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Proselyte · (This post was last modified: 02-19-2023, 01:51 AM by Proselyte.)

ASPEN CHARLES HARLOW, PERSONAL LOG --- 830 A.S.

ENTRY 001 – TRENTON OUTPOST

"The purchase of my new ship went smoothly! I’m the proud owner of an E78-12 Spatial explorer, and once my old crewmates pay off the last of the debt they owe on the Heron, they’ll pass me the scrip I need to get it all kitted up. And since it’s an auspicious occasion, no better time to start up my log!

"Running helium to Emlenton with the fellas might’ve been good gig, but I feel like I’m finally taking a step forward. I closed my practice on Erie for this – it was a fine ten years I devoted to helping folks close the book on parts of their lives that were holding them back, and opening up new ones. But this is gonna be my very own fresh start. I can’t wait to get out there, and see the stars on my terms!”

ENTRY 002 – MANHATTAN ORBIT

“Thanks to Captain Ustich coming through for his old skipper, the 78’s loaded up with all the necessary equipment mountings and provisions for extended intersystem travel. He insisted I load up with plenty of guns, too. I protested, but he says after seeing just how dangerous the other Houses can be, going unarmed into uncharted space would be like doing a cannonball into a draining swimming pool. So I paid to absolutely cover the ship in armaments. Let’s just hope I won’t have to use them.”

“While taking her on her first flight, just around Manhattan’s orbit to get a feel for the controls, I passed the time chatting with a Serenity captain from Bretonia. His accent is a bit hard for me to keep up with, but he was good company. He gave me a nice lead on a place to start flying off the standard civilian nav-map, too!”

FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "Zetland"

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ENTRY 003 – PLANET ERIE

“Repositioned to Erie today for my first expedition. Something was nagging at me to take the ship for a ride in the outback systems bordering Penny before I head all the way to Bretonia, so I listened!"

“After offering to buy lunch for a shipping manager here in Wyandot City and some casual conversation, he ponied up the location of the Kansas jump hole, but I’ll be on my own from that point onward. I’ve only paid a little attention to what’s been going on in the news lately, but if LibGov is really pushing hard against those insurrectionists in the outback, I’ll have to be extra careful. It shouldn’t be too crazy, not like I’m flying with no IFF, but I better steer clear of any fighting; trusting Liberty gunners to not assume I’m with the rebels is a heck of a tall order."

"Hey, in spirit, they might be right.”

Proselyte · 01-21-2023, 06:43 AM,

ENTRY 004 – KANSAS SYSTEM

“Just finished my first sweep of the Kansas system – what a rush! All this wide open space is exhilarating to burn through. Gives me those warm fuzzies I used to get gliding on Erie back in Rock Creek. No roads, no ships crowding the sky, just endless miles of forest underneath your wings. The difference here is I can’t see my fellow Zoners staring up at me, flying low near town – I guess the laws of physics are my dispassionate observer now.”

“Learned that quick when I tried to inspect a wrecked rebel battlecruiser in low orbit above Wichita. I was so focused trying to match velocity with the wreck to get a good look, didn’t notice my orbit degrading! If I didn’t correct it, I’d have broken atmo and probably smacked into the ocean, drowned, watery grave, picked apart by sea creatures… eugh."

"I swear, since I was born, water and gravity have been gunning for me, backed by their inside man, lack of survival instincts.”

“I’ve been following the trail of wrecks from Topeka to Wichita, into this ice field. This jump hole seems to head to Vespucci, where the bulk of the action is, says CNS. Definitely putting on my cautious pilot hat, for real this time.”

ENTRY 005 – INVERNESS SYSTEM

“It’s going down, all right. There’s a huge battle happening between the jump hole and Veracruz! I kept well away from that on my first pass, keeping to the Sonora ice field so I don’t end up a fly on some battleship’s windshield."

"That worked out for keeping me safe from all the guns, but sensors pinged a jump hole near me to a system I didn’t recognize. Figured what the heck, it’s stable, let’s see where it goes.”

