{"data":{"id":16081,"title":"Collision Course: Part 3","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/16081-Collision-Course-Part-3","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/16081","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/16081","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Collision Course","images":[{"id":22852,"name":"CollisionCourse_pt3_FI.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/cvvgfgnny4asxr\/source\/CollisionCourse_pt3_FI.jpg","alt":"","size":1149035,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2017-08-23T00:31:53+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/22852","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/22852\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"This week concludes our special multi-part adventure, Collision Course. If you missed the first two installments, here\u2019s Part 1 & Part 2.\n\n\nClara stayed as still as possible inside what remained of the frame of the Connie\u2019s top turret. One hand gripped the manual override to the hatch leading into the half-destroyed ship. The other checked her suit\u2019s scans. It confirmed her fear \u2014 someone else was here.\n\nSuddenly, the decision to leave her Bucc\u2019s systems running, lights blazing into the Connie cockpit, no longer seemed like such a good idea.\n\nShe didn\u2019t think she could return to her ship unnoticed, so Clara activated the manual override on the turret hatch and entered what remained of the Connie. At least it provided her a bit of cover while she assessed her options.\n\nOnce inside, she glanced around to ensure there weren\u2019t any surprises. The bulkheads had slammed shut when the ship\u2019s back half blew off, leaving the front section mostly intact. She didn\u2019t see any further breaches to the hull, and strangely, no bodies.\n\nClara shoved that mystery aside, EVAed into a dark corner and drew her rifle. She flicked off the safety and aimed the gun at the hatch. It was the obvious entrance point into the ship. Maybe she\u2019d get lucky and catch whoever had just arrived coming through it.\n\nSuddenly, an ear piercing whistle cut across comms.\n\n\u201cNow, that\u2019s a nice ship,\u201d announced Radu. \u201cNot much of a Drake man, myself, but it\u2019d sure be sad if something happened to it.\u201d\n\nRadu had his Gladius aimed at the Bucc, his fingers wrapped around the trigger. From this distance, the ship\u2019s Scorpion GT-215 Gatling would rip the Bucc to shreds in seconds. But this gig only paid out for the return of the Connie\u2019s black box. There were no bonuses for extracurriculars. He\u2019d prefer to keep his hands clean, if at all possible.\n\n\u201cCome on, don\u2019t be shy,\u201d he continued over comms. \u201cI\u2019ll give you to the count of five to at least introduce yourself before I take my frustrations out on your ship.\u201d\n\nHe gave it a beat, still no response.\n\n\u201cFive \u2026 four \u2026 three \u2026 two \u2026 one\u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cOK, fine.\u201d Clara reluctantly replied over comms.\n\n\u201cGood, there you are. Quite the predicament, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s one way of putting it.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust so everything\u2019s clear, your ship\u2019s sitting in my crosshairs.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I got that.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a threat, just the reality of our situation. I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m not here looking for trouble.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are you looking for then?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat ship\u2019s black box. Everything else is yours. Deal?\u201d\n\nClara gave it a beat to make it seem like she was thinking it over, \u201cFine \u2026 head on in and grab it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis will go a lot faster if you just go ahead and assume I\u2019m not an idiot.\u201d\n\n\u201cFair enough. How do you want to do this?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re going to bring the box to me.\u201d\n\nVarious options sped through her head; almost all felt impossible. Clara glanced at her vitals. Her heart rate was elevated and O2 levels were depleting faster than normal. She tried to get her breathing under control and focus on the first step to surviving this \u2014 making it back to her ship.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t go silent on me now. We were just getting to know each other.\u201d Radu nervously drummed his fingers on the flight stick. Her silence meant she wasn\u2019t going to make this easy.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s to keep you from killing me the second I bring you the black box?\u201d\n\nRadu smiled. Good. She wants to cooperate. \u201cListen, the fact I didn\u2019t just start shooting up the place should buy me a little bit a trust. If I wanted you dead, you\u2019d be dead by now. Bring me the box, and as soon as I\u2019m gone, that\u2019s the end of it.\u201d\n\nClara realized he had a point. Either this guy was telling the truth or was one devious bastard. Regardless, she didn\u2019t see many paths out of her current situation that didn\u2019t leave her cold and vented. Better to be alive and broke then dead and proud.\n\n\u201cFine. Give me a minute to find the black box,\u201d Clara said reluctantly.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s the spirit.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou can call me Clara.\u201d She offered, hoping the name would humanize her.\n\n\u201cRadu.\u201d\n\nIt was a small gesture, but hearing his name somehow made her feel slightly better.\n\nClara EVAed toward the front of the bridge. She stared out the cockpit window to find Radu\u2019s ship, but the blazing lights from her Bucc made it all but impossible. So, she redirected herself and snagged the black box.\n\nShe stared at it for a moment while thinking through her next steps. Though it went against her every instinct, Clara flipped the safety on her rifle and returned it to the attachment point on her suit. It made no difference what ship Radu flew; she was outgunned.\n\n\u201cGot it. Coming out the top turret hatch.\u201d\n\n\u201cKeep it nice and slow. No surprises,\u201d cautioned Radu. He swung the Gladius slightly, lining it up with the top of the Connie. Moments later, Clara slowly emerged from the hatch and reorientated herself until facing his ship. Then she stayed in place.\n\n\u201cNow what?\u201d Clara asked.\n\nRadu realized he hadn\u2019t thought through the actual exchange. He just knew he had to keep her away from her ship until it was done.\n\n\u201cBring it on over.\u201d\n\nClara held her position, staring down the ship\u2019s Gatling gun aimed at her. Her heart beat so fast that it felt like it might explode out of her chest.\n\n\u201cCan you at least not aim that thing directly at me?\u201d\n\nRadu kept the nose of the ship where it was. \u201cYou\u2019re safe enough. Just bring the box over, nice and easy.\u201d\n\nClara drew a deep breath and slowly EVAed toward the Gladius. Each meter closer only made it more nerve racking. Her mind reeled and repeated the same phrase over and over again \u2014\n\nJust get back to my ship \u2026 Just get back to my ship \u2026\n\n\u201cAm I bringing this all the way to your cockpit or what?\u201d Inquired Clara.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll tell you when to stop.\u201d\n\nRadu watched Clara draw near. He wanted her close, but not so close that she was inside his ship\u2019s weapon range.\n\n\u201cStop right there,\u201d said Radu and Clara complied. \u201cNow, you\u2019re going to release the box and head back to the Connie. Once me and the box are gone you can go on living your life.\u201d\n\nClara was close enough to see Radu inside the cockpit. She knew that once she released the black box, her position was a lot less secure.\n\nIf she gave him what he wanted, what were the chances that she\u2019d be getting out of here alive?\n\nRadu picked up on her hesitation. \u201cWe\u2019ve made it this far, so don\u2019t screw it up by doing anything stupid.\u201d\n\nShe quickly ran through their interaction so far. He didn\u2019t seem like he was going to straight out kill her, but he was right, he wasn\u2019t stupid. If he left her with a ship, there was a risk she would come after him. No, he was going to leave her in the Connie and blow her Bucc. It was the safest option he had beside straight out icing her.\n\n\u201cClara. I will not ask again.