{"data":{"id":13966,"title":"The First Run: Episode Ten","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/13966-The-First-Run-Episode-Ten","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/13966","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/13966","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":"I wouldn\u2019t say that I regretted not taking the offer from Dario Oberon, but as I sat in my little metal cell with nothing but a grimy toilet as companion, it certainly crossed my mind.\n\nDashing good looks. Check.\n\nRoguish smile. Check.\n\nFreakishly quick reflexes. Check.\n\nNot to mention, his own ship, and enough funds to maintain his vagabond thief lifestyle.\n\nIn my gut, I knew it wasn\u2019t for me, at least at this stage of my life, but it was a better alternative than prison.\n\nRegret wasn\u2019t the worst part. The worst part was going to be telling my father. I rubbed the sunset colored wool sweater that had served me well through my adventure, trying to warm myself even though I wasn\u2019t really cold.\n\nEven if I got out of this, he\u2019d never forgive me. I was his last link to Mom. I know he\u2019d think that I had somehow tainted her memory.\n\nWhen the guard took me to the interrogation room yet again, I slumped against the chair, hands folded in front of me in semblance of prayer.\n\nA little while later, Captain Hennessy entered and took up the chair opposite me.\n\n\u201cI thought I said I didn\u2019t want to see you again,\u201d said the captain, \u201cbut here I am. Not only that, but the events that transpired in Oya system and around the Gurzil jump point will mean that I won\u2019t get a weekend free for the next six months, not to mention the official reprimand I received for letting you through Oya Station. I\u2019m lucky I didn\u2019t get knocked down a few ranks.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Captain Hennessy, I really am. But I\u2019ve already told everyone everything I know. I\u2019m just as confused about the whole thing.\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy steepled her fingers. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that\u2019s not good enough. You\u2019re going to have to give us something. The only thing we have besides dead pirates is a little courier who won\u2019t say anything. When these kinds of things happen, there\u2019s always punishment for someone. If you\u2019re all we got, well \u2026\u201d\n\nThe Captain let the threat hang like a noose.\n\n\u201cBut I haven\u2019t done anything wrong,\u201d I said. \u201cWhen that guy, Burnett, stole my MobiGlas, I just thought it was some thug, or that maybe the company was testing me. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get kidnapped into space and thrown into the middle of a pirate war.\u201d\n\nI buried my face in my hands and sniffed. I wasn\u2019t acting. The tears were real and so was my exhaustion. I\u2019d told various officers the story at least twenty times, maybe more. Each time, they asked questions about the details.\n\nWho was the ringleader? Where did the files go? What kind of weapons files were they? Who stole them? Was it an inside job? Do you know what company they\u2019d been taken from?\n\nI\u2019d told them everything that happened to me, leaving out Dario\u2019s involvement. They still hadn\u2019t pieced together that he\u2019d been the one to put the files on my MobiGlas. They were convinced the files had been put there at FTL HQ on Castra II.\n\n\u201cYou want to be a Citizen someday, right?\u201d asked Captain Hennessy.\n\nMy stomach turned into rock. I nodded.\n\n\u201cThen give us something. Something we can work with. Who do you think might have smuggled the files on your system at FTL? Your supervisor? Another person? We just need something. Or we\u2019re going to have to charge you with abetting a smuggler, and that\u2019s going to wreck your chance at a Citizenship, not to mention the time you\u2019re going to spend in prison.