{"data":{"id":16058,"title":"Collision Course: Part 1","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/16058-Collision-Course-Part-1","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/16058","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/16058","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Collision Course","images":[{"id":22850,"name":"CollisionCourse_pt1_FI.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/1h4z81trokyttr\/source\/CollisionCourse_pt1_FI.jpg","alt":"","size":941120,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2017-08-09T01:42:02+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/22850","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/22850\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"The normal weekly News Update will be taking a brief hiatus in order to bring you this special multi-part adventure, Collision Course. We hope you enjoy.\n\n\nThe aircycler kicked on overhead and the grate covering the vent began to rattle. Again.\n\nHow many hours of uninterrupted sleep was that this time? One? Two?\n\nWith her eyes still closed, Clara debated if she should try to ignore it, or if she should just give in and wake up. Almost in response, a tingling itch began a slow crawl up her arm. That settled it. Better to get up and do something than lie here trying to ignore it.\n\nShe sat up and checked her mobi. 4:00 am SET. She turned off the alarm she had optimistically set for 7:00 am and switched over to her comms. No responses from any of the jobs she had applied for.\n\nCrap.\n\nClara had hoped that Gunther reaching out to his contacts would have given her a boost, but it seemed like both Crusader Security and Blackjack on ArcCorp were pretty firm in not wanting to throw any work her way. She thought that guild standings wouldn\u2019t matter as much in Stanton, but apparently, they did. Or at least they did when it came to contracting with her.\n\nShe brought up the job board and cruised past all the postings she had looked through yesterday. She hadn\u2019t had any work since escorting an Aciedo repairman to a downed comm array in the sector a few days prior. By now her dry spell had lasted long enough that she was toying with the idea of shutting down a comm array herself just to generate another escort contract, but knew in her heart that if things ever got that desperate she\u2019d try Hurston before going outlaw.\n\nStanding up, she waved her hand over the light switch and winced as the harsh overhead kicked on. The EZ-Hab was already looking worse for wear since she had moved in ten nights ago. She quickly rinsed her mouth with a half swallow of stale Smoltz and proceeded to get dressed.\n\nClara was comforted by the weight of her pistol as it locked into place on her hip mount. Even if she couldn\u2019t fire the thing aboard Port Olisar, she still liked knowing it was there. Plus, you never knew when you might run into a potential client. Always pays to look the part, she thought as she slicked her hair back and tucked it under the blue Mercenary Guild cap.\n\nNothing wrong with wearing a hat, right? It\u2019s people\u2019s own fault if they leap to conclusions.\n\nBoots laced, she shoved as much of the trash as she could from the table into a grease-stained Whammer\u2019s bag, and turned to head out into the station.\n\nOr at least she tried to. With a sigh, Clara waved the bag in front of the door\u2019s motion sensor until it finally decided to pay attention. When EZ-Hab offered an econ-suite, they really meant it. Next job, she promised herself, she\u2019d look into an upgrade, or at least pay the extra creds for the cleaning service.\n\nAfter depositing the trash in a bin, she navigated her way through the light crowd of travelers waiting to catch transfers down to the gas giant below and headed towards Garrity Defense.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m telling you, I know my stuff,\u201d said Clara. \u201cGo on, test me.\u201d\n\n\u201cLook, I\u2019m sure you do,\u201d replied Diego, the Garrity Defense third-shift manager. \u201cBut I\u2019m just not looking to hire.\u201d\n\n\u201cTest me,\u201d insisted Clara, \u201cand then decide. That\u2019s all I\u2019m asking.\u201d\n\nBetween docking fees, insurance and the price of keeping her ship loaded, fueled, and ready for action, her funds were rapidly drying up. Crunching the numbers, she had only about two days of credits left before she was going to have to either start living in her ship, stop eating, or worse. She figured if she could pull a couple shifts selling guns and armor, maybe she could hold on long enough until she could drum up some real work. It\u2019s not like she was sleeping anyway, so why not?\n\nDiego, glancing up at her guild hat, finally shrugged and said, \u201cFine. You want a test? See that guy? He\u2019s a shuttle jockey. Stays aboard Olisar once a week and probably spends half that time staring at the merch, not buying anything. Get him to actually spend some creds and we\u2019ll talk about getting you some shifts here.\u201d\n\nClara appraised the man in question. The undersuit he was wearing was higher quality stuff than any transfer shuttle pilot should need \u2014 full armor connects, light EVA thrusters, and most importantly, spotless. Even the man\u2019s boots looked untouched. Probably the most telling thing was the simple fact he was wearing it all inside the station when most people couldn\u2019t wait to change into regular clothes after a flight.\n\nShe walked up next to him and looked at the display of rifles on the wall. A moment passed before she said, \u201cThinking about getting the S71?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m fine. Thanks,\u201d the man responded.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s good \u2018cause I don\u2019t work here.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, sorry. I just thought \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, it\u2019s okay. Don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d Clara took a step away and trained her focus on a lower rack showcasing some scopes.\n\n\u201cYou were saying something about the S71?\u201d The man asked, gesturing towards the sleek, black rifle.