Freighter Ransoms FTW!

Normally I usually dont post about any ransoms and instead just stick them on the ransom board (its in beta, you'll see it soon enough). However this one had a bit of planning and was a gate ransom of a freighter.

Anyway, we got word that an obelisk was docking in a 0.4 system and we decided to go ransom it. Unfortunately it made it into the station before we could get there. We expected the pilot wouldn't undock with a load of pirates in the system so we decided to retreat back into the neighboring 0.2 system and sit in a safespot aligned for the gate. We left a covert ops sitting on the station to watch for the undock. The plan was to let it undock and warp to a gate since it would redock. Once it was in warp the plan was to jump in and go straight for it. We had already lost one obelisk a few days earlier as the pilot had docked and logged off before we got to the system he was in. I sort of expected this one to do the same.

Thankfully the pilot undocked his obelisk and started to align for warp. By this time we were out of the safe spot and waiting on the gate. Once the freighter went into warp we jumped in and warped straight to the gate where a lovely obelisk was waiting for the plucking. Locking that thing, while only takes a second at most, it felt like a lifetime but finally the lock is engaged and on goes the web and scram. The plan then was to put it into armor and make a ransom demand while taking the hits from the sentries. The pilot paid up, not having much choice since he was only able to move at 1m/s. After that we let him go and warped off to a safespot to wait out the flag. He didnt expect us to keep our word since he had been burned by other pirates before. He admitted we caught him with his pants down as he didnt expect anyone to be watching a 0.4 next to the 0.6 and he thought he could get away with the one jump unescorted. It was a very nice payoff for 5 minutes of work.

The freighter pilot said he had been burned by pirates before. I never understand why pirates burn people who have paid the ransom, it is bad for business. Word always gets around about who keeps their word and who doesn't and then you get a reputation. That reputation always dictates whether people pay or not. I'm sure anyone who actually wants to get ransom money will agree that it is in the pirate's best interest to keep their word.

Anyway, back to EVE I go until the party tonight. I wish everyone a Happy New Year. Don't get too drunk and crash your ships though.