Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #110
Data:
They were right, the stone allowed me to pass through, which made me think if I could use it again to gain hassle-free passage through the centaur territories again. Of course, I don’t believe it would be a good idea to strain the delicate relationship I currently have with them but it could make it easier to discuss with their leaders and make deals.
However, not all was smooth. As I approached Knossos, I was surrounded by a band of rag-tag mercenaries with laser rifles pointed at me. Outnumbered 8 to 1, I thought of fighting but before I could make a move, the leader of the group approached and stated:
“Hector Draken, we are here to carry out a bounty and warrant for your arrest by the Loyalist faction” he stated.
“On what charges?” I asked, having an idea of what I’m in trouble for but genuinely curious as well.
“Conspiring against the Elysian Loyalists, espionage, and… you know what, here’s the list, come with us”.
He handed me the list with what I was charged with and there were at least 10 charges on it, as well as the bounty on my head. 12,500 PED for my capture?! I was not aware that I was worth so little and was not as dangerous as I thought to them. Am I insulted? Slightly. I would put my own bounty to be at least 75,000 PED but considering they captured me right as I got out of centaur territory, I think I overestimated my own bounty worth.
Stepping off the teleporter, they watched me like a hawk and escorted me towards a gungnir. 2 gungnirs, with me in the first one, both of them dented from what I assume to be primitive stone projectiles. I pulled out my datapad on the flight and almost scared one of the guards to shoot. Pff amateurs. I can’t tell which am I more scared to be in the hands of, the Loyalists or this group of whatever they consider themselves. They didn’t even take my weapons, but knowing how bad of a spot I’m in, especially in a moving vehicle, I’d hit the ground pretty hard if we crashed.
Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #111
Data:
It took us somehow a whole day to get from Knossos back to Thebes due to navigation problems on the gungnirs. I should have probably tried to do a hostile takeover of the gungnir but I know my fate is sealed and if I do, I’d just be chased down again by others. Might as well just confront my fate and get it over with.
The second we touched down in Thebes, we were surrounded by a mixture of Greek hoplites and Loyalist agents preparing to receive me.
“Captain Draken, you will now be transferred to the custody of the Elysian Loyalists. You have the right to remain silent” and… my mind wandered off as they repeated the charges and told me what I could do and not do. They soon enough led me away to some makeshift jail in Thebes.
This time, the Loyalist agents were brighter than the mercenaries and actually took away my gear, leaving me with my datapad but restricted access so I couldn’t delete any “evidence” I had on it. Read and write permissions, no deleting permissions, how useful, I guess the log entries will continue on.
It was about 0600 in the morning when a Loyalist agent came and told me what was going on, how they raided and shut down my mining operation, arrested my “co-conspirators”, and have us all separated for trial.
I expected more of my “co-conspirators” or whatever they claimed we were to defend to the last man, but based on some logs from the mining site confrontation, they surrendered after hours of standoff with both sides pointing weapons at each other.
He continued to tell me that I will be sent to Paradise Landing in the afternoon to discuss my options. Considering conspiracy is a big deal, I think I will comply since trying to escape now would make my case even worse and I don’t think I have anywhere to run. Assuming the Ancient Greeks are cooperating with the Loyalists, I can’t run anywhere except into space and I haven’t ventured out there yet, into the unknown.
Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #112
Data:
I’m currently under arrest in a room at Paradise Landing, awaiting trial. Looking out the room’s window, I see soldiers and explorers walking about, the sun shining into the window, and the feeling of being exiled looming.
“I don’t want to go”, I thought to myself. Exile would mean abandoning my way of life and home to become another, and I very much enjoy what I have now. I’m not ready to be sent off into space and to another planet.
There was a knock on the door and then came in 2 guards and an agent. They were apparently here to interrogate me about my Ancient Greece activities.
“Do you admit to ordering a mining operation and incursion into a peaceful civilization’s territory without an authorization order?”
“…”
“Do you admit to bribing Elysian officials to finance and support your operation militarily for personal gains?”
“…”
“How long have you been doing this mining operation in Ancient Greece?”
“…”
“Are you conspiring against us with the Woodland Haruspex faction?”
