Profil komandéra Aldarion 3TwoAlpha > Deník

Profil
Jméno komandéra:
Současná loď:
honest tuck [AL-27A]
(Asp Explorer)
 
Členem od:
30. 10. 2018
 
Vzdáleností potvrzeno:
24
 
Navštíveno systémů:
41 867
Systémů objevených jako první:
18 051
 
Zůstatek:
16 356 551 815 Cr
Returning from the Lore Tour - Meeting some Monsters - Receiving an Unexpected Mission - Turning the Wheel

Returning from the Lore Tour Expedition, which brought me to the Zurara and beyond deep into the Formidine Rift, I bought a Lakon Chieftain. That Chieftain then – further equipped and engineered - was of some use in the Pleiades, namely the Delphi and Electra Systems, where I was hunting Interceptors; one could also say the Interceptors were hunting me due to the fact I frequently survived during fights but was not able to get these poor monsters down but finally running and eagerly jumping out of the instances.

I need more training to solo the Interceptors or should join a wing of more experienced AX fighters. CMDR Kuuhey I met on the Lore Tour Expedition seems to be a very good AX fighter and is soloing Interceptors successfully. Yesterday I found out he was hunting Interceptors and we might have the opportunity to do it together in the near future, which obviously means I would learn a lot about timings during AX combat or special AX tactics encountering Interceptors.

I tried to get at least one Cyclops down: for two days I tried hard losing one ship during SC due to module failure, which lead to low oxygen reserves, so my CMDR Avatar was suffocating to death. On the other hand I was learning about Cyclops solo-fights and could escape always, which to me is a small success in its own. Retrospectively I state, I need to learn about the flak triggering and I swapped a few keybindings too; so next time I hopefully will be able to progress further on; maybe one day I will bring one of these Interceptors down too.

When engineering the Chieftain I received a mission by the engineer Ram Tah; I could not remember to have acknowledged that mission but found an active task stored on my ship computer one or two days later.

I found the copy of a handwritten note by one of the chiefs in Ram Tah's team pointing out some mission details:

Ram Tah Mission Notes

Since I don’t like to leave accepted missions unfulfilled, I moved East of the bubble visiting and revisiting some Guardian Sights to scan and encrypt the data Ram Tah was asking for. The basic mission pay out was set to 10 Million credits and I finally received 13 Million for extracting and finding various data about the history and society of the Guardians: all together I was able to retrieve and reconstruct 13 messages from two different planets, while being out on a short trip to the closer regions East of the bubble. I stored the relics I used for the mission on my fleet carrier: scanning the Ancient Obelisks normally involves two relics, which have to be carried inside the SRV cargo hold filling it completely.

Each obelisk shows two icons or symbols representing entities of the two relics, which are needed to successfully reconstruct and encrypt the hidden information about the Guardian’s civilization. Once, I found an Ancient Obelisk with one symbol only. Some of the obelisks need two relics of the same kind to get the encryption right and when I was working on the problem, the Guardian Tablet and the Guardian Orb seemed to be less common to be found than the other relics. In fact, I started to investigate in Col 173 Sector JX-K B24-0, where I could not find an orb or a Guardian Tablet; later, in Synuefe XR-H D11-102, I collected these two relics enabling me to return to the Col 173 Sector JX-K B24-102 and retrieve data from the Ancient Obelisks involving one of these two items.

As well – I nearly forgot about this evening – I was winging up with a few commanders of OP I.D.A. hauling and delivering goods before I started my trip for Ram Tah. To do so I made my carrier, the Shadow Head, jumping into the Pleiades area providing some support.

Returning from some surface missions for TDW Surface Mission Vessel

Finally: during the last days I tried to support the Dark Wheel and the community goal to expand this minor faction towards Sol. I did some trade to manipulate the Background Simulation (BGS) as well as fighting in numerous Combat Zones throughout HR 4979. No-one knows if the theory about triggering some events revealing news about Raxxla by rising the influence and expansion of the Dark Wheel will finally succeed but at least it is the paradigm parts of the community are following during the last weeks.

Lore Tour 3306 - The Zurara

Drew's Lore Tour 3306

Lore Tour 3306 - Way Point 12

During the last few days commander Aldarion was heading out for way point number 7 of the Lore Tour 2020. The target system for this way point is system S171 18, a system dominated by a bright O-class star. It is part of a cluster of systems residing inside a nebula with a greater number of O-class stars. Obviously this nebula is a cradle of young and new born stars: a great number of the stars inside this cluster and nebula are O-type stars. All relatively young, all burning their fuel with a high rate, all very bright and visible as a ‘landmark’ when traveling westward of the bubble.

