Just another pilot's story

Tell us your stories of Elite: Dangerous!
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Cmdr Kharma
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby Cmdr Kharma » Fri Jul 31, 2015 10:19 pm

No wonder really......

When it's filled with Imperial crap......

:D
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Tor.....Hold on.......Tor.......Wait a bit.....TOR will you stop fecking firing.......Ok......Tor I know a therapist that can help you....... :D My Cmdr also has small feet

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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby Flip » Sat Aug 01, 2015 12:10 am

ROFL :D
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby UnmarkedBoxcar » Sat Aug 01, 2015 7:00 am

Flip wrote:But I already noticed that you tend to mix those up.

:D


His eyes aren't as good as they used to be ;)
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L'Kas Rykr
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby L'Kas Rykr » Mon Aug 03, 2015 9:40 pm

Okay, yeah, all three of ya... :lol: Good times. Anywho, I read a bit of Straylight's work, and I figured "Why not do what they're doing and continue L'Kas' story?" So, Let's pick up where we left off, shall we?

-----

Got back from VY Canis Majoris three or four days ago. I decided to take a break from exploring and try my hand at bounty hunting. Luckily, TZ Arietis 3, just a stone’s throw away from the station, has a few mining spots in its rings that pirates like to plague. Assuming you can handle the pirates that jump in, the money’s pretty decent. Use a Kill-Warrant scanner, and you can even see any other bounties outside the current jurisdiction the pirate might have against him. Rack up enough kills, and you can have 100k to cash in at an Alliance and/or Imperial starport.

I actually like the idea of taking out some of the trash that flies around. Because of Izumi, and despite my thoughts on the major political powers, I do have a sense of justice. It’s harsh, but sometimes you need to be in order to survive. Bounty hunters tend to get a bad rap. Regular law-abiding citizens tend to fear them because they mistakenly see them as soldier-of-fortune thugs willing to back the highest bidder. Obviously pirates, smugglers, and other criminals dislike them. And law enforcement tends to frown upon their selfishness. I honestly don’t care, so long as I can do my part to take out the trash.

Because to me, that’s all criminals are - trash. Sure, a true pirate has a code and usually prefers not to harm his/her mark, but they’re still muggers and thieves in my eyes. I see smugglers as degenerates willing to reinforce the criminal underground by supplying them. Reavers, slayers, “griefers,” whatever you want to call them, that one should be obvious. To kill for the sake of killing is deplorable at best, and should be persecuted with extreme prejudice. There are others, but those are the big three. I may be an anarchist, but order should not be forsaken despite lack of a government. Rules exist, in theory, to keep a civilization from devolving into chaos.

Speaking of, I’ve heard “anarchy” and “chaos” used interchangeably, but it really isn’t so. Anarchy just means lack of a governing body. Granted, a lot of anarchistic societies are indeed chaotic, but that’s just because they are the ones who decide that no government equates to no rules. Carry a big stick and if someone tries to hurt or steal from you, hit them with that stick. That’s usually the extent of consequences in such a chaotic society.

I guess I’m just rambling at this point. My overall point is that I’m starting to figure things out. Finding my place in this vast sea of stars. Sometimes I think it’s all meaningless, and that nothing I do will matter. But then I see how many bounty bonds I can cash in on, or I see that a state of famine has gotten a bit better, or I see my name attached to a star as being the first person to actually scan it. I see any and all of that and I think, “Maybe I’m small, maybe I don’t matter all that much in the bigger picture. But somebody’s life was made just a little bit better because of what I did, or what I discovered.” And it makes it all worth it.

-----

A bit deep there at the end. Too bad it doesn’t work that way irl, but that’s a rant for another place and time.
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby L'Kas Rykr » Thu Aug 06, 2015 12:07 am

Did I mention that bounty hunting could be lucrative? 400k in a single half-hour hunt. Lately, I’ve been trawling the mixed-bag RES in the rings of TZ Arietis 3. Once I worked out my tactics, those damnable Clippers fall with only a little more effort than the Pythons. And then there’s the Fed Dropships. They’re no match for a dedicated fighter. Sure the guns are bigger and the armor’s thicker, but I’ve got the maneuverability to stay out of their fire-lines while keeping them in mine.

The wings, though, are the challenges. Three Cobras can blast my Viper apart real quick if I’m not careful. Luckily, I’ve usually got help in the form of Federal Security (so long as I don’t piss them off). Usually a pack of fighters led by an Anaconda. I figured out that I should take out the support craft before going after the lead. One supporter goes after me, and when the cops catch on, the lead and other supporter get to play with them. I lead the one away, take him out, then help the cops take out whoever’s left. Pretty simple, but I still have to be careful. Sometimes it takes a while for the cops to catch on.

