New to Null: Settling down

Getting set up in Null Sec is expensive. Not only are things like ships and fittings scarce up here, it costs money to have the things you need shipped out to where you are. Our corporation has an arrangement with a shipping company so that's fine, but it can still be pricey. I was told I'd make money when I came out here, yet I ended up spending more to get set up. I think I just need to spend more time mining, or start skilling to be able to rat up here, but my income is very slow right now.

It's been over a month since I moved and I do like it up here. I can see how people say it's safer than low sec because of intel channels and open comms. The only mandatory rules are to be in fleet and on voice comms which makes total sense to me. The people up here are great and friendly, however, neutral pilots coming and going tend to disrupt activities in our systems.

If you were ever thinking of coming out here, here are the pro's and cons' that I have seen so far in my opinion:

Pros:

- Rocks are huge. I think I mined one out so far, the rest I've only dented. The asteroids are several times bigger than your ship.
- Mine in anomalies. I've never been to a belt as our Industrial Index is such that large asteroid anomalies are always present and sometimes offer upgraded ores.
- All ores are present. You can build anything you want without buying from market if you want to mine yourself.
- Always a fleet. Most of the time there are Rorqual boosts. They put max Orca boosts to shame.
- Bigger rat bounties. If they do show up, you get a little coin for killing them. Their loot is also upgraded somewhat.
- PI is amazing. Get your PI set up and manage frequently. Way better than low or high sec. All POCO's are owned my your corp/alliance with low export fees.
- Intel channels offer notice to dock up if hostiles are incoming.
- Stations/Outposts are privately owned and great manufacturing facilities/ reprocessing.
- Jump bridge network at POS'
- Can fly any ship you want. Not limited to Dreadnought and below like in High Sec.
- Warp Bubbles!

Cons:

- Activities can be disrupted for long periods of time due to neutral/hostile activity.
- High corporation tax to help pay for rental fees of space, (Still not bad as it's more profitable to be there)
- Rats are a lot bigger. Battleship sized pirates show up, maybe six at a time. Need good defense and drone skills to survive.
- There are Corporation/Alliance rules you need to follow depending on the one you join. These may vary from mandatory CTA's (Call to Arms), restricted activities in certain systems, and asset use like jump bridge, ship types allowed, etc.
- Market is smaller than empire space. Things may not be available or overpriced compared to High Sec. Will need to use shipping corporations to bring things in. No BPO's or skill books on Market, (or very few).
- Activities may be disrupted or relocation needed should Sovereignty of the system change.
- Higher Skill Points are needed to survive. May be limiting for new capsuleers. It is possible, but risky.
- Warp Bubbles!

I'm probably missing a bunch but as I said, I'm only out here a little more than a month. I picked up a Skiff because I was told the rats were big and it worked fine for a while, but I found I was filling it up way too fast and I was annoyed with all the warping to the corp's compression array. So, I ended up getting a Mackinaw and it was a lot better, but I was worried about the tank on it to survive the rats. The first time they showed up, I started to warp out but as their missiles started hitting, I realized I would be fine. It took a little longer for the drones to take them down because of the bonus on the Skiff to drone damage that the Mackinaw didn't have. I also find it best to mine with other people so there are more targets for them to shoot at and even out the damage between us all.

Null sec seems like a place where you need to work and build everything you need, rather than having it all available to you from the start. It's now a game of survival, rather than trying to be the best. It was a refreshing change and one that I needed to break the monotony of it all.

Osiph had sent a message to me, saying she finally sold off most of my things. One of them being my Charon for quite a bit. She asked if she could send up the ISK, but I told her to wait for now until I needed it. She ended up buying a PLEX but is holding on to it. She bought it just because the price had dipped a bit just to hold on to, but had offered it to one of the Nao sisters to come and join me if I wanted. Right now, I think it would be best to build up my wallet a bit first before I start expanding again. For now at least....

Death, and a New Beginning

I was getting bored.

My goal was to make money, make a difference, and make friends. Be a part of something big, you know? I understand I was supposed to start off small, work my way up and make it big. I was looking forward to the journey, yet progress seemed to plateau for me lately. My wallet has broken a billion isk twice that I know of, and hasn't stayed up there long before it went down again. I needed a change or I would go stir crazy. Something different besides this constant cycle of wardecs and sitting on my hands, then try and rush out to make enough isk to keep one or both of the girls flying so I could keep income up. The plan seemed to work for a while, but with the wardecs and whatnot, I was clearly wasting money.

