Riley's Little Spot on the Web

“I thought that Druids revered trees as sacred,” Leainati jokingly asks.

“We do, this one is artificial.  No fallen needles to clean up, no fire hazard,” Ga’len responds.  Slowly, he continues to place ornaments on the tree.  He takes the time to step back every so ofter to look at the work he has done.  Is the tree balanced?  Are there too many lights on the left or right?  Are there too few ornaments on the lower branches?  These things must be considered.

Decorating a tree is a very important thing.  If there are too many ornaments and not enough lights, the three will look dull.  If there are too many lights and not ornaments, the tree will be too bright.  And the worst of all, too many of both and it will just look like a wreck in the corner.  It’s a delicate balance.  It takes a great deal of time to learn how to balance the tree with the room, the lights and the ornaments.

Suddenly, a moment of enlightenment appears across Ga’len’s eyes.  He looks upon the fruit of his labors and realizes that moment of enlightenment strikes his brain with perfect clarity.  Apparently Ga’len has yet to master this art.

“Well, it looks like…..crap,” Ga’len says with disgust, “I never can get these bloody things to look nice.”

“Wait a moment,” Leainati speaks with conviction as she looses a switch kick to the tree stand.  Suddenly ornaments begin to rain down on the work cloth.

Ga’len’s eye shoot wide and suddenly, another moment of enlightenment visits his brain.  Apparently Leainati has mastered the art of decorating a tree, “Looks much better sis’, much better indeed.”

Leainati looked at the tree with a smile and a questioning in her eyes, “I still don’t get it, what’s the purpose of display a tree with light an ornaments? What’s this Christmas thing you were talking about earlier?”

Ga’len motioned for her to sit at one of the banquet tables.  “Well, it was a long time ago,” Ga’len pauses for a moment, ” When I was still a student at the university on Oris.  I was studying the histories from the very ancient times, the age before the collapse of the EVE gate.”

“But I thought all that knowledge was lost,” Leaianati askes, “When the civilizations almost died out, nothing survived.”

Ga’len smiled and continued, “Many things were lost, but there were pieces of old parchment, old data storage devices and other relics of our collective past that have survived the ages.  Some things are so old that no one really knows if they belong to the Amarr or Minmatar or possibly even the Jovians.  Records from before the rise of man in this age are almost impossible to find.  The few that do exist are either discarded as cleverly crafted fabrications meant for stirring up controversy or are simply beyond our understanding.  I was working in the archives and I came across an old metal box with a picture of a star on it.  When I opened the box, I found an old book written in a Terran dialect similar to the common language used today.   The book was very delicate but was strong enough to survive the digital capturing process.”

Leaniati gasped, “A book?!  A Terran book?  What was it, tell me!”

Ga’len pulled out a datapad from his pocket, “I still have a copy of it here.  It was a ’scrapbook’, a collection of research articles and piece of literature.  Here, read this poem, The Night Before Christmas.”

He hands the datapad to his sister.  After a few moments she places the datapad on the table, “So, some fat guy in a red suit breaks into your home at night and leaves you gifts as he flys around in some cart with ‘magical’ beasts of burden.  No wonder you Amarrians are so screwed up!”

Ga’len laughs so hard that he nearly falls out of his seat.  “Most Amarrians don’t believe in this old story, heck, I doubt that most of them have read this poem.  It was stored in the archives, I had to sneak this out of there as it was forbidden to take anything from the old vaults.”

Ga’len continues, “Christmas as I learned was an ancient religious holiday on Earth.  It celebrates the birth of a man who is supposed to be a son of their god.  This man was to bring peace to the world.  His presence was revered at the time and many people followed his teachings.  As time progressed on Earth, new traditions came to pass to celebrate this man’s birth.  Winter was harsh in ancient times and people would bring greenery into their homes to try to lighten the mood.  It began to decorate the greenery and on a day in a month called December, people would exchange gifts.”

Leainati nods her head, “Ah, so the tree was one of these pieces of greenery then?”

“Yes, in time, people started to decorate a tree they would bring into their homes,” Ga’len turned to look at the tree they had put up.

“Well, what happened to this man?  Did he succeed in teaching people to be nice to each other?” Leaniati asks.

Ga’len frowns a bit, “I’m not sure.  From what I was able to learn, he was eventually killed by his own people.”

“Figures, someone wanting to change the world would fail, no one can make a difference,” Leaniati spoke with bitter anger in her voice.

Ga’len took up his datapad and pulled up another story.  He began to read it aloud.

Here is a man who was born in an obscure village, the child of a peasant woman. He grew up in another obscure village, where He worked in a carpenter shop until He was thirty, and then for three years He was an itinerant preacher.

He never wrote a book. He never held an office. He never owned a home. He never had a family. He never went to college. He never put his foot inside a big city. He never traveled two hundred miles from the place where He was born. He never did one of the things that usually accompany greatness. He had no credentials but Himself. He had nothing to do with this world except the naked power of His divine manhood.

While still a young man, the tide of public opinion turned against Him. His friends ran away. One of them denied Him. He was turned over to His enemies. He went through the mockery of a trial.

He was nailed to a cross between two thieves. His executioners gambled for the only piece of property He had on earth while He was dying—and that was his coat. When he was dead He was taken down and laid in a borrowed grave through the pity of a friend.

Nineteen wide centuries have come and gone and today He is the centerpiece of the human race and the leader of the column of progress. I am far within the mark when I say that all the armies that ever marched, and all the navies that ever were built, and all the parliaments that ever sat, all the kings that ever reigned, put together have not affected the life of man upon this earth as powerfully as has that One Solitary Life. -Quoted

Leainati sat still with a tear rolling down here cheek, “One man changed the world.  Wait, I thought that Druids didn’t believe in the Amarrian god.”

“Well, I never said I didn’t believe in a god.  I just don’t believe in the Amarrian religion,” Ga’len smiled, “The divine is perfection.  Belief and faith are attempts to be one with that perfection, that truth of existence.  Druids seek that truth.  Religion is something made by man.  Things that are made by man can never be perfect as man will always be flawed.  To me at least, I don’t believe in religion.  I believe in truth.”

Leainati speaks slowly as she looks are more and more information on Ga’len’s datapad, “So regardless if you were religious, you could celebrate this holiday as well?’

Ga’len looks at Leainati with a big smile, “Most people did and it’s why I do.  The Druid holiday is around the same time, so why not?  Christmas celebrations were times that you spent with family and friends, exchanged gifts, ate great meals and reminded oneself of what was important in life.”

” Look at it this way.  It does not matter if you believe if this man, Jesus, was actually a son of a god nor if you are a religious person.  If you are a good person with a good heart and different beliefs, it does not matter what you believe.  It matter that you believe in something.  You believe in fighting to free your people from oppression, to be kind to those who need kindness and dispatch your wrath upon those who would do you and yours harm.  I believe in freeing the human race from slavery, both the slaves and those who call themselves their masters.  We both believe in what this man tried to teach our race many ages ago, don’t we?” Ga’len asks.

“We believe that we can be better than we are,” Leainati spoke soflly, “that we are not perfect, but we can try to be.”

“Yes”, Ga’len responds, “we can be better than we are.  We may never get there, but it’s the journey that allows us to find those perfect moments of truth.  It’s the belief that we can be better, that faith in that truth, that will get us there when we pass into the next life.”