Nebula of O Class Stars out of the distance Nebula of O class stars

Aldarion watched this cluster numerous times and now it was time to visit it up close. The planned route led him to the Elephant’s Trunk Mines roughly 1kly north of the nebula. So the direction taken for the first leg of this tour went out straight west, reaching Elephant’s Trunk Mines, then turning towards the south heading for way point number 12. Both, the mines and way point 12 are roughly equally far away from the bubble in a distance of about 3kly.

Elephant Trunk Mines are located inside an Asteroid Base set inside a rocky ring: Elephant's Trunk Mines

Once reaching and scanning system S171 18, Aldarion inspected one of the multitudes of biological surface signals inside the system: Luckily it turned out this signal was an array of the so-called Space Pumpkins, which was nice due to the fact this were the first time Aldarion visited such a site up close.

Space Pumpkins on a moon inside system S171 18 Space Pumpkins

Glow of Space Pumpkins in the shadows of the central O class star of S171 18 Space Pumpkins (2)

Bird's eye view of the landing site with Space Pumpkins Bird's eye view of the landing site with Space Pumpkins

When finishing this excursion, he decided to drop out inside the ring spinning around the Brown dwarf of S171 18 just for enjoying the views and vistas of this beautiful site before turning north-east on his way back towards the bubble.

Ring around the Brown Dwarf Ring around a Brown Dwarf

Lore Tour 3306 Guardian Sites

During Drew Wagar‘s Lore Tour 3306 I visited numerous Guardian Sites eastward of the bubble. All together I inspected 13 sites in this area but I guess there are some more sites located even in this region.

The following sequence presents a few impressions and screenshots.

The so-called ancient keys can be used to unlock Guardian Fighter blueprints but the keys itself look awesome as well (Guardian Beacon at Synuefe IL-N C23-15 2 A) Guardian Beacon at Synuefe IL-N C23-15 2 A

At Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1-24 there are three sites on one moon. Two of these sites feature theater like structures, where no sentinels are spawned. These sites are good locations to gather Guardian Data Patterns since there are numerous active obelisks to be found close together: Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1-24

Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1-24

Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1-24

Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1-24

At IC 2391 Sector HG-X B1-B there is a beautiful site to be seen; the altar here can be used to produce fighter blueprints when dropping the correct Ancient Key after the pylons are activated. Once one collects an ancient key at one of the Guardian Beacons, there will be a message by Palin nominating the correct place to use the gathered key.

Overview of the Guardian Structure at IC 2391 Sector HG-X B1-B Guardian Structure overview

During daylight or nightfall this site provides some stunning images: Impressions from a Guardian Site

As well the site at shows some architectural features and ornaments I saw for the first time: Guardian Ornaments

It is said Guardians were humanoid creatures: I would say as well some of their structures do remind me on various relic sites on planet earth. The next three images show a party of Lore Tour participants meeting up at System Synuefe XR-H D11. Lore Tour 3306 Meeting

Convoy through a Guardian Site Convoy through a Guardian Site

Ship Assembly during Lore Tour 3306 Ship Assembly during Lore Tour 3306

Guardian Structure at Vela Dark Region KR-W C-1 24 at night time Guardian Structure

Bird's eye view during night of the Structure at Synuefe EN-H D11-96 7 A Structure at Synuefe EN-H D11-96 7 A

Guardian Orb: Scanning this orb will give some Guardian Module Blueprints: enter image description here

Lore Tour WP 8 – Alioth aka Epsilon Ursae Majoris

Lore Tour WP 8 – Alioth aka Epsilon Ursae Majoris

Alioth could be a FusionForge system run by the Debian project until the end of the second decade of the 21st century, isn’t it?

As true as this may be, Alioth primarily is the name of a star system inside our Milky Way Galaxy in a distance of approximately 83 light years from Sol (in 2020).

Everyone knows Alioth

I like one of the possible descriptions of the position of Alioth: How one may find Alioth at the earth sky? Alioth is the star, which, from earth, is seen as the star in the Great Bear’s tail closest to the body of the bear.

This system can be seen from most parts of the earth by the naked eye as part of the ‘Great Bear’, which is the translation for the Latin name of the constellation, Ursa Major. The Great Bear and its Epsilon star Alioth is visible from the whole northern hemisphere but also from a good part of the southern hemisphere if the location is not too far from the equator of planet earth. Alioth is the brightest of the seven stars of the constellation Ursa Major.

Alioth belongs to this constellation (Ursa Major) and is numbered as the fifth star out of the seven stars forming the constellation of the Great Bear, hence it is the Epsilon of this constellation.

