A Ballad of Chrome, A Whisper of Fortune, and a Harbinger of Change
28 Sep 2019Arburich
This Log Was Requisitioned from the archives of 59 Virginis, Substation Hilmers Gateway. All accounts are directly taken from the line of questioning of a Miss Elizabeth Sidhara. These logs require permission level Alchemist. Unauthorized access will initiate lockdown protocol Alpha Romeo Bravo.
Log 843... Requesting access...
...
Access Granted...
Loading Information...
Information Loaded.
Log 843... Requesting access...
...
Access Granted...
Loading Information...
Information Loaded.
Beginning log.
---
"Please state for the record your name, date of birth, and your people."
"My People?"
"Yes, your people. Whatever group you belong to. Are you in a squadron? A Faction?"
"I don't have a people." Elizabeth shifts in her seat, seemingly uncomfortable
"Right, well, the first part is fine then."
"My name is Elizabeth Sidhara. I was born August 2nd, 3284 on the..." A vivid expression of horror appears on her face, quickly replaced by tiredness "..A ship. I was born on a ship."
"Thank you. As a reminder, whatever you say here will be recorded. It's policy, nothing more"
"Yes, I understand"
"Good. Now, I'm sure you know why you are here?"
"I don't even know where here is."
"Well, it's not Hilmers. I'm sure you of all people guess that by now. We've got camera footage of you sneaking around nearly every corner of that station."
"Is that why you detained me, put a blindfold on me, and threw me into whatever this place is?"
"Well, yes. In a sense. We are sorry for the blindfold, but this location is kept top secret for a reason."
"Where is my ship"
"It's still on the pad at Hilmers. We are covering any repair costs that would normally be taken when you land. Speaking of, how did you obtain a Pilots Federation Generation 1 Sidewinder?"
"......" Only a stare emanates from her
"Right, secrets and all that. I guess we can both keep our own. Down to business, why are you looking for her."
"I need her help."
"Why not just hire a few crew members and mercenaries to help?
"It's... not that simple."
"Well, enlighten us. We have plenty of time."
"Look, she's a legend. You go anywhere in the galaxy and the first thing you hear at a bar or in the galley is this girl and her crew. I've been trying to find her for months now. I've seen glimpses of her everywhere. A high wake here, a ship in passing there, a Squadron ID in the distance, but I can't reach anyone."
"Who are we talking about here?"
"Arburich, herself and her crew. Alchemy Den. The reason I've been snooping around Hilmers for over a week now is so I can talk to her."
"So.. are you just a fan?"
Elizabeth's eyes flair with anger "Call me a damn fangirl, a love interest, or some other sickening name again and I swear to Aphrodite I will leap over this table and-"
"Hold on, let me apologize. We can assure you we don't think you are. We've looked at your ship's logs, we know you aren't. It's just standard protocol to ask these kinds of questions."
"Look, she's the only one that can help me, alright? She's been everywhere in the damn Galaxy. I've seen her all over the news from Sol to Robigo and back. She's discovered more about the galaxy than Jameson himself. She's stopped entire thargoid fleets, traveled through the heart of electrical storms, fought off two fucking capital ships with nothing more than a laser pointer, saved over half a million people from destroyed stations, and has been given a triple elite status from the Pilots Federation themselves."
"Well, some of those might be slightly exaggerated."
"She made a video of her jumping god damn planets in a first generation SRV. You are telling me that is exaggerated?"
"Possibly."
"There's no one else in the galaxy I can turn to, alright? You ask anyone within a thousand light years who to turn to, it's her. I'll give you everything I have, anything you need, I just need her help...." Elizabeth starts to cry, soft sobs are heard as her head dips below the table
"... This is where the secrets need to come out. We can take you to her, but we are here to make sure that you aren't trying to kill her. She has a lot of enemies, as I'm sure you understand."
Elizabeth takes a second to composure herself, "Yes, I understand"
"What do you need her to help with?"
"I... I can't tell you. There are lives on the line."
"Whose lives?"
"Everyone I know. I.. are.. are you sure this is ok?
"We are only here to help Elizabeth."
Elizabeth releases a deep sigh "I... I come from a generation ship. Generation Ship Tyche...."
