Crackin The Krakken

I've got a new ship, The Krakken. It's a battlecruiser, Drake style and it's bad ass. Been using it to help the Caldari Navy out. Not making friends anytime soon with the Gallente but hey, you can be friends with everyone. I may have to get some help with the current mission. We barely made it out with the ship, 3 Mil in repairs and I'm not quite sure I'm ready to go back. Maybe after a few beers.

Taking a little R & R with the crew planet side. Beautiful day for cooking out and listening to some music. Should be interesting to say the least. More when we return.

Looking for a Section 8

We must be crazy, we joined the Section 8 alliance. A lot of them have chosen to move down and help us start taking control of low-sec. I've already met some really good pilots and we've seen how the politics really come into play. I'm glad there are pilots who like to delve into the politics but it's too bad you can't elect to stay the hell out of them. Always seems like we're stuck in the middle of something but hey, that's how we like it. Would be boring otherwise.

It's time to start organizing the intel side of the alliance and see who's got interest. I do miss the days of hanging out, exploring and living in Wormhole though, I have to make that work out better next time. To do that requires ISKies though and seeing how I have very little, I better find us a job.

Going Dark

Running dark and running silent, just the way I like it out here. We're really on a roll and it won't take us nearly as long to get this system finished up as it did for the last one. 51 moons overall and about 2 hours time after all will be said and done. That also assumes we don't run into any unforeseen circumstances.

Crew is doing well. Of course it's my cream of the crop exploration crew. I've been asked a lot lately about the size of the crews on the different types of ships I fly. Of course the exact number is classified but I generally see it as follows:

Frigates: 5 - 15 crew members
Cruisers/Battlecruisers: 20 - 50 crew members
Battleships: 800 - 1500 crew members
Carriers: 2,000 - 5,000 crew members

Of course it all depends on the mission and the ship. For instance the survey and intel mission I'm on now requires about 4 crew members to safely keep the ship going around the clock. If we were conducting deep strikes then I may have double or triple that many in case we take casualties in battle and to assist with battlestations.

Eve Gate Expedition - Part II, The Journey Home

We'll, I've been out to the edge and took a look at the Eve gate. Just looked like more space. It was strangely settling somehow, though in a way that I can't explain. It could have just as easily been the beer. We're on our way back to HQ now. We'll have to figure out what to get into once we get there.

Eve Gate Expedition - Part I, The Search for Enlightenment

We've set off for a trip to the Eve Gate. I've heard only rumors but there is something that is drawing me there. I'm being accompanied by my first mate, the mechanic and the cook. All volunteered to go and understand the risk, they are all Caldari and they are feeling compelled to go as well. We outfitted a Condor with a prototype cloak, micro warp drive, cap charger and warp stabilizer. We're set for speed and hiding.

The Eve Gate is where our forefathers from Earth first entered into New Eden. Something destroyed the gate and it is said that there are still strong magnetic fields surrounding the remains. We've been warned not to go and it's almost like the place has turned into the edge of the universe or something. There is only one way to find out.

The first mate at least remembered to stock the beer cooler for the trip.

The Name of the Game is Intel

Two systems, 71 moons surveyed in 4 days and that includes drawing up the detailed POS and mineral report. There was one snag in the second op which was 52 of the 71 moons. I was trying to break in a new recruit.

After scanning 15 moons, he loses the results and had to start all over. It took every bit of patience I had not to turn the Chappa loose on this guy. He kept saying how every POS he warped to had warp bubbles and he was taking fire. I had to explain to him that those were the shields and he shouldn't target anything. What can you say besides, noob. He had some potential and a little interest he was just hard to get along with. Anyway, that's why my first officer's primary job is keeping the beer cooler stocked. Which.....

He forgot to stock the cooler with beer before we left port. He spent the rest of the mission washing the windows, on the outside of the ship. Yes, I did give this one a spacesuit and he survived. The best thing was waiting til he just got out of his suit and saying, "You missed a spot.". The whole crew got in on that one. Someone even filed out an official safety concern report about the smudge that was blocking his pristine view of space from the enlisted crews head.

I bet I have cold gorram beer on the next trip.