Eighteen hours ago...
"Eran! I can't warp. I'm going down!"
"Get your pod out okay?"
"I'm trying! Something's wrong! It's not letting me-"
Comms fell silent as the Kourmonen sky blazed with the sudden explosion of her Omen, an Amarrian cruiser classed vessel.
Earlier, after finishing a long patrol, she had docked up in Kourm intending to shuttle it back to Houla. The system was relatively quiet with only a handful of militia members assistating the Navy inside one of the military complexes. She and Eran had decided to offer support and after the plex was secured they remained inside, practicing a few dog-fighting maneuvers.
Unaware that the enemy militia had entered system and scanned them down, they were caught off guard as eight Minmatar pilots landed right on top of them.
There would be no escape.
Paralyzed, she was only cognizant of the next few seconds. Pieces of her mangled ship engulfed her capsuel, flames burned along bits of metal and electronics that floated around her pod.
Her tomb, a fiery pyre in the blackness of space.
Realization of imminent death seized her thoughts, and all she could do was offer up a silent prayer before they shredded her pod.
Ambiotic fluid sizzled as it sprayed into the flames, her lifeless body suspended in the wreckage.
***
Pain throbbed at her temples as she shifted restlessly on the bed. She could hear whispering, soft voices nearby though she couldn't quite make out what they were saying.
Something nagged at the edge of her subconsciousness. Keon's voice. Her eldest brother. She felt his hand along her cheek as he soothed her, "Shhhh. You need your rest."
Her body releaxed at the familiar voice and seconds later she was lost to dreams once more.
"She's asleep again."
"Good." said her middle brother, Jacobi Cerra. "She looks the same, I think. All except the hair."
"She did that more than a month ago," replied Keon.
"She always was impulsive."
"And foolish. Just like her Ni Kunni Mother."
"So how did you manage it?" Jacobi asked.
"Paid off the right people. They were almost ready the last time she was podded, had it been another few hours and we would have had her then. Fortunately she was podded again a mere eight days later."
"Quite brilliant, brother. So our dear little sis is going to wake up and have absolutely no memory of her life as a capsuleer?"
"Not exactly. It was explained to me as 'rifting'. The part of her mind that allowed her to learn flying and whatever else she used in space is still there, it's just melded with a soft-clone scan of when she was with us."
Jacobi nodded, "But how do you expect her to return to her normal life? Wont they suspect when she hasn't a clue who they are?"
Keon shook his head, "Once she is awake, we explain everything to her..." His mouth twisted deviously. "Remember, she loved us at one time and her loyalty was to us, not them." He stroked her hair from her face, "And now it will be so again."
"Can't we just keep her here? Why do you insist on sending her back into that world? She is safe with us."
"She is the best instrument of revenge we have at our disposal." He said matter-of-factly.
Jacobi nodded reluctantly, "I suppose you're right, brother." He folded his arms and looked to the sleeping girl, "I just hope she can pull it off."
"You remember how I told you she started visiting me as a hologram? Of when she was a child?"
He nodded.
"Apparently she has done that with many others, but here is the interesting part. Only when she was asleep. She had no control over the hologram, no control over her subconscious." Keon smirked, "That little girl, the one they call 'Red', is going to help her."
"I'm afraid I'm not following..."
"Before, Red was essentially her, a part of her mind that manipulated her implants that allowed her to access the holodrones and holographic realms. But now, Red will be the AI I had inserted into her mind."
"So Red is gone?"
The eldest brother nodded, turning his gaze to Shalee as she slept. "Her implants allowed her to become Red, to interact with everyone as the hologram. Essentially we've silenced Red, and instead have given her an AI. Others will think the AI is Red."
Jacobi gave a thoughtful nod, "And what about her? Will she think she is part of some conspiracy?" He said as his gaze shifted to the window, absently noticing a handful of pod techs passing down the corridor. "How will you explain the last two years to her?"
"I've decided to tell her that Father sent her to the Academy and that it was his desire for her to become a capsuleer, to gain the favor of the Amarr militia and all the right people, that she was a plant for the Sani Sabik, and that when the time was right, she would fulfill his wishes."
A haughty smirk stretched across Jacobi's lips, "Very clever. So anything that anyone tries to tell her now, she will think is either a lie or part of the grand ruse she's been involved in this whole time."
Keon chuckled, "Precisely. She's a smart girl, she will play the part thinking she had been all along."
"Aren't you afraid she will just make all the same mistakes again? Falling in love with heathens, betraying the Empire by freeing slaves, etc."
Keon shook his head no, "She ran away. All of those choices she made on her own. This time she will have us."
Jacobi stroked a finger along her ankle, "And this time she will never leave us."
Shalee murmured in her sleep.
"Looks like she is waking up again. Shall we?" Keon said as he dropped a hand to her shoulder, shaking her very lightly.
"Shalee dear...time to wake up. We have so much to tell you...."
Friday, June 24, 2011
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Entry 137: Dubious Intel
"Okay. You have my attention," she said as she glanced around the room, her gaze skimming across the network terminal.
Earlier, she'd been sent a mysterious message from someone within the VETO corporation, and letting her curiosity override her common sense, she responded.
He said he had a message, one to be delivered in person. In between patrols, she decided to fly over to Goinard just to see what the message was. A part of her was reluctant, thinking it was some kind of prank, but as she was lead deep within the secure perimeter of VETO's headquarters, she quickly realized it was for real.
As she was lead into the heavily fortified armoured security room, she felt a moment of unease. Video monitoring equipment lined the walls. Thousands of network lights flickered, fluid router cables shimmered around the room as data transferred between various data banks. The airlock door sealed behind her, leaving her alone with a young Brutor.
Drem Haklar pulled his headphones from his head as the door sealed behind her. He straightened up, setting his feet on the floor as he grinned, "Ah, I was right. You did change your hair color. I thought so. It was a while ago, no?" He spoke with a heavy Venal accent, flashing her a white smile between pierced dark lips.
She nodded, "Yeah, I changed it. And you are who exactly? And what do you have to give me?" she asked skeptically as she rested her hands on her hips.
He watched her curiously as he stood, gesturing to the seat at the other side of his desk, "Have a seat. My name's Drem. Drem Haklar. I uh... well. Probably should explain this place and what I do first. I'm the Secure Comms officer for our corporation. Our boss likes to keep a solid network of Intelligence. You're stood right at the beating heart of Veto Corp right now. This is our mainframe control room. The equipment you see around you is our main frame's communications layer. We're hacked into pretty much every fluid router network you can think of here, watching, listening, and recording."
"I see." she glanced around the room again as she took a seat at his desk, her nose wrinkling, "So you're spying....got it."
"So, my boss wants to do business, but wants to keep distance, as do you, from the mails I've intercepted and monitored. He's asked me to offer you our eyes and ears, for anything you might need."
She frowned, "You're reading my mail? That is private!"
"I read every one's mail, with my boss's authorisation. For instance, I know there's a few Angel Cartel loyalists who've been tryng to figure a way to infiltrate us for months, but their CEO is too much of an idiot to get to grips with it. I know about a certain Gallente clone who was visiting you, about a certain Cartel Loyalist who's fucking his sister."
She sighed a soft little sound, "So he just lets you read my mail!" she threw her hands up in the air, obviously frustrated with the situation, not really caring about the Angel Cartels.
Drem shrugged his heavy shoulder and smiled, "Nothing leaves this room, I'm paid a lot of money to ensure that. That's why the walls are so thick. This place has a suppression field, and ten metre thick walls, with one of the best electronic firewalls available. It's quite secure in here, the two weakest links ironically are you, and me."
"Wait. So why would he offer me intel? Whats the point?"
"He's extending an olive branch to see if you take it. It's a common practice. If business ties can be healed, then it's a start."
***
Kathetel frowned as the video went blank. "You were gone for twenty eight hours and this is what you come back with? A two minute video?"
"It's all you need to know."
He looked skeptic, "That one of the most powerful crime lords in low sec is offering to share intel with you." He laughed a sound of disbelief. "A loyalist. A known Amarrian loyalist. Why would he lift a finger to help the Empire?"
