—
—
"Command is never a luxury. It’s a burden, a good paying burden at that… Being the one that has to give out the orders and be responsible for others is never an easy job, and in my line of work it’s an exceptionally volatile job. When an assignment goes south or has undesirable results, they’re gonna come crashing down on the guy who was giving the orders first and the ones carrying them out second if need be. I’ve been burned by such responsible already, but I’m not one to live in remorse of the past, what happened, happened - my focus is the now.
- Utatis Parinen
“Can’t ask for better health insurance than that.”
March 22nd YC 123
6NJ8-V IV - The Rabbit’s Warren Fortizar, exrpess elevator
< Utatis unenthusiastically humming along with elevator music. >
< Ding! >
“…?”
< Elevator doors sliding open >
“Oh no…”
“Utatis! Pleasant surprise running into you here…”
“I got a meeting to attend Sortan…”
< Utatis calmly pressing an elevator floor button >
“Hey! Let’s not be in a rush here!”
< Sortan catching elevator doors >
“I got some people who’ve been wanting a word with you!”
“They can drop a message in my inbox…”
< Utatis presses an elevator floor button >
“Running away from your problems Utatis?”
“No, I literally just have a meeting to attend.”
**< Utatis presses an elevator floor button > **
< Sortan struggling to keep the door open >
“Hey you one-eyed prick! Cut that out! Let’s just get this over with, yeah?!”
“No.”
< Utatis annoyingly pressing a elevator floor button >
“Oh ■■■■ this! Vastir! Gimme a hand here!”
< Elevator doors being slammed open effortlessly >
“…!”
“Whew… You remember Vastir, don’t you Utatis?”
“Hard not to…”
“He and a few others would like a word with you.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
< Utatis calmly pressing a elevator floor bu- >
< Sortan unholstering his sidearm and blasting the elevator’s button panel >
“Enough of that - Come out. Now. Follow me.”
“… Very well.”
“…”
“All these people look familiar to you Uie?”
“… They do.”
“They all served under you during your time with the Dread Guristas. Some apart of your personal strike force even… Your leadership costed them the lives of some really close people. As well as sending their careers back with your incompetence… Got anything to say for yourself?”
“… I’m sorry?”
“Ohhh, well would you listen to that? He’s sorry! Well I guess that just makes everything-”
< Sortan sucker punching Utatis in the stomach >
“-You think that’s going to cut it you worthless piece of ■■■■?!”
< Utatis coughing >
“Get up! Get the ■■■■ up!”
“… Fine!”
< Utatis grunting as he stands back up. >
"Now - Do correct me if I’m wrong Utatis - But I recall you informing me that Suha was very finicky about the idea any of her people being involved with the bodily harm of any Gurista personnel? Even going as far as to make it a unspoken policy?
“That’s correct…”
“Kind of a dumbass policy, don’t you think?”
“Well, it probably wouldn’t look good for us if we went around beating up or killing any Guristas personnel as If we were an equal…”
“Ain’t that cute… Right well, I think you’re smart enough to figure out what’s about to happen…”
“Sure, but why?”
“Why? Because justice needs to be delivered Utatis! These four here? Your actions has had long term damaging impacts on their lives while you get to roam Venal rather comfortably! You get paid more than these people and don’t do half the work they do! You got it ■■■■■■■ easy in fact! Spying on a ■■■■■ that doesn’t even attempt to hide anything from you! You should had rotted away in that ■■■■■■■ cell, but here you are living a pretty damn good life… Justice Utatis! That’s why…”
“■■■■ off Sortan, you don’t care about justice.”
“You know what, you’re right. Honestly I was just bored and kinda had this idea to get people together to stomp your ass out.”
“I appreciate your honesty.”
“Good, now without further ado - Let’s go down the line… You’ve already reunited with Vastir, yeah? After your ■■■■ up, Vastir ended up doing hard labour in a Lai Dai prison colony… He’d say something but lost his tongue to some of the other prisoners over some ■■■■■■■■ little spat… Show em Vas.”
