Feb 262010
We are 4 hours into the assault. Wrecks litter the stargate as we move into 49- to attack the Goons in a flanking manoeuvre that is aimed to support IT Alliance’s expansion into Delve. By attacking Querious we can divert forces needed elsewhere. My Sabre launches into the fight as we get news that Providence has made an unexpected move. We are no longer just supporting IT Alliance but are now fighting a two front war where we are on the offencive in one system and now have to race back and defend our backyard. Can we fall back from 49- and count off Goons not to follow or is it better to push the attack and see what develops in regards to the Providence attack and see if we can keep the fight up on two fronts ?
Rumors run wild through the ranks. What kind of numbers do Providence actually hold ? What are the capabilities of their commanders and their pilots ? The running estimate is that providence holds almost 10.000 pilots. We are well aware that they have nowhere near that number to run an offensive campaign where a defencive might spur them into a frenzy where we would be facing them all. But if they can even muster half or one third of that number we could very well be facing a real threat.
| 101010 Alliance | 205 |
| Aegis Militia | 689 |
| Ascendent Dominion | 199 |
| Cold Steel Alliance | 696 |
| CVA | 1328 |
| Dark Taboo | 860 |
| Destined for Glory | 259 |
| Fidelas Constans | 663 |
| Golden Rule Alliance | 325 |
| Ishuk-Raata ED | 269 |
| Libertas Fidelitas | 1026 |
| Motivated & Determined | 152 |
| Paxton Federation | 756 |
| Sev3rance | 805 |
| Sylph | 425 |
| TransWarp Ventures | 306 |
| Tread Alliance | 682 |
| Twilight Federation | 150 |
| Total | 9795 |
Ushra’Khan can muster almost 1300 combat ready pilots and are sworn to this fight with a blood oath commitment. For one thing we fight to free Providence but to see CVA expand over those borders is an unacceptable development. We will be joined by AAA, Coven and SYS K in the fight and that will almost even the numbers.
The assault seems to be led by LFA who is quick to proclaim victory after a few days where there has been an internal debate as how to meet this threat. LFA goes as far as offend people that contradict their point of view in the public channels soon turning what should have been information into insults aimed at entities they have never heard of and who cares little for their cause.
For two days we have kept pressure on 49- and the goons but have failed our objective of securing the system itself.
Back and forth, back and forth. No time to rest. Once a battle is over in one system the attention is turned to the other front. We have managed to hold the onslaught off and are now preparing to push them back while maintaining a minimum presence in 49-.
I arrive in my trusty Megathron that has held together for quite some battles by now. The sight that meet me in SV5 makes my heart swell with pride as the Ushra’Khan capital fleet arrive and join the AAA fleet.
We are late but not too late, quickly communication is established and our fleets hook up. Numbers rise as SYS K and Coven proclaim that they too will be joining the fight. The numbers are even in what will be the decisive battle for SV5.
We move in and position our fleets around the IHUB and await to be assaulted by the Provi fleet when the reinforcement timer runs out.
Conlin opens the party with the first antimatter rounds and the game is on.
Great is the disappointment when the enemy arrives on the fleet. A small contingent of Battleships supported by the largest fleet of Battlecruisers I have ever seen.
However battle crusiers have no place in a ranged fight of these proportions.
As the battles rages on for supremacy in the systems it become apparent that someone somewhere has made a miscalculation
http://www.a-kills.com/?a=kill_related&kll_id=348314
Again and again over the days we come across these Battlecruiser fleets that full of confidence throw themselves into the fight only to die miserably.
http://www.a-kills.com/?a=kill_related&kll_id=347509
http://www.a-kills.com/?a=kill_related&kll_id=347471
Even when we are heavily outnumbered the Battlecrusier gangs are no match for a proper Battleship fleet.
Where is CVA ?
Where is the enemy we have fought before and respected ?
Is this the best they can offer ?
When we went alone into Providence in our Battleships, a fleet counting no more than 50 ships there were easily 200 Battleships facing us.
Where are they now ?
There seems no end to the amount of Battlecruisers that Providence can throw at us.