\u201d\n\nIt was then that she saw a slight movement in his arm. He was adjusting his shot. It was now or never. Instinct kicked in and she swung the box around and released it when her back was lined up with her ship. The force of the box leaving her hands flung Clara back and toward the Buccaneer. She quickly rotated her body toward her ship and hit her EVA thrusters. The black box drifted free, tumbling away from both of them.\n\nIt took Radu a moment to realize what had happened. He begun to adjust his aim on the fleeing Clara, but saw something move in his periphery. It was the black box floating passed.\n\nWithout a moment\u2019s further hesitation, Radu swung his Gladius around and went after the box. He didn\u2019t care if she got away, but this would all be for nothing if he didn\u2019t return with that black box. This was his last chance to score the credits needed to pay off Madrigal for the month. That\u2019d give him some space to try and escape his whole situation. If he blew this, there definitely wasn\u2019t enough time to complete a new gig that paid this well. Radu knew that black box was his lifeline \u2014 if he missed paying Madrigal that installment, he was as good as dead.\n\nHe yawed to squeeze past an asteroid the box had drifted past, and tried to position himself in front of its path. Before he could match its trajectory, it ricocheted off a rock and tumbled in a new direction. Radu fired all his reverse thrusters and adjusted his course once again.\n\nMeanwhile, Clara EVAed to her Bucc as fast as possible, shocked to reach the ship without coming under fire. She hopped in and fired up the engines, thankful she\u2019d left the rest of the systems on.\n\nFor the first time, she looked back to see Radu\u2019s ship navigating through the asteroid field in pursuit of the box. That should give her enough time to flee.\n\nShe\u2019d comm Miles the second she was in the clear and explain what happened. He\u2019d be pissed, and probably never hire her again, but at least she\u2019d be alive. She probably couldn\u2019t afford an EZ Hab tonight, but once back at Port Olisar she could check with Diego about that gig at Garrity Defense. Maybe being a counter jockey wouldn\u2019t be too bad after all. It\u2019d be boring but safe.\n\nThe voice of Clara\u2019s old friend Gunther filled her head. He used to claim that boredom killed more people than bullets. He even blamed Clara\u2019s nasty WiDoW habit on her looking for something to do between gigs.\n\nSuddenly, her head started to spin. She\u2019d been clean for three months. She could stay strong as a counter jockey with a constant flow of credits in her pocket and plenty of time to kill \u2026 right?\n\nShe looked back to Radu\u2019s ship to see him opening his canopy, the blinking light of the black box drifting towards him. For the first time, she realized that not only had she survived this crazy ordeal, but actually had the drop on him. There was still a chance for her to come away from this with both her life and the black box.\n\nThat glint of hope was all she needed.\n\nRadu strained, reaching for the tumbling box. He glanced over to see the Buccaneer spinning in his direction. She was coming after him.\n\nHe grabbed the box with one hand, and brought it down to his lap. No time to close the canopy, he swung the flight stick just as the Bucc opened fire. The Gladius\u2019 shield flared before him, absorbing the shots. Aegis\u2019 voice assist kicked in to tell him what he already knew \u2014 his front shields were in a critical state and he should close his damn window. He needed to find cover and fast. He ducked low as it resealed around him.\n\nRadu piloted the Gladius toward a large asteroid and skillfully swung it into cover. He just needed to escape this asteroid cluster and quantum anywhere that wasn\u2019t here. But before he could even search for a QT destination, his rear shields came under attack. He abandoned the search and focused on weaving between asteroids to stay alive.\n\nClara stayed within range thanks to the Buccaneer\u2019s two massive main thrusters. She watched Radu\u2019s Gladius duck and dodge between asteroids. She could tell he was flying to buy time for his shields. She stayed aggressive on the attack, but picked her shots so she didn\u2019t burn through her ammo too fast.\n\nIt\u2019d been a while since Radu had been in a dogfight. Most of his jobs of late were unfortunately face to face, so he felt a little overwhelmed trying to keep one eye on his scans and the other on the asteroids. The large box in his lap wasn\u2019t helping matters any. It quickly became clear that Clara was the better pilot. In his experience, there was only one way to beat a better pilot \u2014 do something totally unexpected.\n\nWithout overthinking it, Radu suddenly pitched his Gladius down and out of the asteroid cluster before rolling right. The cool, bluish-green colors of Yela filled his field of view and briefly distracted him. He angled back up toward the protection of the asteroid cluster when his rear shields came under attack again. That Bucc was more nimble than he expected.\n\nThe Aegis voice assist calmly assured him that his rear shields were down. He felt the ship shake and stutter. The hull was taking damage. He glanced at his control panel to see if anything important had been hit. That\u2019s when he noticed the quantum fuel tank was draining and, with it, the possibility of a quick escape.\n\nClara cursed under breath. Either Radu had a tick ten times worse than hers or he was flying erratically to keep her from achieving missile lock. He definitely had flying skills, but not enough to shake her. She finally locked in, but just as he reached the edge of the asteroid cluster. She fired off a missile anyway.\n\nThe Gladius dropped chaff in response. Moments later, there was an explosion and an expanding cloud of debris before Clara. She eased off the throttle so she didn\u2019t run head first into anything that could damage her ship. She stole a quick glance at her scans and didn\u2019t see Radu\u2019s ship.\n\nI can\u2019t believe I did it \u2026\n\nJust as that thought passed through her head, something darted across her scanner towards Yela. She looked again at the debris cloud before her but didn\u2019t see any ship parts. Her missile must\u2019ve struck an asteroid instead.\n\nClara checked her scans one more time; since nothing else appeared in the area she flipped her ship and flashed her engines to pursue.\n\nYou don\u2019t give up, do you? thought Radu, as he watched the Bucc break away from the asteroid cluster and pursue him towards Yela\u2019s surface. At least the distance gave his ship\u2019s shields a chance to recharge. His Gladius shuddered when entering Yela\u2019s thin upper atmosphere. He\u2019d been there plenty of times to know that wasn\u2019t normal.\n\nAs he sped toward the surface, the shaking only got worse. He feared that at any moment the ship\u2019s left wing might rip off. He\u2019d planned to land on the side of Yela shrouded in darkness and hide, but setting down in the middle of nowhere didn\u2019t seem like a good idea anymore. If he couldn\u2019t get his ship off the ground, then he was screwed. Yela\u2019s nightside temperatures were brutally cold. He had to find an outpost.\n\nRadu exhaled once the Gladius finished atmospheric entry without losing the wing. He shook his head while glancing at his scans; the Bucc was still in pursuit. He opened his map and started searching for the nearest outpost. His heart sank when he saw the nearest emergency shelter wasn\u2019t anywhere close. His doubted that his damaged ship could limp there before Clara\u2019s Bucc caught up.\n\nHe looked out the cockpit and scanned the pitch black horizon. Yela\u2019s ring hung in the sky just above it, with Crusader sitting above. Both were bright and beautiful. Radu pried his eyes off the vista and scanned the horizon. The faint light from an outpost caught his eyes. He double checked his map but nothing appeared at that location. His Gladius shuddered and briefly stalled before kicking back in. Radu knew he didn\u2019t have long. He\u2019d have to land and take his chances with what was below.\n\nWhere\u2019d he go? The blip had disappeared from Clara\u2019s scans. She\u2019d been expecting him to get low and find canyons or other cover, but she should\u2019ve been close enough to still see the ship\u2019s signature. She flew over a ridge then saw a faint light below. That had to be him.\n\nClara lowered the Bucc. Amidst a small plain encircled by mountains sat a small outpost, barely lit. As she drew near, the Bucc\u2019s lights spotted a small wisp of smoke rising from a Gladius that had crash landed nearby.