{"data":{"id":18968,"title":"Crossroads","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/comm-link\/serialized-fiction\/18968-Crossroads","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-links\/18968","api_public_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/comm-links\/18968","channel":"Undefined","category":"Undefined","series":"News Update","images":[{"id":26463,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/weozjmuuh3hwh\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":843046,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2019-09-19T15:49:32+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/26463\/similar"},{"id":27892,"name":"source.jpg","rsi_url":"https:\/\/media.robertsspaceindustries.com\/w3o9r4zgppm77\/source.jpg","alt":"","size":900916,"mime_type":"image\/jpeg","last_modified":"2021-09-06T14:48:40+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/27892\/similar"},{"id":29468,"name":"Crossroads_Story.png","rsi_url":"https:\/\/robertsspaceindustries.com\/media\/829xfmkfxrnbgr\/source\/Crossroads_Story.png","alt":"","size":3786672,"mime_type":"image\/png","last_modified":"2022-10-26T23:07:19+00:00","api_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/29468","similar_url":"https:\/\/api.star-citizen.wiki\/api\/comm-link-images\/29468\/similar"}],"images_count":8,"translations":{"en_EN":"It was a fast descent to an early grave. In what seemed to be an appropriate location, too: a large scrapyard full of derelict ships and industrial equipment that had likely been picked clean long ago. What was left was too unstable to be safely, or profitably, salvaged.\n\nNow there would be one more ship in this graveyard.\n\nKrenn\u2019s Talon smoldered and sparked as clouds raced by his field of view. All sorts of alarms were yelling at him as if he wasn\u2019t already aware of the danger he was in. The Tevarin pirate tried to wrestle his ship into control but could do nothing to slow his fall.\n\nWith no better solution available to him, and as much as he didn\u2019t want to abandon his cargo, he decided to abandon ship. As he ejected the pod, his console lit up with warnings. The cockpit of the Talon was supposed to separate from the rest of the vessel, but the damage to his ship had impacted the latches. They didn\u2019t detach properly, but the cockpit tried to fire anyway. The force of the ejection ripped the latches out of place and sent his cockpit spinning wildly.\n\nKrenn only caught glimpses of the rest of his ship hurtling deeper into the field of scrap as his cockpit crashed through piles of loose metal. Hitting the ground, he tumbled end over end before finally coming to a stop seated upside down.\n\nThe pirate caught his breath and ripped his helmet off, letting it fall to the ground. His skull stung as air touched the freshly bleeding wound upon his head.\n\nHis cockpit was in tatters, the canopy shattered, and the walls pierced in multiple places by loose scrap. Worst of all, a large piece of shrapnel was embedded in his left thigh, pinning him to his seat.\n\nKrenn slowly gripped the shard of metal and wrenched it free. Immediately, blood began flowing from the wound, spilling down into his cockpit. He tossed the shard of metal aside and tried to detach his seat straps, but they refused to disengage. Frustrated, he reached behind his seat and pulled the bakor from its lodging.\n\nThe bakor was about the size of a hatchet, but instead of a single axe head the weapon had three edges: the standard axe head and then a small fluke jutting out opposite the main blade, as well as a short, sharpened spike extending from the top of the weapon between the two blades. It was uncommon, but the traditional Tevarin weapon was the pirate\u2019s favorite tool.\n\nKrenn cut the seat straps away and fell to the ceiling of his cockpit, wincing as his wounded leg screamed at him. He looked at the injury, still pulsing blood, and then cut his seat straps again, using the material to fashion a makeshift tourniquet which he tied around his leg to staunch the bleeding. Immediate death now held temporarily at bay, he pulled himself out of the shattered remains of his cockpit and into the dumping ground around him. For as many fights as he\u2019d been in before, the pirate was sure he had never looked this bad. He sheathed his bakor in the holster at his waist.\n\nThe sound of a ship\u2019s engines, distant but growing closer, sent Krenn\u2019s adrenaline spiking. He ducked out of sight.\n\nThe bounty hunter was coming.\n\nThe hunter\u2019s approach stirred a strong wind that carried through the junkyard, eliciting a chorus of groaning metal in response as the unstable ships throughout teetered, threatening to topple over. Krenn watched the Avenger pass over him and head towards a plume of smoke that was slowly rising into the sky.\n\nHis crashed ship.\n\nWhere, hopefully, his cargo remained. That cargo was the whole reason he had gotten into this mess. Infiltrating the security post hadn\u2019t been any more difficult than usual, but after that everything had gone to hell. Not only had his exit been even bloodier than planned, but then Jorg Tala, that damn bounty hunter, had come out of nowhere, isolated Krenn from his crew, and sent him crashing down here.\n\nJorg had been systematically hunting down members of the Ashen Haunt for the last few months, but Krenn hadn\u2019t thought he\u2019d become this much of a problem. Based on the fanatical way Jorg was targeting his gang, he had no doubt the hunter was another xenophobe trying to relive Humanity\u2019s glory days triumphing over an alien species.\n\nThe pirate watched as the bounty hunter\u2019s ship descended out of view, landing near the smoke. The hunter would undoubtedly investigate his Talon\u2019s crash site and Krenn was determined to not let that bastard get his hands on what he had worked so hard to steal.\n\nIn a way, Krenn figured he was lucky. Were their roles reversed, Krenn would\u2019ve fired a missile at the wreck as soon as he had it in sight. That lack of decisiveness on the bounty hunter\u2019s part was a distinctly Human quality.\n\nThe pirate took stock of his situation: a pistol more than halfway through its last battery, a single grenade that managed not to blow up when he crashed, his bakor blade, and most importantly, that nasty gash in his leg. The tourniquet was slowing his blood loss, but he needed a more permanent solution. Adrenaline would keep the pain at bay for now, but he wouldn\u2019t stand a chance if he bled out or lost circulation in his leg.\n\nKrenn searched the scrap around him, then limped his way down the small dirty alleys that weaved between the forgotten ships until he found what he was looking for. A large freighter sat up ahead. It looked to be a more recent addition to the wreckages here, relatively speaking. The ship\u2019s hull had already been ripped away, exposing a large set of pipes from its inner workings to the open air. Pipes that were slowly leaking green fluid.\n\nKrenn entered the ship through the hole in the hull, followed the pipes to their natural point, and \u2013 jackpot \u2013 found a large coolant tank. He smirked, knowing exactly how proud Ragwheel would be when he heard this story. It was proof that Krenn actually listened to the old mechanic, even when he pretended not to.\n\nKrenn took a deep breath and drew the bakor. He was about to make a lot of noise, but he needed to get this done. If Jorg heard him, then so be it. Krenn stabbed the bakor\u2019s center spike into the tank. The metal shrieked in protest at the impact, but sadly remained intact. Krenn adjusted his grip and struck with greater strength. He was rewarded with a stream of green fluid pouring from the fresh hole. With no time to lose, Krenn steeled himself and pushed his leg forward into the path of the liquid.\n\nIt took every shred of willpower he had to force himself to remain where he stood, gritting through the pain until the caustic chemicals burned his wound, cauterizing it. Then he had to turn his leg and burn the other side, where the scrap had pierced through.\n\nWhen the wound was sealed, Krenn yanked his leg from the chemical and buckled on the spot. The sickening metallic scent of his blood melded with the acrid sting of the coolant, making his head swim. Looking down at the ruined flesh of his leg, he wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d ever walk the same, but at least he had stopped the bleeding.\n\nLimping heavily, Krenn exited the freighter the same way he came and found the smoke trail of his ship, which he used as a guiding star as he continued deeper into the scrapyard. The collection of shattered ships grew messier the deeper he ventured. More and more the paths dead-ended into mounds of rusty metal. Unwilling to risk the noise he\u2019d make clambering over the scrap, he blindly continued through whatever paths he could find, taking a circuitous route towards his ship. He kept his steps as light as he could with his injury, but despite his efforts, it proved impossible to be totally silent.\n\nThe proof? A bullet ripped through his shoulder.\n\nThe sudden impact dropped him behind a heavy sheet of metal. A burst of additional gunfire followed and impacted centimeters in front of his face against his impromptu cover. Clearly, Jorg had found him. The fact he had found him so quickly did at least give the pirate hope about one thing \u2013 maybe his cargo was still safe.\n\n\u201cKrenn,\u201d the bounty hunter called out. He sounded far away. \u201cTime to give it up. It\u2019s over.