[Battletech] A Life Worth Living For

A Suitable Man

Turan Benito Alvarez watched as his boss Abdülhamit Burakgazi finished his second brass plate containing mutton and vegetables. "Sir I think they will not have to clean the plate. You ate everything down to the shine." "You remind me of my mother Turan, but since I am now full I will not fire you." Turan knew Abdul would not do it, he usually threated to fire him at least once a week and then forget. The one time he actually left both Abdul and his wife showed up two days later with sweets. Despite his rough exterior and size Abdul treated his employees like family and expected his people to stand up for themselves. "I haven't had food like this since my Grandmother passed, bless her soul. Especially the mutton kabobs! Such a blending and so tender. Ah well, back to work. Excuse me, friend?"

The server came up to the table which had been placed between the two benches. "Yes, sir? Do you need anything else?" "A Nap would be nice but no. The other gentlemen needs a large coffee to go, extra strong. I will take care of the ticket. By the way, do you have a new cook? I usually see an older gentlemen around here but I have not seen him the last two times." The server nodded "That is the owner, Ser Korrapati's wife was having some health problems so he hired an assistant cook. He is a young man but he has already doubled business." "With food like this I am not surprised. The Ticket please."

Turan was also surprised, there were dozens of dhabas, or roadside restaurants like the Scrumptious Kabab along the roads. Truck and bus drivers, anyone who wanted a cheap and quick bite could stop at one, use the facilities and even have their vehicles worked on. The food quality and cleanliness varied and although Abdul could eat at more expensive restaurants he still preferred to eat on the roadsides, a legacy of being a truck driver for thirty years. Even his wife was a former driver and both of them started their own company after seeing the way some companies treated their drivers. They paid on time, maintained the vehicles and provided generous benefits to their drivers. Abdul and Turan would drive around in Basanti, Abdul's brightly decorated truck, conducting business while dressed in comfortable clothes. Abdul called this his 'business disguise' and watched how companies and individuals treated working class people. Those who were rude, or who subjected employees to dangerous or hostile workplaces would not receive his business.

Turan looked around the dhaba and noticed several small changes, the place had been painted a brighter color. Trash was picked up and the restrooms were spotless. It could not be just because of one new cook. Maybe there was another owner? As the server brought the ticket he made a note to mention this place to the other employees. They could use more business, he thought.

Refences:

The Dissenter had no name that could be spoken by a single mouth. The Dissenter had a name that could be whispered by even the silent during the day underneath the eyes of those who watch.

The Dissenter had no form that would be recognized by the many eyes of the law stalking the people around their homes and streets. The Dissenter had a form that was as well-worn as old clothes long-loved by those with much and those with little to spare.

The Dissenter was invisible, a shadow that couldn't be caught and lit up, no body to catch and no mind to repress, a blade slipping into every crack and slit of armor to slice the vulnerable flesh underneath. The Dissenter was a loud riot, unavoidable and in your face, a booming explosion screaming into the void its message and its desire, a hammer to the face, no matter how many times it needed to hit to be heard.

The Dissenter saw the facade of democracy put up by the few to rule the many, knowing that blissful ignorance was desired by so many if harsh truths were the alternative, yet knowing they needed to force people to see regardless, blood and bones and lives their currency. The Dissenter knew not the theory or the rhetoric to describe what they knew, but they cared not, for they knew that their work would be the work of decades, and the silent whisper echoed into hearts and minds before they bloomed bloodlessly.

The Dissenter prayed to Divinity they had never wavered from for the strength needed to proceed, for the blood of so many would taint their soul, and so many more would die for their failures to guide the righteous against the wicked, raging at those who would place their culture and faith above other's, throwing scraps of faith and culture not their own to those who stood beside them. The Dissenter scoffed at those who prayed to nothing, drawing strength in lies and misdirections from ancient cults and priesthoods seeking control over all else, shackling their minds to those who would not see them free in reason and science.

