Elite Dangerous: how it began
Foreword
My Name is Jim. I don’t remember my surname and names of all my ancestors but I was born in the mountains of Chemaku, a not so big agriculture economy planet about 90 light years from Sol – so much I remember. Please apologize my pronunciation and grammar errors, this language was one of many, many things that I had to learn again, from scratch, as all of us after the Black Hole Bomb.
This is the history of one of the biggest occasions ever happen in our galaxy which has changed – everything. I was a little part of it and survived so far – please do not judge me hard.
Chapter 1 : Big Bang
No one knows it exactly. All what we know are assumptions and conclusions from the rest of knowledge that we could save from scraps of radio wave conversations that some of us intercept on the rim of the galaxy in first days – that’s all.
We know that in the last decades until time point ZERO human race was in war with alien race named “thargoids” – and that it was not going well for them. So markedly not well that they secretly developed a giant weapon, called later “Black Hole Bomb” which should solve “human problem” in the radical way – and I must say, it almost did. We suppose that thargoids used a machine based on small black hole, prepared in some way and triggered it near to Sagittarius A* previously surrounded by activated hyperspace translators. It makes BOOM, and…
And no, it is not what you may think. Thargoids must have been a very old race, and may be far wiser than humans – they decided not to destroy mankind but make them forget about thargoids and their home world – so that all the hate and all the revenge will be over. That today we do not know where they are proves that it succeeded, at least partially. May be they planned to occupy our planets after that – we do not know because it makes BOOM, and…
And yes, the plan succeeded. Unfortunately for them in a direction that thargoids were not prepared for. Bomb has used the supermassive Sagittarius A* (that, well known, has gravity influence on the whole galaxy) as some kind of translator and amplifier – and send waves which not only wiped thargoids from human brains but partially all kind of memories – and undoubtedly hit thargoids themselves. The wave came over opened navigation beacons and was so strong that no one had a chance, even the most holographic databases were nearly completely destroyed by this.
Time point ZERO was reached.
Chapter 2: Chaos
The first that I remember: I was sitting in a stock still harvester and all holo-displays blinked red. What the hell? Who, the hell I am? What I’m doing here? And what, to hell is this “here”? Thousand questions - and no answers. Almost no answers, then to my biggest surprise I realized that I know what “harvester” is, I can start it and drive – but where should I go?
Now I know that that was common to almost all of us in that days – we kept some parts of technical and rudimentary skills, some social knowledge and knew almost nothing about the past. Imagine, I felt that I was a very good mechanic, I could disassemble and re-assemble harvester with closed eyes – but had no clue what should I do with them!
Much worse it was in the cities. All stand still, no one was knowing what to do. I remember that if I came to Chemaku-City starport (I was driving the Harvester on the interstate highway and no one was complaining about it! – it ends in the starport terminals) a lot of people were convened on the runway and someone was trying to organize this crowd. He asked over a megaphone for professions available here – I realized they want to start some of the Starships standing around – and oh wonder! I did know what a starship is – and an incredible desire to fly one of these overwhelmed me.
I informed him that I was a mechanic and can repair technical things – it was very valuable at this time where all sorts of things gone broken due to unqualified misusage – so he was happy to have me in the crew. Unfortunately we had only one pilot here – and it was him.
We faced big problems everywhere. Actually, the next weeks were consisted of big problems only, interrupted by very big problems. One of them was lack of knowledge in astronomy and interstellar navigation – then almost all written books (computer databases were also partially damaged or destroyed) for these topics were written in English, former universal interstellar language, and the few who could read it were not familiar with interstellar travelling.
After several weeks, as the life begun to show some signs of organization and some shine of hope was recognizable we were able to start the first supply ship to the Crampton Port, and it was time then the situation on orbital stations was catastrophic.
I was member of the first crew and we survived this flight only with a lot of luck – then no one was told us that we need docking request before entering and of course station defenses were still fully active! Only due to quick as flash reaction of our commander (God bless his name!) we were able to turn and left the station not being melted. This time I was able to learn some more unknown swearwords from him directed to the starport administration.
Chapter 3: Long way
After successfully docked at Crampton the life started to rotate with light speed. We had only few pilots and they also had to learn a lot of other things again, as all of us. I volunteer for pilot training and was taken with the greatest pleasure – then no one wanted this job at this time - as it was dangerous over all. One called us “Kamikatze” but no one understood this word, we preferred to be called “Elite” : “Extremely low live Time Expectation”.
All after all, they were right. I got my first Sidewinder after just a couple of short training sessions, this was not nearly enough. Back then we did not had any manuals – all must be done over Try & Try-to-not-die. I remember my first docking as it were yesterday. Where was this **g button for left holo-panel activation? Docking denied? Flight Control, are you crazy? I’m at full speed and coming in - NOW!
How many of us scratched the hull, demolished landing pads inside station and rammed each other? How many of us are exploded inside station because of unknown reason or being stuck in the letterbox? How many were destroyed by station defenses by accidently hitting “Fire” button?
Damn, as a mechanic I was mostly hanging around the docs in my free time helping others to repair their ships – or station equipment smashed by them.
Hardly I was able to leave the dock alone – I was asked to haul stuff, then others were still much more badly off than we are. In this time I first heard about what’s going on in the galaxy. Communication was still very unsafe, Transactions on the Digital Bulletin boards were narrow, unreadable and mostly completely empty – but nevertheless the picture started to be clearer.
There were at least there big fractions in the galaxy: “Federation”, “Empire” and “Alliance”, there is even an Emperor somewhere – but who cares for that stuff? Emperor, don't make me laugh! Who is it, is it a profession? But must be important somehow then Bulletin Boards have frequently informed about him, the good man must be very ill…
Because of this I came to conclusion that not all of humans lost their most memory. There must be others, I must find them! I decided to break out.
Please forgive me! I know, Chemaku, my home, you need me more then ever, but I must find out what happens – there was my destination, I felt so. By this time I have not heard about thargoids, but there was surely a galactic disaster going on – I was determined to face it.
For this journey I have chosen the Cobra – one of them I have repaired as a hobby and no one was knowing that this baby, optically in terrible condition, performed well. In the night (it was the time lights were partially dimmed) I installed lasers, left a short message for my buddies and left the station. All universe, shiny and cold looked at me and I looked back – both not knowing what to expect from each other…
Then my first hyperdrive jump… Oh dear. It was terrible, incredible and as I suddenly saw one foreign sun jumping right into my face… I’m not sure, the space suits are pretty good, they absorb all mess so after that nothing was wet but still … Frightening.
