The rain insceassently poured down as Gestava swung his black Yalmaha onto the final approach for the space port.
It was your normal rainy monday. And then again, it wasn't. In the breast pocket of his newly pressed uniform lay a small non-descript chip.
The ticket to the next shuttle launch off Rubi-Ka.
His contract with Omni-Tek was over and though he had in it an option to renew it, he had turned it down.
A gentle hiss of pneumatics as the Yalmaha settled on the ground and the door swung open.
It was over.
He stepped out of the vehicle and picked up a small suitcase from inside the cockpit.
He had accumulated lots of items and money in his nearly two nears on the planet, but he had little need for either, instead opting to take just a few things of sentimental value with him.
As Gestava walked across the landing pad to main space port complex his white uniformed was soaked by the rain.
Tired.
Tired of the planet. Tired of the conflict wich insisted on being neither war or peace. Tired of working for a company that refused to give him the means needed to complete their orders.
He was unsure why he had lingered here as long as he had.
Certainly this was the first time in more than 15 years he'd ever stayed so long in one place. He'd almost considered taking up permanent residence at one point.
As he handed his ticket chip to the stewardess he chuckled to himself of the thought.
She smiled politely and nodded for him to go through into the shuttle, turning her head after him and wondering what that middle aged man in the drenched uniform had been laughing about.
No...too long had he lingered.
A mighty roar signalled the take off as the commercial shuttle lifted its clumsy looking hull into the air.
Just before the shuttle docked with the massive spaceship waiting in orbit he cast one last glance out of the window.
Below hung the sand colored sphere of the planet. As he turned and walked through the link tunnel into the space craft he whispered to himself; "Goodbye, Rubi-Ka"
The young officer who greeted him smiled broadly, obviously waiting for him. Gestava approached him. "I assume you're lieutenant Ashcroft?" The young man nodded and extended his hand. "Certainly am. And may I say, it is an honor to have you on board Mr. Drake." Gestava smiled briefly and nodded, "Good to be on board. I've been waiting for a new employer for a long time....so...tell me what we do here in Sol BC...."
((It's been a fun ride. Well mostly at leastBut I have had my fill of AO. I just might possibly check out SL but I seriously doubt it at the moment. The AO "magic" is just dead to me so I'm moving on.
Best wishes to all my friends (way too many to list. You know who you are) and good luck to FC who made the game that I've played more than anything else in my life
/salute ))
- AO webcomics for the sake of being silly
