Unguided, 15: Everybody Does It
24 Apr 2021Meowers
( 20.04.3307 - 24.04.3307 )
( Komotae - Cave Nebula - Khun )
Hello again. Dear diary... No, not like this now. Yeah, the last one was a bit experimental, but I had a massive fun writing it and also I like to write that kind of 'raw stuff' sometimes, everything, not just some weird adult context, but rarely to publish it. This one would be more of a 'classic log'. Maybe... a bit larger than usual. So much stuff... But without any combat in it! Why? Damn tech issues. After months of intensive fighting, torturing the flightstick in every possible way, my controls started to malfunction a bit, giving me a slight 'roll to the left' from time to time in what supposed to be a neutral state, and tweaking and deadzone compensation can't help. Okay when making turns though. Double damn. Have to do some maintenance or replace the whole thing in the near future...
So. I had to find that button and press it to start doing what I was planning to do. Was a bit of a challenge, because I almost forgot where that button was, it was so rarely used... And it was a bit harder to press than the others that I use often, it was almost new. HUD colour scheme became blue instead of orange and then "Analysis Mode Activated" said the COVAS voice finally. Usually COVAS have pre-programmed and quite neutral tones, but at this time... Did I hear some notes of "what the heck" in it?
Then I went out of the ship to have a talk with the equipment dock crew, like, "Hello! Have some work for ya! Remove all the reinforcement packages and recharge batteries, put more fuel tanks in! And this monstrous fuel scoop! Ah, yes, and this Surface Scanner that I've upgraded just because I had nothing more to do that day". So they started refitting Marshmallow into something that lies beyond any logic, human comprehension and common sense. And did I hear them saying "what the heck"?..
And I needed a route. To something in particular, some landmark, not just a random point in a random boring nowhere, to call in an Expedition To Something. Let it be Cave Nebula, it's reasonably far away, but still within reach, and, hopefully, I can return without suffering irreparable damage. To me, not to Marshmallow. Nav computer isn't a talkative one, but there was a certain pattern of "what the heck" in its beeps and whirring...
And don't forget, this Fer-de-Lance is in the top 1% of all weird messed up exploration vessels out there.
(Coffee, milk, Marshmallow)
So, mapping terraformable worlds that I may find on the way was one of my goals. Pilots Federation ranks too. But what I wanted the most is to... unwind a bit? Change the pace? Just to fly somewhere in a laid-back manner, see the pictures changing, enjoy the music on the way and absolutely not bother about anything. Like, I had enough things on my hands during the last pair of weeks, so now it's just a vacation-sightseeing tour, just me, Marshmallow, comms on 'important only', stars, music, warm tea, lazy piloting and all the calm recreational pleasant stuff. I had a bit of that mood two months ago, but then the way was too long and stupid me forgot the additional fuel tanks, so it was a mess... Okay, I didn't know about them... So it's another try to relax while actually piloting.
But I don't know why they call this an 'exploration'. Discovering something peculiar, interesting, breathtaking or just worthy and useful... Yep, that would be an 'exploration'. And this is just some turd jumping. Like... Jump! Turd. Jump! Nothing but a star. Jump! Turd again. Jump! Frozen turd. Jump! Rocky turd. Jump! Four worthless stars and a gas giant 150kLs away. Jump! Turd. Jump! Dull star. Jump! Charred turd. Jump! Yeah, that's turd. Jump! Guess what? Tuuuuuurd!...
So I feel like I'm becoming not just a distinguished protector of worthless dust-ridden frozen lookalike turd worlds, but a distinguished sightseer of uninhabited worlds of this type.
There was a system with 6 stars in it. Grouped by three. No planets.
(A path of the stars)
And the terraformables. Yeah, there were some. Mapped them. Modified scanner with enhanced radius just kicks arse, I had no problems with making the maximum efficiency scans before, but now... I could do it with my eyes closed and my left foot on the stick. But... Think I should take a few lessons from an estate agent in order to sell this data for maximum profit. Or to make someone even interested in those planets. Something like...
"Hello! I have some exploration data about a nice, quiet terraformable planet, away from noisy trade routes but yet accessible by many, hey, I made it there even on a FDL! So it's an awesome option for a resort project or maybe some villas or other kind of peaceful and expensive settlement. And it's warm too! You'll never catch a cold, or even feel uncomfortable. A cosy place to live in! And it's big! So you could place more people there, in vast areas, and everyone will have their own decent personal space. Not to mention it's of high metal content, that makes building and production easier, you could even run some mining operations without disturbing the residents! What do you say? Isn't that just awesome?"
So, it's DAMN 1.7G, DAMN 1096K, DAMN 504ATM of carbon dioxide atmosphere world that lies DAMN 1800 LY AWAY from the Bubble! Seriously, I don't know HOW this planet fell into the 'candidates' list, but hey, how exactly are you planning to 'terraform' it? And for what reason? It's too far away from anything! And it will squeeze the crap out of anyone. And just look at the next one. Nope, just read the advertisement first. Then look.