My Goal was to reach the Earth in the Sol system. Mother of mankind, they say, I was never there, or, may be, I was, but I do not remember this. There I will surely find my answers, where, if not on Earth are all the people who know what had happen.
This was a dangerous trip, I have told on stations that I was messenger with a very urgent confidential information - some of them helped me out but the most required some work to be done for fuel and food – I performed a lot of dangerous missions in dark areas. This way I learned that some of us decided not to be part of rebuilding mankind but to go easy way – and simply take all that stuff what was needed elsewhere. There were pirates. First interdicted I was thinking there is a malfunction of my hyperdrive but big was my astonishment as someone politely requested me to drop some of fish containers I was transporting this time. “Are you hungry?”- I asked him. “Well, not really, but still…” – was the answer. “In this case allow me to deny your request” – immediately after that he really shoot at me - first time in my life.
“Hold on, you son of a ” – was my thought – “I was flying without flight assist in asteroid belts as you were still not born – may be, I do not remember. But what I remember that I have taken lessons in FA-off flying from the glorious Commander Isinona himself as he was in Chemaku hunting someone, God bless the shields of his sidewinder…”. FA-off and boost, aim and fire. He was not a good fighter and the dance was not long. Urghh… I killed someone for the first time… may be, that is.
Chapter 4: Earth
Over short or long, I realized that there are not more than 1-2 jumps until the earth. I was nervous then I heard that Earth was secured with some sort of… access control or so, no one knows exactly but I was coming not with empty hands – my efforts to safe people from the hunger death by delivering fish to them were not for nothing, I became friendly with some stations and on one of them there was an old man who owned some black box he called “Beta access key”. No one knows if it was the right one but he gave me that device with words: “May Force be with you, my son”. What did this mean? One question more to thousand others…
This way, I placed this black box on my holo-panel and hit “Engage”. The black box blinked green and makes “Beep” – and then I heard “3..2..1..”. Oh, dear! I was sure that someone has forgotten to switch off Sol defenses and I will be de-molecularized the next moment but nope, I was still here ! Sol, SOOOOL !
After my excitement was fallen below the level of wild gesticulation and screaming with laughter, I calculated my way to the earth. Oh, yes, this journey has taught me a lot… Now I was able to calculate my way through galaxy without automatic route calculators for 1000 light years as it is usual today, in that time I first reached the Sol system most of the navigation beacons were dis-aligned by the thargoids wave coming through them and no route calculation was possible at all. That have been hard times…
But sorry, I digress.
I reached the “M. Gorbachev” station (b.t.w. later I learned that M. Gorbachev was also “elite”, but “sovjet elite”, that is) without problems. Sol system was surprisingly empty, probably not many people have found their way here, or, maybe, not many have found that black box… Many thanks old man, I will bring you some brandy from Lave you dreamed of if I can find it.
I decided not to make much noise because of my arrival but in these times there were still too few people visiting earth and the overall uncertainty still huge, so that my arrival was a rare event. I was invited to visit the villa of federal consul in new Africa and followed this invitation in belief that now I will get all answers I was asked for so long. Imagine what great disappointment I experienced as it was clear that consul did not know much and hoped to get the information from me!
Depressed we were sitting on the beach and adopted sunset with a glass of very rare Eranin Pearl whiskey as he mentioned something that I did not know until then. It was clear that all humans missed more or less of their memories but he asserted there was a group of humans who were not affected by the wave. They must know all about the universe and the history but they vanished right after they recognized this fact. Rumors are, they were explorers and far away, on the rim of the galaxy performed the exploration of a black hole which has protected them from thargoids wave. They call themselves “Frontiers”.
I was bursting with curiosity, again. Next day, with a big portion of hangover, I was sitting in my Cobra and created plans. I need a new ship. It was impossible to go far away offside of known humanity expansion sphere with my cobra which did not even had a fuel scope. And who gives me a new ship? No one – that was sure. Time point ZERO was still a couple of months away and the economy in the most solar systems was heavily broken but still no one will give me a starship of the “explorer” class for free. And then my murky view landed on the causer of it: Eranin Pearl Whiskey. I remembered the old man (the force may be with him) and his desire for brandy from Lave – the Idea was born.
Chapter 5: Galactic rare goods trade imperium
“Holly !” – I thought running down to the docs to sell the whole boodle away from my old Cobra. Discovery scanner – sell it, there is nothing to discover besides of profit where I go. Shields – away with them, I’m a good pilot and there are not many ships that I cannot go away if I want.
So about the lunch my cobra was empty like my head after a good night in a pub. I was able to transport 40 Tons of valuable goods and I started immediately. There was still no very good communication set up in the galaxy but from partially recovered interstellarnet I could pick up some information. As the first points on my route I set the two systems that I knew the best – Eranin and Lave, both well-known but I hoped that there are still not many who came to the same idea. Arrived at Eranin I identified that I was not the first at all. So many starships I have seen for the first time. It was great to see how mighty “type 6” followed by nifty “ASP” swarmed in the little letterbox – but it was also prove that my idea is working. There was no doubt what was in the cargo bays.
The profits were miraculous in that time. As economies were still in trouble trying to recover, the needs were still here and more – they were growing. People have paid lunacy prices for rare, valuable goods in believe that they will safe them in crisis times and manufacturers were happy to sell goods for low price because of big reserves they have collected during the crisis. In a couple of weeks I have made millions travelling around the galaxy, I updated my ship first to “Type 6” which no more appears to me “mighty”, followed by ASP exchanged by a Python.
One of the heart-warming moments was as I flew in my shiny new Python in Crampton Port in Chemaku, full loaded with rare goods of the galaxy. This was great to be able to help people who never saw Altair skin and never tasted Leestian Evil Juice, I established a route so that I was able to sell my goods here even if it was not as profitable as it were in other systems.
I have fully forgotten my intention to search for “Frontiers” but they have not forgotten us. More and more it became visible that someone hidden gains influence on trade routes, one by one they became unprofitable and availability in stock knew only one direction – down. In shorter than a week it was over, someone have taken control over the business. People were talking about Achenar’s mafia but I knew it better. Our hidden sheepherder were in game now.