\u201d\n\nI rubbed my temples. If I gave them Dario, then I\u2019d gone back on my word, and who knew if he was the type of criminal to punish an indiscretion. If I lied and gave a name at FTL, then kiss that job, and any other like it, goodbye. Not to mention that I\u2019d be a flat out liar.\n\n\u201cWhat about Burnett?\u201d I asked. \u201cHe\u2019s the one who kidnapped me. Doesn\u2019t that help?\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy glanced at her clasped hands and sighed. \u201cWe have no records of this Burnett at the battle, or on planet. Or anything else. At this point, we\u2019re convinced that you made him up, to hide the real perpetrator who\u2019s promised you payments for your silence. Tell us who it was that brought you back to planetside, at great risk, and we might consider some leniency. Some.\u201d\n\nI slapped my hands on the table. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t know him and he didn\u2019t say his name. I already gave his description. He might have been one of the pirates for all I know. He just happened to be the one who picked me up from the Night Stalker after I came through the jump point.\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy tightened her jaw and clasped her hands tight. \u201cAll the explanations or excuses in the world aren\u2019t going to help. I need information. Reliable information, or you\u2019re going to take the heat for this. I\u2019m sorry, but that\u2019s just the way it is.\u201d\n\nShe left me and the guards led me back to my cell. I slumped against the wall until I was sitting on my rear. A numbness spread from my face, down my chest and invaded my body like a plague. You could have slapped me and I wouldn\u2019t have reacted.\n\nI wasn\u2019t sure why it was so hard. I had to turn in Dario, and simple as that, I\u2019d be set free. He was the one who put me in this situation. Why was I protecting him?\n\nMy father would blame it on my hormones. Without Mom around to correct him, he blamed everything I did on my hormones, for which I guess I should be grateful. He\u2019d never hit me, but he could make a priest feel guilty with his scowl.\n\nI squeezed my knees to my chest and buried my face between my knees. I wasn\u2019t sure why I was delaying. Eventually I\u2019d have to turn in Dario. Better to do it now while they were still offering a deal. I\u2019d probably lose my job and my father\u2019s trust, but at least I wouldn\u2019t have a criminal record, or spend time in prison.\n\nWith a heavy heart, I banged on the door with my fist and called for the guard to get Captain Hennessy. Not long after, I was sitting in the same interrogation cell again.\n\nThe captain arrived about ten minutes later. She sat down and clasped her hands in front, waiting.\n\nI bit my lower lip. \u201cDid you ever check the Stardevils pirate base? Maybe someone there?\u201d\n\nThe tight shake of the head was the only answer I got. I could see it in her eyes, if I didn\u2019t give her Dario right now, she\u2019d get up and call the guards and I\u2019d have nothing to look forward to but prison.\n\n\u201cOkay, fine,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019ll give you who you want. The guy must have known something about me taking a trip with the FTL courier service. That was how he knew \u2026\u201d\n\nThe answer hit me square between the eyes. I felt dumb for not seeing it before. He even knew about the \u201clead sled\u201d runs, and what kind of clearance that was needed for the weapons files. Which made me realize he probably did have a line on another set of data.