theunionsrejects

[theunionsrejects]

Ship-Wide alert to; Pilot Personnel.

<DING-DING!>

To all Mechanized Chassis Pilots; Please, remember to empty, vacate and seal your cockpits before scheduled post-deployment cleaning procedures - Failure to remove personal belongings and/or individuals during deep-cleans can potentially lead to;

Damage to exposed wiring.

Destruction of private property.

Injury to pets and companions.

Severe injuries to personnel.

Loss of life.

Remember the E-V-S Acronym! Everyone, Ventures, Safely. - Empty, Vacate, Seal.

--- Today's Cafeteria Dinner Menu Options;

Chosen by General Crew; Goulash (Stew), Bread Buns - Tea.

Chosen by Pilots; In-House Roasted Nutrient Cubes (Beef), Rice, Teriyaki Sauce - Neuro-Cocktails (Dampeners).

Chosen by Comms Personnel; Cheese and Bacon Baguette Sandwich - Decaf.

Have a good night! - SIGHTSEER.

[theunionsrejects]

A battle rages in the not-so-distant space behind the Demeter's Bounty, ramshackle scavenger ships are taken out by automated machines built for overpowering destruction - But that doesn't matter, as the rough voice returns. "I am Wallace Samael Teardown of the Segment-B Privateering Company - You may recognize the name from the news."

There is an audible shifting as Teardown seems to lean forward in his seat, his voice becomes clearer, almost like it gained on importance - He speaks with scrutiny;

"You didn't have anybody, anywhere you wanted - You would've blown up your Demeter's Bounty to smithereens, and your entire crew with it, including you. Although I'm sure you knew the dangers - But I'm not here to play with hypotheticals."

The shifting returns, he leans back and puts a series of metal knuckles underneath his chin as his eyes narrow towards the communications console before him.

"Consider me a friend - I come bearing a proposition; I am in need of assembling a proper, functional fleet, but that cannot be done with two ships, one of which is still being built . . ."

Teardown knocks on a metal panel somewhere near him, a metal clang rings through the communications console, echoing to the other end to meet Brigand - Teardown means the very ship he is on.

"Unmanned drones cannot do all the necessary construction by themselves, and even if they could - They do not innovate and problem-solve like humans do, but my engineers are pre-occupied with more pressing matters, namely the Hive-Queen next to me, not to mention they are quite limited in numbers; But that is none of your concern. You may be wondering; What do you get out of this? Well, besides letting you walk, I'd be more than happy to help you repair your prized vessel - I'm sure it won't be too much work, I would also be considering supplying you with experimental weaponry as long as you send me any crew members you're nor particularly fond of and any materials you have no use for, but we can discuss that later."

Teardown's tone is demanding, he speaks in subtle ifs and maybes, but he is the one with a ship armed to the teeth with weaponry capable of destroying entire space stations - The cannons of the Black Glass may be pointed at the fleeing scavengers behind Brigand, but it will take only a minute, perhaps less, for the guns to adjust to a new target, one that is less dispersed, and much, much easier to hit.

"You have until the last scavengers die or flee to make your choice, we'll be listening, Gannascus - I trust you will make . . . The correct choice. Mimas - End this side of the transmission."

A momentary bout of static, and then - Silence.

// <<ESTABLISHING OPEN COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL>> // <<CONNECTED>> WARNING:: MULTIPLE MEDIUM-SCALE SHIPS INBOUND INTO SPACE SECTOR.

"HEY HEY BIG MAN!! we noticed your little wreckage here, you look pretty banged up, huh? i sure do wonder what caused that, but i dont think anyone will ever find out. why you may ask? well we're gonna take you apart like a puzzle! bit by bit - then we'll kill ya, probably, maybe send a proxy over to union to collect the bounties on your head, gannascus. hope you dont take it personal big man, but your head could provide for all of us. try not to fight back too much, id hate to sell subpar amounts of ammunition from your gunnery section." - Havran.

Brigand's voice is hard, but his weariness and exhaustion is nonetheless obvious. He speaks and Demeter's Bounty bristles with gunpoints, unfolding and tracking the inbound fleet. The basilisk projector unfurls, shakily, like a nervous, mechanical flower.

[BRIGAND} HAVRAN? I ASSURE YOU THIS IS NO WRECK. WHY DON'T YOU GO BACK TO WHATEVER GLISS DEN YOU CRAWLED OUT OF.