Chapter 6: Frontiers
Over time I learned to recognize the little, subtle influences “Frontiers” used to manipulate mankind’s fate. They were partially very good, partially awkward (like the influence forced Faulcon DeLacy to use cheap, low quality Chemakuanian electronics caused that their pride, Python, was running on half-speed). But, the hell, they did something! They wanted this galaxy be a better place but were not inerrable gods, they were humans! Yes, they made errors but only one who does something can do something wrong. We, who are living here, in this galaxy, we, what would we say if we could speak to them? Give us that, save from this, take care… Every of us should do something for the good of us all – and then you will understand how thankless it will be.
It was remarkable how quickly the Frontiers became a legend. Not once, sitting in the station’s pubs I heard: “I swear by Frontiers glory…” or “Thank Frontiers, …”, and it was only question of time that a religion would be built around them. As I heard about “Frontiers church” for the first time, I decided to investigate deeper then all what has something to do with them interested me.
What I discovered was funny. Imagine, they already had a hierarchy! You could start as “Novice” and scale up to so called “Beta Backer” followed by promotion to “Alpha Backer”. On the top of the church were a few that were called “KS Backer”, no one but them knows what this KS stands for … Absurd, but they claimed that they can communicate with Frontiers themselves over so called “Forum”! Nuts! I wonder myself over and over again how quickly people invent gods only to not to be forced to do something on its own and make someone else responsible for own mistakes. Of course, it is comfortable, if something goes wrong - they are to blame for it.
I discovered that they resided on planet named “Backer” (of course, where they should be elsewhere ?), if I would have time someday, I will visit it.
Chapter 7: Founders
Now I was rich, I was free and was flying a death star Python (in that time even more powerful than now) so no one risks to interdict me. But I’m not a warrior (even if I can fly like one) and I was rich so I did not needed to trade excessively to pay my bills for fuel – and so I decided to check one world named “Founders world”. Why is it called so – no one knows but legends tell us that this was the home world of legendary “Constructors” which founded and created all intelligent life in our galaxy. Others believe that there is a heaven where all good pilot souls are going after death…
I was not naive and did not believed in ghosts – bit had a assumption that it can have something to do with “Frontiers”. Travelers said that this world is closed, guided by the powerful Pilot’s Federation and requires a permit. Time to check if the little black box “Beta access key” still has power… I was not confident, really, what has Sol in common with Founders World? but as I was here after a promenade of 90 LY the black box makes “Beep” as always and I was inside… I started thinking that the old man I met so long ago was really a wizard and the mysterious “Force” might be with me indeed.
What I discovered inside was… ordinary. No great buildings, no shiny richness… business as usual. Very suspect. I docked at the lonely starport (only one in the system) and as always went through local market. My sensible trader nature discovered immediately a difference. Prices for the equipment and ships are all lower than usual! Was I really dead and my soul found its way in the holly grounds of trader’s heaven? Normally prices are dictated by monopolists (controlled by “Frontiers”, I suppose) and are equal in the whole galaxy - but this? Have they overseen this one? Something was wrong and I immediately realized what it was as I bought a little sidewinder to give them a try – they wanted the regular price! This, my Ladies and Gentlemen I call “attempt to defraud” and I will not sleep until the Interstellar Traders Confederation (ITC) will be instructed. No sooner said than done, I sent a message to ITC and went to modules. There I discovered enormous possibilities! Oh, please forgive me, I was weak! What is a trader? Buy low, sell high…. And what if you can buy very low and sell very high? That was it, I could not believe my eyes. I recalculated this several times – all was right, if I do it consistently I will be able to fly everything I want and will be filthy stinking rich.
I was excited and forgot about my message to ITC, it was like drug. I bought a bunch of expensive modules and flew to Altair which had a very nice outfitting store and where I have had some acquaintances in black market scene still - from my former voyages for rare Altair skin. Then I repeated the trip, and again, and again…. until I was able to buy an Anaconda – the biggest ship ever, accessible to only very rich people and incredibly expensive in running costs…
Why I did this? I was already rich and have flown a ship that could without problems destroy every other ship, including the Anaconda… Then, why? Simply - because it was possible. I have enjoyed such profitable trading, it gave me fulfillment.
It lasted not long. My fully forgotten message to ITC was processed and a commission has travelled to Founders world to make a revision here. I was caught and was indicted for smuggling because of paragraph 167.42a of interstellar trade agreement of year 3001 forbidding black market handling of ship modules to prevent uncontrolled militarization of traders.
Fortunately, they have not forgotten that I was it who has sent the revealing message and so I could keep all earnings I had until the adventure and was sitting in my old good Python again. This history helped me to understand: if something looks too good to be true – it is too good to be true.
Chapter 8: Imperium
On this point I somehow had a bellyful of federation and decided to leave this galaxy sector for a while. On the one side I was curious who the emperor and his grace are, on the other side I heard much about Achenar and wanted to see it myself. Theoretically, it was easy. At this point interstellar navigation recovered enough to allow to schedule distances up to 100 LY without much effort. I remembered how long it had taken to reach Sol with “E” class hyper jump drive… Things definitely are going to be better and better.
Thus, filled 5 ton of rares from Founders world (just in case, it is rumored that corruption in empire is even greater than in federation – which is hard to believe, they have even rankings here) and checked out for tomorrow departure by authorities. As I still had time, I decided to go to “Three Admirals ” – a very famous location here, operated by a robot which, as people said, had even a own orbital station. I don’t remember his name, something remarkable…
Anyways, I was sitting here and enjoyed my second portion of brain killing juice as someone talked to me. I was astonished then I was relatively new here and still had no contacts. A slim woman, “- Ashley…” as she introduced himself, was sitting toward me. “I apologize very much, I have heard you are travelling to Achenar? -”
“- Where have you heard that?”
