Vagrant Raiders' Intelligence Hub

[Inquisitor Gaunt]

Folder: SSD/Communiqu?s/
>dir
Printing file readout...
Dancing Kittens.mpg
Sir Atten-Barahs Gaia.mpg
Last Words.mp4
>cd Last Words.mp4
Playing...

**Hayley looks to the monitor. Shes on the bridge of the Wither, the remaining crew absent from the room. Shes evidently worried, taking a moment to purse her lips, before speaking.**

Eh...hi. I guess if youre reading this, youve found the Wither, and the console...etcetera, anyway. Here goes...

I cant...*she pauses, a look of self-inflicted sorrow over her features* I dont quite know how to say thisits been eating at me for what seems like an age, a friggin age, but; eh...I just cant do it anymore. I cant cope. I cant fly with the VR any more, its not...me.

Im not like you guys I cant kill for material goods, I cant enslave people, I just...*She grunts, angry with herself, slumping back into her chair.** The Vagrant Raiders isnt what I thought it was, I thought...I thought we- I thought you were smugglers, primarily. People who were dedicated to running cardemine through Sirius. I could handle that, no-one got hurt, no-one died, and no-one would have to receive a message from Interspace, or DSE, or hell, anyone, saying that their mother or father or brother or sister had been killed in a pirate raid.

But I was wrong. I devoted myself to the wrong cause, I slipped in with people who did what I wasnt aiming for. And for that, Im sorry. I cant keep doing the same things, digging my own hole deeper, and making more mistakes. I have to break away before it kills me. I have to forge my own path.

Im not betraying you, far from it. Every major house government still detests me, and I detest them. I would never- shoot, could never bring myself to turn in those whove done so much for me. Whove helped me so much. You have no idea how grateful I am for the companionship, and support that youve given me since Ive been here. Nothing can over-ride that, and Ill never forget it for as long as I live.

I know you probably want me dead now, a worthless corpse bobbing out in space, but please, I beg of you, reconsider. I have done everything I couldve until the present, and I will continue doing whatever I can to keep you happy. Ive left the Wither in your care, obviously. Ive repayed you, Petrucci, for the credits youve loaned me, and Fierceshot, Ive delivered you the girls bear... **She pauses for a second, sniffing, tears welling in the corners of her eyes.** I dont want you to chase me, to try to remove me, to force me to defend myself because I dont want to fight you... I care too much for your lives to do so.

**The tears begin flowing slightly more freely now, her voice cracking.**

Please, I beg of you...just let me be in peace, Ill do anything ANYTHING to get you to stay away, to stop us from being forced together in an engagement. I know I may have annoyed or angered you, but that doesnt mean I dont care about you. I dont hate you- nothing could be farther from the truth, just please...let me go. Let me find a niche in which I fit, much as youve all been allowed to do with your lives.

I know I made a mistake, I know Im stupid for joining a group that doesnt fit me, and I know Im even more stupid for deserting, but please- You cant honestly say you yourselves havent made mistakes in your time. Youre all older than I am, all wiser, all more experienced, but surely youve been in my position before. Surely youve been stuck to a point that you feel you cant get out of with any other action than running.

Thats me now. I know I screwed up. I know I did, but Im penitent, Im sorry. I just- I just want this to end.

If you have anything that you want me to do, Ill leave my message box open.

Im sorry...

With deepest regrets...

Hay.

>>End message<<

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