Wormhole hunting. 2 Golems are better than 1, Part 2

Bob's will works in mysterious ways

Sometimes particular events happen that change everything. All you need, is to be at the right place at the right time. In one of my previous posts I wrote about the hunt, which ended with a 2.2 bil Golem kill. A prize worthy of a hunt. As a hunter, I don't usually stick around. I take my trophy and move on. It was a nice Monday evening. I log in and get ready to scan for an exit to pack my things and leave. Checking D-scan is second thing I do when logged in, cloaking up being first. To my surprise I see an imicus, somewhere in space. Watch list shows me few of my russians being active. I wonder what are they doing? Flying around I can't see any other ships. After imicus disappears I quickly resolve the wormhole and put my eyes on it. I hold with logging my fleet as that would not be a very discrete decision in somewhat active system.

Not to mention it's first time I see my guys being active so late. After waiting for awhile I get impatient and start burning to the wormhole to check what's inside. Suddenly I hear a very familiar sound which represents someone jumping through the wormhole. I see imicus again. Well, good for him. Good for me too as I did not blow up my position by jumping in. A few seconds later and he would have seen me as plain as day. A few moments later I hear another sound and this was the moment when everything changed. A Golem reappears! Like a phoenix from the ashes. I guess this guy was not wasting any time. You could still see the paint still fresh, probably made in Jita written somewhere. Now I have a split second to decide what to do. Do I drop cloak and try to tackle? What should I do?

In the end I decide to stay still. First, because I would not have time to tackle him so late and he is too far from any solid bump. Not to mention that it might be full rack of warp core stabilizers. Second, he might decide to play with his toy and do some plexing! So I wait. I watch both pilots warp back to tower and sit still. After a couple of minutes they log off. Well, that was not so unexpected. I never seen them so late anyway. I took the Bob's message loud and clear. My mission in this system is not over yet. Bob wants me to stay and who am I to defy his will? Let the hunt begin.

The commitment

I would like to think that people who live in W-space are of special kind. Mature and patient, that don't require immediate action for satisfaction. As mentioned, I started my hunt for a second Golem kill. I did not know what to expect. Weekdays are usually quite tough. I work fulltime and mismatch in time zones was going to make the hunt difficult. But they say that the process is as important as result. Every morning I diligently wake up and check in on my russian friends before going to work, with hope to catch them with their pants down. Unfortunately it was going to be a bigger problem than I anticipated. Picture bellow pretty much sums up my mornings.

Every day my morning is either too early or too late. Tuesday shows plexing has already finished while Wednesday my friend says my russian friend is online after few minutes I get to work. Bloody hell. If that was not enough, I finally hit Thursday, when I see wrecks on scan. Oh gosh, I sighted from the excitement. Now where's that damn golem? I keep my computer on as much as I can, until I dress up and get ready to leave. This does not make any sense. Wrecks on scan, but guys are offline. Anyway, I leave, just to find out from my friend that they are logged in as soon I boot up my computer at work. Talk about bad timing. Maybe these guys are outsmarting me? Anyway I come back just to find, once again, an empty and clean system. I poke around and find many potential wormholes that could be my next targets. It's really tough. I feel like someone is teasing me. Especially after a fail gank carrier.

Finally comes Friday. As usual I don't expect anything to happen for the rest of the day. But once again I am proven wrong and shown that forces of life do not abide logic. While no activity on scan, warping to the static shows an interesting sight.

Seems someone has been busy and protecting themselves. All of a sudden I see Golem on scan! Friday is indeed magical day. I warp to tower and have a visual confirmation.

Well Christmas might come early this time. And by early I mean Friday rather than Saturday or Sunday. Indeed Golem aligns and warps to anomaly. What does he have to be afraid of? 2 Bubbles on his static is a very reliable, foolproof protection. Well, too bad for him I won't be coming from that way. I feel excitement rushing in. All week was building up to this moment. I log in my domi fleet and get in a position. Everything's ready, I'm good to go! Everything else is pretty much Deja Vu from my first encounter. Everything lands on top, cap/rep chain ready and I start grinding Golem's shields. Since it's been only a week from our last engagement I skip my visit card procedure by not linking forum post where I state that I honor ransoms and don't even scan his ship as I got a good idea what to expect. I go straight to business.

Well that seems to go smooth. This time I ask 2bil at least. Reason I ask so much is because I indeed honor ransoms. Plus I fully expect him to have X-type shield booster, which alone is almost 900mil in potential drop. I get a bit confused as my russian friend wants to negotiate price to 1bil. Do I look like a guy who desperately needs isk? Furthermore you don't negotiate with someone who is holding a gun to your head now, do you? I wait a little bit and still don't see my wallet flash. Is he playing games with me hoping he will get out of this intact?  After stalking for 1 week there are only 2 ways this will play out. I get my 2bil isk or 2bil+ kill mail.

I decide that time for negotiations is up and proceed in grinding armor leftovers and then structure. Shortly Golem explodes and provides yet another beautiful 2.4 bil killmail. This time again, both BOB and the Loot Fairy were pleased. 

I don't know why there were no rigs included. Perhaps real men don't need rigs, but who cares, they don't drop anyway. If anything, it makes my job of collecting hard earned modules somewhat easier. I collect the loot and shoot the wreck. What a nice start of a weekend. I pack my bags, give my regards to BOB and move out. May we meet again someday, my dear russian friend. Hope our paths will cross soon and this time I believe you will come to reason and have my ransom money ready at a moment's notice.