Year 9, Day 65hyperspace / Glythe sector

Wow, that was much too long a break. I suppose being separated from my Holonet access for ten days jarred me out of my journaling habit (such as it is), and I just forgot to ever get back on. Consider the situation remedied!

You might be wondering how someone in my position, with such an obvious need for Holonet access managed to get cut off. Well, it was semi-voluntary. Following accusations of supervisory crassness around the end of last year, I enrolled in a week-long management course entitled "Diplomacy & Sensitivity In Dealing With Sentient Subordinates". One of the conditions of the "camp" was to be completely devoted to it for the duration, meaning no outside communications.

It was excruciatingly expensive, but my entry fee was paid by the company, so what do I care? The part that gets me is that the course was a local week long, and taught by a pack of highly empathic Zeltron drill sergeants. So, ten days of being subjected to some of the worst feelings of my life, with the only way out lying in the creation of a positive psycho-feedback loop with the instructor. Any perceived social gaffe led to a reflection of the recipient's discomfort amplified straight back into my head.

It was deeply, deeply unsettling. The food was excellent, though.

Once I got back into the mindset I had when helping my mother tend the agro-clinic back on Salliche, I was able to get past the psychic trickery, and passed the class with full marks. The next time I have to deal with some moody, hypersensitive scumbag who drifts through my company and mucks things up, I'll be able to process his undesirable posterior without hurting any feelings.

In other news, the Techno Union (and CIS in general!) are doing very, very well. Salaries have been increased across the board in a new profit-sharing effort, which make all of our employees wealthy beyond the dreams of most people in the Galaxy. Which is wonderful, but also a little worrysome. I'm happy to see everyone get ample opportunities to pursue their interests, but it also makes us all somewhat more likely targets for crime. I'll have to arm my pilots from now on, I suppose.

Actually... I hate to admit this, but there have been a few ugly spots in CIS news. The Dorinian Military Corps has been gutted by the two-faced slime running the show. My good acquaintance Rand Axim has been assigned to clean things up, but these fine fellows have earned themselves one hell of a bad reputation:

• Izis Cloudrunner
• Jack Monday
• Neth Dharek
• Todd Phoenix
• Drega Loas

Such a stupid shame. I guess when you need to make money in a hurry, the easiest thing to do is steal like a spoiled child, and run away.

Also, I've recently learned that a fairly prominent member of the CIS is publicly advertising Wookiee fur coats and Gamorrean-skin leather jackets for sale to the general public. This is completely appalling. Abhorrent. Unequivocally evil. I mean, it's bad enough the Order of Kampar eats Ewoks, but at least there's some basis for ritual sacrifice in a religious context. Not one I agree with, but at least it's not just for lucre... though I suspect the Prophets don't lack profits.

So now we have a supposedly respectable member of our Confederacy slaughtering sentients for fashion. I'm the first one to agree that business is business, but this kind of prurient villainy is lower than I would expect even from the Empire. And our Senators in the CIS are debating about whether it's acceptable or not!

I just don't know what to think.

Year 10, Day 127Harbright Bazaar, Lexrol system

After a long term of service, I'm a free man again.

Almost three years ago, I joined the Corporate Alliance (and therefore the Confederacy of Independent Systems) in order to further my career as a Galactic trader. When the CA was downgraded in priority within the Trade Federations structure, I transferred to the Techno Union, where I was delighted to oversee the production of starships for the public market. Then, as tensions escalated in various regions of the Galaxy, the Techno Union reverted to its original mission of producing warships for the Trade Federation's navy, shifting production of consumer starships to Starsign Shipyards. I stayed in the Techno Union, largely due to the impressive salary, where I saw warship after warship roll off the lines. With every one, I though, "Does this make us safer? Or am I just looking at the death of hundreds of sentients in the future?" Finally, I was directed to supervise the construction of an Imperial Star Destroyer, the ultimate symbol of military oppression in the Galaxy. Combined with Viceroy Jacob Jansen's public conversion to the... distasteful... ways of the Sith, I decided no amount of money was enough to balance the sense of danger I felt. Suddenly, the salary no longer matter; the Trade Federation and its subsidiaries were on a path to conflict of one kind or another, and this was in no way compatible with my original dream: to become a successful merchant.

So, with as much etiquette and friendliness as I could muster, I resigned on Year 10, Day 112, and returned to the world of freelance trade. My friend Siejo Kutol has offered to let me utilize the resources of the Corporate Alliance, which is no longer a part of the Confederacy of Independent Systems. Dr. Nolain Rockport and I are working on consolidating our mutual assets, preparing for a launch into real freelancing. With a pair of Action VI Transports and reasonably good combined earnings from our time with the Techno Union, I have high hopes that we'll be able to turn modest profits developing various investments, and working the market of Centrepoint Station.

Additionally, I have recently learned that travel to my homeworld of Salliche has been unrestricted, and the system government has approved my request to invest in local development. I'm excited at this opportunity to return home for the first time in five years.

There is so much to plan for, so much to do. And I feel a sense of relief and excitement that I haven't felt in years. Although I never felt trapped, exactly, I certainly feel free now.