Will they ever go away?

The Loyalists who fled the Sun Tzu months ago must be getting desperate. They'd attacked us off and on for weeks. Usually just petty theft. One or two of them would sneak into town and steal something from one of the townsfolk, but sometimes they got bold. There'd been occassions when they'd sent in half their number to raise hell, then had others dash in during the confusion to make off with a fair bit of supplies.

Yesterday's raid was somewhere in between their sneaky steal shit tactics and their less common, but much bloodier, frontal assault. A small number of them dashing in and out with hit and run tactics, causing a lot of comfusion and mayhem without inflicting a lot of casualties. They didn't even manage to steal much of anything.

Had to hand it to the folks who were here to react through. Belize did her thing taking care of the few wounded, Sabrina stayed in the bar mostly in case they tried to hit us there, while most of the other armed folk in town tried to deal with the attackers.

I had my hands full with Aurora. She's got her mother's fighting instincts and, much as I doubt I'll succeed, I'm going to try and keep that child from ever having to take a life. Life's cheap on the Rim, but that doesn't mean it should ever be taken lightly. If I could save her ever crossing that line I'll have done a good thing.

There's just so much going on with that child. Between her mother, and Mindo, and Blue, and her own unseen purpose, I'm not sure I can entirely keep up. We do have one thing very much in common though. We both miss her mother.

Seems most everyone misses her mother. Been a blessing seeing how folks have pulled together in support of her daughter, but none of them know her purpose. None of us do, really.

I've managed to maintain that protective Zen calm since I heard we'd lost her, but it's been an effort. Only one who's seen me cry over it is 'Brina, and then only when we're alone and I can just bury my face in her hair and lose myself in the comfort of her presence. She usually tells me not to cry and then just holds me until it passes.

I wish I had some idea how this was all going to end. I know how I want it to end, but that may just be wishful thinking. We all know the storm's still coming. Is little Aurora going to make it better, or worse?

Hell. With the ongoing Reaver, Raider, and Loyalist attacks, it'd be a wonder anyone still cares when the storm finally comes. I'd still care though. And I'd still be here trying to do something about it.

As long as I had someone to live for, there'd be a reason to care.