I have been wandering aimlessly the last few days. At first, I was searching for modular terminals, as many other if I recall correctly, but then I got fed up and started to do random missions. Some data delivery, haulage, a little mining. Yesterday I tried after a long time assassinations which I was rather reluctant to do previously, for known reasons. Hopped in my trusty
Python...
What I found out is that the deadline of 24 hours is incorrect. I picked up the missions around 12:00 game time, switched off and restarted at 20:00. When I reached the target system a message appeared in the communication tab, stating that I had missed my "window of opportunity" which was from 17:45 to 18:10. I can't recall if this was noted in the mission board page. I distinctively remember the 23hrs 59min.
I returned to the original system and this time I found two missions for pirate hunting. One was asking for 10 pirates of Cemiess faction A (can't remember) and the other 13 of faction B. I took the lesser number since It was late already.
Jumped in Cemiess made a circuit between the stations and guess what, a lot of faction B ships popped up, none of faction A. I got to the nav beacon, scanned and I got the usual message which in short said "go look around randomly and maybe you will find something".
Circuit again, nothing. Nav beacon again I got 4 out of the 10 wanted and then it stopped spawning wanted ships altogether. Went to the nearest station, rearmed and headed back to the Nav beacon. This time I was pitted against a wing of 4 Kumos and a wing of 2 or 3 Enforcers, who started shooting me simultaneously. There was an Anaconda because I was mass locked for quite a while and got away wit 63% hull, damaged thrusters at 53%, 2 damaged bursts, one inoperable chaff launcher, etc, etc. I think that the military armor and the hull reinforcements saved my ass.
That's when the game started trolling me... On my way back for repairs, faction A's ships spawned every 5 seconds!!! I got two of them Pythons, after prolonged maneuvering fights, who didn't shoot me once although they had plenty of opportunities... Also, the cops never made their appearance... The third Python (again!!!) evaded me in the interdiction. And that was that. Logged off, tried to sleep and I found that I couldn't.
Where is the fun, I wonder...