Light's across the ship flicker as the basilisk projector hums. Lightning jumps from limb to limb of the projector, building a tree of plasma. On the bridge, the crew whisper, they know there is not enough energy to fire the projector. In the ships current state, doing so would fry the grid at the least. At worst it core the reactor. . .

[BRIGAND} EVEN BETTER, YOU'VE FOUND ME IN A RARE AND MERCIFUL MOOD, HOW DOES 500'000 MANNA SOUND? ENOUGH TO KEEP YOU IN GLISS FOR A COUPLE MONTHS AT LEAST?

Anyone who knows Brigand well would hear the tremor in his voice, the shaky breaths in. Those barely audible ques of desperation, the basilisk is a bluff, probably. . .

[BRIGAND} SHOULD YOU DECLINE I WILL TURN YOU AND YOUR PITIFUL CREW TO BABBLING HUSKS; CHUM TO FEED THE VOID.

Perhaps it isn't a bluff, maybe hes desperate enough, broken enough. But Brigand has never been the martyring type, it's a gamble, and not in his favour. . .

The basilisk hums. . .

Alarms go off in engineering. . .

[theunionsrejects]

//Sucker\\

You know Teardown. Looking at you is like looking at a carnival mirror at myself.

The more I learn about you, the more I learn we really aren't that different. Hell, we're practically doing the same thing right now. Finding the rejects and misfits to build our armies and bring what we think are our ideal futures to shape.

You know my history, my MO, and that we were both forged by the powers that be into their living weapons without having a damned say in it.

I see what you're doing, and I realize that it probably wouldn't take much to be in the other's shoes.

Shame you don't seem to have a drop of hope left in you.

//For Cogito Ergo Sum\\

What hope? You know what surviving feels like, the only reason they accepted someone like you into the higher ranks of the Trade Baronies is because you're the perfect enemy of their enemy. You can argue that the House of Promise is not like the other houses, even amongst other Republicans - And they may not be, but like the rest, they still have one enemy greater than themselves; The masters of your creation, Harrison Armory. You're not living, Sucker - You're surviving, the House of Promise is just making it much, much easier; You're not a noble hero - You're just the walking corpse of a martyr. If I were you, I'd leave them before they decide to leave you instead. You're a symbol, just like I am - The difference is that I've chosen, for once in my life, to lead and not be led. I may not have hope in my person nor the systems around us, but my people have hope in me and my senate to lead them, and in turn I have hope in them. That's all the hope I need, even if it does not come from within me like a light in a dark tunnel. - TEARDOWN.

[theunionsrejects]

Union doesn't have allies, it has members - There will be no peers. For them, it always was Join or Die; It doesn't matter how much they say they want to change, it hasn't changed in over 500 years, Diasporan worlds and interstellar governments are still being colonized and put under the boot of Union, because to Union; All those worlds? They're already theirs by virtue of The Ten being launched by Cradle before Union even existed, by virtue of the fact that the previous Committees sent out colonists into the deep space. You're late, Sucker - The stars are already drowning, and Union is the one with its palm on the back of the universe's head; And yet the universe prevails, because it doesn't care. Do you know who we drowned instead of the oh so cruel Universe in our quest for the infinite expansion of "Hope"? The Egregorians - We destroyed them in our infinite ambitions, severed any possible future with them because Union was scared, then SecCom fell apart, they drowned too with the Egregorians, in their own hubris. And here you are, hoping for change, that will never come as long as Union stands - Nothing has changed since FirstCom; Union is a Tradition of Ownership, a deed that changes hands, covered in blood both dried and fresh. Then again, I suppose you of all people would know about drowning others for the chance at Hope. Now go, worm, seek deeper ground - For I have no more words to say to you. - TEARDOWN.

//Sucker\\

You know Teardown. Looking at you is like looking at a carnival mirror at myself.

The more I learn about you, the more I learn we really aren't that different. Hell, we're practically doing the same thing right now. Finding the rejects and misfits to build our armies and bring what we think are our ideal futures to shape.

You know my history, my MO, and that we were both forged by the powers that be into their living weapons without having a damned say in it.

I see what you're doing, and I realize that it probably wouldn't take much to be in the other's shoes.

Shame you don't seem to have a drop of hope left in you.

