Pegasi Slave Rebellion - Epilogue - Return to Wongo
09 Dec 2017Daman
Wongo - LaPlace Prospect. 9/12/ 3303
The previous war in Wongo was at the start of the Pegasi Slave Rebellion against Black Omega. It is fitting that the final chapter cleaning up the Black Omega remnants in liberated space is taking place in the same system.
I have returned with Django, my vulture class ship. The last time it pulled out of LaPlace Prospect, it hovered face to face with Marra Morgan's highly engineered FDL war machine. That day was not a day to fight - and if it had been - Django would have been scattered all over LaPlace station.
Instead it escaped with a few minor dents. The initial scars of a long war that was just beginning at that time.
As it is now, it returns battle ready. Hardened hull, engineered shields and thrusters, double shot incendiery pacifier cannons. War may never change, but it changes those involved if they want to survive. Even, perhaps, thrive.
Pilot included.
The last time I was here - at the start of what was considered a hopeless and naive attempt to fight slavery in the Pegasi - Commander #Tager X was, well, fresh. Fresh from exploration, excited over the new python I had added to my modest fleet, and ready to right the wrongs of the universe.
Time passed. New allies. Learning how to lead a covert group of operatives - how best to use the few resources we had at our disposal. Learning how to utilise psy-ops, and how the most powerful weapons in an insurgency are not the physical military weapons used.
Revolution also turned out to be as profitable as it was exhilarating. New ships. Learning how to tune those ships. How to use them.
Close to a billion earned running around the Pegasi trying to build alliances against Omega.
Too much money in fact. I needed a legitimate front to launder the Railroad's gains. So we set up a transport agency specialsing in shifting refugees out of war torn systems. Sometimes the systems we had pushed into war. Maybe not such a virtuous cycle, but leading a revolution costs.
And so we are back where it all started. Mildly annoyed that LaPlace Prospect didn't have a landing pad suitable for my battle cutter, the Sparkling Conceit.
Still, though my presence here wasn't strictly necessary given that the remnants of Omega have only nominal control of the system, which will soon be removed by the Confederation of Wongo, I felt it appropriate to oversee the final handover of the spoils of war. The last system handed over as part of our accord with the Omega leadership.
It was all going as planned - the Confederation were well prepped, there were no serious threats to report. Going through the motions, once completed, the Railroad will be vacating this area and leaving the liberation zone to be protected by the very group it was liberated from. The ironic conclusion of compromises made for the greater good.
Preparing to leave the station accompanied by Chancellor Sebastian Landry, I was accosted by a lone woman.
"You betrayed us"
I paused, looking her up and down and considered my response. Her face was flushed with anger. Or maybe scorn, resentment.
"Our pilots fought for your cause - they gave their lives for your promises of liberation, and you abandoned us"
Tired, I had no idea what she was talking about.
"We are fighting. As of now there is a war going on. A few more days, and Wongo will be liberated."
"And what did we gain? What of our dead?"
I couldn't tell if she was about to explode in rage,or break down into tears. Maybe both.
Chancellor Landry whispered into my ear. Now I understood. She was a widow of one of the Social Keiadimui Labour pilots who had fought in the first war of Wongo. That initial war was a feint, a distraction while the railroad continued operations elsewhere and in order to lull Omega into a false sense of accomplishment.
Small comfort to those who had lost their close ones to the fighting at the time. Since then the Social Keiadimui presence and influence in Wongo had been marginal.
"Chancellor - please ensure all of the Social Keiadimui members in Wongo are well provided for once we formalise control of the system."
A brief nod and a few words of agreement from the Chancellor sufficed.
Turning back to my accoster - I calmly replied "Please excuse me - I have important business to attend to. And please accept my condolences. I am sorry for your loss."
Moving past her, I heard her response clearly.
"You don't mean that."
After a momentary pause, I continued to the dock. Strapped myself in and started up Django. Prepared for war.
I replayed her words over in my mind. Frowning.
Our objectives matter more than her individual loss. She was right.
I didn't.
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Postcript - as Django left LaPlace Prospect:
