1st September 2013 – 3.55 pm

Last night was an adventure. Tonight starts the same way it started yesterday, with me and the static wormhole. I'll see where it takes me today. Ah, to a clear view from my directional scanner in our neighbouring class 3 w-space system, and only one planet sitting out of range. I launch probes, perform a blanket scan, and warp across to that planet, not expecting much with four anomalies, four signatures, and no ships under my probes. There is a tower, though, so maybe someone will come on-line whilst I scan.

The static exit to high-sec is found, a data site ignored, and a second wormhole resolved. But warping to the other wormhole sees the K162 from class 5 w-space critically unstable and on the verge of collapse. It may not take the mass of my Loki strategic cruiser passing through, and I don't want to test the connection. It looks like I'm 'exploring' high-sec empire space.

Leaving w-space puts me in the Domain region, and a mere two hops from Amarr. That's probably too convenient to ignore, so without much further consideration I take myself home, swap to an Orca industrial command ship, and take it stuffed full of loot and export materials back through our neighbouring system. Our neighbouring system with a new signature visible, and an Anathema covert operations boat spewing probes as I land on the high-sec exit. Damn, I hate the discovery scanner.

Returning this way in the Orca could be fun, but now is not the time to think about it. Well, actually, I suppose now is the perfect time to start thinking about it, instead of blindly expecting to get home safely. But plans rarely go according to plan, so I'll simply consider the possibility that w-space will not be empty on my return and at least feel prepared. That'll do.

I make it to Amarr, sell what we have to sell, buy more fuel bricks, and head back the way I came. I'm sure I could be buying more than fuel, but I never remember what we could use when a decent exit finally appears. I keep saying I should write this down. Why don't I? Probably because I never expect a decent exit, I suppose. But fuel is nearly always a good option, keeping us running in w-space, and I should probably start to focus on getting the Orca home. I hope that scout in the Anathema is rubbish.

Jumping back to C3a sees no ships waiting for me on the wormhole, which would be a short-sighted place to wait, but a Loki is visible on d-scan. Where is he? Opening the system map and pinging each bookmark has the strategic cruiser on a wormhole. Oh my. Hold on, that's the unstable C5 K162, not our home K162. That a Falcon recon ship has also appeared is neither here nor there if they don't know about or have dismissed our connection already. I send the Orca in to warp, reaching our K162 as core probes fly around the class 3 system, and jump home to what looks like clear space.

It is clear space. The Orca enters warp for our tower, reaching it without incident, where I dump all the fuel bricks in to the tower or storage. And back in my Loki I return to our wormhole. For all the probes I've seen surprisingly little comes through the connection to our home system. Nothing, in fact. I should go back to C3a and take a look at what's happening. So I do, and still see nothing. The critical K162 is gone, no doubt collapsed, and there is no sign of any scouts. That other signature persists, though. I'll scan it.

Hey, it's a wormhole. What a surprise. It also comes from class 5 w-space, and I can't help but think the C5 occupants will be tempted to use the connection close to Amarr for themselves. Instead of making my presence obvious by jumping to C5b, I head back to loiter on the exit to high-sec. If I see any activity I pretty much know where it's headed and can intercept it on a w-space wormhole. And it doesn't take long for the wormhole to crackle. My first catch of the day. Bah, it's the Anathema. I let it go, not having much chance of catching it.

A little more waiting has the wormhole crackle again. Hopefully the cov-ops was making sure the route was clear for a more easily caught and fragile ship, but I wouldn't class this Navy Armageddon battleship as fragile. I'll let this one go too, as a wave of magnanimity passes over me. Unfortunately, the dumb ship warps straight through me, decloaking my Loki sitting some kilometres off the wormhole. Did he see me? I dunno, but I have to presume my cover is blown. My evening of loitering on a wormhole waiting for a ship that may not come is over. Huh, it doesn't sound so bad when I put it like that.

Posted in Gaming |

Tags: anathema, armageddon, eve online, falcon, loki, mmorpg, orca, penny ibramovic, scanning, w-space

