Ethan's stomach growled again. It was complaining fairly frequently now. He figured it was about 13 hours since he ate his last ration pack before heading over to Coalition space. Restless and impatient, he heard another gunshot, and yet another yell calling for the next person to walk in.
Alright, screw it. If I don't get shot I'll starve to death.
He stood up, and adjusted his flight suit. His brown hair was looking a bit better, but still looked compacted from being suffocated by his flight helmet. The five o'clock shadow on his face had grown into visible stubble. It made the scar running down the left side of his chin even more noticeable. He pushed open the slightly shut door and made his way inside the office before closing it behind him
"Good afternoon," he paused for a bit before noticing his interviewer was a woman.
Well, at least there's women.
"My name is Ethan Scott. I've come here to join the Coalition, but I guess you already figured that out."
She exchanged a glance with Viatcheslav, looking back at Ethan. "Of course. But we always ask the question of why. We're supposed to test you. Make sure you are absolutely ready. Viatcheslav and I are here to make sure that you absolutely are."
She let that sink in before continuing. "Why do you want to join us?"
"THE HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED AND THESCIENCEIS LEAKING OUT!"
Ethan stood about 3 feet in front of the desk, and carefully eyed his environment. He didn't notice the large man at first, but now his presence was ever so obvious.
Yep, I'm screwed, he thought to himself before drawing a breath to speak.
"Would you like the standard cliche answer or the honest truth? First, let me give you the cliche one. I'd like to fight to liberate the workers of Sirius from their capitalist opressors." He couldn't help grinning but he tried with all his might to hide it.
"Now for the honest one. I'm a smuggler. My specialty was running weapons to movements that required them. You could say that I have empathy for being people trampled by others. But that isn't the only reason. I'm down to my wit's end. Broke, living off a Freeport with two ships in disrepair isn't the life I envisioned for myself. I can get things done, there's nothing I haven't been able to do that I set my mind to."
He reached into his pocket and pulled out a pack of cigarettes. They were the Zoner kind - bland and without character. Represented their producers fairly well, he always said.
The machine looked at the cigarettes, its weapon raising in suspicion. Angie waved the thing off, smiling at him. "Of course. But only if you know the correct procedure. This one should be easy."
"THE HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED AND THESCIENCEIS LEAKING OUT!"
His awareness was quite lacking. He blamed his hunger, it was playing tricks on his mind.
The robot? Where the hell did that thing come from?
He flicked his wrist, and a couple of them popped up out of the pack, easy to grab. He took one step forward, fearing if he got too close the machine would turn him into finely made Swiss cheese.
"No thank you. I do not smoke. But it's the thought that counts. Always share with your comrades. I doubt Viatcheslav would like one, as he lacks lungs." The machine grunted mechanically in response. "Now. You claim you are a gun runner, right? Were you paid for that? Or did you do that because you were a soldier of those revolutions?"
"THE HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED AND THESCIENCEIS LEAKING OUT!"
"I'd offer him some grease but.. well, maybe not the best time for jokes."
He took out a cigarette from the pack and skillfully twirled it in his hands, tapping the filter in his palm a couple times before placing it between his lips. From his left pocket he grabbed a lighter, and carefully showed it to Viatcheslav, as it was about to raise its weapons again. A spark preceded the flame, and Ethan took a long drag. It was the first one in hours, and potentially the last one - he was going to savor it.
"I was paid ma'am. While I sympathized with them, those weren't my fights. Not that I charged a lot anyway. Otherwise I wouldn't be in the position I'm in right now."
He took another drag, drawing the smoke deep into his lungs. He flicked the butt end causing the ash to drop into his waiting hand.
Her eyes kept a lock on the cigarette, the ember reflected slightly in her eyes. "No. We do not have an ash tray. Just flick it on the floor. It will clear out the blood smell."
With a creak, she leaned back in her chair, studying him. "So you had to make money as you assisted these fronts. I understand that. If they ever asked, do you suppose that you would have joined in their fights?"
"THE HULL HAS BEEN BREACHED AND THESCIENCEIS LEAKING OUT!"
While he was drinking his vodka and waiting an answer two guards Escorted a new recruit in to the office. There you are comrade i was looking for you.He slowly stood up with his glass in one hand and a knife in other one.Comrade Dex you have 50 seconds to explain why you want to join us, if i find your answer adequate i will let you keep your eye. START TALKING! NOW!
Ethan rolled over his hand, letting the ash drop on the floor.
"I was enjoying my life. It was thrilling, living life on the edge. Adrenaline is as addictive as any drug, and you get plenty of it when you're trying to hide a cache of weapons from one checkpoint to the next."
With another the drag the cigarette was about halfway done.
"I never got to their point, you know what I mean? Those people either lost someone, or something. It wasn't personal for me, so my involvement would've seemed.. fake. I was a bit too self-absorbed, to be honest. Spending the credits on booze and other distractions seemed like the easier way out."
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