{"data":{"id":13860,"title":"The First Run: Episode Five","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/13860-The-First-Run-Episode-Five","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/13860","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/13860","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"The First Run","images":[{"id":1571,"name":"SorriLyrax_test2.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/khggyuby7bo7rr\/source\/SorriLyrax_test2.jpg","alt":"","size":1760627,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2014-04-17T20:30:23+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/1571","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/1571\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"When the Night Stalker, Burnett\u2019s ship, lurched into the docking station, the sounds of metal coupling together echoed through the ship. Immediately, faint music played against the outer steel.\n\nLooking out the Night Stalker\u2019s port view, the meteor-scarred haven of the Stardevils reflected in the reddish light from the gas giant. The base looked like two or three old Starfarers had been dragged out of mothballs and welded together.\n\n\u201cHome sweet home,\u201d said Burnett from behind me.\n\nHe showed me all his teeth and I went back to staring at the Stardevil\u2019s base.\n\n\u201cWhy do you do this?\u201d I asked.\n\n\u201cWhy do I do what?\u201d\n\nA wrench or some other heavy device banged against the air lock. We were being allowed to enter.\n\nBurnett moved to the door, so I stepped forward. \u201cWhy do you steal? Tell me this at least, before you sell me. You owe me that much.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I don\u2019t,\u201d he replied, gazing at me with half-lidded eyes.\n\n\u201cWell, it won\u2019t cost you anything, either.\u201d\n\nBurnett made a grumbling noise in his throat. \u201cFine. It\u2019s not like it\u2019ll matter long. The UEE stinks of corruption, every damn corporation cheats, and if you try to do the right thing you get screwed. One day you just get sick of it and take what\u2019s been owed.\u201d\n\nHe placed his massive hands on the door panels, both of them, and briefly gripped so tight his knuckles cracked. He shook his head as if some memory was invading it.\n\nWhen he glared back at me, I tried not to recoil.\n\n\u201cWhile we\u2019re here, I expect nothing but silence from you. If you\u2019re good, I\u2019ll tell them you have some skills that they can use. If you piss me off, I\u2019ll tell them you\u2019re only good for one thing, and I think you can guess what that is. Got it?\u201d\n\nI nodded.\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d he said and punched the code into the airlock.\n\nMusic flooded into the Night Stalker, if you were liberal with your definition of music. A strobing bass sounded like one note stuck on repeat and turned up to brain-melting levels. There were other screeching instruments overtop, but it was hard to distinguish between them. It sounded like the instruments were disintegrating as they were being played. The whole mess could have been mood music for a Robotic Underworld.\n\nBurnett pushed me through first as I held my ears closed with my fingertips. The artificial gravity was set really high and my legs sagged with each step. Burnett seemed to enjoy it.\n\nThe innards of the base made the haphazard outside look planned. Tubes and other random shapes of metal had been welded to the walls. In the middle of the floor, a large phallic object made for a giant had been constructed.\n\nI didn\u2019t see the Stardevil greeting committee until the man stepped out of the shadows. He had hair like rubber tubes, an abnormally long face, and inky black streaks in his arms and neck \u2014 marks of a heavy WIDoW user.\n\n\u201cGonna whicha broda sista,\u201d said the tripped-out Stardevil with rubber tube hair, before he grabbed my arm and started dragging me down the hall. I struggled against him, but he was more used to the higher gravity and my boots slid along the metal grating in stunted clanks.\n\nBurnett stepped forward and shoved the Stardevil in the back, making him release my arm.\n\n\u201cKeep your damn hands off,\u201d said Burnett.\n\nI rubbed my arm. \u201cThank you.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey haven\u2019t paid for you, yet,\u201d he said, looking away.\n\nA woman\u2019s voice called out over the music. \u201cWell, Burnett, have you brought us more than a little decryption business?