Drunkard's Walk Forums

Silus Markin read the the four emails in front of him and sighed, it was going to be one of those decades, he could feel it.

From: petitsnake@node1856184545.secure.fen
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Hey Marky!

Got the call from Ilya about her friend Katyusha going up for a trip on a rocket! How nuts is that! I hear she wants to ride it all the way to Shiva!

Well, tell her that I'm good to meet her at the final stop-over on Sedna.

Peace out!

Miranda Petit, Commander, Black Talon Group

From: [REDACTED].gov.ru
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Rocket Parts Delivery

Mr Markin,

We have received the email concerning the special rocket motor delivery to your facility from Gorkiy 21 Rocket Testing Facility and have prepared the necessary rocket parts for you.

We at the Russian Federation thank you for the generous contributions made to our government and technical aid for our Blackjack-S program. We acknowledge that you possess the right to manufacture and sell the Blackjack-S, but wish to remind you that selling the Blackjack-S with full nuclear strike capability without our permission is inadvisable.

We look forward to hearing from MD-0000 regarding the special order she has made to our government, and I am certain my counterpart in the United States is also waiting anxiously.

Major General [REDACTED], Commander, Russian Space Forces.

From: [REDACTED].af.mil
To: smarkin@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Special Delivery

Markin,

I honestly don't know what you people plan on doing with these, but the higher-ups have signed off on them and they're busy covering their asses so what you and the MD's have planned must involve one fucking big bang.

We'll have them ready for pick-up at Vandenberg, and for god's sake, keep this quiet. We don't need another South Ossetia on our hands here.

[REDACTED]

From: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
Subject: New Profile and Catalogue

Hey there Silus,

Here's the new profile for the public website and our new catalogue with internal notations. We just need final approval and we'll update the site immediately.

Also, we need to work on the stealth layers for the Zombieland and Luna Vista caches for the Material Defenders. MD-0000 just contacted me and she's putting Katyusha into Stage One, so I'm rotating the necessary workers to the Earth Shakers.

Karen

Silus Markin downloaded the file and glancing at another email, began writing up a reply with a carbon copy to another recipient.

From: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.triax
To: hr@triaxinternal.secure.triax
CC: security@triaxinternal.secure.triax

Karen, and if you get this, Jonathon.

If Katyusha is at Stage One, then they've already informed their Russian government clients that they need the SS-27's delivered to us. I want one of our cargo loaders to drop by and pick up the missile bodies for delivery and for god's sake, just use the rocket motor excuse, no need for stories here people.

And get two of the Cargo Valkyries ready for a 'test flight' to Zombieland and Luna Vista, get those caches moved to their Zero Sites for the Material Defenders to grab immediately.

I want full priority security on the work areas for the SS-27's, full ID checks, scanners, the fucking works. DO NOT let those Great Justice fucks find out we're working on these for the Material Defenders and their little covert operation, the Russian Government is covering for us, so be certain to point the finger at them.

We should have the MOABs and FOABs here at least two weeks after the SS-27's arrive, and I want the same security procedures in place for them. If GJ asks, just tell them we're working on one of the smoke-screen projects, like the Minovsky Particle or the fighter-scale particle cannon, take your pick it should get them rolling their eyes and leaving us alone, we didn't spend four years building that fake reputation for nothing!

Silus sent the email and opened the file with the new corporate profile and public catalogue as he looked at the date. It was October 4th, 2021, and he knew the covert war between the Material Defenders and GTV was going to enter into its final stages.

-Triax Corporation Website Front Page, Updated December 15th, 2021-
Welcome to the Triax Corporation website, where we strive to provide you with high-quality munitions, cybernetics and aerospace technology in these rapidly advancing times of uncertainty and excitement. Here at Triax we believe that anyone should have access to our products regardless of affiliation, personal creed, history or future intentions, because we at Triax do not believe in pre-emptively judging someone when they come to purchase from us, and because of that willingness to sell to anyone, anytime, we can provide you with quality products and strive to make them better and release newer products that pass the savings on to you!

Perhaps even more importantly, Triax recognises that although military strength is being reduced with the end of the Boskone War, the need for armed security options remains as high as ever with pockets of criminals and terrorists still out there beyond the Main Belt and perhaps even in extrasolar locations. Mercenary and private security companies present a constant drain on resources and money because as the client you pay not just for their services but for their upkeep as well in terms of food, oxygen and munitions. We at Triax believe that the costs of maintaining your own personal armed security option should always be far below that of maintaining a private security contract and thus strive constantly to ensure our products can be maintained with the bare minimum of available resources with only slight decreases in performance values, or upgraded to suit your own personal needs.

We at Triax are also striving to bring into existence technology from other fictional sources to you, the customer! Because we believe that so long as Fenspace marches forward in technological progress, there is no future challenge or adversity that cannot be faced!

