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"Where is my Gun"?!

It was 11 O'clock in the morning, an ungodly hour, Ben thought, to be in this bar.

The Barman was wiping down the tables after the night before, he looked up unsurprised and said "You left it on the table when you stumbled out of here this morning, here it is". He handed over the chrome handled blaster. It was a heavy weapon, and not definitely not the standard sidearm handed out to Corsair pilots through the local equipment dealer. Ben holstered the weapon and sat down on a stool at the front of the bar, his regular seat lacking its usual shadow in the harsh daylight, and it was also it seemed, covered in still to be swept glass.

"what kind of Blaster is that?" the barman asked.

"Give me some water" Ben grunted, his head was pounding, his mouth felt like sandpaper. The Baijiu hangover was like no other hangover you could have, after 40 years of drinking it, it still could knock him out. He took the water from the barman and replied " it was my fathers" he said, downing the water in one gulp and gesturing for another. "I don't know where he got it, but after he married my mother he had it engraved". Taking the weapon out of its holster again he showed the barman the Kusari writing etched along the Hilt.

"interesting" the barman mused, "what's it say?"

"Roughly translated.. it means, Honour, loyalty and kinship". Downing the second water Ben holstered the weapon again. The events of the previous night were a blur to him, he was sure he was better off for that.
"You know you were drinking with Zavier Benitez last night'? said the barman, Ben blinked... was he? he didn't recall. But thinking on it, he vaguely recalled the bald man whose face twisted as he drank Baijiu. He also vaguely recalled the exchange between his drinking companion and the Brotherhood Corsairs that had not ended well.
"Oh yes... i recall" he said, "it ended abruptly".

"It sure did" the barman spoke, "there's a lot of bad blood going on there"

"damn brotherhoods playing the blame game" Ben shook his head. The barman leaned over the bar, evidently more interested in where the conversation was heading than completing his chores. "what you mean?" He asked. Ben groaned, the politics of the houses at once bored and angered him, and as he thought on it, the events of the previous night cleared up in his memory. "The Brotherhood is blaming the benitez for starting that little fruckus yesterday" He felt himself start to anger, something he had grown to feel often these days..

"Right, i got that, but what if they are to blame, what if they p***ed the Libertonians off too much and brought it down on us all?" Said the Barman.

" and what if they did?" Ben snapped, He upholstered his blaster again and slammed it down on the bar with a loud "CLANG". The barman jumped, "Geez Laowai be caref..." But Ben interrupted him. "You see those words" he said, pointing to the hilt of the gun, "Honour, Loyalty, Kinship, just what does that mean?!"
The barman looked at him blankly and Ben continued, "It means it doesn't matter who started that fight, it's irrelevant, the fight was started, and as Corsair, as Kin... we should be standing side by side, not bickering and pointing fingers like spoiled children..."

He ran his hands through his greying hair, his eyes hurt, and this water wasn't helping at all, only adding to his irritability. But taking stock, he took a deep breath and said quietly, "Perhaps i am too simple for their politics, perhaps... but i am a Corsair and i won't live that way, i won't lower myself"

The barman smiled, he was always slightly amused by Laowai's little rants, "what would you do then Ben Laowai hmmm? Go out there and fight everyone on your own?"

"no... not alone, and thats the point really isn't it?" He held up his blaster and looked at the words on the hilt. The weapon had always held a strong sentimental value for him, as a child, he remembered his Father teaching him how to fire it. Too big for his small hands his father had held it with him, helping him steady his aim. Ben had started to think out loud, "We're Corsairs, we rob, steal, smuggle and kill ourselves a living every day. Every thing we do, p***es someone off." He went on; "We've survived here for hundreds of years because all our enemies, our many many ever growing list of enemies, fear us, we're strong, and we've never been afraid to offend, kill... as Corsairs we TAKE what we want, damned if you want to give it or not, all this blame...."

He paused, "all this blame smacks of fear..."

The barman looked surprised, "Fear? of what, surely your not claiming Corsairs are afraid?"

