{"data":{"id":17875,"title":"Drifters (Part Three)","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/17875-Drifters-Part-Three","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/17875","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/17875","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"Drifters","images":[{"id":24643,"name":"Drifters-Title.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/wtilj01zds70xr\/source\/Drifters-Title.jpg","alt":"","size":725702,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2020-09-21T17:00:57+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/24643","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/24643\/similar"}],"images_count":1,"translations":{"en_EN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Drifters: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 5.3. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.\n\u201cSorry, table\u2019s taken,\u201d Mags said to the two people that were now looming over them. There was something immediately off-putting about the pair. They were far too calm, too self-assured, to be random people. Her other hand quietly drifted under the table and closed the lockbox with the fortune\u2019s worth of eriesium.\n\n\u201cHey, you two deaf or just stupid? Drift. Unless you wanna find out what it feels like to get spine-punched from the front.\u201d Trin certainly wasted no time.\n\nThe man sighed while the woman watched Trin like a hawk. Trin just stared right back.\n\n\u201cThat belongs to us,\u201d he nodded to the lockbox.\n\n\u201cHell it does,\u201d Trin snapped back.\n\nMags\u2019 mind raced. She didn\u2019t see any visible weapons on these two, but their heavy layered clothes were perfect for stashing guns.\n\n\u201cI understand that you\u2019re confused,\u201d the man said. His voice was pleasant and calming. Mags got the distinct impression that he was the talker of the two. \u201cYou pulled this . . . item . . . from the wreckage of Echo Calling which had been working for our employer. Nearest we can tell, you weren\u2019t the aggressors in the fight that caused its destruction, so by all accounts, you wandered your way into this mess, which is why we\u2019re giving you this chance to turn our property over and walk away. You do that? We\u2019ll call it square. You don\u2019t? There\u2019ll be problems.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. We\u2019re problem kind of people.\u201d Mags looked past the two to where Ozzy had posted up at the bar. He was gone.\n\n\u201cFour Points kind?\u201d he replied.\n\nThat froze everyone at the table. All of them had heard about the Four Points syndicate in some form or another. Mags knew three people who disappeared after botching a heist in Prime. Even Trin seemed fazed by the mention.\n\n\u201cThief Magdalena,\u201d Soahm finally spoke up. The former Xi\u2019an policeman now security consultant stood from the table. The woman broke her stare on Trin to keep an eye on him. The Xi\u2019an simply looking back to Mags. \u201cI will leave you to your business.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow about this.\u201d Trin slammed her hand on the table, attracting everyone\u2019s attention (except Soahm, who kept walking). She\u2019d used the momentary distraction to pull a grenade. \u201cHow about I prime this puppy and waste the lot of us?\u201d\n\n\u201cUh, Trin?\u201d Mags slowly edged away from the device. No one else in Cafe Musain seemed to be paying them any attention. She did clock about eight visible weapons on patrons.\n\n\u201cWell now,\u201d the man said, sounding truly engaged for the first time. He stepped closer to Trin. \u201cThat is interesting. You really ready to blow us all up?\u201d\n\n\u201cSure, figure then nobody gets the eriesium. Think I can die happy knowing that.\u201d\n\nThe man looked like he was enjoying this. \u201cOsane here\u2019s fast. Real fast. Could probably put rounds in you before you armed the device.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, you might be right,\u201d Trin said, glancing past the man towards Osane. She turned her hand to show more of the grenade. It was already beeping. \u201cIf I waited to arm it.\u201d\n\nMags pulled a snub pistol from her pocket and put two shots into Osane\u2019s chest. The woman dropped heavily to the floor. The man dashed to grab the grenade in Trin\u2019s hand. Everybody in the bar turned as drinks crashed to the floor. Mags grabbed the lockbox with the eriesium and vaulted out of the booth.\n\nHer feet hit the floor and she was off, pushing her way through the confused onlookers. An energy round zipped past her from behind and caught a guy just ahead of her in the face. His head snapped with a sizzle. Mags risked a look back.\n\nOsane pushed to her feet, her subcompact assault rifle struggling to aim for another shot. Smoke rose from the two holes in her clothes, exposing the armor vest below.\n\nMags shoved as hard as she could. She thundered up the stairs and burst outside as gunfire erupted behind her.\n\n\u201cYes, yes. Very nice. And this?\u201d Kel pointed to a small children\u2019s action figure at the bottom of the box. He\u2019d spent the past hour meticulously asking about each item he didn\u2019t recognize. The stall owner, a dirty kid in his early twenties, had his feet up on the counter. He\u2019d clearly lost his patience with the Banu fifty-five minutes ago.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a Captain Levo action figure,\u201d the stall owner said without even looking up from his mobi.\n\n\u201cOooh. Captain Levo.\u201d Kel looked over the figure closely, rotating the various joints and studying the chipped paint.\n\n\u201cExplain.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know, man,\u201d the stall owner said with a defeated sigh. \u201cHe was a cartoon character from like five years ago. He, like, saved people, went on adventures and shit.\u201d\n\n\u201cI see. I see. So good man. Hero.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I guess.\u201d\n\nKel nodded and studied the figure for another moment.\n\n\u201cYes. I buy.\u201d\n\nThe stall owner dragged his feet off the counter and brought up the sales program. Kel paid out three credits.\n\nSuddenly alarms went off. Kel looked around, momentarily convinced this was how this stall celebrated sales. He smiled.\n\nThen he saw the people fleeing out of a doorway marked \u201cCafe Musain.\u201d There were the unmistakable sounds of gunfire.\n\nHe saw Captain Mag among those running. She was carrying the eriesium.\n\n\u201cCaptain Mag!\u201d Kel waved to try and get her attention. He pointed at the Captain Levo figure, hoping she would look.\n\nUnfortunately, some Humans in uniform appeared around her, aiming some kind of weapon. Mags immediately skidded to a stop. She looked around for a moment, locked eyes with Kel.\n\nHe pointed to Captain Levo again. She smiled and winked, then dropped the lockbox and raised her hands.\n\nKel watched the uniformed Humans take her into custody. He should find out where they were taking her . . .\n\nThen he saw a different stall, surrounded by dirty Human children eating some kind of frozen consumable.\n\nKel went to investigate.\n\nCafe Musain was a war zone. Some of the locals were trading shots with Osane, who\u2019d dug in behind a flipped table.\n\nTrin got slammed against the wall. Arno (Osane dropped his name as she opened fire at some of the Musain patrons) didn\u2019t loosen his grip on her hand and subsequently the grenade while they tussled. She could tell he\u2019d had training, been in more than his fair share of scraps, but he was technical, rigid.\n\n\u201cYour friend left you here to die,\u201d he hissed as he leaned in close.\n\nTrin laughed in his face. He headbutted her. Her vision reset with a flash to white. Blood gushed out of her nose.\n\nThere we go, she thought. She spit blood in his eyes and punched him in the armpit with her free hand. His grip faltered, at least enough for her to slip free. Trin spun around behind him and drove her elbow into the base of his skull. Then again. He sank to one knee. She clubbed him one more time for good measure.\n\nShe saw Osane glance back and raise her rifle, snapping off a couple shots. Trin pulled Arno up as a shield. The shots caught him flush in the chest.\n\nHe muttered from the impacts, but didn\u2019t die. Wasn\u2019t even wounded. This was some kind of armor they got. She stuffed the live grenade in Arno\u2019s vest and kicked him towards Osane.\n\nThen she made a break for the door, taking a moment to memorize the exact geography of the place and its current patrons.\n\nArno quickly dug into his armor to try and fish the grenade out. Each second, a whine from the grenade reached a higher and higher pitch. He was about to throw it when the thing went off.\n\nThe lights cut out. Everyone\u2019s electronics went dead.\n\nTrin figured she had maybe twenty seconds before whatever backups this shithole had kicked on. She traced the mental image of Musain\u2019s layout as she ran through the dark. She hit the stairs a little quicker than she expected, but grabbed the rail and pulled herself up without falling.\n\nHer feet thudded up the steps. One more turn and she could hear the acoustics change. She was back in the main bazaar when the backup lights surged back. Shop owners grabbed people who had been ripping off their stalls in the darkness. Trin did her best to blend into the crowd. Some old woman stepped up to her, shocked at the blood that was undoubtedly pouring down Trin\u2019s face.\n\n\u201cOh my god,\u201d she gasped, full of concern. \u201cYou need a doctor \u2014\u201d\n\nTrin shoved past her. All she\u2019d need to do is keep a low profile until she got back to the Harlequin.\n\nA hand grabbed her wrist. She whirled back, fist ready.\n\nIt was Ozzy.\n\n\u201cCome on. We aren\u2019t safe.\u201d\n\nDr. Honan Yao was tucked away somewhere in the tunnels of Levski when the lights cut out. He sat in darkness for a few moments before he realized that they\u2019d actually gone out. The dose of WiDoW in the hypo hadn\u2019t been injected yet. Even though his nerves ached for the shot, for the cool calm to swim through his system, he hadn\u2019t done it. That moment of realization, when the lights cut out and he\u2019d casually accepted that it was probably just another side effect of his new normal, made him catch a glimpse of himself. This time, he cared what he saw.\n\nHe\u2019d been on edge ever since they left Kallis. He thought it was just the pangs that came with needing another hit, but seeing his old friend Lev after all this time . . . that hit him harder than he would\u2019ve guessed. Running rampant in those pre-med days . . . hell, university in general felt like a lifetime ago. Certainly before . . .\n\nThere it was.\n\nIt was always a matter of time before his mind drifted to that place. After all this time . . . he slammed his head back against the wall in frustration and tried to tamp down the memories. They kept flooding back. Images, formerly dulled by booze and drugs, resurfaced with crystal clarity. All those broken faces . . .\n\nNo. He couldn\u2019t. Not yet.\n\nYao put the loaded hypo against his vein. His thumb hovered over the button. He hesitated.\n\nThen he saw a beautiful sun. The rings of Vega II barely visible in the morning sky. And the field of bodies. Torn apart. Scraps of people strewn among the grass. So many pieces you couldn\u2019t tell what belonged to whom. A child screaming.\n\nHis thumb hit the button.\n\nThe memory went away.\n\nIt\u2019d been two hours since Mags had been dumped in this holding cell. At least, she thought it was a holding cell. The last time she was in Levski, this area had been some kind of sorting facility or something.\n\nGuess it was now their police station. The burnouts of Levski had certainly come a long way.\n\nShe could still hear alarms echoing through the reinforced metal door. When the EMP went off, she\u2019d tried to grab the lockbox and make a break for it, but the guard had a surprisingly firm grip on it. Fortunately, it was sitting on the table in front of her, so not a total loss.