V – Life

Life – a biological phenomenon whereby an organism is able to interact with its environment, sustain its existence, reproduce and function as what they are genetically programmed to do. Metaphysically however, what is life?

I had a good and bountiful livelihood these couple of months. I love what I do and I’m quite contented with all I achieved. Perhaps it was time for me to take a vacation somewhere.

Man – the hunter. Ship – his extension. Man and Machine – a single being, no longer separate entities. My curse is cloaked and is slowly approaching optimal range. The cloaking module requires extensive concentration as the mind attempts to mimic its surroundings with the aid of the camera drone’s panoramic submode. During this process, the ship’s engine is overridden by the module to minimal speed to prevent the pilot’s brain to overload.

The prey is mining in an asteroid field in 0.0 security space. None will suspect me of my activity and nobody will ruin my “fun”. I had my ship equipped with a navy issued IFF canceller so that I remain anonymous.

Just a few meters away…

Tension was brewing as I have to time it right. I only have a few seconds in order to get a successful lock.

Then I heard a loud banging metallic sound. I lost all of my concentration and accidentally uncloaked the ship.

The hulk spotted me and warped away.

Who could that be knocking my capsule in the middle of a hunt?

Darth. . .

He was asking where the toilet paper is. I guess he hasn’t figured out that Amarrians use bidets.

Yet, another failed safari trip. I thought of taking my expedition in space since my last hunt was on a terrestrial planet. It had plenty of game, unfortunately Darth would scare them off firing his autorifle randomly as if he was in a war with the Gallente. Well, space on the otherhand has no air in it, therefore Darth won’t be able to make any sound at all – I was wrong.

I would have jetcanned the guy but I couldn’t.

I decided to travel in a nearby Minmatar lowsec system and call it a day.

As soon as I jumped off the gate, my RWR automatically activated. I searched at the contact direction and saw a Vagabond, the fastest ship of its class in the galaxy. Over the comms, I heard a distorted voice saying that I’m not welcome here. Probably because I’m in an Amarr ship. I thought of returning the favor and responded in a distorted voice saying that it’s none of his business. Very well he replied and cut off the comms. As soon as he gained lock, he disrupted my ship’s warp drive core, preventing me from escaping.

He began orbiting me at blinding speed and started a barrage of nuclear rounds from its autocannons. I instinctively used my energy neutralizers to drain his capacitor.

I was getting hit badly that I activated my MWD and zoomed off, but I can’t shake him off. I released my drones to assist me. He did the same. My drones couldn’t keep up with the agile cruiser. He used his drones to destroy my wave of Hammerhead II’s.

I was left with no choice and ended up overloading my neuts. I managed to get his cap dry, thus disabling his MWD and warp disruptor, although his guns are still firing. I wasted no time and warped to a nearby station.

As I got there, I had to bribe the docking manager to let me in. As I got inside, I docked into one of the ship hangars with secure gates. While the gates closed, I noticed slums just outside. People were looking at my damaged ship as it vanished from their sights.

Before I went out, I dressed in “commoner’s attire” to avoid any unwanted attention. I had Darth to do the same.

Some kind of safari trip, I said to myself as I looked at my damaged ship. I talked to the repair company and paid them handsomely. I was assured that my ship will be fixed in a week. I took some time to scan through a catalog of Matari merchandise and found some interesting stuff. I gave Darth a list and transferred some ISK into his account. I told him to take a shuttle to Rens and purchase what I wrote. One of them is a ship – I felt like I owe him one since I blew up his Drake. He ran away before I could say goodbye.

Well, I’m stuck in a station for a week so might as well stroll along. I unloaded my cargo into a warehouse I rented and later booked in a hotel. I was tired from a long shitty day. Before I slept, I took my HHI and studied the vagabond’s blueprints hoping to see some weakpoints. I fell asleep some time later.

The following day, after eating breakfast, I went to the plaza and checked out what the market has to offer to a girl with a fat wallet. Well, there are a couple of things that caught my attention. Some native medicines and a bunch of plants that I’d like to include in my garden.

I took a rest at the park and saw children playing around with a ball. I was quite entertained with their display as they kicked it then bounced it over. I somehow envy them as I never experienced those during my childhood. I programmed my hovercarts to bring my groceries to the warehouse and approached the children. The ball flew out of nowhere and hit me in the head and fell.

I saw a tall figure step in and lend a hand. He is a Vherokoir, about the same age as I am. He introduced himself as Miru, the eldest among the group of 8 orphans. Their parents died fighting for their safety. He looks after the young ones who are barely 10 years old. All of them have no implants – they were born free Mataris.

I played with them a bit and accompanied them to their house. It was simple yet it was a home. There’s a fairly large metallic table that resemble some sort of broken device and some bunk beds. They all work in a bakery and at their spare time, play in the park with that ball. You can tell it’s old just by looking at the brownish leather with a couple of stitches, albeit still fun.

They were generous enough to even let me eat lunch with them even with what they have.

The Minmatar population in general is impoverished since they have just acquired freedom from years of enslavement from the Amarr. Though, by looking at their innocent eyes, I can tell that they don’t care much about wealth.

