Fiction Friday. Escape pod here.
This is a short piece regarding a change of circumstances for me tomorrow......
Resigning the Commission
"So we won... again?" the Capsuleer sighed. He pulled the cork from the bottle of vodka which squeaked and then gave a satisfying 'pop' as the cork left the bottle. He poured a healthy measure and picked up the glass, swirling the clear liquid around the ice before downing it.
"Yes. We hold the entire warzone. The Caldari Militia have been pushed back to the high-security space beyond Tama. It’s gone quiet out there." the woman sat opposite him in the booth stated.
"It has, but for how long? We're immortals. The Caldari will regroup and the State will attack again. Demand for goods issued by the State Protectorate for assistance is rising. There has been a drop in supply and prices are up. The mercantile capsuleers without allegiance will flock to their banners. They'll soon push us back, we'll hit the stalemate, again. Then the price of State-Pro goods will drop with over-supply, the mercs will go look for better ways to make money and we'll push the remaining squids back again. It’s a pointless cycle and to be honest its not fun anymore."
The female capsuleer laughed at her male companion. Her short red hair swaying as she chuckled.
"Fun? Its war! Its not supposed to be fun!"
"Isn't it? What are we really fighting here for? To protect the Gallente way of life? No. Its for the thrill of the fight. Its for the money from looting the enemies wrecks. The exhilaration of the fight to the death. Yeah, I know you like your cause but if you were really interested in fighting for sovereignty wouldn't you head out and join the nullbears? You are like me, you enjoy the fight more than you'll admit."
She knew he was right. The Capsuleers were immortal starship Captains able to survive death. A capsuleer war didn't bother about pilots lives or grieving the dead. They simply were re-cloned, their brain-scan uploaded and they got into another ship. It was nice to have a cause to fight for, but in the end it was more about the fighting than the cause.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked.
"First I'm going to finish a large portion of this bottle of fine Gallente vodka. Then I'm going to take..." he stretched in his seat, scanning around the lively bar "....her and her..." he said pointing to two of the girls "...back to my quarters and do things with them that are illegal in almost every star system of the Amarrian Empire and also within certain prudish areas of the Caldari State!"
"You do that most nights, you're a total alley-cat. I meant about the war."
"There is no war. Its just us Empyreans slugging it out for shits and giggles. We've fought for the Gallente, we've fought for the Matari. What have we achieved? The tides of war ebb and flow. Nobody really wins, we just swap who is on top every so often, just like I'll be doing in half an hour. It is pointless. The war that is, not the things I'll be doing in half an hour."
The female capsuleer leaned back in her seat in the booth. The man opposite her was certainly war weary. In the five years they'd been fighting he'd never been like this. However, he had a point. Routine patrols with no action were testing the patience of many in the Gallente militia. Large portions of the enemy capsuleers were fleeing on sight, only willing to engage Gallente Navy and doing all they could to avoid Capsuleer Militia forces. In a word, war was boring currently.
"So?" she asked again leaning forward with her elbows on the table.
"I'm dropping from Gallente Militia tomorrow."
"Going to fight for the Minmatar?" she asked hopefully.
"Nope."
"Well you are certainly not going to be fighting for the Amarr or the Caldari. You are wanted by both of those Empires. I'd say that you are wanted 'dead or alive' by them, but the truth is they'd prefer you dead. Permanently."
"No, I'm not going to fight for the squids or those golden ship laser freaks. I'm going to fight for the cause that matters most to me."
The woman looked at him quizzically waiting for him to elaborate.
"I'm going to fight for me. No politics. No sides. No cause."
"You are going pirate?"
"CONCORD officially has my security status set as minus ten already. In their eyes I already am." he said whilst beckoning the two women he'd pointed out earlier to come over. "I'm simply widening my available target pool."
The female capsuleer saw the two women arrive by the table out of the corner of her eye. They kept a discreet distance back. It was obvious they had done this before and didn't want to interrupt the two capsuleers talking. They knew if they were wanted, he'd make it clear to them. For now they just had to be ready for him. She stole a quick glance at them. One was Gallente, tall with sleak long, black hair. The other Matari, shorter but wore heels to compensate. She was dark and dusky. They wore very little as did the other female and male 'entertainers' that worked the capsuleer bar on Deck Five. Generally Capsuleers were aloof, superior, snobbish. They rarely had time for a proper relationship, but they still had needs. Therefore most of the bars on the Capsuleer decks made sure their needs were catered for. Whether they be drink, pharmaceutical or companionship... by the hour. The station had been Caldari before it was captured by the Gallente Militia. In the years the bar slowly had become more Gallente than Caldari. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, three jumps from the Caldari State hi-security border.
"Well I'm going to enjoy myself. I'll see you in space." With that he rose and approached the two girls who greeted him with a broad smile and a peck on the cheek. He moved between them and wrapped a hand around each of their waists’ and guided them towards the exit, his hands dropping down as they neared the door.
"When I see you in space, do I need to be worried?" the female capsuleer called out to him as was about to exit the bar.
The man stopped but didn't turn as if he was in thought. The two girls glanced back to see who had spoken. The man was still for several seconds.
