Personal log entry - Commander Copernicus record: The Hawkin's Gap
09 Sep 2023N.Copernicus
Date: 09 September 3309Start of Entry
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The silence of space surrounds me as I sit here on the bridge of my carrier, the Dreamland. It is an eerily quiet place, far away from the busy space ports and trade routes. Today begins a journey into the unknown, into an area known to many as the "Formidine Rift". The fact that these settlements have been found so far from inhabited space raises questions about the purpose of the project and the motivations behind it.
I cannot deny that a shiver of excitement runs down my spine, mixed with a touch of fear of what may be in store for us. I remember the stories of abandoned settlements, mysterious signals and the darkness of this unexplored space. But that is exactly what attracts me, I am a commander, an explorer. The powerful generators for the carrier's Frameshift drive are charging. The ship trembles under the mighty forces and craves more tritium. We are well prepared with 10,000 tonnes, which should be enough, even for an emergency. The lockdown sequence is over, the countdown for the jump has begun. We'll be there soon.
Our first stop is Plaa Aec TT-B b41-3, a planetary system near the rift where abandoned settlements have been discovered. The carrier is ready and my crew is at my side. We have the best scientific equipment on board to explore these mysterious places and hopefully find some answers. Answers to the phenomena in Witch-Space? To the questions about the expeditions that found these settlements? Answers to the experience of isolation, restlessness and fear as they ventured deeper into space? The "Dynasty" project, an enigma of time, full of mystery and legend.
The carrier ship glides into orbit around the planet, and the scanners pick up the abandoned settlements, providing the first coordinates. High-resolution cameras provide the first images on my screen. It is unreal how these old structures float in the emptiness of space. The darkness of the rift surrounds us and I can't help but wonder what was going on here.
Surprise, we are not alone in the system. Commander Marvkus' "Sanctuary", a Drake-class carrier is also in orbit around Plaa Aec TT-B b41-3 B1. The carrier also has a notorious access, so it is better not to be unprepared in the system and thus live up to its name "Sanctuary". All services of the "Sanctuary" are limited to the bare essentials in order to reduce costs, which will certainly be detrimental to the mood of the crew of the "Sanctuary". Anyone who has to orbit alone in space around this naked rock for so long is in need of conversation and maybe a little more. I understand that and since I am responsible for the safety of my ship, I have instructed our security to keep an eye out.
Well, this means more guests from the "Sanctuary" and thus overtime for Liliana Bright-Hahn or Lili (as everyone calls her here) the bartender of our ship. A job for which you need a thick skin. You have to be able to listen and always have a kind word between whiskey and a deal. Stories of broken hearts cured at the bar with alcohol, shattered life dreams, great happiness, dreams and maybe a little information not contained in the logbooks of Hawkins Gap Gamma.
The logs also indicate that crews encountered the unexplained and disturbing, with some members experiencing what is known as Deep Space Dissociation Syndrome and others reporting encounters with unknown phenomena in Witch-Space. The disappearance of entire support ships and crews adds to the mystery and sense of dread.
Back on Earth in 2015, a team led by Julianne Holt-Lunstad from Brigham Young University in the USA took a close look at numerous studies published between 1980 and 2014. The psychologist and her colleagues discovered that loneliness was associated with a higher risk of dying prematurely. What might it have been like here, on Hawkin's Gap?
Witch-Space, unexplainable phenomena that can no longer be explained by ratiocination? "Moderate Copernicus, moderate...", I say quietly to myself. "Sir?" with a questioning face, the bridge officer stands before me. "Are you all right? I thought you said something.", she utters - almost apologetically. "I was just thinking," I smile at her. Pretty thing, barely 25 years young, intelligent, clever and on the fast track. I think the average age of the crew is 30. A good crew and a good ship.
Today the investigation starts and I hope we can decipher a piece of the puzzle. It is an exciting moment, but also a frightening one. This logbook will be witness to our journey into the unknown, and I hope we will understand more at the end than we did at the beginning.
Bonum iter sit - may the journey go well.
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End of Entry