\u201d\n\nKrenn pushed himself against the metal plate and put his hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, the bullet had pierced through completely and seemed to have avoided causing any major damage. As the chant says, do not let misfortune distract from your blessings.\n\nHe peeked out from behind his cover and caught a glimpse of Jorg, wearing a green set of heavy armor. He was perched atop the remains of a Carrack, using the vantage point to great effect. Even from this distance, Krenn could spot a laser pistol on the bounty hunter\u2019s hip along with what he thought might be a knife, as well as the assault rifle to blame for his latest injury.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d Krenn shouted, trying not to sound too winded. He glanced around for a good escape route. \u201cYou should know by now that I\u2019m not really the \u2018come quiet\u2019 type.\u201d\n\nKrenn took off, careful to stay low and keep as much cover as he could between himself and the hunter. Maintaining a crouched stance proved even more difficult thanks to his mounting injuries.\n\n\u201cIf you give up, I can get you medical attention,\u201d Jorg replied from his perch. \u201cI\u2019d rather you not die if I can avoid it.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t seem like you\u2019re trying very hard!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe bounty for capturing you alive is higher than turning you in dead,\u201d Jorg said. \u201cBut not by much. The Haunt doesn\u2019t have many friends.\u201d\n\nKrenn ignored him, continuing to move until he found himself at an impasse. There were two routes available to him. One was over a hill of scrap but attempting to climb it in his current state was sure to draw Jorg\u2019s attention. The other was through a clearing and would leave him an easy target.\n\nKrenn carefully pulled a loose length of pipe from the scrap pile and peeked at Jorg. The hunter was looking down the sights of his rifle, searching for any sign of movement. As soon as Jorg\u2019s head was turned away, Krenn tossed the pipe as far as he could.\n\nThe sound of metal hitting metal drew Jorg\u2019s attention and Krenn used the momentary distraction to step out of hiding, draw his laser pistol, and unload the last of his battery at the Carrack Jorg was standing on.\n\nThe shots found their target and with no small amount of luck, the Carrack collapsed, the tower of a ship falling in on itself, consuming Jorg within it.\n\nHis battery empty, Krenn tossed his blaster aside and ran across the open space as fast as his injured leg allowed.\n\nIt wasn\u2019t fast enough.\n\nA cacophony of metal from behind him drew his gaze and Krenn turned to see Jorg pushing out of the remains of the fallen ship. He seemed to have lost his rifle in the fall but was otherwise unharmed, his armor only scuffed and scratched from the fall. Krenn cursed. He\u2019d stand no chance against Jorg until that damn armor was dealt with.\n\nJorg drew his pistol and shot at Krenn, but the injured pirate managed to just make it to the other end of the clearing, breaking Jorg\u2019s line of sight.\n\nKrenn was sure that he\u2019d never outpace the hunter in a straight chase, so he quickly dislodged the debris he ran past, creating an avalanche of trash behind him. Soon a jagged obstacle course of metal shards lay between them.\n\n\u201cYou really think you can get away,\u201d Jorg called out, more annoyed than anything. He charged ahead, vaulting over and under the debris. \u201cYou\u2019re going down just like the rest of your pitiful gang,\u201d Jorg taunted.\n\nSpotting an opportunity ahead, Krenn slowed just enough to make sure Jorg saw him, \u201cYou think you\u2019re so much better than us? Must be so easy for you, only seeing the \u2018verse in black and white.\u201d\n\nJorg raised his pistol to fire, but Krenn ducked around a corner again, just barely escaping him.\n\nJorg followed, gaining speed, and rounded the-\n\nBOOM!\n\nThe old \u201cgrenade around the corner\u201d trick. It wasn\u2019t the first time Krenn had used the tactic and he hoped this wouldn\u2019t be the last time either. As the chant goes, hunger can make even the most dangerous predator blind.\n\nUnwilling to give Jorg even a moment to recover, Krenn drew his bakor and rushed into the dirt cloud kicked up by the grenade\u2019s detonation. As the dust began to dissipate, Krenn saw the hunter already regaining his footing. The blast had done its job though. Jorg\u2019s armor was now charred and heavily damaged.\n\nThe pirate swung his bakor at the hunter\u2019s pistol first, knocking the weapon aside and followed by raking the axe towards Jorg\u2019s head. Krenn\u2019s aim was true, but the deadly blade didn\u2019t quite penetrate Jorg\u2019s helmet, though the force of the swing sent the hunter stumbling back.\n\nKrenn immediately went for Jorg\u2019s fallen pistol, turned it towards the hunter, but froze before he could finish squeezing the trigger. Where his axe had struck Jorg\u2019s helmet, the visor had cracked, revealing the face beneath.\n\nA Tevarin face.\n\n\u201cNot what you expected to see?\u201d Jorg laughed, still held at gunpoint.\n\n\u201cYou\u2026 why?\u201d Krenn asked. \u201cYou could be hunting anybody else but you\u2019re going after us? After your own kind?!\u201d Krenn felt his blood boiling, anger surging within him like a tidal wave. \u201cWorking for the bastards who took everything from us?!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Humans need to see that we\u2019re worthy of respect.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd this is how? By having us hunt each other down?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou and your gang are holding our entire people back,\u201d Jorg replied, with deadly conviction.\n\nKrenn didn\u2019t know what to say. How could a Tevarin believe this? After their people had endured so much, suffered so much, and here-\n\nA flash of movement snapped Krenn back to the present. A thrown knife cut through the air, aimed at his throat. Krenn barely dodged it, the knife drawing blood as it grazed him. Then Jorg charged him.\n\nKrenn stumbled back fighting to bring the pistol to bear, but Jorg slammed Krenn\u2019s wrist against the hull, breaking the pirate\u2019s grip on the pistol.\n\nThe weapon fell at their feet, but Krenn kicked the pistol with the heel of his foot before Jorg could reach for it, hearing it clang as it disappeared under a large pile of scrap.\n\nWith the inch of space he had gained, Krenn swung his axe down, but the hunter leapt away to avoid being cut by the blade. Krenn pressed forward, swinging the axe again and again.\n\nSeconds stretched on and Krenn\u2019s stamina began to give out as the fight continued. Any strength advantage Krenn might have had was quickly being sapped by his blood loss, and as much as the pirate hated to admit it, Jorg was clearly better trained. If Krenn was going to defeat the hunter, he needed to end things soon.\n\nKrenn let loose a guttural roar and raised his bakor high, ready to smash down into the hunter. Jorg reached for the axe and Krenn grinned. The feint worked. He redirected the spike of the bakor into Jorg\u2019s leg, stabbing it through a gap in the armor left by the grenade explosion.\n\nJorg fell where he stood, crumpling over the injured leg.\n\nThe pirate had the hunter at his mercy\u2026 and yet did nothing. For as much as Krenn hated Jorg for hunting down his pack, he was still Tevarin.\n\nJorg tried to push himself up, but his leg couldn\u2019t hold his weight and he fell right back down.\n\nBakor pointed at Jorg, Krenn spoke. \u201cI\u2019ll give you a chance. But just one,\u201d he began. \u201cDon\u2019t ever come after me again.\u201d\n\nKrenn turned away. He heard Jorg struggle after him and then collapse again, unable to pursue him.\n\nKrenn tried to come to terms with his new understanding of Jorg when he finally reached the end of the smoke he had been following all this time.\n\nThere, he found what he was looking for: his Talon and, just beyond it, Jorg\u2019s Avenger.\n\nKrenn\u2019s own ship was wrecked, already at home in the landfill of scrap metal, but at least it seemed his smuggling compartment hadn\u2019t been compromised.\n\nHe used his bakor as a prybar, stabbed it into a gap between his ship\u2019s engine plating, and began to push. It didn\u2019t give immediately, but with enough force, the leverage did its trick. Krenn pried the plating away, revealing his ship\u2019s engines. Sitting amidst all the inner workings was a hidden compartment. Inside there was a small, reinforced chest, only a little larger than his hand.\n\nKrenn breathed a sigh of relief and carefully removed the chest from its position.\n\nA pipe struck the back of his head and sent him, the cargo, and the bakor sprawling to the ground.\n\n\u201cI was wondering where you were trying to go,\u201d Jorg said, \u201cI thought you wanted my ship, but\u2026\u201d\n\nVision blurry, Krenn watched as Jorg bent down and picked up the small chest.\n\n\u201cThis is what you got from the security outpost?\u201d Jorg asked. \u201cThe reason so many people there had to die?\u201d\n\nKrenn groaned, vision still swimming. \u201cThey were in the way,\u201d he said, voice uneven.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d asked Jorg. He tossed his pipe aside and retrieved Krenn\u2019s fallen bakor. \u201cDo you know what happens with every crime you pull?\u201d Jorg waited for an answer. When none came, he continued. \u201cYou validate all the terrible ways they treat us. Reinforce their belief that we\u2019re just problems that need solving.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd you blame us for that?