[Minmatar One-Shot]
“Tradition is a uh… Funny thing. In it we can find many valuable things like routine, identity and connection with the people around us… Other times though it can be suffocating social expectations that outgrow its practicality and starts holding back necessary progress, be it for the individual or the collective…N-Now don’t get me wrong, this isn’t me saying I hate things that are Trad, I just… Don’t fetishize it like most of my kin would. I cannot go along with customs blindly just because these are ‘our ways’ and thus have to devote my whole life to living the way my ancestors did… There’s far more to life than that.”
- Burri Oridant
“You’d abandon both your home and clan?”
October 28th YC 124
Turnur I - Current base camp of Clan Oridant, Elder’s Yurt
"-Elders! Listen to reason! Elder Veradya, where am I failing to get my point across?
“We have listened, and you must believe us when we tell you that we fully understand everything you are saying Burri. The point of your words hasn’t flown over our heads.”
“Then why do you three insist we stay behind?! Why damn the entire clan to some stellar catastrophe when we can evacuate safely!”
“Birg, your nephew here is more naive than I originally thought.”
“Must you continue to antagonize him, Kaldeer?”
“I’ve lost all patience for the shortsightedness of children, Birg.”
“And I’m starting to lose my patience for you Kaldeer…”
“Kaldeer! Birg! Enough… Kaldeer, the man before us today may be young, but he is certainly no child. You will speak to him as an adult and treat his concerns with such respect and dignity. If you would, explain with clarity why it is you claim he is naive in this matter.”
“… Very well then… Let’s take this one piece at a time. I take great offense at suggesting ‘Safe’ evacuation is possible. You think I’m a fool? You think we all can just hop aboard a shuttle and expect the Amarr to just wave us pass? They won’t blast a giant gaping hole though that ship’s bulkhead? Let’s not forget the lapdog mercenaries of theirs that have no love for our people out here hunting modern day blood sucking vampires who are currently hunting cowards like you who have it in their heads that their chances are better up there than down here.”
“Coward?!”
“Yes boy, a coward - you’re running in fear of the great transformation that is long overdue. Like all these parasites that flocked to our world for quick gains.”
“Our Star has become unstable! They’re saying it’s going to be a possible Seylinn level incident!”
“Who is ‘they’ here?”
“Well… The scope-”
“-AHHH! There we are! You’ve been consuming that same dribble that has these offworlders running away! Yes, I knew I was hearing you use those same exact talking points they were using in their reporting… The fearmongering. The lies, and misinformation. If you put as much faith into the Absolver’s message than you did these news outlets I’d be more inclined to see more wisdom out of you.”
“The Absolver is… With all due respect Elder Kaldeer…No different.”
“Oh! This should be rich.”
“Really? What’s the difference? Both Alton Halveri and The Absolver are mouthpeices speaking in extremes and are influencing the opinions of people. Molding how they perceive subjects and doing it under the guise of reporting… The Absolver is out there reporting on some great change to come while Alton is reporting on a catastrophe.”
“And you decide to place trust in the corporate mouthpiece who has no purpose other than to read the script someone else wrote for him… For profits. I will not be talked down to as making the unwise choice for listening to a man that has walked alongside our people for generations than some manufactured puppet by a malicious media empire!”
"Better than following some crazy old man from the dunes…”
“What was that?”
“I said its better than following the words of some old crazy bastard that sits baking out in the sun all day screaming atop some rocks about some great transformation!”
“You’d do well to show more resp-”
“-Nah, ■■■■ him.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“■■■■ the Absolver… Im sick and tired of having to look up to this guy as someone I should hang on the every word of. I’m fed up with having to just play along with the ramblings of some bald ■■■■ that walked in from the desert speaking of how this doomsday event is going to be the birth of some clean slate… T-T-This is ■■■■■■■ cult talk! It’s insane… We’re staying here to be witness to this crazed bastard’s prophecy.”
“No, actually you have it wrong Burri.”
“Elder Veradya-”
“-No, it’s my turn to speak. Our desire to remain here is not because of the Absolver’s message, it is because this is our home. I share Elder Kaldeer’s mistrust of these media outlets, they won’t even represent us properly. Calling us “Nomadic” when in reality we’re a settled people. We had always had a place to call home the moment our ancestors made landfall. Turnur I is our home, not some singular patch of land or some metal tomb dug into the ground, the whole world is what we call home."
