A week or so ago, I received a message from the Zoners. They were offering to hire me as a trader. The terms were good, so I accepted. Besides, I owe a lot to the Zoners: I think they're the one organization in Sirius that I am truly loyal to. So I hitched a ride on a Zoner X-shuttle back home, launched the Aedos and have been spending my time since trading Deuterium for weapons and engine components.
A lot of engine components, actually: I wonder what the Zoners are planning to do with them. I'm not the only one, either, and I've heard some strange rumors and conjectures on the Freeports. Some say that the Zoners are building a battle fleet and that the end of their neutrality is imminent. Several claim that the Zoners have found a new planet to colonize. A few pilots from Interspace Commerce claimed that the Zoners have some sort of inside knowledge about a coming shortage, and one guy in a bar even swore that he saw a partially built sleeper ship.
Nobody's convinced me one way or another yet, but something is going on. But whatever it is, I'm on their side.
One thing is clear to me, though. Zoner neutrality is definitely not as solid as it used to be. I may be officially working for the Zoners, but that certainly hasn't stopped pirates who want my blood from coming after me. I've been authorized to return fire to defend myself, of course, but official policy is pretty hazy beyond that. And if the Zoner leadership want me trading for them, they're going to have to put up with the fact that I am going to defend not only myself but any traders or friends around me. I won't just stand by and watch them die.
![[Image: aedos_mini.jpg]](http://students.cs.byu.edu/~sushi/aedos_mini.jpg)