A Good Morning

It was early. The cold steel from which the station was constructed made the air chilly, especially in the mornings when the environmental controls are set to nominal. Greedy station keepers… won’t even keep the heat on overnight. But it really was no bother to an Amarr warrior such as myself, other than the irritation that I was a patron of some heathen’s avarice. It was time to patrol the boarder land, if only to work off the foul mood I awoke with.

Undocking from my home station in Amamake, I took stock of the other vessels in the system. There were a few pirates lurking about as always, but things were quiet. My beastly Harbinger slowly lumbered in alignment toward the Auga gate. A few heathens passed my wake, but none that would engage me. I can’t blame them, even if they are cowards. Still, I was growing more irritated by the moment. Reports in Militia and [G.Dip] corp chat reported a large enemy fleet moving between Dal and Auga. I warped to the Dal gate and jumped. Maybe I could pick off some stragglers too slow or foolish to stay with their large fleet.

I entered system and bounced around the gates, frequently checking my scanner. I found something odd… there were three ships on scan but nothing near the gate. Quickly narrowing the scan, I found a Rupture cruiser, Rifter frigate and a Scimitar Logistics ship on a Minmatar Republic station. A typical Minmatar small gang, emphasizing strong defense, fast ships better to flee in, and station-hugging tactics that allow them to disengage from any questionable fight.

I initiated warp to the station, fully aware I was attacking a tactically superior force. They had three ships to my one, with an advanced Scimitar that has the strongest defenses of any Minmatar cruiser short of a Broadsword Heavy Interdictor. My targets were outside a friendly station where they could hide and probably harbored more enemies. Further, a Minmatar fleet just passed through the system, which meant I was on a 2-minute timer before reinforcements arrived.

“Outnumbered but never outgunned,” – Gunship Diplomacy Motto

I decided that I would use Minmatar cowardice to my advantage. If I could cow the Scimitar into docking, hopefully the Rupture and Rifter would aggress in the mean time. Then I could have my way with them and exit the field before docked hostiles could muster the fortitude to undock and engage or the large Minmatar fleet that passed through could return at the call of my target’s shrill screams.

I fell from warp and landed a mere 1000 km from Curtiss Hawk in the Scimitar. Smiling inwardly, I knew the psychological advantage was mine as our paths had crossed before. Without losing a precious moment, I targeted Curtiss and deployed my drones. Overheated guns hummed ominously and then discharged in astonishing force when the target locked. The Minmatar Logistic's tank wilted under my pulsing lasers. The attack’s fury took the small fleet by surprise; they seemed unsure what to do. A few moments passed and the Scimitar was at half shield, but the cruiser and frigate didn’t engage. I realized my brazen attack might have been overpowering, resulting in my enemy docking in safety despite their clear tactical superiority. Such was the way of slaves, after all.

One thing was clear, the confusion worked to my advantage. I laughed as I intercepted Curtiss’s communication with the station imploring the station manager to accelerate the docking procedure. At the same moment, the Rupture piloted by Haegir engaged. My trap sprang shut. As Curtiss disappeared into the station, my primed guns turned on Haegir. Committed to the fight and unable to dock, I held him in place with a scrambler and web, reducing his ship to rubble in a few quick volleys. Then I turned to the pesky Rifter frigate, tearing his vessel deep into armor before the tide turned.

A Rook appeared and saved the little frigate from certain destruction. Local began to fill. My two minutes was up, and the enemy fleet had returned and was in route. Curtiss undocked, joined by another frigate and Interceptor. Realizing there was one hope, I would turn the Minmatar tactics against them. I recalled my drones and waited. More frigates had arrived, but they were on the far side of the station and had to fly to my position. Shields failed and my armor was deeply scarred, all the while the Rook held me in space, jammed.

I calmly took stock, allowing minutes to pass. Today, I might die. All is well, for this is an honorable way to pass, the cause just. My armor was gone, my hull buckling under the Minmatar hordes piling on, hoping to claim fleeting glory by their mere presence during the fall of an Amarrian warrior.

I opened comms with the station, “This is Imperial Major Swatyy. Initiate docking sequence.” A smirk spread across my face as 4th Dominion entered local and said, “Am I too late for the Harbinger kill?” The docking beams guided my burning Harbinger into the hangar’s safety, much to the chagrin of the unwashed Minmatar piling upon the stations docking hatches.

The morning’s irritation had evaporated. I had flown headstrong into a fight outnumbered and tactically disadvantaged, right under the nose of a large enemy fleet. By all measures, I should have died, my ship a flaming hulk burning in space. Instead, the vicious ferocity of my attack, sheer impetious guile, turned the battle in my favor. I snatched a cruiser from the Minmatar swarm and turned their own tactics against them to escape. This was a good morning after all.

[G.Dip] swatyy