"The QCats will be full 'Not Blue, Shoot It' in less than 24 hours" he paused "...and we're not planning on having many blues. Don't worry s8, I'll not pod you." he said without turning before leaving with the two girls.
This is a short piece regarding a change of circumstances for me tomorrow......
Resigning the Commission
"Yes. We hold the entire warzone. The Caldari Militia have been pushed back to the high-security space beyond Tama. It’s gone quiet out there." the woman sat opposite him in the booth stated.
"It has, but for how long? We're immortals. The Caldari will regroup and the State will attack again. Demand for goods issued by the State Protectorate for assistance is rising. There has been a drop in supply and prices are up. The mercantile capsuleers without allegiance will flock to their banners. They'll soon push us back, we'll hit the stalemate, again. Then the price of State-Pro goods will drop with over-supply, the mercs will go look for better ways to make money and we'll push the remaining squids back again. It’s a pointless cycle and to be honest its not fun anymore."
The female capsuleer laughed at her male companion. Her short red hair swaying as she chuckled.
"Fun? Its war! Its not supposed to be fun!"
"Isn't it? What are we really fighting here for? To protect the Gallente way of life? No. Its for the thrill of the fight. Its for the money from looting the enemies wrecks. The exhilaration of the fight to the death. Yeah, I know you like your cause but if you were really interested in fighting for sovereignty wouldn't you head out and join the nullbears? You are like me, you enjoy the fight more than you'll admit."
She knew he was right. The Capsuleers were immortal starship Captains able to survive death. A capsuleer war didn't bother about pilots lives or grieving the dead. They simply were re-cloned, their brain-scan uploaded and they got into another ship. It was nice to have a cause to fight for, but in the end it was more about the fighting than the cause.
"So what are you going to do?" she asked.
"First I'm going to finish a large portion of this bottle of fine Gallente vodka. Then I'm going to take..." he stretched in his seat, scanning around the lively bar "....her and her..." he said pointing to two of the girls "...back to my quarters and do things with them that are illegal in almost every star system of the Amarrian Empire and also within certain prudish areas of the Caldari State!"
"You do that most nights, you're a total alley-cat. I meant about the war."
"There is no war. Its just us Empyreans slugging it out for shits and giggles. We've fought for the Gallente, we've fought for the Matari. What have we achieved? The tides of war ebb and flow. Nobody really wins, we just swap who is on top every so often, just like I'll be doing in half an hour. It is pointless. The war that is, not the things I'll be doing in half an hour."
The female capsuleer leaned back in her seat in the booth. The man opposite her was certainly war weary. In the five years they'd been fighting he'd never been like this. However, he had a point. Routine patrols with no action were testing the patience of many in the Gallente militia. Large portions of the enemy capsuleers were fleeing on sight, only willing to engage Gallente Navy and doing all they could to avoid Capsuleer Militia forces. In a word, war was boring currently.
"So?" she asked again leaning forward with her elbows on the table.
"I'm dropping from Gallente Militia tomorrow."
"Going to fight for the Minmatar?" she asked hopefully.
"Nope."
"Well you are certainly not going to be fighting for the Amarr or the Caldari. You are wanted by both of those Empires. I'd say that you are wanted 'dead or alive' by them, but the truth is they'd prefer you dead. Permanently."
"No, I'm not going to fight for the squids or those golden ship laser freaks. I'm going to fight for the cause that matters most to me."
The woman looked at him quizzically waiting for him to elaborate.
"I'm going to fight for me. No politics. No sides. No cause."
"You are going pirate?"
"CONCORD officially has my security status set as minus ten already. In their eyes I already am." he said whilst beckoning the two women he'd pointed out earlier to come over. "I'm simply widening my available target pool."
The female capsuleer saw the two women arrive by the table out of the corner of her eye. They kept a discreet distance back. It was obvious they had done this before and didn't want to interrupt the two capsuleers talking. They knew if they were wanted, he'd make it clear to them. For now they just had to be ready for him. She stole a quick glance at them. One was Gallente, tall with sleak long, black hair. The other Matari, shorter but wore heels to compensate. She was dark and dusky. They wore very little as did the other female and male 'entertainers' that worked the capsuleer bar on Deck Five. Generally Capsuleers were aloof, superior, snobbish. They rarely had time for a proper relationship, but they still had needs. Therefore most of the bars on the Capsuleer decks made sure their needs were catered for. Whether they be drink, pharmaceutical or companionship... by the hour. The station had been Caldari before it was captured by the Gallente Militia. In the years the bar slowly had become more Gallente than Caldari. Sex, drugs and rock and roll, three jumps from the Caldari State hi-security border.
"Well I'm going to enjoy myself. I'll see you in space." With that he rose and approached the two girls who greeted him with a broad smile and a peck on the cheek. He moved between them and wrapped a hand around each of their waists’ and guided them towards the exit, his hands dropping down as they neared the door.
"When I see you in space, do I need to be worried?" the female capsuleer called out to him as was about to exit the bar.
The man stopped but didn't turn as if he was in thought. The two girls glanced back to see who had spoken. The man was still for several seconds.
No comments:
Post a Comment