A Foreigner In Her Own Home

[Backo]

...There it was, a giant blue sphere right in front of her. Renee's ship entered through the docking ring and began decelerating into the atmosphere of the planet. From above the big cities glowed in contrast to the dark countryside. Her ship did a wide turn and began descending, her destination was Sainte-Menehould, another industrial city that survived the revolution.

The city had started as a mining town like many others. The local area was rich in oil and that attracted the corporate giant EFL. Renee was born here, right at the start of the famous "Marne Uprising" that marked the beginning of the Second Gallic War. Her parents were both tied to the industry - her father was a miner and her mother was a business woman working for the local EFL branch. Renee's childhood was filled with watching the revolution activities - the desperate attempt for the workers to earn themselves a better life as the Council had promised. She though had the luck that Sainte-Menehould wasn't a major strategic point and as such the "liberation" was swift and without many casualties.

Steered by her parents' views and lured by the promises of the more radical revolutionaries she became connected with the Maquis. They had promised action that would finally secure the much needed change, contrary to the more diplomatical approach of the Council. It didn't take long before they decided to use her for a bigger job - she was to travel to Planet Nevers in the yet unliberated Burgundy, aboard a stolen freighter and pose as a tourist from the Core Worlds. Once planet side Renee was supposed to be part of a Maquis sabotage team that was going to plant explosive charges in one of the hotels in order to blow the place up along with any Royalists which were assumed to be resting there. Upon arrival though she realized that most of the visitors weren't fanatic Royalists, but rather citizens who didn't want to be part of the whole conflict. It was too late, though, as the operation was in motion and refusing to continue following it only risked her comrades' lives as well. The job was deemed "successful" even though all it did was prove the Maquis were terrorists rather than revolutionaries. Renee returned home a few days after, though things were no longer the same. Instead of joy she felt a different emotion - regret and guilt. She no longer wanted to be part of this war and she saw only one solution - the jump hole located in Languedoc that led to a different world, one that had nothing to do with Gallia and offered a fresh start...

Yet here she was, returning home once again after being missing for over two years. With all the pain and ill memories this place brought her it was still beaconing her to return yet again...

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