Last Minute Change

On 14-01-3302 I departed from Planet A1 in the Pallaeni for the first leg of Distant Worlds.

I arrived in my Imperial Clipper some 26 hours beforehand and started chatting to other explorers, and it was during these conversations that I had a good hard look at my decision to take the Clipper. She certainly is a fine ship to fly, but there is another drawback I had not considered, complacency.

There is no question, I am a bold pilot at the controls of the Clipper, very bold. I have been flying in the Plaedes Nebula for the past few days with a full A specified combat loadout and she is an absolute dream to fly with the highest quality equipment fitted. Even with the lower class thrusters she is smooth, and this builds confidence, which is not something an Explorer should have with a 400 tonne vessel on worlds of more than 1g. 400 tonnes doesn't change direction as swiftly with lower class D rated thrusters, not at all.

After a short proving mission to Ariel and Hutton Orbital I departed from Pallaeni in Lucretia, my recently repainted and refurbished Anaconda. Taking to the skies alongside hundreds of other commanders I set course and headed out to the Fine Ring Sector for the first waypoint.

Some 300 light years in I noticed a problem, my hull was showing damage. I could recall no place where I took an impact, which means this needed investigating. There was nothing I could do but peel off from the main fleet and head back to a starport.

It turned out there were no problems with my vessel, and the indication of a problem was a computer glitch. However this needed to be confirmed by an external visual inspection of a starport so while I added 700ly onto my journey I did not need to, I am still glad I did.

Plus that starport was massive. The bar near pad 11 serves some of the best beer I have come across in the entire galaxy so far, and I have seen a few. When I retrieve the name of the place from my logs I will be sure to post it because I can assure you, it is phenominal.

Fortunatly I have plenty of beer onboard. And a few tonnes of Hutton Orbital Mugs in order to share it around. ForTheMug.

Half an hour after depeature number two, and I come up on the destination system, the first waypoint. My landing is fairly uneventful and there are a few commanders dotted around already. It is my understanding the brave Imperial Cutter pilot decided against continuing in such a stalwart vessel, it seems I am not the only Imperial pilot who had a change of heart.

CMDR Rikk Checking Back In

After returning from my last exploration voyage I took a break and spent a few months planetside. It was pleasant after an extended trip among the stars to refuel my own batteries and wait until I was drawn back out again. Having my ship brought down to the planet helped.

I have been in the the commanders chair a few times recently and the draw to the stars is growing again. So much so I have signed up to a mission with hundreds of other commanders to cross the entire galaxy, reaching the furthest know point from populate space, Beagle Point. This is a journey of some 80,000 light years or more just to get there, and the final few jumps require a ship range of 33 light years in order to reach the destination. Mighty as my Imperial Clipper is, she simply cannot jump that far even fully stripped down and running on fumes.

I chose, in my complete lack of infinite wisdom, to save up and purchase an Anaconda for the trip. Not wanting to risk the integrity of my Imperial Clipper I picked up a Python and loaded it out with cargo racks, granting me a full 284 tonnes of cargo capacity while retaining shields and weapons. Over the following few days I ran cargo all over the civilised bubble as I slowly watched my available funds rise. After I sold my Imperial Courier and also the fuel scoop from my Clipper, I had enough credits for a basic cargo equipped Anaconda and insurance. With a few more trade runs I could also fill the hold, taking trading to the next level.

The Anaconda, when kitted as an exploration vessel, can reach in excess of 37ly range. As I cruised between starports, making up to one million credits per stop, I dreamt of how the Anaconda would ease the long journey to Beagle Point. Compared to the Clipper I can get an extra 50% range per jump and nearly double the range per fuel tank, which is phenomenal.

After a while I stopped noticing the fact that the turn rate in supercruise is abysmal, and the view out the front is quite limited. Don't get me wrong, I love where the bridge is positioned on the Anaconda, but the hull obscures a huge amount of space in front. It didn't matter, 37 light years! I kept telling myself that.

Even after landing the Anaconda carefully on a planet I was confident in my choice, that was the ship to take. Despite my first landing on a higher gravity world being a little 'rough' I was undeterred. I could do this. Six plus months in this ship will be easy.

That is when it hit me. I was planning to take a ship that had lots of small things that irritate me a little bit on a journey of up to six months. Six Months. This ship would be my home and while very capable, she was no Imperial Clipper to live in.

I decided to take my Clipper for a trip out and remembered what it was like to really fly again. For a big ship she is nimble in supercruise and remarkably well mannered down on the surface too.

I made my decision. She may be lacking in range, but the Imperial Clipper is the perfect ship for me to spend so many months in.

Her name is Alice, and she is going to Beagle Point.

That First Docking Was Tricky

Not since I was a cadet flying a beat up old sidewinder have I followed a docking checklist. Two days ago I did exactly that.

I dropped out of supercruise some 9 kilometres from my first entry point back into the civilised world, Haldeman II Enterprise in HIP 101760. Being out in the black for so long, I forget how quickly I can close that gap, and how fast the station grows in my vision.

1. Shield engaged with full pips

2. Contact station and request docking permission

3. Slow down to under 100 m/s

Whut?! Blinked twice at this new entry in the docking procedures. Speed limits now? Anyway, I will quiz the station management another time. I lined up on the docking slot from approximately 3km out and slowed down.

4. Lower landing gear at 2km

6. Match station rotation

Right now 100m/s felt too fast. I've not been doing anything as accurate as docking for some time, gear down and throttle in the blue zone put me at a more agreeable 75 m/s as I passed through into the station. My pad straight ahead I did a final systems check and fired my landing thrusters.

