March 19th, 8252

You glance down at your tablet, shake your head, and thumb the all-hands message button.

“All hands report back aboard for immediate departure. I repeat: all hands report aboard for immediate departure.”

Releasing the transmit button you read the movement orders over again. Three systems this time though all are away from the golrak border. It's an itinerary that will strain the warp jump drive. Again. Perhaps hard enough to get the dry docks off their asses to give it a proper looking over. You shake your head and decide to hope for the best but plan for the worst.

Three hours later you gather both of your crewmen on the bridge and put a star map up on the main display.

“Four days ago I mentioned that we were on notice for imminent departure as soon as the yards turned us loose. As of three hours ago they have and our movement order followed right on the heels of that notification. In summary we have an itinerary of three worlds to rimward to survey: Cloudbury, Sono, and Zures. Only Cloudbury has a direct warp jump route from Celesmore so we are to start there. From there we are to confirm the warp jump route to Sono, survey that system, map the jump from Sono to Zures, survey Zures, them map the jump back to Cloudbury before returning to Celesmore via that system. Total elapsed time is expected to be four months, with up to another two available if we call home to report and request them.”

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You tap a button on your tablet screen to zoom the map in.

“This is what is already on record for our first objective: the Cloudbury system. One star, two worlds, two moons and a large asteroid slash moonlet. Of note is that both of the moons show preliminary signs of being habitable orbital bodies.

“Objective two is the Sono system. One star, two planets, five moons, and plenty of asteroids and dust clouds. One of the planets is flagged as possibly habitable, though the initial scout ship's sensors couldn't penetrate the dust clouds and asteroids well enough to confirm that.

“The Zures system is our third objective and the smallest of the three. One star, one planet, one moon, and a few dust clouds. The planet isn't flagged as already habitable but may be a teraforming candidate. Our survey work will confirm or deny that.

“I expect that mapping out the warp jump routes will prove the greatest challenge given the Kleinova warp jump drive installed aboard our ship. Engineering, we've got a day to give it a good going-over before we jump out. If you don't think that drive is ready to go let me know asap. Can do?”

“Can do Sir!”

“Good. Supply, what do our stockpiles look like?”

“Six percent over establishment with the exception of tanked consumables Sir. Food supplies, between the MREVs and the synthesizer, are sufficient for one year away from base. The water reclamation plant and the rest of the Lifespan mark five star life support equipment can carry us at least that long.”

“Well done Supply. Alright, meeting adjourned. We all have our pre warp jump tasks to attend to. It's high time we got back into the void.”