\u201d\n\nThe woman was long and lithe, like a dancer, with black and white dreads, wearing a black leather jumpsuit. She wasn\u2019t pretty, but had the confidence of a model.\n\n\u201cFresh meat, Synthia, if you\u2019d like it,\u201d he said, shrugging. \u201cBut if not, I can sell it somewhere else. I just need this file opened. The girl\u2019s a bonus.\u201d\n\nSynthia gave me a considering glance. \u201cFollow me.\u201d\n\nThe passage was more of the same, like the twisted dream of an insane artist. At least the music wasn\u2019t as deafening in the next part of the ship.\n\nSynthia brought us to what appeared to be a bar, if you enjoyed sitting on sharp objects. I eyed the stool made of bent rifles and remained standing. Burnett wisely leaned against the bar, while Synthia took position on a lumpy molded chair with sharp nails composing the backstop.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s see it,\u201d said Synthia, picking at an ebony fingernail.\n\nBurnett pulled the stolen MobiGlas from his breast pocket with two fingers and casually tossed it to Synthia. I must have made a noise in my throat, because Burnett narrowed his gaze in my direction, reminding me to keep my trap shut.\n\nLicking her lips, Synthia expertly tapped on the device for a minute before glancing up.\n\n\u201cSo?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cIt can be done,\u201d she said and her lips curled out, \u201cfor double the normal price.\u201d\n\nThe vein in Burnett\u2019s neck pulsed to full standing. I\u2019ll give him credit though, he swallowed it back and after stretching his neck gave his answer.\n\n\u201cOne-fifty and you get her.\u201d He nodded in my direction.\n\nSynthia\u2019s mouth pinched down to a point. \u201cHer? You\u2019re kidding me, right? She\u2019d better be able to hot-wire an Avenger blindfolded to be worth that.\u201d\n\nThe grumble started in Burnett\u2019s chest. When his forehead slumped, I knew he was going to give in.\n\nIf you asked me later why I spoke up, I\u2019d tell you it was quick thinking, but I\u2019d be lying. Really it was pride and I didn\u2019t even know how many credits they were talking.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m worth double that,\u201d I said, right as Burnett was about to speak.\n\nWide-eyed shock registered across Synthia\u2019s face like a seismic event, which was probably the only thing that kept her from noticing Burnett about to reach over and choke me out.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m a trained chemist,\u201d I blurted out. \u201cI can double the efficiency on your WIDoW making. And not cutting it with junk. High quality only. Less side effects and better sell rate.\u201d\n\n\u201cBurnett?\u201d asked Synthia. \u201cWhy\u2019re you be so cagey? I\u2019m as interested as a honey doll, but don\u2019t chaw me. If she\u2019s lying and wasting my time, then it\u2019s two-fifty.\u201d\n\nIf the vein on Burnett\u2019s neck had burst at that moment, I wouldn\u2019t have been surprised.\n\nI spit the words out before he could ruin it: \u201cMy father owned a bar, and we brewed our own beer, and when times got tough, he brewed other stuff.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou could be lying, girl,\u201d said Synthia, tapping her lower lip with her black fingernail.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s on my MobiGlas, back on the ship. Brewers certifications, chemistry texts, the whole works. You\u2019ll see. Let me go get it and I\u2019ll show you.\u201d\n\nWhen I moved toward the door, Burnett grabbed my arm. His fingers dug into the muscle and I had to suppress a cry of pain.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll. Get. It.\u201d intoning each word with such menace that I could feel my bones snapping already. He wasn\u2019t going to just throw me out the airlock now, he was going to break me piece by piece.\n\n\u201cYou stay,\u201d and pointed his meaty finger to the matching stool across from Synthia.\n\nAfter Burnett left, Synthia crossed her arms, tilted her head, and licked her lips in anticipation.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re lying, aren\u2019t you?\u201d\n\nI\u2019d been making a spacer\u2019s gamble without a plan in sight, but the way she looked at me, the way her eyes creased at the corners and sparkled with a mischievous light, made me realize I had to come up with something really fast.\n\nRubbing my temples, I tried to think of something. Whatever it was, it had to be quick. Burnett would be back with my MobiGlas soon and then I\u2019d be dead.