003: I Can Die Happy Now
11 Mar 2021Piratescribe
Date: 11-3-3307Locn: Rae Port [HIP 38235]
Yesterday was one difficult day! But the good news first: I finally reached a Cartographer's station here in Rae Port and uploaded my data . . . and it's confirmed! I got my first discovery! I am the proud First Discoverer of the farthest moon, WREGOE KE-O C20-9 2G! (Evidently that was one body missed by the original discoverer of the system, a Cmdr Rook. Their loss, my gain.)
I'm going to just gloss over the fact I attempted to map the gas giant it orbits (yeah yeah, I know... I know all the knows about it), and mention that I'm the first to map all the (non-gas) bodies of the system! But I almost didn't get back to register my data!
As soon as I realized I might have my first discovery on hand, I set course for the closest base that, according to our friends at INARA at least, had a Cartogropher's facility. Took about 12 jumps in my little Hauler (which, by the way, totally deserves a new name, now! "MECHPHISTO III" is just not gonna do any more!) And I ended up in a ring of a giant! No station to be found! Next closest? Another 10 jumps! (I had no idea I had gotten so far from inhabited space!)
About halfway there, well, my ship "crashed." Or let's say, the operating systems controlling everything about my ship crashed. I struggled for about an hour trying to reboot the system and figure out the problem, and finally sent out an emergency message to the manufacturer. Yeah, no, I didn't expect anything to come from that either, so, frustrated (and a bit scared), I crawled back into the berth and got some sleep.
I woke up this morning and immediately checked messages -- it seems the "Steam Distribution Trunk Venue," or just STEAM for short, was the source of the problem and, come to find out, somehow affected a great many Commanders out there! What?! Well, long story a tad shorter, the problem got worked out, I booted back in, systems were go, and I was where I last thought I was -- no weird teleporting or destruction while I slept, heh. All data maintained.
I flew the last few jumps to HIP 38235 as fast as I could, not even bothering to do any more FSSs along the way -- I just wanted to get my data registered! And made it! Docked, ran to the Cartographer's, uploaded my data . . . waited nervously for it to validate . . . I didn't even bother looking at the credits I got paid, that's not even important right now (the frack did I just say?! Of course it is! . . . just not in that moment.) And I checked my charts -- there's my handle! PIRATESCRIBE, clear as day as the First Discoverer of WREGOE KE-O C20-9 2G! And first mapper of all the rest.
I can't even begin to express how ecstatic I am! Everything I was hoping to gain, to feel, since I first stepped foot in my Sidewinder with plans of exploring, were fulfilled in that moment! I think I scared the poor lady in the Cartographer's office when I shouted! I grabbed her hands and did a little dance and skipped on out to the Pilot's Rest to buy a round of drinks!
It didn't even occur to me to check into what this station is even all about, this Rae Port, til now. Huh, an Independent Communist facility -- fascinating! My kind of people.
. . . which reminds me, there's a whole world of Power and politics and war out there. I just read, in fact, some news about Sol, and other systems being attacked today?? I have no idea what that's about and am eager to get reading what I can! But it reminds me, there are factions out there that maybe I should look into aligning myself with.
Looking around some of the Explorer's Guild boards, I see that joining the Power Plays, aligning with a faction, is not necessarily in the best interest of an Explorer. We kind of rely on our ability to fly where we want unthreatened, unharassed. And I have to say, I agree. I can't imagine what would have happened if I had to flee or fight in my little Hauler just because of who I chose to support politically. I may end up deciding yeah, not to get involved.
But that doesn't stop me from looking about and seeing what's up out there.
But first, another round of drinks! And a new name for my faithful, good lil ship. I was thinking up upgrading to a Diamondback Explorer or even a Dolphin. . . but I think I'm going to stick with this little girl for a while! After all, I JUST got in with Felicity Farseer, an Engineer of some repute! With her help, I can get, and learn to make, some pretty sweet modifications! I'm already working on seeing what I can do about getting a FSD with a longer range.
One day I'm going to get lost out there in the black . . . . will that be a good or a bad thing?
Cmdr Keyton "Piratescribe" Magnusson