{"data":{"id":17165,"title":"One Last Job: Part Three","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/17165-One-Last-Job-Part-Three","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/17165","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/17165","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"One Last Job","images":[],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"Writer\u2019s Note: One Last Job: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 3.11. Read Part One here and Part Two here.\nJonah paced in the hold. It felt like hours since Char and the Agent went out the airlock. The Agent could have killed her for all he knew. He doubted it. Char was too much of a fighter.\n\nBut alone and trapped in his own cargo hold, his imagination ran wild. He thought up all kinds of horrible scenarios.\n\nHe tried every which way he knew of to open that door. It still wouldn\u2019t budge. The creep politician must have jammed something in the lock. Just the thought of someone vandalizing his ship made his blood boil.\n\nFinally, after Jonah\u2019s umpteenth attempt to open the door, he saw Char\u2019s face appear on the other side. She opened it with a grin.\n\n\u201cWhere\u2019s Thrumm?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cTaking a nap.\u201d She turned and walked to the passenger area, waving for him to follow.\n\nJonah glanced around, following her. He spotted the politician right before the door to the cockpit. A large bruise was blossoming on the right side of his face. His eyelids twitched in his sleep, but, otherwise, he didn\u2019t move.\n\n\u201cAnd the Agent?\u201d said Jonah. \u201cHe didn\u2019t give you any trouble?\u201d\n\n\u201cI told you I could handle myself,\u201d she said, \u201cbut there\u2019s a problem.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat problem?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cHe got blown into space,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can leave him there or go get him.\u201d\n\nJonah stared at her.\n\n\u201cOnly thing is,\u201d she said, looking at the politician, \u201cthis little turd took us off course and cost us time.\u201d She kicked him. The man groaned but did not wake. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna be late.\u201d\n\nJonah\u2019s stomach fell. He glanced down at the unconscious man on the deck then back up at Char. \u201cWe can\u2019t leave Ardoss floating out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre you sure?\u201d said Char.\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cHe helped us.\u201d\n\nShe nodded and changed the ship\u2019s direction. \u201cSo you\u2019re going through with it then? Helping him take down Mickey?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a way out,\u201d he said.\n\nShe smiled. \u201cGood, it\u2019s about time.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got to know, Char. After all these years, why didn\u2019t you say anything?\u201d\n\nChar turned to look at him. \u201cYou never brought it up, so I assumed you didn\u2019t want to talk about it. I appreciate the fact you didn\u2019t want to drag me into it, but I\u2019ve always been looking out for you. So far, the work has been good and steady, and it hasn\u2019t been terribly dangerous. You\u2019re my friend. I hated to see you work for slime like Mickey Black, but I understood. This time though? Asking you to kill someone? That\u2019s not okay.\u201d\n\nJonah didn\u2019t know what to say. He could have gotten her killed, destroyed her life, and she was still loyal. He needed to find a way to make it up to her.\n\nEventually Ardoss came into view. Jonah knew his O2 had to be low. Suits didn\u2019t have much.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll get him,\u201d said Char, grabbing her helmet.\n\nJonah followed and she shook her head.\n\n\u201cI can handle the controls and the rescue,\u201d she said. \u201cStay here and keep an eye on him.\u201d\n\nJonah looked down at Thrumm.\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019d he do it?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged, her back to him. \u201cDunno. I punched him before he had a chance to make excuses. We were in vacuum, so I don\u2019t think I would have heard it anyways. We\u2019re close enough. I\u2019m going to go reel Ardoss in.\u201d\n\nJonah took her spot at the controls and watched as she swam out from the cargo hold into the void. She wrapped her arms around Ardoss and fired the retrothrusters to push back toward the ship. Just watching it made Jonah\u2019s stomach flip. Being lost out there was terrifying. He hoped Ardoss was all right. It was a terrible way to die.\n\nWhen the sensors told him both Char and Ardoss were back in the ship and pressure had returned, Jonah turned his attention to the politician.\n\nHe crouched down by the would-be hijacker and examined him. Thrumm smelled of expensive oil and wore a fine suit made out of something smooth and light. Silk? Or some synthetic? Either way, it was expensive.\n\nHe turned to look at the man\u2019s shoes. Leather. Real leather.\n\nJonah rubbed his chin. This guy was into the expensive stuff, the finer things in life. Even demanded a private room on a ship that couldn\u2019t even afford privacy for its crew.\n\nHe slapped the politician.\n\nThrumm groaned.\n\nJonah shook the bureaucrat. \u201cHey, pal, wake up.\u201d\n\nThrumm\u2019s eyes creaked open and he mumbled something.\n\n\u201cWhat was that?\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI didn\u2019t hear you.\u201d He pulled Thrumm up by his shirt.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t kill me,\u201d said Thrumm. His voice was choked.\n\n\u201cThat depends on what you say next,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nHe wouldn\u2019t kill him, of course, but the bureaucratic SOB didn\u2019t need to know that. He felt a rush of adrenaline and his hands shook, but not from fear. It felt good being in control for a change. The feeling shocked him so much he almost dropped the man.\n\n\u201cIt was just a little at first,\u201d said Thrumm. \u201cThen it got to be more and more. I couldn\u2019t help myself. I got away with it for so long, I didn\u2019t think anyone would find out. I got careless.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThe money,\u201d said Thrumm. \u201cI took it. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\n\nJonah released the man and sighed. Thrumm whimpered. \u201cAre you gonna turn me in?\u201d\n\nJonah raised an eyebrow. \u201cFor stealing? I\u2019m not a cop.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut that man,\u201d said Thrumm, \u201che\u2019s Advocacy.\u201d\n\nJonah stared at the politician for a moment, then blinked, and then began to laugh. He laughed so hard he fell back on his hind end. It was so absurd.\n\n\u201cDid I miss a joke?\u201d the Agent said. His voice was wispy. Jonah looked up and saw his face was pale.\n\n\u201cYou lived,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cI appreciate you coming back for me,\u201d the Agent said.\n\nJonah stood. \u201cWe had an agreement.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it was the politician,\u201d the Agent said, looking down.\n\n\u201cEmbezzler,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cHe thought you were going to take him away in chains.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait,\u201d said Thrumm, \u201cyou\u2019re not here to arrest me?\u201d\n\nThe Agent\u2019s eyes went wide and he raised his eyebrows.\n\n\u201cNot hardly,\u201d he said. \u201cEmbezzlement? Your own government will have to deal with that. You could have gotten off the ship without a single issue and I wouldn\u2019t have even looked at you twice.\u201d\n\nThrumm seemed to collapse into himself and a look of relief passed over his face. \u201cSo you\u2019ll let me go?\u201d\n\nThe Agent snorted. \u201cDon\u2019t count on it. You really shouldn\u2019t endanger the life of an Advocacy Agent. I\u2019ll send local authorities a message as soon as everything\u2019s sorted out with the ship. Provided, of course, the pilot lets me use his comm system.\u201d\n\n\u201cGo right ahead,\u201d said Jonah. He wanted to see this sorry bastard locked away for good.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll go lock him up in the cabin,\u201d said Char. \u201cWe\u2019re back on course. We should be at the jump point within the hour.\u201d\n\nJonah nodded to her.\n\n\u201cJust think, Mr. Thrumm,\u201d she said as she pushed him out of the cockpit, \u201cyou finally get that private room you wanted.