"Watcha thinkin?" Amalea asked. I jumped as I was staring out the window into space. I had finished my breakfast of bacon and eggs and was now sipping coffee while watching the ships dock and leave from the cafeteria. I did notice this morning that everyone seemed to pick seats far from my spot, besides Amalea and Maya, of course. They've been here a while without me noticing because Maya was halfway through her cereal.

"I was thinking of a change." I reply, setting my cup on the table.

"Changing what?" Maya asked.

"Everything. I was thinking of moving out to Null Sec. I would make much more money and the lifestyle is different." Amalea seemed to turn white. Maya didn't flinch and continued to eat. Only when she finished did she speak.

"What are your plans?" she asked, "It's going to be hard to get your stuff out there."

"Yes. I'm planning on leaving my corp to join one up there. I was thinking of selling most of my stuff and buying new stuff up there, but some of it has some sentimental value. I think I'm going to just give everything to Osiph and have her sell it for me or use it herself."

"How will you get up there though?" Maya asked, "I'm pretty sure you can't fly an interceptor. You will probably get caught in a bubble on the way and lose your ship and your life."

"Not to mention your impants." Amalea chimed in.

"I'm already in a clean clone." I said. It did feel odd to be in a different body. This one had the same upgrades as the last, but no implants. Those were still safely installed in my old body. I could clearly tell the difference. I felt kind of slow and dull than I was used to. Like I was half asleep compared to when I had implants. Maybe this is how normal people feel...

"So how are you going to go up there?" Maya asked.

"I'm going to die."


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This is what I have done. I'm staring at the self destruct option while sitting in my pod inside a station. I had contracted all my things over to Osiph, along with an explanation of what I was doing. She was happy for me, yet she was a little disappointed that I was leaving just as our relationship was getting better. Maya and Amalea were at odds with how they felt about it. I had assured them that I would be making much more money and would have them come up with me as soon as I could if they wanted to. They both agreed after a lengthy private conversation.

I thought about Sister Alitura and her ongoing investigation, however, I directed her to Osiph who agreed to take up the investigation on my behalf. She told me she knew I wasn't happy here and understood why I was going, gladly helping anyway she could.

So now, all of my things were in her hands, my market orders canceled, all my industry jobs done, my PI has been pulled up, I've said my goodbyes and now I sit in my pod, my mind was kind of hesitant to activate my self destruct.

"You've remembered to set your medical clone to your new null sec station, right?" Maya asked over comms. My camera drone swiveled to view the balcony of my Captain's quarters where her and Amalea were standing.

"Of course. That's the whole point of me doing this." I scoffed, "I blow up here and my consciousness goes to my new medical clone in Null Sec."

"Then what's the hold up. Get to the explodey part!" She teased.

"It's just...." I trail off.

"What?"

"I've never died before. Not since becoming a Capsuleer." I confessed. It was true. I lost only a handful of ships, but no pod losses up to this point. I've never died."

"Is this why you asked all those questions about it before? You did just clone jump, didn't you?"

"Yeah, but this is dying." I say, "It's different."

"Are you scared?" Maya asked after a pause.

"No. It's just more like I have a decent living streak going here that I'm about to break." I say. I can see her shoulders shaking as she starts to laugh. The camera drone can't zoom in so far to see her face, but I can see this at least.

"Sain, have a good trip." She just said, "I'm sure it won't be long before we see you again."

"Thanks." I say, smiling. I tried to close my eyes but they were already closed in the pod. Still a little hesitant, I reached out with my mind and activated the self destruct.....

*.......BANG!*

It was a delayed reaction. There wasn't even an option to abort or to ask if I was sure. I pressed the button and there was a flash of light. I remember feeling cold and in the dark. Maybe it was the lack of implants that delayed the reaction, but before I realized it, I came to my senses and realized nothing happened.

Or I thought nothing had happened. The inside of the station was slightly different now. It seemed darker than before. The system indicator was showing those red numbers of Null Sec. I had made it and died doing so.

Taking a moment to calm myself from the jolt of a new clone, I start thinking of what to do next. I buy a Skiff and fit it out, then  I was about to undock but my new corp's comms and Intel channels light up with warnings. I refrain from undocking and adrenaline rushes when I see local spike with twenty six new pilots, all red to me. The enemy had just jumped into my new home and I was forced to stay inside.

Within a few minutes, they had moved on, and I was able to undock for the first time, in a rookie ship to be sure. I had to fetch some rigs for my Skiff in the neighboring system, but as I warped back to the gate, again Intel flared up saying they were on the way back. I made it back in station and docked with my gear, but they didn't end up coming into the system.

I was told it was quiet up here. It does have it's moments though. I just happened to jump right into one of those moments. A lot more exciting than High sec, that's for sure. I'm looking forward to getting out into the belts and making some good money for once. For now, the trip and excitement had worn me out, and I ended up falling asleep in my pod for the night.

