Going Forward In Reverse - The Journey Part III

[IndigoWyrd]

Week 29:

Rumors of my demise have been greatly exaggerated, though I have gotten a few looks from my only crew mate, one young, though less energetic these days, Sai Luna. Sai thought she'd been hired on as a fighter pilot, and she was right about that. She didn't realize I recognized her potential, and had begun to groom her as something more. We set out on a journey, to the edge of the galaxy, and we reached it. I opted to press onward, around the rim, to circumnavigate the galaxy. It was really a whim at first, but it's become so much more. I have not been simply exploring the galaxy, but also exploring myself, human nature, the very nature of reality.

I've also been exploring the limits of my ship, my equipment, my capacity to tolerate others, and their capacity to tolerate me. What I've found out here is both incredibly mundane and incredibly amazing. I've seen life forms like no others, worlds that boarder on the impossible, I've climbed the heights of elation, and stared into the depths of despair. I've found I am an insufferable, self-serving, irritable curmudgeon, and yet a deeply moving, motivation and compassionate "good person", or so I've been accused, all in a single breath.

Most of that I already knew.

I also know that no one else really cares and just want to see what I've seen.

Just a few highlights - mostly water worlds. I don't know why, but I find them very picturesque, and finding one in orbit of the neutron star that's helping me get back on course, well, I just take that as a good sign. It has been an extremely long 29 weeks out here, far from anything, including stars to lock onto to make frame shift jumps. At least three times my navigational computer has locked up completely, twice I swear I've smelled smoke, and at least once I've seen it. On more than a few occasions, it's taken hours to plot jump paths of just a few hundred light years, and I've been forced to double back just to reach an area with enough stellar density to press forward again, towards the next region.

So I've returned to the area known as Lyra's Song, as Tenebrae has proven impassible along the rim - at least for this ship. My trusty, faithful Beluga, the Naked Singularity, which has carried us this far, and will get us to where we're going, just not in anything resembling a circular path. I can't deny the thought of returning early for a ship with even greater jump capacity has crossed my mind, but it has become a matter of pride now - far too many times I've heard other pilots claim these ships aren't fit for anything more that blocking up station entrances or hauling the entitled on shopping sprees, but this trip will prove them wrong.

Besides, the beds are incredibly comfortable, and mine is calling me, even now.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Onward and onward, though the stellar density is increasing now. We should be back on course within a couple of days. I suspect the remainder of this voyage will be fraught with similar navigational hazards. I am reminded of some of the ancient texts I've read, of sailors on unfamiliar seas, and I find a vast number of similarities sailing this vast sea of stars. While being becalmed by windless days is not really a threat in the vacuum of space, running aground when the density of stars is so low is a real hazard. It's almost uncanny, really.

I find myself pondering these sorts of things more and more. Perhaps I'll try some lucid dreaming. Who knows what I may yet discover. As for what I have discovered so far....

perhaps it is the sheer number of water worlds that lead me to such wondering. Even gas giants with water-based life, or massive water giants - so much water everywhere.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

After nearly an hour of trying to plot, swearing at the nav computer, trying to plot, spilling Centarui Gin on the route plotter, trying to plot, I've finally managed to find a course that brings me into a much more dense area, and better, gets us back on course. It's only 116 more jumps, no jet cone boosts, just jump after jump after jump. The last point on this route though, I have a peculiar feeling about it. Not a bad, or ominous feeling, just peculiar.

When my Nav computer was last upgraded, they claimed it was possible to plot courses as far as 20,000 light years. I've been lucky to plot courses of 5,000 before the thing gives up and fails. I made a note to contact the vendor about this. Granted it has been months since I departed, so undoubtedly I'm a few versions behind, but still, it is consistently failing to live up to its proposed potential.

On the subject of potential, I've been meaning to get after Sai to resume her studies, but she's been spending her time wandering the ship, and not by the conventional means, but rather, crawling through the infrastructure. I've heard her between decks and bulkheads, in conduits and service shafts at all odd hours. I suppose it's an improvement over some of her more trying habits. If nothing else, she'll know her way around the ship as well as the engineers that built it. She seems to have a knack for design and repair work. She did do an impressive job fixing the espresso machine in the galley. What she is beginning to lack though, is the aptitude to clean up after herself. It's not like there is a lack of things to do aboard - this is a luxury ship, after all, though at times it resembles a laundry barge. Perhaps next time she leaves her... unmentionables floating in the corridor I'll vent them out the airlock.

 

[CMDR X]

Nice finds, keep them coming. Glad to heard you two are Ok, BTW.

Allow me a bit of humble advice. You might want to consider giving Sai a bit more company CMDR. She's been doing more than crawling the woodwork.
I scanned a NAV beacon in your recent vicinity and found a selfy of her skinny dipping in the pool, with a Martini.

All is not lost though.

I had the same problem with Roze. A bit of quality time spent together really got her to focus again. It was also beneficial for me.
Too much work and no play on the bridge is not healthy. Our Belugas are exquisitely automated. Make use of it.

