---

I knelt in the tall grass that reached up to my shoulders. The sniper rifle felt heavy in my hands. Through the scope, I observed the ASD Data Center. It was still night, but behind the hills, the first signs of dawn were faintly visible. The building complex was illuminated by spotlights. A multi-story central building was surrounded by landing pads and smaller outbuildings. Guards patrolled the complex. Lots of guards. If I had known beforehand what was in store for me, I might not be here.

Two weeks ago, I had found a computer circuit board on the moon Vadra. It had a logo from ASD, Associated Sciences & Development. And data fragments from which I could only extract the word ENOS. My fears that ENOS, ASD, and the regeneration crisis were connected flared up again. I spontaneously left Friedrich Winters’ expedition and flew to the Stanton System to recover the data on the board with the help of Marsden Analytics. We couldn’t extract all of the data, but it was enough to get a glimpse into the depths of their unscrupulous machinations.

… ….. shipm… of VARPS …. the ENOS ..oject … arriv… … experi…. with … Van..ul biofl.id … begin.

We had heard about the VARPS during the ENOS investigation. They were corpses of the Vanduul. ASD was conducting questionable research into a solution to the regeneration crisis. The regeneration technology came from the Vanduul. But what if ASD wasn’t limiting itself to experiments with Vanduul biofluid? What if they were conducting other experiments as well? We knew that those responsible for ENOS had kidnapped people and brought them to Pyro for experiments. From everything I had heard about ASD so far, I believed the corporation was capable of conducting experiments on humans. If that was the case, it had to be made public. We had to expose it. We couldn’t remain silent.

During the data extraction at Marsden Analytics, I got to know the Hockrow Agency. They had been commissioned to compile a dossier on Dr. Logan Jorrit, the chief scientist at ASD. He was believed to be responsible for the questionable experiments. The Hockrow Agency asked me to obtain information and data from the ASD Farro Data Center on Pyro IV.

With this assignment and the data from the computer board, I returned to the Pyro system with the White Rabbit. On Pyro IV, I met the expedition group, which had meanwhile finished searching for minerals and was also following a trail that had led them to the ASD Data Center.

We decided to infiltrate the Data Center together as a group. To gain access to the specially secured areas, the Hockrow Agency had given me an ASD lab coat and an access card. Hermieoth put on the lab coat. He wasn’t entirely comfortable infiltrating the lab without armor. And whether we would be able to get in just like that with Hermieoth’s disguise was more than questionable. Security had been tightened after the group had tried to enter the data center a few days earlier.

“Zero, you’ve fallen behind. Are you bringing up the rear now?”

The radio message snapped me out of my thoughts. Hermieoth, Friedrich, Brubacker, Alaska, Pike, and Lyrana were already 150 meters ahead and had reached the outer area of the facility.

“Yes. I’ll cover you from here with the sniper rifle.”

Through the scope, I watched the group sneak from cover to cover and continue advancing. I kept an eye on the guards and relayed their positions to the group. So far, no one had noticed us. But when the group reached the ramp to the central building, all hell broke loose.

The silence of the night was suddenly shattered by gunfire. Screams flooded the radio.

“I’m under fire!”

“One down!”

“There are more coming!”

“Watch out, behind us!”

“I’ve been hit!”

“Aaaah! I can hardly move my arm!”

“Hermieoth’s been hit!”

“I need a medpen!”

It was total chaos. Panic rose within me. Desperately, I tried to take out the guards from a distance with my sniper rifle. They ran around like ants, disappeared behind cover, suddenly reappeared, and more advanced. I aimed, fired, aimed, fired, reloaded. It all happened incredibly fast. The cries of my friends rang in my ears like torture. Only Hermieoth was silent.

“Zero! Fall back. We need you here!” Lyrana ordered.

When I reached the group, I felt like I was in a slaughterhouse. Lifeless bodies lay everywhere. Painful moans and gunshots filled the air. My friends were fighting with their last ounce of strength for their bare survival. They gave everything, holding their weapons in pain and firing from all barrels. I shot too and handed out medpens. Then we were surrounded. Reinforcing guards had cut off our retreat, leaving us with no choice but to go forward. Somehow we made it to the main building.