“- I’m travelling as a hitchhiker through the galaxy and was sitting in the office as I heard you saying ‘Achenar’ and I decided to try to ask you if you may take me with you? You know, passenger transporters still operate very irregularly after the Wave… ” – here she was right. Passenger transportation was terrible, one could sit at a station for weeks until suitable occasion occurs, so I agreed. I had anyway a second seat in my Python and she could be helpful if pirates would try to interdict us (in the last time they often united themselves in wings and even my Python could get problems). And anyway, she was pretty…
The next morning we started without further delays. As always I initialized a sequence of jumps and thought about how we manage to get inside (Achenar was a closed system also) as with my peripheral sight I noticed Ashley putting something in the slot of computer terminal. A quarter second later we emergency exited hyperspace and I forgot all around me. We were sitting in a small space in the middle of four stars, close to each other. The next second overheating alert reached my ears, followed by clouds of smoke and the sound of bursting windscreen. I looked at Ashley – “What…?” – but she saluted me with a strange smile and before I was passed out I saw her hand with three strange symbols on it. “It cannot be…” was my last thought.
Chapter 9: Slavery
A good thing about richness – you can afford a lot of expensive stuff you will never need. The other good thing – one of these can save your life if you are lucky. This was my case. Some weeks ago I bought a new pilot seats which had a function for emergency hyper jump to a pre-programmed star system. That is because I was at the authority office before leaving Founders world – to let reprogram my rescue system. I was not aware that I will need it so soon.
It was a very early experimental model, crazy expensive and with some drawbacks. It transported you to the system it is programmed for but let you in stasis (reduced your live activity to save oxygen) and just sends a signal. You appear to every other nearest ship as “Unknown signal source” but who is looking for that kind of signals? You had a 50/50 chance that this will be pirates or some other sort of adventurers.
As I regained consciousness again I discovered myself lying gagged with a half dozen others in a container. Pretty quick was clear what happened – I was collected by pirate and sold to a slave trader. This sort of business was highly forbidden and strongly punished overall in the galaxy – even in empire but there was still scum that makes profit of human lives. As I understood, we were brought to a mining outpost near to CD 51-102 to mine gold. All the long way there I was thinking about the three symbols on Ashley’s hand. I recognized them. It was a sign of a triple elite pilot – apart from that was a myth. No one had ever heard of them existing, not to mention meeting one. It was a myth – but for the fact that she has destroyed my ship – a very real one. Why? Oh, dear… if I only knew this. May be I was close to discover something? Someone did not want that I reach Achenar – that was clear. Hmm - they failed in this and I was in empire and not far away from my destination! Very good, they must be thinking I was dead – if I ever escape I will change my commander name – this will let me free room for maneuver.
But first I have put all my energy to survive. We were used for mining in old, rusty haulers and not once only my good mechanic skills saved me from suffocation, being exploded, imploded or cocked alive. We have used primeval techniques – shoot at an asteroid and catch pieces spreads from them – it was monotone and frustrating work which however forced all concentration – then we had no shields and if such a stone hits your already almost fragmented windshield – good night, we did not had any rescue suits. Only one Cobra has controlled us – more than enough then we get exactly as low fuel as was needed for a working day – we could not go elsewhere, let alone possibility of hyper jump.
From time to time we heard hews from outside – the emperor was sick more than ever and everyone smelled a coming big war. My masters were very pleased by this fact then prices for resources will climb if war starts – as always.
I realized – it was time to escape if I want to see the emperor – and some strange feeling told me that this was important. My only chance was this one Cobra that supervised us. If I only could put my hands on it… I reassembled such a baby in Chemaku and knew all their weak points. I get my chance as my mechanic skills were spoken around. One day I was ordered to repair jammed landing gear and by this made a little change to the shield controlling system so that it will show full shields while they were off in fact.
As next day we arrived at mining site again I reported a drive failure that could be repaired only in the docs. As a new designated field mechanics I had now a space suit on my ship to be able to perform quick repairs on the others. As the cobra, as it was usual, connected the rope to my tail to tow me away, I opened the lock and as quick as I could flew to the other ship. Nothing was easier as to open the lock of a cargo scope – and I was inside. I overwhelmed fully unsuspecting pilot, cutting the rope and engaged the hyper drive to the nearest system – I was finally free!
As my happiness downturn a little bit I have realized that my situation was not really easy. In a stolen ship, with no access to my money in the bank and no possibility to claim insurance for my Python (as I wanted to stay “dead” for the moment) it was a problem to go to Achenar, a high security system. Besides of this I lost my “Beta access key” – black box. Of course in the mean time I made a copy of this but it was in Chemaku… I needed money to go there.
The only way to make money in my situation was to haul stuff or smuggle. In the first best pirate outpost I let manipulate my transponder to not appear to be stolen and started the grind.
Chapter 10: Pure luxury
During one of lonely missions, hauling Titanium I came across a huge system named, if I remember it right, “Tenche” and noticed a strange activity near to one of the stations. There were hundreds of ships, apparently doing nothing than exit the station and enter it again.
Let’s check, I thought, must be a reason doing this. As I came near to the station I recognized that there were some big ships that caused this excitement. I opened a communication channel to one of them :
“- Hey folks, someone need Titanium here? Cheap…”
“- Greetings, no, unfortunately no Titanium needed here”
“-What are you looking for then? All these ships around …”
“- In behalf of one baron we buy performance enhancers. Have you some?”
“- No, but you need quite a number of them. Lucky baroness…”
“- No, no, (laugh). She has no idea. He needs it for other purposes and this very confidential. Thus we are hanging around here and cannot buy them in the station directly. You can bring some to us also, we pay well…”
“- If the baron needs it for emperor parties then I understand why Hengist is so ill … In his years… but count me in. ‘Hard’ times today
”
“ ‘Hard’-ly ! (laugh) ”
Talking this way I went to the nearest station, sold my Titanium, loaded enhancers and switched my brain off. All dedicated traders have mastered this – a sort of meditation where you complete the same sequence “Undock – fly – sell – fly – Dock – buy” over and over again.
It was very lucrative. After a short time I had a new ship and money enough in the bank on my (new) name. But as all such adventures it cannot be forever. One day instead of friendly giants taking my goods I met very unfriendly authorities in a checkpoint in the same place. “Stop, we must scat you. Military operation is ongoing here, please leave this sector soon!”.
Good, I had enough now, in any meaning. All galaxy was In front of me and it was time to clarify some questions. What do Frontiers want? Why is Achenar so important?