In case you haven't discovered it yet (I bet Sai has), on deck 7 D-Sector, there is a secret VIP Jacuzzi, beneath the rear facing window.
The view is spectacular! Park the boat next to that neutron, grab a few bottles of legal and head on up there with her.

You'll have plenty to talk about, trust me.

Besides, isn't this the reason for being out here? As for her unmentionables, never vent out a lady's unmentionables. Collect them and when
you reach your destination, present them to her all gift wrapped and pretty. She'll love you for it. Just make sure you document the collection
process or else she will think you're a weirdo. Include the footage in the box.

Let us know how it goes..

o7

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Nice finds, keep them coming. Glad to heard you two are Ok, BTW.

Allow me a bit of humble advice. You might want to consider giving Sai a bit more company CMDR. She's been doing more than crawling the woodwork.
I scanned a NAV beacon in your recent vicinity and found a selfy of her skinny dipping in the pool, with a Martini.

All is not lost though.

I had the same problem with Roze. A bit of quality time spent together really got her to focus again. It was also beneficial for me.
Too much work and no play on the bridge is not healthy. Our Belugas are exquisitely automated. Make use of it.

In case you haven't discovered it yet (I bet Sai has), on deck 7 D-Sector, there is a secret VIP Jacuzzi, beneath the rear facing window.
The view is spectacular! Park the boat next to that neutron, grab a few bottles of legal and head on up there with her.

You'll have plenty to talk about, trust me.

Besides, isn't this the reason for being out here? As for her unmentionables, never vent out a lady's unmentionables. Collect them and when
you reach your destination, present them to her all gift wrapped and pretty. She'll love you for it. Just make sure you document the collection
process or else she will think you're a weirdo. Include the footage in the box.

Let us know how it goes..

o7

We’re a bit far out for company - nearly 40k light years from the bubble. Haven’t seen a navigation beacon in months, so you may want to have that imagery checked, as this sounds like a Galactic Enquirer tabloid headline. Wouldn’t be the first time, as I do frequently transport various celebrities, and have been the subject of more than a few factually-inaccurate “scandals”, usually consisting of some very well-made image composites. I particularly liked the one where they’d composited Aisling Duval’s face and shoulders onto swimwear model Linna Hargrave’s body, claiming she was being transported by a “private chauffeur” to an “undisclosed location” for a “romantic rendezvous”. The only part they did get right was that Linna had booked passage with me, to a Saud Kruger promotional event in Atlantis.

While additional company may have made for a more stimulating journey around the galactic rim, it would also make it more difficult to gather valid data on both the effects of long-term isolation and the effectiveness of Paradigm Genomex’s Compound-2181b when cycled through a ship’s ventilation system as a means of preventing mental deterioration due to isolation sickness.

And don’t worry - I had Atlas Robotics install automated retention and retrieval bets on the airlocks quite some time ago. They’ve proven handy on a few occasions, including the time a particularly daft elderly passenger believed she was at home, and let her prized Xihe Biomorphic Companion “service animal” out for a walk. Netting unmentionables is far easier.

The biomorph, in the shape of a small quadruped, was retrieved unharmed, and the daft woman was none the wiser, though I did have a patch of artificial turf installed in the closet of her cabin, to avoid further issues.

~I

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Alone, in a binary system, standing sentinel, is this dark gas giant, rich with ammonia based life. One might think a planet such at this, in a binary system, might not be shrouded in such darkness, but is lies far from both suns, and yet still boasts forms of life. Life is a determined force to be sure.

This colorful, snow-capped high metal world caught my eye, as it did that of Sai. She still has not lost her enthusiasm for red planets, though she isn't quite as deafening expressing it. We made a few orbits while I made some minor repairs. The saunas on the observation deck no longer smell like burnt hair, and all the lights on deck two no longer strobe while the frame shift drive is charging.

One Earth-like and three Water worlds, sharing one system. Certainly unusual, and a very welcome change of pace. No indications of any advanced, or even advancing civilizations. I did some studying of Earth history. I found it interesting to know that at one time, early in humanity's ventures into space, that the planet had what came to be known as "The Junk Belt" orbiting it - a wide, artificial ring, made of discarded space rocket parts, dead satellites, abandoned space stations, and various other debris from an infantile space program, that at one point, prior to efforts to clean up this "Junk Belt", nearly halted the young space program, as it was becoming a hazard to navigation.

There is a part of me that longs to see such a thing, around a world like this - just some hint that somewhere, far out in the galaxy, some other race is learning to reach for the stars, even if they do leave dirty fingerprints where ever they reach. Still, the galaxy is vast, so that possibility does still exist. Time will tell what waits to be discovered. On the subject of discoveries, I have discovered that our supply of Cetian Capers has been exhausted. Hardly cause for panic, I know, but it means I will have to find a suitable substitute for my tapenade.