\n\n\u201cI was going to tell you not to get it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause carrying one makes you a target. Strap that on, and everyone in the room marks you as a serious operator. I mean look at the thing. It screams, I\u2019m a threat.\u201d Clara put on her best thousand-yard stare and softened her voice, \u201cMy ex-partner Gunther used to pack one. Sure, he did a lot of good with it and yeah, there\u2019s definitely a few less outlaws out there, but do I think he\u2019d still be alive if he had chosen to carry a lesser weapon? You bet your ass I do.\u201d\n\nThe man stood slack-jawed as she finished.\n\n\u201cI know it\u2019s not my place to tell you what to do. I just promised myself that if I ever saw someone thinking about making the mistake he did, I would warn them if I could.\u201d Suddenly, her mobiGlas chirped to alert her of an incoming comm. \u201cAnyway, I gotta go.\u201d\n\nWith that, Clara turned and headed towards the door, making sure to give Diego a wink as she passed. She parked herself around the corner and brought up her mobi.\n\nShe was a little surprised to see that the comm was from Eckhart Security. She had heard of the company back when she was with the guild, but she didn\u2019t know much beyond their reputation of playing fast and loose with the rules.\n\nThen again, her rep wasn\u2019t that great at the moment either.\n\nShe answered, \u201cHello?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, is this Clara Lin?\u201d asked a gruff voice belonging to an equally weathered face. \u201cI\u2019m Miles Eckhart.\u201d\n\nA comm from the man himself, thought Clara. That\u2019s something.\n\n\u201cA friend of yours contacted me this morning and had some interesting things to say.\u201d\n\nShe pretty much only had one friend in the \u2019verse right now. \u201cGunther?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s the one. Me and him crossed each other\u2019s path a few years back and long story short, I owed him a favor. Guess you\u2019re it.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re giving me a job?\u201d Clara asked, trying not to let too much hope seep into her voice.\n\n\u201cEase up, all I\u2019m doing is giving you an interview.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you need to know?\u201d Clara asked.\n\nThe customer from Garrity Defense walked past. He tried to avoid eye contact as he quickened his pace and turned the corner.\n\n\u201cNot over comms. I\u2019m old fashioned that way,\u201d said Miles. \u201cI\u2019ll send you the location.\u201d A popup showed that she had received the coordinates. \u201cOne last thing. Show up ready to work.\u201d\n\nThe comm line switched off as the manager from Garrity Defense popped his head out of the store and came hurrying over.\n\n\u201cThere you are,\u201d said Diego. \u201cWhat did you say to him? He bought an S71 and every single attachment we carry. The job\u2019s yours.\u201d\n\n\u201cThanks. I\u2019ll let you know,\u201d said Clara, leaving behind a slightly confused Diego as she headed off to grab her gear.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClara had never been to Levski before, and stepping into the station, she instantly suspected that this had been a good call. She knew about the People\u2019s Alliance, but was surprised how much being surrounded by their anti-UEE sentiment made her skin crawl. She hadn\u2019t served in the military or ever seriously considered becoming a Citizen, but she had been outside of the UEE before, and if she had to choose between the mess out there and the mess inside the Empire, the one where you can get a hamburger and a medpen whenever you wanted was the clear winner.\n\nThe giant statue of a dead kid in the lobby didn\u2019t really help with the vibe either.\n\nAvoiding the aggressive hawkers in the bazaar, she weaved her way to Cafe Musain, the local watering hole. As she stepped down the stairs, she was surprised by how comfortable the bar looked. The warm lighting, the worn art on the walls, the lingering smell of stale stim in the air, it all reminded her of the places she used to \u2014\n\nClara forcefully stopped that train of thought. She needed to focus right now.\n\nThere. She spotted Eckhart sitting at a high-top table off to the side of the bar. The drink he was holding sloshed in his glass slightly as he browsed his mobi.\n\nClara approached and was about to introduce herself when \u2014\n\n\u201cGrab a seat. I\u2019ll be with you in a second.\u201d\n\nClara pulled out the stool across from him and waited. She noticed his particularly thick jacket and wondered if it was to hide weapons or if it was armored. Probably both, she decided.\n\n\u201cYou need a drink?\u201d He asked as he closed his mobi.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d he said before taking a long sip of his own. \u201cThen let\u2019s get down to business. Which hand do you shoot with?\u201d\n\nShe hesitated for a moment before answering, \u201cLeft.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me see.\u201d\n\nClara raised her hand and held it out. Miles took another swallow as he watched it. Her hand stayed steady.\n\n\u201cNow the other.\u201d\n\nTaking a deep breath, Clara held out her right hand. The slight tremble was apparent immediately.\n\n\u201cNot good, but definitely not the worse I\u2019ve seen. You clean?\u201d\n\n\u201cThree months,\u201d said Clara as she lowered her arm.\n\n\u201cGood.\u201d Miles brought up his mobi again and sent her a file. \u201cI just sent you the details for a black box retrieval.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait, you had me come all the way out here just to look at my hands?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how many people I weed out just by making them fly to meet me,\u201d said Miles. \u201cPlus, I find it\u2019s much harder to screw someone over after you\u2019ve met them in person.\u201d Miles finished off his drink. \u201cNow, a client of mine lost a ship of theirs and wants to keep the whole thing private. I need you to recover the flight data before the insurance company can. Take a look and let me know if you can handle it.\u201d\n\nClara brought up the contract and looked it through. Seemed straightforward enough. The ship had been lost out near the asteroid cluster surrounding Crusader\u2019s moon, Yela. Not particularly dangerous. Well, not any more dangerous than the rest of Crusader. Pay was a bit low. She said so.