Medical Facilities

I forgot to mention something else that I messed up (which you may have guessed).

After all that search for stations with jump clone facilities, I forgot to transfer my clone to null sec. How could I forget?

I remember seeing medical facilities in the Guristas station I docked with. But in my relief, and due to a false sense of security, I forgot.

Maybe it was all for the better. Had I ended up back in Venal, I may have had a tough time finding a new ship and equipping it. In fact I am reconsidering my decision to move my clone to null.

Moving it to Jita may be more useful.

Everything sold

Everything sold. I put everything I had on sale, even the tech 1 probes and modules I had. And it all sold.

I was torn between the desire to continue onwards, or to go back to Jita to get more stuff to sell here.

Greed eventually won. I decided to make a beeline back to Jita. To trust the speed of my ship.

And I nearly made it. I was in Tribute with a couple of jumps to low sec. Thinking of the gate camp I had met on my way in. I knew they were after me, but I was fast. And stupid. They had signalled ahead, and wham! I was in a bubble, and though I tried everything that had saved me earlier, nothing seemed to work this time.

I sulked at Jita for a while. My pride hurt. My pocket felt pretty good, though. 500 million. Not bad for an exciting journey to the edge of the the galaxy. But I had lost my ship. Carelessness. Beelining.

I bought a Helios a few days ago. Am fitting it slowly. Lovingly. Trying not to get too attached to it, though.

Wondering how much of the ISK to risk. Want to invest it all, and possibly triple it. The wise thing would be to invest 250 million. Possibly make 2 trips. Good chances of one of them being successful. But knowing myself, I am likely to put it all in the hold. I hate myself.

Probes Selling

I am feeling amazingly good.

Instead of continuing around the edge of the galaxy I decided to head south to Venal to those Guristas stations.

Spot the Helios

When I finally arrived, I had acute anxiety just before docking. This was fortunately unfounded and I wasted no time in setting up my orders for the probes. At about 2m per unit (bought at < 700k).

And they are selling :)

Life is good.

Station in Branch

My progress through Branch was slow but steady. I moved through an area controlled by the RAZOR alliance. I really like their name. But after my recent experiences I could not muster courage to initiate communication.

There was nothing much to report. I was asked if I was an alt. A couple of people chased me. I saw a few stations. I suppose I should have tried to dock- but after having failed with about 10 stations in Deklein and Branch, my motivation to try again was low.

Progress

While trying to escape the Loony Toons I had ended up moving towards Tenal. Thus I did not really need to make the decision about which direction to head in. Venal may have been a better choice for my cargo. They really needed probes in Tenal, but as expected, no NPC stations.

The edge of the galaxy is a lonely place. Not that there are no people around, but loneliness is what I feel after being rejected, hunted and treated as an outcast.

As I look at the map and see the path ahead, my motivation to continue alone in this wilderness is at a low.

Northern edge of the galaxy

I made it to the edge of the galaxy, but my stress levels were too high to savour the moment. Same with the long jump to Branch. Forgot to savour.

There was no gate camp as I entered Branch. Looney Toons was the controlling alliance. Obviously at good terms with Tau Ceti in Deklein, as there were no fortifications at either ends, no guards.

Market for probes in Branch and Cargo Contents

I looked at the market for probes. The stations had names that were not promising. I was sure that I would be unable to dock with them. Maybe I should head south to Venal? And sell the probes at the Guristas stations I had seen there. Or I could continue clockwise around the edge of the galaxy towards Tenal and try my luck there…

Waiting for me

Deep in thought, I landed in a heavily populated system (33). I could nearly hear the intruder alarm go off. There must have been a frantic rush for ships. By the time I scouted the station and got to the exit gate, they were waiting for me.

I sneaked to the gate from the side opposite to them, and jumped through. The cat and mouse game continued through the constellation, till I realized that I was cornered. There was definitely a large force waiting on the other side of the gate I had to go through. With one crow pilot on my side.