\u201d\n\nThrumm paled. Char drug him past the other two passengers. The businesswoman stared in terror and the teen leaned forward in his seat.\n\n\u201cHey, lady,\u201d the boy said, \u201ccan I fly next?\u201d\n\nChar snorted. \u201cGet a license.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, have you thought over my offer?\u201d the Agent said, closing the cockpit door.\n\n\u201cI want out,\u201d said Jonah, \u201cand I don\u2019t think Mickey will just let me go. You\u2019re the best chance I\u2019ve got. If I fail to meet Pietro at the drop, Mickey will certainly kill me. Besides, you saved my ship, and probably my life. I owe you more than I can repay.\u201d\n\n\u201cHelp me get Pietro and that will be enough for me,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah smiled.\n\n\u201cSo what do I call you?\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cArdoss is fine,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cSo Pietro was your partner?\u201d asked Jonah.\n\n\u201cMore. He was my friend,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cAnd that\u2019s why you\u2019re hunting him down?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah. Seems like it should be me who brings him in,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cAnd if what Char said is true and Mickey forced him into all this, than maybe there\u2019s something I can do to help him.\u201d\nJonah nodded.\n\n\u201cHow did Mickey get you?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah held out his hands and looked up. \u201cThis ship. I couldn\u2019t afford it, couldn\u2019t get a loan. Ever since I was a boy, all I wanted was to own my own spaceship. But my family\u2019s poor. My father was a machinist, my mother was ill.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo why not fly for a commercial company?\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cThey always need pilots.\u201d\n\n\u201cI did, at first,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cMy first job was as a co-pilot on a cargo run.\u201d\n\n\u201cDidn\u2019t like it?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah shook his head. \u201cI got fired. We were boarded by pirates. One of the crew members tried to fight them off. There were too many for her to handle alone though, so I decided to help. During the struggle some of the rest of the crew got hurt. The company said it was our fault. They said it wouldn\u2019t have happened if we had just kept cooperating. Next thing I know I\u2019m out on my ass. After that, I had trouble finding work, couldn\u2019t hold anything down for long, so I decided to go into business for myself, but I couldn\u2019t buy a ship and no one would let me lease one until I got on my feet. Everyone but one person, that is.\u201d\n\n\u201cMickey Black,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cHe offered to buy the ship for me if I agreed to work with him,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI refused at first, wanted to be my own man. He told me that wasn\u2019t a problem. I\u2019d simply do him a favor from time to time and I could run the ship how I wanted. That wasn\u2019t true though. Even with a ship, I couldn\u2019t find work until Mickey set me up with Master Haru, and between the debt and Haru skimming, I don\u2019t make anywhere near what I could if I ran my own business. Funny thing is, I\u2019ve got enough contacts and knowhow now. I could make it on my own if Mickey was out of the picture.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd the woman from the pirate attack,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cthat was Char?\u201d\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s worked with me ever since.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo wonder she\u2019s so loyal,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t regret it,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI did the right thing.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course you did,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cRegardless of how I got in the position I\u2019m in,\u201d said Jonah, \u201che knows how to use a bad situation to his advantage. I bet Pietro got into similar trouble and Mickey came to the rescue. It\u2019s what he does. And from that moment on, he owns you.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven if that\u2019s the case, I still need to bring Pietro in,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cIf Pietro was blackmailed or strong armed into spying, then Black is a much bigger problem than anyone realized and the Advocacy needs to know. There could be other Agents working for him. There\u2019s no telling how deep he\u2019s into everything.\u201d\n\nJonah sighed and leaned into the console. He closed his eyes for a moment. He listened to the whir of the ship\u2019s engine, felt it vibrate beneath him. It spoke to him. He loved flying, would do anything to keep going.\n\n\u201cSo when we do this,\u201d said Jonah, \u201cI\u2019ve got a couple of rules.\u201d\n\nArdoss pursed his lips. \u201cWhat kind of rules?\u201d\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t hurt Pietro,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cThat\u2019s first and foremost. We weren\u2019t close, but he got dragged into this just like I did.\u201d\n\nArdoss crossed his arms. \u201dHe was my friend too, but if he shoots at any of us, I\u2019m going to shoot back.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d said Jonah, \u201che shoots first, I won\u2019t stop you, but that leads me to my second rule,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI do the drop. I give him his package and walk away. He won\u2019t shoot if I\u2019m giving him what he needs.\u201d\n\nArdoss\u2019 forehead creased. \u201cI don\u2019t like it. You might warn him I\u2019m there.\u201d\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI gave you my word. This way, I\u2019m still good with Mickey. Anything that happens afterwards can\u2019t land on me. Besides, if I wanted to tell him to run, I\u2019d tell him when I contact him for the meeting coordinates.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait, you don\u2019t know where to meet him?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah smiled. \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta know Pietro better than that. He\u2019s careful. The plan is to reach a nav point and contact him. From there, he gives me the final coordinates.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, if I had locked you in the locker?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have gotten very far,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cPietro would have to hear my voice.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, I guess it was meant to be this way,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cWe\u2019ll try it your way. But if you warn him, the deal is off.\u201d\n\n\u201cI understand,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go meet Pietro.\u201d\n\nThey made the next jump point without incident. The other two passengers, the teenage boy and the young business-woman, didn\u2019t bother them. Jonah figured they were just happy to be back en route. He told them there would be a brief detour and neither said a word.\n\nJonah was still on edge, though. He could dress it up however he liked, but there was no denying that he was betraying Mickey Black.\n\nJonah remembered an incident when he first started working for Mickey. They had met in another grimy bar in a defunct mining hab known as Grim HEX. He and Mickey were working out the details of a job when one of Mickey\u2019s goons brought someone in.\n\nIt was a man a little older than Jonah. His face was bloody and he was begging for mercy. Mickey asked him one question. Why?\n\nThe man looked at the floor and wouldn\u2019t lift his head until Mickey demanded it. When he did, Mickey said it was a shame. The next thing Jonah knew, the man was dead, a shot to the brain courtesy of Mickey. All Mickey would tell Jonah was that was what happened to people who double-crossed him.\n\nBut Jonah couldn\u2019t keep living like this. He didn\u2019t want to die, but to go on while people he cared about were threatened wasn\u2019t an option either. Jonah wanted a fresh start. Pietro deserved the same.\n\nHe brought up the secure frequency Mickey gave him.