Triax looks forward to helping refine modern particle weapon technology, engage in pioneering research to create the Minovsky particle for cleaner and more powerful nuclear fusion technologies and perhaps most importantly to the construction of ships and habitats; feasible and affordable means to construct Mega-Damage Capacity meta-materials for both personal and military police operations and open the way to modern mega-structural engineering.

And with that we welcome you to Triax Corporation! Where We Seek The Future!

"Triax... Triax... why does this sounds familar. Ahh yes, of course... Palladium Books and their Rifts stuff. Known for interesting to read stories and one of the worst rule systems ever.

If I remember it right Triax were one of the 'good' guys in Rifts, or at least light grey. But they also worked together with this Nazis in America... so we have to be careful. We don't know how much of the Fandom these Fen copied when they started their company."

-- Cathy of Jenga about the Triax Corporation

-Triax Corporation History, updated December 15th, 2021-

Triax Corporation found its origins during the end of the Boskone War when CEO and Founder Silus Markin and a group of displaced Fen enthusiasts for the RIFTS pen and paper RPG stumbled upon a cache of equipment, weaponry and supplies. [1]

1: Gotta love the fact that we found some boscoe gear and gold when we really needed food and water on that day. Fucking Boscoes.

Using this cache and several contacts back on Earth, the group managed to secure enough materials and supplies to build a small habitat in the Main Belt on a tiny, unremarkable asteroid that wasn't even named. This tiny habitat became the core of an equally small start-up business at first focusing on creating a full-body conversion cyborg body that could be maintained with extremely primitive tools and minimal supplies. While it found some niche appeal and netted a tiny profit, it was clear by the middle of 2015 that the company wasn't going to last the day until Silus Markin managed to make contact with the Material Defenders, who put him in touch with their Daneside client base. These clients required modifications done to Earth-based mining equipment and with a week of entering negotiations, Silus had netted the tiny group a contract modifying mining equipment for space operations and from the funds provided by this contract, the group began looking towards the future.

In 2016, the small company rebranded itself as the Triax Corporation, and using its profits from modifying mining equipment for space operations, purchased several aircraft frames from Russian and US boneyards and began work on creating a new aerospace-capable fighter for public sale. The result of this work are the S-14 Corsair Aerospace Fighter, built from the F-14 Tomcat frame, and the H-22 Starfire Aerospace Bomber, designed to act as part of a sales initiative by the new corporation to provide clients with affordable private armed security options that could be maintained for the fraction of the cost of hiring private security companies and mercenaries and maintaining that contract.

Part of that sales initiative was focusing on selling them as security options rather than part of a full weapons package, allowing clients to arm them as they saw fit and instead of providing weaponry options, Triax focused on selling all the maintenance equipment needed for even the smallest habitat to keep the Corsair and Starfire operational as anything from being actual fighters and bombers, to private conveyances and even high-speed courier craft. The second part was the declaration by the company that they would sell to anyone, regardless of history and affiliations, stating that the corporation had no place judging clients when there were others far more qualified to do so. This statement earned the corporation some ire as pockets of criminals took advantage of this, and some Fen immediately labelled Triax as an amoral corporation willing to sell to anyone with the cash.

Even so, the S-14 and H-22 found popularity amongst Cold War Fen and their Daneside clients, and with these further profits, Triax set down their motto of 'We Seek The Future!' and began working to establish themselves as a provider of affordable armed security options for habitats and individuals through the 2016 to 2017 period when they found a dead cyborg of unknown [2] origin floating in space. With no way to identify the body, the biological remains were cremated while the cybernetics were examined and reverse-engineered. From these remains, Triax was able to enter the cybernetics market with their V-10 line of Basicware replacement parts, designed to be easily maintained, repaired and modified by the client with the bare minimum of tools and materials.

2: I sent the tattoo that was on the corpse's neck to Miranda Petite, I'll attach her reply to the end of this section, but I think this relates to what happened in 2018.

Of course, no corporation can experience smooth-sailing forever, and in 2018 Triax was involved in a major military scandal between the United States and the Russian Federation, and while the details remain a secret due to agreements between the corporation and the two governments, Triax was able to secure a number of technologies that allowed them to expand their catalogue to a massive degree, ranging from the SB-70 Valkyrie and S-160 Blackjack-S Bombers to various experimental data related to cyborgs and AI's. While only some of this technology was suitable for public release, Triax kept it all in order to perfect their future ambitions as the company began investing in the Russian Federation's space programs, both military and civilian.

It was also during this time that Triax announced their Fenspace Singularity Project and Transhuman Evolution Initiative alongside other projects such as researching the possibility of creating the Minovsky Particle and Mega-Damage Capacity meta-materials for construction and defence and while detractors state that these projects are massive money sinks, Triax has earned some small praise for these ambitious but forward-thinking projects.