Slyone's Crow

I decided that this was as good a time as any to communicate. I had not been here long. Had not caused excessive disturbance. If it did not work, at least I could say that I had tried.

The pilot was friendly enough and suggested I dock in a station in C4 to get rid of my cargo. His wife was giving him aggro to use facebook, so he was headed to C4 to dock and suggested I accompany him. I told him I was looking at the map to get my bearings. He offered to scout for me, and convoed me from C4 to say that that the route was clear and that I could dock at the station.

The pilot’s name was Slyone. His wife had a very brief facebook session, as he was waiting for me on the other side of the gate. With 5 friends. In fact I nearly did not jump. It all sounded too good to be true. But after 15 minutes I saw 5 or 6 pilots come into my system. I thought the camp may have disbanded and jumped through.

Deceived

The space looked normal, but as soon as I tried to warp I was stuck in the midst of blue-grey electric haze. There was little I could do. They were moving fast, all around me. I changed direction but another ship neared. Curse you Slyone!

Close Shave

My luck, somehow, held. The distance between us increased, and kept on increasing. The bubble seemed endless, but wasn’t. The space suddenly cleared, and I warped to safety.

Even though I knew the result, I could not resist trying to dock with their station, in the remote possibility that I could. I had notions of flooding their market with probes, or contracting them in bulk to someone.

Station they said I could dock with

Slyone had said that there had been a row about standings, and now anyone could dock in C4. What were the chances of that being true?

They were waiting at the station as well. Patience paid off, and I got my opportunity, reaffirming Slyone’s veracity.

With the close shaves I’ve had, I am more convinced than ever that I will be caught sooner than later. Venal is 12 jumps. Tenal at the edge, beckons at 8 jumps. Still unsure.

Gate to Salvation

I made it out of the DEFI4NT area! Had to voluntarily enter the bubble formation on the way out. The bubbles did not seem viscous this time.

I had thought hard about communicating with the locals, but I could not do it. Thus I left. And decided to put some distance between us.

They come in all flavours

As I entered the last constellation in Deklein I overheard in local, “maybe he is coming here”. This did not sound good.

While scouting my exit, I saw both the locals jump out. This did not look good.

I was only a couple of jumps from the edge of the galaxy. I wanted to go on. Instead I decided to check a neighbouring dead end system.

This is generally not a good idea in Deklein, as all dead end systems I visited had lots of people and stations. Sort of like walking into their clutches.

Flirting with Death

Thus I was not surprised when I landed in a blue electric haze!

There was a station; locals; no ships around. These guys were using 4 warp disruptors, compared to the 7 earlier. Soon I will be able to give advice on disruptor deployment :)

I had no desire to antagonize these gentlemen.

Better to get killed in pursuit of my goal.

Impromptu Gate Camp

I am feeling depressed.

No matter which path I take, I still have to get out of the DEFI4AT stronghold. And they are ready for me. It is only a matter of time.

There has been no communication in the local. I thought about saying hi, but I have been here so long that it has now become awkward to break ice.

“If you are a traveller, as you claim to be (and not a spy), why did you not announce it the moment you arrived? And saved us the bother of mobilizing large forces and setting up numerous intimidating gate camps?”, I imagine them saying.

The only graceful alternative is to somehow get out and never come back.

By now I must have deep red standings with every inhabitant of Deklein. It is possible that their influence exists outside this region, and thus I cannot even start anew in another region. I will be hunted, and wherever I go a wave of red standings will spread outwards from my location. The whole galaxy will hate me. Which would be an achievement of sorts, but not one of my goals.

Maybe the real mistake I made was not taking the initiative in communication with the locals.

Imicus

A few words about my (Iksormas) background and what happened immediately before I started this journey.

I got my piloting license less than 4 months ago. I was interested in exploration and trained to scan and to fly covert ops. I used an Imicus initially to scout in w-space for some friends.

Soon as I had my hands on my (expensively fit) covert ops frigate, a friendly POS in w-space blew it up!