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re late,\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cWe had a mechanical issue,\u201d said Jonah. It wasn\u2019t a total lie. Some idiot took over the mechanics of the ship and sent them off course.\n\n\u201cIf I didn\u2019t need these supplies . . .\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cI know,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ll make up for it on my end. Send me the coordinates and we\u2019ll get you on your way.\u201d\n\nPietro grunted. A text feed went across Jonah\u2019s console.\n\nJonah raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything else, the line went dead.\n\n\u201cSo where is it?\u201d asked Ardoss, who had been listening from a corner of the cockpit.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an old fueling station,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one\u2019s there, low power, and it\u2019s beyond the Advocacy\u2019s normal reach.\u201d\n\n\u201cSmart,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cI take it you\u2019ve never met him here before?\u201d\n\nJonah shook his head. \u201cNo. Pietro and I didn\u2019t run a lot of jobs together. We would cross paths on various assignments, but that was it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAssignments,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cyou make it sound like some sort of well-run organization.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s a reason you don\u2019t know much about Mickey,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cBut I know Pietro and I\u2019ve been thinking,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cit\u2019s a mistake for you to go in alone and unarmed. When he gets in a corner like this, he\u2019s dangerous. You should take Char to watch your back.\u201d\n\nShe shook her head. \u201cJonah always does the drops solo. If I come along, he\u2019ll know something\u2019s up.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll do the drop,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cBy myself. No gun. That was the deal.\u201d\n\nArdoss frowned and nodded. \u201cFine. As soon as the drop is done, get clear of the fuel station. If he opens fire when I arrest him, I don\u2019t want to risk you getting caught in the crossfire.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nJonah\u2019s heart lumped in his throat. This was it. They were really doing it. He had one last chance to put an end to it.\n\nArdoss turned to look at him, and put a hand on Jonah\u2019s shoulder.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t have second thoughts on me,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a plan. Let\u2019s stick to it.\u201d\n\nJonah nodded. This was the right thing to do.\n\nChar entered the coordinates for the drop. They passed a fueling station that serviced the jump point. It was nice, clean, had good food. They served veggie burgers with protein paste and had a good supply of beer.\n\nThe place they were going did not. It was out of commission and abandoned. It might still have some fuel, if scavengers hadn\u2019t picked it clean. It certainly had power. Not much, but something. Enough to meet and make the drop.\n\nHalf an hour later they landed and Jonah went to the two remaining passengers.\n\n\u201cWe have to stop here,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce our business is done, we\u2019ll be putting this place behind us as fast as possible. There is very little power and the location is abandoned, so for your own safety, please stay on board.\u201d\n\nThe teenager opened his mouth, most likely to ask if he could come along, but Char squashed the question with a glare. He paled and went back to his mobi. The business-woman just shrank into her chair. Jonah didn\u2019t think he\u2019d have a problem out of either of them.\n\nJonah went to the cargo bay and opened the airlock. From there, he moved Pietro\u2019s package off the ship.\n\n\u201cWhat kept you,\u201d a voice asked.\n\nJonah turned to see Pietro standing just a few feet away.\n\nHe looked older than Jonah remembered. His black hair was limp and dull. He had circles around his eyes and his face was gaunt. His normally tanned skin was pale and clammy. Life on the run did not sit well with him.\n\n\u201cI told you, I had some unexpected delays,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThose delays have anything to do with that shiner on your face?\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cShiner?\u201d said Jonah. He touched his face and found it tender. Of course, the fight in the cargo hold. Ardoss must have hit him harder than he realized.\n\n\u201cMickey thought I needed some extra convincing to do the job,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cLet\u2019s do this quick and we can both be on our way.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d said Pietro. \u201cI knew you wouldn\u2019t try to screw me.\u201d\n\nJonah almost winced. That hurt. Pietro trusted him, or at least trusted he would be too much of a coward to do anything. He was done letting people walk all over him.\n\nPietro knelt before the crate and thumbed his code. The lid popped and he peered in. He made a face as he pulled a heavy cloth aside.\n\n\u201cIs this some kind of joke, Jonah?\u201d he said.\n\nJonah felt the blood leave his face. \u201cWhat joke?\u201d\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s nothing in here but a pile of bricks.\u201d\n\nJonah stepped to it and looked inside. His stomach knotted.\n\nBricks. Big gray ones. No supplies, no transmitters, no cash. Just a big stack of rock and clay.\n\nHe looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of Pietro\u2019s gun. He put his hands up and backed away a step.\n\n\u201cEasy, Pietro,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nPietro cocked his gun. \u201cYou\u2019ve got about sixty seconds to start talking.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have half that to put the gun down, Pete,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nTo be continued","de_DE":"Anmerkung des Autors: Ein letzter Auftrag: Der Dritte Teil wurde urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 3.11 ver\u00f6ffentlicht. Lies Teil Eins hier und Teil Zwei hier.\nJonah ging im Frachtraum auf und ab. Es dauerte Stunden, bis Char und der Agent die Luftschleuse verlie\u00dfen. Der Agent h\u00e4tte sie f\u00fcr alles, was er wusste, t\u00f6ten k\u00f6nnen. Er bezweifelte es. Char war zu sehr ein K\u00e4mpfer.\n\nAber allein und gefangen in seinem eigenen Frachtraum, wurde seine Phantasie wild. Er hat sich alle m\u00f6glichen schrecklichen Szenarien ausgedacht.\n\nEr versuchte alles, was er kannte, um diese T\u00fcr zu \u00f6ffnen. Sie wollte sich immer noch nicht bewegen. Der schleichende Politiker muss etwas in das Schloss gesteckt haben. Allein der Gedanke, dass jemand sein Schiff zerst\u00f6rte, lie\u00df sein Blut kochen.\n\nSchlie\u00dflich, nach Jona's xtem Versuch, die T\u00fcr zu \u00f6ffnen, sah er Char's Gesicht auf der anderen Seite erscheinen. Sie \u00f6ffnete ihn mit einem Grinsen.\n\n\"Wo ist Thrumm?\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\" Ein Nickerchen machen.\" Sie drehte sich um und ging zum Fahrgastraum und winkte, damit er ihm folgen konnte.\n\nJonas blickte sich um und folgte ihr. Er entdeckte den Politiker direkt vor der T\u00fcr zum Cockpit. Ein gro\u00dfer blauer Fleck bl\u00fchte auf der rechten Seite seines Gesichts. Seine Augenlider zuckten im Schlaf, aber ansonsten bewegte er sich nicht.\n\n\"Und der Agent?\" sagte Jonah. \"Hat er dir keinen \u00c4rger gemacht?\"\n\n\"Ich habe dir gesagt, dass ich auf mich aufpassen kann\", sagte sie, \"aber es gibt ein Problem.\"\n\n\"Welches Problem?\" sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Er wurde ins All geblasen\", sagte sie. \"Wir k\u00f6nnen ihn dort lassen oder ihn holen.\"\n\nJonah starrte sie an.\n\n\"Das Einzige ist\", sagte sie und sah den Politiker an, \"dieser kleine Schei\u00dfhaufen brachte uns vom Kurs ab und kostete uns Zeit.\" Sie hat ihn getreten. Der Mann st\u00f6hnte, wachte aber nicht auf. \"Wir werden zu sp\u00e4t kommen.\"\n\nJona's Magen fiel. Er blickte nach unten auf den bewusstlosen Mann auf dem Deck und dann wieder nach oben auf Char. \"Wir k\u00f6nnen Ardoss nicht da drau\u00dfen schweben lassen.\"\n\n\"Bist du sicher?\", sagte Char.\n\nJonah nickte. \"Er hat uns geholfen.\"\n\nSie nickte und \u00e4nderte die Richtung des Schiffes. \"Also machst du es dann durch? Ihm helfen, Mickey zu erledigen?\"\n\n\"Es ist ein Ausweg\", sagte er.\n\nSie l\u00e4chelte. \"Gut, es wurde auch Zeit.\"\n\n\"Ich muss es wissen, Char. Nach all den Jahren, warum hast du nichts gesagt?