He had debated even fitting up the Phantasm, it was after all more a toy than anything else. He had captured and modified the damn thing himself several months before during one of those rare moments in Providence when war wasn't raining down. The Sansha pilot hadn't gone easily and cleaning his guts out of every nook and cranny had been the toughest part. But since then, with the wars in Providence and Impass, there hadn't been much reason to undock the damn thing. But now, staring out at it now, with the Pulse Laser turrets sparkling in the overhead lights of the hanger, he thought now just might be the perfect time.
These days the station was mostly empty and his boots echoed against the walls. The Alliance had run Dead Terrorist out of the system over the past few weeks and except for the few Neutrals that docked here and there, it seemed word had finally gotten out that this system belonged to them. Although in his mind, that meant it belonged to Rixx Javix. He had always been one to take things personal like that. It made fighting and dying for something easier when it was yours, when you felt something, call it whatever the fuck you wanted to call it. He wasn't one for words. Typically his words played out in bright explosions across the darkness of space.
It wasn't hard to cobble together some mates and set up the gate camp. With people and assets still being moved in to system, the full force of Alliance power was just starting to finally get up to speed. At first it was just him in the Phantasm and Acquines in his Rook. It often started out this way, with just him doing something, like last week when he has started shooting that IT POS Tower in system by himself. Well, technically there were eight IT pilots active in the Tower at the time. By the end of the day a small force of Alliance pilots and Fatal Ascension pilots, our allies now along with a growing number of Northern Coalition forces, put the IT Tower into reinforce and IT promptly got the message and left the system. He had always been someone more comfortable undocked than docked. Space was his home.
The Phantasm handled well under his expert hands, but she had some serious drawbacks. A limited targeting range, limited optimal and sluggish controls made her... well, she handled like a goat. But she had teeth and a thick hide, so hopefully those two factors would add up to some quick kills before things got too hot. He felt exposed, wearing a "I have a Faction Ship" sign over his head. It wouldn't be long before word got out amongst the rabble. Being hot-dropped was always a concern. Not a worry, just a concern. He chuckled to himself, remembering the only time someone had managed to hot-drop him. That was the last time he had flown a Gila. Even the best ship isn't much use against three Carriers solo.
The Caracal proved him right about the Phantasm. While the enemy ship landed on the drag bubble and the Phantasm managed to bring it to half shields in only one volley, it managed to get away before he could get it close enough for the disruptor. It wasn't fast enough to rely on for tackle, better to wait until someone else could handle that role and hanger it. He had learned long ago to listen to that voice and that voice was telling him it was time to put away the toy and get serious. Other Alliance mates had started showing up and things were starting to get busy.
The rest of the day was in and out of ships as the need changed. He was in a Rapier when Erad yelled out on comms that he'd managed to catch an Astarte in 1-3. He warped thru the gate and arrived just in time to lend some much needed damage to the enemy Command Ship. It isn't every day you see anyone flying an Astarte! It didn't go down fast, but it went down all the same. Despite the 'good fights' in the local channel, the enemy pilot wasn't happy that we had a Rook on our side. That made Rixx laugh, no one is happy when you have ECM - and they don't. Those tables can turn on you at a moments notice, so take what you can get.
For awhile he chased people in his trusty Dramiel, even got lucky returning to the station at the perfect moment to catch an enemy shuttle trying to get out of system. At one point he even undocked in his Megathron in the off chance the Neutral docked in station would undock in something tasty. He didn't. A 12 second lock time is of no use against a Pod. Whatever, it was a fun day. A tiring day, but a good one. He kicked his boots off in the Alliance lounge and drank his Caldari Tea, any day is good when it doesn't involve dying. And then waking up in Empire!
He thought, what will tomorrow bring?