With a quiet period of continued expansion and development in 2019, Triax released a new product to Fenspace in the form of Smart Ammo; gryo-stabilised ammunition fitted with incredibly small ion thrusters capable of guiding themselves towards targets, offering a cheaper alternative to expensive missiles for taking on enemies with a high level of accuracy even with the noticeable difference in agility compared to modern missiles but the barely detectable firing of the ion thrusters means that Smart Ammo is often able to score surprise hits and proves popular for its ability to be precision-guided to targets.

While Triax will never match some of the Big Name Fen in advanced cybernetics technology, the company in 2020 announced as the first step of their Transhuman Evolution Initiative their intention on advancing hardtech nanotechnology and computer technology to allow for the digitisation and uploading of a human mind into a mimetic computer 'cyberbrain' and while Triax has not yet attained this goal, they have made great strides in cybernetic life-support systems for the human brain.

Now, in 2021, Triax Corporation continues to seek the future, as they now begin the Neo-Sapient Uplift Project to advance genetic engineering so that they can uplift an animal species to sapience, proving true to their motto.

We Seek The Future!

From: petitsnake@node1856184545.secure.fen
To: kdebeers@peopletriad.secure.fen
Subject: Music for the birds.

I saw that rad tattoo you sent me, and yeah it's from a genre of music that's real popular with birds.

What sort of music you ask? Raven Rock, real heavy metal sort of shit, with lots of fans.

Got their start like me and Silus did actually, in a sex-slave camp in Albania.

Funny how you remember these things.

Miranda Petite
 

Gideon020 Wrote:While Triax will never match some of the Big Name Fen in advanced cybernetics technology, the company in 2020 announced as the first step of their Transhuman Evolution Initiative their intention on advancing hardtech nanotechnology and computer technology to allow for the digitisation and uploading of a human mind into a mimetic computer 'cyberbrain' and while Triax has not yet attained this goal, they have made great strides in cybernetic life-support systems for the human brain.

Now, in 2021, Triax Corporation continues to seek the future, as they now begin the Neo-Sapient Uplift Project to advance genetic engineering so that they can uplift an animal species to sapience, proving true to their motto.

"What do you think about this, Cathy?"

"Ambitious... very ambitious. Getting hardtech nanotechnology working is considered the holy grail by a lot of Fens. I think the Soviets have been working on it for a decade and I haven't heard about a breakthrough. And using hardtech to get a computer-brain interface will not be easy either, but I looking forward to compare notes with them later."

From: [REDACTED].gov.au
To: aaheath@optusnet.com.au
Subject: Travel advisory for Eastern Europe

Mr Heath,

The Australian Immigration Office thanks you for making this enquiry before engaging in travel as recent socio-political instability in Eastern Europe and areas of the Caucasus means that travel for Australian citizens is not advised unless strictly for business purposes.

Recently, the Russian government has issue a warning for all foreigners to be aware of a currently unknown secessionist group with possible links to Fenspace-based terrorists. As such, we strongly advise that you do not travel to Eastern Europe for any purpose other than strictly business.

Sincerely,
[REDACTED]

-Triax Corporation Catalogue, Updated December 15th, 2021-

-Civilian Application Technology-

Model-14 Personal Field Computer: The Model-14 is Triax's entry into the personal computer market, aiming to create a cheap, quality computer for usage in the field that can be maintained and modified easily by the user. While handwavium-enhanced, Triax believes that spontaneous AI-manifestation caused by Mnemosyne's Honey is a detriment to field operations, particularly in space where a single distraction like a newborn AI can lead to severe injury or even death. Thusly, standard handwavium is used to minimise the risk of such incidences.[1] The Model-14 is a two-piece system consisting of a forearm-worn terminal interface connected by a sturdy cable to a satchel-sized processing unit shielded from stellar radiation and electromagnetic energy. While bulky, all parts are designed to easily replaceable and as a customer courtesy Triax provides a life-time service and repair guarantee for all customers.

Model-16 Field Computer: The Model-16 is a larger unit, about the size of a large travelling case, designed to be provide more processing power and data-crunching capabilities than the Model-14 with minimal quirks [2] and as with the Model-14, standard handwavium is used to minimise unwanted AI manifestation. While bulkier and less mobile than the Model-14, the Model-16 is still affordable, easily maintained, and able to be customised to the user's specifications with a minimum of parts and materials. All components, like the Model-14, are modular and designed for plug-and-play capability and maximum adaptability.