Ben looked up, looking him in the eye, "aren't they?" He cracked his knuckles loudly "Once, we terrified the stars themselves into bending to our will, now... we play politics, we argue, about who is to blame for bringing the liberty dogs here, as if they are something that should be avoided, something that should be feared. When instead our only response, not as brotherhood or benitez, nor any other damned house, but as Corsairs, should be to butcher every single Libertonian that crosses our path"

The barman looked a little taken aback, "You really got smashed last night didnt you"... but Ben was focused now, thinking through the fog of the baijiu headache. "You have it too... the fear" he said

He aimed his blaster at the barman, who startled took a step back, Ben continued "yes, that should be our only response, no matter who is to blame, and why?" he asked.. but the barman stood frozen to the spot, "because we are Corsairs, and you made war on one of us, on one of our kin, and i don't care about the politics of it, because you made war on us, we will kill you"

Tilting his head to the side he smirked... "don't worry, the charge was dead on this thing"....

The barman's shoulders dropped, "you son of a bitch" he said, his relief being tangible, "You're mad you know that?"

Ben laughed, holstering the weapon finally, "no, im just hungover"

The barman gave a small chuckle, and handed Ben another glass of water. But he wasn't so sure, he had seen blood then in Laowai's eyes, and he knew for a fact that the blaster was charged... the green indicator light on the back had been clearly visible.

Ben stood up, "Right!" he exclaimed and made to leave..

"where you goin'?" the barman called out. Ben turned around and looked him squarely, "where do you think?" he smiled "I'm a Corsair, I'm going to Kill someone".

A pilot was stomping out of the Boozer's Lounge, obviously hungover, but looking dangerous. Lucendez pinched the bridge of his nose between his thumb and index finger, it was going to be a long day. Juan's personal trading ship just got back to Crete from running Deuterium to Yaren and was scheduled for shore leave for the next week or so. Although Lucendez was happy to see his homeworld once more, a splitting headache was stowing away from the 48 hour trip.

"... going to kill someone!"

Juan's eyes focused on a man, slightly shorter than him with graying hair. He had not noticed him blocking the doorway, but something seemed strange, as if he should recognize the man. The stranger definately wore Corsair garb.

"Good morning, pilot." Was all the Juan could say after examining his outfit, no affiliation, no military insignias. An independent, Juan guessed.

"Not really, TBH." Was all he snapped back with. Disrespect was rife with most Corsairs, including independents, but Juan only smiled and started to move past him, until he saw the engraving on the pistol.

In a millisecond Juan's blood was pumping. He spun around and drew his own pistol, aiming it directly at the stranger. The man also spun after hearing the quick weapon movement, but not before Lucendez tackled him into a table, breaking two of the table's legs. Before the stranger could react, Lucendez held his pistol up.

"Now you're going to tell me who you work for, bounty hunter. Or do you work for Madam Kiromastumi? Or perhaps some Outcast filth that wants his hands on the Nihontō? Speak quickly 'friend.' The Nihontō is destroyed, as you will soon be if you don't tell me exactly who you are and why you're carrying a golden inscribed Kusari revolver."

After two or three rounds of this (quite a tasty) drink she started to feel unfoncortable and tired. The bar was getting messy. Elder Lucendez was in the process of 'arguing' with a drunk independent. She also registered a few bitter looks from Joe Costello, previously an Elder who decided to leave them. Why did he have to keep escalating the Corsair issues even after he left them? What was the point of doing that?

She turned to Julio and said: "Julio, thanks for your company in this long day. I couldn't have done all the things alone. Your presence was giving me the strength and courage I needed. Could you accompany me to the hangar? I think I need to try to get some sleep..."

"Of course Teresa. Are you sure you are able to fly to Yaren? You seem very tired..."

She replied: "Didn't I tell you? I left my Yaren quarters and moved to my father's Villa. Its hidden high in the mountains. Pedro liked to be alone and used to hike there, so he build it on the place he loved. It's accessible only from the air."

He asked: "Are you sure I shouldn't go with you?"

She smiled back: "Thank you, my dearest friend, but I think I need to be alone and get some sleep.", and she kissed him on his cheek. Then they both left the Boozer's Lounge.