She made air quotes, "An olive branch." She said with a shrug.
"I thought you two weren't friends any more."
"We aren't."
"This seems pretty friendly to me."
"Ethan has his quirks. Maybe it will amuse him, hell if I know."
"And what do you have to give him in return? Your intel?"
"No. Not that I have any yet anyhow, I haven't even formed the group, though I have a couple of people in mind for it. I don't have to share anything with him. I wont even see him, only Drem. He'd be my handler."
"It's too generous." He frowned in puzzlement.
"So you're saying it's a bad idea?"
"Not necessarily," he conceded, "Having someone who can operate outside of Empire law is not a bad thing. It's just odd."
She shrugged. "I told him I wanted no part of VETO, but he was more than welcome to come work for me."
"And why would he do that? You don't have the resources and ISK that VETO allows him."
"Well, he didn't accept it exactly. Yet, anyhow."
"But what makes you think he will..." Kathetel laughed, "Ah. He has a thing for you?"
"Something like that."
"Romantic," He said with a laugh, "No doubt he has been watching you? Were you his assignment?"
"For two years..."
"This should get interesting. I bet he thinks he's in love with you."
She rolled her eyes.
"So whats with the bandages?" he nodded towards her wrist.
"Nothing."
"You can tell me now or I'll get it out of Red later. Your choice."
She frowned, "It's complicated."
"Isn't everything?" His smile widened.
"Drem and I got into a fight of sorts...he told me some things and thought I'd tell Ethan. He thought Ethan would kill him so...he was going to beat him to it. Right in front of me."
Kathetel quirked his brow, "He tried to kill himself and make you watch? But that doesn't explain your bandages..."
"I was stuck in the securest room in New Eden with no way to get help. Only he could open the doors...so I tried to force him to."
He clicked his tongue, "I see. So you hurt yourself to force him to open the doors to call for medics, using his affection for you against him."
She nodded, "Yeah, something like that. And it worked too. He survived. I woke up in VETO infirm the next day, the nano's healed most of it. So yeah. It worked out."
"I take it Ethan didn't kill him?"
"No. I guess he felt sorry for him," Shalee murmured. "Anyhow, he's a good kid, and good at what he does."
Kathetel smirked, "That crush run both ways?"
She argued, "I barely know him."
He shrugged, "Makes little difference. What I do know is that if I tell you to stay away from him you'll go to extraordinary measures to get close to him. So, do as you will, but be careful. He's so far off the radar that he isn't likely to make waves. As for your friend Tiger..."
She stiffened.
"Precisely what part of 'hes a dangerous man stay away from him' did you not understand, hmmm?"
Earlier, she'd been sent a mysterious message from someone within the VETO corporation, and letting her curiosity override her common sense, she responded.
He said he had a message, one to be delivered in person. In between patrols, she decided to fly over to Goinard just to see what the message was. A part of her was reluctant, thinking it was some kind of prank, but as she was lead deep within the secure perimeter of VETO's headquarters, she quickly realized it was for real.
As she was lead into the heavily fortified armoured security room, she felt a moment of unease. Video monitoring equipment lined the walls. Thousands of network lights flickered, fluid router cables shimmered around the room as data transferred between various data banks. The airlock door sealed behind her, leaving her alone with a young Brutor.
Drem Haklar pulled his headphones from his head as the door sealed behind her. He straightened up, setting his feet on the floor as he grinned, "Ah, I was right. You did change your hair color. I thought so. It was a while ago, no?" He spoke with a heavy Venal accent, flashing her a white smile between pierced dark lips.
She nodded, "Yeah, I changed it. And you are who exactly? And what do you have to give me?" she asked skeptically as she rested her hands on her hips.
He watched her curiously as he stood, gesturing to the seat at the other side of his desk, "Have a seat. My name's Drem. Drem Haklar. I uh... well. Probably should explain this place and what I do first. I'm the Secure Comms officer for our corporation. Our boss likes to keep a solid network of Intelligence. You're stood right at the beating heart of Veto Corp right now. This is our mainframe control room. The equipment you see around you is our main frame's communications layer. We're hacked into pretty much every fluid router network you can think of here, watching, listening, and recording."
"I see." she glanced around the room again as she took a seat at his desk, her nose wrinkling, "So you're spying....got it."
"So, my boss wants to do business, but wants to keep distance, as do you, from the mails I've intercepted and monitored. He's asked me to offer you our eyes and ears, for anything you might need."
She frowned, "You're reading my mail? That is private!"
"I read every one's mail, with my boss's authorisation. For instance, I know there's a few Angel Cartel loyalists who've been tryng to figure a way to infiltrate us for months, but their CEO is too much of an idiot to get to grips with it. I know about a certain Gallente clone who was visiting you, about a certain Cartel Loyalist who's fucking his sister."
She sighed a soft little sound, "So he just lets you read my mail!" she threw her hands up in the air, obviously frustrated with the situation, not really caring about the Angel Cartels.
Drem shrugged his heavy shoulder and smiled, "Nothing leaves this room, I'm paid a lot of money to ensure that. That's why the walls are so thick. This place has a suppression field, and ten metre thick walls, with one of the best electronic firewalls available. It's quite secure in here, the two weakest links ironically are you, and me."
"Wait. So why would he offer me intel? Whats the point?"
"He's extending an olive branch to see if you take it. It's a common practice. If business ties can be healed, then it's a start."
***
Kathetel frowned as the video went blank. "You were gone for twenty eight hours and this is what you come back with? A two minute video?"
"It's all you need to know."
He looked skeptic, "That one of the most powerful crime lords in low sec is offering to share intel with you." He laughed a sound of disbelief. "A loyalist. A known Amarrian loyalist. Why would he lift a finger to help the Empire?"
She made air quotes, "An olive branch." She said with a shrug.
"I thought you two weren't friends any more."
"We aren't."
"This seems pretty friendly to me."
"Ethan has his quirks. Maybe it will amuse him, hell if I know."
"And what do you have to give him in return? Your intel?"
"No. Not that I have any yet anyhow, I haven't even formed the group, though I have a couple of people in mind for it. I don't have to share anything with him. I wont even see him, only Drem. He'd be my handler."
"It's too generous." He frowned in puzzlement.
"So you're saying it's a bad idea?"
"Not necessarily," he conceded, "Having someone who can operate outside of Empire law is not a bad thing. It's just odd."
She shrugged. "I told him I wanted no part of VETO, but he was more than welcome to come work for me."
"And why would he do that? You don't have the resources and ISK that VETO allows him."
"Well, he didn't accept it exactly. Yet, anyhow."
"But what makes you think he will..." Kathetel laughed, "Ah. He has a thing for you?"
"Something like that."
"Romantic," He said with a laugh, "No doubt he has been watching you? Were you his assignment?"
"For two years..."
"This should get interesting. I bet he thinks he's in love with you."
She rolled her eyes.
"So whats with the bandages?" he nodded towards her wrist.
"Nothing."
"You can tell me now or I'll get it out of Red later. Your choice."
She frowned, "It's complicated."
"Isn't everything?" His smile widened.
"Drem and I got into a fight of sorts...he told me some things and thought I'd tell Ethan. He thought Ethan would kill him so...he was going to beat him to it. Right in front of me."
Kathetel quirked his brow, "He tried to kill himself and make you watch? But that doesn't explain your bandages..."
"I was stuck in the securest room in New Eden with no way to get help. Only he could open the doors...so I tried to force him to."
He clicked his tongue, "I see. So you hurt yourself to force him to open the doors to call for medics, using his affection for you against him."
She nodded, "Yeah, something like that. And it worked too. He survived. I woke up in VETO infirm the next day, the nano's healed most of it. So yeah. It worked out."
"I take it Ethan didn't kill him?"
"No. I guess he felt sorry for him," Shalee murmured. "Anyhow, he's a good kid, and good at what he does."
Kathetel smirked, "That crush run both ways?"
She argued, "I barely know him."
He shrugged, "Makes little difference. What I do know is that if I tell you to stay away from him you'll go to extraordinary measures to get close to him. So, do as you will, but be careful. He's so far off the radar that he isn't likely to make waves. As for your friend Tiger..."
