Noticing new signatures as I come and go
13th August 2014 – 5.41 pmWhat treats does w-space hold for me this evening? A new signature in the home system for a start. I mistakenly identify it as gas initially, but only because I clumsily ignore the wrong signature. Poking the right one with probes finds a second wormhole. It's only a K162 from class 3 w-space, hardly a change from heading through our static wormhole, but at least it implies activity. I'm going through.
Nothing appears on my directional scanner in C3b, and opening the system map sees just one planet out of range. Launching probes and performing a blanket scan reveals eight anomalies and eight signatures, and warping to the distant planet finds occupation with no one home. There wouldn't be, not without ships under my combat scanning probes. I start sifting through the signatures for wormholes.
Two connections crop up immediately, a third after a touch of gas, then it's just relics and more gas. A K162 from low-sec joins the static exit to low-sec, but I ignore those exits to explore through the K162 from class 4 w-space. An Integrated Hobgoblin drone—what's that?—is somewhere in C4a, d-scan otherwise being clear, unlike the system. Twenty anomalies and eighteen signatures is a mess.
Blanketing the system adds the drone to the anomalies and signatures, plus four big ships. Warping in their general direction takes me to a planet holding a tower, and locating the tower sees an Iteron hauler, two Mammoth haulers, and Typhoon battleship all empty. Back to scanning for wormholes, and despite the numerous options only the one wormhole can be found amongst all the gas. It's also the last signature I check.
The next wormhole takes me to class 2 w-space, where d-scan shows me a tower and no ships, and the system map shows me mostly space. The system is vast, the planets well-spread, and the signatures few. Five signatures are easy to sweep through in a small system, but I don't think I can be bothered when the system stretches 121 AU in one direction and 94 AU the other. Thankfully, my notes come to the rescue, telling me I've once again found the home of the 20 Minuters. That's good enough scouting for me.
I turn back, through C4a to C3b, where I get the exits for completeness. The static exit leads to faction warfare Black Rise, the K162 comes from Genesis. Vaguely interesting, but I want to see what our neighbours are doing in C3a before scanning k-space systems. Across C3b to home, across home to C3a. Or I could scan the new signature at home, silly discovery scanner. This time it is gas, and I continue on my way to C3a.
Updating d-scan on our K162 shows a tower and no ships. Our neighbours are clearly not up to much, they don't even seem to be in. I warp away, launch probes, and perform a blanket scan, revealing seven anomalies, five signatures, no ships. My notes point to a static exit to high-sec, which could be worth finding in such a dead constellation, and scanning resolves two wormholes, the first being the static connection.
I exit C3a to appear in a system in Sinq Laison four hops from Dodixie, which sounds like a good opportunity. Going back to C3a and reconnoitring the second wormhole finds a K162 from class 2 w-space, which is not only worth a look but rather necessary if I'm considering logistics. I jump to C2a, ping d-scan, and see a tower with a Buzzard covert operations boat. That seems suitably boring for me to make a quick trip to Dodixie. Home I go.
I return to C3a and warp across to our K162, planning to dump this scouting boat for the Bustard transport, working out what I need to look for in our module hangar so that I can buy what I need. If only there weren't core scanning probes in the home system and the discovery scanner showing me yet another new signature. The constellation was quiet, now there is someone potentially watching for activity.
I'm tempted to let the scout scan and simply go off-line, but my curiosity won't let me. I warp out of d-scan range of as much as I can, launch probes, and scan the new wormhole. It's a K162 from class 4 w-space. As much as I try, I can't leave the wormhole alone either, jumping through to see what's happening on the other side.
A tower, two Anathema covert operation boats, and a Loki strategic cruiser all on d-scan. The discovery scanner shows me five anomalies and just the one signature, the wormhole I'm sitting on. At least that settles the need to scan further, but as the locals have ruined my shopping I activate all their anomalies. Yeah, that'll teach them when a few days from now the sites that they either will clear in time or don't care about are gone.
Locating the tower sees the Loki and one Anathema piloted, and a running refinery suggests they have finished any interesting activity for the evening. Whatever. My last visit was more interesting, popping a Noctis salvager and looting its wreck just in time to see six Tengu strategic cruisers drop out of warp on top of me. Much better days, them. Nothing of the sort tonight, sadly, but that's okay. I'm going home to get some rest.
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