\u201d Krenn asked, incredulous, trying to speak through the pain. \u201cThey leave no room for us in their world. We have nothing to lose by fighting back.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have our future,\u201d said Jorg. \u201cOur lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou call this a life?\u201d Krenn asked. Frustration, anger, and sadness all raged within him. \u201cAll their systems \u2013 all their laws \u2013 they\u2019re designed to keep us weak. And you know what happens if we do show the Humans any signs of strength? They call us criminals. Convince the universe we\u2019re somehow a threat to be hunted when all we want to do is survive. Well fine. I welcome it. If they want me to be a criminal, I\u2019ll be the best one I can be. I\u2019ll show them exactly what our people are capable of.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s in here?\u201d Jorg held the box up in between them. \u201cWhat\u2019s worth all that misery?\u201d\n\n\u201cSee for yourself. The code is 2610.\u201d\n\nKrenn watched Jorg\u2019s expression carefully as the hunter entered the code and unlocked the box. If he recognized the number, he gave no sign of it. Jorg opened the lid and, immediately, his brows furrowed, clearly confused.\n\nHe reached inside the box. \u201cWhat is this?\u201d Jorg asked, holding up the data stick that had been kept secured in the small, shielded chest.\n\n\u201cLives,\u201d said Krenn.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand\u2026\u201d Jorg said.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re fresh starts. Clean identifications used to smuggle Tevarin off-world,\u201d Krenn clarified. \u201cFrom places they wouldn\u2019t be allowed to travel for whatever bullshit reasons the local governments used to mark them as criminals.\u201d\n\nAs the silence settled between them, Krenn saw a crack in Jorg\u2019s expression. He pressed his advantage. \u201cAll this time, you\u2019ve been hunting me and the others in the Haunt, but we haven\u2019t been stealing for ourselves. We\u2019ve been stealing for this.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere do you take them?\u201d Jorg finally asked.\n\n\u201cTo Branaugh,\u201d Krenn said.\n\nThe pirate saw the realization on the hunter\u2019s face. \u201cOutside the Empire.\u201d\n\nKrenn just smiled. \u201cThe Empire knows what we\u2019re doing. I may hate them, but they aren\u2019t stupid. Why do you think our bounties are so high? They can\u2019t stand to see Tevarin help each other.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere are other ways,\u201d Jorg replied, voice more unsteady than it had been. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to murder to save others.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe do the only thing we can. If some Humans have to die to save my people, then so be it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not-\u201c Jorg started. \u201cThose aren\u2019t soldiers on the stations you attack. They\u2019re innocent people. You\u2019re not fighting a war.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course I am.\u201d\n\nThe thunder of ship engines pierced the atmosphere as Krenn\u2019s crew exited quantum over the scrapyard. They had finally tracked him down.\n\nJorg\u2019s surprise at their entry gave Krenn just the opportunity he needed. He charged at Jorg and threw all his weight into the hunter, taking advantage of every pound he had over the smaller Tevarin.\n\nHe pushed and pushed until\u2026 Jorg took a sharp breath.\n\nKrenn stopped and saw that Jorg\u2019s chest was shaking. His breathing pained. A metal rod was sticking out through his chest, slick with blood.\n\nKrenn stepped back from the bounty hunter. His hoarse breaths rose and fell. Still clutching the bakor, he looked down at the wound, the shock clearly holding the pain at bay for the time being.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d he managed in a ragged whisper. \u201cDefinitely not worth the extra credits.\u201d\n\nKrenn watched him for a few moments. The hatred that had driven him to this point was surprisingly softened.\n\n\u201cThe Humans,\u201d Krenn started. \u201cWhy do you care about them so much?\u201d\n\nFor a moment, Krenn wasn\u2019t sure Jorg would answer. Then, the hunter closed his eyes, grimacing in pain. \u201cThey\u2019re not all the same\u2026\u201d\n\nKrenn searched Jorg\u2019s expression for something that wasn\u2019t there. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I asked. Why do you care?\u201d\n\nThe pause was longer this time. Jorg\u2019s breathing slower. \u201cWhen I was young\u2026 I was alone,\u201d he said. \u201cA Human took me in. Showed me another way. They could be allies. If you didn\u2019t treat them all like enemies\u2026\u201d\n\nJorg\u2019s words spun in Krenn\u2019s mind. The sheer conviction with which Jorg spoke troubled him.\n\n\u201c\u2026You had your imprint scanned recently?\u201d he asked.\n\nJorg nodded. It was a slight movement. To Krenn, it seemed all he could manage.\n\n\u201cThen\u2026\u201d Krenn said. \u201cMaybe you can tell me about it when we meet again.\u201d\n\nThe words took time to land, but when they did Krenn registered the surprise on Jorg\u2019s face. \u201cFine. Next time\u2026\u201d Jorg said, weak, his eyes closing.\n\nKrenn nodded and stayed there, watching as Jorg Tala died.\n\nKrenn retrieved his bakor and gave the hunter one last look. He knew Jorg would be back. One of the benefits of the lawful life was an easier time regenerating. Well, easier in that you wouldn\u2019t be arrested right when you woke up. The headaches were the same no matter what. Krenn caught himself hoping Jorg\u2019s regeneration was painless and stopped midthought, surprised by his own sentimentality.\n\nIn the distance he saw his crew flying low over the scrapyard. Likely looking for any sign of him or his ship. He wasn\u2019t looking forward to all the flack he\u2019d catch for his current state but\u2026 He looked at Jorg\u2019s Avenger.\n\nHe could at least avoid the worst of the grief by returning with a new ship.\n\nJorg would be angry when he\u2019d learn it was gone, but Krenn told himself that even though the hunter wasn\u2019t a convert yet, it was never too soon to make a small donation to the cause.","de_DE":"Es war ein schneller Abstieg in ein fr\u00fches Grab. Und das an einem scheinbar passenden Ort: einem gro\u00dfen Schrottplatz voller ausgedienter Schiffe und Industrieanlagen, die wahrscheinlich schon vor langer Zeit ausgemustert worden waren. Was noch \u00fcbrig war, war zu instabil, um sicher oder profitabel geborgen werden zu k\u00f6nnen.\n\nJetzt w\u00fcrde es ein weiteres Schiff auf diesem Friedhof geben.\n\nKrenns Talon gl\u00fchte und funkelte, w\u00e4hrend Wolken an seinem Blickfeld vorbeizogen. Alle m\u00f6glichen Alarme schrien ihn an, als ob er sich der Gefahr, in der er schwebte, nicht schon bewusst w\u00e4re. Der Tevarin-Pirat versuchte, sein Schiff unter Kontrolle zu bringen, konnte aber nichts tun, um seinen Sturz zu verlangsamen.\n\nDa ihm keine bessere L\u00f6sung zur Verf\u00fcgung stand und er seine Fracht nicht aufgeben wollte, beschloss er, das Schiff zu verlassen. Als er die Kapsel abwarf, leuchtete seine Konsole mit Warnungen auf. Das Cockpit der Talon sollte sich eigentlich vom Rest des Schiffes trennen, aber der Schaden an seinem Schiff hatte die Verriegelungen beeintr\u00e4chtigt. Sie l\u00f6sten sich nicht richtig, aber das Cockpit versuchte trotzdem zu feuern. Die Wucht des Aussto\u00dfes riss die Verriegelungen aus ihrer Position und lie\u00df sein Cockpit wild herumwirbeln.\n\nKrenn konnte nur noch erahnen, wie der Rest seines Schiffes immer tiefer in das Schrottfeld st\u00fcrzte, w\u00e4hrend sein Cockpit durch Haufen von losem Metall krachte. Als er auf dem Boden aufschlug, \u00fcberschlug er sich und kam schlie\u00dflich kopf\u00fcber sitzend zum Stehen.\n\nDer Pirat schnappte nach Luft, riss seinen Helm ab und lie\u00df ihn auf den Boden fallen. Sein Sch\u00e4del brannte, als die Luft die frisch blutende Wunde an seinem Kopf ber\u00fchrte.\n\nSein Cockpit lag in Tr\u00fcmmern, die Kabinenhaube war zerbrochen und die W\u00e4nde waren an mehreren Stellen von losem Schrott durchl\u00f6chert. Das Schlimmste aber war, dass ein gro\u00dfes St\u00fcck Schrapnell in seinem linken Oberschenkel steckte und ihn an seinen Sitz fesselte.\n\nKrenn griff langsam nach dem Metallsplitter und riss ihn heraus. Sofort begann das Blut aus der Wunde zu flie\u00dfen und ergoss sich in sein Cockpit. Er warf den Metallsplitter beiseite und versuchte, seine Sitzgurte zu l\u00f6sen, aber sie lie\u00dfen sich nicht l\u00f6sen. Frustriert griff er hinter seinen Sitz und zog den Bakor aus seiner Verankerung.\n\nDas Bakor hatte in etwa die Gr\u00f6\u00dfe eines Beils, aber anstelle eines einzelnen Axtkopfes hatte die Waffe drei Schneiden: den normalen Axtkopf und eine kleine Schneide, die gegen\u00fcber der Hauptklinge herausragte, sowie einen kurzen, gesch\u00e4rften Dorn, der zwischen den beiden Klingen aus der Spitze der Waffe ragte. Es war ungew\u00f6hnlich, aber die traditionelle Tevarin-Waffe war das Lieblingswerkzeug der Piraten.\n\nKrenn schnitt die Sitzgurte ab und lie\u00df sich an die Decke seines Cockpits fallen, wobei er zusammenzuckte, als sein verletztes Bein aufschrie. Er betrachtete die Verletzung, aus der immer noch Blut pulsierte, und schnitt dann erneut die Sitzgurte durch und benutzte das Material, um eine behelfsm\u00e4\u00dfige Aderpresse herzustellen, die er um sein Bein band, um die Blutung zu stillen. Nachdem er den Tod vor\u00fcbergehend in Schach gehalten hatte, zog er sich aus den zerschmetterten \u00dcberresten seines Cockpits auf die M\u00fcllhalde um ihn herum. So viele K\u00e4mpfe er auch schon hinter sich hatte, der Pirat war sich sicher, dass er noch nie so schlecht ausgesehen hatte. Er steckte sein Bakor in das Holster an seiner Taille.