Sai has also become far more accomplished in the galley as well, and has quite successfully learned to brûlée eggs. She's also grown more curious about my own culinary aptitudes, though I really don't think it should be all that surprising to know that one simply cannot pilot a ship like this, hauling passengers of merit and note, without learning both an appreciation for, and some aptitude in preparing fine foods, and I did spend 28 days piloting around Gordon Ramsey CXXVII - it's hard not to pick up a few things.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Each day brings us a bit closer to the edge of Lyra's Song, and the increased stellar density makes travel a bit easier with each jump. I sent a message to Christana, who served aboard an Imperial Majestic ship. I don't know if she knows what operating range they have with their drives, but I suspect even they would be hard-pressed to navigate along the galactic rim. I certainly don't, but I will continue traveling as close to the edge of the galaxy as I can. Sometimes it's determination, other times it's my own stubbornness that drives me to push on out here, but most of the time I don't really know what it is that urges me onward. I've discovered so much, seen so much, much of it never seen by anyone, and some of it very likely to remain that way. Perhaps there is some element of this that pushes me ever onward.

Of course, sites like this nearly lavender water world also help to drive me to see what's beyond that next star.

Or stars, as is sometimes the case. Close binary clusters are something of a navigational hazard. More distant pairs are a simply a joy for my fuel tank. But sometimes they're just spectacular views.

Sai seems to be holding up well enough - enough to tease me. "What is this now, the 11,000th ball of water you've found?", she jibed. She may not be that far off in her estimate. I've made a note for myself to have a very serious discussion with the programmers for my ship's data storage system. It would actually be nice to be able to review what data I've collected. To be able to calculate, to estimate, the distribution of entire regions of the galaxy could be quite beneficial.

As it so happens water worlds are not the only thing that catch my eye. Every so often a particularly interesting High Metal world turns up. This one, with its pale rose surface and swirling clouds, aglow from the system's blue-white star makes for a particularly interesting change of pace.

Speaking of change, the occasional neutron star affords a hard-to-pass opportunity to shave some distance off this route, though I must confess, these can be quite harrowing at times. Each time I align the ship with their potent jet cones there is always that little voice in the most distant part of my mind that reminds me this could be the end for us. One mishap, one miscalculation and that swirling, pulsing energy thrown off this rapidly spinning, free-standing nuclear reaction could rip this ship to shreds so fine we're resemble a microscopic galaxy of particles.

This is it, we're going in....

 

[IndigoWyrd]

"I woke up in a hospital. I couldn't quite focus, everything was blurry, with ghostly images superimposed on everything I could see. I could hear the humming and beeping of machines. I couldn't speak or even make a noise. There were more tubes stuck in me than there should have been places to stick them, and everything smelled like a steak roast. Only it wasn't a steak roast, it was me. I tried to move, but my body refused, and that's when I heard a voice say: 'Doctor! The patient! He's awake!' I think it was one of the ghostly images speaking, and that's when I realized, it wasn't a ghostly image, but a reflection. I strained to move, to look, to try to understand what I was seeing, and just as I started to realize the reason I was seeing these half-reflections was due to the fact there was a large shard of some glassy material sticking though my face, and that I could only half see was because that shard had pierced my other eye, that I lost consciousness again.
The next time I came to, I was staring up at a slightly different ceiling. The tubes had been removed from me, but I still could not move. My head was wrapped in dermalplast, and I could barely make a grunt loud enough for me to hear. I thought back, trying to recall the last thing I could remember. A bright flash, a moment of white heat, an alarm, floating in the darkness, I wasn't sure if these were the memories of what happened, or what I was experiencing at the moment. I drifted in and out of consciousness several more times, before I finally woke up, surrounded by doctors, nurses, and paperwork pushers, alternating between speaking among themselves and speaking towards me. It wasn't until I strained to move, with all the strength I could muster, and I heard the bending of metal and the tearing of fabric that they finally quieted down, and the doctor at the foot of the bed where I lay managed to quite the rest by speaking to me."

"Don't try to move, please, not yet, and don't try to speak, just listen for a minute and nod if you can understand me.", he said, in that cool, detached tone that came from years of practice. I laid back once more, nodding my understanding.

"Do you know where you are?"
I nodded then shook my head, then nodded again.

"You're in a hospital."
I nodded.

"You were rescued from deep space."
I rolled my one eye.

"I don't know exactly what happened, but judging from your injuries..."
I tried to speak, despite being told not to, but only a muted grunt issued from, that's when I realized, I wasn't sure exactly where the sound came from, except from somewhere inside of me.

"Please, don't try to speak. Your injuries are quite extensive, and you are going to require some reconstructive surgery."
I tried to look at myself, and looked around, looking for something to see myself in, but there was nothing around me. I managed to lift one hand, and did my best to pantomime to bring me a mirror. The doctor picked up on what I was trying to communicate.

"I don't recommend it, not yet."
I shook my head. I needed to see, and after a few long, tense minutes and a few more grunts from where ever, one of the nurses brought a mirror over to me, but was hesitant to lift it. I grabbed her by the wrist, perhaps a bit harder than I'd intended, as I could feel delicate bones shifting and straining not to collapse and she made a shrill sound as I twisted the mirror up and loosened my grip enough to grasp the handle as she pulled back her hand.

