Exile ...

[Lusitano]

Planet Erie, Pennsylvania

It has been over 7 years since Marius is exiled on Planet Erie. He left Gran Canaria soon after the end of the Corsair annexation attempt of Gran Canaria, to avoid retaliation and help to pacify both people. The Corsairs know his role, on the resistance that drove the Corsairs out of the countryside of Gran Canaria, as well as the fail attempt assassination of Corsair Leader El Comisario Pepe Ladron. He faked his death and since then, Marius has been on planet Erie, helping the best he can, anonymously obviously. On the recent events on Gran Canaria, Marius helped training some volunteers, but most of the time, Marius simply helps the local population against the Liberty oppression. After Liberty took over Erie, the local Zoner population has put aside like second class citizens, most don’t care, but the truth is that everything is limited for the zoners, for example, Liberty’s government do not allow any more swamps drain, essential for the expansion already built settlements or the creation of new ones, and further isolate the Zoner population that don’t want to blind obey the Liberty government. Other problem is the entry of goods from outside planet Erie, Liberty officials control and put limits or even high taxes, from goods that are intended for zoners. That made a lot of people angry but instead for an open revolt, zoners learn how to go around these laws, and use then for their own benefits.

One request came from Gran Canaria, not for weapons or soldiers, but a cry for help for an ecological tragedy. Many animals of Gran Canaria are suffering and dying due the climate changes, the planet soon will become a snowball, and while people can protect then self in shelters or simply leave, those animals can’t ... except with some help. There is one that could be very useful … one simple small bird, not much bigger than 12 centimetres, that his main source of food is insects! Well, insects are the main problem of the most Zoner settlements that are near the swamps, the same swamps that Liberty don’t want to drain, and the use of pesticides is out the question, many zoners suffer with this problem, and many already left and join Liberty way of life, and that is exactly what Liberty officials want. But those same officials would never allow these birds to pass the customs, so … zoners use the same tactic that was used against then, bribes and blackmail! Not all that is seems it is real! Due the lack of manpower, due the several conflicts the Liberty was into, many zoners were recruited to Erie security forces with the supervision of some Liberty officials and become their friends, in other words, many zoners infiltrated Erie security forces with the supervision of some Liberty officials and become spies.

Marius job is mainly to get his hands dirt, and find out all those officials dirty rotten secrets. It is not a job that Marius is proud of, but there is no other way. From game debs to drugs abuse, to even extra-marital relations ... anything … Marius will find and use it for the well-being of the Zoner population. It his way to feel that his life still have a purpose, to release the burden on his soul, that he carries since the very last time he saw Gran Canaria.

The cargo is set to arrive in few hours. One legit cargo of cryo tubes for one power plant that would not have any problem to pass, except that on those tubes are over two and half thousands Blue Face Grosbeak, an cardinal type bird … the last of their kind of Gran Canaria. Marius is on the landing dock, as the legit owner of the cargo, in reality is there for some people to see him, and do what they are supposed to do, mainly the two libertonian supervisors and the dock director in chief, while the cargo handlers are zoners or zoners sympathizers. The ship is the Large Bird, one ZBT class transport, and while the cargo is unload, by the rules the ship must be inspected, and while the cloak device that the ship carry is illegal on Liberty, the team don’t find nothing illegal and the anxious supervisor agrees. The same thing happens when the cargo is inspected, nothing illegal is found. Unexpectedly, the dock director appears apprehensive checks that all is clear and ready to move to quickly to the final destination, and then shakily greets Marius and make a small speech about the good cooperation between Liberty and the Zoner community. In less than an hour all cargo is load on transports, and while the Large Bird leaves the dock, back to space and then Gran Canaria with a cargo of neon, the several atmospheric transports take the cargo to the final destination, where the birds will be revived.

Two days have passed, Marius visit on of the settlement that received the precious cargo. And not long after his arrival, he heard their songs. With no impact on Erie local fauna, this birds already have adapted to their new homes, with purpose built places for nesting, their future is assured. Marius can't help feeling proud, even if the means weren’t cleaned, but seeing these birds flying safe and free, made everything worthy, and even he felt for the first time in long time, somehow also free even if it is for a few moments!