\n\n\u201cDamn right, it\u2019s low,\u201d said Miles. \u201cThis is just a tryout. You pull it off and it\u2019ll mean more jobs and more credits. You screw up and at least I\u2019m squared away with Gunther. What do you say?\u201d\n\nWhen she was part of the guild, Clara would have walked away from the table. It wasn\u2019t that anything Miles had done or said was hinky, but one of the first things she learned starting off as a merc was to trust her gut. Right now, it was telling her Miles wasn\u2019t exactly the sort of man she wanted to be in business with. It was telling her that she should just go back to Olisar and sell weapons and armor to people who most likely didn\u2019t need them.\n\nShe pressed the accept button on the contract anyway.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe completed her fourth and last scan. Other than some residual EM signature from the few batteries that still had power scattered throughout the wreckage, all was quiet among the asteroids.\n\nIt was a bit strange to be doing a mission solo. Caution was the key. In the past, she had flown with Gunther for five years, and with Jenn and Tal for the last two. Moving in a group always meant you had someone watching your back. Solo was a whole different beast.\n\nShe scanned one more time for luck, then nudged her Buccaneer closer to the mass of debris that used to be a Constellation. Whoever had done this had done a thorough job, that\u2019s for sure. Rotating slightly, she steadied the headlight of her ship onto the twisted and torn bridge. The black box would most likely still be in there. Clara debated if she should power down all the way, or leave her ship running just in case she needed a fast exit. In the end, she decided to just cut the engine, leaving the rest of the systems on, telling herself it was prudence and not the fact it would be really creepy out here with her ship\u2019s lights turned off.\n\nShe double checked her O2 levels, the seals on her suit, her pistol and her rifle, before finally pulling the cockpit release latch. The glass lifted up and with a small push off her seat, she drifted into space. She mentally rotated her center of gravity so that the bright ball of Yela was below her, instead of above.\n\nFollowing the beam of light from her Buc, she slowly pulsed her thrusters forward, carefully clearing any small bits of debris out of the way as she went. At the Guild, they always taught the new members SSKY: Stupid Stuff Kills You. Even then, about a third of the merc deaths you read about weren\u2019t from outlaws blasting them out of the sky, but from little things like not tracking oxygen closely enough or forgetting to carry an extra medpen. The job was dangerous; no reason to make it more so.\n\nClara cut her EVA thrusters and drifted the last few meters till she hit the cockpit glass with a soft \u2018thunk.\u2019 The ship groaned and creaked as metal scraped and settled. She swung her flashlight around the interior and saw that the black box was still safely nestled where it should be.\n\nNow to find a way in.\n\nShe had never served aboard a Connie herself, but she had fought against one once. If she had been the attacker, the first thing she would have targeted was the turrets and from what she remembered, they weren\u2019t exactly known for staying attached once you blew them up.\n\nShe rotated so she was facing right way up relative to the plane of the ship, and then pulled herself to the top of the bridge. Sure enough, a gaping jagged tear along the hull marked where the dorsal turret had once been. Clara climbed into the empty turret shaft headfirst, to where the emergency hatch had sealed off the bridge once the turret had vented. She was about to manually override the hatch, when she noticed it.\n\nThe thrusters of an approaching ship.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED \u2026","de_DE":"Das normale w\u00f6chentliche News Update wird eine kurze Pause einlegen, um Ihnen dieses spezielle mehrteilige Abenteuer, den Kollisionskurs, zu bieten. Wir hoffen, dass es dir gef\u00e4llt.\n\nDer Aircycler trat auf die Decke und das Gitter, das den Schacht bedeckte, begann zu klappern. Nochmal.\n\nWie viele Stunden ununterbrochener Schlaf waren das diesmal? Einen? Zwei?\n\nMit noch geschlossenen Augen diskutierte Clara, ob sie versuchen sollte, es zu ignorieren, oder ob sie einfach nachgeben und aufwachen sollte. Fast als Reaktion darauf begann ein kribbelndes Jucken ein langsames Kribbeln in ihrem Arm. Das hat alles gekl\u00e4rt. Besser aufstehen und etwas tun, als hier zu liegen und zu versuchen, es zu ignorieren.\n\nSie setzte sich auf und \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte ihre Mobi. 4:00 Uhr morgens SET. Sie schaltete den Wecker, den sie optimistisch auf 7:00 Uhr morgens eingestellt hatte, aus und stellte auf ihre Kommunikation um. Keine Antworten von einer der Stellen, auf die sie sich beworben hatte.\n\nMist.\n\nClara hatte gehofft, dass Gunther, der sich an seine Kontakte wandte, ihr einen Schub gegeben h\u00e4tte, aber es schien, dass sowohl Crusader Security als auch Blackjack auf ArcCorp ziemlich fest waren, wenn es darum ging, keine Arbeit auf ihre Weise werfen zu wollen. Sie dachte, dass die Gildenwertung in Stanton nicht so wichtig w\u00e4re, aber anscheinend taten sie es. Oder zumindest taten sie es, als es darum ging, mit ihr einen Vertrag abzuschlie\u00dfen.\n\nSie holte die Jobb\u00f6rse hoch und fuhr an allen Postings vorbei, die sie gestern durchgesehen hatte. Sie hatte keine Arbeit mehr gehabt, seit sie einige Tage zuvor einen Aciedo-Reparaturtechniker zu einer ausgefallenen Funkanlage in diesem Sektor begleitet hatte. Inzwischen hatte ihre Trockenheit lange genug gedauert, dass sie mit der Idee spielte, eine Kommandoanordnung selbst abzuschalten, nur um einen weiteren Escort Vertrag zu generieren, aber sie wusste in ihrem Herzen, dass sie Hurston ausprobieren w\u00fcrde, wenn die Dinge jemals so verzweifelt w\u00fcrden, bevor sie ge\u00e4chtet wurde.\n\nAls sie aufstand, winkte sie mit der Hand \u00fcber den Lichtschalter und zuckte, als die harten \u00dcberkopfbewegungen einsetzten. Die EZ-Hab sah bereits schlechter aus, da sie vor zehn N\u00e4chten eingezogen war. Sie sp\u00fclte schnell ihren Mund mit einem halben Schluck abgestandenen Smoltz und zog sich an.