\n\nThe ship didn\u2019t look like it could get off the ground, but Clara still swung the Bucc back around at it. She hit it with the ship lights and saw it was abandoned. She unloaded a barrage of bullets into it to ensure it wasn\u2019t going anywhere.\n\nShe then spun the Bucc toward the outpost and eased the ship in that direction. She lined it up with the outpost door, then hit her comms.\n\n\u201cWant to guess how many missiles it\u2019ll take to destroy that outpost?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019d rather not,\u201d Radu replied, still drawing deep breaths from his sprint there. He\u2019d made it through the outpost\u2019s airlocks and had immediately slumped to the floor. His back pressed up against the wall with the Connie\u2019s black box once more on his lap.\n\n\u201cWell, if you don\u2019t want to find out, then you better bring me that black box.\u201d\n\nRadu shook his head, exhausted, \u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cI saw you grab it.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not that. I need the creds. If I don\u2019t have them by tomorrow, I\u2019m dead. Why do you care so much?\u201d Radu pulled himself onto his feet and ventured past the open metal security gate and deeper into the outpost.\n\nThe place was in disarray, but someone had been here recently. Half eaten Big Benny\u2019s containers littered a metal table in the middle of the room. Numerous boxes were stacked on metal shelves. Ballistic ship ammo was spread across the countertops and scattered across the floor where a box had tipped over. He leafed through some paper scraps lying about.\n\nOut in the Bucc, Clara stared at the outpost\u2019s door, searching for an answer to a different question: was Radu\u2019s life was worth taking to stay in Eckhart\u2019s good graces?\n\nThe adrenaline from the dogfight and pursuit was finally wearing off and exhaustion setting in. All she could muster in response was the truth.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t screw up this gig. It\u2019s my last lifeline to anything respectable. I\u2019m all out of last chances and I just really needed something to break my way for once. Kinda felt like it was \u2026 until you showed up.\u201d\n\nInside the outpost, Radu popped the lid on a crate he had found tucked in the corner. Then looked at the room around him again. There, two more matching crates over on the side. Suddenly, everything clicked and he knew what he had to do.\n\nRadu crossed to the black box and picked it up. Then he hit his comms. \u201cI\u2019m coming out and I\u2019m not armed. Don\u2019t shoot.\u201d\n\nHe stepped into the airlock and cycled it. From her Bucc, Clara fingered the trigger just in case. She watched Radu step outside holding the black box. He walked to the bottom of the outpost step and set it down.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s yours,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll go back inside, so you don\u2019t have to worry about me stealing your ship or anything like that.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why?\u201d was all Clara could muster in response.\n\n\u201cYou said you needed a last chance. Well, I need a lot more than that to get out of what I\u2019m mixed up in. Sounds like this thing will help you out more than me.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou sure?\u201d\n\nRadu nodded his head then walked back inside the outpost. Clara sat there shocked, still not certain this wasn\u2019t a trap. Finally, she climbed out, cautiously crossed the distance and snagged the black box. She returned to her ship and hit her comms.\n\n\u201cThanks \u2026 need me to send for help or something?\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Actually, it\u2019s probably best if you get outta here before you get caught up in what\u2019s coming.\u201d\n\nClara felt compelled to asked what he meant but realized he was giving her this out. Who knew what might happen if she didn\u2019t take it. With that, Clara lifted off. The Bucc disappeared into the night.\n\nRadu accessed his mobi and commed Madrigal. The NovaRider enforcer eventually picked up.\n\n\u201cWell, well, look who it is. You got my creds?\u201d\n\n\u201cActually, I called so we could discuss a deal.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I don\u2019t really do deals.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou will after hearing what I have to offer.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh yeah, what\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cDetails on a Nine Tails stash house. Think if I got you that, you could consider my debt paid in full?\u201d\n\nRadu took the silence as a good sign.\n\n\u201cHow can I guarantee it is what you say it is?\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2018Cause here\u2019s the second part of the deal \u2014 you\u2019re going to come pick me up at it right now. That way you can see for yourself. I don\u2019t know the market price on SLAM right now, but I\u2019m pretty sure a couple crates of it will make your bosses happy.\u201d\n\nRadu turned and walked out of the outpost.\n\n\u201cYou better hurry though. Considering the day I\u2019ve had, who knows what might happen next.\u201d\n\nRadu clicked off the comm, and made his way to his wrecked Gladius, hoping that his spare rifle was still intact.\n\nTHE END","de_DE":"Diese Woche endet unser spezielles mehrteiliges Abenteuer, der Kollisionskurs. Wenn Sie die ersten beiden Raten verpasst haben, hier ist Teil 1 & Teil 2.\n\nClara blieb so ruhig wie m\u00f6glich in dem, was vom Rahmen des oberen Turms der Connie \u00fcbrig blieb. Eine Hand packte die Handhilfsbet\u00e4tigung zur Luke, die in das halb zerst\u00f6rte Schiff f\u00fchrte. Die andere \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte die Scans ihres Anzugs. Es best\u00e4tigte ihre Angst - jemand anderes war hier.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich schien die Entscheidung, die Systeme ihrer Bucc laufen zu lassen, Lichter, die in das Connie-Cockpit flammen, nicht mehr so eine gute Idee zu sein.\n\nSie dachte nicht, dass sie unbemerkt zu ihrem Schiff zur\u00fcckkehren k\u00f6nnte, also aktivierte Clara die Handhilfsbet\u00e4tigung an der Turmluke und betrat das, was von der Connie \u00fcbrig blieb. Zumindest bot es ihr ein wenig Deckung, w\u00e4hrend sie ihre Optionen \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte.\n\nAls sie drin war, blickte sie sich um, um sicherzustellen, dass es keine \u00dcberraschungen gab. Die Schotten waren zugeschlagen, als die hintere H\u00e4lfte des Schiffes wegblies, so dass der vordere Teil weitgehend intakt blieb. Sie sah keine weiteren Verletzungen des Rumpfes und seltsamerweise auch keine Leichen.\n\nClara schob dieses Geheimnis beiseite, EVAed in eine dunkle Ecke und zog ihr Gewehr. Sie sprang aus der Sicherung und richtete die Waffe auf die Luke. Es war der offensichtliche Einstiegspunkt in das Schiff. Vielleicht hatte sie Gl\u00fcck und erwischte denjenigen, der gerade angekommen war, als sie es \u00fcberstand.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich schnitt eine ohrenbet\u00e4ubende Pfeife \u00fcber die Kommunikation.\n\n\"Das ist ein sch\u00f6nes Schiff\", k\u00fcndigte Radu an. \"Ich selbst bin kein gro\u00dfer Drake-Mann, aber es w\u00e4re sicher traurig, wenn ihm etwas zust\u00f6\u00dft.\"\n\nRadu hatte seinen Gladius auf den Bucc gerichtet, seine Finger um den Abzug gewickelt. Aus dieser Entfernung w\u00fcrde der Scorpion GT-215 Gatling des Schiffes den Bucc in Sekundenschnelle in St\u00fccke rei\u00dfen. Aber dieser Gig zahlte sich nur f\u00fcr die R\u00fcckkehr der Blackbox von Connie aus. Es gab keine Boni f\u00fcr au\u00dferschulische Leistungen. Er w\u00fcrde es vorziehen, seine H\u00e4nde sauber zu halten, wenn immer m\u00f6glich.\n\n\"Komm schon, sei nicht sch\u00fcchtern\", fuhr er \u00fcber Funk fort. \"Ich z\u00e4hle bis f\u00fcnf, um mich wenigstens vorzustellen, bevor ich meine Frustrationen auf deinem Schiff auslasse.\"\n\nEr gab ihm einen Beat, immer noch keine Antwort.\n\n\"F\u00fcnf... vier... drei... drei... zwei... eins...\"\n\n\"OK, gut.\" Clara antwortete widerstrebend \u00fcber Comms.\n\n\"Gut, da bist du ja. Ziemlich schwierig, nicht wahr?\"\n\n\"Das ist eine Art, es auszudr\u00fccken.\"\n\n\"Nur damit alles klar ist, dein Schiff sitzt in meinem Fadenkreuz.\"\n\n\"Ja, ich verstehe das.\"\n\n\"Es ist keine Bedrohung, sondern nur die Realit\u00e4t unserer Situation. Ich wei\u00df nicht, wie es dir geht, aber ich bin nicht hier, um \u00c4rger zu suchen.\"\n\n\"Wonach suchst du dann?\"\n\n\"Das ist die Blackbox des Schiffes. Alles andere geh\u00f6rt dir. Abgemacht?