"...." the questioner puts his finger to his ear, then back down
"Look, I know it's really hard to believe, but this is why I wanted to speak with her directly. She would believe me. All the crazy stuff she's seen in the galaxy, she would know I was telling the truth."
"If you are from a generation ship, how are you flying around in a sidewinder?"
"I.. I stole it. From the Generation ship..."
"Generation ships were recaptured and memorialized by the 3200's."
"I know that. I've looked at the history books, the right history books. I'm telling you that this one was never recovered. It's not even listed among the names of voyages that were sent out."
"How does a Generation Ship have access to a Pilot's Federation Sidewinder then?"
"The generation ship's captain had it. I'm not sure how or why, but he's had it for at least his lifetime, if not the captain before him."
"And you want her to do what, capture it? Reclaim the generation ship?"
"I want her to show people the truth. It's not a generation ship, it's a god damn prison. It's like a game, they are toying with people's lives and treat it like a game. My family is on there and I have no way of helping them. Please, you have to believe me..."
"...."
"If I can't get your help, I'll do it my damn self. I have the location of the ship, I know where it is."
"....."
"Please, just say something. Call me a crazy fool like everyone else does. Throw me out the hanger and banish me from starports like the rest of the galaxy."
"Alright, we'll help."
Elizabeth's face turns to shock "What?"
"We'll give you a ship, what do you like? Big and beefy? Small and nimble? Heavy Escort? I think we might have-"
"I don't want a ship. I want her help."
"Oh, sorry, I should have started with saying that you are going to be a part of Arburich's permanent crew. The ship is just so that you can wing with her and she can show you the ropes."
"P...Permanent crew?"
"Well, as permanent as you'd like. You can leave at anytime. Hell, if you wanted, we could destroy this recording right here, right now, and put you back on the pad."
"Wait.. so... you believe me?"
"Well, personally, I'm on the fence. She believes you though."
A look of confusion spreads across her face "Wait.. hold on..."
"Whose ship did you think you were on?"
A shuddered window opens, as if on queue, and a brilliant landscape of grass and clouds stretches over the horizon. Half the view is eclipsed by an enormous corvette wing
"Oh, and one other stipulation.."
"I... what is..."
"I know this might seem sudden, but we have to protect your identity. What you've found is beyond secrecy and coverups. People are going to know your name, people that you want to never know your name."
"What do you mean?"
"We are going to need to change your name. Don't worry, you can pick it."
"Luna, call me Luna."
"My People?"
"Yes, your people. Whatever group you belong to. Are you in a squadron? A Faction?"
"I don't have a people." Elizabeth shifts in her seat, seemingly uncomfortable
"Right, well, the first part is fine then."
"My name is Elizabeth Sidhara. I was born August 2nd, 3284 on the..." A vivid expression of horror appears on her face, quickly replaced by tiredness "..A ship. I was born on a ship."
"Thank you. As a reminder, whatever you say here will be recorded. It's policy, nothing more"
"Yes, I understand"
"Good. Now, I'm sure you know why you are here?"
"I don't even know where here is."
"Well, it's not Hilmers. I'm sure you of all people guess that by now. We've got camera footage of you sneaking around nearly every corner of that station."
"Is that why you detained me, put a blindfold on me, and threw me into whatever this place is?"
"Well, yes. In a sense. We are sorry for the blindfold, but this location is kept top secret for a reason."
"Where is my ship"
"It's still on the pad at Hilmers. We are covering any repair costs that would normally be taken when you land. Speaking of, how did you obtain a Pilots Federation Generation 1 Sidewinder?"
"......" Only a stare emanates from her
"Right, secrets and all that. I guess we can both keep our own. Down to business, why are you looking for her."
"I need her help."
"Why not just hire a few crew members and mercenaries to help?
"It's... not that simple."
"Well, enlighten us. We have plenty of time."
"Look, she's a legend. You go anywhere in the galaxy and the first thing you hear at a bar or in the galley is this girl and her crew. I've been trying to find her for months now. I've seen glimpses of her everywhere. A high wake here, a ship in passing there, a Squadron ID in the distance, but I can't reach anyone."
"Who are we talking about here?"
"Arburich, herself and her crew. Alchemy Den. The reason I've been snooping around Hilmers for over a week now is so I can talk to her."
