《Diary of a Space Sailor》009

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Entry 009 – Date: 12.03.3206 – Location: Patrol Cruiser Avalanche

As of yesterday evening, the Avalanche is officially underway. It will take until tomorrow until we reach the transport station.

These stations are responsible for opening wormholes that allow interstellar travel between colonized systems. They contain giant generators, allowing connections to reach far further than any ship mounted wormhole generator can.

Because of gravitational interference from the sun, they have to be built far enough away. The one that we are heading for is located a bit further than Saturn. Sadly, we won’t be able to see the planet ourselves. It’s orbit has taken the planet on the opposite side of the solar system.

Construction and maintenance of transport stations is incredibly expensive. Most systems have less than five.

Earth has 26.

Even Aurora, the second most populated system, only has 14. This just shows how important humanity’s birthplace still is. No matter that humans have long expanded their reach to hundreds of stars, Sol houses more than a trillion souls.

It is also where the UCS senate is located.

The Unified Confederacy of Stars was founded as the interstellar government of humanity. Of the 218 systems that have been settled, meaning that there is a permanent population of more than half a million people, the 63 biggest send representatives to Sol’s senate. There they discuss the matters that affect humanity as a species.

They are also responsible for the upkeep and deployment of the UCS navy. Essentially, they are my far distant superiors.

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Our mission as a patrol cruiser is to go wherever a permanent naval presence isn’t economical. We are going to visit all those far-flung mining colonies, research outpost and freshly founded settlements. There we will sometimes help out with local problems, mainly its just “showing the flag” so to speak. To ensure people that the Confederacy still stands and is here for them.

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Of course, there are stories about single patrol ships staving of ravenous pirate fleets. Courageous sailors evacuating civilians at their own peril and saving them from natural disasters. Or even patrols finding terrorist hideouts and ridding us of their scourge.

To any sailor, such stories have an almost mythical character. In general, colonies are capable of dealing with their own problems. Rarely do events line up perfectly enough that the locals are overwhelmed and a patrol is present just in time to fix it.

Still, they do happen.

They must, after all, what legend doesn’t have a basis in reality?

To hope for catastrophes to occur would be more than immoral. There are no heroes without mortal danger. Still, I can’t be the only one out there who lusts for a little bit of glory.

Right?

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Yesterday’s departure was by the book, I wasn’t on shift at the time, but I watched with the others as the docking clamps were loosened and the Avalanche steadily picked up speed.

Before we left, I exchanged parting messages with mom and many of my friends. They all wished me good travels, not to get into too much trouble, etc. Well meaning parting wishes. The messages also included one from Evelyn.

I admit that with the new environment of the Avalanche, my new position, and the general excitement to be leaving on patrol did a great job of distracting me from the breakup.

When I saw her icon blinking in my messaging app, I wondered how I could have forgotten about her so quickly. Then all the emotions came flooding back in. The pain from our split, shame for putting my goals above our relationship, the love I still hold for Eve. They all overwhelmed me for a while.

I tried to formulate some meaningful reply but all I could come up with were some meaningless platitudes. They sounded hollow when I read them to myself, but I sent them anyways.

I so want a way that lets us stay together.

Damnit now I’m thinking about Evelyn again. I’ll head for my shift early, maybe that will take my mind her.

Logging off

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