Standstill

It was an odd return to Arnon to see Sister Alitura. The investigation hit a standstill and she seemed too busy to talk to me when I docked. It was a good thing I didn't bother to get out of my ship this time as when I contacted her, that nervous looking receptionist answered my call.

"I'm terribly sorry, Mr. Darkwing, but Sister Alitura is out at the moment. She left me with authorization to complete your current mission and issue payment." She said. I saw my wallet icon flash in my mind but I didn't really care about the money.

"I was to ask for more leads on survivors of the Damsel." I replied. The receptionist seemed confused. Perhaps she was not privy to that information.

"I was told to tell you that she would contact you again when she had more leads." she replied.

I thanked the young woman and undocked, returning to the SOE station where our Corp had settled down. I spent a few weeks mining and building things, trying to make money but always waiting for answers to a mystery that kept bugging me in the back of my mind.

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*THUNK*.........*THUNK*..........*THUNK*.......

"Fifty four." the announcer said, rather dully. He sort of spat the current score and I sighed as I lumbered up to the board to retrieve my darts. Another wardec had me sort of confined to the station, however, since I could now go anywhere, there were better places I could be than here. Somehow, the same bar we always attended seemed like the best place to be right now. Besides, there was a dart tournament!

*THUNK*.........*THUNK*..........*THUNK*.......

"ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY!" the announcer yelled, the excitement suddenly bursting forth in the small room. Cheers erupted and glasses clinked together. Maya sheepishly grinned as she sauntered to the board to get her darts. On the way back I saw the redness in her face.

"Why the hell are you so good at Darts?" I ask as she leans on the bar beside me. She took a sip of her ale and huffed.

"I used to own one when I was a teenager and played alot." She said, "Now, as a Capsuleer, My ocular implants and whatnot make me even better at it." She paused and looked me over, somewhat confused, "I'm surprised you aren't better. Don't you have a plus four Ocular Implant? I only have a plus three." I noticed some other people overhear us and their expressions changed to disgust. As if we were cheating or something.

"I would expect you need that natural talent there before the implants would help at all." I replied, finishing my drink. I ordered another one.

*THUNK*.........*THUNK*..........*THUNK*.......

"One hundred and twenty!" the announcer called. This time Amalea returned from the board with her darts in hand. I'm sure she only had a plus two set installed in her head.

"Was that good?" She asked innocently.

"I think I'm getting hustled." I sigh. Amalea seemed confused when Maya giggled but her laugh was cut short when she looked up over my head and a heavy hand gripped my shoulder tightly. I glanced over my shoulder to see a tall, stocky, Gallente man standing over me. He wore Camo pants and a dirty white tank top, seemingly stretched to the limit over thick muscles. The man smelled heavily of alcohol and a toothpick rolled across thin lips set deep into a thick mane of a beard, yet not a hair graced the man's scalp.

"Yew three are Capsooleers, aintcha?" He asked, his voice a deep baratone, "That shoul be agnst da rules, ain't it? Yer all cheaters!" I could barely see the three stems of the man's darts protruding from what could only be described as a large Honey Ham attached to the end of the man's trunk of an arm. He didn't look like he could tell the bow from the stern of a Caldari Shuttle either. Even without my plus four Intelligence implant, I could outwit this man without even trying. Still, those holiday hams at the end of his upper appendages wouldn't feel nice to get in the face with a bit of force. I had to be smart here. Play this with a bit of wit and cunning.

"Nope." I reply. Maya and Amalea keep their mouths shut, their attention directed to the gorilla behind me again.

"Waddaya mean 'Nope'?" he yelled. "Ye gotz dem metal thingies on yer necks an everytin'! I bet it wudden matta if I clobberd ya right now!" He wheezed as if his speech was taxing him, but he could have a cold as well. I'm not entirely sure, "Yer cheatin' an it's not fair. Give us regular people a chance ta win the prize money!"

"There's prize money?" I ask innocently, "I had no idea! I thought the prize was a skill book or something. You know, to learn new things and expand your knowledge? Isn't that why you are here? I'm sure you can use it."

"Man, ow dumb can you be? I ain't got no implants, I'm one hundred percen' pure Gallente! A skill book wouldn' do me any good!" he said, puffing out his chest. I could see the fibers in his already stressed shirt barely hanging on. I wanted to take a step back in case the thing exploded and sent a shower of smelly chest hair over me.

"I wouldn't say 'Pure', exactly...." I mutter. Both girls burst out laughing and caught themselves, but it was enough to clue in Kongo that he had been made fun of.

