2007-07-03, 13:14
02-07-109, Nakah System, Thukker Mix station, FU2 Headquarters Section
Not so long ago, a month to the day actually, Darius had unpacked the very bag now slung over his shoulder. His constant travel companion, as he always moved light where he went, the bag contains the few personal clothes and belongings from his office bunk which he had closed behind him for the last time. It was a sad duty to perform. Not long ago he was in the makeshift chamber for the Ushra’Khan Council doing much of the same. Many there had not wanted him to go and even tried to convince him it was not right from any perspective. But he could see no other alternative now and had set himself on a path he contemplated for many months.
Darius passed the halls of the office complex and was seeking out his pray. The sounds of voices danced in the distance as he approached ever closer to the mess room. He tried to pick them out amidst the drone of the combined voices battling with the ventilation units above his head, to see who was in there before he turned the corner.
Caillech? He thought to himself. Hmm… Derren, KhanJohn, Carinae…
As he entered it was them, along with Nebulous and Mangold.
“Darius.” Said KhanJohn as he passed through the doorway. “Bag packed? You going on another vacation?” The chatter continued somewhat lower as each pilot turned to nod or smile to Darius.
“Not exactly.” He replied. He tried to say something else but could not find the air in his lings. It was hard for him to say this and stood there looking at them all. One by one they all stopped talking as they looked up waiting for him to say something else. Their expression turned from their joyous smiles to a serious stare in a matter of a minute or so.
“Where you going D?” Asked Nebulous.
“I’m… I’m leaving.” KhanJohn, previously sat at the table, rose to his feet and shared the shocked or saddened expressions on their faces.
“But… why? What’s happened?” Asked Mangold. Darius could not find an answer they would accept. How could they?
“Nothing. It’s just something I need to do.” The silence lingered on a short while between them as they stared down at the table or floor where they stood. With nothing much to say beyond that, Darius walked to the group and offered each of them a handshake that was readily accepted. In Carinae’s case, he even went as far as to give Darius a farewell hug.
Leaving one part of his old family behind, he left the mess room, now stone quiet in his wake, and looked for more pilots.
He approached the hangar array and guessed people were mainly fitting their ships for the coming raids in the future. He was happy to find one pilot in particular here, talking with another he would hate to have missed saying goodbye to. He approached the two young pilots, Menerim and Occasus, who each glanced up and smiled at him as he neared them. This was going to be hard still, but he had more to say to these two out of all of the people he would leave here today. They continued to analyse the datapad between them as Darius stopped a meter or so from them.
“Gentlemen.” He said, more in a greeting manner than asking for their attention.
“Hey Dar.” Said Menerim, still fixed on the datapad watching strings of numbers fill the screen and graphs fluctuating here and there. Darius was at a loss already on what they were doing. No bad thing that the newer breed of pilots got their noses into the inner most workings of their ships. But some things Darius would much rather leave to the deck crews.
“I came to say goodbye.” He said flatly. Occasus looked up sharply, slowly followed by Menerim.
“What?” they both said, less than in tune with each other.
“I have to leave.” A disappointed and confused frown creased their faces. “But before I do I wanted you both to know something. It may go without saying that I respect every man and woman here. But what doesn’t is how much promise I have seen in each of you. Menerim, you have shrunk away from leadership but I can see that you have it deep inside of you. Your sense of morality is in check and you have a good head on your shoulders. I can’t think of anyone that the corporation will need more than a man like you. I want you to know this so you may one day soon become this.” He extended a hand to Menerim, who took it slowly and quietly into a firm handshake. “Occasus, you are, maybe, the strongest will and biggest source of dedication I have come to see in the alliance. It was my biggest honour to pin the badge of Captain on your uniform. I am sorry I won’t be there to pin Vice Admiral on you one day. And I know you will continue to inspire others who come your way as you were inspired once too.” Again, Darius took Occasus’ hand and shook it like they were brothers. This was the hardest goodbye of them all. Except for one which he was saving until last.
Further along the hangar deck, Darius shook hands and exchanged farewell hugs with other members of the corporation who he had know for a long time, and short alike. Mai, Jorund, Fleshdiver and Hakera were first along the route. It was hard to fight back the welling emotion with each exchange of respect. Ed was all by himself when Darius called by his bay as he fitted his cruiser. Leaving the hangar, Darius encountered Mute who he gave a farewell embrace to. Finally as he neared his last destination, Drakus, Hobsbawn and Entarel were heading his way at pace, both looking like all the people he had just said goodbye to.
“Dar.” Said Drakus quickly. “You’re leaving? We heard from Menerim.”
“Yes.” He said solemnly.
“But, what for?” Asked Entarel. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m sorry guys. This is a personal thing for me. I have not been happy for a while now. I know that is not much of an explanation. I can’t really give another.” They looked saddened. “You guys have been like family to me. But sooner or later you have to do something that hurts for important reasons. This is my time.” They looked on for a moment, knowing it was pointless to debate something when Darius had his mind made up. He was know for being stubborn at best, but he would rather be know for his conviction. Wasting no time to tears, the three of them extended hands to Darius. For each of them, he shook the hand and gave them a brotherly embrace each before they left again down the hallway.
The hardest day of Darius’ life in many years was nearing an end. He had one last duty to perform as he knocked on the door to the office for Maggot. He stepped into the room, setting his bag down at his side as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a letter.