"You wanna live bright like a star? You want to shine, to dazzle, to make people close their eyes and lower their heads before your awesomeness?! Look no further! We have a perfect spot to live in, just for your fiery style! It's in Plaa Eurk Blah-Blah..." Crap... Gotta make some work with the naming, no pompous rich arse big wig would want to live in some plaa-eurk-blah-blah-some-index-numbers-crap, it sounds like an address of cheap living cabin somewhere in the arse hole of the arse hole of the worst part of town...
Seriously. Just look at this. Try to. No, it's not a star, it's a planet.
(A shining planet. Terraform this.)
So, I reached this Cave Nebula... And... Ugh. There's nothing of interest either. Roamed around a bit, scanned here, scanned there, found a sweet damn nothing, not even an interesting sight, the same useless turd worlds, except odd nebula backdrop colour, but not that odd to take photos of it... My photos suck anyway, hah. So when I found a system with 2 terraformables, it was a sign to scan them and call it a day, time to wrap that up and turn around, no more luck ahead.
And those little binary systems, they're pretty common sight, but I just love them. And now I finally realised one of the reasons why.
(Binary planets)
As for me, those little planets resemble us, humans. They are common, numerous and so insignificant in the scale of the Universe, so others just pass by without paying any attention. And they are different, they are actually made of different things, year by year different materials formed them. Different histories. They have their own scars. But yet the flow of Time had put them together in this dance. Their paths crossed once by a wonder, and had united into one, without breaking them apart. They are keeping each other safe and sound, because they eventually will become lost when left alone. They had one chance in billions to meet, to become revolving around a common point, and now they have billions of years to enjoy it. Without any destination or goal, just enjoying the road, the time spent. And this point is completely weightless, ethereal, you can't see it, but you know it's there, and being close to it, you feel everything that was burdening you is fading, floating away. It is right between them, yet it doesn't belong to any of them, it's present only when they are close to each other. Together.
(Binary planets, view from the cockpit)
Ah, sentimental me again. Let's go back to where the people live. Plotted a route to Khun, to visit Elvira Martuuk and upload all the data to her, so no faction and no authority would benefit from it. Let it be an independent engineer. So, onward... ummm... backward we go! It's much closer than Komotae, so I could upload the data, run maintenance, have a rest and then start a final stretch to what's called 'home'. Well, the place where I keep my stuff.
And then something strange began to happen. I already knew that this data is pretty enough, I've mapped dozens of terraformables already, it's worth millions, there was even a system with six of them... And I was first to map some of them, even first to discover a handful... But. Damn. I had to make a quick simple dash. Jump, jump, jump, nothing more, just some fuel scoop refuelling to do on the way, additional tanks gave me hell of a jump range that I wasn't worried about running out of fuel not in any way. But... Damn! Why? Why can't I stop?
Can't stop it... Stop it! Make it stop! Something... Something is within me... I'm just... Damn. I just can't jump and jump and jump, bringing myself closer to the destination as fast as I can... Dammit... That feeling... Ugh... My hands aren't mine anymore, I can't stop scanning stuff! Ugh... I'm running this FSS for crap sake... I launch probes into terraformables and water things... Damn, why?.. Am I mutating? Goddammit... Need to see a doc before I... Turn into something that isn't me!
(World of two suns)
Aaaah, finally. The Long Sight Base, Khun system. I made it. Almost forgot how gravity feels and they have 1.2 of it in their place, so I was feeling my arse not just flattened but heavier too. Data upload... Diags... One damn hundred damn percent! Not even a scratch or burn. Wasn't dropping my guard, and it's all that was needed. Yup, had to tighten some nuts and bolts loosened on the long ride, renew the paint, recycle all the snack boxes and used tea bags... But no damage. It's just about those limpets, double AFMUs... How about installing a 'not being a goof assist' module? Yeah, yeah, instead of docking assist that some still use while being Triple Elite. Like... Look at those neutron-powered jumps. There's big, yellow-and-red warning message right before your eyes - 'FSD is operating beyond safety limits'! And yet still I hear about someone who neutronhumped their FSD and all the bazillions worth data was lost. And it's now, in our easy times. Just a few years ago, before payouts were boosted, Elite Exploration rank was a massive pain and was taking some real work to complete.
And I'm now an Elite Explorer too! Mwahahahah! And I can call myself that! Yeah! (Yup, you can facepalm at me now, let it be the first time, it's not such a bad reason either, and we have to start anyway, ehehehehe) Do I feel like one? Obviously not. Anyway, there's another big thing to finish ahead of me, if I want to do my daily usual ordinary stuff in a serious way. Not dropping being weird though.
(Marshmallow at Long Sight Base)
Hey, I'm just trying to live up to the words said by that training instructor as a farewell, back in Dromi several months ago. Not sure that I got everything right, he had that accent, it was like...
"Now you are free to explode the Galaxy".
* * *
Next part: #16: Third Time's a Charm
Next part: #16: Third Time's a Charm