\n\nIt was those thugs who approached them in Cafe Musain. That\u2019s what worried her. How long had they been on her trail? Maybe it had been stupid to think that no one would come looking for something as valuable as the eriesium that was sitting in front of her, but this kind of money? It pays to be a little stupid.\n\nThe door unlatched from the other side and creaked open. A man entered the room. Older. Human. Short, close-cropped salt and pepper hair trimmed to mismatched lengths that implied he either cut his own hair or he frequented a second-rate barber. He had a heavy jacket and sweater on. All pretty standard fare for a station that was generally as cold as this one. Mags could see the top of a Los Imperators t-shirt peeking out from under the collar of the sweater.\n\nA guard started to follow him in, but stopped after the man whispered a few words. The guard glanced at Mags then stepped back out. She waved.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Executive Devin,\u201d he said as he flipped open the lockbox to reveal the rock inside. After a quick once-over, he sat down in the seat across from her and looked at her. He cocked his head to the side. \u201cDo I know you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Mags wracked her brain. She\u2019d definitely spent some time in Levski a few years ago, hooked up with some bad people like \u2014\n\n\u201cYou ran with Frank McGarr.\u201d\n\nShit.\n\n\u201cMaybe?\u201d She really drew out the word, like she was desperately trying to make the connection. Truth was, she had run with Frank. Their crew was boosting freight ships that had parked up at transit stations. Levski was a great place to lay low. \u201cI mean, I only stayed here a couple times over the past few years, but I met some interesting people here. Why I keep coming back, I guess. Did you know Frank?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I had him exiled. He had been running crimes in UEE space and using us as cover.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh. I didn\u2019t know. We bonded about music mostly. He wasn\u2019t a Los Imperators fan. I had to school him.\u201d\n\nDevin didn\u2019t respond, just watched her. She decided to take a chance and keep going.\n\n\u201cHaven\u2019t seen him in a bit. I\u2019ve been travelling a lot. You know, looking for work. I never really felt comfortable in UEE space, you know? Always feels like they\u2019re watching you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, they probably are.\u201d Devin replied with a shrug. His mobi pinged. He gave it a quick check and looked back at her. \u201cI didn\u2019t catch your name.\u201d\n\n\u201cKristin Breen,\u201d she fired back without hesitation. Kristin was a civilian she met once at a Sataball game. Some guy seated behind them said they looked like sisters. There was definitely a resemblance, so she became Mags\u2019 go-to \u2018clean ID\u2019 whenever she was in a pinch.\n\n\u201cSo Cafe Musain . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cCrazy, right?\u201d She shook her head. \u201cMy mom always said, don\u2019t stick around when people start fighting in a public place. There\u2019s something not right in their head.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you see who started it?\u201d\n\nMags thought about it for a second to make it convincing.\n\n\u201cTo be honest, I grabbed my stuff and hauled ass the second I heard the first shot.\u201d\n\n\u201cPretty good reflexes.\u201d\n\n\u201cSorry?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo react so quickly,\u201d Devin responded as he crossed his arms and settled back in the chair. \u201cFrom the other statements I\u2019ve gotten. There wasn\u2019t much of a buildup to it.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, no. I guess not.\u201d\n\n\u201cA witness that said one of the gunmen took a shot at you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, pretty nuts. I must\u2019ve pissed her off somehow. Like I said, I didn\u2019t stick around to find out.\u201d Mags watched him make some notes on his mobi. \u201cSo, any chance I\u2019ll be getting out of here soon? Had a lead on a possible gig I don\u2019t want to miss.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve locked everything down. The People\u2019s Alliance has had to become more committed to washing out the harmful influences in our community, so no one\u2019s taking off until we sort this mess out.\u201d Devin stood up. \u201cYou might want to get comfortable.\u201d\n\n\u201cGreat,\u201d Mags tried to make that sound as enthusiastic as she could.\n\n\u201cWhere the hell were you? I was getting my ass kicked back there.\u201d\n\nOzzy didn\u2019t respond, just cut through the thinning crowds of people towards the old mining tunnels. The further they got away from the central Bazaar, the more the sound of shouts and confusion were replaced with the heavy hum of mining machines that were still trying to hack out profitable ore from the asteroid. The temperature dropped too. Squatters, huddled in dirty blankets, clustered around the few vents in the tunnels that pumped out heat.\n\nTrin wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve while checking to make sure they weren\u2019t being followed. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re gonna have some company,\u201d\n\nOzzy ducked towards a door, pulled it open and motioned her inside.\n\n\u201cCome on.\u201d\n\nTrin went in. It was a small store room. All the equipment racks had been cleared out. There was an overturned, rusted chair on the floor. She pulled it up, slumped into it and checked her nose. It didn\u2019t feel broken.\n\n\u201cYou see anybody else?\u201d She looked up at him.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d Ozzy slammed another latch closed then turned and stared at her.\n\n\u201cSo?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere\u2019d you go?\u201d\n\n\u201cI ran into somebody,\u201d he replied. \u201cBlind Jack Sticha.\u201d\n\nTrin tensed up. Her hands naturally clenched into fists.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s here?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Ozzy didn\u2019t move. Just watched her stew in rage for a few moments. \u201cYou remember when I got pinched?\u201d Trin looked back at him.\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen I got snagged by the law. Do you remember it?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah.\u201d\n\n\u201cWalk me through it.\u201d Ozzy folded his arms.\n\n\u201cAre you serious?\u201d Trin forced a laugh and kicked back in her seat.\n\n\u201cWalk me through it,\u201d he said a little more emphatically.\n\nOutside the heavy footsteps thudded up to the door. Someone pushed on it from the outside, but it didn\u2019t budge. There was a muffled conversation. Someone tried it again.\n\n\u201cWe were knocking over a cargo ship. You clipped their quantum before they could spin up. I crossed over, breached the airlock, swept up the crew and was trying to bring the engines back online when a bunch of local law showed up. You were trying to get me to abandon the ship, but I stayed aboard and finally got her running. We made a break for it. You got nabbed.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow what?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow\u2019d I get nabbed?\u201d\n\nThe voices outside moved on. The heavy boots slowly disappeared into the distance. Ozzy watched Trin the whole time, expectantly waiting.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\n\n\u201cI got clipped by your ship. I got close so you could jump over. Instead, you got the engines online, swung that piece of shit freighter around, hit me, and lit out. You got away. I got years.\u201d\n\nTrin didn\u2019t say anything.\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019d you run?\u201d Ozzy stepped forward. His voice dropping lower, quieter, which made it even more ominous.\n\n\u201cYou kidding? You remember how much firepower was headed our way.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve never been scared like that before.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat ain\u2019t scared. That\u2019s just smart.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you leave me behind?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat? No.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you leave me?\u201d\n\n\u201cBlind Jack got in your head, brother.\u201d She tried to laugh it off. He kept moving forward.\n\n\u201cTell me the truth.\u201d Ozzy persisted. He was standing right over her. \u201cDid you leave me?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\n\n\u201cBullshit. You picked the score over me.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. All right?\u201d Trin pushed out of the chair to get away from him. \u201cShit happened fast, man. We needed to get outta there. I didn\u2019t even know you weren\u2019t behind me until they\u2019d already gotten you.\u201d\n\nOzzy watched his sister weave her way to the door and listen, desperate to do anything but have this conversation.\n\n\u201cWe gotta get the hell out of here.\u201d She checked her nose again and winced.\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Ozzy finally said. He walked over and listened at the door. It seemed quiet. He unlatched the bolts and opened it. Trin\u2019s mobiGlas hummed. She quickly checked it.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d she said as she hustled out into the halls, back to her old self. Ozzy followed.\n\nThe two made their way back through the tunnels. They stepped out on a platform overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Cafe Musain\u2019s entrance was surrounded by curious onlookers and People\u2019s Alliance enforcers.\n\nKel was waiting, clutching a Captain Levo figure and licking at what looked like ice cream stains around his mouth.\n\n\u201cVery bad. Human Legal People have Captain Mag.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoes she have the eriesium?\u201d Trin replied almost immediately. Ozzy glanced at her. It was obvious that the valuable mineral was her prime concern.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d Kel nodded more times than necessary.\n\n\u201cGuess we\u2019ll have to get her out then,\u201d Trin flashed a grin at Ozzy.\n\nArno shoved the body into the vent and adjusted his new, stolen outfit. He\u2019d managed to kill the previous owner without spilling a drop on the clothes. There were times he impressed even himself. He transferred his weapons from his discarded clothes then dumped the clothes in the vent with the corpse.\n\nHe stepped out of the side room and made his way back to the public. Thanks to his new threads, he didn\u2019t draw any attention. He still reeked like ozone from the grenade, but with all the other smells lingering in the place he didn\u2019t think anyone would notice. Arno stopped to grab a drink and survey the crowd. He spotted Osane at one of the overlooks doing the same. She was wearing different clothes too.\n\nHe paid up and made his way to her.\n\n\u201cAnything?\u201d He asked as he approached.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d she said while still scanning the faces. \u201cThis has turned into quite the shitshow.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d he finished his drink and tossed the plastic bottle into a corner. \u201cThey didn\u2019t slip the launch freeze, did they?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, the Harlequin\u2019s still docked. Saw it myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cI hate to play the pessimist, but we should plant a tracker.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlready done.\u201d\n\n\u201cSee? Synchronicity.\u201d Arno looked at his mobi. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re so effective at what we do.