{"data":{"id":20008,"title":"Divestment","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/20008-Divestment","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/20008","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/20008","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"News Update","images":[{"id":26463,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/weozjmuuh3hwh\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":843046,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2019-09-19T15:49:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463\/similar"},{"id":27892,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/w3o9r4zgppm77\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":900916,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-09-06T14:48:40+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892\/similar"},{"id":35500,"name":"BanuDefender_222023.png","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/2clrlkqxyutqbr\/source\/BanuDefender_222023.png","alt":"","size":5514227,"mime_type":"image\/png","last_modified":"2023-02-02T22:43:51+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/35500","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/35500\/similar"}],"images_count":8,"translations":{"en_EN":"This short story originally appeared in Jump Point 10.06.\n\u201cEverything is auspicious!\u201d Essosouli Njo proclaimed in Banu. The gathered Merchantman crew turned their attention toward the elderly Banu standing behind a table with an ornate lockbox in the center. As the crowd eagerly pressed in closer, Jaclyn, the only Human in attendance, remained against the back wall. With Njo\u2019s typical speaking volume being just shy of yelling, she could hear fine from back there and was too nervous to even glance at the lockbox knowing that her fate waited inside.\n\n\u201cJoy is abundant within me today because all of you are here to celebrate my divestment. With Cassa\u2019s blessing, I have reached 275,000,000 beats,\u201d Essosouli Njo continued to rapturous applause. Though Jaclyn spoke decent Banu, her mind still translated everything into UEE standard, which often left her a moment behind other Souli members. \u201cI\u2019ve gained much during that time and have squandered more than I care to admit. Still, I\u2019m proud that this Souli is one of rewarding work, delectable meals, exciting journeys, and so, so much more. If you are here with me today, know that I have valued you. All of you have enriched my life, and I hope you can say the same about me.\u201d\n\nJaclyn sure could. She looked up and briefly locked eyes with Essosouli Njo. They had first met at a refugee camp in Charon. Njo had contracted with a UEE non-profit to manufacture and distribute its foodstuff as free rations to those displaced by the civil war. Jaclyn, her parents, and younger siblings had fled to the camp when their hometown had become a battleground. With nothing to do and sick of feeling helpless, Jaclyn offered to lend a hand distributing the provisions. Njo accepted not because they needed the help, but because they wanted to help her.\n\nDespite being a welcome distraction, Jaclyn couldn\u2019t stop worrying about what the future held for her family. Essosouli Njo consoled Jaclyn, listened to her concerns, and offered to pay her to taste-test new flavor combinations for Human foodstuff. When Jaclyn joked that their Souli could use a full-time Human food tester, Njo offered her a contract on the spot. As much as Jacyln wished she could accept, she wasn\u2019t willing to leave her family unless the salary was enough to get them out of the camp. After thinking for a moment, Njo mentioned there was another way she could fill that role and help her family. Following lengthy discussions with Essosouli Njo and her family, Jaclyn signed a contract making herself indentured. She would work for their Souli for a specific number of beats and, in exchange, her family would be paid enough credits up front to flee Charon.