\n\nClara wurde durch das Gewicht ihrer Pistole getr\u00f6stet, als sie auf ihrer H\u00fcfthalterung einrastete. Selbst wenn sie das Ding an Bord von Port Olisar nicht abfeuern konnte, gefiel es ihr trotzdem, zu wissen, dass es da war. Au\u00dferdem wussten Sie nie, wann Sie auf einen potenziellen Kunden treffen w\u00fcrden. Immer zahlt sich aus, um den Teil anzusehen, dachte sie, als sie ihr Haar zur\u00fcckschob und es unter die blaue M\u00fctze der S\u00f6ldnergilde steckte.\n\nEs ist doch nichts falsch daran, einen Hut zu tragen, oder? Es ist die eigene Schuld der Menschen, wenn sie voreilige Schl\u00fcsse ziehen.\n\nStiefel geschn\u00fcrt, schob sie so viel von dem M\u00fcll wie m\u00f6glich vom Tisch in eine fettfleckige Whammer's Tasche und machte sich auf den Weg zur Station.\n\nOder zumindest hat sie es versucht. Mit einem Seufzer winkte Clara die Tasche vor dem Bewegungssensor der T\u00fcr, bis sie sich schlie\u00dflich entschied, aufzupassen. Als EZ-Hab eine econ-suite anbot, meinten sie es wirklich ernst. N\u00e4chster Job, versprach sie sich selbst, sie w\u00fcrde sich ein Upgrade ansehen oder zumindest die zus\u00e4tzlichen Kosten f\u00fcr den Reinigungsservice bezahlen.\n\nNachdem sie den M\u00fcll in einem Beh\u00e4lter deponiert hatte, navigierte sie ihren Weg durch die leichte Menge von Reisenden, die darauf warteten, Transfers zum Gasriesen unten zu erwischen, und ging in Richtung Garrity Defense.\n\n\n\"Ich sage dir, ich kenne meine Sachen\", sagte Clara. \"Mach schon, teste mich.\"\n\n\"Schau, ich bin sicher, dass du das tust\", antwortete Diego, der dritte Schichtleiter von Garrity Defense. \"Aber ich will einfach nicht einstellen.\"\n\n\"Teste mich\", bestand Clara, \"und entscheide dich dann. Das ist alles, worum ich bitte.\"\n\nZwischen den Andockgeb\u00fchren, der Versicherung und dem Preis, ihr Schiff beladen, betankt und einsatzbereit zu halten, versiegen ihre Gelder schnell. Die Zahlen knackend, hatte sie nur noch etwa zwei Tage Abspann, bevor sie entweder anfangen musste, in ihrem Schiff zu leben, aufh\u00f6ren zu essen, oder schlimmer noch. Sie dachte, wenn sie ein paar Schichten mit Waffen und R\u00fcstungen verkaufen k\u00f6nnte, k\u00f6nnte sie sich vielleicht lange genug festhalten, bis sie echte Arbeit leisten konnte. Es ist ja nicht so, als w\u00fcrde sie sowieso schlafen, also warum nicht?\n\nDiego, die auf ihren Gildenhut blickte, zuckte schlie\u00dflich mit den Achseln und sagte: \"Gut. Willst du einen Test? Siehst du den Kerl? Er ist ein Shuttle-Jockey. Bleibt einmal pro Woche an Bord von Olisar und verbringt wahrscheinlich die H\u00e4lfte dieser Zeit damit, auf den Merch zu starren und nichts zu kaufen. Bringen Sie ihn dazu, ein paar Creds auszugeben, und wir reden dar\u00fcber, dass Sie hier ein paar Schichten haben.\"\n\nClara sch\u00e4tzte den fraglichen Mann ein. Der Unterziehanzug, den er trug, war hochwertiger, als jeder Transfer-Shuttle-Pilot brauchen sollte - volle R\u00fcstungsverbindungen, leichte EVA-Triebwerke und vor allem makellos. Sogar die Stiefel des Mannes sahen unber\u00fchrt aus. Wahrscheinlich war die aufschlussreichste Sache die einfache Tatsache, dass er alles in der Station trug, als die meisten Leute es kaum erwarten konnten, sich nach einem Flug in normale Kleidung zu kleiden.\n\nSie ging neben ihn und sah sich die Anzeige von Gewehren an der Wand an. Ein Moment verging, bevor sie sagte: \"Denkst du dar\u00fcber nach, das S71 zu kaufen?\"\n\n\"Es geht mir gut. Danke\", antwortete der Mann.\n\n\"Das ist gut, denn ich arbeite hier nicht.\"\n\n\"Oh, tut mir leid. Ich dachte nur -\"\n\n\"Nein, es ist okay. Mach dir keine Sorgen.\" Clara machte einen Schritt zur\u00fcck und trainierte ihren Fokus auf ein Untergestell, in dem einige Scopes gezeigt wurden.\n\n\"Du hast etwas \u00fcber die S71 gesagt?\" fragte der Mann und deutete auf das schlanke, schwarze Gewehr zu.\n\n\"Ich wollte dir sagen, dass du es nicht bekommen sollst.\"\n\n\"Warum das so ist?\"\n\n\"Weil das Tragen eines solchen macht dich zu einem Ziel. Schnallen Sie sich das an, und jeder im Raum markiert Sie als ernsthaften Bediener. Ich meine, schau dir das Ding an. Es schreit, ich bin eine Bedrohung.\" Clara zog ihren besten tausend Meter langen Blick an und erweichte ihre Stimme: \"Mein Ex-Partner Gunther hat immer einen gepackt. Sicher, er hat viel Gutes damit gemacht und ja, es gibt definitiv ein paar weniger Gesetzlose da drau\u00dfen, aber denke ich, dass er noch am Leben w\u00e4re, wenn er sich entschieden h\u00e4tte, eine kleinere Waffe zu tragen? Darauf kannst du deinen Arsch verwetten.\"\n\nDer Mann stand schlaff mit dem Backen, als sie fertig war.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df, es ist nicht meine Aufgabe, dir zu sagen, was du tun sollst. Ich habe mir gerade versprochen, dass, wenn ich jemals jemanden sehe, der dar\u00fcber nachdenkt, den Fehler zu machen, den er gemacht hat, ich ihn warnen w\u00fcrde, wenn ich k\u00f6nnte.\" Pl\u00f6tzlich zwitscherte ihr mobiGlas, um sie \u00fcber einen eingehenden Befehl zu informieren. \"Wie auch immer, ich muss los.\"\n\nDamit drehte sich Clara um und ging auf die T\u00fcr zu und achtete darauf, Diego ein Augenzwinkern zu geben, als sie vorbeikam. Sie parkte sich um die Ecke und brachte ihren Mobi hoch.\n\nSie war ein wenig \u00fcberrascht zu sehen, dass die Kommunikation von Eckhart Security kam. Sie hatte schon damals von der Firma geh\u00f6rt, als sie in der Gilde war, aber sie wusste nicht viel \u00fcber ihren Ruf hinaus, schnell und locker mit den Regeln zu spielen.\n\nAndererseits war ihr Ruf im Moment auch nicht so toll.\n\nSie antwortete: \"Hallo?\"\n\n\"Ja, ist das Clara Lin?\" fragte eine schroffe Stimme, die zu einem ebenso verwitterten Gesicht geh\u00f6rt. \"Ich bin Miles Eckhart.\"\n\nEin Befehl des Mannes selbst, dachte Clara. Das ist schon mal was.\n\n\"Ein Freund von dir hat mich heute Morgen kontaktiert und ein paar interessante Dinge zu sagen.\"\n\nSie hatte im Moment so ziemlich nur einen Freund in der Strophe. \" Gunther?\"\n\n\"Das ist es. Ich und er kreuzten uns gegenseitig den Weg vor ein paar Jahren und kurz gesagt, ich schuldete ihm einen Gefallen. Ich sch\u00e4tze, du bist es.\"\n\n\"Du gibst mir einen Job?\" fragte Clara und versuchte, nicht zu viel Hoffnung in ihre Stimme eindringen zu lassen.