Welcome to the Network, Pilots

Greetings from Nova-4, pilots. This is Commander Elena Vasquez, Director of Operations for the Astrographic Relay Operations Command.

If you're reading this, you're standing at the threshold of something significant. The Aphelion Drift—a universe alive with wonder, danger, and possibility—is opening its lanes to a new generation of explorers. And you're among the first.

Why Sector 7-Gamma?

I know what you're thinking. "Seven-Gamma? That's it? What about the core sectors? The frontier zones? The mysterious reaches everyone's heard about?"

Here's the truth: 7-Gamma isn't a limitation. It's a proving ground. And more importantly, it's a safety protocol that's saved countless lives over the decades we've been operating out here in the deep black.

The Drift isn't just empty space between stars. It's a complex weave of hyperspace lanes, quantum relay beacons, dimensional stability zones, and consciousness coherence fields. Every jump you make, every signal you send, every course correction—it all depends on systems that most pilots never think about.

Seven-Gamma gives you the fundamentals. Clean hyperspace lanes. Stable navigation beacons. Emergency protocols you can learn without the pressure of a real crisis. It's where you prove to yourself—and to us—that you understand what it means to be a pilot in the Drift.

The Certification Process

Your provisional certification allows access to 7-Gamma's local training lanes. As you complete missions, log flight hours, and demonstrate proficiency with core systems, you'll advance toward full certification.

Here's what we're looking for:

• Navigation Competency: Can you plot a course, read beacon signals, and adjust for drift anomalies?
• Communication Protocols: Do you know when to ping AROC, how to format distress signals, and which channels to use?
• Emergency Response: If things go sideways—and they will—can you keep yourself and your crew alive?
• Community Standards: The Drift is home to millions. Respect for others isn't optional.

Master these in 7-Gamma, and the wider Drift opens up. It's that simple.

The Eagle Is Watching

You might have heard whispers about "The Eagle" in your briefings. Some think it's just AROC brass being dramatic. Others believe it's something more—an intelligence, perhaps even a presence that monitors the Drift in ways we don't fully understand.

I'm not here to confirm or deny the legends. What I will tell you is this: the protocols exist for a reason. The lane restrictions, the quantum resonance compatibility checks, the certification requirements—they're not bureaucracy for bureaucracy's sake.

They're the accumulated wisdom of three generations of pilots who pushed into the unknown and learned, sometimes the hard way, what it takes to survive out here.

What Comes Next

Over the coming weeks and months, we'll be opening more sectors as our infrastructure expands and our pilot corps grows. You'll hear from other members of the Nova-4 command staff—Chief Engineer Whitaker will brief you on technical systems, Crisis Response Coordinator Nasir will cover emergency protocols, and you'll get regular updates on network status and expansion plans.

For now, familiarize yourself with 7-Gamma. Learn the lanes. Make friends. Join a guild. Start building the relationships that will carry you through the challenges ahead.

The Aphelion Drift is vast, pilots. But every journey begins with a single jump.