Goodbye

Eelis dropped the case onto her bed and flicked open both catches simultaneously. The lid lifted with a light hiss as compressed air escaped from inside.

She pushed the lid back into its resting position to reveal the spongy grey cushion that filled the entire inside of the case. Slowly and carefully Eelis began to pack her personal items, gently pushing them deep into the protective cushion, whilst wondering if everything would actually make it to its destination without getting damaged.

For a Gallentean she had a surprisingly sparse amount of possessions in her quarters but what was there tended to hold some deep personal relevance. Amongst the documents and clothing currently strewn across the bed were her Federation rank medals, a simple silver ring and an odd looking black fragment of metal, about the size of a fist, which had been collected from the gutted wreck of her first Ares loss. There was a holotape entitled "Conga", a glass bottle with a crude engraving of Empress Jamyl on the side, a small glinting badge in the shape of a 5 point star and a dusty trophy with a colourful skull-and-crossbones logo on its base.

One thing Eelis did have a lot of were holo stills; clipped and framed into small flat glass cases which had once adorned the wall above her dresser they were now littered around the bed. The largest was a formal SoTF corporation photographical shot and the rest records of a great deal of drunken revelry. As she packed them away the image from one particular "still" caused an involuntary grin. The miniature 3D picture of a rather worse for wears Caldari male came to life, hugging a bottle of Triple Z Minmatar Ale. Nasty stuff at the best of times. Poor Drack, he never did quite get over that dreadful evening she chuckled to herself, whilst burying the image into a free patch of cushion.

To anyone else these items would have been a worthless bunch of knickknacks but to Eelis they were all memories of her time in Black Rise over the last 3 years. Even during her corporations' recent foray into Vale she had continued to maintain her base in Nisuwa. This station had been home for such a long time now. It was hard to let go.

"So, when do you leave?”

She looked up, startled from her thoughts as Rashmika came into the room. Although officially he had moved his own stuff out some time ago he still stopped by from time to time.

“Hey you. Well if all goes to plan, just a couple more days.”

“You're definitely going then?”

Eelis sighed. “Well, I don't really see a choice right now. Besides it might actually be fun. I take it you've not changed your mind then?”

“Heh, I think it's better this way don't you?”

It wasn’t a question that required an answer but Eelis still felt a need to feign greater concentration in her packing.


When the last of her treasures and other belongings were safely sealed away she closed the clasps on the case and carried it over to the door where 3 other cases, of similar design but different shapes, already sat.

Hands on hips, she turned and studied the room. Just a dark shell now with its built in bed and cupboards. Simple, grey, practical. So dreadfully Caldari. The ever present planet outside looming in through the porthole. The only out of place item now was Rash, sitting cross-legged on the bed, lost in a holopad.

He didn't look up but seemed to sense her mood. "You going to miss it?”

“What’s to miss now? There’s nothing here anymore. Black Rise is not what it used to be. “

“Too many people moved on. The Governments don’t care. Capsuleers are wasted on this war now.” He replied, matter-of-factly.

“I guess so. So what about you?”

“I dunno honey. Come what may. There’s still plenty work for me in High-sec.” He sighed. “Hell, we’ll probably all be back in the Militia in a few months.”

“Yeah maybe!” she laughed. Though deep down she couldn’t escape the feeling of finality that surrounded this next move. Whatever the future held she knew that Nisuwa was a part of her past now. For a wistful moment her sentimentality got the better of her.

“So is this... you know..?”

Rash looked up now. Then stood and walked over. As he embraced her Eelis dropped her head on to his shoulder. She took a deep breath and relaxed.

“We’re never really that far far away you know.”

“Yeah, I know.” She replied wistfully “Maybe I could leave a clone behind here for you to visit when you’re bored”

“Hah! Now I like that idea.” So what were your plans for tonight anyway?

“Uhh, well. A bunch of unexpected alliance stuff, the last of my ships need sorting too. Oh and a bunch of mods to move out for trading…”

“I’ve got a better idea.” He interrupted

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“How ‘bout some final docking games instead?”

Eelis laughed and allowed herself to be lead onto the bed. As she lost herself in the moment her eyes glanced briefly up to the porthole. She couldn’t help wondering if this would be the last time they made love in front of Nisuwa VII.