Past Shadows

Author: Creetalor

Original post: https://forums.eveonline.com/t/yc-121-necwc-past-shadows/156017

Entry for YC121 New Eden Capsuleer’s Writing Contest in the Prose category.

The Morning: Chapter 1

The cold wind blew across the hills as the sun’s rays slowly rose over the hill, the air filled with the smell of tea as the dew evaporated on the wild tea shrubs near the monastery. The white twin tailed podling as it was called locally for eating Wisteria pods started its song. All the while a figure sat still on a rock breathing it all in.
She was back home even for a short while on leave, she cherished these moments the memories of the past on Achura Prime. It was here she met him, it was here she had her and it was here where he left her for them. So much on one small spot in such a large universe. The sun slowly began heating up the implants down her spine. The feeling of the sharp heat similar to plugging into the pod overcame her the weightless feeling mixed with the cold rock below this was her favorite time of day here.
She snaps back to reality as a small drone hovers quietly over the sand towards the rock. As it moves closer the silhouette gives way to black and gold with the Ishuk-Raata Logo in the corner. She wonders what it could be, if it’s just another of her Contacts reporting or the Directorship but before she can ask.

“Sasieni, current directive to deliver message to Creedance Talor, facial scan confirmed. Provide further identification!”

She sighs not even two weeks go by without some sort of matter requiring her attention. She pulls out one of the needles holding her hair and picks the ring finger. Placing it into the scanner.
“Fingerprint and DNA confirmed” the drone replied and opened a small compartment, for a moment it looked completely empty but then a small data chip came out of a small shelf at the back. Cree grabbed it mustered the logo and quickly slid it into her uniform to make sure no one saw it. “Continue Directives!”she ordered and the drone did a small tilt forward and hovered away. She rose up to head to her quarters crossing the sand gently barely leaving a footprint as she reached the door to her quarters the abbot was walking down the corridors to wake the last guests of the monastery still resting from last night’s star gazing session. She bows “Master I will be bidding you farewell earlier than expected, please accept the donation I have left in the room and pray to the spirits to guide me.” The abbot smiled and bowed handed her a small dried pod out of his sleeve.” Take this then as a humble gratitude I will pray to the spirits and please place the pod in soil. Tend to it and it shall reward you.”
“Thank you Abbot.” She bowed again and went into her chambers she grabbed her personal Khanid and Caldari Pistols from her case and holstered them.
The Khanid Pistol was a modified Amarr laser pistol the gold accents having been replaced with a silvered tritanium and it held a ‘scorch’ classified ultraviolet crystal it had been a gift from her cousin Harin when Ishukone-Khanid Logistics got ratified by the Ishukone Directorship. The Caldari Pistol seemed normal but was Guristas modified with a more stabilized sled to help the slug get up to speed faster allowing deeper penetration for even lightly armored planetary vehicles. It had a black grip shifting into gold to the muzzle. The red I-RED logo was near the thumb rest. It was usually a hassle to carry them but in her line of work it paid to be prepared and a few hundred ISK on the planets or stations always greased the gears through customs.
Then she left for the space ports on the other end of the city. First stop at the bottom of the Hill would be the old quarter in the Ishukone prefecture.

End Chapter 1

Neon Lights : Chapter 2

She was walking down the old stone road as slowly the shindles of the old quarter came into view. Some having been replaced with composites gleamed in the midday sun, others were old clay seemingly glowing with the heat in a deep orange. Here and there the Ishukone red crescent moons showing up on flags, wooden frames sometimes barely noticeable in the corner. The streets were full with people going about their lives. Drone makers in their little courtyards showing their trade working the chassis of service drones while seamstresses were showing off their latest fashions. Wherever she was walking she was breaking the flow like a rock in a river, with only a occasional person going through the tear that formed. The uniform with the I-RED insignia afforded her some space with her status of capsuleer being know.
She continued down the road when she took a quick right turn and down a small alleyway the arch opening into at first darkness from the buildings but stepping through the arch the alley slowly lit up as the eyes adjusted. In the stone base of the structures little hovels were lined up on both sides. She walked past the first few where out of the holes came the peddlers she then reached it “Takashi’s” she took a step down into the hole as she the shop became apparent lining the walls was everything from small scale firearms behind thick panes of crystalline Carbonite to small drones it.
“Saisini Mrs. Talor what gives me the honor of serving a Ishukone representative this fine afternoon?” it sounded from the back as a small framed man stepped forward bowing.
She bowed “Saisini, I am looking for a ‘ECM Swallow’ and a ‘Hummingbird’ and some rounds for the rail pistol Tungsten preferred, the two drones please off books, double price I assume as usual?”
“Yes, I have just made a new set with fresh Firmware, the Swallow now has a range of 10 meters. The Hummingbird also got a small upgrade it now can filter out high frequency better the price has gone up 40.000 ISK for those. Make it 1.840.000 ISK and I will throw in Concord grade tungsten for free!”
“2.000.000 and we are good.” as she said that the little man slipped into the back through a black cloth. When he returned he was carrying 3 boxes. He opens the first pulling out a small strap with 3 small metal shields along it, he handed them to Cree which proceeds to grab the shields and slots them unto her belt. “There are the Swallows and here are the Hummingbirds” out of the next box appear some small pill shaped chunks. “Remember to only activate these when thrown or the wings can not open!”.
“Finally here is your box of 45 rounds!”
She grabs the rounds placing them in her satchel she then sets the transfer in motion. As she heads for the exit she stops to wait for the notification of transfer. “Farewell Tayada, best wishes to your father.”
“I will relay them, next time you may find the name changed to Takashi and Sons but same location, thank you and come again.” She proceeded out back to the main street with her new drones and continued down the road.
Slowly the old quarter started to fade more and more facades became metal walls she was starting to enter the Hyasunda district thankfully it was a small part.
Continuing she finally reached the spaceport, there was security everywhere mainly Ishukone watch and Hyasunda but the occasional CPD could be seen. She went to the Elevator Z3 and headed to the transfer rooms. Going in she grabbed a secure container placed her effects into it after closing it a drone came to pick it up and flew out into the hangar towards a Manticore at the back. Stepping naked down the ramp towards the pod she stepped into the goo as she dove in the cables started going active connecting to the implants. The pod sealed. The darkness took a moment to fade as the pod moved down to a platform to be flown to the ship a new pod being placed in its stead. When the pod was placed into the ship the system came to life the camera drones remained in the ship so only basic camera functions where available. “Welcome, your launch sequence is 18742 please confirm sequence with launch pad.” Transferring ship to launch facility now, please wait"
Finally she felt the ship lock into the slingshot. “This is Launch station I please confirm launch sequence and be ready to fire engines!” She got ready thinking 18742 and preparing to fire engines. “Code confirmed launching in 3…… 2…… 1……Go, Launch station signing off.”
The Manticore jolted upward as the ship ascended towards the atmosphere she began turning on the engine and the Afterburner to reach exit velocity. The small ship kept ascending and once she reached space. She launched the camera drones. Time to go she thought as she initiated warp.

End Chapter 2