Mankind was slowly restoring, there and there new star ports were build and humanity was in discovering all this, what was forgotten. Some days, I was sure, we will meet thargoids again. We should be prepared then. And I will find you, Ashley…
Foreword
My Name is Jim. I don’t remember my surname and names of all my ancestors but I was born in the mountains of Chemaku, a not so big agriculture economy planet about 90 light years from Sol – so much I remember. Please apologize my pronunciation and grammar errors, this language was one of many, many things that I had to learn again, from scratch, as all of us after the Black Hole Bomb.
This is the history of one of the biggest occasions ever happen in our galaxy which has changed – everything. I was a little part of it and survived so far – please do not judge me hard.
Chapter 1 : Big Bang
No one knows it exactly. All what we know are assumptions and conclusions from the rest of knowledge that we could save from scraps of radio wave conversations that some of us intercept on the rim of the galaxy in first days – that’s all.
We know that in the last decades until time point ZERO human race was in war with alien race named “thargoids” – and that it was not going well for them. So markedly not well that they secretly developed a giant weapon, called later “Black Hole Bomb” which should solve “human problem” in the radical way – and I must say, it almost did. We suppose that thargoids used a machine based on small black hole, prepared in some way and triggered it near to Sagittarius A* previously surrounded by activated hyperspace translators. It makes BOOM, and…
And no, it is not what you may think. Thargoids must have been a very old race, and may be far wiser than humans – they decided not to destroy mankind but make them forget about thargoids and their home world – so that all the hate and all the revenge will be over. That today we do not know where they are proves that it succeeded, at least partially. May be they planned to occupy our planets after that – we do not know because it makes BOOM, and…
And yes, the plan succeeded. Unfortunately for them in a direction that thargoids were not prepared for. Bomb has used the supermassive Sagittarius A* (that, well known, has gravity influence on the whole galaxy) as some kind of translator and amplifier – and send waves which not only wiped thargoids from human brains but partially all kind of memories – and undoubtedly hit thargoids themselves. The wave came over opened navigation beacons and was so strong that no one had a chance, even the most holographic databases were nearly completely destroyed by this.
Time point ZERO was reached.
Chapter 2: Chaos
The first that I remember: I was sitting in a stock still harvester and all holo-displays blinked red. What the hell? Who, the hell I am? What I’m doing here? And what, to hell is this “here”? Thousand questions - and no answers. Almost no answers, then to my biggest surprise I realized that I know what “harvester” is, I can start it and drive – but where should I go?
Now I know that that was common to almost all of us in that days – we kept some parts of technical and rudimentary skills, some social knowledge and knew almost nothing about the past. Imagine, I felt that I was a very good mechanic, I could disassemble and re-assemble harvester with closed eyes – but had no clue what should I do with them!
Much worse it was in the cities. All stand still, no one was knowing what to do. I remember that if I came to Chemaku-City starport (I was driving the Harvester on the interstate highway and no one was complaining about it! – it ends in the starport terminals) a lot of people were convened on the runway and someone was trying to organize this crowd. He asked over a megaphone for professions available here – I realized they want to start some of the Starships standing around – and oh wonder! I did know what a starship is – and an incredible desire to fly one of these overwhelmed me.
I informed him that I was a mechanic and can repair technical things – it was very valuable at this time where all sorts of things gone broken due to unqualified misusage – so he was happy to have me in the crew. Unfortunately we had only one pilot here – and it was him.
We faced big problems everywhere. Actually, the next weeks were consisted of big problems only, interrupted by very big problems. One of them was lack of knowledge in astronomy and interstellar navigation – then almost all written books (computer databases were also partially damaged or destroyed) for these topics were written in English, former universal interstellar language, and the few who could read it were not familiar with interstellar travelling.
After several weeks, as the life begun to show some signs of organization and some shine of hope was recognizable we were able to start the first supply ship to the Crampton Port, and it was time then the situation on orbital stations was catastrophic.
I was member of the first crew and we survived this flight only with a lot of luck – then no one was told us that we need docking request before entering and of course station defenses were still fully active! Only due to quick as flash reaction of our commander (God bless his name!) we were able to turn and left the station not being melted. This time I was able to learn some more unknown swearwords from him directed to the starport administration.
Chapter 3: Long way
After successfully docked at Crampton the life started to rotate with light speed. We had only few pilots and they also had to learn a lot of other things again, as all of us. I volunteer for pilot training and was taken with the greatest pleasure – then no one wanted this job at this time - as it was dangerous over all. One called us “Kamikatze” but no one understood this word, we preferred to be called “Elite” : “Extremely low live Time Expectation”.
All after all, they were right. I got my first Sidewinder after just a couple of short training sessions, this was not nearly enough. Back then we did not had any manuals – all must be done over Try & Try-to-not-die. I remember my first docking as it were yesterday. Where was this **g button for left holo-panel activation? Docking denied? Flight Control, are you crazy? I’m at full speed and coming in - NOW!
How many of us scratched the hull, demolished landing pads inside station and rammed each other? How many of us are exploded inside station because of unknown reason or being stuck in the letterbox? How many were destroyed by station defenses by accidently hitting “Fire” button?
Damn, as a mechanic I was mostly hanging around the docs in my free time helping others to repair their ships – or station equipment smashed by them.
Hardly I was able to leave the dock alone – I was asked to haul stuff, then others were still much more badly off than we are. In this time I first heard about what’s going on in the galaxy. Communication was still very unsafe, Transactions on the Digital Bulletin boards were narrow, unreadable and mostly completely empty – but nevertheless the picture started to be clearer.
There were at least there big fractions in the galaxy: “Federation”, “Empire” and “Alliance”, there is even an Emperor somewhere – but who cares for that stuff? Emperor, don't make me laugh! Who is it, is it a profession? But must be important somehow then Bulletin Boards have frequently informed about him, the good man must be very ill…
Because of this I came to conclusion that not all of humans lost their most memory. There must be others, I must find them! I decided to break out.
Please forgive me! I know, Chemaku, my home, you need me more then ever, but I must find out what happens – there was my destination, I felt so. By this time I have not heard about thargoids, but there was surely a galactic disaster going on – I was determined to face it.
For this journey I have chosen the Cobra – one of them I have repaired as a hobby and no one was knowing that this baby, optically in terrible condition, performed well. In the night (it was the time lights were partially dimmed) I installed lasers, left a short message for my buddies and left the station. All universe, shiny and cold looked at me and I looked back – both not knowing what to expect from each other…
Then my first hyperdrive jump… Oh dear. It was terrible, incredible and as I suddenly saw one foreign sun jumping right into my face… I’m not sure, the space suits are pretty good, they absorb all mess so after that nothing was wet but still … Frightening.