Leainati asks more question, “So, what else did they do around Christmas?  Anything very strange?”

Ga’len thought for a moment, “Well, some people used to walk around and sing in front of the doors of people’s homes.  Young men sometimes would chase young ladies around, holding a twit above their heads, something called ‘mistletoe’.  Perhaps it was some game, who knows.  Oh yes, that Santa fellow you read about, the one who would break into your house.  People would leave food out for him.  Give a fat man a sugary, fat filled cookie.  Very strange indeed.  Oh, something about leaving a piece of carbon in a stocking, still trying to figure that one out….”

More of The Bleeding Rose

It was warm and smooth. The meat was full of warm flavor and spices, the potatoes all mashed filled the mouth with warm goodness. In ages past they called it “comfort food”, that sort of filling warmth of a meal that brought memories of your childhood to your eyes with each savory bite.

“I see that you like that dish”, the waitress said to her quiet customer, “I believe the old woman called it ‘Shepard’s Pie’”

Ga’len swallowed his last bite slowly, smiling as his stomach felt much better. Being a capsuleer had the benefits of nutrients being provided by the pod, but real food was always something that made him feel somewhat human again. Being a Demi-god like Capsuleer had it’s benefits, being able to walk among both the eternal and among the mortals.

“I do like this, please thank the cook for me”, Ga’len spoke with a relaxed voice, “It’s been some time since I’ve eaten real food.”

From behind the counter, the old woman rose to her feet. Slowly she walked towards Ga’len and the light beamed from her revealed her face. Her words fell through the air and landed squarely upon the counter before him.

“Rebellion against the Amarr suits you my Lord Grendalis.”

Ga’len froze. All the eyes in the room focused upon him and this old woman. He could not believe what he just heard nor what was before his eyes. The kind aged eyes, gentle friendly smile and a glow of timeless wisdom was again, standing before him. He could feel an ocean of joy fill his heart.

“You should know better Seenan, my name is Ga’len”, Ga’len spoke with a smile on his face, “You should know, you gave it to me so long ago. Lord Grendalis died as the coward that he was. His son was reborn, with your help, into truth long ago.”

Seenan chuckled lightly and hugged Ga’len, “So, you kept the name I see. Well, to me you will always be kin regardless of where you came from. Action defines the person, not the past”, her smile relaxed everyone in the room, “It is good to see you but I must ask, what happened to your hair?”

Ga’len slowly ran his hand over his head. He could feel the slight stubble that should have been his hair on his cool scalp. He was instantly reminded of the events of last week.

“Well, when one is fighting for freedom of his people, sacrifices have to be made”, Ga’len remarked.

“Lost your ship. That’s what I heard”, Seenan’s words stung as if she was a mother commenting on a child’s hard learned lesson.

“Lost it in battle I did, but self destructed my pod to get back here for another ship and to return to the battle. It was the quickest way.” Ga’len’s voice was filled with the teenage pride Seenan had heard so long ago.

“Many lost their ships last night my son”, Seenan patted him on the shoulder, “I didn’t mean to upset you.”

Ga’len smiled, “You could not upset me my friend. Loose a head of hair, free some more of our people. It’s worth it to me. Now, tell me, what brings you to our fair home in deep space?”

Seenan stared at Ga’len and very lightly smacked him on the side of his head. “I guess you have forgotten that today is a great moment in history you silly git.”

Ga’len sat there and thought for a moment. A wide smile spread across his face. “Ah yes, you are referring to one of the most important days if the life of a Warrior of the Ushra’khan, are you not?”

From a dark corner of the room, two voices rang through the room, “She is Ga’len, that she is.”

Everyone in the room turned their heads towards that dark corner. Tanitel and Leainati are standing there with huge smiles on their faces.

“Ah, everything is perfect, everyone is here now,” Ga’len cheerfully observes, “Lets begin the birthday celebration!”

Happy Birthday Ushra’Khan!!

Visit the birthday message thread on the EVE Forums:

[UNITY] A Half Decade of Struggle

Silence.

The dark silence was deafening, eternal, whole. There was nothing, just the dark.

Movement did not seem to register, sound did not pervade consciousness, there was simply nothing.

This was not right. There was never nothing there, there was always something there. Something, something was missing.

Ga’len began to think that the nothing would remain. This was it, this was the end. His ship did not respond his thoughts. No systems status, no movement, not even a response to the pod interface. Nothing was working.

Silence, utter and complete lack of anything.

Then, in the distance a sound. A high pitched tone, very barley audible. Yes, it was there. Sound was registering, barely, but it was registering.

Finaly, something was piercing the void. The nothing gave way to sound, louder and louder the sound grew. It was becoming the focus of Ga’len’s consciousness.

In the darkness, the sound grew and grew until it was everything. There nothing was gone, everything was around him now. He could feel his body now, the sound pervaded ever fiber of his being.

Was this the end? Was this the song of the angels to take him into the next life?

Slowly, his eyes opened. Above him was a bright light. It was blinding like standing on the surface of a star. There was sound and light and everything was there now. He could feel his arms and legs. He could feel his toes wiggle and his fingers move slightly.

Then, a voice flowed into his ears.

“Sir, the cloning process is complete, you can get up now.”

Ga’len slowly sat up on the bed bewildered, “Huh? What….I thought….ahem. I heard angels singing.”

The nurse looked at Ga’len with a puzzled look, “Angels?”

“Yes”, Ga’len replied, “In fact I can still hear the music. Yes, I still hear it, don’t you?”

The nurse looked around and then faced Ga’len smiling. She spoke with a joking tone in her voice, “Ah, no worries love, it’s not angels. Look behind you, the music you are hearing is from our new marketing kiosk here in station.”

Ga’len slowly turned around and look where the nurse was pointing. A brand new Duvolle Laboratories sales kiosk was standing near the entrance to the cloning facility.

As Ga’len’s slowly turned back around, an expression of understanding and disappointment filled his face. There were no angels to take him to paradise.

“No worries love”, the nurse said to Ga’len as she patted him on the apologetically shoulder, “it happens all the time.”

Energy began to crackle through the hull.  A slight hum began to pervade the entire structure and suddenly, a violent surge of energy rapidly expanded from the center of this golden structure.  It flashed to life, skewed horizontally and then split wide open, expanding in two directions as far as the eye could see.  The light released illuminated the surrounding space as the Stargate sprang to life slowing the traveler down as the arrived at their destination.

Another person had jumped into system, perhaps to become the subject of violence.

Darkness surrounded the hull save for the gleam that should have been reflecting light from the system’s single star.  Being cloaked in a stealth bomber was one of Ga’len’s great joys.  Sitting there, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

Soon the new traveler would become visible as the effects of travel would fade.  The energy surge from jumping between stargates would dissipate and his next victim would become visible.

The seconds passed slowly.  Ga’len willed his ship to begin to move, his bombing run had begun.

“Wait for it, wait for it”, Ga’len kept thinking to himself, “Soon they will become visible, then release the bomb and warp out.”

In a slight waver, the last of the energy surrounding the incoming traveler dissipated away and the ship became visible for a moment before it accelerated into warp.

“Damn, it’s a shuttle”, Ga’len’s thoughts began to wander, “Three shuttles in a row, this is simply not working today.” He willed his ship to a halt, turned around and moved back to his start position for a bombing run on the stargate.

