From taking the decision to head directly home, from only a few thousand light years along the Sagittarius Arm, travelling has been harsh. I have had more emergency stops from taking fuel onboard quickly in the past 10 days than my entire journey prior to this. But I have still seen some wonderful sights.
Multiple pretty and untouched Earth Like worlds
A few black holes. You can see here just how much of a battering my ship has taken on her maiden exploration voyage.
Ammonia worlds a plenty, and these made me very nervous. I always got the feeling I was being observed, yet there was nothing on sensors.
I will write separately about that time when I nearly ran into a planet while fuel scooping. Yes you read that right. For now, there are really two views that are important to the explorer.
Where we have been. I have for months been out in the black, and one thing that has been ever present on my journey is the galactic ring. It has been all around me. Strong in one direction, not so in the other, but ever present. As I left the Sagittarius Arm behind and skipped over to the Orion spur I took a moment to reflect.
The bright bit, that's the centre of the galaxy. I've been there. I've been beyond there.
And ahead
And then I look the other way, for the first time I can see one of our 'local' landmarks. Barnards Loop. This tells me I am very close to home, and also makes me think.
When I set out I was a tourist. A galactic photographer. Yet I have never really looked beyond the next star while bumbling around our little corner of the galaxy. I have never noticed Barnards Loop. Yet now I see it as a shining beacon lighting my way home.
I left as an tourist. I will return as an Explorer.
Commander Rikk, Signing Off.
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