\n\nAcross from me, Captain Hennessy was tapping her fingernail on the hard steel table. She looked ready to leave.\n\n\u201cI know where you can find Burnett,\u201d I blurted out.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re not going down that road again,\u201d said the Captain, rising out of her chair.\n\n\u201cNo wait! I know how he knew about the files. He works for FTL. That\u2019s how he knew I was going through Oya Station and was there to grab the MobiGlas! Please, check. And the electrocycle! They might have records that match the description of the guy I gave you. Or the FTL employee records. I bet FTL is how he gets the files to sell to pirates.\u201d\n\nThe words tumbled out of my mouth so fast, I had to wipe the spit from my lips when I was done. Captain Hennessy was stuck in mid-rise. Something in what I\u2019d said hit a chord and her brow was narrowing by the second.\n\nEventually, she straightened. \u201cYou, stay here,\u201d she said, and then left.\n\nAs if I could leave.\n\nThe wait this time seemed interminable. To keep myself from climbing the walls, I bounced my knees and tapped on the table.\n\nA decade, or maybe an hour later, Captain Hennessy returned. She had her MobiGlas in hand and looked surprised by the information that it contained.\n\n\u201cThe tip checks out,\u201d said the captain. \u201cOnce the company IDed your description and started digging, they started finding irregularities in his access. He\u2019s a member of their security division, which explains how he got access to files like the weapons data. We don\u2019t know for sure what file he was selling, but he\u2019s bound to have gotten it through FTL.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoes that mean I\u2019m free to go?\u201d I asked.\n\nThe way the corners of her lips tugged towards the floor put a stone in my gut. \u201cNot quite. We need to follow up on a few things with this Burnett character before we can clear you. But while you\u2019re waiting, there\u2019s one thing you have to do before I\u2019ll let you go.\u201d\n\nMy heart sank as Captain Hennessy left without telling me. The reproving glance tangled my feelings into a knot.\n\n\u201cWhat in space could that be?\u201d\n\nto be continued \u2026","de_DE":"Ich w\u00fcrde nicht sagen, dass ich es bereut habe, das Angebot von Dario Oberon nicht angenommen zu haben, aber als ich in meiner kleinen Metallzelle mit nichts als einer schmutzigen Toilette als Begleiter sa\u00df, kam mir das sicherlich in den Sinn.\n\nTolles Aussehen. \u00dcberpr\u00fcfen.\n\nSchurkisches L\u00e4cheln. \u00dcberpr\u00fcfen.\n\nFreakig schnelle Reflexe. \u00dcberpr\u00fcfen.\n\nGanz zu schweigen von seinem eigenen Schiff und gen\u00fcgend Geld, um seinen vagabundierenden Diebstahl-Lebensstil aufrechtzuerhalten.\n\nIn meinem Bauchgef\u00fchl wusste ich, dass es nicht f\u00fcr mich war, zumindest in dieser Phase meines Lebens, aber es war eine bessere Alternative als das Gef\u00e4ngnis.\n\nBedauern war nicht das Schlimmste. Das Schlimmste war, es meinem Vater zu sagen. Ich rieb den Sonnenuntergang farbigen Wollpullover, der mir durch mein Abenteuer gut gedient hatte, und versuchte, mich zu w\u00e4rmen, obwohl mir nicht wirklich kalt war.\n\nSelbst wenn ich hier rausk\u00e4me, w\u00fcrde er mir nie verzeihen. Ich war seine letzte Verbindung zu Mom. Ich wei\u00df, er w\u00fcrde denken, dass ich ihr Ged\u00e4chtnis irgendwie verdorben habe.\n\nAls die Wache mich noch einmal in den Verh\u00f6rraum brachte, st\u00fcrzte ich gegen den Stuhl, die H\u00e4nde gefaltet vor mir, als ob ich betete.\n\nWenig sp\u00e4ter trat Captain Hennessy ein und nahm den Stuhl gegen\u00fcber von mir ein.