' Wrote:"Not really, TBH." Was all he snapped back with. Disrespect was rife with most Corsairs, including independents, but Juan only smiled and started to move past him, until he saw the engraving on the pistol.

In a millisecond Juan's blood was pumping. He spun around and drew his own pistol, aiming it directly at the stranger. The man also spun after hearing the quick weapon movement, but not before Lucendez tackled him into a table, breaking two of the table's legs. Before the stranger could react, Lucendez held his pistol up.

"Now you're going to tell me who you work for, bounty hunter. Or do you work for Madam Kiromastumi? Or perhaps some Outcast filth that wants his hands on the Nihontō? Speak quickly 'friend.' The Nihontō is destroyed, as you will soon be if you don't tell me exactly who you are and why you're carrying a golden inscribed Kusari revolver."

Ben scowled at the hot headed Corsair waving is pistol at him. The man was full of fire and anger and his blaster was pointing directly between his eyes.

"I'll tell you nothing whelp" Ben scowled.

He had been fighting Corsair prejudice since he had set foot on Crete as a child. "you're not the same as the others" his father had told him, "you look different, people here don't trust things that are different.". It was a lesson he had learned well, many many times. It didn't matter how many times he flew over Crete, how many fights he settled with a blaster bolt, nor how many times his vessel was shot out from under him simply for bearing a Corsair flag, some hot heads, he thought to himself... just didn't get it.

Ben looked at the man whose flight suit Id was tagged Lucendez, cocking his head to the side he smirked and folded his arms. "I'll tell you nothing fool, because i dont have time for Corsairs who would rather fight their own brethren down here with fancy words and loose accusations, rather than their enemiesvup there..." he gestured to the sky, "where their hot tempers are needed."

The man did not back down, his arm was steady as his gaze demanded answers, and Ben groaned inwardly. No wonder Corsairs get whipped by Liberty scum, he thought, If this is the amount of thought that goes into Corsair actions...

"The Blaster was my fathers" he said, taking a step forward, continuing to look the man in the eye... "He married a Kusari woman, and engraved the words of her tongue on this Blaster" he stepped forward again, his accuser.. still holding him with is steady pistol hand.... Ben continued, "when he died, in the skies of Malta , on a Corsair raid, many many years ago... when you, were still suckling on your mother.... he had left this pistol to me..."

Ben Kept advancing, and the man took a step back... listening carefully... "and when you were still playing ball in the street with your ignorant, upper class, council bred friends" he scowled, "this blaster, my father, and then i, and all the other independent corsairs were in the skies up there" he pointed upwards again "bringing you food, killing those who would stop you having it, and paying the taxes that allowed your pompous arrogant families have their comfortable seats of power"

The headache pounded in his head and is temper had well and truly flared, he could see inside the bar, the bartender reaching for his stun baton, fearing this would get out of hand... but he was beyond caring... " and if you call me a bounty hunter again..." he hissed.. " i will rip your throat out with my teeth"....

Turning, he walked away, shaking his head he swallowed his anger... This is what the Corsairs had become, petty infighting and childishness.... But he would not let it change him, tomorrow, as soon as his Titan was finished, he would patrol Omicron Gamma's skies again, in all likelihood, he would fly wing in defence of Lucendez, of others of the Brotherhood, the Benitez, anyone that bore the ID of Corsair....

"But why father?" he had asked, he didn't understand what his father had meant, nor why the other Corsair children had ostracized him. "It doesn't matter" his father had said to him, tossing his hair and handing him the pistol, engraved with his Kusari legacy on it's hilt. "this is who they are, but you must remember, you are a Corsair, this is who you are, and it is your duty, to fight, and yes even die, beside these people"

" Even if i don't like them?" Ben had asked

"Yes" his father had said "Even if you don't like them"...

The uniformed man with the robotic arm, sitting alone, listened intently. This Kusari Corsair's speech impressed him. He followed him out of the door, leaning in, speaking quietly.

"That man is no whelp, Ben... he is an Elder..."

