Believe it or not I am a businessman, I was just co incidentally born on planet Crete, and just like any other trader my allegiance lies with my cradle, in this case the Corsair Empire. The first obstacle is the name, in the beginning all the Empire could do was harass the enemy through piracy and they still rely heavily on state sponsored pirates, also known as Corsairs. Its a name you gave us, not one we chose but its the one we got and we are proud of it.
Still, not everyone is born with a ship to their name and a craving for loot. We have our scientists, our diplomats, and merchants like myself. The many wars we are fighting on many fronts, the inaccessibility of our systems and the less than hospitable conditions of our home planet makes it a bit hard for us non military folk to venture into space and make friends.
I am here to show all of Sirius the civilian arm of the Empire. I have no doubts that our military can secure our place amongst the stars but I believe that there are better deals than trading blood for space. That's why I'm here, just doing my duty as a trader, representing the economy, the technology and all the services the private sector of the Empire has to offer.
Ghotha Ayala, Captain of the Buena Fortuna
University Of Life
I came to your doors one day not knowing why I was there, how I got there. So I walked through your lobby trying to make sense of it all and I understood a lot but at the same time understood nothing.
Through your halls I found crossroads which I crossed with doubts, with confidence and sometimes without much of a choice but to cross. I vaulted over the obstacles I found, while I cursed at those others that blocked my path for setting me back while thanking others that had avoided certain pitfalls.
I passed through sandstorm and clear skies, under red suns and yellow moons.
Still your ways where mysterious to me, while I learned something sometimes most of the times I learned nothing.
Life was the teacher, teacher of justice and injustice, teacher of kindness and malice. The enigmatic teacher that I could never understand, through the mirror of time I watched her, trying to understand her feelings to try and understand her teachings.
I saw flowers and saw jagged rocks, I saw the good of the planet along with the hunger and the misery. I saw loved ones die and I saw beauty. Between the drama and the comedy, I walked through ice and fire. I felt the urge to die when I was sad, but felt the joy of life when I was happy.
Under your mentorship I made friends and made enemies, met acquaintances, women who once loved me, some that still do and faces that deny ever seeing me.
Through them I put to practice your theories. Verifying that the ungrateful indeed had no memory, because as soon as the splinter comes out they forget about the pain in their hand or the hand that pulled it out.
I understood why a man is worth as much as he has and is worthless if he has nothing. Because people open all doors for you if they are assured that they can get something in return.
That being lucky was the most obnoxious thing one could do, that resentment was like drinking poison and waiting for the other to die and that love was the only reason to live for but the fastest way to kill die.
I learned the price of life and how cheap it was compared to the immense value it had.
I cursed the university of life and its lessons until I came face to face with the one who had taught her. Those struck terror into me, the fear of death made me chase after you trying to find more answers and so I learned to accept you.
Today I know that nothing is certain and that death is the messenger that comes at the last hour and that time does not stop. Not for money, and not for love.
Life is the impartial master, she gives and takes, she takes and gives.