14 Sept 3306 Logbook of CMDR William Liu (Avornamath)

Suppose I should be recording things, what with everything that's been happening lately. I've been meaning to write my memoir for some time now and what better place to start than the present?

After a few rounds of painite mining in the old Steadfast today, I resolved to finally get the Four Horsemen out to the Pleiades and get her into what she was built for. Swapped out one of her modules for a fuel scoop and flew an hour or so down to Artemis' Rest in Celaeno, then ordered the transfer of both the swapped module and the Boops so I could head back to the bubble if need be. Headed down into the station for a bite to eat while I waited--it was a strange sight, seeing so many veterans of the war. I've shot down more humans than I can count, but fighting the Thargoids...does something to these people. Something deep in their eyes that isn't yet in mine.

On my return to my ship, I realized that my work with the refugees in Cemiess on Friday had earned me my final rank in the Empire. I thought it would be fitting to complete the mission back at my long-abandoned home of Miphifa, so I hopped in the Boops, flew back to Jameson to grab the good ship Kerbal, and headed back to old Happis. It put a smile on my face when the ATC said, "The Imperial Flight Operations Bureau is honored by your presence, Commander." One quick courier mission to Eotienses, and that was that. I'm a prince now.

A prince. Four years ago my knuckles bled from the exertion of stitching shirt after shirt for whoever the fuck they went to, and now a prince. Was my aide to the refugees at Mackenzie Relay enough?

It's been hard to wrap my mind around the news of the past few days. The bubble has been quiet for months, nothing more than the normal petty squabbles of civil wars here and there for a merc to ply his trade. Nothing like last January, when the Emperor had Patreus execute those traitors on the floor of the Senate.

But now? Hundreds of thousands dead at the hands of terrorists who claim to want democracy? How could anyone ever join these fools who so clearly care nothing for Imperial citizens? I find my anger difficult to control over this--hear the screams fill the hold as the Zephyr flies in and out, full to the brim of parents holding their crying children. See the station in flames around me, a hole wide open to space, as the Kerbal's collector drones work as fast as they can to grab the damaged escape pods of those unlucky enough to be caught on ships or in maintenance when the bombs went off.

And today, awaking to the news that Harold Duval was assassinated? I can't say I knew much about him--he had been removed from the line before Aisling came for me, and Emperor Lavigny-Duval elected in his place--but Aisling's father? What aim can these monsters possibly seek by killing the father of the galaxy's most beloved princess while on his way to join her at the site of a bombing? What political goal is served by ending the life of a man with no bearing whatsoever on the future of the Empire?

It's been a difficult day. A difficult few days. The Kerbal and I are back safely at Jameson, awaiting tomorrow. Perhaps I'll take the Zephyr back to Mackenzie--I have a duty to save as many lives as I can--but at what point will it ever be enough?

And what will tomorrow's headlines bring?