What stared back at me in the mirror I did not recognize. There was one eye, bloodshot, floating in a smooth sea of very pinkish flesh, a half-mask of not-quite-the-right-color-to-be-flesh duraplast, all of which flowed like polished marble up to an equally smooth, dome-shape, and flowed just as smoothly downward, as if it meant to drip from some lower point. I had to stare for a very long time as it sank in that this was my reflection - a featureless, faceless, hairless mass of molten meat, freshly healed over. I remembered the flash again, the rush of atmosphere, the chill of space, the shattering sounds and the heat. I remembered I had been flying near a star, collecting hydrogen and charged particles when another ship approached, masked on my radar by the brilliance of the star, and perhaps a moment of my own inattention. I remember the alarms, the interdiction alert, and being wrenched from superluminal velocity. I remembered the other ship, staring me right in the face, the bright flash, the flash of a plasma accelerator, perhaps three. My canopy shattered. A chunk of it hit my helmet's visor and the visor shattered. I could feel the searing plasma all around me, and the radiation of the star. I was blinded by the flash and the pain, vaguely aware of my ship's last words, urging me to eject.
Somehow I managed to activate the ejection system, and felt the cold embrace of cryostasis in my escape pod relieving my pain. I lowered the mirror slowly, and looked up at the medics surrounding me. I didn't try to speak again. I realized the sound coming from within me was the rush of air escaping the small tracheotomy grommet in my neck. I had neither a mouth or nose for air to escape my melted face. I let go of the mirror, and let it rest on my chest, before the nurse with the visibly bruise wrist reached for it. For just a moment, I rested my hand on hers, and made eye contact for just a moment before looking away. She read my intended message clearly.

"It's alright, it's just a bruise." she said as I raised my hand, releasing her. She knew it was my best attempt at an apology under the circumstances. The doctor began to speak again.

"We'll bring you pad to help you communicate, You're quite lucky to be alive. I've honestly never seen anyone suffer injuries such as yours and survive. Judging from your tissue density you must come from a very high gravity world."
I nodded.

"It is important that we begin the reconstruction procedure as soon as possible, if we're going to be able to restore any of your features."
I nodded again, and lifted my hand to look at my wrist.

"Not quite that soon." the doctor began, "You do need some time to recover. As you might have guessed, you are missing an eye, and your skull has barely began to set. If you don't heal some, you're going to have some very serious scarring that no grafting will cover. Do you understand?"

I nodded. To be honest, I wasn't particularly bothered by any of it. I probably should have been, but my thoughts were already filling with unraveling the plot that had landed me here. I was hauling food and medicine to a famine-ridden system. People were desperate, but this was not an act of desperation. This was a clear act of sabotage - this famine was not the result of some natural disaster, wanton crop failure, or any other problem outside the realm of anyone's control. This same system had been the subject of a prolonged war, and the subtle manipulations of those who sought to control the system. And I knew this because these same persons had approached me, offered to buy my services to aid them in preventing relief efforts into the system. This was a siege, in the most classical sense. While these sorts of operations do make military operations more difficult, it is rarely the military that suffers, it's the civilian population that suffers. I knew who was ultimately responsible for my condition, and I would formulate my repayment while the doctors worked to restore me.

It would be several weeks of regular surgeries, specialized reconstructions, as well as the trading of several favors to obtain my ocular implant. No, it's not your standard issue implant, and that's all I can say about it. And that's why I don't really like to talk much about my past."

Sai just stared, speechless, her mouth slightly agape as it had been for the past half an hour as I recounted the events that led to my implant and my scar. I could see something in her eyes as well, a mix of sympathy, laced with compassion, and a hint of fire. I knew she still had more questions, but the bottle of wine was as empty as I, and I folded my hands together on the table.

"I know, you still have questions, but really, it's not something I particularly like to talk about, as I said. I suspect that past is at least a portion of why I came out here. Not to run from it, but to stop running after it. Did I repay those responsible? Yes, with interest. No, I don't want to detail it. It's not that I'm ashamed of it, or proud of it, but rather I'm over it. I'm moving on from it. I've plenty enough to move on from, and I think there's just enough space out here to do it."

Sai rested her tiny hand on mine, with just enough pressure that she knew I knew she was doing it and stood from the table.
"Thank you for telling me. I won't ask any more. I'm just glad you think enough of me to share, and I hope that sharing helps you move on from your troubles.", she said as she pulled back her hand and began to clear the table.

"Thank you for listening. I told you it wasn't a particularly fascinating story, but perhaps dragging all that out into the light will help. As a matter of fact," I said with a bit of a smirk, "I know it will, because now you don't need to ask me any more."
We both laughed a little as I stood up, stretching slightly. It had been a long time since I even thought about those days. I was brash, even reckless at times, and only really concerned with who was paying me how much to do what. Sure, I had my standards. There were some tasks money couldn't buy me to do, but not many. I made my way back to the bridge. The ship, after all, would not fly itself.