Model-20 Operations Computer: The Model-20 is the largest of the computers offered by Triax Corporation and much like the -14 and -16, the Model-20 is capable of being maintained and customised while being of a high quality of manufacture. Designed to be used in a field base or a small ship, the Model-20 is the size of a large shipping crate and is not made for being used in the field, but once set up is capable of running a small base camp; from communications to automated defenses. Setting up more and networking them allows for increased functionality, and emergency function shunting allows for another in the network to take over if one is compromised and destroyed. As with -14 and -16, standard handwavium is used for minimisation of potentially danger AI-manifestation in the field. [3]

[1:] Make sure that all sales staff DO NOT call the Model-14 by that damnable 'Ghost Talker' nickname and never acknowledge any AI's that manifest as being the person in question. If a client complains about the AI, make sure that customer service offers to remove and delete the AI or repurpose it. In both cases, strip the AI out of the system and place it in the Corporate Citizen program.

[2:] The entire range has to deal with this problem, so make sure to play down any rumours about so-called 'ghost' AI's manifesting saying they're a dead relative or even someone who's been dead for years!

[3:] The Model-20 is the only one that seems to avoid the whole 'Ghost Talker' problem, but just in case make sure that there is the option for any AI's that manifest to be removed from the system for the customer. We need AI's for the Corporate Citizen program and the TEI.

-Cybernetics Technology-

V-10 Basicware: Triax recognises that sometimes, you just need a cheap, easily maintained, cybernetic replacement to get you through the day until a proper replacement can be made for you. The V-10 is Triax's answer; low-quirk, high functionality and able to be modified as the client requires. And when a new limb replaces the V-10, Triax will buy it back for full price.

Model-10: While there are better bodies out there, Triax knows that sometimes, you need to be able to stick a brain inside a body and keep it alive long enough to get some actual help. The Model-10 is built for that purpose, a no-frills full-body conversion body designed to keep a brain alive and mobile and as a result the Model-10 is designed to be able to keep its precious cargo alive through just about anything Triax can imagine, and possibly a few more that are unexpected. Because of this high level of redundancy and survivability, Triax also offers a client recovery service to find, recover and then deliver a person placed into this body to proper medical care and will pay for all medical expenses.

Model-200 Close Combat Body: The Model-200 is a dedicated unit for close combat, designed for maximum survivability to get in close, and maximum lethality. As with all Triax products, the Model-200 is designed to easily maintained and customised to the user's tastes and like all Triax products comes with a life-time warranty for free maintenance and repairs.

Model-400 Ranged Combat Body: Unlike the Model-200, the Model-400 is designed to act as mobile fire support, able to be fitted with the heavy weaponry necessary to take down anything that might be encountered, whether a rampaging robot or a sudden pirate raid, the Model-400 can provide the firepower to defeat them.

-Powered Armour-

Space SAMAS: The Space SAMAS is Triax's first entry into the field of powered armour, designed to be used not just for military applications, but civilian applications as well thanks to its highly customisable nature. Fitted with Ion-Thrusters, the Space SAMAS also acts as a serviceable personal craft, but some modification will be required for extended travel in the Solar System.

-Aerospace Craft-

S-14 Corsair Space-Fighter: The S-14 has its origins in the venerable F-14 Tomcat and while there are other Tomcat-based aerospace craft in Fenspace, the S-14 is the only one designed as a dedicated rebuild of the F-14 for Fenspace, built from the original F-14D blueprints, for combat operations in Fenspace, while being easily maintained and repaired so that any habitat can operate one as an armed security option. Typically armed with a Triax D-20 Heavy Laser Cannon, the S-14 is powered by a 'waved fusion reactor and propelled by Triax Ion-Pulse Engines for maximum power efficiency and ease of maintenance.

S-160 Blackjack-S Heavy Bomber: The S-160 is Triax's newest addition to the company aerospace line, built from the Tu-160 Blackjack blueprints, providing a high-speed bomber that can match the Lancer-class in speed and is cheaper to manufacture since it doesn't require expensive stealth materials and it's larger size allows not just for increased military payloads, but makes the S-160 viable as a high-speed cargo craft as the S-160 is capable of being rebuilt as a private craft, a cargo carrier, troop transport, anything the client requires, the S-160 can provide.

H-22 Starfire Heavy Aerospace Fighter: The Starfire is Triax's first original design, a fighter designed to provide the very best in armed security options for private habitats. The Starfire is built to be customised, and can be manufactured exactly to the client's requirements before sale, making every Starfire that comes off the line unique.

-Munitions-

Smart Ammo: Based on the United States' Exacto self-correcting ammunition, Smart Ammo is ammunition for modern gauss and railguns for the discriminating customer who wants accuracy and self-guided ammunition to supplement or replace expensive missiles. Smart Ammo uses tiny ion pulses to redirect the round's momentum over distance and correct its flight to hit its target with a 80-92 percent success rate. While not as agile as missiles, a sudden barrage can easily lead to the target being taken by surprise as all of the rounds home in on the target's shields and hulls, and can be made exceptionally cheaply, making Smart Ammo a smart alternative to standard non-guided ammunition.

