CMDR LOG #10: 25-JAN-3302
25 Jan 2016Reykur
LOG INITIATED12:55
I awoke this morning to the sounds of banging on the side of the Aurora Ray. Through the fog of sleep, I couldn't quite make out how someone could be knocking on the door of a ship that's floating through space.
As I managed to clear the cobwebs from my brain, I keyed the intercom and asked what was up. Turns out it was a fellow GS pilot that had been trying to contact me on comms. An excitable guy, but very nice. I told him I'd meet him on the bridge momentarily. I wouldn't be able to make heads nor tails of whatever he was going to hit me with if I didn't have a cup of coffee.
Stepping onto the bridge, I found him sitting on the center console next to the ever-empty co-pilot's chair. At seeing me enter he jumped up and almost hopped up the three steps between the two of us.
In our conversation, he explained that he had been catching up on some old GalNet articles and had read about the so-called "barnacles" a pilot had discovered in the Pleiades sector. I told him I was aware, making my disinterest obvious. Unshaken, he continued with telling me of his plans to head that way to look for aliens. At least, that's how I took it.
I asked him what had brought on this interest, to which he replied that the relatively new station out there, Obsidian Orbital was suffering from some severe system failures. I chuckled. "People have been bringing those Unidentified Artefacts there for months - you know, the ones that will melt your ship if you carry them too long? It's no small wonder things are going bad there."
He informed me that some scientist, an Ishmael Palin, believes he has an answer - the barnacles themselves.
Now this was news to me. I went to the comms panel and scrolled back through some GalNet articles and found the relevant entry. Nearly 4 days old.
Apparently the barnacles "grow" a meta-alloy which he believes hold the answer to the station's malfunctions which are being described as a kind of 'technology virus'. He was looking to secure as much of the alloy as possible, and most importantly, paying handsomely for them.
Now my friend had my attention. I asked him if he knew where to find these barnacles?
"Don't you read GalNet? Like, ever? They're in a bunch of systems out there."
I don't stay on top of the news. So sue me. I asked him when he was leaving? "Immediately. I was hoping you'd join me. With both of us searching, I figure we double our chances of finding one." I agreed, but informed him it would take time for me to prepare. The Aurora Ray isn't built for long-range, so I'd have to bring the Asp-class Exodus out of dry-dock. Not willing to wait, he headed off toward his hangar, telling me to let him know when I got to the sector.
I've notified the station workers at Victoria Chappell to get the Exodus prepped, and submitted an order to the shipwright to outfit her for the trip. In the meantime, I'm en-route to the station, where I'll make final preparations for my journey outside civilized space.
16:44
The Exodus has been reconfigured, fueled and I am running flight checks. I haven't been in this craft since my smuggling days, and it's taking some time to get used to the layout of the ship again. The interior is quite spartan, but the wide field-of-vision should make spotting these barnacles easier.
I've plot a course for Maia, and noticed that I will need to refuel several times on the way. Without a station to stop at, I'll have to sit in the uncomfortable heat while my scoop drinks its fill of the star's corona. All while keeping an eye out for plasma discharges that could easily overpower my shields and destroy the craft.
Doing a final systems check, I requested launch clearance and lifted free of the pad, engaged my thrusters, and sailed into the blackness. With the star-field surrounding me, I briefly wondered if this would be the last time I'd see the station. Heading outside of civilized space was dangerous.
Now, having cleared the station's mass-lock, I'm doing one last system check before heading off towards Maia. Call me paranoid, but I won't be able to stop for repairs for quite some time.
16:50
I'd forget my head if it wasn't attached. I was planning on taking my time and try and catalog the systems on the route for interesting places to visit. After jumping into a likely system and using my scanner, I realized I wasn't getting as much data as I should about the various stars and planets.
I flipped to my systems panel to look for a malfunction in the Detailed Surface Scanner only to find that I did not have one installed. Pulling up my order to the shipwright, the panel confirms that I am, in fact, stupid. I guess I won't be getting that data after-all.
Instead I'll just be using the Discovery Scanner as I jump into system and make notes on places that may be worth revisiting.
17:26
I'm well into my trip and have just landed in the system of HIP 15304, where I'm stopping to refuel. The surface of this star looks relatively stable, and appears to be in the calmer side of its sunspot cycle, so I have decided to place the Exodus relatively high in the corona of the star where I can go below deck and stay cool. It will take awhile for the ship to refuel her tanks.
Having scanned the system, there are a lot of objects in space here - 50 to be exact. I'll look them over once I'm out of this heat.
17:38
I've been analyzing the results of the scan below deck and noticed one of the gas giants seems relatively interesting. I think I'll go check it out. The fuel scoop should be just about finished anyway.