The numbers of members of a constellation usually is represented by the small Greek letter at the index of the Greek alphabet, which equals the number. Consequently The constellation of the Great Bear / Ursa Major is represented by the following stars:

  • α Ursae Majoris aka Dubhe (Arabic for ‘the bear’)
  • β Ursae Majoris aka Merak (‘the lions of the bear’)
  • γ Ursae Majoris aka Phecda or Phad
  • δ Ursae Majoris aka Megrez (‘the tail’s root’)
  • ε Ursae Majoris aka Alioth (‘black horse’), the brightest star of the constellation
  • ζ Ursae Majoris aka Mizar (‘girdle’)
  • η Ursae Majoris aka Alkaid or Benethnash (‘tip of the tail’)

The asterism correlating to the constellation of the Great Bear also is referred to as the ‘Plough’ or the ‘Big Dipper’ in English language as well as the (Great) Wagon, which interestingly is the same in the German language, where it is known as ‘großer Wagen’ and ‘Großer Bär’ too. The asterism of a constellation is the commonly known pattern of a group of stars visible from the earth but it not necessarily is equal to the official constellations recognized by the IAU.

The constellation of Ursa Major is or was important for navigation on the surface of earth due to the fact that the extension of the line between Beta and Alpha Ursae Majoris (the line visually connecting Merak with Dubhe) by five times the distance between these two stars over Dubhe is pointing at Polaris, the North Star indicating true North in regard to the earth’s surface. I learned this fact as a small one, when my father explained it to me during a cold winter’s night with clear skies decades ago). Of course Polaris, as all the other stars mentioned here, does exist in the Elite Milky Way too. Then again, Polaris represents the tip of the tail of the Small Bear (Ursa Minor).

Today I visited the orbit of planet earth to check if the constellation Ursa Major is seen from the in-game perspective. I found it indeed, right there, appearing in front of my ship. The following image shows what I could see (I marked the position of the constellation).

Ursa Major From Earth Orbit Ursa Major From Earth Orbit

Elite Lore of Alioth and the Alliance

The Alioth system in 3306 is the home system of the youngest of the three human major powers in the Elite Universe: The Alliance, founded in the year of 3230, roughly 70 years before the recent in-game date. Compared to the Federation and the Empire its age is young: some individuals do remember the first years of the Alliance still due to the fact, its age is shorter than the average life span in 3306.

As it is known, the Federation was defeated by the rising Empire in Achenar in 2380. The Empire was the then young superpower and it took 850 years until the third superpower could be formed. Why took it 850 years to found the Alliance, what happened during these centuries and how it came to the rise of the third superpower at all?

After the Federation did loose a significant number of systems to the Empire there was the need to replace the lost resources of these systems inside the imperial territories. The industries of Sol and the Federation could not survive without replacing the lack of resources.

Planet Argent's Claim, an Earth-like world in Alioth System (Epsilon Ursae Majoris) Planet Argent's Claim, Alioth System

Thus it was decided to find, colonize and connect new, so far mostly unknown systems to the federal space. The technological achievements and the then existing development of space drives and propulsion systems allowed for the search within a given maximum radius from Sol due to the longer duration and higher risks of space travel during this era. The growth of federal territories towards Achenar and the imperial territories was blocked and neither feasible nor wanted and the Federation orientated its colonization efforts towards the outermost sectors of the reachable space in the opposite direction, aiming for systems as far away from the Empire as possible.

18 years after the end of the first war between the Empire and the Federation, the latter was able to sent the first wave of colonists into the new direction. 54 years later (2452) Alioth could be populated for the first time and the richness in resources of this system accelerated the federal efforts to found and incorporate the newly found territories: the industries ruling the Federation were keen on gathering resources now due to the fact both, the Empire and the Federation did recover from the exhaustion after their war. The name Alioth derived from the ancient Arabic word ‘alyat’ which could be translated as ‘the tail of a fat sheep’, which during the rise of the 25th century remained a true metaphor still: The newly incorporated systems proofed to be richer in resources than expected during the early reconnaissance. As a result the Federation could re-establish its former power and survive.

These new Colonies later came under pressure by the growing Empire and the Federation again, which led to numerous conflicts in Alioth and its neighboring systems due to the intersecting spheres of interest of the two superpowers. Alioth remained the focal point of this clash during the early 33rd century until the year of 3230 marked the independence of Alioth and its surrounding systems with the declaration of the Alliance.

