Dabadoru station was on hightend alert today, though normally this wouldn't be too unusual for a forward outpost in the Omicron Delta system, the cause was significantly different from usual. A Coalition captain and crew were to be screened and interviewed, soon after the Coalition had declared that they were cutting all ties between themselves and the Order. Agent van den Ham carefully glanced over his datapad, making sure he had memorized everything for the upcoming interview while the captain was going through the medical checks to rule out Nomad infection; standard procedure on Order stations albeit somewhat time consuming.
Eventually a shrill bleep from his console brought an end to his preparations; the glories of an intercom system. The Agent reached over and pressed the button to open the communicationline. "Sir, the captain has passed the medical inspection, shall I escort him to the usual area for the interview?"
Van den Ham paused briefly, pondering the options. Normally interviews on Dabadoru station were held near the interrogation cells, sometimes even in them. It wouldn't really do to start off on such a bad note however, especially since the Grand Admiral had been positive about this particular case.
"No that's quite alright operative, please escort him to my office. A more personal touch is in order for our guests."
With that he closed off the communication and opened one of his desk drawers, pulling out two glasses and a bottle of Liberty Ale. "Hmm, probably a lot weaker than what he's used to, maybe he'll consider it exotic." the agent mused to himself, the chime of the door soon following. "Please, come in." Van den Ham said as the door opened, giving the captain entrance into what appeared to be a fairly sterile office. The room had a desk, two chairs on each side of the desk and a table with a stack of datapads in a corner behind van den Ham. "I trust the medical inspection wasn't too taxing?"
The small size of the ship, the CPR Larionov, allowed it to remain hidden from local factions under the cover of icy asteroids. Originally designed as a Q-Ship by the Zoners to protect their convoys, it had been transformed into a mobile interstellar mapping center. It was acquired through the connections of Kocsis, a former member of the Zoners of Edge Worlds, specifically Phoenix, whose engineers aided in maintaining the ship. The Larionov's true purpose was carefully concealed as it was being built, but now it was leaving the Coalition due to concerns about the sanity of its leaders.
* * *
A blond-haired man wearing a simple uniform entered the office after completing multiple security checks. Despite the complicated bureaucracy of the massive Coalition, the local procedures seemed relatively straightforward to him. As he sat down at the table, he noticed two glasses and a bottle of ale. He privately thought to himself that the officials must think he and his companions were the same kind of drunks as those in the current administration, but he maintained a straight face and said, "Not at all. I understand that you need to ensure that we are trustworthy and our intentions are pure, which I respect. In these times, you can't take anyone at their word."
The agent nodded at his words and added: "Particularly when the risk of Nomad infection is involved, though I'm glad you didn't find the process too bothersome." With that said he poored himself a glass and offered the captain one as well. "Libertonian Ale, probably not as strong as what they serve in the Coalition but it can still be quite enjoyable." Van den Hams face straightened as he leaned back in his chair, the datapad he had been studying earlier in his other hand. "However, I'm sure you're eager to get through these pleasantries and down to business, you must have had quite a trip after all."
With a somewhat deft motion van den Ham placed the glass back on the desk and moved his hand towards what appeared to be an old school recording device, flipping it on in the process. "You will find the interview rather straight forward, we will cover your past, your current situation as well as your motiviation for enlisting with the Order. Please keep in mind that while your crewmembers will receive similar interviews, your answers as their captain will also partly reflect on them. Given the possible sensitivities of your situation the interview will be recorded on this analog device, this should ensure that, even in the unlikely case of a data breach, this conversation will remain confidential."
Agent van den Ham deactivated the datapad after giving it one last glance and placed it next to his console before folding his hands on the desk. "Please confirm for the recording you understand the nature and goal of this interview, as well as your consent to being recorded."
"Let's hold off on drinking until all the important matters have been taken care of," Henrik said as he placed his glass of ale aside with a composed manner.
"I, Henrik Kocsis, fully comprehend the purpose and significance of this conversation and consent to having it recorded and retained."
