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I don’t know why, but after my assignment as an undercover investigator, I was persuaded to continue investigating the theft of prototypes. As a special investigator, I was asked to search a distribution center at Microtech together with someone from the security authorities. It was a delicate matter because it wasn’t clear whether official bodies at Crusader Industries or Microtech were involved in the theft. There had already been one death in this connection.

It was with mixed feelings that I flew to the Port Tressler space station in orbit around the planet Microtech. I was to meet the Microtech official there. I had no idea who or what to expect. As if that wasn’t enough of an inconvenience, I was also wearing an official suit from Crusader Industries. It pinched, it was tight, I felt like shit.

When I reached the agreed meeting point, I couldn’t believe my eyes.

“Thane? Is that you?”

“Zero? You here? Are you the announced special investigator from Crusader Industries?”

“Yes, I am,” I said a little demoralized.

Thane McMarshall was 2nd Chief Security Officer. We’d been through a lot together in the ENOS story.

“Tell me Zero. What’s that fancy suit you’re wearing? Did you sell your White Rabbit for it?”

“Not in a thousand cold winters. That’s work clothing. I don’t wear it voluntarily.”

“Looks good on you.”

“Very funny.”

At that moment, a group of very sinister-looking figures approached us. They were all well-trained and dressed in dark clothes, some of them had tattoos. They looked like a gang of thugs.

Stunned, I said.

“Kjeld, you here too?”

“Yes, I’ve asked Kjeld to support us with his PMC TYR. Crusader Industries had informed me that I shouldn’t trust anyone from the official agencies and that I’d better call in outside forces,” Thane explained.

“Hello Zero. Nice to see you,” Kjeld greeted me in a friendly manner.

Since the time Kjeld Stormarnson caught me with drugs during a routine check and then called me in on the ENOS story, we have built up a good and trusting relationship. Kjeld and his mercenaries had saved my ass more than once. My bad feeling was suddenly gone, I felt I was in good hands.

“An illustrious troop you’ve got together there Kjeld,” I said, amused.

“Let’s go to the hangar for the briefing. We’ll have more privacy there,” he said.

In the hangar, I gave the squad an overview of the theft of the prototypes, that we had followed the tracks to the Distribution Center and that we now had enough evidence for a search. Thane expressed his annoyance at being involved so late.

“Actually, an incident like this is not my responsibility. Security matters on the planet Microtech are the responsibility of the 3rd Chief Security Officer. I’m responsible for all Stanton-related operations and concerns. Regardless of that, I could have been involved earlier.”

My Mobiglas suddenly beeped. After looking at the message, I said to the others.

“Damn. Crusader Industries has lost contact with the undercover agent at the Distribution Center. He may have been exposed. The raid is now turning into a search operation. We can’t rule out the possibility that we’ve startled someone and will receive an unfriendly reception.”

“OK, guys,” said Kjeld. “We’ll equip ourselves just in case. Arm yourselves and take enough ammunition with you. But we won’t shoot until we’re shot at.”

When we flew out of the hangar in Kjeld’s Corsair, all hell broke loose. Spaceships were flying around wildly and shooting at each other. Kjeld had all the Corsair’s turrets manned.

“What’s going on here, Thane. Don’t you have the situation in orbit around your planet under control?” I asked.

“There’s always a lot going on during the trade fair. But air traffic control is not my responsibility.”

When we arrived at the Distribution Center, it was night. A heavy snowstorm made visibility even worse. Even in the light of the headlights, we could barely see anything. The snowflakes raced through the air like projectiles and hit us hard in the face. After I had put on my helmet, we carefully felt our way from the landing pad through the outdoor area and looked for the entrance.

“Zero, I thought you were already here as an undercover agent and know your way around. Are you lost?” joked Thane.

“You can’t see your hand in front of your eyes. Fucking weather. But let me guess. Not your responsibility,” I replied cynically.

After a while of wandering around, one of the mercenaries said.

“There’s East Entrance up ahead.”

“Where are the workers and the security staff? There can’t be no one here,” Kjeld wondered.

Kjeld was right. Normally there was a lot of activity here around the clock. Had everyone fled inside before the storm? Or were there other reasons?

The mercenaries moved forward with their weapons at the ready. I kept to the back. One by one, they went through the entrance. Suddenly someone shouted at the front.

“Watch out! Armed persons ahead!”

Then the first shots rang out. A deafening noise rang through the halls. I cautiously looked past the pallet behind which I had taken cover. A few dozen meters away, I saw someone who wasn’t one of us. I took aim and looked through the scope. But before I could pull the trigger, the enemy fell to the ground.

