Love is hard to catch

[Rodnas]

Location: unknown
Sender: Trueno Benitez
Recipent: Laura Craft
Time: 24h February 820

Laura,
this is mierda, i am not doing bueno here- Bretonia gets rougher each day...mi soldatos all got bloodied and i almost got killed the other day, too. I need to get out of this tea-drinking hell hole, i had enough of it. We will try to get our holds full with supplies and then make a run for it before more patrols from Leeds tickle back in cutting us off.
Who would have thought my trade could get this messy...mierda just mierda, i need to cool my head and get things done asap...
Laura, we will meet, si -promise me that!

Besos,

---

Read about: The Benitez Familia and Trueno Benitez

---Not available for any disco stuff these days(and for an extended period of time to come, too ---

[Laura C.]

-----------------------------DATA CONNECTION................................ESTABLISHED-----------
-----------------------------RECEIVING MESSAGE DATA..................DONE------------------------

Encryption: High, specific decryption key required
Sender: Laura (special authorization verified)
Sent: 17:02 local time, 28th February 820; near planet Honshu, Honshu system, Kusari
To: Trueno Benitez

*Laura appears on the screen in some very ordinary and worn out t-shirt, sitting obviously in the pilot´s seat in quite big ship cockpit, very likely of some big transport ship. She has little worried expression*

Hola Trueno! What is going on down there? That really didn´t sound good. Bloodied? You almost got killed? Ah...I told you to stay safe, do you remember? Please, if you can, get out of there! I take your...

*she looked little to the side and sound of voice from communication intercom can be heard, despite it is not understandable enough. Laura takes walkie-talkie in the hand*

Hai, Toru, section 15 seems to be clear, but system check still indicates leak somewhere on the cooling circuit B. Maybe try to check pipes on the input of heat sink three, it would not be the first time here!

*she turns back to camera*

Perdon Trueno, we have need of some repairs but I wanted to use the time when all others are down in engine room. Something brake in this old ship from time to time and we now can´t locate it and repair it. Hmm, it seems I will spend another night in bed of Miyako Spaceport Hotel...

But back, where was I? Yes, a promise that we will meet. I believe that we will. I hope we will. But I can´t promise you because it is now...it's up to you now. So you should promise me that! Just let me know when and where you will be in advance. I know there are not much places to choose. But can´t you make stop on Freeport One on the way back from Bretonia to Crete? I probably can be there in 48 hours after I will get your message and even wait here for...maybe two or three days.

It´s really up to you. Let me know. And...stay safe, sí? And if you can´t, at least stay alive! Maybe you have your orders, but...this is an order...from me.

*she smiles a little more, then waves and turns the camera off*

------------------------------END OF THE MESSAGE---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------DATA CONNECTION.....................TERMINATED----------------

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Rodnas]

Somewhere on Honshu, Laura ,moves back to her apartment. The shift is over, the skies are gray- time to be done with it. The corridor to her apartment is empty seems everybody is lonely and grey today.
She can't pinpoint it, but somehow today was a weird day, too... a weird gut-feeling, a poke in the back of the head. Something is wrong, and after work and without distraction that feeling just got more pronounced. Standing in front of he door she wonders where it came from and how to shake it off.
While standing there and musing she notices a strange scratch at her door. Has it always been there? She can't remember. It doesn't matter.Leisure time. She enters her dark apartment- there it is again. Something IS wrong - her neck hair raises as she tries to see and listen.

"Krrr krrr kraaaa"

That sound- it came from HER apartment- it was near- her eyes race in the dark, looking for the source!! Where is the light!?

"KRRRRSSCH HFHFHF"

LIGHT!!
Finally the the light springs to life...everything looks completely normal. The door closes behind her. Then she hears the sound again

"Krrr krrr kraaaa"

Kitchen. On her way there she sees a mop and a bucket. Strange, those are not hers...do i have a cleaning lady? Let's move!
Carefully stepping into her kitchen Laura faces a sight to behold:

Trueno half sits on one of her chairs half lies on her table. He looks horrible- dressed in worn out clothes labeled as Yakamoto Cleaning Group, he looks haggardly himself. Much thinner than the last time they met, with a pale greyish skin riddled with still fresh bruises. His eyelids are a mix of yellow and deep red, his tear sacs as red as they get.
There is a small bouqet of flowers on the table, they look fresh- but more like something you buy at a station. On the floor next to him is a opened sauasage package, someone has bitten into it before letting it drop. He sleeps deep, making his noises from time to time.