Sand Can: Modern particle and laser weapons are currently some of the deadliest weapons in Fenspace since they have essentially unlimited ammunition and can travel stellar distances at the speed of light, making them highly effective at range. But Triax knows that these weapons have a distinct weakness; particulate matter can absorb and degrade the potential energy in laser and particle cannon shots. So Triax is proud to present the Sand Can Anti-Beam Defensive Munition, a 'flak' shell that is fired in the path of an attacking ship to degrade lasers and particle weapons by forcing the energy to burn through a thick cloud of specially-treated dust.

-Coming Soon!-

'Hot Swap' Biopod: Triax's experiments in Transhuman Evolution Initiative have made great strides in the field of life-support for cyborgs and the Hot Swap is Triax's soon to be released as part of a new line of full-body conversions where the human brain is integrated into a self-contained life-support system that can be mounted into a partially bio-mimetic body's torso for easy access and removal and also opens the way to new types of cybernetic full-conversion bodies.

COFFIN: The Closed OFF INterface is another advancement born from the Transhuman Evolution Initiative, designed to create a mind-machine interface to allow a craft to be operated as a 'Fly-By-Mind' system rather than using physical control systems.

From: aaheath@optusnet.com.au
To: smarking@triplethreat.secure.fen
Subject: Confirmation

I got confirmation this week after the business trip. They're in full operation, and I think they've got their eyes on the GTV for some reason.

I'll try and get more info soon. 

It would be great if you could write new posts instead of editing your old ones next time... it makes it easier to see what is new.

Gideon020 Wrote:[3:] The Model-20 is the only one that seems to avoid the whole 'Ghost Talker' problem, but just in case make sure that there is the option for any AI's that manifest to be removed from the system for the customer. We need AI's for the Corporate Citizen program and the TEI.

Why do I get the feeling somebody's going to be pissed off at the Corporate Citizen program?
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Probably the same place where you thought Triax was going to be a nice corporation.

-Where is Triax? Updated December 15th, 2021-

Triax Corporation knows that clients want to see the actual product and make an informed decision from knowledge staff, in a cheerful and helpful manner so that they can be at ease and be able to look at a product, handle it, and in some cases even try a demonstrator model. Because humanity is a tactile species and as such enjoys being to take something out for a test drive to see how it will work for them. Triax acknowledges this fundamental part of human nature and so has established three Sales Offices to supplement our own Corporate Showroom at our headquarters on Triax Prime. Triax knows that if our staff are not happy, helpful, and above all knowledgeable about what they're selling, customers will not buy Triax products and services and that means lost sales and profits for Triax. Therefore, Triax staff are trained to be a constant source of happy, helpful support for all of our customers, even the unruly ones, because not only are Triax workers happy workers, they are safe workers fully confident in their training and Triax's security forces.[1]

[1:] Gotta love how many idiots think our security cyborgs and mechs are going to be for sale in this current socio-political climate. In any case, Orientation knows to make the point that if a worker can't keep a smile on their face in our Sales Office showroom floor, they're getting transferred to either the cubicles or to the Corporate Citizen Program.

Triax Prime: Triax Prime, located in the Main Belt, is home to Triax's massive Corporate Showroom, a dedicated facility where one can test out all of our products from Smart Ammunition to a flight in an S-160 Heavy Bomber, allowing our clients to have a full, immersive experience with Triax products while our helpful, friendly staff ensure that you know everything there is to know to make an informed purchasing decision. Triax Prime also has full facilities for cyber-conversion, vehicle customisation, anything that will make you, the customer, happy with your purchase.

Triax Mars: Triax recognises that for Martian buyer, it is a hassle to get to the Main Belt, Venus or Luna to see Triax products. Triax Mars is the newest Sales Office, larger than Luna or Venus and nearly equivalent to Triax Prime because of the large amount of real-estate dedicated to ensuring the same quality of immersion in Triax products and providing the same happy, helpful staff support for your buying needs. Triax Mars also supports the local economy, ensuring that Martian citizens are hired and profits are invested back into Martian interests, ensuring economic growth and employment for the planet.

Triax Venus: The second-newest Triax Sales Office, Triax Venus located in Crystal Moscow, and it has a speciality towards marketing Aerospace Craft for their clients, going as far as to purchase yard space at Crystal Paris to ensure that clients can see their craft being manufactured and customise it to their specific requirements. Triax Venus, like all Triax facilities, supports the local Venusian economy by giving preference to Venusian citizens for employment and investing profits back into the Venusian economy and the local economy of Crystal Moscow.

