Testing your Mettle/(Metal?)

After a brief chat with Mynxee and another pirate, Shae Tiann, Valarissa was ready and willing to dive into her new life as a pirate. Mynxee looked the new potential up and down, sizing her up. Val returned the gaze with the calm steady composure she had learned in the naval academy. She had just run from authority and orders and she wasn't about to be intimidated by anyone, even if they were rather notorious. Mynxee nodded to herself and cracked a wry smile. "Alright Val, let's see what you can do."

The two hopped into their respective frigates and sped off into the void. After a brief assessment Val heard the comms buzz into her pod. "Hey Mae, do you have some time for a little action? I've got a raw one here and I want to see what she can do." Valarissa swallowed, sweat beginning to release from her pores. She had no idea what to expect, had she just been once-overed by this woman?

Another voice chimed in on the comms, "Yeah sure, I'll be right there!" The voice was cheery, and eager to please. She sounded just a bit more raw than Val herself did. Val's navigation systems picked up a small frigate in system. Within seconds the Amarrian frigate was in view. Val's muscles tensed.

"So ummm... when do we st..?" Val's words choked off as the sound of her targeting computer fired up. She had already been targeted and this newcomer, Mae, was opening fire. Mynxee chuckled over comms, "It starts whenever it starts Val!"

Valarissa fired up her ion thrusters and set the navigation computers to orbit her target at 500 meters. She turned on the afterburner and raced towards Mae's ship. Val had already taken a pounding. Mae had already punched through her shields and most of her armor, she was beginning to panic. As the distance closed, she activated her subsytems, ensaring Mae in a Warp Scrambler and a Webifier, the Amarrian ship ground almost to a halt. Val closed the distance and opened fire when her blasters were at optimal range.

Mae didn't seem to be able to track her ship fast enough. Pulsing the afterburner, Val shot around Mae's ship, firing volley after volley into the stunted ship's shields. Suddenly Val remembered the drone she had loaded into the bay. "This should give me the advantage I need," she thought. The drone bay doors opened up and her Hobgoblin shot out, looking for it's prey.

Ever since she had closed range and been circling Mae's ship, Val had barely taken a hit, she was in a stupor as her intel systems showed her that her target's ship was just as poorly off as her own. "I've got this one pinned!" She felt a rush of pride and encouragement rush through her as she continued blasting away. Her pride got the best of her though, and Mae quickly began to land hit after hit. The two ships were taking a beating but Val had the edge now. It was so close! "Just a little more!"

Val's comms kicked in, it was Mae, "Ok enough, I give! I can't afford to lose this ship right now!" Val grinned, she had won. She disengaged her weapon systems and recalled her drone. She couldn't believe it. Looking at her ship's status again she realized just how close it was. Two or three more well placed shots would have ended it for either of them.

Mynxee's voice popped in on comms, "That was a great fight you guys. Thanks Mae. You both did great. Val, dock up and repair your ship. Mae, since you have that GCC, just take care of yourself."

As Val set her ship's systems to warp to the nearest station with a repair shop, her heart finally began slowing. She couldn't help but grin as she thought, "This wasn't anything like academy..."