3 Years +
25 Jul 2019Jim Beaumont
A lot can change in 3 years. A lot has changed in 3 years.I was unexpectedly taken away for those years, issues needing attention of a much higher order than pushing personal political games. But eventually, those things reach their own finality, and attentions can return. So I did, back to that side of space where intrigue plays it’s games and the rolls of the dice aren’t as random as at first perceived.
In the intervening years life in Odu, 10-11 and all those other places has suffered change after change. Blistering change in fact. When I left, the WP were ruling in 7 systems and the mechanics were in place for a final push for reaching Duta and turning that place upside down and shaking out the old and bringing in the new, treating the populace to a new vision of prosperity. But all that has gone. Something had gone catastrophically wrong and the WP were in tatters.
As I jumped across the bubble, I dialled up the map and took a peek at the political status of Odu to find they had been ousted by the Coalition who had regained control of their home system. As for the WP in their home, control here was also gone and was now with the Nationals. Further away Duta and his party were still in charge, with the Inc being held down. Their firm grip held tight on things allowing for no opposition.
The WP presence remains in all those places they had managed to get themselves to, maintaining a footing but mainly having no political power. In only 4 systems were they now the ruling faction and all those were remote outposts of no consequence to the greater Super powers. I headed straight to the Asylum, hopefully to get some news on what has happened. The WP still hold this system, on the very fringe of the bubble. It has suffered from the fall from grace elsewhere, huge tariffs being placed on any goods being exported from here. After chatting to a couple of traders and miners, its pretty much the same scenario across all the WP systems. They only came here when anything cropped up that hindered peaceful times. As it happened, there was Civil War back home and apparently some minor squabble between the WP and the Nationals over the running of the minor outpost. I asked if they believed it could escalate, but as far as they were concerned the Nationals had the strength to fend off any trouble from the WP. They weren’t even sure if the WP are popular anymore, after what happened. So what did happen?
‘They stretched themselves too far. Not content with holding and improving as they had done initially, they were making expansion plans beyond their means. When the leader died, the oppositions took advantage as the new leader was weak.’
‘But how did the total collapse happen?’
‘Domino effect I think. First it was in D76, where there was an insurrection. That just encouraged others elsewhere as word got out. Next was home and once that went then the Coalition in Odu was like a tiger devouring an easy prey.’
‘And this place?’
‘No one wants it. And anyone who lives here doesn’t want the Rats or the One back.’
‘What do you do for supplies here then? You must struggle a bit.’
‘Regular runs to 3C get foods and stuff in return for mined metals. But the tariffs kill and chance of prosperity taking hold. Suits those that run that place I suppose.’
That sounds familiar.
‘I might well take a run down there and see what I can take out.’
‘Pop in the Traders Wreck, they usually have some Palladium to run and bring back food and medicines back.’
‘Cheers for the info. Best of luck.’
And I made my trading run to 3C.
At the start of my disappearing act, I didn’t let Merc and Oppo know why or where I was going. Just vanished. After a month or so I did get in touch and gave them the scantiest of detail and then fell silent for the years. I had no idea where they were, or even they were still alive. It was the slimmest of chance if they would still be here in this corner of the bubble. Lots of skilled combatants had moved to another corner to help against the onslaught of the alien activity that was first detected a couple of years ago. Maybe Oppo especially was fighting that great fight for the survival of humanity.
After selling the Palladium and getting food and medicines in, my first port of call when I landed was the bar, where else would you start. This was one place that certainly hadn’t changed in any way. So much so I half expected to see Merc stood in that same corner where I spotted him during the bar fight. Not today though. The barman however, well that was a different matter.