My Goal was to reach the Earth in the Sol system. Mother of mankind, they say, I was never there, or, may be, I was, but I do not remember this. There I will surely find my answers, where, if not on Earth are all the people who know what had happen.
This was a dangerous trip, I have told on stations that I was messenger with a very urgent confidential information - some of them helped me out but the most required some work to be done for fuel and food – I performed a lot of dangerous missions in dark areas. This way I learned that some of us decided not to be part of rebuilding mankind but to go easy way – and simply take all that stuff what was needed elsewhere. There were pirates. First interdicted I was thinking there is a malfunction of my hyperdrive but big was my astonishment as someone politely requested me to drop some of fish containers I was transporting this time. “Are you hungry?”- I asked him. “Well, not really, but still…” – was the answer. “In this case allow me to deny your request” – immediately after that he really shoot at me - first time in my life.
“Hold on, you son of a ” – was my thought – “I was flying without flight assist in asteroid belts as you were still not born – may be, I do not remember. But what I remember that I have taken lessons in FA-off flying from the glorious Commander Isinona himself as he was in Chemaku hunting someone, God bless the shields of his sidewinder…”. FA-off and boost, aim and fire. He was not a good fighter and the dance was not long. Urghh… I killed someone for the first time… may be, that is.
Chapter 4: Earth
Over short or long, I realized that there are not more than 1-2 jumps until the earth. I was nervous then I heard that Earth was secured with some sort of… access control or so, no one knows exactly but I was coming not with empty hands – my efforts to safe people from the hunger death by delivering fish to them were not for nothing, I became friendly with some stations and on one of them there was an old man who owned some black box he called “Beta access key”. No one knows if it was the right one but he gave me that device with words: “May Force be with you, my son”. What did this mean? One question more to thousand others…
This way, I placed this black box on my holo-panel and hit “Engage”. The black box blinked green and makes “Beep” – and then I heard “3..2..1..”. Oh, dear! I was sure that someone has forgotten to switch off Sol defenses and I will be de-molecularized the next moment but nope, I was still here ! Sol, SOOOOL !
After my excitement was fallen below the level of wild gesticulation and screaming with laughter, I calculated my way to the earth. Oh, yes, this journey has taught me a lot… Now I was able to calculate my way through galaxy without automatic route calculators for 1000 light years as it is usual today, in that time I first reached the Sol system most of the navigation beacons were dis-aligned by the thargoids wave coming through them and no route calculation was possible at all. That have been hard times…
But sorry, I digress.
I reached the “M. Gorbachev” station (b.t.w. later I learned that M. Gorbachev was also “elite”, but “sovjet elite”, that is) without problems. Sol system was surprisingly empty, probably not many people have found their way here, or, maybe, not many have found that black box… Many thanks old man, I will bring you some brandy from Lave you dreamed of if I can find it.
I decided not to make much noise because of my arrival but in these times there were still too few people visiting earth and the overall uncertainty still huge, so that my arrival was a rare event. I was invited to visit the villa of federal consul in new Africa and followed this invitation in belief that now I will get all answers I was asked for so long. Imagine what great disappointment I experienced as it was clear that consul did not know much and hoped to get the information from me!
Depressed we were sitting on the beach and adopted sunset with a glass of very rare Eranin Pearl whiskey as he mentioned something that I did not know until then. It was clear that all humans missed more or less of their memories but he asserted there was a group of humans who were not affected by the wave. They must know all about the universe and the history but they vanished right after they recognized this fact. Rumors are, they were explorers and far away, on the rim of the galaxy performed the exploration of a black hole which has protected them from thargoids wave. They call themselves “Frontiers”.
I was bursting with curiosity, again. Next day, with a big portion of hangover, I was sitting in my Cobra and created plans. I need a new ship. It was impossible to go far away offside of known humanity expansion sphere with my cobra which did not even had a fuel scope. And who gives me a new ship? No one – that was sure. Time point ZERO was still a couple of months away and the economy in the most solar systems was heavily broken but still no one will give me a starship of the “explorer” class for free. And then my murky view landed on the causer of it: Eranin Pearl Whiskey. I remembered the old man (the force may be with him) and his desire for brandy from Lave – the Idea was born.
Chapter 5: Galactic rare goods trade imperium
“Holly !” – I thought running down to the docs to sell the whole boodle away from my old Cobra. Discovery scanner – sell it, there is nothing to discover besides of profit where I go. Shields – away with them, I’m a good pilot and there are not many ships that I cannot go away if I want.
So about the lunch my cobra was empty like my head after a good night in a pub. I was able to transport 40 Tons of valuable goods and I started immediately. There was still no very good communication set up in the galaxy but from partially recovered interstellarnet I could pick up some information. As the first points on my route I set the two systems that I knew the best – Eranin and Lave, both well-known but I hoped that there are still not many who came to the same idea. Arrived at Eranin I identified that I was not the first at all. So many starships I have seen for the first time. It was great to see how mighty “type 6” followed by nifty “ASP” swarmed in the little letterbox – but it was also prove that my idea is working. There was no doubt what was in the cargo bays.
The profits were miraculous in that time. As economies were still in trouble trying to recover, the needs were still here and more – they were growing. People have paid lunacy prices for rare, valuable goods in believe that they will safe them in crisis times and manufacturers were happy to sell goods for low price because of big reserves they have collected during the crisis. In a couple of weeks I have made millions travelling around the galaxy, I updated my ship first to “Type 6” which no more appears to me “mighty”, followed by ASP exchanged by a Python.
One of the heart-warming moments was as I flew in my shiny new Python in Crampton Port in Chemaku, full loaded with rare goods of the galaxy. This was great to be able to help people who never saw Altair skin and never tasted Leestian Evil Juice, I established a route so that I was able to sell my goods here even if it was not as profitable as it were in other systems.
I have fully forgotten my intention to search for “Frontiers” but they have not forgotten us. More and more it became visible that someone hidden gains influence on trade routes, one by one they became unprofitable and availability in stock knew only one direction – down. In shorter than a week it was over, someone have taken control over the business. People were talking about Achenar’s mafia but I knew it better. Our hidden sheepherder were in game now.