\n\n\"Beruhige dich, ich gebe dir nur ein Interview.\"\n\n\"Was musst du wissen?\" fragte Clara.\n\nDer Kunde von Garrity Defense ging vorbei. Er versuchte, Augenkontakt zu vermeiden, als er sein Tempo beschleunigte und die Kurve nahm.\n\n\"Nicht \u00fcber Funk. Ich bin auf diese Weise altmodisch\", sagte Miles. \"Ich schicke dir den Standort.\" Ein Popup-Fenster zeigte an, dass sie die Koordinaten erhalten hatte. \"Eine letzte Sache noch. Erscheinen Sie bereit zur Arbeit.\"\n\nDie Kommunikationsleitung wurde abgeschaltet, als der Manager von Garrity Defense seinen Kopf aus dem Laden schlug und eilig r\u00fcberkam.\n\n\"Da bist du ja\", sagte Diego. \"Was hast du zu ihm gesagt? Er kaufte eine S71 und jedes einzelne Ger\u00e4t, das wir tragen. Der Job geh\u00f6rt dir.\"\n\n\"Danke. Ich lasse es dich wissen\", sagte Clara und hinterlie\u00df einen leicht verwirrten Diego, als sie losging, um ihre Ausr\u00fcstung zu holen.\n\n\nClara war noch nie in Levski gewesen, und als sie in den Bahnhof trat, vermutete sie sofort, dass dies eine gute Entscheidung war. Sie wusste von der People's Alliance, war aber \u00fcberrascht, wie sehr sie, umgeben von ihrer Anti-UEE-Stimmung, ihre Haut kriechen lie\u00df. Sie hatte nicht im Milit\u00e4r gedient oder \u00fcberhaupt ernsthaft erwogen, B\u00fcrger zu werden, aber sie war vorher au\u00dferhalb der UEE gewesen, und wenn sie zwischen dem Durcheinander heraus dort und dem Durcheinander innerhalb des Reiches w\u00e4hlen musste, das, wo Sie einen Hamburger und einen medpen erhalten k\u00f6nnen, wann immer Sie wollten, war der freie Sieger.\n\nDie riesige Statue eines toten Kindes in der Lobby half auch nicht wirklich bei der Stimmung.\n\nUm den aggressiven H\u00e4ndlern auf dem Basar auszuweichen, webte sie sich zum Cafe Musain, dem lokalen Wasserloch. Als sie die Treppe hinunterging, war sie \u00fcberrascht, wie bequem die Bar aussah. Das warme Licht, die abgenutzte Kunst an den W\u00e4nden, der anhaltende Geruch von abgestandener Stimulation in der Luft, das alles erinnerte sie an die Orte, an denen sie fr\u00fcher war -\n\nClara stoppte mit Nachdruck diesen Gedankengang. Sie musste sich jetzt sofort konzentrieren.\n\nSo. Sie entdeckte Eckhart, wie er an einem Stehtisch an der Seite der Bar sa\u00df. Das Getr\u00e4nk, das er in der Hand hielt, schwappte leicht in seinem Glas, als er seine Mobi durchsuchte.\n\nClara n\u00e4herte sich und wollte sich kurz vorstellen, als -\n\n\"Setz dich hin. Ich bin in einer Sekunde bei dir.\"\n\nClara zog den Hocker gegen\u00fcber von ihm heraus und wartete. Sie bemerkte seine besonders dicke Jacke und fragte sich, ob es darum ging, Waffen zu verstecken oder ob sie gepanzert war. Wahrscheinlich beides, entschied sie.\n\n\"Brauchst du einen Drink?\" fragte er, als er seine Mobi schloss.\n\n\"Mir geht es gut\", sagte sie.\n\n\"Gut\", sagte er, bevor er selbst einen langen Schluck trank. \"Dann kommen wir zur Sache. Mit welcher Hand schie\u00dft du?\"\n\nSie z\u00f6gerte einen Moment, bevor sie antwortete: \"Links\".\n\n\"Lass mich mal sehen.\"\n\nClara hob ihre Hand und streckte sie aus. Miles nahm einen weiteren Schluck, als er ihn sah. Ihre Hand blieb ruhig.\n\n\"Jetzt das andere.\"\n\nClara atmete tief durch und streckte ihre rechte Hand aus. Das leichte Zittern war sofort sp\u00fcrbar.\n\n\"Nicht gut, aber definitiv nicht das Schlimmste, was ich je gesehen habe. Hast du sauber gemacht?\"\n\n\"Drei Monate\", sagte Clara, als sie ihren Arm senkte.\n\n\" Gut.\" Miles brachte seinen Mobi wieder hoch und schickte ihr eine Akte. \"Ich habe dir gerade die Details f\u00fcr eine Blackbox-Abfrage geschickt.\"\n\n\"Warte, du hast mich den ganzen Weg hierher kommen lassen, nur um meine H\u00e4nde zu sehen?\"\n\n\"Du w\u00e4rst \u00fcberrascht, wie viele Leute ich ausmerzen w\u00fcrde, nur weil ich sie dazu gebracht habe, mich zu treffen\", sagte Miles. \"Au\u00dferdem finde ich es viel schwieriger, jemanden zu beschei\u00dfen, nachdem man ihn pers\u00f6nlich getroffen hat.\" Miles hat seinen Drink ausgetrunken. \"Nun, ein Kunde von mir hat ein Schiff von ihnen verloren und will das Ganze privat halten. Du musst die Flugdaten wiederherstellen, bevor die Versicherung es kann. Sieh es dir an und lass es mich wissen, wenn du damit umgehen kannst.\"\n\nClara brachte den Vertrag zur Sprache und sah ihn sich an. Scheint einfach genug zu sein. Das Schiff war in der N\u00e4he des Asteroidenhaufens um den Kreuzfahrermond Yela verloren gegangen. Nicht besonders gef\u00e4hrlich. Nun, nicht gef\u00e4hrlicher als der Rest des Kreuzritter. Die Bezahlung war etwas niedrig. Das hat sie gesagt.\n\n\"Verdammt richtig, es ist niedrig\", sagte Miles. \"Das ist nur eine Probe. Wenn du es schaffst, bedeutet das mehr Jobs und mehr Kredite. Du vermasselst es und zumindest bin ich mit Gunther zufrieden. Was sagst du dazu?\"\n\nAls sie Teil der Gilde war, w\u00e4re Clara vom Tisch weggegangen. Es war nicht so, dass alles, was Miles getan oder gesagt hatte, verd\u00e4chtig war, aber eines der ersten Dinge, die sie am Anfang als S\u00f6ldner lernte, war, ihrem Bauch zu vertrauen. Im Moment sagte sie, dass Miles nicht gerade die Art von Mann war, mit der sie im Gesch\u00e4ft sein wollte. Es sagte ihr, dass sie einfach zur\u00fcck nach Olisar gehen und Waffen und R\u00fcstungen an Leute verkaufen sollte, die sie h\u00f6chstwahrscheinlich nicht brauchten.\n\nSie dr\u00fcckte ohnehin den Akzeptanztaste auf dem Vertrag.\n\n\nSie hat ihren vierten und letzten Scan abgeschlossen. Abgesehen von einigen verbleibenden EM-Signaturen von den wenigen Batterien, die noch Energie in den Wracks verstreut hatten, war alles ruhig unter den Asteroiden.\n\nEs war etwas seltsam, eine Mission allein zu machen. Vorsicht war der Schl\u00fcssel. In der Vergangenheit war sie f\u00fcnf Jahre lang mit Gunther geflogen, die letzten beiden mit Jenn und Tal. In einer Gruppe zu sein bedeutet immer, dass du jemanden hast, der dir den R\u00fccken freih\u00e4lt. Solo war ein ganz anderes Tier.