\n\nOn the fateful day Jaclyn left her family and Charon III for the first time in her life, Essosouli Njo invited her to ride in their beloved Defender to Kins. Only later did she learn that, outside of Njo and their personal pilot, very few Souli members had ever been allowed aboard. Still, short excursions together in the Defender became their tradition. Jaclyn would talk honestly about the Souli\u2019s current Human food options and Essosouli Njo taught her the secret to negotiating a fair but profitable contract.\n\nOne day Jaclyn asked Essosouli Njo about a clock in their office that counted up. That\u2019s when she learned about divestment, a ceremony celebrating a Banu reaching 275,000,000 beats or just shy of 44 standard Earth years, with a beat being equal to five seconds. Divesting Banu retire to enjoy their final beats as they see fit. At the efanga fo ktambo, divestment ceremony, they gift most of their possessions to family and friends, with Essosouli\u2019s traditionally bestowing the bulk of their belongings to the Banu who they want to take over the Souli. While Souli members can decide whether they want to stay, those indentured to the Souli do not. Their fate rests with the new Essosouli, who could keep their contract or sell it.\n\nEssosouli Njo picked up the lockbox and briefly considered it, then began gracefully rotating it while subtly tapping sections in a specific sequence. \u201cWithin this lies my life\u2019s work. This Souli is what made my beats meaningful. Building it brought me great pride but, most importantly, it brought me a community to share its success with.\u201d The lockbox opened revealing a chip containing the Souli\u2019s most important recipes. Essosouli Njo took it in their hands. \u201cThat\u2019s why even though I must go, I hope this Souli reforms in a similar way. Because while we\u2019ve made delectable food here, we\u2019ve done more than that. We\u2019ve created a community that deeply cares for each other and those pulled into our orbit. I know this Souli can continue to spread more good through the universe. That\u2019s why I hope Malga will accept the command of this Merchantman and all responsibilities therein.\u201d\n\nThe room erupted in celebration. Jaclyn braced herself against the wall from the sound and fought off a dizzy spell as all the blood fell to her feet. When she joined the Souli, most members welcomed her warmly but some clearly resented her unique relationship with Essosouli Njo, including Malga. Now her future lay in their hands, as the Souli would clearly reform around them. Malga was well-liked and the logical choice, but Jaclyn has also once overheard them remind a friend that a contract for a Human indentured would sell lightning fast. Jaclyn slunk toward an exit as Njo proceeded with gifting more of their possessions.\n\n\u201cAnd how could I ever forget Jaclyn,\u201d Essosouli Njo bellowed from behind the table, stopping her dead in her tracks. \u201cYour honesty and insight have brought us all so much. Teaching you was a great joy, but learning from you was even better. Because of those cherished beats, I give to you my Defender.\u201d\n\nFor a second, Jaclyn thought the room might\u2019ve depressurized because it fell deadly quiet. Never before had she experienced such silence while surrounded by Banu. Essosouli Njo smiled warmly at her and continued, \u201cThough I want nothing more than for this Souli to stay together, I know some will be called to leave by Taernin. Jaclyn, I can\u2019t say if Taernin calls you, but you deserve the right to find out for yourself. That\u2019s why I am also paying the balance of your indentured contract and giving you just enough wealth to start a journey. The rest I expect you to earn on your own.