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.

90 Day Journey

So this is it. My outward leg is now officially ended. I have actually turned the nose back towards my home systems. I have now been out in the black for a total of 90 days, although I will admit there have been rest periods where I have not been actively piloting my ship.

My systems scanned has passed 3500 on this trip, and I estimate that I have cleared some 55k+ light years. My faithful Clipper is still performing flawlessly having taken just 5% hull damage so far, and all modules are running at 100%. Considering where I insist on taking her, and the close calls we have had, I'd say I'm doing pretty well.

Landing right between a pair of O class stars, well I must admit it was quite exciting. I had to repair a few modules following that encounter. I still have ample charges in my field maintenance units to take care of further mishaps.

And in close orbit around that third (B Class) star was this ringed beauty, there was only one thing to do.

I am currently 35,000 light years from Achenar. 11,000 light years from Sagittarius A*, flying across the base of the Sagittarius arm. This is my highway home, although I must admit the next arm out is calling me, maybe in a few thousand light years I will skip over.

Right now, the view from 1000Ly above the galactic plane is pretty damn breathtaking.

Disappointingly it looks like my automated cleaning systems have definitely packed up. I am sure my Clipper did not have so many smudges on the bridge as she does now.

I know...

Rikk, Signing Off.

External View while Jumping

I've been mulling over trying this for a few days, and decided what the hell, space cowboys don't act with caution.

So I boldly took the decision to enter hyperspace while having zero control of my ship and instead using the drone camera to record my progress.

The results, were jaw dropping. We just don't see all the eddies of space itself when it is happening around us, but a still shot, breathtaking.

I had the cams set to be more responsive, so don't have one of my super high resolution shots, but here is a higher res version if anyone wishes to use it for their computer desktop image.

Coming soon, a post about one of the nebula over the other side of the core.

Rikk, signing out.

Rings, Can't Keep Out of Them

Readers of these logs may have realised that I am somewhat a fan of ringed bodies, specifically going and playing in the asteroids. Not always a wise choice when I'm so far from home but an enjoyable one none the less.

And the views can be delightful at times.

Hot metal rich planets with metallic rings look particularly menacing

Cold metallic rings even more so

Finally, a Class III gas giant with a rather special backdrop. I have been heading roughly towards this nebula since I passed the little purple bubble some time ago. I like the contrast of green and red and am hoping to find something interesting inside that will make the most of those stunning colours.

I am now over 34k light years from Achenar. The supplies are holding out nicely, my hull is still at 95% with all critical systems at 100%.

I have started hearing things with witchspace. I think I should head back, there are rumblings of trouble across the galaxy.

Rikk, Signing Out.

Earth-Like Grail

It was another Commander who, some months ago, reported back findings of an Earth like world with rings. Even before I fell into the trap of exploration I knew I wanted to see one, maybe even find one for myself.

I was three thousand, one hundred and eighty six systems into my voyage when my usual check of the system map yielded something.

Having had a couple of false starts with ringed water worlds it was with a combination of trepidation and excitement that I closed in on this little world. Hardly daring look down to the left of my screen as the scan completed, the polite ding from the ships computer was accompanied by those three divine words.

Earth-Like World

I was already moving closer to get a good look and I won't lie I was slightly disheartened to see it was a narrow ring a long way out. Still a beauty none the less, and clearly visible through the ring is the gas giant which shares the orbit.

For me, however, the real fun lies down there in the dust and rocks. This is why I was hoping for a metallic or icy ring because they just look better. Still, it's a view not many will have seen.

I particularly like how I was able to get the Magellan cloud into the frame, offsets then galactic plane well. I stuck around this tropical world for a while just taking in the view, but I had to move on.

So I bid this world goodbye and headed out. to see what else the journey held.

Surprisingly enough, for me, it was more earth-like worlds! Just a quick shot as I enter hyperspace from the last of five further terrestrial worlds in only a couple of hundred light years. Also, I never realised just how pretty hyperspace is when you are transitioning from normal space.

So that's it from me today. I am currently plotting a course back to civilisation, and hope to be home within a month.

Rikk, Signing out.