Phoenix, my beautiful beast, hums like a contented predator waiting to hunt. I’ve spent enough credits on her to buy a small moon, but it was worth every single unit. The upgraded jump drives, the reinforced hull plating… she’s not just a ship, she’s an extension of my will. She'll need a new coat of paint soon. Scratched up so bad, like a wild animal. Mule and Hydra, my trusty cargo haulers, are bobbing in orbit, filled to the brim with mining equipment. Thank the stars for those automated loaders, my back's not what it used to be. And Tanker, always ready with the juice, keeping us all fuelled and moving.
The five frigates continue their duties. The Pilots have become more assimilate to the work. The still go through their training drills, after all its ones life on the line.
Entry 2 - (Deep Core Digs)
The asteroid belt is more beautiful than anyone gives it credit for. It's dark, brutal even, but the way the Phoenix cuts through the debris, lights glinting off the metallic surfaces… it's like navigating through a cosmic jewel box.
Mining the core elements is… well, it’s an art form, really. You have to be precise, efficient, almost… gentle. We're using a combination of laser fracturing and gravity tethers, pulling the core segments free without causing a chain reaction of exploding rocks. Mule and Hydra are making short, but constant supply runs. It’s tedious at times, the endless cycle of mining, processing, storing. But seeing the holds slowly fill with refined ore – that’s what it’s all about. Real, solid, hard-earned material.
The Mark II Predator is proving its worth too. I’ve been doing some deep core extractions in person. The suit allows me to move with the grace of a dancer and the brute force of a leviathan. Kicking a recalcitrant rock aside with enough force to send it spinning into the abyss feels... good. Its balance is incredible and I think I can take it further. It needs some more power but that's a whole other project.
It’s not just work, either. I’ve converted one of the Phoenix's old cargo bays into a firing range. Keeps the crew sharp and provides a bit of… release. The plasma pistol practice is cathartic, to say the least.
Entry 3
The long cycles of mining are… well, they’re starting to bore me. Even with the Predator training. The holds are overflowing, and while I appreciate the steady income, I crave something more. Something different.
I’ve spent the last few dark cycles browsing the trade networks. It seems new trade opportunities are popping up all over the place. The reports are a tangled mess of needs and surpluses, but a few threads stand out. Mining rights on a gas giant, the tech for a new type of alloy, rumors even of a derelict ship with… well, that’s anyone's guess.
The old, reliable trade routes are flooded with old competitors, I need to think wider. Something risky and lucrative. Maybe it’s time to move on from rocks and start exploring the fringes of what’s possible again. I miss that feeling. It was what drove me to buy the Phoenix in the first place.
My fleet is sitting in my peripheral view, the blackness of space is tempting me now, instead of the endless streams of asteroid debris. Time to refuel and choose my next target. I think it's time for a little adventure.
Unlawfully taken from Royal Road, this story should be reported if seen on Amazon.
Entry 4 (The Itch)
One more cycle of mining. One more. I need to finish this run before I can justify going on that crazy goose chase for a derelict but the boredom is gnawing at me. One second I'm in the exosuit, moving about like a god of the rocks, the next I'm reading market reports on my command deck.
The monotony of making money is almost driving me insane. That's the thing about capitalism I guess. The only way to keep it interesting is to make so much that you can afford to do what you really want. I want to explore. The Phoenix is aching to do some real jumps, the Harbingers are practically trembling to do something other than guard cargo ships.
I've set up all the coordinates for the gas giant as well. I guess those mining rights could prove lucrative, or they could be a money pit. Either way it'll be a new challenge.
Entry 5
The dust of the asteroid belt is finally settling, both literally and figuratively. For months, it's been nothing but the rhythmic hum of the mining lasers and the groan of the Phoenix as it hauls ore back to the refinery. Profitable, yes, but…monotonous. I swear, if I see another chunk of plasteel, I'll chuck myself out an airlock. But the coffers are full, and more importantly, the Phoenix is no longer alone. My little fleet - the Talon, the Vulture, and that clunky old freighter, The Mule - is finally operational. We're ready for something more.
I've been sifting through the network traffic, and it seems the recent collapse of the Xylos Cartel has left a gaping hole in several trade routes. Opportunistic, I know, but my crew needs more than rock dust to keep them motivated. A couple of promising leads popped up. One involves the shipment of bio-luminescent algae to the Outer Rim colonies - apparently, they're desperate for some 'natural' lighting. The other is a strange request for a rare type of crystallized hydrogen, used in… well, I'm not entirely sure. But the price is hefty.
I think we'll go for both. Cover our bases, so to speak.
Entry 6
The bio-luminescent algae run was… messy. Turns out, transporting living organisms through hyperspace requires more finesse than I anticipated. Half the cargo bays had to be scrubbed down after a rather unfortunate 'bloom' incident. Still, the price they paid on the Outer Rim was more than worth it. The colonists were practically throwing credits at us. Made me feel like a damn delivery saint.
The haggling was… interesting. They were a bunch of hard-scrabble farmers with a knack for squeezing every last credit out of a deal. I had to play the 'weary traveller' card pretty hard to come out ahead. But I managed, and the Phoenix is now buzzing with the energy of a successful venture.
The Talon and the Bite were invaluable during the docking procedures at the agricultural outpost - the local customs officers were... let's just say they weren't known for their gentle handling of visiting ships. Having a couple of armed vessels on the periphery seemed to make them think twice about being too thorough. Safety first, always.
Entry 7
The crystallized hydrogen deal is proving far more… complicated. The contact is a shadowy figure known only as the ‘Silkworm’ operating out of a station on the fringes of the Aethel Nebula. The area stinks of pirates and smugglers. We picked up a few stragglers following us on approach, but Talon and Vulture dealt with them swiftly. Good to know they’re ready if I need them.
Meeting the Silkworm was like negotiating with a sentient fog. They spoke in riddles and coded phrases, all while shuffling through data pads like they were playing a game of solitaire. They definitely had the upper hand at the start. I realized that the key was to not show too much interest. So, I leaned back, pretended I was bored, and let them spill about their “urgent need for this rare compound”. Then I hit them with my counter offer, a little higher than I would normally ask but judging by their reaction I could have pushed it more.
The final price was… satisfying. More than makes up for the bio-algae mess. They kept their reasons quiet but I have a strange feeling this material is not for anything legal and harmless. I might need to look into that later.
I'm ready for it. I'm done with the rocks. Let's find something else.