\n\nSie scannte noch einmal nach Gl\u00fcck und schob ihren Freibeuter dann n\u00e4her an die Masse der Tr\u00fcmmer, die fr\u00fcher eine Konstellation war. Wer das getan hatte, hatte eine gr\u00fcndliche Arbeit geleistet, das ist sicher. Sie drehte sich leicht und stellte den Scheinwerfer ihres Schiffes auf die verdrehte und zerrissene Br\u00fccke. Die Blackbox w\u00e4re h\u00f6chstwahrscheinlich noch da drin. Clara diskutierte, ob sie den ganzen Weg abschalten oder ihr Schiff laufen lassen sollte, nur f\u00fcr den Fall, dass sie einen schnellen Ausgang brauchte. Am Ende entschied sie sich, einfach den Motor auszuschalten, den Rest der Systeme an zu lassen und sagte sich, dass es Vorsicht sei und nicht die Tatsache, dass es hier drau\u00dfen bei ausgeschaltetem Schiffslicht wirklich gruselig w\u00e4re.\n\nSie \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte doppelt ihre O2-Werte, die Dichtungen an ihrem Anzug, ihre Pistole und ihr Gewehr, bevor sie schlie\u00dflich den Entriegelungsverschluss des Cockpits zog. Das Glas hob sich an und mit einem kleinen Druck von ihrem Sitz trieb sie in den Raum. Sie drehte ihren Schwerpunkt mental so, dass der helle Ball von Yela unter ihr war, anstatt \u00fcber ihr.\n\nDem Lichtstrahl ihres Buc folgend, pulsierte sie langsam ihre Triebwerke nach vorne und r\u00e4umte vorsichtig alle kleinen Tr\u00fcmmerst\u00fccke aus dem Weg, w\u00e4hrend sie ging. In der Gilde lehrten sie immer die neuen Mitglieder SSKY: Stupid Stuff Kills You. Selbst dann, etwa ein Drittel der S\u00f6ldner-Todesf\u00e4lle, von denen man liest, waren nicht von Gesetzlosen, die sie aus dem Himmel sprengten, sondern von kleinen Dingen wie nicht genau genug den Sauerstoff zu verfolgen oder zu vergessen, eine zus\u00e4tzliche Medpen zu tragen. Der Job war gef\u00e4hrlich; kein Grund, es noch schlimmer zu machen.\n\nClara schnitt ihre EVA-Triebwerke durch und trieb die letzten Meter, bis sie mit einem weichen \"Thunk\" auf das Cockpitglas traf. Das Schiff st\u00f6hnte und knarrte, als Metall schrammte und sich setzte. Sie schwang ihre Taschenlampe um den Innenraum und sah, dass die Blackbox immer noch sicher an der richtigen Stelle untergebracht war.\n\nNun, um einen Weg hinein zu finden.\n\nSie hatte noch nie selbst an Bord einer Connie gedient, aber sie hatte einmal gegen eine gek\u00e4mpft. Wenn sie der Angreifer gewesen w\u00e4re, w\u00e4re das erste, was sie ins Visier genommen h\u00e4tte, die T\u00fcrme gewesen, und soweit sie sich erinnerte, waren sie nicht gerade daf\u00fcr bekannt, dass sie verbunden blieben, sobald man sie in die Luft gejagt hatte.\n\nSie drehte sich, so dass sie in Bezug auf die Ebene des Schiffes nach oben gerichtet war, und zog sich dann auf die Spitze der Br\u00fccke. Tats\u00e4chlich war ein klaffender, zerkl\u00fcfteter Riss entlang der Wanne zu sehen, der an der Stelle markiert war, an der sich einst der dorsale Turm befand. Clara kletterte kopf\u00fcber in den leeren Turmwellenschacht, zu dem die Notluke die Br\u00fccke versiegelt hatte, nachdem der Turm entl\u00fcftet worden war. Sie war im Begriff, die Luke manuell zu \u00fcbersteuern, als sie es bemerkte.\n\nDie Triebwerke eines sich n\u00e4hernden Schiffes.\n\nWIRD FORTGESETZT.....","zh_CN":"The normal weekly News Update will be taking a brief hiatus in order to bring you this special multi-part adventure, Collision Course. We hope you enjoy.\n\n\nThe aircycler kicked on overhead and the grate covering the vent began to rattle. Again.\n\nHow many hours of uninterrupted sleep was that this time? One? Two?\n\nWith her eyes still closed, Clara debated if she should try to ignore it, or if she should just give in and wake up. Almost in response, a tingling itch began a slow crawl up her arm. That settled it. Better to get up and do something than lie here trying to ignore it.\n\nShe sat up and checked her mobi. 4:00 am SET. She turned off the alarm she had optimistically set for 7:00 am and switched over to her comms. No responses from any of the jobs she had applied for.\n\nCrap.\n\nClara had hoped that Gunther reaching out to his contacts would have given her a boost, but it seemed like both Crusader Security and Blackjack on ArcCorp were pretty firm in not wanting to throw any work her way. She thought that guild standings wouldn\u2019t matter as much in Stanton, but apparently, they did. Or at least they did when it came to contracting with her.\n\nShe brought up the job board and cruised past all the postings she had looked through yesterday. She hadn\u2019t had any work since escorting an Aciedo repairman to a downed comm array in the sector a few days prior. By now her dry spell had lasted long enough that she was toying with the idea of shutting down a comm array herself just to generate another escort contract, but knew in her heart that if things ever got that desperate she\u2019d try Hurston before going outlaw.\n\nStanding up, she waved her hand over the light switch and winced as the harsh overhead kicked on. The EZ-Hab was already looking worse for wear since she had moved in ten nights ago. She quickly rinsed her mouth with a half swallow of stale Smoltz and proceeded to get dressed.\n\nClara was comforted by the weight of her pistol as it locked into place on her hip mount. Even if she couldn\u2019t fire the thing aboard Port Olisar, she still liked knowing it was there. Plus, you never knew when you might run into a potential client. Always pays to look the part, she thought as she slicked her hair back and tucked it under the blue Mercenary Guild cap.\n\nNothing wrong with wearing a hat, right? It\u2019s people\u2019s own fault if they leap to conclusions.\n\nBoots laced, she shoved as much of the trash as she could from the table into a grease-stained Whammer\u2019s bag, and turned to head out into the station.\n\nOr at least she tried to. With a sigh, Clara waved the bag in front of the door\u2019s motion sensor until it finally decided to pay attention. When EZ-Hab offered an econ-suite, they really meant it. Next job, she promised herself, she\u2019d look into an upgrade, or at least pay the extra creds for the cleaning service.\n\nAfter depositing the trash in a bin, she navigated her way through the light crowd of travelers waiting to catch transfers down to the gas giant below and headed towards Garrity Defense.\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\u201cI\u2019m telling you, I know my stuff,\u201d said Clara. \u201cGo on, test me.\u201d\n\n\u201cLook, I\u2019m sure you do,\u201d replied Diego, the Garrity Defense third-shift manager. \u201cBut I\u2019m just not looking to hire.\u201d\n\n\u201cTest me,\u201d insisted Clara, \u201cand then decide. That\u2019s all I\u2019m asking.