Pull mission, run mission, get lost, get stuck. by a new ship. blow up an Imperial ship, earn a bounty. Good day all around.
20 Dec 2020Lex Sedgwick
<Date:> 18 DEC 3306<Location:> ROSS 720
Well, it was utterly by accident I found myself in ROSS 720. I'd pulled a Courier mission that brought me through this area, and needed to refuel. As I always do I hit one of the local stations and checked what fittings it had available. This leads me to up the hull alloy on my MkIV. This was actually a bad idea as it caused my FSD to be unable to make a LY Jump past 5. Effectively making me stuck in the system.
Well, that had me reworking my ship outfight a few dozen times. Until I realized there was a shipyard in the station as well. So.. lets see whats available. Hmmm maybe I'll grab a Diamondback Scout make me a quick runabout and mission runner, maybe outfit it for mining as I've never really tried that.
Purchased, kitted out, and away I go to finish this Courier mission. Hit my objective station and it has a shipyard to so I figure heck let's see what's available. And what do I see.. an Asp Explorer and would you know it I can afford it.
Needless to say, I sold the Diamondback and purchased the Asp with out even thinking about it. At first, I was a little leary I'd been told the Asp Explorer was a well-rounded ship, I just had no experience with one myself. And to truly fit it out I'd be dipping pretty deep into the wallet.
Eh. what did the kids from the 21st century used to say? BOLO Bullshit only lies one? Probably not even near correct but eh. whatever. I fitted the ship out and headed back to my duty system. Figured I could hit a HIRES and see how it handles in some live fire.
It was either going to be a spectacularly effective ship for me or it was going to be an amazing light show when it exploded and I'd shit back to my old MKIV. Id fitted it with Beam lasers and two cannons, all gimballed. I know I know some of you are likely looking at me with discontent or malice on using gimballed but I like them over fixed weapons right now. Jumped into the HIRES and landed right in the middle of a flying circus.
Two rival factions of pirates seemed to have started a shooting war and were duking it out. Not wanting to jump into the middle of that mess without some help I sat and watched as one ship popped then another, then more showed up out of FSD. Likely was twenty or so minutes when things really got interesting as two Federal Agents showed up and started laying into an Anaconda. No time like the present I figured and jumped on their wing and targeted the Anaconda and started in with the beam lasers. It's pretty damn impressive when you have four of those things lighting up the dark, even more so after one full run you get that little comment of "Target shields are down".
Well color me green and light em up again. Right about that same time one of the Anaconda's wingmates took offense to me shooting and started targeting me. Hit the boost, flip around and return target and lay in. The Anaconda wasn't going any were any time soon and was busy with the two Federal Agents.
This little Cobra MKIII had definitely eaten a hardy breakfast cause it was coming on hard and fast. Well one thing I like already about my ASP Explorer is it turns pretty darn quick and I was on him relatively fast laying in with every beam laser I had. Two full bursts and "Target shields are down." Say hello to my little cannons.
About four shots and another two full runs of the lasers and he was jettisoning his cargo and in a mad scramble to hit FSD space. He pulled away quicker than I could keep up but didn't make it out of weapons range before he popped.
Right at that point, I started to really enjoy myself. Flipping around and re-engaging the anaconda, who was now swarmed by Federal Agents and System security, I should honestly feel bad for him, but Eh fly smart or don't fly at all.
It was a pretty lucrative run, flying till I was out of Cannon ammo, and making my way to the nearest station. Well what's this? a message hmm. Seems I somehow upset the Imperial prime minister and he slapped a bounty on me. Apparently one of those ships I blew up was working for him.
Whoops.