lifeinthestarfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

Me, I'm marriage agnostic. I mean, if you love someone you can be a couple and who cares about the legality and some ceremony, right? Sam is more of a romantic traditionalist. So we compromised and got married. 😂

Honestly though, I'm perfectly content. Cora gave her blessing, Lillian was fine with it and Jacob, well to my surprise, Jacob was actually on board! He welcomed me to the family! Sam was shocked and I could tell he had to hold back a smart-ass remark, but maybe this is a new era for the Coe family. A little harmony is needed.

Cora stayed with Jacob for a few days while Sam and I honeymooned in the Murphid system doing planetary surveys and capturing some specimen samples for Dr. Walker. It was wonderful, just the two of us and, of course, some Spacers that we ran into. Nothing too difficult.

After getting the crew together we stopped by the Lodge. Vladimir had more Artifact locations to suss out and Walter Stroud found some guy on Neon selling what sounds like an Artifact.

Well, it really was an Artifact, one which was stolen from a Stroud-Eklund competitor. It was a little dicey, but with the help of Walter's wife (who is a hoot, utterly charming, and completely ruthless) we managed to come to an agreement. Even managed to save the thief, though he will spend time in jail.

And then.... (you just know there's an "and then..", right?)

We reached orbit after leaving Neon and a ship like none I've every seen dropped out of grav jump and hailed us. The captain called themself "Starborn" and claimed the Artifact; actually claimed all of the Artifacts. Said they weren't for us, we couldn't understand them, but wouldn't answer any of our questions.

We jumped as they fired up their weapons.

Back at the Lodge there was a Constellation meetup about the ship (no one recognized the technology) and the "Starborn". Matteo thinks they are some kind of angel, Barrett holds out for aliens, but Sam and Sarah both point out that the technology of their ship, while advanced, is recognizable, and most likely of human origin.

I'm leaning towards human as well. If they have the abilities I'm gaining from the Temples, they might be seen as godlike, even though they are just human.

Whatever they are, they are a threat and want us to stop looking for Artifacts. That's not going to happen, obviously. In fact, I'm more determined than ever to keep going.

[lifeinthestarfield]

Lillian Hart was in a spot of trouble for sure. She didn't know it, but she'd been made while undercover against an underworld group. They lured her (and us) to an abandoned cache and there was an epic gun battle. Truly one for the ages.

Meeting Lillian was less awkward that I thought it would be. I like Sam. A lot. And I knew he still carried a...well not a torch, but maybe a candle, for her. So I was prepared not to like her, to be jealous.

But I wasn't. Lillian is s straight-forward, get the job done kind of person. She's as stubborn as Sam, and I can't understand why they are so shocked at how stubborn Cora is! LOL.

I made the two of them talk afterwards. Really talk. They need to come to some sort of armistice so the can coparent Cora. That kid loves and needs both of her parents. And they worked it out between them. They both love Cora, so hopefully this peace will last.

They also, finally (IMHO) talked out the end of their relationship. Which was nice for me, especially when Lillian made a few pointed remarks to Sam about me. She even said she liked me!

Sam may be a stubborn lunk sometimes, but he and I have the same itch for exploration, the love of space, and the desire to see what is out there. He's also quite the romantic. Cuddles on the couch while watching vids, sunsets with a glass of wine, romantic walks on the beach - he's all about that and I love it! And, I guess, I love him.

Sam's been my rock since the 'Morph mission. I really felt shattered afterwards, still do to some extent, and he held me together. Actually, I have a cute story about that.

The UC gifted me an apartment in New Atlantis. A gorgeous two-bedroom with nice views, a far cry from the Well where I grew up. The UC also provided some stuff for furniture. I'm not a great decorator, but I'd put in a bed, some sofas, you know, what you need in a crashpad for a night.

While I was installing some workbenches in the living room (the living room is huge so I partitioned part of it for workbenches) I'd lost track of Cora and Sam. What do I find? The two of them fast asleep on the bed! It was adorable, but also felt really nice. Homey.

We are going to have our differences. He was furious when I took out the Captain of the Dumas, which we'd boarded. I mean, the guy was shooting at me! What was I supposed to do? Give him a hug?

But he says he loves me and that is wonderful. Hopefully we can make a stable home in the starfield for ourselves and Cora. And you know what? Lillian is welcome for the holidays. I'd love to hear some of her stories.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

I talked to Cmdr. Tuala and he had a list of missions for me. I decided to take a mission with Dr. Walker, collecting samples for him. I figure I can combine this with some planetary surveys.