Triax Luna: The first and oldest of the Sales Office, Triax Luna finds its niche in using the empty expanses of Luna to provide a testing ground for Triax's range of Field Computers and also has a firing range so that clients can see how Sand Cans and Smart Ammunition work to show clients how much effective they are over conventional ammunition. Triax Luna even maintains a refurbishment facility so that conventional ammunition can be converted into Smart Ammunition, a cost-effective program that saves the client money!

-Who is Triax? Updated December 15th, 2021-

-Silus Markin, CEO and Founder: Born in humble beginnings in Eastern Europe, Silus Markin dreamed of creating his own business and worked hard to create a small mechanic's business in his native Georgia, but after a trip abroad to the United States found a love for science fiction and robotics, along with advanced weaponry, and decided that he would create a home-grown robotics company. Sadly, it was not to be, as he caught the attention of gangsters and fell into debt, before he was sold off as a slave. Remarkably, he managed to escape and soon after left Earth for Fenspace to seek his fortune, working job to job, learning all he could, before the Boskone War curtailed his ambitions. After the war however, he and a group of fellow survivors found the Boscoe Cache and with it came the humble beginnings of Triax Corporation.

-Karen S'Jet, Chief of Human Resources: Karen S'Jet is one of the original group of survivors who formed Triax and an avid support of Triax's Transhuman Evolution Initiative, seeing the need for hardtech to once again take centre stage in providing humanity with the means to dictate their own personal evolution. A warm, motherly person, Karen provides a firm but loving touch to Triax's internal management and often interviews prospective new workers personally.

-Jonathon Fairbanks, Chief of Corporate Security[2]: Jonathon is the man who ensures that Triax products are delivered safely, and that Triax workers can go about their jobs without the threat of unruly and possibly violent customers, pirate attacks or any other threats to their safety. As head of all corporate security, Jonathon is a man who cares for Triax's people and will ensure that his security staff are motivated and ready to face any difficulty or threat that arises.

-Doctor Walter, Chief of Research and Development: Doctor Walter is Triax's resident Mad Genius. No really, he is a Mad Scientist who's efforts have helped make Triax the successful corporation it is today. His work now takes him into the creation of MDC meta-materials, the Transhuman Evolution Initiative, and many more, and his staff are amongst some of the best in Fenspace. [3]

-Mister Johnson, Chief of Public Relations: Mister Johnson is the man who ensures that Triax presents a good face to the rest of Fenspace, and it must be working because Triax is still here. Branding, labelling, all of it comes from Mister Johnson's team of advertising executives, flash-focus testing people, sociologists and other experts in the field of human relations to ensure that Triax's products stand out from the rest.

-Aleksei Degataryov, Chief of Logistics: Triax prefers to maintain its own cargo carrying craft for security and cost effectiveness and responsible for making sure that Triax cargo carriers arrive on time and deliver the right product is Aleksei Degataryov, head of Triax's Logistical Department, where his skills in transport and logistics from Earth are now put to better use in Fenspace. [4]

[2:] Not bad for a secessionist who once attempted to lead an uprising during the whole Handwavium Crisis.
[3:] Walter's a good friend, but we should make sure that his time working for the Boskonians is kept under wraps. We don't need the Fen figuring out he was involved in developing a number of rather nasty devices for the Boskonians.
[4:] I have to admit, keeping a Russian smuggler on our staff is working out nicely, especially for delivery times.

From: security@triaxinternal.secure.fen
To: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.fen
Subject: Internal Security Review

Marcus,

I've just gone through the records and we found a leak. It's been patched up, but a list of our internal-use weapon systems and a intel profile on Raven Rock got loose. We put the one who leaked the info through Corporate Loyalty and it ain't good. Bitch sent it to a drop-box for Stellvia, apparently decided to jump ship and bring a present to her new boss. She's been dealt with, her amnesiac ass has been dumped on Luna, and we're doing an ISR as we speak. If there's more little mouse-holes, we'll find them.

I've attached a copy of what she leaked so you can brief Johnson on our course of action.

Jonathon

From: smarkin@triaxinternal.secure.fen
To: pr@triaxinternal.secure.fen
Subject: Plan for response.

What we're going to do is simple Johnson, we're going to pretend that it's another smear campaign against us, a disgruntled worker who decided to leave and try and tarnish our reputation before doing so. Triax doesn't know where she went and since her family situation before joining wasn't exactly close, I don't think we'll need to worry about any attempts to find her.

I trust in our memory wiping systems to have been effective in ensuring total, permanent, amnesia in the former Ms. Trackman, but make sure we don't release pictures or say her name in case she sees any press releases, just in case.

