Homeward Bound

Vaden stands in contemplation aboard his Revelation, Cyric's Immolation, considering the sequence of events that led him here, back to the Empire. Already one of the most hated Amarrian capsuleers, he was less an embarassment to the Empire while residing in Rancer, far away from his home system of Youl. It had been over a year since he had stepped foot aboard a station inside the borders of mother Amarr. Just weeks before, it was a change he had not even considered possible. But now...

Recorder on. It has been three days since I left Rancer. To suddenly uproot from what I had made my home has been somewhat traumatic; fortunately Inara, as always, came with me. My journey from Rancer to Tzvi was not without it's own little personal drama. Aria says in the scheme of things, the universe does not give a damn about me. But I do. For posterities sake, whenever God claims me home and these musings are released to the rest of the world, I'd like my story to be told from my perspective, even if few people read it. By the blood, the only ones who will ever read this will likely be Ministry of Internal Order, who will of course deem it heretical and to be destroyed immediately.

Although I could not know it at the time, it all began when a fellow Amarrian, an unsavory man by the name of Lothar, left The United. He had been a director, one of the highest ranking men in the corp. His departure was not without it's scandal. It had come shortly after hostilities with our long time friends and allies, the Neo Spartans. Some feared that he was too close to them, and as whispers became shouts, he left in an angry storm. No matter how repulsive his personal demeanor, I counted him a friend, and maintained cordial communications with him. This was done over private channels, but somehow the right hand of Katie Door, Liiza Valora, intercepted the communiques and turned her suspicions to me. Although I had served faithfully for a year, none of my protestations were heeded, and I was soon accounted to be a security risk. Liiza is...not the most diplomatic of personages. She is rude, vulgar, uncaring, crass, and completely inept at dealing with people. However, she was also well connected, having many friends in null-sec alliances in her nearly five years of being a capsuleer. I, having no where near the political connections, was in a bad position.

I must digress. Earlier, I made mention of Aria. That would be Aria Jenneth, a member of Ghost Festival, a corporation of capsuleers loyal to the Angel Cartal and likened to a family. As of two weeks prior to this recording, I had spoken to her regarding an ill-fated venture into a wormhole. The journey deposited me within sensor range of a black hole, the most terrifying experience I have ever faced. When I, the consummate loner, was forced to ask for assistance from my fellow capsuleers to overcome the psychological effects of such an encounter, Aria Jenneth was the first to volunteer. I had been on friendly terms with Ghost Festival for some time, but I had not ever considered joining the Family. Until three days ago. Disillusioned with what I had once called 'the dream of Rancer,' I contacted Kimochi Rendar, now my commander, about joining the family. To my surprise, Kimochi, Aria, Vincent, and Nephilim were all excited to have Inara and I join. With a new home, a new family, prepared for us, all that remained was to join them in Tzvi. In Amarr. My first home.

Back to The United. With suspicions concerning my loyalties and allegiance growing, my only option was to leave before I was incarcerated. Inara, who had long ago grown tired of what she described as 'horrible business practices,' had apparently been waiting for me to make up my mind, because she had an evacuation plan already in motion. Our ships and equipment was packed, with utmost care, into her Chimera. Now, all that remained was to wait for an opportunity to egress. As God would have it, that very night, Liiza herself took an expedition into Heimatar for the regular activity of murder and piracy. With no guard in Rancer to note our escape, all that was required was a few ISK to docking hands to keep quiet, and a call to a few markers to light cynosural fields for us along the way. Within two hours, the only thing left to us in Rancer were old friends and broken dreams. We had made our way safely to Tzvi, all our crews, staff, and of course, all of Inara's planetside holdings. Vincent Pryce was the first to greet us, and his warm welcome upon our arrival only reaffirmed what we already knew: we were finally home.