Spider Drones

They codenamed it Angel Extravaganza, which I thought was a little glib but as long as I get paid they can call it Happy Fun Clown Time for all I care.

I headed to the station hangar bay where the new Mordant Core was being fitted ready. The 150mm Light Autocannon II sat on the hangar floor gave me the clue that things weren't going to schedule.

A couple heated exchanges with the shipyard foreman and a few hours cooling my heels later and the new Mordant Core glided into space its spotless armour plating gleaming in the light from the system's star.

I plugged the co-ordinates I'd been given by Ornljorn and activated the warp drive.

Intel was pretty good this time, and they were sending exactly the wrong types of ship at me. The Mordant Core excels at taking out cruisers supported by handfuls of frigates and the odd battlecruiser and that was exactly what they sent. Not a good day for the Angel Cartel!

I'd been tasked with taking out an Angel commander by the name of Terzam Tazzon and I was pretty deep within the Angel deadspace complex before my scanners found his Battlecruiser. I was still a good 70Km from his ship when his 2 spider drones intercepted me. Drones don't usually cause a problem for my trio of light autocannons but these packed an extra punch: webifiers.

Now for missions such as these, the Mordant Core is kitted out to deal with stasis webifiers but with 2 fast drones both interferring with my engines they were able to sit just on the edge of my weapon range. Close up, my high-tech guns make short work of anything I point them at but if I can't get them close, they miss. A lot.

It took 5 full magazines of ammo to take out the first spider drone, by which time my shields were nearly depleted and my capacitor was heading the same way. I made a 'tactical withdrawal' to let my systems recover before heading back into the complex to finish the job.

With only 1 webifier left, I made short work of the last spider drone before shredding Terzam's ship to scrap. All in, a very successful maiden voyage for the new Mordant Core.

The Blockade

I've been working for the Republic Fleet since I first got my Capsuleer status approved. They're not bad to work for, the pay isn't overly insulting and they don't ask too many questions; It's not as if I have anything to hide, my behaviour has been exemplary since day one, I just don't like people asking stupid questions.

"I just received a transmission from reliable sources"

Ha! 'reliable sources', I've heard that one before and I didn't buy it that time. Of course, I said nothing to old Ornljor, he's a nice enough guy but he is pretty straight down the line, 'You can count on me'.

I made my way to the hangar where Mordant Core was waiting silently, almost menacingly. Her systems lit up at my touch as my pod slid into place, engines roaring to life. 'Steady' I thought, 'no rush'. I fired up my 'net interface, a new model comms unit I had installed just a few weeks ago. I had my own 'reliable sources'.

From what I could see, the Angel Cartel weren't putting much effort into whatever it was they were doing: you move fleets of ships and ordinance around, people notice. From what I could see, the biggest threat was going to come from a stasis tower that had gone 'missing' from a poorly guarded deadspace area a few systems over.

So, all that was left was to point the sleek, gleaming shape of the Mordant Core at the co-ordinates and activate the warp drive.

'Yeah, just what I thought, few frigates and a stasis tower, nothin to it'.

I'd like to think I handled it gracefully. I'd like to think that the metric fuckload of hurt that was visited upon the Mordant Core didn't leave me with the kind of look you see in old cartoon vidcasts. I'd like to, but I'd only be fooling myself.

I didn't realise until it was too late that they weren't your average run of the mill Angel Cartel cannon fodder. I was facing down 4 elite frigates and 4 elite destroyers.

I got out but only just. Not a happy bunny.

Thing is, if I don't complete the mission, I'll never live it down. I have a spotless record with the Fleet but you fail one mission and they really make you pay for it.

Gonna need a bigger boat.

Next up is In Awe, it's certainly bigger but that really just makes it easier to hit. I launched again, determined not to let what should have been a simple mission get out of control. I ready all my systems as I feel the warp drive spinning down, no need to rush, the sequences are burned into my muscle memory, just relax and let the ship do her thing.

It goes better, the frigates go down without putting too much strain on my shield generators but by this time the Angels are well and truly onto me, they've got re-enforcements coming and this is really turning out to be a bad day.

Gonna need a bigger boat.

I have a bigger boat, but it's not my favourite ship. It's a Maelstrom class Battleship and it's as slow as a spacecow.

I spent the next hour and a half strafing in and out of the deadspace pocket whilst the Angels sent ship after ship. The pounding was overwhelming and a freak sensor glitch nearly lost me my ship! This was not going well but eventually, I got a lucky shot in and killed their Fleet Commander. The resulting chaos forced the Angel Cartel to withdraw and re-think their assault.

I've no doubt they'll be back but next time, I'll get better intel and I'll be ready for them.