CMDR's Log, Stardate 3307.6-10 [006 - Panic at the Crash Site]
11 Jun 2021Zeton
Upon waking I turned to check the Navigation screen with renewed hope that I had neglected to notice a crashed ship location on my planetary scan. My heart fell as I noticed nothing by Geological signals listed. Determined to make something of the trip, I resolved to visit at least one of the Geological locations on the scanner before leaving this accursed rock. Luck would have it that I was within a few kilometers of the closest Geological site, I set course and launched. I soon discovered that the geological activity on Orrere 2B was Volcanic in nature. I found a patch of Silicate Vaporous Geysers that allowed me to harvest some resources that I hope to use in future engineering projects.
I reflected then that my first SRV ride was a nice change of pace from spaceflight, but it was not as comfortable and the controls didn't feel as natural as piloting my ship. I did not yet know how lucky I was that the first geological formation was on generally level ground.
Back aboard my ship I returned to the Nav. screen to see how close the next site was and I was astonished to see a new entry on the screen. A Crashed Ship Site was now listed, clear as day... like it had always been there. A little spooked, and suspecting my equipment might be faulty, I decided that since I have come all this way, I might as well check it out.
With the Nav. computers assistance I found flying in atmosphere to the crash site much easier than yesterdays planetfall. Within minutes I was descending on a small mountain with an Anaconda hull sticking out of the side. I chose a nearby level area to land that was a few hundred meters lower than the crash site, this later proved to be a mistake. I dropped the SRV and stared my short but very uneven and bumpy ride up the hill to the wreck.
After cresting the little hill I received my first clear view of the somewhat tilted crash crater in the cleft of the mountain and its adjourning vale. Rummaged cargo containers were spewn about the crater. I stared looking for scraps and was not disappointed but a new danger had arrived and I was about to be in a life or death struggle with myself.
I think it was the combination of the bumpy SRV ride up the unlevel mountain to scavenge in the off-kilter crater... I was struck by immediate crippling motion sickness. Head throbbing, vision blurry, nausea building rapidly... Panic began to take control!
I stopped the SRV, closed my eyes, put my head down as best I could in my suit and focused on my breathing... and not throwing up... that would be bad... I need to keep breathing... I can't clog my suit... I would not be able to see... I might not be able to breathe... I need to stay calm and breathe... If I stay here to long I will run out of power or fuel or both... I need to get out of here... I need fresh air... There is nothing outside of this SRV but cold dead vacuum... but I need air... I'm not going to make it... I'm going to hurl... I need to get back to the ship...
I don't know exactly how long I sat there, in silent torture, grappling with my need to vomit and my will to not. Eventually I found a light in the darkness of panic. The Ship! I need to get back to the ship, now, as fast as possible. I flipped the switch and gunned it back to the ship. I probably went faster than was advisable on mountainous terrain, downhill, on a low gravity planet. I flew back to the ship in my little SRV, but I made it. I made it back to the ship. I would love to say that my will power overcame my biological nausea reflex, but that's not true. At the last minute, as the SRV was being hauled back onto the ship my self control gave out. But it didn't matter. I was on the ship, I could take off the blasted helmet, lay still in a puddle of my own filth, and breathe what fresh air was available to me.
Eventually, I cleaned myself off as best I could and left. I didn't even look back as I broke atmo. Just plotted a course to the next inhabited system, any system with a port I could dock and truly get refreshed properly, and jumped. If I never go planet side again... it will not be soon enough.
The black calls me back,
- CMDR ZETON