Monday, June 15, 2009

All for Nothing

I've been trying to get my standings up with a particular corporation. Perhaps it was my hiatus away from EVE... or maybe I said something wrong.. but all the sudden my agent was giving me missions into low-sec.

I vowed a long time ago never to enter that pirate infested lawless place called low-sec. But my agent persisted...

First he wanted me to deliver some sort of classified top secret containers to some station I've never heard of. He told me I would be making jumps through two low-sec systems. I asked him what was inside and why I should risk my rear going through low-sec. He wouldn't tell me, he just kept iterating that they were critical and time sensitive. The containers were locked up with some sort of advanced security, so I couldn't peek. So I told him no thanks, low-sec is no place for a care bear such as myself.

Next he told me some transports in low-sec were being attacked by pirates and needed help immediately. Huh? I told him this is exactly the reason I would not travel to low-sec! Outlaws live there... and nasty things happen to unsuspecting innocents... And now, since I declined to take your top secret crap to some god forsaken station on the other side of low-sec, I need to go bail out whoever you sent in my stead?

I walked away rather frustrated and mad. After cooling off and taking some time away I returned to him about 4 hours later. I said no way, but I will gladly accept a different mission.

He told me he had these top secret containers that needed to get to some station I've never heard of on the other side of low-sec. Unbelievable this guy! We had apparently reached an impasse, he needed something delivered and I was unwilling to risk my hide for him. Fine, whatever... no guts no glory... I grabbed a few large shield extenders and some stabs and off I went...

Before I knew it I was on the high-sec side of a jump gate into low-sec. Upon downloading instructions to initiate the jump, a gigantic warning popped up on my system: You are about to enter low-sec, there is no CONCORD protection here. You may lose your ship. Sigh... proceed... I knew full well I'd probably be jumping into a gate camp or something.

My systems came back online shortly after and there was nothing. In fact there were only 4 people in the system! I continued my journey... there were only 5 people in the next system. As I was warping I checked out the other people in local, they did not look like law abiding citizens. But I made it! And I was still alive!

My return trip was pretty much the same... the jump gates were barren and only a handful of people in local. The mission was a success and I made it back to my home in one piece. In fact, a few missions later, my agent asked to make a return trip (they must have been pleased by my first mission's success). And that mission was a success as well.

The fear I have of low-sec is apparently unwarranted. Certainly I would not go ratting there... But for a simple jaunt from gate to gate? Sure!

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Low sec still does have gate guns...but if they are a determined bunch or are packing big time firepower you are toast....A word to the wise....careful going in low sec.

Ľubomír Brindza said...

There's often nothing to worry about. As long as you stay away from known pirate hot spots, you should be fine.

In fact, *waves hand* --
you should all come to lowsec more often. You know, to stay a while, and chat.