https://www.reddit.com/r/starcitizen/comments/tia9wg/fastforecast_19_march_special_editionnew/ Good evening citizens, we are most pleased tonight to come to you with a special report. We had the distinct pleasure of coming across a new pilot out trying their wings fresh out of pilot school and new in Stanton who expressed a desire to try their hand at reporting the events of their day. Please welcome our guest reporter, Citizen xMaven. Anyone who would like to try their hand at reporting, do let us know. We are always happy to have guest reporters. Now, onto the story: From Pilot xMaven: As I imagine many can relate to, the first few steps out into the stars can be quite daunting, and as a new citizen of our sun, oftentimes those first few steps can feel as if they are quantum leaps. Hyperbole discarded, as I’m sure many of you know and hopefully can still remember, those first few reaches out into the void don't come without challenges, and fortunately for the sake of community, they come in a way that we simply can't handle on our own. Such a headwind I ran into today, regardless if it was happening in a vacuum. I”ve spent the last week or so preparing for my first mercenary run, and in doing so I’ve spent much of my time simply getting the lay of the land on my hometown of New Babbage, learning where the different stores were, discovering how to get back to the hanger after I proceeded to crash my ship for 30x11E^2.4 time (got to say the insurance company is quite lenient and must have deep pockets), and simply familiarizing myself with all that comes with being a new citizen of Stanton. With a false sense of security and confidence as my piloting skills were increasing, and I was becoming more comfortable with my inventory & the tools at my disposal, it was time to embark on my first merc contract. So…I set out, to where I don't recall nor does it matter, and as I arrived, I quickly realized I had flown to the wrong navigation point as my route had been improperly set. However, it was the first time I had seen another ship on a remote moon and it appeared there was some activity going on. My curiosity got the best of me so I proceeded to land. Upon my arrival I realized another citizen was on the tail end of completing their own contract and was maneuvering a plethora of boxes. Given I had spent the last 10 minutes flying erroneously across the galaxy, what could it hurt; let's spend 20 seconds and save them a trip back for their last box. They quickly thanked me and went on their way. Flash forward, I proceeded back across the solar system to the correct spot and upon locating my mission objective I proceeded to clear the installation of all mission hostels. After what I felt like was a very smooth mission in which I took little damage and the dearly departed were dispatched quickly I decided to head back home, regroup and take stock of my first harvest. On the way out I regretfully gave myself a mental pat on the back, but as you can imagine, based on the preamble to this narrative it was a bit early to do so….. given what happened eight seconds later. I found myself outside, staring out into an empty plane of rock/dust that only moments ago was my ship. Could it be, had I actually been the victim of my first crime. While my ship and more importantly my confidence turned to shrapnel I felt very alone….very quickly. So I did what any grieving person would do in denial. I ignored the inevitable and proceeded to run around in circles thinking I had forgotten something and that it would magically be restored along with my self- confidence. After a few minutes of reeling I did what I and many hate to do, I had to subject myself to the help of strangers and highlight my shortcomings to those within ear shot. To my surprise, a citizen very quickly responded that they were on their way to help me and it would only cost a small nominal amount. While I was very thankful, unfortunately I had little if any penance for their support but before I could highlight that I couldn't provide any financial reciprocity, they exclaimed payment was not needed as their friend had just been the recent benefactor of my help…… to what they were talking about I couldn't imagine, but apparently I had helped someone they knew simply gather their last box for a mission….uh instant kharma ? After a couple of minutes, and a failed attempt to leave the moon, I saw my rescuer gleaning toward me at speeds that I hope one day I'll be able to achieve. And upon their arrival , with something as simple as the lowering of a ramp I felt the universe was a bit smaller, if only for a moment. As the ramp raised, I found spirits lifted and onboard a vessel that was as familiar as it was foreign to me, as I had come in contact with it not even an hour ago, yet millions of miles away. It took more time, I believe, for me to find the cockpit then it did for my new friend to find me floating in the void across deep space and with that I found myself laughing at the relatviness of it all. And by that I mean how the smallest thing to the smallest person can be a big thing to someone else. How a trip through the inside of a ship can feel like more of a journey than a trip half way across the universe, and how quickly we can feel alone and then surrounded, even if it's just from the help of one person. “Are we not all lost stars looking to light up the dark” --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Citizens, that concludes our guest reporter's story. We hope you enjoy it and their first steps into Stanton. If you see them in the system be sure to say hello. If you'd like a chance to write let us know and we thank our sponsors and donors for the aUEC that keep us flying and meeting incredible people like this. From all of us here at Fastforecast, we wish all of you and yours a great evening.