have been working with the ship crew back here and they’ve been pretty nice. took off my helmet and instead of getting yelled at i just got a bunch of dog jokes. apparently i look like one? so ive gotten barked at (made me laugh) and they’re calling me all sorts of dog related nicknames (also pretty funny).
one of them (there’s apparently a few luddic faithful like me here too?) sat me down when they heard i didn’t even have a name of my own and. it turns out there’s a lot of people like me, people who still believe in the faith but have had problems with the church in the past.
we talked about it for. a while. i think i cried once or twice. and they helped me make a name because ludd’s seven hells, i think both of us were tired of me just being called “hey, you!”
i’ve felt more cared for here than i probably have the entire time i was working with the church, because here i’m treated like a full person. everyone here is a misfit too. and thank god, i finally feel like i’m starting to live.
ludd forgive me for rambling, but, what i’m saying is. can i join your fleet full time? i promise i won’t disappoint.
matthias “mongrel” ludd-abiding (@bhvkzgljy2h1cmno)
I've let this one sit too long without a personal response for too long, I think. Forgive me for that, I've started and thrown away drafts more times than I can count, and before I knew it I was swept up in the rigors of running this operation. I apologize.
The issue of you joining the fleet or not has already been attended to: I've had your team leader give you a new position and set of tasks, the standard crew sign-on bonus has been deposited to your account, and the purser has issued you a nice set of coveralls with your name on them. Still, you've more than earned an overdue formal welcome, and maybe a bit of clarification on who exactly you're signing up with.
You're more than welcome among the Songbirds: one and all people like yourself cast out by the Core for one reason or another. I'm more than happy to accommodate the Ludd's faithful here, so long as they can get along with just as many white-collar Tri-Tach burnouts with head-fulls of augs, ex-Heg jarheads who've lost it all, foul-mouthed pirates who will as soon as cheat you at cards as take a hit for you, bastard kids of League aristocrats who don't care for the gens, Raynard, or his poser turtleneck, and everything in between. I expect the same good behavior out of them too, this ship might be welcoming but it also has to be tight.
If you're wondering, I cut formal ties with Kanta's little dynasty a long time ago over ideological disagreements, which is why we're a primarily privateering and salvaging outfit - though maybe one day soon it'll be more than just that. To paraphrase an old friend: it's people like you and me that the Sector got built on by the execs and admirals, and us that get thrown away the second it goes bad. If we're not welcome in their world, it's up to us to make something better - and that doesn't mean cutting down long haul merchants and 'roid miners. We've earned their begrudging respect, but as you've seen, we've had our fair share of skirmishes with raider fleets looking to make a name of themselves.
As for the work you'll personally be doing: so long as blue-collar work suits you, I'm happy to keep you on it. Ground operations, salvage, and gunnery always want more bodies but I have a suspicion that, at least for now, you'd do best in a non-combat position. You're welcome to tell your team leader if that changes. What you're doing is none-the-less essential, the need for supplies and repairs certainly isn't going to go away so long as the fleet stands.
If you have any questions, let me or your team leader know. Likewise, if anyone makes a habit of calling you "Matty" or gives you shit, don't stay quiet.
[ENCODED TEXT ATTACHED TO TRANSMISSION: dear intercepting HEGINT and/or League intel agent: if you did not already know anything within about myself, my fleet, or my goals, please inform your supervisor so they can demote you back to field work in some shitty pather backwater. xoxo shrike]
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