\n\nMobiGlas.\n\nMy MobiGlas.\n\n\u201cHe kidnapped me,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019m a courier. The courier that was carrying that MobiGlas. He was going to throw me out the airlock, but I told him about the beacon the company puts on us for safety. So he decided to stick me with you to cover his tracks from what\u2019s on the other MobiGlas.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd why should I believe you?\u201d asked Synthia.\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t have to believe me. Believe him. I recorded everything he said.\u201d Or at least I hope I did. \u201cIt\u2019s on the MobiGlas. I\u2019ll play it back for you when he gets back.\u201d\n\nSynthia stretched her neck and corralled her dreads to hang over her shoulder. Then she sub-vocalized some commands, I assumed to bring in reinforcements, and gave me a lazy wait-and-see glance.\n\nWhen Burnett returned, he threw me the MobiGlas. His lips were flat and his nostrils flared in twitches.\n\n\u201cShow her your files.\u201d\n\nI tapped on the glass, silently cheering when I found it was still recording, and handed the MobiGlas over to Synthia. She set the other one onto the table and started watching the playback.\n\nWhen a half-dozen other members of the Stardevils sauntered in with lead pipes and crowbars, each one looking successively more twisted than Synthia, Burnett backed against the bar and bared his teeth. His eyes flitted around the room. He knew something was going to happen.\n\n\u201cLeave us to the UEE?\u201d asked Synthia. \u201cNot a very nice thing to do to a business partner. Maybe once I get these files off, we\u2019ll shove this MobiGlas up you wide-wise and throw you out the airlock.\u201d\n\nI backed away from Burnett as the others converged. He cracked his knuckles and looked ready for a fight. Despite being outnumbered, he didn\u2019t look intimidated. In fact, he looked downright ready to sling fists.\n\n\u201cI was going to ghost your ass,\u201d said Synthia, \u201cbut I decided I\u2019d let the gang have a little fun first. They don\u2019t get these opportunities that often.\u201d\n\nWhen Burnett made a desperate lunge towards Synthia, the others attacked. The fight quickly devolved into blunt weapons and fists, and Burnett, outnumbered and outarmed, was surprisingly holding his own. I used the distraction to grab the company MobiGlas and dart out of the room, my personal Glas unfortunately left behind.\n\nI wasn\u2019t sure if they saw me, but I kept running as if they had. Thankfully, each corridor was so unique that I easily found my way back to the Night Stalker.\n\nWith the airlock closed, I raced to the cockpit and started hammering buttons, hoping that Burnett hadn\u2019t locked his system.\n\nWhen I hit the right sequence and the Night Stalker disengaged from the Stardevil\u2019s base, I set the ship to head towards Oya III, fast as possible. Locking myself into the harness, I prepared for acceleration, right as an explosion rocked the ship.\n\nto be continued \u2026","de_DE":"Als der Night Stalker, Burnetts Schiff, in die Dockingstation eintauchte, hallte der Klang der Metallkupplung durch das Schiff. Sofort spielte schwache Musik gegen den \u00e4u\u00dferen Stahl.\n\nMit Blick auf die Hafenansicht des Night Stalkers spiegelt sich der meteorgesch\u00e4digte Hafen der Sternenteufel im r\u00f6tlichen Licht des Gasriesen wider. Die Basis sah aus, als w\u00e4ren zwei oder drei alte Starfarers aus Mottenkugeln gezogen und miteinander verschwei\u00dft worden.\n\n\"Home sweet home\", sagte Burnett von hinten.\n\nEr zeigte mir alle seine Z\u00e4hne und ich starrte wieder auf die Basis des Sternenteufels.\n\n\"Warum tust du das?\" fragte ich.\n\n\"Warum tue ich was?\"\n\nEin Schraubenschl\u00fcssel oder eine andere schwere Vorrichtung schlug gegen die Luftschleuse. Wir durften eintreten.\n\nBurnett ging zur T\u00fcr, also trat ich vor. \"Warum stiehlst du? Sag mir zumindest das, bevor du mich verkaufst. Du schuldest mir so viel.\"\n\n\"Nein, habe ich nicht\", antwortete er und starrte mich mit halbleitenden Augen an.\n\n\"Nun, es wird dich auch nichts kosten.\"\n\nBurnett machte ein meckerndes Ger\u00e4usch in seinem Hals. \"Gut. Es ist nicht so, dass es lange dauern wird. Die UEE stinkt nach Korruption, jede verdammte Firma betr\u00fcgt, und wenn man versucht, das Richtige zu tun, wird man gefickt. Eines Tages wird man es einfach leid und nimmt, was einem geschuldet wird.