“It spat me out on the edge of a spooky nebula, lots of electrical activity, but the kicker was that there was supposedly a structure or station deeper inside. There was way too much interference to get a solid lock. It seemed fishy, like Liberty Rogue fishy, but crazy as it was, staring into that nebula it felt like a part of me was being… pulled inside? Like a little piece of my awareness was saying ‘come on in, the water’s fine’. Thankfully after the Wichita incident, I’m sworn off listening to myself when water’s in the picture (ha), so I backed out of the nebula for now.”

“Docked for repairs at this Junker station that’s absolutely swanky (for Junkers). They said welcome to Inverness, and pointed me in the direction of a Zoner Freeport. My first Freeport visit, and they say it’s the most recent one built!”

ENTRY 006 – FREEPORT 14

“I got a warm welcome from some fellas in the station lounge, who were happy to meet a kindred spirit from back in Penny. For my part, I was happy to meet some folks I could diss Liberty with and have them get it on the same level as me. Thankfully, we still self-govern on Erie (most places), but in another 50 years? I don’t know."

“These Freeport guys though might have it worse – sure, there’s no corporate infrastructure springing up around their ears sucking away their independence, but they say they had to tow the station here from a system named Alberta to get away from a dark matter storm, which sounds pretty vicious."

"They managed that with the help of the Carrier Tarrafal just outside, this Bustard-class that apparently zips around Sirius like an avenging angel for Zoners in need. Hearing that from them lit a little fire in my heart – that’s real Zoner community right there. We might pride ourselves on making our own way, but we also never withhold a helping hand when it's needed."

“They told me to head to Omega-48 if I ever wanted to hear more stories of the Great Houses mulching up a good thing. I know they were talking about Gran Canaria, we heard plenty about it back home, but real little when it came to Bretonia’s business there. I’ll take ‘em up on it, but I gotta get back to Erie. After finding my first Freeport, this little sojourn has been a success in my eyes. Although, after mapping the rest of the system, I do think I’ll head back to where I first came in, and do a little peeking…”

Proselyte · 01-21-2023, 07:56 PM,

ENTRY 007 – VESPUCCI SYSTEM

“I said before that I was never much for ghost stories. That’s still true, I think. Maybe there’s worse than ghosts out here.”

“I told a station security type in the Freeport lounge I was going to investigate the nebula, and he gave me this deadly look. Asked me how much I knew about Nomads. Confused, I told him I knew a little from history and what mom told me about her life out in the Omicrons, and that they’re ruthless killers, but that’s it. He just shook his head and said if I don’t want to get a very intimate lesson, think twice about poking every nebula I see.”

“I knew I should’ve listened to him. Instead, I listened to that damned intuition.”

“The jump hole, back to Vespucci, I passed it up, went deep into the nebula. Sensors said the structure was ahead of me, but I still couldn’t get readings on it.”

“I was about three kilometers from the object when it happened. There was a flash, and I saw the silhouette of something huge in the light. After it faded, something pounded on the hull. Weapons fire maybe? And it was like my shields weren’t even there, just exposed to the void. So I turned and burned. Sensors went haywire, registering new contacts. Two, then six, then twelve. Unknown configurations, from multiple directions. I was terrified, but at this point I was in ‘oh shit’ piloting mode – shaky but focused.”

“That stopped right after I felt them behind me. Don’t ask me how, but I mean felt them. The bloodthirst, the outrage, the disgust at a trespasser fiddling around your bedroom window. And I could feel them coming closer. Radar had them clocked at four kilometers back, but I knew they were closing in around me. Around my spirit, and they wouldn’t let go. I was in tears, I couldn’t do it – my life was in the autopilot’s hands. I must have bawled for another ten minutes before I realized I was still alive. In Vespucci, away from them.”

“For the first time out here in space… I feel very, very small.”

