Complications in dynamic organic systems

When I retired, decided to check out a boat, and went to the Rim, I thought I knew why I'd done it. I thought I was running: leaving behind events that were still painful, but not falling into the life laid out for me. Wouldn't have been a bad life. It just wasn't a life I was ready for.

I didn't realize it at the time, but part of the reason I came out to the Rim was to avoid the complications of life back home. Frontier life itself was rougher than life back on the core worlds, a good deal riskier, not always pleasant, but ultimately a whole lot simpler. At least until you factor in the People that get mixed up in the equation.

When I came out to Hale's Moon, it was just a place on the chart Speaker said had a decent bar. A spot where I could set down the boat, pick up some fuel, cycle the atmo, grab a bite and then get back into the Black. I never for the life of me thought that I'd wind up calling the place home.

I never figured they'd elect me, of all people, Mayor. That I'd find folks I'd be willing to lay down my life for. People to care for. People to call family, whether they're blood kin or not - or even Organic, or alone Human. I never thought I'd find someone to love, and someone to make the Black less lonely.

Never thought it could get so complicated.

It's all shiny though. Well. Maybe not so shiny. LilyBell is still out in the wastes somewhere, and Imrhien went back out to get Sabrina another one of those damn combat drones. Hale's is still rebuilding, and there's a darkness coming I'm going to do my damndest to hold back. At least I won't be doing it alone.

Life's gotten more complicated over the last few days, but it's also gotten less lonesome.