Crackdown

“It is imperative that we remain vigilant on our own borders.” the speaker had started, his voice full of fire and passion. “That we clean up on our backyard. It is time to send a message to those that would feed upon us, like a lecherous parasite unwilling to let go of a fat meal. It is time to shake the dust from our feet, and walk forward freely. It is time to make our internal spacelanes safe for all, free from piracy, that we may focus our military efforts against our enemy instead of having to deal with the immorality that some opportunistic cowards take advantage of. It is time … to stand united as a people; to make our voices heard as one, to shout loudly and with great pride, ‘We are Matari! And we’ve had enough!” 

The crowd on the vidscreen cheered uproariously, making anything the speaker said next impossible to hear. He waited until the crowd quieted before starting again.

“And I have words for those who fashion themselves ‘pirates’. ‘Be warned, with sincere gravity, your days are numbered. You are no longer welcome here.'”

The crowd went wild again, applauding the speaker as he left the stage, Sanmatar Shakor taking his place at the podium.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Shakor began, his voice in a fevered pitch. “Show your appreciation once again for Colonel Roc Wieler!” 

Roc waved as he continued making his way from the stage, the crowd screaming his name. 

“This has been a Scope News exclusive.”

The bartender turned the vidscreen back to the sports feed and muted the volume. Many of the patrons went back to their meals and conversation, the impact of the most recent announcement from our government lost on them.

I took another sip of my drink, peering cautiously around to see if there were any undue reactions to the news. Standing as casually as possible, to not betray my suddenly heightened sense of alertness, I paid my bill and left the bar, heading back to HQ.

It seemed to me that lines were being drawn in the sand, and it had been made very clear on which side Roc chose to stand. Why was everything always so black and white with that man?

I sighed, entering my access code to the Hellcats office, passing a few of my girls as I walked towards my office.

“Hey Mynx,” said Venom in passing. I returned the greeting out of rote, my mind more focused on what would soon be coming for us. 

Roc knew me. He knew my views. He knew our location. He had even flown with us. Why was he doing this?

He must’ve known I would never give this life up; that I would fight with every last breath I had to be free. Didn’t he see the hypocrisy in it? By the Republic dictating how others should live, how was it any better than the Amarr telling us how all Matari should live? 

And where did that leave us? I mean, was there an us? We hadn’t formalized a ‘relationship’ per se, and I would hope he had been enjoying the company of other women as I certainly had been enjoying the company of other men. So why do I feel so damn guilty? I thought to myself.

I shook my head clear of that line of thinking. Roc had made it clear where his priorities lay, and it obviously wasn’t with me.

“Well my dear.” I said out loud. “I guess that’s that.”