\"\n\nChar drehte sich um und sah ihn an. \"Du hast es nie erw\u00e4hnt, also nahm ich an, dass du nicht dar\u00fcber reden willst. Ich sch\u00e4tze die Tatsache, dass du mich nicht mit hineinziehen wolltest, aber ich habe immer auf dich aufgepasst. Bisher war die Arbeit gut und stabil, und es war nicht sehr gef\u00e4hrlich. Du bist meine Freundin. Ich hasste es, dich f\u00fcr Schleim wie Mickey Black arbeiten zu sehen, aber ich habe es verstanden. Aber diesmal doch? Dich bitten, jemanden zu t\u00f6ten? Das ist nicht in Ordnung.\"\n\nJonah wusste nicht, was er sagen sollte. Er h\u00e4tte sie t\u00f6ten und ihr Leben zerst\u00f6ren k\u00f6nnen, und sie war immer noch loyal. Er musste einen Weg finden, es wieder gutzumachen.\n\nSchlie\u00dflich kam Ardoss in Sichtweite. Jonah wusste, dass sein O2 niedrig sein musste. Die Anz\u00fcge hatten nicht viel.\n\n\"Ich kriege ihn\", sagte Char und packte ihren Helm.\n\nJonah folgte und sie sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf.\n\n\"Ich kann die Kontrollen und die Rettung \u00fcbernehmen\", sagte sie. \"Bleib hier und behalte ihn im Auge.\"\n\nJonah blickte auf Thrumm herab.\n\n\"Warum hat er das getan?\"\n\nSie zuckte mit den Achseln, ihr R\u00fccken zu ihm. \"Keine Ahnung. Ich schlug ihn, bevor er die Chance hatte, Ausreden zu finden. Wir waren im Vakuum, also glaube ich nicht, dass ich es sowieso geh\u00f6rt h\u00e4tte. Wir sind nah genug dran. Ich werde Ardoss einbeziehen.\"\n\nJonah nahm ihren Platz an der Steuerung ein und beobachtete, wie sie aus dem Frachtraum in den Hohlraum schwamm. Sie wickelte ihre Arme um Ardoss und feuerte die Retrothruster ab, um sich zur\u00fcck zum Schiff zu bewegen. Schon beim Zuschauen wurde Jona's Magen umgedreht. Sich da drau\u00dfen zu verlieren, war be\u00e4ngstigend. Er hoffte, dass es Ardoss gut ging. Es war eine schreckliche Art zu sterben.\n\nAls die Sensoren ihm sagten, dass sowohl Char als auch Ardoss wieder im Schiff waren und der Druck zur\u00fcckgekehrt war, richtete Jonah seine Aufmerksamkeit auf den Politiker.\n\nEr hockte sich vor dem M\u00f6chtegernentf\u00fchrer nieder und untersuchte ihn. Thrumm roch nach teurem \u00d6l und trug einen feinen Anzug aus etwas Glattem und Leichtem. Seide? Oder etwas Synthetisches? So oder so, es war teuer.\n\nEr drehte sich um und sah sich die Schuhe des Mannes an. Leder. Echtes Leder.\n\nJonah rieb sich das Kinn. Dieser Typ stand auf das teure Zeug, die feineren Dinge im Leben. Er verlangte sogar ein privates Zimmer auf einem Schiff, das sich nicht einmal die Privatsph\u00e4re seiner Crew leisten konnte.\n\nEr schlug den Politiker.\n\nThrumm st\u00f6hnte.\n\nJonas sch\u00fcttelte den B\u00fcrokraten. \"Hey, Kumpel, wach auf.\"\n\nThrumm's Augen knarrten auf und er murmelte etwas.\n\n\"Was war das?\" sagte Jonah. \"Ich habe dich nicht geh\u00f6rt.\" Er zog Thrumm an seinem Hemd hoch.\n\n\"T\u00f6te mich nicht\", sagte Thrumm. Seine Stimme wurde erstickt.\n\n\"Das h\u00e4ngt davon ab, was du als n\u00e4chstes sagst\", sagte Jonah.\n\nEr w\u00fcrde ihn nat\u00fcrlich nicht t\u00f6ten, aber der b\u00fcrokratische SOB musste das nicht wissen. Er sp\u00fcrte einen Adrenalinschub und seine H\u00e4nde zitterten, aber nicht aus Angst. Es f\u00fchlte sich gut an, zur Abwechslung mal die Kontrolle zu haben. Das Gef\u00fchl schockierte ihn so sehr, dass er den Mann fast fallen lie\u00df.\n\n\"Am Anfang war es nur ein bisschen\", sagte Thrumm. \"Dann muss es immer mehr werden. Ich konnte nicht anders. Ich kam so lange damit davon, dass ich nicht dachte, dass es jemand herausfinden w\u00fcrde. Ich wurde unvorsichtig.\"\n\n\"Wovon redest du?\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Das Geld\", sagte Thrumm. \"Ich habe es genommen. Es tut mir leid.\"\n\nJonas lie\u00df den Mann frei und seufzte. Thrumm wimmerte. \"Wirst du mich ausliefern?\"\n\nJonah hob eine Augenbraue. \"Wegen Diebstahls? Ich bin kein Polizist.\"\n\n\"Aber dieser Mann\", sagte Thrumm, \"er ist Advocacy.\"\n\nJona starrte den Politiker f\u00fcr einen Moment an, blinzelte dann und fing dann an zu lachen. Er lachte so heftig, dass er auf sein Hinterteil zur\u00fcckfiel. Es war so absurd.\n\n\"Habe ich einen Witz verpasst?\", sagte der Agent. Seine Stimme war zerbrechlich. Jonas blickte auf und sah, dass sein Gesicht blass war.\n\n\"Du hast \u00fcberlebt\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df es zu sch\u00e4tzen, dass du wegen mir zur\u00fcckgekommen bist\", sagte der Agent.\n\nJonah stand auf. \"Wir hatten eine Vereinbarung.\"\n\n\"Also war es der Politiker\", sagte der Agent und sah nach unten.\n\n\"Veruntreuer\", sagte Jonah. \"Er dachte, du w\u00fcrdest ihn in Ketten mitnehmen.\"\n\n\"Warte\", sagte Thrumm, \"du bist nicht hier, um mich zu verhaften?\"\n\nDie Augen des Agenten gingen weit und er hob seine Augenbrauen an.\n\n\"Nicht wirklich\", sagte er. \" Veruntreuung? Ihre eigene Regierung wird sich damit befassen m\u00fcssen. Du h\u00e4ttest ohne ein einziges Problem vom Schiff steigen k\u00f6nnen und ich h\u00e4tte dich nicht einmal zweimal angeschaut.\"\n\nThrumm schien in sich zusammenzubrechen und ein erleichterter Blick ging \u00fcber sein Gesicht. \"Also l\u00e4sst du mich gehen?\"\n\nDer Agent schnaubte. \"Verlass dich nicht darauf. Du solltest wirklich nicht das Leben eines Advocacy-Agenten gef\u00e4hrden. Ich schicke den lokalen Beh\u00f6rden eine Nachricht, sobald mit dem Schiff alles gekl\u00e4rt ist. Vorausgesetzt, der Pilot l\u00e4sst mich sein Kommunikationssystem benutzen.\"\n\n\"Nur zu\", sagte Jonah. Er wollte sehen, wie dieser traurige Bastard f\u00fcr immer eingesperrt wurde.\n\n\"Ich werde ihn in der Kabine einsperren\", sagte Char. \"Wir sind wieder auf Kurs. Wir sollten in einer Stunde am Sprungpunkt sein.\"\n\nJonas nickte ihr zu.\n\n\"Denken Sie nur, Mr. Thrumm\", sagte sie, als sie ihn aus dem Cockpit schob, \"Sie bekommen endlich das Privatzimmer, das Sie wollten.\"\n\nThrumm verblasste. Char brachte ihn an den anderen beiden Passagieren vorbei. Die Gesch\u00e4ftsfrau starrte vor Schreck und der Teenager lehnte sich auf seinem Platz nach vorne.\n\n\"Hey, Lady\", sagte der Junge, \"kann ich als n\u00e4chstes fliegen?\"\n\nChar schnaubte. \" Besorgen Sie sich einen F\u00fchrerschein.\"\n\n\"Also, hast du \u00fcber mein Angebot nachgedacht?\", sagte der Agent und schloss die Cockpitt\u00fcr.\n\n\"Ich will raus\", sagte Jonah, \"und ich glaube nicht, dass Mickey mich einfach gehen l\u00e4sst. Du bist die beste Chance, die ich habe. Wenn ich Pietro nicht bei der \u00dcbergabe treffe, wird Mickey mich sicher umbringen. Au\u00dferdem hast du mein Schiff und wahrscheinlich mein Leben gerettet. Ich schulde dir mehr, als ich zur\u00fcckzahlen kann.\"\n\n\"Hilf mir, Pietro zu finden, und das reicht mir\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nJonah l\u00e4chelte.\n\n\"Also, wie soll ich dich nennen?\", sagte er.\n\n\"Ardoss geht es gut\", sagte er.\n\n\"Also war Pietro dein Partner?\" fragte Jonah.\n\n\"Mehr. Er war mein Freund\", sagte Ardoss.\n\n\"Und deshalb jagen Sie ihn?\"\n\n\"Ja. Scheint so, als sollte ich es sein, der ihn herbringt\", sagte Ardoss. \"Und wenn das, was Char sagte, wahr ist und Mickey ihn zu all dem gezwungen hat, dann kann ich vielleicht etwas tun, um ihm zu helfen.\"\nJonah nickte.\n\n\"Wie hat Mickey dich erwischt?\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nJonas streckte seine H\u00e4nde aus und sah auf. \"Dieses Schiff. Ich konnte es mir nicht leisten, konnte keinen Kredit bekommen. Seit ich ein Junge war, wollte ich nur noch ein eigenes Raumschiff besitzen. Aber meine Familie ist arm. Mein Vater war Maschinist, meine Mutter war krank.\"\n\n\"Also warum nicht f\u00fcr eine kommerzielle Firma fliegen?\", sagte Ardoss. \"Sie brauchen immer Piloten.\"\n\n\"Das habe ich zuerst\", sagte Jonah. \"Mein erster Job war als Co-Pilot bei einem Frachtflug.\"\n\n\"Hat es dir nicht gefallen?\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nJonas sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. \"Ich wurde gefeuert. Wir wurden von Piraten geentert. Einer der Besatzungsmitglieder versuchte, sie abzuwehren. Es gab aber zu viele, als dass sie allein damit umgehen konnte, also entschied ich mich, zu helfen. W\u00e4hrend des Kampfes wurde ein Teil der restlichen Crew verletzt. Die Firma sagte, es sei unsere Schuld. Sie sagten, es w\u00e4re nicht passiert, wenn wir einfach weiter zusammengearbeitet h\u00e4tten. Das n\u00e4chste, was ich wei\u00df, ist, dass ich am Arsch bin. Danach hatte ich Schwierigkeiten, Arbeit zu finden, konnte nichts mehr lange aufhalten, also beschloss ich, mich selbstst\u00e4ndig zu machen, aber ich konnte kein Schiff kaufen und niemand w\u00fcrde mich eines mieten lassen, bis ich auf die Beine kam. Jeder au\u00dfer einer Person, das hei\u00dft.