This story focuses on two brothers, Christopher and Kenneth Matzke. Born and raised as scrapers and smugglers, running whatever needed to be run, making a name in black market shipping before splitting up.
Christopher was born in 797 AS, while Kenneth was born in 798. Their parents lead busy lives, making enough to get by, yet never taking risks, never making a big play, almost complacent with being small time runners. Education was limited for both of them, never being given a formal one, only learning from the occasional “misplaced” data pad the two brothers found. Other than that, they learned through experience, learning basic economics and money management after being conned for six credits, (a large sum for a five and six year old child,) and learning repair skills after a toy broke. They spent the first part of their life on Beaumont and on their parent’s ship, while they were on trade runs, and learned some more, this time on space flight.
By the time Christopher was nine and Kenneth was eight, they were offered jobs in the bar at Beaumont as busboys and dishwashers, making a few credits a day. It wasn't much, but it was a start. They no longer went with their parents, due to their work and only saw them occasionally, but they cherished the moments they had. This continued for about two years, with the boys worked in the bar, eagerly doing their job and their parents managed to stay financially stable.
The news hit hard, and was devastating for the boys, after two years of uneventful work, their father was reported to have been arrested on Houston, there was a police raid on a cardamine dealer, and he was one of the people there. He was soon taken to Sugarland, the trial having ended quickly and mercilessly. The brothers were shocked and depressed, but their mother was worse. She constantly had a distant look in her eyes, and seemed to be unable to cope with the loss she had suffered. Two days later, she took the family’s recycler off into space, never to return. The rumors said she went to the Pequena Negra where she waited for the radiation to take her.
The boys were depressed, having lost their mother and pretty much losing their father as well, but they had to move on, and although their boss showed some remorse, he still expected them to work. They continued their work, finding other shelter on Beaumont, and they got by, making enough to eat and live, but not much more.
The losses continued after another few years, in 812, when Christopher was 15 and Kenneth was 14, this time losing their jobs. It wasn't that they were fired, but that the owner had died. Not only was he the closest thing they had to family, but they were the closest thing he had to family as well, as he was never married and had no children. The brothers, despite their sorrow, searched his quarters and the bar hoping to find some last message or will. They found one, and for once, they had something to alleviate the pain. They didn't get the bar, it had to be sold to cover some of his remaining debts, but they did get a ship. He had an old Collector that was docked at the station, and he had left it to who were his closest heirs. Finally, they had a way to make a name for themselves.
The two bought a mining turret with their accumulated funds, knowing that the Negras were rich in scrap. They flew towards a well-known spot for mining in the Pequena Negra, with Christopher piloting and Kenneth squeezed behind him, monitoring other systems. They were almost there when Christopher suddenly cut the engines, his face going pale and his hands starting to shake. He saw a derelict Recycler; similar to the one his parents had before his mother had gone missing. He then turned around, not looking back. Kenneth asked why, as he didn't have a good view. Chris then lied, saying he saw an LPI patrol.
The next day, they tried again, this time heading to the Grande Negra, to the reported location of the Dallas research station’s debris. Again, they did not make it, this time due to an actual LPI officer. This officer however was not a threat, his guns were jammed, his engine was dead, and the radiation of the negra was slowly eating away at his hull. The two brothers spoke about what to do, nearly panicking, trying to decide whether to run or to finally make a name for them. Kenneth, surprisingly won the argument, and Christopher began to nervously shoot at the ship. The ship was almost dead when the officer decided to launch the escape pod. Surely he should have known better, there was no way the pod would survive long against the radiation, especially not when combined with a ship whose pilots had strong feelings against the LPI.
