Being Bahama

The Empire Comes Knocking

There have been many times in my life when I’ve been sucked into drama and turmoil simply by association.  Moneta’s recent troubles with the Black Sun because of Ioh are one good example.  I don’t even fly and they’d likely not even know my name if it weren’t for the unhappy coincidence that I’m mayor of the town in which he lives.  I’ve experienced trouble due to friendships with customers, guildmates and even Bermuda and Bermuda Jr.  

I try to be careful.  I keep my eyes and ears open.  I keep my mouth shut tight about things I see or hear that could get me in trouble.  I maintain plausible deniability this way.  The few times I’ve been approached by soldiers of either the empire or the rebels, I’m courteous and cooperative.  After all, I don’t personally have anything to hide.

And so it goes with this acquaintance of mine.  He’s apparently brought the empire down on me. 

I received a message this afternoon from him.  He said there were troops at his door.  Now why - WHY, would he contact me?  Why drag me into it?  He knows there a chance that they’ll find out that he’s contacted me… so why put me in danger that way?

Even if I cared about him, which I’m not saying I do, there’d be nothing I could do to help him.  Right?!

I packed a bag with some bolts of fabric and my sewing supplies and headed out.  I searched my datapad for a waypoint to his home… but then quickly remembered I hadn’t made one specifically because then there’d be no evidence of a connection between us.  Going on memory alone, I traveled to a city I think was close by.   If by chance someone noted that I’d been the last person he contacted, then I’d have my old ‘tailor on call’ ploy to fall back on. 

What officer?  He’s a criminal?!  I had no idea!  He just asked me to make him a shirt.    Thank you so much for arresting him!  I could have been in so much danger and I didn’t even know it!

Hey, it works.

Arriving in the city, I hung around the shuttleport.  I figured I’d be able to see any activity from there and if I was approached I could just say I was waiting for a client.

I was approached.  I didn’t recognize his uniform but he claimed to be a Sgt. and apparently knew who I was.  I was asked to accompany him back to my shop and he mentioned that I was under arrest.  I may not be blonde but I’ve used the dumb blond act on multiple occasions with success.  Women must sometimes do such things to survive in a universe full of men.

He spoke in threats and harsh tones but I’ve seen that tactic used before, particularly by those who work for the empire.  If you have something to hide, they figure they can frighten you into revealing it.  They had no hard evidence against me, of this I was certain, so it wasn’t difficult for me to remain calm and speak to him in a kind, respectful tone. 

He searched the shop while asking me to explain how I knew the fugitive they’d just captured.  “I don’t know who you’re speaking about.”, I told him.  “I have many customers.”  I even offered to let him check my sales records.

Finding nothing and clearly not rattling me he resorted to threatening to check my home. I told him where it was located and offered that I had a shop in Lake Retreat he might also be interested in seeing as well.  As he left I smiled told him to contact me if I could be of further assistance. 

A while later he sent me a message that they’d found ‘nothing conclusive’ in my home.  Big surprise.  I’d even place bets that they didn’t even bother to go there after he’d seen my reaction to his threat.  Those that work for the empire aren’t known for being thorough unless they have a supervisor looking over their shoulder.

I waited a while, did a bit of mindless work around the shop before I headed back to my house.  I found nothing out of place, everything as I’d left it.  If they’d indeed searched the place, they’d left everything as they’d found it. 

I made a cup of tea and sat down on the couch.  Moments later a text message came through.  “You’ve got to take your son and get out.”  The message appeared to have come from the same acquaintance who supposedly had been in custody just hours before.

Two possibilities existed.  Either he’d escaped and was now contacting me on the run or else it was an agent of the empire setting another trap for me to incriminate myself. 

I responded, “I’m not going to run.  I’ve done nothing wrong.”  And left it at that.

Because really, that’s the truth.  I do my best to follow the law. I’m a good and faithful citizen as far as the empire can tell.  My record is unblemished…. at least with anything concrete or ‘conclusive’, as they say.  And I have several friends loyal to the imperial way of life that would vouch for me if I asked them to.

Bermuda Jr. could one day pose a particular problem… but for now, I don’t see why they’d pursue me where he’s concerned.  It’s been over a year since I saw him last.  He’s never even stepped foot in Moneta or my house there.  I don’t know where he is so there’s no possibility that I’ll ever need to lie about that either.   Even the records that would positively identify him as my son are tucked away in a remote part of the galaxy.  Except for a few close friends, most people don’t even know I have a son.

If pressed to, I’d tell you that I don’t agree with the life he’s chosen.  Like I do with Bermuda, when he’s gone, I try to spend as little time thinking about him as possible.  The worry doesn’t do either of us any good. 

Given today’s events, I find myself hoping he doesn’t come back any time soon. It’s better for him and better for me. I don’t enjoy living under scrutiny or having to endure accusations based on simply knowing someone who’s wanted, related or not.

If indeed this acquaintance has escaped, I’ll need to keep my eyes open.  Not only is it possible those looking for him will have their eyes fixed on me, but he may be looking for help in his escape.  If his story is true, I feel for him…but even so,  I won’t take a risk I don’t have to.  Besides my business, my freedom and my life… I need to consider all those I’m responsible for and to.