Ga’len could hear the words his corpie spoke weeks ago, “Patience, wait for the moment, something worth killing will come soon.  All those shuttle pilots will come back in a vessel worth laying waste to.  Keep waiting, you will get your chance for battle soon enough.”

So, Ga’len continued to wait.  Hours passed and still nothing came through the gate.  As boredom began to creep into Ga’len and his lonely ship, the comms came alive.

“ATTENTION ALL HANDS, RALLY IN F4.  ALL HAND RALLY IN FAST ROAMING SHIPS IN F4 IMMEDIATELY.  LORD MAKK IS FORMING A FLEET, ALL HANDS RALLY IN F4 IMMEDIATELY!”

“Something happened“, Ga’len thought, “There were no planned operations for few more hours.  Something must have happened.”

Ga’len willed his ship to warp to the stargate at the other end of the system and he began the trip back to the rally point.  He activated his comms system to alert the hanger crew to ready his Taranis.  A Lord Makk roaming operation, he would need interceptors to get those targets tackled quickly.

Quickly Ga’len made his way to the station, docked, had his pod moved into the Taranis, undocked and warped to the stargate as Lord Makk and his gang were jumping through.

“ALL HANDS FORM UP ON THE NEXT GATE, DESTINATION HAS BEEN BROADCAST!”, the comms were screaming with orders from Lord Makk, “DISHONORED DUEL, HE MUST DIE!  WE WILL KILL EVERYTHING IN OUR PATH!”

Ga’len moved his ship as fast as he could, catching up with the gang on the next gate.  As they continued to move quickly towards their destination, Ga’len skimmed over the battle reports from earlier in the evening.

“Dishonored duel?“, Ga’len muttered to himself in his mind, “Cometeer again, eh?  Will these Sylph cowards never learn?  You act without honor and we shall lay our wrath upon you.  Funny how ‘their’ god accepts such scum.”

“Lord Makk, I am reading about the events from earlier this evening.  You engaged in a duel with a slaver pet, correct?” Ga’len asked his FC as they traveled faster now.

“Yes,” Lord Makk replied.

“And they dishonored the accord by bringing more combatants onto the field when things went badly for this scum, Cometeer, correct.”

Again Lord Makk replied, “Yes.”

“And this surprises you sir?”, Ga’len jokingly inquired.

There was a slight delay in his response, but Lord Makk was calm and focused, “No, it does not surprise me, but one can hope that a slaver pet will repent their ways and see the truth and light of fighting with dignity and honor.  Such lack of integrity of character continues to motivate me to lay waste to their ships and their space.  USHRA’KHAN!”

The comms filled with shouts from everyone in the gang chanting, responding to Lord Makk and his battle cry, “USHRA’KHAN!  USHRA’KHAN! USHRA’KHAN! WE COME FOR OUR PEOPLE!”

Lord Makk was beaten in what should have been a fair fight.  A contest between capsuleers was not to be taken lightly.  When you agree to engage in a duel, the terms must be honored.  Lord Makk wanted revenge and we all would lay waste upon these cowards.

A few moments later, we arrived at a stargate and a slaver pet in a Drake was waiting for us.  Without a moment’s notice, we engaged him.  Ga’len’s Taranis, The Bleeding Rose, screamed towards the doomed battlecruiser.  Guns firing, tackle gear engaged and drones released, the entire gang worked quickly and soon the ship was a fireball in space.

So fragile, so delicate, this poor soul’s pod was sitting there in the wreckage.  A moment later, Ga’len could be heard on the comms, “POINT ON POD!”  Before the static of the transmission cleared everyone’s ears, the hull of the pod cracked open, the Jovian goo evaporated away in a frozen cloud as a corpse flash froze in the hard vacuum.

“Recall drones and warp to the next gate, we are not done yet,” Lord Makk ordered the fleet, “We will continue through their space.  We will find Cometeer and lay justice upon the coward.”

And thus over the next few hours this was the way of things.  We roamed all over Sylph space, laying waste to all who crossed our path.  Cometter never came out of his station.  He stayed there, hiding in fear, hiding with the filth of his dishonor.

Ship after ship and pod after pod fell to our onslaught and in time a response was gathered.   The infamous “Provi-blob” attempted to show it’s dishonorable face.

Lord Makk spoke calmly, “Okay everyone, we are going to jump and hold postion until everyone is in system, then burn off towards the sun as fast as you can.  We will engage anyone who comes near us until they flee, then move in and kill them all.”

The fleet jumped into the next system, we held position, like the shuttle Ga’len encountered earlier that night, waiting for the energy of gate travel to dissipate.

Lord Makk’s order came, “Move now, towards the star.  Engage that inteceptor but keep moving.”

Ga’len deployed his drones and target locked the crusader as it quickly closed the distance.  As he cleared the interdictor bubble, the crusader sped past him.  Another interceptor was closing in as the first attacker’s hull exploded.

One after another slaver attempted to engage us and were destroyed.  Then they began to flee through the stargate.  Lord Makk gave chase and most of the gang followed.  Ga’len and a few others had to repair some damage before getting underway.

As Ga’len jumped into the system the gang had caught the curse in, the slaver died a proper death.

“Well, it seems that they still can not match us”, Lord Makk commented, “We have come for our people, laid waste to our enemies and not lost a single ship along the way. Okay everyone, it’s time to head home.  Set course and let’s go.  Do remember, we will kill anything we come across.”

Slowly we made our way back to the rally point, but this time, everyone fled before us.  Each time we jumped into a system, the slavers and their pets fled.  Each time they fled, the chanting of our honorable warriors could be heard, echoing through each system, “USHRA’KHAN!  USHRA’KHAN!”

We came for vengeance, we found cowardice and we laid waste upon them.  It was no longer Slyph space, it was our space now.  They acted with dishonor and it was their blood that was spilled this night.

Ga’len is sitting in his quarters at Unity station.  He is busy writing a presentation for a meeting of The Reformed Druids of New Eden, Amarr chapter.  Since his time in Empire space is short, he has opted for a question and answer session rather than a long drawn out lecture.  He smiles as he stops to read his remarks and consult his notes from his last question and answer presentation from his meeting at the Tash-Murkon Prime chapter:

Ladies and Gentlemen, thank you, thank you.  You are too kind.

I want to thank all you for asking me to speak before you today.  I am very grateful for this opportunity.  Now, I remember my days back in school and I must say, I hated sitting in a long, boring lecture.  I did however enjoy my philosophy class where we would have an open discussion.  We would be given a piece of truth to which we would debate for an hour.

That being said, I have a piece of truth to share with you all.  It’s a reality that simply had not been revealed to my eyes until most recently.

As many of you are aware, I have repented my ways as a pirate and made the choice to free humanity from the bonds of slavery.  Our brothers and sisters have been enslaved for far to long and now is the time to win their freedom.

Of course, with all justice, there are those that must be punished.  With punishing those who would choose to be slavers as we call them, you see more and more truth.

I have learned that there is a misconception concerning Minmatar ships.  They are in fact NOT covered in rust but rather in blood.

This the piece of truth we shall discuss here.

Ga’len continues to read his notes from the meeting.  He stops and begins the playback of the holoreel that one of the attendees sent him.  It begins with Ga’len continuing his point:

Minmatar ships, that isn’t rust on the hull. It simply can’t be rust.  It’s impossible.

