A Resilient Enemy
26 Oct 2023Dayson Fane
LOG UPDATE: CMDR DAYSON FANEDATE: 10/25/3309
LOCATION: LHS 1163 SYSTEM
BEGIN TRANSCRIPTION:
A huge factor in the success of any revolution is how well the rebels manage their momentum. If they let their excitement outstrip their limitations, they get careless, make mistakes, and run the risk of expending all their energy instead of saving it for when it's most needed. On the other hand, they also can't afford to stall out and lose their motivation entirely. Much like with personal life goals, the key is to commit to making steady progress without burning yourself out.
About a week ago, I sat at this very bar amidst partying Blue Brothers who were ecstatic at having finally taken Hunziker Terminal from Azimuth. For a long time, it was the last and largest bastion of control that Azimuth Biotech held outside of Mbooni, where they have a permit-lock, and their home system. After we helped the Blue Brothers take it from them, the mood around here was electric, everyone buzzing and flashing smiles while they downed their drinks and toasted a new beginning. I bought a fedora to celebrate the occasion, only to have it soaked in the rum I'd bought along with it as the party blew up out of control. We were all so ecstatic.
Things sure are different, now. Azimuth rallied their forces to launch a counter-attack only a day or two later. For a while, it seemed like our high spirits weren't going anywhere. We repelled their initial onslaught and pushed them to the brink of annihilation in a few days. After that, though... well, let's just say nobody can keep smiling in the face of an enemy that just won't quit. As unethical Azimuth may be, and corrupt to the core, they've also got guts and persistence. Suddenly our defense ran out of steam, and we were the ones on the ropes. If we hadn't pulled out all the stops at the last minute, our little revolution might have been over as soon as it began. I think everyone here knows that. They're celebrating again, today, but a lot of them are just glad to get a breather after another full week of brutality.
I think the Blue Brothers have learned a lot about managing their assets in a very short time. Not too long ago, they were nobodies. Now, they control their home system and have to figure out how to hold onto it. We helped them a whole hell of a lot, this time. Let's just hope they took these lessons to heart so that they can stay free.
As for those of us independent pilots who lent our guns and our voices to this little rebellion, we can stand to remind ourselves of some important facts. Fighting big-name organizations takes a lot of time, energy, and motivation - enough to not just fire a few potshots and send a few messages, but to follow through and keep pushing so that you don't lose the ground you worked so hard to claim. The more steps you have to re-tread on the road to victory, the faster you'll run out of momentum. The less momentum you have, the harder it is to convince yourself to stay the course. If we're going to start something, we need to be ready to commit enough energy and resources on a consistent basis for as long as it will take to finish.
Azimuth isn't beaten yet. They'll probably try to counterattack again sooner or later. They're one of the most stubborn and resilient enemies I've had to tangle with so far.
But they aren't the only ones with those characteristics. Many of us are equally stubborn and twice as ornery. I've met people fighting in this war who might even be more stubborn and ornery than me, and they were on our side. I've watched fresh new faces discover reserves of strength and willpower that they didn't know they had while fighting this resilient enemy of ours. Our crotchety old rebel generation isn't done fighting yet, and the younger generation is starting to come into their own. They're tired now, but they'll be stronger and better than ever once they're rested. I believe they'll be more ready than ever to take the next steps.