Signing in Cmdr Scholten,

As of today we are on another exploration trip.

In the past we visited the abandoned sites and bases of the Dynasty project. In both the Formidine rift and Hawking's Gap. But there was another discovery trip set out at the time. In the direction of the Scutum Sagitarri Conflux region. And that's where we are heading this time.

Got the Anaconda refitted at Jameson Memorial for another long exploration trip and with Amanda back in the cockpit all things are looking good for another adventure.

And ofcourse on the way we shall be exploring, scanning and sampling bio signals to add to the general knowledge of the galaxy.

Signing off Cmdr Scholten.

Signing in Cmdr Scholten.

The original plan was to visit the abandoned bases in Hawkings Gap and travel on to explore the region further out away from the bubble. Than return through Norma's Expanse back to the bubble.

Yet last night we received a message from the carrier. Since we left it seems a lot of cmdrs have left on explorationtrips. Too many at the same time wich means too little revenue coming in to keep the account balanced the right way.

And since we are not just cmdrs using this carrier but also active members of the squadron based on it we are to come back and help out so the carrier stays our base.

Glad we got to explore the sites we initially wanted, now the nose of the Anaconda is facing the bubble again. Only 173 jumps to go as I type this log.

Hold on guys, help is on the way.

Signing off Cmdr Scholten

Signing in Cmdr Scholten.

We have arrived and explored the four abandoned settlements in the Hawkin's Gap region.

Not as much mystery as the ones in the Formidine rift, but still impressive to visit and scan the old comm logs and data points.

The Alpha site, The logs speak of boredom and lack of clear purpose as to why they are there. Rumours about the expedition to the Formidine Rift and people killing themselves on those missions have reached this settlement. Though left behind long ago, the site still had some nice engineering materials lying around.

The Beta site, The logs show a mission with of a lot of secrecy as to why they are there and what the cargo is they took with them. The crews fullfill their duties and head back to the bubble. No way of telling wether they actually made it back. The datapoint is still active and we managed to download the software from the old base. Good credits and interesting for historical research.

The Gamma site, The logs are about the crew not knowing what cargo they are dropping off in space. The cargo looks like a kind of satelites. The guards hired by the unknown company giving the orders are hostile towards anyone asking questions. One crew who accidently saw one 'satelite' being switched on is having an accident in an airlock later that day, killing them all. The datapoint is also still active and we downloaded what was stored on it. We have found in the past that the empire uses old datapoints to store software and files. Funny thing about this one, there are files for each main power in the galaxy stored. Emperial, Federal and Alliance files all stored on the same datapoint...

The Delta site, The logs are much the same, an unknown organisation having crews taking 'satelites' as far out as Hawkin's Gap. Not knowing what they are for or why they are so far out. No active datapoint here but quite a lot of engineering materials.

Signing out Cmdr. Scholten.

Signing in Cmdr Scholten

And now, after what seems like months hanging around the carrier in the bubble. We are back in the black. Sure, the time was needed to recover from our adventures with the maelstrom and the thargoids after that.

But once again, Amanda and I are out exploring systems and taking exo-biology samples.

I spend a lot of credits, getting us a big ship, a new Anaconda. Our trusty old Python has been safely parked inside the carrier and we moved on to a bigger one. Even more fitted for long exploration than the Python.

Away from the bubble, and the Thargoids. This time we travel another direction. First we went into the Outer Orion Spur, visited the Eta Carina Nebula and the Guardian ruins. Found some more non-human sensorfragments on planets near the nebula. The guardian ruins held a lot of active obelisks that gave us a lot of data.

Now we travel to Hawkings Gap, to visit some abandoned bases and stations from a long time ago. Hoping to learn a bit more about those early explorers and travellers.

Signing off Cmdr Scholten

Signing in Cmdr Scholten

After the recent event with the Thargoid attacks and our narrow escape. I have taken up time in my quarters and transporting some risky cargo trying what to think of what to do next.

I don't feel like joining in the Thargoid war rightaway again. Amanda has recovered, but she has probably a lasting effect of the corrosive vapors she inhaled in her damaged escapepod. She is slowly recovering but on her feet again. And she has made it quite clear she doesn't want to leave the safety of the carrier for now.

Her voice has become raspy sounding, and her respitorysystem hasn't completely healed yet. So she sounds raspy and as if she is in very hard physical work. As for now she is working short shifts as a traffic controller on the carrier.