They later took me to their bakery where I learned how to make some bread. It somehow reminded me of home as they love what they do. The dough, the product of blood, sweat and tears by the Minmatar, though freed, still reap wheat as they used to from the hands of their Amarrian masters. I then thought if Darth ran away and won’t come back.

Though all of that doesn’t matter as they have smiles in their faces and merrily sell the bread to passerby’s. Their efforts, though considered rubbish in the supercapitalist world I grew up, is their source of pride and contentment.

The simple life. . .

I befriended them and treated me as one of their troupe. I finally felt how it is to be a child amongst it peers. No color, no race and none of the concerns of the world.

On the fifth day, I showed Miru my oud and played it for him. He said that the strings are too sad. I was puzzled. He then asked about who I am. I told him that I’m a merchant and my ship got stranded. He chuckled since it’s unlikely for my age to venture into such. He laughed as he said I’d grow old quickly having to worry about worldly things. He then looked at the large station window and said: “See that Ivy, The Universe is so huge and look at us. We own very little yet we managed to survive with what we have. Ya-know, true wealth doesn’t come from money or riches or roids. Things like those come and go and eventually dry up and no matter what you do, it still doesn’t give you happiness. True wealth comes from the people around and that’s nothing compared to your wallet. My mum and pop used to say that. Well they’re gone but I still have them. Things happen for a reason ya-know”

I felt some guilt within me.

I leaned to his shoulders and rested my arms on his as we watched the orphans play. He then said, “I’m not sure what’s going on but–”; handing down a cactus in a pot with a small flower on top, “I’d like you to take this. I heard you like plants but this one is special I guess. It survives well with very little water yet it managed to bloom. Sometimes we forget about the small things because we’re blinded by problems we see big. It’s something you can’t buy yet even if it dies, the flower itself will still be there – simply because you smiled. Perhaps there’s a reason why we met doncha think? uhm, It’s getting dark and you can stop looking at me like that.”

I never thought I’d hear something as profound as that coming from a child of poverty. I haven’t forgotten those words up to now.

I thought I’d return the favor so I took some vegetables from my stash and ate dinner at their place. They were glad as they’ve never tasted something like those in their lives. It was indeed a home.

Miru walked me to the hotel and asked me if we could see each other the next day and promised I will.

As I walked thought the lobby, Darth contacted me and told me to see him at midnight. I reviewed the Vagabond blueprints and found out that the reactor and crew cabin are exposed at the central structure. I snoozed for a bit and came to the meeting point. We unloaded some ship parts and took it to the hangar. We installed some turret tracking disruptors and heavy assault missile launchers; modified the hull to make it nimbler; loaded some replacement drones with some special ones. The Curse was ready as the repair manager cleared it from the docks.

The real trump card of course will be Darth’s new ship.

During the week, I surveyed the system and found the perfect location for taking the Vagabond out.

As I undocked, the vigilant hunter revealed itself as it emerged from the rear. I warped out quickly to an asteroid field at 20 km distance and cloaked. The Vagabond came in and landed at the center of the asteroid field. It fell for my trap.

The ship has very little freedom of movement while I was positioned at the edge. I uncloaked then started draining his cap and fired some missiles. He retaliated and fired his guns. The asteroid field combined with the turret tracking disruptors proved to be very effective as he kept on missing me. He finally released his drones and chased me. I countered by releasing 3 ECM drones and 2 light attack drones. He lost lock of me and his drones now operate autonomously. The tandem light attack drones did quick work on the enemy wave.

He was then nearing the edge of the asteroid field – just as where I planned him to be. I called on Darth through the comms to warp to my location.

Then, a strange vessel came in, it’s Darth’s Hyena. A fast frigate capable of stopping other ships at their tracks. Darth activates the Stasis Webbifier, a module that distorts space relative to the target ship that it is virtually slowed down.

The Vagabond, though fast, is quite flimsy once crippled. I then sent Valkyrie II’s to finish him off. Ripping off the central section causing the reactor to leak killing the crew members with the exception of the ship bridge.

I opened the comms link and told him in a distorted voice to give up and we’ll let him go. There was no answer. We assumed that he already gave up so we unlocked his ship. As I was about to engage to warp, the vagabond, though wrecked, with its final burst of capacitor energy, dived towards my ship. I had not time to react. It was seconds away from colliding when Darth shot at the Vagabond’s bridge.

I owe my life to Darth that time. I felt bad about saying bad things at his back. Though I treated him bitterly, he was loyal.

I felt tired so we docked in the same station and booked rooms in the hotel.

Morning came, it was like the other day, only that I’m eager to see Miru.

I waited in the park just in front of the large station window.

I then checked the bakery but nobody was there then came back to the park and gave it another hour. I soon decided to go to their place but nobody was there. Just that ball lying on the floor.

I got worried as it’s already dark by then. I walked by myself to a pub and saw Darth there as if he was waiting for me. He told me to let it go. That was my first taste of alcohol. I used to wonder why people drown themselves to it but I guess I found out why.

Just before I left that station, I burried that ball in where they used to play and planted that cactus there. I played my oud a bit and thought about them that while. I just realized what he meant about the strings.

I guess they’re free now.