\n\nDas Ger\u00e4usch der Schiffsmotoren, das in der Ferne zu h\u00f6ren war, aber immer n\u00e4her kam, lie\u00df Krenns Adrenalinspiegel in die H\u00f6he schnellen. Er duckte sich au\u00dfer Sichtweite.\n\nDer Kopfgeldj\u00e4ger war im Anmarsch.\n\nDie Ann\u00e4herung des J\u00e4gers lie\u00df einen starken Wind aufkommen, der durch den Schrottplatz wehte und einen Chor von \u00e4chzendem Metall hervorrief, w\u00e4hrend die instabilen Schiffe \u00fcberall schwankten und umzukippen drohten. Krenn sah, wie der Avenger an ihm vorbeifuhr und auf eine Rauchfahne zusteuerte, die langsam in den Himmel stieg.\n\nSein abgest\u00fcrztes Schiff.\n\nWo hoffentlich seine Fracht verblieben war. Diese Fracht war der einzige Grund, warum er in diesen Schlamassel geraten war. Das Eindringen in den Sicherheitsposten war nicht schwieriger gewesen als sonst, aber danach war alles zum Teufel gegangen. Nicht nur, dass sein Abgang noch blutiger war als geplant, sondern dann war auch noch Jorg Tala, dieser verdammte Kopfgeldj\u00e4ger, aus dem Nichts aufgetaucht, hatte Krenn von seiner Crew isoliert und ihn hier runtergeschickt.\n\nJorg hatte in den letzten Monaten systematisch Jagd auf Mitglieder der Ashen Haunt gemacht, aber Krenn hatte nicht gedacht, dass er zu einem so gro\u00dfen Problem werden w\u00fcrde. Angesichts der fanatischen Art und Weise, mit der Jorg seine Bande ins Visier nahm, hatte er keinen Zweifel daran, dass es sich bei dem J\u00e4ger um einen weiteren Fremdenfeind handelte, der die glorreichen Tage der Menschheit beim Sieg \u00fcber eine fremde Spezies wieder aufleben lassen wollte.\n\nDer Pirat beobachtete, wie das Schiff des Kopfgeldj\u00e4gers aus dem Blickfeld verschwand und in der N\u00e4he des Rauchs landete. Der J\u00e4ger w\u00fcrde zweifellos die Absturzstelle seines Talons untersuchen und Krenn war entschlossen, diesen Bastard nicht in die H\u00e4nde bekommen zu lassen, wof\u00fcr er so hart gearbeitet hatte.\n\nIn gewisser Weise konnte Krenn von Gl\u00fcck reden. H\u00e4tten sie die Rollen getauscht, h\u00e4tte Krenn eine Rakete auf das Wrack abgefeuert, sobald er es in Sichtweite hatte. Dieser Mangel an Entschlossenheit des Kopfgeldj\u00e4gers war eine ausgesprochen menschliche Eigenschaft.\n\nDer Pirat machte sich ein Bild von seiner Lage: eine Pistole, deren letzte Batterie mehr als zur H\u00e4lfte verbraucht war, eine einzelne Granate, die beim Absturz nicht explodiert war, seine Bakor-Klinge und vor allem die b\u00f6se Wunde in seinem Bein. Der Druckverband verlangsamte seinen Blutverlust, aber er brauchte eine dauerhafte L\u00f6sung. Adrenalin w\u00fcrde den Schmerz vorerst in Schach halten, aber er h\u00e4tte keine Chance, wenn er verblutet oder die Durchblutung in seinem Bein ausf\u00e4llt.\n\nKrenn suchte den Schrott um sich herum ab und humpelte dann die kleinen schmutzigen Gassen hinunter, die sich zwischen den vergessenen Schiffen schl\u00e4ngelten, bis er fand, was er suchte. Vor ihm lag ein gro\u00dfer Frachter. Es sah aus, als w\u00e4re es ein neueres Wrack hier, relativ gesehen. Der Rumpf des Schiffes war bereits weggerissen worden, so dass eine gro\u00dfe Anzahl von Rohren aus dem Inneren des Schiffes ins Freie f\u00fchrte. Rohre, aus denen langsam gr\u00fcne Fl\u00fcssigkeit austrat.\n\nKrenn betrat das Schiff durch das Loch im Rumpf, folgte den Rohren bis zu ihrem nat\u00fcrlichen Punkt und - Jackpot - fand einen gro\u00dfen K\u00fchlmitteltank. Er schmunzelte und wusste genau, wie stolz Ragwheel sein w\u00fcrde, wenn er diese Geschichte h\u00f6rte. Es war der Beweis daf\u00fcr, dass Krenn tats\u00e4chlich auf den alten Mechaniker h\u00f6rte, auch wenn er so tat, als w\u00fcrde er es nicht tun.\n\nKrenn holte tief Luft und zog das Bakor. Er war im Begriff, eine Menge L\u00e4rm zu machen, aber er musste das erledigen. Wenn Jorg ihn h\u00f6rte, dann war es eben so. Krenn stie\u00df den mittleren Stachel des Bakors in den Panzer. Das Metall kreischte beim Aufprall auf, blieb aber leider unversehrt. Krenn passte seinen Griff an und schlug mit gr\u00f6\u00dferer Kraft zu. Er wurde mit einem Strom gr\u00fcner Fl\u00fcssigkeit belohnt, die aus dem frischen Loch floss. Da er keine Zeit zu verlieren hatte, st\u00e4hlte sich Krenn und stie\u00df sein Bein in den Weg der Fl\u00fcssigkeit vor.\n\nEs kostete ihn jedes F\u00fcnkchen Willenskraft, sich zu zwingen, stehen zu bleiben und den Schmerz zu ertragen, bis die \u00e4tzenden Chemikalien seine Wunde verbrannten und aus\u00e4tzten. Dann musste er sein Bein umdrehen und die andere Seite verbrennen, wo der Schrott durchgedrungen war.\n\nAls die Wunde verschlossen war, riss Krenn sein Bein aus der Chemikalie und knickte auf der Stelle ein. Der ekelerregende metallische Geruch seines Blutes vermischte sich mit dem bei\u00dfenden Geruch der K\u00fchlfl\u00fcssigkeit und lie\u00df seinen Kopf schwimmen. Als er auf das zerst\u00f6rte Fleisch seines Beins hinunterblickte, war er sich nicht sicher, ob er jemals wieder so laufen w\u00fcrde, aber zumindest hatte er die Blutung gestoppt.\n\nSchwer humpelnd verlie\u00df Krenn den Frachter auf demselben Weg, auf dem er gekommen war, und fand die Rauchfahne seines Schiffes, die ihm als Leitstern diente, als er tiefer in den Schrottplatz vordrang. Die Ansammlung zerschossener Schiffe wurde immer un\u00fcbersichtlicher, je tiefer er vordrang. Mehr und mehr endeten die Wege in Haufen von rostigem Metall. Da er den L\u00e4rm nicht riskieren wollte, den er verursachen w\u00fcrde, wenn er \u00fcber den Schrott kletterte, ging er blindlings weiter durch alle Wege, die er finden konnte, und nahm einen Umweg zu seinem Schiff. Er ging so leise, wie es ihm mit seiner Verletzung m\u00f6glich war, aber trotz seiner Bem\u00fchungen war es unm\u00f6glich, v\u00f6llig lautlos zu sein.\n\nDer Beweis? Eine Kugel hatte sich in seine Schulter gebohrt.\n\nDer pl\u00f6tzliche Einschlag lie\u00df ihn hinter ein schweres Blech fallen. Es folgte ein weiterer Schuss, der nur wenige Zentimeter vor seinem Gesicht in seiner improvisierten Deckung einschlug. Offensichtlich hatte Jorg ihn gefunden. Die Tatsache, dass er ihn so schnell gefunden hatte, lie\u00df den Piraten zumindest auf eines hoffen - vielleicht war seine Fracht noch in Sicherheit.\n\n\"Krenn\", rief der Kopfgeldj\u00e4ger. Er klang weit weg. \"Zeit, aufzugeben. Es ist vorbei.\"\n\nKrenn dr\u00fcckte sich gegen die Metallplatte und legte seine Hand auf seine Schulter. Zum Gl\u00fcck war die Kugel vollst\u00e4ndig durchgedrungen und schien keinen gr\u00f6\u00dferen Schaden angerichtet zu haben. Wie der Spruch sagt: Lass dich nicht vom Ungl\u00fcck von deinem Segen ablenken.\n\nEr lugte hinter seiner Deckung hervor und erhaschte einen Blick auf Jorg, der eine gr\u00fcne, schwere R\u00fcstung trug. Er hockte auf den \u00dcberresten einer Karacke und nutzte den Aussichtspunkt mit gro\u00dfem Erfolg. Selbst aus dieser Entfernung konnte Krenn eine Laserpistole an der H\u00fcfte des Kopfgeldj\u00e4gers erkennen, zusammen mit dem, was er f\u00fcr ein Messer hielt, sowie dem Sturmgewehr, das f\u00fcr seine j\u00fcngste Verletzung verantwortlich war.\n\n\"Kommen Sie\", rief Krenn und versuchte, nicht zu ersch\u00f6pft zu klingen. Er schaute sich nach einem guten Fluchtweg um. \"Sie sollten inzwischen wissen, dass ich nicht gerade der Typ bin, der leise ist.\n\nKrenn rannte los, wobei er darauf achtete, so tief wie m\u00f6glich in Deckung zu gehen und so viel wie m\u00f6glich zwischen sich und dem J\u00e4ger zu halten. Die geduckte Haltung aufrechtzuerhalten, erwies sich aufgrund seiner zunehmenden Verletzungen als noch schwieriger.\n\n\"Wenn Sie aufgeben, kann ich Sie medizinisch versorgen lassen\", antwortete Jorg von seinem Sitzplatz aus. \"Mir w\u00e4re es lieber, Sie w\u00fcrden nicht sterben, wenn ich es vermeiden kann.\"\n\n\"Sieht nicht so aus, als ob Sie sich besonders anstrengen w\u00fcrden!\"\n\n\"Das Kopfgeld, das auf Sie ausgesetzt ist, wenn Sie lebend gefangen genommen werden, ist h\u00f6her als wenn Sie tot eingeliefert werden\", sagte Jorg. \"Aber nicht viel. Das Haunt hat nicht viele Freunde.\"\n\nKrenn ignorierte ihn und bewegte sich weiter, bis er in eine Sackgasse geriet. Es gab zwei Wege, die ihm zur Verf\u00fcgung standen. Der eine f\u00fchrte \u00fcber einen Schrotth\u00fcgel, aber der Versuch, ihn in seinem jetzigen Zustand zu erklimmen, h\u00e4tte mit Sicherheit Jorgs Aufmerksamkeit erregt. Der andere f\u00fchrte \u00fcber eine Lichtung und w\u00fcrde ihn zu einem leichten Ziel machen.\n\nKrenn zog vorsichtig ein loses Rohrst\u00fcck aus dem Schrotthaufen und sp\u00e4hte zu Jorg hin\u00fcber. Der J\u00e4ger blickte in das Visier seines Gewehrs und suchte nach einem Anzeichen von Bewegung. Sobald Jorgs Kopf abgewandt war, warf Krenn das Rohr so weit wie m\u00f6glich.\n\nDas Ger\u00e4usch von aufschlagendem Metall lenkte Jorgs Aufmerksamkeit auf sich und Krenn nutzte die momentane Ablenkung, um aus seinem Versteck zu kommen, seine Laserpistole zu ziehen und den letzten Rest seiner Batterie auf das Carrack, auf dem Jorg stand, zu entladen.\n\nDie Sch\u00fcsse fanden ihr Ziel und mit nicht wenig Gl\u00fcck st\u00fcrzte die Karacke in sich zusammen, der Turm des Schiffes fiel in sich zusammen und verschlang Jorg in sich selbst.\n\nMit leerer Batterie warf Krenn seinen Blaster beiseite und rannte so schnell es sein verletztes Bein zulie\u00df \u00fcber den offenen Raum.\n\nDas war nicht schnell genug.