Quoted By:
You exhale, turning away from the monitor.
<span class="mu-b">”Huh, I didn't know you were so passionate to order <span class="mu-i">me</span>, soverign <span class="mu-i">royalty</span>, about how to spend my men's lives and resources on a war you have no part of. I wonder if we have any stealth cruisers in your area that can pick you up. Maybe we can continue this discussion in person?”</span>
Immediately, the old Sotten realizes his error. He babbles apologetically.
<span class="mu-r">”W-Wait! I'm, I'm S-Sorry your Majesty! I'm not commanding you to do anything of course, haha, you being a Supreme Ruler and all! I just- uhh- I can be useful to you!”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”Oh? I'm listening.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”I-I just, uhh, you see... I'm a smuggler. And for many years I served the Urgi as a pilot flying goods here and there during my long boring realspace sleeps. I'm getting old and have amassed quite a fortune; though I know the amount is nothing to a Ruler of a great and wealthy nation of beings like yourself...”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”Enough with the flattery. What can you offer me?”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”Redwings! I-I know where they keep their weapon stockpiles! I know where the Goldwings keep their treasures too- all of it! They know my ship and will trust my AI codes; one bomb, one virus uploaded into a crypto server and BAM! Massive damage!”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”Hmm. I'm suspicious. Why would you betray their trust like that.”</span>
<span class="mu-r">”Exactly as I said, your Majesty. I am getting old now, and want to retire soon. Fly away to some quiet world and make a nice sleeping-hole and never wake up again. I was gonna do it in Urgi space; but now I learn they're undercutting me; selling my contracts to their own people for twice my rate for their new little racial state. Bah! Fuck them! The Aristocrats are beyond my ability to do anything about; I can't even fight a single warship, let along scour a hostile planet and take revenge on some Aristocrat noble with all its scary diseases and genetically modified slave soldiers. I had hoped the Esaal would have killed the culprit of my hatred but no, it slipped away. Now, I hear you are giving them the what-for!”</span>
<span class="mu-b">”But why are you trusting <span class="mu-i">me?</span> You know I could easily turn you in to the Urgi authoirities and improve my reputation with them, right? I bet they'd love a little spy to execute as a first show of force to the forming nation-state.”</span>
The Sotten fidgets uncomfortably. He looks very tired. You are not sure if it's nerves, or his species-wide developed lifelong narcolepsy.