 

[Rick6549]

Good choice of ship CMDR ! o7

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Brightly colorful, with contrasting rings of considerable diameter, this gas giant stands out among many we've seen.

Far from anywhere, this Earth-like world drifts in the dark. It is the 6th, and final planet of the secondary star of a binary pair of K-class stars, both 8,300 million years old. Gravity is slightly lower than Earth and .95 G, the orbital period is 471.5 days, with a rotational period of 24 hours. Atmosphere is 81.6% nitrogen, 16 % oxygen, 2.4% water, and 1.43 atmospheres pressure at the surface. Composition is 67.6% rock, 32.4% metals. Sensors indicate indigenous life, though what that life is remains a mystery.

I must confess, there is a certain frustration I feel, being able to sense so much data, yet unable to see or detect any further details. I realize the difficulties of modifying ships designed for operation in the 0 atmospheres of pressure environment of space to withstand the stresses of atmospheric operation, but then, as a species we started out on a world very much like this one and reached out into space, so clearly we have the knowledge, we just haven't applied it yet. At least not where ships designed for interstellar travel are concerned. The small craft used by colonists and residents to reach from plantary surfaces to orbital stations aren't designed for frame shift operations, and generally tend to be larger than the fighters carried by interstellar ships, but I've no doubt some accommodation could be made.

Gah... I'm starting to sound like Ishmael now. I won't deny, the professor was, no, really is, brilliant, but his methods... I don't even want to go down that path. Moving on.

At a glance, this looks a lot like an Earth-like world, and it's certainly habitable, with an oxygen-rich atmosphere, 92.4% oxygen, 7.5% carbon dioxide, .1% sulfur dioxide, though the atmospheric pressure is low, only .13 atmospheres, and gravity is light at .58 G, 65.9% rock, 34.1% metal makes this a High Metal world, but a particularly pleasant one, all things considered.

Weighing in at .1607 Earth masses, with an oxygen rich atmosphere of 93.6% oxygen, 6.3% carbon dioxide, and .1% sulfur dioxide, .16 atmospheres of pressure, and .55 G of gravity, this "ball of water" boasts active water-based chemistry and carbon-water-based life. I can't help but wonder what that carbon-water-based life might be, and entertain the wonderings of what sorts of societies and technologies would be created by intelligent life might build on worlds like these, and what forms that sort of life might take.

While called Water-Worlds, it is not entirely uncommon for these planets to have islands, like this one. This visible from orbit means this is a rather sizable island. While this world isn't suitable for human life, with an atmosphere of 84% ammonia, 14.1% nitrogen and 1.2% water, this might make for an interesting vacation spot for Thargoids, if they are indeed ammonia-based life forms. Gravity weighs in at 1.29 G. Suitable for terraforming, this world could be converted into something human-habitable. It does have its own water-based chemistry and water-carbon-based life, though it's hard to imagine what effects terraforming would have on such life.

Near the massive polar ice cap of this distant water world a small chain of islands is visible from space. With a rich nitrogen-based atmosphere, 88.9%, and thin oxygen, 8.5% plus 2.3% carbon dioxide, and .56 atmospheres of pressure this light-gravity, .56 G world is suitable for human life.

Just over 900 light seconds away, is a twin world, with a similar nitrogen-based atmosphere - 84% nitrogen, 9.8% oxygen, 5.8% carbon dioxide, .96 atmospheres pressure and .94 G of gravity, though no immediately visible islands, at least on the day side. This does make for a very interesting planetary paring.

Ring-skimming this little ball of ice shows that even some of the least considered worlds possess their own sort of beauty, never mind the rich deposits found among the rings here.

With an atmosphere of 70.7% nitrogen, 29% oxygen and .2% water, .55 atmospheres of pressure and .63 G, this Earth-like world also has the curious distinction of being the first planet orbiting an F-K-K trinary cluster.

This ruddy gas giant shows some interesting atmospheric anomalies. Had I some more sophisticated equipment, I should like to examine these closer.
Sai was particularly fond of this world, for some reason.

As it so happens, I discovered I was not the first to find this water world. There is a certain satisfaction seeing how far out others have come before me.

Stellar clusters like these are as impressive as they are hazardous to navigation. Passing between the unbridled fury of free-standing fusion reactions like this are a real reminder of just how dangerous space travel can be.

A simple, high-metal world, but a suitable candidate for terraforming makes this an interesting world. It's hard to imagine what this world might look like once terraformed.

The massive chasms and long mountain ridges of this rich, wine-colored, rocky ice world might be a paradise for canyon racers and mountaineers, were it not for the crushing pressure of this planet's 100% water atmosphere, weighing in at a staggering 40,411.62 atmospheres - quite impressive seeings how gravity here is a mere .41 G.

I find myself more fatigued than I expected. Perhaps it is a result of recently revisiting my past. Or perhaps it's simply due to not getting nearly enough rest lately. Either way, I think I'll lie down and take a nap.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Always impressive, the massive polar ice of a distant water world in intriguing and fascinating.

