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Mar 05, 2020 Ista Tolanna link
Ista Tollana was seated in one of the cafeteria areas of the Corvus station she was laying low in. She still did not have her ship although she had received an automated reply from it stating it had reactivated and was returning using low-energy mode because of some issues caused by just under 12 years of drifting. No ETA yet.

She was scanning the public network looking at available contracts, incredulous that it was now possible to pick up a contract to escort convoys with no background check. ‘This could be well worth exploring’ she mused. She wondered if she could get paid for the escorting then backtrack and pick off the stragglers…

Her thought was interrupted by an ad for a ship across the bottom of the screen, surprised that prices for them have not changed much in 12 years. She was encouraged, thinking that repairing her old atlas would not be any more than she had budgeted. That was good news since money was going to be tight until she was refitted, resupplied, and ready to head out.

This new ship called a Trident looked interesting. No prices on the information, file this away for later investigation...

Across the room a familiar voice caught her attention, someone in the food line getting breakfast. She knew the voice but was not remembering the name. Moments later the memory came into focus, looking 12 years older but sounding the same she realized it was tsreknor from TGFT. She turned away quickly hoping she was not seen. With all the time that past he looked different, he could have walked right past her and she would not have realized it if he had not spoken. But she knew she looked exactly the same as everyone who might recognizer her would remember. She stood and walked out the door opposite from the food so she could keep her back to him the entire way.

She decided she would spend more time in her rented room until she could leave. She could not afford to be noticed yet. Physical modifications to her face, height and DNA would be the right action, but it was not within her current means. She could look into that when she had the cash.

Her room wasn’t very nice. The network terminal didn’t function, it was small, it smelled a little funny, but there was a nice view on the wall screen. Every room in her price range would have the same view of the station exterior near the docking ports so one could watch the ships come and go. It was handy if you knew what you were looking for. She was watching as four UIT moths with the TGFT logo fly out of this Corvus station without an escort. She wondered what was different now, was it a lack of privateers, better security between stations, or some other reason they seemed to have no fear. She decided she had better research this facet of life before she took up ‘the profession’ again.

She looked over at her broken network terminal. She thought about being recognized in the public areas of the station. She decided that discretion was the word of the day so she walked to the maintenance office and complained about the terminal in her room being broken. She complained until they promised to fix it this week. Then she complained some more until they promised it by tomorrow. Then she complained even more until they promised a tech within the hour. She thought of this talent to motivate people to do her bidding via excessive speech as her super-power.

Smiling at the maintenance office staff as she left, she thought about a drink in the casino but decided on a nap back at the room so she would not miss the tech.

She would have sworn that she had just closed her eyes when there was a knock on the door...
Mar 06, 2020 xDraenoRx link
fuuuuuuuuuuuck who knocked on the door?!?!?
Aug 22, 2020 wolftrax link
Smoking story. let that pilot know i would fly beside her.
Sep 13, 2020 Sraer link
An excellent read! Can't wait for more!
Sep 15, 2020 theolodger link
nice story... wow thats a long time lol
Oct 24, 2020 krazyxcdriver link
WE WANT MORE
Nov 11, 2020 csgno1 link
Author, please continue...
May 26, 2023 incarnate link
Reviving the thread once again :).
Jun 15, 2023 Ista Tolanna link
Ahhhh it's so good to have my log back. Two years without it has been too long. How to catch up? Just start where I left off I guess.

There was a knock at the door, so I put my log in the safe and went to answer it. I was puzzled to see Kenny standing there with an odd smile on his face.

"Can I come in?" he said.

"No" I replied.

I was trying to figure out what was different about him besides the years. I had not spent much time with him but we knew each other a bit, mutual friends. I think the earring was new...

"Really, what I have to discuss is not for the hall".

I relented and stepped aside for him to enter.

"Famy wants you. We are the only pirate guild of significance remaining. We heard you were back and decided not to wait and see what you did. I'm just telling you now that you are either with us or against us". That last part he said while his face appeared more menacing that I remember him ever being able to pull off.

"I thought you were a trader in TGFT?" I said taking a step back. "Plus I'm an independent since before I went away, always will be".

"That was then, this is now. I need your final answer now."

"Oh you can't rush a lady!" I said while reaching around my back to the small blaster I keep in the liner of my jacket. He has anticipated this and hit me square in the face with some liquid he has in a small container in his left hand. The room spun, and then darkness.

I woke with this strange pain in my chest. I tried to sit up but felt weak. I was in a storage room, it looked like luggage piled around the room. I dragged myself to my feet and went to the door. I expected it to be locked but it wasn't. Opening it I looked around and tried to understand what I was seeing... I was on a small transport ship, the kind that ferried people and goods down to planets and back. This was a poor ship, dirty, like the owner had fallen on hard times.

A member of the crew walked up to me and said 'Oh good your awake, you're friend who carried you aboard said you were a drinker and didn't know when you'd be up and about!" The smile on this kid's face was irritating. He was about 20 standard years or so, probably his first job.

"Where are we headed?" I asked slowly, trying to contain my building rage. This wasn't his doing after all.

"We'll be arriving on the planet Tallis within the hour!" he said with sickening enthusiasm. Your ticket brings you to the arctic research and mining station at the south pole."

"Really?" I said trying to match his smile, and probably failing. "Any people there or just ice?"

"Oh I don't know, maybe five hundred? Mostly miners or researchers"

"Are there any populated places on your route?" I was trying to think fast. A city always has avenues of escape, little mining villages are easier to trap people in.

"There is one other settlement we stop at in the northern hemisphere which has one or two million people in it."

"Perfect!" I said, "you can drop me off there instead."

"Oh no" he said, his smile wavering a bit. "Your friend was quite clear where you were to get off."

Thirty minutes later I was sitting on the ground looking up at my ride receding in the distance. No money, no ID, no luggage. I felt so heavy on an actual planet, it felt hard to breathe. I turned my head and looked at the 'town' in the distance. I was very cold and decided I couldn't just sit there. I rose to my feet, and started the walk I knew would be unpleasant, and tried to think..
Jul 18, 2023 mybeatsarebollox link
Ive been holding off replying in the hope that the story would continue without interuptions but since thats been done already.......

MORE!!!!!!

MORE!!!!!!!
Sep 10, 2023 biretak link
it never happened to begin with. Just a fairy tail to exploit vo