Full Circle

Ryven looked at the man sitting in his chair in the corner of his suite in Cerra Manor.  So, this man had exacted revenge on the man who had the man who had Ryven re-wired killed.  Ryven wasn't sure what that should mean for him, but he wasn't sure if he felt gratitude or just simply relief at knowing more of what had happened.  He still had a few questions. "So, you came here to give me these research notes in hopes that it'd clean the slate between the State and me?  That doesn't wash.  If you know what I did on Prime, then you know it was entirely for the purposes of cleaning that slate.  I've been trying to keep you guys off of me, not deliberately attacking you.  You double-crossed me, not the other way around."

The man nodded, his expression veiled by the shadows.  "I know."  His voice had an annoyed quality to it, as though he too were irritated by the way his State sometimes dealt with things.  Ryven could understand.  This man was an operative, an admittedly powerful one, and had to deal with the many missteps and bunglings of bureaucracy.  "Actually, I had one other thing I wanted to approach you about."

Ryven snorted. "Figures.  There always is."

The man's teeth glinted in the low light, a smile suddenly visible.  "Yes.  There is, isn't there?  I'm sorry to be cliche, but, well, things are cliche because they are so common as to be overly banal, are they not?"  He actually laughed, and found himself liking Mr. Krennel, despite himself.  "I had hoped I might persuade you to serve your country in an unofficial capacity and on an ad hoc basis."

Ryven rolled his eyes. "You're kidding me, right?  After what we just talked about?"

"Mr. Krennel, I won't offend you by calling you by your birth name, or appeal to your sense of duty, because you have far surpassed your origins, and frankly, you owe the State nothing.  We have never fulfilled our end of the bargain.  I would not be surprised if you don't even think of yourself as Caldari."  He paused for a moment.  "However, you are Caldari.  The State fathered you, even if it was a deadbeat father.  The fact of the matter is, I'm trying to recruit you to do what I do.  To save the State from itself."

Ryven remained silent.

"I would be your contact.  Your only contact.  I will be the only one who knows what you do for us or even that you do it.  When you have to visit the State for a job, you will be anonymous, but no one will question your authority.  However, I imagine most of your assignments will be here in the Amarr/Minmatar warzone.  This particular conflict is of importance to the State, though it doesn't know it." 

Ryven pondered for a moment. "So, I get to stay here and do what I'm doing, but with the occasional bit of wetwork on the side, and all of it to make the State a better place?"

The man shook his head. "No, Mr. Krennel.  To make New Eden a better place."