She stiffened.
"Precisely what part of 'hes a dangerous man stay away from him' did you not understand, hmmm?"
Saturday, May 28, 2011
Entry 136: Red Tiger
She froze the holoscreen and stared at it, still wearing a look of disbelief that had plagued her face for the past half hour.
Tigerfish Torpedo, a former Sani Sabik and right hand man of the notorious Revan Nefarious, stood frozen in the holovid she'd just paused.
She studied the lines of his face, the glint of his eyes, the twisted curl of his mouth. A sadistic, eerie grin of pleasure.
His gloved hands were soaked with the blood of his crew members, men he'd just murdered for the sake of forcing someone else's will to his own. They were nothing more than pawns in some macabre game he was forcing Tiberious Thessalonia to play. Submit to his will, else more would die.
She pressed play again and heard him say, "If you don't help her, I'll go back and purge the rest of them. Their blood with be on your hands."
Again, she pressed pause and stared at him, her thoughts racing.
"You're a cold blood murderer...and you enjoy it," she whispered into the darkness.
With trembling hands, she poured a shot of whiskey and lit a cigarette, needing to calm her nerves.
It was one thing to hear rumors of such deeds, it was easy to dismiss them as idle gossip, half truths twisted to reflect a person in the worst possible light.
It was entirely different to have actual proof, to see the blood dripping from their hands, to see the look of pleasure gained from such gruesome acts.
She downed the shot then took a long draw off of her cigarette, placing it in the ashtray before she started to pace the dimly lit room. Behind her, Tiger's holographic form flickered.
An eerie feeling slid down her spine. "Why?" she asked as she turned to face the frozen image of him. "Why?"
"Because he is a bad, bad man," the holographic form of a little red headed girl responded.
Shalee jerked, darting her head as she searched for the girl. "Go away."
Red spoke rapidly, "You know he is bad but he reminds you of Hadrien. You feel guilty for not saving him. You killed him cause he was bad, you didn't even try to save him did you? You didn't try to help him."
"Stop it!" Her vision started to blur as her head pounded, throbbing with pain just behind her eyes.
"You want to help Tiger because you feel guilty! But you can't fix him. You just can't. Evil is evil and you know that. It doesn't go away...." the little girl laughed an eerie little sound, "...does it?" Her tone was accusing.
"Stop." Shalee lifted her hand and curled it in her hair, fingers tight in her long raven strands. "Stop, you're hurting me."
"You're hurting yourself." she said as she blinked into view finally, standing in front of Shalee. "Hurry up and pass out, I have to go tell Aldrith or Eran. I have to make them understand what you're doing!"
"Go to hell," she said as the blood dripped from her nose, staining her lips. She brushed the back of her hand across her mouth and chin, wiping away the blood, "I'm not going to let you do this. I am going to help him, he needs a friend. He needs me."
"You can't stop me," the girl challenged as she waited, watching Shalee's face as her eyes rolled back seconds before she collapsed to the floor. "Told you so."
Tigerfish Torpedo, a former Sani Sabik and right hand man of the notorious Revan Nefarious, stood frozen in the holovid she'd just paused.
She studied the lines of his face, the glint of his eyes, the twisted curl of his mouth. A sadistic, eerie grin of pleasure.
His gloved hands were soaked with the blood of his crew members, men he'd just murdered for the sake of forcing someone else's will to his own. They were nothing more than pawns in some macabre game he was forcing Tiberious Thessalonia to play. Submit to his will, else more would die.
She pressed play again and heard him say, "If you don't help her, I'll go back and purge the rest of them. Their blood with be on your hands."
Again, she pressed pause and stared at him, her thoughts racing.
"You're a cold blood murderer...and you enjoy it," she whispered into the darkness.
With trembling hands, she poured a shot of whiskey and lit a cigarette, needing to calm her nerves.
It was one thing to hear rumors of such deeds, it was easy to dismiss them as idle gossip, half truths twisted to reflect a person in the worst possible light.
It was entirely different to have actual proof, to see the blood dripping from their hands, to see the look of pleasure gained from such gruesome acts.
She downed the shot then took a long draw off of her cigarette, placing it in the ashtray before she started to pace the dimly lit room. Behind her, Tiger's holographic form flickered.
An eerie feeling slid down her spine. "Why?" she asked as she turned to face the frozen image of him. "Why?"
"Because he is a bad, bad man," the holographic form of a little red headed girl responded.
Shalee jerked, darting her head as she searched for the girl. "Go away."
Red spoke rapidly, "You know he is bad but he reminds you of Hadrien. You feel guilty for not saving him. You killed him cause he was bad, you didn't even try to save him did you? You didn't try to help him."
"Stop it!" Her vision started to blur as her head pounded, throbbing with pain just behind her eyes.
"You want to help Tiger because you feel guilty! But you can't fix him. You just can't. Evil is evil and you know that. It doesn't go away...." the little girl laughed an eerie little sound, "...does it?" Her tone was accusing.
"Stop." Shalee lifted her hand and curled it in her hair, fingers tight in her long raven strands. "Stop, you're hurting me."
"You're hurting yourself." she said as she blinked into view finally, standing in front of Shalee. "Hurry up and pass out, I have to go tell Aldrith or Eran. I have to make them understand what you're doing!"
"Go to hell," she said as the blood dripped from her nose, staining her lips. She brushed the back of her hand across her mouth and chin, wiping away the blood, "I'm not going to let you do this. I am going to help him, he needs a friend. He needs me."
"You can't stop me," the girl challenged as she waited, watching Shalee's face as her eyes rolled back seconds before she collapsed to the floor. "Told you so."
Saturday, May 21, 2011
Entry 135: A Night In Houla
Two Days Ago:
Dim, artificial lighting of the hangar silhouetted her lithe form as she stretched her arms out parallel to the floor. She wore her pod suit, a thin, nearly translucent covering that molded her body as a second skin.
Jonathan, her chief pod tech, gave the go-ahead for flight after running the obligatory pre-flight medical scans.
Several other pod techies started the process of wiring her up for the on coming night shift. As she synced into the endless flow of militia and intel channels, she checked to see what was reported and who was ready to roll out.
Eran, her usual FC since Predator Elite had abandoned militia to fight in the lawless lands of null sec hadn't made it to Houla yet.
Oh well, she'd make due until Eran's arrival.
As the pod was sealed, she felt her consciousness expanding, awareness amplifying as she floated in the shimmering fluid that entombed her body within the capsule.
A sense of anticipation coursed through her, an eagerness to fly. With Huola hot already, she knew it was going to be a long night of fighting.
Randomly she was invited to a fleet by a stranger, an Amarr militia pilot who was in local and already engaging the enemy.
She decided to give the unknown FC a chance and joined the fleet.
She initiated militia comms and Almity joined her.
"You get that fleet invite?" Shalee asked.
"...yeah. You joined?" Alm asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, why not. I'm ready to head out." She replied as she shipped into a hurricane.
They both frowned when they realized their FC wouldn't even be on comms with them.
"Oh. Well this is going to be interesting."
"And foolish. But what the hell."
As they were preparing to undock, Eran Mintor popped up in local.
"Oh thank God," they both replied in unison over comms.
Eran commandeered the fleet and within minutes they were out on the field.
The remainder of the night was spent fighting long range against the enemy fleet as they assaulted a POS in Houla.
Though they were unable to take down the enemy caps that were on field, they did manage to disrupt the operation and kill a few support ships in the process.
Later, after she'd docked up for the night and dismissed her crew, she stood beneath the showers longer than usual.
Her thoughts raced as she let the hot water spray across her back. Her reverie was broken by a too familiar voice.
"You need to be careful."
She turned suddenly and yanked the towel hanging across the back of the shower stall, wrapping it around her quickly as she said, "What are you doing in here? This is a private area. And I'm naked." Her face flashed with annoyance.
Kathetel smirked, "Calm down." He turned his back to her, giving her privacy. "I came here to warn you about your little friendship with Tiger. It's catching the attention of too many people."