\u201d\n\nMags rubbed her shoulders. She always hated how cold Levski could get. Well, all stations really. Sure, they could jack the temperature up, but it was always artificial heat. It was never really truly warm. That\u2019s why she always said she\u2019d retire somewhere tropical. Somewhere she could get by with a thin blanket and even that would only be for worst case scenarios. Some place she\u2019d never need to close the windows.\n\nA flurry of muffled, agitated voices drew closer outside the door. Suddenly the door opened. Mags grabbed the lockbox and backed away. Kel came striding into the room, dressed completely differently than the last time she saw him. He had swapped out his \u201cHuman clothes\u201d for the traditional Banu clothes he only wore when they drifted into the Protectorate. Executor Devin followed shortly after along with some confused People\u2019s Alliance guards.\n\nKel took one look at Mags, then whirled to face Devin.\n\n\u201cUnacceptable. Yes. Look. Look!\u201d He waved his hand toward Mags. \u201cShe is in completely unacceptable condition. Shocked am I to see property treated in this way.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe\u2019s a person. Not property,\u201d Devin tried to intervene, but Kel\u2019s eyes widened in shock and horror.\n\n\u201cNot property?! I buy her from Essosouli Prit direct,\u201d Kel got more and more agitated as he spoke. \u201cShe three job away from paying off debt when she took my property.\u201d Pointed to the lockbox. \u201cYou dare to say she not mine! Defy all tradition of the Banu. Shame!\u201d\n\n\u201cLook,\u201d Devin started backpedaling. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to denigrate your culture.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes! Yes, you do!\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cThen give her to me. Now. Now I say.\u201d\n\nDevin, completely flustered, finally motioned to one of the guards to uncuff Mags, who was as baffled as the rest. Kel looked at her with disdain.\n\n\u201cWait outside. Will discuss what this cost.\u201d\n\nMags looked down, playing into . . . whatever role Kel was trying to push . . . and quietly walked out of the cell. As she passed, Kel turned back to Devin and patted him on the forehead.\n\nMags followed him as he proceeded outside. She wasn\u2019t sure exactly how the slave dynamic worked in Banu culture, but figured it was a safe bet.\n\nKel ignored everybody as they walked, playing his role perfectly.\n\nOnce they got out of the makeshift station, Kel turned back to make sure they were alone, then looked at Mags. He reached into the folds of his clothes.\n\nAnd pulled out the Captain Levo figure to show her.\n\n\u201cCaptain Mag, look what I found,\u201d he said with unfettered excitement.\n\n\u201cKel, that was amazing,\u201d Mags hugged him.\n\n\u201cOh, no. Captain Mag, you needed to be free.\u201d He looked down at the figure and played with it a little bit.\n\n\u201cHoly shit,\u201d a voice said from around the corner. They looked over to see Trin and Ozzy step out. Trin was laughing. \u201cI can\u2019t believe he pulled it off. And you got the box?\u201d\n\n\u201cGlad to see you guys made it out of there,\u201d Mags nodded to both Trin and Ozzy. \u201cIs Levski still on lockdown?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, far as we know,\u201d Trin took the lockbox from Mags and draped it across her shoulder. \u201cDo you think you can still make a deal with that Xi\u2019an?\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe, I don\u2019t know. He might be long gone.\u201d She glanced around at the passing faces in the crowd. \u201cAny sign of those syndicate hitters?\u201d\n\n\u201cNah, nothing.\u201d Trin started walking back towards the hangar lifts. \u201cWe should head back to the \u2019quin, seal up and get the hell out of here as soon as they let us.\u201d Mags looked around.\n\n\u201cAnyone seen the doc?\u201d Mags asked as she look to Ozzy and Kel. They shook their heads.\n\n\u201cNo, but he knows where we\u2019re parked,\u201d Trin said as she locked eyes with some local who had glanced at the lockbox. He quickly averted his gaze and ducked away.\n\n\u201cWe can\u2019t leave until we find him,\u201d Mags said as she rushed to catch up with Trin.\n\n\u201cIf he ain\u2019t there when we launch, that\u2019s on him. I\u2019m not risking this score for his junkie ass.\u201d\n\nMags checked her mobi and quickly typed out a message. Kel followed along.\n\nOzzy stopped and stared after Trin. He typed a message on his mobi too.\n\nThe Harlequin waited on the expansive landing pad. A couple local mechanics sat on the far end of the pad by the refueling station, chain-huffing stims and blasting music. A small maze of crates, both new and old, encircled the edges of the landing pad. Tall platforms were positioned near the rock face that led into Levski. A People\u2019s Alliance banner hung from the wall while their Rules of Life, a list of aspirational mantras that the inhabitants lived by, was helpfully displayed by the airlock.\n\nA warning light above the airlock door began to flash, precipitating the airlock doors hissing open. Mags, Kel, Trin and Ozzy stepped out and started walking towards the landing platform.\n\nMags seemed preoccupied with her mobi.\n\n\u201cStill no word from the Doc.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat the hell, Mags, he\u2019s probably tripping the life fantastic somewhere. Leave him be.\u201d Trin responded as she adjusted the lockbox in her hand. \u201cWe got bigger fish to fry.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll say.\u201d A voice emanated up ahead. The group slowed to a stop.\n\nBlind Jack Sticha, leader of the Souther Titans, stepped out from behind one of the crates as he lit a stim. All around, the rest of the Souther Titans emerged from their hiding places and leveled guns at the group.\n\n\u201cHey Jack,\u201d Trin said through gritted teeth. \u201cBeen a while.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey Trin.\u201d Jack smiled that warm grandfatherly smile that cleverly obscured the thieving murderer inside. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you do us a favor and drop the box?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy don\u2019t you kiss my ass?\u201d\n\nJack laughed one of those belly laughs that echoed off the cavernous walls.\n\nTrin\u2019s other hand started to reach for her gun when something clocked her hard in the back of the head. She dropped into a heap. The lockbox clattered to the floor. Ozzy stepped around her body and aimed his pistol at her head.\n\nMags and Kel stared at him in shock. He stared right back and shook his head. Don\u2019t.\n\nOzzy turned back to Trin and kicked her in the side. The impact slid her across the floor as the breath escaped her body.\n\n\u201cI knew you clipped me on purpose,\u201d he said calmly as he grabbed the lockbox. \u201cYou always were in this game for you, sis. I always had a feeling, but now I know.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou goddamn traitor,\u201d she hissed between gasps of air.\n\nOzzy kicked her in the head then turned to join Blind Jack and the other Titans.\n\n\u201cYou . . . you think you\u2019re just gonna walk away from this?\u201d Trin wheezed.\n\nOzzy stopped. Trin slowly pushed herself to her feet. Her head rolled as she tried to maintain her balance.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll find you,\u201d she muttered as blood drained out of her head into a pool on the floor. \u201cI\u2019ll find all of you.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, Sis,\u201d Ozzy said quietly. \u201cNot this time.\u201d\n\nOzzy snapped up his pistol and put five rounds through her chest. Her body jolted with each shot and slammed back into the ground. She didn\u2019t move after that.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026","de_DE":"Anmerkung des Verfassers: Drifters: Teil Drei wurde urspr\u00fcnglich in Jump Point 5.3 ver\u00f6ffentlicht. Sie k\u00f6nnen Teil Eins hier und Teil Zwei hier lesen.\n\"Tut mir leid, der Tisch ist besetzt\", sagte Mags zu den beiden Personen, die jetzt \u00fcber ihnen standen. Irgendetwas an dem Paar war sofort absto\u00dfend. Sie waren viel zu ruhig, zu selbstsicher, um willk\u00fcrliche Leute zu sein. Ihre andere Hand glitt leise unter den Tisch und schloss das Schlie\u00dffach mit dem Eriesium im Wert des Verm\u00f6gens.\n\n\"Hey, seid ihr zwei taub oder einfach nur dumm? Drift. Es sei denn, Sie wollen herausfinden, wie es sich anf\u00fchlt, von vorne mit dem R\u00fccken gesto\u00dfen zu werden. Trin hat sicherlich keine Zeit verschwendet.\n\nDer Mann seufzte, w\u00e4hrend die Frau Trin wie ein Falke beobachtete. Trin starrte nur zur\u00fcck.\n\n\"Das geh\u00f6rt uns\", nickte er zum Schlie\u00dffach.\n\n\"Den Teufel tut es\", schnappte Trin zur\u00fcck.\n\nMags' Verstand raste. An diesen beiden sah sie keine sichtbaren Waffen, aber ihre schweren, mehrschichtigen Kleider waren perfekt zum Verstauen von Waffen.\n\n\"Ich verstehe, dass Sie verwirrt sind\", sagte der Mann. Seine Stimme war angenehm und beruhigend. Mags hatte den deutlichen Eindruck, dass er der Sprecher der beiden war. \"Sie haben diesen . . . . Gegenstand . . . aus den Tr\u00fcmmern von Echo Calling gezogen, das f\u00fcr unseren Arbeitgeber gearbeitet hatte. Soweit wir das beurteilen k\u00f6nnen, waren Sie nicht die Angreifer in dem Kampf, der die Zerst\u00f6rung verursachte, und so sind Sie allem Anschein nach in dieses Chaos hineingetappt. Deshalb geben wir Ihnen die Chance, unser Eigentum zu \u00fcbergeben und zu verschwinden. Haben Sie das getan? Wir nennen es quadratisch. Sie tun es nicht? Es wird Probleme geben\".\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df es nicht. Wir sind problematische Menschen\". Mags blickte an den beiden vorbei zu der Stelle, an der Ozzy an der Bar gepostet hatte. Er war verschwunden.\n\n\"Vier Punkte freundlich?\", antwortete er.\n\nDadurch wurden alle am Tisch eingefroren. Alle hatten in der einen oder anderen Form von dem Four Points-Syndikat geh\u00f6rt. Mags kannte drei Personen, die nach einem missgl\u00fcckten Raub\u00fcberfall in Prime verschwunden waren. Sogar Trin schien von der Erw\u00e4hnung beunruhigt zu sein.\n\n\"Die Diebin Magdalena\", sprach Soahm schlie\u00dflich aus. Der ehemalige Polizist aus Xi'an, jetzt Sicherheitsberater, stand vom Tisch auf. Die Frau unterbrach ihren Blick auf Trin, um ihn im Auge zu behalten. Die Xi'an blickte einfach zur\u00fcck zu Mags. \"Ich werde Sie Ihren Gesch\u00e4ften \u00fcberlassen.\n\n\"Wie w\u00e4re es damit. Trin schlug ihre Hand auf den Tisch und zog damit die Aufmerksamkeit aller auf sich (au\u00dfer Soahm, der weiterlief). Sie hatte die momentane Ablenkung genutzt, um eine Granate zu ziehen. \"Wie w\u00e4re es, wenn ich diesen Welpen vorbereiten und uns alle umbringen w\u00fcrde?\n\n\"\u00c4h, Trin? Die Mags wichen langsam von dem Ger\u00e4t ab. Niemand sonst im Cafe Musain schien sie zu beachten. Sie hat etwa acht sichtbare Waffen auf die G\u00e4ste gerichtet.\n\n\"Nun gut\", sagte der Mann und klang damit zum ersten Mal wirklich engagiert. Er trat n\u00e4her an Trin heran. \"Das ist interessant. Sind Sie wirklich bereit, uns alle in die Luft zu jagen?\"\n\n\"Sicher, stellen Sie sich vor, dann bekommt niemand das Eriesium. Ich glaube, ich kann gl\u00fccklich sterben, wenn ich das wei\u00df.\"\n\nDer Mann sah aus, als w\u00fcrde ihm das Spa\u00df machen. \"Osane hier ist schnell. Wirklich schnell. K\u00f6nnte Ihnen wahrscheinlich Patronen einlegen, bevor Sie das Ger\u00e4t scharf machen.\n\n\"Ja, Sie k\u00f6nnten Recht haben\", sagte Trin, als er an dem Mann vorbei in Richtung Osane blickte. Sie drehte ihre Hand um, um mehr von der Granate zu zeigen. Sie piepte bereits. \"Wenn ich wartete, um sie scharf zu machen\".\n\nMags zog eine Stupspistole aus ihrer Tasche und verpasste Osane zwei Sch\u00fcsse in die Brust. Die Frau fiel schwer zu Boden. Der Mann st\u00fcrzte, um die Granate in Trin's Hand zu ergreifen. Alle in der Bar drehten sich um, als die Getr\u00e4nke auf den Boden krachten. Mags griff nach dem Schlie\u00dffach mit dem Eriesium und sprang aus der Kabine.