Kearny sat down at the table, inhaling deeply on his rebreather. He then proceeded to shot his whisky, and took a big swig from his pint.
"Its a bit of a long story, if yer dont mind lads?"
Murmurs and nods of consent came from the three sat around him, and he began to tell his tale...
"I was born on Cork, 10 years before the revolt, I was a happy child, though the pressure my father was under as the captain of a minin' vessel did get to me a bit. Me mother and I moved to Graves when she got a job in the outfitter there. Twas good for us, to see him more, and see a bit more of the stars. When I was 8, I joined me da on his minin' ship. When I was 10, me dad sent both me and ma to the recently outfitted station of Arranmore. He knew what was comin, what with the revolt and all."
"Anyhow, The revolt came quickly, me ma kept us out of the way, she didna wan me to see all the fightin an the killin. I was a rough lad tho, I wanted to help, I wanted to be part of this, me da had a dream, a dream of a free dublin, free from overwork, underpay and the atrocious conditions that they was subjected to under BMM."
"I don really remember much from that time, I was a bit young to unnerstand allat, I jus remember wantin to help. I do remember the struggles after that... Sometimes I wondered if the revolt had done anything but put enemies right at our doorstep every single day. So many of my friends would ne'er return from simple patrols, mining trips, It was frustratin to me... no end."
"Tell the truth, I didn' know what was right and wrong anymore... so much blood an killin. Then me da and Patrick had a breakthrough, they found some help for us. These "outcasts" agreed to trade with us, ships, supplies, and weapons for our gold. The war on our doorstep looked actually fightable, with the assistance of these strange dark men, with contraptions on their faces like I'd never seen before. Wheres me drink gone? I'll be back shortly lads."
Kearny returned with another round, and took another swig from his recently refilled pint glass.
"Anyway, as i was sayin, these outcasts offered us help like we hadnt seen before. In a sign of good faith, Me da told me to pilot one of the transport vessels bringin the first shipment of gold to our new allies. It was me 18th birthday, the day we got to malta. I like to think I'm a stong willed person,but it was me birthday, so I was a drinkin, oh boy, that was a killer night. Somewhere, somehow that night someone gave me a pipe to toke on. Without that I'd likely not be sittin here tday. I had ta take some of this orange back with me, and well, you lads know how it works."
"When I got back, Cork was gone. Seems someone else wanted our gold fields as well. Me ma had been planetside at the time. After that, the only thing that could keep me going was the cardi. I hadta make sure every convoy brought back a little for me... I stopped listnin to me da, even after he had me visit these hessian folks and whatnot. I stopped carin about the gold, the freedom and what. I jus wanted my cardi, and revenge."
"I became angry, brutal, I killed many fer not much reason. Especially the corsairs, for what they did to me ma. I don' think i even felt anythin when me da died, I no longer cared for the cause he so furvently believed in. The fellow who took over, didn take kindly to me habit, or me style. So, I brought me an me ship out here, luckily I had a few friends, put me and my ship to a use that suits me fine. I may not have been born here, but I belong here now."
Kearny sculled his drink, then slammed the glass onto the table.
"Eh, senor O'Sullivan, why is our vessel called fire?" Eduardo asked.
Santos snickered,"Its because whenever he walks down the street, all the children think his head is on fire."
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