All in all, while my reputation is solid with the Federation, I’m not doing this for them. Like I said, I find a better opportunity, I’m gone. Right now, though, I see myself hanging around TZ Arietis for the time being while I figure things out. Maybe I ought to take the writings of fellow Pilots Federation member Straylight0 to heart, make a pilgrimage to Sagittarius A* and take a good long look into its dark gyre. She seems to think it’ll work for her, maybe it’ll work for me as well. Only one way to find out.

Either way, drifting the way I am may not be what I need. Unfortunately, I don’t trust any of the powers-that-be as far as I can throw their leaders. My faith in humanity is very low at this point. None of the major factions’ ideologies seem to suit me. Maybe Mahone’s Alliance is the way to go. Independent, largely divided, except when military force is needed. I’ve also heard interesting things about Princess Aisling of the Empire, mostly through Straylight0’s writings. Maybe she’s the one I ought to back, with her allegedly populist leanings.

Right now, all I know is who I will not support. Zachary Hudson, with his typical Republican war-mongering; Archon Delain, Kumo crew leader and notorious pirate “king”; and Zemina Torval, being as in favor of slavery as she is. Oh, and Pranav Antal: his idea of utopia seems a bit too perfect. Maybe I ought to just stay independent. Back a power that I agree with (as much as I can anyway) as a merc.

They say war is hell. They’re usually speaking about the armed conflicts between two opposing nations or powers, but the truth of the statement holds even down to the personal, internal mental conflicts. I don’t know what I should do with my life. I don’t know where I fit in and/or belong. My ideals seem to be at odds with just about everybody else’s. At least those ideals I know about at any rate. Truth be told, I haven’t looked too deeply into my own mind for long enough to really know what all’s in there. Partly because I don’t want to look that deep. I know I’ll find the wraith called depression, and I know he’ll do everything he can to sink his teeth into me again. I escaped his maw twice, but I had to have a lot of help both times in order to do it. I no longer have Izumi, and I can’t ask Elizabeth to put her life on hold to pick me up if I fall again. My only option right now is to not fall. Easier said than done, believe me, I know. Which is exactly why I’ve avoided reflecting too deeply.

Seemingly off-topic, but not: I’ve put in an application to join Mobius and it was accepted. I haven’t yet come across any fellow Mobius pilots in the black, but maybe I will if I branch out, and maybe my first will be Straylight0. And maybe I’ll gain some more, dare I say it, friends who can help me find my place. I heard that Mobius is becoming big enough to be considered as a full faction. If it does, and I agree with the leader’s ideals, I may pledge myself to them.
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L'Kas Rykr
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby L'Kas Rykr » Fri Aug 07, 2015 3:16 pm

The Vulture. I had heard it was a beast, but I had to see it to really appreciate it. I had shot down a few Vultures in my Viper, so I figured it couldn’t be as strong as everyone says. I was wrong. The few Vulture pilots I shot down must not have known what they were doing. After trading in my Viper, all I had the credits for was a D3 gimballed Pulse Laser and Cannon, and two B-rated shield boosters. The stock lightweight alloy armor on the Vulture made the more than double reinforced military-grade composite armor on my Viper seem like sheet-metal. I upgrade to the mil-grade composite on my Vulture, and that thing may be almost indestructible.

And then there’s the combat. The Vulture is a nimble thing. Big, strong, and heavy, it can keep up with a Viper with ease. Made short work of the Clippers that gave me trouble in the Viper. A Fed Dropship or Python? As I heard someone once say in a similar context: Fuggedaboudit. They may as well be stationary. And the weapons? Mine tear through opposing ships like they were made out of cheap steel, and opposing ships’ blasts leave nothing more than divots in my Vulture. I feel like I can take on an Anaconda on my own at this rate.

On a more “personal path” note, maybe I will pledge my allegiance to the Alliance. They’re largely independent, with many different ideologies, but the way they come together for defense despite their differences is certainly admirable. Their government might not be able to get anything done, but since I’m not into politics, I don’t particularly care. Just tell me where to go, who to shoot, and who to defend. Granted, I’ll engage in combat when it suits me, unless I’m conscripted or something. Until then, though, I’m going to do my own thing. I’ve given some serious thought to this, and if I want to make any significant difference, I need to back a major faction. It seemed that the Alliance was the best choice, as the Federation is largely authoritarian and the Empire is largely totalitarian. Even the other independent powers are too far removed from my ideals. Antal’s “Utopia”, Li Yong-Rui’s Corporate Plutocracy, Archon Delaine’s pirate anarchy, all three are not my style. Mahone’s liberal independent alliance definitely seems like the best choice for me. I can follow my own path, but still be part of something greater than myself and make a more significant difference.

