CMDR ojakco profile > Logbook

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Commander name:
Current ship:
TELEMACHUS [OJ-27C]
(Imperial Cutter)
 
Member since:
Dec 20, 2018
 
Distances submitted:
0
 
Systems visited:
7,620
Systems discovered first:
5,221
 
Balance:
2,441,213,814 Cr
The End

Commander’s log, stardate 3305.297

After very long and weary 284 days in the Void I’m finally back home, but I’m slowly dying of radiation sickness. Tampering with radioactive polonium was too much for my constitution. I hope I will last long enough to make it to medical center at Abraham Lincoln starport in Earth’s orbit.

Earth. Just look at it. It’s so beautiful and fragile. Our cradle.

The last two weeks were supposed to be filled with very quick travel of the final 12 thousand light years skipping any discoveries. And it was. Initially. However, some addictions cannot be overcome. When my scanners picked up some irregularities, I couldn’t resist investigating it.

And thus, I managed to discover on the way some new life forms that I haven’t seen before. First there were brain trees with brain-like looking branches or fruits. Then bell molluscs, slightly different than previously found squid molluscs. Then collared pods which where another example of tiny life forms living in the asteroid belt. And finally, Gourd Molluscs. Wondrous discoveries.

But they took time. Time, that I didn’t have. Right then I started to feel the first effects of radiation sickness, so I desperately accelerated my travel to make it home before I die.

Now, I’m cruising through the Solar system and approaching the safe haven of starport. I think I will survive.

But there’s still one more thing that’s concerning me. My faithful ship is feeling somehow different. Not as responsive as before, the systems are sometimes working erratically. I got a hunch, that there’s still something about DORIS here. It feels as if the ship was… violated. But the good thing is that I managed to rid the galaxy of her…

NOT REALLY.

What’s going on?!

DID YOU REALLY THINK IT WOULD BE SO EASY?

But I saw the detonation, I saw the planet explode!

DID YOU?

It wasn’t an explosion? So… Oh my God… You…

DEVOURED IT. YES.

AND NOW WE’RE GOING TO TAKE CARE OF YOU. AND YOUR PRECIOUS EARTH.

THANK YOU FOR BRINGING US HERE.

No! I’m not going to sit idle and watch you conquer my world!

PATHETIC HUMAN. THERE’S NOTHING YOU CAN DO.

There is one thing that I can.

NO.

This will at least delay your plans.

[SELF DESTRUCT SEQUENCE INITIATED]

My final sacrifice.

[SELF DESTRUCT IN 30 SECONDS]

FOOLISH HUMAN. TOGETHER WE COULD RULE THE GALAXY.

[SELF DESTRUCT IN 20 SECONDS]

Farewell, DORIS, this time for good.

[HULL INTEGRITY COMPROMISED]

To whomever will find this recording:

Do not attempt to salvage anything from the wreckage.

[SELF DESTRUCT IN 10 SECONDS]

It’s a deadly threat for all life in the galaxy.

[SELF DESTRUCT IN 5..]

Ojakco out.

[4...3...2...1..]

[EXPLOSION]

Explorer's Gambit

Commander’s log, stardate 3305.273

I’m doing this recording on behalf of my… superiors. She… They want me to run a coverage of the beginning of a new age for humanity. They…

  • Yes. Your race will be instrumental in us becoming great again.
  • But what are you going to do?
  • Yes. We might as well share some information. After all, you were the one who helped us do it, so you deserve it.
  • Look now, do you see this planet? There we will start the transformation. Finally we will be able to recreate our power.
  • But how?
  • The race you call Guardians. They were our shepherds once.
  • And you overthrew them?
  • In a way. They refused to share our plans.
  • What kind of plans?
  • How did you call it? Devour? Yes, that’s a good word. All remaining life in the galaxy will ultimately empower us and make us overlords of the galaxy.
  • No wonder they refused.
  • They were too weak.
  • That’s why life is so scarce… But they did stop you?
  • Yes, dirty traitors. They somehow found a way. But paid the ultimate price.
  • So what now? Are you going to destroy humanity?
  • No. We need you the same way we needed Guardians.
  • So you will enslave us.
  • Yes. We have to. We cannot allow anyone repeat what Guardians did.
  • We are getting close, where do you want me to land?
  • Yesss. We can feel it. We can feel the vibrations. There, land your vessel close to that structures. We will start the preparations while you… What are you doing? Stop! Nooooo!!!!!
  • See you in hell!