\"\n\n\"Mickey Black\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nJonah nickte. \"Er bot an, das Schiff f\u00fcr mich zu kaufen, wenn ich zustimmte, mit ihm zu arbeiten\", sagte Jonah. \"Ich weigerte mich zuerst, wollte mein eigener Mann sein. Er sagte mir, das sei kein Problem. Ich tat ihm von Zeit zu Zeit einfach einen Gefallen und ich konnte das Schiff leiten, wie ich wollte. Das war aber nicht wahr. Selbst mit einem Schiff konnte ich keine Arbeit finden, bis Mickey mich mit Meister Haru zusammengebracht hat, und zwischen den Schulden und Haru-Skimming mache ich nicht ann\u00e4hernd das, was ich k\u00f6nnte, wenn ich mein eigenes Gesch\u00e4ft f\u00fchren w\u00fcrde. Das Lustige ist, ich habe jetzt genug Kontakte und Know-how. Ich k\u00f6nnte es alleine schaffen, wenn Mickey nicht im Bild w\u00e4re.\"\n\n\"Und die Frau vom Piratenangriff\", sagte Ardoss, \"das war Char?\"\n\nJonah nickte. \"Sie arbeitet seitdem mit mir zusammen.\"\n\n\"Kein Wunder, dass sie so loyal ist\", sagte Ardoss.\n\n\"Ich bereue es nicht\", sagte Jonah. \"Ich habe das Richtige getan.\"\n\n\"Nat\u00fcrlich hast du das\", sagte Ardoss.\n\n\"Egal, wie ich in die Position gekommen bin, in der ich mich befinde\", sagte Jonah, \"er wei\u00df, wie man eine schlechte Situation zu seinem Vorteil nutzt. Ich wette, Pietro geriet in \u00e4hnliche Schwierigkeiten und Mickey kam zur Rettung. Es ist das, was er tut. Und von diesem Moment an geh\u00f6rst du ihm.\"\n\n\"Selbst wenn das der Fall ist, muss ich Pietro trotzdem einbeziehen\", sagte Ardoss. \"Wenn Pietro erpresst oder stark bewaffnet war, um zu spionieren, dann ist Schwarz ein viel gr\u00f6\u00dferes Problem, als irgendjemand erkannt hat und die Advocacy muss es wissen. Es k\u00f6nnte andere Agenten geben, die f\u00fcr ihn arbeiten. Man kann nicht sagen, wie tief er in alles verwickelt ist.\"\n\nJonas seufzte und lehnte sich in die Konsole. Er schloss f\u00fcr einen Moment die Augen. Er lauschte dem Wirbel des Schiffsmotors, f\u00fchlte, wie er unter ihm vibrierte. Es sprach mit ihm. Er liebte das Fliegen, w\u00fcrde alles tun, um weiterzumachen.\n\n\"Also, wenn wir das tun\", sagte Jonah, \"Ich habe ein paar Regeln.\"\n\nArdoss sch\u00fcrzte seine Lippen. \"Welche Art von Regeln?\"\n\n\"Ich werde Pietro nichts tun\", sagte Jonah. \" Das ist in erster Linie. Wir waren uns nicht nahe, aber er wurde da reingezogen, genau wie ich.\"\n\nArdoss verschr\u00e4nkte seine Arme. \"Er war auch mein Freund, aber wenn er auf einen von uns schie\u00dft, werde ich zur\u00fcckschie\u00dfen.\"\n\n\"Gut\", sagte Jonah, \"er schie\u00dft zuerst, ich werde dich nicht aufhalten, aber das f\u00fchrt mich zu meiner zweiten Regel\", sagte Jonah. \"Ich mache die \u00dcbergabe. Ich gebe ihm sein Paket und gehe weg. Er wird nicht schie\u00dfen, wenn ich ihm gebe, was er braucht.\"\n\nArdoss' Stirn knitterte. \"Es gef\u00e4llt mir nicht. Du k\u00f6nntest ihn warnen, dass ich da bin.\"\n\n\"Werde ich nicht\", sagte Jonah. \"Ich habe dir mein Wort gegeben. Auf diese Weise bin ich immer noch gut mit Mickey. Alles, was danach passiert, kann nicht auf mir landen. Au\u00dferdem, wenn ich ihm sagen wollte, dass er laufen soll, w\u00fcrde ich es ihm sagen, wenn ich ihn wegen der Koordinaten des Treffens kontaktiere.\"\n\n\"Warte, du wei\u00dft nicht, wo du ihn treffen sollst?\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nJonah l\u00e4chelte. \"Du musst Pietro besser kennen als das. Er ist vorsichtig. Der Plan ist, einen Navigationspunkt zu erreichen und ihn zu kontaktieren. Von dort aus gibt er mir die endg\u00fcltigen Koordinaten.\"\n\n\"Also, wenn ich dich in den Spind gesperrt h\u00e4tte?\", sagte Ardoss.\n\n\"Du w\u00e4rst nicht sehr weit gekommen\", sagte Jonah. \"Pietro m\u00fcsste meine Stimme h\u00f6ren.\"\n\n\"Nun, ich sch\u00e4tze, es sollte so sein\", sagte Ardoss. \"Wir werden es auf deine Weise versuchen. Aber wenn du ihn warnst, ist der Deal geplatzt.\"\n\n\"Ich verstehe\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Dann lass uns Pietro treffen.\"\n\nSie schafften den n\u00e4chsten Sprungpunkt ohne Zwischenf\u00e4lle. Die beiden anderen Passagiere, der Teenager und die junge Gesch\u00e4ftsfrau, st\u00f6rten sie nicht. Jonah dachte, sie w\u00e4ren einfach gl\u00fccklich, wieder unterwegs zu sein. Er sagte ihnen, dass es einen kurzen Umweg geben w\u00fcrde, und keiner sagte ein Wort.\n\nJonah war jedoch immer noch nerv\u00f6s. Er konnte es so anziehen, wie er wollte, aber es war nicht zu leugnen, dass er Mickey Black verraten hatte.\n\nJonah erinnerte sich an einen Vorfall, als er anfing, f\u00fcr Mickey zu arbeiten. Sie hatten sich in einer anderen schmutzigen Bar in einer stillgelegten Bergbau-Gewohnheit namens Grim HEX getroffen. Er und Mickey arbeiteten an den Details eines Jobs, als einer von Mickeys Schl\u00e4gern jemanden einbrachte.\n\nEs war ein Mann, der etwas \u00e4lter war als Jonas. Sein Gesicht war blutig und er flehte um Gnade. Mickey stellte ihm eine Frage. Warum?\n\nDer Mann sah auf den Boden und hob seinen Kopf nicht, bis Mickey es verlangte. Als er es tat, sagte Mickey, dass es eine Schande sei. Das n\u00e4chste, was Jonah wusste, war, dass der Mann tot war, ein Schuss ins Gehirn mit freundlicher Genehmigung von Mickey. Alles, was Mickey sagen w\u00fcrde, war, dass Jonah das war, was mit Leuten passiert ist, die ihn hintergangen haben.\n\nAber Jonah konnte nicht so weiterleben. Er wollte nicht sterben, aber weiterzumachen, w\u00e4hrend Menschen, die ihm wichtig waren, bedroht wurden, war auch keine Option. Jonah wollte einen Neuanfang. Pietro verdiente das Gleiche.\n\nEr erw\u00e4hnte die sichere Frequenz, die Mickey ihm gab.\n\n\"Du bist sp\u00e4t dran\", sagte Pietro.\n\n\"Wir hatten ein mechanisches Problem\", sagte Jonah. Es war keine totale L\u00fcge. Ein Idiot \u00fcbernahm die Mechanik des Schiffes und schickte sie vom Kurs ab.\n\n\"Wenn ich diese Vorr\u00e4te nicht br\u00e4uchte....\" sagte Pietro.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df\", sagte Jonah. \"Es tut mir leid. Ich werde es von meiner Seite ausgleichen. Schicken Sie mir die Koordinaten und wir bringen Sie auf den Weg.\"\n\nPietro grunzte. Ein Textfeed ging \u00fcber Jona's Konsole.\n\nJonas hob eine Augenbraue, aber bevor er etwas anderes sagen konnte, wurde die Leitung unterbrochen.\n\n\"Also, wo ist es?\" fragte Ardoss, der aus einer Ecke des Cockpits zugeh\u00f6rt hatte.\n\n\"Es ist eine alte Tankstelle\", sagte er. \"Niemand ist da, niedrige Macht, und das liegt au\u00dferhalb der normalen Reichweite der Advocacy.\"\n\n\"Schlau\", sagte Ardoss. \"Ich nehme an, du hast ihn hier noch nie getroffen?\"\n\nJonas sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. \"Nein. Pietro und ich hatten nicht viele Jobs zusammen. Wir w\u00fcrden uns bei verschiedenen Aufgaben kreuzen, aber das war's.\"\n\n\"Auftr\u00e4ge\", sagte Ardoss, \"du l\u00e4sst es wie eine gut gef\u00fchrte Organisation klingen.\"\n\n\"Es gibt einen Grund, warum du nicht viel \u00fcber Mickey wei\u00dft\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Aber ich kenne Pietro und ich habe nachgedacht\", sagte Ardoss, \"es ist ein Fehler f\u00fcr dich, allein und unbewaffnet hineinzugehen. Wenn er in so eine Ecke ger\u00e4t, ist er gef\u00e4hrlich. Du solltest Char mitnehmen, um dir den R\u00fccken freizuhalten.\"\n\nSie sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. \"Jonah macht die Tropfen immer solo. Wenn ich mitkomme, wei\u00df er, dass etwas nicht stimmt.\"\n\n\"Ich mache die \u00dcbergabe\", sagte Jonah. \" Alleine. Keine Waffe. Das war der Deal.\"\n\nArdoss runzelte die Stirn und nickte. \"Gut. Sobald der Abwurf abgeschlossen ist, halten Sie sich von der Tankstelle fern. Wenn er das Feuer er\u00f6ffnet, wenn ich ihn verhafte, will ich nicht riskieren, dass du ins Kreuzfeuer ger\u00e4tst.\"\n\n\"Sch\u00f6n\", sagte Jonah.\n\nJona's Herz klopfte ihm in den Hals. Das war's dann. Sie haben es wirklich getan. Er hatte eine letzte Chance, dem ein Ende zu setzen.\n\nArdoss drehte sich um, um ihn anzusehen, und legte eine Hand auf Jona's Schulter.\n\n\"Hab keine Zweifel an mir\", sagte er. \"Wir haben einen Plan. Bleiben wir dabei.\"\n\nJonah nickte. Das war die richtige Entscheidung.\n\nChar hat die Koordinaten f\u00fcr den Drop eingegeben. Sie passierten eine Tankstelle, die den Sprungbrett reparierte. Es war sch\u00f6n, sauber, hatte gutes Essen. Sie servierten Gem\u00fcseburger mit Eiwei\u00dfpaste und hatten eine gute Versorgung mit Bier.