Insomnia makes me edgy

Mal: (into com) "Wash, we've got some local color happening. Your grand entrance would not go amiss right now."

I'm on fire... I'm on fire!

I have engaged Red Tides once before in the form of a Dominix at a gate... well, to be more accurate he engaged me so I had to return the favour and as he did me the honour of agressing first I didn't have to worry about sentries. His friends all jumped in and it wasn't looking good. Onyx, Rapier & Raven had joined the Domi, my shields had failed, my armour was being torn to shreds, I was venting atmosphere and fuel into space, Karma, my Hurricane was being annihilated. I pointed Karma in the direction of a planet and punched the warp button and much to my relief I warped off. I had glanced at my overview and seen that none of them had me pointed.

A very close call.

Karma was on fire, atmosphere and fuel being vented into space so I docked up and contacted the station's repair crews.

"You want how much?" I said with disbelief
"5.4million ISK for repairs to your ship, not to mention the damage you caused when you docked" said Scotty the Docking Manager
"Uhm... I'll get back to you" I replied

I asked some friends if anyone had a hull repairer and lucky for me flashresh had one. Good old flash, of course he'd have a hull repairer.

I had my deck crew fit the hull repairer and an armour repairer and undocked to let them work their magic on Karma and after a long wait in a deep safe spot she was no longer on fire, the breaches in my hull repaired.

The tide turns

Red Tides had been hanging out in system for most of the day, with some pilots docked and the Rapier pilot cloaked somewhere in system. As previously reported I was doing my best to avoid the various gangs floating through my home by not straying from the station, instead I was hanging out in a bar having drinks with some friends when we were informed about Red Tides activity in Eifer and surrounds, a fight was brewing and Pirates were getting anxious. Earlier four of us had undocked into a random 14 man blob but they ran, scattered like skittles on a perfect strike.

"Domi on Gus gate in Eifer"

Right, a Domi and the Rapier in space, Onyx and Raven docked up. We undocked a few times to see if they would bite but nothing. After about half an hour:

"Onyx Undocked... Raven too, warped to Eifer or Ingunn"

OK, what are they up to, we had receiveed reports of another two Domis in Emolgranlan, possible reinforcements but not in Red Tides. Six ships, four battleships, a recon and a heavy interdictor. We had seven pilots looking for a fight, Colonel Kurtz in a Raven, who from now on I shall call Krusty, WayCharles and Ceraci in Myrmidons, Jaxx Blackfox in a Phobos heavy interdictor, myself in Karma, Daplat mode in his Falcon and deathstar in an Armageddon coming in from elsewhere.

A motley crew if I've ever seen one but a great bunch of guys and I do enjoy flying with them when firepower is needed. Seven of us, six of them, this was shaping up nicely.

Now to get them to engage.

deathstar came to the rescue "Raven engaged on Eifer gate in Gus"
You beauty, good to have you back in the area. Karma undocks into the black and I set warp to the gate, bursting out of warp as all hell has broken loose. Missiles, lasers, hybrid rounds, drones and finally my autocannon shells added to the mix. Raven is primaried, shield tank absorbing massive damage. deathstar goes down but warps back to station to grab another ship. Raven is violated in an extreme manner and explodes. It's absolute carnage as the two Domis jump in, I start on the Onyx, drawing sentry fire in the process, our communication is haphazard. Two myrms down for us at this point but death is back in the fight. Sentries batter my shields and I'm forced to warp out.

There's confusion

"Primary that Onyx, his shields are down" I shout as I warp back into the fight. Onyx goes down as I land, first Domi is next, they decide I'm primary and Ogre IIs, sentries and varying forms of violence hit my Hurricane, shields fail, armour is being torn to shreds, I align and warp out once again.

No shields, half armour I warp back to the gate, first Domi has jumped out, we primary second and it goes down, third course Domi is next but not before we pop the Rapier pilot who got too close. Third Domi is going down hard but he has de-agressed and slowboats to the gate, activates and jumps through, with about 10% hull left, lucky escape. Raven pilot had returned in a Drake but got smart real quick and left.

Ooh, what's this? A pod, the Rapier pilots escape pod is 4000metres off my starboard. Lock, lock damn you before he jumps or warps out. Lock resolves and my 425s spin up, a few rounds and the corpse is freed from its confines.

The field of battle is ours and with it victory, four kills and a pod to our three losses.

A truly good fight in my opinion and this I shared in local. A good bunch to fight as they were respectful in defeat. Turns out the Rapier pilot had Snake implants which brought a massive smile to my face. They'll be back and I truly look forward to it as they seem up for a good fight.

I would later help some friends violence a Raven in Eifer who foolishly allowed himself to get tackled by a friend in a Vagabond but the fight on the gate had already made my night.

I docked up and wandered out of my hangar in search of some cigarettes as I had run out and getting some "air" would do me and my insomnia good, Repairs to Karma could wait for now.