\"\n\nEr legte seine massiven H\u00e4nde auf die T\u00fcrverkleidungen, beide von ihnen, und griff kurz so fest, dass seine Kn\u00f6chel brachen. Er sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf, als ob eine Erinnerung in ihn eindrang.\n\nAls er mich anstarrte, versuchte ich, nicht zur\u00fcckzuschrecken.\n\n\"Solange wir hier sind, erwarte ich nichts als Stille von dir. Wenn du gut bist, sage ich ihnen, dass du einige F\u00e4higkeiten hast, die sie nutzen k\u00f6nnen. Wenn du mich sauer machst, sage ich ihnen, dass du nur f\u00fcr eine Sache gut bist, und ich denke, du kannst erraten, was das ist. Verstanden?\"\n\nIch nickte.\n\n\"Gut\", sagte er und dr\u00fcckte den Code in die Luftschleuse.\n\nMusik str\u00f6mte in den Night Stalker, wenn Sie mit Ihrer Definition von Musik liberal waren. Ein stroboskopischer Bass klang wie eine Note, die bei der Wiederholung festgehalten und auf Hirnschmelzpegel eingestellt wurde. Es gab noch andere kreischende Instrumente, aber es war schwer, sie zu unterscheiden. Es klang, als w\u00fcrden die Instrumente beim Spielen zerfallen. Das ganze Chaos k\u00f6nnte Stimmungsmusik f\u00fcr eine robotische Unterwelt gewesen sein.\n\nBurnett schob mich zuerst durch, als ich meine Ohren mit den Fingerspitzen geschlossen hielt. Die k\u00fcnstliche Schwerkraft war sehr hoch angesetzt und meine Beine hingen bei jedem Schritt durch. Burnett schien es zu genie\u00dfen.\n\nDie Innenseiten der Basis lie\u00dfen den zuf\u00e4lligen Au\u00dfenauftritt geplant erscheinen. Rohre und andere zuf\u00e4llige Formen aus Metall wurden an die W\u00e4nde geschwei\u00dft. In der Mitte des Bodens war ein gro\u00dfes phallisches Objekt f\u00fcr einen Riesen gebaut worden.\n\nIch habe das Stardevil-Gru\u00dfkomitee erst gesehen, als der Mann aus dem Schatten trat. Er hatte haarartige Gummischl\u00e4uche, ein ungew\u00f6hnlich langes Gesicht und tintenschwarze Streifen in Armen und Hals - Spuren eines schweren WIDoW-Anwenders.\n\n\"Gonna whicha broda sista\", sagte der ausgefallene Sternenteufel mit Gummischlauchhaaren, bevor er meinen Arm packte und anfing, mich den Flur entlang zu ziehen. Ich k\u00e4mpfte gegen ihn, aber er war mehr an die h\u00f6here Schwerkraft gew\u00f6hnt und meine Stiefel rutschten in verk\u00fcmmerten Klumpen \u00fcber das Metallgitter.\n\nBurnett trat vor und schob den Sternenteufel in den R\u00fccken und lie\u00df ihn meinen Arm los.\n\n\"Lass deine verdammten H\u00e4nde weg\", sagte Burnett.\n\nIch rieb mir den Arm. \" Danke.\"\n\n\"Sie haben noch nicht f\u00fcr dich bezahlt\", sagte er und sah weg.\n\nDie Stimme einer Frau rief \u00fcber die Musik. \"Nun, Burnett, hast du uns mehr als nur ein kleines Entschl\u00fcsselungsgesch\u00e4ft gebracht?\"\n\nDie Frau war lang und geschmeidig, wie eine T\u00e4nzerin, mit schwarz-wei\u00dfen Dreads und trug einen schwarzen Lederoverall. Sie war nicht h\u00fcbsch, hatte aber das Vertrauen eines Models.\n\n\"Frisches Fleisch, Synthia, wenn du es magst\", sagte er zuckend. \"Aber wenn nicht, kann ich es woanders verkaufen. Ich brauche nur diese Datei ge\u00f6ffnet. Das M\u00e4dchen ist ein Bonus.\"\n\nSynthia gab mir einen \u00fcberlegten Blick. \" Folgt mir.\"\n\nDie Passage war eher die gleiche, wie der verdrehte Traum eines verr\u00fcckten K\u00fcnstlers. Zumindest war die Musik im n\u00e4chsten Teil des Schiffes nicht so ohrenbet\u00e4ubend.\n\nSynthia brachte uns in eine anscheinend bar, wenn man gerne auf scharfen Gegenst\u00e4nden sa\u00df. Ich sah den Hocker aus gebogenen Gewehren an und blieb stehen. Burnett lehnte sich weise an die Stange, w\u00e4hrend Synthia auf einem klumpig geformten Stuhl mit scharfen N\u00e4geln, die den R\u00fcckanschlag bilden, Platz nahm.\n\n\"Lass es uns sehen\", sagte Synthia und riss an einem Ebenholz-Fingernagel.\n\nBurnett zog das gestohlene MobiGlas mit zwei Fingern aus seiner Brusttasche und warf es beil\u00e4ufig an Synthia. Ich muss ein Ger\u00e4usch in meinem Hals gemacht haben, denn Burnett verengte seinen Blick in meine Richtung und erinnerte mich daran, meine Klappe zu halten.\n\nSynthia leckte ihre Lippen und klopfte eine Minute lang fachm\u00e4nnisch auf das Ger\u00e4t, bevor sie nach oben blickte.\n\n\"Und?\" fragte er.\n\n\"Es ist machbar\", sagte sie und ihre Lippen lockten sich, \"f\u00fcr das Doppelte des normalen Preises.\"\n\nDie Vene in Burnetts Hals pulsierte bis zum Anschlag. Ich werde ihm jedoch Anerkennung zollen, er hat es zur\u00fcckgeschluckt und nach dem Dehnen seines Halses seine Antwort gegeben.\n\n\"Ein F\u00fcnfziger und du bekommst sie.\" Er nickte in meine Richtung.