An equally impressive gas giant, seems so inviting, yet the storms that rage here could tear most ships apart.

Equally as impressive are the swirling storms of these sorts of water worlds, with little to impede their paths. Meteorological studies of these sorts of weather patterns have contributed as much to our understanding of weather patterns as they have aided terraforming efforts.

What sort of fascinating things lie on the surface of these ammonia worlds I can't help but wonder.

I also find myself wondering what it must have been like for the first travelers to leave their homeworld, and reach out into the vastness of space.

Another polar ice cap, on another distant water planet. What lies beneath that ice? What frozen bits of galactic history wait to be discovered?

Land, visible just below the surface of the waters? Or perhaps a thin ice sheet, covering almost incomprehensible depths?

This gas giant features some of the most interesting storm patterns I've seen yet.

Twin moons, held close to each other. One of them has caught my attentions.

And the fields of geysers on a vast plane are my reward. It's been such a long time since I've taken such a close survey of a planet like this. I have to admit, it's nice to get a change of perspective once in a while.

The galaxy has a way of reminding us that even in such barren places, there is a beauty waiting to be found.

Dark, distant and impressively calm. I can't but wonder if this planet isn't well on its way to becoming a ball of solid ice some distant day.

Another Earth-like world. I laughed a bit to myself, wondering when or where I might find an Achenar-like world. There is that part of me that misses that titanic gravity.

The layers of ice on this water world's polar cap tell tales of their own. To be layered so would take both tremendous time and tremendous tidal activity.

Are these new storms ramping up, or ancient storms slowly dwindling away?

Binary stars are always a navigational hazard, and our exit vector actually brought us out directly through one of these. The heat was intense to say the least, adding to the growing list of malfunctioning systems. We'd have to find somewhere to put down and affect whatever repairs we can.

These moons are so close a fighter could fly between them, if only the fighter bay doors weren't fused from the heat of the binary stars.

We set down on the smaller moon to affect repairs, on the edge of a cliff so deep and with a wall so sheer you could hide a capital ship in the ravine.

The deep gash of this particular valley - I could only imaging how it was formed - either a tremendous river once flowed here, or some near cataclysmic geological shift nearly split this moon apart.

Growing, shrinking, fracturing - these massive ice caps frequently decorate water worlds. Despite all the hazards and risks, I find myself wanting to explore them all the more.

Of course, I'd love to skim the surface of the still waters of these "balls of water", just as I've skimmed the surface of icy and rocky rings.

The thickness and depths of the cloud cover and mighty storm over the polar cap here are striking in their own right.

In stories of old I've read tales of wonders and horrors found deep below the seas of ancient Earth, and can't help but wonder what might lie below the surface of the waters of worlds like this.

We've crossed into Hawking's Gap. We're nearly back on course.

I let Sai take a fighter out to survey. She does so like red planets, and I do so like a little quiet on the bridge from time to time. It also affords me the opportunity to observe both her improving piloting skills as well as indulge my culinary inclinations.

I decided this would be a good place to set down, enjoy a meal, and the sunset before getting some much needed rest. I'm going to try to recalibrate the route plotter, now that we're in a region of greatly improve stellar density, and sitting on solid ground.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Dawn threatens the horizon, but not nearly as much as Sai's snoring threatens my sanity. I thought to wake her, but the dull ache at the back of my head and empty wine bottles strewn across the lounge where we succumbed to sleep suggested otherwise.

A pair of moons, each with their own interesting geology beckoned for a closer look. However both proved to be less remarkable than anticipated. Fairly standard carbon dioxide geysers and silicon vents were all there were to be found.

This gas giant features microbial, ammonia-based life high in its atmosphere, as well as some untouched reserves of void opals in its rings, should any miner dare to venture so deep, or the need for such things ever become so great.

Most of the time, these balls of ice are unremarkable. Other times they are striking in the most remarkable ways.

The composition of this gas giant, while largely unremarkable, gives it some very striking coloration and contrast against its rings.

Might this Earth-like world be moving into or out of a great ice-age? The immense polar cap suggests either are possible.

This inspiring water world features one of the smallest ice caps I've seen so far.

The striking coloration and ribbons of ravines that make up this ball of ice are not its only features.

The surface is dotted with geysers, and offers a truly spectacular view. Sai's close-surface piloting has also improved greatly.

Going on the other end of the composition spectrum, this world is also home to some impressive vistas.

The contrasting colors are always impressive.

But there is something to be said for a monochromatic water world, drifting silently through space.

Though rare, I have began to question what constitutes "rare", and can't help but wonder what the first humans venturing out to see what was out here would think, if they knew just how many worlds like the one they were leaving behind really were "out there".

"Yes, Sai, it IS a red one, and yes, you're going out there, so suit up and be ready."

Gas vents like these are not terribly uncommon, and can be, with a bit of clever engineering, turned into valuable resources, but that's not what brings us out here. I can't help but think what a curious paradox we really are. When out in the vast void, we look down at the surfaces of myriads of worlds, longing to visit them, and when we are on the surfaces of these myriads of worlds, we look up to the vastness of space, and wonder what else is out there.