Before we left New Atlantis we checked in at the Lodge. Vladimir was there and can I just say what a delight he is? He's just a nice guy. Anyway, Vladimir found energy emissions that matched two of the Artifacts we already found, except at higher levels. Much higher levels.

This was interesting, so we went off to check. Remember how I noticed those strange gravitational anomalies on Piazzi IV-C? Well, one of the strange readings was on Piazzi IV-C!

The readings emanated from a temple-like structure. Ruinous, as if a cataclysm had shook it pretty hard. The ground around the temple was broken up and I wonder if it sunk into the ground somewhat.

Inside was a trip. There is very little gravity, almost none. Like a spaceball court, but darker and with stars or energy or something floating around. The whole thing felt energetic; I guess that is the right word. Like electricity sizzling around your body.

The room was a half-globe with a construction of rings in the center at the flat bottom. Upon entry they activated and began spinning around each other very similar to what the Artifacts to in Noel's contraption.

At the same time, pockets of energy appeared in the spaces around the spinning rings. I found that if I touched these pockets, the rings would spin faster.

Touching the pockets felt kind of like touching something gelatinous, but without any sticky after-effect. Kind of like popping a bubble, if the bubble were a sack of goo.

It became a game to pop these energy goo bags to get the rings to spin faster. Finally they spun so fast they lined up, creating a kind of portal or something. At the same time a gong sounded, a gong that we not only heard but felt inside our bodies.

I closed in to look a the portal and was immediately sucked in. If the Artifacts were trippy, this was more like the source. The same lights, colors, sounds, except longer, more intense and more images.

I must have blacked out because when I came to Sam and I were outside the temple. He was dazed as well and said we'd just appeared there. One minute I was suspended in the portal, the next we were both standing outside the temple.

I was pretty excited to try the second hit and, sure enough, it was similar. Anti-grav spaceball chamber, spinning rings, power globs, the portal, and boom...back outside.

But here's the thing. Going through the portals left me with some kind of power. The first temple gave me some kind of anti-grav ability. Pretty cool as a party trick, but not sure how much real use it will be.

But the second power was more useful. It immediately gives me all of the O2 I need! Well, for a period of time at least. Now that is useful. Once of the irritating things about spacesuits is the inability to regulate oxygen flow to extreme activities. The key to wearing a suit is consistent effort. If you want to do something like sprint, you will use more oxygen; the suit can't compensate. But my nifty new ability means I can summon O2 and sprint as much as I need.

I gained back a little confidence exploring these temples. That last mission, with the Terrormorphs, really wiped me out. I know they are rare, but I feel nervous on-planet, wondering if one is going to appear.

Sam's been really supportive and says I just need to get back out there. I agree. Time will be the best healer.

On that note, when we got back to Sting Cora was all upset about her Mom. She hasn't responded to Cora's messages like she usually does so Sam asked if I minded side-tracking to Neon to check in on her.

So, Neon it is. I need to offload some cargo anyway.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

I made it, or rather we made it, out of Londinium alive. Alive, but not exactly well. Those 'Morphs were.... I can't really put it into words. The pure terror they induce, the voices, the hallucinations...you can't see straight to reload your weapon, you can't think straight to remember to even fire. The terror, though. The pure, unadulterated terror down into your bones.

We made it through. We got the samples. We found an archived recording proving Francois Sanon knew about how 'Morph can spawn instantly using the Lazarus plant.

I'm not telling this well, I know. Honestly, after we made it out and were back on the ship Sam and I completely broke down. Sarah had to pilot us back to New Atlantis while Barrett and Cora wrapped us in blankets and fed us hot drinks. I'm not sure I'll ever feel warm or safe again.

I'm going to skip some of the discussions just because I need to gain some space. I told Hadrian about her father, that he was alive and we both agreed he must have been behind the attack on Tau Ceti and New Atlantis. Once back at New Atlantis I confronted him and he admitted it.

He wanted me to think he did it as a favor to Hadrian and myself. How we'd be honored and our careers would be made. All megalomaniac bullshit.

We all testified before the council against him. I'm pretty sure he'll be executed for sure this time. I hope they go back and look at the actions they took from his advice over the term of his imprisonment. How many of those were his own payback? I doubt if the council will go that far. They will probably just sweep it all away.

I'm just so incredibly tired.

In the end, Major Sanon, Dr. Walker, and I have been made First Class Citizens of the UC (whatever that means) and the three founding members of the Terrormorph Management Division. Honestly, I know those things need to be destroyed, but I'm shaking just thinking about tackling another one.

