The Distant Worlds expedition..
14 Dec 2015Myshka
So the last few weeks have just been readjusting to life in The Bubble, trading and taking on the odd mission or two. It is very strange to have the constant radio chatter in my ears again and seeing all these ships!One day I met this old fella in a starport somewhere near Lave. He'd said hello, and asked why I seemed to be so ill-at-ease among people. So I mentioned my recent outing to the Pleiades and how I was still finding my way back in society.
His eyes brightened at that - he was one of the Prospectors on the old Frontier, and had helped push the Bubble out by quite a few systems. So introducing himself as Erasmus, he invited me over to a table and ordered a couple of Leestian Evil Juices.
The evening wore on as he recounted many a story of his adventures back in the day, after all, there wasn't much that I could tell him that he hadn't already seen! And I picked up quite a few helpful hints for any future outings of my own.
In fact, talking to him made me yearn for the peace and solitude out beyond the Bubble. As I sighed he just looked at me and smiled kindly; he knew exactly what was going through my head! He winked, and said he might know of something which could be of interest to me.. if I wouldn't mind making an old man happy and joining him for breakfast the next day!
As I was in no rush I agreed. So early the next day I met up with Erasmus again over a proper fry up, with real bacon! (still a luxury for me), and asked me if I was really serious about going exploring. Not just faffing about near the Bubble, oh no, but a proper expedition. It would be dangerous. It would take a long time. There would be no guarantees of success, nor even, of return. But, it would go down in history. And I would also not be on my own.
I finally asked him to get to the point, and he harrumphed, muttered something about the impatience of youth and how it would be the death of them all into his beard, but then told me about the Distant Worlds expedition. It was to be the biggest organised expedition out of the Bubble in history, over 200 Pilots and ships were preparing to leave soon for Beagle Point, and further, if possible, at the far end of the Milky Way!
The leader of the expedition would be the famous Commander Kamzel, a pioneer who had undertaken the dangerous journey by himself last year. So we wouldn't be the first, perhaps, but this was to be a far more ambitious undertaking, for along the way we are to survey and explore strategic systems and worlds along the way.
With glowing eyes I thanked Erasmus. This was the chance of a lifetime! Wistfully he grinned at me, and I could see he'd love to be part of this as well, but when I offered to take him along, he just laughed and shrugged me off, no, this was an expedition for the young blood, he'd done his thing, thank you very much, and was quite happy retiring in the comfort of the settled worlds. I hope it didn't show, but secretly I was relieved.. sharing space with other humans is one thing, but cooped up in a ship? There'd be murder!
Now there was much to do.. contact Cmdr Kamzen, see whether the Courageous would be up for such a long trip, and what extra equipment I'd need for such a journey... I barely knew where to even start!