\n\nIhre F\u00fc\u00dfe schlugen auf den Boden auf und sie schob sich durch die verwirrten Schaulustigen. Eine Energieschleuder schoss von hinten an ihr vorbei und erwischte einen Mann direkt vor ihr im Gesicht. Sein Kopf schnappte mit einem Zischen zu. Mags riskierte einen Blick zur\u00fcck.\n\nOsane dr\u00fcckte sich auf die F\u00fc\u00dfe, ihr kleines Sturmgewehr k\u00e4mpfte um einen weiteren Schuss. Aus den beiden L\u00f6chern in ihrer Kleidung stieg Rauch auf, der die darunter liegende Panzerweste freilegte.\n\nMags dr\u00fcckte, so hart sie konnte. Sie donnerte die Treppe hinauf und platzte nach drau\u00dfen, als hinter ihr Sch\u00fcsse ausbrachen.\n\n\"Ja, ja. Sehr sch\u00f6n. Und das?\" Kel zeigte auf eine kleine Kinder-Actionfigur am unteren Rand der Schachtel. Er hatte die letzte Stunde damit verbracht, akribisch nach jedem Gegenstand zu fragen, den er nicht erkannt hatte. Der Standbesitzer, ein schmutziges Kind Anfang zwanzig, hatte seine F\u00fc\u00dfe auf dem Tresen. Vor f\u00fcnfundf\u00fcnfzig Minuten hatte er eindeutig die Geduld mit dem Banu verloren.\n\n\"Das ist eine Captain Levo-Actionfigur\", sagte der Standbesitzer, ohne von seinem Mobi aufzuschauen.\n\n\"Oooh. Kapit\u00e4n Levo.\" Kel schaute sich die Figur genau an, drehte die verschiedenen Gelenke und studierte die abgeplatzte Farbe.\n\n\"Erkl\u00e4ren\".\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df nicht, Mann\", sagte der Standbesitzer mit einem unterlegenen Seufzer. \"Er war eine Zeichentrickfigur von vor etwa f\u00fcnf Jahren. Er hat Menschen gerettet, Abenteuer erlebt und so einen Schei\u00df gemacht.\n\n\"Ich verstehe. Ich verstehe. Ein guter Mann. Held\".\n\n\"Ja, ich denke schon.\"\n\nKel nickte und studierte die Figur einen weiteren Moment lang.\n\n\"Ja, ich kaufe.\n\nDer Standbesitzer zog seine F\u00fc\u00dfe von der Theke und brachte das Verkaufsprogramm zur Sprache. Kel zahlte drei Credits aus.\n\nPl\u00f6tzlich wurden Alarme ausgel\u00f6st. Kel sah sich um und war kurzzeitig davon \u00fcberzeugt, dass dieser Stand auf diese Weise die Verk\u00e4ufe feierte. Er l\u00e4chelte.\n\nDann sah er die Menschen aus einer T\u00fcr mit der Aufschrift \"Cafe Musain\" fliehen. Da waren die unverkennbaren Ger\u00e4usche von Sch\u00fcssen.\n\nEr sah Captain Mag unter den L\u00e4ufern. Sie trug das Eriesium.\n\n\"Kapit\u00e4n Mag!\" Kel winkte, um zu versuchen, ihre Aufmerksamkeit zu erregen. Er deutete auf die Figur des Captain Levo, in der Hoffnung, dass sie hinsehen w\u00fcrde.\n\nLeider erschienen einige Menschen in Uniform um sie herum und zielten auf irgendeine Art von Waffe. Die Mags rutschten sofort zum Stillstand. Sie sah sich einen Moment lang um und schloss die Augen mit Kel.\n\nEr wies erneut auf Captain Levo. Sie l\u00e4chelte und zwinkerte, lie\u00df dann das Schlie\u00dffach fallen und hob die H\u00e4nde.\n\nKel beobachtete, wie die uniformierten Menschen sie in Gewahrsam nahmen. Er sollte herausfinden, wo sie sie hinbrachten.\n\nDann sah er einen anderen Stand, umgeben von schmutzigen Menschenkindern, die eine Art gefrorenes Verbrauchsmaterial a\u00dfen.\n\nKel ging zur Untersuchung.\n\nDas Cafe Musain war ein Kriegsgebiet. Einige der Einheimischen tauschten Sch\u00fcsse mit Osane aus, der sich hinter einem umgeklappten Tisch verschanzt hatte.\n\nTrin wurde gegen die Wand geschleudert. Arno (Osane lie\u00df seinen Namen fallen, als sie das Feuer auf einige der Musain-G\u00f6nner er\u00f6ffnete) l\u00f6ste sich nicht von seinem Griff an ihrer Hand und anschlie\u00dfend von der Granate, w\u00e4hrend sie randalierten. Sie merkte, dass er trainiert hatte und mehr als nur seinen gerechten Anteil an Fetzen hatte, aber er war technisch und starr.\n\n\"Ihr Freund hat Sie hier zum Sterben zur\u00fcckgelassen\", zischte er, als er sich eng aneinander lehnte.\n\nTrin lachte ihm ins Gesicht. Er gab ihr einen Kopfsto\u00df. Ihre Sicht wurde mit einem Blitz auf wei\u00df zur\u00fcckgesetzt. Blut sprudelte aus ihrer Nase.\n\nDa haben wir es, dachte sie. Sie spuckte ihm Blut in die Augen und schlug ihn mit der freien Hand in die Achselh\u00f6hle. Sein Griff schwankte, zumindest so viel, dass sie frei ausrutschen konnte. Trin wirbelte hinter ihm herum und trieb ihren Ellbogen in seine Sch\u00e4delbasis. Dann wieder. Er sank auf ein Knie. Sie schlug ihn zur Sicherheit noch einmal nieder.\n\nSie sah, wie Osane zur\u00fcckblickte und ihr Gewehr hob und ein paar Sch\u00fcsse abfeuerte. Trin zog Arno als Schild hoch. Die Sch\u00fcsse trafen ihn b\u00fcndig in die Brust.\n\nEr murmelte von den Auswirkungen, starb aber nicht. Er wurde nicht einmal verwundet. Das war eine Art R\u00fcstung, die sie bekommen haben. Sie stopfte die scharfe Granate in Arnos Weste und stie\u00df ihn in Richtung Osane.\n\nDann brach sie zur T\u00fcr auf und nahm sich einen Moment Zeit, um sich die genaue Geografie des Ortes und seine derzeitigen G\u00f6nner einzupr\u00e4gen.\n\nArno grub sich schnell in seine R\u00fcstung, um zu versuchen, die Granate herauszufischen. Jede Sekunde erreichte ein Wimmern der Granate eine immer h\u00f6here Tonh\u00f6he. Er war gerade dabei, sie zu werfen, als das Ding losging.\n\nDie Lichter gehen aus. Die gesamte Elektronik ist ausgefallen.\n\nTrin vermutete, dass sie vielleicht zwanzig Sekunden Zeit hatte, bevor dieses Drecksloch die Backups in Gang setzte. Sie verfolgte das geistige Bild von Musains Anlage, als sie durch die Dunkelheit lief. Sie traf die Treppe etwas schneller als erwartet, griff aber nach dem Gel\u00e4nder und zog sich hoch, ohne hinzufallen.\n\nIhre F\u00fc\u00dfe dr\u00f6hnten die Stufen hinauf. Noch eine Drehung und sie konnte h\u00f6ren, wie sich die Akustik ver\u00e4nderte. Sie war wieder im Hauptbasar, als die Backup-Lichter zur\u00fcckschwenkten. Ladenbesitzer schnappten sich Leute, die in der Dunkelheit ihre St\u00e4nde ausgeraubt hatten. Trin tat ihr Bestes, um sich unter die Menge zu mischen. Eine alte Frau trat auf sie zu und war schockiert \u00fcber das Blut, das zweifellos \u00fcber Trin's Gesicht floss.\n\n\"Oh mein Gott\", keuchte sie voller Besorgnis. \"Sie brauchen einen Arzt -\"\n\nTrin schob sich an ihr vorbei. Sie h\u00e4tte sich nur zur\u00fcckhalten m\u00fcssen, bis sie wieder beim Harlequin war.\n\nEine Hand fasste ihr Handgelenk. Sie wirbelte zur\u00fcck, die Faust war bereit.\n\nEs war Ozzy.\n\n\"Komm schon. Wir sind nicht sicher.\"\n\nDr. Honan Yao war irgendwo in den Tunneln von Levski versteckt, als die Lichter ausgingen. Er sa\u00df f\u00fcr einige Augenblicke in der Dunkelheit, bevor ihm klar wurde, dass sie tats\u00e4chlich ausgegangen waren. Die Dosis WiDoW in der Spritze war noch nicht injiziert worden. Obwohl seine Nerven wegen der Spritze schmerzten, wegen der k\u00fchlen Stille, die durch sein System schwamm, hatte er es noch nicht getan. Dieser Moment der Erkenntnis, als das Licht ausging und er beil\u00e4ufig akzeptiert hatte, dass es wahrscheinlich nur eine weitere Nebenwirkung seines neuen Normalzustandes war, lie\u00df ihn einen Blick auf sich selbst werfen. Dieses Mal war ihm wichtig, was er sah.\n\nEr war nerv\u00f6s, seit sie Kallis verlassen hatten. Er dachte, es seien nur die Schmerzen, die damit einhergingen, dass er noch einen weiteren Schlag brauchte, aber seinen alten Freund Lev nach all dieser Zeit zu sehen ... das traf ihn h\u00e4rter, als er es vermutet h\u00e4tte. In diesen Tagen vor dem Medizinstudium lief es wie am Schn\u00fcrchen ... die Universit\u00e4t f\u00fchlte sich im Allgemeinen an wie ein ganzes Leben. Sicherlich vor . . . .\n\nDa war es.\n\nEs war immer nur eine Frage der Zeit, bis seine Gedanken zu diesem Ort schweiften. Nach all dieser Zeit . . . . schlug er frustriert mit dem Kopf gegen die Wand und versuchte, die Erinnerungen zu unterdr\u00fccken. Sie str\u00f6mten immer wieder zur\u00fcck. Bilder, die fr\u00fcher durch Schnaps und Drogen getr\u00fcbt waren, tauchten mit kristallklarer Klarheit wieder auf. All diese gebrochenen Gesichter . . .\n\nNein, das konnte er nicht. Noch nicht.\n\nYao legte das geladene Hypo gegen seine Vene. Sein Daumen schwebte \u00fcber dem Knopf. Er z\u00f6gerte.\n\nDann sah er eine wundersch\u00f6ne Sonne. Die Ringe von Vega II sind am Morgenhimmel kaum sichtbar. Und das Feld der K\u00f6rper. Auseinander gerissen. \u00dcber das Gras verstreute Menschenfetzen. So viele St\u00fccke, dass man nicht mehr erkennen konnte, was wem geh\u00f6rte. Ein schreiendes Kind.\n\nSein Daumen dr\u00fcckte den Knopf.\n\nDie Erinnerung ist verschwunden.\n\nEs war zwei Stunden her, dass Mags in dieser Arrestzelle abgeladen worden war. Zumindest dachte sie, es sei eine Arrestzelle. Als sie das letzte Mal in Levski war, war dieser Bereich eine Art Sortieranlage oder so etwas gewesen.\n\nIch sch\u00e4tze, es war jetzt ihre Polizeistation. Die Burnouts von Levski hatten sicherlich einen langen Weg hinter sich.\n\nSie konnte immer noch Alarme h\u00f6ren, die durch die verst\u00e4rkte Metallt\u00fcr hallten. Als der EMP losging, hatte sie versucht, sich das Schlie\u00dffach zu schnappen und zu entkommen, aber die Wache hatte es \u00fcberraschend fest im Griff. Gl\u00fccklicherweise lag es auf dem Tisch vor ihr, also kein Totalschaden.\n\nEs waren diese Schl\u00e4gertypen, die sich ihnen im Cafe Musain n\u00e4herten. Das war es, was sie beunruhigte. Wie lange waren sie ihr schon auf der Spur? Vielleicht war es dumm gewesen zu denken, dass niemand kommen w\u00fcrde, um etwas so Wertvolles wie das Eriesium, das vor ihr sa\u00df, zu suchen, aber diese Art von Geld? Es zahlt sich aus, ein bisschen dumm zu sein.\n\nDie T\u00fcr entriegelte sich von der anderen Seite und knarrte auf. Ein Mann betrat den Raum. Ein \u00e4lterer Mann. Menschlich. Kurze, kurz geschnittene Salz- und Pfefferhaare, die auf ungleiche L\u00e4ngen geschnitten waren, was darauf hindeutete, dass er entweder sein eigenes Haar schnitt oder einen zweitklassigen Friseur aufsuchte. Er hatte eine schwere Jacke und einen Pullover an. Alles ziemlich normal f\u00fcr einen Bahnhof, der im Allgemeinen so kalt war wie dieser. Mags konnten das Oberteil eines T-Shirts von Los Imperators sehen, das unter dem Kragen des Pullovers hervorschaute.\n\nEine Wache begann, ihm hinein zu folgen, blieb aber stehen, nachdem der Mann ein paar Worte gefl\u00fcstert hatte. Der W\u00e4chter warf Mags einen Blick zu und trat dann wieder heraus. Sie winkte ihm zu.\n\n\"Ich bin Executive Devin\", sagte er, als er das Schlie\u00dffach \u00f6ffnete, um den Stein darin freizulegen. Nach einem kurzen R\u00fcckblick setzte er sich auf den Sitz gegen\u00fcber von ihr und sah sie an. Er spannte seinen Kopf zur Seite. \"Kenne ich Sie?\"\n\n\"Das glaube ich nicht\". Mags haben ihr das Hirn zermartert. Sie hatte vor ein paar Jahren definitiv einige Zeit in Levski verbracht, wo sie sich mit ein paar schlechten Leuten getroffen hatte, wie -\n\n\"Sie sind mit Frank McGarr gelaufen\".\n\nSchei\u00dfe.\n\n\"Vielleicht\"? Sie zog das Wort wirklich heraus, als ob sie verzweifelt versuchte, die Verbindung herzustellen. Die Wahrheit war, dass sie mit Frank zusammengearbeitet hatte. Ihre Besatzung war dabei, Frachtschiffe anzukurbeln, die an Transitstationen geparkt hatten. Levski war ein gro\u00dfartiger Ort, um unterzutauchen. \"Ich meine, ich bin in den letzten Jahren nur ein paar Mal hier gewesen, aber ich habe hier einige interessante Leute kennen gelernt. Warum ich immer wieder zur\u00fcckkomme, sch\u00e4tze ich. Kannten Sie Frank?\"\n\n\"Ja, ich lie\u00df ihn ins Exil gehen. Er hatte Verbrechen im UEE-Raum begangen und uns als Tarnung benutzt.\n\n\"Ah. Das wusste ich nicht. Wir verbanden uns haupts\u00e4chlich \u00fcber Musik. Er war kein Fan von Los Imperators. Ich musste ihn schulen.\"\n\nDevin reagierte nicht, sondern beobachtete sie nur. Sie beschloss, die Chance zu ergreifen und weiterzumachen.\n\n\"Habe ihn schon lange nicht mehr gesehen. Ich bin viel gereist. Sie wissen schon, auf der Suche nach Arbeit. Ich habe mich im UEE-Raum nie wirklich wohl gef\u00fchlt, wissen Sie? Ich habe immer das Gef\u00fchl, dass man beobachtet wird.\n\n\"Nun, wahrscheinlich sind sie es.\" Devin antwortete mit einem Achselzucken. Sein Mobi hat gepinnt. Er \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte sie kurz und schaute sie noch einmal an. \"Ich habe Ihren Namen nicht verstanden.