\u201d\n\nThe crowd cheered and surrounded Jaclyn to congratulate her good fortune. Completely overwhelmed, there were no words to capture how she felt. Much like Essosouli Njo, Jaclyn\u2019s life had just changed. Her future once again was unknown, and it both terrified and excited her.","de_DE":"Diese Kurzgeschichte erschien urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 10.06.\n\"Alles ist verhei\u00dfungsvoll!\" verk\u00fcndete Essosouli Njo auf Banu. Die versammelte Merchantman-Crew richtete ihre Aufmerksamkeit auf die \u00e4ltere Banu, die hinter einem Tisch mit einem verzierten Schlie\u00dffach in der Mitte stand. W\u00e4hrend die Menge eifrig n\u00e4her kam, blieb Jaclyn, der einzige anwesende Mensch, an der R\u00fcckwand stehen. Mit Njos typischer Sprechlautst\u00e4rke, die nur knapp an das Schreien heranreicht, konnte sie von dort aus gut h\u00f6ren und war zu nerv\u00f6s, um auch nur einen Blick auf das Schlie\u00dffach zu werfen, da sie wusste, dass ihr Schicksal darin wartete.\n\n\"Die Freude ist heute gro\u00df in mir, weil ihr alle hier seid, um meine Entlassung zu feiern. Mit Cassas Segen habe ich 275.000.000 Schl\u00e4ge erreicht\", fuhr Essosouli Njo unter tosendem Beifall fort. Obwohl Jaclyn anst\u00e4ndig Banu sprach, \u00fcbersetzte ihr Verstand immer noch alles in UEE-Standard, was sie oft einen Moment hinter anderen Souli-Mitgliedern zur\u00fccklie\u00df. \"Ich habe in dieser Zeit viel gewonnen und mehr vergeudet, als ich zugeben m\u00f6chte. Trotzdem bin ich stolz darauf, dass dieses Souli eine lohnende Arbeit, k\u00f6stliche Mahlzeiten, aufregende Reisen und noch viel mehr zu bieten hat. Wenn ihr heute hier bei mir seid, sollt ihr wissen, dass ich euch sehr gesch\u00e4tzt habe. Ihr alle habt mein Leben bereichert und ich hoffe, ihr k\u00f6nnt dasselbe \u00fcber mich sagen.\"\n\nJaclyn konnte das sicher. Sie blickte auf und sah Essosouli Njo kurz in die Augen. Sie hatten sich zum ersten Mal in einem Fl\u00fcchtlingslager auf Charon getroffen. Njo hatte mit einer gemeinn\u00fctzigen Organisation der UEE einen Vertrag \u00fcber die Herstellung und Verteilung von Lebensmitteln an die B\u00fcrgerkriegsfl\u00fcchtlinge abgeschlossen. Jaclyn, ihre Eltern und ihre j\u00fcngeren Geschwister waren in das Lager geflohen, als ihre Heimatstadt zum Schlachtfeld geworden war. Da sie nichts zu tun hatte und sich nicht mehr hilflos f\u00fchlte, bot Jaclyn an, bei der Verteilung der Lebensmittel zu helfen. Njo sagte zu, nicht weil sie die Hilfe brauchten, sondern weil sie ihr helfen wollten.\n\nObwohl es eine willkommene Ablenkung war, konnte Jaclyn nicht aufh\u00f6ren, sich Sorgen \u00fcber die Zukunft ihrer Familie zu machen. Essosouli Njo tr\u00f6stete Jaclyn, h\u00f6rte sich ihre Sorgen an und bot ihr an, sie daf\u00fcr zu bezahlen, dass sie neue Geschmackskombinationen f\u00fcr menschliche Lebensmittel testet. Als Jaclyn scherzte, dass ihr Souli einen Vollzeit-Lebensmitteltester gebrauchen k\u00f6nnte, bot Njo ihr auf der Stelle einen Vertrag an. So gerne Jaclyn auch annehmen w\u00fcrde, sie war nicht bereit, ihre Familie zu verlassen, wenn das Gehalt nicht ausreichte, um sie aus dem Lager zu holen. Nach kurzem Nachdenken erw\u00e4hnte Njo, dass es eine andere M\u00f6glichkeit g\u00e4be, wie sie diese Rolle ausf\u00fcllen und ihrer Familie helfen k\u00f6nnte. Nach langen Gespr\u00e4chen mit Essosouli Njo und ihrer Familie unterzeichnete Jaclyn einen Vertrag, der sie in die Pflicht nahm. Sie w\u00fcrde f\u00fcr eine bestimmte Anzahl von Schl\u00e4gen f\u00fcr ihre Souli arbeiten und im Gegenzug w\u00fcrde ihre Familie im Voraus genug Credits erhalten, um von Charon zu fliehen.