Which reminds me about the other mission Commander Tuala suggested. Right now I really don't want to deal with another Terrormorph, so I may see what that mission entails. I could use some downtime.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

Just a quick update, as this might be my last.

Dr. Orlase was easy enough to find. We managed to disable his ship and board, but before I could take him into custody he killed himself.

Francois Sanon wasn't surprised at all...he'd expected it. But he came through with Hadrian's fellow researchers. One was a robot named Kaiser which required a trip to Niira. What we found there was frightening and is a good reason why we need to eradicate the Terrormorph presence: The Ecliptic had captured a 'Morph and were figuring out how to ship it off planet.

Can you imagine a 'Morph in the hands of the Ecliptic? Or for that matter, the Crimson Fleet? The leverage a criminal group would have over the population of a planet would be immense. Imagine dropping a 'Morph off at Neon! Or Akila City!

So we returned Kaiser to Hadrian at the lab on Mars. They've made good progress and have two candidates for dealing with the 'Morph threat. However, there was a catch. Because there is always a catch.

They need more samples and those samples can only be found at Londinium. You know, the city that had to be destroyed because of the Terrormorph threat? So guess who is going to Londinium?

In fact, guess who is freezing her ass off, writing what might be her last diary entry, in front of the gates to a bombed out city that is now the playground for Terrormorphs.

I'll see you on the other side.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

So the surprise in the sublevels of MAST? Hold onto your gunbelts because this is going to blow your mind. Or just stop reading now if you don't want to know.

Vae Victus, Francois Sanon, has been kept alive by the UC as a resource in a secure prison in one of the sublevels of MAST. Yep, that's the truth.

But that is about all the truth I got out of him. He wants me to kill a target - another war criminal. The very fact he's asking me to do it in return for the names and locations of Hadrian's old Xeno program partners makes me suspicious. Why not just tell me?

He claims he's testing me, but I don't buy it. I'm a pawn somehow. I talked it over with the Deputy and she thinks I should go ahead and try and bring the guy, a Dr. Orlase, in if I can. Obviously it would be best if he were alive.

Time is important here and it is ticking away. It is only a matter of time before another TerrorMorph breakout on a settled planet. So, I guess I don't have a choice. In order to speed the research along I need to find Major Sanon's old team and if that old man isn't lying it could save us weeks.

So, off to the Wolf System it is.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

The Armistice Archives are a treat if you are into heavy-duty security. To even open the doors you need to put the key card from each of the three signatories in a different slot, which are spaced out across a room with LOTS of firepower aimed right at you.

I've got some experience sneaking around and I definitely would NOT want to try to break into this place.

Once in, it was easy. Just grabbed the data chips and we were out. Major Sanon was meeting with the Deputy when we returned, so I was able to hand off the data very officially. Honestly, I was glad to get it out of my hands. The security involved around the Archives was a little unnerving.

And then, a surprise! I've been awarded citizenship! And Commander Tuala said it would take me 5 years...it's taken me less than a week.

Sam was unimpressed, but what do you expected from an Akila City boy. I promised him I'd become a ranger at some point to make it up to him. He wasn't terribly impressed by that either. I'm pretty sure not a lot impresses Sam Coe.

But I'm now a citizen, can purchase property, get citizen discounts, yadda, yadda. Would you believe I'm the first Hastur to receive citizenship?

And then the Deputy hit me with a surprise. Someone wants to meet with me? And I'm supposed to keep it secret? Well, "secret" is relative. I have a rule, I share everything with my partner. You really need to out in space. Going around with secrets is a good way to disappear, and then no one has any way to find you.

Besides which, some people's secrets are vital to getting things done. Like Ambassador Radcliffe's "secret" plan to off one of the FC counselors. So, yeah, I'll take your secret to my gave as long as I feel the morally right thing to do is keep it hidden.

It's been a long day and now I'm headed into the bowels of MAST. I could use a drink and a bath, but somehow I don't think either is on the agenda at the moment.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

So, the Armistice Archives need three passkeys to access the data, one from each of the signatories to the Armistice. That means Freestar Collective and House Va'ruun need to be on board.

Of course they picked me to go talk the ambassadors about access. Freestar Collective first. I'd hoped Sam's input would convince Ambassador Radcliffe, but she was adamant about not doing anything that would help the UC. Short-sighted imbecile.

