It is day one since the crash. I need to make a list of things to do;
* Reinforce shelter
* Gather supplies
* Locate crew
* Find the cockpit
* Take Animus’ identification.
I’ll cross these off as I complete them. I want to get out there and find the cockpit and start exploring. But I won’t survive very long without the shelter reinforced or supplies so I need to start gathering those now.
I haven’t found any signs of life. No scrounging animals or birds. I haven’t had to deal with any insects. There isn’t even any plant life. Nothing but rock, ice, and snow. While up on the vantage point I could see something in the distance. It looks like remnants of civilization. Very decrepit but I won’t know more until I explore it. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted to drop everything and explore. I’ve even tried to rationalize it. But work comes first.
I’ve been pulling scraps of the ship up and leaning them against the cabin. It’s been half of the day cycle and I’m starting to feel the misery of starving. From what debris I’m finding I think I can find the cantina. Or whatever’s left of it. Though the supplies might be all frozen by this point. Beats being hungry.
We have a success!! I dug up the cantina! Yes, the supplies are totally frozen. But they are edible. The frost just gives it a strange and weird texture that I would not choose to eat if there were any other options. I’ve already started rationing resources so everyone will have enough to eat for a while. It does mean I have to go a little hungry now but maybe when I collect Dr. Katida, she'll have a better solution. At least there is more than enough fresh water. I don’t know where the mechanic tools are buried and without them I’m not sure how I’m going to. One of the sheets I leaned up against the shelter just fell. Which does tie back into how I’m going to secure these reinforcements.
The winds are rough. Not even kidding when I say I saw the wind pick up a one ton sheet of metal and fling it into oblivion. Haven’t quite figured out why this planet or system was abandoned. Storming, arctic planets are fairly common throughout systems. I even know a couple friends from arctic planets. The mystery of it has me really wanting to go into the broken civilization to see if there’s anything there. Last night in the darkness I started thinking a bit too much about the predators on this planet and if that could have been why it got abandoned. I admit it was just my imagination running away with me.
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It’s uncomfortably lonely. Even the isolation training wasn’t this dismal. I really hope the rest of the crew have found good shelter and supplies. It does worry me that no one has come looking through the debris but the crash site is so large that maybe they are looking through the debris and we’ve just missed each other.
I think I’ve spent too much time here now. Back to reinforcements.
My fingers are so stiff. Stiff and frozen. I don’t have anything warm to warm them with so I’m just rubbing them together. However, the reinforcements went well! I used ripped cloth to tie the reinforcements down. Even though the wind is getting between the layers and making them hit against the main structure, my shelter is standing strong and is retaining its heat pretty good. If I can get some necessities, like a source of heat, then I’ll be set.
Since the darkness of the night has set in, I’ve been spending my time splitting the shelter into beds and curtained privacy corners for the rest of my crew. My shelter has no light so I’m working in the base light of a single solar powered emergency lantern. I have to keep it at the lowest setting. I set the panel and battery out this morning to charge in the red starlight but it hasn ‘t charged the battery by much.
That’s pretty worrying. I need to find more batteries and panels. If I have multiples charging at a time I wouldn’t have to spend the nights hunched up over the lantern with only the palest and tiniest ring of light.
I considered that maybe the panels or batteries were damaged in some way. But from what I can tell they are functioning as normal. I almost think that it has something to do with the star’s odd patterns. But Minali would know more about that, or at the very least be able to access the data the ship briefly collected. Dr. Blackwell probably would be able to access them too. I won’t pretend that I’m still not fond of Dr. Blackwell. I briefly and bitterly hoped I wouldn’t find him but after some time has passed I rescind that thought. I won’t say that I’m not mad. But I certainly think I’ll be taking him back in handcuffs.
Tomorrow I have to head out for the cockpit. I haven’t forgotten about ANIMUS. I also need to find the rest of my crew. But it’s too dark for that now. I’ve left one of the portable lanterns on full light outside so that if there’s anyone out there, they’ll see it. I hope someone does.