Entry 004: [Pre-Expedition Training]

LOCATION: Bakewell Point, Pallaeni System, Independent Territory, Inner Orion Spur
REPORT TYPE: Update

Captain's Log.
We've returned to Bakewell Point after repairs to the Avenger were completed. To test out yet more modifications made to the engines and internal systems of the ship (again by Adam and his team), we made an exploratory venture down to Pallaeni A2, landing not far from the Napier Lab. After driving in the SRV for a while, I found a large canyon and decided to photograph it for posterity and to get some practice for my work in the Geology and Organics department for the upcoming expedition. In getting used to the cameras, I also got some good pictures of the night sky above Pallaeni A2.

The line that the nebula cuts across the sky at night here is impressive, I never saw anything like it back home. The Canyon was unfortunately on the dark side of the planet, so I was forced to take raw images from the interior and turret cams on the SRV rather than use the cam drones.

This was the best picture I was able to get with the drones, which shows the height of the canyon rather well. The rest of the images we took were submitted to the expedition's discovery logs. For pilots interested, our logged location for the canyon was approximately -61.0240* by -178.9802*.

Upon returning to the ship and to the crew's quarters on Eyharts Point to prepare to take-off, I found our rooms being searched by security personnel, and crew members being interrogated. Apparently, they've heard rumors of industrial sabotiers going between stations recently, working for one group or another, and that they have been intercepting supply ships that arrived in Pallaeni. I described our two encounters with 'pirates' and that seemed to satisfy them that we weren't working with the criminals. This left the crew a bit more paranoid, or in Adam's case not much more paranoid than usual.

The expedition is rapidly approaching, and it doesn't seem possible. In only two days now, Adam, a small skeleton crew, and I will be leaving this system and most of the Avenger's crew behind on a journey beyond the reach of maps, far beyond anything any of us could imagine exploring even. Adam is more anxious about it that I would have thought at first, but then again neither of us have left the Inner Orion Spur in our entire career, our families and friends haven't left the sector either, at least to our knowledge. And I thought the run from LHS 3447 to Deciat was a long one. I didn't even cross a major border! Adam seems finally satisfied with the condition of the FSD and thrusters on board, which is something of a relief, probably to his team as well. From the sound of it, they were up late several nights fiddling with some inner working or other. Whatever they were doing, though, it worked! Our jump range has markedly increased. It's still not great compared to some ships, but we're just an exploration vessel, it can't hurt to take a little extra time and get to explore.

I need to go make some more plans for the expedition and finish briefing what crew we're going to take with us.

[LOG END]