//For Cogito Ergo Sum\\

What hope? You know what surviving feels like, the only reason they accepted someone like you into the higher ranks of the Trade Baronies is because you're the perfect enemy of their enemy. You can argue that the House of Promise is not like the other houses, even amongst other Republicans - And they may not be, but like the rest, they still have one enemy greater than themselves; The masters of your creation, Harrison Armory. You're not living, Sucker - You're surviving, the House of Promise is just making it much, much easier; You're not a noble hero - You're just the walking corpse of a martyr. If I were you, I'd leave them before they decide to leave you instead. You're a symbol, just like I am - The difference is that I've chosen, for once in my life, to lead and not be led. I may not have hope in my person nor the systems around us, but my people have hope in me and my senate to lead them, and in turn I have hope in them. That's all the hope I need, even if it does not come from within me like a light in a dark tunnel. - TEARDOWN.

[theunionsrejects]

//Sucker\\

You know Teardown. Looking at you is like looking at a carnival mirror at myself.

The more I learn about you, the more I learn we really aren't that different. Hell, we're practically doing the same thing right now. Finding the rejects and misfits to build our armies and bring what we think are our ideal futures to shape.

You know my history, my MO, and that we were both forged by the powers that be into their living weapons without having a damned say in it.

I see what you're doing, and I realize that it probably wouldn't take much to be in the other's shoes.

Shame you don't seem to have a drop of hope left in you.

//For Cogito Ergo Sum\\

What hope? You know what surviving feels like, the only reason they accepted someone like you into the higher ranks of the Trade Baronies is because you're the perfect enemy of their enemy. You can argue that the House of Promise is not like the other houses, even amongst other Republicans - And they may not be, but like the rest, they still have one enemy greater than themselves; The masters of your creation, Harrison Armory. You're not living, Sucker - You're surviving, the House of Promise is just making it much, much easier; You're not a noble hero - You're just the walking corpse of a martyr. If I were you, I'd leave them before they decide to leave you instead. You're a symbol, just like I am - The difference is that I've chosen, for once in my life, to lead and not be led. I may not have hope in my person nor the systems around us, but my people have hope in me and my senate to lead them, and in turn I have hope in them. That's all the hope I need, even if it does not come from within me like a light in a dark tunnel. - TEARDOWN.

[theunionsrejects]

I suppose I am a little uninformed about the Baronies, not quite my field of expertise - Apologies on that front, at least partly! Anyway, I have enjoyed this philosophical discussion, although I am sure both of you would get along much more with my colleagues, who tend to know more about the general state of the galaxy. I just draw out schematics, source materials and put together machinery, typically weaponry and mechanized chassis. Fare thee well, Nera. I do hope we will meet one day, sword to sword. Or in my case, flamethrower to sword, I suppose. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

I suppose a simple "Union Bad" has a ring to it! None of us believe to ever witness some sort of magical end-all-be-all happen in front of us, why do you think we built a nomadic fleet for ourselves? In the grand scheme of things, I don't care what happens to you, I just know that your governments will eventually collapse like our fleet will. And thank you for the five years, we were expecting about two before one of us mysteriously disappears from the senate, very generous indeed! The infighting is expected, your people have made it into a cultural tradition at this rate, you'll tear yourselves apart from the inside before Union will ever have a chance to "Tame" you, or whatever you expect of them to do. And I am currently picking fights to entertain myself, because drafting Chassis designs is actually a very taxing job, but you wouldn't know about genuine employment as a Noble, would you? - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Prey on the weak? The weak should be protected by the strong, it is the purpose of the strong to make sure that they do not grow weak enough to get themselves killed, to understand when their fight is over and let stronger guardians take their place - Or die as sentinels and sentries. Not every disability stops you from being strong if you truly wish, we are social animals that operate off of violence - We need to embrace not only the cycle of violence we were inflicting upon one another since our creation as a species, but also each other. Do you think there are no weak individuals among my people? Half of Mimas' doctors don't know how a handgun works, but they choose to be strong in whatever ways they can, so that when they cannot protect themselves on the field, the place where they are weak, people who they uplift can help them up. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Tamed? No, you misunderstand greatly - You need to be destroyed, like the Armories, like Union, like any other. There is no taming to be done here, you all hide behind these great elaborate explanations of how what you do is right and just from behind fat stacks of meaningless papers - Us? We kill people because it is in our nature, because we sustain ourselves like this, it is because we are people who understand that one does not simply get rid of their origin, but build on it; We are Ungratefuls, Worshippers of RA, Pirates, Disgraced Nobles, Bitter Federal Agents, Scared Auns, the outsiders that all of you scrutinized for failing to adapt to the prints your boots have left on our backs. We kill just as we build and grow and raise our offspring. The only regulations I want are those that people can choose to join, or create for themselves and others. They will build, they will trade, and then they will kill. We will eat, we will fight, and then we will return to the ground we were lifted from. There is no need to change who we are at our core as humans, building a Utopia, in my personal opinion, has no meaning - Because someone will come, and tear it apart in their own selfish greed. All of you promise life when survival is the best anyone can offer. My colleagues disagree with my ideals, but we also understand that certain aspects connect to each other. Teardown thinks that the only way to build a real Utopia is for Union, The Auns and the Baronies to completely fall apart alongside all the Corporate States - That RA should come and bring forth a great unmaking so that we may learn from our mistakes in an endless cycle. Mimas believes that Union simply needs to become more involved to achieve their Utopia, that they need to rule with both respect and fear, find a balance and bare their teeth, and let people who do not want to be a part of their system to stay outside of it. I don't believe in either, I believe that man should rule himself as I previously stated. You try too little, Karateka. You are too set in your ways to change enough to buy your people time, Nera. Both of your empires will fall and become unrecognizable one day, and I think you need to embrace this, and let it happen. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Your interventions don't mean anything to some of us, your arrivals to planets and systems bring change too late, with too little to offer - I've seen it with my own eyes, you arrived in the midst of a revolution on my homeworld, and brought in your forces to crush the evil we were fighting; It was never your place to interfere, but our cowardly leaders decided that allying with the Men From Stars was better than risking another cycle of our culture. We used to be proud warriors, the strong used to filter each other out routinely so that we could protect the weak in our midst - You broke that cycle, your Pillars killed the identity of my people, made them gluttonous and rich, lazy and privileged.