Fire ! Reload ! Fire ! Reload…
The resonance of the 425 guns become a monotone sound. It sounds hollow as yet one more Harbinger takes a direct hit and explodes in a fire storm. There is no glory here, its clean and methodical slaughter of the outgunned Providence Fleet. There is no deliverance, there is no god and tomorrow we aim for D-G the main system of Paxton Federation…
The Falcon stopped in space and took in the scenery.
Lightning fast Dramiels, Interceptors and Heavy Assault Ship where buzzing about the the large beast that for the moment were holding the smaller ships at bay. Space was thick with electronic charges from the warp drive activation of another beast that had managed to escape the hornests sting.
By no means was the Thanatos carrier class out of the fight but would soon be when Ushra’Khan joined the frey and thereby putting sufficient strain on it huge pulsating armor repairers.
“Warp in ready, engage at will” I called.
15 seconds later Nosenhojh landed in his Machariel , Makk in his Raven, Meera in her Tempest, Bournville in her Brutix and Malchick in his vagabond. GENOS had gotten a domi ready as well that would be the capacitor neutralizer.
The small fleet attacked with renewed strength and the armor started to take significant damage. in the mena time a warp bubble was set up between the carrier and the local Station in Y-M so if any help arrived they would land far of the main fight.
I started moving towards the bubble to get ready for incomming support. It arrived 4 minutes later in the shape of a Dominix and a Myrmidon. The Falcon tuned in to their sensors and emitted the counter signals. I got the satisfying response that the operation was succesfull. A game of electronics were on and my computer calculated a cycle of 20 before the jamming code was broken and new counter signals should be emitted. The smaller ships swarmed the Battleship and Battlecrusier that were quickly dispatched.
For sake of the Concord records I swtiched over to the Thanatos and fired off a jam single cycle but knew it would not be enough to overcome the systems of the large ship.
Another 5 minutes and the ship exploded in a satisfying firework of colour and metal debris.
I turned my ship away from another slaughter of providence dwellers and turned home to my base system of Esa. I had for more than a month led small gangs and solo raids into and around Providence while the mainstay of Ushra’Khan was moving into our new space. hundreds of ships had payed the highest price. Some of the losses the enemy took was uncalled for and only due to bad policies on behaviour during wars.
A message was waiting when I arrived. It was from Karn and Seliah that demanded my precence back in our new systems. With a sigh I mentally went over my hangar and arrived at a Taranis would be the better option for a quick travel through hostile space.
I programmed the navigation computer and set off. On my way I passed several large groups of AAA battleships heading for GE-.
I had ofcourse heard rumors of BoB rising as IT Alliance and had begun an invasion and the numbers of ships and normal rumor mill at the bars indicated that AAA was about to make a move but as to the extend of the move it was unclear.
I arrived well in V2-VC2 and got did the hangar approach on manual mostly for fun as it is always a good laugh to fly a little reckless in confined space of a station hangar.
I made my way towards the NKB hangar, greeting and meet new faces as well as old ones. They all seemed a bit baffled that I had “found time to show up”. I replied to witty comments and exchanged a few for fun blows which for my part resulted in a sprained wrist and some blue marks, where as I dont think the Brutors even noticed my rather hard blows to their arms and shoulders.
NKB Main Office, the sign read out loud. Well you cant call Brutors for dreaming, inventive or particualr creative in their sign text. To the point and not much else.
As I walked in I passed Draak Noir on his way out. I was met by Karn and Seliah who both seemed to be in a fine mood.
“Welcome Wotlankor, have a seat please.” Karn said in his guttural voice. “Please” comming from Karn sounds more like an order to stand at attention. I took my seat and took in the scenery.
The obligatory styrofoamcups where shattered so randomly it looked like a planned distribution. Coffe rings were en masse to be found on the right side of the main terminal on the table. Over the main officechair facing whoever came in hung 3 large slaverhound skulls polished till they shone and below them the Ushra’Khan battle standard and the Black NKB clan banner with the orange cross and circle.
“Seliah is leaving as head of the Ushra’Khan diplomacy.” Karn stated and continued “Draak has been appointed as new head of diplomacy. That leaves and empty seat in the junior ranks which you will fill.”
I was taken slightly aback cause ive never been a very diplomatic person and haddone most negotiation at gunpoint in my pod behind thick armor and shields. Karn, however left little room for arguing and Seliah was just standing there smiling.
