Getting fuel and more fuel
18th April 2012 – 5.52 pmSimplistic scanning again today, with our static wormhole sitting alone in the system once more. There's not much to do here but resolve the connection and jump through. And there seems to be little to do in our neighbouring class 3 w-space system too, as my directional scanner shows me nothing in range of the K162. A sole planet out of d-scan range gives me some hope of finding activity, but before I warp out to explore I launch scanning probes and blanket the system. Thirteen signatures and nineteen anomalies light up my probes, but no ships and no occupation. There are, however, lots of warp bubbles, which I find to be around a derelict tower. It's all rather uninteresting.
I start sifting through the signatures, resolving rocks, rocks, blah, blah, whatever. I think I already mentioned that it's all rather uninteresting. A chubby wormhole teases me in to thinking it could be a K162, offering opportunity for finding targets, but it turns out to be the only wormhole in the system and so can only be the static connection. Like many static wormholes in class 3 w-space, this one leads to low-sec empire space. Unlike what seems like many, the wormhole doesn't lead to Aridia, but the Domain region instead. In fact, I'm only seven hops to Amarr, albeit with four through low-sec before Concord-patrolled high-sec can be reached.
Before I start thinking about logistics there are options in this low-sec system. First, there are scanning probes visible on d-scan, which appear to be converging on the K162 I'm sitting on. An Anathema covert operations boat appears on d-scan, but that looks to be a new pilot entering the system through a stargate. That pilot leaves, the probes disappear, and another pilot leaves. I presume he was the scout, as there is only one other capsuleer in the system and he looks to be actively piloting a Talos battlecruiser. As the scout didn't come past me and the Talos doesn't appear to be a direct threat, I would say all is clear for me to scan.
That Talos pilot is sarcastic. There is one additional signature in this low-sec system, an Outgrowth Rogue Drone hive, and the battlecruiser is coincidentally sitting in it. It doesn't sound like a wormhole, so I'm not interested. I jump back to w-space, warp across C3a, and return home. Ditching my scanning ship I swap in to a Crane transport, load up with loot and salvage, and point myself Amarrwards. I pass by some ship wrecks and a corpse on one of the stargates in low-sec, but the systems are relatively empty and the gates clear, letting me reach the market hub without problems.
Sell, sell, sell! Or melt and reprocess and sell! Or repackage and sel—ok, repair and s—ok, I have to repackage after repairing. Yes, I remember you mentioning that, but I asked you to do it first. Can't you remember that? Anyway, it's repaired and repackaged, so sell! And with a nice and plump wallet I buy some fuel pellets for our tower. I stuff the Crane with as much as it can hold, leave dock, and head back home. I pass through low-sec simply enough again, and although the system holding the K162 is a mite busier none of the ships are on the wormhole itself, which is nice. I get home and add the fuel to our tower. A measly two days' worth of fuel.
That really wasn't worth the effort. Stupid bulky fuel blocks. Still, low-sec seemed clear, so I could probably risk taking the less-agile, more visible Bustard transport and bring back over five times as much fuel in one trip. With everything looking quiet, that's what I do. I exit w-space without breaking a sweat, and start hitting the stargates. A couple of systems in sees a peak in traffic, but none of the ships are on the stargate with me or seem to be at the one I want to use next, so I press on. Amarr comes quickly, and I stuff even more fuel pellets in to the giant secure containers in my hold, somehow warping space-time to increase my cargo capacity by 30%. Futuristic cardboard boxes are pretty neat.
Going home gives me a bit of a start in one system, as I jump in behind a fleet. Thankfully, the fleet is in the process of warping away, giving me the briefest glimpse of their exhaust ports, and I'm heading in a different direction again. It can be nice sometimes to live off the beaten track. I bring the Bustard home safely and fill up the tower with fuel pellets, with a few more to store in the hangar for now. And with that, I think I'll get an early night. I may not have shot anyone, but after a few days of having convenient connections and not doing much with them its good to have done some logistics.
Sorry, comments for this entry are closed.