Since before the days of the Ancient Mariner, it has been tradition to claim the right of salvage upon the flotsam and jetsam that serendipity might strew in the path of the adventurer. I should think that this would translate nicely beyond the confines of the worldly oceans and into the inky blackness of the universal void. But no!
On several occasions now I have come upon a fabulous haul of floating loot, and of course, upon being discovered with what is tantamount to "ill-gotten" gains, fined harshly and with great prejudice! No amount of pleading or reasoning gave me any relief either. These stony-faced, inflexible miscreants simply grunted, "Move along!" after I paid their exorbitant fee for a return from the land of misdemeanor hooliganism. I will just ignore these little floating temptations in the future, to be sure.
This is not my only issue with those purported to be in authority either! Just the other day I was booming along nicely with a load of coffee and tea outbound from Ackerman Market, not a care in the world mind you, when I was waylaid...accosted by these same fellows without any warning at all. Rudely and violently snatched out of supercruise and unceremoniously subjected to scan under the auspices of "looking for contraband." After my load was determined to be legitimate, the only thing said by way of apology was a curt and frankly annoying, "Move along!"
This causes me deep concern for two reasons. My travel was interrupted and I was subjected to what amounts to an illegal search of my person and effects without any probable cause. The only thing I can fathom here is that I was profiled! Evidently my former scrapes with the local authorities have branded me a likely scofflaw and now they will use any excuse to impede my travel and prevent me from earning a comfortable living.
I urge those with the power to do so to ensure the following:
1. Allow those of us brave enough to peel back the veil from the universal twilight to freely salvage those items we encounter that are not blasted out of the possession of another by brute force.
2. Discourage these reckless badge-wearing yahoos from impeding the lawful transit of honest men and women without probable cause.
3. Do not allow us to be profiled for our innocent indiscretions from the recent past!
We have rights and they must not be infringed!
On several occasions now I have come upon a fabulous haul of floating loot, and of course, upon being discovered with what is tantamount to "ill-gotten" gains, fined harshly and with great prejudice! No amount of pleading or reasoning gave me any relief either. These stony-faced, inflexible miscreants simply grunted, "Move along!" after I paid their exorbitant fee for a return from the land of misdemeanor hooliganism. I will just ignore these little floating temptations in the future, to be sure.
This is not my only issue with those purported to be in authority either! Just the other day I was booming along nicely with a load of coffee and tea outbound from Ackerman Market, not a care in the world mind you, when I was waylaid...accosted by these same fellows without any warning at all. Rudely and violently snatched out of supercruise and unceremoniously subjected to scan under the auspices of "looking for contraband." After my load was determined to be legitimate, the only thing said by way of apology was a curt and frankly annoying, "Move along!"
This causes me deep concern for two reasons. My travel was interrupted and I was subjected to what amounts to an illegal search of my person and effects without any probable cause. The only thing I can fathom here is that I was profiled! Evidently my former scrapes with the local authorities have branded me a likely scofflaw and now they will use any excuse to impede my travel and prevent me from earning a comfortable living.
I urge those with the power to do so to ensure the following:
1. Allow those of us brave enough to peel back the veil from the universal twilight to freely salvage those items we encounter that are not blasted out of the possession of another by brute force.
2. Discourage these reckless badge-wearing yahoos from impeding the lawful transit of honest men and women without probable cause.
3. Do not allow us to be profiled for our innocent indiscretions from the recent past!
We have rights and they must not be infringed!
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