The firefight was fierce, but over in less than a minute. TYR was quick and precise. We then found three dead bodies in a shaft of the cooling system. The bodies were frozen, one was the undercover officer. Thane found a note on his Mobiglas.

I have intercepted a message to the dispatcher. It comes from a device in the MT Planetary Services room. This is probably the most important lead.
The message reads:
“You can find all the important info in the document attached. Access corresponds to Door code Lower level. Do not disappoint me.”
Attachment: Instructions.docx

“I can’t open the attachment. It’s password-protected,” said Thane. “Maybe we should keep looking in this MT Planetary Service. But what or where is it?”

“That’s the admin office in New Babbage,” said one of the mercenaries.

“Then let’s go to New Babbage,” I added.

When we had climbed out of the shaft, I went to one of the dead opponents. He was lying in the middle of a crossroads on the road in the Distribution Center. The road went on in three directions, it was practically open terrain. There was no cover, no protection in the area. I bent over the fighter. He was wearing black armor. It was not the armor of the guards. There was no other familiar insignia to be seen either. Without thinking further, I began to search him. He had to have something useful on him. Ammunition, equipment, something. Suddenly I was startled by a scream.

“Zero! The area is not safe. Get out of here.”

Grumbling, I let go and followed the others.

After a short flight, we reached New Babbage and went straight to the admin office. However, the guy behind the counter claimed he knew nothing. We didn’t get any further.

“If he won’t talk, then we’ll just have to search everything,” I said angrily.

Thane, Dethilion and I climbed over the counter under the angry gaze of the clerk and started searching. After a while, Dethilion called out.

“I’ve found it. Here on the post-it on the wall. The code is 8340.”

“It works,” said Thane. “Here are the contents of the file.”

The process is as follows:

• Before the packages leave New Babbage they are marked by me and the access protection to the backup and the tracking beacons are deactivated
• After arriving at the Distribution Center, you sort out the marked packages
• Deactivate the tracking beacon for the parcels and hand them over to an express courier
• The courier takes the parcels to the Outpost and deposits them there
• The Nine Tails pick up the parcels there.

Everything must look official to the outside world. No one must be suspicious.
Remember. The Nine Tails are not to be trifled with. If something goes wrong, they’ll make short work of it. If I go down, you go down with me.

“Wait a minute,” I said thoughtfully. “Did you say courier to the Outpost? That rings a bell. There was something similar in the order lists I copied at the Distribution Center. I’ll check it against the locations of the ruined settlements used by the Nine Tails as hideouts.”

The analysis program on my Mobiglas started comparing data. Then it spit out three possible locations. I shared the coordinates with the others.

“If we find the stolen prototypes there, we’ll have the proof. Let’s take off.”

The closest location was on the planet Microtech. It was one of the many ruined settlements from the time of the first settlers. Most of them were now being used as shelters by the Nine Tails. The settlement was located in a small hollow between conifers in the temperate zone of Microtech.

It was daytime when we arrived. This time the weather was good, no storm, good visibility, best conditions. We advanced under the command of Dethilion. We marched in single file through tall, withered brown bushes towards the ruined settlement. The air literally crackled with tension. We hoped that no Nine Tails were present, but we couldn’t be sure. We slowly approached the hollow. The first buildings came into view. Rusty steel structures had been added to the old walls. Everything was very makeshift.

“Contact,” someone suddenly shouted.

“Don’t shoot,” Dethilion ordered. “They’re not showing any hostility.”

I looked through the scope and recognized who was in the settlement.

“Those aren’t Nine Tails. They’re Dusters. They’re mostly neutral. At least as long as you’re not hostile to them.”

“OK,” said Dethilion. “Secure the area. We’ll search the settlement and try to get this over without bloodshed.”

It wasn’t long before we found a crate of electronic components manufactured by Microtech for Crusader Industries. It was the stolen prototypes, it was the proof we were looking for.

Once we were back on Port Tressler, Thane thanked everyone and announced that he would investigate and bring those responsible to justice. I returned to Orison with the stolen prototypes and handed them over to Crusader Industries.

The manager of the research, development and logistics department was extremely grateful. For my services, I was given my own personal hangar at the Dunlow Spaceport in the cloud city of Orison.

I had no idea what to do with this fancy hangar of my own. A little lost, I sat in a seat cushion and looked at the beautiful rear end of my White Rabbit. I sipped a whisky and coke with relish. One thing was for sure. I was glad to be out of the official clothes and off the job. And I had to get out of this city.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)