How Bold Are You, Really?
18 Oct 2019Scubadog
I've been reading commanders' logs of late that talk in different tones of what's going on in the core systems. While talk about the Thargoids has died off considerably, now The Blight has everyone's attention. More than a few make a reference to getting away from the chaos or being somewhat removed from it. But are you, really?
Parking yourself on the outskirts of the bubble, say, 100-1000ly out isn't all that remote or isolated. No matter whether you're spreading out on the horizontal galactic or going "up" or "down". You're likely either homed at a base or station that has everything, has nearly everything, or you're only a jump or two from a station with everything. That's like a little kid running away from home only to end up plopping down on the street corner at the end of your block. Hell, even choosing to migrate out here to the Colonia Region we are feeling less "alone" as stations expand and services grow with that. Sure, it still has quite a bit of the "wild west" feel to it, but that's more or less due to the fact that none of the superpowers are out here making a mess of things and telling us how to do our business. There are definitely some rough and tumble experiences to be had here.
Try moving out here in Colonia, relying only on what you can get or do yourself. Or go to Sag-A and set up shop at the one lonely station, Explorer's Anchorage. That's bold. Or, even more impressive, set yourself up like the most experienced explorers, in a ship that is completely self-sufficient and go way out into the black. Into the most sparse parts of the galaxy. No station to quickly jump back to. Just you, your crew, a couple of AFMUs, an SRV and other supporting modules--maybe even a fighter just for fun. NOW you know that virtually none of the chaos in the core systems will bother you.
This is probably why I can truly appreciate what the Fuel Rats are able to do. They're serious about this. And now the Hull Seals. Can you honestly say you're all that bold or isolated when you aren't really cutting yourself off from everything save the occasional wave that floats across your radio? I had only been a pilot for a little over three months when I finally got my Diamondback Explorer, loaded up everything I owned--which is to say, pretty much nothing--and started my migration to Colonia. I didn't even know what I didn't know. Neutron Superhighway? What the hells is that? I had an AFMU, an SRV, a ship with a jump range barely in the 20's, and a general direction on how to get to Colonia. Nearly three months later, I limped into Jaques Station. Fast-forward three years later, and I'm returning from my first-ever trip to Beagle Point. With 18,000 lightyears to go, I make a stupid mistake while fueling at a Neutron Star resulting in a 40% decrease in my hull integrity plus a completely blown canopy. A clear head, a calm spirit, great preparation, and I was able to make it the 18,000ly journey back to Colonia with no canopy. It still baffles me why repair limpets can't rebuild my canopy.
You don't do that by living still tied to your mom's apron strings.