"So what? I'm not allowed to speak to whomever I want now? Is that what you're going to tell me?" she asked as she made her way to the lockers, yanking hers open to grab a clean uniform.
He followed in pursuit. "How are you still so naive? Why are you so gullible?"
"Fuck off. I'm not in the mood." She slammed the locker closed and waited for him to turn his back to her before she started to dress. "Anyhow, we are just friends. I think he is interesting. He has interesting stories. He amuses me. That's it."
"He is a cold blooded killer. He has fought against the Empire for years, plotted against it. He was one of Revan's top associates, but you know that already. So how many people have to warn you before you decide to listen to reason? He is a dangerous man, Shalee."
"I know. But what is the harm of talking on comms with him?" she asked as he turned to face her.
"I wouldn't be here if it were just that. But you're accepting gifts from him. Very expensive gifts. Men don't buy Navy Geddons and Abaddons for girls they want to be 'just friends' with." He curled his fingers, making air quotes. "Plus the flowers? He wants something from you and he's seducing you to get it buy buying you things. He's even told you himself he is dangerous."
"Are you monitoring my mail?" She asked as she trailed her fingers through her damp raven hair.
"Of course."
She sighed her frustration. "Is it not enough that I devote my entire career to the Empire? Am I allowed no privacy in my personal time?"
"Your personal time still belongs to the Empire. Leave him alone Shalee, I'm warning you. I have a really bad feeling that he could be your downfall."
She lifted her chin, her blue eyes blazing, "Don't threaten me, Kathetel. I know my duties."
"Then act like it. Think of others for once. Think about the harm he could bring not only to yourself but the entire Knighthood, hell, even the entire militia if he had the inkling to do so. Don't get involved with him."
"I'm not!" She stomped her foot impatiently.
"Good." He smirked to her as he turned to leave. "Oh and Shalee? Enough with the Minmatar ships already, it's rather vulgar."
Dim, artificial lighting of the hangar silhouetted her lithe form as she stretched her arms out parallel to the floor. She wore her pod suit, a thin, nearly translucent covering that molded her body as a second skin.
Jonathan, her chief pod tech, gave the go-ahead for flight after running the obligatory pre-flight medical scans.
Several other pod techies started the process of wiring her up for the on coming night shift. As she synced into the endless flow of militia and intel channels, she checked to see what was reported and who was ready to roll out.
Eran, her usual FC since Predator Elite had abandoned militia to fight in the lawless lands of null sec hadn't made it to Houla yet.
Oh well, she'd make due until Eran's arrival.
As the pod was sealed, she felt her consciousness expanding, awareness amplifying as she floated in the shimmering fluid that entombed her body within the capsule.
A sense of anticipation coursed through her, an eagerness to fly. With Huola hot already, she knew it was going to be a long night of fighting.
Randomly she was invited to a fleet by a stranger, an Amarr militia pilot who was in local and already engaging the enemy.
She decided to give the unknown FC a chance and joined the fleet.
She initiated militia comms and Almity joined her.
"You get that fleet invite?" Shalee asked.
"...yeah. You joined?" Alm asked suspiciously.
"Yeah, why not. I'm ready to head out." She replied as she shipped into a hurricane.
They both frowned when they realized their FC wouldn't even be on comms with them.
"Oh. Well this is going to be interesting."
"And foolish. But what the hell."
As they were preparing to undock, Eran Mintor popped up in local.
"Oh thank God," they both replied in unison over comms.
Eran commandeered the fleet and within minutes they were out on the field.
The remainder of the night was spent fighting long range against the enemy fleet as they assaulted a POS in Houla.
Though they were unable to take down the enemy caps that were on field, they did manage to disrupt the operation and kill a few support ships in the process.
Later, after she'd docked up for the night and dismissed her crew, she stood beneath the showers longer than usual.
Her thoughts raced as she let the hot water spray across her back. Her reverie was broken by a too familiar voice.
"You need to be careful."
She turned suddenly and yanked the towel hanging across the back of the shower stall, wrapping it around her quickly as she said, "What are you doing in here? This is a private area. And I'm naked." Her face flashed with annoyance.
Kathetel smirked, "Calm down." He turned his back to her, giving her privacy. "I came here to warn you about your little friendship with Tiger. It's catching the attention of too many people."
"So what? I'm not allowed to speak to whomever I want now? Is that what you're going to tell me?" she asked as she made her way to the lockers, yanking hers open to grab a clean uniform.
He followed in pursuit. "How are you still so naive? Why are you so gullible?"
"Fuck off. I'm not in the mood." She slammed the locker closed and waited for him to turn his back to her before she started to dress. "Anyhow, we are just friends. I think he is interesting. He has interesting stories. He amuses me. That's it."
"He is a cold blooded killer. He has fought against the Empire for years, plotted against it. He was one of Revan's top associates, but you know that already. So how many people have to warn you before you decide to listen to reason? He is a dangerous man, Shalee."
"I know. But what is the harm of talking on comms with him?" she asked as he turned to face her.
"I wouldn't be here if it were just that. But you're accepting gifts from him. Very expensive gifts. Men don't buy Navy Geddons and Abaddons for girls they want to be 'just friends' with." He curled his fingers, making air quotes. "Plus the flowers? He wants something from you and he's seducing you to get it buy buying you things. He's even told you himself he is dangerous."
"Are you monitoring my mail?" She asked as she trailed her fingers through her damp raven hair.
"Of course."
She sighed her frustration. "Is it not enough that I devote my entire career to the Empire? Am I allowed no privacy in my personal time?"
"Your personal time still belongs to the Empire. Leave him alone Shalee, I'm warning you. I have a really bad feeling that he could be your downfall."
She lifted her chin, her blue eyes blazing, "Don't threaten me, Kathetel. I know my duties."
"Then act like it. Think of others for once. Think about the harm he could bring not only to yourself but the entire Knighthood, hell, even the entire militia if he had the inkling to do so. Don't get involved with him."
"I'm not!" She stomped her foot impatiently.
"Good." He smirked to her as he turned to leave. "Oh and Shalee? Enough with the Minmatar ships already, it's rather vulgar."
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Entry 134: Amarrian Doubts
Kourmonen Star System
Ishukone Station
The camera drone beeped and a tiny series of lights flickered as it began to record. It hovered near the raven haired girl as she sat on a walkway in her personal hangar. Her legs dangled off the side, arms propped up on the lower railing.
She glanced down at the floor below, watching the thousands of crew members as they finished up their shift, readying themselves to vacate the place until further notice.
The atmoshpere was somber, a heaviness hung overhead, a smothering blanket of collective emotion. She darted her tongue out and licked her lips, almost tasting the weariness on the air.
Over twelve thousand crew member losses in a forty eight hour period. Two abaddons, two hurricanes, and one harbinger down in a flame of glory.
"Glory for who?" she scoffed, muttering under her breath.
There was no glory in dying. Sometimes it was too easy to fight against the odds, never considering the countless crew members lives she was risking when she recklessly engaged.
"But I almost made it the second time," she thought. "Almost. Goddamned Zenton Karvash. "
The fleet was suffering heavy losses in the battle on the Houla gate in Kourmonen. Orders were given to disengage and get the fuck off the field if at all possible. Of course she was tackled, it was one of their favorite tactics. Her only hope was to approach the gate and jump through as soon as her aggression wore off.
Every second seemed like an eternity stretched out in front of her. Her body tensed as she waited, nervously counting down the seconds, hoping that she'd make it through.
Red rolled across the display as her shields were penetrated. Armor was breached, chunks of tungsten peeled away, littering the sky around her. Sirens blazed and all she could do was wait, pray, and hope to jump.
Powerless to do anything else, she continued her approach, drifting with no cap, no systems online. Everything was dark save for the HUD lighting up as the structure was ripped into. The abaddon shook with every assault. 90%. A second later, 50%.
Suddenly everything lit up with a swirl of watery blue as the battle ship jumped.
She exhaled a breath of relief.
"So lucky! You almost-" Adde said over comms, "Wait, Zenton is there."
The grid finally loaded and she saw him, not even 12 klicks from her, Zenton Karvash.
