Hurricane loses it's cherry!!

I love new ships and more so when friends try out their new shiny toys. Was hanging out with some friends in the 'Podded Pilot' when my personal comm unit beeped. It was Lucius and he had a new toy and wondered if I was interested in take it out for a spin. He had a beautifully fitted Hurricane-class battle-cruiser and was eager to test it.

Of course I would be interested and I would be happy to fly point for him as a scout and tackler.

We decided to push down the Metropolis pipe and see what potential targets would present itself. The journey down was slow with some potential but no hostile engagements of any sort. We continued into Amarr space.....

flashfresh > going into arzad
flashfresh > arzad is empty
flashfresh > moving to sifilar
flashfresh > where are the amarr pilots gone to?
Lucius Cain > I think i have a RIfter following me.
flashfresh > lol
flashfresh > no way

I had this familiar feeling in my stomach that we were going to end up in a fight....

Lucius Cain > Now sitting on the Sifilar gate in Arzad
Lucius Cain > Freaky Boy
flashfresh > ok doubling back
Lucius Cain > he had a mate in Ezzara, could be the 'cane we saw
flashfresh > Another admirer?

I hit the engines and reversed course, the rifter's frame whipping round and heading back the way I came. I checked the ammunition hoppers.

Lucius Cain > lol, he aggroed
flashfresh > LOL
flashfresh > kill him!
Lucius Cain > has a mwd though, and got to range now
flashfresh > omw

My heart was beating faster with the rifter picking up on my eagerness. I was one jump away and hit the warp gates at full speed - having already notified stargate command of my required destination jump.

flashfresh > I will get the pod and run like hell from the sentry guns!
Lucius Cain > His mate is in system
flashfresh > Jumping into sifilar
flashfresh > omw to arzad
Lucius Cain > I haven't aggroed yet, he is sitting way out
Lucius Cain > Cane on scan
flashfresh > ahh - waiting game eh? I bet you he is waiting for his mate in the 'cane.

I knew, just KNEW that Lucius was about to get engaged once the second ship was system inbound. It would appear to be a good fight: Rifter + Hurricane versus Rifter + Hurricane so the result would be down to tactical decision-making and luck.

Lucius Cain > 'Cane inbound!
flashfresh > here we go......
Lucius Cain > Here it is
flashfresh > I hope they aggro first
flashfresh > Luc, want me to jump through?
Lucius Cain > Affirmative. The rifter is blinkie!
Lucius Cain > I'm engaging
flashfresh > jumping

I eagerly activated the jump gates and put the ship at battlestations. There was a momentary blur as the space around the ships warps into a fusion of colourful hues then the frigate is flung to the otherside of the system. The exit stargate's Geller field keeps the ship invisible but one can see that a Rifter-class frigate was buzzing around the brooding presence of Lucius' Hurricane, its sub-light engines at full throttle as it attempted to close the gap. I locked the rifter and fired at him with my 125mm tech 2 autocannons but the enemy frigate had a microwarpdrive and sped away as my emp shells tore away his shields. He then disappeared.The enemy hurricane had by now appeared and closed the distance to Lucius. Both Hurricane class ships traded fearsome fire at each as the gap between them closed. I locked the hurricane and drove in and added my firepower, splitting it between it's drones and the ship itself. The enemy rifter then came screaming back in. Engaging both of me and Lucius. The fighting was wonderfully intoxicating.

flashfresh > Enemy 'cane up close!
flashfresh > u ok buddy?
Lucius Cain > he ain't even close to breaking me

Another 30 seconds of furious broadsides and the enemy Hurricane was listing to one side, spewing fire and escape pods. It was drifting starboard now and was presenting it's vulnerable underside to Lucius' and my firepower. Our emp and proton shells tore huge chunks into the ship. Two more explosions blew out the port and starboard engines, the huge behemoth engines spinning off into the distance.

flashfresh > he's going to pop!
flashfresh > Yaaarrr

We wanted the Captain as a trophy. The ship disappeared in a bright flash and I locked onto the pod.

flashfresh > gonna pod the captain.....

And so I did, the emp shells atomising the capsule and the amniotic fluid inside the pod flash freezing in the harsh vacuum of space. The rifter seeing the death of his colleague should have run but he bravely flew back into the fray and between Lucius and I, he was dismantled in short order but I locked an errant drone instead of the pod so failed to pop the capsule.

The local communication net opened up:

Lucius Cain > gf mate
flashfresh > gf
Freaky Boy > 0/
Freaky Boy > gf
Freaky Boy > ballanced fight
Freaky Boy > you win fairly ;)
Lucius Cain > Well done mate
Freaky Boy > fly safe ;)
Freaky Boy > see ya

With local space free of all traffic, Lucius and I had time to survey our victory.

Lucius Cain > Good job mate :)
Lucius Cain > Got some nice stuff here too
Lucius Cain > Got room in your cargo for it?

Concord confirmed the kills.

Victim: Chimeira
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Shih Yang Tong
Destroyed: Hurricane
System: Arzad
Security: 0.2

Involved parties:

Name: Lucius Cain (laid the final blow)
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Bad-Mojo
Ship: Hurricane
Weapon: 220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II

Name: flashfresh
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Independent Pilots
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: Rifter

Destroyed items:
10MN MicroWarpdrive II
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II
Medium 'Knave' I Energy Drain
Medium Armor Repairer II
Medium Armor Repairer II
Warp Disruptor II
220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II
Proton M, Qty: 4831 (Cargo)
Proton M, Qty: 77
Proton M, Qty: 77
Proton M, Qty: 77
Proton M, Qty: 77

Some nice T2 kit survived the carnage. Now Concord also recorded the destruction of the Rifter.

Victim: Freaky Boy
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Shih Yang Tong
Destroyed: Rifter
System: Arzad
Security: 0.2

Involved parties:

Name: Lucius Cain (laid the final blow)
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Bad-Mojo
Ship: Hurricane
Weapon: 220mm Vulcan AutoCannon II

Name: flashfresh
Security: -10.0
Alliance: NONE
Corp: Independent Pilots
Ship: Rifter
Weapon: Rifter

Destroyed items:
EMP S, Qty: 2383 (Cargo)
J5 Prototype Warp Inhibitor I
OE-5200 Rocket Launcher
Small Armor Repairer II
1MN MicroWarpdrive I
125mm Light 'Scout' Autocannon I
125mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
125mm Light Carbine Repeating Cannon I
Overdrive Injector System I
Phalanx Rocket, Qty: 30 (Cargo)
Foxfire Rocket, Qty: 1609 (Cargo)
Cap Booster 100, Qty: 2
EMP S, Qty: 68
EMP S, Qty: 68
EMP S, Qty: 68
Foxfire Rocket, Qty: 4

Checking the tactical computer, I got a battle report out of it:

Location: Sifilar
Duration: 00:04:02

Weapons Used:
Gremlin Rocket
125mm Gatling AutoCannon II

Enemies Attacked:
Hammerhead I [SHYT]
Freaky Boy [SHYT]
Chimeira [SHYT]

Damage Done: 3251.50
Damage Received: 1842.80

Not bad.

However, more was to follow. As our ships powered out of the constellation with my rifter ahead as a scout we spotted another pirate dogging us.

More to follow.....