\"\n\n\"Kristin Breen\", feuerte sie ohne zu z\u00f6gern zur\u00fcck. Kristin war eine Zivilistin, die sie einmal bei einem Sataball-Spiel traf. Ein Typ, der hinter ihnen sa\u00df, sagte, sie s\u00e4hen aus wie Schwestern. Es gab definitiv eine \u00c4hnlichkeit, und so wurde sie Mags \"sauberer Ausweis\", wenn sie in der Klemme sa\u00df.\n\n\"So Cafe Musain . . .\"\n\n\"Verr\u00fcckt, nicht wahr?\" Sie sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. Meine Mutter sagte immer: \"Bleiben Sie nicht hier, wenn sich Leute an einem \u00f6ffentlichen Ort streiten. In ihrem Kopf stimmt etwas nicht.\"\n\n\"Haben Sie gesehen, wer damit angefangen hat?\"\n\nMags dachte eine Sekunde dar\u00fcber nach, um es \u00fcberzeugend zu machen.\n\n\"Um ehrlich zu sein, habe ich mir meine Sachen geschnappt und in dem Moment, als ich den ersten Schuss h\u00f6rte, den Hintern hochgehoben.\n\n\"Ziemlich gute Reflexe\".\n\n\"Entschuldigung?\n\n\"Um so schnell zu reagieren\", antwortete Devin, als er die Arme verschr\u00e4nkte und sich wieder auf den Stuhl setzte. \"Von den anderen Aussagen, die ich bekommen habe. Es gab keine gro\u00dfe Anh\u00e4ufung.\"\n\n\"Oh, nein. Ich glaube nicht\".\n\n\"Ein Zeuge, der sagte, dass einer der Bewaffneten auf Sie geschossen hat\".\n\n\"Ja, ziemlich verr\u00fcckt. Irgendwie muss ich sie ver\u00e4rgert haben. Wie ich schon sagte, bin ich nicht geblieben, um es herauszufinden. Mags beobachtete ihn dabei, wie er einige Notizen \u00fcber sein Mobi machte. \"Besteht also eine Chance, dass ich hier bald rauskomme? Hatte einen Hinweis auf einen m\u00f6glichen Auftritt, den ich nicht verpassen m\u00f6chte\".\n\n\"Wir haben alles abgeriegelt. Die Volksallianz musste sich st\u00e4rker daf\u00fcr einsetzen, die sch\u00e4dlichen Einfl\u00fcsse in unserer Gemeinde auszuwaschen, deshalb wird niemand aufbrechen, bis wir dieses Chaos beseitigt haben. Devin stand auf. \"Sie sollten es sich vielleicht bequem machen.\n\n\"Gro\u00dfartig\", versuchte Mags, das so enthusiastisch wie m\u00f6glich zu formulieren.\n\n\"Wo zum Teufel waren Sie? Mir wurde dort hinten in den Hintern getreten.\"\n\nOzzy reagierte nicht, er schnitt einfach durch die d\u00fcnner werdende Menschenmenge in Richtung der alten Bergwerksstollen. Je weiter sie sich vom zentralen Basar entfernten, desto mehr wurde der Klang von Rufen und Verwirrung durch das schwere Brummen von Bergbaumaschinen ersetzt, die immer noch versuchten, profitables Erz aus dem Asteroiden herauszuhacken. Auch die Temperatur fiel. Hausbesetzer, zusammengekauert in schmutzigen Decken, scharten sich um die wenigen \u00d6ffnungen in den Tunneln, die W\u00e4rme abpumpten.\n\nTrin wischte sich das Blut mit ihrem \u00c4rmel vom Gesicht, w\u00e4hrend sie sich vergewisserte, dass sie nicht verfolgt wurden. Schwere Schritte hallten durch den Flur wider.\n\n\"Wir werden Gesellschaft haben,\"\n\nOzzy duckte sich zu einer T\u00fcr, zog sie auf und brachte sie hinein.\n\n\"Komm schon\".\n\nTrin ging hinein. Es war ein kleiner Lagerraum. Alle Ger\u00e4teregale waren ausger\u00e4umt worden. Auf dem Boden stand ein umgest\u00fcrzter, verrosteter Stuhl. Sie zog ihn hoch, lie\u00df sich hineinfallen und untersuchte ihre Nase. Sie f\u00fchlte sich nicht gebrochen an.\n\n\"Sehen Sie noch jemanden?\" Sie schaute zu ihm auf.\n\n\"Nein\", schlug Ozzy einen weiteren Riegel zu, drehte sich dann um und starrte sie an.\n\n\"Und?\n\n\"Was\".\n\n\"Wo sind Sie hingegangen?\n\n\"Ich habe jemanden getroffen\", antwortete er. \"Der blinde Jack Sticha\", antwortete er.\n\nTrin verkrampft. Ihre H\u00e4nde ballen sich ganz nat\u00fcrlich zu F\u00e4usten.\n\n\"Er ist hier?\"\n\n\"Ja\", Ozzy hat sich nicht bewegt. Er sah ihr nur einige Augenblicke lang w\u00fctend beim Schmoren zu. \"Wissen Sie noch, als ich gekniffen wurde?\" Trin schaute ihn noch einmal an.\n\n\"Was?\n\n\"Als ich vom Gesetz erwischt wurde. Erinnern Sie sich daran?\"\n\n\"Ja.\"\n\n\"Begleiten Sie mich hindurch.\" Ozzy verschr\u00e4nkte seine Arme.\n\n\"Ist das Ihr Ernst?\" Trin erzwang ein Lachen und trat zur\u00fcck auf ihren Sitz.\n\n\"Erkl\u00e4ren Sie es mir\", sagte er etwas nachdr\u00fccklicher.\n\nDrau\u00dfen dr\u00f6hnten die schweren Schritte zur T\u00fcr hinauf. Jemand dr\u00fcckte von au\u00dfen darauf, aber sie r\u00fchrte sich nicht. Es gab ein ged\u00e4mpftes Gespr\u00e4ch. Jemand versuchte es noch einmal.\n\n\"Wir waren dabei, ein Frachtschiff umzuwerfen. Sie haben ihr Quantum abgeschnitten, bevor sie sich hochdrehen konnten. Ich ging hin\u00fcber, durchbrach die Luftschleuse, fegte die Besatzung auf und versuchte, die Triebwerke wieder in Gang zu bringen, als ein Haufen \u00f6rtlicher Gesetzesh\u00fcter auftauchte. Sie versuchten, mich dazu zu bringen, das Schiff zu verlassen, aber ich blieb an Bord und brachte sie schlie\u00dflich zum Laufen. Wir machten einen Ausbruch. Sie wurden geschnappt\".\n\n\"Wie?\n\n\"Wie was?\n\n\"Wie wurde ich geschnappt?\n\nDie Stimmen drau\u00dfen gingen weiter. Die schweren Stiefel verschwanden langsam in der Ferne. Ozzy beobachtete Trin die ganze Zeit und wartete erwartungsvoll.\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df es nicht\".\n\n\"Ich wurde von Ihrem Schiff angegriffen. Ich war nah dran, damit Sie \u00fcberspringen konnten. Stattdessen haben Sie die Triebwerke online geschaltet, den Schei\u00dffrachter herumgeschwenkt, mich geschlagen und sind abgeflogen. Sie sind entkommen. Ich habe Jahre gekriegt\".\n\nTrin hat nichts gesagt.\n\n\"Warum sind Sie gelaufen? Ozzy trat vor. Seine Stimme wurde leiser, leiser, was die Sache noch omin\u00f6ser machte.\n\n\"Machen Sie Witze? Sie erinnern sich, wie viel Feuerkraft auf uns zukam\".\n\n\"So viel Angst hatten Sie noch nie\".\n\n\"Das macht keine Angst. Das ist einfach clever.\"\n\n\"Haben Sie mich zur\u00fcckgelassen?\"\n\n\"Was? Nein\".\n\n\"Haben Sie mich verlassen?\"\n\n\"Blind Jack ist in deinen Kopf eingedrungen, Bruder\". Sie versuchte, dar\u00fcber zu lachen. Er ging immer weiter vorw\u00e4rts.\n\n\"Sagen Sie mir die Wahrheit.\" Ozzy beharrte darauf. Er stand direkt \u00fcber ihr. \"Hast du mich verlassen?\"\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df es nicht\".\n\n\"Bl\u00f6dsinn. Sie haben die Partitur \u00fcber mich gestellt\".\n\n\"Ich wei\u00df es nicht. Alles klar?\" Trin schob sich aus dem Stuhl, um von ihm wegzukommen. \"Die Schei\u00dfe ging schnell, Mann. Wir mussten da raus. Ich wusste nicht einmal, dass du nicht hinter mir warst, bis sie dich schon geholt hatten.\"\n\nOzzy sah zu, wie sich seine Schwester zur T\u00fcr schl\u00e4ngelte und zuh\u00f6rte, verzweifelt versuchte er, etwas anderes zu tun, als dieses Gespr\u00e4ch zu f\u00fchren.\n\n\"Wir m\u00fcssen von hier verschwinden\". Sie \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte erneut ihre Nase und zuckte zusammen.\n\n\"Ja\", sagte Ozzy schlie\u00dflich. Er ging hin\u00fcber und lauschte an der T\u00fcr. Es schien ruhig zu sein. Er entriegelte die Riegel und \u00f6ffnete sie. Trin's mobiGlas summte. Sie \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte es schnell.\n\n\"Komm schon\", sagte sie, als sie in die G\u00e4nge zur\u00fcck zu ihrem alten Selbst eilte. Ozzy folgte ihr.\n\nDie beiden machten sich auf den R\u00fcckweg durch die Tunnel. Sie traten auf eine Plattform mit Blick auf den Gro\u00dfen Basar hinaus. Der Eingang des Cafe Musain war von neugierigen Schaulustigen und Vollstreckern der People's Alliance umgeben.\n\nKel wartete, umklammerte eine Figur von Captain Levo und leckte an etwas, das wie Eiscremeflecken um seinen Mund aussah.\n\n\"Sehr schlecht. Menschliche Rechtspersonen haben Captain Mag.\n\n\"Hat sie das Eriesium?\" Trin antwortete fast sofort. Ozzy warf ihr einen Blick zu. Es war offensichtlich, dass das wertvolle Mineral ihre Hauptsorge war.\n\n\"Ja\", Kel nickte \u00f6fter als n\u00f6tig.\n\n\"Dann m\u00fcssen wir sie wohl rausholen\", grinste Trin Ozzy an.\n\nArno schob den K\u00f6rper in den L\u00fcftungsschlitz und passte sein neues, gestohlenes Outfit an. Es war ihm gelungen, den Vorbesitzer zu t\u00f6ten, ohne einen Tropfen auf die Kleidung zu versch\u00fctten. Es gab Zeiten, da beeindruckte er sogar sich selbst. Er \u00fcbergab seine Waffen aus den weggeworfenen Kleidungsst\u00fccken und warf die Kleidung zusammen mit der Leiche in den L\u00fcftungsschacht.\n\nEr verlie\u00df den Nebenraum und machte sich auf den Weg zur\u00fcck zur \u00d6ffentlichkeit. Dank seiner neuen F\u00e4den zog er keine Aufmerksamkeit auf sich. Er roch immer noch nach Ozon aus der Granate, aber bei all den anderen Ger\u00fcchen, die an diesem Ort verblieben, dachte er nicht, dass es jemand bemerken w\u00fcrde. Arno hielt an, um sich einen Drink zu holen und die Menge zu beobachten. Er entdeckte Osane an einem der Aussichtspunkte, der das Gleiche tat. Auch sie trug andere Kleidung.\n\nEr bezahlte und machte sich auf den Weg zu ihr.\n\n\"Irgendetwas? fragte er, als er sich n\u00e4herte.\n\n\"Nein\", sagte sie, w\u00e4hrend sie noch die Gesichter scannte. \"Das hat sich zu einer ziemlichen Schei\u00df-Show entwickelt.\n\n\"Ja,\" er trank sein Getr\u00e4nk aus und warf die Plastikflasche in eine Ecke. \"Sie haben den Startstopp nicht verpasst, oder?\"\n\n\"Nein, der Harlequin ist immer noch angedockt. Ich habe ihn selbst gesehen.\"\n\n\"Ich spiele ungern den Pessimisten, aber wir sollten einen Tracker einbauen.\n\n\"Bereits erledigt\".\n\n\"Sehen Sie? Synchronizit\u00e4t\". Arno schaute auf sein Mobi. \"Deshalb sind wir bei dem, was wir tun, so effektiv.\n\nMags rieben ihr die Schultern. Sie hasste es immer, wie kalt Levski werden konnte. Nun, eigentlich alle Stationen. Sicher, sie konnten die Temperatur erh\u00f6hen, aber es war immer k\u00fcnstliche Hitze. Es war nie wirklich warm. Deshalb sagte sie immer, dass sie sich an einem tropischen Ort zur Ruhe setzen w\u00fcrde. Irgendwo, wo sie mit einer d\u00fcnnen Decke auskommen k\u00f6nnte, und selbst das w\u00e4re nur f\u00fcr den schlimmsten Fall. Irgendwo, wo sie niemals die Fenster schlie\u00dfen m\u00fcsste.\n\nEin Gewirr ged\u00e4mpfter, erregter Stimmen n\u00e4herte sich vor der T\u00fcr. Pl\u00f6tzlich \u00f6ffnete sich die T\u00fcr. Mags schnappten sich das Schlie\u00dffach und wichen zur\u00fcck. Kel kam schreitend in den Raum, v\u00f6llig anders gekleidet als beim letzten Mal, als sie ihn sah. Er hatte seine \"Menschenkleider\" gegen die traditionelle Kleidung der Banu getauscht, die er nur trug, wenn sie ins Protektorat trieben. Der Vollstrecker Devin folgte kurz darauf zusammen mit einigen verwirrten Wachen der People's Alliance.\n\nKel warf einen Blick auf Mags und wirbelte dann zu Devin.\n\n\"Inakzeptabel. Ja. Schauen Sie. Schauen Sie!\" Er winkte Mags mit der Hand zu. \"Sie ist in einem v\u00f6llig inakzeptablen Zustand. Ich bin schockiert, dass Eigentum auf diese Weise behandelt wird.\n\n\"Sie ist eine Person. Kein Eigentum\", versuchte Devin einzugreifen, aber Kels Augen weiteten sich vor Schock und Entsetzen.\n\n\"Nicht Eigentum?! Ich kaufe sie direkt von Essosouli Prit\", wurde Kel immer erregter, als er sprach. \"Sie war drei Jobs davon entfernt, Schulden zu begleichen, als sie mir mein Eigentum wegnahm. Zeigte auf das Schlie\u00dffach. \"Sie wagen zu sagen, dass sie nicht mir geh\u00f6rt! Das widerspricht jeder Tradition der Banu. Schande!\"\n\n\"Sehen Sie\", begann Devin einen R\u00fcckzieher zu machen. \"Ich versuche nicht, Ihre Kultur zu verunglimpfen.\n\n\"Ja! Ja, das tun Sie!\"\n\n\"Ich bin nicht -\"\n\n\"Dann geben Sie sie mir. Jetzt. Jetzt sage ich.\"\n\nDevin, v\u00f6llig verwirrt, ging schlie\u00dflich zu einer der Wachen, um Mags die Handschellen abzunehmen, der genauso verbl\u00fcfft war wie der Rest. Kel sah sie mit Verachtung an.\n\n\"Warten Sie drau\u00dfen. Wir werden besprechen, was das kostet.\"\n\nMags schaute nach unten, spielte in ... welche Rolle auch immer Kel versuchte zu schieben ... und ging leise aus der Zelle. Als sie vor\u00fcberging, drehte sich Kel wieder zu Devin um und klopfte ihm auf die Stirn.\n\nMags folgte ihm, als er nach drau\u00dfen ging. Sie war sich nicht genau sicher, wie die Sklavendynamik in der Banu-Kultur funktionierte, hielt es aber f\u00fcr eine sichere Sache.\n\nKel ignorierte jeden beim Gehen und spielte seine Rolle perfekt.