Chapter Four

The Dash To Empire

ISK Balance: 154,294,018.32

After the magical teleportation of jump cloning whisked me away to the same Stabber-less Outer Ring station, I rejected the patronizing offer of a free Ibis and undocked in my pod. My travels would take me through Syndicate, home of many a troll-under-the-bridge pirate and the Intaki Syndicate - sole claimant of rivalry to the Angels in drug-related activities. My journey was quiet enough I was led to entertain myself by making less-than inspired quips about players that will most likely never read this. I hope. Also, somebody switched up their less/more than signs, or was the victim of a cruel joke. Again, I hope.

Low security was beginning to look like a bastion of safety and much needed supplies as my journey neared its welcoming orange glow, but I got a jolting wake up call before I would be able to ease my tired pod into a warm docking ring. I noticed a suspicious quartet of fellows as I entered one of the last legs of the trip, but ignored the oddity and engaged warp anyway - and promptly smacked dead on into an interdictor's bubble. I had cause to thank the capsule's inherent agility once more as I managed to warp away before the pirates could act.

Disgruntled with the inconvenience and thrilled with my escape, I cloistered myself within the guaranteed safety of the nearest station and settled down to haggle with the pirates. I was very grateful when they decided to believe I had no implants (the truth) and allowed me passage for a five million ISK payment. I loitered at the gate and snapped a couple pictures of their cozy little racket before being warned the pirates - like all good pirates - had very itchy trigger fingers, and I had better click the damn jump button already.

Since there were only three of them at the gate and four in system, I figured out afterwards they had a covert operations ship sitting on the gate I came in through, so the interdictor timed and placed the bubble perfectly. Or, at least, that's how I would have done it.

After nearly getting lost in a mind-bending little cluster of jumps, I finally managed to plot the last leg of my journey and sailed into the Gallente Federation without incident.

It didn't feel like home - it shouldn't have, anyway - but Empire space has a comfort all its own.