With all the kills that Ushra’Khan obtains from dispensing justice and combating the scourge that corrupts the Amarr Empire, you can’t believe it’s rust.

It must be blood, it simply must be.   How can that reddish color on the ship hulls not be blood?

A member of the audience stands up and begins to speak:

It must be true! It must be blood!  When a corpse is released into the vacuum of space, it become very fragile.  When a ship hull impacts with said corpse, the simple thermal transfer would allow the blood and tissue to warm a bit as it boils away in the vacuum and deposit itself upon your ship’s hull!

Another audience member stands up and continues the debate:

It can’t be true.  I have seen many Ushra’Khan ships leaving Sylph Alliance space and they are always covered in yellow.  Blood is red, this can’t be true.

The first audience member is a smart one, a true Druid:

I see the flaw in your argument my friend, allow me to explain.  Ga’len, if I may have the floor?

Ga’len can been seen smiling widely, savoring the debate to come.  He motions for this young wonder to continue his thought:

Ushra’Khan has been fighting CVA for years now.  It seems to me that if you are an organization that is taking a lot of damage, you would find ways to mitigate that damage.  You would strenghten your defenses.  CVA has done this very well and we all must admit the genius of what they have done.  Why fight the Ushra’Khan when you can get someone else to do it.  It’s an ancient combat tactic known as ‘The Meat Shield’.

The second audience member sits down and everyone in the hall listens intently:

It’s a commonly known fact that cowards bleed yellow.  It’s something that has been known for thousands of years. Ushra’Khan ships leaving Sylph space are covered in yellow ‘blotches of cowardice’ because that is what is inside of those pitiful Sylph souls who fell in combat.  Why do you think most Amarr ships are a golden yellow?  They are covered in the cowardice of the ‘meat shields’ they use to fight their battles.

Ga’len holds can been seen to he holding up his hands.  He is chuckling slightly as he begins to speak:

My friend, well said.  Other than the obvious flaw in your argument, I enjoyed that.  Yes, your argument has a flaw.  In order for a Sylph to fall in combat, they have to un-dock from the station first!

Laughter fills the hall and the discussion continues on the holoreel. Ga’len turns off the holoreel projection and begins to write some more…

Captain Ga’len surveyed the shinning hull in his hanger.  An Archon class Carrier is a beautiful thing.  Standing there, he was in awe of the ship.

“Sir, all ships and cargo are loaded”, the hanger attendant stood close by, updating Ga’len on the loading process.

“Thank you”, Ga’len said with a cheer in his voice as he walked towards the capsule embarking station.  Soon he would be nestled inside his pod and loaded deep within the hull of the Blade of Truth.

“Hailing station master, this is Ga’len of the Blade of Truth, requesting clearance to disengage all moorings and undock from the station”, his voice mimicked by the neural interface within his pod echoed through the comms systems.

“Station master to Blade of Truth, you are all clear to undock.”

Slowly, the Blade of Truth made its way through the internal pathways of the station and was soon in space.  The Archon class carrier shudder slightly as the jump drive came online and the first step of the journey was underway as the Blade of Truth simply vanished from visible space outside the station.

Many in Otou were wondering where Ga’len had gone.  He had seemed distant over the past few days, reading messages from some woman from which he said he had lost touch.  Where did he go?

The only clue was a station container left behind in the corporate hangers.  It was labeled “A gift to all members of the Neo Spartans.  Inside they found many battleships, HAC’s, AF’s, cruisers and frigates fitted for the ways of piracy as well as ammunition, modules and various other items.  There was also an old wooden box, some bottles of Quafe and a letter.

My friends, it has come time for me to make a choice.

It is time to take the next step and become the man I have been growing to become.  My half-sister is alive and her struggle for her people, my people, our people is in need of my help.  Minmatar and Amarr have much they can learn from each other as I have learned over the years.  The Minmatar people have learned much, however, the Amarr still live in darkness.  Empress Jamyl I works to enlighten all those who live in darkness.  She has decreed that all the slaves are to be freed.

My father rebelled against this edict and was killed for it as he should have been.  He was a slayer of slaves and his fate is well deserved.  Unfortunately, there are many others that hold true to the cruelty my father thrived on and this injustice to the Minmater people as well as the human race must stop.

So drink to our friendship and the future, I wish you all the best Neo Spartans.  I go forth with honor.  I go forth with a mind for justice and fairness.  I go….for my people.

When the Neo Spartans opened the old wooden box, the painting found inside gave them a hint where their longtime friend had gone.

Bright light surrounded the shuttle and they both felt a wave of energy ripple through the shuttle.  A brighter flash and they were gone, catapulted across thousands of kilometers into space.

“We have made it into Tash-Murkon Prime”, Ga’len spoke with the sound of relief in his voice, “We need dock at a station here and refuel.  Do you have any preferences?”

“The station at Planet II, Moon 1, the Kaalakiota Corporation Factory?” asked Leainati, “That should do well.  The computer shows that there is a very active market there.  We can get fuel and anything else we need.”

As Ga’len read the status panel on the navigation display, the shuttle lurched violently.  Sparks flew out from the control panel, fire sprang forth from another panel to his left and the cabin was filled with alarm sounds.

Ga’len could barely hear himself above the din as he yelled, “WE NEED TO GET INTO THE EVA SUITS, THE HULL IS BREAKING OPEN!!!”"

As the hull tore open, there was nothing but silence.  The peaceful quiet of deep vacuum was all around as the wreckage of the shuttle flew apart.

***

Beep…….Beep…….Beep…..Beep….., the sound pierces the darkness.  Slowly, Ga’len opened his eyes.  The blurry world that surrounded him was dark, but things were coming into focus.  He could see blackness all around him.  In the distance, the stars were beginning to pierce the blackness that surrounded him.  He moved his arm to rub his eyes, but his hand hit the face glass of his helmet.

I am floating in space…, Ga’len thought.  Quickly, he checked the datapad on his sleeve, his suit was working properly.  The emergency locator beacon was working, signaling for any rescue ships to come retrieve him.  The scanner showed that he was near the stargate, debris was all around him.

Thoughts were racing through his mind, What happened?  Where was Leainati? Opening the comms array on the suit he yelled, “Leainati!  Are you there?!?!”

All Ga’len could hear was static.  He was alone, alone in the black.  Alone waiting for the Amarr Navy rescue ship to close the distance and bring him to safety.

The coms on his EVA suit sprang to life, “Attention pilot, this is TMP patrol ship 265.  We are moving in to retrieve you.  Are you injured?”

“I don’t think so,” Ga’len replied, “Do you have the woman who was aboard the shuttle with me?”

Ga’len’s heart sunk as he listened to the response from TMP patrol ship 265, “We are sorry, we have picked up numerous emergency beacons as there are several ships that were destroyed by the pirate attack near the stargate.  We are a bit overwhelmed at the moment and doing what we can.  We will retrieve you shortly, standby.”

As Ga’len waited his turn to be rescued, he began to survey the carnage that lay before him.  Floating in the emptiness were pieces of wreckage, pieces of what could only be bodies and almost 300 ships with the DED banner on their hulls.  Something had happened at the stargate that CONCORD sent a large presence to the location.

