Lost Souls 3 Expedition Log - 33080718
22 Jul 2022XpressioN
The Return of The Lost Soul
Needless to say, Humankind is at war with the Thargoids. The First Thargoid War was an interstellar conflict between humanity, represented by the Galactic Cooperative (GalCop) and the Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm (INRA), and the Thargoids that occurred in the first half of the 32nd century. It was humanity's first war with another intelligent, spacefaring species. Although few records of the war have survived, it is believed that it was sparked in 3125 by a human frontier colony's hostile reaction to an encounter with Thargoid vessels, but it is unclear whether the Thargoids were motivated to counterattack by revenge, conquest, or something else. Initially at a disadvantage against the technologically-superior Thargoids, humanity eventually triumphed due to INRA's development of the mycoid biological weapon, which proved devastatingly effective against both the Thargoids and their ships. Thargoid encounters ceased after 3151, and it was presumed that they had either disengaged from the war and retreated to their home systems in defeat, or even been rendered extinct. In subsequent decades, the First Thargoid War was forgotten, with many among the public coming to believe that the Thargoids had never existed outside of urban legends in the first place.
The Second Thargoid War is an ongoing interstellar conflict between humanity, primarily represented by the multinational xenological research organization Aegis and a volunteer militia of independent pilots, and the Thargoids. As no communication has been established between both sides, the hostilities are speculated to have arisen over a territorial and resource dispute centered on the Pleiades Nebula, which was seeded with Thargoid Barnacles at some point before human efforts to colonize the region began in 3301. While it is unclear which side struck first, the Thargoids have attacked numerous human Starports, Settlements, and Ships throughout the Core Systems and adjacent regions with little or no provocation, and at the present time humanity has been forced on the defensive against a technologically-superior foe with the ability to strike from anywhere.
Stayed for a couple of weeks in the Pleiades Sector, in particular the HIP 22460 system, where countless of commanders were battling against the ever fearsome Thargoids, We pushed wave after wave and although numerous commanders lost their life, we managed to hold them back, with the hope that Salvation would get his secret Thargoid annihilation weapon done without any compromises. There are still doubts among many that this super weapon will get us rid of the Thargoids once and for all. There are many speculations that this will eventually trigger something far more sinister, something that will be of a detriment for the human race. Time will tell.
As I had expected, after a week more AX pilots were joining forces and there was enough commanders to hold the Thargoids back. My primary job was done so I left the scene and started my way back to the LS3 expedition. I had to travel to Waypoint 15, but before a couple of interesting POIs. I plotted my way using the Neutron Star Highway to arrive to my first POI - Rho Cassiopeiae. This is a rare yellow hypergiant. With a size of 450 solar radii it is also among the most luminous yellow stars known. It is a long-term semiregular variable, with large drops in luminosity observed in 1893, 1946, and 2001. The system also contains a binary class-B star and a few smaller bodies (including one landable world). Because of it's location deep in the Formidine Rift and well below the galactic plane, a Fleet Carrier or long range ship utilizing several FSD injections are required to visit.
The following route is what I used to make it to Rho Cassiopeiae for the second time in my exploration career:
- Hypheeg AF-Y d1-1
- Hypheeg IL-U c4-0 - 38.6
- Hypheeg DA-Y d1-0 - 43.08
- Hypheeg FV-X d1-1 - 78.94
- Hypheeg HQ-X d1-1 - 63.53
- Hypheeg HQ-X d1-0 - 68.52
- Hypheeg JL-X d1-0 - 59.49
- Hypheeg LG-X d1-0 - 48.81
- Hypheeg KL-X d1-0 - 30.10
- Hypheeg GF-Z d0 - 80.05
- Hypheeg IA-Z d0 - 77.86
- Hypheeg GP-A d0 - 40.57
- Hypheeg FP-A d0 - 16.45
- Hypheeg EU-A d0 - 41.05
- Qiedaea MI-A d14-0 - 69.66
- Qiedaea NI-A d14-0 - 71.69
- Qiedaea IC-C d13-0 - 80.86
- Qiedaea HH-C d13-0 - 48.15
- Rho Cassiopeiae - 80.58
I had to use the same route to go back. Once I arrived, I started jumping my way to the next POI. This time I started jumping system after system, encountering a couple of interesting systems. Some of the with Biologicals to scan for my friends at the Vista Genomics Lab. They're always eager to get their hands on Biological data.
After a short break I headed to Phrio Hypue AA-A h0 (Three Angels of Death). A system that only contains three black holes. Two of the black holes are less than 0.01 AU from each other and have an orbital period of 0.1 D. The third black hole is fairly close by as well with an orbital period of 4.4 D. The central black hole has the mass of 29 solar masses. The three angels of death are named Abaddon, also called Apollyon, which is the destroying angel in Book of Revelation in the New Testament, Azrael, also known as Malak al-Maut from Islam, and Mot, angel of death from the Hebraic Book of Habakkuk.
Spending some time there I then plotted my way to BD+55 191 (NGC 281). A small nebula situated approx. 9,200 LYs from Sol in the Perseus Arm, close to the Heart and Soul nebulae, but around 800 LYs beneath the galactic plane. The central system of the nebula is BD+55 191, and contains an unusual four O-class stars. All are very massive, giving a total system of 386 solar masses. The composite luminosity is 114 million times greater than Sol, placing it among the most luminous systems known.
The blue and purple colours these stars emit is simply amazing. Landed on only landable planet in that system - BD+55 191 AB 1. Took a couple of pictures, setting up the camera in both Odyssey and Horizons mode. A couple of Ly away was GSC 04031-00254. A system with type B star and two Black Holes. This was worth the little detour I've made before my next expedition's POI.
Discovering Earth Like Worlds is always a trilling experience for explorers. You simply wonder what unique features they might have, what life do they hold. Unfortunately we're not yet equipped and prepared to land on any ELWs before they are analysed and checked. The Pilots Federation strictly prohibits any contamination in these pristine planets. Hopefully one day we will have the necessary equipment in order to land on such enchanted worlds.
Jumping to the next system. This was the second POI the expedition organisers had pinpoint us to do. Eafots RX-T d3-3 (Salomé's World). Situated around 200 LYs above the mysterious Dynasty outposts of the Formidine Rift, this interesting system is thought to have been first discovered and tagged by CMDR Salomé (aka Lady Khahina) sometime in 3302 while she was (presumably) out in the rift looking for clues into the Exodus conspiracy. The system contains many worlds but interestingly Salomé only scanned the two Ammonia worlds within the system - what was she looking for?
In early 3303, a CoR patrol passed through the system during the Dynasty base search and subsequently scanned some of the worlds Salomé had left untouched. Since then, several Rifters have visited the system and each claimed a world of their own. Salomé was killed trying to expose the Exodus Conspiracy on 29th April 3303, so it is believed that this system and the worlds she scanned could be some of her final exploration-related discoveries.
Kahina Tijani Loren, also known as CMDR Salomé, was a controversial Imperial noble who briefly served as senator of the Prism system before seemingly abandoning her duties to embark on a quest to expose a far-reaching conspiracy and the shadowy cabal behind it.
I sat down reading her story and her association with the Children of Raxxla and involvement with the Dark Wheel. Later I slept as I was way tired to continue my journey towards Waypoint 15.