\n\nAn dem schicksalhaften Tag, an dem Jaclyn ihre Familie und Charon III zum ersten Mal in ihrem Leben verlie\u00df, lud Essosouli Njo sie ein, in ihrem geliebten Defender nach Kins zu reiten. Erst sp\u00e4ter erfuhr sie, dass au\u00dfer Njo und ihrem pers\u00f6nlichen Piloten nur wenige Souli-Mitglieder an Bord gehen durften. Dennoch wurden die gemeinsamen Ausfl\u00fcge im Defender zur Tradition. Jaclyn unterhielt sich ehrlich mit den Souli \u00fcber das aktuelle Angebot an menschlicher Nahrung und Essosouli Njo brachte ihr das Geheimnis bei, wie man einen fairen, aber profitablen Vertrag aushandelt.\n\nEines Tages fragte Jaclyn Essosouli Njo nach einer Uhr in ihrem B\u00fcro, die aufw\u00e4rts z\u00e4hlte. Da erfuhr sie von der Divestment-Zeremonie, bei der ein Banu gefeiert wird, der 275.000.000 Schl\u00e4ge oder knapp 44 normale Erdenjahre erreicht hat, wobei ein Schlag f\u00fcnf Sekunden entspricht. Die scheidenden Banu ziehen sich zur\u00fcck, um ihre letzten Schl\u00e4ge zu genie\u00dfen, wie sie es f\u00fcr richtig halten. Bei der efanga fo ktambo, der Entlassungszeremonie, verschenken sie die meisten ihrer Besitzt\u00fcmer an Familie und Freunde, wobei die Essosouli traditionell den Gro\u00dfteil ihrer Besitzt\u00fcmer an die Banu verschenken, die die Souli \u00fcbernehmen sollen. W\u00e4hrend die Souli-Mitglieder selbst entscheiden k\u00f6nnen, ob sie bleiben wollen, ist das bei den an die Souli gebundenen Menschen nicht der Fall. Ihr Schicksal liegt in den H\u00e4nden der neuen Essosouli, die ihren Vertrag behalten oder ihn verkaufen k\u00f6nnen.\n\nEssosouli Njo nahm das Schlie\u00dffach in die Hand und betrachtete es kurz, dann begann er es anmutig zu drehen und klopfte dabei in einer bestimmten Reihenfolge auf die Teile. \"Darin liegt mein Lebenswerk. Dieses Souli ist das, was meinen Beats Bedeutung verleiht. Es zu bauen, hat mich sehr stolz gemacht, aber vor allem hat es mir eine Gemeinschaft gebracht, mit der ich den Erfolg teilen kann.\" Das Schlie\u00dffach \u00f6ffnete sich und enth\u00fcllte einen Chip mit den wichtigsten Rezepten des Souli. Essosouli Njo nahm ihn in ihre H\u00e4nde. \"Deshalb hoffe ich, auch wenn ich gehen muss, dass sich dieses Souli auf \u00e4hnliche Weise reformiert. Denn wir haben hier zwar k\u00f6stliches Essen zubereitet, aber wir haben noch mehr getan als das. Wir haben eine Gemeinschaft geschaffen, die sich umeinander und um die Menschen k\u00fcmmert, die wir in unseren Bann ziehen. Ich wei\u00df, dass dieses Souli noch mehr Gutes im Universum verbreiten kann. Deshalb hoffe ich, dass Malga das Kommando \u00fcber das Handelsschiff und alle damit verbundenen Aufgaben \u00fcbernehmen wird.\"\n\nDer Raum brach in Jubel aus. Jaclyn stemmte sich bei dem L\u00e4rm gegen die Wand und k\u00e4mpfte gegen einen Schwindelanfall an, als ihr das ganze Blut auf die F\u00fc\u00dfe fiel. Als sie den Souli beitrat, wurde sie von den meisten Mitgliedern herzlich willkommen gehei\u00dfen, aber einige \u00e4rgerten sich eindeutig \u00fcber ihre einzigartige Beziehung zu Essosouli Njo, darunter auch Malga. Jetzt lag ihre Zukunft in ihren H\u00e4nden, denn die Souli w\u00fcrden sich eindeutig um sie herum reformieren. Malga war beliebt und die logische Wahl, aber Jaclyn hat auch einmal geh\u00f6rt, wie sie einen Freund daran erinnerten, dass sich ein Vertrag f\u00fcr einen Menschen als Angestellten blitzschnell verkaufen w\u00fcrde. Jaclyn schlich sich in Richtung Ausgang, w\u00e4hrend Njo damit fortfuhr, mehr von ihrem Besitz zu verschenken.\n\n\"Wie k\u00f6nnte ich Jaclyn je vergessen?\", rief Essosouli Njo hinter dem Tisch zu und hielt sie damit auf. \"Deine Ehrlichkeit und Einsicht haben uns allen so viel gebracht. Dich zu unterrichten war eine gro\u00dfe Freude, aber von dir zu lernen war noch besser. Wegen dieser gesch\u00e4tzten Schl\u00e4ge gebe ich dir meinen Verteidiger.