Don't do this, I can't fight back. Don't.
It was an impossible situation. She couldn't jump back through, she'd never make it to the gate in time, and even if she did certain death waited on the other side.
Hoping to be spared was pointless. He finished her off in the matter of seconds.
Six thousand dead littered the sky as she warped away.
The fighting raged on, and within hours she lost two more ships.
She hadn't suffered that kind of losses in months.
Later, Bahamut, CEO of the Minmatar Militia corporation, IFW, contracted her a hurricane with a message that there'd be more if she would defect.
Strangely she was charmed by the gesture.
She couldn't help but let her thoughts drift to -what if-. What if she defected? What if she suddenly left Amarr and fought for the other side. How would it feel to join IFW?
She'd flown with them before, a couple of times in joint fleets under Predator's command against pirates. And once or twice she'd joined them on her own to fly in null sec to hunt without anyone ever knowing.
They were an easy bunch and she liked them. Well, all except Zenton. He could die in a fiery explosion for all she cared.
She tried to imagine the look on Laerise's face as she flashed with the TLF star on her overview.
Giggling, she let the fantasy play out. She'd want to kill her in a thrasher, somehow it seemed fitting.
Reality nagged at the edges of her thoughts, forcing her to stop thinking about it. It was no use, she simply couldn't fight against the rest of the Amarr Militia. She tried to imagine killing those she flew with frequently; Eran, Saint, Aldrith, Koltus, Nortel, Vadeim, Avalanche, Almity, Ryven, and Maz3r. It was just impossible.
The camera drone chirped, rousing her out of her reverie. She looked to the floor and noticed the place was empty save for a couple of tech's who were on their way out.
"Open secure file." she commanded as she stood up. The camera drone followed her as she started to walk the catwalk, gazing down at her small fleet of vessels on standby. "Record."
"Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if Eran would have tried to convince me to turn to the Minmatar side when I first met him. He never really tried, it was always me pushing him to come to Amarr."
"Finally he did, and now our militia is all the better for it. I can't even imagine what things would be like without him here. He leads armies, sometimes for the 'glory' of Amarr. And sometimes simply because I ask, because I have this restless need to be out on the field."
"I was so strong in my conviction back then, so sure that I was doing the right thing, fighting for the right side. And it's strange to think that back then, I was hardly worth more than a drone out on the field. I had no skills, no experience, no one really knew me, and yet I had this passion, this unwavering loyalty for Amarr. My conviction alone forced Eran to turn and others to defect."
As she paced, the drone panned out, recording the entire hangar in a panorama view. "And now? Over a year later and I am a viable part of any fleet. I have the experience, the skills, and an insatiable lust for battle. I have gained trust from fellow militia pilots. I can rally a fleet and soon will lead them."
"And yet...the stronger I grow, the more I doubt," she admitted as her blue gaze slanted upwards, lingering on the Amarrian banner that hung from the ceiling.
"Save file. End recording."
Ishukone Station
The camera drone beeped and a tiny series of lights flickered as it began to record. It hovered near the raven haired girl as she sat on a walkway in her personal hangar. Her legs dangled off the side, arms propped up on the lower railing.
She glanced down at the floor below, watching the thousands of crew members as they finished up their shift, readying themselves to vacate the place until further notice.
The atmoshpere was somber, a heaviness hung overhead, a smothering blanket of collective emotion. She darted her tongue out and licked her lips, almost tasting the weariness on the air.
Over twelve thousand crew member losses in a forty eight hour period. Two abaddons, two hurricanes, and one harbinger down in a flame of glory.
"Glory for who?" she scoffed, muttering under her breath.
There was no glory in dying. Sometimes it was too easy to fight against the odds, never considering the countless crew members lives she was risking when she recklessly engaged.
"But I almost made it the second time," she thought. "Almost. Goddamned Zenton Karvash. "
The fleet was suffering heavy losses in the battle on the Houla gate in Kourmonen. Orders were given to disengage and get the fuck off the field if at all possible. Of course she was tackled, it was one of their favorite tactics. Her only hope was to approach the gate and jump through as soon as her aggression wore off.
Every second seemed like an eternity stretched out in front of her. Her body tensed as she waited, nervously counting down the seconds, hoping that she'd make it through.
Red rolled across the display as her shields were penetrated. Armor was breached, chunks of tungsten peeled away, littering the sky around her. Sirens blazed and all she could do was wait, pray, and hope to jump.
Powerless to do anything else, she continued her approach, drifting with no cap, no systems online. Everything was dark save for the HUD lighting up as the structure was ripped into. The abaddon shook with every assault. 90%. A second later, 50%.
Suddenly everything lit up with a swirl of watery blue as the battle ship jumped.
She exhaled a breath of relief.
"So lucky! You almost-" Adde said over comms, "Wait, Zenton is there."
The grid finally loaded and she saw him, not even 12 klicks from her, Zenton Karvash.
Don't do this, I can't fight back. Don't.
It was an impossible situation. She couldn't jump back through, she'd never make it to the gate in time, and even if she did certain death waited on the other side.
Hoping to be spared was pointless. He finished her off in the matter of seconds.
Six thousand dead littered the sky as she warped away.
The fighting raged on, and within hours she lost two more ships.
She hadn't suffered that kind of losses in months.
Later, Bahamut, CEO of the Minmatar Militia corporation, IFW, contracted her a hurricane with a message that there'd be more if she would defect.
Strangely she was charmed by the gesture.
She couldn't help but let her thoughts drift to -what if-. What if she defected? What if she suddenly left Amarr and fought for the other side. How would it feel to join IFW?
She'd flown with them before, a couple of times in joint fleets under Predator's command against pirates. And once or twice she'd joined them on her own to fly in null sec to hunt without anyone ever knowing.
They were an easy bunch and she liked them. Well, all except Zenton. He could die in a fiery explosion for all she cared.
She tried to imagine the look on Laerise's face as she flashed with the TLF star on her overview.
Giggling, she let the fantasy play out. She'd want to kill her in a thrasher, somehow it seemed fitting.
Reality nagged at the edges of her thoughts, forcing her to stop thinking about it. It was no use, she simply couldn't fight against the rest of the Amarr Militia. She tried to imagine killing those she flew with frequently; Eran, Saint, Aldrith, Koltus, Nortel, Vadeim, Avalanche, Almity, Ryven, and Maz3r. It was just impossible.
The camera drone chirped, rousing her out of her reverie. She looked to the floor and noticed the place was empty save for a couple of tech's who were on their way out.
"Open secure file." she commanded as she stood up. The camera drone followed her as she started to walk the catwalk, gazing down at her small fleet of vessels on standby. "Record."
"Sometimes I wonder what life would have been like if Eran would have tried to convince me to turn to the Minmatar side when I first met him. He never really tried, it was always me pushing him to come to Amarr."
"Finally he did, and now our militia is all the better for it. I can't even imagine what things would be like without him here. He leads armies, sometimes for the 'glory' of Amarr. And sometimes simply because I ask, because I have this restless need to be out on the field."
"I was so strong in my conviction back then, so sure that I was doing the right thing, fighting for the right side. And it's strange to think that back then, I was hardly worth more than a drone out on the field. I had no skills, no experience, no one really knew me, and yet I had this passion, this unwavering loyalty for Amarr. My conviction alone forced Eran to turn and others to defect."
As she paced, the drone panned out, recording the entire hangar in a panorama view. "And now? Over a year later and I am a viable part of any fleet. I have the experience, the skills, and an insatiable lust for battle. I have gained trust from fellow militia pilots. I can rally a fleet and soon will lead them."
"And yet...the stronger I grow, the more I doubt," she admitted as her blue gaze slanted upwards, lingering on the Amarrian banner that hung from the ceiling.
"Save file. End recording."
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
Entry 133: A Father's Fate
She was dreaming.
"Stop. Wait." Shalee called out as she ran, chasing a wisp of a girl with long strands of red hair hanging to her waist.
She followed the child down a long corridor that seemed to stretch on for miles. Each step seemed to put more distance between them.
"You have to run faster!" The child urged as Shalee followed in pursuit.
