Log Entry 001 - Stardate 2374.10.22
The ache in my back is a good one. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime of scavenging, welding, and late nights in the refinery, I own her. The 'Rusty Bucket,' she’s called by most, but I'll be damned if she isn't a beauty in my eyes. A beat-up L-Class freighter, stripped bare, engines sputtering like an old man clearing his throat. But she's mine. Paid for in hard-earned credits, the taste of every single one of them I'll savor. Today, the hard work begins. First contact tomorrow – a small station that mostly deals in recycled metals. Time to earn some fuel.
Log Entry 012 - Stardate 2374.12.15
Things are picking up. The Rusty Bucket isn’t so rusty anymore. A few strategic welds, some salvaged plating, and she's almost presentable. I’ve made a few contacts. Old Man Hemlock at the recycler, a gruff but fair guy; and a quirky engineer named Anya at the station docks, she's helped me source some crucial components. Traded scraps for recycled fuel cells, and brought some machine parts in for Hemlock. Good trades, good people. It's a slow burn, but I'm making headway. I even managed to outfit the bucket with a rudimentary sensor array – it doesn’t quite pick up lifeforms, but it's good enough for asteroid detection. Next stop, the outer rim markets, see if there are any bargains to be had.
Log Entry 038 - Stardate 2375.04.08
Three ships now! The 'Rusty Bucket' is now my flagship, if you can call it that. I managed to pick up two smaller ex-mining vessels; the 'Grub' and the 'Molerat'. Both ugly, both slow as snails, but they carry cargo, and that's all that matters. Grub now carries most of the trade goods and Molerat has been modified for hauling fuel. I took Anya up on her offer to help, and she’s installed slightly larger cargo holds and a more efficient fuel transfer system. Anya is a lifesaver. We've got a small, but efficient crew who are good at what they do. Life is getting good. Still scratching a living, but it feels better than working for someone else.
Log Entry 072 - Stardate 2375.09.20
We’ve added some muscle. The 'Cinder,' she's an old militia gunship, found her rusting at a forgotten salvage yard. She definitely shows her age, but after some blood sweat and tears, and help from Anya of course, her main cannon is operational. It's a direct-fire magnetic accelerator, primitive but powerful. I also managed to install a few point-defense turrets - repurposed mining lasers that now spit fire and debris. The 'Cinder' is no sleek, high-tech cruiser, but she'll make anyone think twice before attacking. I've modified her interior to be basic but comfortable for a crew of three, and installed extra armor in vital areas. We also took on another ship, the 'Long Haul' another old freighter but this one is BIG... I've set about making the 'Bucket' my personal transport and living space. Anya says I'm going to turn it into a 'space hovel'. She's not wrong. I've swapped out the hard metal bunks for an old fabric hammock, found a rug that has been patched more than i can count, and installed a decent cooking stove. Feels like home.
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Log Entry 101 - Stardate 2376.01.14
The fleet is growing. Added another freighter. The 'Crawl', a workhorse of a ship, very similar to the 'Long Haul'. I'm trading further out now, picking up rare minerals and forgotten tech on the edges of charted space. The 'Cinder' has proven her worth a couple of times, fending off some misguided pirates. I even managed to get my hands on a second, even older warship, also a militia vessel named the 'Scout'. The 'Scout' is a smaller ship but fast and agile. She's equipped with a set of rapid-fire railguns, perfect for short bursts of accurate fire. She's my escort now. The Bucket is always the target, and 'Scout' can keep us safe while 'Cinder' makes sure the bigger freighters have an easy job. The 'Rusty Bucket' itself feels more like home than any real home I ever had. The scent of old oil, spices from my cooking, the hum of the engines – it’s all familiar, all mine. Found a small window I could install and it looks out over the engine bays. It might not be everyone's dream, but it's mine. I can see the stars through it. Life is… good.
Log Entry 137 - Stardate 2376.06.23
We’re more than just a ragtag bunch of ships now. We’re a fleet. We’re a family. I'm calling us 'The Scrapyard Collective', because that's where we came from. We’ve got four freighters, two combat ships, and a small but capable crew. I've even started paying myself a decent price. I still feel the pull of the scrapyards, the thrill of the found object, and I'm not about to change that yet. The 'Bucket' never looked so good with its collection of trinkets and gadgets. A few small plants grow in hydroponic trays above my sleeping hammock, and the space between has grown into a cozy space. Anya installed a small holoprojector and I've filled it with nature scenes of long-forgotten earth. It is the best I've ever had. I look at my little fleet, built from rust and grit, and I know I've built something special. And it's all powered by hard work, good people, and a touch of luck. I've got a funny feeling that everything is going to be okay.