\"\n\nClara gab ihm einen Beat, damit es so aussah, als w\u00fcrde sie dar\u00fcber nachdenken: \"Sch\u00f6n.... geh rein und schnapp es dir.\"\n\n\"Das wird viel schneller gehen, wenn Sie einfach annehmen, dass ich kein Idiot bin.\"\n\n\"In Ordnung. Wie willst du das machen?\"\n\n\"Du wirst mir die Kiste bringen.\"\n\nVerschiedene Optionen gingen ihr durch den Kopf; fast alle f\u00fchlten sich unm\u00f6glich an. Clara blickte auf ihre Vitalwerte. Ihre Herzfrequenz war erh\u00f6ht und der O2-Spiegel sank schneller als normal. Sie versuchte, ihre Atmung unter Kontrolle zu bringen und sich auf den ersten Schritt zu konzentrieren, um dies zu \u00fcberleben - bis zur\u00fcck zu ihrem Schiff.\n\n\"Schweig jetzt nicht \u00fcber mich. Wir haben uns gerade erst kennengelernt.\" Radu trommelte nerv\u00f6s mit den Fingern auf den Flugstock. Ihr Schweigen bedeutete, dass sie es nicht leicht machen w\u00fcrde.\n\n\"Was h\u00e4lt dich davon ab, mich zu t\u00f6ten, sobald ich dir die Blackbox bringe?\"\n\nRadu l\u00e4chelte. Gut. Sie will kooperieren. \"H\u00f6r zu, die Tatsache, dass ich nicht gerade angefangen habe, den Laden aufzumischen, sollte mir ein wenig Vertrauen verschaffen. Wenn ich dich tot sehen wollte, w\u00e4rst du jetzt schon tot. Bring mir die Kiste, und sobald ich weg bin, ist Schluss damit.\"\n\nClara erkannte, dass er einen Punkt hatte. Entweder dieser Kerl sagte die Wahrheit oder er war ein hinterh\u00e4ltiger Bastard. Trotzdem sah sie aus ihrer aktuellen Situation nicht viele Wege, die sie nicht kalt und bel\u00fcftet zur\u00fccklie\u00dfen. Besser lebendig und gebrochen zu sein als tot und stolz.\n\n\"Gut. Gib mir eine Minute, um die Blackbox zu finden\", sagte Clara widerstrebend.\n\n\"Das ist die richtige Einstellung.\"\n\n\"Du kannst mich Clara nennen.\" Das bot sie an, in der Hoffnung, dass der Name sie vermenschlichen w\u00fcrde.\n\n\" Radu.\"\n\nEs war eine kleine Geste, aber seinen Namen zu h\u00f6ren, lie\u00df sie sich etwas besser f\u00fchlen.\n\nClara EVAed in Richtung der Vorderseite der Br\u00fccke. Sie starrte aus dem Cockpitfenster, um Radus Schiff zu finden, aber die lodernden Lichter ihres Bucc machten es fast unm\u00f6glich. Also leitete sie sich selbst um und schnappte sich die Blackbox.\n\nSie starrte einen Moment lang darauf, w\u00e4hrend sie \u00fcber ihre n\u00e4chsten Schritte nachdachte. Obwohl es gegen ihren Instinkt verstie\u00df, drehte Clara die Sicherung ihres Gewehrs um und brachte es zum Befestigungspunkt ihres Anzugs zur\u00fcck. Es spielte keine Rolle, welches Schiff Radu flog; sie war unterlegen.\n\n\"Verstanden. Sie kommen aus der oberen Turmluke.\"\n\n\"Sch\u00f6n langsam bleiben. Keine \u00dcberraschungen\", warnte Radu. Er schwang die Gladius leicht und richtete sie mit der Oberseite der Connie aus. Kurz darauf tauchte Clara langsam aus der Luke auf und orientierte sich neu, bis sie seinem Schiff gegen\u00fcberstand. Dann blieb sie an Ort und Stelle.\n\n\" Was jetzt?\" fragte Clara.\n\nRadu erkannte, dass er den eigentlichen Austausch nicht durchdacht hatte. Er wusste nur, dass er sie von ihrem Schiff fernhalten musste, bis es fertig war.\n\n\"Versuchs mal r\u00fcber.\"\n\nClara hielt ihre Position und starrte die Gatling-Kanone des Schiffes an, die auf sie gerichtet war. Ihr Herz schlug so schnell, dass es sich anf\u00fchlte, als k\u00f6nnte es aus ihrer Brust explodieren.\n\n\"Kannst du das Ding wenigstens nicht direkt auf mich richten?\"\n\nRadu behielt die Nase des Schiffes, wo es war. \"Du bist sicher genug. Bring einfach die Schachtel r\u00fcber, sch\u00f6n und einfach.\"\n\nClara holte tief Luft und n\u00e4herte sich langsam dem Gladius. Jeder Meter n\u00e4her machte es nur noch nervenaufreibender. Ihr Verstand taumelte und wiederholte den gleichen Satz immer und immer wieder -\n\nGeh einfach zur\u00fcck zu meinem Schiff.... Geh einfach zur\u00fcck zu meinem Schiff....\n\n\"Bringe ich das den ganzen Weg zu deinem Cockpit oder was?\" Erworben von Clara.\n\n\"Ich sage dir, wann du aufh\u00f6ren musst.\"\n\nRadu beobachtete, wie Clara sich n\u00e4herte. Er wollte sie nah dran haben, aber nicht so nah, dass sie sich im Waffenbereich seines Schiffes befand.\n\n\"Bleib genau da stehen\", sagten Radu und Clara. \"Jetzt wirst du die Box freigeben und zur\u00fcck zur Connie gehen. Sobald ich und die Box weg sind, kannst du dein Leben weiterleben.\"\n\nClara war nah genug dran, um Radu im Cockpit zu sehen. Sie wusste, dass ihre Position, sobald sie die Blackbox freigegeben hatte, viel weniger sicher war.\n\nWenn sie ihm geben w\u00fcrde, was er wollte, wie hoch w\u00e4ren dann die Chancen, dass sie hier lebend rauskommt?\n\nRadu nahm ihr Z\u00f6gern wahr. \"Wir haben es so weit geschafft, also vermassel es nicht, indem du etwas Dummes machst.\"\n\nSie lief schnell durch ihre bisherige Interaktion. Er schien nicht, als w\u00fcrde er sie sofort t\u00f6ten, aber er hatte Recht, er war nicht dumm. Wenn er sie mit einem Schiff zur\u00fccklie\u00df, bestand die Gefahr, dass sie ihn verfolgen w\u00fcrde. Nein, er wollte sie in der Connie lassen und ihr Bucc blasen. Es war die sicherste Option, die er hatte, neben der direkten Vereisung.\n\n\"Clara. Ich werde nicht noch einmal fragen.\"\n\nDann sah sie eine leichte Bewegung in seinem Arm. Er hat seinen Schuss angepasst. Es war jetzt oder nie. Der Instinkt trat ein und sie schwang die Kiste herum und lie\u00df sie los, als ihr R\u00fccken mit ihrem Schiff ausgerichtet war. Die Kraft der Kiste, die ihre H\u00e4nde lie\u00df, warf Clara zur\u00fcck und in Richtung des Freibeuters. Sie drehte schnell ihren K\u00f6rper zu ihrem Schiff und traf ihre EVA-Triebwerke. Die Blackbox driftete frei und st\u00fcrzte von beiden weg.\n\nEs dauerte einen Moment, bis Radu erkannte, was passiert war. Er begann, sein Ziel auf die fliehende Clara einzustellen, sah aber, dass sich etwas in seiner Peripherie bewegte. Es war die schwarze Box, die schwebend passierte.\n\nOhne einen Moment weiter zu z\u00f6gern, schwang Radu seinen Gladius herum und ging der Kiste nach. Es war ihm egal, ob sie entkommen konnte, aber das alles w\u00e4re umsonst, wenn er nicht mit dieser Blackbox zur\u00fcckkehren w\u00fcrde. Dies war seine letzte Chance, die Credits zu sammeln, die n\u00f6tig waren, um Madrigal f\u00fcr den Monat zu bezahlen. Das w\u00fcrde ihm etwas Raum geben, um zu versuchen, seiner ganzen Situation zu entkommen. Wenn er das vermasselt hat, blieb definitiv nicht genug Zeit, um einen neuen Gig abzuschlie\u00dfen, der so gut bezahlt wurde. Radu wusste, dass die Blackbox seine Lebensader war - wenn er es verpasste, Madrigal diese Rate zu zahlen, war er so gut wie tot.\n\nEr gierte, um an einem Asteroiden vorbeizuquetschen, an dem die Box vorbeigetrieben worden war, und versuchte, sich vor seinem Weg zu positionieren. Bevor er seine Flugbahn erreichen konnte, ricochete er von einem Felsen und st\u00fcrzte in eine neue Richtung. Radu feuerte alle seine R\u00fcckw\u00e4rtsstrahler ab und passte seinen Kurs erneut an.\n\nIn der Zwischenzeit fuhr Clara EVA so schnell wie m\u00f6glich zu ihrem Bucc, schockiert, das Schiff zu erreichen, ohne unter Beschuss zu geraten. Sie sprang ein und feuerte die Motoren an, dankbar, dass sie den Rest der Systeme eingeschaltet gelassen hatte.\n\nZum ersten Mal blickte sie zur\u00fcck, um Radus Schiff zu sehen, das auf der Jagd nach der Kiste durch das Asteroidenfeld navigierte. Das sollte ihr genug Zeit geben, um zu fliehen.\n\nSie w\u00fcrde Miles in der Sekunde, in der sie sich im Klaren war, kontaktieren und erkl\u00e4ren, was passiert ist. Er w\u00e4re sauer und w\u00fcrde sie wahrscheinlich nie wieder einstellen, aber zumindest w\u00fcrde sie noch leben. Sie konnte sich heute Abend wahrscheinlich keinen EZ Hab leisten, aber einmal zur\u00fcck in Port Olisar konnte sie mit Diego \u00fcber diesen Auftritt bei Garrity Defense sprechen. Vielleicht w\u00e4re es doch nicht so schlimm, ein Gegenjockey zu sein. Es w\u00e4re langweilig, aber sicher.\n\nDie Stimme von Claras altem Freund Gunther erf\u00fcllte ihren Kopf. Er behauptete immer, dass Langeweile mehr Menschen get\u00f6tet hat als Kugeln. Er gab Clara sogar die Schuld an ihrer b\u00f6sen WiDoW-Gewohnheit, dass sie zwischen den Auftritten nach etwas zu tun suchte.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich begann sich ihr Kopf zu drehen. Sie war seit drei Monaten clean. Sie k\u00f6nnte als Gegenjockey stark bleiben, mit einem konstanten Fluss von Credits in der Tasche und viel Zeit zum T\u00f6ten.... richtig?\n\nSie blickte zur\u00fcck zu Radus Schiff, um zu sehen, wie er seine Haube \u00f6ffnete, das blinkende Licht der schwarzen Box, die auf ihn zukam. Zum ersten Mal erkannte sie, dass sie diese verr\u00fcckte Tortur nicht nur \u00fcberlebt hatte, sondern ihn auch tats\u00e4chlich getroffen hatte. Es gab noch eine Chance f\u00fcr sie, mit ihrem Leben und der Black Box davon wegzukommen.