****Incoming Transmission****
****Comm ID: Arbiter Jack Crow****
****location: The Rocinante****
Don't argue against a woman with a gun. I'll kill every one of you if you cross me? Is this your normal behavior when you are a guest in someone else's house? Is there any reason at all you can give why you should ever be welcome in our house again? I can't wait to hear the explanation for this one.
A video transmission is received which, upon completion, automatically begins playing.
The scene it presents is the modified and poorly-maintained, yet clearly recognisable bridge of a Z-8500 series "Pirate" transport. The terrain visible through the large front windows appears as the rough, broken rocks and cliff faces of a large asteroid or perhaps small planetoid.
Occupying the captain's console is the familiar Evangeline McDowell - comfortably resting in the captain's chair. She is observed to be nursing a newborn infant in her lap, unaware of the fact she is being recorded - her full attention being diverted to the quiet, seemingly sleeping baby in front of her.
The pained, confused mumblings of the camera operator coincide with the haphazard shaking and pitching of the hand-held device; it becomes apparent the user is not familiar with its operation. Digital overlays of various functions such as flash, red-eye reduction and so forth cycle across the lower right-hand corner of the screen as the girl presses various buttons without understanding of their purpose.
Hey! Eva! I think it's recording.
Evangeline's attention perks from her child to the lens of the camera. She idly brushes loose bangs from her forehead with a free hand and begins talking.
What can I say? I wasn't actually expecting any communication from you. I had written the whole incident off as an immediate ejection from Puerto Rico. I've already relocated all of my assets that were stored at Vieques.
I suppose, if a reason is what you're after, I blame the Maelstrom. I'd been wracking my brain all day to track down an electrical gremlin - I'm sure you, as a fixer, are aware of what it's like. I was already running hot and the people who hounded me and my pet Spyglass earlier caused me to blow my lid and boil over.
That of course does not excuse my actions nor do I expect it to. I'd be willing to listen to any proposal on how to fix the situation I created, but, it would not be any issue if you simply decided to throw us out. At least not for us.
But hey. I'd rather have you as a friend than an enemy and I think you'd agree.
Those Recyclers are actually rather fragile things, after all.
Evangeline waves casually to the camera, a vague smile crossing her face. The recording stops playing.
****Incoming Transmission****
****Comm ID: Arbiter Jack Crow****
****location: The Rocinante****
No, that's about what I expected. We're done here, and I do mean done. I don't want to see the Maelstrom or any other member of the McDowell Company Fleet in Puerto Rico or any other Junker base again.