How did I get here

So, I'm outside what looks to be the settlement Mr. Shadowbroker Svenska, never again to be called Shava, cause he ain't my friend -anymore- and I only shorten names for friends, told me about. Ain't much to it.

Been hidin here in these mountains
since last night, and ain't seen anyone pass by that looked like they was following me. My plan was to hole up here and see what the afternoon and evenin' brought..and it didn't bring much. I've still got plenty of water left, and I ain't in any hurry to make it to the place where people are. They probably expect me to run straight for wherever I go....

I wonder if those purplebellies got lost, or maybe they went the other way. The suns comin' up and I've had what felt like a good dreamless rest, and if things stay quiet, my next plan is to head into the settlement early evening, and find out who might be willing to take on a passenger. Thing is, the ships around here aren't located in one place, their ain't no dock.

They don't look very fast, and they ain't very well armed, at least from the outside lookin' in. And there ain't many of them. On the other hand, they do look like the kind of ships that have seen some flytime, and the few people I -have- seen coming and going ain't fancy, so I'm guessin' that for the right price, I will be able to get out of here.


There's lots of grafitti around on the few crates and buildings that make up this what passes for a settlement. 'Resist' and 'No U-Day for Patriots' signs along side of scattered crates with the Blue Sun logo prominently painted on. 'Live life with Blue Sun'. Well, here's hoping I can do exactly that - live life that is. Right. Well I've had enough of that to last a lifetime. Where are the great qing ri protectors when they're needed.....

.



....several hours later

I've had some time now to reflect back on this mess I'm in. It's my own fault. I was thinkin' with my heart and my passion for some excitement, and not with my logical mind. Shadowbroker appears out of nowhere and wants me to go on 'one last job' with him. I ain't seen him since trainin', and he's wantin to take -me- with him on a 'dangerous mission'. How much sense does that make?

First time he's sees me, I'm dancing, wearin' a dress, fancy shoes, and not dressed for battle - in fact, ain't even got any guns on. Its a sure bet he ain't never seen me like that before - for all he knows. I ain't been in any fights for almost five years. My survival skills may have gone light, and I may even be involved with someone and not wantin to go.

So how does he approach me? Like he seen me just yesterday, with this story almost tailor made to get me to want to come with him. He 'needs' me. Its gonna be exciting. Its his last job. It involves flyin, and maybe some fightin, and ain't no one can do it better than me, he says. So I fall for it. My friends tell me they got a bad feelin, but I'm convinced he 'needs' me, and it's gonna be exciting to be back in the black. Flyin. Flyin fast. Outrunning everyone, thinking ahead of them, reading their thoughts....I guess I don't do that so well when my heart is leadin' the way. I think there's a lesson to be learned there.

I was going to say I don't know what that lesson is, but actually I think I do. I can't read Nene. Not at all. Everyone else, mostly I choose not to - either they won't like what they hear themselves thinkin, or its really none of my business, so I just choose to not do it. Usually. Oh, sure, a few times, like with that Zach fellow that came around lookin for Amyla. I read him clear enough, and I don't like what I see. But mostly, I just keep it to myself.

Thing is, that implies its there to keep to myself. With Nene, there ain't nothing. Its like just, nothin. So either my hearts somehow involved where he's concerned, I mean, it would have to be really involved - or he's blockin' it, and he ain't got the gift, that much I know. So it has to bes..it has to be that my heart leads me back to him every time. And I don't see anything when I get there. I wonder what he's doing now. I wonder if he's been given someone else to shadow around. Or, I wonder if he's just sittin' drinkin. I can see him now in my mind, that glass in his hand. He's always getting a refill, but he never actually drinks much of it. A sip, then it kind of spills out wherever he's moving around to.

He thinks I don't notice. Or he knows I do, and doesn't care.

But back to where I go from here. Ok. It was more about the excitement, almost like being back in internship training only without the tong meng watching and evaluatin every move. And now I've got to put myself back in that mode if I want to get thru this. This ain't no game, this is me gettin back or not, and there ain't no room for mistakes. I'll wait til its darker, early evening, and make my way down to what looks like the bar.


This is the path I'll take.


Don't want to look like I got much money, no reason to overpay for my transport out of here unless I have to. Check out the place, see who looks like they may be in the cargo business, and see if I can make an inquiry without raising any suspicion. Place like this, shouldn't be much of a problem. For now, I'd better make work of a hunk of one of these food bars Shav....Shadowbroker left behind for me. I'm gonna need all the strength I got and then some to get thru this.