Exile of the Faithful - Chapter Two

Exile of the Faithful - Chapter Two

Crossroads Inn

Joppa, The Reaches

Solaris VII

Lyran Commonwealth

18 August, 3052

     It was raining. Though she had spent considerable time on Solaris, and the climate in The Reaches was exactly the same as that in Solaris City proper, it seemed to Faith that it rained more here in the reaches. It was a light rain, light enough that you could notice the sounds of water dripping off various rooftops and gutters. But it was raining nonetheless, and rain meant clouds. Clouds obscured the sky. Clouds cut her off from the stars.

     It was fitting, she supposed, since she was now cut off from what was once her home, cut off and on the run from the Confederation. At least for the time being, she told herself. Nobody was going to keep her down for long.

     "Staring at dreary, rainy streets serves no real purpose, you know?" she heard Cat say as she moved up beside Faith. Where Faith was leaning against the iron railing of the second floor balcony, Cat stood upright and poised, as ever.

     "Helps remind me of where I am." Faith replied.

     "I think you are focusing more on where you are not. You are not on Altorra. You are not with the Rangers. You are not with your daughter."

     "Yeah, all that's pretty obvious" she interrupted.

     "We are here because it is one of the only places where you are safe, and probably the only place where you can build up enough of a power base to restore your reputation. Back there you were a soldier, a cog in the machine. But here, you are Lady McCarron. You have a reputation, influence, a following. You have to build that Faith up bigger than she ever was before." Cat said.

     She was right of course. That was the whole reason they had come here. With the Maskirovka on her trail anywhere in Confederation space, she couldn't stay there. She had thought about turning mercenary and heading to the newly established mercenary star world of Outreach, but it would be do easy for the Mask to just disappear her there. But here on Solaris, she might just have a shot. The larger her public persona here on the game world, the more protection she would find.

     "I know. And I've got that covered. I have a meeting tomorrow to set things in motion. What about you, you said you had to go somewhere on business?"

     Cat's gaze did not meet Faith's. The dark haired woman stared out into the rain and mist. "Yes. Important business. Business that only I can attend to while you are here doing what must be done."

     Faith sighed. "One of these days, Cat, you are going to stop with the mysteries."

     Cat chuckled. "Perhaps, but not today, Lady McCarron. Not today."