Saving Private Rake

While I was hunting a few weeks ago for my Sennheiser product review I found this instead, a much loved memory of my Eve Online days.  Complete noob at the time, so mis-identified ships included for sake of completeness.

Probably only of interest to those involved, but hey.. this is my blog, so tough.



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Date: 1-Jan-2008
Time: 14:30
Location: SU / 98Q
FC: Rake Mizar / Dancull0009


The dull thud of a heartbeat.


A bleeding POS.


The Brave Few.



So we start the rally well before reinforced is done and already we have reds in 98Q; Runge Wren and Paper Tiger (suspected Cyno-type).
The majority of the next 2 hours is a waiting game and a switch to Dan as FC when he joined us, with a couple of minor encounters outside the moon 8 station in 98Q.  The decision is made to move the majority of the fleet to the U-->6U gate as an attempt to slow down any new people coming into the system. 
Mentions are made in PAX of a 14-man Gallent Kombinat gang in I0AB. 
Dans alt eyes inform us that NOTR is forming in Y9G.
The suggestion is then made to inform Huzzah of NOTRs intentions in an attempt to buy us time. 

T-15 minutes and a red gang of Huzzah is at the SU gate in 6U scouted by Rath Amon; we fall back to the SU police station just in case. 
By this time, Hawk has his carrier outside the station and was attempting to wedge himself to prevent getting bumped.
The Huzzah gang jump into SU and warp to the police station staying 100KM-190KM out.  It's a tense moment - will they shoot at us or them? 
Well, as sure as shit ain't cheese they, slowly, lock up a couple of us resulting in Shadow losing his cov-ops.  We all dock and wait them out - sure enough they leave.  We resume positions at the SU-->6U gate and Grave Peril from Stellar anchors a large bubble, just as 4 neutrals {names to be added}, previously warned to leave the area (and had previously left) make a final defiant run out of JQV having returned, going back on their word as 'sight seers'.  They arrived in cruisers and left in shuttles - expect to see more of them no doubt.
That Time had come and gone - shadow has returned to the POS to on-line the guns and get bookmarks for snipers, Rake was in his carrier shield repping and Miffed, Ronon  and a couple others (can't remember names) were acting as a support role for Rake.

17:00, All (3) rails online...where's Diskmen when you need him?

At about 17:15 a red spike was reported in 6U by RiddledCorpse and the call was made to get to the POS.  In mid warp to the 98 gate, the spike jumped into SU (13 hostiles to our 9 pilots on gate) - close timing.

25 minutes pass, our fleet huddled at the perimiter of the POS shield wall, POS shield at about 30%.

[ 2008.01.13 17:36:36 ] Syclya Amenath > red invasion in S-U

Seconds later the invasion is in 98Q, all 38 of them... this isn't going to work.  Dan makes the call to dock up at best speed - we're not going to win this one.  Rake is cynoing out to his alt when his dulcet tones float over Vent:

 "Oh those mu*ther Fu*kers"

Dan: What?
Rake: I'm in a bubble
Dan: Yea, you're fine, you in the bubble
Rake: No, I'm in the bubble in ~a~ bubble...

Rath Amon in a dictor of a form (anyone feel free to specify) has fired up a warp bubble; the POS is a small.. the shield has 10KM radius.  While trying to maouver, a second warp buble goes up - Rake is double bubbled...

We all fall silent on Vent as Dan considers the options.. we can't lose a carrier as well as the POS..

The order is made; we undock and align to the ZV gate to get on the right side of the POS - we're going in.

The overview is a mass of reds - Rath Amon primary, but he nips away outside of our ranges.  Ships begin to explode as the over whelming fire power is turned upon us, trying to give Rake the distraction he needs to get out.  As I start to warp out of the frey in my pod (the maulus lasted about 5 seconds...) I hear the fratic questions.. was Rake able to warp?


Rake: I don't know what the hell is going on...

...

I ... I'm in aeter!


A success, of sorts.  Several whoops ensue.

A POS lost, a carrier saved in heroic fashion.  10th don't leave folk behind (unless they AFK).

Those that were able to give your time to day, be proud.