\n\nDieser Funke Hoffnung war alles, was sie brauchte.\n\nRadu wurde angespannt und griff nach der Trommlerbox. Er blickte hin\u00fcber, um den Freibeuter zu sehen, der sich in seine Richtung dreht. Sie war hinter ihm her.\n\nEr packte die Kiste mit einer Hand und brachte sie auf seinen Scho\u00df. Keine Zeit, die Haube zu schlie\u00dfen, er schwang den Flugstock, als die Bucc das Feuer er\u00f6ffnete. Der Schild der Gladius flammte vor ihm auf und absorbierte die Sch\u00fcsse. Aegis' Stimmunterst\u00fctzung trat ein, um ihm zu sagen, was er bereits wusste - seine Frontschilde waren in einem kritischen Zustand und er sollte sein verdammtes Fenster schlie\u00dfen. Er musste Deckung finden und zwar schnell. Er duckte sich tief, als es um ihn herum wieder verschlossen wurde.\n\nRadu steuerte den Gladius zu einem gro\u00dfen Asteroiden und schwang ihn geschickt in Deckung. Er musste nur diesem Asteroidenhaufen und Quanten \u00fcberall dort entkommen, wo er nicht da war. Aber bevor er \u00fcberhaupt nach einem QT-Ziel suchen konnte, wurden seine Heckschilde angegriffen. Er verlie\u00df die Suche und konzentrierte sich auf das Weben zwischen Asteroiden, um am Leben zu bleiben.\n\nClara blieb dank der beiden massiven Haupttriebwerke des Buccaneers in Reichweite. Sie beobachtete Radus Gladius Ente und schwankte zwischen den Asteroiden. Sie konnte erkennen, dass er flog, um Zeit f\u00fcr seine Schilde zu gewinnen. Sie blieb bei dem Angriff aggressiv, w\u00e4hlte aber ihre Sch\u00fcsse aus, damit sie ihre Munition nicht zu schnell durchbrannte.\n\nEs ist schon eine Weile her, dass Radu in einem Luftkampf war. Die meisten seiner Jobs in letzter Zeit waren leider von Angesicht zu Angesicht, so dass er sich ein wenig \u00fcberfordert f\u00fchlte, als er versuchte, ein Auge auf seine Scans und das andere auf die Asteroiden zu werfen. Die gro\u00dfe Box auf seinem Scho\u00df half ihm nicht weiter. Es wurde schnell klar, dass Clara die bessere Pilotin war. Nach seiner Erfahrung gab es nur einen Weg, einen besseren Piloten zu schlagen - etwas v\u00f6llig Unerwartetes zu tun.\n\nOhne dar\u00fcber nachzudenken, warf Radu pl\u00f6tzlich seinen Gladius nach unten und aus dem Asteroidenhaufen, bevor er nach rechts rollte. Die k\u00fchlen, bl\u00e4ulich-gr\u00fcnen Farben von Yela f\u00fcllten sein Blickfeld und lenkten ihn kurz ab. Er neigte sich wieder in Richtung des Schutzes des Asteroidenhaufens, als seine Heckschilde wieder angegriffen wurden. Dieser Bucc war flinker, als er erwartet hatte.\n\nDer Stimmassistent von Aegis versicherte ihm ruhig, dass seine Heckschilde unten waren. Er sp\u00fcrte, wie das Schiff zitterte und stotterte. Der Rumpf wurde besch\u00e4digt. Er blickte auf sein Bedienfeld, um zu sehen, ob etwas Wichtiges getroffen wurde. Da bemerkte er, dass der Quantenkraftstofftank leer wurde und damit die M\u00f6glichkeit einer schnellen Flucht.\n\nClara verfluchte unter Atemzug. Entweder hatte Radu eine Zecke zehnmal schlechter als sie oder er flog unberechenbar, um sie davon abzuhalten, eine Raketenabwehr zu erreichen. Er hatte definitiv Flugk\u00fcnste, aber nicht genug, um sie zu ersch\u00fcttern. Sie hat sich schlie\u00dflich eingeschlossen, aber gerade als er die Kante des Asteroidenhaufens erreichte. Sie hat sowieso eine Rakete abgefeuert.\n\nDie Gladius lie\u00df als Reaktion die Spreu fallen. Kurz darauf gab es vor Clara eine Explosion und eine sich ausbreitende Tr\u00fcmmerwolke. Sie lie\u00df den Gashebel los, so dass sie nicht kopf\u00fcber auf etwas traf, das ihr Schiff besch\u00e4digen k\u00f6nnte. Sie stahl einen kurzen Blick auf ihre Scans und sah Radus Schiff nicht.\n\nIch kann nicht glauben, dass ich es getan habe....\n\nGerade als dieser Gedanke durch ihren Kopf ging, flog etwas \u00fcber ihren Scanner in Richtung Yela. Sie blickte wieder auf die Tr\u00fcmmerwolke vor ihr, sah aber keine Schiffsteile. Ihre Rakete muss stattdessen auf einen Asteroiden getroffen haben.\n\nClara \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte ihre Scans noch einmal; da nichts anderes in der Gegend erschien, drehte sie ihr Schiff um und blitzte ihre Motoren, um sie zu verfolgen.\n\nDu gibst nicht auf, oder? dachte Radu, als er zusah, wie sich der Bucc von der Asteroidengruppe l\u00f6ste und ihn zu Yelas Oberfl\u00e4che verfolgte. Zumindest die Entfernung gab den Schilden seines Schiffes die M\u00f6glichkeit, sich wieder aufzuladen. Sein Gladius schauderte, als er in die d\u00fcnne obere Atmosph\u00e4re von Yela eintrat. Er war schon oft dort gewesen, um zu wissen, dass das nicht normal war.\n\nAls er zur Oberfl\u00e4che raste, wurde das Zittern nur noch schlimmer. Er bef\u00fcrchtete, dass der linke Fl\u00fcgel des Schiffes jeden Moment abrei\u00dfen k\u00f6nnte. Er hatte geplant, auf der Seite von Yela zu landen, die von Dunkelheit umh\u00fcllt war und sich versteckt, aber mitten im Nirgendwo niederzulassen, schien keine gute Idee mehr zu sein. Wenn er sein Schiff nicht vom Boden bekommen konnte, dann war er am Arsch. Yelas Temperaturen am Abend waren brutal kalt. Er musste einen Au\u00dfenposten finden.\n\nRadu atmete aus, sobald der Gladius den atmosph\u00e4rischen Eintritt beendet hatte, ohne den Fl\u00fcgel zu verlieren. Er sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf, w\u00e4hrend er auf seine Scans blickte; der Bucc war noch auf der Verfolgung. Er \u00f6ffnete seine Karte und begann nach dem n\u00e4chsten Au\u00dfenposten zu suchen. Sein Herz sank, als er sah, dass die n\u00e4chste Notunterkunft nicht in der N\u00e4he war. Er bezweifelte, dass sein besch\u00e4digtes Schiff dort hinken k\u00f6nnte, bevor Claras Bucc einholte.\n\nEr blickte aus dem Cockpit und scannte den pechschwarzen Horizont ab. Jelas Ring hing am Himmel, direkt dar\u00fcber, und Kreuzritter sa\u00dfen dar\u00fcber. Beide waren hell und sch\u00f6n. Radu blickte von der Aussicht ab und scannte den Horizont. Das schwache Licht eines Au\u00dfenpostens fiel ihm auf. Er \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte seine Karte doppelt, aber nichts erschien an dieser Stelle. Sein Gladius schauderte und blieb kurz stehen, bevor er wieder eintrat. Radu wusste, dass er nicht mehr lange Zeit hatte. Er m\u00fcsste landen und sein Risiko mit dem, was unten ist, eingehen.\n\nWo ist er hin? Die Markierung war von Claras Scans verschwunden. Sie hatte erwartet, dass er untergeht und Schluchten oder andere Deckungen findet, aber sie h\u00e4tte nah genug sein sollen, um noch die Signatur des Schiffes zu sehen. Sie flog \u00fcber einen Grat und sah dann ein schwaches Licht darunter. Das muss er gewesen sein.\n\nClara senkte den Bucc. Inmitten einer kleinen Ebene, die von Bergen umgeben war, sa\u00df ein kleiner Au\u00dfenposten, kaum beleuchtet. Als sie sich n\u00e4herte, entdeckten die Lichter der Bucc einen kleinen Rauchwolken, der aus einem Gladius aufstieg, der in der N\u00e4he gelandet war.\n\nDas Schiff sah nicht so aus, als k\u00f6nnte es vom Boden verschwinden, aber Clara schwang den Bucc trotzdem wieder an ihm vorbei. Sie traf es mit den Schiffslichtern und sah, dass es verlassen war. Sie lud einen Haufen Kugeln hinein, um sicherzustellen, dass er nicht irgendwo hinf\u00fchrt.\n\nDann drehte sie den Bucc zum Au\u00dfenposten und entspannte das Schiff in diese Richtung. Sie reihte es an der Au\u00dfent\u00fcr aus und traf dann ihren Komms.\n\n\"Willst du raten, wie viele Raketen man braucht, um den Au\u00dfenposten zu zerst\u00f6ren?\"\n\n\"Das m\u00f6chte ich lieber nicht\", antwortete Radu und holte immer noch tiefe Atemz\u00fcge aus seinem Sprint dort. Er hatte es durch die Luftschleusen des Au\u00dfenpostens geschafft und war sofort auf den Boden gest\u00fcrzt. Sein R\u00fccken dr\u00fcckte sich gegen die Wand mit der schwarzen Box von Connie auf seinem Scho\u00df.\n\n\"Nun, wenn du es nicht herausfinden willst, dann bring mir besser die Blackbox.\"\n\nRadu sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf, ersch\u00f6pft, \"Ich kann nicht.\"\n\n\"Ich habe gesehen, wie du es dir geschnappt hast.\"\n\n\"Das ist es nicht. Ich brauche die Glaubensbekenntnisse. Wenn ich sie bis morgen nicht habe, bin ich tot. Warum k\u00fcmmert es dich so sehr?\" Radu zog sich auf die Beine und wagte sich an dem offenen Sicherheitstor aus Metall vorbei und tiefer in den Au\u00dfenposten.\n\nDer Ort war in Unordnung, aber jemand war k\u00fcrzlich hier gewesen. Halb gegessene Big Bennys Beh\u00e4lter verunreinigten einen Metalltisch in der Mitte des Raumes. Auf Metallregalen wurden zahlreiche Kartons gestapelt. Ballistische Schiffsmunition wurde \u00fcber die Arbeitsplatten verteilt und \u00fcber den Boden verstreut, wo eine Box umgest\u00fcrzt war. Er bl\u00e4tterte durch einige Papierreste, die herumliegen.