Fiction Friday: Old Times - Epilogue

Previously:
0.1
1.0
1.1
1.2
1.3
1.4
2.0
2.1
2.2
2.3
2.4
2.5
2.6
2.7
2.8
2.9
2.10
2.11
2.12
2.13
3.1
3.2

3.3
* * * * *

Heydieles was jumping these days and both of the Duvolle Laboratory stations were crammed with people working for the war effort, civilian base liners and capsuleers. There was much to be done: bringing in munitions and crews, fortifying installations, and on the constant lookout for Caldari State Protectorate forces trying to establish a foothold. Gallente Militia capsuleer volunteers were on the front-lines of that fight, constantly patrolling and reshipping.

But not me. I was stuck in the temportary office of Commandant Shuquelle of the Directive Enforcement Department of CONCORD.

"You see, Mr Kodachi," the pompous ass was saying, "despite the skirmishes out here in the fringes of space, CONCORD still has to respond to these allegations against you. We take the murder of a capsuleer very seriously!"

"These skirmishes," I replied with agitation, "are costing thousands of lives of crewmen every day!"

He waved off my objection. "Yes, yes, unfortunate losses and such, but far better than full scale warfare, no?" He shuffled some reports on his desk. "In any case, I am sure the militia will do fine without one of its pilots while we sort out this incident."

I groaned and slouched in my chair more. After leaving Caldari space I had researched the implications of being charged with homicide in the State and the current political atmosphere between the State and the Federation gave me protection from arrest and extradition. But CONCORD, which oversees capsuleer agreements between the empires, was involved and sent their own investigator to question me. I was pretty sure he didn't have authority to arrest me outright, but his report could be the difference between having all my capital assets locked down and my interests in my brother's corporation being frozen, which could be fatal to the organization.

"I'm telling you, I was framed," I groaned.

Shuqulle sighed. He pressed a button on his tablet and a red light came on. "Look, Mr Kodachi," he leaned forward with a conspiratorial tone, "I know you think this is bullshit, but there are many State sympathizers in the organization and if I don't come back with the more thorough report ever, they will simply send someone else to do it again. If they bother with that at all. So let's get through this together as quickly as possible, alright?"

I nodded and he pressed the button again and the red light extinguished. "I understand you claim you were framed, Mr Kodachi," he said in his officious voice once more, "but the evidence suggests otherwise. How about we start from the top again? And then you can get back to.. whatever it is you were doing out there," he indicated in the general direction of the station's exterior.

I groaned and slouched some more.