Planet A1 at Alioth, a class IV gas giant Planet A1 at Alioth, a class IV gas giant (Epsilon Ursae Majoris)

GalCorp which was founded by a number of systems belonging to the Old World Systems within the region can be seen as the predecessor of the later Alliance. GalCorp became exhausted by the first Thargoid war and vanished while the two superpowers fought in rivalry for the domination of the rich systems laying between their main territories. It took many years afterwards until the Alliance became a possibility and finally reality with the foundation of the Intergalactic Alliance of Independent Systems.

The Alliance underwent a fast expansion and many independent pilots were fighting for its cause during the last years; as a result, currently the Alliance incorporates around 840 star systems.

Lore Tour 3306 - Investigating some more INRA Settlements and Exploration

From Nu Indi over Lugh to Mayes Chemical Plant and further on to HD 1900; then back into the bubble to the Velasquez Research Facility (19th APR 3306)

The route from Nu Indi system to Mayes Chemical Plant was leading through a system called Lugh, a system where an invasion fleet of the Federation could be defeated not long ago. Lugh tried to leave the Federation led by the ‘Independent Crimson State Group’ and was seeking its freedom as many other systems in the centuries before. Since then this system was able to sustain as an independent system while losing the so-called War of Lugh was undermining Federal President Jasmina Halsey’s position within the Federation.

Lugh Victory Tourist Beacon Lugh Victory Tourist Beacon

I visited and scanned the four now established tourist beacons describing the phases of the conflict enfolding in Lugh during 3301. These are called ‘The Battle for Lugh’, ‘In Memory’, ‘Last Defence’ and ‘Lugh Victory’.

Last Defence Tourist Beacon at Lugh Last Defence Tourist Beacon at Lugh

Once finishing the sightseeing and learning about the lore of Lugh, I completed two more jumps and reached the former INRA chemical plant used for the mass production of Mycoid, which now is one of the abandoned INRA settlements. Arriving at Mayes Chemical Plant, the INRA settlement and production facility of Mycoid, I scanned the various communication nodes and the data beacon placed at the center of this infrastructure layout.

Mayes Chemical Plant - INRA settlement Mayes Chemical Plant - INRA settlement

The chemical plant was contracted to produce a huge quantity of Mycoid. But the production of the substance did not go as smoothly as planned due to too short deadlines and the related pressure having a counterproductive effect on the working teams at Mayes Chemical Plant.

The facility manager claimed the given dead line for the production could not be met and was replaced by the company; obviously INRA used its strong influence and developed a lot of pressure to whoever was running the facility. Then the new management tried to rush the production to fulfill the contract and comply to the projected timelines.

As a result, the new facility management had to react to a certain loss of product quality: the Mycoid delivery was contaminated and not usable for the intended operation and purposes. The new manager now had to state as well: the poor quality standard was due to the too tight deadline.

Finally, seemingly delayed, the ordered quantities with the needed quality standards were commissioned for the transport to Hollis settlement and could be shipped out before the chemical plant was closed by the owner. It seems very likely the chemical plant was a subdivision of INRA due to the fact the facility showed the INRA logo in various places even though the recordings I gathered from Mayes Chemical Plant may indicate the facility management was used as an contractor.

Exploring and Mapping during the Descent towards HD 1900 Exploring and Mapping during the Descent towards HD 1900

Leaving the facility I set course towards HD 1900, a system approximately 1kly under the Galactic Plain. 20 jumps diving deep under the plain in a nearly straight line, finally leading me to the target system from where I mapped the planets A1, B1; B2; B3, B4, B5, B6 and finally B7 before leaving HD 1900.

Once finished the mapping, I did set a course back towards inhabited regions and the Velasquez Research Centre, another INRA settlement. There a vaccine counteracting the Mycoid effects on Thargoids was searched and found by INRA scientists. I described the lore in regard of INRA and the vaccine produced at the Velasquez Research laboratories in one of the logbook entries of last week but here I wish to provide some impressions of this abandoned settlement:

Bird's View of the Velasquez Research Settlement Bird's View of the Velasquez Research Settlement

Lore Tour 3306 - WP 9: Guardian Beacon

Lore Tour 3306 – waypoint 9: Guardians and Guardian Beacon at Synuefe IL-N c23-15

Waypoint number nine of Drew’s Lore Tour 3306 provides a Guardian Beacon. At Guardian Beacons it is possible to receive the key for blueprints of variants of one of the 3 Guardian Fighters. These blueprints later could be used with one of the tech brokers. To do so and obtain the pre-product of such a blueprint, one has to collect an Ancient Relic, which will be released after activating the structure and scanning the rotating orb at the centre of the beacon.

Guardian Beacon

Activation of the beacon could be achieved by firing energy weapons such as beam lasers hitting all of the activation targets; this process is to be seen as an analogue to the activation of the Guardian Pylons found at one of the planetary Guardian structures.