\n\nSynthias Mund wurde bis zu einem gewissen Punkt eingeklemmt. \"Sie? Du verarscht mich, oder? Sie sollte besser in der Lage sein, einen R\u00e4cher mit verbundenen Augen kurzgeschlossen zu verkabeln, um das wert zu sein.\"\n\nDas Meckern begann in Burnetts Brust. Als seine Stirn zusammenbrach, wusste ich, dass er nachgeben w\u00fcrde.\n\nWenn du mich sp\u00e4ter fragen w\u00fcrdest, warum ich mich gemeldet habe, w\u00fcrde ich dir sagen, dass es schnell geht, aber ich w\u00fcrde l\u00fcgen. Wirklich es war Stolz und ich wusste nicht einmal, wie viele Credits sie sprachen.\n\n\"Ich bin das Doppelte wert\", sagte ich, gerade als Burnett im Begriff war zu sprechen.\n\nMit gro\u00dfen Augen wurde ein Schock \u00fcber Synthias Gesicht registriert, wie ein seismisches Ereignis, was wahrscheinlich das Einzige war, was sie davon abhielt, Burnett zu bemerken, die gleich nach vorne griff und mich erstickte.\n\n\"Ich bin ausgebildeter Chemiker\", sprang ich heraus. \"Ich kann die Effizienz Ihrer WIDoW-Produktion verdoppeln. Und nicht mit Schrott schneiden. Nur hohe Qualit\u00e4t. Weniger Nebenwirkungen und bessere Verkaufsrate.\"\n\n\"Burnett?\" fragte Synthia. \"Warum bist du so zur\u00fcckhaltend? Ich bin so interessiert wie eine Honigpuppe, aber kau mich nicht an. Wenn sie l\u00fcgt und meine Zeit verschwendet, dann ist es zwei zu f\u00fcnfzig.\"\n\nWenn die Vene an Burnetts Hals in diesem Moment geplatzt w\u00e4re, w\u00e4re ich nicht \u00fcberrascht gewesen.\n\nIch spucke die Worte aus, bevor er sie ruinieren konnte: \"Mein Vater besa\u00df eine Bar, und wir brauten unser eigenes Bier, und wenn es hart auf hart kam, braute er anderes Zeug.\"\n\n\"Du k\u00f6nntest l\u00fcgen, M\u00e4dchen\", sagte Synthia und klopfte mit ihrem schwarzen Fingernagel auf ihre Unterlippe.\n\n\"Es ist auf meinem MobiGlas, wieder auf dem Schiff. Brauereibescheinigungen, Chemie-Texte, das Ganze. Du wirst sehen. Lass es mich holen und ich zeige es dir.\"\n\nAls ich mich der T\u00fcr n\u00e4herte, packte Burnett meinen Arm. Seine Finger gruben sich in den Muskel und ich musste einen Schmerzensschrei unterdr\u00fccken.\n\n\"Ich werde. Holen Sie sich. Es...\" jedes Wort mit einer solchen Bedrohung intonierend, dass ich schon jetzt sp\u00fcren konnte, wie meine Knochen knickten. Er wollte mich jetzt nicht einfach aus der Luftschleuse werfen, er wollte mich St\u00fcck f\u00fcr St\u00fcck durchbrechen.\n\n\"Du bleibst\", und zeigte mit seinem fleischigen Finger auf den passenden Hocker gegen\u00fcber von Synthia.\n\nNachdem Burnett gegangen war, verschr\u00e4nkte Synthia ihre Arme, neigte ihren Kopf und leckte ihre Lippen in Erwartung.\n\n\"Du l\u00fcgst, nicht wahr?\"\n\nIch hatte das Gl\u00fccksspiel eines Spacers ohne einen Plan in Sichtweite gemacht, aber die Art und Weise, wie sie mich ansah, die Art und Weise, wie ihre Augen an den Ecken knitterten und mit einem schelmischen Licht funkelten, lie\u00df mich erkennen, dass ich mir wirklich schnell etwas einfallen lassen musste.\n\nAls ich meine Schl\u00e4fen rieb, versuchte ich, mir etwas auszudenken. Was auch immer es war, es musste schnell gehen. Burnett w\u00e4re bald mit meinem MobiGlas zur\u00fcck und dann w\u00e4re ich tot.\n\nMobiGlas.\n\nMein MobiGlas.\n\n\"Er hat mich entf\u00fchrt\", sagte ich. \"Ich bin ein Kurier. Der Kurier, der das MobiGlas trug. Er wollte mich aus der Luftschleuse werfen, aber ich erz\u00e4hlte ihm von dem Leuchtfeuer, das die Firma uns zur Sicherheit anbringt. Also beschloss er, mich mit dir zusammenzuschlagen, um seine Spuren von dem zu verwischen, was auf dem anderen MobiGlas ist.\"\n\n\"Und warum sollte ich dir glauben?\" fragte Synthia.\n\n\"Du musst mir nicht glauben. Glaub ihm. Ich habe alles aufgezeichnet, was er gesagt hat.\" Oder zumindest hoffe ich, dass ich es getan habe. \"Es ist auf dem MobiGlas. Ich spiele es dir vor, wenn er zur\u00fcckkommt.\"\n\nSynthia streckte ihren Hals aus und schloss ihre Dreads ein, um \u00fcber ihre Schulter zu h\u00e4ngen. Dann hat sie einige Befehle sub-vokalisiert, von denen ich annahm, dass ich Verst\u00e4rkung mitbringen w\u00fcrde, und mir einen faulen, abwartenden Blick zuwarf.\n\nAls Burnett zur\u00fcckkam, warf er mir das MobiGlas zu. Seine Lippen waren flach und seine Nasenl\u00f6cher zuckten.\n\n\"Zeig ihr deine Akten.\"\n\nIch klopfte auf das Glas, jubelte leise, als ich feststellte, dass es noch aufgenommen wurde, und \u00fcbergab das MobiGlas an Synthia. Sie stellte den anderen auf den Tisch und begann, sich die Wiedergabe anzusehen.