These are indeed, the voyages, of the Expeditionary Star Liner, Naked Singularity. Her mission: to take us where the fates will, and return us whence we came. Ok, so not as poignant as it sounded in my head. We don't really have a mission. We've gone walkabout in the biggest outback there is, to see what is to be seen, to go where there is to go, and... that's pretty much it. If we discover something wonderous out here, then so be it. If we find system after system of sights, then that is what we see. Perhaps at some point some great inspiration will take us somewhere, or lead us to place, but for now, we are simply travelers, going where we will, free in ways that are not easily understood, even by us. Perhaps that, more than anything else, is what lead me to undertake this trip - to free myself of bonds of routine.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

Nestled deep in a valley, these gaseous vents fill the canyon, and may some day lead to the transformation of this moon.

While elsewhere another sort of transformation is slowly taking place. Well, two actually. One one this planet, and one in fighter bay two, following a little mishap. I have yet to receive Sai's report on what, exactly happened, but it should suffice to say we are now down to 14 of our original 16 fighters.

This water world features some of the largest and most expansive island chains I've seen yet. I'd love to set down on the shores of one of these tropic islands, sip rum, smell the air, hear the surf, at least for a little while. Not that there's anything wrong with recycled and purified air, but change is always good.

These contrasting moons have very similar surface geology, while having very different chemical makeups.

These vents of ammonia ice are a potential precursor to what transformations lie in wait for this moon.

These recent finds do make me wonder though - for all the transformations in progress we've seen throughout the galaxy so far, where are all the completed transformations?

I've nearly lost track of the number of Earth-like worlds, Water Worlds and Ammonia Worlds we've encountered, though I suspect these to be outnumbered by the myriad moons we've seen undergoing some sort of transformation by an exponential number. So where are the Earth-like Moons? Ammonia moons, water moons? Are these simply incredibly improbable, or do they violate some universal tenant we simply do not yet understand? Surely in the vastness of the variety of the galaxy, let alone the universe itself, such things must exist, if even in the smallest percentages. Or there must be some fundamental rules for reality that prohibit the formation of such things. It's plenty to ponder for a while, while I assist Sai in determining what happened in the fighter bay.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

This ice cap covers nearly 1/3 of this "ice water" world. While my sensors do indicate active carbon-water-based life, it's hard to imagine what form that life might take.

This water world is far warmer, and has no ice caps at all, though the polar regions are considerably cooler than the rest of the planet.

Worlds with little or no land-masses, these water worlds, I think I figured out what it is about them fascinates me so - the fact that they are able to stay intact, without massive gravity to hold them. While nearly every pilot has, at some point in time or another, taken to "playing" with water or other liquids in the micro-gravity of deep space, and observed the tendency of liquids to form spherical shapes, it is also worth noting that those liquid spheres deform quite easily. These aqueous worlds, however, do not. While this is, no doubt, due to solid underwater masses of land forming a sort of skeletal structure, these are still quite amazing formations.

The combination of gravitational and centrifugal forces that keep these ice caps at the poles of these water worlds, with nothing more anchoring them in place is also a testament to physics in action, and on such massive scales, it is easy to both overlook and appreciate the beauty of it.

On the subject of appreciation, I must say I did very much appreciate Sai's thorough and concise investigation into the incident that destroyed one of our fighters. While she did attempt to take the blame for the incident, it was clear from her findings that this was entirely an accident, caused by our passage through one of a binary pair of stars. The heat buildup caused some of the control linkages of the fighter to weaken, and caused a buildup of scoring on the hanger bay proximity sensors, so that as the fighter was being deployed, the launch guides were out of alignment. Manual correcting for this misalignment caused the launch guides to attempt to realign, which in turn bumped the fighter as it cleared the launchway and caused the linkage to break, and the fighter to fail to respond to throttle controls, which in turn lead to a high-speed impact and the loss of the fighter.

While I have and continue to reassure Sai this incident was not her fault, she still feels the need to take the blame for it, as she said, "I was the one controlling the fighter." Since she feels the need to take the blame, I have obliged her, and issued a proper "punishment" - she can recalibrate the ship's route plotter. She seemed to take it well enough, and knows as well as I this does need done badly. Our last two dozen courses have been plotted at a range of 15-20 jumps at a time.

While Sai worked on the routing computer, I availed myself of some of the ship's recreational facilities. I must say, it did feel good to put in a little bit of a heavier workout, though it took longer that I had expected to move the resistance machines close enough for me to use four of them at a time. For the first time in a very long time, I am pleased to say my muscles actually ache. While four machines only gives me 600 kilograms of resistance, 12 sets of 50 reps took its toll on me, but in a good way.

Sai noticed I seemed to be moving about a bit gingerly, and offered to examine me in the medical facility. I assured her it was nothing serious, except some post-workout strain - nothing a hot soak and a little time in on one of the shiatsu massage machines wouldn't take care of easily enough. I did, however, advise her to make sure I didn't fall asleep in the massager, as we were running short on spare parts, and I have noticed I have been sleeping a bit more agitated that normal. I suspect this to be due to the route plotting issues that have plagued us for so long.