\n\n\"Ich dachte, ich h\u00e4tte gesagt, dass ich dich nicht mehr sehen will\", sagte der Kapit\u00e4n, \"aber hier bin ich. Nicht nur das, sondern auch die Ereignisse, die sich im Oya-System und um den Gurzil-Sprungpunkt herum ereignet haben, werden dazu f\u00fchren, dass ich f\u00fcr die n\u00e4chsten sechs Monate kein Wochenende frei bekomme, ganz zu schweigen von dem offiziellen Verweis, den ich erhalten habe, weil ich dich durch die Oya Station gelassen habe. Ich habe Gl\u00fcck, dass ich nicht in ein paar R\u00e4ngen niedergeschlagen wurde.\"\n\n\"Es tut mir leid, Captain Hennessy, das tue ich wirklich. Aber ich habe allen bereits alles gesagt, was ich wei\u00df. Ich bin genauso verwirrt \u00fcber die ganze Sache.\"\n\nCaptain Hennessy stemmte ihre Finger. \"Ich f\u00fcrchte, das ist nicht gut genug. Du wirst uns etwas geben m\u00fcssen. Das Einzige, was wir au\u00dfer toten Piraten haben, ist ein kleiner Kurier, der nichts sagen will. Wenn solche Dinge passieren, gibt es immer eine Strafe f\u00fcr jemanden. Wenn du alles bist, was wir haben, nun....\"\n\nDer Captain lie\u00df die Bedrohung wie eine Schlinge h\u00e4ngen.\n\n\"Aber ich habe nichts falsch gemacht\", sagte ich. \"Als dieser Typ, Burnett, mein MobiGlas gestohlen hat, dachte ich einfach, es sei ein Schl\u00e4ger, oder dass die Firma mich vielleicht auf die Probe stellt. Ich h\u00e4tte nicht gedacht, dass ich ins All entf\u00fchrt und in die Mitte eines Piratenkriegs geworfen werde.\"\n\nIch vergrub mein Gesicht in meinen H\u00e4nden und schn\u00fcffelte. Ich habe nicht gespielt. Die Tr\u00e4nen waren echt und meine Ersch\u00f6pfung auch. Ich hatte verschiedenen Offizieren die Geschichte mindestens zwanzig Mal erz\u00e4hlt, vielleicht sogar mehr. Jedes Mal stellten sie Fragen zu den Details.\n\nWer war der Anf\u00fchrer? Wo sind die Akten hin? Welche Art von Waffenakten waren das? Wer hat sie gestohlen? War es ein Insider-Job? Wei\u00dft du, von welcher Firma sie entf\u00fchrt wurden?\n\nIch hatte ihnen alles erz\u00e4hlt, was mir passiert war, ohne Darios Beteiligung. Sie hatten sich immer noch nicht zusammengesetzt, dass er derjenige war, der die Akten auf mein MobiGlas gelegt hatte. Sie waren \u00fcberzeugt, dass die Akten dort im FTL-Hauptquartier auf Castra II abgelegt worden waren.\n\n\"Du willst eines Tages ein B\u00fcrger sein, oder?\" fragte Captain Hennessy.\n\nMein Magen wurde zu Stein. Ich nickte.\n\n\"Dann gib uns etwas. Etwas, mit dem wir arbeiten k\u00f6nnen. Wer, glaubst du, k\u00f6nnte die Dateien auf deinem System im FTL geschmuggelt haben? Dein Vorgesetzter? Eine andere Person? Wir brauchen nur etwas. Oder wir werden Sie wegen Beihilfe zu einem Schmuggler anklagen m\u00fcssen, und das wird Ihre Chance auf eine Staatsb\u00fcrgerschaft ruinieren, ganz zu schweigen von der Zeit, die Sie im Gef\u00e4ngnis verbringen werden.\"\n\nIch rieb mir die Schl\u00e4fen. Wenn ich ihnen Dario gegeben h\u00e4tte, dann w\u00e4re ich auf mein Wort zur\u00fcckgegangen, und wer wusste, ob er die Art von Verbrecher ist, der eine Indiskretion bestraft. Wenn ich gelogen habe und im FTL einen Namen gegeben habe, dann k\u00fcsse diesen Job und jeden anderen wie ihn, auf Wiedersehen. Ganz zu schweigen davon, dass ich ein absoluter L\u00fcgner w\u00e4re.\n\n\"Was ist mit Burnett?\" fragte ich. \"Er ist derjenige, der mich entf\u00fchrt hat. Hilft das nicht?\"\n\nCaptain Hennessy blickte auf ihre gefesselten H\u00e4nde und seufzte. \"Wir haben keine Aufzeichnungen \u00fcber dieses Burnett in der Schlacht oder auf dem Planeten. Oder irgendetwas anderes. An dieser Stelle sind wir \u00fcberzeugt, dass du ihn erfunden hast, um den wahren T\u00e4ter zu verstecken, der dir Zahlungen f\u00fcr dein Schweigen versprochen hat. Sag uns, wer es war, der dich unter gro\u00dfem Risiko auf den Planeten zur\u00fcckgebracht hat, und wir k\u00f6nnten eine gewisse Nachsicht in Betracht ziehen. Ein paar.