Over Christmas 3306 Aldarion finished all kinds of missions for TFRM in and around Rodentia. Then, when returning from the southern exploration loop on the 26th December 3306, Commander Rodnerg was invited to a Multi Crew (MC) session. Rodnerg, on his way towards the Colonies in his brand new and shiny ASP Explorer with decent jump range was not bothered by possible spoilers and the two commanders undertook a sightseeing tour through parts of Colonia using the Cutter Adelheid-Adele.

The following image shows the Python Stanislaw Lem leaving Whirling Station in Ogmar with some trade goods for the Sirius dependency; as TFRM several factions got under pressure during the last weeks and a helping hand is always welcome.

Rodentia, Deriso, Tolgraf’s Junkyard, Whirling Station at Ogmar, The Brig and the capital system Colonia with Jaque’s and Dove Enigma - including a visit to one of the Lagrange Clouds - were covered; some details and explanations to dependencies of several factions could be given too.

Jaque’s Station, the oldest outpost of human man kind in the colonies, is growing. Not long ago Brewer Corporation took a hold in the system placing one of the enormous Fleet Carrier Shipyards in vicinity of Jaque’s Station. This installation is truly impressive and we inspected the facility. The following screenshot shows Jaques Station and Brewer’s shipyard:

One Fleet Carrier inside the dock was close to be delivered and we were able to dock at one of its landing pads; the Chief Project Engineer of Brewer was eager to test the functionality of the large landing pads and invited us to dock at the L-pads of the newly constructed fleet carrier. We agreed and Brewer invited us to the ship christening later this week.

The Lagrange Cloud we visited was glowing in golden yellow tones and was a beautiful, perfect spot of the sightseeing tour.

Diva Mines offers a beautiful view of the planet it is orbiting: a red-brown surface crowned with two large polar caps presenting some topographical detail of the surface, if a commander has the time to take a look.

Another nice view is given by the ringed earth-like planet located in Rodentia; recently, Shadow Head is orbiting this planet between the ring and the planet and all activities on the flight deck provide a soft blue sight of the scenery.

Colonia Hub is most famous for its humbling views of the blue ringed gas giant, which is visible from the surface of the moon with the planetary star port itself. I am reminded of Uranus or Neptune when observing the rise of the planet over the rim of the crater the port is located at. Best time to enjoy such sight is short before dawn – the truly blue hour.

There are plenty of beautiful sites inside the Colonies; if visiting the Colonies I propose too to visit some of the outposts located close to or even inside numerous planetary rings: especially the last löocations offer stunning views and opportunity for a good photo session.

The last days I participated in the stabilization of the economy and security of TFRM in Rodentia and Shurly’s Nest. As a part of this, originating from Aldarion’s curiosity and general spirit of an explorer, several southern loops from and back to Rodentia were undertaken.

During the days around Christmas 3306 (21st to 27th December) the routes shown in the following image were covered using an ASPX and a Krait Phantom - the travel map was created using Travel History Video Creator, which can be found on https://edastro.com/ .

The southernmost system was reached on 12-27-3306 after climbing up from under the galactic plain to a coordinate lying above the pain (the peak of the route as shown in the edge views of the galaxy map above); the nebula situated there is shown by the following photo. In this photo the galactic plain is shown too: the elevation above the galactic plain is moderate.

As expected, inside the nebula there is a higher ratio of bright (white) F-class stars, which partially are visible from outside.

During the last exploration loop several interesting planetary bodies could be mapped using the Detailed Surface Scanner DSS; the next image shows an example of launched probes towards Brambai AW-C D173 a 1.

As well the last loops demonstrate the existence of water worlds and a few ammonia worlds, which sometimes can be found in one system. As en example there is the system Leamae RD-K d8-43.

System Eorgh Prou FG-Y E450 1 C presents some impact craters to the explorer; Aldarion visited one of these descending towards the planetary surface enjoying the haze filling the visited crater; here is an impression of what the place looked like.

It is planned to continue the exploration of regions surrounding Colonia in the future and to add more entries to the data bases of Interstellar Cartography.

While I was not able to join the Astro Tour visiting Evelyn’s Light, I went to this system twice later in December 3306: On the 21st and 25th December I visited Evelyn’s Light, a system dominated by a neutron star. Inside this system there is a memorial: a beacon similar to a listening post transmitting a text.