Chapter 6: Frontiers
Over time I learned to recognize the little, subtle influences “Frontiers” used to manipulate mankind’s fate. They were partially very good, partially awkward (like the influence forced Faulcon DeLacy to use cheap, low quality Chemakuanian electronics caused that their pride, Python, was running on half-speed). But, the hell, they did something! They wanted this galaxy be a better place but were not inerrable gods, they were humans! Yes, they made errors but only one who does something can do something wrong. We, who are living here, in this galaxy, we, what would we say if we could speak to them? Give us that, save from this, take care… Every of us should do something for the good of us all – and then you will understand how thankless it will be.
It was remarkable how quickly the Frontiers became a legend. Not once, sitting in the station’s pubs I heard: “I swear by Frontiers glory…” or “Thank Frontiers, …”, and it was only question of time that a religion would be built around them. As I heard about “Frontiers church” for the first time, I decided to investigate deeper then all what has something to do with them interested me.
What I discovered was funny. Imagine, they already had a hierarchy! You could start as “Novice” and scale up to so called “Beta Backer” followed by promotion to “Alpha Backer”. On the top of the church were a few that were called “KS Backer”, no one but them knows what this KS stands for … Absurd, but they claimed that they can communicate with Frontiers themselves over so called “Forum”! Nuts! I wonder myself over and over again how quickly people invent gods only to not to be forced to do something on its own and make someone else responsible for own mistakes. Of course, it is comfortable, if something goes wrong - they are to blame for it.
I discovered that they resided on planet named “Backer” (of course, where they should be elsewhere ?), if I would have time someday, I will visit it.
Chapter 7: Founders
Now I was rich, I was free and was flying a death star Python (in that time even more powerful than now) so no one risks to interdict me. But I’m not a warrior (even if I can fly like one) and I was rich so I did not needed to trade excessively to pay my bills for fuel – and so I decided to check one world named “Founders world”. Why is it called so – no one knows but legends tell us that this was the home world of legendary “Constructors” which founded and created all intelligent life in our galaxy. Others believe that there is a heaven where all good pilot souls are going after death…
I was not naive and did not believed in ghosts – bit had a assumption that it can have something to do with “Frontiers”. Travelers said that this world is closed, guided by the powerful Pilot’s Federation and requires a permit. Time to check if the little black box “Beta access key” still has power… I was not confident, really, what has Sol in common with Founders World? but as I was here after a promenade of 90 LY the black box makes “Beep” as always and I was inside… I started thinking that the old man I met so long ago was really a wizard and the mysterious “Force” might be with me indeed.
What I discovered inside was… ordinary. No great buildings, no shiny richness… business as usual. Very suspect. I docked at the lonely starport (only one in the system) and as always went through local market. My sensible trader nature discovered immediately a difference. Prices for the equipment and ships are all lower than usual! Was I really dead and my soul found its way in the holly grounds of trader’s heaven? Normally prices are dictated by monopolists (controlled by “Frontiers”, I suppose) and are equal in the whole galaxy - but this? Have they overseen this one? Something was wrong and I immediately realized what it was as I bought a little sidewinder to give them a try – they wanted the regular price! This, my Ladies and Gentlemen I call “attempt to defraud” and I will not sleep until the Interstellar Traders Confederation (ITC) will be instructed. No sooner said than done, I sent a message to ITC and went to modules. There I discovered enormous possibilities! Oh, please forgive me, I was weak! What is a trader? Buy low, sell high…. And what if you can buy very low and sell very high? That was it, I could not believe my eyes. I recalculated this several times – all was right, if I do it consistently I will be able to fly everything I want and will be filthy stinking rich.
I was excited and forgot about my message to ITC, it was like drug. I bought a bunch of expensive modules and flew to Altair which had a very nice outfitting store and where I have had some acquaintances in black market scene still - from my former voyages for rare Altair skin. Then I repeated the trip, and again, and again…. until I was able to buy an Anaconda – the biggest ship ever, accessible to only very rich people and incredibly expensive in running costs…
Why I did this? I was already rich and have flown a ship that could without problems destroy every other ship, including the Anaconda… Then, why? Simply - because it was possible. I have enjoyed such profitable trading, it gave me fulfillment.
It lasted not long. My fully forgotten message to ITC was processed and a commission has travelled to Founders world to make a revision here. I was caught and was indicted for smuggling because of paragraph 167.42a of interstellar trade agreement of year 3001 forbidding black market handling of ship modules to prevent uncontrolled militarization of traders.
Fortunately, they have not forgotten that I was it who has sent the revealing message and so I could keep all earnings I had until the adventure and was sitting in my old good Python again. This history helped me to understand: if something looks too good to be true – it is too good to be true.
Chapter 8: Imperium
On this point I somehow had a bellyful of federation and decided to leave this galaxy sector for a while. On the one side I was curious who the emperor and his grace are, on the other side I heard much about Achenar and wanted to see it myself. Theoretically, it was easy. At this point interstellar navigation recovered enough to allow to schedule distances up to 100 LY without much effort. I remembered how long it had taken to reach Sol with “E” class hyper jump drive… Things definitely are going to be better and better.
Thus, filled 5 ton of rares from Founders world (just in case, it is rumored that corruption in empire is even greater than in federation – which is hard to believe, they have even rankings here) and checked out for tomorrow departure by authorities. As I still had time, I decided to go to “Three Admirals ” – a very famous location here, operated by a robot which, as people said, had even a own orbital station. I don’t remember his name, something remarkable…
Anyways, I was sitting here and enjoyed my second portion of brain killing juice as someone talked to me. I was astonished then I was relatively new here and still had no contacts. A slim woman, “- Ashley…” as she introduced himself, was sitting toward me. “I apologize very much, I have heard you are travelling to Achenar? -”
“- Where have you heard that?”
