Genesis II

Ever woken with that feeling of not knowing if you've slept for an hour, 12 hours or 24? Well that's how woke five minutes ago.
My disorientation wasn't helped by the light blinding me from above, or my surroundings.
Instinctively I raised my arms to shield my eyes only to find that I had been wired up to some machine which restricted my movement. Upon further investigation I realize that dozens of wires were attached to various parts of my body, with the majority fixed to my head.
My efforts to remove the wires were fruitless, as it would appear the sensors connecting them have been adhered to me somehow.
So I take a little time to concentrate on my surroundings whilst doing a mental check that everything is working. The white walls are clean and featureless, the machines to which the wires are connected is the only visible object present. My toes wiggled and it appears all my limbs are present and working so I'll take that as a bonus.
A short while later what I can only assume was a medi-bot walked in.
'Welcome back commander', it said in that tinny voice that has been used to distinguish human from wires and circuits since time immemorial.
'I'm going to ask you a series of questions, but first and to put your mind at ease I'm instructed to inform you that you were accepted on the Genesis II programme.'
'What the frack is the Genesis II Programme' I ask with a small amount of panic rising in my voice.
'The programme is many things to many people, for most it's an opportunity to hide past grief, an opportunity to be reborn, you would need to be either very lucky or very wealthy to have been selected for the programme commander.'

I was then subjected to a series of questions to test my memory or lack there of.
And thus I found that my memory had been wiped, my past life erased. What's more it would appear that I had agreed, no, paid to have this procedure completed!

I was later informed that a few details of my past life were to be revealed to me, mainly so that I could anchor my 'new self' in some sort of reality. Turns out this was a most unusual request but one the programme managers were happy to accept for the right fee...
later still, once all the checks were completed I was invited to meet with my solicitor to confirm all payments were legitimate. I was shown a hologram of myself explaining my past life as a well traveled commander. That I had undergone the procedure to enable those experiences to appear new and fresh, that I could discover the wonders to the work anew.
What a in ejut!
That's not the worst of it. I had paid in excess of 100m credits for the privilege and double that was donated to the Pilots federation with instructions to assist new recruits! What's more I was being given a training sidey as gratitude for my generosity in an effort to get me started again! My anger was beginning to boil over. I asked who else had witnessed my stupidity, for I suspected foul play.
I was shown the confirmation papers. There was the signature of me, Cula-ta, the signature of my solicitor, Sol Goodman and there was the signature of the witness, one Commander Moss Foot*, Commander MF, Mutha a. I knew just who to take my anger out on.
If ever I catch him, he better watch out.

* added for role-play purposes only. Moss Foot is a friend :)

To be continued...
 
Well I have to do something, I can't sit in a bar the rest of my life, so I may as well pick up the Sidey I figure.
I see people looking at me, sniggering behind their hands. One funny guy shouts out, 'I see you traded in your Conda for something more your ability. Which earned him a few laughs from the crowd.'
Brilliant, what the hell was I thinking!? Moss Foot, what kinda friend, if that's what he was does that?
I did a bit of asking around and a few local miners said they thought they saw his Cobra heading back into the black. 'Does that' they said, 'won't see him for months on end, then suddenly he shows up boring the carp out of everyone with the stories of the sights he's seen. Seen one black hole, don't wanna see another one, no matter how much the carts are paying. I would rather haul chips than do that crazy schizer.'
Moss Foot, if you are out there you best stay out there, because I will find you and when I do...
 
I made the short walk to the pilots federation outpost.
Word of my generosity had spread and several young upstarts were pointing and openly laughing.
'You must be really looking forward to getting back into the black commander?'
'I heard some crazy fool took a sidey to the other side, guess you'll be looking to join him?'
What a barrel of laughs. I really do need to get out of here and yes the other side is sounding distinctively enticing.
I'll probably have to travel rim-ward to throw the gawkers off the scent. But first I need to make a few creds.

Approaching one of the bulletin board display panels I look at the jobs on offer. If I get lucky someone might want a few tonnes of Paladium delivering somewhere.
Well, close, someone did want a few tonnes delivering, but scrap to McArthur Terminal. Life doesn't get any better than this...
 
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