Back to the bubble
22 Jun 2016Asagao
Can't exactly say back home, but parked up in Terry Port, Garoku. Out in the black I heard a rumour - well, a bit more than that - of a potentially lucrative call for exploration data. I was almost at my destination, not a huge distance out, at the time and decided to return to make the data count, if I could. Dr Chu has decent shields and point defence but only a couple of pulse lasers, so any pirate encounters were going to be a case of "Brave Asagao-san ran away" rather than derring do and glory.As it happened, it didn't come to that. Only five hops through the bubble to get here and my abilities to find my way round suns at close quarters have been greatly improved by all the practice. My only problem was timing - for some reason, perhaps connected to the earlier problem with ship's systems and time measurement, I got back a whole day early. Bit of a shame as I found some systems that would've been worth a detailed scan had I realised there was more time. That said,, the bookmark function was put to good use, so I can always go back.
Because I will be going back. My first solo expedition, although really just a taster, makes me want to go back, albeit in a better-equipped ship. Dr Chu has charms, and has served me faithfully despite his academic failings, but would make a far better mid- to long-range in-bubble courier ship than a deep space exploration vehicle. I still want an Asp, and thanks to the unexpected call for exploration data, an Asp is looming large in my future. If I'm very fortunate, I may not even have to part with Dr Chu - idiosyncratic though he is, I've grown fond of him these past few weeks.