“- I’m travelling as a hitchhiker through the galaxy and was sitting in the office as I heard you saying ‘Achenar’ and I decided to try to ask you if you may take me with you? You know, passenger transporters still operate very irregularly after the Wave… ” – here she was right. Passenger transportation was terrible, one could sit at a station for weeks until suitable occasion occurs, so I agreed. I had anyway a second seat in my Python and she could be helpful if pirates would try to interdict us (in the last time they often united themselves in wings and even my Python could get problems). And anyway, she was pretty…
The next morning we started without further delays. As always I initialized a sequence of jumps and thought about how we manage to get inside (Achenar was a closed system also) as with my peripheral sight I noticed Ashley putting something in the slot of computer terminal. A quarter second later we emergency exited hyperspace and I forgot all around me. We were sitting in a small space in the middle of four stars, close to each other. The next second overheating alert reached my ears, followed by clouds of smoke and the sound of bursting windscreen. I looked at Ashley – “What…?” – but she saluted me with a strange smile and before I was passed out I saw her hand with three strange symbols on it. “It cannot be…” was my last thought.
Chapter 9: Slavery
A good thing about richness – you can afford a lot of expensive stuff you will never need. The other good thing – one of these can save your life if you are lucky. This was my case. Some weeks ago I bought a new pilot seats which had a function for emergency hyper jump to a pre-programmed star system. That is because I was at the authority office before leaving Founders world – to let reprogram my rescue system. I was not aware that I will need it so soon.
It was a very early experimental model, crazy expensive and with some drawbacks. It transported you to the system it is programmed for but let you in stasis (reduced your live activity to save oxygen) and just sends a signal. You appear to every other nearest ship as “Unknown signal source” but who is looking for that kind of signals? You had a 50/50 chance that this will be pirates or some other sort of adventurers.
As I regained consciousness again I discovered myself lying gagged with a half dozen others in a container. Pretty quick was clear what happened – I was collected by pirate and sold to a slave trader. This sort of business was highly forbidden and strongly punished overall in the galaxy – even in empire but there was still scum that makes profit of human lives. As I understood, we were brought to a mining outpost near to CD 51-102 to mine gold. All the long way there I was thinking about the three symbols on Ashley’s hand. I recognized them. It was a sign of a triple elite pilot – apart from that was a myth. No one had ever heard of them existing, not to mention meeting one. It was a myth – but for the fact that she has destroyed my ship – a very real one. Why? Oh, dear… if I only knew this. May be I was close to discover something? Someone did not want that I reach Achenar – that was clear. Hmm - they failed in this and I was in empire and not far away from my destination! Very good, they must be thinking I was dead – if I ever escape I will change my commander name – this will let me free room for maneuver.
But first I have put all my energy to survive. We were used for mining in old, rusty haulers and not once only my good mechanic skills saved me from suffocation, being exploded, imploded or cocked alive. We have used primeval techniques – shoot at an asteroid and catch pieces spreads from them – it was monotone and frustrating work which however forced all concentration – then we had no shields and if such a stone hits your already almost fragmented windshield – good night, we did not had any rescue suits. Only one Cobra has controlled us – more than enough then we get exactly as low fuel as was needed for a working day – we could not go elsewhere, let alone possibility of hyper jump.
From time to time we heard hews from outside – the emperor was sick more than ever and everyone smelled a coming big war. My masters were very pleased by this fact then prices for resources will climb if war starts – as always.
I realized – it was time to escape if I want to see the emperor – and some strange feeling told me that this was important. My only chance was this one Cobra that supervised us. If I only could put my hands on it… I reassembled such a baby in Chemaku and knew all their weak points. I get my chance as my mechanic skills were spoken around. One day I was ordered to repair jammed landing gear and by this made a little change to the shield controlling system so that it will show full shields while they were off in fact.
As next day we arrived at mining site again I reported a drive failure that could be repaired only in the docs. As a new designated field mechanics I had now a space suit on my ship to be able to perform quick repairs on the others. As the cobra, as it was usual, connected the rope to my tail to tow me away, I opened the lock and as quick as I could flew to the other ship. Nothing was easier as to open the lock of a cargo scope – and I was inside. I overwhelmed fully unsuspecting pilot, cutting the rope and engaged the hyper drive to the nearest system – I was finally free!
As my happiness downturn a little bit I have realized that my situation was not really easy. In a stolen ship, with no access to my money in the bank and no possibility to claim insurance for my Python (as I wanted to stay “dead” for the moment) it was a problem to go to Achenar, a high security system. Besides of this I lost my “Beta access key” – black box. Of course in the mean time I made a copy of this but it was in Chemaku… I needed money to go there.
The only way to make money in my situation was to haul stuff or smuggle. In the first best pirate outpost I let manipulate my transponder to not appear to be stolen and started the grind.
Chapter 10: Pure luxury
During one of lonely missions, hauling Titanium I came across a huge system named, if I remember it right, “Tenche” and noticed a strange activity near to one of the stations. There were hundreds of ships, apparently doing nothing than exit the station and enter it again.
Let’s check, I thought, must be a reason doing this. As I came near to the station I recognized that there were some big ships that caused this excitement. I opened a communication channel to one of them :
“- Hey folks, someone need Titanium here? Cheap…”
“- Greetings, no, unfortunately no Titanium needed here”
“-What are you looking for then? All these ships around …”
“- In behalf of one baron we buy performance enhancers. Have you some?”
“- No, but you need quite a number of them. Lucky baroness…”
“- No, no, (laugh). She has no idea. He needs it for other purposes and this very confidential. Thus we are hanging around here and cannot buy them in the station directly. You can bring some to us also, we pay well…”
“- If the baron needs it for emperor parties then I understand why Hengist is so ill … In his years… but count me in. ‘Hard’ times today
”“ ‘Hard’-ly ! (laugh) ”
Talking this way I went to the nearest station, sold my Titanium, loaded enhancers and switched my brain off. All dedicated traders have mastered this – a sort of meditation where you complete the same sequence “Undock – fly – sell – fly – Dock – buy” over and over again.
It was very lucrative. After a short time I had a new ship and money enough in the bank on my (new) name. But as all such adventures it cannot be forever. One day instead of friendly giants taking my goods I met very unfriendly authorities in a checkpoint in the same place. “Stop, we must scat you. Military operation is ongoing here, please leave this sector soon!”.
Good, I had enough now, in any meaning. All galaxy was In front of me and it was time to clarify some questions. What do Frontiers want? Why is Achenar so important?
Mankind was slowly restoring, there and there new star ports were build and humanity was in discovering all this, what was forgotten. Some days, I was sure, we will meet thargoids again. We should be prepared then. And I will find you, Ashley…
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