Stardate: 3478.2 (Cycle 12, Day 1)
The synthesized sun finally creaks up over the artificial horizon of Deep Space Station Sigma-7. Makes my bones ache just staring at it. Guess it's time to get the circuits humming. Recycled protein paste for "breakfast" again. Tastes like sawdust mixed with old socks, but it fuels the engine. Washes down the taste with some synth-coffee, which to its credit, is at least hot.
Check the comms – no nasty surprises, thankfully. The Phoenix is looking good on the monitors. She's more than just a ship now; she's practically a part of me. Spent too long sweating over her refit to think of her any other way. A medium-class bruiser is putting it mildly; she could take on some cruisers if needed. The Mule and Hydra, my cargo workhorses, are docked and ready. Sting, Fang, Claw, Tear, and Bite, the light frigates, are fueled and prepped. We're a proper little fleet now, even if they’re a little beat up. Makes me feel like a damn space admiral, even though I'm mostly just a glorified delivery boy.
Today's the day. The market reports I scanned say the medical colonies in the Outer Rim are crying out for high-end supplies. Expensive stuff, the kind that keeps people alive after a run-in with a Void Lurker or a rogue AI. I’ve bought a haul. Got my hands on a stock of bio-regenerative injectors, synth-skin grafts, and a few neural repair kits. The risk is high, but the potential profit is juicy. I just need to navigate a couple of dodgy sectors and outpace any pirates who think they can shake us down. I set the course and give the order, "All ships engage." Time to make a profit.
Stardate: 3478.4 (Cycle 12, Day 2)
Long, monotonous jump through hyperspace. I hate the way it makes my gut feel like it’s being twisted into a pretzel. Spent most of the day fiddling with the Phoenix’s jump drive. Always something to tweak. The others kept themselves busy doing maintenance and playing cards over the comms. Occasionally they’ll start singing old Earth songs, mostly off key.
Had another round of protein paste for ‘lunch’ and ‘dinner’. I swear, if I have one more bite of that stuff I'm going to start growing a second head. Pried open a can of synth-fruit for a treat. Its still not fresh, but it's sweet enough. Checked the fleet - all systems green. The comm chatter is keeping me from nodding off. Sometimes I think the only things keeping me awake are the caffeine, and the constant fear of space pirates. Set course for the first waypoint.
Stardate: 3478.6 (Cycle 12, Day 3)
Made it to the Kuiper Belt without incident. The Phoenix handled the jump with grace, thankfully no hiccups at all. Landed on the outer rim station of "Elysium" on the edge of the belt. A real hive of scum and villainy, but there's always a profit here if you know where to look. Found my contact, a surly-looking medical broker named Kael. He had a face like a chipped asteroid and the personality to match.
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The negotiation was tense. He tried to lowball me, of course, playing the "we're-in-the-middle-of-nowhere-you’re-desperate" card. I countered, throwing out the numbers I had in my head, citing the scarcity of the supplies. He’d heard of the demand, but was playing coy. We went back and forth for what felt like an eternity. I finally settled for a price slightly below what I’d hoped, but still good enough to make the trip worthwhile. “Fair enough” said the broker who then pulled out another data pad. “I hadn’t imagined they were these type. The colony has a different need now”. I could immediately see where this was heading. My contact was stalling. “So I can only offer this price now" he said, the new figure was even worse than his initial offer.
He underestimated me. I held my ground, explaining that my supplies were the top of the line. I pointed out that I could just head to the next system, where, according to my research, there are three different settlements who are also desperate for supplies. He eventually caved, grumbling about having to deal with someone who knows the value of his own wares. Signed the contract, transferred the credits. The cargo is being offloaded and scanned now, the Mule and Hydra are getting another load which will be used for the next trip. Time to rest, I am exhausted. I had some food, which was better than the recycled paste. I think I’ll treat myself to a few drinks at the station bar.
Stardate: 3478.7 (Cycle 12, Day 4)
Woke up this morning with a space hangover. Elysium’s local brew packs a punch. Decided to take the morning off, and let the crew do the final checks on the cargo ships. I had some synth eggs and juice, followed by some caffeine to help clear my head. After the cargo ships were loaded, I ordered them to stay docked, while the frigates came to a stop, the Phoenix was ready to go. I told them we were heading to the next system, and would have a rest stop. Got into my pilot seat and set course.
Stardate: 3478.8 (Cycle 12, Day 5)
Arrived at the next system, a mining colony. The Hydra and Mule already docked up at one of the platforms. As soon as I stepped out I could see people were eager to get access to the supplies. I was met by one of the colony leaders, and went through similar negotiations. After a little back and forth, they agreed to a fair price. I decided to stay over night and have some proper food, rather than paste. They had some local cuisine, which was unique, but tasty. The next day, after the transaction, we undocked and prepared to head back. We still had the station we started in to return to.
Stardate: 3478.9 (Cycle 12, Day 6)
The last leg of the journey. We should be landing back in base soon. I have some extra credits, which will be used for repairs and fuel. The journey was long, but worth it. The Phoenix is purring like a well fed cat. I think I’ll try and get some extra maintenance done on my ship. The last few jumps have taken their toll. I check the crew’s logs, and each one is clear, so all are ready for the next adventure.