\n\nNachdem sie die behelfsm\u00e4\u00dfige Station verlassen hatten, drehte Kel sich um, um sicherzugehen, dass sie allein waren, und sah sich dann Mags an. Er griff in die Falten seiner Kleidung.\n\nUnd zog die Figur von Captain Levo heraus, um sie ihr zu zeigen.\n\n\"Captain Mag, sehen Sie mal, was ich gefunden habe\", sagte er mit ungeb\u00e4ndigter Begeisterung.\n\n\"Kel, das war unglaublich\", umarmte Mags ihn.\n\n\"Oh, nein. Captain Mag, Sie mussten frei sein.\" Er schaute auf die Figur hinunter und spielte ein wenig mit ihr.\n\n\"Heilige Schei\u00dfe\", sagte eine Stimme aus der Ecke. Sie sahen hin\u00fcber, um Trin und Ozzy herauskommen zu sehen. Trin lachte. \"Ich kann nicht glauben, dass er es geschafft hat. Und Sie haben die Kiste?\"\n\n\"Sch\u00f6n zu sehen, dass Sie es geschafft haben\", nickte Mags sowohl Trin als auch Ozzy zu. \"Ist Levski immer noch eingeschlossen?\"\n\n\"Ja, soweit wir wissen\", nahm Trin die Schlie\u00dfkassette von Mags und drapierte sie \u00fcber ihre Schulter. \"Glauben Sie, dass Sie mit dieser Xi'an immer noch einen Deal machen k\u00f6nnen?\n\n\"Vielleicht, ich wei\u00df es nicht. Vielleicht ist er schon lange weg.\" Sie warf einen Blick auf die vorbeigehenden Gesichter in der Menge. \"Irgendwelche Anzeichen dieser Syndikatssch\u00fctzen?\"\n\n\"Nein, nichts.\" Trin begann, zur\u00fcck zu den Hangar-Liften zu gehen. \"Wir sollten zur\u00fcck zum 'quin gehen, uns versiegeln und von hier verschwinden, sobald sie uns lassen. Mags sah sich um.\n\n\"Hat jemand das Dokument gesehen? fragte Mags, als sie auf Ozzy und Kel schaute. Sie sch\u00fcttelten den Kopf.\n\n\"Nein, aber er wei\u00df, wo wir geparkt haben\", sagte Trin, w\u00e4hrend sie einem Einheimischen, der einen Blick auf das Schlie\u00dffach geworfen hatte, in die Augen schaute. Er wandte seinen Blick schnell ab und duckte sich weg.\n\n\"Wir k\u00f6nnen nicht gehen, bevor wir ihn gefunden haben\", sagte Mags, als sie sich beeilte, Trin einzuholen.\n\n\"Wenn er nicht da ist, wenn wir starten, ist das seine Schuld. Ich riskiere diesen Punktestand nicht f\u00fcr seinen Junkie-Arsch.\"\n\nMags \u00fcberpr\u00fcfte ihr mobi und tippte schnell eine Nachricht ab. Kel folgte ihr.\n\nOzzy blieb stehen und starrte Trin hinterher. Er tippte ebenfalls eine Nachricht auf seinem Mobi.\n\nDer Harlequin wartete auf dem weitl\u00e4ufigen Landeplatz. Ein paar \u00f6rtliche Mechaniker sa\u00dfen am hinteren Ende des Platzes bei der Tankstelle, mit kettenschleppenden St\u00f6\u00dfen und Blasmusik. Ein kleines Labyrinth aus neuen und alten Kisten umgab die R\u00e4nder des Landeplatzes. Hohe Plattformen befanden sich in der N\u00e4he der Felswand, die zum Levski f\u00fchrte. Ein Banner der Volksallianz hing an der Wand, w\u00e4hrend ihre Lebensregeln, eine Liste von aufstrebenden Mantras, nach denen die Bewohner lebten, hilfreich an der Luftschleuse angebracht waren.\n\nEine Warnleuchte \u00fcber der Schleusent\u00fcr begann zu blinken, wodurch die Schleusent\u00fcren zischend ge\u00f6ffnet wurden. Mags, Kel, Trin und Ozzy traten heraus und begannen auf die Landeplattform zuzugehen.\n\nMags schien mit ihrem Mobi besch\u00e4ftigt zu sein.\n\n\"Immer noch kein Wort vom Doc.\n\n\"Was soll's, Mags, wahrscheinlich stolpert er irgendwo \u00fcber das fantastische Leben. Lass ihn in Ruhe.\" Trin reagierte, als sie das Schlie\u00dffach in ihrer Hand verstellte. \"Wir haben gr\u00f6\u00dfere Fische zu braten.\n\n\"Ich werde sagen\". Eine Stimme strahlte nach vorne aus. Die Gruppe verlangsamte sich bis zum Stillstand.\n\nDer blinde Jack Sticha, Anf\u00fchrer der S\u00fcdtitanen, trat hinter einer der Kisten hervor, als er einen Reiz anz\u00fcndete. Rundherum tauchte der Rest der S\u00fcdtitanen aus ihren Verstecken auf und richtete Gesch\u00fctze auf die Gruppe.\n\n\"Hey Jack\", sagte Trin mit Z\u00e4hneknirschen. \"Ist schon eine Weile her.\n\n\"Hey Trin.\" Jack l\u00e4chelte dieses warme gro\u00dfv\u00e4terliche L\u00e4cheln, das den diebischen M\u00f6rder im Inneren geschickt verdeckte. \"Warum tun Sie uns nicht den Gefallen und lassen die Kiste fallen?\"\n\n\"Warum k\u00fcssen Sie nicht meinen Arsch?\n\nJack lachte eines dieser Bauchlacher, die von den H\u00f6hlenw\u00e4nden widerhallten.\n\nTrin begann mit der anderen Hand nach ihrer Pistole zu greifen, als ihr etwas hart in den Hinterkopf traf. Sie fiel in einen Haufen. Das Schlie\u00dffach klapperte auf den Boden. Ozzy trat um ihren K\u00f6rper herum und zielte mit seiner Pistole auf ihren Kopf.\n\nMags und Kel starrten ihn schockiert an. Er starrte zur\u00fcck und sch\u00fcttelte den Kopf. Lass das.\n\nOzzy drehte sich wieder zu Trin um und trat sie in die Seite. Der Aufprall lie\u00df sie \u00fcber den Boden gleiten, als der Atem ihren K\u00f6rper verlie\u00df.\n\n\"Ich wusste, dass Sie mich absichtlich beschnitten haben\", sagte er ruhig, als er sich das Schlie\u00dffach schnappte. \"Du warst f\u00fcr dich immer in diesem Spiel, Schwesterchen. Ich hatte immer ein Gef\u00fchl, aber jetzt wei\u00df ich es.\"\n\n\"Du gottverdammter Verr\u00e4ter\", zischte sie zwischen den Luftschl\u00e4gen.\n\nOzzy gab ihr einen Tritt an den Kopf und drehte sich dann zu Blind Jack und den anderen Titanen um.\n\n\"Sie . . . . denken Sie, dass Sie das einfach so hinter sich lassen werden?\" Trin keuchte.\n\nOzzy hat aufgeh\u00f6rt. Trin schob sich langsam auf ihre F\u00fc\u00dfe. Ihr Kopf rollte, w\u00e4hrend sie versuchte, ihr Gleichgewicht zu halten.\n\n\"Ich werde dich finden\", murmelte sie, als das Blut aus ihrem Kopf in eine Lache auf dem Boden lief. \"Ich werde euch alle finden.\"\n\n\"Nein, Schwesterchen\", sagte Ozzy leise. \"Diesmal nicht\", sagte Ozzy.\n\nOzzy schnappte sich seine Pistole und jagte ihr f\u00fcnf Kugeln durch die Brust. Bei jedem Schuss r\u00fcttelte ihr K\u00f6rper und knallte zur\u00fcck in den Boden. Danach bewegte sie sich nicht mehr.\n\nFORTSETZUNG FOLGT...","zh_CN":"Writer\u2019s Note: Drifters: Part Three was published originally in Jump Point 5.3. You can read Part One here and Part Two here.\n\u201cSorry, table\u2019s taken,\u201d Mags said to the two people that were now looming over them. There was something immediately off-putting about the pair. They were far too calm, too self-assured, to be random people. Her other hand quietly drifted under the table and closed the lockbox with the fortune\u2019s worth of eriesium.\n\n\u201cHey, you two deaf or just stupid? Drift. Unless you wanna find out what it feels like to get spine-punched from the front.\u201d Trin certainly wasted no time.\n\nThe man sighed while the woman watched Trin like a hawk. Trin just stared right back.\n\n\u201cThat belongs to us,\u201d he nodded to the lockbox.\n\n\u201cHell it does,\u201d Trin snapped back.\n\nMags\u2019 mind raced. She didn\u2019t see any visible weapons on these two, but their heavy layered clothes were perfect for stashing guns.\n\n\u201cI understand that you\u2019re confused,\u201d the man said. His voice was pleasant and calming. Mags got the distinct impression that he was the talker of the two. \u201cYou pulled this . . . item . . . from the wreckage of Echo Calling which had been working for our employer. Nearest we can tell, you weren\u2019t the aggressors in the fight that caused its destruction, so by all accounts, you wandered your way into this mess, which is why we\u2019re giving you this chance to turn our property over and walk away. You do that? We\u2019ll call it square. You don\u2019t? There\u2019ll be problems.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. We\u2019re problem kind of people.\u201d Mags looked past the two to where Ozzy had posted up at the bar. He was gone.\n\n\u201cFour Points kind?\u201d he replied.\n\nThat froze everyone at the table. All of them had heard about the Four Points syndicate in some form or another. Mags knew three people who disappeared after botching a heist in Prime. Even Trin seemed fazed by the mention.\n\n\u201cThief Magdalena,\u201d Soahm finally spoke up. The former Xi\u2019an policeman now security consultant stood from the table. The woman broke her stare on Trin to keep an eye on him. The Xi\u2019an simply looking back to Mags. \u201cI will leave you to your business.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow about this.\u201d Trin slammed her hand on the table, attracting everyone\u2019s attention (except Soahm, who kept walking). She\u2019d used the momentary distraction to pull a grenade. \u201cHow about I prime this puppy and waste the lot of us?\u201d\n\n\u201cUh, Trin?\u201d Mags slowly edged away from the device. No one else in Cafe Musain seemed to be paying them any attention. She did clock about eight visible weapons on patrons.\n\n\u201cWell now,\u201d the man said, sounding truly engaged for the first time. He stepped closer to Trin. \u201cThat is interesting. You really ready to blow us all up?\u201d\n\n\u201cSure, figure then nobody gets the eriesium. Think I can die happy knowing that.\u201d\n\nThe man looked like he was enjoying this. \u201cOsane here\u2019s fast. Real fast. Could probably put rounds in you before you armed the device.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, you might be right,\u201d Trin said, glancing past the man towards Osane. She turned her hand to show more of the grenade. It was already beeping. \u201cIf I waited to arm it.\u201d\n\nMags pulled a snub pistol from her pocket and put two shots into Osane\u2019s chest. The woman dropped heavily to the floor. The man dashed to grab the grenade in Trin\u2019s hand. Everybody in the bar turned as drinks crashed to the floor. Mags grabbed the lockbox with the eriesium and vaulted out of the booth.\n\nHer feet hit the floor and she was off, pushing her way through the confused onlookers. An energy round zipped past her from behind and caught a guy just ahead of her in the face. His head snapped with a sizzle. Mags risked a look back.\n\nOsane pushed to her feet, her subcompact assault rifle struggling to aim for another shot. Smoke rose from the two holes in her clothes, exposing the armor vest below.\n\nMags shoved as hard as she could. She thundered up the stairs and burst outside as gunfire erupted behind her.\n\n\u201cYes, yes. Very nice. And this?\u201d Kel pointed to a small children\u2019s action figure at the bottom of the box. He\u2019d spent the past hour meticulously asking about each item he didn\u2019t recognize. The stall owner, a dirty kid in his early twenties, had his feet up on the counter. He\u2019d clearly lost his patience with the Banu fifty-five minutes ago.\n\n\u201cIt\u2019s a Captain Levo action figure,\u201d the stall owner said without even looking up from his mobi.\n\n\u201cOooh. Captain Levo.\u201d Kel looked over the figure closely, rotating the various joints and studying the chipped paint.\n\n\u201cExplain.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know, man,\u201d the stall owner said with a defeated sigh. \u201cHe was a cartoon character from like five years ago. He, like, saved people, went on adventures and shit.\u201d\n\n\u201cI see. I see. So good man. Hero.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I guess.\u201d\n\nKel nodded and studied the figure for another moment.\n\n\u201cYes. I buy.\u201d\n\nThe stall owner dragged his feet off the counter and brought up the sales program. Kel paid out three credits.\n\nSuddenly alarms went off. Kel looked around, momentarily convinced this was how this stall celebrated sales. He smiled.\n\nThen he saw the people fleeing out of a doorway marked \u201cCafe Musain.\u201d There were the unmistakable sounds of gunfire.\n\nHe saw Captain Mag among those running. She was carrying the eriesium.\n\n\u201cCaptain Mag!\u201d Kel waved to try and get her attention. He pointed at the Captain Levo figure, hoping she would look.\n\nUnfortunately, some Humans in uniform appeared around her, aiming some kind of weapon. Mags immediately skidded to a stop. She looked around for a moment, locked eyes with Kel.\n\nHe pointed to Captain Levo again. She smiled and winked, then dropped the lockbox and raised her hands.\n\nKel watched the uniformed Humans take her into custody. He should find out where they were taking her . . .\n\nThen he saw a different stall, surrounded by dirty Human children eating some kind of frozen consumable.