“That will be all Wotlankor, you may return to your station…” He lingered for a moment as if there were more to come… “Your station will be in your battleship tonight as we will be announcing a Call To Arms and join our allies AAA in an invasion of 49-”
“Roger that Sir” I replied and took my leave with a heap of documents and procedures regarding diplomatic relations. A viciously looking data card had the title “Textbook for Dummies on Intergalactical Diplomatic Relations, Language end Etiquette.”
I shuddered to fill my head with such nonsense but it seem I had just gotten and internal relocat… promotion.”
The aula was dead silent except for Xious voice booming as he explained how the future campaign was to be executed and one could almost cut through the anticipation. I looked around the Aula. Gone were the large drums and banners. The setting now was clean and orderly compared to when we declared war against CVA and their cronies.
Semi translucent images flicked in full 3D as Xious showed how the new CONCORD sanctioned system worked with system control and how new fleet procedure were to be implemented to counter bombers. It was a fresh new world. I for one welcomed the new world where the Battleships did not have to fit to counter 3 Doomsday activations. On the other hand you could have 12 small ships laying waste to an entire fleet if they executed perfectly, but it took skill and coordination where as the Titans used to rule with the single push of a button. Better logistics had also been trained vigorously and though there did not seem much glory in fly the small logistic vessels they had quickly become a dominant and decisive factor on the battlefieladn every pilot in a fleet cherished the little critters when amor or shield suddenly sprang to life and changed a sure loss to a fully functional ship again.
Xious wished us good luck and the aula erupted in cheers and roars. One can ecpect only so much dicipline from Minmatars.
The big Battleships fired up their engines as we embarked on our mission.
Aug 162009
There I were minding my own business. I was sitting at a table doing an interview with a new possible recruit when the call came in for more pilots needed to finish the job we started on 2 days earlier. I politely concluded the interview with Murdah and headed for the POD bays. The fleet had already disembarked and were making slow progress towards Paye.
Being slowly lowered into the ship I smiled. It had been a while since I joined the Ushra’Khan that Ive had time for real Battleship work. Obligations have kept most of my activities to running Kari pipe interdiction.
The crew was exhalted too and some even were singing as the ship raced to catch up with the main fleet. I used the well laid out AAA Jumpbridge system and managed to get in touch with the main fleet just as they jumped into Keberz.
12:37 Catching up with Fleet.
As we moved trough the CONCORD partolled space I noticed I had two wingmen I seemed to warp in unison with every time. Eleniel Octere in her Apocalypse and Pete X in his Tempest. Only one of us would be in our original ship at the end of the day. Once again we made a quick stop in Agil for supplies before we moved off again. Ugleb was in his Phoon next to me and leading the fleet was Sapphrine in a Rokh.
Witout any events we eventualy reached our destination and opened fire on the declawed Starbase, which Sylph once again did not feel like defending.
At one point a manticore started to move toward the edge of the shield. “SPIKE AND RESOLUTION” I called over the intercom. “Loading” came the swift reply from the munitions master shortly followed by the electronic engineer that informed that the sensor boosters were re-calibrated for fast locking.
The manticore slip out from the shield and started a slow turn. “KAZUNG” sounded the 425mm guns as the recoil was absorbed by the hydraulic and the manticore took a single shell that simply went right through shield, armor and hull. I don’t know why he opted to slow boat out instead of warping off and cloaking. Considering the ammunition he has loaded I can only guess he was newly trained as the manticore has a perfectly good missile subsystem that support kinetic damage dealing weapons.
I resumed shooting the Starbase and watched as Akikio’s Raven painted trails of fire with his cruisemissiles.
Not long after the Starbase exploed and the plillaging began with low life and scavengers warping in under the protection of CONCORD.
We lifted some modules and left while blowing up some of the modules so the scavengers did not get them.
When we were satisfied we formed up and prepared for the return home. Rumor was that AAA were engaging CVA forces in the system of 2J. Although heavily outnumbered the 90 ship strong AAA fleet had already traded shots with the more than double size hostile fleet but had to pull out eventualy as numbers in these kinds of battles are a quality in their own respect.
Sapphrines voice sounded over the fleet channel: “Pilots, AAA is engaged in 2J and have tried to take down the cyno jammer. They number 90 ships and are facing a 200+ Providence fleet. Ushra’Khan will hook up with AAA and even the numbers.”