\n\nEin kakophonisches Ger\u00e4usch von Metall hinter ihm zog seinen Blick auf sich und Krenn drehte sich um, um Jorg zu sehen, der sich aus den \u00dcberresten des abgest\u00fcrzten Schiffes herausschob. Er schien bei dem Sturz sein Gewehr verloren zu haben, war aber ansonsten unverletzt, seine R\u00fcstung war nur aufgesch\u00fcrft und zerkratzt von dem Sturz. Krenn fluchte. Er w\u00fcrde keine Chance gegen Jorg haben, solange diese verdammte R\u00fcstung nicht beseitigt war.\n\nJorg zog seine Pistole und schoss auf Krenn, aber der verletzte Pirat schaffte es gerade noch bis zum anderen Ende der Lichtung und durchbrach damit Jorgs Sichtlinie.\n\nKrenn war sich sicher, dass er den J\u00e4ger bei einer direkten Verfolgungsjagd niemals \u00fcberholen w\u00fcrde, also r\u00e4umte er schnell die Tr\u00fcmmer beiseite, an denen er vorbeirannte, und l\u00f6ste damit eine M\u00fclllawine hinter sich aus. Bald lag ein zerkl\u00fcfteter Hindernisparcours aus Metallsplittern zwischen ihnen.\n\n\"Du glaubst wirklich, dass du entkommen kannst\", rief Jorg, mehr ver\u00e4rgert als alles andere. Er st\u00fcrmte voran, sprang \u00fcber und unter den Tr\u00fcmmern hindurch. \"Du wirst genauso untergehen wie der Rest deiner erb\u00e4rmlichen Bande\", spottete Jorg.\n\nKrenn witterte eine Gelegenheit und verlangsamte sein Tempo, um sicherzugehen, dass Jorg ihn sah: \"Ihr glaubt, ihr seid so viel besser als wir? Es muss so einfach f\u00fcr Sie sein, wenn Sie das Universum nur in Schwarz und Wei\u00df sehen.\"\n\nJorg hob seine Pistole, um zu feuern, aber Krenn duckte sich wieder um eine Ecke und entkam ihm nur knapp.\n\nJorg folgte ihm, gewann an Tempo und umrundete die...\n\nBUMM!\n\nDer alte \"Granate um die Ecke\"-Trick. Es war nicht das erste Mal, dass Krenn diese Taktik anwandte und er hoffte, dass es auch nicht das letzte Mal sein w\u00fcrde. Wie das Sprichwort sagt, kann der Hunger selbst das gef\u00e4hrlichste Raubtier blind machen.\n\nNicht gewillt, Jorg auch nur einen Moment Zeit zu geben, sich zu erholen, zog Krenn seinen Bakor und st\u00fcrzte sich in die Staubwolke, die durch die Detonation der Granate aufgewirbelt wurde. Als sich der Staub zu verziehen begann, sah Krenn, dass der J\u00e4ger bereits wieder auf die Beine kam. Die Explosion hatte jedoch ihren Zweck erf\u00fcllt. Jorgs R\u00fcstung war nun verkohlt und schwer besch\u00e4digt.\n\nDer Pirat schwang seine Bakor zuerst nach der Pistole des J\u00e4gers, schlug die Waffe beiseite und schlug dann mit der Axt nach Jorgs Kopf. Krenn zielte richtig, aber die t\u00f6dliche Klinge durchdrang Jorgs Helm nicht ganz, obwohl die Wucht des Schwungs den J\u00e4ger zur\u00fcckstolpern lie\u00df.\n\nKrenn griff sofort nach Jorgs fallender Pistole, richtete sie auf den J\u00e4ger, erstarrte aber, bevor er den Abzug bet\u00e4tigen konnte. An der Stelle, an der seine Axt Jorgs Helm getroffen hatte, war das Visier gesprungen und hatte das Gesicht darunter freigelegt.\n\nEin Tevarin-Gesicht.\n\n\"Nicht das, was Sie zu sehen erwartet haben?\" Jorg lachte, immer noch mit der Waffe in der Hand.\n\n\"Sie... warum?\" fragte Krenn. \"Sie k\u00f6nnten jeden anderen jagen, aber Sie sind hinter uns her? Hinter Ihrer eigenen Art?!\" Krenn sp\u00fcrte, wie sein Blut kochte und die Wut wie eine Flutwelle in ihm aufstieg. \"Sie arbeiten f\u00fcr die Bastarde, die uns alles genommen haben?!\"\n\n\"Die Menschen m\u00fcssen sehen, dass wir es wert sind, respektiert zu werden.\"\n\n\"Und wie soll das gehen? Indem wir uns gegenseitig zur Strecke bringen?\"\n\n\"Sie und Ihre Bande halten unser ganzes Volk zur\u00fcck\", antwortete Jorg mit t\u00f6dlicher \u00dcberzeugung.\n\nKrenn wusste nicht, was er sagen sollte. Wie konnte ein Tevarin so etwas glauben? Nachdem ihr Volk so viel ertragen, so viel gelitten hatte, und hier...\n\nEine blitzartige Bewegung riss Krenn in die Gegenwart zur\u00fcck. Ein geworfenes Messer schnitt durch die Luft und zielte auf seine Kehle. Krenn konnte gerade noch ausweichen, das Messer zog Blut, als es ihn streifte. Dann griff Jorg ihn an.\n\nKrenn stolperte zur\u00fcck und versuchte, die Pistole in Anschlag zu bringen, aber Jorg schlug Krenns Handgelenk gegen den Rumpf und brach den Griff des Piraten um die Pistole.\n\nDie Waffe fiel ihnen vor die F\u00fc\u00dfe, aber Krenn trat die Pistole mit dem Absatz seines Fu\u00dfes weg, bevor Jorg sie erreichen konnte. Er h\u00f6rte sie klirren, als sie unter einem gro\u00dfen Haufen Schrott verschwand.\n\nMit dem Zentimeter Platz, den er gewonnen hatte, schwang Krenn seine Axt nach unten, aber der J\u00e4ger sprang weg, um nicht von der Klinge geschnitten zu werden. Krenn dr\u00e4ngte nach vorne und schwang die Axt wieder und wieder.\n\nDie Sekunden zogen sich hin und Krenns Ausdauer begann zu schwinden, als der Kampf weiterging. Jeder Kraftvorteil, den Krenn gehabt haben mochte, wurde durch den Blutverlust schnell aufgezehrt, und so sehr der Pirat es auch hasste, es zuzugeben, Jorg war eindeutig besser trainiert. Wenn Krenn den J\u00e4ger besiegen wollte, musste er die Sache bald beenden.\n\nKrenn stie\u00df ein kehliges Br\u00fcllen aus und hob seinen Bakor hoch, bereit, auf den J\u00e4ger einzuschlagen. Jorg griff nach der Axt und Krenn grinste. Die Finte funktionierte. Er lenkte den Stachel der Bakor in Jorgs Bein und stach ihn durch eine L\u00fccke in der R\u00fcstung, die die Granatenexplosion hinterlassen hatte.\n\nJorg fiel, wo er stand, \u00fcber das verletzte Bein zusammen.\n\nDer Pirat hatte den J\u00e4ger in seiner Gewalt... und tat dennoch nichts. Denn so sehr Krenn Jorg auch daf\u00fcr hasste, dass er sein Rudel zur Strecke gebracht hatte, er war immer noch Tevarin.\n\nJorg versuchte, sich aufzurichten, aber sein Bein konnte sein Gewicht nicht halten und er fiel wieder zu Boden.\n\nBakor zeigte auf Jorg, Krenn sprach. \"Ich werde Ihnen eine Chance geben. Aber nur eine\", begann er. \"Kommen Sie mir nie wieder hinterher.\"\n\nKrenn wandte sich ab. Er h\u00f6rte, wie Jorg nach ihm rang und dann wieder zusammenbrach, unf\u00e4hig, ihn zu verfolgen.\n\nKrenn versuchte, sich mit seinem neuen Verst\u00e4ndnis von Jorg zu arrangieren, als er endlich das Ende des Rauchs erreichte, dem er die ganze Zeit gefolgt war.\n\nDort fand er, wonach er gesucht hatte: sein Talon und gleich dahinter Jorgs R\u00e4cher.\n\nKrenns eigenes Schiff war ein Wrack, das bereits auf der Schrottdeponie lag, aber zumindest schien sein Schmuggelraum nicht kompromittiert worden zu sein.\n\nEr benutzte seinen Bakor als Brechstange, stie\u00df sie in einen Spalt zwischen der Maschinenpanzerung seines Schiffs und begann zu dr\u00fccken. Sie gab nicht sofort nach, aber mit gen\u00fcgend Kraft tat die Hebelwirkung ihr \u00dcbriges. Krenn hob die Verkleidung ab und gab die Triebwerke seines Schiffes frei. Inmitten des ganzen Innenlebens befand sich ein verstecktes Fach. Darin befand sich eine kleine, verst\u00e4rkte Truhe, die nur ein wenig gr\u00f6\u00dfer war als seine Hand.\n\nKrenn atmete erleichtert auf und nahm die Truhe vorsichtig aus ihrer Position.\n\nEin Rohr traf ihn am Hinterkopf und lie\u00df ihn, die Ladung und den Bakor zu Boden st\u00fcrzen.\n\n\"Ich habe mich schon gefragt, wo Sie hinwollen\", sagte Jorg, \"ich dachte, Sie wollten mein Schiff, aber...\"\n\nMit verschwommener Sicht sah Krenn, wie Jorg sich b\u00fcckte und die kleine Truhe aufhob.\n\n\"Das haben Sie vom Sicherheitsau\u00dfenposten bekommen?\" fragte Jorg. \"Der Grund, warum dort so viele Menschen sterben mussten?\"\n\nKrenn st\u00f6hnte, seine Sicht war immer noch verschwommen. \"Sie waren im Weg\", sagte er mit unebener Stimme.\n\n\"Das war's?\", fragte Jorg. Er warf seine Pfeife zur Seite und holte Krenns heruntergefallenen Bakor zur\u00fcck. \"Wissen Sie, was bei jedem Verbrechen passiert, das Sie begehen?\" Jorg wartete auf eine Antwort. Als keine kam, fuhr er fort. \"Sie best\u00e4tigen all die schrecklichen Dinge, mit denen sie uns behandeln. Sie best\u00e4rken sie in ihrem Glauben, dass wir nur Probleme sind, die gel\u00f6st werden m\u00fcssen.\"\n\n\"Und daf\u00fcr geben Sie uns die Schuld?\" fragte Krenn ungl\u00e4ubig und versuchte, durch den Schmerz hindurch zu sprechen. \"Sie lassen keinen Platz f\u00fcr uns in ihrer Welt. Wir haben nichts zu verlieren, wenn wir uns wehren.\"\n\n\"Wir haben unsere Zukunft\", sagte Jorg. \"Unser Leben.\"\n\n\"Das nennen Sie ein Leben?\" fragte Krenn. Frustration, Wut und Traurigkeit tobten in ihm. \"All ihre Systeme - all ihre Gesetze - sind darauf ausgelegt, uns schwach zu halten. Und wissen Sie, was passiert, wenn wir den Menschen auch nur ein Zeichen von St\u00e4rke zeigen? Sie nennen uns Kriminelle. Sie \u00fcberzeugen das Universum davon, dass wir eine Bedrohung sind, die gejagt werden muss, obwohl wir nur \u00fcberleben wollen. Nun gut. Ich begr\u00fc\u00dfe es. Wenn sie wollen, dass ich ein Krimineller bin, dann werde ich der beste sein, der ich sein kann. Ich werde ihnen genau zeigen, wozu unser Volk f\u00e4hig ist.\"\n\n\"Was ist da drin?\" Jorg hielt die Kiste zwischen ihnen hoch. \"Was ist dieses ganze Elend wert?\"\n\n\"Sehen Sie selbst. Der Code lautet 2610.\"\n\nKrenn beobachtete Jorgs Gesichtsausdruck aufmerksam, als der J\u00e4ger den Code eingab und das K\u00e4stchen \u00f6ffnete. Wenn er die Nummer erkannte, gab er kein Zeichen davon. Jorg \u00f6ffnete den Deckel und sofort runzelte er verwirrt die Stirn.\n\nEr griff in die Schachtel. \"Was ist das?\" fragte Jorg und hielt den Datenstick hoch, der sicher in der kleinen, abgeschirmten Truhe aufbewahrt worden war.\n\n\"Lebewesen\", sagte Krenn.\n\n\"Ich verstehe das nicht...\" sagte Jorg.