Sai assured me she would have the recalibrations completed before the end of the day. As it so happens, she was true to her word, both with the recalibration and with keeping me from falling asleep in the massager. Her methods, however, may need some work. Rather than simply engaging in conversation, or turning up the audio system in the ship's spa, playing some of that disharmonious racket she assures me is "popular music" among people her age, she took it upon herself to move the resistance machines back to the regular places, using one of the impact tools from the fighter hanger - the one with the bad spindle bearing, that sounds like three people beating each other with sacks of scrap metal. Were I not in such a deep state of relaxation, I might have actually been angry at the racket.

"Enough.", I managed, "I'm awake already."
"Good. I've also finished the recalibration.", Sai offered.
"I'm impressed.", I asserted as I wriggled out of the massager. "Have you tested it?"
"I thought I'd leave that to you. I am curious though..." she lead, looking at me with her head cocked slightly, "Just how strong are you, really?"
"Really, I can't say for sure. I told you, I grew up on Achenar 3. Gravity there is 6.73 G's, so.. at least 6 or 6.5 times stronger than someone else my size, and let's be honest, I'm not really what you'd call a 'big guy.'"
Sai looked at me, and I could see the strain at the corners of her mouth, struggling so hard not to twist her face into a smirk.
"You know what I mean.", I tried to intercept the creeping smirk, but it was too late.
"Better than I'd ever expected.", she blurted and laughed.
"I deserved that.", I refused to participate, at least externally. Poor girl, she's been a victim of my humor for the past 32 weeks now. It was inevitable it would start to rub off on her. "But to your question, I really don't know. My suit, like yours, keeps pumping the medications into my system to fight off bone density loss and muscle atrophy, we log regular workouts, to maintain ourselves, and we set down where there is gravity whenever practical, so we don't waste away, but I've never really had the opportunity, or even the desire to push myself to see just how much I can lift, pull or bend. One of the miners I knew on Achenar 3 was really into pushing himself, and if I recall correctly he said he could lift 2000 kilos."
"Wow.", Sai was clearly impressed.
"For all the good it did him."
"What do you mean?"
"He was killed when one of the mine shafts collapsed. Nearly 12,000 kilos of tungsten came down on top of his drilling rig."
"That's terrible!"
"It is, but that's the risk subsurface miners take. Operations were shut down for week after than accident."
"Were there a lot of accidents there?"
"Not many. A few, most were pretty minor - a broken bone, a puncture suit, that sort of thing. But enough of that, let's see about this recalibration."

We made our way back to the bridge, and I started reviewing the galaxy map. I tried, mostly on a whim, to plot a course completely across Dryman's Point, nearly 19,000 light years. It took several long moments for the plot to fail. I could see a hint of concern in Sai's face, but I fully expected it to fail, and much sooner. I eased back a ways, and picked a more plausible course, while I slipped into my RemLock suit. Just as I was zipping up, the route completed. I blinked, twice. We had an actual, viable course, 11,591.98 light years, 337 jumps, that took us more than half way across Dryman's Point.

"Well I'll be damned...", I said, out loud, before I realized I'd said it out loud. Sai's face morphed slowing from a paling expression, to one that was nearly glowing. "You did it, Sai. Excellent work."
"Thanks, boss.", she said as a genuine smile washed over her.
"I mean it. This is outstanding. A nice, long, reasonably straight path. We're back on course, finally. I don't have anything to really offer up as a bonus.. you've already got free run of the ship, and I suspect there probably isn't anything you haven't gotten into already, so... how about you take the helm a while?"
"Really?"
"Yes, really. You've earned it."

And just like that, the fighter mishap was forgotten, and we were indeed back on course.

Sai's first jump proved quite impressive, and we discovered not one, but two brilliant water worlds. The first, weighed in at .2398 Earth Masses, .63 G of gravity, with a carbon dioxide rich atmosphere - 73.4% carbon dioxide, 25.8% oxygen, .8% sulfur dioxide, .56 atmospheres of pressure, and a rotational period of 1.8 days. The second, also CO2-rich, weighed in at .1959 Earth Masses, with .59 G of gravity, 52.2% oxygen, 44.8% carbon dioxide, and 1.3% argon, with a very impressive .01 atmospheres of pressure, and a rotational period of .9 days. What really caught my attention was the clearly visible, incomprehensibly deep subsurface equatorial rift. This subaquatic chasm had to incredibly deep to be so visible from a high orbit.

"We'll make a real explorer out of you yet, Sai.", I quipped. "And look how blue they are."

A small ball of paper foil streaked past my head, followed by the unmistakable 'crack' of chewing gum, and a soft giggle. I shared that laugh. Things were certainly looking up for us.

 

[IndigoWyrd]

(To be continued here: https://forums.frontier.co.uk/threads/the-journey-part-iv-here-there-be-dragons.517427/ , for stability sake).