As soon as the Guardian Beacon successfully is activated, one needs to perform a scan at the centre of the fully opened structure, which in fact can be described as a giant 3D puzzle: By scanning the orb at the centre one should not approach towards it too close. The area ejecting the orb will become retracted soon and the whole Guardian Beacon will fold in itself after a short period of time enclosing the central parts of the opened structure within itself. If a scanning ship stood too close to this space inside the area of the closing vault, it might become damaged or destroyed when the parts of the beacon close on themselves again possibly trapping any ship which came too close.

Unfortunately I did not carry any weapon with my exploring ship and hence was not able to activate the beacon for this time but I might return with the needed equipment and try to carry out the complete task.

Closed Guardian Beacon out of a distance of 7.5 km Closed Guardian Beacon out of a distance of 7.5 km

Further on, it has to be mentioned: After a successful scan of the Guardian Beacon an Ancient Relic will be produced, which will be released to the open space, where it can be collected either by scooping or using collector limpets. Once the relic is secured, this has to be delivered to one of the Guardian Altars at one of the planetary Guardian sites. There the altar has to be activated by performing a pylon run prior to be able to drop the relic(s) from the Guardian Beacon into the Altar and scanning the then appearing orb at the planetary site (which will produce a fighter blueprint).

It is worth to be mentioned as well: it makes sense to collect a number of Ancient Relics from a Guardian Beacon due to the fact the scanning process at one of the altar-orbs might not be successful every time one tries. In such a case of an unsuccessful scan one then were able to use another Beacon-Relic.

Guardian Beacons are huge 3D puzzles Guardian Beacons are huge 3D puzzles

Drew Wagar's Lore Tour 3306 - Personal Recap of the first three weeks

Lore Tour 3306 – First and Second Week on Tour (including all waypoints up to Number 11) - Personal Recap of the first three weeks

Starting the third week of the Lore Tour we investigated the lore and history of the Empire. The landing of tour participants after the lecture on the surface of the high gravity world Achenar 3 with its 6.73G became a highlight of this evening and a nice exercise: This time I felt proud to land my ship on Achenar 3 with 100% hull integrety. 3rd touch down on Achenar 3 (@100% hull)

During the first two weeks I did investigate all systems being set as waypoints for Drew Wagar’s Lore Tour 3306. These were the following systems (in travel sequence without transit systems en route):

  • WP 1:
    Sol - the early history of E:D lore

  • Testing the Beta1 (Fleet Carriers) for two days (no progression for the Lore Tour, though)

  • WP 2:
    Tau Ceti – the first Colonies in E:D lore

  • WP 3:
    Achenar - the history of the Empire

  • WP 4:
    Nefertem - the Thetis Generation Ship

  • WP5:
    Lave – hitory and lore of GalCorp and The Old Worlds

  • WP6:
    12 Trianguli – history and lore of INRA

  • WP7:
    HIP 12099 - Jameson’s Demise

  • WP8:
    Alioth – the history of the Alliance

  • WP9:
    Synuefe IL-N c23-15 – Guardians and a Guardian Beacon

  • VY Canis Majoris – Red Supergiant

  • Synuefe EU-Q c21-10 – Guardian Structure / Guardian Ruins

  • WP10:
    Prism – Kahina Loren aka Salomé

  • WP11:
    Riedquat – Old Worlds, Core Systems and the systems derived form Elite 1

  • WP6:
    Returning to 12 Triangul planet A1 and investigation of the lore and history of INRA at Taylor Keep

  • HIP 15329 – Stuart Retreat planet AC3 (INRA settlement)

  • Alnath planet A2AA – Klatt Enterprises (INRA settlement)

  • HIP 7158 planet A2B – Hogan Depot (INRA settlement)

  • WP2: Returning to Achenar incl. The third landing on Achenar 3 with all exploration members

  • Hermitage planet A4 (INRA settlement)

The first six waypoints I did describe in regard to the lore with the logbook entries during the last two weeks. I am planning to describe all the other waypoints as well, as long as RL-activities will allow me to do so. As a next step I will visit all remaining known INRA sites as well.

Lore Tour pilots on descent for a meeting on a high gravity world, close to Brill Works at Achenar 3 Lore Tour pilots on descent for a meeting on a high gravity world, close to Brill Works at Achenar 3

I have to mention as well, that the first 11 waypoints are located inside of the bubble, mostly. The Guardian Beacon in the Synuefe area lays outside of the bubble towards the East as a few other Guardian sites, of which I visited and mentioned one more in the list above (as well as in some other, older logbook entries).