---

Read about: The Benitez Familia and Trueno Benitez

---Not available for any disco stuff these days(and for an extended period of time to come, too ---

[Laura C.]

PLACEHOLDER for rendezvous record #1

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Laura C.]

PLACEHOLDER for rendezvous record #2

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Laura C.]

PLACEHOLDER for rendezvous record #3

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Rodnas]

Location: unknown
Sender: Trueno Benitez
Recipent: Laura Craft
Time: 4th March 820

Laura mi amor,
i am on my way home into the Omicrons and i can't stop thinking of you. I am glad i went out to see you, no matter how short this little escape was! Let's just make sure it won't take us another three months to meet again, si? Space can't be that big...
In any case, i hope you are doing bueno- sadly my reasons to stay in Kusari ended in a not so fulfilling matter...igual, i will get my chances again. For now...maybe you spoke with your patron about your vacation already? I am really looking forward to see you and to welcome you to mi casa...ah ...and i ahve to remember to hmm...warn mi familia that we will have you as a very special guest at our casa, that will be very interesting!!

Bueno, before the connection crashes, besos from me- stay safe!!

---

Read about: The Benitez Familia and Trueno Benitez

---Not available for any disco stuff these days(and for an extended period of time to come, too ---

[Laura C.]

-----------------------------DATA CONNECTION................................ESTABLISHED-----------
-----------------------------RECEIVING MESSAGE DATA..................DONE------------------------

Encryption: High, specific decryption key required
Sender: Laura (special authorization verified)
Sent: 13:11 local time, 9th March 820; near Yukawa Shipyard, Honshu system, Kusari
To: Trueno Benitez

*Laura appears on the screen smiling, judging from the iron wall behind her and some muffled machinery sound she is probably in cabin of the ship*

Hola! I´m sorry that it took so long, there was pile of paperwork waiting for me at the base which I had to process before I could take some supply run and have chance to get to Kusari and send a message to you. We are now waiting in loading queue so I could leave the cocpit.

So! It´s nice to hear that, can you say it again? *bigger smile* Okay, just joking. I think of you too, but I also miss you again. Your visit was so short...but I know, I know, I should be grateful that we at least could see again.

So you are on the way back to Omicrons? Oh, what a pity...I secretly hoped that your duties in Kusari will last longer and maybe you will have time for another visit. But I hope as well that it will not take another three months until we meet again.

Regarding my visit, I didn´t speak with director about taking a holiday yet. But I will soon, I promise. But your familia...uhm...*her face changes to unsure and little startled*...well, I thought I will visit you and your casa, not...uhm...your whole familia. Don´t get me wrong por favor, but...isn´t too early for introducing me to them? Because...you know...from house point of view quite is. Sí, we are seeing for more than three months, but yet we met personally only three times and the last rendezvous was even very short. Maybe this is another cultural difference between people from houses and Corsairs...but from my point...ahh...I just don´t feel ready for this now. You know, in houses, introducing to parents is quite...binding. And the first impression and all these things...it makes me really nervous because of you, because of me...and so on. Maybe I should visit you for just few days at first and we should let this introducing to another time, sí?

So...eh...that´s all for now. Let me know that you arrived home safely, sí? And take care!

Kiss you!

*she waves and makes "sending kiss" gesture, then turns the camera off*

------------------------------END OF THE MESSAGE---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------DATA CONNECTION.....................TERMINATED----------------

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.

[Rodnas]

Location: unknown
Sender: Trueno Benitez
Recipent: Laura Craft
Time: 12th March 820

the screen flickers and a less then happy Trueno shows up.

Laura mi amor,
i...i just got your message and, well i was a bit surprised...maybe i should have warned you though i am still not sure about what....dios i thought you knew about me living together with my familia?
I mean we kept the small house we had in our village and expanded it a bit after we got more pesetos, si? It is big enough to entertain guests muy bueno! And i mean it is not only mi padres living there but also my two hermanos and their wifes and bebitos...i mean you know them, safe for Medidors, si? HEck even Catalina serves as maid there...there are many people at mi casa, si? You won't draw too much attention.....ah well...