\"\n\nF\u00fcr eine Sekunde dachte Jaclyn, der Raum h\u00e4tte einen Druckabfall erlitten, denn es wurde totenstill. Nie zuvor hatte sie eine solche Stille erlebt, w\u00e4hrend sie von Banu umgeben war. Essosouli Njo l\u00e4chelte sie herzlich an und fuhr fort: \"Obwohl ich mir nichts sehnlicher w\u00fcnsche, als dass diese Souli zusammenbleiben, wei\u00df ich, dass einige von Taernin zum Gehen aufgefordert werden. Jaclyn, ich kann nicht sagen, ob Taernin dich ruft, aber du verdienst das Recht, es selbst herauszufinden. Deshalb zahle ich auch den Restbetrag deines Arbeitsvertrags und gebe dir gerade genug Verm\u00f6gen, um eine Reise zu beginnen. Den Rest musst du dir selbst verdienen.\"\n\nDie Menge jubelte und umringte Jaclyn, um ihr zu ihrem Gl\u00fcck zu gratulieren. Sie war v\u00f6llig \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigt und es gab keine Worte, um ihre Gef\u00fchle zu beschreiben. Genau wie Essosouli Njo hatte sich auch Jaclyns Leben gerade ver\u00e4ndert. Ihre Zukunft war wieder einmal ungewiss und das machte ihr sowohl Angst als auch Freude.","zh_CN":"This short story originally appeared in Jump Point 10.06.\n\u201cEverything is auspicious!\u201d Essosouli Njo proclaimed in Banu. The gathered Merchantman crew turned their attention toward the elderly Banu standing behind a table with an ornate lockbox in the center. As the crowd eagerly pressed in closer, Jaclyn, the only Human in attendance, remained against the back wall. With Njo\u2019s typical speaking volume being just shy of yelling, she could hear fine from back there and was too nervous to even glance at the lockbox knowing that her fate waited inside.\n\n\u201cJoy is abundant within me today because all of you are here to celebrate my divestment. With Cassa\u2019s blessing, I have reached 275,000,000 beats,\u201d Essosouli Njo continued to rapturous applause. Though Jaclyn spoke decent Banu, her mind still translated everything into UEE standard, which often left her a moment behind other Souli members. \u201cI\u2019ve gained much during that time and have squandered more than I care to admit. Still, I\u2019m proud that this Souli is one of rewarding work, delectable meals, exciting journeys, and so, so much more. If you are here with me today, know that I have valued you. All of you have enriched my life, and I hope you can say the same about me.\u201d\n\nJaclyn sure could. She looked up and briefly locked eyes with Essosouli Njo. They had first met at a refugee camp in Charon. Njo had contracted with a UEE non-profit to manufacture and distribute its foodstuff as free rations to those displaced by the civil war. Jaclyn, her parents, and younger siblings had fled to the camp when their hometown had become a battleground. With nothing to do and sick of feeling helpless, Jaclyn offered to lend a hand distributing the provisions. Njo accepted not because they needed the help, but because they wanted to help her.\n\nDespite being a welcome distraction, Jaclyn couldn\u2019t stop worrying about what the future held for her family. Essosouli Njo consoled Jaclyn, listened to her concerns, and offered to pay her to taste-test new flavor combinations for Human foodstuff. When Jaclyn joked that their Souli could use a full-time Human food tester, Njo offered her a contract on the spot. As much as Jacyln wished she could accept, she wasn\u2019t willing to leave her family unless the salary was enough to get them out of the camp. After thinking for a moment, Njo mentioned there was another way she could fill that role and help her family. Following lengthy discussions with Essosouli Njo and her family, Jaclyn signed a contract making herself indentured. She would work for their Souli for a specific number of beats and, in exchange, her family would be paid enough credits up front to flee Charon.\n\nOn the fateful day Jaclyn left her family and Charon III for the first time in her life, Essosouli Njo invited her to ride in their beloved Defender to Kins. Only later did she learn that, outside of Njo and their personal pilot, very few Souli members had ever been allowed aboard. Still, short excursions together in the Defender became their tradition. Jaclyn would talk honestly about the Souli\u2019s current Human food options and Essosouli Njo taught her the secret to negotiating a fair but profitable contract.