Christopher then spoke up, saying that shooting the ship was one thing, but destroying the escape pod would be much worse, and neither wanted blood on their hands. Kenneth suggested that instead they take the pod. “To Where,” Christopher asked, shocked. “To Beaumont, of course. Someone must have a grudge against LPI that they would like to take out on him.” replied Kenneth. Christopher reluctantly agreed once more and took in the pod while they hastily made their way back to Beaumont. Once there, they went to the bar, leaving him in the cargo hold, unable to leave. “So now what?” asked Christopher. “Well, I guess we wait,” replied Kenneth. “We wait! That is your idea? We have a LPI escape pod in our cargo hold and all you can think to do is waiting!” Christopher said worried. An outcast overheard them, and their conversation seemed to peak his interest, so he walked over to the two brothers. “How did you two get a hold of an LPI escape pod?” he asked. “Well, um… we found his ship disabled in the Grande Negra,” replied Christopher. “This seemed to make the outcast even more interested. “I demand you take me to him!” He stated eagerly. “Um… alright,” stated Christopher worriedly. They walked to the hangar, and opened the cargo hold. The outcast looked in the window of the pod, and looked surprised. “Wow, this is really him.” He stated. He then turned to Christopher and said excitedly, “I’ll give you two million credits for him and the pod.” The two brothers, stunned by the price he offered them agreed. Kenneth then asked him why he had a grudge against the officer. The outcast stated, “He arrested my brother.” “Why?” said Kenneth. “Apparently, he was charged with stealing a loaf of bread.” Replied the outcast, as he walked away with the pod wheeled out behind him. “Told you it was a good idea,” said Kenneth, bragging. “What are we going to do with the credits though?” He then added. Christopher then said, “We’re going to buy a Collector.”
The two then headed out once again towards the Grande Negra, this time in separate ships, and at last succeeded in their journey. Their cargo holds couldn't hold much, but it was enough to make a decent profit. There were always a few buyers for premium scrap on Beaumont. The two continued this for a few years with little change. Things finally started to look better for the two. Aside from some medications to handle the radiation, and an investment in a Recycler, the two saved their money for future investment.
The next notable event occurred when Christopher was seventeen and Kenneth was sixteen. Christopher woke up to a bill of 100 million credits. Furious, he went to his brother and demanded to know how he spent nearly all their savings. “Well, you remember that salvager that was docked on the base for the past few weeks? The captain was found dead and the base auctioned off his ship.” replied Kenneth. Still angry, Christopher asked, “Well, what do you expect us to do with a 100 million credit ship?” “Sell scrap,” replied Kenneth. “We already did that!” exclaimed Christopher. Kenneth replied, “But I head that there is a planet in a distant system that we could sell to for a much better price than what we get here.” Christopher then replied, “Fine, we will attempt this journey and see just how profitable it really is.”
The two headed out the next day, following a route that they would learn leads them to Omicron Alpha. Aside from a few Kusari patrols, they made it after a few days. Once in Alpha, they attempted to locate Valetta shipyard, once they found it, they docked and made contact with a buyer who bought their stock for fifty million credits. Fifty million credits…, although they had more at one point, it was accumulated over months, not days. They were shocked by the sheer amount they made. The only decision left to make before they left was what to take back.
Cardamine. Such a controversial substance, not only in society, but also in the family as well, as it was what landed their father in prison. Christopher was of course was against carrying it while Kenneth, being bold, wanted to transport it. The two argued over it for a while, but eventually Kenneth won by asking, “What else is there to take from here?”
The two learned of a buyer back on Houston and proceeded back home, nervous, expecting to get caught at any moment. They never did, they somehow managed to avoid the patrols, and when they arrived on Houston, quickly offloaded their cargo and made another fifteen million, and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Once again, the two continued with this for a few years, eventually buying another salvager as well, and the two made more money than they knew what to do with. This stopped when Christopher was 24 and Kenneth was 23. The two were on their way back from Malta, carrying cardamine, when something exploded on Kenneth’s ship. There wasn't a hull breach, but several cargo pods ruptured, resulting in cardamine powder dispersing into the air and eventually making its way into the atmospheric systems. Unfortunately, Kenneth breathed some of this in; since he was not wearing his oxygen gear that he would normally wear on Malta to avoid addiction. He told Christopher what had happened and they agreed to discuss this back on Beaumont.
The two weren't worried about spending money on cardamine. They had the money to spare. It was that Christopher was worried for Kenneth, and that he would get caught as their father did. Kenneth saw this in his brother, as well as a mild sense of disappointment. So the next day, Kenneth took their recycler out to Malta, along with his share of the credits, and didn't look back. When he made it, he spent his share buying out an entire cardamine plantation and settled there.
Christopher continued the business to the best f his abilities, having hired other pilots for the other ships, but despite his efforts, he found that he lacked his brother’s boldness that countered his cautious reasoning. He eventually decided that in order to stay successful, he would have to find another partner, and in his search, he found the Junker Congress.
Kenneth on the other hand, was somewhat successful in running his plantation, and for about six months, it was uninterrupted success. It was around then that he was returning from a business deal that went quite well, but upon his return to Omicron alpha, he saw one of the great spirits. The spirit did not say anything, and continued on its way, but Kenneth was still in awe. It was this that caused him to seek out the Crimson Cross and become a member.