Quite a surprise for unsuspecting pilots to hear her 'special' voice over the comms.

I am filling my days with some risky cargo runs for the E.G Union. Things I can do alone. And takes my mind of the recent events.

Signing out Cmdr Scholten

Signing in Cmdr Scholten.

During last part of our trip from Colonia back to the Bubble, messages reached us about Salvation's fail, and the appearance of the Stargoids, or phenomena now known as Maelstroms.

The last 1200 ly to the bubble we discovered the first 'rogue signal' and as we got closer more and more of these signals appeared during our system scans.

We reached the bubble, and than, for no other reason than curiosity we set course to the first system where a stargoid would appear. We took the toughest ship from my fleet. A well reinforced and engineered Federal Gunship called 'The magnificent Seven'.

We found we were not alone, a lot of cmdrs were curious to see first hand what this 'stargoid' would be like.

Whilst waiting for the thing to arrive, a party started to build up. Some were speedchasing just over the surface, some SRV races were being held. Just a good party to spend the wait on a nice moon with this green star coming ever closer.

It would be hours before this thing would arrive, so we decided to park the Gunship in a narrow valley and get some sleep. We woke to the alarm going off. We were under attack! As I dashed to the cockpit to fire up the ship, I noticed there was no power. Thargoid EMP attack!

Rebooting... , come on, and finally the Magnificent Seven rebooted and powered up. The thargoid returned for another attack. We lift off and the fight ensued we got some glimpses of the moon, or what was left of it. Everything was gone to a scorched surface. The atmosphere had turned from sunny and a light breeze to a green gas.

Not a single human signal left on the navigation. We got out of this fight and shot away into supercruise. Only to be interdicted by the next thargoid. We fought, and started to loose. With only 23 percent hull left and declining I gave the order to get into the escape pods and leave the ship. As I fled into my pod I thougt I saw a blimp on the radar. Artificial sleep set in, to keep us alive in our pods as long as possible. Fearing the worst, yet hoping for a miracle.

After an unknown time I woke up with a terrible headache, somewhere unknown strapped to a bed. A man came in, introduced himself as cmdr Dalton. He picked up the signals from our escapepods. And couldn't leave any humans back out there with the goids. He must have been the blimp I saw just before our ship blew up. We were onboard a Krait Mk2. Completely fitted for illegal retrieval and smuggling missions. And very stealthy indeed. Perfect to slip away unseen. Cmdr Dalton saved our asses, mine anyway. As the pod with Amanda got damaged before we were picked up. She lives but needs medical care asap.

I contacted our squadron Carrier to send a ship to pick us up and in a small system of Dalton's choice. Arrangements were made, and cmdr Dalton has been greatly rewarded by the squadron for his efforts.

I am back in my quarters on the carrier, and Amanda is in sickbay recovering.

Signing out Cmdr Scholten.

Signing in Cmdr Scholten.

In the early hours, I woke up as Amanda stumbled and crashed into living quarters. With a bottle of Latvian brandy in her hand, she loudly exclaimed she got us in to a party.

I told her that's great, and as you woke me up already tell me about it. Oh and it seems like you had a party already. She fell into a chair and told me she wandered around the port and found a hangar where people were busy loading an old Type 10 defender with crates of liqour, good food and decorations. Nothing special, except the defender was called 'the party crasher' And that got her interest. She got into contact with some of the people loading there and offered them to help loading it.

Long story, but she managed to get an invitation to the party. A small card with just a location of a compromised beacon on a nearby moon.

I asked her, did you read the back of the card? And she did. It stated clearly, 500.000 credits entry fee, no authorities or security personel and no uninvited guests. Join at your own risk and no liability on the crew of the party crasher. So I asked her what kind of party are we to expect? And with a smile she answered, just make sure we get there tomorrow, it is going to be wild.

The next day we took off and set course to the specified moon. As we approached it, the compromised beacon showed up and we set course to land near it. When nearly there, we saw a group of ships landed around what seems like a pile of shipping containers with party lights around an old Defender. We were let in after we paid the fees and our identities were checked. Once inside I had never seen anything like it. The whole defender and the surrounding containers made a temporary base where the party would be held. We had a great time, partying with mercenaries, possible pirates, independent pilots, and a wide variety of people you wouldn't find in a pilot's bar. One could gamble, drink, dance, fight and well.... what ever you wanted And what a party we had, and as most visitors were too tired or drunk or knocked out in the early hours of the morning the party slowly calmed down and ended. We found our way back into the python and knew, we would be sorry tomorrow. But what a party.

