As Certain as Life

Log Activation; YC 111.08.31

"People do not die for us immediately, but remain bathed in a sort of aura of life which bears no relation to true immortality but through which they continue to occupy our thoughts in the same way as when they were alive."

--------------------------------------------------------------------

Atfal sits atop his small wooden box. He points a small controller at a small screen and with a soft click and whirr the small screen flickers to life, a hazy gun camera film begins to roll.

"YC 111-08-21 16:22:00 Huola System, The Bleak Lands" a computerised voice murmers as the picture clears.

"Minor complex system open, Huola system currently contested"

Warp drive is clearly activated and the ship launches toward the complex acceleration gate.

"Two neutrals on scan" the voice playing on the film is clearly that of Atfal.

The ship slows with the large acceleration gate directly ahead and the right of the ship. Almost immediately claxons sound, blaring over the the voices of the crew and pilot can barely be heard.

"Curse starbord side, he's got a lock....we're being scrammed sir" the voice of a woman chimes over the noise.

"Taking evasive maneouves, all power to engines we need range for warp"

"Vagabond dead ahead and closing" a second crew members voice chimes in.

The ship is rocked by the impact of multiple weapons fire. Attack drones, clearly visible, streak through the camera view. They can bee seen orbiting in combat formation and weapons free. Again the ship is rocked by weapons fire impact. The dual light pulse laser below the gun camera is glowing as it returns fire at the vagabond. Huge chunks of reinforced armor explode into space as the projectiles from the Vagabond begin tearing through it. Jets of gas vent through the rapidly appearing breaches in the hull.

"A computerised voice cuts through the noise....Hull breach iminent, all personell......." it's cut short as the film turns to static.

The screen fades to a pinpoint as Atfal turns it off. He speaks slowly and deliberately flicking the remote over in the palm of his hand.

"I have known the anguish of having a pod breach, of revival in a clone millions miles away. It's not something I want to do often."

He lowers his head, pausing for a brief moment and looks back up.

"But how do I deal with the loss of a crew?....sure they were inexperienced, but so am I. Jason Tae, Sulhim Al'Khardish, Andrew Lyons....Now only names their families will cry out and to what ends?.......Silence that is all that accompanies those calls."

Atfal swallows, an obvious lump in his throat.

"Each crew member I knew, I picked them personally. Sure they knew the risks. I told them of the risks but it doesn't make it any easier. Will it ever be easier, perhaps a crew of slaves........."

Atfal's face changes quickly like the coming of a storm.

"NO!...free men fight for what the believe in and I will not have it any other way on my ships. I dare not have it any other way."

And as quickly as the storm took shape it fades, the emotions peaking and troughing like a surge. He leans over picking up a small reddish brown book, The Pax Amarria. He runs his fingers across the worn red leather cover, tracing the gilted title on the front.

"I made my way to a place Lt Shalee told me about today, The Garden of Babylon. The place itself seems quite serene, with the sounds of waterfalls and the scent of exotic plants. I thought it fitting to leave a token of rememberance there for the crew. It wasn't anything grand, they wouldn't have liked anything like that"

Atfal lowers his head as if looking at the Pax Amarria. His right hald holds the book tightly while his lands hand slowly takes the gold Amarrian symbol pendant around his neck. He absently thumbs the pendant between his index finger and thumb. He laughs softly to himself.

"It was a single bloom of the Kaldrisa plant, found native to Sarum Prime III. It's the place I gathered the crew prior to shipping down to Kuomi. We did some exercises around the system and became as close as family. Closer than my own that's for sure."

Atfal raises his head, a tear running down his left cheek.

"I tied a small gold ribbon around it, a bond of friendship...."

He raises the Pax Amarria, nodding towards the camera his face stern once more.

"To absent friends....The next one is for you, all of you"

With that Atfal stands and moves forward to the drone camera, a soft clicking noise can be heard as he gets closer, the ranging technique he learnt as a child. He reaches out toward the camera drone blocking the lens with his hand as he fumbles a little while he finds the manual off switch. Then with a small click it switches off.

Log Terminated.