\"\n\nIch schlug meine H\u00e4nde auf den Tisch. \"Aber ich kannte ihn nicht und er sagte seinen Namen nicht. Ich habe bereits seine Beschreibung gegeben. Er k\u00f6nnte einer der Piraten gewesen sein, soweit ich wei\u00df. Er war zuf\u00e4llig derjenige, der mich vom Night Stalker abgeholt hat, nachdem ich durch den Sprungpunkt kam.\"\n\nCaptain Hennessy zog ihren Kiefer fest und fasste ihre H\u00e4nde fest. \"Alle Erkl\u00e4rungen oder Ausreden der Welt werden nicht helfen. Ich brauche Informationen. Verl\u00e4ssliche Informationen, oder Sie werden die Verantwortung daf\u00fcr \u00fcbernehmen. Es tut mir leid, aber so ist es nun mal.\"\n\nSie verlie\u00df mich und die Wachen f\u00fchrten mich zur\u00fcck zu meiner Zelle. Ich st\u00fcrzte gegen die Wand, bis ich auf dem R\u00fccken sa\u00df. Eine Taubheit verbreitete sich von meinem Gesicht, \u00fcber meine Brust und drang wie eine Plage in meinen K\u00f6rper ein. Du h\u00e4ttest mich schlagen k\u00f6nnen und ich h\u00e4tte nicht reagiert.\n\nIch war mir nicht sicher, warum es so schwer war. Ich musste Dario abgeben, und so einfach war das, ich wurde freigelassen. Er war derjenige, der mich in diese Situation gebracht hat. Warum habe ich ihn besch\u00fctzt?\n\nMein Vater w\u00fcrde es auf meine Hormone schieben. Ohne Mama, die da war, um ihn zu korrigieren, machte er alles, was ich tat, auf meine Hormone verantwortlich, wof\u00fcr ich wohl dankbar sein sollte. Er w\u00fcrde mich nie schlagen, aber er k\u00f6nnte einen Priester mit seinem finsteren Blick schuldig machen.\n\nIch dr\u00fcckte meine Knie an meine Brust und vergrub mein Gesicht zwischen meinen Knien. Ich war mir nicht sicher, warum ich mich verz\u00f6gerte. Irgendwann m\u00fcsste ich Dario abgeben. Besser, es jetzt zu tun, w\u00e4hrend sie noch einen Deal anbieten. Ich w\u00fcrde wahrscheinlich meinen Job und das Vertrauen meines Vaters verlieren, aber zumindest h\u00e4tte ich kein Vorstrafenregister oder Zeit im Gef\u00e4ngnis verbracht.\n\nSchweren Herzens klopfte ich mit der Faust gegen die T\u00fcr und rief die Wache, um Captain Hennessy zu holen. Kurz darauf sa\u00df ich wieder in derselben Verh\u00f6rzelle.\n\nDer Kapit\u00e4n kam etwa zehn Minuten sp\u00e4ter an. Sie setzte sich hin und fasste ihre H\u00e4nde vorne an und wartete.\n\nIch biss mir auf die Unterlippe. \"Hast du jemals die Piratenbasis der Stardevils \u00fcberpr\u00fcft? Vielleicht ist da jemand?\"\n\nDas enge Kopfsch\u00fctteln war die einzige Antwort, die ich bekam. Ich konnte es in ihren Augen sehen, wenn ich ihr Dario nicht gleich jetzt geben w\u00fcrde, sie w\u00fcrde aufstehen und die Wachen rufen und ich h\u00e4tte nichts anderes vor, als Gef\u00e4ngnis.\n\n\"Okay, gut\", sagte ich. \"Ich gebe dir, wen du willst. Der Typ muss etwas dar\u00fcber gewusst haben, dass ich eine Reise mit dem FTL-Kurierdienst mache. Deshalb wusste er es....\"\n\nDie Antwort traf mich direkt zwischen den Augen. Ich f\u00fchlte mich dumm, weil ich es vorher nicht gesehen hatte. Er wusste sogar von den \"Lead Sled\"-L\u00e4ufen und welcher Art von Freigabe f\u00fcr die Waffenakten ben\u00f6tigt wurde. Was mich erkennen lie\u00df, dass er wahrscheinlich eine Zeile auf einem anderen Datensatz hatte.\n\nGegen\u00fcber von mir klopfte Captain Hennessy mit dem Fingernagel auf den harten Stahltisch. Sie sah bereit aus, zu gehen.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df, wo du Burnett finden kannst\", spritzte ich heraus.\n\n\"Wir gehen diesen Weg nicht noch einmal\", sagte der Kapit\u00e4n und stieg aus ihrem Stuhl.\n\n\"Nein, warte! Ich wei\u00df, woher er von den Akten wusste. Er arbeitet f\u00fcr den FTL. So wusste er, dass ich durch die Oya Station fahre und war da, um das MobiGlas zu schnappen! Bitte, \u00fcberpr\u00fcfen Sie. Und der Elektrozyklus! Sie haben vielleicht Aufzeichnungen, die auf die Beschreibung des Typen passen, den ich dir gegeben habe. Oder die Aufzeichnungen der FTL-Mitarbeiter. Ich wette, FTL ist der Weg, wie er die Akten an Piraten verkauft.