Captain’s Log – Commander Tom Bacon
Stardate 3311.198 – System Graea Hypue ZV-U d3-301
I actually managed to land on a planet with
3.3 G gravity.
Graea Hypue ZV-U d3-301 A 2.
Of course, getting out of the ship was impossible — which explains why nobody has claimed first footfall yet, despite the planet being covered in braintrees and the system has long been discovered.
The reward came on A 3, where I somehow snagged a first footfall despite the system being otherwise well explored. Braintrees again — but at
2.2 G and surface temperatures over
300°C.
Even the smallest ridge becomes a wall in those conditions, and the SRV struggles to climb. A few times, I genuinely worried I wouldn’t make it back to the ship — but I managed to return my SRV with 82% hull integrity.
This system still has more to offer… though, truth be told, I already knew that.
I can read the codex entries and see the bookmarks just fine.
Alpha Settlement Ruins
There are Guardian ruins here, and several carriers in nearby systems.
That alone makes it surprising that I could still claim a first footfall.
I’ve always loved the mystery of the Guardians. I wasn’t sure whether to try scanning the ruins, as my Endeavour isn’t even fitted with point defence — and last time I almost got myself killed by guardian sentinel missiles.
But I decided to risk it anyway, ready to run at the first sign of trouble.
And I’m glad I did.
Another Shot
Exploring the ruins in broad daylight is an experience of its own. They are beautiful.
Haunting, even.
It’s humbling to stand among these ancient structures and realise how little we truly know.
My worries were unnecessary — there were no active sentinels.
I collected a fair amount of data scans but didn’t bother with urns, relics or totems. There’s no room for them, and honestly… no reason.
There’s something profoundly uplifting and yet deeply sad about these places. I’ve read countless theories about their downfall, their technology, their ties to the Thargoids — but none of it feels real when you’re standing here, dwarfed by alien monuments that have endured for millennia.
Shouldn’t we be throwing everything we have into understanding these mechanisms, these technologies?
Instead, we funnel billions into weapons and petty wars. How far could humanity have come by now if we’d been as obsessed with learning as we are with fighting?
And yet here we are, leaving the real work to a handful of engineers — and to one madman whose experiments basically provoked the Thargoids in the first place. The fool even calls himself Salvation. God, humans can be so stupid. Sometimes I wonder if the more we learn, the dumber we get.
An old pilot’s thoughts. Weightless, like the dust around me.
Darkness fell before I could take a good photo.
I’ll check another system in the area — most bookmarks here seem Guardian-related — and then I’ll move on.
Found some 19,5 Million Grass on Pyramoe FK-M b54-0 3 a
I find myself looking forward to home.
I’ve decided I will visit my parents’ grave. It’s time to let go of old anger.
Maybe I’ll even visit the house I grew up in.
Whether I want to see my sister… I haven’t decided.
Tom Bacon out.
Captain’s Log – Commander Tom Bacon
Stardate 3311.199 – en route to Rhea, currently in Droju DP-G C27-5
48 jumps to go.
Not much to report — just the familiar rhythm of jumping, scanning, moving on.
Undiscovered systems are becoming rare again. Yet, the memory of the Guardian ruins a few thousand light-years behind me still lingers.
Funny how the sky feels strangely empty here, even though the Inner Orion Spur already carries the sound of “home.”
Today I covered a lot of ground — almost 70 jumps so far.
Many systems were little more than one star, and several had already been discovered, which sped things up considerably.
I’m not tired yet, so I’ll keep going.
After all this, 48 jumps feel almost trivial.
What’s another 4,000 light-years, really?
Perspective changes quickly out here. Distances lose meaning, just like time.
Onwards.
Tom Bacon out.