The little girl turned her head to yell at her, "Hurry!"
Some part of her wanted to protest. "No...don't make me go there."
"Hurry!" she yelled, "You have to remember!"
The corridor morphed into the foyer of her brother's house. An enormous crystal chandelier hung, reflecting shards of light into the smothering darkness.
"Shalee!"
Someone was crying though it seemed very far away. She glanced around, searching for the source.
Her fingers curled around the staircase railing as she looked into the shadows, "Who's there?"
"Are you going somewhere?" Her Father approached the staircase.
"...I'm leaving this place."
"Where will you go?" He asked as he took a few steps up to meet her.
"Home," she said resolutely.
"This is your home." He replied calmly, smiling to her.
"This place is nothing to me." Her voice was eerily calm despite her trembling, despite the fear he ignited within her. "You are nothing to me."
"I am your Father." He said patiently.
"You are a monster! All my life you have used me as a pawn in whatever game held your interest at the time. I am done with it. I am done with you."
"You should not say such things. Listen to you, disobeying your papa. You've been away too long, you have changed." He stepped closer, "But don't worry, I'll change you back." He stretched his hand out to her face, grazing the back of his fingers across her cheek. "My sweet little girl. So like your Mother."
"You killed her!" she accused.
"She was disobedient," he explained in a soft voice, addressing her as if she were a child. "You have no idea the things she was capable of, Shalee."
"You have no idea what I am capable of, 'papa'..." she warned, her tone full of fury.
Anger flashed across his face as he backhanded her, leaving a mark across her cheek. "Do not use that tone with me. You will apologize."
She cupped her stinging cheek, "I hate you. I hate everything you've done, everything you are. You're nothing but a liar. Your whole existence is based on what you've created in your mind papa! You are nothing."
He slapped her again, this time hard enough to send her to her knees. "I am still your Father," he said through clinched teeth.
Blue eyes blazed with fury, "She didn't want you to be my Father, she was going to leave you! She would have been another man's wife, I'd be another man's daughter, I wouldn't even have remembered you," she taunted, crouched on the steps, her pale blue gaze locked on his.
His hand darted out and wrapped around her throat, fingers digging into the soft flesh. "She was mine, she died belonging to me and so help me God you will suffer the same fate if I can't beat this disobedience out of you."
She gasped, choking for air as she frailed her hands at him, trying to push his hand away. "Stop."
"I'm...leaving..." she choked out the words.
"I'll kill you first." He loosened his grip slightly as he forced her to her feet, shoving her against the wall. His face twisted with evil. "No. I wont kill you first, that'd be too easy, you care nothing for your life."
She dropped her head back, hitting it against the marbled wall, gasping, feeling dizzy.
"And I wont bother with killing any capsuleer you know either. They'll just clone." His voice was whispery soft against her ear, "I'll kill that son-of-a-bitch Aldrith's bastard. You think I don't know he is married now? Expecting a child? He doesn't deserve his happiness, he doesn't deserve a child, to be a Father, a husband, when he stole that from me."
Her eyes widened with terror, "No..."
"It will be too easy, to have Mitara kidnapped. To bleed her out, sacrifice her unborn. Make him suffer. Make them all suffer for the sins they have committed against MY family."
The next few seconds were a blur. Instinctively she grabbed at the silver handled dagger that he wore at his side, a blooder weapon disguised as a Ni Kunni ceremonial piece.
Her fingers grasped around it and with all of the strength she could muster she forced it into his stomach.
Shock froze across his face as he realized what she'd done.
"Bitch..." He gurgled the word out as he inhaled a sharp breath.
She yanked the blade up his torso as she felt his blood spilling out onto her fingers, wetting her wrists.
He opened his mouth to speak again but he'd lost his breath. His eyes flashed with a mixture of emotion; rage, anger, and hatred. Betrayal.
She sucked in her breath as she watched the life drain out of his eyes, felt the blood seeping from his body. He slumped against her and slid down to the bottom step.
Her hands started to tremble as she looked down at them.
"Papa." she whispered as she looked to his corpse, moving down the steps to kneel beside him, her silk dress soaking up the pool of blood that oozed from his torso.
"You shouldn't have made me do that. You shouldn't have...I wasn't going to kill you, I was going to leave! They wanted to make me kill you but I couldn't! I thought you changed! I thought you changed, oh god." She sobbed against his chest as hysteria set in.
She curled her fingers around the dagger and yanked it from his wound.
Sometime later Eran and Karmilla had found her in the foyer drenched in the blood, the scene something straight from a horror movie.
What was left of her Father was scattered about the room with ritual symbols smeared in blood across the walls.
"Shalee...what have you done?"
She turned her head, her gaze unblinking as she stared just beyond Eran's shoulder, "He made me do it. He made me do it."
Eran approached her and pulled the bloodied dagger from her hands, dropping it to the floor as he scooped her up into his arms, "Hush. Shhhh. It's alright, everything is alright."
She buried her face against his shoulder, sobbing as he instructed Karmilla, "We have to get her out of here. Now."
"We can't leave this place like this.." Karmilla said as she looked around the foyer again.
"We don't have time. Torch it. Let it burn. Let every god damned thing in this house burn."
Shalee woke suddenly, jolting straight up in the bed. Her head was pounding and tears streaked her face where she'd been crying in her sleep.
Beside the bed the hologram of a small, redheaded child stared at her. "You had to remember. You had to remember Karmilla and what she did for you. Try to remember it, don't block it away again. She cares about you okay?" the little girl urged.
Shalee's head throbbed and her nose started to drip blood, "Who are you?"
"You already know, Shalee. You know. I am you," the hologram said just before she faded away.
"Stop. Wait." Shalee called out as she ran, chasing a wisp of a girl with long strands of red hair hanging to her waist.
She followed the child down a long corridor that seemed to stretch on for miles. Each step seemed to put more distance between them.
"You have to run faster!" The child urged as Shalee followed in pursuit.
The little girl turned her head to yell at her, "Hurry!"
Some part of her wanted to protest. "No...don't make me go there."
"Hurry!" she yelled, "You have to remember!"
The corridor morphed into the foyer of her brother's house. An enormous crystal chandelier hung, reflecting shards of light into the smothering darkness.
"Shalee!"
Someone was crying though it seemed very far away. She glanced around, searching for the source.
Her fingers curled around the staircase railing as she looked into the shadows, "Who's there?"
"Are you going somewhere?" Her Father approached the staircase.
"...I'm leaving this place."
"Where will you go?" He asked as he took a few steps up to meet her.
"Home," she said resolutely.
"This is your home." He replied calmly, smiling to her.
"This place is nothing to me." Her voice was eerily calm despite her trembling, despite the fear he ignited within her. "You are nothing to me."
"I am your Father." He said patiently.
"You are a monster! All my life you have used me as a pawn in whatever game held your interest at the time. I am done with it. I am done with you."
"You should not say such things. Listen to you, disobeying your papa. You've been away too long, you have changed." He stepped closer, "But don't worry, I'll change you back." He stretched his hand out to her face, grazing the back of his fingers across her cheek. "My sweet little girl. So like your Mother."
"You killed her!" she accused.
"She was disobedient," he explained in a soft voice, addressing her as if she were a child. "You have no idea the things she was capable of, Shalee."
"You have no idea what I am capable of, 'papa'..." she warned, her tone full of fury.
Anger flashed across his face as he backhanded her, leaving a mark across her cheek. "Do not use that tone with me. You will apologize."
She cupped her stinging cheek, "I hate you. I hate everything you've done, everything you are. You're nothing but a liar. Your whole existence is based on what you've created in your mind papa! You are nothing."
He slapped her again, this time hard enough to send her to her knees. "I am still your Father," he said through clinched teeth.
Blue eyes blazed with fury, "She didn't want you to be my Father, she was going to leave you! She would have been another man's wife, I'd be another man's daughter, I wouldn't even have remembered you," she taunted, crouched on the steps, her pale blue gaze locked on his.
His hand darted out and wrapped around her throat, fingers digging into the soft flesh. "She was mine, she died belonging to me and so help me God you will suffer the same fate if I can't beat this disobedience out of you."
