Cult of the Malformed Fork Posts

Back in the swing of logistics and economics, I was moving cargo when an agent of my organization approached me. I should note that I’m abnormally cagey about revealing who I work for since I have enemies, they have enemies and I’d would behoove me to avoid openly discussing their habits using pronouns and titles. Suffice it to say, I met with a person and they offered me some work.

Seems a group of pirates, not necessarily aligned with each other, had taken to harassing a nearby system and my name came up in conversation. While the technicians looked over the ‘Augur I carefully considered the contract. I’d done a minor refit two stations back so while my jump range wasn’t as robust as it usually is, my defensive measures were more than adequate. Loaders heaved 70 tons of Gold out onto the dock and with a resounding clunk completed their task. With little else on my plate I accepted all the contracts and set course.

The fight itself was almost boring. Two of the would-be assassins jumped me almost immediately. As though working in tandem they arrived at the Nav Beacon just after me and began their campaign of harassment. My shields, reinforced with some unusual tech I picked up along the way, repelled their attack with such ease I hardly noticed. “Weapons Hot” I called out. Alix, my smart agent and COVAS responded by allocating power from engines to defenses and weapons in equal measure. Laser-fire flared out and railguns hammered one target then the other and amidst the fray transports, explorers and other travellers near the beacon gave us wide berth. Within a minute it was over. Normally I’d feel accomplished but these targets were too easy. So bad at their job they were barely pirates. I noted the idea that this was a setup as I conducted a short-range scan for my other targets.

In all I think I was in-system less than 20 minutes. Quiet work, relative ease and minimal danger. I collected my bounty and loaded more cargo for another hop out-system. Keeping on my toes and moving, keeping trouble a step behind me.

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Deep Space is quiet. Treacherous and exciting. Preparing for an expedition beyond the reach of Humanity requires careful planning. No laser will fight off the boredom, no shields will deflect the feelings of loneliness or isolation. You’ve got to prepare your mind. Pack sufficient distractions and enough trappings of home. You’re likely to be out there a while. ~14,000 light-years to the Heart and Soul Nebula. I went, I charted some worlds and scanned many systems. Through this I achieved Elite Exploration and learned a thing or two about myself.

Firstly, I’m no explorer. Too many hours in deep space, too long away from a station with cold beer and a warm bed.

Second, I’m a Python guy. The Krait is a fine ship. Thrusters amenable to landings, adequate maneuverability for asteroid fields. No, there’s nothing wrong with the Krait Mk II. I’m a Python guy.

So once I returned to the bubble I put a word in with a guy I know and trust. He arranged for me to buy a fresh Python in exchange for this well used Krait I was looking to get rid of. I paid a premium for fresh tags and identification codes. Overly cautious but I’m doing everything I can do discourage my pursuers.

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I had been briefed, I reviewed the analysis and I had the necessary tools. But nothing prepares you better than live experience.

I reminded myself of this as the station burned around me and secondary explosions pushed my ship off of landing alignment.

The station groaned around me, like a great beast that had been struck a mortal blow.  I knew it would recover, in time all things do.  But time was not my ally right now.  Explosions pushed debris into my path.  I carefully dodged them, setting down on the assigned pad.

Funny how in a crisis we have to cling to what scraps of order we can find.  Clamps secured and my ramp lowered I hastily descended to meet with the technician coordinating evacuations.

“I’ve got room for 96 and not a person more!” I bellowed, trying to be heard over the roar of alarms and fires raging out of control.  The tech nodded, started waving at another tech and together we ushered them into my waiting ship.

All passengers aboard I carefully threaded a path through the tumbling debris and out of the station.  Heat sinks trailing behind me as I struggled to escape without melting a critical system or overloading thruster control.

The FTL hop from damaged station to rescue ship was less than 2 minutes.  Awaiting rescue teams helped disembark the passengers while I had technicians reload the heat sink magazine.  It was only 11am and the day was already looking long.

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I’ve been watching the streams. Some of the material. Updates are coming to Elite that have me a little excited. Exploration is getting an overhaul, as is mining. It should prove to bring life back into the game.

People are somehow shocked at one of the new ships. That Mamba looks like she’d run hot and yet people are taken aback at how quickly it overheats. Yes, you fit a cockpit to two massive engines and an even larger gun, it’s going to get a little warm.

Me I’m looking at that Krait Phantom with some interest. Looks like it’s the upgrade from the Cobra I’ve been searching for. She’ll outrun and out-turn my Python in every category. The question is can she tackle some of the serious threat’s I’ve faced down. Only time will tell.

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