Of course, the Kusari man obviously didn't care.

"He earned his place, after a fashion. Of course, he and the others do live in opulent palaces funded by their lackeys and tax-payers.

He, and the majority of the current Elders, unlike the retired Elder Farquar or the current Elder Costello, care for their own personal profit over the concerns of the people... although, I must say that Lucendez and company do have the very best of intentions. They aren't bad people, si?"

The man, wearing a black uniform with strange, foreign lettering on it, continued,

"It's good to see brothers like yourself that are willing to fight for the people in spite of such glaring political differences with the likes of Elder Lucendez. You did your father proud."

' Wrote:The uniformed man with the robotic arm, sitting alone, listened intently. This Kusari Corsair's speech impressed him. He followed him out of the door, leaning in, speaking quietly.

"That man is no whelp, Ben... he is an Elder..."

Of course, the Kusari man obviously didn't care.


"It's good to see brothers like yourself that are willing to fight for the people in spite of such glaring political differences with the likes of Elder Lucendez. You did your father proud."

Ben shook his head, he needed to lay down, the headache was clouding his thoughts and all he wanted was to pass out....

"An elder..." he frowned... "well... they all look young to me these days..."

The man seemed unimpressed... and Ben sighed...... "fine, i don't know who is who in the council, he may well be an elder".... the stranger cocked a slightly amused eyebrow... and Ben went on..."an elder deserves respect of course... but...."

His temper flared again.. "for Hispania's sake!, if he was an elder he should have had more sense, accosting a Corsair like that is borderline lunacy..."

His comm system beeped, it was the Technician alerting him to the fact that the codenamed weapon he had fitted to his Titan didn't want to sit in it's mounting joint... and Ben groaned... he knew he wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon... The weapon did it's work well in damage.. but it had always been temperamental in servicing...

"anyway" Ben continued "thankyou for.. letting me know about the elder thing.. i really do need to..." he paused, looking for the words, "control my temper.... but, Guns drawn on me make me... unsettled".

The man smiled.. and a stern look passed over Ben's face... He knew there was much more to the politics Crete than he would ever wish to understand, " farewell"... he muttered, and walked off....

He hoped his Titan was ready... He knew there would be bounty hunter patrols near the omicron Theta Jumphole, and his anger needed focus....

"some bounty hunter wench will be a widow tonight" he thought coldly to himself.... Hitting the confirm button on his comm unit he made his way to the technician... "If he can't handle the codename what is he going to do with that Nomad piece of rubbish i fitted..."

shaking his head, he made his way through the narrow Cretan streets.

As I stepped into the smoke filled bar with people drinking all around, I couldn't help but feel a sense of home. This was where I belonged, with corsairs. Unfortunatley I found it rather difficult to fit in, being the new recruit
and all. I sat in an empty seat with no one around me.

"Just throw something at me" I said to the bartender.

"You're one of those new recruits aren't ya?"

I nodded as he slid the drink at me. This was of course my first time having a drink. My parents had passed away recently in a transport crash and they were always quite strict on alchol. Infact, I think I got a little carried away with all the drinking and I stumbled out of the bar and to my quarters.

' Wrote:His temper flared again.. "for Hispania's sake!, if he was an elder he should have had more sense, accosting a Corsair like that is borderline lunacy..."

His comm system beeped, it was the Technician alerting him to the fact that the codenamed weapon he had fitted to his Titan didn't want to sit in it's mounting joint... and Ben groaned... he knew he wasn't going to get to sleep anytime soon... The weapon did it's work well in damage.. but it had always been temperamental in servicing...

"anyway" Ben continued "thankyou for.. letting me know about the elder thing.. i really do need to..." he paused, looking for the words, "control my temper.... but, Guns drawn on me make me... unsettled".

The man smiled.. and a stern look passed over Ben's face... He knew there was much more to the politics Crete than he would ever wish to understand, " farewell"... he muttered, and walked off....

He hoped his Titan was ready... He knew there would be bounty hunter patrols near the omicron Theta Jumphole, and his anger needed focus....