She gasped, choking for air as she frailed her hands at him, trying to push his hand away. "Stop."
"I'm...leaving..." she choked out the words.
"I'll kill you first." He loosened his grip slightly as he forced her to her feet, shoving her against the wall. His face twisted with evil. "No. I wont kill you first, that'd be too easy, you care nothing for your life."
She dropped her head back, hitting it against the marbled wall, gasping, feeling dizzy.
"And I wont bother with killing any capsuleer you know either. They'll just clone." His voice was whispery soft against her ear, "I'll kill that son-of-a-bitch Aldrith's bastard. You think I don't know he is married now? Expecting a child? He doesn't deserve his happiness, he doesn't deserve a child, to be a Father, a husband, when he stole that from me."
Her eyes widened with terror, "No..."
"It will be too easy, to have Mitara kidnapped. To bleed her out, sacrifice her unborn. Make him suffer. Make them all suffer for the sins they have committed against MY family."
The next few seconds were a blur. Instinctively she grabbed at the silver handled dagger that he wore at his side, a blooder weapon disguised as a Ni Kunni ceremonial piece.
Her fingers grasped around it and with all of the strength she could muster she forced it into his stomach.
Shock froze across his face as he realized what she'd done.
"Bitch..." He gurgled the word out as he inhaled a sharp breath.
She yanked the blade up his torso as she felt his blood spilling out onto her fingers, wetting her wrists.
He opened his mouth to speak again but he'd lost his breath. His eyes flashed with a mixture of emotion; rage, anger, and hatred. Betrayal.
She sucked in her breath as she watched the life drain out of his eyes, felt the blood seeping from his body. He slumped against her and slid down to the bottom step.
Her hands started to tremble as she looked down at them.
"Papa." she whispered as she looked to his corpse, moving down the steps to kneel beside him, her silk dress soaking up the pool of blood that oozed from his torso.
"You shouldn't have made me do that. You shouldn't have...I wasn't going to kill you, I was going to leave! They wanted to make me kill you but I couldn't! I thought you changed! I thought you changed, oh god." She sobbed against his chest as hysteria set in.
She curled her fingers around the dagger and yanked it from his wound.
Sometime later Eran and Karmilla had found her in the foyer drenched in the blood, the scene something straight from a horror movie.
What was left of her Father was scattered about the room with ritual symbols smeared in blood across the walls.
"Shalee...what have you done?"
She turned her head, her gaze unblinking as she stared just beyond Eran's shoulder, "He made me do it. He made me do it."
Eran approached her and pulled the bloodied dagger from her hands, dropping it to the floor as he scooped her up into his arms, "Hush. Shhhh. It's alright, everything is alright."
She buried her face against his shoulder, sobbing as he instructed Karmilla, "We have to get her out of here. Now."
"We can't leave this place like this.." Karmilla said as she looked around the foyer again.
"We don't have time. Torch it. Let it burn. Let every god damned thing in this house burn."
Shalee woke suddenly, jolting straight up in the bed. Her head was pounding and tears streaked her face where she'd been crying in her sleep.
Beside the bed the hologram of a small, redheaded child stared at her. "You had to remember. You had to remember Karmilla and what she did for you. Try to remember it, don't block it away again. She cares about you okay?" the little girl urged.
Shalee's head throbbed and her nose started to drip blood, "Who are you?"
"You already know, Shalee. You know. I am you," the hologram said just before she faded away.
Friday, April 29, 2011
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."
"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."
Thursday, April 28, 2011
Entry 131: Kathetel Returns
Moonlight fell through the windows, casting a soft glow across the room. A fire burned in the fireplace, occasionally crackling.
The door creaked open then closed quickly, followed by the sound of the lock clicking into place.
She continued to brush her hair as she waited for the intruder to reveal himself.
Kathetel stepped out of the shadows, coming up behind her. He smirked as he looked towards the mirror she sat in front of, his gaze meeting hers.
"And so we meet again."
"I had almost forgotten about you," she said airily. She hadn't seen the Imperial Agent since he'd met with her at the Opera.
"Tsk. I am almost offended. Almost."
"Why are you here?" she asked, dreading a new assignment. Anytime Kathetel came around it meant trouble in some form or fashion for her.
"Oh, you know. Checking up on you, and all of that. How are you?"
"Fine." she said, looking at him skeptically.
"And your last assignment? I trust it is completed?" He asked though he already knew the answer.
Her blue gaze locked on his, "...yes."
He took the brush from her hand and stroked it through her auburn hair slowly, "We knew we could count on you."
"Anything for the Empire," she said in a soft tone, trying not to remember the details, forcing herself to keep it locked deep away.
"Shalee..."
"Yes?"
"For what it's worth, I am sorry that it had to be by your hand...but you were the only one who could get close enough."
"Don't be. He deserved it. He deserved his fate," she said softly, her gaze breaking from his.
He laid the brush onto the gilded table in front of her, "It's been many weeks, how are you holding up?"
"Are you asking if I'm haunted by it?"
"I remember ...when you killed your brother. You were..." he said.
"Out of my mind?"
"Something like that, yes."
"I'm fine. He's not the first person to die by my hand, Kathetel."
"No, but he is your Father."
"Was."
"Yes. Was. Did you ever love him?"
"Once upon a time he was my whole world. He was greater than God in my eyes. He was...." A tear slid down her cheek as her body tensed. "He was a liar. A murderer. He killed my Mother."
His brow arched, "I didn't know."
She nodded very slowly as her thoughts drifted to the past, "She was so young, so beautiful. When he married her, he was already a widow with three sons. But he wanted her, despite her being Ni Kunni."
"Do you think he ever loved her?" he asked.
"Yes, in his own fucked up way. Or maybe it wasn't love. Maybe it was obsession. He wanted to possess her. She was only seventeen when they married. And she was twenty four when he killed her."
"Why do you think he did it if he loved her so much?"
"Because she didn't love him any longer, if she ever did. She must have known what he really was, I can only guess. I'm trying to piece together those years of her life, but I was so young. However, I do remember when I was betrothed to Charles... I was only six...but there was a grand house party to announce it." Her voice faded away as her brows furrowed. "I..."
"Go on," he urged.
She stared into the mirror, remembering. "I only vaguely remember it, I was so young. But...I remember how beautiful she was that weekend, how her face seemed to glow. She was so happy. I later found out exactly why."
"Why?"
"Because she met a young poet at the ball who swept her off her feet. He was barely eighteen at the time, or so. They must have fell in love and ...the natural course of events happened after that. I guess he never knew that he got her pregnant."
"Pregnant? What happened to her child?"
"My Father found some letters that the poet wrote to her...and...he was beyond furious. Her betrayal would shame him, shame the family. But I think it was also the fact that he lost control of her. She was going to leave him."
"How do you know all of this?" he asked.
"I found some of their letters, her journal, and my eldest step-brother filled in the rest."
Kathetel nodded, "So your Father murdered your mother in a jealous rage? And her unborn child?"
She whispered, "Yes."
"And the poet? Did you ever find out who he was?"
"...yes."
"Are you going to enlighten me?"
"It's my CEO. It's Aldrith..." She exhaled a soft breath, "Aldrith was my mother's true love, and she died because of it."
The door creaked open then closed quickly, followed by the sound of the lock clicking into place.
She continued to brush her hair as she waited for the intruder to reveal himself.
Kathetel stepped out of the shadows, coming up behind her. He smirked as he looked towards the mirror she sat in front of, his gaze meeting hers.
"And so we meet again."
"I had almost forgotten about you," she said airily. She hadn't seen the Imperial Agent since he'd met with her at the Opera.
"Tsk. I am almost offended. Almost."
"Why are you here?" she asked, dreading a new assignment. Anytime Kathetel came around it meant trouble in some form or fashion for her.
"Oh, you know. Checking up on you, and all of that. How are you?"
"Fine." she said, looking at him skeptically.
"And your last assignment? I trust it is completed?" He asked though he already knew the answer.
Her blue gaze locked on his, "...yes."
He took the brush from her hand and stroked it through her auburn hair slowly, "We knew we could count on you."