What could have loosed such destruction in Empire space?, Ga’len’s thoughts continued to wander, Leainati, where are you? Are you safe?  Why don’t you answer?

***

The room was darker now, the light of the Otou star no longer filled the window.  Ga’len was still sitting in his chair, still reading the datapad and his disbelief was turning to joy.

She was alive, Ga’len thought to himself, Alive and well.

“So my sister,” Ga’len whispered as he looked out at the stars, “So, you are alive. I need to find you.”

Ga’len put down his datapad and activated the console on the desk.  He began looking through the database and reading all the Scope news reports about the incident in Yulai as well as the new war between the Minmater and the Amarr.  Empress Jamyl I had abolished slavery, but the atrocities continue against the Minmater people.

The Neo Spartans have been good to me, but perhaps it’s time for a change, Ga’len’s thoughts spring to and fro, Perhaps it’s time to strike out on my own again.  Throw caution to the wind and wander as I once did.  I need to find Leainati.  It’s time…”

Cerah he was dreaming of Tanitel again.  Tanitel, the loyal ‘Minnie footman’, she thought as she dreamed.

It was over twenty years ago when she met Tan.  Cerah was learning, at the protest of her parents, all she could about the Minmatar people.  Tan was her guide in this journey into the forbidden knowledge of the slaves.  Nonetheless, Cerah pursued all she could learn and in turn, pursued her guide.  He was a strong man, proud with tradition and yet he treated her as if she was as close as kin.  Over time, Tan and Cerah did fell in love.  Such things happen when people spend time with one another.  In Amarrian, society ‘love relations’ do occur between the Amarr and their slaves, but it is not usually a mutual love, more of lustful abuse of the slaves.

Cerah and Tanitel had a different love.  A true love, one that you read about in the books of old.  Such ‘equal love’ had to be kept secret.  It had to remain hidden from the Amarrian world.  To allow their love to become known would have meant death for the both of them.

Painful it was, honoring the wishes of her parents to marry Galen Grendalis the IV.  She had no choice.  An arranged marriage on their world was not something that one could simply walk away from or at least, walk away alive.  The Grendalis family was one of the most powerful on Oris.  Her parents would have thought it an honor to marry into that family.  It was her curse to be wed to such a man.  His cruelty towards the Minmatar was well known.  He was the slayer of slaves.

Through everything, Tan was still there and alive.  He had been picked as her loyal footman, to tend to her needs when she was venturing beyond the grounds of the manor.  Some thought it odd that an Amarrian woman would have such a trusted slave, but it was not unheard of in the Empire.  To allow such an Amarrian Lady to fall into harms way would result in the destruction of many Minmatar villages.  It was point of honor to protect those women, yet another stone of oppression to hold over the collective heads of the Minmatar people.

Slowly, she opened her eyes.  It was dark again; night had fallen as she slept through the day.  She felt weak, drained.  The news that her son Galen would face the whip in the morning brought tears to her eyes again.  Softly she sobbed as she lay in her bed.

A quiet whisper sneaked out from the darkness, “Do not be sad my love.  All is not lost.”  Tanitel’s words floated through the night and settled upon Cerah’s troubled mind like the warm rays of the springtime sun.

“Tan, oh my Tan.  You have snuck in here again.  I have missed you these past few months.”  Cerah’s voice was weak and filled with pain.

“My love, I have a wonderful gift for you, “Tanitel spoke softly as he placed the data pad into her cold hand, “Look at your son…and our daughter.”

Cerah’s eye opened widely.  She stared at Tanitel and with tears filling her blue eyes, “Daughter?  I can not know anything of her, if Galen was to learn what I knew, she would be in danger.”

Tanitel smiled and helped Cerah to sit upright.  As he put his arm around her, he took the data pad and held it so they could both see the picture.

“Cerah, the Five will leave the Eight, you remember those words, don’t you?”  Tanitel whispered gently, “Galen Grendalis the Fifth and his sister Leainati have left Oris.  So look at your family my love, they are free.”

Cerah looked at the picture, “Oh, she is so beautiful.  Galen and Leainati, they are gone?  They have left?”

“Yes my love,” continued Tanitel, “Leainati rescued Ga’len from the chapel and they took a shuttle off planet.  Soon they will be too far for danger to reach them.”

“Ga’len?” asked Cerah, “you called him Ga’len, why?”

“It is the name Seenan has given him.  His new life needed a new name and he seemed to like it,” Tanitel held Cerah closer.

Cerah smiled and closed her eyes, “They are free.  Free to live their lives.  At last…”

Her breathing grew shallow and her embrace grew weaker.  Slowly she drifted away into sleep in Tanitel’s arms.  Slower and slower, he weak breath escaped her lips until it was quiet.

The room seemed to grow darker as Tanitel realized that he was alone.  The Five had left the Eight and so had Cerah’s life too slipped away this night.

Tanitel lightly kissed her on the lips, “Sleep my love, and be free.  It has been too long.  Your wishes will be honored.”

***

Dawn came to Oris quietly.  The sun slowly crept up across the horizon, spreading its light over the mountains, down into the valley and across the fields.  The Minmatar slaves had already been working for hours in the dark and they were about to begin their morning meal break, but this morning would be different.

Galen Grendalis the Fourth had called an assembly at the chapel.  Here within the chapel and on view screens all over the installation, everyone would watch the wrath of Galen befall those who would attack and kill Amarrian guards.  They would all witness yet another beating but this time, it was another Amarr citizen, his son.  All was going according to plan, Galen Grendalis was much too happy with himself.  Soon he would show all those who had been disobedient that he was their ruler and his power was uncontestable.

The knock on the door shattered the serenity of his morning meal.  “WHY DO YOU DISTURB ME?!?!?  ENTER!”,  Galen shouted.

The door slowly opened and the standing in full armor was Nathorn, the head of the house guard.  He was a large man, broad shoulders.  His face was clean; his hair was always perfectly presentable.  He always stood tall and possessed an arrogant and commanding presence, but this morning, he stood in a half-bent over cower.  It was clear that he was very unsettled, something was very wrong on this morning.

“Milord, I am most sorry to bring you this sad news.”  Nathorn’s voice was trembling with fear.  The news must be severe for this man to be filled with fear.

“WELL, OUT WITH IT YOU FOOL!”  Galen grew impatient.  He hated to be disturbed in the morning.

Nathorn continued, “The doctor visited upon your wife, the Lady Cerah this morning and has discovered that she has passed.  I am so sorry milord; please accept the condolences of myself, my family, and the house guard.”

Galen Grendalis sat there in his chair.  He paused his chewing for a moment and looked up at Nathorn.  “This is why you have disturbed me?  To tell me that ungrateful bitch, that rotting corpse in my bed has finally succumbed to her laziness?  Tell me, “Galen’s voice was filled with contempt, “why I should not have you killed?  Sad news?  This is good news.  She is finally dead, good riddance!”

Nathorn remained motionless and stuck in is half-cowering stance.  “There is more milord,” his voice was very broken, and he was shaking in fear, “It would seem that your son has escaped from the chapel during the night.”

“WHAT!?!?!?!?!  WHAT DO YOU MEAN HE HAS ESCAPED!”, Galen flew up out of his chair and ran across the room.  He drew his knife that he always kept on his belt and slashed out at Nathorn’s throat.   The blade clanged against the neck armor and then fell to the floor.