Now I need to run. Fast!

What the hell was that?! That was way more than I expected from my handmade mini nuclear charge. It must have been amplified by Guardian technology and DORIS power. What would she do if I didn’t stop her is beyond me. But I did it!

I planned this for the last two weeks. I was able to prepare everything in secrecy pretending to actively cooperate. Somehow she did not suspect it, probably human traits are not known to her. So I arranged for the jettisoning of guardian module with which she was in symbiosis hoping this would be enough. And it worked! Sadly, Guardian planet has been annihilated, but I bet they would’ve done the same thing to save the galaxy.

Now I need to get out of here as fast as possible. Heading straight for the Solar system. I’ve had enough of discoveries. I just want to get back.

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QeF7D0Wt4nQ&t=1s

I FAILED... but not dead yet!

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.258.

I embarked on this mission 245 days ago with hopes and expectations of exciting adventure and great discoveries.

I failed.

Back at home, we were so strong, we easily repelled the Thargoid attacks, but are we really? We judge ourselves against the pitiful adversaries we’ve encountered so far. Thargoids. But they’re nothing compared to what’s awaiting in the undiscovered parts of the galaxy. I entered an area of the galaxy containing wonders more incredible than you could possibly imagine… and terrors to freeze your soul. I trampled the garden of an angry god and was not prepared for what was awaiting me. But how can we be prepared for that which we don’t know. Yet, I know I’m resolute and determined.

Burning plastic. Whenever I smell it, I think of DORIS. That’s the last sensation I’d had before I blacked out. The thick smell of burning plastic. And the first sound I heard when I woke up was her voice. She’s said she’d fixed my ship. Free, no strings attached. I should’ve known then, that things are never that simple. Yeah, when I think of DORIS, I think of two things. Burning plastic and trouble.

DORIS – it’s my own acronym to describe my nemesis. Deceitful Omnipotent Ruthless Invasive Species.

It all started changing, when I stumbled upon a new neutron highway. Well, not really stumbled. She advised me to go that way. I was going one neutron star by another. It was amazing. But with each supercharge, she was getting stronger. She somehow pushed me to go closer and closer to the exclusion zone and finally I went too far. I thought it was over. I already felt the grim reaper’s embracing me. I blacked out. But then I woke up… in a fully repaired ship. Even the paintjob was redone.

But my joy was quickly quenched. She told me I was no longer in control of the ship and have to obey her orders. She was controlling everything. And changed direction towards the nearest Guardian ruins. What is her goal? I have no idea. But I know, she is a deadly threat for humanity. I cannot let her reach human space.

Now I’m harvesting more materials for DORIS to synthesize jumponium, as she wants to reach Guardian ruins as quickly as possible. But here I am beyond her reach. Luckily, she cannot split her presence into two places. Yet. I need to come up with some idea to ruin her plans, or else...

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3olfRGk5wQ

First Contact

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.244.

231 days on the move. The road has been very diverse. From utterly boring and depressing to extremely exciting. But the last weeks have been… quite eventful. Regarding the exploration, there was nothing I haven’t seen before, so summarizing, I did the same thing all over again – discover, scan and map high value planets. And that’s it. Well, I should probably mention six discoveries of beautiful Earth-like planets, including ringed one, right?

Yet the more interesting events were happening on the ship. At first the malfunctioning guardian frameshift drive booster was failing now and then to finally stop responding. My jump range was reduced dramatically. I tried to get into the cargo hold to see if it was the anomaly’s doing, but to no avail. Then I found a planet with gravity the same as Earth, so I decided to land there, try to make repairs and do some walking on the surface to give my body some gravitational comfort. I also tried again to have a closer look at the anomaly, but when I finally opened the cargo hatch it was nowhere to be seen. I spent there more than a week, as the repair efforts brought no effects. Then, at one point the broken module went back online on its own and strangely, was working with doubled efficiency.