“…”
“We literally have statements and messages intercepted about you cooperating with Haruspex”
The interrogation lasted for at least 2 hours with them continuously pressing on the idea that I was working against them with the Haruspex.
Realizing they were getting nowhere, they were getting up to go when I started speaking up and asking them my own questions. However, my own silent responses were reflected back to me by them with their own silence.
Another 3 hours passed with me just sitting in the room. Periodically, someone came in and told me about the status of my business partners, about their cooperation, and how I should spill my side of the story.
I chuckled and continued to stay silent. Curious to hear who throws me into the mercy of the Loyalist courts and then I will tell my side and why I did it. I have my thoughts, the military man will crack and the wealthy lady from space will just laugh and run away. All the EEF members they interview would make up lies and make the situation worse, and I think it only took about less than a day for my assumptions to fall into place and become true.
Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #113
Data:
“Hector Draken, you are requested in conference room 4”, a guard came in and said. I followed him and a little escort to the conference room and sat down at the opposite side of a long meeting table. Across from me were members of High Command and they were not very happy to be interviewing me at the break of dawn.
They told me everything I wanted to know. Apparently, they got word from an internal audit that a large number of troops and equipment was diverted and “lost” and at around the same time, the New Elysian Order reported some mining equipment was sold to an off-world business entity and the same pieces of equipment were seen transported by scouts.
This got the entire investigation to grow and bloom. All I could think was that I covered my tracks so well at the start, but the process of building the operation was the problem. They also said that when they sent in a task force to the other side, they were greeted by the Ancient Greeks with open arms since I set up such a great reputation for the Loyalists. I… maybe have messed up by not specifying that not all the Loyalists were cooperative with me and they should have been careful.
Knowing my plans are pretty much exposed, I asked them what they thought of it, and they asked if I was planning to overthrow the faction leadership and install myself as the leader. They also reminded me that since I was charged with conspiracy, I’m having the rank of captain removed from my titles and the severity of the charges.
“Thanks to you we have to replace our northern border force. I hope you’re happy if we get invaded” they said, annoyed that I caused such a problem.
Already knowing that they are going to find me guilty of the charges, I said “Yes, you all didn’t want to throw your support behind me to finance the growth of the faction so I took matters in my own hands. All these ‘co-conspirators’ you speak of knew exactly what we needed, and that my friends, is resources. The New Elysian Order could wipe us out at any time and we struggle against Stel and Resa raids on our supply routes.
Name: Captain Hector Draken, EEF
Entry: #114
Data:
I’ve never experienced the Elysian court system. I always just follow rules and orders but this is new to me, what should I expect? What should I do? I didn’t even know we had the ability to have someone help defend and try to drop the charges until recently. This topic is never touched on and the concept is foreign to regular residents of the faction like me.
We were all transported to Shepherd’s Beach to be given the verdict. Military personnel were removed from the force, miners and workers were fired, and of course, the wealthy lady that I told you would run off did run off back to her asteroid mine. Overall it was not harsh sentencing for them, but then they all turned to me and that’s when the true punishment happened.
“Your unauthorized mission to mine out an independent territory was uncalled for and practically disobeying orders. You colluded with the Haruspex to keep the position a secret and made deals that were not approved by the Loyalist faction to keep the secret operation a secret”
“Uh actually” Before I even got to finish my comment, they continued.
“You purposely diverted military and industrial resources to carry out these plans, risking the security of our very way of life and for your own gain. I hereby sentence you to exile from the Elysian realm, from Loyalist territories, and you shall not return. If you return, you will be arrested again and sent into space to live out your days”
To say my heart sank would be an understatement. I loved Loyalist territory, it had beautiful waterfalls and beaches. Where will I go? Do they really expect me to not defect or join another faction? I guess that’s how it will go. I took the decision as final and accepted my fate. There was only one place I really wanted to be if it wasn’t on planetside.
As I packed my stuff, I noticed how little I was bringing: datapad, skyripper, a set of Atlas, a handful of weapons, and my mining finder. It isn’t much but it’s a start and that’s what I need while in exile.
After packing, they escorted me to where I wanted to be and left. Looking back into Orpheus’ Cave as they teleported away, a mixed feeling of sadness and excitement filled me. I turned away from the cave and looked towards the road and with the sun rising, I began my new life several thousand years in the past.