Wish i could of joined up with you guys but I've had to fly ahead as i wont be able to play till the 19th and i wanted to get to the great annilhator so i wasnt too far behind when i get back
The appearance of GNE waypoint 13 has changed since the GNE produced their landing guide. The site has been reported to be featureless pink now. If you're approaching the GNE Sagittarius A* waypoint, please ask for a wing beacon in either FleetComm (#galactic-nebula-expedition), EDEX (#galactic-nebula-expedition) or CCN (#c3e) discord servers.
Quemeou YE-A e0. It's an optional excursion to an optional waypoint, but I'd wanted to visit this system ever since I'd first heard of it, and this trip I had the time to be able to do that. Getting there is an adventure, as the system sits 2800 light years "up" from Sagittarius A*. Strix is a 50 LY Asp, and the only autopilot-plottable route would require me to make 3 full-range jumps through T Tauri systems before arriving in the Prime system, which is itself a T Tauri system. 6 full range jumps would leave Strix without enough fuel for meaningful exploration, so I took an alternate route that left me at a scoopable M class star 74 light years from Prime. Making the jump required a J2 boost, but it was the only one I needed to use getting there. Needless to say, with no ability to refuel in system, care is needed.
Arriving in the system and getting away from the primary treats you to a dramatic view of the galaxy spread out below you. I'd visited Altum Sagittarii itself, 800 light years "down" from here, during Distant Worlds, and the view was spectacular. The view from Prime is even better, and well worth the trip.
There's one landable world in the system, Quemeou YE-A e0 C 2 A. It's a quarter gravity iceball with a surface temperature of 53 degrees Kelvin, orbiting a brown dwarf T Tauri (which is really just adding insult to injury, in my opinion) 445,000 ls away from the jump in point. It's a long trip, but you've got that lovely view of the galaxy to keep you company.
The planet itself is a very alien place. A high albedo world, the ice reflects the glare of the core. Core blindness - a term I just coined - is a very real possibility.
Once down, the glare makes the surface seem to shine. Facing the core, everything washes out in a haze of bright light, while facing away the surface is still brightly lit while almost no stars shine in the sky.
Im slowly making my way there - think i have about 25 jumps to go. Probably wont make it there till tomorrow though as i dont think i'll be able to get on my PC today (and tomorrow may not happen if my new PC arrives).
Hey, fellow explorers. Yeah, and you greenhorn too over there, come over and huddle around my table here in the corner, I have a story to tell you.
A few days ago, just this weekend actually, I was trudging through the dense starfields between Blue Lilies Nebula and Amethyst Cloud, making eye-clawing slow progress. I'm lagging behind the main fleet on the C3E, more and more every day, very frustrating indeed; but the engine bay kept me busy, not much time to pilot my trusty Cobra "Caitlyn". Suddenly I dropped into a neutron star system and got the mad idea to use the energetic streams to power my jumps, knowingly straining the FSD in the process. The first dip through the ejecta stream was nerve-wracking and exhilarating! The next was better and the third jump was almost routine.
Then the forbidden thing happened: I fell asleep at the wheel. I can't explain how or why, I don't even know if it was true sleep or if it was some kind of amnesia; but I passed out. I know this much though: I had just charged the FSD and was well over 200Ls out from the neutron star (sixth in a row, I think) when I got the blackout. When I came to my senses, all hell had broken loose.
Red lights flashed, klaxon sounded and the ship groaned under massive gravitational waves; the scenery out the cockpit were a spinning maelstrom of purple-white whizzing particles! I was caught in the ejecta stream and had dropped out of supercruise! Poor Caitlyn announced the malfunction of module after module while I panicked tried to charge the FSD for a low-wake out of dangers way, but couldn't find the escape trajectory! When my cockpit blew out and my mask whipped over my face, I passed out again...
All was dark. No, it was white... I don't know. Time passed, but I don't know how much.
Suddenly I jerked up from my bunk bed, but was restrained by my sleeping bag. Somehow I had moved from the commanders chair to the sleeping quarters. Was it all a hellish dream, an explorers nightmare?
Red-eyed and weary, I dragged my feet out to the cockpit and sat down with a thump. Everything outside the cockpit was calm. The densely packed starry sky was shining indifferent down on my surprised grey face.
I checked my location. 21000Ls away from the neutron star I had refuelled at, the FSD was still supercharged. Odd.
I checked my ship status. All modules okay, in fact, all modules in mint condition, 100%! More odd.
Then I checked the engine bay, the place of all my prior worries and toil. Oh Sagittarius. There was a little scrap of paper stuck on the FSD with a piece of gum. With neat and curly letters it said "Have a nice trip and fly safe! Luna"
I almost fell, were it not for the zero-g environment, out of sheer surprise and astonishment.
So there I sat and stared at the note for a full day. Who put that there? Who is this "Luna"? Why did she/he fix up good ol' Caitlyn? I intend to find out.
(out-of-character: thank you FD/CMDR Luna [FS] for helping me back on track after a neutron star system connection drop and subsequent login into the ejecta stream of explorer death!)
I've pressed on to Amethyst Cloud, but I didn't find rest there. So I turned Caitlyn's nose upwards, right at Sagittarius Altum, and took off.
About halfway there a system caught my attention. Myriesly QD-P D13-3803, the third planets moon. Something tugged at my attention, lead me across the jagged surface of the small moon in a mad hunt for something I had no idea what was. And suddenly, I was there. A serene valley which gave me a sense of comfort and calm. I hereby name it "Luna's Hot Baths" in honour of my mysterious saving angel.
In addition, I will henceforth call my SRV "Luna" and always carry it with me in this very ship.
I don't suppose the expedition has room for a latecomer?
I found out about the expedition while surfing EDSM and decided to take it on, since I was already at Colonia and it seemed more fun than making a round trip to haul out another 8 tons of Galactic Travel Guides.
I set off on the 12th, and I'm currently at the Amethyst Nebula waypoint. I'm hoping to catch up at La Vie en Rose, but if I can't make that, I'll shoot for the Céimnithe Nebula.
Just returned to Colonia today, and thought I'd post a little note.
One: Thank you so much to Satsuma for organizing the C3E. I really enjoyed all of the astonishing sights at not only the route waypoints, but at so many other places in between.
Two: I've now officially caught the exploration bug. When DW 3303 gets organized, I'm *so* there. Meanwhile, I need to get this Asp engineered up to true explorer specs. So, it's back to the Bubble for me, at least temporarily. I opted not to go to Altum Sagittarii (or AS Prime) this time around because I didn't want to get stranded, but after I get this beautiful lady up to a better range, I'll certainly be going to those distant places and so many others.
Again, it was a pleasure. Hope to see many more of you on future expeditions! [up]
Just returned to Colonia today, and thought I'd post a little note.
One: Thank you so much to Satsuma for organizing the C3E. I really enjoyed all of the astonishing sights at not only the route waypoints, but at so many other places in between.
Two: I've now officially caught the exploration bug. When DW 3303 gets organized, I'm *so* there. Meanwhile, I need to get this Asp engineered up to true explorer specs. So, it's back to the Bubble for me, at least temporarily. I opted not to go to Altum Sagittarii (or AS Prime) this time around because I didn't want to get stranded, but after I get this beautiful lady up to a better range, I'll certainly be going to those distant places and so many others.
Again, it was a pleasure. Hope to see many more of you on future expeditions! [up]
It was my pleasure, AstroDavid, and I'm delighted that you enjoyed it. I'm looking forward to seeing you on DWE 3303. I'm an Asp pilot, myself. I think you'll really enjoy what an engineered FSD can do to the ship. There's honestly nothing else I'd want to explore in.