Silus

Fromarahtrackman@triaxinternal.secure.fen
To:[REDACTED]@stellvia.lib
Subject: Jumping Ship

Hi,

Look, I know this is short notice, but you said that I could trust you if I felt that I was getting uncomfortable with working for Triax. Well, I'm uncomfortable and I want to jump ship.

Please, you have to help me, Triax is putting a lot more money into their internal security forces than is strictly legal. In fact, I think they're building an army for some unknown purpose, and I think I know the reason why. I stumbled onto something that I shouldn't have, an intelligence briefing on a Russian secessionist group called Raven Rock. I don't want to alarm you, but I think Triax is going to start a war not just on Earth, but in Fenspace as well, because a lot of the information points to Raven conducting a lot of infiltration of small communities and businesses, ones that Triax has conincidentally been targetting for hostile takeovers. If this is true, Triax, along with the Russian Government, the Material Defenders and a group of Daneside Mining and Energy corporations appear to be fighting some sort of covert war against this group.

I can't leave straight away, but here's the info. You know people in Great Justice right? Please, get this info to them, quickly.

Sarah Trackman.

-OPENING FILE-

-Triax Internal Security Forces Table of Equipment in relation to covert military operations against Raven Rock. DO NOT RELEASE TO OUTSIDE PARTIES!-

-PERSONAL ARMOUR AND WEAPONRY-

T-100 'Eagle' Personal Flight Pack
T-10 'Cyclops' Combat/Security Body Armour
T-11 'Enhanced Cyclops' Semi-Powered Combat Armour
T-12 'Medical Cyclops' Combat Medic Armour
T-13 'Mechanic Cyclops' Combat Mechanic Armour
T-40 Plain Clothes Security Armour
T-41 Riot Security Armour
T-42 Commando Scout Armour
T-43 Explorer Sealed Full Composite Armour. NOTE: CURRENTLY IN MARKET TESTING FOR PUBLIC SALE
T-300 'Falcon' Jump Pack. NOTE: TO BE SOLD AS AN OPTIONAL EXTRA FOR EXPLORER
G-10 'Soldier' Mass Market Body Armour. NOTE: DO NOT ISSUE TO INTERNAL SECURITY FORCES, READY FOR MASS MARKETING

TX-5 Pump Pistol. NOTE: CURRENTLY IN MARKET TESTING FOR PUBLIC SALE
TX-20 'Short' Needle Pistol
TX-22 Precision Needle Pistol
TX-24 Heavy Needle Pistol
TX-26 Needle Spray Pistol
TX-16 Pump Rifle. NOTE: CURRENTLY IN MARKET TESTING FOR PUBLIC SALE
TX-30 Heavy Needle Rifle
TX-60 Electron Flux Rifle

-POWERED ARMOUR AND WEAPONRY-

T-21 Terrain Hopper Powered Armour. NOTE: CURRENTLY IN MARKET TESTING FOR PUBLIC SALE
T-C20 Combat Terrain Hopper Powered Armour. NOTE: DO NOT RELEASE TO THE PUBLIC
T-550 Glitter Boy Heavy Artillery Powered Armour. NOTE: UNDERGOING FINAL TESTING AND PROVING, DEPLOYMENT OF FIRST SQUAD EXPECTED IN 2024

TX-50 Powered Armour Rail Gun, 75mm
TX-500 Powered Armour Gauss Assault Rifle, 14.5mm
TX-600 Powered Armour Electron Flux Cannon

-ROBOT VEHICLES-

X-10A Mass Market Robot Vehicle. NOTE: NOW READY FOR MASS SALE
X-535 Hunter Infantry Assault Robot Vehicle
X-545 Super Hunter Heavy Assault Robot Vehicle
X-2000 Dynamax Giant Robot Vehicle
X-2500 Black Knight Giant Robot Vehicle
X-2700 Dragonwing Giant Space Operations Robot Vehicle. NOTE: UNDERGOING FINAL EVALUATIONS AT HILDAS CENTRAL COMMAND.

TX-41 Robot Vehicle Super Laser Rifle
TX-250 Heavy Robot Gauss Rifle, 60mm
WR-20-X Experimental Robot Plasma Projector Rifle
TX-700 Robot Electron Flux Cannon Rifle

-ROBOT DRONES-

DV-12 Dyna-Bot Robot Infantry Drone
DV-15 Dyna-Sentry Robot Infantry Drone
DV-40 Hunter/Killer Heavy Robot Infantry Drone

-VEHICLES-

XM-50 Field Medic Pod
XM-60 Field Mechanic Pod
XM-70 Special Operations Pod
XM-140 Infantry Support Weapons Platform
XM-170 Repair Barge
XM-180 Dragonfly Powered Armour & Robot Vehicle Transport Dropship
XM-250 Mobile Field Hospital
XM-280 Orbital Landing Craft
XM-300 'Terror' Mini-Tank
XM-350 'Leopard III' Super-Heavy APC

