...starting transmission!
24 Jan 2021Microponto
Hello?!.... 1,2... 1,2... Check, check, check.... Is this on?!... (...) Ok!
My name is Microponto, and I came into this level of reality around late November of the year 3305...
I was fortunate enough to immediately make some good contacts, in order to have a clear and fast understanding of how 'life' can be unfolded among the stars.
Through hard work, dedication and perseverance, only 3,5 months after 'the start, I reached Triple Elite Rank.
All my contacts were saying that was a superb achievement, but I know how lucky I was on getting that Elite Combat Rank.
You see, Thargoids had invaded and attacked some systems, and I promptly went to search some more info about this alien race. Type of ships, weapons, what and how they were.... I have joined some friends, outfitted what was to be a good ship with the right characteristics to fight this alien 'invaders', and set out for the battle....
It endured for almost a whole week, and I've never ran away from danger.... As I was a new pilot, and still didn't have the skills and experience to face 'the bigger threats', the "Interceptors", I firmly standed my ground against the smaller type and when we finally won the war I was "number one" in the system I was fighting, with the glorious mark of 3903 "Scouts" terminated. Like so, the Pilots Federation attributed me the so much wanted Elite Combat Rank.
Only 10 days after, a new (and the biggest) adventure was about to start.
I had made some credits in the previous war and completed what was missing by mining core asteroids to obtain a 'bigger ship', the Anaconda.
Then I made all arrangements and outfitting in order to manipulate the ship's mass so that it could 'jump' a bigger distance (in light years) at a time.
Along with "Cmdr Abrandon" and "Cmdr Alexander Search", we left the Jameson Memorial station... next stop: COLONIA
Well... Actually, that wasn't our next stop. On our way to Colonia, "Cmdr Alexander Search", which was already a veteran pilot, picked up 3 checkpoints for us to visit.
The first checkpoint is known as "The Maze" (Labirinto). A very rugged surface moon at "Traikaae CH-Y c10" system. We felt amazed with the heights of those canyons. Several km's of long vertical walls. (System Link)
The second checkpoint was the "Conflux Settlements". Several abandoned settlements that were once used as a staging post for a mysterious expedition.
The systems are: "PRU AESCS TY-J A64-1", "PRU AESCS HW-S B31-2", "PRU AESCS OI-K A64-0" and "PRU AESCS NC-M D7-192". (EDSM Link)
The third checkpoint was "The Chilled Views". A fabulous ice world bathed with the light of 2 'dancing' stars in the system "Floalt WC-C b16-6". (System Link)
We were specially lucky since we watched a full eclipse on the time and place we landed.
The chosen travel path was the Neutron Highway, and I've never used the power of neutron stars on my frame shift drive. Luckily enough, my ship is heavy, so it's also very stable on the star cone. Nice one.
So... 6 days after departing from Jameson Memorial, we arrive to Jaques Station... It was an awesome trip, so far. I felt amazed by the amount of stars in space. Its so weird, and cool at the same time. Time to enjoy the environment and getting to know 'the surroundings'...
(...)
After such a great journey, there was no desire to return to 'the bubble', at least not just yet. "Cmdr Alexader Search" had already shared his willingness to take the trip further and head to a 'supermassive' destination.... Sagittarius A*. The super massive Black Hole right in the middle of our galaxy.
After a night of pondering, I decided to go along, while "Cmdr Abrandon" had already accepted the challenge. So we set out, on our individual pace.
I took the time (and place) to find many 1st discoveries, along the way... I saw many 'peculiar things'. Planets, moons, nebula's, different stars, Black Holes.... Space itself was becoming different, the packing of surrounding stars slowly turned from blue tones, into a more brownish color... I believe the star density, space dust and all the light provided that change of colors... I was again super amazed by this trip!
And as if it were not enough, I had my 1st discovery of an Earth Like World, which in fact, were two ELW's together in tidal orbit. \o/
I remember I kept thinking, -"This is it! We must put ourselves at the mercy of opportunities for 'this things' to happen!".
And 4 days after leaving Colonia (10 days into the whole journey), I've reached the awaited destination.
Sagittarius A*
Majestic. Imposing. Magnificent.
I then found out I was already on the second last rank of exploration and decided to give it a little push into completion.
I randomly picked up a not very far away system and plotted a route there in 'economy mode'. Well, the first 2 jumps were big in distance so that I could get away from what was already discovered, then I plotted the 'economy route'.
Such a move was straight forward into success, since after just one day 'going around' scanning things as 1st discoveries, I collected enough exploration data to deliver at the station near "Sag.A*" and be decorated with the Elite Exploration Rank.
I was ecstatic... The feeling of completion was pulsating in all my pores. I was sort of 'proud of myself' as well, Triple Elite Rank is 'a thing' many Cmdr's achieve with years of progress, and so little time has passed since I arrived on Elite Dangerous systems....
Then it was time to re-think what the next goal was, chilled and relaxed, confident of the secrets that the Universe still had at my disposal.
(...)
With "Sagittarius A*" already under our ships nose, and Colonia and 'the bubble' on our back, "Cmdr Alexander" (again) shows some interest on taking the journey to the farthest possible location. Literally.
Instead of leaving "Sag.A" in the direction of 'the bubble' (or even Colonia), we set out in the opposite direction.
Next stop: Beagle Point
When we travel from the center to the very far end of the opposite side of the galaxy, it means that we need to travel a greater distance than the necessary to return. Just to get there. It is not a pleasant thought, I confess that at 'first sight' I thought that was a bit too much for me, but all my experience so far in the journey was telling me that the idea could be a great experience. So I ended up accepting it and before it was too late or I change my mind, I went along.
It helped me a lot not to think on the destination itself, at the first glance. So I've created some personal objectives, along the path, and was committed to them, individually. The process was simple. I would go on galaxy map, pick up what seemed to be a nice Nebula or place to visit through EDSM POI's, plot a route there and stick with just that in mind.
I have visited amazing places following that procedure. and was also constantly getting near to my final destination.
But even that started to have some weight on the 'bigger picture', I was keeping contact with "Cmdr Abrandon" but we had lost comms with "Cmdr Alexander" for some days. -"What happened?", we kept wondering!
And as stars were becoming less dense and, soon enough, blackness took over our cockpits, I admit my mind was populated with only two things: the whereabouts of our 'missing friend', and reaching our destination.
Space was 'all black'... The density of stars progressively faded into a strange 'nothingness'.... it is as calm as it is creepy.... Without points of visual reference, I noticed that my ship was 'rolling' without my knowledge, several times. Looking in the right direction we could see the whole galactic plane. The galaxy viewed from the side. But with that out of sight you can't tell the movement of your ship just by looking outside. There's no stars, all is black.
15 days after the start, we reach Beagle Point.
A spectacular moment... and feeling.
We reached the 'long wanted' destination.
We also got a relayed message from "Cmdr Alexander Search". Somehow he managed to communicate stating he got sucked into an IRL wormhole and was on the verge of coming back into this reality again. Good News.
At the nav beacon, (through EDSM) we managed to find out it was possible to reach a system even farther from Sol, by synthesizing a bigger jump on our fsd it was possible to get to "Oevasy SG-Y d0" system.
And so, we did it. We went there, to the farthest celestial in system..... and stood there for a while.
Watching the view...
...and thinking how small we really are.
To learn that 'many things' are only big inside one's mind.
(to be continued) - Interrupting transmission!