"So.. are you just a fan?"
Elizabeth's eyes flair with anger "Call me a damn fangirl, a love interest, or some other sickening name again and I swear to Aphrodite I will leap over this table and-"
"Hold on, let me apologize. We can assure you we don't think you are. We've looked at your ship's logs, we know you aren't. It's just standard protocol to ask these kinds of questions."
"Look, she's the only one that can help me, alright? She's been everywhere in the damn Galaxy. I've seen her all over the news from Sol to Robigo and back. She's discovered more about the galaxy than Jameson himself. She's stopped entire thargoid fleets, traveled through the heart of electrical storms, fought off two fucking capital ships with nothing more than a laser pointer, saved over half a million people from destroyed stations, and has been given a triple elite status from the Pilots Federation themselves."
"Well, some of those might be slightly exaggerated."
"She made a video of her jumping god damn planets in a first generation SRV. You are telling me that is exaggerated?"
"Possibly."
"There's no one else in the galaxy I can turn to, alright? You ask anyone within a thousand light years who to turn to, it's her. I'll give you everything I have, anything you need, I just need her help...." Elizabeth starts to cry, soft sobs are heard as her head dips below the table
"... This is where the secrets need to come out. We can take you to her, but we are here to make sure that you aren't trying to kill her. She has a lot of enemies, as I'm sure you understand."
Elizabeth takes a second to composure herself, "Yes, I understand"
"What do you need her to help with?"
"I... I can't tell you. There are lives on the line."
"Whose lives?"
"Everyone I know. I.. are.. are you sure this is ok?
"We are only here to help Elizabeth."
Elizabeth releases a deep sigh "I... I come from a generation ship. Generation Ship Tyche...."
"...." the questioner puts his finger to his ear, then back down
"Look, I know it's really hard to believe, but this is why I wanted to speak with her directly. She would believe me. All the crazy stuff she's seen in the galaxy, she would know I was telling the truth."
"If you are from a generation ship, how are you flying around in a sidewinder?"
"I.. I stole it. From the Generation ship..."
"Generation ships were recaptured and memorialized by the 3200's."
"I know that. I've looked at the history books, the right history books. I'm telling you that this one was never recovered. It's not even listed among the names of voyages that were sent out."
"How does a Generation Ship have access to a Pilot's Federation Sidewinder then?"
"The generation ship's captain had it. I'm not sure how or why, but he's had it for at least his lifetime, if not the captain before him."
"And you want her to do what, capture it? Reclaim the generation ship?"
"I want her to show people the truth. It's not a generation ship, it's a god damn prison. It's like a game, they are toying with people's lives and treat it like a game. My family is on there and I have no way of helping them. Please, you have to believe me..."
"...."
"If I can't get your help, I'll do it my damn self. I have the location of the ship, I know where it is."
"....."
"Please, just say something. Call me a crazy fool like everyone else does. Throw me out the hanger and banish me from starports like the rest of the galaxy."
"Alright, we'll help."
Elizabeth's face turns to shock "What?"
"We'll give you a ship, what do you like? Big and beefy? Small and nimble? Heavy Escort? I think we might have-"
"I don't want a ship. I want her help."
"Oh, sorry, I should have started with saying that you are going to be a part of Arburich's permanent crew. The ship is just so that you can wing with her and she can show you the ropes."
"P...Permanent crew?"
"Well, as permanent as you'd like. You can leave at anytime. Hell, if you wanted, we could destroy this recording right here, right now, and put you back on the pad."
"Wait.. so... you believe me?"
"Well, personally, I'm on the fence. She believes you though."
A look of confusion spreads across her face "Wait.. hold on..."
"Whose ship did you think you were on?"
A shuddered window opens, as if on queue, and a brilliant landscape of grass and clouds stretches over the horizon. Half the view is eclipsed by an enormous corvette wing
"Oh, and one other stipulation.."
"I... what is..."
"I know this might seem sudden, but we have to protect your identity. What you've found is beyond secrecy and coverups. People are going to know your name, people that you want to never know your name."
"What do you mean?"
"We are going to need to change your name. Don't worry, you can pick it."
"Luna, call me Luna."