17:45
On my way to check out the planet, I was interdict by a random pilot. No threats, no warning, just interdicted. What was he doing out here, anyway? Naturally I didn't stick around to find out. Jumping back into supercruise, I continued my trip, relatively surprised not to see the ship come back up on scan.
I've now reached the planet, beautiful and red. I wish I had my surface scanner. I'd love to know what's going on down there. I'll have to return on my way back.
17:32
I've arrived in Arietis Sector MH-V B2-2. Refuelling once again, I scanned the planets and noted a planet was relatively close that had a rocky moon in orbit. Hungry and thirsty, I've decided to settle down there and unwind for a bit. Perhaps I'll even hop in the SRV and take in some scenery.
17:55
I've landed on Arietis Sector MH-V B2-2 1 A. I'm not sure how much scenery I'll be able to take in, considering the dusty surface. Still, just being on the ground is nice change of pace.
I spotted a nearby canyon during my descent, and landed relatively close to it. Assuming the walls aren't too steep, it should make for some fun terrain driving, at least. I'm about to climb into the SRV now.
18:36 - AUTOLOG
=== 18:36:32.0256 REMOTE COMM ESTABLISHED
=== 18:36:32.0258 AUTH 23.44.XTG
=== 18:36:32.0261 SRC-VERIFY:SRV-0001
=== 18:36:32.0265 CHAN:019 OPEN
=== 18:36:37.6831 CMD:AUTOPILOT:TO_SUBORBIT ACTIVE
=== 18:36:39.4567 --- THRUST:100%
=== 18:36:40.2386 --- GEAR:RETRACTED
=== 18:36:40.2386 --- SHP: ALIGN: (90,232), PITCHING
=== 18:36:48.7989 --- MASSLK: CLEAR
=== 18:36:48.8045 --- FSD: CHARGING
=== 18:36:58.1311 --- SHP: STATUS: SUB-ORBITAL
=== 18:36:58.1313 CMD: AUTOPILOT: TO_SUBORBIT TERM
=== 18:37:44.1567 CMD: AUTOPILOT: RECALL ACTIVE
=== 18:37:44.1883 --- RECEIVING COORDS: (-10.5075,94.5626), TGT
=== 18:37:44.2567 --- SHP: ALIGN(TGT)
=== 18:37:49.1563 --- FSD: DISENGAGED
=== 18:37:49.1563 --- TGT: ACQUIRED, SCANNING
=== 18:37:49.6789 --- TGT: LANDINGSITE:NAVI
=== 18:37:49.9444 --- SHP: ALIGN(NAVI)
=== 18:37:56.5383 --- SHP: ALIGN(0,64), PITCHING
=== 18:38:07.3938 --- GEAR: EXTENDED
=== 18:38:10.2593 --- SURF: CONTACT
=== 18:38:11.3353 --- ENG: THRUST:0%
=== 18:38:11.3358 CMD: AUTOPILOT: RECALL TERM
=== 18:38:12.1988 REMOTE COMM TERM18:44
Well, going down was fun and easy, but getting back up a wholly different story. Thanks to a relatively steep section, I was unable to return to the ship and had to have the autopilot bring the ship down to me. Happily, there was a satisfactory landing site down here, so besides having to explain an embarrassing entry in the logs by the ships' autopilot, I'm no worse for the wear.
Still, I thoroughly enjoyed the outing despite not finding anything of value. Now I just need this frost to thaw on my window, and I'll be on my way.
18:50
I'm currently 8 jumps away from Maia. Just over halfway to the end of my journey.
18:52
I just landed in the system of Hyades Sector LX-T B3-0. There's a moon that's extremely close to it's parent gas giant with an orbital period of less than a day. I've noted it to explore on a future trip.
18:55
I'm in another interesting system, this time Aries Dark Region QY-Q B5-2, a trinary star system with a lot of airless planets and moons. The three closest planets to the primary star look like high-metal content worlds with what could be interesting minerals.
18:59
Now in HIP 18154, I have noticed on scanner a planet that could be a possible Earth-like. From this range, I can't tell for sure, so I'm heading that way for a closer look. My scanners won't be able to tell me much, but my eyes certainly will. The planet is A-3. Nothing of note on scanners besides the various stellar bodies.
19:04
Negative on the Earth-like. The planet is a water world. Still exciting to see, though. I'm continuing the final jumps toward Maia.
19:09
I have just jumped into Maia and am basking in the glow of a giant cyan-blue star. Simply beautiful. I'm hoping the external cameras on the ship do it justice. Why does it seem that everything is more stunning outside of the bubble?
On my contacts list I'm picking up the first signs of life since my interdiction earlier. The presence of other ships is almost shocking - intruders in my solitude.
I've attempted to hail my wing-mate without success. Making way toward the Obsidian Orbital station.