\n\nKel went to investigate.\n\nCafe Musain was a war zone. Some of the locals were trading shots with Osane, who\u2019d dug in behind a flipped table.\n\nTrin got slammed against the wall. Arno (Osane dropped his name as she opened fire at some of the Musain patrons) didn\u2019t loosen his grip on her hand and subsequently the grenade while they tussled. She could tell he\u2019d had training, been in more than his fair share of scraps, but he was technical, rigid.\n\n\u201cYour friend left you here to die,\u201d he hissed as he leaned in close.\n\nTrin laughed in his face. He headbutted her. Her vision reset with a flash to white. Blood gushed out of her nose.\n\nThere we go, she thought. She spit blood in his eyes and punched him in the armpit with her free hand. His grip faltered, at least enough for her to slip free. Trin spun around behind him and drove her elbow into the base of his skull. Then again. He sank to one knee. She clubbed him one more time for good measure.\n\nShe saw Osane glance back and raise her rifle, snapping off a couple shots. Trin pulled Arno up as a shield. The shots caught him flush in the chest.\n\nHe muttered from the impacts, but didn\u2019t die. Wasn\u2019t even wounded. This was some kind of armor they got. She stuffed the live grenade in Arno\u2019s vest and kicked him towards Osane.\n\nThen she made a break for the door, taking a moment to memorize the exact geography of the place and its current patrons.\n\nArno quickly dug into his armor to try and fish the grenade out. Each second, a whine from the grenade reached a higher and higher pitch. He was about to throw it when the thing went off.\n\nThe lights cut out. Everyone\u2019s electronics went dead.\n\nTrin figured she had maybe twenty seconds before whatever backups this shithole had kicked on. She traced the mental image of Musain\u2019s layout as she ran through the dark. She hit the stairs a little quicker than she expected, but grabbed the rail and pulled herself up without falling.\n\nHer feet thudded up the steps. One more turn and she could hear the acoustics change. She was back in the main bazaar when the backup lights surged back. Shop owners grabbed people who had been ripping off their stalls in the darkness. Trin did her best to blend into the crowd. Some old woman stepped up to her, shocked at the blood that was undoubtedly pouring down Trin\u2019s face.\n\n\u201cOh my god,\u201d she gasped, full of concern. \u201cYou need a doctor \u2014\u201d\n\nTrin shoved past her. All she\u2019d need to do is keep a low profile until she got back to the Harlequin.\n\nA hand grabbed her wrist. She whirled back, fist ready.\n\nIt was Ozzy.\n\n\u201cCome on. We aren\u2019t safe.\u201d\n\nDr. Honan Yao was tucked away somewhere in the tunnels of Levski when the lights cut out. He sat in darkness for a few moments before he realized that they\u2019d actually gone out. The dose of WiDoW in the hypo hadn\u2019t been injected yet. Even though his nerves ached for the shot, for the cool calm to swim through his system, he hadn\u2019t done it. That moment of realization, when the lights cut out and he\u2019d casually accepted that it was probably just another side effect of his new normal, made him catch a glimpse of himself. This time, he cared what he saw.\n\nHe\u2019d been on edge ever since they left Kallis. He thought it was just the pangs that came with needing another hit, but seeing his old friend Lev after all this time . . . that hit him harder than he would\u2019ve guessed. Running rampant in those pre-med days . . . hell, university in general felt like a lifetime ago. Certainly before . . .\n\nThere it was.\n\nIt was always a matter of time before his mind drifted to that place. After all this time . . . he slammed his head back against the wall in frustration and tried to tamp down the memories. They kept flooding back. Images, formerly dulled by booze and drugs, resurfaced with crystal clarity. All those broken faces . . .\n\nNo. He couldn\u2019t. Not yet.\n\nYao put the loaded hypo against his vein. His thumb hovered over the button. He hesitated.\n\nThen he saw a beautiful sun. The rings of Vega II barely visible in the morning sky. And the field of bodies. Torn apart. Scraps of people strewn among the grass. So many pieces you couldn\u2019t tell what belonged to whom. A child screaming.\n\nHis thumb hit the button.\n\nThe memory went away.\n\nIt\u2019d been two hours since Mags had been dumped in this holding cell. At least, she thought it was a holding cell. The last time she was in Levski, this area had been some kind of sorting facility or something.\n\nGuess it was now their police station. The burnouts of Levski had certainly come a long way.\n\nShe could still hear alarms echoing through the reinforced metal door. When the EMP went off, she\u2019d tried to grab the lockbox and make a break for it, but the guard had a surprisingly firm grip on it. Fortunately, it was sitting on the table in front of her, so not a total loss.\n\nIt was those thugs who approached them in Cafe Musain. That\u2019s what worried her. How long had they been on her trail? Maybe it had been stupid to think that no one would come looking for something as valuable as the eriesium that was sitting in front of her, but this kind of money? It pays to be a little stupid.\n\nThe door unlatched from the other side and creaked open. A man entered the room. Older. Human. Short, close-cropped salt and pepper hair trimmed to mismatched lengths that implied he either cut his own hair or he frequented a second-rate barber. He had a heavy jacket and sweater on. All pretty standard fare for a station that was generally as cold as this one. Mags could see the top of a Los Imperators t-shirt peeking out from under the collar of the sweater.\n\nA guard started to follow him in, but stopped after the man whispered a few words. The guard glanced at Mags then stepped back out. She waved.\n\n\u201cI\u2019m Executive Devin,\u201d he said as he flipped open the lockbox to reveal the rock inside. After a quick once-over, he sat down in the seat across from her and looked at her. He cocked his head to the side. \u201cDo I know you?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Mags wracked her brain. She\u2019d definitely spent some time in Levski a few years ago, hooked up with some bad people like \u2014\n\n\u201cYou ran with Frank McGarr.\u201d\n\nShit.\n\n\u201cMaybe?\u201d She really drew out the word, like she was desperately trying to make the connection. Truth was, she had run with Frank. Their crew was boosting freight ships that had parked up at transit stations. Levski was a great place to lay low. \u201cI mean, I only stayed here a couple times over the past few years, but I met some interesting people here. Why I keep coming back, I guess. Did you know Frank?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, I had him exiled. He had been running crimes in UEE space and using us as cover.\u201d\n\n\u201cAh. I didn\u2019t know. We bonded about music mostly. He wasn\u2019t a Los Imperators fan. I had to school him.\u201d\n\nDevin didn\u2019t respond, just watched her. She decided to take a chance and keep going.\n\n\u201cHaven\u2019t seen him in a bit. I\u2019ve been travelling a lot. You know, looking for work. I never really felt comfortable in UEE space, you know? Always feels like they\u2019re watching you.\u201d\n\n\u201cWell, they probably are.\u201d Devin replied with a shrug. His mobi pinged. He gave it a quick check and looked back at her. \u201cI didn\u2019t catch your name.\u201d\n\n\u201cKristin Breen,\u201d she fired back without hesitation. Kristin was a civilian she met once at a Sataball game. Some guy seated behind them said they looked like sisters. There was definitely a resemblance, so she became Mags\u2019 go-to \u2018clean ID\u2019 whenever she was in a pinch.\n\n\u201cSo Cafe Musain . . .\u201d\n\n\u201cCrazy, right?\u201d She shook her head. \u201cMy mom always said, don\u2019t stick around when people start fighting in a public place. There\u2019s something not right in their head.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you see who started it?\u201d\n\nMags thought about it for a second to make it convincing.\n\n\u201cTo be honest, I grabbed my stuff and hauled ass the second I heard the first shot.\u201d\n\n\u201cPretty good reflexes.\u201d\n\n\u201cSorry?\u201d\n\n\u201cTo react so quickly,\u201d Devin responded as he crossed his arms and settled back in the chair. \u201cFrom the other statements I\u2019ve gotten. There wasn\u2019t much of a buildup to it.\u201d\n\n\u201cOh, no. I guess not.\u201d\n\n\u201cA witness that said one of the gunmen took a shot at you.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah, pretty nuts. I must\u2019ve pissed her off somehow. Like I said, I didn\u2019t stick around to find out.\u201d Mags watched him make some notes on his mobi. \u201cSo, any chance I\u2019ll be getting out of here soon? Had a lead on a possible gig I don\u2019t want to miss.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe\u2019ve locked everything down. The People\u2019s Alliance has had to become more committed to washing out the harmful influences in our community, so no one\u2019s taking off until we sort this mess out.\u201d Devin stood up. \u201cYou might want to get comfortable.\u201d\n\n\u201cGreat,\u201d Mags tried to make that sound as enthusiastic as she could.\n\n\u201cWhere the hell were you? I was getting my ass kicked back there.\u201d\n\nOzzy didn\u2019t respond, just cut through the thinning crowds of people towards the old mining tunnels. The further they got away from the central Bazaar, the more the sound of shouts and confusion were replaced with the heavy hum of mining machines that were still trying to hack out profitable ore from the asteroid. The temperature dropped too. Squatters, huddled in dirty blankets, clustered around the few vents in the tunnels that pumped out heat.\n\nTrin wiped the blood from her face with her sleeve while checking to make sure they weren\u2019t being followed. Heavy footsteps echoed down the hall.\n\n\u201cWe\u2019re gonna have some company,\u201d\n\nOzzy ducked towards a door, pulled it open and motioned her inside.\n\n\u201cCome on.\u201d\n\nTrin went in. It was a small store room. All the equipment racks had been cleared out. There was an overturned, rusted chair on the floor. She pulled it up, slumped into it and checked her nose. It didn\u2019t feel broken.\n\n\u201cYou see anybody else?\u201d She looked up at him.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d Ozzy slammed another latch closed then turned and stared at her.\n\n\u201cSo?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere\u2019d you go?\u201d\n\n\u201cI ran into somebody,\u201d he replied. \u201cBlind Jack Sticha.\u201d\n\nTrin tensed up. Her hands naturally clenched into fists.\n\n\u201cHe\u2019s here?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Ozzy didn\u2019t move. Just watched her stew in rage for a few moments. \u201cYou remember when I got pinched?\u201d Trin looked back at him.\n\n\u201cWhat?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhen I got snagged by the law. Do you remember it?\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah.\u201d\n\n\u201cWalk me through it.\u201d Ozzy folded his arms.\n\n\u201cAre you serious?\u201d Trin forced a laugh and kicked back in her seat.\n\n\u201cWalk me through it,\u201d he said a little more emphatically.\n\nOutside the heavy footsteps thudded up to the door. Someone pushed on it from the outside, but it didn\u2019t budge. There was a muffled conversation. Someone tried it again.\n\n\u201cWe were knocking over a cargo ship. You clipped their quantum before they could spin up. I crossed over, breached the airlock, swept up the crew and was trying to bring the engines back online when a bunch of local law showed up. You were trying to get me to abandon the ship, but I stayed aboard and finally got her running. We made a break for it. You got nabbed.\u201d\n\n\u201cHow?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow what?\u201d\n\n\u201cHow\u2019d I get nabbed?