\"\n\nDie Worte fielen so schnell aus meinem Mund, dass ich die Spucke von meinen Lippen abwischen musste, als ich fertig war. Captain Hennessy sa\u00df in der Mitte der Anh\u00f6he fest. Etwas in dem, was ich gesagt hatte, traf einen Akkord und ihre Stirn wurde von Sekunde zu Sekunde enger.\n\nIrgendwann richtete sie sich auf. \"Du, bleib hier\", sagte sie und ging dann.\n\nAls ob ich gehen k\u00f6nnte.\n\nDas Warten schien diesmal endlos. Um mich davon abzuhalten, die W\u00e4nde zu erklimmen, h\u00fcpfte ich mit den Knien und klopfte auf den Tisch.\n\nEin Jahrzehnt oder vielleicht eine Stunde sp\u00e4ter kehrte Captain Hennessy zur\u00fcck. Sie hatte ihr MobiGlas in der Hand und sah \u00fcberrascht aus von den Informationen, die es enthielt.\n\n\"Der Tipp stimmt\", sagte der Kapit\u00e4n. \"Sobald die Firma Ihre Beschreibung identifiziert und angefangen hat zu graben, haben sie angefangen, Unregelm\u00e4\u00dfigkeiten in seinem Zugang zu finden. Er ist Mitglied der Sicherheitsabteilung, was erkl\u00e4rt, wie er Zugang zu Dateien wie den Waffendaten erhalten hat. Wir wissen nicht sicher, welche Datei er verkauft hat, aber er hat es sicher durch den FTL geschafft.\"\n\n\"Hei\u00dft das, ich kann gehen?\" fragte ich.\n\nDie Art und Weise, wie die Lippenwinkel zum Boden hin gezogen wurden, legte einen Stein in meinen Darm. \"Nicht ganz. Wir m\u00fcssen ein paar Dinge mit diesem Burnett Charakter besprechen, bevor wir Sie aufkl\u00e4ren k\u00f6nnen. Aber w\u00e4hrend du wartest, gibt es eine Sache, die du tun musst, bevor ich dich gehen lasse.\"\n\nMein Herz sank, als Captain Hennessy ging, ohne es mir zu sagen. Der zurechtweisende Blick verwickelte meine Gef\u00fchle in einen Knoten.\n\n\"Was im Weltraum k\u00f6nnte das sein?\"\n\nwird fortgesetzt.....","zh_CN":"I wouldn\u2019t say that I regretted not taking the offer from Dario Oberon, but as I sat in my little metal cell with nothing but a grimy toilet as companion, it certainly crossed my mind.\n\nDashing good looks. Check.\n\nRoguish smile. Check.\n\nFreakishly quick reflexes. Check.\n\nNot to mention, his own ship, and enough funds to maintain his vagabond thief lifestyle.\n\nIn my gut, I knew it wasn\u2019t for me, at least at this stage of my life, but it was a better alternative than prison.\n\nRegret wasn\u2019t the worst part. The worst part was going to be telling my father. I rubbed the sunset colored wool sweater that had served me well through my adventure, trying to warm myself even though I wasn\u2019t really cold.\n\nEven if I got out of this, he\u2019d never forgive me. I was his last link to Mom. I know he\u2019d think that I had somehow tainted her memory.\n\nWhen the guard took me to the interrogation room yet again, I slumped against the chair, hands folded in front of me in semblance of prayer.\n\nA little while later, Captain Hennessy entered and took up the chair opposite me.\n\n\u201cI thought I said I didn\u2019t want to see you again,\u201d said the captain, \u201cbut here I am. Not only that, but the events that transpired in Oya system and around the Gurzil jump point will mean that I won\u2019t get a weekend free for the next six months, not to mention the official reprimand I received for letting you through Oya Station. I\u2019m lucky I didn\u2019t get knocked down a few ranks.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry, Captain Hennessy, I really am. But I\u2019ve already told everyone everything I know. I\u2019m just as confused about the whole thing.\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy steepled her fingers. \u201cI\u2019m afraid that\u2019s not good enough. You\u2019re going to have to give us something. The only thing we have besides dead pirates is a little courier who won\u2019t say anything. When these kinds of things happen, there\u2019s always punishment for someone. If you\u2019re all we got, well \u2026\u201d\n\nThe Captain let the threat hang like a noose.