Finding fuel
20th January 2012 – 5.57 pmI'm out for a brief reconnaissance of the w-space constellation, just because I feel like it. That's the way I roll. The home system is clear, which is the way I like it, and the only unexpected signature is a new build-up of gas, which I settle down again before diving through our static wormhole. The neighbouring class 3 system has nothing interesting within range of the K162, according to my directional scanner, so I launch probes and perform a blanket scan. My notes tell me I was here six months ago, when the system was unoccupied, but my probes tell me there are two ships here, both probably nestled inside a newly installed tower's force field. I'll warp across and take a look.
There are two towers in the system now, in fact. One of them holds the Chimera carrier and Orca industrial command ship my probes have detected, unpiloted of course, the other I don't even visit for it being entirely unremarkable without any ships. Otherwise, this C3 is interestingly clean. There are no anomalies and a mere four signatures to resolve, one of which is the K162 home and another the static exit to high-sec empire space, as noted on my earlier visit. Scanning's so simple here I teach my cat to do it, and he resolves a ladar and radar site each, along with the exit to high-sec, before flipping me off for wasting his time and going back to sleep in a cardboard box.
The static wormhole is stable, giving me a decent exit to high-sec. Well, the wormhole is decent, the exit could be a high-sec island situated in-between the most notorious low-sec systems in New Eden. It could be, but it's not, the exit actually appearing in Tash-Murkon, a few hops from Tash-Murkon Prime and a handful to Amarr itself. What luck! I can buy the replacement Legion strategic cruiser we still need, as well as pick up some more fuel. I take myself home, swap in to a Bustard transport ship and load it up with, hmm, it seems we have no loot to export. I hope my glorious leader took it out when I wasn't looking.
I take an empty Bustard out to high-sec, and bring it back in the same condition. To my surprise, the cost of fuel is high enough to cause Tony Harrison levels of outrage, and there aren't any Legions for sale in the region at all! I'm amazed. I'm so amazed that I strip down to my naked pod and determine to travel the dozen or so hops to Jita, if only to show my distaste towards the backwards Amarrian traders. It is only a few hops in to my trip, when I cross a region border and decide to check prices once more, that I realise my error. Tash-Murkon Prime is in Tash-Murkon, Amarr is in Domain. And Domain has a rather healthy market for both fuel and Legions, one not reflected in the lesser-known trade region the exit wormhole appears in. Silly Penny, I really ought to know my regions better than this.
I chastise myself for this mistake—yes, whilst still naked in my pod—and divert Amarrwards. At least I noticed my mistake before I passed Amarr, and certainly long before I reached Jita. I easily buy and assembly a replacement Legion in Amarr, where I even remember to include ammunition, and leave the station in Jeff K's Prophecy II. I don't remember how I felt the first time I flew the Legion, maybe a bit nervous for being in an untested ship, but now I know I am in a ship killer and almost want to meet resistance on my way home. Almost, but not really, because I'd still like to use the convenient route between w-space and high-sec to get some fuel, now I know where to find it.
W-space stays quiet as I take the Legion home, and for the second time today I swap in to a Bustard and head out to high-sec. This time, I know where I'm going. A short few hops to Amarr has me buying so much fuel I can barely stuff it all in to the transport. I kid, of course, I can use a calculator, and the fuel blocks may be stupidly bulky but at least they simplify consumption needs. I'm not entirely sure how many days the blocks I've bought will fuel in our tower—ten days, perhaps, is a rough estimation, which shows how irritating fuel blocks may become, as we don't get a decent exit to high-sec like this once every ten days—but it's as much as I can reasonably carry without risking an Orca. And I get it all home safely, the C3 still not stirring.
3 Responses to “Finding fuel”
Tash murkon market is so annoying, Tash murkon prime being 1 jump from Amarr, you would think someone would seed the market.
Zandramus
Yep, and then no one would have to go to Amarr. It would be perfect!
"Scanning's so simple here I teach my cat to do it, and he resolves a ladar and radar site each, along with the exit to high-sec, before flipping me off for wasting his time and going back to sleep in a cardboard box."
Brilliant!