Wednesday, October 1, 2014

Koreshi Chronicles - Chapter VIII: Self-aware

"Look, Quinn, I don’t know what you’re doing, and I don’t think you know what you’re doing."

Pascal "The Pain" Pigeon's words echoed again and again.

Lukas was not readapting as quickly to sleeping in a rolling Longrunner as he might have liked. He had been relieved by Todd, who would certainly spend his watch reading the battered paperback that had previously been keeping the lower bunk--Lukas' bunk--level. Changing position could not disguise the cant of the bed, though Luksa knew that wasn't the real reason for his wakefulness.

What were they doing? This job was straight-forward enough--and might pay some real dividends, once the right people were apprised. But what were they really doing?

Fennec was pressing for answers--ironically, because while Lukas had more facts, he didn't really know much more than the overly-earnest mechanic did. Lyta had been unhappy with their operational activities for some time. Only Todd could be relied on to do the job without questioning the why--and he had complained about the restrictions on violence!

Lyta kept asking why--and the answer to that had always been the money. But now they had the money, more money than the majority of Badlanders would see in a lifetime. Fennec had literally boggled at her share. If the Gears were sold, that would generate a quite substantial additional amount. They could get out.

But then what would they do?

And if they didn't get out, what were they doing? It was just one thing after another. Lukas needed a vision, and that vision needed to be greater than make money. They were good at that, but what was the money for?

If he were totally honest, Lukas could admit to himself that he wanted the money back from the Bear. Not for revenge; the Bear was a sort of background antagonist, and Lukas, unlike Lyta, did not blame any individual CEFfer for the war and the deaths of their parents. Or for his own disfigurement. Lukas wanted the money back, because he was certain that it had been stolen from them.

His father had been a profoundly capable businessman. Their family had always been prominent, but not always equally wealthy. Lukas' great-grandfather had squandered most of the family money, and his grandfather had lived largely on credit. But Donovar Lassander had used what was left to rebuild a legacy, and he wouldn't have simply given that away to the Bear. Not for simply getting them passage out of Baja--and certainly not for a passage that had cost the elder Lassander his own life.

This was the moment. Lukas knew that a decision had to be made. Would he get serious about pursuing the Bear, about getting back the money? Would he content himself and the others with tracking listlessly along, squeezing money from the Badlands and its volatility? Or would he give up, settle down, and...do some nothing?

"Look, Quinn, I don’t know what you’re doing, and I don’t think you know what you’re doing."



Heavy Gear Roleplaying Game

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