Missing the centre of the pad by a fair margin. Twice.

On the third occasion I docked successfully. The journey is over.

I will leave one picture here

 I landed here as it is a high technology system that allowed me to refit my vessel for the final journey to Lembava where I sold my data. The journey is only 8 jumps, but reports suggested there would be heavy piracy in my destination system.

My Imperial Clipper can fight her way out of many a situation, but while loaded down with exploration data I decided I would use her party trick if interdicted. Nothing that can catch her can kill her.

As it happened there was no situation, and my second docking since arriving back in populated space saw me right on the centre first time in.

Eight hours later, I had sold all my data. My rank is now 'Pioneer'

My Imperial Clipper may look a little rough around the edges, but she is a fine exploration vessel and we shall be venturing out again in the not too distant future.

Commander Rikk, stocking up on coffee and ale.

Nearly Home!

I am now mere footstep from being home, in explorers terms at least. I am currently under 4000 light years from Sol.

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.

A Chance Encounter

The past few days I have been heading home.

Since leaving that rather stunning nebula I pointed my bows towards Achenar and have been burning in a straight line since then. I have hardly even stopped to marvel at the scenery I have been passing, such is my desire to be back home.

However I found that my journey took me on a route that intersected with a commander on his outward leg, so with a little detour we arranged to meet up and exchange stories. The system we stopped off at has a single solar body, a cool M class star.

Greetings, CMDR Engadine!

We closed to range gently, as neither of us have flown near another vessel for quite some time. Indeed I lowered my landing gear to ensure my boost function was disabled and my throttle less sensitive.

I did not want to risk getting any closer. While I fly with full shield and armaments I know this is not the norm for other explorers, where a scratch could be fatal. Especially with the ASP canopy right at the front.

Caution wins out. I did shuffle round for a sideways shot, very careful thruster use here!

It is normally my family empire family tradition to approach all strangers with my hardpoints deployed, as a sign of trust and power. However I am also part of the explorer family now, who I know will be somewhat nervous when meeting a combat vessel many thousands of light years from home. I keep with tradition, but instead I depart with my hardpoints deployed.

An absolute pleasure to met up with CMDR Engadine so far from our homes. May your voyages be safe and filled with exciting finds sir!

One more for the road. The eagle eyed among you will notice the paintwork, including the emblems. This man bears symbols which earned him as much respect as meeting me so far from home.

Commander Rikk, Signing off., 17,000 ly from home.

The Beautiful Nebula

It probably has a name, but I'm not going to ruin it's majesty by even mentioning some otherwordly number numbers and letters the map calls a name. This nebula was stunning. Beyond words.

Bet let us first rewind to my approach. I have been tracking G & F type stars on my approach to this nebula, as I once again climb well above the galactic plane. This was done purely in the vague hope of getting a photograph of a pretty world with the nebula as a backdrop.

Well my wish was granted, as high above the nebula (some 2000Ly above the galactic plane) I dropped across this stunning little earth like.

I love how this nebula seems to be a bowl for the earth like world in this shot, but I needed to get in closer for another look.

No bowl here, but mesmerising none the less. I can honestly say this is the first galactic object that caused an emergency drop because I was too busy marvelling at it's beauty. So i decided to head inside

Closer to being enveloped by beauty (or the beast?)

Inside it was like a maelstrom of hell's own fires. No light other than the deep red gases of the cloud, mystifying at best. Stopping off in this belt did nothing to ease the forboding mood.

It seems like no time at all before I was away from the clutches of this alluring nebula, and back on my route home. She drew me in with her malevolent beauty and threatened to imprison me with marvel and intrigue.

Fortunately I fly the hand crafted splendour that is the mighty Imperial Clipper so I have a higher tolerance for such things. My escape was swift and (if I may be so bolt) also rather stunning.

In my sights is another nebula. Typically also well above the galactic plane. This one, however, is different. She is purple. I know, what could possibly go wrong.

CMRD Rikk, Signing out.
(I need to get back to civilisation, I think deep space is out to get me)

The Journey Home

I am now ready to be back home.

I understand that things are afoot back in the empire and the powers we have known for years are being questioned. I have been following of Aisling Duval since well before she stepped out in defence of her father, but I am not yes sure I am ready to throw myself into war in my beloved empire just yet. I have a wanderlust that will never be satisfied.

Out here, it may seem like many systems are alike, but then out of the blue something beautiful is thrown in.

It wasn't in this particular ring, but I decided to set my vessel down on an asteroid yesterday. There was no real reasoning behind it, I have been in space so long now that the feeling of solid rock under my landing gear was welcome.

This will certainly class as one of the furthest landings from the empire!

I have also been fortunate enough to discover many more worlds which strongly resemble the earth of our ancestors. While travelling to the galactic ceiling I dropped across this one, as you can see from the photo we are well above the galaxy here (upside-down, I know...).

And as I now track the Sagittarius arm back towards out little corner of the galaxy I am dropping across more worlds. The earth likes are fascinating, but moreso are the Ammonia worlds which could easily hold 'other' life forms.

The even look menacing.

Onwards, my trek home takes me. The next sight to see is this rather pretty looking nebula about 1800ly away. It is very high above the galaxy, hopefully I can reach it.

My next entry will hopefully be from the edge, or even inside, this galactic beauty.

Rikk, signing off.