"I hope your clone is up ta date, sir. Cuz imma beat ya till you wake up in a new one!" he threatened, cracking his knuckles. Oddly, It made me want bacon now. Maybe for breakfast tomorrow morning.

"You really are stupid, aren't you?" I say to the man, setting my darts on the bar, "Don't you read the news? We don't have to update our clones anymore. The new ones have unlimited skill points!" Again, the girls gaze drift from me to Kongo, their mouths open in surprise.

Apparently, everything I just said sailed far over his head like a ganker orbiting a barge at a thousand meters. I could see the gears of thought turn in his head, then grind to a halt and fall apart due to stress. He made an odd gurgling sound that sounded like he was trying to say a poorly thought comeback, but then gave up and opted for a full blown battle cry as he lunged at me, which at this point was a fair distance because ever since we started this incident, I had been inching away only slightly with the girls down the bar. They gasped when they saw the man run at me, but jumped when there was a flash of light and he dropped like a ton of pork roast, calmly snoring on the floor at my feet. I had been casually standing with my arms crossed, yet had a concealed parapistol tucked under my arm. Dropping it, it slid down my side and landed gracefully in the holster around my waist, under my jacket.

"What happened?" Amalea asked, somewhat surprised. Only Maya saw the gun.

"Narcolepsy, I think." Maya muttered, turning back to the bar just as I did. We both had a large grin on our faces as the brute just snored loudly behind me. Five minutes later, four security guards showed up and somehow dragged Kongo out of the bar after I assume the bartender made the call. After the commotion had simmered down, I had just returned from another turn at the board. One dart in the bull, one on the edge of the board, the last ended up in the floor. I really suck at this game.

"Hey, thanks for getting rid of that guy." I tell the bartender. He chuckled.

"He's been causing trouble here for a few days now. I'm just happy someone put him in his place." he said, "By the way, thank you for sponsoring this tournament, Sain."

"No Problem."

"Wait, you sponsored this?" Maya asked.

"Yep. He put ten thousand ISK up for the winning prize." The barkeeper said, patting me heavily on the shoulder.

"That's it?" Maya asked, seemingly unimpressed.

"Ten thousand is a lot to us regular folk. I'm still surprised you Capsuleers hang out in a dive like this. You could be living in the most expensive place this station has to offer! Drinking the best alcohol there is." The bartender said, "How much you worth anyway, Sain?"

"I don't really want to put a number on it. I own several ships that are worth a lot."

"How much in your wallet then?" He asked, "I have about five grand. As a comparison, that's all."

"Five thousand?" Maya asked.

"Yep."

"Three hundred." I reply.

"That's all?"

".....Million." I add.

"Holy...." the barkeep stood in awe. Maya smiled.

"Yeah that's not a lot for him. He's near broke for a Capsuleer." she informed the man. He just shook his head.

"You guys are just on a completely different level." he said, picking up a mug to wipe, "Although, you're about the only ones I know who doesn't really flaunt their money. I like that you're humble about it."

"You getting more business because of it. That's why you like us." I advise. The man's stoic face broke to a sly grin.

"Yeah you got me there." he laughed, "Feel free to hold whatever events you want here that will draw in more people."

I simply raised my glass to the man and finished my drink. Cheers went up in the background as a young girl just threw her winning dart....

The Blood Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy (Part 2)

Jumping into Tak felt like but a milestone in what seemed to be an unending journey to the truth. A beacon lit up in space, a bracket around my destination in my mind. I quickly warp to the agent I was sent to meet, and land next to an Iteron V floating in space. It didn't even flinch as a Battlecruiser was suddenly looming over it. I opened comms with the pilot.

"Tevis Jak, this is Sain Darkwing. I was sent by Sister Alitura to speak with you about the Damsel and your involvement." I say, my thoughts transmitting as an audio signal to the man. He replied promptly.

"Yeah, I picked up the crew that outlived that explosion – pretty massive, whatever it was. I'll see if I can track down the facilities they were sent to if you can do me a favor. A bunch of pirates have been scavenging the explosion site. Go and take them out for me. It shouldn't be too much trouble for a capsuleer, and you might even find some extra information. Hell, you can probably get it done in the time I'll need to look up the rest of this data. Damn legacy systems..." He cursed.

"Sure thing." I replied. Another thought loaded all of my HAM launchers with Scourge missiles, I could almost feel the crew inside the ship working like a well oiled machine to replace the charges in the reloading mechanistic from the cargo bay. With that, I warped off to jump to Manarq, then to the co-ordinates he specified.

