That part was easy enough. I loaded up some frigates and cruisers with all the tech-2 modules they could fit. With the advent of 'ivention' some time ago, the prices on tech-2 goods plumeted. This meant nothing but good things for me. I could, with reckless abandon, bring to bear high quality equipment on anyone I cared to without regard to financial hardship.
I figured that I should set some type of ground rules for myself, a mantra if you will.
- Honor all ransoms. (Probably going to be my best income source.)
- Reach -10.0 security status, post haste! (Flashy red makes for a better 'ah crap!' factor.)
- Resist all urges to hop into the expensive, overly large ships... (All things go poof out here eventually.) ...at least for now.
- Never, ever, undock with a BAC of over .15. (Seriously, I've done some stupid stuff while at the helm where frosty beverages were involved.)
- Buy ignition interlock systems for my ships, see above. (Want to start the ship up? Blow.)
Perfect. Now I'm ready to practice my best "Yarr!" on the first person I see in low-sec. Oh, right... I need to decide where to go. I figured I could spend countless hours compiling excel spreadsheets, chock full of nifty bar graphs and percentages, figuring out the most populated low-sec systems with all the desirable stats. Or... I could just get into the thick of it. I chose the latter. One, my head still hurts. Two, that doesn't seem very piratey, now does it?
Fortunately, I had lived in a nice little low-sec area some time earlier in my career. Back when the risks were worth the rewards of mining asteroids only found in high quantity in low security space. More for nostalgia than anything, I set a course for my old haunt. As the autopilot rocketed off toward the first stargate on the route, I wondered if the pirate corporation I became so familiar with was still around. They were probably on par with my skill point level still, but I knew that they had an extreme advantage yet: experience. They've been doing the piracy bit the whole time. I don't even know if they're still around, but that bridge will be crossed... later.
As my Vexor's console informed me, ever so softly, that we had arrived, I snapped up to retake the controls. Ah yes, I remember this space. My biggest losses, all received here. Hundreds of millions of ISK, donated to the local pirates. I did notice immediately how empty the system was. Good sign. In my haste, I had failed to employ my... 'associate,' to scout the system for me. Gate camps are not uncommon on the gates coming from high security space. It seems luck is with me tonight, I am free to go.
As I flew about, chomping at the bit for a ripe hauler, fat with expensive goods to lock onto and plunder, I came to realize just how empty the area had become. Nothing, abosolutely no one around in any of the five or six systems I was sticking to for now. Fitting... if I'm out looking for a fight, and it's barren. The minute I try to fly through here with a freighter, there would be thousands... no, millions of flashy red pilots waiting to melt my hull. Guaranteed.
Oh well. I proceeded to fly around for a good hour or two, seeing nothing but my sad face in the local communications channel. Perhaps it will be a better day tomorrow. I decided to go ahead and haul all of my ships and gear that I would need out here, since it was so empty. In the back of my head, I visualized the horde of pirates with foam rolling down their chins moving as fast as they could to intercept me. Tearing my poor defensless hauler to shreds, looting my goods like so much candy from a piñata.
The docking manger snapped me out of my daydream, "Right, shut her down, boss." he growled.
It appeared I made it, safe and sound. Tomorrow, we go looking for piñatas of our own.
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