[3] Musings from 30kly Away
08 Apr 2016Taleswift
A couple days ago, I was sitting down in front of the vidscreen of my ship to smile at Michael Swiben, 65000 light years back in Arcturus. We graduated from the same flight school in Evarate. He was a combat pilot, always wanted to be. Big guy, wanted to fly with the fastest and the best. Me? I just wanted to see the vast unknown, and pay my bills while doing so. We'd not always see eye to eye, one particular incident lead to a rather violent destruction of various furniture and wine. But he was a grandiose, flagrant brother to me, just as I was an annoying little brother to him....
So when I heard that I was to be a part of a massive joint expedition to the farthest reaches of the galaxy, I rejoiced at the experimental FTL Comms Array already installed in flagship. Slow, no live-time, but usable. And for the journey to the ass-end of the galaxy, things remained normal. I sent him videos of previously-unknown planets and beautiful star clusters, and he sent me videos of him stealing the HMDR off his copilot and of a random four-legged furry creature. No broken furniture/glass/bones. Things remained normal.
...
Until a couple hours ago. I was making my way home, ready to report the the cartographers, when a message was relayed to me, of a surprise attack on various key points of Alliance space. And at the bottom of the galnet packet, a federal deployment order and two words: "I'm Sorry".
...
I hope you're happy ol' Zachy. I KNOW you're definitely smiling, Winters. You've brought the harbingers of war right into the most peaceful neighbors you've ever had. Right into the power that strives to forgive instead of destroy, heal instead of hurt. You've dragged us away from rebuilding the ravaged systems back into the meat grinder we've purposely tried to avoid. We did not just "disappear" from the military scene when we pushed both you and the Imperials out of our space.
I am Cmdr Taleswift of the Alliance. Commander of Distant Worlds Expedition Wing 432. I have abandoned the main fleet and I am heading straight home, all glory forgotten. Current location: Unknown, 30,000 ly from home. Good luck stopping me. I have to find my brother.