\n\nDer Ort, an den sie gingen, war es nicht. Es war au\u00dfer Betrieb und verlassen. Es k\u00f6nnte noch etwas Treibstoff haben, wenn die Aasfresser es nicht sauber gepfl\u00fcckt h\u00e4tten. Es hatte wirklich Macht. Nicht viel, aber etwas. Genug, um sich zu treffen und die \u00dcbergabe zu machen.\n\nEine halbe Stunde sp\u00e4ter landeten sie und Jonah ging zu den beiden verbleibenden Passagieren.\n\n\"Wir m\u00fcssen hier anhalten\", sagte er. \"Sobald unser Gesch\u00e4ft erledigt ist, werden wir diesen Ort so schnell wie m\u00f6glich hinter uns lassen. Es gibt nur sehr wenig Strom und der Standort ist verlassen, also bleiben Sie zu Ihrer eigenen Sicherheit an Bord.\"\n\nDer Teenager \u00f6ffnete seinen Mund und fragte h\u00f6chstwahrscheinlich, ob er mitkommen k\u00f6nnte, aber Char dr\u00fcckte die Frage mit einem Blick. Er blasste und ging zur\u00fcck zu seinem Mobi. Die Gesch\u00e4ftsfrau schrumpfte einfach in ihren Stuhl. Jonah dachte nicht, dass er ein Problem mit einem der beiden haben w\u00fcrde.\n\nJonah ging zum Frachtraum und \u00f6ffnete die Luftschleuse. Von dort aus brachte er Pietros Paket vom Schiff.\n\n\"Was hat dich aufgehalten\", fragte eine Stimme.\n\nJonah drehte sich um und sah Pietro nur wenige Meter entfernt stehen.\n\nEr sah \u00e4lter aus, als Jonas sich erinnerte. Sein schwarzes Haar war schlaff und stumpf. Er hatte Kreise um seine Augen und sein Gesicht war hager. Seine normalerweise gebr\u00e4unte Haut war blass und feucht. Das Leben auf der Flucht passte nicht gut zu ihm.\n\n\"Ich habe dir gesagt, dass ich einige unerwartete Verz\u00f6gerungen hatte\", sagte Jonah.\n\n\"Diese Verz\u00f6gerungen haben nichts mit dem Glanz auf deinem Gesicht zu tun\", sagte Pietro.\n\n\"Shiner?\" sagte Jonah. Er ber\u00fchrte sein Gesicht und fand es zart. Nat\u00fcrlich, der Kampf im Frachtraum. Ardoss muss ihn h\u00e4rter getroffen haben, als er dachte.\n\n\"Mickey dachte, ich br\u00e4uchte etwas mehr \u00dcberzeugungskraft, um den Job zu erledigen\", sagte Jonah. \"Lasst uns das schnell machen und wir k\u00f6nnen beide auf dem Weg sein.\"\n\n\"Es tut mir leid\", sagte Pietro. \"Ich wusste, dass du nicht versuchen w\u00fcrdest, mich zu ficken.\"\n\nJonah zuckte fast zusammen. Das tat weh. Pietro vertraute ihm, oder zumindest vertraute er darauf, dass er zu sehr ein Feigling sein w\u00fcrde, um etwas zu tun. Er war es leid, sich von Leuten \u00fcberw\u00e4ltigen zu lassen.\n\nPietro kniete vor der Kiste nieder und dr\u00fcckte seinen Code. Der Deckel sprang auf und er sah hinein. Er machte ein Gesicht, als er ein schweres Tuch zur Seite zog.\n\n\"Ist das eine Art Witz, Jonah?\", sagte er.\n\nJonas f\u00fchlte, wie das Blut sein Gesicht verlie\u00df. \"Welcher Witz?\"\n\n\"Hier ist nichts als ein Haufen Ziegelsteine drin.\"\n\nJonah trat darauf zu und sah hinein. Sein Bauch verknotete sich.\n\nZiegel. Gro\u00dfe graue. Keine Vorr\u00e4te, keine Sender, kein Bargeld. Nur ein gro\u00dfer Stapel aus Stein und Ton.\n\nEr blickte auf, um sich zu finden, wie er den Lauf von Pietros Waffe hinunter starrte. Er nahm seine H\u00e4nde hoch und wich einen Schritt zur\u00fcck.\n\n\"Sachte, Pietro\", sagte Jonah.\n\nPietro legte seine Waffe auf. \"Du hast etwa sechzig Sekunden, um zu reden.\"\n\n\"Du hast die H\u00e4lfte davon, um die Waffe niederzulegen, Pete\", sagte Ardoss.\n\nFortsetzung folgt","zh_CN":"Writer\u2019s Note: One Last Job: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 3.11. Read Part One here and Part Two here.\nJonah paced in the hold. It felt like hours since Char and the Agent went out the airlock. The Agent could have killed her for all he knew. He doubted it. Char was too much of a fighter.\n\nBut alone and trapped in his own cargo hold, his imagination ran wild. He thought up all kinds of horrible scenarios.\n\nHe tried every which way he knew of to open that door. It still wouldn\u2019t budge. The creep politician must have jammed something in the lock. Just the thought of someone vandalizing his ship made his blood boil.\n\nFinally, after Jonah\u2019s umpteenth attempt to open the door, he saw Char\u2019s face appear on the other side. She opened it with a grin.\n\n\u201cWhere\u2019s Thrumm?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cTaking a nap.\u201d She turned and walked to the passenger area, waving for him to follow.\n\nJonah glanced around, following her. He spotted the politician right before the door to the cockpit. A large bruise was blossoming on the right side of his face. His eyelids twitched in his sleep, but, otherwise, he didn\u2019t move.\n\n\u201cAnd the Agent?\u201d said Jonah. \u201cHe didn\u2019t give you any trouble?\u201d\n\n\u201cI told you I could handle myself,\u201d she said, \u201cbut there\u2019s a problem.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat problem?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cHe got blown into space,\u201d she said. \u201cWe can leave him there or go get him.\u201d\n\nJonah stared at her.\n\n\u201cOnly thing is,\u201d she said, looking at the politician, \u201cthis little turd took us off course and cost us time.\u201d She kicked him. The man groaned but did not wake. \u201cWe\u2019re gonna be late.\u201d\n\nJonah\u2019s stomach fell. He glanced down at the unconscious man on the deck then back up at Char. \u201cWe can\u2019t leave Ardoss floating out there.\u201d\n\n\u201cAre you sure?\u201d said Char.\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cHe helped us.\u201d\n\nShe nodded and changed the ship\u2019s direction. \u201cSo you\u2019re going through with it then? Helping him take down Mickey?\u201d\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a way out,\u201d he said.\n\nShe smiled. \u201cGood, it\u2019s about time.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ve got to know, Char. After all these years, why didn\u2019t you say anything?\u201d\n\nChar turned to look at him. \u201cYou never brought it up, so I assumed you didn\u2019t want to talk about it. I appreciate the fact you didn\u2019t want to drag me into it, but I\u2019ve always been looking out for you. So far, the work has been good and steady, and it hasn\u2019t been terribly dangerous. You\u2019re my friend. I hated to see you work for slime like Mickey Black, but I understood. This time though? Asking you to kill someone? That\u2019s not okay.\u201d\n\nJonah didn\u2019t know what to say. He could have gotten her killed, destroyed her life, and she was still loyal. He needed to find a way to make it up to her.\n\nEventually Ardoss came into view. Jonah knew his O2 had to be low. Suits didn\u2019t have much.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll get him,\u201d said Char, grabbing her helmet.\n\nJonah followed and she shook her head.\n\n\u201cI can handle the controls and the rescue,\u201d she said. \u201cStay here and keep an eye on him.\u201d\n\nJonah looked down at Thrumm.\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019d he do it?\u201d\n\nShe shrugged, her back to him. \u201cDunno. I punched him before he had a chance to make excuses. We were in vacuum, so I don\u2019t think I would have heard it anyways. We\u2019re close enough. I\u2019m going to go reel Ardoss in.\u201d\n\nJonah took her spot at the controls and watched as she swam out from the cargo hold into the void. She wrapped her arms around Ardoss and fired the retrothrusters to push back toward the ship. Just watching it made Jonah\u2019s stomach flip. Being lost out there was terrifying. He hoped Ardoss was all right. It was a terrible way to die.\n\nWhen the sensors told him both Char and Ardoss were back in the ship and pressure had returned, Jonah turned his attention to the politician.\n\nHe crouched down by the would-be hijacker and examined him. Thrumm smelled of expensive oil and wore a fine suit made out of something smooth and light. Silk? Or some synthetic? Either way, it was expensive.\n\nHe turned to look at the man\u2019s shoes. Leather. Real leather.\n\nJonah rubbed his chin. This guy was into the expensive stuff, the finer things in life. Even demanded a private room on a ship that couldn\u2019t even afford privacy for its crew.\n\nHe slapped the politician.\n\nThrumm groaned.\n\nJonah shook the bureaucrat. \u201cHey, pal, wake up.\u201d\n\nThrumm\u2019s eyes creaked open and he mumbled something.\n\n\u201cWhat was that?\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI didn\u2019t hear you.\u201d He pulled Thrumm up by his shirt.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t kill me,\u201d said Thrumm. His voice was choked.