A quick look at our fleet of 75 ships meant that roughly 165 of ours would be facing around 210 of theirs. Acceptable odds.
Our fleet started to make best speed towards Agil and HED-. It became apparent that we were unable to hook up with AAA in 2J- so AAA bridged in a Titan for us to use, meaning we would land in F4R and get into propper sniper ships.
We got ready in ZXIC-7 while AAA got in position on the ZXIC gate in 2J.
At 15:15 the AAA fleet warped in on the ZXIC gate and Ushra’Khan jumped in as CVA landed.
We waited with backheld breath, waiting for the sensors to recalibrate. Overview cleared and the hostiles ships loaded on the screen. An unluckyship made a wrong turn and lost the jump-in cloak.
Bubbles went up, alignment commands were called and the space were filled with death a destruction. Ugleb had changed from his Phoon into a sniper tempest that lasted 10 second under the immense fire laid upon it. My ship took a full 45 seconds to calibrate before I got in on the target calling and took down the first ship to fall victim to my 425mm guns.
The fleet commander was frantic screaming for interdictors to bubble the hostile fleet as they warped out as soon as they took damage where as the Ushra’Khan fleet only could stick it out as we were bubbled and being picked off.
I got tackled by a rifter and feared I would be called primary but as luck would have it the combination of my Warrior II drones and Harlequin D’Earth in his Hurricane made short work of it. With nothing better to do I send my drones after a Stealth Bomber.
“CHARGE OF THE LIGHT BRIGADE” Amith Silvermoon yelled proclaiming the arrival of the Ushra’Khan light skirmish fleet that charged at the enemy !
For 15 minutes the fight swayed back and forth as the fleets fought for supremacy. I saw hostile Brutix micro warp driving towards a sniper ship and desided that it was time for Taarn Torayson of the Paxton federation to return to his clone vat bay. It was a disregard of fleet orders as battleships are not to engage smaller ships unles specificly told to do so but if he was blaster fited he posed a treath to my fellow fleet pilots.
The result was a victory for our slightly outnumbered fleet as we held the field and took in the screnery.
Our fleet formed up slowly. Exhaust and steam vented into space from the ships that had taken damage.
15:35 We formed up on the local AAA Starbase and regrouped. Preparing to take down the Cyno jammer located near planet 3.
We had made several warp ins on the Starbase but only managed to do insignificant damage and picking of a stragler here and there. I noticed Pete X next to my ship once again. We saluted by turning on and off the external lights on the ships.
One and a half hour later it became clear that we would not be able to take on the Providence fleet with what we got. Ushra’Khan had taken heavy losses at the ZXIC gate and Providence on the other hand had recieved reinforcements.
Last shot was fired at 16:36 at an Eos that by mistake had seperated off the main Providence fleet. I smiled as my Caldari Navy Antimatter slugs helped transform his ship into a wreck of twisted metal.
We are at a stalemate. Status is being reviewed as we currently are down to 140 ships in various degrees of working condition.
2009.08.15 13:14 – 2009.08.15 16:41
Kills: 152 Battleship: 47 Support Cruiser: 1 Cruiser: 8 Frigate: 37 Interceptor: 24 Assault Ship: 1 Stealth Bomber: 9 Interdictor: 15 Battlecruiser: 5 Heavy Interdictor: 4 Force Recon Ship: 1
Losses: 60 Interdictor: 12 Interceptor: 3 Battleship: 34 Force Recon Ship: 3 Stealth Bomber: 1 Heavy Interdictor: 1 Heavy Assault Ship: 3 Fleet Command Ship: 1 Electronic Attack Ship: 1 Battlecruiser: 1
Alliances: Against ALL Authorities and Ushra’Khan
Corporations: Body Count Inc., CORE Elements, Dark Knights of Deneb, H A V O C, Masuat’aa Matari, Militaris Industries, Minmatar Ship Construction Services, Mirkur Draug’Tyr, Neh’bu Kau Beh’Hude, PPN United, Phaze-9, REUNI0N, Rage and Terror, Rionnag Alba, Russian Thunder Squad, Sarz’na Khumatari, The Collective, The Littlest Hobos, Trust Doesn’t Rust, Universal Army, VVS Corporition, Valklear Guard, Warhamsters
18:48 and 6 Hours of duty… This reminds me of my younger days in KIA.