ENTRY 008 - KANSAS SYSTEM

“Made it back through Vespucci in one piece. Not that I didn’t have a close call. I was still so out of it from what happened, I zoned out and flew right into a skirmish. Pulled myself out of the line of fire and got to watch a bunch of angry flag-wavers hurl ordnance at each other – what a waste. Both sides barked at me over comms to clear the area, so I did.”

“Passed by the Ohio’s battlegroup and went back through the jump hole. Still can’t shake the thought I haven’t seen what I needed to see out here, even after that. It’s that feeling again, like something’s pulling me away. I keep wondering this, but… why does it feel so familiar?”

Proselyte · (This post was last modified: 01-24-2023, 08:24 PM by Proselyte.)

ENTRY 009 – ERROR: LOCATION UNKNOWN

“Long story short, I have no idea where I am.”

“I knew something was up, so instead of laughing off that… sensation I got, I followed it. It's difficult to put into words, but after I stopped overthinking it, I just understood where I was going, or where I needed to go, I guess. It sounds crazy, and it is. It felt like I was in a daze the whole trip here."

"Maybe whatever happened in Inverness messed with me worse than I thought? I've never had a history of delusions, and my nav-map can't even place me anywhere in Sirius. If I'm suffering an acute psychosis capable of hallucinations like this, being lost is the least of my worries. My provisions should last for several weeks, at least."

"Anyway, assuming what I found is real, what I saw at my destination blew my socks off."

“Before I arrived… wherever I'm at, there was another nebula, spooky as usual. Another structure, deep inside. I went. This nebula was volatile, radioactive, putting a lot of strain on the ship’s systems, but the Spatial was built to take it. Found a derelict fighter that wasn’t. Poor guy.”

“Then, another freelancer, a freighter! I was relieved, because I had discovered something insane, and I needed a human to talk to that wasn’t me. It was this massive gate structure, which my console tagged as a jump gate. But it was seriously scuffed up, and definitely not like any jump gate I'd ever seen. It was... calling me to enter, and at that point, I wasn't about to turn back."

FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "Gulliver"

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Proselyte · (This post was last modified: 01-24-2023, 05:48 AM by Proselyte.)

ENTRY 010 – ERROR: LOCATION UNKNOWN

"I've learned much. Much more than I wanted to know. Many answers, but so many more questions."

"That's definitely not somethin' you want to say after a test flight. After I arrived in the system, I felt that familiar calling pulling at me again, which was starting to feel almost... comfortable. The ship's sensors were picking something up too by this point, but it was spotty, indecipherable. I was hearing it loud and clear, though, almost like music..."

"The system had extremely high levels of background radiation, and I was having no luck finding a way out. I either approach or my rad-shielding slowly degrades and I cash my last check. The source was this bizarre station, with a similar make to the jump gate that led me here. I was worried about whether I could even dock, but as if it had known, it guided me inside."

"It was even stranger within the interior. The corridors of the station seemed to bend and shift if you blinked or looked away, and so much was impassable, blocked off by these force shields. I was expecting the unexpected, scared skinless as I was, but what I didn't expect to find was other people."

"They welcomed me, and said I was hearing the same beckoning that they had heard, though some were surprised when I told them how intense it was. For some of these pilgrims, from all across Sirius, it took them living their whole lives in space to eventually hear this station reach out to them, calling them to a new way of life - I'd barely been in space for over a year. In that moment, I felt like I had actually been hearing it my whole life."

"Some humans, they said, possessed a mind that was particularly attuned to the way those that were 'here before us' would perceive and communicate. It was no wonder, they said, that I was pulled here like I was, though it's oddly a rare occurrence. This all sounded like insanity to me, but I didn't know how to answer to it - what could I say? It was better than my explanation of suddenly losing my marbles."

"Instead, I asked what they meant about those 'here before us'. And they told me. About the Nomads. About humanity's great theft, our fruitless resistance, the dark tragedy we wreak on each other and how unworthy we've been to inherit what we have here, in Sirius. This place, they said, was a place to escape that, and to soon embrace something new entirely. I would understand, soon, if I stayed."