Bounty hunting around TZ Arietis 3 is rewarding, both financially and morally. But it’s only one star system being affected. I want to be able to affect something larger. An entire major faction. I need something to live for. Fighting for the rights of others is a worthy cause, and maybe I should do that. I still plan on taking a pilgrimage to Sag A* to see if looking into a black hole can give me any clarity. I can’t meditate or contemplate with much success here at the station. Being in my Diamondback, though, alone, far away from civilization, staring down the maw of a, no THE, black hole. would be perfect for it. It keeps our galaxy together, but it can also utterly destroy it. It’s as close to Zen, Yin/Yang, true balance, as you can get in Nature.
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby Straylight0 » Fri Aug 07, 2015 8:44 pm

Cool stuff, and thanks for the cross-plug!

Mind you, a word of caution about Sagitarius... I'm starting to realise just how long a trip it is (going to take me months at this rate) and regret the big fanfare I made about setting off to it. Then there's the prospect of dying before checking in all that data, which would be the end of the game. In all honesty I'm thinking about saying the news of the Emperor's death has caught up and bottling out...

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L'Kas Rykr
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby L'Kas Rykr » Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:48 pm

No prob. ;)

Yeah, I'm starting to figure that out, too. Didn't fly at all yesterday, but I've only hit 970-odd LY from home after two days of flying. I've been keeping an eye on my ship's modules, and have a decent AFMU, not to mention being careful not to get too close to things in SC. I've been gravity-slammed twice, but my modules are, luckily, still in the upper 90's. Hopefully I won't have to bug out, but I'm keeping a close eye on things, just in case, what with only being in a Diamondback Scout. If you do decide to break off, and I make it, I'll take some pictures for ya. I'm taking pix either way, but here we are.
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby L'Kas Rykr » Mon Aug 10, 2015 6:53 pm

Two days I’ve been circling this ringed snowball. Parrot’s Head Sector WE-Z C9. Outer-most planet. 970-odd LY from home, >850LY from known space. >24000LY from Sag A*. This is only the first leg. Took a while as I decided to thoroughly scan the first 13 systems outside known space. When I realized I’m seeing a lot of nothing - Snowballs, lifeless Gas Giants, and the occasional Ball-Bearing(my nickname for metal-rich planets) - I decided to just buckle down and head to my destination, only exploring the end of each leg. On my way back, though, I may just go full-tilt explorer and scan everything. I’ve already got my name attached to a few stars and planets between home and VY Canis Majoris, but as a prospective explorer, I’d like to see a few more.

So far, I’ve had quite a bit of time to think out here, away from the controlled chaos of civilization. The more I think about it, the more I’m convinced that the Alliance is the way to go for me. The Federation and the Empire are looking more and more like two sides of the same coin. Neither in general cares about their people nearly as much as they care about their image and how much money is in their accounts. As populist as she is, I’m even willing to bet Princess Aisling cares more about her public image than her public. She certainly has one hell of a PR team, but I’d be more interested to see who she is behind closed doors, away from the cameras and press.

You know, I actually don’t like to sound like I’m picking on the young Princess. The thing is, I feel like the more “good press” she has, the less I can trust her. I, personally, feel like her PR team may be hiding something with all her smiles and broadcast populism, but I do admit that I could be wrong. I don’t personally know the woman, so it really is hard to say. She just seems too good to be true to me.

I think I’ve said about all I can say in the political views department. I won’t restate my thoughts. All in all, the void can make just about anyone contemplative I guess. It’s been an interesting experience, to say the least. I seem to be figuring things out in subjects I’ve never thought about before. It really is a cold, uncaring universe, but humanity has survived, and even thrived, despite the fact. One thing I’ve definitely learned: No matter how powerful you are, how much money you have, or how safe and secure you feel, It can all end in a split second and the universe will keep going as if nothing happened. Hell, the Emperor's death may have shaken society, but the universe isn’t even scratched. That’s how little even one of the most powerful people in the entire Human race matters to the universe at large. In the eyes of the Universe, We’re nothing. Sub-atomic particles within a molecule that makes up a single mote of dust. We each may be interesting to a select few, but the Universe as a whole cares not for the mote of dust We are part of. Of course, that doesn't mean we shouldn't continue to strive for whatever we each set our sights on. The Universe may not care, but we do.
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Re: Just another pilot's story

Postby Straylight0 » Tue Aug 11, 2015 10:58 am

We're going to be mighty philosphers by the time we get back, or completely crazy!


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