The Mistake

A day ago the future had looked aching and desolate, and now it looked full of surprises and terror and bad things happening to people... If she had anything to do with it anyway.
-- Granny Weatherwax commits optimism
(Terry Pratchett, Maskerade)

There's something to be said for confidence, it either fuels you or will ultimately lead to your downfall.

Me, I'm Kane Rizzel, my confidence and ego have their own Customs Office. I am very good at what I do but I have also been known to make some of the biggest facepalm decisions in the history of the universe.

So when two Russian Dramiels appear on scan in Gusandall, in the direction of the 2/10 plex, I just shrugged my shoulders and said "Hey, what's the worst that can happen?"

I warp to the 2/10 in Sgt Angua, a rather ferocious Daredevil class frigate, not as popular as her more famous Dramiel cousin but more than capable of dealing with at least one of them. Two might have been a tall order but you know me, nothing ventured, nothing gained.

I activate the acceleration gate and Sgt Angua is launched into the first room of the plex, where her onboard scanner indicates the two Dramiels are loitering.

I burst out of warp and look at my overview of the plex and see the two Dramiels at different distances, closest about 40 clicks.

I start to close...

[ 2011.02.21 18:37:32 ] (notify) Approaching Andromeda

A bit of Lame Kane™ to get started as the Dramiels decide on what to do...

[ 2011.02.21 18:37:34 ] (notify) Speed changed to 1039 m/s

Dramiels look to have decided as they both start to close the distance, rather sharpish too, this is their first mistake...

[ 2011.02.21 18:37:47 ] (notify) Speed changed to 1518 m/s

100% thrust, I change my tactic and close on the faster of the two as he is now naturally closer...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:03 ] (notify) Approaching Хэдкраб

Their second mistake was allowing me within 20km as an overloaded Stasis Webifier reaches out and touches the faster of the two Dramiels

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:19 ] (notify) For initiating combat your security status has been adjusted by -0.1295.

It's reduced to a crawl but things go from bad to worse as now I'm in range of an overloaded Warp Scrambler

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:26 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel).

Sometimes you just have to sit back and smile at the things you are capable of, I open fire...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:28 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II lightly hits velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), doing 300.0 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:30 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II is well aimed at velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), inflicting 480.4 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:32 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II barely scratches velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), causing 197.6 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:35 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II misses velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel) completely.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:36 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II is well aimed at velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), inflicting 476.9 damage.

Do they have guns on those things?

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:37 ] (combat) 200mm AutoCannon II belonging to velsevur places an excellent hit on you, inflicting 364.9 damage.

Oh, it appears they do, as the fight kicks off in earnest...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:38 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II places an excellent hit on velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), inflicting 648.8 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:39 ] (notify) velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel) has started trying to warp scramble you!
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:39 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to velsevur hits you, doing 20.7 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:40 ] (combat) 200mm AutoCannon II belonging to velsevur barely scratches you, causing 147.6 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:40 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), doing 442.3 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:42 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to velsevur hits you, doing 32.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:42 ] (combat) 200mm AutoCannon II belonging to velsevur heavily hits you, inflicting 239.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:42 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II barely scratches velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), causing 211.5 damage.

At last, his friend joins in as I start to micro-manage some mods, need to repair some armour damage and keep them in range whilst cycling my afterburner...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:43 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) barely scratches you, causing 64.1 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:44 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 19.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:44 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II is well aimed at velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), inflicting 590.2 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:45 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to velsevur hits you, doing 18.2 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:45 ] (combat) 200mm AutoCannon II belonging to velsevur hits you, doing 168.0 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:46 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 131.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:46 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II barely scratches velsevur <SOLAR>(Dramiel), causing 243.1 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:48 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 18.0 damage.

The first Dramiel is not long for this verse as it spasms and explodes

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:48 ] (notify) Light Neutron Blaster II deactivates as Хэдкраб begins to explode.

All attentions now to his friend, with me at half armour...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:49 ] (notify) Approaching Andromeda
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:49 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 123.6 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:51 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel).
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:51 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 14.7 damage.

Now the time has come, the time to drop the hammer, guns overloaded, shit just got real...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:51 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), doing 303.6 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:52 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 121.8 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:53 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II barely scratches MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), causing 240.4 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:54 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 14.2 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:55 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II barely scratches MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), causing 224.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:55 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 114.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:58 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 14.1 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:58 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II misses MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) completely.

Somehow my scram turns off, probably me not paying enough attention to my capacitor as I'm cycling repper and propulson...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:59 ] (notify) You have started trying to warp scramble MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel).

No worries, he wasn't going anywhere...

[ 2011.02.21 18:38:59 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 10.2 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:59 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 132.3 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:38:59 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), doing 452.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:02 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II is well aimed at MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), inflicting 499.7 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:02 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 9.2 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:02 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) hits you, doing 143.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:03 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), doing 365.8 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:05 ] (combat) Caldari Navy Gremlin Rocket belonging to MaianeZ hits you, doing 18.5 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:05 ] (combat) MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel) aims well at you, inflicting 153.9 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:05 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II hits MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), doing 508.3 damage.
[ 2011.02.21 18:39:08 ] (combat) Your group of Light Neutron Blaster II is well aimed at MaianeZ <SOL-W>(Dramiel), inflicting 746.9 damage.

And just like that, another Dramiel dies...

[ 2011.02.21 18:39:09 ] (notify) Light Neutron Blaster II deactivates as Andromeda begins to explode.

A smile extends from ear to ear as I glance over a field of victory, to the victor the spoils, although it seems the good stuff didn't survive.

Another successful assault on the unscrupulous murderers of my Gistii friends.

In other news, had a Phoenix class dreadnought self destruct on a group of us earlier