[2021] I left them. I left the greenbeards.

I joined a party of 3 for a mission I needed to complete an assignment. All three were player level 1 or 2. I’m no elder, but I took the time to point out lost equipment and spots where some big chonky minerals were. They never spoke, but they listened.

It was a simple mining mission and simple was the task. Everything was wrapped up and all that remained was getting home. They called in the drop pod and off we headed. There was some resistance heading back, of course, but nothing that ever felt threatening. It was a long cave with some verticality to it and I found myself in front, nearing the pod, confident they were right behind me.

I was confused when the first portrait went red. They were safe behind me, so I thought. Then the second one dropped, then the third. I’ll never know if they somehow got turned around or if in my hubris I’d simply run off and left them. With 25 seconds left before the pod was to leave, I found out why my parents didn’t name me Karl. I started to run back for them, and realizing I wouldn’t make it, turned and got on the pod alone.

Those boys didn’t deserve to be buried with those bugs, but when management sent me, bury them they did.