Signing off Cmdr. Scholten.

Signing in Cmdr. Scholten.

Wow, we made it. We finally made it to Colonia. Weeks, months of travelling and exploring has now come to a end for now, right here in Colonia. I docked the Python in a hangar in Jacques station and gave orders to a groundcrew to restock and repair all modules. Amanda and me, we got our selves dressed to the occasion and stepped in the elevator to take us to the concourse. And what a bummer and a dull place that is. A handfull of missionproviders, trying to get you to do their dirtywork, mostly fighting missions for wich the Python is no good in exploration outfitting, First I stopped at the universal cartograpics to turn our data into credits. We finally found the pilotsbar,tucked away in a corner behind a pioneers supplies store. It was still early, so maybe later there would be some public coming for a drink.Later in the evening still not too many folks there. All explorers. We asked the somewhat grumpy barkeeper at what time there would be some livelyness. "Too many outsiders" he said. All coming in from exploration or by the bridge looking for parties. Whilst we colonians have our own problems, you outsiders don't care about. So no, no parties in here for now.

Allright, I decided I'd go to bed in the Python, whilst Amanda wouldn't give up. She wanted a party and would find us one.

Signing off Cmdr. Scholten.

Signing in Cmdr Scholten

Just keep going on to your destination, words I heard a long time ago at the academy. Told to us by our instructor in case we ever lost track of ourselves in the vastness space. Never thought I'd remember that single phrase. And remembring it brought a smile to my face. It seems like ages since we've seen any other human than the two of us in this Python. And yesterday we both realized we miss other people. This trip, going from the lively bubble to the abandoned Formidine rift sites all the way to colonia is starting to take it's toll on the both of us. We love exploring, gathering samples and sometimes just marvel at the wonders of space. But both Amanda and me we are also social beings, with an appetite for parties and booze. And now after months of travelling we long for a good party and a stiff drink. Well we can drink onboard the python ofcourse but it's just not the same. We've regained our spirit and energy when we checked the routeplotter with only 60 jumps togo to Colonia, a place with other humans and probably a party or two. Just keep going to your destination....and you will get there.

Signing off Cmdr Scholten

Signing in Cmdr. Scholten.

We visited the Gamma site at Eafots RA-G B11-0 3.

Strange as this base should be abandoned ages ago but, as we approach the site we get more and more new contacts. Ship after ship is coming and going, all Elite level cmdrs. But none of them seems to be willing to communicate. Neither do they show any sign of hostility towards us.

We can land near the base. I go out in the SRV, check out the base, collect some materials scattered around and download the mission logs.

A warning story about some bright lights and an evil entity they can not grasp. No direct attacks, but disturbance of scanners and equipment. The crew finishes the mission and leaves heading home.

As I return to the ship a new contact appears, an unknown contact class. The 'ships'seem to have gone away, just the one unclassified contact remains. I start the engines and the contact moves closer but can not be seen nor targeted or scanned. I feel uncertain and slightly worried as the contact keeps closing in but can't be seen. I aim the nose up, boost away to go into supercruise as soon as I can. As we near the orbital cruise altitude a loud static noise is heard over the radio and some flashing of the screens in the cockpit. Than silence, but the accelerating of the fsd.

Something is strange out here. Not sure if it really is an alien lifeform or some kind of disturbing radiation around the site causing the systems to go haywire. Still relieved we got out of there unharmed.

Last settlement to visit is the Delta Site.

We landed near the Delta Site at Eafots GL-Y e2 1.

An abandoned site with only some mission logs to download. The mission logs give little but a clue of what has happened. Talks about the long boring journey and the work of putting out beacons. At one point the sidewinder of the cmdr is shut down for a short time. After wich everything comes back online. When she returns all ships have gone. No debris, no survivors, nothing. Just the cmdr and an old sidewinder. She talks about an earthlike world she might be able to reach.

We found an earthlike world within reach of a standard sidewinder. We scanned an d scanned the whole planet, but no sign of life or a crash site. Guess we will never know what happened.

Signing off Cmdr. Scholten.