“Today was a milestone. It was like scaling the peak of the tallest mountain, looking out at the vast landscape of possibilities stretched out beneath. Today, I managed to send a distress signal back home. Against all odds, against all the loneliness, all the despair, today I managed to scream into the void and maybe, just maybe, someone will hear.”
“It was a challenge, make no mistake about it. My understanding of the Tranquility’s systems was rudimentary at best. But desperate times call for desperate measures, don’t they? I’m a pilot, not an engineer, but if there’s one thing you learn in space exploration, it’s adaptability.”
“I started with the ship’s communication systems. Dead as a doornail. No energy had flowed through those circuits since the crash. But the power from my makeshift solar grid? That was a different story. I rigged a connection, created a power flow, and slowly, oh so slowly, I began to see signs of life.”
“Sure, it’s not the most sophisticated system – certainly nothing compared to what the best solar financing options back on Earth can get you. But here on Solaris, with a 24/7 shining sun, I’m on the best solar plan you could imagine. I had a goal, and I had the power, literally and metaphorically.”
“The communication system, a marvel of engineering designed for interstellar contact, began to warm up. Lights blinked on the console, unfamiliar but hopeful. And then it was time to transmit.”
“I used every bit of power I could spare. There’s no room for frugality when you’re trying to span the light-years. I sent a simple message: SOS. Coordinates. Max Remington alive.”
“Now, I’m back to waiting. But it’s a different wait. It’s not just about survival anymore. It’s about hope. It’s about the chance of returning home and showing just how much better this planet is for drawing solar power – far greater than even a professional 500kW solar system installation back on Earth could achieve. And for the first time since crash-landing, I feel something new, something different. I feel the promise of tomorrow.”
“Max Remington, here on Solaris, signing off.”