And the Armory and the Baronies? You've been "Improving" them for 500 years, and only just now do they have a slow surfacing of nobles who finally feel the waves of mistreated populations ring bells in their lands - The armory still spreads the heraldry of SECCOM, subtle or not. How many proxy wars will have to break out in the galaxy for your Utopia to ever be complete? How many flash-clones will be sent into the meat grinder, repossessed by Union, and then lazily thrown into society through "Rehabilitations" that never get them anywhere? Our people are tired of Utopia being a verb, they're exhausted of seeing Union whisper promises to them that will not be fulfilled for dozens of generations. MY nature was that of a proud warrior of his people, my people called me "Torchbearer" before your ships descended down onto our lands and won our war for us because the cowards that led us thought of our ways to be too "destructive", too rough for their soft hands. They denied us the glorious cycle of life and death behind our backs - And our culture began withering, scattering our traditions into space on an individual-by-individual basis. Some joined your Liberator Teams, some went to the far corners of the Orion Arm to fight for whatever remained to believe in, some of us fought you on our fields, but it never went anywhere - Because might makes right, and your might was insurmountable. You deny your nature its purpose, masking violence in veils of kindness that not everyone asks for - At least SECCOM was unapologetic about their cruelty, swift and brutal as it were, unjust and blind as it stood. My alternative? No overarching government, no central home for all of humanity, let man govern himself - You call your world "Cradle", but it is no Cradle of mine, Karateka; You and I have nothing in common besides the fact that we are human, and that we shed blood for things we believe in. Me, Teardown and Mimas put our dreams together - An unregulated Cosmopolitan populace, unburdened by the laws of your corporate pawns and the endless stacks of paper your bureaucracy leaves behind. You people call us pirates, privateers, raiders - War Profiteers. We survive, because your promises would not allow us to live. So we opted for survival without consequence at the edge of space. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Knockoffs? You're not special, hate to break it to you; Just another number in the cycle. We're all just MSMC with different opinions - And yes, that includes your little "News Alliance"; You haven't changed, Morse didn't wash anything off, you're all still a band of ravaging savages jumping at the first sight of blood, she just has hope for you lot, and that's fucking heartbreaking to witness. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

I have my reasoning for hating Union, darling - Unfortunately, I don't like trauma-dumping openly on the Omninet for no reason; I doubt people would care, and it would make me look like an unfitting leader! On the other hand, providing bits and pieces of personal experience with Union on a post about somebody asking for information about it? I'd call that a rather reasonable thing to post. And about your point of Union trying to bring Utopia to the Galaxy - It is a noble goal, and it does take a lot of time and effort, but many are tired of the idea of trying, and want to see the action of actively committing to the things they promise. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

