Entry 11
Found a cluster of Curious Deposits on a hill just beyond the settlement. Large spherical growths, each packed with Runaway Mould. Fitting name. The moment you start mining, they try to escape.
Positioning made it interesting. They were clinging to a slope, and any careless hit would’ve sent them rolling straight into the valley below. I paused before starting, looked at the terrain, then noticed a shallow dip off to the right. With some careful nudging and a bit of patience, I managed to guide each one into that pocket before fully breaking them loose.
Eight in total. All contained.
Yield was substantial. 5368 units of Runaway Mould collected. At a 5:1 refinement ratio, that’s over a thousand nanites waiting to be processed. Not bad for a single stop.
I’ll hold onto it for now. Refining takes time, and I’d rather run it in the background when I’m occupied elsewhere. Still, a solid find. Worth the effort it took to keep them from slipping away.
Entry 12
Still on Alkeline XII. Made the hike back to the ship and spent the rest of the day working on Lover, Please Stay... until the light finally dropped behind the horizon.
Pulled out the Infra-Knife system. Never use it. Burns hot, overheats fast, and leaves me exposed at the worst moments. Replaced it with a Teleport Receiver instead. Much more practical. Being able to transfer cargo to and from the ship at range should make surface runs a lot smoother.
Started work on an Indium Drive as well, but I’m missing Emeril. That means a trip to a green system once I’m done here in Black Canyon.
While I worked, I had the portable refiner running through the Runaway Mould from earlier. Slow process, but steady. Feels good to let it grind away in the background while I focus on something else.
By the time I wrapped up, the planet was quiet. No storms, no movement, just that dim toxic glow settling over the landscape. I rested on the small bench behind the cockpit. Not the most comfortable place, but it does the job.
Tomorrow, I move again.