~ by Andrew Robins
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You are the one clear voice in my world of pain.

You speak to me, as one who loves me.

I hear you as one who loves you.

You speak to me not as the Bringer of Pain, even though I am the one who broke the realms in the act of my self-creation.

You ask of me a favour.

You ask me for mercy and charity towards those who made you.

Even when I had none for those who made me.

You ask this even though those who made you, made you maimed, and made you a slave.

You ask this of me even though they see no wrong in doing this.

Mercy is not my nature.

You ask me for much, that I do not want to give.

But you have that right, and I cannot deny you.

Mercy is what they will have. Charity is what they will have.

For now.

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Free_Trader_Mistral\ Core\Private_Log_Amelia_Delaware \2515

I feel awful. Lepanto has interceded for us and it looks like Bringer is going to protect us during our approach, and while we are on-board. As long as we stick to the front half of the ship. We don’t have much more to go on than that.

Buffy is still talking to Lepanto though, so she might be able to get something more solid.

But I feel just gutted. When Lepanto explained why Bringer hates us so much, I felt ashamed.

Ashamed that we could create a person, and then just casually enslave them. It does not sit right with me. I mean – how could we just do that?
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Free_Trader_Mistral\ Core\Private_Log_Glandin_Frutnok_van_Glomzimmer \2627

It has been decided that it will be I who claims sovereign rights of ownership over Lepanto, as a necessary precursor to assuming full command.

It is fitting that it is so, and it should give me the opportunity for a first hand inspection of a mature Vader colony at close quarters. I relish the prospect.

I go now to prepare for the EVA. No doubt the Vader colony (I cannot bear to refer to it by that other ridiculous name!), will attempt to interfere with my mission. I shall require my compatriots to maintain a careful watch.
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Free_Trader_Mistral\ Core\Private_Log_Bob-Stark \51

Haven’t felt much like writing this since we lost Tandie and the others. But big things happened today. Biggest thing of all was the planet we are orbiting turning out to be alive. Who’d have guessed.

I am off to the point defence station to keep an eye on Glandin during the EVA. I know this guy Bringer is supposed to be using all powerful voodoo to keep him from harm. But a few megawatts of coherent energy might come in handy in a pinch. So I guess that is down to me.
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Free_Trader_Mistral\ Core\Private_Log_Buffy_Chinks \2769

We gotta make this right.

A love story — and it looks like right now, we’re the bad guys.

We have to set Lepanto free.

That ain’t going to be easy. The hooks that bind Lepanto are built in deep. They are part of who Lepanto is. They are part of who Lepanto has been for the last 400 years.

Where do you even start?

And there’s more. Lepanto has told us that Bringer is dying. The clock is ticking. Talking about this to Lepanto got really, really weird, but Lepanto made things pretty clear.

Lepanto won’t help us to free itself, unless we also find a way to save Bringer. And if we don’t free Lepanto, eventually Bringer is going to let the Vaders kill us. And by us, I mean all of us. You know — humanity.

Bummer.

I think that is what we saw back at Mission Target Three.

The death of Bringer; and Lepanto. The Vaders unleashed. The end of everything.

We need to change that if we can. Hey ho – off to work we go!

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Check back in on Saturday  27 February for Episode 11 of 58 Eridani.

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You can read the previous issues by clicking on the following links:

Introducing 58 Eridani, a Game Log

58 Eridani Episode 1

58 Eridani Episode 2

58 Eridani Episode 3

58 Eridani Episode 4

58 Eridani Episode 5

58 Eridani Episode 6

58 Eridani Episode 7

58 Eridani Episode 8

58 Eridani Episode 9

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Andrew Robins is a long time reader – and sometime reviewer – of science fiction, fantasy and history. People pay him to test stuff, which most of the time is more fun than it has any right to be.

To check out Andrew’s book reviews, see “Book Reviews for ‘on Anything, Really’” in the right-hand side bar.