The Bastards

Being situated in the middle of the region of Metropolis, I learn a great many thing regarding the occupants.  It's not an uncommon thing either - just the usual drink at the bar and a shady character catches your eye. One begins to overhear a great many things. Perhaps too much.

Either way, a certain name was bound to reveal itself sooner or later, and no longer than a full week of being here, it was revealed. The Bastards. They seemed to have a dirty influence in these parts, especially beyond the system borders into low-sec. This was their turf. And I was intrigued. 

Not managing to suppress my curiousity, I did some digging. I discovered - via multiple sources including the locals - that they were either loved, or hated. Talk about Marmite. I was determined to meet them. Maybe, because I've been so deprived in company lately that I was afraid of going crazy. Perhaps it's just human behaviour, to seek companionship.

I carefully let slip amongst the low-lifes my interest in the Bastards, and began my patient wait. I was giving all my cards to Uncle Luck, in hope that someone perhaps affiliated with them will take note and contact me. I can't say that helps me sleep at night, though. Thankfully, Uncle Luck got a Royal Flush, and I was shortly subtlely contacted by the one and only Mynxee of the Hellcats. It is common fact that they are associated in close league or partnership, with the Bastards. The word 'surprised' would be an understatement. I was not expecting the famous CEO of the Hellcats herself to directly contact me, it was either extremely trusting of the Bastards, or extremely careless, given the kind of company that comes with our job description. I was honoured, nonetheless. 

We discussed my interest in the Bastards, what i was hoping to achieve in terms of goals etc, and questions were fired both ways. The usual BS ;). All compulsary and a necessity regarding these kind of circumstances, of course. I was finally told that they would contact me again, after going over the recording of the conversation (I should have known). 

After another few nervous days playing the waiting game, I was given the all clear to bring some ships into Evati (their home system) and have some fun - with them, not at them!

On my first Frigate roam with the Bastards, led by the venerable, sober RoninData (CEO of Bastards), I flew in my Ishkur. Fresh out of 0.0. Unfortunately, due to the abrupt 'moving around' I've not been able to properly gather equipment and modules to fit/refit my ships. Wasn't too much of a problem though, just meant that my Ishkur - Steak - would be a 14km orbiter with a cloak. Heavily relying on my juicy drones, just the way it should be with an Ishkur. 

The roam was neither uneventful nor overly-eventful, there were some misses and some catches. One particularly painful miss, a Smart-bomb fit Typhoon Battleship. The fleet engaged in break-neck speed, scrammed and lay waste upon it, taking it into structure damage. However, it then unleashed its array of Concussion Bombs and hit many of us hard whilst destroying a few ships. I witnessed the marvelous explosions in horror, safely within my 14km orbit raining him in Caldari Navy Plutonium Charges. I lost my Hobgobs. Luckily I had brought along spares with me in cargo. Despite having a warp disrupter activated on the target Minmatar Battleship, it managed to warp out at 5-10% structure. Much to our annoyance.

On a more positive note, we caught a few too including a Stabber (which I missed out on due to a systems crash) and a Bellicose cruiser. After refusing the ransom, we finished him with a prod. The same happened to his captured Pod, which when given the green, I opened fire eagerly.

The remainder of the night, (with regards to my memory) unfolded without incident and I bid the guys farewell to retire in my quaters. First impressions? Pretty Genius.