With people like Radcliffe there are always minions who scurry around, doing their boss's will, even though they hate their boss. I identified our mark right away, Cameron Long. Overworked, underappreciated, and willing to let us access a certain listening device in Radcliffe's living area.

And what do you know? Ambassador Radcliffe is thinking about bumping off a member of the Freestar Council so she can get his place! Naughty, naughty, Ambassador.

Of course, confronted with this information she caved right away and produced the key I needed. I'm pretty sure Sam will pass on some info to the council warning them to watch what they eat.

Next, the House Va'ruun Embassy. After House Va'ruun left New Atlantis, only one person was left at the embassy, the ambassador. But no one had seen him for some time. Well, now I know why.

Ah, the problems of automation. The automated systems at the embassy kicked in and the plants kind of took over, creating a deadly jungle complete with killer robots.

We cleared the security issues, rescued the ambassador, and he was surprisingly on-board once he heard the issue. Unlike Radcliffe, he was reasonable and could see the consequences for all of humanity if the Terrormorph problem isn't dealt with expeditiously.

Now to access the archives.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

So the good doctor was hiding in an abandoned mine that also serves as HQ for a local gang, the Red Devils. Since apparently nothing in my life is easy, Spacers were holed up in the outer parts of the mine. Managed to dislocate my right knee, but those new immobilizers fixed it up in a jiffy. Thank the stars I had some on hand.

The Terrormorph specimen is unusual in that the 'Morph wasn't brought to Tau Ceti, it originated there. Yep, that's what I said. As Sam blurted out, this is truly an existential problem if they can appear anywhere.

Between the wars, Spacers, Mercs, and just the plain dangerous conditions of living on new worlds, there aren't really a lot of humans around. Seriously, this 'Morph problem could be devastating!

Hadrian (or rather Major Sanon as I should call her) lined up an appearance before the council. This is our opportunity to make it clear how dangerous the situation is.

I'm not sure why I'm attending, except that Sam and I are the ones who actually killed the 'Morph on Tau Ceti. Might not be a great idea to be known to the powers that be. High steps make long falls as my Mom used to say.

---

The meeting was pretty short. We pointed out the data we need from the Archives is from a failed project and they were amenable after that. And then... (you know there was going to be a "and then").

Alarms go off, blast shields cover the windows, and mass pandemonium. Terrormorphs at the spaceport.

Not gonna lie, this one was pretty iffy. Those 'Morphs get in your head, make you hear things, make you see things. I managed to get a high spot advantage and was very happy I'd loaded up on grenades. Between shooting and grenades we managed to kill all three.

Yes, that's correct. Despite what the news said, there were THREE 'Morphs at the spaceport. One nearly broke through the perimeter, almost getting into the Viewport bar.

We lost some troops, but the citizens were safe. Spaceport is a bit of a mess, though my ship, Sting, was out of the way.

At one point I'd lost sight of Sam and that damn voice in my head kept telling me he's dead, I should give up. I was so glad to see him without even a scratch! He was glad to see me too - gave me a big hug, which was really nice.

The Major gathered us back up to report to the President. I'm thinking this was a pretty opportune attack, coming right as we were trying to convince the council.

I've got a bad feeling about this.

#starfield

[lifeinthestarfield]

Commander Tuala was pretty freaked out by my debrief. He hid it well, but I could see the sweat break out. This Terrormorph thing is a big deal.

Killing it apparently proved my capabilities to Vanguard though. I'm now a full member. They told me I can follow through on this mission or give some support to a mission against the Crimson Fleet. Those Terrormorphs scare the crap out of me for sure, and they need to be dealt with, so I told him I'd continue with this mission first.

First stop, Jemison Mercantile to get Amoli to set me up with all the grenades I can carry. And ship parts. I've seen what that one did to the colonist's ship.

Next stop, Cydonia to find the scientist Hadrian needs to look at the sample.

---

Amoli is a peach. No throwables in stock, but she pulled out all of the ammo I needed and arranged to buy off a bunch of my stuff so I really wasn't out many credits. She's always so bright and cheerful, I couldn't tell her about the Terrormorph situation. Not just because I'm sure Vanguard and MAST don't want it broadcast, but also because people like Amoli need to be protected. They live in a little bubble called New Atlantis and don't even realize the dangers that are right outside the city walls.

That's so morbid, isn't it? Ever since I took that infrasound on Tau Ceti I've been keyed up and thinking about death.

---

Arrived at Cydonia in a terrible sandstorm. There is even sand in my underwear, so I asked Barrett to take a look at my suit. There's got to be a leak there somewhere.