\n\nOne day Jaclyn asked Essosouli Njo about a clock in their office that counted up. That\u2019s when she learned about divestment, a ceremony celebrating a Banu reaching 275,000,000 beats or just shy of 44 standard Earth years, with a beat being equal to five seconds. Divesting Banu retire to enjoy their final beats as they see fit. At the efanga fo ktambo, divestment ceremony, they gift most of their possessions to family and friends, with Essosouli\u2019s traditionally bestowing the bulk of their belongings to the Banu who they want to take over the Souli. While Souli members can decide whether they want to stay, those indentured to the Souli do not. Their fate rests with the new Essosouli, who could keep their contract or sell it.\n\nEssosouli Njo picked up the lockbox and briefly considered it, then began gracefully rotating it while subtly tapping sections in a specific sequence. \u201cWithin this lies my life\u2019s work. This Souli is what made my beats meaningful. Building it brought me great pride but, most importantly, it brought me a community to share its success with.\u201d The lockbox opened revealing a chip containing the Souli\u2019s most important recipes. Essosouli Njo took it in their hands. \u201cThat\u2019s why even though I must go, I hope this Souli reforms in a similar way. Because while we\u2019ve made delectable food here, we\u2019ve done more than that. We\u2019ve created a community that deeply cares for each other and those pulled into our orbit. I know this Souli can continue to spread more good through the universe. That\u2019s why I hope Malga will accept the command of this Merchantman and all responsibilities therein.\u201d\n\nThe room erupted in celebration. Jaclyn braced herself against the wall from the sound and fought off a dizzy spell as all the blood fell to her feet. When she joined the Souli, most members welcomed her warmly but some clearly resented her unique relationship with Essosouli Njo, including Malga. Now her future lay in their hands, as the Souli would clearly reform around them. Malga was well-liked and the logical choice, but Jaclyn has also once overheard them remind a friend that a contract for a Human indentured would sell lightning fast. Jaclyn slunk toward an exit as Njo proceeded with gifting more of their possessions.\n\n\u201cAnd how could I ever forget Jaclyn,\u201d Essosouli Njo bellowed from behind the table, stopping her dead in her tracks. \u201cYour honesty and insight have brought us all so much. Teaching you was a great joy, but learning from you was even better. Because of those cherished beats, I give to you my Defender.\u201d\n\nFor a second, Jaclyn thought the room might\u2019ve depressurized because it fell deadly quiet. Never before had she experienced such silence while surrounded by Banu. Essosouli Njo smiled warmly at her and continued, \u201cThough I want nothing more than for this Souli to stay together, I know some will be called to leave by Taernin. Jaclyn, I can\u2019t say if Taernin calls you, but you deserve the right to find out for yourself. That\u2019s why I am also paying the balance of your indentured contract and giving you just enough wealth to start a journey. The rest I expect you to earn on your own.\u201d\n\nThe crowd cheered and surrounded Jaclyn to congratulate her good fortune. Completely overwhelmed, there were no words to capture how she felt. Much like Essosouli Njo, Jaclyn\u2019s life had just changed. Her future once again was unknown, and it both terrified and excited her."},"links_count":0,"comment_count":23,"created_at":"2024-06-11T21:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"1 year ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-08 02:37:27","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":20007,"next_id":20009}}