Into the Abyss - Log #002: "Bacterium Blues and a Galaxy Away"
30 Nov 2024Alpha Panda
[Audio Log Start]Alpha Panda: Alright, Log number two, and let’s just say today’s been a bit of a mixed bag. It started with me waking up to a message from the Pilots Federation—always a great way to kick off the day, right? Except this one wasn’t your usual “Congrats on your latest discovery!” kind of thing. Nope. It was an update on the Thargoid Titan, Cocijo, barreling straight toward the Sol system.
Now, I’m 65,000 light-years from Sol, but let me tell you, it suddenly felt a whole lot closer. Part of me felt relieved I wasn’t there—being on the frontlines of that mess is no picnic—but I couldn’t shake the regret either. It’s hard not to think about the family I lost in the Sol attacks a few years back. Those memories hit hard. For a moment, I just sat there, staring at the message, letting it all sink in.
But hey, wallowing doesn’t get you anywhere, so I decided to distract myself the best way I know how—exploring. This system still had plenty left to check out, so I got back in the cockpit and set my sights on Moon F.
First up, an old friend: Amethyst Fonticulua Campestris. Picked up the samples in record time—smooth sailing there. Then, I stumbled upon a red Bacterium Vesicula. Much easier than last time, thank the stars. I was starting to feel like I was getting the hang of this exobiology thing. Spoiler alert: that didn’t last long.
Next, I headed over to Moon H, where I got my first win of the day—I was the first human to set foot on this rocky little world! But finding the first sample of Mulberry Bacterium Vesicula? Oh, boy. Talk about a challenge. Bacterium, it seems, has a preference for smooth surfaces, and this moon? Nothing but rocks and gravelly outcrops as far as the eye could see. After a lot of fruitless wandering, I finally gave in and hopped back into The Silver Doe.
Flying low over the moon’s surface, nose down, thrusters forward—it was some tricky flying, but let’s be honest, I’ve got the hours under my belt. Eventually, I found a smoother patch and snagged the second and third samples without too much hassle. Still, it was a grind.
I pressed on toward the black hole, jumping into the next system, where my AI co-pilot happily informed me that there were even more biological signals to investigate. Great. Just what I needed.
This time, I landed on a moon orbiting the third planet around the second star in System Ceekia YD-B c16-0. More Fonticulua, but this time in a lovely emerald shade. Those were easy enough to grab. But then, of course, the Bacterium made another appearance and really pushed my patience. I swear, bacterium is starting to feel like my personal nemesis out here.
By the end of it all, I was feeling… well, frustrated. Sure, I’m raking in credits, but let’s be honest—I don’t need the money. What I need is a sense of adventure, and right now, all I’m finding are things that have already been scanned or discovered in this sector. Where’s the thrill? Where’s the uncharted wonder?
I think it’s time to rest and regroup. I need to set myself some ground rules before I let this exobiology stuff drive me completely mad. For now, though, it’s time to shut it down and let The Silver Doe cool off. Panda out.
[Audio Log End]