I was immediately targeted and fired upon by Corpii worshiper pirates, although I'm not sure what they were trying to accomplish. They did minimal damage to my shields and one missile each was enough to take them out. I didn't even launch drones. After reinforcements arrived, they were dispatched just as quickly, and I'm assuming they didn't expect to go against a Drake. As they last one exploded, a cargo can was thrown from the wreckage and Tevis' voice came on comms.

"My sensors are picking up a strange bit of tech that just dropped in that can. Open the can, take the item, and bring it to me." He advised. He must have tied his sensors through mine, being in a different system and all. I didn't mind, but again, it was sneaky. I opened the can and transported the 'Strange Datacore' aboard, then warped off to meet again with my agent.

Once I landed on the Iteron once again, I opened the communications channel as I transported the datacore to him.

"Here's your ,um, thing." I said.

"Thanks." He replied, "I didn't expect you to be so fast with it."

"Did you even look to see what I was flying?" I ask. One of my camera drones see the agent's face in a porthole and he recoiled, obviously too busy to have checked before, which explains the lack of response when I first arrived.

"A bit overkill, don't you think?" he asked.

"Yeah, there was a misunderstanding with the initial request." I say.

"Anyway, I found your first guy, but it looks like he's already shipped out again. What a fighter, huh? He's down in the crew manifest as "Red", and his convoy has him listed under the same handle, so there you go. I'm giving you coordinates to intercept the convoy now. You should be able to catch them before they get too far. Go quick, though: I'm worried that they don't have enough security to deal with the number of 'rats – sorry, pirates – where they're headed. They might need your help."

"I'm on my way." Again I see the face in the porthole as I turned and warped off.

Still in the same system, I warp into the deadspace pocket and once again instantly destroy the Corpii Follower Pirates and again a cargo container is flung into open space. Wasn't there supposed to be a convoy here? Had these pirates already destroyed them? I retrieve the cargo container and find "Red" inside, not even in a body bag and exposed to space for quite some time. The body is placed in my cargo hold and I advise nearby crew to leave the body alone. I warp back to Tevis to advise him of our first attempt.

"Dead, is he? Figures. I'll keep the investigation open, but unless something changes there's little CONCORD can do."

They were at a dead end as well. To find out what happened to the Damsel, the survivors would need to be questioned. So far, we're not off to a good start. There was  a silence on comms for a moment before Tevis spoke up.

"Just got a message from Sister Alitura. I sent her that weird datacore you found at the site. She says they weren't able to decipher it. Pity. Still, she's very interested in consulting with you. So go do what she wishes. The Sisters are good people." he said.

"Yes. I'd assume so. Thanks for your help, Tevis." I replied and headed back to see Sister Alitura.

The Blood Stained Stars: Quality of Mercy (Part 1)

The handwritten letter felt like lead in my pocket as I returned to my Captain's quarters. The unrelenting door slid easily aside as I neared and closed effortlessly as well behind me. A quick message to the Nao Sisters updating them on the situation led to an onslaught of incoming messages from them, some messages congratulating me on the clone upgrade, others warnings of pending traps or scams, all of which I were expecting.

I called for my Drake to be prepared for launch and realized I had not re-fit the thing since moving here. Eglerin warned me to take a powerful ship; the Drake was probably the best I had at the moment. Putting my Pistol and the letter in the dry compartment of my pod, along with my clothes, I entered my Pod and boarded the Drake, then began a meticulous process of flying around to get the thing fitted and up to combat state. Once finished, I set my course for Arnon IX - Moon 3, where there was a Sisters of Eve station, and the recipient of the 'Important' letter.

The system seemed busy as I jumped in and warped to the station. Looking around, I noticed that my ship was probably the biggest, as most were flying frigates and destroyers. This system was close to what was referred to a 'Starting System' or a system which has the facilities to create Capsuleers and where most of them in the area originate from. Their current skills probably only allow them to fly what I see anyway.

I docked and exited my pod, dressing quickly and remembered to take the letter and my Parapistol, then headed to the door that still seemed to taunt me. It didn't open right away and I nearly slammed my face into it, then the lock disengaged and opened to a blindly lit hallway. This time, there was no escort and I was forced to look up the interior map of the station on my Neocom.

I spent most of my time on a moving sidewalk, staring down at a massive city like structure below me, mostly consisting of tall buildings and offices. This seemed to be a large Corporate office station for the SOE, and everything was very sharp, clean, and professional. I took a public transport to the main Security office and entered a tall building covered in reflective glass. The receptionist directed me to an elevator and advised to go to the top floor.

Once at the summit, The elevator door opened to a small lobby area and another receptionist dressed in a uniform, staring lazily at her terminal screen.

"Can I help you?" she mumbled.

