Leave of Absence
18 Nov 2019Bram Armitage
Well, I'm all set to go.I've re-christened my Clipper to its new name Leave of Absence, Laid in enough provisions - not to mention an ample supply of whisky and other goodies - to satisfy a King, and in a few short hours I will be setting off into the Black once again. I even managed to get a small aquaponics garden that, in time, will yield grains and hops for fresh ale.
I've had enough of it all. The Empire, the Alliance, the politics and let's not forget about the Thargoids. Has Humanity ever had a period where someone wasn't trying to rule over, coerce, control or subjugate everyone else in sight? I'm no historian but from what I know even the best-intentioned governments rot from within. It all just seems to be a matter of time before that rot seems to inevitably lead to ever more complex rules and regulations with accompanying taxes, then planetary wars, then finally inter-system wars.
I am sick of it all. The Abo's of old earth had a tradition of going Walkabout. That's what I'm set to do. Walkabout the entire bleeding galaxy until I can stand the company of my fellow human beings once again.
If things go well, things will take months, if not years. Who knows, I might never come back. My last trip into the Black was in my Asp, but I could never truly sever all ties with the bubble; no matter how careful you are, there will always be repairs that need a shipyard and a squad of mechanics. Now, with the new limpet systems, and the extra room in the Cutter... well, it may just be I never have to come back. Though, I'd need the luck of the gods themselves to be able to program the food synthesizer well enough to produce a real dram of Scotch. I have 3 programs in the memory banks now, and what they produce is passable, if not stellar.
I wonder if cows evolved anywhere but Earth. Maybe I'll find some and have a steak dinner.
When I leave The Dweller, it'll be a quick trip home, then out to the rim. Stretch my space legs a bit, and practice being free for a while. If fortune favours me, I may just see something remarkable that no human has seen. Now, if I can just get the stench of humanity out of my nose.