An epic journey 01 - unlocking FSD engineering.
03 Mar 2020Mythicent
Logbook entry 01: I wasn't sure how huge a difference engineering would make on my journey, but after experiencing the change I can tell you with excitement that it does wonders.
After getting an invitation from Felicity Farseer, the famed engineer, I was tasked with giving her one unit of meta-alloy (that thargoid avocado). Well fuck, I don't know where to find these meta-alloys, and I don't want to get intercepted by a thargoid ship in the process, nor do I have such a huge jump range on my asp explorer, so I turn my sights to the amazing data tool we were taught about in our first class of space exploration 101, eddb.io, to look for any one selling some meta-alloys, because I know my fellow commanders and commanderettes have been busy farming and selling them. At least one station has to have it, right? Right! No system in close proximity (30 ly), and the most nearest is Darniell's Progress in Maia system. That place is a whopping 200+ ly away from where I am currently docked at, Ray Gateway, Diaguandri. FUCK ME! AARGGGHH! My asp has a tiny jump range of just over 19 ly, how in the galaxy will I travel to that wretched system?
As I was contemplating the predicament I was in and surfing through the galactic web on my video comms, I saw a peculiar, familiar video title "How to properly plot routes". "Man, the imperials are spying on us, aren't they", I thought because I wasn't sure how in the galaxy can this video recommendation just pop up without anybody listening to my thoughts. Cybernetic technology is a curse sometimes, no privacy whatsoever. This time though, I was in luck as this video explained how we can filter out galactic map to show scoopable stars and take tiny, but a lot of jumps, to reach from point A to B.
"Jackpot", I said to myself only to find myself in a clutch soon after. 31 jumps to Maia. WHAT THE FUCK! 31 FUCKING JUMPS?
Well, nothing ventured nothing gained, but I had a question. Will I get interdicted from witchspace by thargoids? So I asked fellow commanders in the squadron, The Freelancers Alliance, and commander Finch Op told me that interdiction depends on occupancy of a star system, if there are no humans around there is a possibility you may get interdicted. I love my squadron, a bunch of highly drunk silly geese bunched together, fighting the good fight and helping each other out. Thank you for the tip, cmdr Finch (funny I spelled his name with an L in it because "fLinch" is the most common name the secret intelligence used to give to their agents back in 20th-21st century on planet Earth of Sol system. Yes, I'm a nerd and a history geek). Now, with this information at hand I crossed my fingers and jumped into starport services to refuel my ship. While the automated fueling system was doing its job I thought why not strip down my asp and leave only a shield generator, fsd, power plant, and D grade core internals. That may increase my jump range, and lo and behold it did. From just over 19 ly to well past 21 ly. YAAY LUCK! STILL 31 FUCKING JUMPS. Fuck it, let's go.
First jump, beautiful star. Second jump, beautiful star. Third jump, beautiful star. 8th jump, this is a recurring pattern now. 12fth jump, I AM BORED. 18th jump, warning temperature level critical, warning taking heat damage, MOTHERFUCKER MOVE! FOR FUCK'S SAKE, SHIP MOVE. I'm stuck in the gravity well of this giant fucking blue star, FLY ASP, FLY. Temperature levels normal, fucking finally... Jump. Fuck, that was fun. 23rd jump, oooooh! look, only stars here. 31st jump, yay, made it to Maia system. Now where is this place I'm supposed to go? There's no information on this system in my database, planets have no name to them. REEEEEEEE! I look into the galactic web database to find where this station is located, plot a route and supercruise to the planet.
It's a planetary station, love it already. Slow and steady glide, slowly, it's a low G planet, slowly, slowly... Look there it is, the place where I will get my first meta-alloy, and no thargoids at all. I guess I was over panicking. After a swift and safe landing I accessed the starport services of this system, looked into commodity market and bought myself a space avocado, refuelled and repaired my ship, and unlocked another engineer because of my long distance travel. Woot! Let's go to where Felicity is. Plotting route... Plotting... Route plotted. HOLY THARGOID INCEST, THIS PLACE IS 389 LIGHT-YEARS AWAY. 41 JUMPS? ARE YOU SPACE-SHITTING ME? FUCK!
I wept.
After launching from the station I wanted to look around a little so I skimmed over planet surface, found a nice patch of flat surface to land, landed my ship, jumped into my SRV, drove out, accidentally fired turrets, got a 100 credit fine. WELL DONE MYTH, WELL DONE! ROFL. I got back and paid my fine then launched and jumped to first waypoint.
Ha! I am in Deciat but I don't like it here. I've had this eerie sensation that I was being watched, for some time now. I have a meta-fucking-alloy-space-avocado in my cargo bay and I know someone out there wants it. I am completely unprepared, I thought to myself. I cannot afford an interdiction by space pirates, thinking this I was plotting my route to Farseer's planetary station when my fear became a reality. INTERDICTION ACTIVATED, ESCAPE VECTOR GOING HAYWIRE, FOLLOW IT, TURN YOUR SHIP MYTH, FOLLOW THE ESCAPE VECTOR... FOLLOW, FOLLOW... JUST A LITTLE BIT. THIS BITCH HAS GOT NOTHING ON YOU MYTH, YOU CAN DO IT.
I escaped interdiction with my heart up my throat, and I flew as fast from there as I possibly can. And touchdown. Ah! The pink planet of Felicity Farseer.
I opened starport services and directly jumped into engineering section, gave Felicity the space avocado to unlock her services.
First grade of FSD engineering, optimal mass increased, jump should increase, no experimentals. Second grade, third, forth grade applied and unlocked fifth grade (I didn't have materials for fifth grade). Let's look at what I've got.
HOLY SPACE COW FART ZOOM. 49 LIGHT YEARS? WHAAAAAAAAAT! FOURTY-FUCKING-NINE-LIGHT-YEARSSSSSSSSS! YYYAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!
I quickly refuelled, and plotted route to Diaguandri. Three jumps. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! OH SWEET ANCIENT CHRISTIAN GOD JESUS, HERE I COME...
to be continued...