Cepheus Engine Leviathan SOLO campaign - Unskilled OK Part 0.5
Interview Room 101: Part Two
He made some notes in the file, letting her feel detached, as though the interview was almost over. Then he cleared his throat. "I have only three more questions."
Sue-lin nodded.
"Firstly, why did you leave the Arkesh Spacers?"
"I lost a friend on the Allamu. It made me rethink things."
"What kinds of things?"
"I didn't want to be running around just trading and raiding with no purpose. I wanted to know that I was doing something that would make a difference."
"So you joined McClellan Factors to make a difference?"
"They had a post going on a mission into systems we'd lost as a result of the War. I had done a good stint with the Spacers but it was time for me to move on. I got in on this mission and we spent a few years winning the old worlds back around. It felt good."
"Second question. If that felt good, then why did you leave McClellan Factors?"
"It was good. We spent a few years helping free some populations from enemy influences. Then we got sent back out to interfere with enemy efforts when they tried to reassert themselves."
"Interfere?"
"Trade war stuff. We had a letter of marque from the Duke himself to follow any merchant shipping we suspected of supplying Zhodani sympathisers. We were to follow them, gather intelligence on what they were shipping and to whom, and then we were free to move in and take as much of it as we wanted to."
"You still haven't told me why you left, though."
"I haven't? I guess not. I suppose after almost twenty years I was bound to rub someone up the wrong way and it hurt my career."
"Your bio-readings are indicating that this is a stressful topic."
Sue-lin glanced at the pads on her skin. "It was."
"Was? Or is?"
Sue-lin shook her head, her mind filling up with images from the past. "I'm still angry with someone about it, if that's what you mean."
"Someone who still works for McClellan?"
"Yeah. Shoot, yeah. Look, it was personal. They blamed me for their brother's death in the War. They said..."
"What did they say? And why should you care, after all these years?"
"She said that his death was my fault. That if I hadn't broken our engagement, he wouldn't have run off to join the Navy. That he'd still be alive."
"How do you feel about that?"
"It's bullshit, obviously. It always was though."
"But you care about what she thinks?"
"No. I cared about him. Hari Durkheim. I loved him."
"Part of you thinks that she was right?"
"I wish he was still here. I wish I'd known back then just how much I loved him. I wish I hadn't been scared to admit it to myself, to him."
"Would you like a tissue?"
"Thanks."
"What about McClellan Factors? How do you feel about them?"
"McClellan? They hung me out to dry quicker than laundry. I loved the crews I served with. Well, most of them. But the company can go screw itself. I have no love for that company, if that's what you are asking."
"And finally, why did you leave Cyan?"
"That's easy. Once my buddies started heading off to the Academy, I started wanting to get out into the universe.I began to feel cooped up-"
"My apologies," he smiled. "I meant, why did you leave Cyan most recently? To come here?"
Sue-lin regarded him, trying to look casual. Did he know?
"Same reason," she said. "I began to feel cooped up."
He looked at her for slightly longer than she was expecting.
"If we offered you a position on this mission, it would solve your financial problems in one go. A successful trade mission would even set you up well on a percentage." He eyed her, sucking his teeth. Leaning forwards, so that his eyes were only a few inches away from hers, he inhaled, then exhaled. "But I want to hear it from you. Why are you here, applying for Pilot on a Barraccai Technum mission into the Outrim Void? Hmm?"
"I can't deny that I need the money Sir," Sue-lin sighed internally as she felt forced to admit this. But they knew, so why hide it? "But it's not about the money. That's not why I'm here."
"So... why are you here? Oh, and you can dispense with the formalities. Although I quite like it, "he smiled, "you don't have to call me 'Sir'. Now, tell me more about why you are here."
"I want to get back out there. I've spent most of my life out there in the Outrim, it's my second home. And I loved flying the Leviathans. Much more than the Seagram or the Corvettes. When I heard about this post it brought back a lot of memories. And when I inquired about the mission, well, I had to apply. I'm still relatively young. I've got a lot left in me. The chance to get out there for another six months, to see those worlds again..."
"You want to see if everything you did before has made any difference?"
"Yes Sir. I need to see it with my own eyes."
He paused for a moment, as if listening to a voice in his earpiece. Then he nodded, closed the file, and offered his hand.
"Welcome to the crew 1st Officer Huawei," he smiled. "Your medical and psych evaluations were 96% and 97% respectively. Report to Room 309 to sign the forms and receive your accreditations."
"Thank you Sir," Sue-lin spoke, realising that her mouth was dry. "Just one more question. When do I get to meet the rest of the crew?"
(... To Be Continued ...)
Credits:
http://zho.berka.com/stuff/lbb-covers/
I made my header graphic using P-O Bergstedt's superb Traveller LBB Cover Generator at the Zhodani Base website.