The waypoints 12 to 17 are placed on the western branch of the Lore Tour path, en route to the Formidine and the Zurara, which I did visit in the past as well. This time, I am planning to go the direct route from inside the bubble towards the Zurara as soon as the bulk of the participants of the Lore Tour will set course for this branch of the path. Maybe I will be able to jump a fleet carrier towards the Formidine Rift and the Zurara; I did not make that decision, yet, but I surely do have the funds to provide a carrier supporting the expedition corps on this trip into the vast blackness of the Southern Blackness.

So far, to me the Lore Tour provided a lot of fun and as well as some new details of Elite Dangerous including first hand reports. I like the lore related, newly gained revelations about this space game and do enjoy to take some time for investigating some aspects I never delved into before (e.g. the INRA history).

Elite Dangerous hides a lot of secrets, which, as part of the game, might be found and further investigated. In fact, this part to me is an integral part of the game and certainly much more than a simple background story of a game. It has to be pointed out too that Elite Dangerous really excelled in the part of describing a future story of science, society and human fault and brilliance as – at least in most parts – really good Science Fiction in its best sense. Good Science Fiction always is a projection of our society into the future and tries to tell about the present times as well and the Elite Lore - so far - did this in a great way.

Of course, the history is hidden as most parts of the game and waits to be discovered by the commanders and players of this beautiful way of creating Science Fiction interactively.

Lore Tour 3306 – waypoint 6: I.N.R.A. Settlement at 12 Trianguli

INRA Abandoned Settlements and what is Mycoid?

The abbreviation I.N.R.A. stands for ‘Intergalactic Naval Reserve Arm’, which originally was a scientific organisation running facilities on the surfaces of a number of planetary bodies. So how many facilities were there? We can not be sure about having found all of the scientific installations due to the fact all settlements we know of are located in remote systems, where they had been discovered during the last three years. There might be more of these abandoned settlements throughout the bubble and perhaps even further out in space.

As waypoint number six of Drew Wagar’s Lore Tour system 12 Trianguli - in a distance of 162.5 light years from Sol - is set. Once dropping out of hyperspace at 12 Trianguli A, the main star, which is an F-type star, and scanning the bodies I found nothing of particular interest: 5 stars (one F-type, two Y-type and one M-type stars) and five planets, of which one is a Class 2, one a class 3 and one a class 4 gas giant and the remaining two planetary bodies are high metal content worlds.

Apart from this, there I could not find any a other ship except my own Asp-Explorer, neither a single outpost or station nor any planetary settlement or city. As well I could not see any tourist beacon or a navigation beacon at the main star.

So first, I wondered about the reasons to have such a system as a waypoint for a lore related exploration tour. I decided to map the surfaces of the two high metal content worlds of which only planet A1 allows landing a space ship.

I fired some probes and mapped the surface of planet A1 without detecting any signal as long as I remained static (30km/s SC) without moving much closer to the planet. When approaching planet A1 accelerating and closing up, there was a blip on the navigation panel: on checking it, I learned there is a human signal source on the planet’s surface, which indeed showed as a marker on the HUD too: Taylor Keep. I wondered about such a signal source naming and did some research via the galactic i-net link and found out Taylor Keep is one of the known INRA-settlements. I never visited these sites so my curiosity grew while I prepared my ship, Honest Tuck, to enter an orbit leading to an optimized trajectory to land at the marked coordinates (-51.5533 deg / 130.6464 deg).

During descent it became visible: the abandoned settlement lies towards the centre of a huge impact crater on planet A1. The proportion of the crater, its size compared to the planetary surface as well as the shape and morphology of this location strongly reminded me on the situation, which was observed on Saturn’s moon Mimas in the Sol system: The Herschel Crater found there seemed to be used as a blueprint for the landscape I observed during the descent on planet A1.

Finishing the Glide Phase above the giant Impact Crater above Taylor Keep Finishing the Glide Phase above a giant Impact Crater

The abandoned settlement Taylor Keep is located right next to the partially eroded shatter cone at the original impact point close to the centre of the complex impact crater. This leads as well to the conclusion the original shock wave during the impact produced pressures ranging from 2 GPa up to 30GPa.

Located at the slope of an eroded shatter cone: Taylor Keep, an INRA abandoned settlement: Located at the slope of an eroded shatter cone: Taylor Keep, an INRA abandoned settlement

However, finishing the glide phase of my descent I recognized the tall tower placed inside the abandoned settlement. Next to this tower there is a landing pad, which is as huge as a large landing pad; once there were heavy ships docking in this now deserted place.

