Change is inevitable
28 Sep 2024Goruden Wulf
Commander Wulf walked unassuredly into Bob’s at Greeboski’s. He hadn’t stepped foot in there for quite some time and he didn’t get the familiar feeling he had been accustomed to. It was busier than he had been used to, lots of new faces and his seat at the corner of the bar was taken. He took a pondering walk up to the bar…“A pint of Chamunda Ale please Bob” he asked as he continued to scan the bar and pick out every little thing he didn’t recognise, trying to decide if it was new or if he’d simply forgotten had always been there.
“We don’t have any...We don’t have any ale at all!” Bob replied. Wulf turned sharply around, pausing as he stared at Bob, trying to figure out if he was having his leg pulled. “You guys..” (I think he was referring to the System Lords) “..were the only ale drinkers for light years. You haven’t been here for so long, I had to stop importing it.” Wulf continued his stare at Bob as he processed the revelation. His look then turned to disappointed acceptance. Deep down, he knew Bob’s may not feel the same. The Lords didn’t visit there regularly like they used. Some had retired, others taking a quieter working life in favour of a family life. The rest of them were working hard maintaining the positive influence across the ever increasing borders of SJC. There was little opportunity to break off and have any down time.
“Just give me something strong then Bob” Wulf asked, already contemplating drinking himself into oblivion for the night, as he tried to forget change is as inevitable as getting old. Bob poured him a glass of Dalmore. Wulf caught sight of the bottle. “Where the heck did you manage to get that from?” he asked in amazement. Only three were ever made and Bob had managed to get his hands on one. “Well I thought you’d turn up again at some point and I knew you wouldn’t want any of these modern beverages. The ale wouldn’t keep, but I knew if I got my hands on some vintage collections, they’d be perfect for when you decided to come and say hello again.”
It registered with Wulf that Bob had said ‘collections’. “You have more than one?” he enquired. “Not of this bottle, but I have a few different ones I think you’ll like, but you’ll have to make sure you keep dropping by from time to time or else I may just enjoy them to myself!”. “No, no…” Wulf quickly interjected, “...it’s good to share such rare, quality specimens”. Wulf had forgotten all his ponderments, uplifted by the reassurance that he could still enjoy a beverage at Bob’s. Not the stalwart ales he’d been used to, but something much finer, something to savour knowing he couldn’t get anywhere else. Ignoring all the other changes around him, he sat quietly enjoying every single sip, not wanting it to end!
After a few hours, Commander Wulf’s comm lens was signalling an incoming communication from Chief of Staff, Commander Skyfyre70. Wulf ignored them and tried to blank out the blinking notification in the periphery of his vision. After a few attempts, Skyfyre70 called Bob. He was still top of the list when checking Wulf’s whereabouts!
Bob answered. There was a pause as he listened to commander Skyfyre70 before responding. “No, I haven’t seen commander Wulf in over a year. Doesn’t he drink over in Fosters Hub these days?” Bob replied. Wulf could hear the cursing before the communication ended. “Thanks Bob, I owe you….again!” Wulf then remembered that communication links in Duberdicus were down following some disruption from the anarchists there. If Skyfyre70 wanted to check for Wulf at Fosters Hub, he’d have to travel over there himself!