Personal Log 45: 24th - 30th August, 3301
24 Sep 2016Jemine Caesar
24th - 30th August, 3301After a lazy start to the week, I spent part of August 25th working in The Red Rose. Poor Jenna was laid up with a particularly nasty bout of pregnancy sickness, so Ben Hodkin had gladly accepted my offer to cover Jenna's shift. With The Last Thing sitting idle, I had her power plant upgraded to an A3.
Sam was keen to get back into space again, so later that day we powered up our ships and headed out, Sam to bounty hunt, I to trade. Bulletin Board jobs took me to Minmar, L26-27, Lopu Maris, LHS 263, LHS 531, and lastly to Zeta Tucanae. It was here, with a shipment of scrap in my hold, that I was interdicted by a Diamondback Scout. A lengthy battle ended in a victory for me, at the expense of minor damage to several of my systems. Repairs at Elswick station cost me 131CR, but the bounty of 21,000CR more than made up for that!
The next day brought more jobs, with a route taking in Minmar, LB 3303, LHS 3836, Zeta Tucanae, Arangorii, LHS 263, and Lopu Maris. During the flight, I thought about Rudolphus. I hadn't spoken to him for almost a month, when I had told him I was in a relationship with Sam. So, with some apprehension, I put in a k-cast call to him.
"Please wait," answered his female slave. "I will see if my master will speak to you." I waited.
"Greetings, Jemine," said Rudolphus presently. I asked him how he was. "I am very well," he said. "Still busy supporting Zemina Torval. I have not heard from you for a while."
My response to this was cut short when I fell victim to an interdiction. It was a Sidewinder. I managed to take him out relatively easily, though there was no bounty on him, despite his having a "wanted" status. I apologised to Rudolphus for the interruption.
"As long as you are safe," he replied. "Will you make the journey to the Empire sometime?"
I politely told him I hoped so. "It would be nice to see you again, Rudolphus," I said.
"Well," he replied, "if you do come, let me know and I will arrange a luxury accommodation for you and your friend."
I thanked him for his generosity, and asked if he had gone to Hengist Duval's wedding.
"Yes," he answered. "I was there as a guest of Zemina Torval."
We talked briefly about the assassination of the Emperor, the gory details of which were all over Galnet. Rudolphus said he would have gladly given his own life to save Duval's if he had been close enough to do so.
"It must have been awful to witness," I said.
Rudolphus agreed. "I saw his blood spilled onto the stone floor."
Our conversation turned to the subject of personal happiness. "Sometimes," Rudolphus said, "I am not so happy. I am thinking of making a trip to the Formadine Rift soon."
Then, and I don't know why, I asked Rudolphus if he had met a woman, almost adding the words "more worthy of you than I". He said he had not.
"Imperial women are in deep mourning for the Emperor, so it is difficult. Your friend, Sam... does he have a sister I could meet?"
I told him about Jenna and Sarah, and that they were already both in relationships.
"Ah. A pity," he replied. I promised Rudolphus that I would keep an eye open for a suitable woman for him.
"Remember," he said, "they must be sensual and devoted."
After completing my final delivery of the day to Lopu Maris, during which I was unsuccessfully interdicted by a "Harmless" pirate in an Eagle, I headed back to Beta Hydri. Sam, who had been bounty hunting at Minmar, met me at The Red Rose for a quick drink. Later, in our room, we undressed and Sam flopped exhausted onto the bed. He seemed to enjoy the back massage I gave him, before he drifted off to sleep.
*****
More delivery jobs followed over the next couple of days, including one for The Red Rose. Ben had asked if I could collect a small trial shipment of a new drink from the Toolfa system. Jenna was unable to fly, and Sam had been called away on a navy mission.
"I'd wait," Ben explained, "but the supplier has given me a deadline for collection, and I've already paid them." I assured Ben that it would be no problem, and set off in The Last Thing I Do.
The day's jobs took me to LHS 3836, Terravor, Toolfa, 82 Eridani, Epsilon Eridani, and then back to Beta Hydri via Toolfa and Terravor. The new drink turned out to be a special blend of Toolfa Gin mixed with Terravor tangfruit juice. While I was clearing the datawork for it at Crook Hub, a secure k-cast came in from Sam.
"Greetings from the Empire!" he said. "I've just dropped off some slaves."
I was astonished by this news. "That's quite a surprise," I said. "You're a slave trader now?"
Sam laughed. "Don't worry," he replied. "The slaves are actually Federal agents on an infiltration mission, working undercover. They'll be out before the Empire knows what hit it!"
Our day's work done, Sam and I returned to Stevenson Base by our separate routes. I changed into my short green dress and met Sam at The Red Rose, having already informed Ben that his shipment of Toolfa Gin & tangfruit had arrived. After drinks, Sam and I went to our room and enjoyed some very tasty sex.
My week ended very much as it had begun, with a day of delivery jobs followed by a day working at The Red Rose. Deliveries took me to Arangorii, Mombaluma and Iman Caber. Sam had once again been called away on navy intel work, this time in Alliance space. When he called to tell me he was on his way back, I reminded him that he had not yet made his intended visit to Black Mausoleum. We agreed to meet there, and I took The Last Thing out of Stevenson Base for the short trip across the system.
However, on his arrival at Beta Hydri, Sam fell victim to an interdiction by a wing of six ships. He called me just as his attackers tore through his shields and destroyed his ship. Sam's escape pod brought him back to Black Mausoleum, and I sat by him as he was tended to by station medics.
"They were quick, Jem," he said, dazed by a shrapnel injury to his leg. "What worries me," he went on, "is the ship that got me was marked with the insignia of the Beta Hydri Democrats. I must have pissed someone off really badly for them to come after me like that."
Sam's injury was dealt with quickly by the medics, one of whom recommended a bar called the Crypt.
"It's quite popular with the youngsters," he had said. The Crypt turned out to be very full of very young youngsters, very drunk and wearing very little clothing. Sam and I looked at each other, and agreed to give the Crypt a miss. I had already booked a room for us, so we went there instead.
In bed, Sam was still reflecting on the identity of his attackers.
"The really worrying thing," he said, "is that I recognised one of their callsigns before my ship blew. Funny thing is, I can't bring the name to mind now. But I'm sure it was someone I used to serve with in the Navy. A deserter. If only I... could... remember who it ... was..."
And then he slept.