"Anything for the Empire," she said in a soft tone, trying not to remember the details, forcing herself to keep it locked deep away.
"Shalee..."
"Yes?"
"For what it's worth, I am sorry that it had to be by your hand...but you were the only one who could get close enough."
"Don't be. He deserved it. He deserved his fate," she said softly, her gaze breaking from his.
He laid the brush onto the gilded table in front of her, "It's been many weeks, how are you holding up?"
"Are you asking if I'm haunted by it?"
"I remember ...when you killed your brother. You were..." he said.
"Out of my mind?"
"Something like that, yes."
"I'm fine. He's not the first person to die by my hand, Kathetel."
"No, but he is your Father."
"Was."
"Yes. Was. Did you ever love him?"
"Once upon a time he was my whole world. He was greater than God in my eyes. He was...." A tear slid down her cheek as her body tensed. "He was a liar. A murderer. He killed my Mother."
His brow arched, "I didn't know."
She nodded very slowly as her thoughts drifted to the past, "She was so young, so beautiful. When he married her, he was already a widow with three sons. But he wanted her, despite her being Ni Kunni."
"Do you think he ever loved her?" he asked.
"Yes, in his own fucked up way. Or maybe it wasn't love. Maybe it was obsession. He wanted to possess her. She was only seventeen when they married. And she was twenty four when he killed her."
"Why do you think he did it if he loved her so much?"
"Because she didn't love him any longer, if she ever did. She must have known what he really was, I can only guess. I'm trying to piece together those years of her life, but I was so young. However, I do remember when I was betrothed to Charles... I was only six...but there was a grand house party to announce it." Her voice faded away as her brows furrowed. "I..."
"Go on," he urged.
She stared into the mirror, remembering. "I only vaguely remember it, I was so young. But...I remember how beautiful she was that weekend, how her face seemed to glow. She was so happy. I later found out exactly why."
"Why?"
"Because she met a young poet at the ball who swept her off her feet. He was barely eighteen at the time, or so. They must have fell in love and ...the natural course of events happened after that. I guess he never knew that he got her pregnant."
"Pregnant? What happened to her child?"
"My Father found some letters that the poet wrote to her...and...he was beyond furious. Her betrayal would shame him, shame the family. But I think it was also the fact that he lost control of her. She was going to leave him."
"How do you know all of this?" he asked.
"I found some of their letters, her journal, and my eldest step-brother filled in the rest."
Kathetel nodded, "So your Father murdered your mother in a jealous rage? And her unborn child?"
She whispered, "Yes."
"And the poet? Did you ever find out who he was?"
"...yes."
"Are you going to enlighten me?"
"It's my CEO. It's Aldrith..." She exhaled a soft breath, "Aldrith was my mother's true love, and she died because of it."
Sunday, April 10, 2011
Entry 130: Kuvakeian Dreams
System: Lantorn
Constellation: Hed
Region: Heimatar
Security: 0.3
She was floating, suspended in a pod of ambotic fluid as she slept, safely docked up in the Expert Distribution station in Lantorn, still inside the ship she'd been fighting in the previous night.
It had been such a long, tiresome night that she couldn't even muster up the energy to fly back to Huola, the Amarr Militia home system, despite it only being a few jumps away.
Streams of data and intel flowed like a river across her subconscious mind as she had drifted off to sleep, too tired to even disconnect from her pod.
Floating...
Drifting...
Dreaming...
The familiar voices of militia and corp members melded together, joining the not-so-familiar ones, lost in the current of data. The constant chatter comforted her while she slept.
In the liquid flow of voices, one whispered to her.
"Do not be afraid. We are coming for you. I am coming for you."
Something inside her protested. I am dreaming.
"Follow me, children of New Eden, my chosen ones."
I...am...dreaming...not real...
"It is your time, your destiny. Do not fight it. Surrender yourselves so that you may be saved. Follow me..."
...dreaming.
A jarring, discordance of sound interrupted the soothing flow, forcing her awake. Klaxon alarms rang through the station, filling the corridors and docking bays, filtering through the station's comm channels. A constant, restless ringing. She recognized that alarm and knew that it could only mean one thing.
The Sansha had come. Attack imminent. The incursion was underway.
Sudden awareness unnerved her as she fully awoke, listening to the intel as it started to pour in.
System after system under attack, the entire Hed constellation.
A feeling of dread settled into the pit of her stomach as she thought of all the lives that were being stolen away in that moment.
"Shalee?" Eran commed her.
"Yes?"
"Where are you?" he asked.
"Lantorn..."
"Fuck. I thought so. I'm coming okay? You need eyes, you'll never make it through the gates alone, they have quick tackle on most of them. I'll scout you back to Huola."
"Alright. I'll give it five then undock. The system is mostly quiet, though I doubt that it will be for long." She hesitated a second. "Eran?"
"Yeah?"
"Be safe, okay?"
"Yeah. See you soon."
Minutes later she undocked and waited for Eran as local started to swell. The capsuleers were out in full force, ready to retaliate against Kuvakei's army.
A new channel for Hed opened up, combining enemies and allies alike.
Lukka must have noticed her presence in the channel and initiated private comms with her. She accepted as she checked her d-scan, waiting for the go ahead to warp out. Lukka lived in Amamake along with the rest of the Heretic Army clan.
It occurred to her that Amamake was in the Hed constellation and was probably under Sansha attack as well.
"Yeah Lukka?"
"So...you think I'd be welcome in Huola were I to take a sudden vacation?"
Constellation: Hed
Region: Heimatar
Security: 0.3
She was floating, suspended in a pod of ambotic fluid as she slept, safely docked up in the Expert Distribution station in Lantorn, still inside the ship she'd been fighting in the previous night.
It had been such a long, tiresome night that she couldn't even muster up the energy to fly back to Huola, the Amarr Militia home system, despite it only being a few jumps away.
Streams of data and intel flowed like a river across her subconscious mind as she had drifted off to sleep, too tired to even disconnect from her pod.
Floating...
Drifting...
Dreaming...
The familiar voices of militia and corp members melded together, joining the not-so-familiar ones, lost in the current of data. The constant chatter comforted her while she slept.
In the liquid flow of voices, one whispered to her.
"Do not be afraid. We are coming for you. I am coming for you."
Something inside her protested. I am dreaming.
"Follow me, children of New Eden, my chosen ones."
I...am...dreaming...not real...
"It is your time, your destiny. Do not fight it. Surrender yourselves so that you may be saved. Follow me..."
...dreaming.
A jarring, discordance of sound interrupted the soothing flow, forcing her awake. Klaxon alarms rang through the station, filling the corridors and docking bays, filtering through the station's comm channels. A constant, restless ringing. She recognized that alarm and knew that it could only mean one thing.
The Sansha had come. Attack imminent. The incursion was underway.
Sudden awareness unnerved her as she fully awoke, listening to the intel as it started to pour in.
System after system under attack, the entire Hed constellation.
A feeling of dread settled into the pit of her stomach as she thought of all the lives that were being stolen away in that moment.
"Shalee?" Eran commed her.
"Yes?"
"Where are you?" he asked.
"Lantorn..."
"Fuck. I thought so. I'm coming okay? You need eyes, you'll never make it through the gates alone, they have quick tackle on most of them. I'll scout you back to Huola."
"Alright. I'll give it five then undock. The system is mostly quiet, though I doubt that it will be for long." She hesitated a second. "Eran?"
"Yeah?"
"Be safe, okay?"
"Yeah. See you soon."
Minutes later she undocked and waited for Eran as local started to swell. The capsuleers were out in full force, ready to retaliate against Kuvakei's army.
A new channel for Hed opened up, combining enemies and allies alike.
Lukka must have noticed her presence in the channel and initiated private comms with her. She accepted as she checked her d-scan, waiting for the go ahead to warp out. Lukka lived in Amamake along with the rest of the Heretic Army clan.
It occurred to her that Amamake was in the Hed constellation and was probably under Sansha attack as well.
"Yeah Lukka?"
"So...you think I'd be welcome in Huola were I to take a sudden vacation?"
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