Explroring the margins between Permit Locked sectors
23 Sep 2017Nightsta1ker
09/23/3303It's been a frustrating couple of days. For one, this region of space seems to have been thoroughly explored. There is something deeply disappointing when you jump further and further out and still see commanders names attached to the discovery of astronomical objects when you get your scan results. It makes me wonder... if the Pilot's Federation has the ability to send that information to your ship instantly and across vast distances, why then do we have to travel all the way back to a station and sell our discovery data to Universal Cartographics to get the credit for making the discovery? Some of the tech we use is well beyond my understanding... But I digress... It seems I was not alone in my thinking that perhaps something about the nature of these locked sectors could be gleaned by exploring the systems around these locked sectors. Discussions with a few other commanders have led me to believe it has something to do with Wreaken Construction, which is a shell company for Sirius Corp. I have found nothing so far, although I did spend over 3 hours scouring the surface of a lone landable planet that I was convinced held some sort of secret. It was the atmosphere of the place I think that got to me. Dark clay red surface with deep blue ice canyons filled with blue vapor. Beautiful. Mysterious. I kept expecting to find something around the next bend in the canyons. Turned out to be a waste of time. Of course, there very well COULD be something down there, but it would take me months to explore the entire surface. I simply don't have the drive to do that on a hunch alone.
I also made a mistake that cost me some damage to my hull and systems. It happens, but it's discouraging this early in what I planned to be a very long expedition. I came into orbit around a planet a little too hot. Need to be more careful. Slow and steady wins the race out here away from help. I have no intention of ending up another Degraded Emissions USS for another explorer to sift through.
As far as this galactic conspiracy goes, I am starting to feel more and more that others more competent and in touch with events have this investigation well enough in hand. Do I really need to be out here by myself sifting through the data that other commanders deemed unimportant? Is that icy body worth my time scanning? Just because some other commander maybe missed something when they explored this system? I don't know. But I am being drawn further and further away from the Pleiades.
Can't beat the view though... Barnard's loop looks magnificent from up here. And I am enjoying the extra 10 Ly of jump range I was able to get out of the Dulcinea, thanks to my good friend Felicity. Seemed she had a few extra tricks up her sleeve. Not a woman to underestimate, that one. I'm heading vaguely in the direction of the Seagull Nebula. Perhaps I will go check that out. No doubt that region has already been thoroughly explored, but I am sure I can find some valuable things in between if I take an indirect path.