Rising to the Challenge of Elite Combat
20 Oct 2024Indy
After acquiring my Fleet Carrier, Fortune & Glory, I wasted no time making it my true home among the stars. Wanting the carrier to match the versatility I had achieved as a pilot, I transferred all of my ships and modules aboard as well as installing nearly every service available; everything from outfitting gear to running ExoBiology labs could be an option. I even made sure to provide facilities for my fellow pilots, so friends and visitors could store and modify their ships while aboard. Fortune & Glory was designed to be more than a personal base. It was a mobile hub of potential.My original plans centered around exploration, with dreams of taking my carrier to the distant edges of the galaxy. However, as it often goes, fate had other plans. Without warning, the Thargoids launched a devastating attack on human space, and the unthinkable happened... they struck at Shinrarta Dezhra itself. The home of the Pilots Federation. Jameson Memorial, the nest from which I learned to really take flight, was suddenly under siege.
I knew immediately that exploration would have to wait. The call to action was clear and I wasn’t about to stand idly by. I was fortunate that Fortune & Glory housed all of my ships because, when Jameson Memorial went offline, many pilots’ lost access to their assets. I tuned up several of my vessels for Anti-Xeno (AX) combat. Originally, I had planned to hone my skills in quieter systems on the fringes of The Bubble, but -- with the Thargoids threatening the heart of human space -- duty had a new priority.
The galaxy responded in force. Pilots from every corner of space mobilized to protect Shinrarta Dezhra. Our combined efforts pushed the Thargoids back. It was a monumental victory for humanity and a testament to what we can achieve when united against a common threat. (You can read more about the victory in the GalNet article.)
For me, this was just the beginning. AX combat had given me a new challenge. So, I decided to seek out more. Not out of revenge, but a desire to sharpen my skills and protect humanity from the relentless threat of the Thargoids. With my carrier by my side, I went in search of systems under siege. I dedicated myself to the fight. Every battle with the Thargoids pushed my limits, forcing me to adapt and improve me as a combat pilot. The bounties I collected for destroying Thargoid vessels were unlike anything I'd ever seen, more credits than any bounty for human ships I had ever pursued.
Eventually, my efforts brought me to a personal milestone that I had long worked toward: I achieved the rank of Elite in Combat. A moment of immense pride that marked, not only my dedication to the art of combat, but also my ability to rise to the challenge when humanity needed it most.