\u201d\n\nThe voices outside moved on. The heavy boots slowly disappeared into the distance. Ozzy watched Trin the whole time, expectantly waiting.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\n\n\u201cI got clipped by your ship. I got close so you could jump over. Instead, you got the engines online, swung that piece of shit freighter around, hit me, and lit out. You got away. I got years.\u201d\n\nTrin didn\u2019t say anything.\n\n\u201cWhy\u2019d you run?\u201d Ozzy stepped forward. His voice dropping lower, quieter, which made it even more ominous.\n\n\u201cYou kidding? You remember how much firepower was headed our way.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou\u2019ve never been scared like that before.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat ain\u2019t scared. That\u2019s just smart.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you leave me behind?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat? No.\u201d\n\n\u201cDid you leave me?\u201d\n\n\u201cBlind Jack got in your head, brother.\u201d She tried to laugh it off. He kept moving forward.\n\n\u201cTell me the truth.\u201d Ozzy persisted. He was standing right over her. \u201cDid you leave me?\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know.\u201d\n\n\u201cBullshit. You picked the score over me.\u201d\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t know. All right?\u201d Trin pushed out of the chair to get away from him. \u201cShit happened fast, man. We needed to get outta there. I didn\u2019t even know you weren\u2019t behind me until they\u2019d already gotten you.\u201d\n\nOzzy watched his sister weave her way to the door and listen, desperate to do anything but have this conversation.\n\n\u201cWe gotta get the hell out of here.\u201d She checked her nose again and winced.\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d Ozzy finally said. He walked over and listened at the door. It seemed quiet. He unlatched the bolts and opened it. Trin\u2019s mobiGlas hummed. She quickly checked it.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d she said as she hustled out into the halls, back to her old self. Ozzy followed.\n\nThe two made their way back through the tunnels. They stepped out on a platform overlooking the Grand Bazaar. Cafe Musain\u2019s entrance was surrounded by curious onlookers and People\u2019s Alliance enforcers.\n\nKel was waiting, clutching a Captain Levo figure and licking at what looked like ice cream stains around his mouth.\n\n\u201cVery bad. Human Legal People have Captain Mag.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoes she have the eriesium?\u201d Trin replied almost immediately. Ozzy glanced at her. It was obvious that the valuable mineral was her prime concern.\n\n\u201cYes,\u201d Kel nodded more times than necessary.\n\n\u201cGuess we\u2019ll have to get her out then,\u201d Trin flashed a grin at Ozzy.\n\nArno shoved the body into the vent and adjusted his new, stolen outfit. He\u2019d managed to kill the previous owner without spilling a drop on the clothes. There were times he impressed even himself. He transferred his weapons from his discarded clothes then dumped the clothes in the vent with the corpse.\n\nHe stepped out of the side room and made his way back to the public. Thanks to his new threads, he didn\u2019t draw any attention. He still reeked like ozone from the grenade, but with all the other smells lingering in the place he didn\u2019t think anyone would notice. Arno stopped to grab a drink and survey the crowd. He spotted Osane at one of the overlooks doing the same. She was wearing different clothes too.\n\nHe paid up and made his way to her.\n\n\u201cAnything?\u201d He asked as he approached.\n\n\u201cNo,\u201d she said while still scanning the faces. \u201cThis has turned into quite the shitshow.\u201d\n\n\u201cYeah,\u201d he finished his drink and tossed the plastic bottle into a corner. \u201cThey didn\u2019t slip the launch freeze, did they?\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, the Harlequin\u2019s still docked. Saw it myself.\u201d\n\n\u201cI hate to play the pessimist, but we should plant a tracker.\u201d\n\n\u201cAlready done.\u201d\n\n\u201cSee? Synchronicity.\u201d Arno looked at his mobi. \u201cThat\u2019s why we\u2019re so effective at what we do.\u201d\n\nMags rubbed her shoulders. She always hated how cold Levski could get. Well, all stations really. Sure, they could jack the temperature up, but it was always artificial heat. It was never really truly warm. That\u2019s why she always said she\u2019d retire somewhere tropical. Somewhere she could get by with a thin blanket and even that would only be for worst case scenarios. Some place she\u2019d never need to close the windows.\n\nA flurry of muffled, agitated voices drew closer outside the door. Suddenly the door opened. Mags grabbed the lockbox and backed away. Kel came striding into the room, dressed completely differently than the last time she saw him. He had swapped out his \u201cHuman clothes\u201d for the traditional Banu clothes he only wore when they drifted into the Protectorate. Executor Devin followed shortly after along with some confused People\u2019s Alliance guards.\n\nKel took one look at Mags, then whirled to face Devin.\n\n\u201cUnacceptable. Yes. Look. Look!\u201d He waved his hand toward Mags. \u201cShe is in completely unacceptable condition. Shocked am I to see property treated in this way.\u201d\n\n\u201cShe\u2019s a person. Not property,\u201d Devin tried to intervene, but Kel\u2019s eyes widened in shock and horror.\n\n\u201cNot property?! I buy her from Essosouli Prit direct,\u201d Kel got more and more agitated as he spoke. \u201cShe three job away from paying off debt when she took my property.\u201d Pointed to the lockbox. \u201cYou dare to say she not mine! Defy all tradition of the Banu. Shame!\u201d\n\n\u201cLook,\u201d Devin started backpedaling. \u201cI\u2019m not trying to denigrate your culture.\u201d\n\n\u201cYes! Yes, you do!\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019m not \u2014\u201d\n\n\u201cThen give her to me. Now. Now I say.\u201d\n\nDevin, completely flustered, finally motioned to one of the guards to uncuff Mags, who was as baffled as the rest. Kel looked at her with disdain.\n\n\u201cWait outside. Will discuss what this cost.\u201d\n\nMags looked down, playing into . . . whatever role Kel was trying to push . . . and quietly walked out of the cell. As she passed, Kel turned back to Devin and patted him on the forehead.\n\nMags followed him as he proceeded outside. She wasn\u2019t sure exactly how the slave dynamic worked in Banu culture, but figured it was a safe bet.\n\nKel ignored everybody as they walked, playing his role perfectly.\n\nOnce they got out of the makeshift station, Kel turned back to make sure they were alone, then looked at Mags. He reached into the folds of his clothes.\n\nAnd pulled out the Captain Levo figure to show her.\n\n\u201cCaptain Mag, look what I found,\u201d he said with unfettered excitement.\n\n\u201cKel, that was amazing,\u201d Mags hugged him.\n\n\u201cOh, no. Captain Mag, you needed to be free.\u201d He looked down at the figure and played with it a little bit.\n\n\u201cHoly shit,\u201d a voice said from around the corner. They looked over to see Trin and Ozzy step out. Trin was laughing. \u201cI can\u2019t believe he pulled it off. And you got the box?\u201d\n\n\u201cGlad to see you guys made it out of there,\u201d Mags nodded to both Trin and Ozzy. \u201cIs Levski still on lockdown?\u201d\n\n\u201cYes, far as we know,\u201d Trin took the lockbox from Mags and draped it across her shoulder. \u201cDo you think you can still make a deal with that Xi\u2019an?\u201d\n\n\u201cMaybe, I don\u2019t know. He might be long gone.\u201d She glanced around at the passing faces in the crowd. \u201cAny sign of those syndicate hitters?\u201d\n\n\u201cNah, nothing.\u201d Trin started walking back towards the hangar lifts. \u201cWe should head back to the \u2019quin, seal up and get the hell out of here as soon as they let us.\u201d Mags looked around.\n\n\u201cAnyone seen the doc?\u201d Mags asked as she look to Ozzy and Kel. They shook their heads.\n\n\u201cNo, but he knows where we\u2019re parked,\u201d Trin said as she locked eyes with some local who had glanced at the lockbox. He quickly averted his gaze and ducked away.\n\n\u201cWe can\u2019t leave until we find him,\u201d Mags said as she rushed to catch up with Trin.\n\n\u201cIf he ain\u2019t there when we launch, that\u2019s on him. I\u2019m not risking this score for his junkie ass.\u201d\n\nMags checked her mobi and quickly typed out a message. Kel followed along.\n\nOzzy stopped and stared after Trin. He typed a message on his mobi too.\n\nThe Harlequin waited on the expansive landing pad. A couple local mechanics sat on the far end of the pad by the refueling station, chain-huffing stims and blasting music. A small maze of crates, both new and old, encircled the edges of the landing pad. Tall platforms were positioned near the rock face that led into Levski. A People\u2019s Alliance banner hung from the wall while their Rules of Life, a list of aspirational mantras that the inhabitants lived by, was helpfully displayed by the airlock.\n\nA warning light above the airlock door began to flash, precipitating the airlock doors hissing open. Mags, Kel, Trin and Ozzy stepped out and started walking towards the landing platform.\n\nMags seemed preoccupied with her mobi.\n\n\u201cStill no word from the Doc.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat the hell, Mags, he\u2019s probably tripping the life fantastic somewhere. Leave him be.\u201d Trin responded as she adjusted the lockbox in her hand. \u201cWe got bigger fish to fry.\u201d\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll say.\u201d A voice emanated up ahead. The group slowed to a stop.\n\nBlind Jack Sticha, leader of the Souther Titans, stepped out from behind one of the crates as he lit a stim. All around, the rest of the Souther Titans emerged from their hiding places and leveled guns at the group.\n\n\u201cHey Jack,\u201d Trin said through gritted teeth. \u201cBeen a while.\u201d\n\n\u201cHey Trin.\u201d Jack smiled that warm grandfatherly smile that cleverly obscured the thieving murderer inside. \u201cWhy don\u2019t you do us a favor and drop the box?\u201d\n\n\u201cWhy don\u2019t you kiss my ass?\u201d\n\nJack laughed one of those belly laughs that echoed off the cavernous walls.\n\nTrin\u2019s other hand started to reach for her gun when something clocked her hard in the back of the head. She dropped into a heap. The lockbox clattered to the floor. Ozzy stepped around her body and aimed his pistol at her head.\n\nMags and Kel stared at him in shock. He stared right back and shook his head. Don\u2019t.\n\nOzzy turned back to Trin and kicked her in the side. The impact slid her across the floor as the breath escaped her body.\n\n\u201cI knew you clipped me on purpose,\u201d he said calmly as he grabbed the lockbox. \u201cYou always were in this game for you, sis. I always had a feeling, but now I know.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou goddamn traitor,\u201d she hissed between gasps of air.\n\nOzzy kicked her in the head then turned to join Blind Jack and the other Titans.\n\n\u201cYou . . . you think you\u2019re just gonna walk away from this?\u201d Trin wheezed.\n\nOzzy stopped. Trin slowly pushed herself to her feet. Her head rolled as she tried to maintain her balance.\n\n\u201cI\u2019ll find you,\u201d she muttered as blood drained out of her head into a pool on the floor. \u201cI\u2019ll find all of you.\u201d\n\n\u201cNo, Sis,\u201d Ozzy said quietly. \u201cNot this time.\u201d\n\nOzzy snapped up his pistol and put five rounds through her chest. Her body jolted with each shot and slammed back into the ground. She didn\u2019t move after that.\n\nTO BE CONTINUED\u2026"},"links_count":2,"comment_count":12,"created_at":"2020-11-18T02:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"5 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-05-07 20:41:50","valid_relations":["images","links"],"prev_id":17874,"next_id":17878}}