“Brother, it is with regret that I tender my resignation.”
Not so long ago, a month to the day actually, Darius had unpacked the very bag now slung over his shoulder. His constant travel companion, as he always moved light where he went, the bag contains the few personal clothes and belongings from his office bunk which he had closed behind him for the last time. It was a sad duty to perform. Not long ago he was in the makeshift chamber for the Ushra’Khan Council doing much of the same. Many there had not wanted him to go and even tried to convince him it was not right from any perspective. But he could see no other alternative now and had set himself on a path he contemplated for many months.
Darius passed the halls of the office complex and was seeking out his pray. The sounds of voices danced in the distance as he approached ever closer to the mess room. He tried to pick them out amidst the drone of the combined voices battling with the ventilation units above his head, to see who was in there before he turned the corner.
Caillech? He thought to himself. Hmm… Derren, KhanJohn, Carinae…
As he entered it was them, along with Nebulous and Mangold.
“Darius.” Said KhanJohn as he passed through the doorway. “Bag packed? You going on another vacation?” The chatter continued somewhat lower as each pilot turned to nod or smile to Darius.
“Not exactly.” He replied. He tried to say something else but could not find the air in his lings. It was hard for him to say this and stood there looking at them all. One by one they all stopped talking as they looked up waiting for him to say something else. Their expression turned from their joyous smiles to a serious stare in a matter of a minute or so.
“Where you going D?” Asked Nebulous.
“I’m… I’m leaving.” KhanJohn, previously sat at the table, rose to his feet and shared the shocked or saddened expressions on their faces.
“But… why? What’s happened?” Asked Mangold. Darius could not find an answer they would accept. How could they?
“Nothing. It’s just something I need to do.” The silence lingered on a short while between them as they stared down at the table or floor where they stood. With nothing much to say beyond that, Darius walked to the group and offered each of them a handshake that was readily accepted. In Carinae’s case, he even went as far as to give Darius a farewell hug.
Leaving one part of his old family behind, he left the mess room, now stone quiet in his wake, and looked for more pilots.
He approached the hangar array and guessed people were mainly fitting their ships for the coming raids in the future. He was happy to find one pilot in particular here, talking with another he would hate to have missed saying goodbye to. He approached the two young pilots, Menerim and Occasus, who each glanced up and smiled at him as he neared them. This was going to be hard still, but he had more to say to these two out of all of the people he would leave here today. They continued to analyse the datapad between them as Darius stopped a meter or so from them.
“Gentlemen.” He said, more in a greeting manner than asking for their attention.
“Hey Dar.” Said Menerim, still fixed on the datapad watching strings of numbers fill the screen and graphs fluctuating here and there. Darius was at a loss already on what they were doing. No bad thing that the newer breed of pilots got their noses into the inner most workings of their ships. But some things Darius would much rather leave to the deck crews.
“I came to say goodbye.” He said flatly. Occasus looked up sharply, slowly followed by Menerim.
“What?” they both said, less than in tune with each other.
“I have to leave.” A disappointed and confused frown creased their faces. “But before I do I wanted you both to know something. It may go without saying that I respect every man and woman here. But what doesn’t is how much promise I have seen in each of you. Menerim, you have shrunk away from leadership but I can see that you have it deep inside of you. Your sense of morality is in check and you have a good head on your shoulders. I can’t think of anyone that the corporation will need more than a man like you. I want you to know this so you may one day soon become this.” He extended a hand to Menerim, who took it slowly and quietly into a firm handshake. “Occasus, you are, maybe, the strongest will and biggest source of dedication I have come to see in the alliance. It was my biggest honour to pin the badge of Captain on your uniform. I am sorry I won’t be there to pin Vice Admiral on you one day. And I know you will continue to inspire others who come your way as you were inspired once too.” Again, Darius took Occasus’ hand and shook it like they were brothers. This was the hardest goodbye of them all. Except for one which he was saving until last.
Further along the hangar deck, Darius shook hands and exchanged farewell hugs with other members of the corporation who he had know for a long time, and short alike. Mai, Jorund, Fleshdiver and Hakera were first along the route. It was hard to fight back the welling emotion with each exchange of respect. Ed was all by himself when Darius called by his bay as he fitted his cruiser. Leaving the hangar, Darius encountered Mute who he gave a farewell embrace to. Finally as he neared his last destination, Drakus, Hobsbawn and Entarel were heading his way at pace, both looking like all the people he had just said goodbye to.
“Dar.” Said Drakus quickly. “You’re leaving? We heard from Menerim.”
“Yes.” He said solemnly.
“But, what for?” Asked Entarel. “I don’t understand.”
“I’m sorry guys. This is a personal thing for me. I have not been happy for a while now. I know that is not much of an explanation. I can’t really give another.” They looked saddened. “You guys have been like family to me. But sooner or later you have to do something that hurts for important reasons. This is my time.” They looked on for a moment, knowing it was pointless to debate something when Darius had his mind made up. He was know for being stubborn at best, but he would rather be know for his conviction. Wasting no time to tears, the three of them extended hands to Darius. For each of them, he shook the hand and gave them a brotherly embrace each before they left again down the hallway.
The hardest day of Darius’ life in many years was nearing an end. He had one last duty to perform as he knocked on the door to the office for Maggot. He stepped into the room, setting his bag down at his side as he reached into his pocket and withdrew a letter.
“Brother, it is with regret that I tender my resignation.”