Greetings fellow denizens of the deep.
Last night, after about 3 months away from settled space, I was within route-plotting distance of "home".
I am sure I am not alone in experiencing a mix of emotions ranging from excitement, anticipation (of repair), anxiety (about turning back on the flyscreen that was the largest, lightest shield that would fit on the exploration build), fear (can I remember how to dock?) and dread (of the new NPC AI).
So - I think about this carefully... I'll plot my destination 1 jump short of the settled system of choice for re-entry to "civilisation" (in my case Lozin). So far, so good. Scoop up a full tank, more out of habit than any real necessity, and crucially, remember to turn on my power distributor and shields.
I have already scouted the route, and it is a mere 124Ls cruise to the nearest outpost with a repair facility. I have standard lightweight alloy, 90% hull, a cracked canopy and a whopping size 3 shield on my Asp.
It's going to have to happen at some point... Right - let's do this!
Emergence from witchspace was smooth. No contacts. So far so good. OK - basic navigation time - target the outpost, and go hell-for-leather towards it.
1 new contact... Crap! - no, it's OK, it is in orbit around a planet ahead of me.
2 new contacts... Where are th... Interdiction!
It's OK, I got this - I can handle it... Aim for the escape vector... steady.... This is almost too easy! 80% blue bar... Why was I worried?
BANG! Double interdiction - What the hell??? No way to evade... escape vector is all over the place! FSD malfunction! Not even a chance to submit it all happened so quickly...
Damn - ok, keep a cool head - it might be the feds and I'm clean.
Incoming comms: "All I want is cargo!"
Phew, I think. Glad I am not carrying any - perhaps he'll go away now.
"Under attack" - oh hell - I guess not. So much for "improved intelligence". Come on FSD cooldown. I have no guns and a flyscreen for protection.
"Shields offline" - scratch the flyscreen - I have 90% of a flimsy hull... no, 86%.
Oh no - what's that? A second flashing red contact? More incoming fire... 82% hull... FSD still cooling down.
Right, FA off, crazy Ivan for all I am worth - was it really worth those extra few tonnes of weight saved to now be unable to boost?
78% hull... crap - I am so screwed. What a waste of months.
"Frame shift online" Woohoo! Let's run like foo!
Charge the drive, point at the station, bar creeping up... "Ready to engage" (???!!!???) "Align with ship trajectory" Oh $**$... FA on or point in direction of travel? I'm not that far off... Stuff it - FA on.
4... 3... "Taking damage" 2... 1... Engage! WOOHOO! Freeedom! (72% hull left)
Not going to take the direct path now - swerve around a bit (probably to no effect) approaching the station... Slow to 75% and watch the last few MM tick down... "safe disengage ready"
Huzzah! I'm gonna make it!
Remember to request permission... OK, done. Approach landing pad... Crap - wrong way round.... hands shaking.... Thruster controls... hell, which one is down again?
Docking successful! ...and b r e a t h e !
Repairs completed, an hour later all data sold and about 20.5M profit along with a bunch of first discovered tags.
Now I need to decide.... back to the black, or build a combat ship for a bit of a change...
Last night, after about 3 months away from settled space, I was within route-plotting distance of "home".
I am sure I am not alone in experiencing a mix of emotions ranging from excitement, anticipation (of repair), anxiety (about turning back on the flyscreen that was the largest, lightest shield that would fit on the exploration build), fear (can I remember how to dock?) and dread (of the new NPC AI).
So - I think about this carefully... I'll plot my destination 1 jump short of the settled system of choice for re-entry to "civilisation" (in my case Lozin). So far, so good. Scoop up a full tank, more out of habit than any real necessity, and crucially, remember to turn on my power distributor and shields.
I have already scouted the route, and it is a mere 124Ls cruise to the nearest outpost with a repair facility. I have standard lightweight alloy, 90% hull, a cracked canopy and a whopping size 3 shield on my Asp.
It's going to have to happen at some point... Right - let's do this!
Emergence from witchspace was smooth. No contacts. So far so good. OK - basic navigation time - target the outpost, and go hell-for-leather towards it.
1 new contact... Crap! - no, it's OK, it is in orbit around a planet ahead of me.
2 new contacts... Where are th... Interdiction!
It's OK, I got this - I can handle it... Aim for the escape vector... steady.... This is almost too easy! 80% blue bar... Why was I worried?
BANG! Double interdiction - What the hell??? No way to evade... escape vector is all over the place! FSD malfunction! Not even a chance to submit it all happened so quickly...
Damn - ok, keep a cool head - it might be the feds and I'm clean.
Incoming comms: "All I want is cargo!"
Phew, I think. Glad I am not carrying any - perhaps he'll go away now.
"Under attack" - oh hell - I guess not. So much for "improved intelligence". Come on FSD cooldown. I have no guns and a flyscreen for protection.
"Shields offline" - scratch the flyscreen - I have 90% of a flimsy hull... no, 86%.
Oh no - what's that? A second flashing red contact? More incoming fire... 82% hull... FSD still cooling down.
Right, FA off, crazy Ivan for all I am worth - was it really worth those extra few tonnes of weight saved to now be unable to boost?
78% hull... crap - I am so screwed. What a waste of months.
"Frame shift online" Woohoo! Let's run like foo!
Charge the drive, point at the station, bar creeping up... "Ready to engage" (???!!!???) "Align with ship trajectory" Oh $**$... FA on or point in direction of travel? I'm not that far off... Stuff it - FA on.
4... 3... "Taking damage" 2... 1... Engage! WOOHOO! Freeedom! (72% hull left)
Not going to take the direct path now - swerve around a bit (probably to no effect) approaching the station... Slow to 75% and watch the last few MM tick down... "safe disengage ready"
Huzzah! I'm gonna make it!
Remember to request permission... OK, done. Approach landing pad... Crap - wrong way round.... hands shaking.... Thruster controls... hell, which one is down again?
Docking successful! ...and b r e a t h e !
Repairs completed, an hour later all data sold and about 20.5M profit along with a bunch of first discovered tags.
Now I need to decide.... back to the black, or build a combat ship for a bit of a change...
S
