Nine-plus months ago, Samanuni XI, Caldari Navy Warehouse, Block 1
YC 122-██-██
“Where’s the boss?”
“Not sure. Tinkering with something or other. You know. Trying to impress the missus.”
“Not this time. Went to engineering and there’s nobody there. Even the project backlog is clean. That list wouldn’t be clean for another year with how many novel ideas he comes up with.”
“So maybe he’s discarded them. We’re going to a new station, we can’t keep everything with us during the move, and those prototypes take up space and containment.”
“Really? Like when he said he’d discard that garrote wire launcher?”
“That list is older than he’s been boss, so maybe he’s wisened up, doesn’t see any value in them.”
“Then where’s our contracts? I haven’t seen any recovery orders come in since just before the invasion. Now it’s just joint ops with local system and planetary governments.”
“If we could chase every wreck case I bet he’d have us stretched thinner than we are. But last I knew the Trigs don’t leave many left, so he’s putting us to more probable good than chasing the dead.”
“I don’t know. I know the choices have to be made, but I thought we were big enough to not need to prioritise.”
“Not when they’re everywhere. We’re still dipping our toes into bigger waters. We’re not “big enough” to do it all.”
“I know that. But you’d think the Four’d do some of the heavy lifting for us.”
“They’re trying to keep track of the living, they don’t have time for the dead. And sadly, neither do we.”
“Damn.”
(//-_-//)
Seven-plus months ago, Archavoinet, House Mnesia Outpost
YC 122-██-██
“Come in.”
“Sir? You called?”
“Yes. You’re still asking about where Kiijata is.”
“Nobody’s seen him since before the move. He’s always been a shut-in but he’s a sociable one to make calls for everyone to get him things on his project stints.”
“I’ve known him longer than you, and if you think this is just a stint then you’ve no idea how long he can isolate to get everything tuned to within a fraction of a nanometer’s width for a margin of error.”
“I get that. I haven’t seen him that bad, but he’s always kept in touch. Now all we’ve got is Block, and she’s shut in just as bad. I’d be impressed she could hide that well if she wasn’t the size of four city blocks.”
“This is how he’s always been. Goes to show the dedication he’s putting forth.”
“To what? Please, sir. Level with me. This isn’t a project. He gets excited and shows off whenever he thinks of something to show Miss Boss. That suit didn’t kill him, did it?”
“No, he’s been out for three months. Of course, as you say, nobody’s seen him to know that.”
“Then vacation, sir? I know he wanted out to go see a sun on a beach somewhere, probably getting his brains-”
“If only. Then he’d do something like send everyone a custom exotic fruit basket with instructions on how to prepare a five course meal for the staff to enjoy at a potluck he had planned as celebration for the move. And would have prepared a quarter of it himself.”
“…he was going to do that?”
“He’s going to do that. But right now he needs us more than ever, and you asking where he is doesn’t help him or us. He’s still here, but he’s got the most important task weighing down on his shoulders, and nothing is going to stop him from seeing it through.”
“What could he be doing that even he sees as that important…”
“Parker. You’ve got family in your home system, yes?”
“Still do, sir. Mother’s been fretting I’m going out to bring others home rather than staying within smelling distance of her hound.”
“Then what would you say is that important?”
“Well, those people we’re carrying, they’ve got family. I’ve seen how tightly they hold together. If we didn’t have enough room I’d say they’d be giving each other up so their loved ones could go over themselves. His family’s almost as paranoid as that Sobo woman, right?”
“Sobo taught them, they could give an invasion a run for their money.”
“…”
“Go on.”
“If it’s that important, I think I understand why he hasn’t shown his face.”
“But Ms. Brezia has?”
“I think I get it. I won’t prod anymore. If he’s got something like that, then I’ll wait to see what he does to make up for the quiet.”
“Knowing him, he won’t stiff us anywhere. Just wait. You’ll be partying for a year straight when he comes back.”
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