\n\n\u201cBut I haven\u2019t done anything wrong,\u201d I said. \u201cWhen that guy, Burnett, stole my MobiGlas, I just thought it was some thug, or that maybe the company was testing me. I didn\u2019t think I\u2019d get kidnapped into space and thrown into the middle of a pirate war.\u201d\n\nI buried my face in my hands and sniffed. I wasn\u2019t acting. The tears were real and so was my exhaustion. I\u2019d told various officers the story at least twenty times, maybe more. Each time, they asked questions about the details.\n\nWho was the ringleader? Where did the files go? What kind of weapons files were they? Who stole them? Was it an inside job? Do you know what company they\u2019d been taken from?\n\nI\u2019d told them everything that happened to me, leaving out Dario\u2019s involvement. They still hadn\u2019t pieced together that he\u2019d been the one to put the files on my MobiGlas. They were convinced the files had been put there at FTL HQ on Castra II.\n\n\u201cYou want to be a Citizen someday, right?\u201d asked Captain Hennessy.\n\nMy stomach turned into rock. I nodded.\n\n\u201cThen give us something. Something we can work with. Who do you think might have smuggled the files on your system at FTL? Your supervisor? Another person? We just need something. Or we\u2019re going to have to charge you with abetting a smuggler, and that\u2019s going to wreck your chance at a Citizenship, not to mention the time you\u2019re going to spend in prison.\u201d\n\nI rubbed my temples. If I gave them Dario, then I\u2019d gone back on my word, and who knew if he was the type of criminal to punish an indiscretion. If I lied and gave a name at FTL, then kiss that job, and any other like it, goodbye. Not to mention that I\u2019d be a flat out liar.\n\n\u201cWhat about Burnett?\u201d I asked. \u201cHe\u2019s the one who kidnapped me. Doesn\u2019t that help?\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy glanced at her clasped hands and sighed. \u201cWe have no records of this Burnett at the battle, or on planet. Or anything else. At this point, we\u2019re convinced that you made him up, to hide the real perpetrator who\u2019s promised you payments for your silence. Tell us who it was that brought you back to planetside, at great risk, and we might consider some leniency. Some.\u201d\n\nI slapped my hands on the table. \u201cBut I didn\u2019t know him and he didn\u2019t say his name. I already gave his description. He might have been one of the pirates for all I know. He just happened to be the one who picked me up from the Night Stalker after I came through the jump point.\u201d\n\nCaptain Hennessy tightened her jaw and clasped her hands tight. \u201cAll the explanations or excuses in the world aren\u2019t going to help. I need information. Reliable information, or you\u2019re going to take the heat for this. I\u2019m sorry, but that\u2019s just the way it is.\u201d\n\nShe left me and the guards led me back to my cell. I slumped against the wall until I was sitting on my rear. A numbness spread from my face, down my chest and invaded my body like a plague. You could have slapped me and I wouldn\u2019t have reacted.\n\nI wasn\u2019t sure why it was so hard. I had to turn in Dario, and simple as that, I\u2019d be set free. He was the one who put me in this situation. Why was I protecting him?\n\nMy father would blame it on my hormones. Without Mom around to correct him, he blamed everything I did on my hormones, for which I guess I should be grateful. He\u2019d never hit me, but he could make a priest feel guilty with his scowl.