Epic Freighter Ransom of Win

Well...


If there was any case example for the rewards of patience, careful planning, initiative (and a stroke of genius/fortune on behalf of Bagpuss) then this was it. Definately one of the highlights of my pirating career so far (it's up there with first solo kill).

It had been an uneventful sunday for me. There was some excitement in our neighbouring system trying to get hold of a Maelstrom but sadly that did not come to fruition. Some time later we were trying to probe down a thrasher in our home system when suddenly a freighter appears on D-scan. Intel was gathered and shared and it appeared that we had a guy who was dual boxing with an alt who was acting as a scout in a Rapier. There was an attempt to pin him down away from the station but it didn't quite materialise. However Bagpuss took the initiative and ran a scan of his probes around the station, shortly after the ship is reported to have undocked and warped. 100% scan strength on one Providence frieghter, bookmarked and being warped to. Bagpuss arrives just as the freighter is heading out. It's an insta-undock safe for the station. That will come in handy. For what seems like a missed oppurtinity, our corpmate appears optimistic.

"Doesn't matter. We'll get him later."

Almost 2 hours later to be precised. One of our rabbits was doing some shopping in a local high sec system where he spotted the freighter pilot in local. At this point there was an official lock-in at our station. Nobody was to be floating around in system as not to spook off the freighter, who's Rapier alt was still in system serving as a scout. Our contact in high-sec reports that he is headed back towards our direction. After what seemed like an age, the silence is broken...

"Providence on scan."

Comms goes silent. Everyone is equally co-operative in making sure we nail this guy. Soon enough the pilot is now with us in the station and inevitably headed out again at any moment. The big question on everyone's mind at this point is 'Is he going to use that same insta-undock?' He's left the station and he's still in local. Everybody is crossing their fingers and preparing to undock on the word go.


"Warp to Bagpuss. I'm right on top of him"

This was met with a rush of excitement from the men....

"EVERYBODY UNDOCK!" "IN WARP!" "WARPING!!"


Local was clogged with an eruption of YAARRRRR. This was it. I finally land and sure enough there she was. I spammed ctrl-click on the boat like my life depended on it and followed up the scrambler with the Wolf's guns. The fat, immobile freighter sat there like a beached whale while me and the crew tore into it with everything available.

"Don't stop firing. We're gonna take him to half structure and then ransom"


(actual screenshot)


The ship crashed into structure and from there it was a steady decline to 50% hull. I hurridly tuned in to our ransom channel to witness the dialogue. The freighter pilot is suprisingly calm and co-operative whilst being given the terms and conditions. Our FC asks firmly but politely for the goods: Five hundred million isk. Again there was silence, but only briefly.

"Points off! He's paid!"

"Anyone with a web, help him out"

The freighter pilot wastes no time getting into a warp to a nearby gate. There was much cheering and laughing and exchanges of congratulations followed by a rather sizable isk deposit in my account. The money was obviously nice but it for me personally, it was merely an added bonus to the satisfaction of seeing a plan come together and being part of a celebratory moment with my new corp.

Perhaps one of the greatest outcomes of the event was that the freighter pilot left pleasantly suprised with having his ransom honored and thus gained our trust and respect. We were congratulated on our victory and were even extended the offer of future business relations by the grateful pilot. Hats off to the ransomed pilot for being a good sport and a special "nice one mate" for Bagpuss who orchestrated almost all of the planning and leading.

-Mr Kha