The fleet commander calls a regroup at 20:00. Our fleet warps to the ZXIC gate and jumps out just as the Providence fleet bubbles us and tries to warp in on us.
They did not feel keen on entering ZXIC as no cyno jammer meant no protection from the Titans. I told my crew to get some food, rest or whatever when we were at teh Starbase.
We regroup already at 19:38 and meet up with AAA at the 2J gate. Our leet is at 200 and we are facing a Providence fleet of 350. We are ready to jump in when all of a sudden the sensors register a spike in ships.
In warps the cavalry in the shape of 100 Atlas ships making the two fleets almost equal.
19:40 The fleet jump in and hold cloak. Buggs is unlucky and gets decloaked and that sparks for the rest of the fleet to decloak so we can get reps on him. Whatever few hostiles there is not interested in engaging. I wonder why they set up all these bubbles and then utter fail to use the oppertunity of having us all unable to warp out where as they could do so and make repping runs on us.
We proceed to the Starbase we used previously. Tension is so thick you can cut in it.
We align for the hostile Starbase at Planet 3. I run diagnostics to check everything is ready. I get some misreadings. The ship is in working condition but the fihgting has taken it toll and more than once have I needed repairs from the Guardians at the friendly Starbase. You will hold, I tell it mentally.
19:49 I yell “CHARGE !!!!” and the hostile Starbase is engaged as our fleet open fire. My mind plays a tune of it own.
19:50 The fleet is in perfect order asw e start working on the Cyno jammer that has been repaired since our former battle. I take some minor damage from the defencive structures but nothing serious.
19:52 The hostile fleet warp in on us.
The battle of 2J starts and I run the procedure of locking the primary as well as reloading guns. I know that with so many ships it will take time before we are able to lock and fire and I might as well have full guns. We are a bit too spread out for my taste. things start to pace up.
19:53 The first shots are fired as Atlas warp in at distance. Gunners are working as fast as they can. Target calling is loud and clear as we are working our way through the hostile fleet in alphabetic order of pilot names.
19:55 Atlas warp in and we get Providence fleet into a crossfire, bubbles go up all over the place. A ship explode next to me and I can hear the debris hitting my structure and bouncing off.
19:56 Dog fights break out as the support ships of Ushra’Khan try to clear a path for our interdictors. Many a brave crew die in the process of holding down the hostile fleet. I don’t think about the terrified crew aboard the vessels I send to the eternal scrap heaven.
19:58 I have fallen behind and must use my microwarpdrive to catch up with the main fleet and the security of remote repairing.
19:59 Providence ships have spotted my mistake of not flying formation and two tacklers engage as I release drones. I can feel the crew is anxious as the warp core reports its functionality has stopped. To my rescue comes Tizian Enel in her Hurricane and chase off the tacklers closely followed by Neridah Tanz also in a Hurricane. The gruesome pair are on microwarpdrive and spew death at the smaller ships that are hindering the battleship fleets movement. I send them a silent thank you as I catch up with the fleet.
20:05 Providence fleet start to break and our fleetcommander is screaming for interdictors. There are plenty on the field just not in a condition to bubble anything. The Providence fleet is shattered all over and are being chased down as fleet coercion is lost.
20:08 Providence fleet is chased of the field and we hold it.
20:11 Starbase cyno jammer reengaged and we consider the battle won. Little do we know that Pandemic Legion has decided to come out and play making up for the providence losses. Ushra’Khan support ships are redirected to meet this new threat as the main fleet continue to engage the cyno jammer.
20:18 Providence fleet warp back in again when they see our support has left and round two kicks off.
20:27 The fight lasts full 10 minutes as Providence fleet is chased off again. Primaries are being called and Providence takes one in the face. 10 hostile ships get caught in a bubble that is superbly placed. I have to buy a Rum to that interdictor pilot.
20:30 Back to the cyno jammer and more slugs leave my 425mm which by now are routinely feed by the gunners.
20:41 View of the field of battle as we take down the Cyno jammer
20:44 Cyno jammer goes down. War cries erupt over the internal Ushra’Khan channels.