\u201d\n\nBetween docking fees, insurance and the price of keeping her ship loaded, fueled, and ready for action, her funds were rapidly drying up. Crunching the numbers, she had only about two days of credits left before she was going to have to either start living in her ship, stop eating, or worse. She figured if she could pull a couple shifts selling guns and armor, maybe she could hold on long enough until she could drum up some real work. It\u2019s not like she was sleeping anyway, so why not?\n\nDiego, glancing up at her guild hat, finally shrugged and said, \u201cFine. You want a test? See that guy? He\u2019s a shuttle jockey. Stays aboard Olisar once a week and probably spends half that time staring at the merch, not buying anything. Get him to actually spend some creds and we\u2019ll talk about getting you some shifts here.\u201d\n\nClara appraised the man in question. The undersuit he was wearing was higher quality stuff than any transfer shuttle pilot should need \u2014 full armor connects, light EVA thrusters, and most importantly, spotless. Even the man\u2019s boots looked untouched. Probably the most telling thing was the simple fact he was wearing it all inside the station when most people couldn\u2019t wait to change into regular clothes after a flight.\n\nShe walked up next to him and looked at the display of rifles on the wall. A moment passed before she said, \u201cThinking about getting the S71?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m fine. Thanks,\u201d the man responded.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s good \u2018cause I don\u2019t work here.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, sorry. I just thought \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, it\u2019s okay. Don\u2019t worry about it.\u201d Clara took a step away and trained her focus on a lower rack showcasing some scopes.\n\n\u201cYou were saying something about the S71?\u201d The man asked, gesturing towards the sleek, black rifle.\n\n\u201cI was going to tell you not to get it.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cBecause carrying one makes you a target. Strap that on, and everyone in the room marks you as a serious operator. I mean look at the thing. It screams, I\u2019m a threat.\u201d Clara put on her best thousand-yard stare and softened her voice, \u201cMy ex-partner Gunther used to pack one. Sure, he did a lot of good with it and yeah, there\u2019s definitely a few less outlaws out there, but do I think he\u2019d still be alive if he had chosen to carry a lesser weapon? You bet your ass I do.\u201d\n\nThe man stood slack-jawed as she finished.\n\n\u201cI know it\u2019s not my place to tell you what to do. I just promised myself that if I ever saw someone thinking about making the mistake he did, I would warn them if I could.\u201d Suddenly, her mobiGlas chirped to alert her of an incoming comm. \u201cAnyway, I gotta go.\u201d\n\nWith that, Clara turned and headed towards the door, making sure to give Diego a wink as she passed. She parked herself around the corner and brought up her mobi.\n\nShe was a little surprised to see that the comm was from Eckhart Security. She had heard of the company back when she was with the guild, but she didn\u2019t know much beyond their reputation of playing fast and loose with the rules.\n\nThen again, her rep wasn\u2019t that great at the moment either.\n\nShe answered, \u201cHello?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, is this Clara Lin?\u201d asked a gruff voice belonging to an equally weathered face. \u201cI\u2019m Miles Eckhart.\u201d\n\nA comm from the man himself, thought Clara. That\u2019s something.\n\n\u201cA friend of yours contacted me this morning and had some interesting things to say.\u201d\n\nShe pretty much only had one friend in the \u2019verse right now. \u201cGunther?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s the one. Me and him crossed each other\u2019s path a few years back and long story short, I owed him a favor. Guess you\u2019re it.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re giving me a job?\u201d Clara asked, trying not to let too much hope seep into her voice.\n\n\u201cEase up, all I\u2019m doing is giving you an interview.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat do you need to know?\u201d Clara asked.\n\nThe customer from Garrity Defense walked past. He tried to avoid eye contact as he quickened his pace and turned the corner.\n\n\u201cNot over comms. I\u2019m old fashioned that way,\u201d said Miles. \u201cI\u2019ll send you the location.\u201d A popup showed that she had received the coordinates. \u201cOne last thing. Show up ready to work.\u201d\n\nThe comm line switched off as the manager from Garrity Defense popped his head out of the store and came hurrying over.\n\n\u201cThere you are,\u201d said Diego. \u201cWhat did you say to him? He bought an S71 and every single attachment we carry. The job\u2019s yours.\u201d\n\n\u201cThanks. I\u2019ll let you know,\u201d said Clara, leaving behind a slightly confused Diego as she headed off to grab her gear.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nClara had never been to Levski before, and stepping into the station, she instantly suspected that this had been a good call. She knew about the People\u2019s Alliance, but was surprised how much being surrounded by their anti-UEE sentiment made her skin crawl. She hadn\u2019t served in the military or ever seriously considered becoming a Citizen, but she had been outside of the UEE before, and if she had to choose between the mess out there and the mess inside the Empire, the one where you can get a hamburger and a medpen whenever you wanted was the clear winner.\n\nThe giant statue of a dead kid in the lobby didn\u2019t really help with the vibe either.\n\nAvoiding the aggressive hawkers in the bazaar, she weaved her way to Cafe Musain, the local watering hole. As she stepped down the stairs, she was surprised by how comfortable the bar looked. The warm lighting, the worn art on the walls, the lingering smell of stale stim in the air, it all reminded her of the places she used to \u2014\n\nClara forcefully stopped that train of thought. She needed to focus right now.