“I’ve seen Capsuleer’s become pirates, explorers, businessfolk, and hell, even politicians,” Captain Markus Ryder chuckles, forcing Deeva to look up from her food. “But I’ve not seen very many of them become journalists.”
Deeva sat up straighter in her seat, looking across the table to her Captain. There’s a faint, amused smile on her face. It wasn’t the first time she’d gotten similar sentiments, and she doubt’s it’ll be far from the last. “I didn’t become a Capsuleer to be a journalist, Ryder. I was a journalist first, then I got a scholarship to become a Capsuleer. It only seems natural I combine the two.”
“Nah, nah, I get it, don’t get me wrong.” Ryder continued to eat. “I’ve heard your statements on the matter, and that’s why I’m here. It’s more than just some mining crew you’ve gotten together here. I’m just sayin’, it’s not the usual move I see. I think it’s interesting.”
Deeva raised an eyebrow. “Interesting? Has my Anthropology degree finally rubbed off on someone?” She grinned just before sticking a fork into her mouth. “About time, I’d say.”
Ryder shook his head. “No offence, I’ve dealt with enough people to know what’s going on in their head. I don’t need no degree to prove that.”
They both sit in an awkward silence for a moment, the newness of their relationship glaringly apparent.
“Why not go for something with money in it? Why not just pull together some mining crew or courier team and run packages around the cluster? You’re looking into some dangerous places, and with this plan you drew up, we’d barely be scraping by.”
Deeva paused, and she set down her eating utensils.
“Ryder, were you on Gallente Prime when the Caldari glassed my people out of Caldari Prime?” She spoke carefully. She new Ryder had been a ship captain for decades, but he wasn’t a Gallante.
“I was on the other side of the cluster, I think.”
Deeva furrowed her brow. “I lost family that day. Some aunts and uncles and family friends I had known my entire life were killed in that attack.”
Ryder sensed where this was going. “You don’t --” He tried to stop her.
"Tibus Heth made the order that made me lose my family, and then I watched the trial that executed one of our own that helped him do it.
"I’m a fairly idealistic person, this I will freely admit, but eleven years ago, I realized that there is so much more happening out in the world that I had no idea about and thought it didn’t affect me, so I didn’t care. I started to care that day.
"And then, I started to care about other people’s stories. The ones like mine, people affected by these senseless wars over money and territory and pride; I couldn’t let myself stand on the sidelines anymore. I couldn’t be passive.
“I might not be able to end these wars on my own, but I’ll be damned if I don’t make sure that I keep my promise to make sure every human cost is recognized and felt. Money and trading won’t cut it for me. It would never be enough.”
Ryder pressed his lips into a fine line. He was quiet for a moment. He stood up and collected the remains of his food and his plate.
“I think I’m going to call it an early night.”
“Yeah, me too.” Deeva didn’t leave her seat.
Ryder had already been a few paces away, but he turned just enough for Deeva to hear.
“Where you wanna go, Commander. Just say the word, and we’re behind you. Have a good night.”