\n\n\"Es sind Neuanf\u00e4nge. Saubere Ausweise, mit denen man Tevarin aus der Welt schmuggeln kann\", erkl\u00e4rte Krenn. \"Von Orten, an die sie nicht reisen durften, aus welchen schwachsinnigen Gr\u00fcnden auch immer, die die lokalen Regierungen benutzt haben, um sie als Kriminelle zu kennzeichnen.\"\n\nAls sich das Schweigen zwischen ihnen legte, sah Krenn einen Riss in Jorgs Miene. Er spielte seinen Vorteil aus. \"Die ganze Zeit \u00fcber haben Sie mich und die anderen im Haunt gejagt, aber wir haben nicht f\u00fcr uns gestohlen. Wir haben f\u00fcr das hier gestohlen.\"\n\n\"Wo bringen Sie sie hin?\" fragte Jorg schlie\u00dflich.\n\n\"Nach Branaugh\", sagte Krenn.\n\nDer Pirat sah die Erkenntnis auf dem Gesicht des J\u00e4gers. \"Au\u00dferhalb des Imperiums.\"\n\nKrenn l\u00e4chelte nur. \"Das Imperium wei\u00df, was wir tun. Ich mag sie hassen, aber sie sind nicht dumm. Was glauben Sie, warum unsere Kopfgelder so hoch sind? Sie k\u00f6nnen es nicht ertragen, wenn Tevarin sich gegenseitig helfen.\"\n\n\"Es gibt andere Wege\", antwortete Jorg, und seine Stimme war noch unsicherer als zuvor. \"Man muss nicht morden, um andere zu retten.\"\n\n\"Wir tun das Einzige, was wir k\u00f6nnen. Wenn einige Menschen sterben m\u00fcssen, um mein Volk zu retten, dann soll es so sein.\"\n\n\"Das ist nicht...\" Jorg fing an. \"Das sind keine Soldaten auf den Stationen, die Sie angreifen. Es sind unschuldige Menschen. Sie k\u00e4mpfen nicht im Krieg.\"\n\n\"Nat\u00fcrlich tue ich das.\"\n\nDas Donnern der Schiffsmotoren durchbrach die Atmosph\u00e4re, als Krenns Crew das Quantum \u00fcber dem Schrottplatz verlie\u00df. Sie hatten ihn endlich ausfindig gemacht.\n\nJorgs \u00dcberraschung \u00fcber ihr Eindringen gab Krenn genau die Gelegenheit, die er brauchte. Er st\u00fcrzte sich auf Jorg und warf sich mit seinem ganzen Gewicht auf den J\u00e4ger, wobei er jedes Pfund, das er gegen\u00fcber dem kleineren Tevarin hatte, ausnutzte.\n\nEr stie\u00df und stie\u00df, bis... Jorg scharf einatmete.\n\nKrenn hielt inne und sah, dass Jorgs Brustkorb zitterte. Sein Atem schmerzte. Ein Metallstab ragte blutverschmiert aus seiner Brust.\n\nKrenn trat einen Schritt von dem Kopfgeldj\u00e4ger zur\u00fcck. Seine heiseren Atemz\u00fcge stiegen und fielen. Den Bakor immer noch umklammernd, blickte er auf die Wunde hinunter, wobei der Schock den Schmerz vorerst unterdr\u00fcckte.\n\n\"Nun\", fl\u00fcsterte er m\u00fchsam. \"Definitiv nicht die zus\u00e4tzlichen Credits wert.\"\n\nKrenn beobachtete ihn einige Augenblicke lang. Der Hass, der ihn zu diesem Punkt getrieben hatte, war \u00fcberraschenderweise gemildert.\n\n\"Die Menschen\", begann Krenn. \"Warum interessieren Sie sich so sehr f\u00fcr sie?\"\n\nEinen Moment lang war Krenn nicht sicher, ob Jorg antworten w\u00fcrde. Dann schloss der J\u00e4ger die Augen und verzog das Gesicht vor Schmerz. \"Sie sind nicht alle gleich...\"\n\nKrenn suchte in Jorgs Gesichtsausdruck nach etwas, das nicht da war. \"Das habe ich nicht gefragt. Was k\u00fcmmert Sie das?\"\n\nDie Pause war dieses Mal l\u00e4nger. Jorgs Atmung wurde langsamer. \"Als ich jung war... war ich allein\", sagte er. \"Ein Mensch nahm mich auf. Zeigte mir einen anderen Weg. Sie k\u00f6nnen Verb\u00fcndete sein. Wenn man sie nicht alle wie Feinde behandeln w\u00fcrde...\"\n\nJorgs Worte wirbelten in Krenns Kopf herum. Die schiere \u00dcberzeugung, mit der Jorg sprach, beunruhigte ihn.\n\n\"...Sie haben Ihre Pr\u00e4gung k\u00fcrzlich scannen lassen?\", fragte er.\n\nJorg nickte. Es war eine leichte Bewegung. F\u00fcr Krenn schien das alles zu sein, was er schaffte.\n\n\"Dann...\" sagte Krenn. \"Vielleicht k\u00f6nnen Sie mir davon erz\u00e4hlen, wenn wir uns wiedersehen.\"\n\nEs dauerte eine Weile, bis die Worte fielen, aber als sie kamen, registrierte Krenn die \u00dcberraschung auf Jorgs Gesicht. \"Gut. N\u00e4chstes Mal...\" sagte Jorg schwach und schloss die Augen.\n\nKrenn nickte und sah zu, wie Jorg Tala starb.\n\nKrenn holte seinen Bakor und warf dem J\u00e4ger einen letzten Blick zu. Er wusste, dass Jorg zur\u00fcckkommen w\u00fcrde. Einer der Vorteile des legalen Lebens war, dass man sich leichter regenerieren konnte. Nun, leichter insofern, als dass man nicht gleich nach dem Aufwachen verhaftet wurde. Die Kopfschmerzen waren in jedem Fall dieselben. Krenn ertappte sich dabei, wie er hoffte, dass Jorgs Regeneration schmerzfrei verlief und hielt mitten im Gedanken inne, \u00fcberrascht von seiner eigenen Sentimentalit\u00e4t.\n\nIn der Ferne sah er seine Crew im Tiefflug \u00fcber den Schrottplatz fliegen. Wahrscheinlich suchte sie nach einem Zeichen von ihm oder seinem Schiff. Er freute sich nicht auf die Kritik, die er f\u00fcr seinen derzeitigen Zustand einstecken musste, aber... Er sah zu Jorgs Avenger.\n\nEr konnte zumindest das Schlimmste vermeiden, indem er mit einem neuen Schiff zur\u00fcckkehrte.\n\nJorg w\u00fcrde w\u00fctend sein, wenn er erfuhr, dass es weg war, aber Krenn sagte sich, dass es, auch wenn der J\u00e4ger noch nicht konvertiert war, nie zu fr\u00fch war, eine kleine Spende f\u00fcr die Sache zu leisten.","zh_CN":"It was a fast descent to an early grave. In what seemed to be an appropriate location, too: a large scrapyard full of derelict ships and industrial equipment that had likely been picked clean long ago. What was left was too unstable to be safely, or profitably, salvaged.\n\nNow there would be one more ship in this graveyard.\n\nKrenn\u2019s Talon smoldered and sparked as clouds raced by his field of view. All sorts of alarms were yelling at him as if he wasn\u2019t already aware of the danger he was in. The Tevarin pirate tried to wrestle his ship into control but could do nothing to slow his fall.\n\nWith no better solution available to him, and as much as he didn\u2019t want to abandon his cargo, he decided to abandon ship. As he ejected the pod, his console lit up with warnings. The cockpit of the Talon was supposed to separate from the rest of the vessel, but the damage to his ship had impacted the latches. They didn\u2019t detach properly, but the cockpit tried to fire anyway. The force of the ejection ripped the latches out of place and sent his cockpit spinning wildly.\n\nKrenn only caught glimpses of the rest of his ship hurtling deeper into the field of scrap as his cockpit crashed through piles of loose metal. Hitting the ground, he tumbled end over end before finally coming to a stop seated upside down.\n\nThe pirate caught his breath and ripped his helmet off, letting it fall to the ground. His skull stung as air touched the freshly bleeding wound upon his head.\n\nHis cockpit was in tatters, the canopy shattered, and the walls pierced in multiple places by loose scrap. Worst of all, a large piece of shrapnel was embedded in his left thigh, pinning him to his seat.\n\nKrenn slowly gripped the shard of metal and wrenched it free. Immediately, blood began flowing from the wound, spilling down into his cockpit. He tossed the shard of metal aside and tried to detach his seat straps, but they refused to disengage. Frustrated, he reached behind his seat and pulled the bakor from its lodging.\n\nThe bakor was about the size of a hatchet, but instead of a single axe head the weapon had three edges: the standard axe head and then a small fluke jutting out opposite the main blade, as well as a short, sharpened spike extending from the top of the weapon between the two blades. It was uncommon, but the traditional Tevarin weapon was the pirate\u2019s favorite tool.\n\nKrenn cut the seat straps away and fell to the ceiling of his cockpit, wincing as his wounded leg screamed at him. He looked at the injury, still pulsing blood, and then cut his seat straps again, using the material to fashion a makeshift tourniquet which he tied around his leg to staunch the bleeding. Immediate death now held temporarily at bay, he pulled himself out of the shattered remains of his cockpit and into the dumping ground around him. For as many fights as he\u2019d been in before, the pirate was sure he had never looked this bad. He sheathed his bakor in the holster at his waist.\n\nThe sound of a ship\u2019s engines, distant but growing closer, sent Krenn\u2019s adrenaline spiking. He ducked out of sight.\n\nThe bounty hunter was coming.\n\nThe hunter\u2019s approach stirred a strong wind that carried through the junkyard, eliciting a chorus of groaning metal in response as the unstable ships throughout teetered, threatening to topple over. Krenn watched the Avenger pass over him and head towards a plume of smoke that was slowly rising into the sky.\n\nHis crashed ship.\n\nWhere, hopefully, his cargo remained. That cargo was the whole reason he had gotten into this mess. Infiltrating the security post hadn\u2019t been any more difficult than usual, but after that everything had gone to hell. Not only had his exit been even bloodier than planned, but then Jorg Tala, that damn bounty hunter, had come out of nowhere, isolated Krenn from his crew, and sent him crashing down here.\n\nJorg had been systematically hunting down members of the Ashen Haunt for the last few months, but Krenn hadn\u2019t thought he\u2019d become this much of a problem. Based on the fanatical way Jorg was targeting his gang, he had no doubt the hunter was another xenophobe trying to relive Humanity\u2019s glory days triumphing over an alien species.\n\nThe pirate watched as the bounty hunter\u2019s ship descended out of view, landing near the smoke. The hunter would undoubtedly investigate his Talon\u2019s crash site and Krenn was determined to not let that bastard get his hands on what he had worked so hard to steal.\n\nIn a way, Krenn figured he was lucky. Were their roles reversed, Krenn would\u2019ve fired a missile at the wreck as soon as he had it in sight. That lack of decisiveness on the bounty hunter\u2019s part was a distinctly Human quality.