The Dissenter held dear the symbols of their home, the symbols of family and kin, friend and foe, for their supposed equals saw no reason to share with them the spoils of a world's future they all would build, usurping equal place to dominate those seen below them. The Dissenter embraced new symbols in their fight, those of a new home, a new generation, a new people, casting away shackles of the old and the burning lies once worn as comfortable cloaks yet now discarded to wave the flag of glowing field and soaring dragons in miniature.

The Dissenter disdained the idea that they would spend their time in the groups under the control of a single hand, training body, and growing friendships underneath watchful eyes seeking them and their kin. The Dissenter embraced the rigid structure of training one's body, knowing their time would come to break this control to give over to the people and all that wished to rise in merit and by their sweat alone.

The Dissenter whispered sweet lies into their children's ears and minds, knowing they would report the truths of the world and life whispered by them in the schools to overseers and indoctrinators so that no child may see their parents taken away in the naive understanding that they were doing right by doing wrong. The Dissenter dribbled poison and acid into plans and knowledge, becoming a worm nesting within books and assignments, dormant and sleeping, yet so easily woken by any who even opened their minds and eyes to a world outside the one they were told, guiding with whispers to a better world to build, one that needed to be fought for, a step at a time, a mind at a time.

The Dissenter scoffed at the exploration of the void, knowing that they needed things now to prepare for the invasions and wars that were to come, all gained by trading metals and plants for tools and knowledge. The Dissenter watched with glee as planet after moon after asteroid got surveilled, each new node of minerals another cache to turn into weaponry and tools, armor and houses, vehicles and munitions, each to elevate them all and shield even the lowest against the predations of those who deemed themselves their betters.

The Dissenter was many.

The Dissenter was one.

They had won.

They had lost.

The Dissenter fought.

The Dissenter died.

They tended to the flame.

They worshipped the ashes.

But.

Above all.

The Dissenter could not be killed.

Nor denied their rightful place in history.

Because time does not heal all wounds.

Sometimes.

Time allows them to fester and rot ever deeper.

[] [Disaster] A House Divided
[] [Disaster] Their Second Home
[] [Disaster] The Burning Hand

[] [Year] 2285 - 2 Colony Choices
[] [Year] 2299 - 3 Colony Choices
[] [Year] 2310 - 4 Colony Choices - 1 Wonder
[] [Year] 2325 - 5 Colony Choices - 1 Wonder
[] [Year] 2350 - 7 Colony Choices - 2 Wonders

Edit: Vote borked. Now un-borked.

The Heir Of Another (Relatively) Newly Forged Legacy



Xalak Shaan would stare down at the accountant's reports on her family's economic situation.


She couldn't help but sigh as her fathers dream of having Shaan's Coffee and Agricultural Goods dominating the luxury food market hasn't been as successful as the man would've preferred. While Sukhwinder Shaan was an ambitious man he overestimated the success his flagship product would have on the new market they found themselves in.


There was deeper competition than expected. While they did indeed secure a leading portion of the coffee business, which would guarantee their future at least plus the income of the other agricultural goods the family made, the coffee business was smaller than desired. A major reason was the noticeable presence of tea producers around the world and their unfortunate relative popularity. Of course it wasn't as bad as to make the Coffee Business unprofitable but profits were lower than desired which slowed long term expansion plans. The retired old man's dream was still alive even if bruised a small bit.


In an effort to seemingly win this coffee vs tea war Xalak decided to step away from directly selling their goods to customers and instead make deals with the various smaller businesses to sell their goods for them. It wouldn't give as much profit potential perhaps but it increased their products' reach throughout their home world.


She worked on considering entering the tea business in their next expansion but that will be a small while yet. The old man's pride was a bit too much so she'll wait until his passing. He was already weakening with age but he still had energy yet despite the extra 40 years he had lived so far. 70 years old and the old man still helped out with harvests when he was on a good day.


In all honesty she was partially considering retirement and that thought had her look away from the report to the picture on the desk of her whole family. Her mother, father, husband, and her two sons who are twins. Kavi (Wise men, poet) Shann the older brother and Anit (Joyful, Unending) Shaan the younger brother. The two of them were enjoying their years in Sky School at the age of 17.


