Black Hole Revisited
23 Jul 2018Silver Taffer
Y’know, it’s odd how personal viewpoints change over time. Back when I travelled so far to unlock Prof Palin I found the journey tedious in the extreme. Although I was proud of the final achievement, and awed by the sight of the black hole out in the Traikoa Sector, I felt sure that such travels were behind me.
If someone had told me that evening in Abraham Lincoln Starport, having cashed in my data and been payed off by a disgruntled Nicky Adams, that I would be visiting the Traikoa black hole as an aside from a far longer expedition, I would have recommended that he or she sought psychological help....urgently!
Yet here I was. Staring once again into the awesome spectacle in Traikoa FL-P e5-4. And there is something about such moments that time seems to just trickle by, you become lost in contemplation.
In the intervening months so much had changed for me! Not long after my return I had discovered a Wing called ‘The Silverbacks’ and joined up. I found myself drawn into their company more and more- making friends, joining in wing missions and/or mischief-making, helped to secure a base system. All in all, not the loner I have been since graduating Flight Academy, drifting aimlessly about space with no long term objectives. Now I had so many projects to get through there never seemed to be enough time!
I had hated mining, dreading the process needed to gain access to Selene Jean. But with help and advice from a fellow Silverback, and a joint expedition to one of his mining sites, I reached that goal in one single mission....and enjoyed it! We had a laugh and made credits.
I had hated Exploration- well to be truthful I hadn't hated it exactly, just didn't find it enjoyable. But now here I was rated Pioneer explorer, expeditions to Colonia and the Formadine Rift behind me, and on another trip, this time to explore The Conflux, once more in the company of wingmates (eventually), most surprisingly enjoying the peace and quiet outside the Bubble'
So while I awaited their arrival I decided to bumble around exploring a few systems. That's when I realised that Traikoa sector was relatively close to the chosen sally-port for our trip. Remembering how affected I had been by the spectacle I felt an urge to return and experience it again, this time on my own.
Now I hung before the Black Hole, next to the tourist beacon Nicky Adams had payed me so much to visit and scan, and the same peace, contemplation and awe at such grandeur gripped me. The reverie I slipped into taking me back over the last 11 months since I was here.
So many changes! All for the better! I felt well on the way to becoming a more complete pilot, still a-ways to go but getting there. All thanks to the companionship, help and advice from The Silverbacks.
I sat relaxed in my pilot's seat, on the bridge of my Anaconda, enjoying the extreme peace, reluctant to move and break the spell.
"This is your Captain speaking...... " ..... a burst of noise out of the static as an Orca cruise ship dropped suddenly out of supercruise a couple of klicks off my port bow. Although I couldn't see them at this distance I could sense all those passengers, faces pressed to the windows or gazing at the scanner screens. I felt a rush of irritation, almost anger, at their intrusion into MY space! I felt like the bubble had expanded to reclaim me against my will!
Feck-it, time to split....I set a target system at random and triggered the FSD.