With an access card I had found, we entered a secure room. One by one, we stumbled through the passageway. Once everyone was inside, we sealed the door. Only one was missing. Hermieoth hadn’t made it. For now, we were safe. But through a window, we saw the guards taking up positions on the other side of the door. There was no second exit. We were locked in, trapped like lab rats.

The room contained a radiation protection suit, a safe, and lots of supplies, including medical equipment. While the others tended to their wounds, I examined a computer in the corner. Slowly, the moaning and heavy breathing subsided. Our strength returned. I rummaged through files and emails. In one email, I found the code for the safe. It was always surprising how careless people were with their codes and passwords. Easy pickings for any hacker. I entered the code on the safe’s display and opened the door. Before my eyes lay a key card labeled “Data Processing.” That was the jackpot.

“This will give us access to the central computer and data that I urgently need for my client,” I said quietly.

“And data that might help us find out what ASD is up to,” added Friedrich. “The chance to publish it and convict the gang.”

There was no objection. We were in agreement. We had come this far, we had to fight anyway, and we didn’t want to miss the chance to uncover everything. With our weapons drawn, we positioned ourselves at the closed door. Lyrana counted down.

“3. 2. 1. Go!”

I opened the door and a flood of bullets poured into the anteroom. The guards were taken by surprise. We quickly moved through the building and came to a laboratory where our blood ran cold. A dead Kopion lay on a table. Next to it was a circular saw and organs. In a container with glass walls was a living Kopion. He was frighteningly different. His skin was greenish, his eyes glowed bright green. He was a spawn of hell. Even the Prophet of Pyro could not have imagined such a creature in his dark predictions.

Behind a window in an adjoining room, scientists were running back and forth excitedly. We couldn’t get access to the room. A body scanner blocked the door and only let through those wearing a lab coat with an ID card. Hermieoth had one, but he was no longer with us.

“Come on, let’s go. We have to hurry. Up the stairs to Data Processing.”

Shortly thereafter, I stood in front of a red and white security door. It had large letters on it along with a pictogram of a key card.

“SECURITY LVL 03. SECURE AREA. CREDENTIALS REQUIRED”

“Come on, Zero! Hurry up. Insert the card.”

I held the card in my hand, trembling, and hesitated for a second. Then I inserted it into the slot. A mechanical rumbling came from inside the door. Finally, it slid to the side, revealing a room with several columns of server racks in which robotic arms moved up and down, inserting circuit boards and memory cards from one slot to the next. In an adjoining room, I discovered a weapons rack with several VOLT energy weapons.

“Zero! We don’t have time to loot weapons. Download the data.”

Grumbling, I went to a central terminal and started the download. I had a feeling we could still use the weapons. No sooner had I started the data transfer than a shrill alarm sounded. The lights changed to flashing red and suddenly all the doors opened. Guards stormed in and fired at us from all sides.

*

I don’t remember how we managed to get out. All I know is that we couldn’t complete the download. We returned to Gaslight Station with incomplete data and without Hermieoth. That night, Brubacker sent a message to everyone.

Just woke up and I feel like shit. We’re dealing with people who are obviously completely unscrupulous. And they obviously want to protect something at all costs. For my part, I have to find out what we’re really dealing with here. This whole mess has been haunting me for too long. Has anyone heard from Hermie? He has a working imprint, right? Does anyone know where it is? Get in touch, guys. I’ll write to Bioticorp. Bru-

Pike replied that every bone in his body hurt and he needed a Rust. I also had to find my balance again. But first, I had to analyze the data we had taken from the data center.

As I sat at the computer in the White Rabbit, a message popped up on the screen.

Dear Zero,
If you are reading this letter, I am no longer here to tell you in person. Our friendship has always been special to me. You were a fascinating mystery, multifaceted and strange, and yet the connection with you always did me a lot of good. Your different perspective on the things the universe has to offer was refreshing, even if it didn’t always align with my own values.
Zero, stay true to yourself and don’t let the darkness of evil deeds consume you. I really like you and sincerely hope that you will have a long and instructive life.
I leave you all the technical stuff that can be found on my ships. Use it, explore, repair, tinker, just as we always did.
Thank you for everything, for the conversations, the adventures, the insights into your world. It was a pleasure to share this journey with you.
Your friend,
Hermie

I felt sick and my balance became even more off-center.

Translated with DeepL.com (free version)