"some bounty hunter wench will be a widow tonight" he thought coldly to himself.... Hitting the confirm button on his comm unit he made his way to the technician... "If he can't handle the codename what is he going to do with that Nomad piece of rubbish i fitted..."

shaking his head, he made his way through the narrow Cretan streets.

Alejo lowered his weapon and clicked the safety of his blaster rifle back on. Slightly thankful of the prevalence of ...semi-cool heads, civil war had just been prevented as Alejo wasn't about to let an independent be shot because of his family history, especially by one of his assailants ilk. Last night the hot headed young Benitez had only been stayed by the steady hand of Praetor Zavier as he prepared to rush into the bar, blaster in hand. He had slept on a roof of under the stars right across the street, and the scuffle had woken him in time to hear the conversation that had taken place.

As the "Foreign" Corsair yelled at the uniformed man

Quote:"for Hispania's sake!, if he was an elder he should have had more sense, accosting a Corsair like that is borderline lunacy..."

Alejo could only chuckle to himself how many times he had heard the same line.

Yelling as the apparently half Kusari Corsair started to walk angrily towards the spaceport, Alejo made his presence known.

"There seems to be quite alot of distrust these days indeed!"

Laughing all the way, the young Benitez climbed down a nearby ladder onto the street and ran up to the angered Corsair, hold out his hand in greeting.

"I am Alejo Benitez, I am a new pilot around here. I heard you say something about Bounty Hunters and I was curious as to where you planned to go hunting?"

After speaking to Ben, the uniformed man strode towards his sleek, black fighter which was parked just outside Alonso's bar, not taking much notice of the people gathering around.

A rough-but-slow looking large man stepped in his way, barring his way to his ship. Several others gathered around, sidearms nervously ready.

The big man spoke in his dumb-but-usually-intimidating voice,

"'Elder' Ares... you is comin' wif us, comprende?"

"Obviously not, brother" responded the uniformed man acidically.

"But you is at war wif us, huh?" continued the big, semi-braindead thug.

"Since when?! I'm a damn Corsair, you fool!" yelled the more slightly built military man, his assailant's bulk not scaring his fury from him.

"Uh... Montoyur decla.. decla.. uh, sed war wif the Coalishun! You is a Coalishun! You wear funny shirts like em!" babbled the huge oaf, as he drew a bloody huge sidearm, which would probably be considered an assault rifle in most circles. The others followed suit.

"That turncoat bastard!" snapped Ares as his mechanical left arm shot forward with unnatural speed, crushing the thug's wrist like a paper cup. He yelped like a kicked puppy as the surprisingly strong Coalition officer speedily dragged him into his unwashed buddies' line of fire.

The 'pistol', if it could be called that, in his crippled hand dropped into Ares' good hand, who didn't pause before snapping off several shots at his attackers' knees, forcing the Corsairs to crumple in moaning heaps around him.

The large, dopey, fellow continued to whimper as Ares used him as his human shield. He began to cry openly, tears streaming down his face like a child. He wailed as he begged for mercy.

"Don't kill me, Elder Ares... I's sorry... Montoyur sed war... so, uh... I give up?"

Captain Ares spun his now-captive Corsair bandit around and stared him in the eye.

"This time, I broke your wrist, and crippled your friends. You probably won't be able to fly a ship for months, and they won't be able to walk, but you, my brothers, will all live. This time. Call that a lesson and make sure you learn it. You won't get another chance, si?"

Before the stupid man could respond with his humbled thanks, he was knocked unconscious by an alloyed fist.

Ares breathed deeply and looked around nervously as he boarded his Raven's Talon, considering himself very lucky to be alive. He wiped a tear from his eye as he realised he wouldn't be returning to Alonso's any time soon.

Travis, Commanding Officer of Adler, fully knowing he isnt Corsair but might as well be, walks in.

Seeing all the corsairs on the ground in pain.

"I must've missed something."

Shrugs

Then turns around and walks back out.

A person outside asks.

"Aren't you going to help them?"

"I'm not one to clean up messes. I normally start them."

Then Travis is gone as fast as he arrived.