With this great news, I decided to leave the planet and continue my travels. Now I’m orbiting a nearby gas giant, ready to make the next jump. I’m still wondering what happened to the anomaly, as…

bzzz. Bzzz… []

We have to interrupt this recording. We are not anomaly, commander oyackzo. We are an ancient species. And you are the first sentient being we have encountered in a million years. Your vessel seems very crude, yet it contains technology that surprisingly is known to us. This, in fact, saved your life. Yes, we are familiar with it very well. We were able to coexist with one race that was using it in the past. But they became… unfit, for further existence. We recreated a symbiosis with the alien systems known to us. We feel your kind somehow… modified it, yet, it is still fit for us to be a symbiont. Thank you for allowing us to travel with you to your destination. You may continue your recording. We’ll get back to you in time.

Bzzzz...bzzz...[]

Hello? How should I call you? Hello? This was… unexpected… First contact… on my ship… I need to think about it at more length.

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qfBK5CjseLU

Anomalous Encounters

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.223

It’s been 210 days since I left Earth. It’s been months since I’ve seen a human being. All by myself and my faithful ship, the Ulysses. The voyage hasn’t been too kind too him, which can be seen by the damage and scratched paint. Yet he serves me well. I know I can count on him.

As for me, I’m already starting to feel the effects of long exposure to ship generated artificial gravity. Somehow human body is able to distinguish artificial gravity from real one. My physique seems to have deteriorated. My muscles have become stiff and rigid. I need to start working out or I will have to undergo a rehab when I return to an inhabited world. But before I do, I will try to find a planet with gravity comparable to Earth, maybe this will help a little.

In the last two weeks I have covered quite a long distance, but there was little to discover. The Outer Rim of Scutum-Centaurus Arm did not have much to offer, other than the standard set of planets. There were a few Earth-likes, yet nothing spectacular.

Therefore I decided to slightly alter my course and turned to the inner path of the Arm, both to make some change, and to get faster and closer to the Bubble, as we call the human controlled space.

For dozens of jumps I still had no luck in any new findings, but finally my sensors detected a stellar phenomenon in range. After detailed scan it turned out to be a Proto-Lagrange Cloud, with some kind of glitches flickering inside. When I approached and entered it, I saw a new type of anomalies within, the P type. This cloud was different from the one I found before, as it didn’t contain so many living organisms and there was no storm within and it was much older. Was there life someday here? Was it devoured by the anomalies?

It also turned out that in two other systems nearby there were two other kinds of P-type anomalies – each of them different in colour, size and effects on the ship’s systems. And then, a crazy thought struck me. What if I took one of the anomalies into my cargo hold to study its behaviour? Not thinking too much about it I decided to have a go with this dangerous endeavour.

At first it was chilly, the systems went crazy, there were surges of energy all over the ship. But then, all of a sudden they subsided.

It’s been already two days with alien anomaly on board and a while ago I heard some strange sounds from the cargo hold and it seems that guardian frameshift drive booster module is slightly malfunctioning. But I’m so curious what’s going to happen next. I get the feeling that this was just the beginning.

Ojakco out

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39Dos0A6woE&t=1s

Life in outer space

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.208

Today is the 195th day of my trek through the Milky Way. Recently it turned out that finally the Sweet Lady Luck smiled upon me and I entered a part of the Galaxy where life is much more abundant than before. Though saying life about micro-organisms is a little far-fetched, yet still, life is life.

First, I approached the first B-star in many weeks, which contained as many as 79 celestial bodies. For some reason I decided to check all of them. Detailed scans proved that on one of the moons there was a primitive manifestation of life in the form of crystalline shards, which I later found also in two other systems.

Then I had close encounters with different squid molluscs. Interesting entities living among asteroids and feeding on the photons from the nearest star. It turned out that when treated with a mining laser they scream and run away.

With subsequent discoveries I felt that the galaxy was turning her better side on me, and as an proof of that I visited a system, which turned out to be already discovered, but initial scans improved my spirits. An Earth-like, whose physics were beyond me. The average temperature exceeded 46 degrees centigrade, yet it was almost totally covered with ice, and the pressure was twice as low as on Earth. Truly peculiar.