This text is a poem written by Evelyn Faye Roy, who accompanied her father exploring the ED Milky Way but sadly passed away earlier this year. If you want to know about the poem just scan the beacon and read the transmission. As well, Commander Drew Wagar wrote a story for the young commander, which is to be found here: https://soundcloud.com/drewwa/evelyns-story .

When visiting the system for the first time, I landed next to a geological site on a planetary surface of one of the planetary bodies inside this system, which was presenting some beautiful vistas.

Shurly’s Nest is a planetary star base inside the Rodentia system belonging to TFRM. Recently I was told there is a SRV racing course registered with the Buckyball Club.

During the third week of December 3306 the faction got under pressure and was pushed to defend its influence, power and interests by the means of a defensive war. The Fuel Rats only wished to keep their base in Rodentia and never interfered with any other faction negatively. For this reason several commanders fought to defend the Fuel Rats colony, commanders bound to TFRM as well as independent and numerous otherwise bound commanders.

Rodentia was saved for the Fuel Rats: the image below displays Aldarion enjoying the sun rise over Shurly’s Nest.

While the Shadow Head followed its flight plan and path from the Karbon system Aldarion moved to the Monkey Head and Crab Nebulae joining the Astro Tour as well as helping to refuel the multitudes of commanders being new in space flight becoming stuck close to the starter systems.

The Shadow Head remained at its way point number 10 from 2nd December to the 6th of the same month, when Honest Tuck was returned before heading for Omega Mining. Last visit there by commander Aldarion was 11 month before.

During the 7th December Aldarion zigzagged around the direct course of the fleet carrier finishing a LRR successfully too before moving both, Honest Tuck and the Shadow Head into the Colonia mini bubble; here is the flight path of Honest Tuck during that week:

Finally the data of Shadow Head's journey could be corrected.

The Fuel Rats and 100k Successful Rescues

Since 3301 until the recent date the Fuel Rats achieved to successfully rescue nearly 100000 commanders; this number is about to be reached or was reached during the recent days. Congratulation, Rodents, you made the Galaxy a better place.

Of course TFRM as a colorful bunch of creative people do have to celebrate. Everyone willing to do so is invited to attend in the rat’s contest to create a poster depicting this event. Here is commander Aldarion’s idea of what it can look like.

The poster is as colorful as the group of commanders forming The Fuel Rats Mischief and displays all 100k rescues. You don’t believe it? Well count the rat credits shown in the artwork to find out.

29.11.2020-20:59; adding 142t from A4 icy belt Drojeae DN-H D11-65 to the FC storage;

29.11.2020-short before midnight; CCC5 WP Lagoon Sector NI-S b4-10 in a dist. of 1676.13ly; This FC WP is closest to Omega Mining Inc.;

CCC5: Eagle Sector IR-W d1-117 (reached on 30th NOV); arrival at WP: 30.11.2020-14:35; Skaudai CH-B d14-34 (Sacaqawea Space Port); arrival: 30.11.2020-16:22 ; heading back towards the bubble, SE-direction, via Elephant‘s Trunk Sector (reaching system Wredgaei ND-U B58-3 at 30.11.2020-18:55; 10 jumps left towards the mining station) – reaching Elephant‘s Trunk Sector at 30.11.2020-19:30; GM Cephei at 19:34; 20.48 touch down at Imperial Station Foda Port in LAUMA → Ratting;

30.11.2020-05.12.2020: Honest Tuck; ratting inside the bubble (except one case outside;) Jackson‘s Lighthouse TECCT WP#1 covered; trip to the Monkey Head Nebula and the Crab Nebula (Astro Tour); California Nebula; Elephant Trunk Mines; Shadow Head; Omega Mining (WP TECCT) – arrival at Omega Mining at 05.12.2020-07:30hrs); --- Shadow Head arrived at FC WP#11 at 05.12.2020-07:58;

Shadow Head arrived at 05.12.2020-8:28; Blae Drye BY-F b44-3 Shadow Head arrived at 05.12.2020-18:34; NGC 6705 Sector HR-V d2-70 Shadow Head arrived at 05.12.2020-19:15; Pyraleau RQ-Q b24-3 Shadow Head arrived at 05.12.2020-19:37; Pyraleau BC-J d10-127 close to ROHINI; TECCT WP; Shadow Head arrived at 05.12.2020-20:24; while Shadow Head jumps I use Honest Tuck for 5 jps to ROHINI, Eudaemeon Anchorage; then keeping up to the FC again; Shadow Head reached the system before 22:00hrs; Honest Tuck docked at Eudaemon Anchorage over N8, then caught up with the FC the next morning;

Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-11:55; Explored systems on a parallel course when FC was jumping; Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-12:20; Flyiedgiae ES-A d1-30 Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-12:45; Flyiedge GN-P b24-5 Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-13:08; Flyiedge ZQ-E b44-1 Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-13:30; Skaude EW-A c2-3; Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-13:56; INNER SCUTUS CENTAURUS ARM reached; Skaude PA-J c11-8

Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-14:18 (Skaude IM-D b44-6); During Jump sequence I started out to rescue the starnded commander Hutch77 at system Pyraleau HA-B A68-0; DB given as well as I proposed Eagle Landing in 1.8kly distance as next docking point; it took me a little bit less than 10mins per 1kly on the way to the client (neutron highway); on my way back to the FC I scanned the systems on a 69 jumps route RTB; 16:55, docked at Shadow Head; Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-14:38; Preia Phoe OS-A b4-4

Shadow Head arrived in system at 06.12.2020-18:15 ; → CCC5 (Sacaqawea); Prua Phoe WY-C b44-19

Shadow Head arrived in system (Prua Phoe WY-C b44-19) at 06.12.2020-18:38; Honest Tuck travels towards Blua Hypa HT-F d12-1226 (TECCT Way Point);

Shadow Head arrived in system at 07.12.2020-11:47 (Clooku ZJ-A b4-23); Honest Tuck arrives at Green Giant [Blua Hypa HT-F d12-1226 (TECCT Way Point)] at 07.12.2020-13:03

Shadow Head arrived in system (Clooku ZO-N b24-15) at 07.12.2020-12:49 (Honest Tuck follows route from TECCT WP towards FCWP#32);

Shadow Head arrived in system (Clooku DK-A b45-13) at 07.12.2020-13:58

Shadow Head arrived in system (Nuekuae GV-X b4-4) at 07.12.2020-14:21

Honest Tuck on S-B awaiting arrival of FC (Shadow Head is 2 jumps out); arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-14:48 (Stuelou PW-M b24-22); undocking with Shadow Head and traveling towards Gandharvi (Caravanserai), which is WP#5 CCC5; undocking and heading for the Shadow Head, which is waiting at FCWP#33;

ArrivalShadow Head 07.12.2020-15:26 (Stuelou NQ-B b44-18); undocking Honest Tuck heading for WP#4 TECCT (Eord Flyuae VP-W d2-2699 Diamond Necklace)

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-16:21 (Blua Eaec XT-Z d362); Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-16:42 (Blua Eaec HM-V e2-998); Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-17:04 (Blua Eaec OA-B b44-9);

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-17:29 (Boeph AP-Q D5-446); Shadow Head reached TECCT WP#4 (Eord Flyuae VP-W d2-2699); 469.80ly dist. to FCWP#36; Arrival Shadow Head at 07.12.2020-17:55;

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-18:43 (Eoch Flyuae GY-X b3-11);

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-19:47 (Eoch Flyuae DL-M c8-225); Arrival of Honest Tuck at CCC5 WP#6 (Kashyapa Vihara Gate) 07.12.2020-19:46; Docking at Vihara Gate at 19:53hrs;

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-20:12 (Eoch Flyuae BB-N d7-1592); Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-20:36 (Eoch Flyuae GS-Z b43-55); Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-20:59 (Dryio Flyuae XE-Z d533); Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-21:21 (Dryio Flyuae OJ-Q d5-239); (Tr-capacity: 8128);

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-21:50 (Dryooe Flyou XO-R e4-1728);

Arrival Shadow Head 07.12.2020-22:16 (Eol Prou KK-Y c1-54); – final Way Point CCC5; Honest Tuck arrived at ~07.12.2020-21:55; (docking at Mega Ship Damask Rose at 22:08); --- docking at Jaques Station at 07.12.2020-22:19(last TECCT WP (#5)); 11 month and 1 week after leaving the colonies for the last time;

Shadow Head arrived in CENTRALIS system at 22:39 (Centralis);

Honest Tuck docking at Jaques Station at 07.12.2020-22:19 (last TECCT WP (#5)); 11 month and 1 week after leaving the colonies for the last time;

After convincing myself there is a system NU in the ED Milky Way I had to check if there are the systems NUN and NUNU too.

I learned: in addition to system NU both of the above mentioned systems do exist inside or not too far from the ‘bubble’. While ratting at the first week of December 3306 I had the opportunity to visit the systems and having a quick check.