“… Disturbing.”
“I know right? But hey, he soldiers though it, so good on him. Time working that colony made him three times the brute you remember him as… Now we got Vivien here, she served as your medical officer aboard your ship… She had a promising career with the Guristas’ medical corps until your mishap with the raid led with a mountain of causalities in critical condition, after command canned you, they demoted Vivien here thinking she was unqualified for the position after failing to save majority of the wounded.”
“You led those men into a meat grinder Utatis.”
“I did… It’s not your fault Vivien.”
“Don’t think playing humble is gonna make you look good this time Utatis…”
“I know…”
“…Did you two ■■■■? No? Alright sorry, i do wanna say I’m looking forward to seeing what she can do. Whole career healing injuries might teach you how to create them, yeah? Moving on - Next we got Melic, one of the strike team survivors. Know who didn’t survive? His lover. He was mowed down by the base’s automated security that you knew were there. But conveniently ignored for the sake of accomplishing an objective…”
“Was it worth it Utaris?”
“We didn’t accomplish our objective, it eqs a waste of manpower.”
“You remorseless motherfuc-”
“Hey-Hey-Hey! Cool your jets and wait for everyone mate! You’ll get yours… Now last but not least. This is -”
“Harton.”
“Wow! You actually recognized him? After half his face got blown off? Your actions turned a handsome man into a hideous freak that nobody wants to look at!”
“You wanting to get ■■■■■■ up too?”
“Easy tiger, you don’t wanna go down that route… Now Utatis… You see what your actions have caused? Actions that you were specifically ordered NOT to take but you did it anyway because you thought highly above your station and had the impression you knew better?”
“I realized this a long time ago.”
“Ooooh I don’t think you have Utatis… Now, unlike you - We know to follow orders and orders are not to kill you while you’re still feeding us intel and being useful. That said-”-
“Let me guess, that means you can still freely beat me till on just on the verge of death.”
“Precisely… How’s it feel by the way? That this drugged out of her mind ■■■■■ you’re assigned to is the only thing guaranteeing your life right now…”
“Can’t ask for better health insurance than that.”
“Right well - Any final closing remarks or pleas before we begin?”
“An offer actually.”
“Oh? Go on.”
“One second…”
< Utatis searching his jacket >
“Here we are, to make amends - this is a coupon for a VIP trial for a local pleasure hub that I can highly recommend to-”
< Utatis getting blasted by a right hook by Vastir >
6NJ8-V IV - The Rabbit’s Warren Fortizar, Meeting Room for Venal Prosperity Network Leadership
“< Sigh >… Where is he! This is so unlike him…”
“It’s a big station Suha, maybe he just got lost or maintenance somewhere is blocking his path and has to take the long way around…”
“No! Utatis doesn’t get lost! And he’s never late!”
"Alright! If you say so… I’m just saying, it’s only been thirty minutes past the scheduled time. We ain’t gotta be stressing that he hasn’t shown up just yet. "
“Again Avio, Utatis is never late… It’s not in his character! Something’s wrong, I can feel it… Mumo!”
“Suha, I’ve tried calling him multiple times already… I’m with Avio, I just think Utatis has had a run of bad luck and had to take a detour, We can start without him and he’ll catch up.”
“… Fine! Just… I always appreciate his input and observations! I don’t like doing these meetings without him… I want my whole team to be present! Just has to be one of those days then… Very well, then we’ll just start without him, now then - I’d like to start off by bringing up-”
< Meeting room door slides open >
“Utatis! So glad you- < Shriek >”
" < Wheeze > A-Apologies f-for being late…"
“Utatis! What happened to you?! Do you need a medic? Talk to me!”
“T-That be…-”
< Utatis collapsing to the ground. >
“Utatis! Stay with me! Avio! Mumo! Go find a medic! Anyone! Please!”
“How the ■■■■ did he make it all the way here looking like that without anyone getting him a medic?”
“Everything is going to be okay Utatis! Just stay with me…”