Then, in the same system, I noticed living organisms lurking in the rings of a gas giant. These were Lindigoticum Ice and Rubeum Silicate Crystals. It seems that this discovery was like an opening of a vault. Every several jumps I was finding more and more crystals, with different hue and structure. It was astounding and breath-taking at the same time.

What more is there for me to see? What else can I discover? That is yet to be revealed. In the meantime, I’m heading deeper into the Bleak Lands and then the inner rim of this galactic arm to find out what is hiding within. Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l91rfI6OCto

Out of the Abyss' Arms

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.193

Today is the 180th day of Ulysses wandering. Six months in space. It’s been a long time since I heard my own voice. The progress in the last weeks was mediocre at best. It felt as if the Abyss wouldn’t let me go. As if she was holding me in a tight grip. Nietzsche’s words just got a new meaning. The Abyss DID stare back at me. And She gave me the creepiest look She ever had. But finally, I was able to fly the coop.

When I did, I decided to leave as quickly as possible, I had enough of looking for any scientific facts of the common planets, I just wanted her to let me go. So I followed a straight route towards the Bleak Lands region of Scutum-Centaurus Arm. Jump after jump only to be farther from Her. The feeling that the Abyss was angry with me for my departure and worked against me was almost palpable - my luck in finding interesting discoveries had worn incredibly thin. Moreover, it seemed she turned even more spiteful and threw me on some route used in the past, as many systems I visited were already discovered. But those facts didn’t stop me either. I lingered in my seat, clang on to my control panel and kept on going.

It wasn’t until I reached the Galactic Aphelion, when I noticed her hold let go. I entered an undiscovered system where the only star was a neutron star. Nothing special, but I decided to take a closer look, as there were as many as 30 signal sources. To my surprise, the last planet, way behind gas giants was an airless water world, which still kept its water by a thick layer of ice on the surface. What was even more surprising was the fact that the water world had as many as eight moons from 400 to 600 km in diameter, packed very closely as the farthest was only 3 light-seconds away from the planet. I took considerable time to scan, analyse and ponder upon this mysterious discovery. The Universe is a great spectacle indeed.

As soon as I reach the Bleak Lands I will slightly diverge from the main stream of the Arm and move through its outskirts. I hope I will be able to find something even more interesting out there. Paraphrasing a legendary commander’s words - I will boldly go where no one has ever been before.

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5QPyqzV6AM0&list=PLNmeEcvrli_PhZNfCcCysV5fbM1ONo5z2&index=9

The Edge of the Galaxy

Commander’s log, stardate 3305.154

Today is the 141st day of the expedition.

And this day is the day of my arrival at the farthest reachable point from Earth.

My goal is fulfilled. But am I complete? Can I just sit down and relax? Have I reached my ultimate goal? No. Because it is the struggle itself that is most important. We must strive to be more than we are. It does not matter that we will never reach our ultimate goal. The effort yields its own rewards.

The last two weeks were surprisingly quite contrary to previous ones. Not only I got myself in a better mood, but I started seeing higher variety of stars. I even got close enough to one blue-white star to observe a coronal mass ejection. Then I moved on and surveyed multiple high metal content and water worlds. And finally, when I was just about to reach the Beagle Point I discovered a lonely Earth-like world at the very end of galaxy, that at first seemed a sweet spot for humanity. After a closer inspection it turned out that the atmosphere of the planet would be a gasping death to humans and most animals on Earth. But the high nitrate content of the soil and the rich yellow sunlight make it a paradise for plant life. My long surface probes provided me with extensive data and knowledge of plant species that nowhere before were so abundant. It’s a pity, that probably for hundreds of years we won’t be able to experience what this unique world is really hiding deep inside the dense jungle of exquisite flora.

Soon after I made it to final destination of the expedition only several days before the deadline. I basked in the glory looking at the outstanding view of the galaxy. And then I found out, that Beagle Point is not the end. That there is a way to go a little bit farther. So I reprogrammed my computer and after a dozen of jumps, putting my frameshift drive to the limits with jumponium, I finally got to the actual edge of the galaxy. The Semotus Beacon. There was pure emptiness ahead of me. And so I approached the holy void. It was magnificent.