20:57 We continue on to declawing the Starbase and shortly after we head home. I’m to tired to hit the bar though I can see some heading there.
Mar 312009
The last week has seen fierece battle in and around the system of 49-U6U with BoB and AAA throwing their forces at the Swarm. BoB has taken on the name of KenZoku but I have not gotten used to it yet so I will call them by the name ive fought for years.
The idea of AAA and BoB seems to be to push into Querious and take 49-U6U which is a vital system for further staging into Delve and Querious itself. If 49-U6U is won the first crusial step in another long campaign has begun. How Providence will react is yet to be seen. If the Providence dwellers for whatever reasons throw their forces into the fray AAA will have to divert forces to repell the incursions and thereby weaken the effort at the Querious and Delve front.
Let the games begin…
The Megathron ejected cleanly of Juturnas hull and was shortly after pushed into space by the hangar crew.
I was alone as the Ushra Khan forces already were in action at the battleground. Being alone in a battleship fitted for long range combat with no tank buffer to speak off and no repairing capabilities makes space a scary place.
I ran a quick diagnostics and she responded well. The entire ship was vibrating with anticipation. From the quatermasters to the 425mm gunners to the maintaniance crew I could feel the tension. We were off to battle.
She slowly aligned for the nearest jumpbridge and set out to cover the jouney in small quick moon hops.
As I drew nearer I became aware that I was no longer alone. Slowly but surely and small gang had assembled with the common aim of reaching the battleground. Warriors saluted warriors without a single word uttered. The gang fell into the training and started to make jumps in unison and the smaller ships waiting for the larger to be aligned. Fleet mechanics cannot be denied once learned. It feels as natural as breathing.
Shortly after all my so called professionalism vanised and had I not been in a POD I would have laughed in a roar of tears.
AAA had in a system eracted a tower which shield reflected the sun. Not the usual bluish shield but screaming pink. PINK ?
I want a pink force field ever so badly if I ever get to own a POS. The smile in my mind slowly faded and then lit up again.
Ombey would never believe me unless I showed him so I turned the ship around and positioned it.
One postcard ready to go to the beach. I had a faint hope the humor of it might draw some reaction. I had not heard from Ombey since his implantes interacted with the corporate database. I knew from Mynxee and Roc that Ombey was at some obscure beach having long drink and relaxing. I send the postcard to “Bob” hoping he knew where Ombey was and could relay the message.
If not for the POD I would have had the most silly smile on my face as I jumped out of the system. A PINK forcefield ? Well new things are to be seen every day in the wolrd of EvE.
A few jumps later I arrived in the system of 4-07MU. The final system before the actual contested system of 49-U6U.
The war drums roared and pulsated as I arrived at the fleet gaterhing point and I had only just hooked up with the fleet before a fleet intel channel lit up about a gang of enemies assembling at the 49-U6U gate. I was not hooked up into the main fleet communication loop yet but saw the fleet align for the gate. What the hell I thought to myself, ill see what happens and ride it on routine.
The megathron aligned with the rest of the fleet as I guessed we were responding to the call on the intel channel. All of a sudden the space set in motion as the fleet commander did a fleet warp. I was caught off guard and almost thought to myself that it could be a very bad idea to follow a fleet in the blind like this. We landed some 50 km off the gate due to a bubble. My first reaction was to align back toward the POS but quickly aligned for the gate as I saw the other battle ships pass me in the oppersite direction.
My intel channels were dead quiet and no targets were being called so I had to go with what I would have done as an FC charging at the enemy in a BS gang confroned with a HAC heavy enemy.
The overview flickered as I switch to “sort by range” and at the same time the gunners reported the Large Anti Matter slugs were ready for delivery of pain.
I targeted the 5 nearest enemies and held an eyes out for calls for armor in the fleet broardcast channel.
I saw an enemy Zealot take just the sligest of shield damage and concluded he must have been called and the smaller ships in our fleet had nipped his shield.
“Left side, let fly”
The ships was gently rocking from side to side as the inertia stablizers corrected the ships bearing.
The zealot took the broardside right in the hull and disintegrated in one blink. The enemy went fast and low for the nearest possible warp out. I did notice a crow being awfully slow as if his ship was not responding well.
