Old Friends

[Zapp]

It's a quick flight to Vogtland, the old base that I remember clearly. The patrols around Freidstadt tried to intercept, but were too slow. South to Omega 11, then over to Dresden and up to Vogtland, the heart of the Red Hessian movement.

They're expecting me. I called ahead to a few old friends and had them flag my ship to docking rights. It's still running IMG colors and weapons right now, but I'll change that, plus scrub the idents clean. Probably even get a new ship if I can, that would be the most effective solution, though the more expensive one.

Once I set down, I'm met by Johann. He's a full foot shorter than my average height, and quite a bit wider too. His hair is starting to gray, something I hadn't noticed the last time I saw him a few years ago. I don't get much chance to get a good look at him before he snatches me up in a bear hug.

"Wesley! We all thought you died when you disappeared without a trace!"

"Quiet Johann, all of you were right. Wesley is dead, I'm Zane right now. If you'll please, let go and we can get a drink."

He looks a little confused, but still obeys and lets me down, then takes me to the nearest bar. Johann is, or was, the local liaison between visiting LWB pilots and the Hessians. He told the newbies how the base was run, where everything was and what they had to do. I remembered him from the first time I came here, back when I was just starting out after defecting from the Military.

When we have our drinks and are seated, he asks me for details of my disappearance.

"I got tired of all the fighting. Never letting go. It was me against all of Rheinland, plus the Wilde to boot. I remember one time, one time I swore that I would not rest until my hand was clasped around the Kanzler's throat."

I pause.

"The Military pilots, they believed it. My brothers and sisters believed it. Hell, I believed it for a time. But I'm only one man."

"No Wesley," he interjects, even over my dirty glare. "No, you are more than a man, you are still a legend among the LWB. When they learn of your return..."

"I'm not returning. I just.. had no where else to run. Again."

"Damn, what happened?"

"Well, when I left the LWB I set my old Wrath to drift in one of the Omegas and joined up with the IMG. New name, new identity, just another face in the crowd. Then Daumann started f***ing everyone over, it was a mess. I fought back. I don't even know, I managed to organize some of the miners into a decent force, we were raking in money as we were defending IMG space in Omega 7, but things went to hell real fast. I got labeled a terrorist for a few incidents in the beginning, and when things between the IMG and Daumann died down Daumann demanded my head on a silver platter. I just barely escaped them."

"What now?" he asks after I pause and stare into my beer. That's a damn good question.

---