Van den Ham couldn't help but crack a slight smile at the words of captain Kocsis, it was hard not to appreciate a professional after all and it was clear he was taking this as serious as he should. "Very well, let us start with your time during the Coalition. Please state how you joined the Coalition, be it birth or through decision later in your life. As well as any past roles you had while serving up until your decision to enlist with the Order."
The agent raised an eyebrow while keeping his eyes on captain Kocsis, curious how he'd react to what van den Ham could only assume was the equivalent of being asked to tell his lifes story.
"I was expected to fulfill my civil duty like most people in the Coalition. Initially, I planned to work at a ground observatory, but the opportunity to join the newly formed Kikimora Research Group, also known as the armed scientists, was too tempting to pass up. I worked my way up to become a Captain of a separate vessel. However, I eventually left the Coalition for a time, which was a risky move as it could have been perceived as betrayal. I convinced my superiors that it was for the greater good.
I spent some time working with the Zoners in Livadia, where I made connections that later helped me secure the Larionov, a ship that had been decommissioned due to its age. After that, I was assigned to chart Gallia while the Coalition attempted to make peace with the Union government. Those talks ultimately failed, and we were stranded there for half a year, forgotten by the Coalition Command. Even when they eventually promised to send help, it never arrived. We had to leave on our own, but fortunately found a place where we could recharge our cloaking device without being questioned.
Most of my life, I focused on science rather than political agendas. Although the Coalition invests a lot of resources in their propaganda machine, scientists are given some privileges, including access to materials that might be considered "ideologically incorrect," as long as we remain quiet about it. Those who do not comply often do not live long.
However, with the recent changes in Coalition leadership and their emphasis on total control, I fear that these privileges will disappear. My history of controversial behavior and some other "ideologically incompatible" actions have made me a potential enemy of the regime, so I decided its better to flee away and provide my service to someone else. Order came first to mind because I believe your security service may provide protection me and my people will need once Coalition will notice us gone. They probably did already, but I feed hopes we still have some time before they start lurking around."
The agent kept a close eye on captain Kocsis' body language, trying to see if there were any indications that might hint at fabrications or left out information, so far so good. "Being stranded in Gallia must have been quite stressful for you and your crew, especially before you found your safehaven." he noted. "What route did you take on your way back? Any notable encounters on the way? Nothing purple and glowing I hope."
The Captains mention of the current climate in the Coalition had not gone unnoticed, but for now van den Ham wanted to focus on this journey back from Gallia. Traveling through the edge worlds was often risky business after all, even with a cloaking device.
"We avoided use of the Jump Gates even if those were de-jure neutral and sticked to jump holes. We had to take our way to Taus at first, and then to borders of Bretonia, through Omegas until we reached here. Late part of the route was spent under cloaking device."
Van den Ham simply nodded at the response, it was straight forward enough, however he couldn't help but notice part of his question had been left unanswered. "Does that mean you had no unusual encounters at all on your way back? Evading detection along such a long trip is no mean feat." The Agent once again focused on the captains body language, curious to see if he could get any reading off of him. "Also, what was the state of the Coalition once you returned? Was it different from when you left, or did that come later?"
"As we were departing from the Coalition, its leadership was working towards transforming and democratizing society, advocating for socialist values, and reducing militarization. However, despite these efforts, we were unable to fundamentally alter the deeply ingrained power dynamic within the Coalition." not a single muscle trembled on the man's face as he answered the last question. The failure of the project to thaw the ice that shackled the Coalition society evoked no emotion in him, not even a slight annoyance - it was impossible to cause such radical changes in a community that had been used to obeying those in power for centuries. "Instead, we have now returned to a society reminiscent of a slave labor camp."
"As for our journey - we've met no one suspicious: our transponder was faked to appear as a Zoner vessel. Some Corsairs tried to bother us but simply paying them a tribute in coin is enough to make them leave you alone. The Core fleet is advancing toward Gamma or Gammu in Kappa - cannot say for sure. Their position implies that they might even attempt to attack Livadia. Nothing glowing and purple until the Omicrons - but seems the Nomads are unable to detect cloaked vessel same as the humans."