From a distance of approximately 5km from the settlement at a height of 4.2 km I got a more detailed view of the structure: The now abandoned settlement once was heavily fortified. Along the perimeter of the settlement there were multiple turrets of a now inactive defence system. INRA, whatever they were doing here, felt the need for a strong defence. All other INRA settlements I visited later this day were not providing such a strong and well build complete line of defence; even the huge industrial structure I found at Alnath system, Klatt Enterprises, provided such installations. Whatever was done here was considered important enough to be defended strongly, even though the location still is remote and hard to be found.

Taylor Keep - bird's view

History of INRA in a Nutshell

INRA was a scientific cooperation between the two then existing superpowers (Federation and Empire) following the aim to learn more about the nature of the attacking Thargoids. It aimed for different targets: On the one hand INRA was seeking out, reverse engineering and analysing the foreign and superior technology to improve human applied technologies. On the other hand INRA desperately tried to find weaknesses of the attacker to be used against the alien race as an effective defence.

At Hollis Gateway in Hermitage a spore or fungus was found, which had a high potential to effectively kill the specimen of the attacking alien race if being delivered and spread among them, which possibly could have led to the complete wipe out and extinction of the Thargoids, which then had been a genocide. Obviously INRA made this option its main aim for the next and last century of its existence.

Test Area - Evidence at Klatt Enterprises Test Area - Evidence at Klatt Enterprises

Warning Sign about Mycohazard Warning Sign about Mycohazard

The first prototype of the resulting bioweapon was constructed and then tested at Klatt Enterprises, a now abandoned settlement on planet A2 AA in Alnath system. This bioweapon was named ‘Mycoid’. Mycoid seems to have had contained a genetically created virus being able to spread among Thargoids easily and re-produce the substance(s), which accidentally had been found with the fungus at Hollis Gateway before.

Bird's View of the Industrial Facilities of Klatt Enterprises

The mass production of Mycoid was decentralised and various INRA facilities, such as Mayes Chemical Plant at planet 1B in HIP 59382, which took part in the large scale production of the weapon.

Storing Capacity of Mycoid at Hogan Depot Storing Capacity of Mycoid at Hogan Depot

Hogan Depot at planet A2 B at HIP 7158 is one of the known storing locations of huge quantities of the bioweapon Mycoid and one of the logistic centres from which the weapon system became distributed to further research facilities and naval posts throughout human space.

Location of Hogan Depot at the Rim of a Crater Location of Hogan Depot at the Rim of a Crater

In 3306 we know about two final delivery targets for Mycoid: One is the Velasquez Medical Research Center on planet 7 at LP 389-95, which is the location where a working vaccine against Mycoid was found and produced prior to the draw down of the forces employed at this place.

The second place we recently know of is Taylor Keep, where a commander Jameson’s Cobra was armed with Mycoid rockets before this Elite pilot went out on his mission without return. It seems plausible there were other commanders with a similar task being sent out. How many? We dont know. How many of these pilots accomplished the task? We never will know either.

Down the slope at Hogan Depot there was a Cobra Mk IV - a rarely spotted ship type Down the slope at Hogan Depot there was a Cobra Mk IV - a rarely viewed ship type

The pilot was sitting in his commander's seat - I wonder what this NPC was waiting for The pilot was sitting in his commander's seat - I wonder what this NPC were waiting for

The first Thargoid War ended in the year 3151. INRA was dissolved in the year of 3253 after details about the operations of INRA – including its aim to eradicate all Thargoids - became public and Mic Turner (a personal friend of the Alliance Co-founder Meredith Argent), who delivered the mycoid-vaccine to the Thargoid species, disappeared; Turner supposedly was taken by INRA agents never to be seen again.

Conclusion and Classification of INRA and its History

Taylor Keep and its history symbolizes the final part of INRA’s involvement in and the culmination of the first Thargoid War. The organisation was criticised for its actions and its undertaking after the (temporarily) end of this conflict by many sides. Undoubtedly the first and maybe strongest critics were found inside the organisation itself – perhaps due to the reason all operations were held at least top secret and covered up during this time.

View over the crater rim at Hogan's Depot View over the crater rim at Hogan's Depot

Surely, there is no doubt: ethics, ethical believes as well as what commonly is summoned as to be found human nature in a humanistic sense, was and still is challenged by the result of INRA’s scientific efforts and later actions. But wouldn’t it be a too naive way to rate the history in regarding that aspect only? Finally, the accidental proof of the devastating effects specific spores and/or a certain kind of fungus showed on Thargoid tissues, which led to the development of a virus producing the aggressive substance not only disabling Thargoid hyperdrive technology but also killing the individuals of this alien species, as well as the delivery and appliance of this disease-spreading virus to the aliens, has to be considered a crude and brutal step. But, as well, it seems this act was saving humanity from annihilation by the attacking Thargoids.