\n\nThere. She spotted Eckhart sitting at a high-top table off to the side of the bar. The drink he was holding sloshed in his glass slightly as he browsed his mobi.\n\nClara approached and was about to introduce herself when \u2014\n\n\u201cGrab a seat. I\u2019ll be with you in a second.\u201d\n\nClara pulled out the stool across from him and waited. She noticed his particularly thick jacket and wondered if it was to hide weapons or if it was armored. Probably both, she decided.\n\n\u201cYou need a drink?\u201d He asked as he closed his mobi.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m fine,\u201d she said.\n\n\u201cGood,\u201d he said before taking a long sip of his own. \u201cThen let\u2019s get down to business. Which hand do you shoot with?\u201d\n\nShe hesitated for a moment before answering, \u201cLeft.\u201d\n\n\u201cLet me see.\u201d\n\nClara raised her hand and held it out. Miles took another swallow as he watched it. Her hand stayed steady.\n\n\u201cNow the other.\u201d\n\nTaking a deep breath, Clara held out her right hand. The slight tremble was apparent immediately.\n\n\u201cNot good, but definitely not the worse I\u2019ve seen. You clean?\u201d\n\n\u201cThree months,\u201d said Clara as she lowered her arm.\n\n\u201cGood.\u201d Miles brought up his mobi again and sent her a file. \u201cI just sent you the details for a black box retrieval.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait, you had me come all the way out here just to look at my hands?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019d be surprised how many people I weed out just by making them fly to meet me,\u201d said Miles. \u201cPlus, I find it\u2019s much harder to screw someone over after you\u2019ve met them in person.\u201d Miles finished off his drink. \u201cNow, a client of mine lost a ship of theirs and wants to keep the whole thing private. I need you to recover the flight data before the insurance company can. Take a look and let me know if you can handle it.\u201d\n\nClara brought up the contract and looked it through. Seemed straightforward enough. The ship had been lost out near the asteroid cluster surrounding Crusader\u2019s moon, Yela. Not particularly dangerous. Well, not any more dangerous than the rest of Crusader. Pay was a bit low. She said so.\n\n\u201cDamn right, it\u2019s low,\u201d said Miles. \u201cThis is just a tryout. You pull it off and it\u2019ll mean more jobs and more credits. You screw up and at least I\u2019m squared away with Gunther. What do you say?\u201d\n\nWhen she was part of the guild, Clara would have walked away from the table. It wasn\u2019t that anything Miles had done or said was hinky, but one of the first things she learned starting off as a merc was to trust her gut. Right now, it was telling her Miles wasn\u2019t exactly the sort of man she wanted to be in business with. It was telling her that she should just go back to Olisar and sell weapons and armor to people who most likely didn\u2019t need them.\n\nShe pressed the accept button on the contract anyway.\n\n\n\n\n\n\nShe completed her fourth and last scan. Other than some residual EM signature from the few batteries that still had power scattered throughout the wreckage, all was quiet among the asteroids.\n\nIt was a bit strange to be doing a mission solo. Caution was the key. In the past, she had flown with Gunther for five years, and with Jenn and Tal for the last two. Moving in a group always meant you had someone watching your back. Solo was a whole different beast.\n\nShe scanned one more time for luck, then nudged her Buccaneer closer to the mass of debris that used to be a Constellation. Whoever had done this had done a thorough job, that\u2019s for sure. Rotating slightly, she steadied the headlight of her ship onto the twisted and torn bridge. The black box would most likely still be in there. Clara debated if she should power down all the way, or leave her ship running just in case she needed a fast exit. In the end, she decided to just cut the engine, leaving the rest of the systems on, telling herself it was prudence and not the fact it would be really creepy out here with her ship\u2019s lights turned off.\n\nShe double checked her O2 levels, the seals on her suit, her pistol and her rifle, before finally pulling the cockpit release latch. The glass lifted up and with a small push off her seat, she drifted into space. She mentally rotated her center of gravity so that the bright ball of Yela was below her, instead of above.\n\nFollowing the beam of light from her Buc, she slowly pulsed her thrusters forward, carefully clearing any small bits of debris out of the way as she went. At the Guild, they always taught the new members SSKY: Stupid Stuff Kills You. Even then, about a third of the merc deaths you read about weren\u2019t from outlaws blasting them out of the sky, but from little things like not tracking oxygen closely enough or forgetting to carry an extra medpen. The job was dangerous; no reason to make it more so.\n\nClara cut her EVA thrusters and drifted the last few meters till she hit the cockpit glass with a soft \u2018thunk.\u2019 The ship groaned and creaked as metal scraped and settled. She swung her flashlight around the interior and saw that the black box was still safely nestled where it should be.\n\nNow to find a way in.\n\nShe had never served aboard a Connie herself, but she had fought against one once. If she had been the attacker, the first thing she would have targeted was the turrets and from what she remembered, they weren\u2019t exactly known for staying attached once you blew them up.\n\nShe rotated so she was facing right way up relative to the plane of the ship, and then pulled herself to the top of the bridge. Sure enough, a gaping jagged tear along the hull marked where the dorsal turret had once been. Clara climbed into the empty turret shaft headfirst, to where the emergency hatch had sealed off the bridge once the turret had vented. She was about to manually override the hatch, when she noticed it.\n\nThe thrusters of an approaching ship.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED \u2026"},"links_count":0,"comment_count":81,"created_at":"2017-08-09T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"8 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 23:57:20","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":16056,"next_id":16059}}