Turbulence Aboard Kadesh

[vladimir26]

Within the Omicron detachment of the Black Sails, Massimo finds himself bored as fuck. Except a few Order fools blockading Theta, all has been quiet lately. The cousins have been nowhere to be seen after the unfortunate deflagration of Reincarnation, so, he needs to fill up his time. The idea of a visit to Kadesh begins to take shape, to check how the neighboring zoners manage to get along. Before rising from his chair at the command console, he sends an order through the intercom: Have my Titan ready, then starts making his way towards the hangar bay of the Perdition.

T'was quite a ride from Livadia to Kadesh, but unopposed. The Phoenix Zoners patrolling Zeta offered him clear passage to Kadesh, and there he was. In the hangar bay, he was met by a zoner, but before he had the chance to present himself, Massimo addresses him: Signor, I'm dry as fuck, take me to the oasis, I'm in dire need of rejuvenation.

Taking the zoner's lead, they slowly navigate through Kadesh's labyrinth of decks and end up at their destination, the bar. On his way to the bartender, Massimo notices a rather peculiar sight in the form of an obsolete female, adorning a pair of 5 inch reinforced glass periscopes, and a crude contraption in what seems to be curlers, used in the process of beautifying what appears to be a a freshly painted pink wig. He blinks a few times trying to clean his eyes, trying to dispel any illusion, but to no effect. Fuck me, he says, before picking up his pace to the bartender.

Finally at the oasis, he takes a stool facing this intriguing target, further trying to analyze it. The rum arrives, but before he even finishes it, Massimo asks for another one. A flick of his wrist and the glass is empty, but the redundant lady? Still appears the same. He rubs his eyes, yet she's still the same. Massimo even starts to believe that she targeted him. Right as his second rum arrived, the obsolete feline raises from her table, preparing to leave or relocate. Massimo's eyes grow big as a pair of onions, and starts to panic. Swiftly empties his glass, raises from his stool and in the process snatches a bottle of rum from the bar, then grabs his zoner escort by the arm and starts pulling him out: Signor, take me to Jonathan Cayman, and fast! This oasis poses more threats than a nomad lair.

El zoner escort giggles silently and proceeds to guide Massimo to the meeting room. Another 50 decks and 120 corridors and there he is, the safe haven of the meeting room. Massimo sighs relieved, lets go of his escort's arm, then crashes deprived of energy at a nearby table. Puts the rum bottle on the table, lights up a cigar, and only then addresses the gentlemen inside the room: Excuse me signors, I had a close call with a deadly cougar. Barely managed to dodge it as it pounced. Pheeewww, so good to be alive! And he pours himself a glass of rum, then raises it to Jonathan and Doc: To life!

It take Massimo a good 30 seconds to regain his breath, then he leans back on the chair, puts his feet on the table and starts looking on the projector: That's your signature over there, isn't it, signor Holliday? Agreeing on repairing what was destroyed and taken from you by force. Smart. And next to it? The history that shows us this wasn't the first time, and most likely won't be the last. Fingers crossed your Academy won't be next. But if it will, you wouldn't mind, would you?

Massimo then removes his feet from the table and proceeds to sit normally, adopting the serious attitude he's used to conduct business with. Signor Holliday, unless my information is incorrect, the same is happening to your foothold in Liberty. Everybody wants a piece of the Zoners nowadays, and you're more than happy to comply. I shouldn't bother about your choices, but your giveaway of Freeport 9 affects us directly. The once thriving economy around it was reduced to a mere memory, which translates to less supplies and plunder to Crete. They instead got replaced by Core and Outcast vultures, who will never accept a Corsair installation in the system. But if you don't give a shite on our troubles, I trust the current situation is counter productive to you as well, and with your current partners losing ground and influence, well, you get the rest. I trust, alongside signor Jonathan's presentation, to be enough to make an educated choice.

Massimo then realizes the obsolete female might be prowling the corridors of Kadesh, so he decides to make his escape: Now, time I be on my way. This installation poses more dangers than one can think. I have full trust in you fine gents, that one way or another, we shall settle on a course of action, be it fruitful, or catastrophic. Todo lo mejor.

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