The Art of Delegation

[ So, there you have it - my plan, in all of its details. ]

If I hadn’t know better, I’d have submitted my sister for lock-up, on account of acute madness. She had a good thing going with her reactions, only now to pour most of her savings into a market speculation scheme?!

But nonetheless, she had the better market acumen between the two of us, and in the end, it might just work!

...long shot, ok, but also it was her funds, so who was I to argue?

“Very well. Tell you what: let me get over to Khanid Kingdom, check out the prices. ... after all, there’s not much else to do right now.”

[ I’d say “Thanks!”, but... did you pay attention to alliance comms? ]

“Somewhat, why do you ask?”

[ Just take a look at the last five minutes...]

While the gesture was futile as such, I did raise an eyebrow inside of my pod. And called up comms history.

[[ I have the two Hurricanes and the Blackbird on scan. ]] That was Calcinus.

[[ What are you in? ]] Holden.

[[ Oracle. ]] Calcinus again.

[[ Hey, hey, what’s going on? ]] Orin, who probably just joined comms.

I switched back to comms with Eta.

“Thanks! I just have to put my share of laser fire in there.”

[ That’s why I mentioned it - I know your secret desires! ]

I couldn’t help but to grin - she knew me right to the bone. At the same time, I switched comms back again to the alliance channel.

[ Druur here. I’m coming in with a CovOps to help, just in case. ]

And just when I said that, I realized that for some reason I didn’t have Combat Probes in my hold. Oh well, nothing like a quick purchase could rectify?

... well, only if I’d actually remember to pick up the probes I purchased.

While I would make it to the target system in time, without probes my contribution would be limited to: “The targets are more than 10Bm away from the gate. I’ll have to head back to get my Combat Probes.” This obviously wouldn’t do.

Wait, wasn’t there a corporation I was supposedly in charge off? Cal was already engaged, but there were more, right? Like, Keilidh,who had jacked in just a few minutes ago.

“K, do you have a combat scanning ship available?”

[ Oh, uh. Yea, I have a ‘Thema - You understand that I’m BAD at this, right? ]

“Bad is better than nothing! We need combat scanning Next Door - you’re looking for two Hurricane’s and a Blackbird. Orin’s FC.”

[ Ok. ]

And with that, it was out of my hands. While I was still making best speed to bring my own combat probes to bear, I was under no illusion that I would have any influence of the outcome of the engagement. All I could do was listening to comms.

[[ They’re jumping belts. Everybody, align planet VI. ]]

[[ I have a near-hit near planet VI, stand by. ]]

[[ CovOps - Keilidh, right? - let us know when you have a hit. ]]

[[ Hit - warping to it. ]]

[[ Everybody, hold on - when you land, point the ‘Canes, but shoot the Blackbird. ]]

[[ On grid with targets. ]]

[[ Warp to CovOps - Now Now Now! Point on Canes, shoot the Blackbird. ]]

Seconds...

[[ Blackbird is in structure. ]]

[[ Blackbird dead - Hurricane in structure. ]]

[[ Hurricane dead - second Hurricane warped off. ]]

[[ Good job - everybody get to a safe. Thanks for the scouting! ]]

Inside my pod, and still a number of jumps away from home, I couldn’t help but smile.

“Well done!”, I sent out over corp comms.

[ Yes. ] Calcinus, never one to waste words.

[ Yay! ] , responded Keilidh, [ Having a good idea where they were helps a lot, though. ]

“Still, as far as I’m concerned, combat-scanning/scouting is harder than doing damage. Getting the warp-in was essential.”

[ Yeah. ] Calcinus again.

Fear the industrialists with teeth!