NYND 3308: Day 41
12 Feb 2022Helios Eusebio
February 12, 330808:24:48 UGT
Challenger, Myriesly DQ-G d10-1240 7 A (Insinnergy's World) (12.2615, 22.8610)
MET: 40:14:05:38
Our final day here in the core. In just a matter of hours, we will depart with Lunar Hyperlight on the trip back home, with just one last stop between here and 59 Virginis.
As I sit here on the bridge of Challenger, looking up at the ring system of the Class III Gas Giant hanging above our heads, I can't help but think back to our ship's namesake. While we associate Anaconda Challenger with Space Shuttle Challenger, in truth OV-099 didn't come up with the name. That honor goes to the HMS Challenger, a 19th century naval vessel that went on one of the first extended research expeditions in the late 1800's, spending the better part of 4 years sailing 70,000 nautical miles on an oceanographic research mission. Not altogether different from what we're doing here.
I wonder what the crew of that expedition felt. Were they pondering if the knowledge they learned would be critical to understanding Earth's oceans? That the legacy of their voyage would be immortalized forever in the form of spaceships carrying their vessel's name? Did they ever have a notion that what they were attempting to accomplish would ultimately be one of the most consequential steps forward in their field of study?
Science is truly a collaborative endeavour because of the very nature that information is transmitted and distributed. The discoveries we've made out here aren't very meaningful to the galactic community until or unless they're passed on to others, and then folks can use that information to better their own knowledge and understanding of the galaxy. Hell, our route out to the core and back is only possible thanks to the data gathered by expeditions that came before us, like Distant Worlds 2, which discovered the moon we're on now.
Shepard moons are a sight we've gotten accustomed to over time, but this one is unique. Shepard moons usually have the same orbital plane as the ring system of its parent planet, this allows them to keep the various particles contained within the rings (hence the Shepard moniker). This moon however has an orbit that's slightly tilted and causes it to go a little above and below the rings, providing a great view of the rings from the surface.
And to think, this moon would've never been known to anyone without someone from Distant Worlds 2 coming across it. Just like the various worlds we've found would've remained unknown forever until we arrived here. And now the next Commanders to make this trip will have a few more places to go and things to see. And who knows? They may find some interesting worlds and vistas of their own.
The thing that sucks about leaving these places is how far away they are. 500 ly or so might be a good hike down the block, but 20,000+ ly? That's a whole different story. As such, we really have no idea when we'll be back here again, which makes it all the harder to leave. All I do know is that the next time I come here, I don't just want to get as far as the core and stop. I want to keep going to the other side of the galaxy. I don't care if it's with the Alchemy Den Expeditionary Fleet, my usual crew, or just my lonesome self. As I wrote yesterday, there's a whole other half of this galaxy that I want to explore. I want to follow in the footsteps of those who came before me and see if I can blaze a trail to inspire others to do the same.
We truly are all discoverers. Piecing together the puzzle for the first time.
We're getting ready to head back to Lunar Hyperlight now. We unfortunately won't be able to make the Mass Jump. Our trip to Sag A * and above the disk (and the rush to get back) has put considerably more stress on the FSD than usual and Harper doesn't want to chance a lightning strike. It's really too bad; Arboo's Electric Friendship is something unlike any I've seen before.
Either way, it should be spectacular to watch the jump from the carrier bridge. And I hear that our last stop is just as visually stunning.
One more week in deep space, and then it's back home.