An Unsettling Battle

Erun warped away from the scene of the battle, his mind filled with a sense of disquiet.  The charred remains of an Enyo Assault Frigate fell away behind him, a grim reminder of what may have been a bad decision made in haste.  He'd entered Aubenall to find a neutral Federal Defense Union pilot, Orford, in an Enyo being held down by a Goon, Charles Case, in a Condor, at a nearby Faction War complex.  As soon as he had entered system the Goon had called for help in what he labeled an "easy kill,"  leaving Erun immediately unsure what to do.  He made his way into the complex and made up his mind to aid the neutral FDU pilot, setting his drones on the Goon's Condor as his Algos began to burn towards them. 

So focused was Erun on the Goon's Condor that he didn't see the Enyo target him, only noticing with alarm as his shielding was stripped away by a barrage of blaster fire.  Several seconds of indecision went by before Erun reassigned his drones and began focusing his fire on the Enyo as the Condor soared away from them at kilometers a second.  It didn't take long for the withering hail of fire from his Algos and it's drones to decimate the Enyo, despite what he later learned were numerous repair cycles from an Ancillary Armor Repairer. 

Orford warped away from the remains of his wreck, Erun hadn't targeted the pod - he still didn't like actually killing other capsuleers if he could help it - instead turning his attention to his original target, Charles Case.  He needn't have worried though, as the Condor was more than 100 kilometers away and still going.  Drawing closer to the remains of the Enyo he quickly removed what functional modules and ammunition he could find before he made his way to the Eugales gate for some repairs. Orford had left the system before Erun could ask what happened, leaving him to brood on what had just happened as he made his way back to Intaki. 

Had he acted correctly in this case?  Should he have held his fire and kept his focus on the Condor, risking the destruction of his Algos?  Probably, though his chances of catching the Condor with the Enyo on him were slim.  Should he have just disengaged completely and and allow the Enyo to be destroyed?  He just couldn't do that, his personal code of ethics made that option seem abhorrent.  No, at least Orford was able to go down fighting, rather than being plinked away at by a ship he couldn't reach.  Erun had had enough experience in battles were he was kited out of effective range, and remembered with loathing that feeling of helpless despair as the ship around you was torn to pieces without being able to retaliate.

Conscience a bit clearer, Erun finished docking in Intaki 5-5, discussing the battle with an up late Devan Corvel before turning in for the night.  He still felt a bit uneasy, but less then he had right after the battle, and though he was skeptical, Devan's idea that entire affair had been a set up could have merit...