“NATHORN, YOU WILL FIND MY SON AND BRING HIM TO THE CHAPEL NOW!  YOU HAVE TEN MINUTES AND IF YOU DO NOT BRING HIM, I WILL MAKE SURE I GET THROUGH YOUR ARMOR NEXT TIME!”, Galen’s voice was filled with rage enough to push Nathorn out of the room.

Nathorn called out, “GUARDS!  GUARDS!  FIND GALEN GRENDALIS THE FIFTH IMMEDIATLY!”

Galen stormed out of the room, stopping only to pick up his knife.  As he exited the doorway, the slashed out with his knife and killed the first man he saw.  The servant who was moving the body of Cerah Grendalis found his throat cut wide open, he fell to the ground with a gurgling choke, and blood sprayed everywhere.

The cleric escorting the body spoke, “Milord!  Please stop!  We understand you may be distraught with the passing of you wife, but…,” the servant’s voice was stopped short and the blade slashed out again, cutting his shoulder deeply.  He ran away down the hall, screaming in pain.

Galen Grendalis the ’slayer of slaves’ was on a rampage and anyone who fell into his path would die.  The manor was going to become a bloody place again.

***

Hidden in the shadows in the hallway, Tanitel observed the carnage.

“How fortunate, his rage has helped me for once,” Tanitel thought, “With that dammed cleric gone tending his wounded shoulder and unfortunately the servant dead, Cerah has been left alone.  My love, as I promised, your wishes will be honored.”

Tanitel moved quickly, picked up Cerah in his arms, and ran down the east hall, ducked around the corner and headed into the secret passage he had come to depend on.  In another moment, he was out of the manor and safely heading into the woods.

Deeper into the woods, Tanitel tried to make his way as quietly as he could.  He would soon be missed the morning meal.  He had managed to elude being seen and unbeknownst him, missed as the first shift began its work in the fields.

Deeper and deeper Tanitel traveled, towards the old ruins.

It would be here, as Cerah had told him long ago, that he would build the pyre.  It would be here that Cerah Grendalis would finally see her freedom from this life.

“Soon my love, soon you will be free among the starts,” Tanitel’s thoughts drifted from Cerah’s last wish and their daughter, “This is so cruel Leainati.  You barely knew your mother and now she is gone.”

Further and further into the forest Tanitel silently moved.  Soon, soon it will all be over.

***

Seenan was gathered with many workers from the first shift.  She was standing in front of on of the man view screens that normally showed the current production numbers, which teams were behind and news bursts that usually showed her fellow slaves being beaten for simply not working as hard as their masters demanded.

This morning, there was supposed to be a special viewing of a disciplinary action in the chapel.  She chuckled quietly to herself, as she knew well; the poor soul that was bound in the chapel was now light-years away from Oris.

A low murmur began to spread through the crowd.  The guards were all talking into their communications gear; there were panicked looks on their faces.

“Something is not right…or was it?” Seenan thought to herself, “Lord Grendalis must be in a rage over  Ga’len’s escape.  That must be it.”

The guards began moving people into formation for a count.  They all seemed very frantic, their eyes filled with fear.  This Seenan expected however, one of the guards looked as if he had been crying.  He was so distraught that he dropped his weapon.

Seenan immediately fell to her knees and cowered away from the guard.  No slave was to ever stand if a guard was not armed.  The guard quickly picked up his weapon and spoke with a shaky voice, “On your feet, form up.”

“Yes sir…if I may speak?”  Seenan spoke boldly, “normally we do not care much for you guards, but something is bothering, is it not?”

The guard’s eyes narrowed and he looked as if he was about to strike Seenan, but he stopped himself and spoke, “No, this I will not do, not today,” his voice was filled with grief, “Yes, something is wrong.  Your Lady Grendalis has passed into the next life.  She died in her sleep last night and you will…”

Before the guard could finish her sentence, he saw that Seenan’s eyes were filling with tears.  She fell to her knees and sobbed softly.  Her ankle still ached with pain.  She put a hand on her ankle to try to hold back the pain.

As she looked up at the guard, she spoke warmly, “Dear sir, I can see that you morn her.  Know that you are not alone in your grief.  The Lady Grendalis was always kind to me and mine.  Her light will be missed in all our lives, “Seenan continued, “You honor her on this day by not striking me, by not showing me the violence that she hated with her entire being.  I shall honor your kindness by my submission.  Do with me as you will.”

The guard was taken aback by this display.  How could a lowly slave touch his heart?  His eyes began to fill with tears.  He hid his face with his hand and shouted, “You two there, help this woman, her leg is injured.  Take her to the infirmary at once.  Lord Grendalis will want all his slaves to be able to work double hard after this delay today.”

The guard, after wiping his face clean, looks at Seenan through mournful eyes and mouthed two words, Thank you.

***

When Seenan arrived at the infirmary, her ankle had begun to stop its protest of pain.  Regardless, she administered a pain reliever and put on a brace.  She had to hurry; Tanitel would be making his way to the old ruins.  There was much work to do.

She returned to her barracks and gather what she would need, including the urn she had kept hidden for Tanitel.

“Seenan, is it true?  Has Lady Cerah died?” asked one of the infirmary’s attendants.

“Yes, her light has left us my friend.  Pass the word, at dusk we meet at the old ruins deep in the forest,” Seenan’s eyes began to fill with tears again, “Tonight we honor her memory.”

Continued

Welcome to the first ever edition of the EVE Blog Challenge! The monthly EVE blogging extravaganza inspired by the “Blog Banter” and created by AnMiTh.  The EVE Blog Challenge is about story telling, and relaying our experiences in EVE in new and exciting ways. The stories/posts that are created are both, long and short, detailed and not so detailed, but it is always fun to see everyone’s interpretation of the source materials.

Questions or comments should be directed here, and if you are interested in signing up to participate go here.  Anyone can submit source materials, to do so email them to us here.  And don’t forget to read the other EVE Blog Challenge posts that will be listed at the bottom of this post.

This months source materials were submitted up by AnMiTh from EVE Guru.

The sun glistens off the side of the Blade of Truth as she slowly glides through space towards the station orbiting Amarr. This has been the end of a long journey, Leaianti had to go through the fire and brimstone of hell, but you made it in one piece. Those Sansha pirates were right when they said it would be tough, they were also right when they said she would be rich.

The ship glides to a stop as the station’s docking computer takes over control of  Blade of Truth.  Before Leainati is even ready to exit her pod the request is sent to her computer… “They” are ready for you in the meeting hall, they are anxious to hear about the journey and the status of the mission that she was on.

Those Sansha pirates were supposed to meet with both her and Ga’len to finalize the payments for ’stolen loot’.

Ga’len, it had been so long since she had seen her half-brother Ga’len.  Years had gone by and their paths always seemed to not be able to cross.  There was the time in Hek when the Minmatar gate police were chasing around Ga’len or that time when she had recently castrated an Amarr bishop who was molesting those little boys.

There was always something getting in the way.

The shower was a blessing.  It had been four months in space without a break.  Leaianti did not mind spending time suspended in that Jovian goo, but it is always nice to get out and move about using your legs instead of a ship’s thrusters.  The warm water flowed over her body, caressing away the stress of the past four months.  If only all things in life we filled with the brief, bittersweet joys of cleaning one’s skin.  If only all the troubles in life could simply be washed away into the drain in the floor.

