A Maiden, What a Catch!

        Oh how New Eden always draws me back, whether it's the feeling of my heart pulsing as I lay everything on the line in combat or the coy smile I never manage to hold back upon seeing a wallet filling with isk. A dark and dangerous place, yet equally full of opportunity and fortune. My first flight in my already beloved Jaguar (about damn time) has been eventful beyond all belief!

        After fitting up and checking nothing was out of place, cargo hold full of ammunition and a full capacitor charge, I left off from my home in Dammalin towards my usual hunting ground around the Heimatar region. Barely 5 minutes into my journey and whilst taking a quick scan around Siseide I spotted a lone Caracal idling in a nearby belt. Eager to test out the fabled powerhouse Assault Frigate, I immediately set course and slamed my warp drive into overdrive, hurtling towards the target belt. As I landed and glared at my prey a little over 20km away, the pilot freaks and warps away too fast for me to properly track him. 'Damn...' I thought to myself at the time. Quickly I flip up my directional scanner and start sweeping the surrounding asteroid belts frantically looking and hoping that the Caracal will still be nearby. Then the unexpected happened...

        The unexpected? A Belliocse. 'Haha, a lowly miner lost in space. Time for a quick and easy kill...' I immediately burned towards him, catching him in my warp scrambler and establishing a safe orbit. He seemed to sit somewhat idly for a moment, which worried me at the time; a bait? I began checking the local information hub within the system, cross referencing the corporations, alliances and security status of the current dwellers within the system. Nothing. All the while my guns had been pounding away at his shields, making what admittedly was a rather unimpressive dent... Suddenly I notice a hatch on the enemy craft open, with swarms of dreaded Warrior II drones pouring out and surrounding me. I disengage my cannons and begin to pick them off one by one, foolishly wasting large amounts of ammo due to tracking issues.


        The fight continued for a good while, drones emerging and assaulting me, dropping one by one as his shields charge back up, only to be once more assaulted by my weaponry. Now rather confident in my victory I open up a conversation, hoping for a quick isk payout. '20 mil or your ship goes bye.' I chimed down the intercom. The remainder of the conversation escapes me, as I watch my guns stop firing and not reload with Phased Plasma S. 'Crap... Out of ammo.' Fortunately I had a stock of Barrage S left in there, but I knew full well I wouldn't break the rather incredible shield tank my opponent was sporting. We had a short conversation, both bluffing our hearts out; he that he would merely self destruct and deny me a kill, myself that friendly pilots were inbound to blow him up. The funny thing? It nearly worked.


        As I sat orbiting him, feeling somewhat disappointed at the outcome of the fight. Luck however was on my side. The Caracal, my initial target, jumped back into the system unaware of our engagement, landing 40km away and quickly jumping out. This time though he wasn't so lucky. I automatically bid farewell to the captive Bellicose, loading the remaining ammo in my guns I warped to intercept, landing almost simultaneously with the Caracal. I tore into his shields. A mintue later, the target now in hull, a Thorax drops in the belt and targets me, b-lining for my ship and releasing drones. 'God dammit!' I alligned my ship to a nearby planet, watching the Thorax close in on my position. 30km-25km, I was beginning to worry. At last the Caracal buckled under the weight of my onslaught and I immediately bugged out, giving up the loot to the Thorax to ensure the safety of my Jaguar.

        I sit here now, in Rens, my guns being patched up from thermal damage I dealt out during the fight. I look back at the whirlwind 15 minutes I just experienced and am thankful that my absence from New Eden is at an end. My Jaguar performed admirably, and felt amazing to fly. It had a sense of age to it, more refined than the Rifter, with all the good bits still there when I need them. This beckons a new journey for myself in New Eden, I now feel like I am no longer quite the upstart pilot looking for a fight that I once was. I feel more refined.

        Till next time, fly smart.