Selesti Has Gas

[Misha_Gottlich]

---

Name: Selesti Mishiga

Origin: Planet Miura, Okinawa

Age: 28

Current Home: Niigata Star City

---

Selesti Mishiga: Independent Gas Miner

---

Childhood - Adult

It was nearing the close of the Nomad Conflict. Liberty Cruiser captain Taden Harrs had just ordered his ship moored at planet Miura for resupply and some light repair. The rugged captain with his salt-and-pepper beard and scarred but charming face made his way to a well refuted pub and made his way to the bar for a drink or two. It was his off-time and the road here had been stressful and wrought with danger. He was just settling into his second Kusari Zinger when she caught his eye from across the room. She was the stunning, wealthy daughter of a high level family in the ranks of the Gas Miners Guild. She was young, beautiful, intelligent, and completely swept off her feet by this suave charming Liberty captain, and it wasn't long before he was giving her a 'tour of the ship'... A tour which mostly took place in the captains private quarters!

And then he was gone, left to fight the aliens in the Nomad Conflict. She heard some time later that his ship had been lost after a very dangerous battle, but Mishiga Setsugi was already too emotionally overburdened to get all of the details right. She found out that she was pregnant shortly after Taden had departed for battle and she knew that even if he did return, he would not be coming back to her. She was disappointed in herself for giving in to him, but she was more terrified about what would happen when her family found out... She was the daughter of a very important GMG executive after all. This could ruin her family and her future. Mishiga went to the only person she thought could help, her father. Matsura Setsugi was always very close with his daughter and they shared a special bond. Being neither the oldest, or a male child, she was under no pressure to take on the family responsibilities or spend time in the public eye, so her father had shown her a softer, more caring side than he did to her more 'important' siblings. So, when Mishiga came to him with tears in her eyes and confessed her weakness, Matsura embraced her and held her tight. He patted her head as she sobbed into his chest, and when she was finished, he held her fragile head in his strong hands and looked right into her eyes and said to her, "It is ok, my daughter. My love for you grows as does my grandchild within you." And she cried again. Not from fear, or sadness, or despair, but from overwhelming love.

Soon after, Matsura arranged for Mishiga to move to a property in the city, away from the rest of the family and their gossip. He continued to support her throughout the pregnancy and birth, and he was the only one at her bedside when little Selesti was born. Though he loved his granddaughter very much, she was born out of wedlock, and could not carry the familt name. So, it was Matsura that decided for the little one to bear her mothers name as her family name, so that her memory would be carried forth forever into the universe, as long as the line of Selesti Mishiga continued.

As a child, Selesti was fascinated with space. She loved to watch the ships move in and out ov the spaceport and she dreamed about one day flying amongst the stars. When she became older, Selesti expressed her interest in becoming a pilot. Her mother was strongly against this idea. Being a pilot was dangerous, did she want to get lost in space like her father, Mishiga would ask. But Matsura was more open minded. He made a deal with Selesti that if she went to a university to study business and management, he would select one that was a top collegiate pilot school as well. Not only did she study her business classes, she excelled at them. She graduated in the top of her class both in her academic studies and her pilot training! Her grandfather couldn't be more proud... and her mother couldn't be more worried!

On her graduation day, Matsura called Selesti over to his private getaway home. When she arrived, he told her that there was a surprise for her waiting around the back of the cottage. But behind the cottage was the private landing dock, Selesti thought, what could possibly be back there? When she got around the corner, Selesti immediately dropped to her knees. There, sitting on the landing pad, was a brand new 'Kestrel' personal mining vessel! "Its all yours", Matsura said, and once again, his chest became the beach where a sea of salty tears fell in happiness.

Along with the 'Kestrel' Mr. Setsugi had paid for an apartment, docking bay, and operating offices in Niigata Star City for Selesti. He had essentially given her the start-up for her own independent Gas Mining business, and right in prime territory! The time for Selesti to start her future was now. She couldn't wait to get started, little did she know what the wild world of 'Big Business' had in store for her!

---

First Ship - First Crew

The 'Kestrel'... What could she say? It was free, a gift from her Papa Matsu! She loved it! She loved its cramped quarters. She loved its mediocre handling. She loved its small powerplant and even smaller cargo hold... She loved it, but this 'Kestrel' had got to go!

Selesti had gotten straight to work on her new mining business. Setting up trade agreements and carefully calculating costs and shipping details. She knew that she would be shipping these first several orders herself, and she was both excited and terrified! She had never been out of Kusari space before she moved to Niigata city, and now she was preparing for a journey all the way to planet Pittsburgh in the New York system... All the way into Liberty space! Steadfast and determined, she pushed through her fears and set out on her first mining excursion.

Lucky for her, everything went very smoothly on that first excursion. She didn't encounter any pirates or have any difficulties while mining, and the trip to New York was long, but without incident. While there at Pittsburgh she loaded her tiny hold with consumer goods to sell back at Niigata city. They would fetch a good price there. The return trip was just as uneventful as the trip here, and soon Selesti had grown quite confident in her business and piloting abilities. She made a few runs with the little 'Kestrel' But it was slow going and profits were minimal at best. She decided to invest the credits she had earned so far into upgrading her capabilities.

She took her first profits to Honshu and the Aomori station, where she had been offered to buy a fully staffed 'Garanchou'! When she first stepped foot on the bridge, surrounded by her new crew, nestled at the command center of her new investment, Selesti felt right at home. Her crew was mostly young pilots and cadets strait out of training, but she wan's much further along than them anyway. She had a natural charm and sharp wit and the crew soon became very comfortable with her at the command. This new vessel was an entirely different game than the single pilot 'Kestrel'. After filling their hull with H3 gas in Sigme-59, the long haul to Pittsburgh didn't seem quite so monotonous or boring with a crew to talk to and keep each other entertained. Selesti soon found that she was really bonding with this group of hard working people, and she knew that this crew and her would be doing great things in the name of BIG Credits! They were on their way up and nothing could stop them... or could it?

---

Stay tuned for the next chapter!

---