"I'm here to see Sister Alitura." I said.

"Do you have an appointment?"

"I'm not sure." I said. Whether or not Eglerin had called to say I was coming was not confirmed.

"Name?"

"Sain Darkwing." I said. She typed on her keyboard and my file appeared on the screen. It took a few moments of her reading to notice that it said I was a Capsuleer.

"An Empryean? Here in station?!" she exclaimed, straightening up in her chair. Again, she seemed nervous just as Eglerin had been before. I know that being a Capsuleer held a sort of prestige among other people, a sort of celebrity status, if you will, but this was the first time I saw the effects of it first hand. It was a little embarrassing.

"Yes. I have a message I need to deliver."

"Why not just contact her from your ship as the other Capsuleer's do?" She asked. I produced the envelope and she eyed it curiously, "Ah, one moment." She pressed a button and spoke again, "Miss Alitura, I have Sain Darkwing to see you."

"Please patch him through." she flatly replied.

"No, I mean, He's here to see you. Personally." she added. There was a silence on the other end.

"He's here?"

"Right in front of me." The receptionist replied.

"Please send him in right away!" Alitura nearly shouted. The door beside the front desk slid open revealing a large office similar to Eglerin's, with the large window overlooking the front docking bay. I entered and she, at least got up to greet me at the door.

"Welcome. I am honored you would go out of your way to see me personally." she said, "But now is not a good time."

"I have a letter for you." I said, producing the envelope. She hesitated and snatched it from my hands then took a seat at her desk to read it over. Once finished, she sighed heavily.

"I ask for help, and they send me a capsuleer. You are a capsuleer, aren't you? An immortal pilot who subverts the rules of life and death, who shapes the fate of empires? You'll have to excuse my skepticism. I work with a humanitarian organization, the Sisters of EVE. I've seen your kind hasten the deaths of millions every day. You expect me to believe that you're different? To prove yourself, your actions will have to do the talking. We've just received a distress call from a ship called the Damsel, and you're the closest aid available right now. Get out there and save some lives. Prove to me you're not just another murderous liar with a god complex. With all the power at your disposal, you certainly could be a force for good. And one thing is certain: Good is in dire need of allies these days." she said, almost forcefully. I recoiled at her sudden demands and realized this was the trick. It was no 'love letter' as I had thought, but a request to take a mission for the SOE. I suppose Eglerin was afraid I would decline which was cause for subversion. Still, I did not take kindly to being played like this.

"Yes. I am a Capsuleer, and I understand that most people would think of us in that way. But I am different. I do give a shit about everyone and I do not disregard life as you claim I do." I snapped at her, "I wasn't told this would be a mission for you. All I was asked to do was deliver that letter and I have done so. But if you and your organization need help to save lives, all you had to do was ask."

"You didn't know what this letter was?" she asked, a smile formed on her face, "Eglerin is a sneaky bastard."

"You knew it was from him?" I ask.

"It's his handwriting. And he's the only one who would send a letter like this." she replied, "Please do what you can. Prove to me and all of us that there is some good left in some Empyrean's hearts."

--------------------------------------------

I remember the nervous look the Receptionist gave me as I left and finally realized the reputation that Capsuleers had among the general populace. It's understandable though, when one loses the fear of death, then life becomes less valued. I vowed to prove them wrong. Sister Alitura was right. I would need to prove myself through my actions as words are rarely trusted these days.

I approached the coordinates that she gave me and warped into a ship graveyard. 'The Damsel' was a mere wreck, along with several other battleships scattered around in pieces and drifting quietly in space. As I approached, I was contacted again by Alitura.

"It seems CONCORD was faster to respond, but your backup was definitely appreciated. There were a handful of survivors picked up. They‘ve been taken to various facilities in the area wherever vacancies could be found."

"I'm glad some could be saved, at least." I reply. My heart went to my throat as I slowly cruised around the wrecks, noting the twisted metal and several scorched bodies floating around. I sent my scan information back to Alitura and she replied a few minutes later.

"We got some interesting information out of your trip. It seems no one fired on the Damsel. Something must have happened inside the ship. We'd like you to track those survivors down, see if you can get any information about the ship's path, pilot, or cargo. We need to know what caused this disaster. CONCORD is the first logical step. I’ve gotten in touch with CONCORD Agent Tevis Jak, who may have information for you. His location is being uploaded to your NeoCom: he's currently acting as an ORE agent. Go see if you can find a piece of this puzzle."

"Roger." I replied. Time to head to Tar and find this CONCORD Agent. Something about this situation intrigued me. Maybe it was the mystery and drama surrounding it, but it kept me pressing on to follow this lead as far as it will take me. Reward was the last thing on my mind at this point. There were lives at risk here. I was determined to change people's minds about Capsuleers the best I can.

