It has been thousands of years already. I've built space stations all over the galaxy, connected to the ATLAS. From the outer rim, I have been going straight to the galactic core.
Galactic cores don't only allow travel to other universe. They allow instantaneous travel anywhere within the galaxy.
I've landed on a peculiar world with intense levels of a unique energy to this galaxy. Galactic natives refer to it as the Force. A simple name but I see how it communicates the mystery of the power. As it is mysterious.
The Force is intrinsically connected to microorganisms as well. The microorganisms are in every lifeform. Not inanimate things though. Only the Force energy is within them. I am still unraveling how it works.
This planet may help me.
1 local year later....
The planet's name is Tython. There was a radical Force event that damaged the planet's atmosphere. Allowing in too much harmful radiation from the sun. Most life died. The damage has been naturally repaired to a point where life can struggle with more daring. Tython will eventually recover.
I have a theory that an act of war involving the Force is the reason for the radical event. As there are signs of battle and damaged skeletons where the epicenter of the radical even is at.'
I spent 50 local years at Tython before I have nothing left to catalogue. I'll return when the planet is recovered and has settled on its species. The Force has a peculiar effect on Tython. Species are evolving rapidly. Instead of hundred of millions of years for a highly evolved ecosystem. It may only take a few thousand.
I will not be heading further to the galactic core at the moment though. I found mention of a nearby planet called Ossus. The natives moved to this world after Tython became temporarily uninhabitable.
There was a damaged star map I foraged out of some ruins. It luckily had Ossus charted on it.
[Traveler...Hermes, I've hit a breakthrough in the analysis of the Force energy. The energy is an additional basic force of the universe. It attached to all matter and all particles. As it is the smallest particle of them. However, the size allows for the manipulation of everything. What's more, it reacts to certain frequencies and signals given off by the microorganisms. Furthermore, the Force energy is heavily coated with psionic energy from lifeforms. Giving it a simple intelligence, but with a galactic perspective.]
"A never encountered development. This has never happened in any simulation. The feeling of discovering something truly new has returned to me. Anything more?"
[ATLAS is currently using experimental simulation to discover how to use the Force energy. Using the "Force" without the influence of the galactic intelligence is the secondary objective. As your mind is too old to be influenced. However, getting rid of the mental annoyance would be pleasant.]
"Keep at it then ATLAS. I'm going to Ossus."