Dr. Percival owes the Trade Authority money and his friends won't tell me where he is until the debt is paid for and he has free run of Cydonia again. Sam wasn't thrilled about helping the TA and paying them off, but we snuck in the back door, reduced his debt on the computer, and got it paid off.

Hopefully the sandstorm is over - the mine is pretty close to Cydonia and it is easier to walk over.

[lifeinthestarfield]

Well, as per usual, my first Vanguard mission turned into a total shitshow. The colonists that needed checking on we all dead. Killed by a Terrormorph. On Tau Ceti, which apparently shouldn't be possible.

There was a UC scientist onsite who barely managed to survive, Hadrian Sanon. With her help Sam and I managed to reset the power and turret system and take the Terrormorph down. I'm telling you though, if these beasts get loose in a populated area it will be total carnage.

I know there are going to be some people who scoff, but it isn't just the fact that they can leap incredible distances, even vertically. Or that they are fast. It is the infrasound they put out. It makes your brain feel like mush and does something to the nervous system. I was barely brushed by it and all of my muscles just started twitching uncontrollably.

I'm so glad Sam made Cora stay on the ship. Even a simple supply run can turn into a life or death encounter here in space.

We need to report this to Commander Tuala ASAP and then get the Terrormorph tissue sample to another scientist. Hadrian thinks there's something important there, I'm not sure what.

I didn't join the UC to fight infrasound-wielding monsters, but I'm in neck-deep and can't turn back. I wish I was the type to just turn and run, but there it is: My sense of responsibility is going to get me killed, I just know it.

[lifeinthestarfield]

So, I found proof that MAST is seeding worlds with different animals! Finishing up on Procyon III I found a cage with a dead MAST biologist and a Pack Coralbug Stalker! I know these aren't native!

For the record, I'm against the introduction of alien life into biomes. It just turns out terribly for all involved.

Still can't my camera to work. Sam took a look and just shook his head. Hopefully I can find someone to work on it soon.

[lifeinthestarfield]

My first mission with the Vanguard is a status check on a settlement that has lost contact. A rookie run, basically. Before that, we are stopping by Procyon III to check on a Constellation member I haven't met yet, Andreja. She's been out of touch a bit too long and everyone is getting a bit worried.

Procyon III is another cold plant. -10° which makes it slightly better than our last survey. But the gravity is heavier, which is a drag. Hopefully we can check on Andreja, do the survey, and head out to Tau Ceti to drop the parts off to the colonists. Easy day!

[lifeinthestarfield]

So I signed up for the Vanguard and passed by pilot's exam for Class B ships. When I have a little more time I'm going to go back and do some simulator work to get to Class C.

Sam's really not happy about me joining the Vanguard. He pretty much said I'd be under the UC's boot! I reminded him I was born in the UC and that shut him up. I also reminded him that the Marshall in Akila wanted to sign me up for the Freestar Rangers as well.

That's OK, I don't expect him to like all of my decisions, nor do I like all of his. But I won't put up with him bad-mouthing me all the time. We've come to an agreement and I've found shouting and a big two-by-four is the best way to get through to him.

Sarah and Barrett on the other hand are fine with it. Anything to up my skills. Even Cora got in on it. She, of course, is more concerned about what I will learn and get out of it.

I have to admit, it is pretty funny when Cora lays out the facts to her father. He just kind of sputters a bit, but has to admit she's right!

[lifeinthestarfield]

I'd really like to know who seeded all of these worlds with the same flora and fauna? Was it humans at some point? Or was it the Starborn?

Take, for example, Cliffberry, Cage Brain, Canis Palms and Cold Cave Nettle. They are everywhere, and in different environments. Same with the Centiskull Geophage, which I just found on Altair II, but I've seen elsewhere. Not to mention those friggin' Pack Coralbugs! I hate those guys and they are everywhere!

Altair II has Eggsac Filterers, which are cool to look at in the sky, but are pretty gross close up. They also stink to high heaven.

Time to finish up the coffee and get back to the survey. It's freezing out there and I'd like to get this one done quickly.

[lifeinthestarfield]

After finishing the survey for Piazzi IV-C, we decided to do a quick scan of Piazzi IV itself, a gas giant and easy money. Except that we jumped into a Crimson Fleet meetup. Five ships!

We were hopelessly outnumbered, so jumped to Altair II. And wouldn't you know, as soon as we were in-system we received a distress call from a Private Mahoney with the Freestar Collective (FC).