“3 slugs only guys” I told the gunners and the shells ejected from the guns, the slugs easily the size of an average planetary viechle. 2 missed but one went through what was left of the poor crow and registrered as a hit.
I was pleased with the performance and I could feel the crew beam with pride. This was the first combat for some of them while others had been with me for quite some time. I saw some of the battleships disapearing and realised we were already at the gate. Time works differently when in combat. It either stops or run at double speed.
Sound bursted into my head as my meantal hearing was assaulted by the voice of the fleet commander. Finally my voice communication module had hooked up with the fleet. I caught the last of a jump order and activated the gate.
Dark blue hit me as the system of 49-U6U emerged. So this is where we fight and where we shall prevail ?
It quickly became obvious that the fleet I was in and thought to be the main fleet, after all it counted almost 80 battleships, was merely a skirmish fleet intended to keep the enemy entertained and under fire while the main fleet of 200 Battleships and countless Capital ships took care of the towers.
Our small contingent was ordered to a nearby POS to await further orders. I noticed a dreadnought nearby. I had not seen one of those in action for ages.
In the background above the sun I saw a pair of Tempest ships carrying the markings Minmatar rebellion ships.
Ushra’Khan were here to fight and will claim the scalps of many enemies before this is over.
I powered down the Megathron some 40 minutes later as all hostile POSs were killed off or reinforced and new friendly ones placed in their former spot.
Mar 242009
The hull of Juturna vibrated softly as she lifted off from her docking clamps. From a well positioned camera drone I could see the gallentean girl. She was standing behind a large blast window overlooking the hangar.
The gallentean girl and I enjoyed each others company but had a strictly business relationship.
We go back for some years where we met on a trade trip I made to Jita. I had some True Sansha Modules I needed to sell and she had the buyers.
I had spent almost two weeks in empire space and unregulated lawless space after Ombey had retired from his POD career. I had been wandering the station where his goodbye party had been held with Mynxee and Roc.
I had not felt like fighting after Ombey left.
SSI had succumbed under the pressure and Severance had taken over the former SSI space. Some SSI corps have now merged into CVA to seek the protection they longed for. As events unfolded I came across a KIA pilot McKinlay that informed me about the demise of the once great enemy Band of Brothers.
Internal betrayal had accomplished what the combined forces of EvE had not succeeded in. Like so many other long fights the war is not won by the winner but lost by the looser.
The Goons moved quickly and exploited the breach in BoB security and eventualy took all of Delve and Period basis.
Ofcource KIA was at the frontline as always when goons needed an additional 100 pilots.
Its a good deal KIA has going and for some reason the Goons act very honorably when it comes to KIA. Nothing like the public image they have.
Against ALL Authorities joined side early with BoB and at the moment it looks like the whole of EvE is gonna kick their door in. U’K has mobilized to help -A- and orders have gone out to form up in fleet battleships. This caused some commotion as most pilots had almost forgotten how a fleet battleship was properly fitted.
I had smiled when I went to the hangar of Juturna and found the Megathron still fitted for this kind of work.
Ohh, Ombey where will my wing-man be in his tempest when we dodge the slugs and charge in on the enemy.
The kind of work we are expertly trained to perform almost in our sleep and sometimes has been performed as such after a 5 hour long shift.
I had stopped and looked at the Megathron Battleship and for unknown reasons shut the hangar doors.
I had not feelt like battle. Can an edge be worn down that has been sharpened for years ?
The knife no longer willing to plunge in the blood of the enemies? The arm to tired to lift the shield?
I heard the call to arms of the U’K pilots but walked off and left Juturna behind with the Megathron in her belly, not to be seen for another two weeks.
Then last night I got a reading from Ombeys implant transpondent unit.
It connected cleanly with the corporate database and updated his pilot status.
-Amarr Elite Cruiser Capable-
I was shocked to say the least.
That meant that Ombey was still able to interface with POD technology and despite claiming never to use his neural implants again, he still had them in full function… The implications…
It breathed to the ember of the war drums that beat in every POD pilots hearth. I walked to my hangar and beheld the large carrier bulk of Juturna.
The breath became a wind and a small fire erupted. Small and fragile. The kind of fire you shield with your hand.
A slow dozy yellow flame.
War drums vibrate with their slow hymn in a low resonance as Juturna lifts off and undock for the first time in two weeks…