A Simple Request...

You see, Agents are people who give out missions, ask for help, and pay you for the work you do for them. They normally only interact with Capsuleers if they request work, otherwise, you sometimes forget they are available to you.

This one, is a little different...

I woke to the sound of a heart monitor behind my head and I tried to jump up, but invisible energy restraints held me down to what I assumed was a medical table. I distinctly remember going to sleep in my Captain's quarters, yet I was in a medical bay now, something I remember seeing only when my last clone was activated. Which, admittedly, I can't put a date on. It's been a while.

"You're awake." Came a voice, "Let me remove the restraints. I figured you would resist once you woke up, but my scans would be interrupted. Please remain still." I felt the pressure release from my wrists, feet and chest, but I remained still as her face appeared above me and I squinted to focus on her. A doctor, wearing the SOE symbolic pendant around her neck which was now hanging in my face.

"Who are you?" I asked, "What are you doing?"

"I was asked by Eglerin Lina to contact you. I knocked on your door last night but there was no answer." She said, "I had my nurses try your known associates' Quarters as well, but with the same result."

"You know that door doesn't open, right?" I advise her, "You never said your name yet either."

"I'm just one of the Doctor's here. That door is locked because of the clone you are using. It's old, for a clone."

"I haven't died in a while if that's what you mean." I said, confused.

"Yes. Newer clones can handle more hazardous environments. Slowly evolving from spending all your time in a pod, I suppose." she said, typing on a console. I only now noticed the tube in my arm, "I'm doing an 'upgrade' so to speak. As a favor."

"Favors rarely come free." I reply.

"It's an enticement to accept Mr. Lina's request." she said, "He wants to meet you about a mission."

"I thought Agents message Capsuleers directly?"

"If Capsuleers request a mission first. Plus, he wants someone he can trust."

"And how does he know I'm trustworthy?" I ask, feeling a slight tingle in my fingers. Her brow furrows and she adjusts something on her screen. The feeling subsided.

"He has ears. Heard you and your friends talking in a bar somewhere." She said, highly distracted by her screen, "Oh and he apologizes in regards to the way you were recruited. I'm sorry as well. It must be unnerving to wake up in a sickbay.

"I figured there must be a reason for it." I said relaxing a bit, "Still, it's mostly unnerving that you're messing with my body while I'm still in it."

"Don't worry, you're plugged in if something happens. We can just pull you out and into another clone if worst comes to worst." she said, "I figure you wouldn't want to just go pod yourself so this is more humane at least for the upgrade."

"This is true." I state. I finally notice the cable attached to the back of my head. I laid in awkward silence until she finished and I left the medical bay, meeting an escort who led me to a nearby door, then out to where a van was waiting. Moments later, I was driving down the streets in the interior of the station, heading towards the shipping docks, below the main hangar for Capsuleers. The van stopped and I got out, taking a breath of what may be the first unfiltered air this body has breathed in. I coughed sharply once, the escort seemed almost concerned, but I composed myself quickly and walked inside.

The Agent's office was rather large with a view of space outside, watching the ships come and go. His chair's back was to me as I entered, the escort leaving me and closing the door behind him.

"Sain Darkwing." he said. Eglerin Lina turned in his chair, a small bead of sweat glistened on his brow. He seemed nervous. Too nervous for this request to be legit.

"Yes." I said, "What did you want?"

"How are you enjoying your new found freedom? The station is bigger than you thought, right?" he asked. It wasn't warm at all in the room and now the bead of sweat was slowly rolling down his face. He ignored it.

"Yes, but please get to the point. What was your request?" I demand. Lina got very fidgety.

"Oh, um. I need a favor. Off the books." He stammered, "I want you to take a letter to a colleague of mine, Sister Alitura. Simple enough." My eyes narrowed significantly. I'm being tricked.

"A letter? As in a piece of paper with writing on it?" I ask suspiciously, "Can't you just message her?"

"Oh, no. A message would leave a log and can be traced back to me. This is low tech. untraceable." he said. I picked up the envelope he had slid across the table. and eyed it curiously, "Can you deliver it?"

"Is this illegal?" I ask the burning question. He quickly shakes his head, becoming very defensive.

"Oh, no, no,no, no, nothing of the sort!" he insisted, "I just don't want her to know it was me." I become suspicious again, a sneer on my face.

"It's not a love letter is it?" I ask, half joking. The man's face lit up.