\n\nDrau\u00dfen im Bucc starrte Clara auf die T\u00fcr des Au\u00dfenpostens und suchte nach einer Antwort auf eine andere Frage: War es wert, Radus Leben zu nehmen, um in Eckharts guten Gnaden zu bleiben?\n\nDas Adrenalin aus dem Luftkampf und der Verfolgung lie\u00df endlich nach und die Ersch\u00f6pfung setzte ein. Alles, was sie als Antwort aufbringen konnte, war die Wahrheit.\n\n\"Ich kann diesen Job nicht vermasseln. Es ist meine letzte Rettungsleine zu etwas Anst\u00e4ndigem. Ich habe keine letzten Chancen mehr und brauchte einfach etwas, das mir ausnahmsweise mal den Weg ebnet. Es f\u00fchlte sich irgendwie an, als w\u00e4re es.... bis du aufgetaucht bist.\"\n\nInnerhalb des Au\u00dfenpostens schlug Radu den Deckel auf eine Kiste, die er in der Ecke gefunden hatte. Dann sah ich mir wieder den Raum um ihn herum an. Dort, zwei weitere passende Kisten an der Seite. Pl\u00f6tzlich klickte alles und er wusste, was er zu tun hatte.\n\nRadu ging zur Blackbox und hob sie auf. Dann hat er seinen Funkkreis erreicht. \"Ich komme raus und bin unbewaffnet. Nicht schie\u00dfen.\"\n\nEr trat in die Luftschleuse und radelte mit dem Fahrrad. Von ihrem Bucc aus dr\u00fcckte Clara den Abzug, nur f\u00fcr alle F\u00e4lle. Sie beobachtete Radu, wie sie nach drau\u00dfen trat und die Blackbox hielt. Er ging zum Boden der Au\u00dfenpostenstufe und setzte sie ab.\n\n\"Es geh\u00f6rt dir\", sagte er. \"Ich gehe wieder rein, damit du dir keine Sorgen machen musst, dass ich dein Schiff stehle oder so.\"\n\n\"Aber warum?\" war alles, was Clara als Antwort aufbringen konnte.\n\n\"Du sagtest, du brauchst eine letzte Chance. Nun, ich brauche viel mehr als das, um aus dem herauszukommen, in das ich verwickelt bin. Klingt, als w\u00fcrde dir dieses Ding mehr helfen als ich.\"\n\n\" Bist du sicher?\"\n\nRadu nickte mit dem Kopf und ging dann zur\u00fcck in den Au\u00dfenposten. Clara sa\u00df schockiert da und war sich immer noch nicht sicher, ob dies keine Falle war. Schlie\u00dflich kletterte sie hinaus, \u00fcberquerte vorsichtig die Strecke und schnappte sich die Blackbox. Sie kehrte auf ihr Schiff zur\u00fcck und traf ihre Kommunikation.\n\n\"Danke... soll ich dich um Hilfe bitten oder so?\"\n\n\"Mach dir keine Sorgen. Eigentlich ist es wahrscheinlich das Beste, wenn du von hier verschwindest, bevor du dich in das, was kommt, vertiefst.\"\n\nClara f\u00fchlte sich gezwungen zu fragen, was er meinte, aber sie erkannte, dass er ihr das hier gab. Wer h\u00e4tte gedacht, was passieren k\u00f6nnte, wenn sie es nicht genommen h\u00e4tte. Damit hob Clara ab. Der Bucc verschwand in der Nacht.\n\nRadu griff auf seine Mobi zu und kam zu Madrigal. Der NovaRider Vollstrecker nahm schlie\u00dflich zu.\n\n\"Nun, nun, nun, sieh mal, wer da ist. Hast du meine Papiere?\"\n\n\"Eigentlich habe ich angerufen, damit wir einen Deal besprechen k\u00f6nnen.\"\n\n\"Ja, ich mache nicht wirklich Deals.\"\n\n\"Das wirst du, wenn du h\u00f6rst, was ich zu bieten habe.\"\n\n\"Oh ja, was ist das?\"\n\n\"Details zu einem Nine Tails Versteckhaus. Denkst du, wenn ich dir das besorge, k\u00f6nntest du meine Schulden als vollst\u00e4ndig bezahlt betrachten?\"\n\nRadu nahm die Stille als gutes Zeichen.\n\n\"Wie kann ich garantieren, dass es das ist, was du sagst?\"\n\n\"Denn hier ist der zweite Teil des Deals - du wirst mich jetzt gleich abholen. Auf diese Weise kannst du es selbst sehen. Ich kenne den Marktpreis f\u00fcr SLAM im Moment nicht, aber ich bin mir ziemlich sicher, dass ein paar Kisten davon deine Bosse gl\u00fccklich machen werden.\"\n\nRadu drehte sich um und ging aus dem Au\u00dfenposten heraus.\n\n\"Du solltest dich aber besser beeilen. In Anbetracht des Tages, den ich hatte, wer wei\u00df, was als n\u00e4chstes passieren k\u00f6nnte.\"\n\nRadu klickte von der Kommunikation ab und machte sich auf den Weg zu seiner zerst\u00f6rten Gladius, in der Hoffnung, dass sein Ersatzgewehr noch intakt war.\n\nDAS ENDE","zh_CN":"This week concludes our special multi-part adventure, Collision Course. If you missed the first two installments, here\u2019s Part 1 & Part 2.\n\n\nClara stayed as still as possible inside what remained of the frame of the Connie\u2019s top turret. One hand gripped the manual override to the hatch leading into the half-destroyed ship. The other checked her suit\u2019s scans. It confirmed her fear \u2014 someone else was here.\n\nSuddenly, the decision to leave her Bucc\u2019s systems running, lights blazing into the Connie cockpit, no longer seemed like such a good idea.\n\nShe didn\u2019t think she could return to her ship unnoticed, so Clara activated the manual override on the turret hatch and entered what remained of the Connie. At least it provided her a bit of cover while she assessed her options.\n\nOnce inside, she glanced around to ensure there weren\u2019t any surprises. The bulkheads had slammed shut when the ship\u2019s back half blew off, leaving the front section mostly intact. She didn\u2019t see any further breaches to the hull, and strangely, no bodies.\n\nClara shoved that mystery aside, EVAed into a dark corner and drew her rifle. She flicked off the safety and aimed the gun at the hatch. It was the obvious entrance point into the ship. Maybe she\u2019d get lucky and catch whoever had just arrived coming through it.\n\nSuddenly, an ear piercing whistle cut across comms.\n\n\u201cNow, that\u2019s a nice ship,\u201d announced Radu. \u201cNot much of a Drake man, myself, but it\u2019d sure be sad if something happened to it.\u201d\n\nRadu had his Gladius aimed at the Bucc, his fingers wrapped around the trigger. From this distance, the ship\u2019s Scorpion GT-215 Gatling would rip the Bucc to shreds in seconds. But this gig only paid out for the return of the Connie\u2019s black box. There were no bonuses for extracurriculars. He\u2019d prefer to keep his hands clean, if at all possible.\n\n\u201cCome on, don\u2019t be shy,\u201d he continued over comms. \u201cI\u2019ll give you to the count of five to at least introduce yourself before I take my frustrations out on your ship.\u201d\n\nHe gave it a beat, still no response.\n\n\u201cFive \u2026 four \u2026 three \u2026 two \u2026 one\u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cOK, fine.\u201d Clara reluctantly replied over comms.\n\n\u201cGood, there you are. Quite the predicament, isn\u2019t it?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s one way of putting it.\u201d\n\n\u201cJust so everything\u2019s clear, your ship\u2019s sitting in my crosshairs.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I got that.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not a threat, just the reality of our situation. I don\u2019t know about you, but I\u2019m not here looking for trouble.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are you looking for then?\u201d\n\n\u201cThat ship\u2019s black box. Everything else is yours. Deal?\u201d\n\nClara gave it a beat to make it seem like she was thinking it over, \u201cFine \u2026 head on in and grab it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThis will go a lot faster if you just go ahead and assume I\u2019m not an idiot.\u201d\n\n\u201cFair enough. How do you want to do this?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re going to bring the box to me.\u201d\n\nVarious options sped through her head; almost all felt impossible. Clara glanced at her vitals. Her heart rate was elevated and O2 levels were depleting faster than normal. She tried to get her breathing under control and focus on the first step to surviving this \u2014 making it back to her ship.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t go silent on me now. We were just getting to know each other.\u201d Radu nervously drummed his fingers on the flight stick. Her silence meant she wasn\u2019t going to make this easy.\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s to keep you from killing me the second I bring you the black box?\u201d\n\nRadu smiled. Good. She wants to cooperate. \u201cListen, the fact I didn\u2019t just start shooting up the place should buy me a little bit a trust. If I wanted you dead, you\u2019d be dead by now. Bring me the box, and as soon as I\u2019m gone, that\u2019s the end of it.\u201d\n\nClara realized he had a point. Either this guy was telling the truth or was one devious bastard. Regardless, she didn\u2019t see many paths out of her current situation that didn\u2019t leave her cold and vented. Better to be alive and broke then dead and proud.\n\n\u201cFine. Give me a minute to find the black box,\u201d Clara said reluctantly.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s the spirit.