Dieing to Live -Pt5

"And you're sure this will do the job?"

The hanger mechanic rolled his eyes. "For the last time, missy, yes. It won't last for too long under heavy fire but should be long enough to take out anything lightly armored before going down as well. I don't know what you plan on ganking, and frankly, I don't want to know but it's not the first time I've fitted a ship for this purpose. So trust me when I say, it WILL do the job."

Selina smiled and handed the man the credit chip, a chip holding nearly the last bit of isk from her bank account. Some jobs certainly can be a burden on one's bank account, but this was the one job that she would pay out for over and over and over again if it needed to be done more than once. Hopefully though, it wouldn't have to.

As the mechanic gathered his gear and scurried out of the hanger, Selina approached the ship, an Incursus class frigate, and ran her hand along its smooth hull. It was a small ship but quick and agile. Those two traits alone were exactly what she was needing for this little personal op of hers. And as with the usual gank, the vagabonds she'd enlisted through the help of the agent were already geared up and ready in their hauler. None of them were pod pilots, but for this civilian hauler, it didn't really matter anyways. They just needed to be able to do what it was they were hired for.

Yes, everything was definitely ready...
____________________________________________________

Selina stifled a slight yawn as she reclined in a small bunk aboard the frigate. With all but the basic life support systems powered down, she'd taken the time to detach herself from her pod and get comfortable reading some of the latest chronicles on the Neocom network. She loved the stories told there about some of the trials and accomplishments of other, sometimes famous...sometimes not, pilots of the universe known as Eve. She also enjoyed reading the various news stories from Scope, the largest and most well known news network. She really had no real interest in which side was winning which war though she read that too. Yes, she was trained to be a combat pilot for the Gallente military forces but she just wasn't sure it appealed to her much. Besides, after today, it would be questionable whether they'd even want her in their silly little military machine.

The most recent talk though throughout all the networks was the possible discovery of wormholes. A lot of it was still being clouded in secrecy but some news had slipped out about them having already begun exploration of the wormholes and bringing back prototypes of some new technology being already dubbed as tech3. However, as with most new technology and discoveries, lips were being kept locked for the time being with the occasional bit and byte slipping out here and there. The only thing that had been made officially public was the announcement that all would be made known in roughly 2 months time.

Really though, it was no concern to her. Most likely it was all technology she was nowhere near capable of using as she could still barely grasp the concept of most of the official, already available, tech2 gear. Besides, it seemed that all the really grand stuff ended up in the hands of the warring corporations on the outskirts of the galaxy before it ever reached the empire metropolises. Of course, the good aspect about that was by the time it did reach empire, it generally seemed to be a lot less expensive. But again, no concern to her…especially with her near empty bank account.

Selina was about half way through a particularly interesting chronicle when the ship’s computer voice broke the silence, telling her that the predetermined time had been reached.

Taking a deep breath, she leaned back against the bulkhead and slowly exhaled. Already she could feel her nerves lighting up, hands trembling ever so slightly. Everything was set. Plans had been put into motion. Things were flowing like clockwork. And most of all, she had already calculated the most likely end result and fully believed she would accomplish what she came to do. But still…nothing could soothe her nerves from what was to be her first real combat situation.

She had waited for this moment for so long, much of her life being focused towards this one event, the thought that it was finally upon her just chilled her to the core.

But chills or no chills, nerves of steal or nerves of butter, nothing was going to stop her. Absolutely nothing.

Slowly she rose and walked through the small, empty frigate to the hatch in the floor where her pod was contained. With one last look out the thick observation window with her own human eyes, she stripped off the robe she wore, exhaled deeply and lowered herself into the pod goo, the hatch automatically closing behind her, sealing her in.