"YES! Why yes it is!" he exclaimed, "I am absolutely smitten by her. She is all I think of! I can't get her out of my mind!" He laughed a little oddly, like a nervous laugh one would do when highly relieved. Still, I remained skeptical, "Oh, but don't open it. I'm very shy you see, and if someone else should read my innermost feelings toward my love, I would be embarrassed beyond belief! Can you do this poor, lovesick fool a simple favor?"

"Um, alright. Seems harmless enough." I agreed, putting the letter in my jacket pocket. The man seemed overjoyed as he ushered me out the door to the waiting escort.

"Thank you! Thank you! Oh, by the way, be sure to bring a powerful ship, alright? Something with lots of guns!"

"What? Why?" I stammer as the door closed behind me. The escort turned a slight shade of red as he was the only one left to explain his boss' last addition.

"Ah, I hear Ms. Alitura is rather , um, ornery." he muttered.

Knock, Knock, Who's there?

I feel like I've hit another period of stagnation. I've been going at it alone for a while now, mostly doing manufacturing, but lately I feel like I pod up and suddenly lose my will to even undock. I mean, I think I'm making money, yet I seem to spend it all on materials I need to build again, whether it's making me a profit or not, I don't know.

Manufacturing goes hand in hand with Trade and Marketing. I've tried the latter, however, mostly just selling in trade hubs which guarantee volume due to their nature, however, selling in a remote area seems alot more tricky. Things aren't selling well here, albeit very slowly. I suppose those who read my logs noticed the infrequency, again due to the lethargy and lack of motivation I feel. I need to do something different, perhaps.

I did try a mining op here in system with my corp recently. Things have changed from what I'm used to, but maybe a step in the wrong direction. Because of the security status, pirates have chosen this system to kill miners in before CONCORD has a chance to show up, so our corp has a policy to use either Procurer's or Skiffs in ops because of their increased tank. This is mostly as a precaution, but it does mean decreased yield and slower mining. Still, it's worth lowering my yield if it means I get to keep my ship. Even during our mining op, comms reported such an attack from a pirate, but because we were properly fitted and flying Skiffs, CONCORD was able to intervene before any of our ships were destroyed. Mining is different out here.

On the plus side, I'm able to make T2 frigates and ammo now. I made a few Prospects, the new T2 Venture for cloaky mining. I can't fly one yet, but I sold a few in Dodixie, and a couple in our local system, but I'm not sure it's the direction I want to go in. I think for now I'll focus on T2 ammo and drones. Maybe throw in some rigs as well. I'm trying to build the few T2 BPC's I have, but honestly, I kind of want to get back to T1 production and build from a stockpile of minerals. Something else I should really get.

On another note, I may have pointed out that my new HQ here in system is a Sisters of Eve station. They seem to be more of a Humanitarian group, by records have been a neutral party in most conflicts. I believe they run many search and rescue operations throughout New Eden, rescuing life pods of crew ejected from exploding capsuleer ships and the like. They also do much scientific study, while being deeply religious as well, a concept I find a tad but contradictory. Docked in one of their stations, it's rather quiet, spare for the random returning vessel and extensive medical facilities. Again, the captain's quarters for Capsuleers are segregated from the rest of the station, by the mocking, immovable door that never opens.

I was intrigued before about this door. The only access I had to most stations were to my Quarters and the Bar or Mess hall. However, when I approach a certain door in my Quarters, I get a message from the Neocom saying the air is not yet suitable for capsuleer consumption. I know my access to stations are severely limited and I assume these doors lead to the rest of this massive structure. However, every station I'm in has one of these doors, and eventually, my curiosity waned and I lost interest.

Last night, I sat on my couch and watched the news. Reports of sleeper activity increasing and behavioral patterns changing from the SOE were released. I heard that Chadrick had moved into a wormhole to go after these sleepers and I wondered how he was doing. I was about to turn off the monitor when a sharp rap on the inaccessible door made me jump.

I hesitated, thinking I was hearing something or the sound was structural, like the heating and cooling of metal, expanding and contracting, so I ignored it.

Again three sharp raps on the door.

This time I got up and approached it. Who even knocks on a door these days anyway? All doors have chimes activated by a button. Why is someone knocking on a door they know can't be opened?

"Who is there?" I called through the door. No answer. The knocking stopped as well. I could hear nothing from the other side. My Neocom lit up with messages from both Maya and Amalea who were still in station. Someone was knocking on their special doors as well at the same time.

I stood there for another 10 minutes, even going as far as pressing my ear to the door. Again it refused to open as I tried to unlock it. The knocking stopped as well, as did it with the girls. I suggested to just go to sleep and forget about it. If it were important. they could get an agent to contact us with whatever they need. Feeling uneasy, I went to bed wondering who it was.