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou can call me Clara.\u201d She offered, hoping the name would humanize her.\n\n\u201cRadu.\u201d\n\nIt was a small gesture, but hearing his name somehow made her feel slightly better.\n\nClara EVAed toward the front of the bridge. She stared out the cockpit window to find Radu\u2019s ship, but the blazing lights from her Bucc made it all but impossible. So, she redirected herself and snagged the black box.\n\nShe stared at it for a moment while thinking through her next steps. Though it went against her every instinct, Clara flipped the safety on her rifle and returned it to the attachment point on her suit. It made no difference what ship Radu flew; she was outgunned.\n\n\u201cGot it. Coming out the top turret hatch.\u201d\n\n\u201cKeep it nice and slow. No surprises,\u201d cautioned Radu. He swung the Gladius slightly, lining it up with the top of the Connie. Moments later, Clara slowly emerged from the hatch and reorientated herself until facing his ship. Then she stayed in place.\n\n\u201cNow what?\u201d Clara asked.\n\nRadu realized he hadn\u2019t thought through the actual exchange. He just knew he had to keep her away from her ship until it was done.\n\n\u201cBring it on over.\u201d\n\nClara held her position, staring down the ship\u2019s Gatling gun aimed at her. Her heart beat so fast that it felt like it might explode out of her chest.\n\n\u201cCan you at least not aim that thing directly at me?\u201d\n\nRadu kept the nose of the ship where it was. \u201cYou\u2019re safe enough. Just bring the box over, nice and easy.\u201d\n\nClara drew a deep breath and slowly EVAed toward the Gladius. Each meter closer only made it more nerve racking. Her mind reeled and repeated the same phrase over and over again \u2014\n\nJust get back to my ship \u2026 Just get back to my ship \u2026\n\n\u201cAm I bringing this all the way to your cockpit or what?\u201d Inquired Clara.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll tell you when to stop.\u201d\n\nRadu watched Clara draw near. He wanted her close, but not so close that she was inside his ship\u2019s weapon range.\n\n\u201cStop right there,\u201d said Radu and Clara complied. \u201cNow, you\u2019re going to release the box and head back to the Connie. Once me and the box are gone you can go on living your life.\u201d\n\nClara was close enough to see Radu inside the cockpit. She knew that once she released the black box, her position was a lot less secure.\n\nIf she gave him what he wanted, what were the chances that she\u2019d be getting out of here alive?\n\nRadu picked up on her hesitation. \u201cWe\u2019ve made it this far, so don\u2019t screw it up by doing anything stupid.\u201d\n\nShe quickly ran through their interaction so far. He didn\u2019t seem like he was going to straight out kill her, but he was right, he wasn\u2019t stupid. If he left her with a ship, there was a risk she would come after him. No, he was going to leave her in the Connie and blow her Bucc. It was the safest option he had beside straight out icing her.\n\n\u201cClara. I will not ask again.\u201d\n\nIt was then that she saw a slight movement in his arm. He was adjusting his shot. It was now or never. Instinct kicked in and she swung the box around and released it when her back was lined up with her ship. The force of the box leaving her hands flung Clara back and toward the Buccaneer. She quickly rotated her body toward her ship and hit her EVA thrusters. The black box drifted free, tumbling away from both of them.\n\nIt took Radu a moment to realize what had happened. He begun to adjust his aim on the fleeing Clara, but saw something move in his periphery. It was the black box floating passed.\n\nWithout a moment\u2019s further hesitation, Radu swung his Gladius around and went after the box. He didn\u2019t care if she got away, but this would all be for nothing if he didn\u2019t return with that black box. This was his last chance to score the credits needed to pay off Madrigal for the month. That\u2019d give him some space to try and escape his whole situation. If he blew this, there definitely wasn\u2019t enough time to complete a new gig that paid this well. Radu knew that black box was his lifeline \u2014 if he missed paying Madrigal that installment, he was as good as dead.\n\nHe yawed to squeeze past an asteroid the box had drifted past, and tried to position himself in front of its path. Before he could match its trajectory, it ricocheted off a rock and tumbled in a new direction. Radu fired all his reverse thrusters and adjusted his course once again.\n\nMeanwhile, Clara EVAed to her Bucc as fast as possible, shocked to reach the ship without coming under fire. She hopped in and fired up the engines, thankful she\u2019d left the rest of the systems on.\n\nFor the first time, she looked back to see Radu\u2019s ship navigating through the asteroid field in pursuit of the box. That should give her enough time to flee.\n\nShe\u2019d comm Miles the second she was in the clear and explain what happened. He\u2019d be pissed, and probably never hire her again, but at least she\u2019d be alive. She probably couldn\u2019t afford an EZ Hab tonight, but once back at Port Olisar she could check with Diego about that gig at Garrity Defense. Maybe being a counter jockey wouldn\u2019t be too bad after all. It\u2019d be boring but safe.\n\nThe voice of Clara\u2019s old friend Gunther filled her head. He used to claim that boredom killed more people than bullets. He even blamed Clara\u2019s nasty WiDoW habit on her looking for something to do between gigs.\n\nSuddenly, her head started to spin. She\u2019d been clean for three months. She could stay strong as a counter jockey with a constant flow of credits in her pocket and plenty of time to kill \u2026 right?\n\nShe looked back to Radu\u2019s ship to see him opening his canopy, the blinking light of the black box drifting towards him. For the first time, she realized that not only had she survived this crazy ordeal, but actually had the drop on him. There was still a chance for her to come away from this with both her life and the black box.\n\nThat glint of hope was all she needed.\n\nRadu strained, reaching for the tumbling box. He glanced over to see the Buccaneer spinning in his direction. She was coming after him.\n\nHe grabbed the box with one hand, and brought it down to his lap. No time to close the canopy, he swung the flight stick just as the Bucc opened fire. The Gladius\u2019 shield flared before him, absorbing the shots. Aegis\u2019 voice assist kicked in to tell him what he already knew \u2014 his front shields were in a critical state and he should close his damn window. He needed to find cover and fast. He ducked low as it resealed around him.\n\nRadu piloted the Gladius toward a large asteroid and skillfully swung it into cover. He just needed to escape this asteroid cluster and quantum anywhere that wasn\u2019t here. But before he could even search for a QT destination, his rear shields came under attack. He abandoned the search and focused on weaving between asteroids to stay alive.\n\nClara stayed within range thanks to the Buccaneer\u2019s two massive main thrusters. She watched Radu\u2019s Gladius duck and dodge between asteroids. She could tell he was flying to buy time for his shields. She stayed aggressive on the attack, but picked her shots so she didn\u2019t burn through her ammo too fast.\n\nIt\u2019d been a while since Radu had been in a dogfight. Most of his jobs of late were unfortunately face to face, so he felt a little overwhelmed trying to keep one eye on his scans and the other on the asteroids. The large box in his lap wasn\u2019t helping matters any. It quickly became clear that Clara was the better pilot. In his experience, there was only one way to beat a better pilot \u2014 do something totally unexpected.\n\nWithout overthinking it, Radu suddenly pitched his Gladius down and out of the asteroid cluster before rolling right. The cool, bluish-green colors of Yela filled his field of view and briefly distracted him. He angled back up toward the protection of the asteroid cluster when his rear shields came under attack again. That Bucc was more nimble than he expected.\n\nThe Aegis voice assist calmly assured him that his rear shields were down. He felt the ship shake and stutter. The hull was taking damage. He glanced at his control panel to see if anything important had been hit. That\u2019s when he noticed the quantum fuel tank was draining and, with it, the possibility of a quick escape.