The Path to Dreams: No Going Back

As Louisa watched the waves and ships below, she thought of the previous day: she had never felt freer than ever before. Why? She felt like her body was splitting apart because she was going against everything she stood and fought for. She had shot at a commander, defied a direct order, and helped enemies of the government. So why did she enjoy it? Why does she want to stay with them?

“This seat is taken?” a metallic voice asked behind her. Louisa turned to see the one-handed robot mercenary, Jesse.

She didn’t know why, but she answered, “No.”

He sat next to her and pulled out a cigar, “Mind if I smoke.”

“Go ahead, why do you-?” she caught herself, thinking it may be rude to ask.

“Haha, thanks. Do not worry I get asked that a lot. It does not bug me. I smoke because it eases tension, same reason I wear a hat.”

“How?”

“Simple-” he places the cigar in his mouth and lights it with his laser gun arm “- people get nervous around automatons, that is why I smoke and wear a hat to show I can think, that I am not just a killing machine.”

“But you’re a gun for hire?”

“Kind of counterintuitive if you think about it,” he blows a puff of smoke, “So you are thinking about it as well, right?”

“Thinking about what?” she turns away from him, she does not need this right now.

Jesse flicks his hat up revealing his blue lenses for eyes, “The offer that Luna gave us.”

“Are you?” Louisa said harshly, turning back to glare at him, but she softened her expression, seeing he had a lost look on him.

He didn’t seem to notice, “Honestly yes. I have been looking for a better career path. Joining her crew would sound like a change of pace. But…” He stopped.

“But what?”

“That would be against my programming,” he answered flatly. “Same for you I guess.”

“What? No, I have no programing.” Louisa wrapped her cap around her as a cold breeze blew past her, she looked down at the embroidered blue and green feathers on the white fabric.

Jesse bows another “Everyone has programming from life experiences, mentors, etc. Your programming seems to make you unable to lie, cheat, or do anything dishonorable to anyone. With that anyone who breaks these rules is wrong while anyone who plays by them is in the right. This has made your view of the world as a whole very black and white. The question is why?”

“Because the world is that cut and dry, people are either bad or good, they play by the rules or they don’t, they lie or they tell the trust, there is no middle ground,” she explains

“Really now? What does that make them done there?”-he points to the ship known as the Vicious Rosebay- “By definition, they are all pirates, thieves, criminals, outlaws, and misfits. But they have a code of honor and everywhere they have gone has ended up better than before. And what about the Royal Department of Counter Terrorism? They are run by corrupt and malicious individuals who use and abuse power along with the people they are supposed to be protecting.”

“You’re pushing it, Jesse,” Louisa stands up to leave.

“Wait.”

“What?”

“Can I buy you a drink?”

Once again she had no clue why she agreed, but she found herself sitting at a bar with him as Jesse was ordering for the both of them:

“What do you fancy?”

“Coffee is fine, I don’t drink. No cream or sugar.”

“One cup of coffee for my friend, as for me one glass of your top shelf wd40, on the rocks. Thanks.”

Louisa looked around the nearly empty bar, the few people in there eyed her suspiciously, and she realized she was still wearing her full RDCT uniform making her stick out like an imperial soar thumb. She considers leaving. She asks herself again why she was there, for some reason she felt like she could be open with Jesse. The last person she thought she could be this open with was Fletcher. Thinking about him made her mad again.

“So are we going to talk about the elephant in the room, or are we just going to pretend we have options?” Jesse asks taking a drink from his glass.

Louisa sips her coffee before replying, “What are you talking about?”

“There is no going back for either of us if you go back to the Royal Department of Counter Terrorism you will be charged with treason, insubordination, and adding wanted criminals, along with anything else they can come up with. Most likely you will get life in prison if not that then the death penalty.”

Realization of what will happen hits her, “And if you go back to Siren Gunners’ you’ll be turned into an espresso maker or toaster.”

“Most likely, yes. So now we can either return to our respective groups and face strain death, go on the lamb, or join the crew of the Moon Swallow Pirates.”

“I guess you’re right. What will you do?”

“I think my best bet is the team of misfits. You?”

She finishes her drink, “I still have no clue. I’ll sleep on it. Luna said we have until they leave tomorrow to leave with them on their ship, right?”

“Right, I will see you then?”

“Maybe. Thanks for the coffee,” she says, getting up to leave.

“Anytime Loulou,” Jesse waves goodbye, then asks for another glass from the bartender.

As she walks to her lodging she thinks about it more, her father’s voice caught playing “To win, you must do whatever it takes, and to anyone that stands in your way show no mercy.” She wanted to scream. She hated thinking he might be right for a second. Louisa weighed her options once more, she could no longer just stand by and let the RDCT destroy lives. The next morning, she had made up her mind. The honest route is the non-conventional, her answer was yes. There really was no going back.