\n\nThe pirate took stock of his situation: a pistol more than halfway through its last battery, a single grenade that managed not to blow up when he crashed, his bakor blade, and most importantly, that nasty gash in his leg. The tourniquet was slowing his blood loss, but he needed a more permanent solution. Adrenaline would keep the pain at bay for now, but he wouldn\u2019t stand a chance if he bled out or lost circulation in his leg.\n\nKrenn searched the scrap around him, then limped his way down the small dirty alleys that weaved between the forgotten ships until he found what he was looking for. A large freighter sat up ahead. It looked to be a more recent addition to the wreckages here, relatively speaking. The ship\u2019s hull had already been ripped away, exposing a large set of pipes from its inner workings to the open air. Pipes that were slowly leaking green fluid.\n\nKrenn entered the ship through the hole in the hull, followed the pipes to their natural point, and \u2013 jackpot \u2013 found a large coolant tank. He smirked, knowing exactly how proud Ragwheel would be when he heard this story. It was proof that Krenn actually listened to the old mechanic, even when he pretended not to.\n\nKrenn took a deep breath and drew the bakor. He was about to make a lot of noise, but he needed to get this done. If Jorg heard him, then so be it. Krenn stabbed the bakor\u2019s center spike into the tank. The metal shrieked in protest at the impact, but sadly remained intact. Krenn adjusted his grip and struck with greater strength. He was rewarded with a stream of green fluid pouring from the fresh hole. With no time to lose, Krenn steeled himself and pushed his leg forward into the path of the liquid.\n\nIt took every shred of willpower he had to force himself to remain where he stood, gritting through the pain until the caustic chemicals burned his wound, cauterizing it. Then he had to turn his leg and burn the other side, where the scrap had pierced through.\n\nWhen the wound was sealed, Krenn yanked his leg from the chemical and buckled on the spot. The sickening metallic scent of his blood melded with the acrid sting of the coolant, making his head swim. Looking down at the ruined flesh of his leg, he wasn\u2019t sure he\u2019d ever walk the same, but at least he had stopped the bleeding.\n\nLimping heavily, Krenn exited the freighter the same way he came and found the smoke trail of his ship, which he used as a guiding star as he continued deeper into the scrapyard. The collection of shattered ships grew messier the deeper he ventured. More and more the paths dead-ended into mounds of rusty metal. Unwilling to risk the noise he\u2019d make clambering over the scrap, he blindly continued through whatever paths he could find, taking a circuitous route towards his ship. He kept his steps as light as he could with his injury, but despite his efforts, it proved impossible to be totally silent.\n\nThe proof? A bullet ripped through his shoulder.\n\nThe sudden impact dropped him behind a heavy sheet of metal. A burst of additional gunfire followed and impacted centimeters in front of his face against his impromptu cover. Clearly, Jorg had found him. The fact he had found him so quickly did at least give the pirate hope about one thing \u2013 maybe his cargo was still safe.\n\n\u201cKrenn,\u201d the bounty hunter called out. He sounded far away. \u201cTime to give it up. It\u2019s over.\u201d\n\nKrenn pushed himself against the metal plate and put his hand on his shoulder. Thankfully, the bullet had pierced through completely and seemed to have avoided causing any major damage. As the chant says, do not let misfortune distract from your blessings.\n\nHe peeked out from behind his cover and caught a glimpse of Jorg, wearing a green set of heavy armor. He was perched atop the remains of a Carrack, using the vantage point to great effect. Even from this distance, Krenn could spot a laser pistol on the bounty hunter\u2019s hip along with what he thought might be a knife, as well as the assault rifle to blame for his latest injury.\n\n\u201cCome on,\u201d Krenn shouted, trying not to sound too winded. He glanced around for a good escape route. \u201cYou should know by now that I\u2019m not really the \u2018come quiet\u2019 type.\u201d\n\nKrenn took off, careful to stay low and keep as much cover as he could between himself and the hunter. Maintaining a crouched stance proved even more difficult thanks to his mounting injuries.\n\n\u201cIf you give up, I can get you medical attention,\u201d Jorg replied from his perch. \u201cI\u2019d rather you not die if I can avoid it.\u201d\n\n\u201cDoesn\u2019t seem like you\u2019re trying very hard!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe bounty for capturing you alive is higher than turning you in dead,\u201d Jorg said. \u201cBut not by much. The Haunt doesn\u2019t have many friends.\u201d\n\nKrenn ignored him, continuing to move until he found himself at an impasse. There were two routes available to him. One was over a hill of scrap but attempting to climb it in his current state was sure to draw Jorg\u2019s attention. The other was through a clearing and would leave him an easy target.\n\nKrenn carefully pulled a loose length of pipe from the scrap pile and peeked at Jorg. The hunter was looking down the sights of his rifle, searching for any sign of movement. As soon as Jorg\u2019s head was turned away, Krenn tossed the pipe as far as he could.\n\nThe sound of metal hitting metal drew Jorg\u2019s attention and Krenn used the momentary distraction to step out of hiding, draw his laser pistol, and unload the last of his battery at the Carrack Jorg was standing on.\n\nThe shots found their target and with no small amount of luck, the Carrack collapsed, the tower of a ship falling in on itself, consuming Jorg within it.\n\nHis battery empty, Krenn tossed his blaster aside and ran across the open space as fast as his injured leg allowed.\n\nIt wasn\u2019t fast enough.\n\nA cacophony of metal from behind him drew his gaze and Krenn turned to see Jorg pushing out of the remains of the fallen ship. He seemed to have lost his rifle in the fall but was otherwise unharmed, his armor only scuffed and scratched from the fall. Krenn cursed. He\u2019d stand no chance against Jorg until that damn armor was dealt with.\n\nJorg drew his pistol and shot at Krenn, but the injured pirate managed to just make it to the other end of the clearing, breaking Jorg\u2019s line of sight.\n\nKrenn was sure that he\u2019d never outpace the hunter in a straight chase, so he quickly dislodged the debris he ran past, creating an avalanche of trash behind him. Soon a jagged obstacle course of metal shards lay between them.\n\n\u201cYou really think you can get away,\u201d Jorg called out, more annoyed than anything. He charged ahead, vaulting over and under the debris. \u201cYou\u2019re going down just like the rest of your pitiful gang,\u201d Jorg taunted.\n\nSpotting an opportunity ahead, Krenn slowed just enough to make sure Jorg saw him, \u201cYou think you\u2019re so much better than us? Must be so easy for you, only seeing the \u2018verse in black and white.\u201d\n\nJorg raised his pistol to fire, but Krenn ducked around a corner again, just barely escaping him.\n\nJorg followed, gaining speed, and rounded the-\n\nBOOM!\n\nThe old \u201cgrenade around the corner\u201d trick. It wasn\u2019t the first time Krenn had used the tactic and he hoped this wouldn\u2019t be the last time either. As the chant goes, hunger can make even the most dangerous predator blind.\n\nUnwilling to give Jorg even a moment to recover, Krenn drew his bakor and rushed into the dirt cloud kicked up by the grenade\u2019s detonation. As the dust began to dissipate, Krenn saw the hunter already regaining his footing. The blast had done its job though. Jorg\u2019s armor was now charred and heavily damaged.\n\nThe pirate swung his bakor at the hunter\u2019s pistol first, knocking the weapon aside and followed by raking the axe towards Jorg\u2019s head. Krenn\u2019s aim was true, but the deadly blade didn\u2019t quite penetrate Jorg\u2019s helmet, though the force of the swing sent the hunter stumbling back.\n\nKrenn immediately went for Jorg\u2019s fallen pistol, turned it towards the hunter, but froze before he could finish squeezing the trigger. Where his axe had struck Jorg\u2019s helmet, the visor had cracked, revealing the face beneath.\n\nA Tevarin face.\n\n\u201cNot what you expected to see?\u201d Jorg laughed, still held at gunpoint.\n\n\u201cYou\u2026 why?\u201d Krenn asked. \u201cYou could be hunting anybody else but you\u2019re going after us? After your own kind?!\u201d Krenn felt his blood boiling, anger surging within him like a tidal wave. \u201cWorking for the bastards who took everything from us?!\u201d\n\n\u201cThe Humans need to see that we\u2019re worthy of respect.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd this is how? By having us hunt each other down?\u201d\n\n\u201cYou and your gang are holding our entire people back,\u201d Jorg replied, with deadly conviction.\n\nKrenn didn\u2019t know what to say. How could a Tevarin believe this? After their people had endured so much, suffered so much, and here-\n\nA flash of movement snapped Krenn back to the present. A thrown knife cut through the air, aimed at his throat. Krenn barely dodged it, the knife drawing blood as it grazed him. Then Jorg charged him.\n\nKrenn stumbled back fighting to bring the pistol to bear, but Jorg slammed Krenn\u2019s wrist against the hull, breaking the pirate\u2019s grip on the pistol.