“…”
“Should we leave, we will become nomadic once more. Never settled or comfortable in one area for too long… You would ask this fate of your entire clan? That we should all uproot ourselves and try and forge a new life elsewhere in the Republic? The same society that had brought heavy industry to our home to plunder it for resources and made it a target in their wars? Our ancestors wanted no part of this madness, that is why they came to this world, so that we and our children may inherit a more peaceful existence. Should a great purge of this disease that plagues our home come about, I personally would welcome it with open arms…”
“Its not meant to be! Offworlders coming here was inevitable despite our ancestor’s best efforts! We can’t just cut ourselves off and live in our own little bubble. These empires were always expanding, always needing more space. More resources We could flee to the ends of the cluster and offworlders would still find its way to us… This fantasy about our ancestors finding us a home away from this was just something we romanticized to make us feel proud of the dunes we walked across. Think about it, if our ancestors could come here and settle, then the Amarr and Republic sure could as well.”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“All of this was inevitable… it was good while it lasted, but we were never going to just have our own little reality cut off from the rest of humanity… Elder Birg, what say you?"
“… Unfortunately nephew, this is not a substantial enough argument to convince me that we should flee as a clan. We belong here, our destiny is tied to this world and we will not run in terror from the great test our ancestors had prepared us for.”
“I’m sorry Burri, try as you did. We fail to find merit in your notion. The clan will remain on Turnur I to face this transformation.”
“… I understand Elder Veradya.”
“If there are no more concerns you wish to voice-”
“-I understand now that I’ve been arguing for the wrong thing… The three of you are right. I’m naive for thinking I could conjure up some kind of argument to convince you three to take a risk at moving all our people offworld and take our chances with the dangers in space… I see now that was selfish of me to even suggest.”
“… So what is it that you think is the correct you should be arguing for?”
“Well Elder Birg… I seek the council’s blessing to leave. To evacuate offworld with the rest of the colonists. Alone, taking nobody else with me.”
“You’d abandon both your home and clan?”
“If that’s how you wanna frame it… I’m asking for permission, ain’t I? Not defying your rulings and slipping aboard a shuttle. If I’m going to leave, I’ll do it with my Elder’s blessings… This is how I want to do this. If you turn down my request then I will honor it. If I’m too leave this world I want to do it with the comfort that I did not dishonor my people to make it happen.”
“Stop! Burri… Listen to me boy. I need you to stop and think very hard on what you’re asking for. You have no family off this world, no connections to this Republic and those are just your concerns if you manage to be one of the lucky convoys to slip past the Amarrians, their mercs or these blood raider savages!”
“I know the risks Kaldeer! That is why I ask only to risk myself this time. Not beg for my clan to come along with me. I alone will put my life in danger.”
“… Why?”
“To be completely honest Elder Kaldeer… My place in life is somewhete out there. I can’t stay here any longer as the sun above me is on the verge of going nova and the last sane voice in these parts is the ramblings of some old man who’s been out in the heat all day. Even if it is dangerous, Its a risk I need to take. I need to take control of my own destiny and find my purpose out there instead of waiting around for the crisis these Amarrians created to snuff me out!”
“…”
“…”
“…”
"I love my clan. Deeply… That’s really why this started with me wanting us all to leave, because I don’t want to leave any of you behind! But this is something I have to do. Even if itmeans dying alone. The circumstances are awful, but this is the last chance I’ll have to see more of this universe before I keel over and join our ancestors. Before I meet them I’d like to have stories of exploring planets a shade greener than ours.
“…Birg, what is your vote on this matter?”
“I’d say… I’m in favor of his request.”
“As am I… Kaldeer? What is your vote?”
“My vote…?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“…”
“… Is this what you really want Burri?”
“It is… Yeah.”
“… Then I must vote in approval of his request.”
“That settles It then. By unanimous approval, you have the blessing of this clan to evacuate with the offworlders Burri. May the spirits see to it your transport makes it out of system in one-piece…”
“… J-Just like that? I can leave?”
"Yes… We will not stop you nor cast shame upon your name should you leave us. We will pray for your good health and hope you return to us safely one day.
“If there’s a planet to even return to …”
“There will be nephew… Good luck to you.”
"… Thank you Elders. I’ll make ready to depart immediately "
< Burri turning to leave >
“… Burri.”
“Elder Kaldeer?”
“… We’ll be here waiting for you. Don’t forget that.”
“I won’t …”