Trogon was standing in the meeting hall.  He was a short man, twisted back and grotesque features from years of abusing those narcotics that the Serpentis pirates sold him each week.  He thought himself a giant, a gift to the women of the universe.  Most people thought otherwise.  He saw her and yelled, “Leaianti!  It is good to see you again!  That uniform does you no justice, take it off and I will show you…” He stopped short.  A knife was at his throat and an evil smile was on Leaianti’s face.

“Don’t test me little man.  I am not interested in you showing me your delusions of adequacy.  I am not a plaything for you to fret about with your little tools.  I have dropped off the last of the cargo into your storage area.  I expect to be paid now.  Pay me and answer my question, where is everyone?”  Leaianti’s commanding voice made Trogon cower like the troll that he was.

“Don’t think that a free ‘Minnie-bitch’ can cut a man’s throat on an Amarr station,” he hissed.  His eyes glaring at her body as if she was a piece of meat, “Now, where shall I put….” his voice seized in his throat as the knife pressed harder into his skin.

“You can put whatever trifles you are thinking about back into you dreams.  I am not your toy; do not even try to play with me.  Now give me my money and answer my question, where is everyone?” Leainati’s patience was wearing thin.  This Sansha pirate needed to die but it would have to wait.  She needed the money she was owed.

“Calm yourself, I meant no harm.  If you would be so kind to put your knife away, we can conclude our business,” Trogan’s eyes were wide with fear.  As Leainati sheathed her knife, he quickly typed away on his data pad.  A sharp trilling from her data pad confirmed that the money had been transferred, “Now that our business is concluded, what is your price?  You are simply too beautiful to not have me.  Many a woman has wanted to lay with me.  I can be your greatest adventure!  How much to ride you like the ‘Minnie-bitch’ that you are!”

Silence.

There was just silence in the air.  It hung thick as Trogon stopped talking.  The silence held him upright as he stood in complete shock.  It held him there as a spot of blood formed at the center of his neck and slowly spread in a thin horizontal line around his neck.  The silence continued to hold his body firm as his head slowly tilted to the left and fell from his neck.  His hands twitched slightly and then the whole of his frame slowly, silently, collapsed to the floor.  The silence was only broken as the sound of blood dripping from Leainati’s knife slowly, patted upon the floor.

“His blood was simply not worth spilling, but alas, the deed is done.  Good thing too, I wanted to shoot him.  He should be nicer to my sister,” Ga’len’s voice rang out from the shadows as he slowly stepped into the light of the meeting hall.

“BROTHER,” Leainati yelled as she ran towards him.  They embraced each other as she spoke, “I have missed you so much.  Did you loose another Capsule?  You have no hair!”

Ga’len smiled, “No.  Being the pirate that I am, I cannot simply fly into the Amarr system.  The gate police will shoot me on site.  Fortunately, I still had a jump clone here.  It was the easiest way to get into the station.  As long as I behave myself, the police on the station will take no notice of me being here.  Of course, still having my identification documents for Galen Grendalis the Fifth.  That helps to distract their attention from my ‘Yarr-ish’ lifestyle.”

“So, since you always behave like yourself, I would guess you can answer my question as to where are all the other Sansha pirates I was supposed to meet,” Leainati grinned as she spoke.  She knew her brother well.

Ga’len chuckled and smiled, “Over here, in the trash chute.  The Fedoes are enjoying themselves.  It’s a good thing they don’t care what they eat.”

Leainati and Ga’len worked quickly to clean up the mess that was left of Trogon and headed out of the meeting hall.  Across the promenade they walked, towards a quiet bar.  After ordering drinks and some food, they headed to a booth in the back where they could talk in private.

“So tell me ‘blue-eyes’, how the hell you managed to steal all that stuff and make it back from Venal,” Ga’len was looking at her with much interest.

Leainati smiled and spoke, “It took several trips as my Reaper’s cargo hold is not the largest in New Eden.  I learned a lot about Warp Disruption bubbles and how to avoid them.  I guess being blown up several times with an empty hold made the pirates think twice about shooting me.  No point in trying to loot an empty wreck.  After that, it was just a matter of making the trips to and from Empire Space,” she paused to take a drink of her ale, “So tell me, how is life in the Neo Spartans?  Otou is a nice system I hear.”

“Life is good and yes, I like living in Otou,.  It is a nice system with a lot to see.  As for the Neo Spartans, their style of honorable pirating suits me well, but I feel the urge to wander about the universe more and more.  I must say I was happy and shocked to receive your message.  I thought you had been killed without a clone in Venal,” a tear forms in his eye and his voice breaks, “I thought you were gone.”

Leainati holds his hand, “Dear brother, we are bound to each other by more than this life.  We will never loose each other.  We are free, alive, and immortal Capsuleers.  So, while we are here in Amarr, did you want to go down to Oris and see our old home?  Perhaps visit our mother?”

Ga’len eyes closed for a moment as he collected himself.  It had been years since they both had set foot on Oris and much had changed.  “The manor is gone.  My father’s rage and open rebellion against Empress Jamyl’s emancipation decree destroyed that great house.  He would not free his slaves so the Amarr authorities seized the property.  They killed him when the marines stormed the manor house.”

Leainati sat in shock, “Well, he was an evil man to the end.  What about mother?  I never learned what happened to her after we left.”

Ga’len continued sadly, “She passed away shortly after we left.  Tanitel sent us both a message; I guess yours got lost while you were in Venal.  She saw the pictures Seenan took of us on Tanitel’s data pad, smiled, fell into a deep sleep, and quietly passed away.  Our mother’s ashes were spread among the stars.  Tanitel and Seenan said it was her last wish, to travel among the stars with her children.  It was the last thing they did before they headed to Rens.”

They both sat in silence for a long time.  Leainati was the first to speak again, “So, that history is all that is left.  I guess there is nothing left for us there.”

“No, it’s the past,” Ga’len affirmed, “Now, enough of sadness.  We have our futures to see to.  Let us eat, I am hungry.  Tell me, what is this I hear about some ruffian in Tash-Murkon you have been flirting with.  I hear stories….”

“The Five will leave the Eight.  Heed these words well Cerah Grendalis, the future depends on it.  The Five will leave the eight, The Five will leave the eight, THE FIVE WILL LEAVE THE EIGHT!!!”

Cerah woke in a cold sweat.  The old Minmatar woman Seenan was still haunting her dreams.  It had been 20 years since that night.  Twenty years since the birth of a child out of love.  To this day those haunting words had some hidden meaning to her, but nothing had come of that ‘divine omen’.

As she laid there in her bed, she savored finally being able to feel warm again.  Feeling the setting sun warm her through the window was a blessing that had been absent for far too long.

She had been ill for years, her body wasting away from the sickness within her body.  Many doctors had visited her over the years, none able to cure her.  She was dying and no one could save her.

“Tanitel,” she whispered, “O my Tanitel, I do still love you.  Watch over her.”

Soon her pains would be over.  Soon she will linger in anguish no longer.  She will be free from all this torment.  Soon death will take her with but one question still unanswered.

“The Five will leave the Eight,” she repeated aloud.

Sleep again crept up and silently took her to a dreaming journey.  It was here that she could find some freedom from her sins and yet the torment of her life continued to haunt her.  As she fell deeper into sleep, her words heavy with sleep caught her husband’s ears.

