Umbral Descent

[Chronicron]

voice call:
Jeffrey Asterius - to - Tricia Reyes

...> T: Hello?
...> J: Hey, Trix.
...> T: Jeff! Oh my god, I'm so happy to hear you. How have you been?
...> J: Thanks. It's nice to hear you too, Reyes. We're managing just fine down here. How have you been, friend?
...> T: Oh, I've been living the best of my life. I'm married, I'm the Assistant Commissioner of LPI, what could I possibly ask for?
...> J: Really? You moved up in the ranks of LPI?
...> T: Well, I got some use out of my experience as a Guildkeeper and the Guildmistress. It's no different with LPI, really. We just have the Insurgency and thugs instead of the Order and Corsairs.
...>: J: Huh. Hell, I remember how you used to rule the house. Is it just the same as it was with the Core?
...> T: Well... I mean, profit is still the first thing the board thinks about. But they aren't as stupid to think that constant competition and waste of resources is good for us. The downside is that they can be too greedy, but that's nothing I can't handle. But what enough about me! I'm living the life in the colonies, you have all the interesting stories to tell!
...> J: Come on, Trix...
...> T: I'm serious! Tell me, what's up? You didn't just call me for a SITREP, did you?
...> J: [chuckles] No, I... Frankly, we've all been thinking about you, Trix.
...> T: Really? You guys miss me? I could arrange for a shore leave.
...> J: No, it's... not that.
[silence]
...> T: Jeff? [pause] Are you okay?
[silence]
...> T: You can be honest with me, I won't judge you or anything.
[silence]
...> T: I will judge if you won't tell me, though.
...> J: [heavy exhale] No, I'm... I'm not good, at all.
...> T: I had a feeling. [sighs] So what's up?
...> J: Have you ever had a feeling that you're doing something wrong? Even if you promised someone to do right by their side?
...> T: Oh, don't even get me started. I always think about how you guys might one day decide that I just abandoned you all to live a pretty life in the colonies. You remember the picture we took just when the Umbra got retrofitted?
...> J: Yeah, I have it right here, on my desk.
...> T: Yeah, I keep a copy of mine, too. Call me weird, but I just stare at it every night before going to bed.
...> J: Huh. Well, to be quite honest, none of us are mad at you for leaving for the colonies. In reality, we're all happy that you did. The way you are now is incomparable to who you were before, really.
...> T: Yeah... Huh, I suppose that's what love does to people. Anyway, what's wrong?
...> J: Honestly... we're no longer sure that we're doing the right thing here.
...> T: Really?
...> J: The board is gone, the Core is in disarray, and you can't even begin to imagine how much scum took up the Core banners. Do you remember Harvy? The gung-ho S.O.B.?
...> T: Oh, don't remind me. If anything, this guy was always a headache of mine when I was in charge. He also contacted me about half a year ago, shaking LPI up for cash.
...> J: Really? What happened?
...> T: Long story short, one of APM trading ships was caught passing through Alaska, and they had a huge load of Azurite Gas on them.
...> J: No kidding?
...> T: Yeah, and they lost their azurite license long before I quit. Could thank Harvy for that, I suppose. Anyway, he wanted us to compensate him for the damage done.
...> J: The damage done by one of his employees.
...> T: Precisely.
...> J: So what did you do?
...> T: I gave him ten percent of his initial request, as a gesture of good will. He had the audacity to divide the payment into monthly basis. I told him to [REDACTED] himself. I shot a lot of ammo that day.
...> J: That's just... awful. I knew he didn't realize what he was getting the Core into, but this?
...> T: Counter-productive, don't you think? I always suspected him to be an agent for the Order, or an infectee. Either way, he and people like him are no longer my problem.
...> J: Yeah... It's been bugging me for the last two months, actually. That me and the boys are working for men like him. And the fact that the Core is getting retroactively closer and closer to Malta is something none of us approve of, either.
...> T: Well, you always have an option to leave.
...> J: What... do you mean?
...> T: Jeff, I wouldn't get mad at you or anyone from Umbra for leaving the Core. I did it myself.
...> J: And then what? Leave the Umbra to some deranged lunatic?
[silence]
...> T: Yeah, you're right. I wouldn't want to have someone I don't know or trust working on my house, let alone letting some random loon to command my ship. [sighs] What do we do, Jeff?
...> J: That is the question I've been asking myself almost every day as of late.
[prolonged silence]
...> T: Look. I might have an idea, but I don't know if you'll like it or not.
...> J: Just give me anything.
...> T: You could ask for political asylum here in Liberty. They will have to put you under constant surveillance for a brief period of time, as they did with me. If you come with the Umbra, they will seize it for the duration of surveillance, and you all will be on house arrest for about three months. Two, if they don't find anything suspicious.
...> J: Is that how it was for you when you came to Liberty?
...> T: Yeah. They seized Elysium for the duration of my constant surveillance, but I was allowed to pay it a visit when I wanted to. Under an escort, of course.
...> J: That doesn't sound half as bad, actually.
...> T: Mhm. Plus, you might get better odds if you find a fleet that will be interested in her.
...> J: What are you suggesting?
...> T: If you express your desire to serve Liberty, that might raise a few eyebrows and create additional check-ups, but Umbra won't be left without use. Honestly, seeing Umbra under the banner of Liberty Navy is something I wouldn't mind at all.
...> J: You know that I don't swear allegiance to causes, Trix.
...> T: Yes. You do swear allegiance to your friends, though.
...> J: Damn you.
...> T: [chuckles with evil] So what will it be?
...> j: I need to think about it.
...> T: Please do. I'll give the government a good word for you and the boys if you all decide to go with my plan. Thanks for checking up on me.
...> J: Yeah. Thanks for idea, Trix. I'll talk to the boys about it.
...> T: Do take your time, okay?
...> J: Okay. Catch you later

voice call:
end