I mean if that is impresentable for you ...we can stay at Myrthos Villa, the residence of the Benitez familia..... it is much more luxurious there, if you are not sure if mi humble casa is not too...rustic for you....ah well...of course, the Benitez are my familia, too...but maybe you see a difference there? Of course...that wouldn't be my true home then but it might work as a substitute, si?

In any case mi guapa....i know that the houses handle things a bit weird, si? But here, on Crete- you and your familia are one thing, you stick together and share our lives....and i mean literally, our lives are too short to waste time with sneaking behind the familias back....i have nada to hide from them and you have nada to fear si?

What do you think?

Besos,

---

Read about: The Benitez Familia and Trueno Benitez

---Not available for any disco stuff these days(and for an extended period of time to come, too ---

[Laura C.]

-----------------------------DATA CONNECTION................................ESTABLISHED-----------
-----------------------------RECEIVING MESSAGE DATA..................DONE------------------------

Encryption: High, specific decryption key required
Sender: Laura (special authorization verified)
Sent: 5:17 local time, 17th March 820; near Sigma-13 jump gate, Honshu system, Kusari
To: Trueno

*Laura appears on the screen with¨unusual, not happy and expression, probably result of mixture of feelings like pensiveness, doubts, upset or exhaustion. Judging from the iron wall behind her and some muffled machinery sound she is probably in cabin of the ship*

Trueno...maybe you said that to me and I forgot, I´m not sure...well, that doesn´t matter now. I really don´t want...uhm...again don´t get me wrong, por favor. This is not about luxury and your home being too rustic for me. Hell no! This is about...making first impression on important people. I don´t know how it works on Crete, but in houses you really want to...or at least I want to...make good impression to such a people like your querido´s familia...in your case, both familias. And I´m...generally not good at this. I have fear that I will make problems to you. That it will hurt your position...or honor...in your own family or in Benitez familia...if I will make bad impression. What if I will offend somebody unintentionally? I´m still only little familiar with Corsair core world and life there. Not speaking about...well, I doubt I will not draw too much attention there...I believe I will draw much of it because everybody will notice that I´m foreigner for miles away! And from my accent that I´m from Bretonia. What if they ask where I come from? Where I lived and grew up? Will they accept this without looking badly at me? And you? Will they even accept me there...with you? What will you do if not?!

*she looks more and more unhappy and stressed*

I feel...trapped now. I don´t want to hurt you and your feelings, I know...or at least I guess I know how mucho familia is important to you as every other Corsair! But I don´t feel ready for this too! But it´s my problem, not yours or any of your familias, sí?! You know...none of my...uhm...previous boyfriends introduced me to his parents. I don´t have any experience with this! Can´t there be just us two? Together, taking a walks and go to a lunch or dinner? I heard that dawn or sunset are beautiful on Crete. I promised you I will take your invitation...and I want to keep my word, really.

*she stops talking and closes her eyes for a moment*

Eh...perdon...I´m probably blabbing about nonsense that you maybe even can´t understand. I´m very tired, I didn´t sleep for almost forty hours. I had to prepare everything for my leaving...but I wanted to send you message before we will arrive into Rheinland space. But wait! Oh, I´m sorry, I´m talking nonsense and I didn´t tell you the most important information - I had to change plans for next days. I wanted to speak with director about my holiday so I sent him a message, but he replied that he want to speak with me about 'this and other issues personally as soon as possible'.

So...I´m on my way to New Berlin already. I don´t know what he has in mind, if I should be afraid or look forward to it. But anyway, this means I will be at least around next two weeks busy and at least around ten days in Rheinland...at least I assume...so I will not send messages to you from there. I heard stories that Rheinland intelligence agencies are monitoring all messages there, I don´t want to take any risk. But you can message me freely, I doubt they can´t track who was recipient, just don´t say or use my whole name to be sure, sí? I will let you know as soon as possible once I will return to Kusari and then...

*sound of the voice from communication intercom interrupted her, saying with strong Rheinlandian accent "We have green light, everybody prepare to jump, ja?" and then she mumbled a curse*

Damn it, why they had to be so fast this time?! Okay, we will talk about everything later, bueno? Take care!

*she waves and then turns the camera off*

------------------------------END OF THE MESSAGE---------------------------------------------------
------------------------------DATA CONNECTION.....................TERMINATED----------------

---

On a ragebreak. Or ragequit. Time will tell.