\n\n\u201cThat depends on what you say next,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nHe wouldn\u2019t kill him, of course, but the bureaucratic SOB didn\u2019t need to know that. He felt a rush of adrenaline and his hands shook, but not from fear. It felt good being in control for a change. The feeling shocked him so much he almost dropped the man.\n\n\u201cIt was just a little at first,\u201d said Thrumm. \u201cThen it got to be more and more. I couldn\u2019t help myself. I got away with it for so long, I didn\u2019t think anyone would find out. I got careless.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat are you talking about?\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThe money,\u201d said Thrumm. \u201cI took it. I\u2019m sorry.\u201d\n\nJonah released the man and sighed. Thrumm whimpered. \u201cAre you gonna turn me in?\u201d\n\nJonah raised an eyebrow. \u201cFor stealing? I\u2019m not a cop.\u201d\n\n\u201cBut that man,\u201d said Thrumm, \u201che\u2019s Advocacy.\u201d\n\nJonah stared at the politician for a moment, then blinked, and then began to laugh. He laughed so hard he fell back on his hind end. It was so absurd.\n\n\u201cDid I miss a joke?\u201d the Agent said. His voice was wispy. Jonah looked up and saw his face was pale.\n\n\u201cYou lived,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cI appreciate you coming back for me,\u201d the Agent said.\n\nJonah stood. \u201cWe had an agreement.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo it was the politician,\u201d the Agent said, looking down.\n\n\u201cEmbezzler,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cHe thought you were going to take him away in chains.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait,\u201d said Thrumm, \u201cyou\u2019re not here to arrest me?\u201d\n\nThe Agent\u2019s eyes went wide and he raised his eyebrows.\n\n\u201cNot hardly,\u201d he said. \u201cEmbezzlement? Your own government will have to deal with that. You could have gotten off the ship without a single issue and I wouldn\u2019t have even looked at you twice.\u201d\n\nThrumm seemed to collapse into himself and a look of relief passed over his face. \u201cSo you\u2019ll let me go?\u201d\n\nThe Agent snorted. \u201cDon\u2019t count on it. You really shouldn\u2019t endanger the life of an Advocacy Agent. I\u2019ll send local authorities a message as soon as everything\u2019s sorted out with the ship. Provided, of course, the pilot lets me use his comm system.\u201d\n\n\u201cGo right ahead,\u201d said Jonah. He wanted to see this sorry bastard locked away for good.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll go lock him up in the cabin,\u201d said Char. \u201cWe\u2019re back on course. We should be at the jump point within the hour.\u201d\n\nJonah nodded to her.\n\n\u201cJust think, Mr. Thrumm,\u201d she said as she pushed him out of the cockpit, \u201cyou finally get that private room you wanted.\u201d\n\nThrumm paled. Char drug him past the other two passengers. The businesswoman stared in terror and the teen leaned forward in his seat.\n\n\u201cHey, lady,\u201d the boy said, \u201ccan I fly next?\u201d\n\nChar snorted. \u201cGet a license.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, have you thought over my offer?\u201d the Agent said, closing the cockpit door.\n\n\u201cI want out,\u201d said Jonah, \u201cand I don\u2019t think Mickey will just let me go. You\u2019re the best chance I\u2019ve got. If I fail to meet Pietro at the drop, Mickey will certainly kill me. Besides, you saved my ship, and probably my life. I owe you more than I can repay.\u201d\n\n\u201cHelp me get Pietro and that will be enough for me,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah smiled.\n\n\u201cSo what do I call you?\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cArdoss is fine,\u201d he said.\n\n\u201cSo Pietro was your partner?\u201d asked Jonah.\n\n\u201cMore. He was my friend,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cAnd that\u2019s why you\u2019re hunting him down?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah. Seems like it should be me who brings him in,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cAnd if what Char said is true and Mickey forced him into all this, than maybe there\u2019s something I can do to help him.\u201d\nJonah nodded.\n\n\u201cHow did Mickey get you?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah held out his hands and looked up. \u201cThis ship. I couldn\u2019t afford it, couldn\u2019t get a loan. Ever since I was a boy, all I wanted was to own my own spaceship. But my family\u2019s poor. My father was a machinist, my mother was ill.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo why not fly for a commercial company?\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cThey always need pilots.\u201d\n\n\u201cI did, at first,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cMy first job was as a co-pilot on a cargo run.\u201d\n\n\u201cDidn\u2019t like it?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah shook his head. \u201cI got fired. We were boarded by pirates. One of the crew members tried to fight them off. There were too many for her to handle alone though, so I decided to help. During the struggle some of the rest of the crew got hurt. The company said it was our fault. They said it wouldn\u2019t have happened if we had just kept cooperating. Next thing I know I\u2019m out on my ass. After that, I had trouble finding work, couldn\u2019t hold anything down for long, so I decided to go into business for myself, but I couldn\u2019t buy a ship and no one would let me lease one until I got on my feet. Everyone but one person, that is.\u201d\n\n\u201cMickey Black,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cHe offered to buy the ship for me if I agreed to work with him,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI refused at first, wanted to be my own man. He told me that wasn\u2019t a problem. I\u2019d simply do him a favor from time to time and I could run the ship how I wanted. That wasn\u2019t true though. Even with a ship, I couldn\u2019t find work until Mickey set me up with Master Haru, and between the debt and Haru skimming, I don\u2019t make anywhere near what I could if I ran my own business. Funny thing is, I\u2019ve got enough contacts and knowhow now. I could make it on my own if Mickey was out of the picture.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd the woman from the pirate attack,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cthat was Char?\u201d\n\nJonah nodded. \u201cShe\u2019s worked with me ever since.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo wonder she\u2019s so loyal,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t regret it,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI did the right thing.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course you did,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cRegardless of how I got in the position I\u2019m in,\u201d said Jonah, \u201che knows how to use a bad situation to his advantage. I bet Pietro got into similar trouble and Mickey came to the rescue. It\u2019s what he does. And from that moment on, he owns you.\u201d\n\n\u201cEven if that\u2019s the case, I still need to bring Pietro in,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cIf Pietro was blackmailed or strong armed into spying, then Black is a much bigger problem than anyone realized and the Advocacy needs to know. There could be other Agents working for him. There\u2019s no telling how deep he\u2019s into everything.\u201d\n\nJonah sighed and leaned into the console. He closed his eyes for a moment. He listened to the whir of the ship\u2019s engine, felt it vibrate beneath him. It spoke to him. He loved flying, would do anything to keep going.\n\n\u201cSo when we do this,\u201d said Jonah, \u201cI\u2019ve got a couple of rules.\u201d\n\nArdoss pursed his lips. \u201cWhat kind of rules?\u201d\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t hurt Pietro,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cThat\u2019s first and foremost. We weren\u2019t close, but he got dragged into this just like I did.\u201d\n\nArdoss crossed his arms. \u201dHe was my friend too, but if he shoots at any of us, I\u2019m going to shoot back.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d said Jonah, \u201che shoots first, I won\u2019t stop you, but that leads me to my second rule,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI do the drop. I give him his package and walk away. He won\u2019t shoot if I\u2019m giving him what he needs.