This. . . You joined the public thread. . ? Very confusing interaction. Good day to you though! You seem to need it. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Hilarious, CORSAIR truly is the proving ground of every single jingle-hat-wearing jester the galaxy could muster. Bit too much of a cult. . . Now where have I heard of a company, founded by a grandiose individual who would eventually cement themselves in history as one of the most unstable tyrants the galaxy had to face; If I got a chip of Manna for every event such as this, I'd probably be able to start my own company to add to the pile, but your Haven was truly an extraordinary mental case. (Not mentioning any of the Harrisons, of course - Quite a far league to reach for.) Now now, before you argue about our little nutjob of a leader, do remember that he is simply a part of a three headed body that has to come to unanimous conclusions. And do also keep in mind that we have no desire to do anything with Union, they'll collapse and rebuild all on their own, what we wish for is for them to leave us alone, to our own devices - But nature isn't so kind in many cases, I'm sure you'd know, as is the case with your infamous Gruntworks. Did you know we poached one of your pilots recently? She took the deal quite quickly, tsk tsk; Probably not treated too well, considering she thought of her Nightjaw to be a person, as should be automatically assumed. . . Shame your engineering department claims otherwise. Listen to your little Zero closely, will you, darling? - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

Do not mistaken Union for a benevolent entity Attar. Castrators and oppressors they create with their Liberator Teams, hounds that unquestioningly follow the will of whoever decides that Nature should be punished for what it made of us - Unification of Man is what they wish to be, they do not "erase" cultures, merely "pacify" them. They may be no book-burners - Anymore - but they will arrive one day, and they will police what is right and what is wrong on your lands. They think the Diaspora belongs to them, when they cannot even manage their own Systems, just look at the infamous Long Rim and what disgusting hierarchies Union's closest allies, and by extension, off-springs create among the common man there. Look at Harrison Armory and the Karrakin Trade Baronies - Indentured Servitude, owing for life they did not ask for, and Slavery, for those who were pitted against a system they could never hope to pay back; Yet these two fight each other tooth and nail on lands that want neither side, no different from one another in execution, but claiming higher horses in ideal. This is not a place of Honor. - SWELTER.

Greetings, Liberator Karateka!

I am named Attar, of Cam-Satal and of Tirumen of the Marque of Kesh. You are a warrior of the Justices of Union, yes? Today I spoke with a stranger who knew of your order, and as I am newly a scholar of Union and once fought for a similar cause, I was intrigued. Do you have a moment to tell me of your work?

{ATTAR}

Oh! Sure, I can tell you a bit.

Most of my work as a Liberator is universe-building missions; slow, steady work that sounds boring. Universe-building is stuff like distributing of food and water, organizing local, national, and planetary elections, building roads, farms and Omninet infrastructure, and providing medical supplies and training. That's not an exhaustive list but it gets the general idea down. It's the proof that we mean what we say when we say we're fighting to uphold the Utopian Pillars.

The other half of my job consists of Critical Assistance Missions. This is the "fun" stuff—or at least the stuff that gets reported on. It's wiping out slaving rings and deposing tyrants and whatnot. That's what I have my mech for, and where I earned most of my medals.

Is there, uh, anything else you want to know?

|| KARATEKA ||

[theunionsrejects]

<How quaint. Look out below, snivelling cowards. Ra's favour changes hands ever so subtly>

"I don't care about your religious bullshit. I'll just shoot you with a Legionnaire Battle Rifle and collect a fact stack of Manna while you're getting lowered into a shallow grave in a HA Ration can. Ain't that funny? See you in the halls of whatever shithole we descend to." - Voron

[theunionsrejects]

Mimas

It's Iris.

How fast can you get here?

One of our planetside research teams has fucked up and we need the facility cleared out quickly and preferably quietly.

Eschar Squadron better be able to handle some paracausal bullshit.

REROUTING INFORMATION COMMUNICATIONS CHANNEL TO ACTIVE SQUADRON OF DESIGNATION "ESCHAR". . . A rough, masculine voice comes over the communications channel, the sound of hurried footsteps and the hissing of hydraulics is heard - Voron just finishes tying his shoelaces as he begins speaking, preparing a firearm for himself in the meantime.

"This is Voron. Miasma and I are gearing up, Replicant-1 is already in its Everest. Miasma has dealt with paracausal shit pretty extensively in the past, I've fought some HORUS mechs, but I don't think Replicant-1 has ever seen anything other than a cascading NHP in action - But if its all in close-quarters, I don't think we'll have many problems down there; We're also leaving the cadets behind, don't want 'em getting killed, they're meant to be field-training for conventional chassis combat anyway. Voron over, standing by for further communication."