Maybe in a decade she'll retire but for now her focus turned to the radio device that was playing in the background that relayed news on the political situation. Trouble was coming and she could feel it in her bones. There always was some sort of trouble brewing when you look at the messy field that is politics. Hopefully she can reinforce her family's position well enough to survive the coming storm no matter the form it takes. Her father wasn't much interested in politics but she wasn't repeating that mistake. One can't have too many friends after all.

---

Note: Another Omake for the Omake God. May it be found worthy even if on the smaller side. Anyways here's another glance into that Coffee Vs Tea War brewing in the background. Maybe it'll become relevant to the story eventually or it'll more likely stay fluff. Oh yeah, and finally a name for that coffee/agricultural goods company too i guess.

[X] [Disaster] The Burning Hand
[X] [Year] 2310 - 4 Colony Choices - 1 Wonder
A Suitable Man Part 2
Prabhat Gupta enjoyed cooking, he enjoyed the smells of ginger, onions and garlic. The sizzle and noise of the kitchen. It was here that he felt close to family and the memory of his mother. His father had died when he was a baby, leaving him, his older brother and mother by themselves. His mother would cook for people in the community to supplement her wages from various jobs. Both he and his brother Harinder learned to help her around the kitchen as soon as they were able to. While Harinder would complete his studies and become an engineer, Prabhat would continue his love of cooking. He completed his education, and his new sister in law and ailing mother wanted him to join an office or go for higher education in a well paying field, but he would defend his decision.

While his mother was dying of cancer she, Harinder, his wife and Prabhat would reconcile their differences. When she passed away he would live in the same place he grew up in while his brother and growing family moved to a larger flat. Prabhat continued his studies and wanted to open his own place but few people were willing to hire a young man for anything other than kitchen preparation. Thankfully Harinder knew the owner of a local dhaba that needed an assistant cook. Taking his savings, he would approach Ser Korrapati and become a partner in the restaurant. While the place was worn down in places they could be improved. He would focus of providing a clean, comfortable place for people to eat. Not expensive food, but solid and filling. Since he started here the business was improving and Korrapati could focus on his wife's health. Just then Anup, one of the servers, was rushing up to him. "Ser, we have a big order for you, three complete tandoori chicken thali's and a mutton thali". "Well that's good, how many people are at the table." "Three." "You are telling me that just three people ordered this much food?" "Yes, it's that lorry driver and his assistant, plus I think the lorry driver's wife is with them. They look like wrestlers." "Well then let's not disappoint them."

"What do you think my dear?", said Abdul. "I told you that the food was incredible." Purnima Burakgazi had to agree. While Abdul never liked to see the bad in people and businesses and was excessive in his praise this time he was correct. "Yes I can see why you spoke so highly of them. The other drivers also spoke about the improvements but this was truly one of the best meals I have had in a while. I am thinking that my nephew Rahul's wedding is in two weeks. I wonder if this place does catering orders. Can you ask the server Turan?" "Yes Madam" "Speaking of weddings I need to talk about Mumtaz." "My heart, after such a good meal, why do you want to give me indigestion?" "It is about our daughter! She is 28 and people in the community keep asking about when she will get married. You may not care about that but I do. I have talked to astrologers, matchmakers, our community, people we do business with. We have shown her who knows how many qualified candidates pictures and had their families over and the answer is the same. No. Every Time No. I do not understand."

Turan spoke up. "The server is talking to the cook, who is also the co-owner of the restaurant. Regarding your issue, Mumtaz throws out any family that asks for dowry, any that want their sons to take over your company or want her to be the good housewife. You raised a strong, determined daughter who is built like Basanti outside. So you need to find some boy or man that can handle her." "Right then, since you and Abdul know the situation, you both can find someone to propose to Mumtaz by Rahul's wedding. I can no longer wait for someone to decide."

"Yes Madam."