After a brief chat with Sister Alitura, I was on my way to Gallente space. The Sisters of Eve had influence in all of New Eden’s empires, and while they continued to work on the mystery of the strange datacore I had acquired earlier, there was a request for assistance from Delphine Xarasier, a Federation ally to the Sisters. The Gallente were also an ally to the Republic, so it was with great zeal that I travelled towards Harerget system, looking forward to the chance to nurture and strengthen that amicable bond.

It turned out Delphine was having drone issues. Did I ever mention how much I hated drones? They were untrustworthy machines that had a tendency of turning on you, or completely ignoring you, when needed most. As thankful as I was for the many technologies we enjoyed in our lives as capsuleers, drones were a sore spot with me. Her drones were going rogue without reason, and she wanted me to find out why. Did I really look like a specialist in this sort of thing? I held my tongue, and did what was required, blasting apart a few rogue drones and retrieving the parts for her team to analyze.

In the meantime, my aid was needed elsewhere.

“A recently established colony still depends on Federation support for items they can’t produce yet. Their last shipment of medical supplies was lost en route, and we think it may be due to rogue drone action. Regardless, this batch of supplies needs to get through. Lives are depending on it.” Delphine said to me through a private comm.

The antibiotics had been placed aboard my ship, and I was ready to head out. 

I reached the colonial supply depot without incident a few hours later, for which I was thankful for. I was content having a simple mission for a change, something I wouldn’t fail at abysmally. I contacted Delphine when the cargo handlers had finished removing their medical supplies from my ship.

“I told you I’d help if you helped me. Well, the Serpentis Corporation has just kidnapped one of CreoDron’s top minds, Dr. Aspasia Castille. She was analyzing those drone parts that you recovered earlier. The information she has is critical to figuring out what’s going wrong with the drones, but the Serpentis aren’t going to let her go without a fight. They’re planning to take her to their installation at Harerget. I want you to get there first. Destroy their base and the ships guarding it before the transport ship arrives.”

I smiled to myself, switching my ammo to the appropriate type for maximum damage against the Serpentis. My Rifter frigate, the Ripsack, was eager to educate some pirates.

I warped in right on top of them, and set my 200mm vulcan autocannons ablaze. Hulls were shredded as I continued to weave amongst the surprised Serpentis frigates. It took them far too long to field their bigger ships, a few cruisers and a battle cruiser. I made short work of the cruisers, then focused my attention on the largest and final ship, continually bombarding their base with missles.

While engaged, Aura warned me of an incoming warp signature. One hundred kilometers off my stern, a Serpentis transport materialized, then was quickly diverted to a secondary rendezvous point elsewhere. I broke off from the battle cruiser, overheating my Gisti afterburner in pursuit of the transport, trying to get within range to use my Republic Fleet warp scrambler. I was too late. The transport easily entered warp over forty kilometers from me. I was infuriated with yet another failure and took my anger out on the battle cruiser, eventually blowing it to pieces. Still, my anger was not quelled. I destroyed the entire Serpentis outpost before I finally calmed enough to make my report.

“It’s a shame you weren’t able to disable the transport ship, but we’re glad you destroyed the Serpentis research station. Though we were able to intercept the transport, both ships were lost in the course of the ensuing battle. However, we believe a datacore containing Dr. Castille’s notes may still exist.

Your task is to retrieve that datacore, Roc Wieler.

Be warned, all indications are that the ship was contracted by the Guardian Angels as part of their protection agreement with the Serpentis Corporation. I’m sure they’ll send a ship to scan the wreckage and see what can be salvaged as well. They will be looking for some way to recoup part of their loss.” Delphine seemed slightly sad, and I could empathize. I wished she had given me the intercept coordinates, and had let me known what other assets were available to me on these missions. I could’ve easily broken off from my engagment and secured the transport elsewhere, without loss of life to any of her people. It seemed things were simply moving too fast for me to keep up. I was slowly realizing that the universe didn’t revolve around me after all, and that I was just one man trying to make whatever small difference he could, and wasn’t really sure that in the long run it even mattered.

Her intel had been spot on. Dozens of Guardian Angels were on the scene when I arrived. None left. Aura managed to scan down the item Delphine had hoped existed, Dr. Castille’s datacore.

I returned it to Delphine, and requested some time to make repairs to my frigate. She was more than happy to provide me with a work crew, as it would take her team a few hours to analyze the datacore anyway. I spent that time overseeing her mechanics, correcting small mistakes they were making on my Minmatar ship, rolling up my sleeves and pitching in where needed, until the repairs were complete. 

My comm beeped. Delphine had news.

“The datacore you recovered has proved interesting. Before her kidnapping, Dr. Castille found several oddities in the drone components. Honestly, it’s created more questions than answers for CreoDron staff. As a sign of good faith, I’m going to share some information with you. Our drones are being corrupted by some other kind of drone. I need you to take some information to a friend of mine in Caldari space.  They’ve also been suffering from drone problems recently, and this data may help him and his people. I need you to keep this quiet. Our friendship isn’t exactly something we’re broadcasting, not with both of our empires at each other’s throats.” Delphine hesitated, unsure as to whether she should continue. 

My face was completely blank, revealing neither my understanding of her situation, nor the hidden disgust and rage I felt at her audacity. I could care less about drone problems. And the Caldari? They could rot in hell. They had already cost me a fine ship on this expedition; let them sort out their own damn problems. Helping them was something I simply would not do.

Delphine took a deep breath and pushed on. “If you agree, I’ll make sure the information is securely hidden onboard your ship. You’ll never even know it’s there, all you have to do is go and talk to Immuri Asaka, and he’ll take care of the rest.”

My mind swirled at what she was asking. Surely Shakor couldn’t have meant for me to assist our enemy for the good of the Sisters? This was becoming madness and I wanted no part of it. I sighed, conflicted, finally coming to the only decision that gave me clarity. Duty was duty, and this was mine to fulfill. I could hate the Caldari all I wanted. I could hate this war. I could hate this entire game Sister Alitura was playing. And yet, I would see it through. I was tenacious and stubborn. I refused to be bested in anything I put my hands to.

Delphine relaxed visibly when I agreed to her request. I wished her well, letting her know should she ever require any further assistance from me, I would be honoured to aid an ally of the Republic. She returned the gesture by letting me know she would personally put in a letter to Prime Minister Shakor speaking of my good deeds on behalf of the Republic.

Waiting impatiently for her technicians to finish secreting her data aboard my ship, I laid in a course for Hatakani, deep in Caldari high sec.

I had a sinking feeling that things were about to get even more interesting for me. I had no idea at the time how right I was.