19:14
Interdicted.... Trying to avoid... Damn this boat has a heavy ass....
I've dropped and am engaging. Viper-class, no markings.
19:17
I've destroyed the Viper. No black box, no record of the perpetrator. I've taken some shots of his ship on the off chance he can be identified by any of the markings. Maybe someone will pay for the proof of his destruction.
19:23
I've docked at Obsidian Orbital and made contact with an operative responsible for the collection of these Meta-Alloys. I'm continuing with my attempts to contact my squad-mate. No luck so far. I'm remaining on the ship until communications have been established.
19:30
I've finally made contact with my squad-mate. Apparently he suffered a comms error that had no explanation. He has, however, located a barnacle in the system of Pleiades Sector JC-U B3-2 on planet 2.
Course is laid in, and I am now en-route to his location.
19:36
Arrived in system. My squad-mate has informed me that his ship continues to experience random malfunctions, so he's returning to the station. He forwarded me the coordinates he was at, but said the site was all but cleaned out of the alloy. Therefore I'll be manually scanning closest planets for signs of these barnacles.
19:55
I have spotted a light on the ground. It appears to be man-made. I'm moving closer to investigate. The location is (49.4557),(102.1960)
20:01
Well, I'm definitely not the first person to swing by here. The lights are from a man-made installation guarded by drones with no sign of personnel. With no system authority around, I destroyed the drones with an aerial attack, have landed, and am deploying SRV for a closer look.
20:03
There doesn't seem to be anything of value here. I've hacked the comm-link outside the main building for more information. My ship compiled an intel package with the data from the hack, however I don't have the equipment to decrypt it. I'll hang onto it for now and run it through some channels back home in Phiagre.
Returning to ship to continue my search.
20:21
My scanner has picked up something odd in the distance. As I approached, I began picking up some strange audio artifacts from the object. The pattern is familiar, and yet... distorted somehow. I wish I had an audio recorder in here.
20:29
It's hard to hide my disappointment. The audio artifacts turned out to be coming from a random navigation beacon that had crashed into the planet. Standard model. It was still relatively functional, so I retrieved what data I could on the hopes that i'd be able to sell it to someone. Any distinguishing markings that would tip me off to its original location have been scraped off in the crash, or are on now-missing panels.
The search continues.
20:32
After a long time searching, I received a message from my squad-mate suggesting I check out the system of Merope. Since my scans aren't revealing much here, I'm going to move my search there.
I've plotted the course into the computer and am jumping there now. It's close by, so this should be quick.
21:05
I'm now in Merope, and closing on Merope 5. I've decided to land on the night side of the planet to begin my search.
21:20
After driving around a bit, I've picked up on a new signal. I'm hearing audio effects again, but this is different to anything I've ever heard. I'm tracking it now.
21:46
As I topped a hill, there's a glow in the distance. It is definitely not coming from a building or craft. I'm proceeding cautiously, but with a bit of anxiety that I'll be let down again.
21:51
Eureka. I'm noting the location at coords -26.3445 , -156.4035. I can see why they're called barnacles. The center structure of the ringed arrangement is definitely reminiscent of the small creatures on Earth. This one, however, is nearly twice the size of my SRV, and is emitting a strange bluish light, pulsing from the base. Surrounding the structure are spires of various size, each with what I can only describe as glowing... buds. It sounds rediculous to say, as they are obviously crystalline in structure, but there is no denying that the spires have an oddly biological design to them.
My sensors tell me that the largest of these buds on the innermost spires contain the alloy I'm seeking. With the ship several kilometers away, I've instructed the autopilot to move it closer - partially to ease the loading of these alloys, and partially so I can make a quick escape should it become necessary.
My squad-mate's malfunctions are plaguing the back of my mind, however. Not much I can really do about it right now though.
22:56
I have transferred over 20 tons of the alloy thus far, and my SRV Fuel Reserves are getting low. Fortunately there are materials in abundance to synthesize more fuel.
The ship is holding up without any malfunctions that I'm aware of, so at this point I can say all is going well.
23:24
I've collected about 42 tons of the meta-alloys from these structures, and the substance is getting harder to find among the slag.
I'm hungry and tired, so I'll come back later and continue.
Plotting a course to Obsidian Orbital in Maia.
23:33
I've docked at Obsidian Orbital and have had the station crew begin transporting the meta-alloys to the proper location. As it turns out, there are some anomalies in various systems on the ship, though none that interfere with her flight model. The folks in dock are apparently overloaded with work orders getting various ships repaired, and by the sound of it, my ships issues are relatively minor. I've gone ahead and requested to have her put in dry-dock to be worked on after she's unloaded. In the meantime, I'm heading to a local dive to find some food before finding a place to catch some rack for the time that I'm here.
LOG TERMINATED