------------------------ 
------------------------
“I’m not a fearless soldier like Fatal was, nor am I some technological genius like The Rabbit. I’m a farm girl, I harvested crops and produced cheese and bread to feed Gurista soldiers. As a result, I have a rather mundane skillset - a skillset that is ultimately useless to the betterment of the Guristas as a whole…That said I’d argue my time living on a farm has gifted me with knowledge and appreciation of harvesting and production. We as humans take the resources nature provide us so that we can create and produce what we need. The asteroids found in space are a remarkable example of this, crumbs of greater projects left behind by the Maker that are rich with valuable materials that can be used to create wonderful things! These valuable rocks do not wait for some government or mega-corporation to move in and claim ownership of them! No! They wait only for someone with the motivation and determination to harvest them first…”
- Suha Raibuya
“Is that doubt I hear?”
December 23rd YC 121
6NJ8-V VI - Moon 6 - Guristas Production Shipyard, Auxiliary hanger 3E
“Hey Gabel, you got a light?”
“Yeah i do, here you go.”
“Thanks…”
“You…You alright there Vex?”
“…I just got word that I’m being transferred to a F.O.B down in Lonetrek.”
“■■■■…Really?”
“Yeah…”
“I mean, you’re just flying a barge, ain’t ya?”
“I am! That’s the thing!..Those FOBs are massive targets that attract Capsuleers to them practically a second after they light up on CONCORD’s sensors. ■■■■■■■■■■■■■ have figured out how to besiege one by themselves! Before they attack one of them however, they go hunt down our mining operations first.”
“Well Capsuleers typically aim for the ship that’s hauling all the ore and lock boxes…The barges are just the bait. I’d say you’re safe for the most part.”
“Hell no I’m not! Because when that FOB eventually gets blown up? I’m ■■■■ out of luck. I lose my port and I’m in the middle of hostile territory! The ■■■■■■■ Navy will circle in on us and finish the job the Capsuleers started!”
“Well…Just be smart about it!”
“Wow! ■■■■■■■ riveting advice Gabel! Thanks…”
“Look, I mean if you’re caught in that situation you got options, the Capsuleers are way too chicken ■■■■ to engage the escort fleets we have supporting mining operations, so you won’t be out there along with no backup to get you out of there.”
“We don’t have anywhere secure to dock.”
“We got hundreds of refuges and hideaways throughout high-security space.”
“Dickhead! I said SECURE. none of those sites are secure, they’re so poorly defended that some rookie Egger fresh out of the academy could sweep through them in a terribly fit frigate and not break a sweat!”
“Maybe we got some jump gate networks stashed away that the escort fleet will take you though to get back to safety.”
“Maybe those gat networks don’t ■■■■■■■ exist! And if they do! Maybe they’re already cleared off the map by some ■■■■■■■ Capsuleer.”
“Vex, I’m trying to help you here, you gotta stop stressing about this. I’m sure whatever happens out there, you’re gonna have a plan to get you and your crew out safely.”
“A plan? Every “plan” the Guristas has in high-security space is torn up by Capsuleers before it’s even executed.”
“Is that doubt I hear?”
“Damn! ■■■■■■■ straight it is Gabel! It is doubt!”
“Well you might wanna cool it befo-”
“No! ■■■■ you! You clearly don’t understand how ■■■■■■ over I feel right now! While you get to stay all nice safe up here in Venal, I gotta go into the heart of Caldari space where I have an incredibly high chance of being erased by some Capsuleer or arrested by the Navy and sent to some blacksite prison where they’ll do good knows what to me. All for what? Huh? What’s the point of these God damn FOB mining operations? Why can’t we just keep our ops up here in Venal? We got plenty of systems with belts just begging to be mined!”
“Gotta get to those rocks before the State does.”
“Who-the-■■■■ cares? Let them ■■■■■■■ mine it, and just steal the ■■■■ later! It’s not like we don’t already do this!”
“Well ever since this region mysteriously ran out of Veldspar, the demand is pretty high. And sure, we could wait for them to mine it and steal it later, but we run the risk of losing track of where it goes. The State will quickly shove any materials it gets into a stockpile or factory. We mine it first? We deprive them of resources and boost our industry at the same time.”
“It…It just doesn’t seem worth it! It doesn’t feel safe!”
“Our whole line of work ain’t safe homie. Even if we went legit, we’d still be in danger.”
“At least if we went legit then we wouldn’t have to worry about Capsuleers…”
“Not quite! Capsuleers will track down mining ops of the Empires all the time and plunder their gains. If your ass worked for Minedrill, you’d still be potentially in the crosshairs of some Capsuleer.”
“…”
“…Look Vex, I wish there was something I can do, but you just gotta have hope.”
“Heh, ‘hope’…Right.”
“I’m serious! You go into this with this mindset, you’re gonna panic and freakout and it’s gonna cost you your life and maybe your crew. You gotta keep it chill and have faith that your escort will keep you out of trouble…K-Keep your eyes on the prize, you know?”
“What prize?”
“Vex, you get hella danger pay for high-security ops.”
“Danger pay?”
“Nah not danger pay, HELLA danger pay. I’m talking GRIP, ■■■■■■■ BANKROLLS… And even if that FOB goes, you’re atill gonna get a paycheck. Guarantee it.”
“Well…Alright. I-I still can’t enjoy the money if-”
“Stop focusing on the ‘ifs’ my man, only gonna be stressing yourself out.”
“Alright…Alright! Guess I don’t got any other choice!”
“Hey! That’s the spirit Vex! I tell you what, you make it back to Venal? We’ll throw you a party with all the booze, poker, disease ridden whores and spliterz matches you could ever want.”
“Really? Well…Does sound fun and worth living to see.”
“Good! Just keep that in mind and you’ll make it out!..Look I gotta go and get ready for another shift, so stay strong and make it back home, alright? We can’t have this party if you ain’t alive to pay for it! Peace out Vex.”
“Peace brother…Wait a second…Ayo! Hold the ■■■■ up!”