They (allegedly) readjusted standings etc, and compensated me with an Imicus. Which the POS promptly blew up, as soon as I boarded.

This time they gave me an Imicus in a far away safe spot. And warned me not to come near their POS again :)

This all pissed me off.

Farewell to w-space

This, is when I looked at the star map. And saw my puny signature on the vast and unexplored (k-)galaxy. Wanderlust took over. I couldn’t wait to explore. The Imicus had probes, but I was sick of scanning. I self destructed out of (beautiful) w-space and headed to Jita where this account starts.

I lost my +3 implants when I self destructed. Now I have +2s. I can fly nearly all frigates and Gallente cruisers, industrials, and electronic attack ships. I have no shield/armor skills to speak of. Am currently training for Bomb Deployment.

The enemy left the system as soon as they realized I had escaped. I decided to continue looking for stations to dock. Though it seemed unlikely that I would succeed with player owned stations.

Guristas stations in Venal

I remembered seeing some Guristas stations in Venal. Should have dumped the probes there. One option was to head back to Venal. To transfer clone, and be free of the cargo. But for the time being  (stupidly, I am sure) I decided to go on.

I tried docking at multiple stations, and was again caught in a massive bubble formation protecting entry to 3 systems.

I totally lost direction and kept changing course, till I switched to a far away view.

Caught again!

Fortunately there was just one ship around which warped away. By the time reinforcements arrived, I was nearly out of the massive bubble-formation.

This appeared to be a DEFI4NT area. Before this I had encountered lots of Tau Ceti Federations stations in the middle of the linear Deklein region. I had entered the region in a Tactical Narcotics Team (TNT) controlled area. None of the locals tried to start a conversation or ask why I was there. All I got were things like, “Iksormas in k5. Not in station. Kill.”

The Massive Bubble Formation

Maybe I should tell them that I am a traveller and I mean no harm? I have a feeling that it would make no difference to them. They would perceive me as a threat in any case. Still, it was worth trying. A couple of times at least. Resolved to look for an opportunity.

As I had moved through the region I had seen many Goonswarm members. Many stations had alien (?French) text. I still had not moved my clone or dumped my cargo. Should I return to Venal? Should I jump through to Branch? And land myself in a mother-gatecamp?

From the periphery of my memory came an echo, I am in blood Stepp’d in so far that, should I wade no more, Returning were as tedious as go o’er. I (my cargo) was doomed. A slave to my memory.

TNT Prime

There was a station in a dead end system that looked inviting. It turned out to be densely populated (42). I scouted their station, TNT Prime, from a distance. There was a lot of traffic. Did not look like an NPC station and I did not fancy seeing myself uncloaked outside their stronghold, unable to dock.

They acknowledged my presence with, “Iksormas, Helios. Heads up guys!” in local.

I decided to look for a station with less traffic. I had spent some time here and expected company at the only exit. But nobody was there.

I safely made my way through 2 systems and found a station in a system with one Drake pilot only. While scouting the station, I saw the Drake come in to dock. This was as good a time as any to try and dock myself. It did not work. They did not like me, said the message. Or my corp/alliance/lineage.

The Trap

On jumping into the next system everything went dark. I was in the thick mist of a bubble. There were 3 ships within 20 km of me. Moving at 2-4 km/s.  I was aware that my heart was racing and thumping but I had no time to pay attention to it.

I looked all around. Selected a direction to move in. Activated the cloak.

The gel-like-space around me seemed to resist all movement and thought.

Two of the ships moved closer. Any closer than 2km and I would de-cloak. 5km, 4km. I swerved away. Another ship moved in at 3 km, 2.5km, 2.2 km. All was lost…

And then, somehow, miraculously, the distance started to increase. I was safe! Still alive in the bubble!

Progress seemed snail-pace. I felt my heart pounding away and every fibre of my body seemed alert and expectant. The ships moved closer. A 4th ship joined them.

Just then the air cleared, and I was free!