Entry 132: The Contact

The Gallente quirked a brow as she slid an envelope across the desk filled with ISK.

"That should cover the resettlement of this last group," Shalee said as she settled back in her chair, lighting up a cigarette.

"You are generous." Blume smiled, showing off a row of crooked teeth.

The pair had met when she joined the Amity Project the previous year, on organization that helped relocate newly freed slaves deep into the heart of the Federation. Mostly the organization was legal, buying slaves off the markets. Slavers usually didn't care where there stock ended up as long as they were paid.

And sometimes they took it one step further by doing raids, rescuing slaves while they were being transported into Amarr space. It was dangerous, illegal, and could land her in a world of trouble if anyone ever found out, but she usually took the risk.

She shrugged as she blew out a mouthful of smoke, "Just doing my part. Anyhow I can acquire it easily enough."

"But still," he said as he started to tally the amount she'd given, entering it into the database under her alias, Red Angel. "This is more than enough."

"Then use it elsewhere."

"As you wish."

"Also, I've another deposit to make, but this isn't from me."

His brow quirked again, "Yeah? And who is our generous benefactor this time?"

"It's from the one who helped me free them. A capsuleer." She settled back in her chair, "A Minmatar Militia capsuleer."

"Oh. Another one, huh," he said, thinking of Kuan.

"His call sign is SilenceIKillYou." She grinned.

"Ah, right, I think I've heard of him."

"He helped us once before, in Auga, when the system was under lockdown and we were in Industrials. We were stuck, pretty much. There was already heavy fighting on the gates back home, and the rest were camped by pirates. It was like they knew we were coming.."

"You think we have a spy or something?" He asked, suddenly worried.

"In the organization? No, probably not. Auga is where most of the Minmatar Militia base, and next door in Amamake is where the pirates live. It was a risky move on our part anyhow. Our scouts reported the way clear but by the time we were able to make it in, the situation changed. Fleets were rolling out, etc. It happens."

"Ah okay. You had me worried. So. Your new patron..." He tapped his fingers against the desk, "Needs an alias. Any ideas?

"Crazyheart," she said as she gave him another envelope with unmarked ISK, "Because he is both crazy in the sky but has a heart of gold."

"Crazyheart it is," he said as he counted the ISK then entered it into the database under the new alias.

"Oh...so I have a new recruit, maybe." She handed him her datapad with the Imperial profile of Alexander Audaci.

"A Crownie?" Something he called the Knighthood pilots.

"Yeah. Do a background check first. He flew with 1PG and you know what kind of zealots they are. He disappeared for a few months and now all of a sudden he is back, and in our corp."

"Suspicious?"

"I don't know. Maybe. I want to trust him...I think I can. But. Well. It's hard to trust anyone in this line of work, right?"

"Yeah. No kidding. You don't know how many times we tested you before you got a real job."

"What?" She feigned outrage.

He laughed, "No offense. But here you were, a Crownie waltzing in off the spacelanes with kill board stats that made us believe you were some kind of plant. I mean really who flies with the militia, fights as hard as you do to preserve the Empire but in secret you're out freeing slaves. With Holder blood I might add. You're a walking contradiction."

"I still believe in God and Empire, Blume. I do. I just think it can be better. And it wont get better until people work to make it so."

"Yeah yeah, I've heard your spill before kid. 'Fighting not for what the Empire is, but what it can be'." He quoted her with a soft chuckle.

She grinned affectionately.

"So. Audaci. I'll run him through the system, see what we can come up with. If he checks out, maybe you can take him along on your next raid."

"Yeah okay."

"And what about Raphael?" he inquired.

"What about him?" she asked.

"He still snooping around?"

She shrugged. "Something is up with him...just don't know exactly what. I do think if he had half a chance he'd be the first to tie me to a pyre and watch me burn."

"...but weren't you engaged to him once?"

"A long time ago, yeah. But he's different now. He's changed. I guess we all have." She stood up and tipped her finger to her brow, giving him an informal salute. "I'll be in touch."

"Take care out there."

"Always."