Complacency

So I had my null sec ninja ratting Wolf all put together for Kla'strit, so I jumped him into a clone I didn't need last night and set a course for my preferred hunting grounds. It went through high sec and I knew the NPC navies would be after me but I was confident the Wolf was fast enough to scoot past them.

So there I was, on the laptop on the couch watching TV with SWMBO jumping through gates when suddenly I see a message pop up on the screen. "You are unable to warp because Verdanna is warp scrambling you."

Shit. Shit shit SHIT SHIT!

I forgot about the war decs. Here I am traveling nonchalantly through high sec with my overview set to travel mode and we're still at war with Privateers. And two of them have now caught me, a Lachesis (Tech II Gallente Recon with bonus to warp scramble range) and a Hurricane battlecruiser.

Fortunately for me, my instincts took over. In the space of a half of a second I determined that trying to outrun the two ships with an afterburner was futile because they probably had MWDs and could beat my speed, fighting was not likely to work as they both had lots of light drones, and I was far from help. Gate crashing it is.

I hit to approach the gate, punched the afterburner on and activated Damage Control and Armour Repairer to buy some time. Shields gone, armour dropping, but my faster speed is negating some damage. Halfway to the gate my speed begins dropping; someone got a web on me. Armour dropping fast.

7000, 6000, 5000, come on come on, 3000, 2500! Spam the jump button! JUMP!

"Jumping."

YES! Now to hope the other side is still clear... and ... safe. I align to a station and warp. Surveying the damage I see I have about 5% armour left. Had I panicked and froze for even a couple of seconds I would have been a wreck.

I logged off still shaking from the close call and finished my journey in the morning before the twins got up, this time with far more caution and situational awareness. I made it to my destination back in the safety of low sec.

Remember kids, nowhere in Eve is safe.