“What happened,…..what happened to my daughter…..Tanitel, please tel me….”

A few hours later, deep within the forest…

The ancient trees towered high.  Their strong branches spread wide, weaving a lush green fabric of leaves leaving only small glimpses of the sky above.  Veiled in the amber light that reflected from the Emperor Family Academy station in high orbit, Leainati and Galen were making their way through the dark woods.  Silently they moved, flowing through the underbrush like a fast but calm stream.  They were heading further into the forest and after they had traveled a few kilometers, they stopped to rest.

“Where are you taking me?”, asked Galen.

“I am taking you to see Seenan first and then to flee this place.”, replied Leaianti.

“Leaianti, I was only going to be whipped.  I can survive that well enough,” Galen’s Amarr pride was gleaming through his eyes.

“Seenan told me that I had to free you, that you have a destiny to fulfill and she insisted that you had to leave this place,” she patted him on the shoulder.

Galen’s face becomes filled with worry, “Leave?  Where will I go?  How will I live?”

“Relax, Seenan will explain everything.  Now, we must hurry.”

Making  their way past the old ruins where Galen would spend his time writing.  Further on they came to a clearing where a single campfire is burning.  Nearby is a tent with it’s flaps open.  Seenan is near the fire, sitting on a stool, stirring her drink with a spoon absently.  She looks up and the worry on her face is replaced with her familiar smile.

“Ah, my children, you have made it here safely.  Thank goodness.  Come, sit by the fire and eat something.  I have much to tell you.”

As they sat down by the fire, Galen spoke.

“Seenan, I am grateful that you sent help to save me from yet another beating by my father, but please do explain, what do you expect me to do now?” worry covers Galen’s face,  “I have fled my home and my father will now hunt me down and I expect, kill me.”

Calmingly Seenan speaks to Galen, “Child, I must tell you.  You have been wanting to leave this place, I suspect, for some time now.  Tell me, why do you wander about this forest?  Why you spend so much time among the ‘Old Stones’?”

Galen looks at Seenan.  How did she know about my travels in the old forrest? “So, tell me, how long have you been my shadow?  How long have you been watching my every move?”

Seenan smiled, “Well, to be complexly honest with you, ever since your half-sister Leaianti was born.”

Her smile widened as her two guests stared at her.  Their eyes wide, their jaws open in total shock.

“Nanna, what are you saying?  Do you mean to say that this Amarr is my kin?  I share blood with an Amarr?,” Leaianti looked horrified, “The tribe will kill me!!!”

Galen was still in total shock.  He knew of his father’s sins, how he had taken ‘Minnie lovers’ but there had never been any children or at least he had never heard of any.

“Seenan, Leaianti is my half sister?  Who did my father make her mother?”

“Galen my child.  Cerah is Leainati’s mother.  Your father could not bring a child of love into this world, save possibly for you.  My children, I think it’s time you met someone,” Seenan motions to the shadows beyond the light of the fire, “Tanitel, come here.  Come see your daughter, your family.”

From behind the trees, just past the light of the fire, a tall Minmatar man stepped forward.  Galen immediately recognized him.  He was one of the slaves that had served his mother for years.  He was the one who went to the market for her or saw to her errands.  He was a trusted salve of the manor.

“Greeting my children.  It is good to see you both safe.”

He sat down near the fire.  Everyone was very quiet for a long time, just staring into the fire, glancing up and looking at each other every now and again.  After what seemed like hours, Galen spoke.

“As an Amarr, I should have you killed for raping an Amarr woman, but I know my mother well.  She would have killed anyone who attacked her.  My mother was always sympathetic to the Minmatar people.  I can only guess what happened between you two.  After all, you have served her for years.”

“Galen, if I may call you friend?  I do have something for you, the both of you.  Your mother wrote you both letters a few years ago, in the hopes that you two would find each other.  She does not know who you are Leaianti.  She has never known your name nor your face.  It was for your safety.  Please, read these letters, they will explain everything.”

Both Galen and Leainati’s hands were shaking as they took their letters.  Galen recognized the writing as his mothers.  As they both read their letters, Tanitel told them some of what had happened.

“Cerah was…is a very beautiful woman.  She was always very curious about our people.  Her parents were kind masters, they never abused the Minmatar people, but they knew the dangers to their own if they were too kind.  Your mother spent a great deal of time sneaking out of the house, much like you do now Galen.

She wanted to learn as much about our people as she could.  Many times, I would catch her following me around, watching what I was doing.  One day she worked up the courage to speak to me.  She ordered me to carry some parcels from the market for her and I had been at her side ever since.”

Galen stopped reading his letter and look at Tanitel.  “She loved you very much.  She says here that she wished that you were my father, that I would have someone noble to learn from.”

Leaianti was sobbing softly.  “Is not Cerah very ill now?  I finally learn who my mother and father are, that I am not an orphan and now I am going to loose her.”

“Leaianti my child, “Tanitel spoke softly, “She is ill because her heart aches.  She can not know who you are as it would put you in danger.  She will be free soon, death is just another doorway of existence.  Know that you will always be in her heart.”

Seenan opened her satchel and produced a data pad.

“I believe Galen that this is yours.  I ‘borrowed’ it from you when you helped me earlier today.  I had hoped to capture a picture of Leaianti and place it back in your satchel with a message to show the picture to your mother.  Perhaps this still can be done?”

Galen looked at his sister and smiled.

“I think I can do better.  Do any of you know how I have snuck out of the manor?  There is a drainage outlet on the south slope.  The guards stay away from there, the stench of the Fedos in the holding pit is rather strong on that side of the manor.  We can sneak in from there and visit our mother, then sneak down to the pads, take a shuttle and leave this place.”

“It is too dangerous.  You can not risk being caught again.  By now, they will know you have escape the chapel.  Besides, we already have a ship for you.”

Tanitel removed a data pad from his pocket, pressed a few buttons and a shuttle hidden in the trees began to power up.

Seenan held Galen’s data pad in front of her, motioning for all of them to stand together.  She took a captured a few photos, wrote a message into the data pad and handed it to Tanitel.

“My children, you must go.  In the shuttle is everything you will need to make it to Emrayur.  Galen, your father has no authority there, you will be safe.  Go and find your destinies.”

Galen and Leaianti picked themselves up and began to follow Tanitel toward the shuttle.

“Seenan, one thing before we go.  Leainati told me I should ask you, what does the name Ga’len mean?”

She smiled and hugged him gently, whispering into his ear, “You offered me kindness when I hurt my ankle.  I offered you a kindness in turn.  Ga’len has many meanings in the history of mankind, but names have a freedom about them.  It will mean what you want it to mean.  It’s your name, it’s your life.  That’s what it means to be free.”

They sat down in the shuttle.  Leaianti went through their provisions, Galen looked over the controls and set a course for Emrayur.  Tanitel hugged them both and closed the door to the shuttle behind him.  A few moments later the shuttle, Blade of Truth, was climbing fast into the night sky.

“Nanna, I will deliver this to Cerah at once.  I should think I will not return once they learn of what is stored on this data pad.”

Seenan looked up into his eyes, “Do not worry, whatever happens you will be free, Cerah will be free and now, Galen and Leaianti will be free.”

Continued….