Robert Thacker walked into the Commissar's office. Robert had met many intimidating people in his life, but none of them quite managed it so well as the Duty Commissar. Still, Robert allowed no fear to show. It was a skill he had honed after being forced to work in Liberty's Huntsville prison factory. It was a skill that served him well.
The Commissar looked up from his paperwork, and fixed Robert with cold stare. After a few seconds, the Commissar broke his silence.
"So, I assume that you're the piece of garbage who thinks he's good enough to join the Coalition? Where in the hell did you get that idea? Speak up!"
Robert did not hesitate in answering the Commissar's challenge.
"Sir, I've been a pilot all my life, literally learning to fly from the day I could reach the controls. I can handle fighters, bombers, transports, and even light capitals. As I traveled away from Manhattan, I began to see how the common man in the rest of Liberty lived. I hated what I saw, but I didn't know what to do about it. Instead of doing anything useful, I descended into petty crime. It was during this time that I first left Liberty, when the heat from the law was getting to be a bit much. When I first arrived in Bretonia, I saw that their workers suffered just like their Libertonian counterparts. After that, I returned to Liberty when things began to cool down a bit. I became rather close to the Liberty Rogues for a time, even being allowed to fly one of their Barghest bombers. I never actually joined them, though. I got caught by a LPI patrol before the Rogues extended me a proper invitation.
They tossed me into Huntsville prison with the barest semblance of due process, and immediately forced me to work in their prison factory for as many as sixteen hours a day, pausing only to sleep, eat, and occasionally use the facilities. While I was in there, I met a group of Xenos. They seemed to believe in the same things I did, but unlike me, they were actually fighting back. They practically ran Huntsville right under the guards' noses. When the opportunity came, I managed to escape with a group of my new found comrades, and we went back to Ouray base.
During my time with the Xenos, I began to see that they talked about fighting for the common man, but were really only interested in killing non-Libertonians. My fellow Xenos were not the revolutionaries I had hoped for. They couldn't see that the workers of all the houses had to unite against their oppressors if they were to ever achieve their goals. Their only interest was blood.
I had first heard about the Coalition during a visit to a Zoner freeport. The more I heard about you, the more it seemed that you were the type of organization that I wanted to be a part of. If you're willing to have me, I'm willing to fight for the Coalition until we're victorious, or until I'm dead."
The Commissar did not appear to be impressed in the slightest. He had kept Robert under that cold gaze the entire time he was telling his story. He continued to hold that gaze for a few seconds longer.
"Were it up to me, I'd have you thrown out the airlock in your underwear right now. You're lucky that it's not up to me. I'll pass your request along to my superiors. I wouldn't get your hopes up.
Now, get out of my office!"
Robert wisely wasted no time in complying with the Commissar's order. All he could do now was wait, and hope for the answer he wanted.
![[Image: pyBjInU.png]](https://i.imgur.com/pyBjInU.png)