"It felt so right to see where this was going, but I couldn't shake the memory of what I felt in Inverness: that indiscriminate anger and hatred. It gave me some pause, knowing the people here were identifying with that. I think I should be damn glad that it did, or I don't think I'd have ever left that place."

"I told them that whatever this was, I clearly wasn't ready for it, and they were surprisingly understanding, even guaranteeing that I would be able to leave the system. One of them though, an older man, passed me a haunting comment as we parted: that the more of humanity I saw across the stars, the more I would want to return."

"I'll be keeping this little excursion to myself for a long time, I think. But I know that I would very much like to prove him wrong."

Proselyte · (This post was last modified: 01-24-2023, 08:22 PM by Proselyte.)

ENTRY 011 – FREEPORT 10

“Been a little while now since I updated this log. It’s so odd to think about, going back to the mundanity of day-to-day living after walking away from… a whole lot of something that’s bigger than I am. But that’s just how things shake out in space, I reckon. I’ll process it with time. Who knows, maybe learn a thing or two meanwhile."

“Leaving that system via a stable anomaly spat me out in Rheinland somewhere, not the most desirable first-time visit. Managed to bumble my way to Planet Hamburg and back onto the lanes, back to Liberty, back to Erie. Had a cold shower in my own apartment, that was a blessing from on high. Honestly, it was tempting to stay, but I’d peeled off my blinders a bit too far on what’s going on out there to just drop everything. Besides, I had a bet to think about now. So I said goodbye to those blue skies, and made for Bretonia like I’d planned ‘fore I left.”

“Checked out a whole batch of new systems and met some interesting folks, like a smooth operatin’ fighter pilot from the Crayter Republic. They watched my back and guided me into the Taus a good way. Very ‘to the point’ with their words, but fine company. Discussed the wars that had torn up the region with me a short while, the scars of which we’d been seeing all over. It… wasn’t the best showing in favor of humanity.”

“The real kicker though was a lead I’d gotten via a friendly Interspace captain named Forrest, about a Zoner research group that might be looking for explorers and pathfinders. This was good news because supply and upkeep on the ship is startin’ to squeeze me good; I had to play scout for that fella to earn the cash to stay in the green, and solo spelunking hasn’t paid the bills very well. I haven’t heard from Jax and company in a while, so I don’t know if I can keep relying on them to cover me.”

“I’ll be laying over at Freeport 10 for a bit, so I’ll look ‘em up. I could really do with flying among friends again.”

FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "AWES Aspiration"

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FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "=CR= Thunder Wolf"

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Proselyte · 02-08-2023, 04:33 AM,

ENTRY 012 – PLANET GRAN CANARIA

"My duties kept me on the run-around, but now I'm getting in some free time based here on Canaria for my little Omega safari. Joining up with SLRC sure has kept me busy, but it's got to be the smartest decision I've made yet. No way I could have gone much further just on my own before I'd have to turn back and sell the boat, or become the Border Worlds' most timid pirate ever. Ha, God knows I'd never have that in me."

"None of that for me, though! I've been scoping out space all across the Taus, even examining Gallic space for a time, generally being a fresh pair of eyes and a 'hands-on' pilot for the Consortium, which has been great fun and is immensely rewarding work. Dr. Montgomery and Dr. Wright are both pretty hands off about pursuing personal interests as long as I contribute to the organization frequently, and I've sent a point of scientific concern or two their way already for potential investigation. That, and I've sounded the alarm on danger."

"Yeah... I got a front-row seat to the Bretonian and Crayter fleets trashing Bregancon in Orkney. Half my reason for being down this way, really, getting away from that. I can't believe after a whole decade of war and the worst massacre in human history, the Taus are seeing another border conflict. I actually mouthed off to a BAF officer about it a little while takin' the new security officer, this kid named Karl, out to see the sights - stupid of me."

"It's not unreasonable for the Bretonians to feel backed into a corner after Leeds, panicked and aggressive like a wounded badger. That's why they invaded here, I guess, left a bunch of scars and pain behind when they realized it was shortsighted. I'm sure they'll learn that lesson again, but how far are their new victims going to continue that trauma conga-line...?"

