A Day For New Beginnings

Posted on Sat Dec 5th, 2020 @ 2:12am by Business Owner Eleyna Morgan-Garrison
Edited on on Sat Dec 5th, 2020 @ 2:12am

Mission: What Lies In The Darkness
Location: Various
Timeline: 248001.01 1045

Eleyna Terese Morgan-Garrison was not your typical merchant. There were many things which distinguished her from the typical. One of those was the long, black cloak she wore, hood and all. The other was her Ident Card. It showed no picture of her, only the data needed to identify her. And the third obvious distinctive thing was that she never spoke.

Most people thought this was just part of her corporate image, perhaps a marketing ploy. She was known throughout known space as The Trader, 'the merchant with no name, no face, and no voice.' But whatever it was, it worked.

She was very successful in her field of merchandising. She dealt in the custom item and the impossible to find. Her company was well known as one of the best in that arena. FrontLine Enterprises, which she had begun with her husband in 2441, had gone straight to the top of its field. Its stocks were coveted in the Galactic market. Then, in 2449, her husband had renamed it DarkSide Industries. His attempt to kill her in 2451 got him brought up on charges which he is still in a penal colony for. Being awarded the company in that trial, Eleyna had spent the last twenty five years rebuildings the compay's reputation, after renaming it back to FrontLine Enterprises. And the air of mystery its owner carried about herself like the cloak she wore only increased the allure for some.

But for her, the cloak was far more than mere mystery or an advertising stunt. It was necessity. Gabriel's attempt to kill her had failed, but it had damaged her appearance, and every Coalition doctor she had seen had told her the same thing. There was nothing they could do. The damage was too great and the time too long. There was just too much scar tissue for them to mend her. So she had accepted that answer and focused on other things.

She had been off-ship talking to some of her suppliers and was returning now to the outlet shop she had on this ship. FrontLine Enterprises had seen the corporate advantage in this ship and had been one of the first signers on to rent space here.

She stepped clear of the event horizon of the IPD on the ship and cast her eyes over the room. Stepping down the ramp, she turned to watch the Doorway close and smiled slightly to herself. That was still an awesome sight. Even after several trips through it, it still inspired her every time. When it had closed, she turned back and left the Doorway Embarkation Room.

Location: Personal Quarters
Time: One Hour Later

The cloak now hung on a coat rack near the door of her Quarters. She had showered, dressed, and begun to pull a brush through her hair when she caught her reflection in the mirror before her and froze, brush halfway through her long hair. A heavy sigh escaped her at the image which stared back at her.

She came out of unconsciousness in a haze, her mind drifting slightly. But the doctor's voice was unmistakable. He was speaking to the local authorities.

"She was pretty badly burned. Do you know yet what caused this?" the man's quiet tones asked.

"Will she be all right?" the officer's gruff voice returned answering the doctor's question with a question of his own.

The doctor sighed heavily. "She will live, but I can't even begin to guess at the damage that she will have. If I had the facilities at--"

"I understand." The officer cut him off.

"Do you know what caused the accident?" the doctor asked quietly.

The officer hesitated, then slowly answered. "Yes. It seems that a small Magnetic Pulse device was placed in the circuitry of the Navigation Board. When she activated the board, the device activated, destroying it.

She shook herself back to the present and sighed heavily. She understood now who had tried to kill her... and why. Who had engineered her crash. The crash which had reduced her to the thing which now stared back at her from the mirror’s surface. She was no longer the beautiful woman she had once been. Now, a face scarred by plasma burns badly mended, covered by bflack leather and metal -- the metal was only the surface bits of technology that she had gained for returning the use of the right side of her body -- stared back at her. Hair that had once been brown and soft now hung white and brittle. Or it would be if not for the special shampoos she bought for it.

But only one side.

The rest was normal.

Oh, yes, she knew who. And she even knew why. But that did not make living with the results any easier. She still had to face the remnants of the person she once was in her mirror each day and accept that she would never be whole again. She still had to face the memories which haunted her dreams each night and prevented her from sleeping in any semblance of peace... and accept that she might never find peace. And she still had to find the reason to fight... to continue to live. She had to find a reason for the pain and loss and anger. And she had to find their release... her freedom from them.

Oh, yes, she knew who and why. And she also knew that he had no remorse for what he had done... what he had reduced his once-lovely wife to. He was likely very proud of himself. And some days, she hated him for it. But she could take comfort in the fact that justice had been served, and he was now in prison for life. But that was little comfort really, though it was something.

But today was a day for new beginnings. Today was a day to let the past remain where it was... in the past... and try to move forward. Today, she would make a new start, new friends, and a new home.

She tied her hair back and donned her cloak, raising the hood to hide her features from the galaxy. No need to distress the local population. First stop, check on her shop.