Pegasus Run 3305 - Days 39-41
07 Nov 2019Flemish Jack
20:15:29 11-07-05Well folks, it’s nice to finally have a clear head with a few days rest. My last two entries were a bit frenetic to say the least. For those following along, I’ve hired her on as crew (4% share) and we’re on our way to Colonia. Wait. What?! You might be asking. It’s a long story. Providing the cliff notes below. Still a long story so strap in. For those unwilling or unable to enjoy the abridged version (tl;dr) here’s the bottom line up front –
BLUF: competing mega corporate chicanery, maybe her bro’s not dead, dropping me to steal my ship or fighters to search locations in the rim, now we’re heading to Colonia to meet an information broker, she’s part of the crew and got her own stateroom. Cheers.
So there we were….
After a few more conversations with my stowaway/captive the logic of why started to make sense. Agree or disagree, call me a sucker for a pretty face or a sad/interesting story…whatever. It’s my boat and this sure will make the long trip more interesting.
Her brother Hamish got an entry level gig working for Sirius Corporation in the Operations Department after graduation. Sort of an unpaid internship kind of thing. Within a few months, he found that he had an affinity with logistics tables, coordination, and supply chain management/planning and got hired on full time as a logistics specialist. He worked his way up to middle management from there. As he had gotten a bit of a taste of the corporate ladder when he heard of a classified project that could use his expertise he volunteered to honcho expeditionary logistics for the project. The thought being that if successful upon return from the outer rim he would earn accolades and a commensurate promotion.
She doesn’t know what the project entailed specifically, but if rumors are true it had something to do with the discovery of a significant deposit of rare minerals. The volume of which could be worth trillions and would very likely shift the entire market in Sirius’ favor for decades. The story sold for public consumption was that the entire expedition died in a tragic accident shortly after departing the bubble (to perform simple mining reconnaissance rimward – not the real story of course). For a time that story held up to the curious. Still does for the vast majority of GalNet consumers.
A few years after she mustered out of the Marine Corps as she transited the space lanes working for a small sub-contractor under Caine-Massey she heard rumors from the occasional disgruntled Caine-Massey rep, that just maybe that Sirius Expedition her brother was part of didn’t die of natural causes. Rather, was taken out by or on behalf of Caine-Massey in a catastrophic failure in corporate espionage. An alternate narrative in this same line was that the expedition wasn’t actually killed, or at least not completely, and some of the survivors are on the run or in hiding from Sirius Corporation and/or Caine-Massey or thanks to assistance from a Caine-Massey group/sub unofficially – the story shifted depending on who she spoke to. No real details as each of these people got real tight lipped and refused to expound when she asked follow-up questions.
Needless to say this planted a seed. It kind of made sense that if all or some of the expedition wanted to get out from under Sirius Corporation and were successful they would likely be on the run for the rest of their lives. At least those that knew anything about their original mission…like her brother. He could still be alive, but unable/unwilling to make contact.
If you remember I’ve had a theory, after running Sirius employees from Robigo to Sothis to a corporate tourism site, that there was something a bit off with that mega corp. We all know the power and reach they have to influence the supers and smaller governments under the Sirius Convention. That said, for me it was just a fun little imagination game to play. I had no real evidence beyond the sycophantic corporate zeal I’d seen in each of the hundreds of mid and low level employees I’ve carried to the Sirius Atmospherics beacon. I’ve got a witness to my wild theory now.
After she heard enough rumors from different parts of the Caine-Massey organization, she quit running Cutters and applied to Sirius Corporation as a freighter jock. Her brother’s name got her through the process fairly quickly and indoctrination began. She spent a year or so running cargo from point A to point B all the while asking questions in as round about ways as possible. Never getting any real answers, but putting what little she did learn together began to superficially confirm the idea that something wasn’t right. As you may have anticipated these repeated questions caught the attention of those with a vested interest in keeping whatever happened quiet. Rather than go missing via a special operations team or individual she chose to go missing on her own accord. Eventually winding up at Balog Refinery in Tatek where I (unfortunately or fortunately) pulled in to deliver cargo a couple of months ago. She knows the cutter and snuck aboard. The rest of the story you already know.
In the end she didn’t kill me and steal my ship, which arguably may have been an option to a more hardcore zealot, after swapping some war stories sounds like she’s one hell of a pilot. So as I have nothing better to do while out in the rim, have a history of making poor operational decisions, and need a second set of hands I’ve hired her on at a reduced rate. She has agreed to remain aboard as crew as long as I agree to continue the search for her brother. Sounds fun. She heard a wild rumor that some of the Sirius Corp expats may be hiding out somewhere near Colonia so we’re headed that way to meet up with one of her old Marine Corps buddies that may have answers for the right price.
Vel’s already out there refitting the Vette. Figure we’ll meet up and I’ll explain my most recent series of potentially poor choices. Who knows, maybe it’s interesting enough to get Vel to join the team. Who doesn’t want to get chased around the fringe of the galaxy for the rest of your life by mega corporations with unlimited resources? Sounds fun right?
Besides I need to get to Jacques anyway. That rum ain’t going to make itself.
See you in the black.
Flemish Jack - OUT