\n\nAls ein halbes Dutzend andere Mitglieder der Stardevils mit Bleirohren und Brecheisen, die nacheinander verdrehter aussahen als Synthia, schlenderten, st\u00fctzte sich Burnett gegen die Stange und entbl\u00f6\u00dfte seine Z\u00e4hne. Seine Augen flogen durch den Raum. Er wusste, dass etwas passieren w\u00fcrde.\n\n\"\u00dcberlass uns der UEE?\" fragte Synthia. \"Keine sehr sch\u00f6ne Sache, die man einem Gesch\u00e4ftspartner antun kann. Vielleicht schieben wir dir dieses MobiGlas in die Breite und werfen dich aus der Luftschleuse.\"\n\nIch wich von Burnett zur\u00fcck, als die anderen zusammenkamen. Er knackte seine Kn\u00f6chel und sah bereit f\u00fcr einen Kampf aus. Obwohl er in der Unterzahl war, sah er nicht eingesch\u00fcchtert aus. Tats\u00e4chlich sah er geradezu bereit aus, F\u00e4uste zu schie\u00dfen.\n\n\"Ich wollte deinen Arsch geistern lassen\", sagte Synthia, \"aber ich beschloss, dass ich die Bande zuerst ein wenig Spa\u00df haben lie\u00df. Sie bekommen diese M\u00f6glichkeiten nicht so oft.\"\n\nAls Burnett einen verzweifelten Ausfallschritt in Richtung Synthia machte, griffen die anderen an. Der Kampf entwickelte sich schnell zu stumpfen Waffen und F\u00e4usten, und Burnett, in der Unterzahl und unterlegen, hielt sich \u00fcberraschend gut. Ich nutzte die Ablenkung, um die Firma MobiGlas zu schnappen und aus dem Raum zu huschen, mein pers\u00f6nliches Glas blieb leider zur\u00fcck.\n\nIch war mir nicht sicher, ob sie mich sahen, aber ich rannte weiter, als h\u00e4tten sie es getan. Gl\u00fccklicherweise war jeder Korridor so einzigartig, dass ich leicht den Weg zur\u00fcck zum Night Stalker fand.\n\nMit geschlossener Luftschleuse raste ich zum Cockpit und fing an, Kn\u00f6pfe zu h\u00e4mmern, in der Hoffnung, dass Burnett sein System nicht gesperrt hatte.\n\nAls ich die richtige Sequenz traf und der Night Stalker sich von der Basis des Sternenteufels l\u00f6ste, setzte ich das Schiff so schnell wie m\u00f6glich auf Oya III zu. Ich schloss mich in den Gurt ein und bereitete mich auf die Beschleunigung vor, gerade als eine Explosion das Schiff ersch\u00fctterte.\n\nwird fortgesetzt.....","zh_CN":"When the Night Stalker, Burnett\u2019s ship, lurched into the docking station, the sounds of metal coupling together echoed through the ship. Immediately, faint music played against the outer steel.\n\nLooking out the Night Stalker\u2019s port view, the meteor-scarred haven of the Stardevils reflected in the reddish light from the gas giant. The base looked like two or three old Starfarers had been dragged out of mothballs and welded together.\n\n\u201cHome sweet home,\u201d said Burnett from behind me.\n\nHe showed me all his teeth and I went back to staring at the Stardevil\u2019s base.\n\n\u201cWhy do you do this?\u201d I asked.\n\n\u201cWhy do I do what?\u201d\n\nA wrench or some other heavy device banged against the air lock. We were being allowed to enter.\n\nBurnett moved to the door, so I stepped forward. \u201cWhy do you steal? Tell me this at least, before you sell me. You owe me that much.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, I don\u2019t,\u201d he replied, gazing at me with half-lidded eyes.\n\n\u201cWell, it won\u2019t cost you anything, either.\u201d\n\nBurnett made a grumbling noise in his throat. \u201cFine. It\u2019s not like it\u2019ll matter long. The UEE stinks of corruption, every damn corporation cheats, and if you try to do the right thing you get screwed. One day you just get sick of it and take what\u2019s been owed.\u201d\n\nHe placed his massive hands on the door panels, both of them, and briefly gripped so tight his knuckles cracked. He shook his head as if some memory was invading it.\n\nWhen he glared back at me, I tried not to recoil.\n\n\u201cWhile we\u2019re here, I expect nothing but silence from you. If you\u2019re good, I\u2019ll tell them you have some skills that they can use. If you piss me off, I\u2019ll tell them you\u2019re only good for one thing, and I think you can guess what that is. Got it?\u201d\n\nI nodded.\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d he said and punched the code into the airlock.\n\nMusic flooded into the Night Stalker, if you were liberal with your definition of music. A strobing bass sounded like one note stuck on repeat and turned up to brain-melting levels. There were other screeching instruments overtop, but it was hard to distinguish between them. It sounded like the instruments were disintegrating as they were being played. The whole mess could have been mood music for a Robotic Underworld.