The Eristic Illusion

[Cadmus]

Rochester Base, New York System

It was definitely was not that odd a sight to see a ramshackle Pirate-made Train moored to Rochester, a hive of scum and villainy. The dregs and the damned of humanity either made their home here or their way here, and this was the nexus of most of the moral corruption in Liberty, save that of the government... Cardamine, weed, Artifacts, slaves - almost every vice known to mankind made its respective stop here.

It was not without a considerable of frustration, then, that Cadmus stepped off the Dragons Teeth and onto this Junker base, clutching a data pad and clad in a somewhat disheveled suit. This entire debacle - the drugs, the police, and the Junkers were some of the things he hated to deal with - was stressful, to say the least. He felt like bombing another police station or something.

But, deal with those things he hated he had, and he was now safe in Rochester, offloading his cursed cargo.

The windows along the side of this area of the station were dominated by his long ship sitting a hundred or so feet off of them, and revealed the Junkers Combat Service Freighters that were below his ship, unloading his poisonous cargo of toxic and addictive drugs, bundled in generic grey containers that belied their horrid contents.

Cadmus turned away from the soul, to the trio of Junkers in front of him, clad in their usual utilitarian attire. He wasnt a man of principles, really, but there were a few things he wouldnt do. He could kill without much of a thought, if it served a purpose, but hauling drugs was one thing he wouldnt do, and hauling slaves was another thing he despised. Ending a life swiftly was one thing, but making someone suffer for an indeterminable length of time was something he would never condone.

But he was shipping drugs anyways, despite his otherwise lax principles.

He had to, the gods demanded it. It was for the greater good and would take part in the rotting of liberty from the inside out.

He really really hoped that they were right, otherwise he wouldnt be happy.

Well, Cadmus, Im glad you came through on this one, the Junker in the middle said. I suppose youre going to have to get ready for the second part of your trip, then. You can see that we upheld our first part of the agreement, and well uphold the second part as well. You have one more load of Cardamine to deliver.

Cadmus looked at the Junker blankly for a moment.

Well sell them at reduced prices in your selected areas, like you requested.

Cadmus nodded, seeming to snap out of a trance. Ah, yes right, of course. You do that, thats why Im giving you all these drugs.

The Junker smiled, smiling a callous, cynical, and paranoid sort of smile that takes a lifetime of crime to create. Yeah, about that why do you feel so charitable? Last I knew, people didnt just give us Junkers millions worth of Orange just so we could sell it.

It was now Cadmus turn to smile. I have my reasons, Charles.

Cadmus then proceeded to walk down the hall, confident that his ship and cargo arrangements would be taken care of, as the Junkers had guaranteed. They were sleazy, but they werent unreliable.

He was at ease, now, a weird type of ease that came after an irreconcilable shock that was temporarily reconciled due to the brains inability to process it.

He proceeded to find the nearest private room, be it communications booth or bathroom.