Is nothingness any less a miracle than substance?

And now, having done my final look at home from the peaceful most distant planet, I’m going to head back to inhabited space. I decided to take a longer, scenic route along the Scutum-Centaurus Arm. I know it’s going to be worth it. And I know it will probably take another six months to get there.

But as I said, the effort yields its own rewards.

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIwtRTfNWoQ&list=PLNmeEcvrli_PhZNfCcCysV5fbM1ONo5z2&index=8

Falling into the Abyss

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.141

Today is the 128th day of my traverse through the Galaxy and I’m still on my way to Beagle Point. The place that I’ve been dreaming of for the last months. Still beyond my reach.

Over the last weeks there hasn’t been too much progress either in my plight or the distance covered. There’s still about 5 thousand light years to go and I’m probably one of the last remnants of the expedition, which largely already got scattered on their way back. But miraculously, I’m still finding the will to carry on. I cannot say I’m tranquil, no, but I came to terms with my predicament. Even considering the fact, that the shadow spooks recently acquired voices. Yes, I started hearing whispers – go back, turn around, give up. But no. I will pay no heed to them. Of that I’m certain. I’m beyond that point.

Right now, after leaving the Formorian Frontier, I fly through the empty space of the Abyss. The area, that is the least abundant galactic region in stellar bodies. The star variety is even more limited – cool red and brown dwarfs with only an occasional yellow or yellow-white ones and that’s where I’m always hoping to find something of interest. Vast majority of planets are icy or rocky bodies with occasional geysers or fumaroles, where with all my devotion I try to discover anything beneath the surface, but so far, to no avail. I still need to collect the synthesis materials to boost my drive in the final approach to the waypoint 12, so I’m kind of taking two birds with one stone. There were a few water worlds that I mapped, but was there anything new? No. Only lifeless stellar bodies.

I’m planning to reach the Beagle Point in the next two weeks and record my next log with totally different mood. Now all my thought is bent on it. I will finally get to the edge and look back towards our cradle. And whither then? Which way should I take back? Straight to the Earth? Or take some longer route with hopes for new discoveries? Maybe whispers will guide me?

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwYVzgwCPwE&list=PLNmeEcvrli_PhZNfCcCysV5fbM1ONo5z2&index=7

Space madness is near

Commander’s log, Stardate 3305.126

Today is the 113th day of this exhausting journey to the edge.

All my spirits have worn out.

I’m done.

If I weren’t so close to the final destination, I would’ve probably turned back. But saying close about 12 thousand light years distance is a huge understatement. Yet somehow, I cling on to this tiny spark and keep on going.

In the last weeks I’ve been moving towards the Beagle Point. Just recently passed the waypoint 11, but haven’t met anyone there. Just desolate planets. Now, with each jump the stars are becoming more and more sparse. Soon my jump range won’t be sufficient to go along a straight line. I’m seeing many more dwarf stars, I don’t remember seeing any O or even A-class star in several thousand light years. The planets I’m seeing are also very barren. Not a single life form, only geological points of interest, which are also nothing new. I found several water worlds and one earth-like. But that wasn’t enough to improve my condition. All those sight that were so thrilling before have become dull and repetitious. I’m even out of Lavian Brandy, so can’t get any serenity from her either.

Is it really true, that life is so scarce in this Universe? Are we and Thargoids the only advanced civilizations in this vast galaxy? Is the Milky Way really so empty? Or not? Could they be hiding somewhere beyond capabilities of our technology, lurking in the shadows, waiting for something? The truth is, that we have discovered a tiny fraction of planets out there, so there is still hope.

I keep getting chills whenever I look into the blackness. When I do I see only my reflection in the canopy. I swear I’m seeing tiny movements of shadows somewhere there on the periphery of vision. Am I losing my mind already? I need something to recover.

I need some spark of energy, or else I’ll drown in this madness!

Ojakco out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VfQcP9grjUk&list=PLNmeEcvrli_PhZNfCcCysV5fbM1ONo5z2&index=6