"I guess you think I have some sad story to tell, that I met some sick orphans on New Homestead and grew a conscience. Or maybe you're the cynical type, and you think I turned a new leaf because I wanted SysDef to go easy on me. The truth is a bit more complicated than that."
I don't even remember who you are."I'm the "traitor" you handed over to SysDef. As if I'm the only Fleet member guilty of that crime."
The truth is always complicated. That's why no one wants to hear it."Exactly. But we've got time, so why don't you indulge me."
Then explain it to me."Sure, I got time. "
It's not that complicated. You're a traitor."Yeah, but I'm hardly alone in that. In the Fleet, everyone's a traitor to somebody."
"You see, at my age, you know who you are. And I've always been a thief. I'd swipe a CredStik from my own mother if it had enough zeroes on it. But even in a group of cred-hungry thieves, a man has to have a code. Rules."
The Fleet has rules."And they're as paper thin as Delgado's skin, when you joke about his arm. Even Nev is a traitor to her own ambition, and Shinya to himself. But it means nothing if the higher ups are loyal, if you can't keep the rooks from sampling your wares. That's the part that ticked me off."
Rules are made to be broken."Careful. You say that around these SysDef cops, and they might take away your hall pass. But I wasn't talking about those kind of rules. I mean honor among thieves. The Fleet has none. The job isn't even the stressful part. It's after a big heist, when you gotta worry."
You mean honor among thieves."I do. You finish a job, it's supposed to be done. You get the rush, and the relief. But in the Fleet, doing the job isn't the hard part."
"In the Fleet, you gotta worry about the guy sleeping next to you, and if he's gonna take a bigger piece of the pie. You gotta wake up the next morning, and wonder why your slice is missing and the crumbs are stuck to his face."
Why join a medical supply ship?"Well, for one, they don't have much in the way of loot. But they're still important to somebody. You can't just blow one up without it showing up on SSNN, or a UC Captain getting a ten inch stack of slates on his desk. But more importantly, do-gooders are predictable. The pirate code changes depending on who's reciting it. Honest folks? They have a habit of writing their rules down. Why did I join the Ragana? The truth is, I just wanted a good night's sleep."
Naeva mentioned you changed your identity?"Yeah, I've had some work done. If you've got the Crimson Fleet on your back, you would too. As for the name, that was actually the hard part. You can use a hundred different aliases and the system will just add them to the list. Now, you can pay a guy to delete the list. But nothing's ever really gone forever. Naeva probably paid the same guy to hit rewind, and here we are."
Would you be interested in working for SysDef?"And put a bigger target on my back? As far as I'm concerned, the brig is the safest place I can be. The second you drag me into some private room, you're basically telling everyone here that I'm a rat."
"Be careful around the Fleet. They talk about family, but it's just a bunch of crap."
Quotes[]
Rook Meets King[]
"Can't see why you're targeting us. We don't have anything worth taking."
"So now what? They're gonna put me in a SysDef prison? Not saying it's worse than death, but it's pretty damn close."
"So you're the Fleet's new dog, huh."
"If you ever get to The Key, you better sleep with one eye open and two pistols loaded."
"Be careful around the Fleet. They talk about family, but it's just a bunch of crap."
"Back to gawk at the creatures in the cages?" -As a prisoner
"The brig's pretty cushy compared to some places I've been. Not most, but some." -As a prisoner
"Another night at the Hotel SysDef! Please enjoy your stay." -As a prisoner
Legacy's End[]
"Shit. I've got to get out of here, before someone realizes who I am."
"Doubt Nev is gonna give me a warm welcome. Gotta slip out somehow."
