It is a strange feeling venturing out beyond the stars into the deadly void where the blackness becons.

Being out of the safety of the bubble is one thing, this is different. The bright lights of the increasing density approaching Sag A is just a memory. Scanning the clustered nebulae systems for black holes or guardian ruins is something that happened in another life.

Out here there is nothing. There is no light, just vacuum. Endless vacuum. Out here your onboard nav computers are unable to compute a route. Out here you are only surviving by your wits and tenacity.

There is palpable relief when you arrive at a rendezvous point and see the welcoming gleam of the landing pads of a friendly carrier. All too happy I am willing to turn in my exploration data for integration in to the nav computer network and retire to my bunk.

Relative security on the edge of the void.

Amen.