I'm not one to ignore distress calls. At some point I'm going to need the help and hope that some rando comes to my defense. So I take my good little self down to a research outpost on Altair II.

Right away I can see this is a problem. Spacers running around everywhere. I leave Sarah and Barrett (and Cora) to defend the ship while Sam and I see what we can do.

Cleared the outside and started a standard walkthrough/cleanup inside and found Private Mahoney in a closet. She gave us and overview of the situation and apparently UC Marines are here as well, pinned down somewhere.

Sam and I just kind of look at each other. So FC troops and UC Marines need two nobodies to bail them out? That doesn't say much for our military organizations, does it?

But that kind of thinking doesn't solve the situation. Our first stop was to find and secure where Corporal Lezama and the wounded are holed up.

They were hit pretty bad, but Lezama, who is UC, was calm and gave us directions and security key cards to find the Lieutenant. Boy was he surprised when Sam and I showed up after killing about nine spacers in the hallway. Wanted to know where the rest of our troops were, snipers, etc.

I just rolled my eyes and asked him to get on with it. The Lieutenant is trying hard, but this is obviously his first difficult mission. We took point and went out to find and relieve the UC commander.

That commander was Captain Meyong. Yup, THAT Captain Meyong. I was slightly star-struck, but then realized Sam and I'd saved her bacon, so that set matters straight. We did a quick strategy session.

The Lieutenant had split his troops and sent some to a research outpost. They also were under attack, so while Meyong and Torres secured this facility, Sam I headed to check on the outpost.

The outpost had two survivors, a FC private and a scientist, but the private said more scientists had holed up in a cave nearby. We took out the six spacers pretty easily. Pro tip: get the high ground, like up on top of a hab. You can pick them off, but still get down low to avoid returned fire.

So back to the base. I'd better be getting fuel money outta this.

The FC and UC were getting the research station locked down, but the main problem were Spacer ships around Altair V and Altair I. Since nobody else seems to have a ship (how the fuck did they get here? Does FC militia and UC just drop off their men and leave?) Sam and I get to go take out their ships.

This will be the first test for the Litany. We'll see how she does.

-----

Three ships at Altair I and three ships at Altair V. Managed to get them all, but sustained some damage. Also the Litany handles like a brick. Getting her to turn is like manhandling a cruddup.

Unfortunately the Spacers have a death wish and despite losing six ships and their ground forces have doubled down on attacking the research station. Looks like another firefight on the agenda!

-----

Well, at least a dozen Spacers at the base. Sam and I took them out. Not sure where the FC and UC were. Hiding inside I guess. Then two more ships came down and dropped off twelve more spacers. Sam and I picked them off easily. Again, high ground. We shot them like rats as they can down the slope into the base.

Got some thanks and a nice Peacekeeper from Captain Meyong. I'm a little worried about Lt. Torres. I think he might need some time on a comfy couch with a psychotherapist. The Captain gave him some good advice, but when I left he was a little shellshocked at the body count.

Now, why were we at Altair? Oh, right, escaping Crimson Fleet. Well, as long as we're here we might as well do the planetary surveys. There's also a research tower near the camp I'd like to check out and an Industrial outpost that ought to know about the Spacer issue.

Being a good, responsible citizen is a pain in the ass, you know?

[lifeinthestarfield]

Sam is such a good father. Cora is pretty mature for her age, curious, and absorbs knowledge like a sponge. Great kid. I gave her 50 credits to buy some books next time we're on a settled world. Sam rolled his eyes, but I encourage learning when the person is willing.

He's privately shared some of his concerns about Cora. Flying around, exploring, etc, all is pretty dangerous, but so is life in a settled colony. Growing up I saw plenty of violence and danger in new Atlantis. And living on an outpost? With Mercs, Spacers, and Crimson Fleet, I'm not sure I'd want to raise a kid there.

It's a dangerous universe and life on a ship is only slightly more dangerous than anything else. I think Sam is just looking for validation of his parenting style, which I totally agree with.

The Litany is an upgrade for sure - we've got much more room. Next time we stop somewhere with ship services I'm going to rechristen her. Cora wants to call her Rocinante after an animal used for riding in some book she's read. I kind of like Star Gazer, but Sam just rolled his eyes.

Barrett suggested something tough, like "Punisher" but I don't really want to advertise belligerence, know what I mean? Sarah joking suggested "The TerrorMorph". 🙄

I'll just think about it for a bit, see what bubbles up in my mind.

#starfield