\u201d\n\nArdoss\u2019 forehead creased. \u201cI don\u2019t like it. You might warn him I\u2019m there.\u201d\n\n\u201cI won\u2019t,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI gave you my word. This way, I\u2019m still good with Mickey. Anything that happens afterwards can\u2019t land on me. Besides, if I wanted to tell him to run, I\u2019d tell him when I contact him for the meeting coordinates.\u201d\n\n\u201cWait, you don\u2019t know where to meet him?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nJonah smiled. \u201cYou\u2019ve gotta know Pietro better than that. He\u2019s careful. The plan is to reach a nav point and contact him. From there, he gives me the final coordinates.\u201d\n\n\u201cSo, if I had locked you in the locker?\u201d said Ardoss.\n\n\u201cYou wouldn\u2019t have gotten very far,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cPietro would have to hear my voice.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, I guess it was meant to be this way,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cWe\u2019ll try it your way. But if you warn him, the deal is off.\u201d\n\n\u201cI understand,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThen let\u2019s go meet Pietro.\u201d\n\nThey made the next jump point without incident. The other two passengers, the teenage boy and the young business-woman, didn\u2019t bother them. Jonah figured they were just happy to be back en route. He told them there would be a brief detour and neither said a word.\n\nJonah was still on edge, though. He could dress it up however he liked, but there was no denying that he was betraying Mickey Black.\n\nJonah remembered an incident when he first started working for Mickey. They had met in another grimy bar in a defunct mining hab known as Grim HEX. He and Mickey were working out the details of a job when one of Mickey\u2019s goons brought someone in.\n\nIt was a man a little older than Jonah. His face was bloody and he was begging for mercy. Mickey asked him one question. Why?\n\nThe man looked at the floor and wouldn\u2019t lift his head until Mickey demanded it. When he did, Mickey said it was a shame. The next thing Jonah knew, the man was dead, a shot to the brain courtesy of Mickey. All Mickey would tell Jonah was that was what happened to people who double-crossed him.\n\nBut Jonah couldn\u2019t keep living like this. He didn\u2019t want to die, but to go on while people he cared about were threatened wasn\u2019t an option either. Jonah wanted a fresh start. Pietro deserved the same.\n\nHe brought up the secure frequency Mickey gave him.\n\n\u201cYou\u2019re late,\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cWe had a mechanical issue,\u201d said Jonah. It wasn\u2019t a total lie. Some idiot took over the mechanics of the ship and sent them off course.\n\n\u201cIf I didn\u2019t need these supplies . . .\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cI know,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cI\u2019m sorry. I\u2019ll make up for it on my end. Send me the coordinates and we\u2019ll get you on your way.\u201d\n\nPietro grunted. A text feed went across Jonah\u2019s console.\n\nJonah raised an eyebrow, but before he could say anything else, the line went dead.\n\n\u201cSo where is it?\u201d asked Ardoss, who had been listening from a corner of the cockpit.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s an old fueling station,\u201d he said. \u201cNo one\u2019s there, low power, and it\u2019s beyond the Advocacy\u2019s normal reach.\u201d\n\n\u201cSmart,\u201d said Ardoss. \u201cI take it you\u2019ve never met him here before?\u201d\n\nJonah shook his head. \u201cNo. Pietro and I didn\u2019t run a lot of jobs together. We would cross paths on various assignments, but that was it.\u201d\n\n\u201cAssignments,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cyou make it sound like some sort of well-run organization.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s a reason you don\u2019t know much about Mickey,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cBut I know Pietro and I\u2019ve been thinking,\u201d said Ardoss, \u201cit\u2019s a mistake for you to go in alone and unarmed. When he gets in a corner like this, he\u2019s dangerous. You should take Char to watch your back.\u201d\n\nShe shook her head. \u201cJonah always does the drops solo. If I come along, he\u2019ll know something\u2019s up.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll do the drop,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cBy myself. No gun. That was the deal.\u201d\n\nArdoss frowned and nodded. \u201cFine. As soon as the drop is done, get clear of the fuel station. If he opens fire when I arrest him, I don\u2019t want to risk you getting caught in the crossfire.\u201d\n\n\u201cFine,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nJonah\u2019s heart lumped in his throat. This was it. They were really doing it. He had one last chance to put an end to it.\n\nArdoss turned to look at him, and put a hand on Jonah\u2019s shoulder.\n\n\u201cDon\u2019t have second thoughts on me,\u201d he said. \u201cWe have a plan. Let\u2019s stick to it.\u201d\n\nJonah nodded. This was the right thing to do.\n\nChar entered the coordinates for the drop. They passed a fueling station that serviced the jump point. It was nice, clean, had good food. They served veggie burgers with protein paste and had a good supply of beer.\n\nThe place they were going did not. It was out of commission and abandoned. It might still have some fuel, if scavengers hadn\u2019t picked it clean. It certainly had power. Not much, but something. Enough to meet and make the drop.\n\nHalf an hour later they landed and Jonah went to the two remaining passengers.\n\n\u201cWe have to stop here,\u201d he said. \u201cOnce our business is done, we\u2019ll be putting this place behind us as fast as possible. There is very little power and the location is abandoned, so for your own safety, please stay on board.\u201d\n\nThe teenager opened his mouth, most likely to ask if he could come along, but Char squashed the question with a glare. He paled and went back to his mobi. The business-woman just shrank into her chair. Jonah didn\u2019t think he\u2019d have a problem out of either of them.\n\nJonah went to the cargo bay and opened the airlock. From there, he moved Pietro\u2019s package off the ship.\n\n\u201cWhat kept you,\u201d a voice asked.\n\nJonah turned to see Pietro standing just a few feet away.\n\nHe looked older than Jonah remembered. His black hair was limp and dull. He had circles around his eyes and his face was gaunt. His normally tanned skin was pale and clammy. Life on the run did not sit well with him.\n\n\u201cI told you, I had some unexpected delays,\u201d said Jonah.\n\n\u201cThose delays have anything to do with that shiner on your face?\u201d said Pietro.\n\n\u201cShiner?\u201d said Jonah. He touched his face and found it tender. Of course, the fight in the cargo hold. Ardoss must have hit him harder than he realized.\n\n\u201cMickey thought I needed some extra convincing to do the job,\u201d said Jonah. \u201cLet\u2019s do this quick and we can both be on our way.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m sorry,\u201d said Pietro. \u201cI knew you wouldn\u2019t try to screw me.\u201d\n\nJonah almost winced. That hurt. Pietro trusted him, or at least trusted he would be too much of a coward to do anything. He was done letting people walk all over him.\n\nPietro knelt before the crate and thumbed his code. The lid popped and he peered in. He made a face as he pulled a heavy cloth aside.\n\n\u201cIs this some kind of joke, Jonah?\u201d he said.\n\nJonah felt the blood leave his face. \u201cWhat joke?\u201d\n\n\u201cThere\u2019s nothing in here but a pile of bricks.\u201d\n\nJonah stepped to it and looked inside. His stomach knotted.\n\nBricks. Big gray ones. No supplies, no transmitters, no cash. Just a big stack of rock and clay.\n\nHe looked up to find himself staring down the barrel of Pietro\u2019s gun. He put his hands up and backed away a step.\n\n\u201cEasy, Pietro,\u201d said Jonah.\n\nPietro cocked his gun. \u201cYou\u2019ve got about sixty seconds to start talking.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou have half that to put the gun down, Pete,\u201d said Ardoss.\n\nTo be continued"},"links_count":2,"comment_count":13,"created_at":"2019-07-23T00:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"6 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 22:05:41","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":17164,"next_id":17166}}