Location: Skaude EI-O c8-11

The Cleopatra-D is a fantastic ship, but it was built for cargo hauling, before I settled on deep space exploration as my primary mission. There's little reason to maintain massive cargo bays, and they could be replaced with additional fuel tanks to allow greater ranged between refills (and thus safer travel overall, since the ship will be able to handle more jumps between fuel stars).

After much research, I've determined that, if I acquire a Krait Phantom, I can build a new Cleopatra with four times the fuel capacity, and add planetary scanners and a surface rover to boot. This build—the Cleopatra-E—is likely to be the final iteration of the Cleopatra; I don't intend to get any ships larger than a Phantom, since I want to retain some degree of emergency maneuverability and defense without having to bring fighters. The Phantom will make for my ideal exploration vessel.

My research shows that I'm likely to need roughly 300 million credits to purchase and fully outfit the Cleopatra-E; I already have 40 million, and I think the Cleopatra-D will sell for about 50 million, so I need to acquire about 210 million in data scans. I have roughly 90 million in data scans at this time, so 120 million to go. With ~1200 jumps left to the station at Okinura, I anticipate easily acquiring this target.

Location: Skaude MQ-C b58-0

There's an indication of what type of celestial body my current scanning frequency detects for on the bottom-right of the FSS screen. I choose to believe that was not always there.

That is all.

Location: Stuelou RP-A b58-18

I'm ashamed to say that it's only on this return voyage that I've discovered how lucrative exploration can truly be. Before this point I have merely been doing cursory scans of each system before I continued on my way; now, however, I see that more detailed system scans can bring far greater rewards, should certain planets be found. It takes longer, but that is, after all, the world of a science vessel—a world that I much prefer to the illicit cargo I used to haul around the galaxy.

I have spent some time acquainting myself with the scanning system; I have found that thus far, I can rely on the pneumonic "Ere Anal" to help me quickly identify lucrative planets. Crude, perhaps, but on the frequency bar, the zones near those letters contain high-metal worlds, water worlds, earth-like worlds, and ammonia worlds. Gas giants, rocky bodies, icy bodies, and asteroids do not have a significant return on time investment and, to my knowledge thus far, can be safely ignored.

It's a long journey ahead, but I suspect that a great reward waits at the end.

Location: Boeph ZZ-U c17-50

In deep space now, far from any base, traveling back the long path--although not back the exact route, since the Cleopatra-D exchanged broad jump distance for maneuverability and speed. Had to replot a new course, and be safer this time about refueling at scoop stars.

It will be good to reunite with my friends, and with any luck, a couple of fighters travelling with me should make it a little safer to carry my executive cargo.