\n\nI squeezed my knees to my chest and buried my face between my knees. I wasn\u2019t sure why I was delaying. Eventually I\u2019d have to turn in Dario. Better to do it now while they were still offering a deal. I\u2019d probably lose my job and my father\u2019s trust, but at least I wouldn\u2019t have a criminal record, or spend time in prison.\n\nWith a heavy heart, I banged on the door with my fist and called for the guard to get Captain Hennessy. Not long after, I was sitting in the same interrogation cell again.\n\nThe captain arrived about ten minutes later. She sat down and clasped her hands in front, waiting.\n\nI bit my lower lip. \u201cDid you ever check the Stardevils pirate base? Maybe someone there?\u201d\n\nThe tight shake of the head was the only answer I got. I could see it in her eyes, if I didn\u2019t give her Dario right now, she\u2019d get up and call the guards and I\u2019d have nothing to look forward to but prison.\n\n\u201cOkay, fine,\u201d I said. \u201cI\u2019ll give you who you want. The guy must have known something about me taking a trip with the FTL courier service. That was how he knew \u2026\u201d\n\nThe answer hit me square between the eyes. I felt dumb for not seeing it before. He even knew about the \u201clead sled\u201d runs, and what kind of clearance that was needed for the weapons files. Which made me realize he probably did have a line on another set of data.\n\nAcross from me, Captain Hennessy was tapping her fingernail on the hard steel table. She looked ready to leave.\n\n\u201cI know where you can find Burnett,\u201d I blurted out.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re not going down that road again,\u201d said the Captain, rising out of her chair.\n\n\u201cNo wait! I know how he knew about the files. He works for FTL. That\u2019s how he knew I was going through Oya Station and was there to grab the MobiGlas! Please, check. And the electrocycle! They might have records that match the description of the guy I gave you. Or the FTL employee records. I bet FTL is how he gets the files to sell to pirates.\u201d\n\nThe words tumbled out of my mouth so fast, I had to wipe the spit from my lips when I was done. Captain Hennessy was stuck in mid-rise. Something in what I\u2019d said hit a chord and her brow was narrowing by the second.\n\nEventually, she straightened. \u201cYou, stay here,\u201d she said, and then left.\n\nAs if I could leave.\n\nThe wait this time seemed interminable. To keep myself from climbing the walls, I bounced my knees and tapped on the table.\n\nA decade, or maybe an hour later, Captain Hennessy returned. She had her MobiGlas in hand and looked surprised by the information that it contained.\n\n\u201cThe tip checks out,\u201d said the captain. \u201cOnce the company IDed your description and started digging, they started finding irregularities in his access. He\u2019s a member of their security division, which explains how he got access to files like the weapons data. We don\u2019t know for sure what file he was selling, but he\u2019s bound to have gotten it through FTL.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoes that mean I\u2019m free to go?\u201d I asked.\n\nThe way the corners of her lips tugged towards the floor put a stone in my gut. \u201cNot quite. We need to follow up on a few things with this Burnett character before we can clear you. But while you\u2019re waiting, there\u2019s one thing you have to do before I\u2019ll let you go.\u201d\n\nMy heart sank as Captain Hennessy left without telling me. The reproving glance tangled my feelings into a knot.\n\n\u201cWhat in space could that be?\u201d\n\nto be continued \u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":78,"created_at":"2014-06-20T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"11 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-11 02:37:38","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":13965,"next_id":13967}}