Oh god, I can hear it.

I just pointed my FSS towards the anomaly that showed up after the PW backfire which is about 55,385 ly away from me, and I heard it. It was faint, but there was no mistaking that noise. I made a recording and will be attaching it to this log entry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nby-sXQJaIk

No wonder the roar rattled my bones when the PW backfired. I think I'll be staying well away from the bubbles for a bit.

I got the news from GalNet that HIP 22460 is now considered lost. Taken over by the Thargoids after the Proteus Wave was somehow sabotaged. I had suspected something went wrong right away because that damn roar shook my bones on the other side of the galaxy, but it was only when a fleet carrier passed within a few thousand light years that I actually got the news. The GalNet can only reach so far without boosting.

I thought the Thargoids were just a curiosity, blindly stumbling around and largely being harmless if left unprovoked. Now I have to see them as cunning predators able to out-maneuver whatever plans humanity puts in place and sabotage them for their own benefit. I can only hope that the people trying to fight these things make steps for peace. They've taken over a whole system now. They're a galactic power. And the latest report hint that they may take over more systems in the future, potentially taking over the whole Pleiades Nebula. And if the Guardians are anything to go by, they won't stop there. But what can we do about it? Our best effort only made them stronger. And there probably isn't another "Salvation" figure ready to swoop in and try to save our asses again.

I think it might be a good idea to really stop and take in the sights and wonders of the far side of the galaxy before returning to civilization. Call it a hunch, but I think staying well away from the bubbles isn't such a crazy idea right now.

It's been a while since my last entry. I took some time off testing the ship stasis pod. If I am going to need that thing in the event of an emergency, I need to make sure it actually works. I got back to Beagle Point a couple of days ago. I got the Pilot's Federation 65k club award by selling exploration data at the DSSA Distant Worlds proving I got there on my own power, and also got a promotion to Elite explorer.

Then I picked a random system to the "southeast" (Sol is south, BP is north, Colonia is west, the east side is uninhabited) and set off. I have a specific goal in mind. There is a system similar to Beagle Point for Colonia. I've decided that since I am in the area anyway, I may as well at least try to find it.

I got very complacent and careless while riding that carrier. I'm almost 57kly away from sol, I can't afford to be careless so far from civilisation.

I've finally been able to work out the new DSS biosignature scanning and have been able to find life. Sure, it's 56,899.67 ly from sol, but it's life. I'm sure Vista Genomics would have a field day with this stuff.

I have departed the carrier. In the time between BP and now, the carrier took me 10k ly in the wrong direction, but it's only a mild inconvenience. I am going back to BP then I'll make my way around the empty side of the galaxy to the sol bubble. It's time to set out on my own once again. Just me, COVAS, and my wits. I'm glad that I have an Anaconda this time around, the quarters are large enough that I might just be able to stay sane this time. It helps that I found a way to get COVAS to generate holographic crewmates I can talk with.

65,647.34 light-years. That's how far away I am from Sol. I can see the entire galaxy. It is a truly unique sight. All your accomplishments laid bare before you in the vast nothing.

Right, that's the philosophical stuff out of the way. Time to get back to the bubble. Once the carrier gets back to Beagle point I will make my own way back. That'll be quite the road trip.

Things are stable here. I've taken to occasionally racing the carrier between jumps. I would wait for the jump process to start, then depart and race over to their destination beacon to watch them pull in. You never quite get used to seeing something just casually tear a hole in spacetime. When I am in the hanger during a jump, I barely notice it. I'm so used to hyperspace being a turbulent affair, but I suppose a bigger ship would be more stable.

The people aboard the carrier are very friendly. I should hitch a ride with them more often.

Gordzill4 One was right where it was expected. I boarded and settled in. It’s amazing just how simple and utilitarian the carrier is. My ship is more comfortable than their bunks. On the plus side they’re a great group of people, very great to hang out with. It’ll be a couple of weeks as they make their way up to beagle point.

I’ve bought a few extra modules with me so I can fight and/or mine if needed. All things going well I should never need to use them.

Time to settle in and experience life aboard a fleet carrier

Today's the big day. That fleet carrier is arriving at 0800 today. Just under 6 and a half hours as I write this. They'll be sticking around until June 4 0600. That should leave plenty of time for me to settle in before the first jump.

I'll be in system 30 minutes before departure. Hopefully, I can pick up the beacon and meet them fresh out of hyperspace. Reports from ships that have travelled to the carrier show it to be on schedule.

My few days of rest have done some good. I am recharged and ready to get back out there. I'll be riding along until Beagle Point. Once I get there, I will leave the carrier and make my own way back. I'm thinking I'll cut around the empty side of the galaxy using the ship codex to navigate to reported points of interest along the way.

I found a message from Felicity Farseer in my FSD firmware. Must have been slipped in back at the bubble when they worked on it. Thanks to those instructions, I have managed to downgrade the route plotter so neutron stars are back on the menu. I've made it to Sag A* in half the jumps I was otherwise expecting.

I received reports that fleet carrier "Gordzill4 One" (V4F-45F) is scheduled to jump into Sag A* en route to Beagle Point in the next few days. Once the scheduled time comes around I'll see if I can hitch a ride.

In the meantime, I have been sitting in this spacecraft for way too long. A few days of R&R at Explorer's Anchorage should come in very handy.