"Well, it's not all so depressing. The Zoners here were able to pick up the pieces and at least try to build something new out of the rubble. We should all aspire to be so dauntless. Y'know, even House citizens, living and working in the areas between their governments' influence, have been some of the nicest and most self-sacrificing people I've met in space so far."

"You'd think seeing how big the universe is would make us realize we're all one people in the end, but that's what we get when we don't leave the thin-air border-drawing tribalism back on Old Earth. I have to admit, if there is a way to deprogram us of that nonsense, I don't think I can blame the people back on that station for wanting it."

"There's a lot to see in Sirius yet, though. Maybe the Omegas are a step up on the whole."

ENTRY 013 – FREEPORT 5

"Wow, this place is a dump."

"I know they're making do with what they have here, but whoever would want to live this close to a neutron star in a hollowed rock, sloshin' down potassium iodide tablets after every meal, must not have thought things through very far. The 'Freeport' (suuure) at least plays host to some cadres of independent researchers here to see the neutron star up close. These guys will be real useful to have around if SLRC wants to coordinate a joint survey in the region, so I gave some of them my contact info and a link to Starlight's Neural Net."

"Among these scientists, yet another person called me 'Mister' Harlow while I was still rocking my EVA gear (for the radiation protection), then I take it off to eat in the food court and she gets all embarrassed and tosses out 'ma'am' and 'miss'. I don't really let it bug me, but damn if it doesn't happen all the time in space too."

"You know what? I think when I get back to Ikarus, I'll tell Monty I'd like to ID as Dr. Harlow after all so I can just sidestep this moment forever. I used to think it was vain to insist on 'doctor' when I'm just the same as the next spacer, but damn if I don't miss avoiding the headache like I did on Erie. Who cares if the education isn't space-related?"

"Anyway, sorry for the ramble, Omega-41 just really isn't very interesting. The researchers here would put me on a spit if they heard me say that, but beyond the surely inarguable scientific value and obvious visual beauty of the Omega-41 star, I'm the wrong person to appreciate it. I haven't even seen any Corsair patrols to donate this bread and salami. Maybe they think it's boring too. I suppose it is really neat to consider that this is an Edge system, but that's really reaching."

"Wait, who am I even apologizin' to? Jesus, I'm getting out of here. I'm goin' to O-55 to continue my initial surveys."

Proselyte · 02-19-2023, 08:17 PM,

ENTRY 014 – IKARUS STATION

"My recon through the Omegas and a little beyond is all tidied up now. Made some professional contacts on Freeport 5 and got to pass some food onto a pretty reasonable Corsair. Fella had to run, but he implored me to try the local beverage of choice in Heraklion planetside. Didn't want to ruin the friendly atmosphere by saying 'I don't drink', so I just smiled and nodded."

"I did pick me up a single alien artifact while visiting the spaceport, though - just a little bauble as far as I can tell, though it's sporting beautiful etchings on it, in spiral patterns. It's weird to consider how the species that made these must've manufactured them - surely no interstellar society would make all these things by hand, after all. And what were they for? It'd have to be weird if the most common archeological... well, artifact, that they left behind was just a pretty paperweight."

"Heck, even poked around the Omicrons a bit, at least around the edges. Visited a few of Crete's outposts in Omicron Xi, a system with some huge planets, and got to visit Amorgos. Everyone's really anxious about the Core there. I got a lot of dirty looks, I guess because for all they know, I could be a spy. Wasn't quite as friendly of an atmosphere as on Crete! Well, as friendly as you could expect from a pirate state."

"The bartender passed some chatter my way sayin' the 'Sairs have been making a killing off moving some different kind of artifacts, from a planet they call Knossos in that system somewhere. Had to be in one of the nebulas, so I hard passed on it for now - too soon, eugh. Maybe later."

FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "Carlos Benitez"

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ENTRY 015 – BATTLESHIP HOOD

"So. Spacecraft racing? It's a goddamned whale of a time."

"Work was getting really exciting. We were making some contact with the alien artificial intelligence in Kappa, but in between consulting around about that, I finally got out to Barrier Gate and managed to snag a good deal on a small personal craft from a freelancer who was trading up, for running short errands."

"It's a CLI-11000, one of the pricier ships for how small it is, but damn if it doesn't ignore petty things like 'inertia' or 'the concept of physics' when it gets going! It handles real similar to Valley Forge's trainers too, so it's fittin' me like a glove."

"So, bein' the new owner of this little model and having meandered past the IMG's racetrack in Dublin a few times, I found myself out that way. I must've been running time trials on this track for almost a week now. And go figure, AWES says they've got plans for this track come next month."

"I say, bring it on! I never figured myself for bein' competitive about racing, but hey, you discover all sorts of things about yourself in space!"

ENTRY 016 – CHARTRES SPACE COLONY

"Turns out racing is really dangerous, even before you add in autoturrets to the mix. Which is exactly what AWES did. They're insane, and it's kind of beautiful! I really shouldn't be admiring a Liberty corp this much, the machinery of House capitalism being what it is, but hey, if they ain't tellin', I ain't tellin'!"

"But, yeah, the track is getting progressively more deadly. And apparently the turrets are going to be firing live ordnance during the event. They want to cut down on the danger by having the pilots fly their ships as drones remotely from the Hood. I'm... ambivalent about it. The experience of racing from the cockpit is almost meditative, trance-like: you simply become speed, motion, reaction, split-second thinking. It's a unique experience I've fallen in love with here, and I'm not sure would be preserved from flying via a console."

"A little chat with some folks by the track might've inspired me to look into a little something in that regard... we'll see if it pans out. That's why I'm up here in Gallia, even if I can't speak a lick of French - need to get my hands on some bio-neural arrays to toy with. Always a pleasure to see new stations that aren't in ruins, though. Got enough of that in this neighborhood."

FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "AWES Resolution"

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FLIGHT AUDIO RECORDING – "RACE-Alpha", "Eve Taylor"

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Proselyte · 03-09-2023, 04:42 AM,

ENTRY 017 – IKARUS STATION

"Every time I read this log, I feel embarrassed with myself for ever being so naïve. Treating this trek out into space like it's going to be some kind of safari. See a new planet here, take pictures of a new station there, maybe find something new. I thought I was a pretty quick learner, but when it comes to this, I just couldn't take a hint."

"The universe did try to warn me damn quick, to its credit. The way I found the Shrine, what I walked away from there, that was my chance to just change my mind and stay home. But I wasn't going to listen, was I? I'd been puffing myself up to see the stars my whole life, resting on that rock in the middle of the lake, just watching the galaxy spin in the endless black above me. Hell, circling a new sun is routine to me now."

"Well, now instead of living my sleepy life in a sleepy city, silently dreading my parents dropping by for a surprise visit and a lecture about my life, I get to fear for theirs. I get to know that the magnificent, luminous creatures that swim among the stars want them dead or gone, to atone for some stupid victimless crime committed centuries ago, among even worse things living just outside my window here on the station. Things without shape or form that would see us washed away."

"That's not even considering what I've learned from most of the people I've met. This talent I'm discovering in myself. Every day, I meet someone who makes me question how much I really know, what I believe, both in and out of the Consortium. Reminds me of the rookie I still am when the sun sets."

"That, at least, isn't a bad thing. The bedrock of all the sciences are laid by asking the question 'why?'. And I've got no shortage of threads to pull on there. There's a certain elegant potential in every 'why?', that folds out into a tapestry of new experiences. I like to think that same potential exists for us all, too. Humans I mean, our species. That if we were to just vanish, the stars would be dimmer for what they'd miss out on, what we could be. That much I feel like I still have to prove to myself, 'fore all is said and done. I still want to believe we're worth it."

"Well. I guess we'll find out."

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