It might be discussed, if the experiments on a number of living specimen of the aliens as a cruel and torturous act of war could be considered a criminal act, which it in most regards and under normal circumstances surely was. It might also be discussed if these experiments were absolutely necessary, which could be answered by the scientists involved in this act, only.

On the other hand, humanity was at the verge of extinction and until the recent day communication with the attacking alien species proofed impossible. As well the Thargoid activities seem to threaten human mankind, still. In retrospective, as a fact, it has to be stated that the complete result of INRA’s work ended the first Thargoid war and saved humanity and also could be seen as an act of self-defence.

As well and at the same time it has to be considered that a vaccine was investigated and found, which finally was delivered to the Thargoids (by members of the human species), saving the alien species from extinction as well. So man kind used to strike back against the enemy but managed to not have wiped out the enemy completely.

Both lines of the history have to be seen as a whole if one tries to consider what happened. INRA’s part in the history can not be seen isolated and on its own. It is said, Thargoids were a hive minded race and might believe humans were as well. In this regard the Thargoids themselves may come to the conclusion human man kind as a whole (re-)acted in an appropriate manner. Of course no-one knows how Thargoids conceive reality. There are rumours as well, Thargoids may differ and there were different hives and man kind dealt and deals with an aggressive hive but not with all minds among the alien species of the so-called Thargoids.

As well the personal history of CMDR Jameson believing the new weapon would only deactivate the enemies hyperspace abilities while delivering the virus by firing some rockets, which seconds later infected the first Thargoid, can be interpreted as a metaphor representing the position of human mankind itself and as a whole. On his way back RTB, when finding out about the true nature of the operation and before being killed due to the sabotage of his Cobra - arranged by INRA making an effort to cover the operation - Jameson finished the task but regretted his part in grief and never intended to start a potential genocide.

Lore Tour 3306 – waypoint 5: Lave

Last time Aldarion visited the Lave system at the start of the recent year 3306 to collect a load of Lavian Brandy, a rare commodity and legal drug inside the Elite Universe, from Lave Station. The Lave system belongs to the third and youngest human major power, the Alliance, which could be seen as the predecessor of the Old Worlds Cooperative and GalCorp, which acted as humanity’s spearhead in the development of technologies, science and against the Thargoid threat for the roughly 300 years it was prosperous.

Regarding the Elite Lore it has to be stated: Lave Station in orbit around Planet Lave was the system every commander started from when playing the original Elite Space Game. The Lave system, originally being known as L-453, as many other worlds belongs to the Core Systems inside the Inner Orion Spur and sometimes is categorized as belonging to the Old Worlds.

Castellan Station - outpost in orbit around Lave 2: Castellan Station

As well, a few centuries ago, Lave served as the capital of the Galactic Cooperative of Worlds, abbreviated as GalCorp, which was a trade organization focused on intra station trade and development but not being interested or involved in any planetary affairs seeking independence either from the Federation as well as from the Empire.

Situated among and consisting of the Old World Systems, GalCorp was founded in the year of 2696 and got involved in the first Thargoid conflict in 3125, which exhausted its resources and left the cooperative weakened. As a result the GalCorp trading organisation went down and had to retreat from most of the hundreds of systems it controlled, which were lost to the two remaining superpowers.

Originally the Old worlds Coalition was declared against the strong Imperial presence along the borders of these systems and consisted of worlds loosely bound by their defence pact. The restriction of the Old World Coalition to intra station trade and space exploring activities was the result of the Imperial incursion of the year 2498, which gave reason for the constitution of GalCorp later on. Interestingly the Empire was not strong enough to take over the Old Worlds then but after the first conflict between mankind and the Thargoids the weakness of GalCorp became inevitable and it dissolved its charter in the year 3174.

The modular ship design of the famous Python made by Whatt and Pritney Shipyards, which nowadays is the standard for all human ship types, originated from GalCorp and was developed and released in the year 2700. This design was a gift to all independent pilots, who, until the recent day, make use of this idea, this technological achievement in the construction of space ships. Even as remarkable as the development of the modular ship design is the invention and construction of the Coriolis space station design, which proved as ingenious as the creation of the modular ship design until recent times. This technological leap also became possible under the regime of GalCorp's political and cultural system.

The Alliance, founded in 3230, could be seen as a consequence of the decline of GalCorp and the history of this youngest superpower inside the Elite Milky Way might be one of the most interesting parts of the Elite Lore.