\n\nClara cursed under breath. Either Radu had a tick ten times worse than hers or he was flying erratically to keep her from achieving missile lock. He definitely had flying skills, but not enough to shake her. She finally locked in, but just as he reached the edge of the asteroid cluster. She fired off a missile anyway.\n\nThe Gladius dropped chaff in response. Moments later, there was an explosion and an expanding cloud of debris before Clara. She eased off the throttle so she didn\u2019t run head first into anything that could damage her ship. She stole a quick glance at her scans and didn\u2019t see Radu\u2019s ship.\n\nI can\u2019t believe I did it \u2026\n\nJust as that thought passed through her head, something darted across her scanner towards Yela. She looked again at the debris cloud before her but didn\u2019t see any ship parts. Her missile must\u2019ve struck an asteroid instead.\n\nClara checked her scans one more time; since nothing else appeared in the area she flipped her ship and flashed her engines to pursue.\n\nYou don\u2019t give up, do you? thought Radu, as he watched the Bucc break away from the asteroid cluster and pursue him towards Yela\u2019s surface. At least the distance gave his ship\u2019s shields a chance to recharge. His Gladius shuddered when entering Yela\u2019s thin upper atmosphere. He\u2019d been there plenty of times to know that wasn\u2019t normal.\n\nAs he sped toward the surface, the shaking only got worse. He feared that at any moment the ship\u2019s left wing might rip off. He\u2019d planned to land on the side of Yela shrouded in darkness and hide, but setting down in the middle of nowhere didn\u2019t seem like a good idea anymore. If he couldn\u2019t get his ship off the ground, then he was screwed. Yela\u2019s nightside temperatures were brutally cold. He had to find an outpost.\n\nRadu exhaled once the Gladius finished atmospheric entry without losing the wing. He shook his head while glancing at his scans; the Bucc was still in pursuit. He opened his map and started searching for the nearest outpost. His heart sank when he saw the nearest emergency shelter wasn\u2019t anywhere close. His doubted that his damaged ship could limp there before Clara\u2019s Bucc caught up.\n\nHe looked out the cockpit and scanned the pitch black horizon. Yela\u2019s ring hung in the sky just above it, with Crusader sitting above. Both were bright and beautiful. Radu pried his eyes off the vista and scanned the horizon. The faint light from an outpost caught his eyes. He double checked his map but nothing appeared at that location. His Gladius shuddered and briefly stalled before kicking back in. Radu knew he didn\u2019t have long. He\u2019d have to land and take his chances with what was below.\n\nWhere\u2019d he go? The blip had disappeared from Clara\u2019s scans. She\u2019d been expecting him to get low and find canyons or other cover, but she should\u2019ve been close enough to still see the ship\u2019s signature. She flew over a ridge then saw a faint light below. That had to be him.\n\nClara lowered the Bucc. Amidst a small plain encircled by mountains sat a small outpost, barely lit. As she drew near, the Bucc\u2019s lights spotted a small wisp of smoke rising from a Gladius that had crash landed nearby.\n\nThe ship didn\u2019t look like it could get off the ground, but Clara still swung the Bucc back around at it. She hit it with the ship lights and saw it was abandoned. She unloaded a barrage of bullets into it to ensure it wasn\u2019t going anywhere.\n\nShe then spun the Bucc toward the outpost and eased the ship in that direction. She lined it up with the outpost door, then hit her comms.\n\n\u201cWant to guess how many missiles it\u2019ll take to destroy that outpost?\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019d rather not,\u201d Radu replied, still drawing deep breaths from his sprint there. He\u2019d made it through the outpost\u2019s airlocks and had immediately slumped to the floor. His back pressed up against the wall with the Connie\u2019s black box once more on his lap.\n\n\u201cWell, if you don\u2019t want to find out, then you better bring me that black box.\u201d\n\nRadu shook his head, exhausted, \u201cI can\u2019t.\u201d\n\n\u201cI saw you grab it.\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s not that. I need the creds. If I don\u2019t have them by tomorrow, I\u2019m dead. Why do you care so much?\u201d Radu pulled himself onto his feet and ventured past the open metal security gate and deeper into the outpost.\n\nThe place was in disarray, but someone had been here recently. Half eaten Big Benny\u2019s containers littered a metal table in the middle of the room. Numerous boxes were stacked on metal shelves. Ballistic ship ammo was spread across the countertops and scattered across the floor where a box had tipped over. He leafed through some paper scraps lying about.\n\nOut in the Bucc, Clara stared at the outpost\u2019s door, searching for an answer to a different question: was Radu\u2019s life was worth taking to stay in Eckhart\u2019s good graces?\n\nThe adrenaline from the dogfight and pursuit was finally wearing off and exhaustion setting in. All she could muster in response was the truth.\n\n\u201cI can\u2019t screw up this gig. It\u2019s my last lifeline to anything respectable. I\u2019m all out of last chances and I just really needed something to break my way for once. Kinda felt like it was \u2026 until you showed up.\u201d\n\nInside the outpost, Radu popped the lid on a crate he had found tucked in the corner. Then looked at the room around him again. There, two more matching crates over on the side. Suddenly, everything clicked and he knew what he had to do.\n\nRadu crossed to the black box and picked it up. Then he hit his comms. \u201cI\u2019m coming out and I\u2019m not armed. Don\u2019t shoot.\u201d\n\nHe stepped into the airlock and cycled it. From her Bucc, Clara fingered the trigger just in case. She watched Radu step outside holding the black box. He walked to the bottom of the outpost step and set it down.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s yours,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019ll go back inside, so you don\u2019t have to worry about me stealing your ship or anything like that.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut why?\u201d was all Clara could muster in response.\n\n\u201cYou said you needed a last chance. Well, I need a lot more than that to get out of what I\u2019m mixed up in. Sounds like this thing will help you out more than me.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou sure?\u201d\n\nRadu nodded his head then walked back inside the outpost. Clara sat there shocked, still not certain this wasn\u2019t a trap. Finally, she climbed out, cautiously crossed the distance and snagged the black box. She returned to her ship and hit her comms.\n\n\u201cThanks \u2026 need me to send for help or something?\u201d\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t worry about it. Actually, it\u2019s probably best if you get outta here before you get caught up in what\u2019s coming.\u201d\n\nClara felt compelled to asked what he meant but realized he was giving her this out. Who knew what might happen if she didn\u2019t take it. With that, Clara lifted off. The Bucc disappeared into the night.\n\nRadu accessed his mobi and commed Madrigal. The NovaRider enforcer eventually picked up.\n\n\u201cWell, well, look who it is. You got my creds?\u201d\n\n\u201cActually, I called so we could discuss a deal.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I don\u2019t really do deals.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou will after hearing what I have to offer.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh yeah, what\u2019s that?\u201d\n\n\u201cDetails on a Nine Tails stash house. Think if I got you that, you could consider my debt paid in full?\u201d\n\nRadu took the silence as a good sign.\n\n\u201cHow can I guarantee it is what you say it is?\u201d\n\n\u201c\u2018Cause here\u2019s the second part of the deal \u2014 you\u2019re going to come pick me up at it right now. That way you can see for yourself. I don\u2019t know the market price on SLAM right now, but I\u2019m pretty sure a couple crates of it will make your bosses happy.\u201d\n\nRadu turned and walked out of the outpost.\n\n\u201cYou better hurry though. Considering the day I\u2019ve had, who knows what might happen next.\u201d\n\nRadu clicked off the comm, and made his way to his wrecked Gladius, hoping that his spare rifle was still intact.\n\nTHE END"},"links_count":2,"comment_count":59,"created_at":"2017-08-23T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"8 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-14 06:33:40","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":16080,"next_id":16082}}