\n\nThe weapon fell at their feet, but Krenn kicked the pistol with the heel of his foot before Jorg could reach for it, hearing it clang as it disappeared under a large pile of scrap.\n\nWith the inch of space he had gained, Krenn swung his axe down, but the hunter leapt away to avoid being cut by the blade. Krenn pressed forward, swinging the axe again and again.\n\nSeconds stretched on and Krenn\u2019s stamina began to give out as the fight continued. Any strength advantage Krenn might have had was quickly being sapped by his blood loss, and as much as the pirate hated to admit it, Jorg was clearly better trained. If Krenn was going to defeat the hunter, he needed to end things soon.\n\nKrenn let loose a guttural roar and raised his bakor high, ready to smash down into the hunter. Jorg reached for the axe and Krenn grinned. The feint worked. He redirected the spike of the bakor into Jorg\u2019s leg, stabbing it through a gap in the armor left by the grenade explosion.\n\nJorg fell where he stood, crumpling over the injured leg.\n\nThe pirate had the hunter at his mercy\u2026 and yet did nothing. For as much as Krenn hated Jorg for hunting down his pack, he was still Tevarin.\n\nJorg tried to push himself up, but his leg couldn\u2019t hold his weight and he fell right back down.\n\nBakor pointed at Jorg, Krenn spoke. \u201cI\u2019ll give you a chance. But just one,\u201d he began. \u201cDon\u2019t ever come after me again.\u201d\n\nKrenn turned away. He heard Jorg struggle after him and then collapse again, unable to pursue him.\n\nKrenn tried to come to terms with his new understanding of Jorg when he finally reached the end of the smoke he had been following all this time.\n\nThere, he found what he was looking for: his Talon and, just beyond it, Jorg\u2019s Avenger.\n\nKrenn\u2019s own ship was wrecked, already at home in the landfill of scrap metal, but at least it seemed his smuggling compartment hadn\u2019t been compromised.\n\nHe used his bakor as a prybar, stabbed it into a gap between his ship\u2019s engine plating, and began to push. It didn\u2019t give immediately, but with enough force, the leverage did its trick. Krenn pried the plating away, revealing his ship\u2019s engines. Sitting amidst all the inner workings was a hidden compartment. Inside there was a small, reinforced chest, only a little larger than his hand.\n\nKrenn breathed a sigh of relief and carefully removed the chest from its position.\n\nA pipe struck the back of his head and sent him, the cargo, and the bakor sprawling to the ground.\n\n\u201cI was wondering where you were trying to go,\u201d Jorg said, \u201cI thought you wanted my ship, but\u2026\u201d\n\nVision blurry, Krenn watched as Jorg bent down and picked up the small chest.\n\n\u201cThis is what you got from the security outpost?\u201d Jorg asked. \u201cThe reason so many people there had to die?\u201d\n\nKrenn groaned, vision still swimming. \u201cThey were in the way,\u201d he said, voice uneven.\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s it?\u201d asked Jorg. He tossed his pipe aside and retrieved Krenn\u2019s fallen bakor. \u201cDo you know what happens with every crime you pull?\u201d Jorg waited for an answer. When none came, he continued. \u201cYou validate all the terrible ways they treat us. Reinforce their belief that we\u2019re just problems that need solving.\u201d\n\n\u201cAnd you blame us for that?\u201d Krenn asked, incredulous, trying to speak through the pain. \u201cThey leave no room for us in their world. We have nothing to lose by fighting back.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe have our future,\u201d said Jorg. \u201cOur lives.\u201d\n\n\u201cYou call this a life?\u201d Krenn asked. Frustration, anger, and sadness all raged within him. \u201cAll their systems \u2013 all their laws \u2013 they\u2019re designed to keep us weak. And you know what happens if we do show the Humans any signs of strength? They call us criminals. Convince the universe we\u2019re somehow a threat to be hunted when all we want to do is survive. Well fine. I welcome it. If they want me to be a criminal, I\u2019ll be the best one I can be. I\u2019ll show them exactly what our people are capable of.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhat\u2019s in here?\u201d Jorg held the box up in between them. \u201cWhat\u2019s worth all that misery?\u201d\n\n\u201cSee for yourself. The code is 2610.\u201d\n\nKrenn watched Jorg\u2019s expression carefully as the hunter entered the code and unlocked the box. If he recognized the number, he gave no sign of it. Jorg opened the lid and, immediately, his brows furrowed, clearly confused.\n\nHe reached inside the box. \u201cWhat is this?\u201d Jorg asked, holding up the data stick that had been kept secured in the small, shielded chest.\n\n\u201cLives,\u201d said Krenn.\n\n\u201cI don\u2019t understand\u2026\u201d Jorg said.\n\n\u201cThey\u2019re fresh starts. Clean identifications used to smuggle Tevarin off-world,\u201d Krenn clarified. \u201cFrom places they wouldn\u2019t be allowed to travel for whatever bullshit reasons the local governments used to mark them as criminals.\u201d\n\nAs the silence settled between them, Krenn saw a crack in Jorg\u2019s expression. He pressed his advantage. \u201cAll this time, you\u2019ve been hunting me and the others in the Haunt, but we haven\u2019t been stealing for ourselves. We\u2019ve been stealing for this.\u201d\n\n\u201cWhere do you take them?\u201d Jorg finally asked.\n\n\u201cTo Branaugh,\u201d Krenn said.\n\nThe pirate saw the realization on the hunter\u2019s face. \u201cOutside the Empire.\u201d\n\nKrenn just smiled. \u201cThe Empire knows what we\u2019re doing. I may hate them, but they aren\u2019t stupid. Why do you think our bounties are so high? They can\u2019t stand to see Tevarin help each other.\u201d\n\n\u201cThere are other ways,\u201d Jorg replied, voice more unsteady than it had been. \u201cYou don\u2019t have to murder to save others.\u201d\n\n\u201cWe do the only thing we can. If some Humans have to die to save my people, then so be it.\u201d\n\n\u201cThat\u2019s not-\u201c Jorg started. \u201cThose aren\u2019t soldiers on the stations you attack. They\u2019re innocent people. You\u2019re not fighting a war.\u201d\n\n\u201cOf course I am.\u201d\n\nThe thunder of ship engines pierced the atmosphere as Krenn\u2019s crew exited quantum over the scrapyard. They had finally tracked him down.\n\nJorg\u2019s surprise at their entry gave Krenn just the opportunity he needed. He charged at Jorg and threw all his weight into the hunter, taking advantage of every pound he had over the smaller Tevarin.\n\nHe pushed and pushed until\u2026 Jorg took a sharp breath.\n\nKrenn stopped and saw that Jorg\u2019s chest was shaking. His breathing pained. A metal rod was sticking out through his chest, slick with blood.\n\nKrenn stepped back from the bounty hunter. His hoarse breaths rose and fell. Still clutching the bakor, he looked down at the wound, the shock clearly holding the pain at bay for the time being.\n\n\u201cWell,\u201d he managed in a ragged whisper. \u201cDefinitely not worth the extra credits.\u201d\n\nKrenn watched him for a few moments. The hatred that had driven him to this point was surprisingly softened.\n\n\u201cThe Humans,\u201d Krenn started. \u201cWhy do you care about them so much?\u201d\n\nFor a moment, Krenn wasn\u2019t sure Jorg would answer. Then, the hunter closed his eyes, grimacing in pain. \u201cThey\u2019re not all the same\u2026\u201d\n\nKrenn searched Jorg\u2019s expression for something that wasn\u2019t there. \u201cThat\u2019s not what I asked. Why do you care?\u201d\n\nThe pause was longer this time. Jorg\u2019s breathing slower. \u201cWhen I was young\u2026 I was alone,\u201d he said. \u201cA Human took me in. Showed me another way. They could be allies. If you didn\u2019t treat them all like enemies\u2026\u201d\n\nJorg\u2019s words spun in Krenn\u2019s mind. The sheer conviction with which Jorg spoke troubled him.\n\n\u201c\u2026You had your imprint scanned recently?\u201d he asked.\n\nJorg nodded. It was a slight movement. To Krenn, it seemed all he could manage.\n\n\u201cThen\u2026\u201d Krenn said. \u201cMaybe you can tell me about it when we meet again.\u201d\n\nThe words took time to land, but when they did Krenn registered the surprise on Jorg\u2019s face. \u201cFine. Next time\u2026\u201d Jorg said, weak, his eyes closing.\n\nKrenn nodded and stayed there, watching as Jorg Tala died.\n\nKrenn retrieved his bakor and gave the hunter one last look. He knew Jorg would be back. One of the benefits of the lawful life was an easier time regenerating. Well, easier in that you wouldn\u2019t be arrested right when you woke up. The headaches were the same no matter what. Krenn caught himself hoping Jorg\u2019s regeneration was painless and stopped midthought, surprised by his own sentimentality.\n\nIn the distance he saw his crew flying low over the scrapyard. Likely looking for any sign of him or his ship. He wasn\u2019t looking forward to all the flack he\u2019d catch for his current state but\u2026 He looked at Jorg\u2019s Avenger.\n\nHe could at least avoid the worst of the grief by returning with a new ship.\n\nJorg would be angry when he\u2019d learn it was gone, but Krenn told himself that even though the hunter wasn\u2019t a convert yet, it was never too soon to make a small donation to the cause."},"links_count":0,"comment_count":30,"created_at":"2022-11-02T01:00:00+00:00","created_at_human":"3 years ago"},"meta":{"processed_at":"2026-04-25 22:56:16","valid_relations":["images","links","translations"],"prev_id":18967,"next_id":18970}}