Thursday, December 23

Log Entry 23.12.112

Life's been pretty easy for me. I mean, hell, youngest of my generation, all I have to do is what our fakhitan, the family boss, tells me. Vherokior business families are really solidly-regimented: eldest of one generation inherits as fakhitan, the rest of us work for 'em as mentadar, office staff, or hauvar, manual labour. It's simple enough, since we learn our trades from our parents, and we have a LOT of parents. Other cultures, they'd be aunts and uncles, grandparents, cousins; to us, we're all just brothers and sisters.

I lucked out, I guess. I tested strongly for capsuleer traits. So did Var, my eldest brother. It was a big boost: having access to podders' connections and technology could only be good for us.

The last while since I graduated from the university, I've been working for the tribe, building connections for the family. It's been going great, up until I got a fucking call this afternoon from Jolik, our current fakhitan. Var's gone and disappeared.

That's really bad news. Var's been groomed his entire life to take on Jolik's position, and the woman ain't getting any younger. Training Rellia to take his place could take decades. It's not just duties, it's culture, diplomacy, status... it'd be like putting a house-cleaner in charge of a Caldari megacorp and expecting them to keep it afloat.

Some woman out in Gallente space contacted Jolik this morning, saying Var gave her something to look after, but then never came back. They've set up a meeting at a bar out in the fucking Wildlands, and I have to go talk to this woman and find out what she knows, then bring Var back from wherever he's got his ass stuck.

"Why me?" I asked, and Jolik just gave me that glare, like usual.

"Believe me, if I could send anyone else, I would. But you're a podder and can go places the rest of your brothers and sisters can't, and have authority over people who wouldn't give us the time of day. For once in your life, hauvarak, do your duty."

Looks like life's gonna get a lot more complicated.