Going back to Rens after a successful exploration run in Molden Heath, a notification flashed on Volurel’s pod interface.
A message from CONCORD. Much more intimidating than facing a gate camp of pirates.
Opening his comm link, the written message told him a salvage crew had successfully retrieved his lost scanning ship, a Probe frigate. Volurel’s lips curled into a grin, remembering how he had lost it only a day before setting off a cascading sentry defense system since his virus strength wasn’t strong enough to bypass the security on the data vaults.
Without announcement, a new direct video comm link appeared with a CONCORD officer. Volurel waited for the man to speak first. Glinting medals on his cleanly pressed military uniform shined through the hologram camera.
“Your ship has been returned to you after our salvage teams spotted it in the Illamur system. Do you need any assistance captain? Our records indicate that you are…recently licensed,” the finely dressed officer said through crackling interference as Volurel hurdled towards the trade hub station in a warp bubble.
“No sir, not at all sir. Thank you sir,” Volurel respectfully replied, knowing well that these people were powerful and could revoke his pilot’s license at will. He kept both hands to his sides in the embryonic fluid to dispel any notions that he would do anything sudden.
“Do you have any questions?”
Volurel thought for a moment, “With platinum insurance, does CONCORD retrieve other ships lost like this?”
“No…” the officer said gruffly.
Volurel thought for a moment again realizing in horror, “The crew! How many crew members survived?”
For a moment the CONCORD officer didn’t reply, almost as if he were stunned or surprised, “We…don’t have that information…”
“That’s…unfortunate…”
Most capsuleers didn’t even think or care about their crew members. Most saw them as mortal weak unimportant things that came with the ship. Capsuleers didn’t even know that most ships required an engineering crew to run.
After speaking with him for a few minutes, the CONCORD officer sent information over the comms link about a forum on the same FTL comm network. Volurel looked it up as he…his ship…him and his ship sat docked in the Minmatar station. Being so integrated into the ship as a capsuleer, Volurel couldn’t just walk out and explore the station like those crew members lost in the void.
“Good luck…another capsuleer seems to have just lost their ship” the officer said grimly as his image disappeared.
Volurel looked up the forum and began to write as station drones analyzed his hull and fuel couplings.
Maybe somebody would enjoy the story…
Inspired by Hands of a Killer | EVE Universe