2 Days Ago

-----2 Days Ago-----

It was looking to be another promising, easy-going day. Life, or rather death at this point, seems full of them lately, which is a good thing in my opinion. It only remains to be determined whether I actually am alive or dead, given the numerous times I've been podded.

I try not to think about it. I don't think invalidating my existence would help all that much.

The call came out for the standing fleet to get rid of an Interloper called TrustTheDwarf. He's a regular, Caldari typically. I guess he finds piracy rather boring and comes out to us in Cloud Ring to scratch his itch. It's a Drake for him today, though he's often been seen in a Tengu as well.

My Stiletto hasn't gotten much use. Admittedly, there hasn't been much reason to use it, and aside from action the previous night, there was one or two other occasions in the month I had owned it.

I dropped into my pod, then had that transferred to the Stiletto, and ordered the rollout. I was in space 30 seconds later, and decided to wait at the O-U gate. I felt it might be a good place.

10 long minutes passed, communications going back and forth about what people were doing to track down the intruder, apparently with no real success. Then the intruder showed up approximately 40km away me. Cursing my AB, I overheated the afterburner and set the "approach" command on him.
[ 2011.04.05 22:28:45 ] (notify) Approaching DRAKECHEN
[ 2011.04.05 22:28:45 ] (notify) The DRAKECHEN is too far away, you need to be within 31250 meters of it but are actually 41908 meters away.
[ 2011.04.05 22:28:51 ] (notify) Approaching DRAKECHEN

I landed point. He released drones. I set orbit at 10km and shot down drones as best as I could. "Warp Truen1ght, target tackled" I called out.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:03 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble TrustTheDwarf [.SPAM](Drake).
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:04 ] (notify) TrustTheDwarf [.SPAM](Drake) has started trying to warp scramble you!
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf barely scratches you, causing 23.5 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 47.9 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 56.3 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf lightly hits you, doing 31.3 damage. 

20 seconds pass. Shields just went. My speed is the only thing keeping me alive.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:27 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf barely scratches you, causing 23.2 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:27 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf hits you, doing 35.6 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:27 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 55.1 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:27 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf hits you, doing 36.8 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:27 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf hits you, doing 45.2 damage.

20 seconds pass. "Get ready to warp out when I land" came a reply to my call for warp to. 2 drones down, it still isn't looking good...
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:47 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf strikes you perfectly, wrecking for 138.5 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:29:48 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Scourge Heavy Missile belonging to TrustTheDwarf hits you, doing 148.7 damage.

10 seconds pass. Where the hell is everyone? I'm in structure making a hero tackle and no one is coming to kill this bastard with a 0km warp-in. More drones have joined the fray also...
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 29.6 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 29.8 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:07 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf barely scratches you, causing 14.2 damage.

8 seconds pass. A Crow lands and makes a tackle just before I explode.
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:15 ] (combat) Hobgoblin II belonging to TrustTheDwarf heavily hits you, inflicting 30.9 damage.
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:16 ] (notify) Ship is out of control
[ 2011.04.05 22:30:16 ] (notify) Ship is out of control

Angry, I warp to station.

What the hell happened? Where was the support? Where was the fearless action of the standing fleet which had been tracking him down.

I reship into Agni, my indestructible Wolf, and warp out for my wreckage. It's been looted, but thankfully someone trades me the loot back at station. It saves me some millions, though perhaps not enough to justify the cost of a Stiletto in these parts, which is 20+ million ISK.

Question is, the Crow and another tech 2 cruiser were blown up by the Drake, who managed to make his escape. What the hell is wrong with the standing fleet?

Truth be told, it makes me want to awox, because if the standing fleet is that useless, who the hell is going to stop me?

I wrapped up my PI for the day and went back to my quarters. No sense flying on fumes of rage and disgust.