Engineering...you either love it or hate it. I find myself somewhere in between. The engineering part is just fine. The materials...that's the real problem now isn't it? No one likes to go hunting down rare components and data. It can take days, weeks even to get everything needed to make a meaningful impact on engineering performance. But if you want that extra performance, you've got to get to work. That's what I've done, and hopefully am finished with.

The idea was simple...push the Thunderchild's maximum jump range as high as possible while carrying a selection of desired optional modules. The ship needs to be fast, while at the same time having a dual SRV bay, a fighter hangar, repair limpet controller and some space for limpets. Installation of a guardian frameshift booster was a no brainer, but I still wanted to get more range out of the FSD. With the drive engineered as far as it would go, I had to turn attention to the other modules and modify them to be as light as possible.

The first task was to get the power plant right. A smaller power plant means a lighter build, but I still needed good power generation to feed that guardian FSD booster. An overcharged 4A was the ticket. The next task was to fit the smallest power distributor possible while still being able to boost. A 6D distributor with engine focused engineering and reduced power draw worked fine. Sensors and life support were engineered for much reduced mass, while thrusters got dirty drive tuning for a significant speed boost. I debated on whether or not to have a shield generator equipped, and decided it would be best to go with some protection for planetary landings. A 4D generator with enhanced low power mods is all I required.

After all was said and done, the Thunderchild ended up with a 71.65 LY jump range with a full tank of fuel and all the optional internal modules installed. This does not account for limpets in the cargo rack, but I will be synthesizing them as needed instead of stocking them before departure.

It's been a long, tiring year. Dealing with the Thargoid incursion. Outfitting and combat testing the Alliance Chieftain and her siblings. Turning a Krait into an exploration vessel, and then taking a shake down cruise all the way out to the Zephyrus Region and back in just a few months. Getting myself involved in what would become the biggest cluster f*** of the year....the Gnosis debacle. I've been so busy that I just kind of ran on autopilot, neglecting my logbook and everything else while I mindlessly cruised from one event to the other over the course of the last 10 months. How the hell did nearly a year pass by already...

The current state of things...

Jerrold Workman, my trusted friend and crew member, has taken an extended leave of absence, and will be unavailable for the foreseeable future. During our voyage to Beagle Point, the Thargoids attacked the station Titan's Daughter...the station his son was vacationing at. He thankfully survived the attack but was critically injured while trying to help evacuate other survivors. Jerrold will be helping with his son's recovery for a while, however long it takes. Out of respect for him and his son, I have kept him in my employment and he will continue to receive his profit shares for the time being. Once his son is fully recovered and able to support himself, Jerrold will have the option to return to his duties or retire from my employment and close out his contract.

In the meantime, I have hired a new crew member named Heaven Cooper. She was formerly a long haul transporter but decided she wanted a change of pace. She is primarily interested in being a combat fighter pilot but has expressed her willingness to tag along on exploration trips as well. I brought her along for a quick session of bounty hunting, she's a bit rough around the edges but has good aptitude for piloting a fighter. With some experience and good training she could be a great asset. She seems nice enough and I'd like to get to know her a little better over the next few weeks. We'll see how it goes during her probationary period.

The Thunderchild is awake once more. I had her pulled out of storage and her reactor fired up last week. Refitting has begun to get her ready for the Distant Worlds 2 expedition. This time it's not just about exploration. I have accepted a position as a fleet mechanic in addition to my primary exploratory role. She will need some cargo space and a limpet controller installed to make that service viable. She has also been undergoing some engineering as well. Her frameshift drive that was engineered under the legacy system has been re-vamped with newer available technology, which has squeezed out a few extra light years. Her drives have been converted from clean tuning over to dirty tuning...to enable her to move with more of a sense of urgency. The shield generator and power plant have also been touched a little. She is looking like a new ship, and I know she wont let me down.

The time has come to prepare for Distant Worlds 2. I will chronicle the entire expedition in the forthcoming logbook entries, including pre-departure, the outbound trip, journey home, and post expedition events. I have been on multiple expeditions/trips in the past, both organized events and solo journeys into the black...including to Beagle Point. But DW2 will easily be the longest expedition thus far...