues... I hate these guys, but I'd rather pay them a small fee than having to start from scratch again.
So, almost 3M credits and 544K in cargo down the drain...
That incentive better be worth it.