The First Steps
15 Oct 2024Starry Haze
Location: Chamberlain’s RestStar System: HIP 97950
I don’t know if I was prepared for the vastness of space when I first arrived at Chamberlain’s Rest. From the moment I set foot on the station, I felt the weight of my inexperience. There were no clear directions, no mission control waiting to guide me—just the cold, empty expanse of space and a Sidewinder on loan from an unknown benefactor. Basic equipment, barely spaceworthy, yet it was my only ticket to the stars.
I quickly came to understand just how perilous space could be. Without a map or a plan, I was lost, spinning through the galaxy with no real sense of purpose. I spent days searching for guidance, combing through flight logs and databases from other pilots. There, I found the wisdom of others—commanders who had been lost like me but had fought their way to understanding. They taught me the basics: how to handle my ship, navigate the galaxy, and most importantly, how to survive. Then one day, I heard whispers of a group called the New Pilots Initiative.
The New Pilots Initiative was a lifeline, a community of commanders eager to teach, share, and grow. They showed me the ropes, answering questions and helping me get the feel of things. Slowly but surely, I gained the confidence to take my first real steps into the wider galaxy.
Armed with this newfound knowledge, I decided it was time to test my skills. My Destination: Kakas System. My Mission: Bounty Hunting at a Resource Extraction Site.
I admit, my heart raced as I left Chamberlain’s Rest behind. The vast silence of space can be deafening when you’re not used to it, and my Sidewinder felt impossibly small against the backdrop of distant stars.
At Kakas, I found myself in the thick of it—pirates, miners, and the occasional opportunist, all converging on the asteroid fields. It was dizzying at first. My hands shook at the controls, and more than once, I spun out of control trying to keep up with a target. I lost my shields, took some damage, but with each encounter, I grew more confident. Slowly but surely, the bounties piled up. Every hit brought a sense of victory, every credit a step toward something bigger.
By the time I docked at Kube-McDowell Enterprise to turn in my bounties, I knew I was ready for the next chapter. It wasn’t just about combat; it was about the thrill of the unknown. I felt the pull of exploration in my bones—there were systems out there that had never been touched, planets yet to be mapped.
With the credits I earned, I purchased my first real ship: a Hauler. It wasn’t much to look at, but to me, it was a vessel of freedom. No longer tied to the confines of starports and combat zones, I could venture into the void, charting my course among the stars.
My journey into exploration had begun, and as I set out from Kakas, I knew one thing for certain: I was only just getting started.