\n\nBurnett pushed me through first as I held my ears closed with my fingertips. The artificial gravity was set really high and my legs sagged with each step. Burnett seemed to enjoy it.\n\nThe innards of the base made the haphazard outside look planned. Tubes and other random shapes of metal had been welded to the walls. In the middle of the floor, a large phallic object made for a giant had been constructed.\n\nI didn\u2019t see the Stardevil greeting committee until the man stepped out of the shadows. He had hair like rubber tubes, an abnormally long face, and inky black streaks in his arms and neck \u2014 marks of a heavy WIDoW user.\n\n\u201cGonna whicha broda sista,\u201d said the tripped-out Stardevil with rubber tube hair, before he grabbed my arm and started dragging me down the hall. I struggled against him, but he was more used to the higher gravity and my boots slid along the metal grating in stunted clanks.\n\nBurnett stepped forward and shoved the Stardevil in the back, making him release my arm.\n\n\u201cKeep your damn hands off,\u201d said Burnett.\n\nI rubbed my arm. \u201cThank you.\u201d\n\n\u201cThey haven\u2019t paid for you, yet,\u201d he said, looking away.\n\nA woman\u2019s voice called out over the music. \u201cWell, Burnett, have you brought us more than a little decryption business?\u201d\n\nThe woman was long and lithe, like a dancer, with black and white dreads, wearing a black leather jumpsuit. She wasn\u2019t pretty, but had the confidence of a model.\n\n\u201cFresh meat, Synthia, if you\u2019d like it,\u201d he said, shrugging. \u201cBut if not, I can sell it somewhere else. I just need this file opened. The girl\u2019s a bonus.\u201d\n\nSynthia gave me a considering glance. \u201cFollow me.\u201d\n\nThe passage was more of the same, like the twisted dream of an insane artist. At least the music wasn\u2019t as deafening in the next part of the ship.\n\nSynthia brought us to what appeared to be a bar, if you enjoyed sitting on sharp objects. I eyed the stool made of bent rifles and remained standing. Burnett wisely leaned against the bar, while Synthia took position on a lumpy molded chair with sharp nails composing the backstop.\n\n\u201cLet\u2019s see it,\u201d said Synthia, picking at an ebony fingernail.\n\nBurnett pulled the stolen MobiGlas from his breast pocket with two fingers and casually tossed it to Synthia. I must have made a noise in my throat, because Burnett narrowed his gaze in my direction, reminding me to keep my trap shut.\n\nLicking her lips, Synthia expertly tapped on the device for a minute before glancing up.\n\n\u201cSo?\u201d he asked.\n\n\u201cIt can be done,\u201d she said and her lips curled out, \u201cfor double the normal price.\u201d\n\nThe vein in Burnett\u2019s neck pulsed to full standing. I\u2019ll give him credit though, he swallowed it back and after stretching his neck gave his answer.\n\n\u201cOne-fifty and you get her.\u201d He nodded in my direction.\n\nSynthia\u2019s mouth pinched down to a point. \u201cHer? You\u2019re kidding me, right? She\u2019d better be able to hot-wire an Avenger blindfolded to be worth that.\u201d\n\nThe grumble started in Burnett\u2019s chest. When his forehead slumped, I knew he was going to give in.\n\nIf you asked me later why I spoke up, I\u2019d tell you it was quick thinking, but I\u2019d be lying. Really it was pride and I didn\u2019t even know how many credits they were talking.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m worth double that,\u201d I said, right as Burnett was about to speak.\n\nWide-eyed shock registered across Synthia\u2019s face like a seismic event, which was probably the only thing that kept her from noticing Burnett about to reach over and choke me out.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m a trained chemist,\u201d I blurted out. \u201cI can double the efficiency on your WIDoW making. And not cutting it with junk. High quality only. Less side effects and better sell rate.\u201d\n\n\u201cBurnett?\u201d asked Synthia. \u201cWhy\u2019re you be so cagey? I\u2019m as interested as a honey doll, but don\u2019t chaw me. If she\u2019s lying and wasting my time, then it\u2019s two-fifty.\u201d\n\nIf the vein on Burnett\u2019s neck had burst at that moment, I wouldn\u2019t have been surprised.\n\nI spit the words out before he could ruin it: \u201cMy father owned a bar, and we brewed our own beer, and when times got tough, he brewed other stuff.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou could be lying, girl,\u201d said Synthia, tapping her lower lip with her black fingernail.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s on my MobiGlas, back on the ship. Brewers certifications, chemistry texts, the whole works. You\u2019ll see. Let me go get it and I\u2019ll show you.\u201d\n\nWhen I moved toward the door, Burnett grabbed my arm. His fingers dug into the muscle and I had to suppress a cry of pain.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll. Get. It.\u201d intoning each word with such menace that I could feel my bones snapping already. He wasn\u2019t going to just throw me out the airlock now, he was going to break me piece by piece.\n\n\u201cYou stay,\u201d and pointed his meaty finger to the matching stool across from Synthia.\n\nAfter Burnett left, Synthia crossed her arms, tilted her head, and licked her lips in anticipation.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re lying, aren\u2019t you?\u201d\n\nI\u2019d been making a spacer\u2019s gamble without a plan in sight, but the way she looked at me, the way her eyes creased at the corners and sparkled with a mischievous light, made me realize I had to come up with something really fast.\n\nRubbing my temples, I tried to think of something. Whatever it was, it had to be quick. Burnett would be back with my MobiGlas soon and then I\u2019d be dead.\n\nMobiGlas.\n\nMy MobiGlas.\n\n\u201cHe kidnapped me,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019m a courier. The courier that was carrying that MobiGlas. He was going to throw me out the airlock, but I told him about the beacon the company puts on us for safety. So he decided to stick me with you to cover his tracks from what\u2019s on the other MobiGlas.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd why should I believe you?\u201d asked Synthia.\n\n\u201cYou don\u2019t have to believe me. Believe him. I recorded everything he said.\u201d Or at least I hope I did. \u201cIt\u2019s on the MobiGlas. I\u2019ll play it back for you when he gets back.\u201d\n\nSynthia stretched her neck and corralled her dreads to hang over her shoulder. Then she sub-vocalized some commands, I assumed to bring in reinforcements, and gave me a lazy wait-and-see glance.\n\nWhen Burnett returned, he threw me the MobiGlas. His lips were flat and his nostrils flared in twitches.\n\n\u201cShow her your files.\u201d\n\nI tapped on the glass, silently cheering when I found it was still recording, and handed the MobiGlas over to Synthia. She set the other one onto the table and started watching the playback.\n\nWhen a half-dozen other members of the Stardevils sauntered in with lead pipes and crowbars, each one looking successively more twisted than Synthia, Burnett backed against the bar and bared his teeth. His eyes flitted around the room. He knew something was going to happen.\n\n\u201cLeave us to the UEE?\u201d asked Synthia. \u201cNot a very nice thing to do to a business partner. Maybe once I get these files off, we\u2019ll shove this MobiGlas up you wide-wise and throw you out the airlock.\u201d\n\nI backed away from Burnett as the others converged. He cracked his knuckles and looked ready for a fight. Despite being outnumbered, he didn\u2019t look intimidated. In fact, he looked downright ready to sling fists.\n\n\u201cI was going to ghost your ass,\u201d said Synthia, \u201cbut I decided I\u2019d let the gang have a little fun first. They don\u2019t get these opportunities that often.\u201d\n\nWhen Burnett made a desperate lunge towards Synthia, the others attacked. The fight quickly devolved into blunt weapons and fists, and Burnett, outnumbered and outarmed, was surprisingly holding his own. I used the distraction to grab the company MobiGlas and dart out of the room, my personal Glas unfortunately left behind.\n\nI wasn\u2019t sure if they saw me, but I kept running as if they had. Thankfully, each corridor was so unique that I easily found my way back to the Night Stalker.\n\nWith the airlock closed, I raced to the cockpit and started hammering buttons, hoping that Burnett hadn\u2019t locked his system.\n\nWhen I hit the right sequence and the Night Stalker disengaged from the Stardevil\u2019s base, I set the ship to head towards Oya III, fast as possible. Locking myself into the harness, I prepared for acceleration, right as an explosion rocked the ship.\n\nto be continued \u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":78,"created_at":"2014-05-15T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"11 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-09 11:51:41","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":13859,"next_id":13861}}