-DO NOT RELEASE TO OUTSIDE PARTIES! SEVERE PENALTIES WILL APPLY TO ALL EMPLOYEES WHO RELEASE THIS DOCUMENT WITHOUT AUTHORISATION OR ACCESS IT WITHOUT AUTHORISATION!-

-Intelligence Briefing: Raven Rock-

-WARNING! EXTENSIVE DATA CORRUPTION!-

All indications from GRU, FSB and -DATA CORRUPTED! RECONSTRUCTING!- involved in the recent rounds of political unrest in Eastern Europe and Russia aimed at destabilising the rightful government and putting into place -WARNING! DATA CORRUPTED! RECONSTRUCTING!- may involve plans for the GTV and remnants of the Boskone War, particularly involving numerous weapon projects that were never deployed in time to make a difference in the war. Recent activities in Georgia, Alaska and -WARNING! DATA CORRUPTED! RECONSTRUCTING!- which could mean an alliance of criminal groups across Europe and parts of Asia involved in covert subjugation of numerous habitats in the Main Belt in the aftermath of United Belt Alliance operations with the intent to -WARNING! DATA CORRUPTED! RECONSTRUCTING!- and requires Triax to enact hostile takeovers in order to deny Main Belt resources to Raven Rock.

It is the opinion that the Corporate Citizen Program be stepped up, as should the MDC Project and work on the Soft-Take Off Singularity AI Project in order to counter -WARNING DATA CORRUPTED! RECONSTRUCTION FAILED! TOTAL DATA LOSS!-

"I've said this before, Maico: Stellvia Takes Care of Its Own. People think that's a recruiting slogan - sign up with Stellvia Corporation and get a roof over your head, lunch every day, and a free change of clothes every three months. We do that, but that isn't all we do. If you're with Stellvia Corporation and you're hurt, you get the best medical care available. If you're attacked and left for dead, then we go after your killers even if they didn't kill you. And if you are a killer, we bring you in for justice ourselves."
- Noah Scott, excerpt from an interview with Maico Tange, February 15, 2017

---

From: [REACTED]@stellvia.lib
To: [REDACTED]@stellvia.fen
Subject: Possible personnel issue

Sir, I need to report a situation with a new hire by the name of Sarah Trackman. She failed to report for work on the day she was expected. Before I offered her a position in the corporation, I received an email from her (attached) that could be taken as circumstantial evidence that she had reason to fear for her life. I request guidance as to what action, if any, I should take in this matter.

---

From: [REACTED]@stellvia.fen
To: [REDACTED]@stellvia.lib
Subject: RE: Possible personnel issue

To quote President Scott, "Stellvia Takes Care of Its Own." We will look into determining Ms. Trackman's whereabouts immediately.

---

From: president@stellvia.fen
To: [REACTED]@stellvia.fen, [REDACTED]@stellvia.lib
Subject: RE: Possible personnel issue

Our data-mining specialists brought this matter to my attention this morning as a part of routine operations.

Two hours ago, our data-mining specialists located Ms. Trackman in a charity ward in Kandor City Hospital. She is suffering from chemically-induced memory wipe. Trace chemicals in her bloodstream indicate that the process used on her is a derivative of one taken from the Whole Fenspace Catalog. I have asked A.C. Peters to determine whether she can undo Ms. Trackman's memory wipe and have provided Ms. Peters with full access to the relevant sections of the WFC.

Everyone who was to have worked with Ms. Trackman is to receive security protection level 5, beginning immediately. Anyone who actually had contact with Ms. Trackman is to receive security protection level 4, beginning immediately. This will come out of my budget. Further instructions will follow after the outcome of Ms. Peters' treatment of Ms. Trackman.

Noah Scott
President, Stellvia Corporation

---

From: president@stellvia.fen
Subject: COMMUNIQUE - Triax Corporation

Effective immediately, Stellvia Corporation will not be entering into any new business dealings with Triax Corporation. Exceptions to this policy will be considered on a case-by-case basis and will require the express written authorization of the President of Stellvia Corporation. This policy will remain in effect until further notice.

Noah Scott
President, Stellvia Corporation

---

From: big-cheese@stellvia.fen
To: blackrider@roughriders.fen
Subject: Request for Quote

Ben, I may need to hire your services in the very near future. Contact me in the usual way for details.

Noah
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

To:big-cheese@stellvia.fen
From: WW1@F-SOG.net
SUB: security

Sir;

Intel has just apprised me of the Trackman situation and its intel. We are at your service.

Wolfboy
 

-Great Justice Phone Intercept Transcript [REDACTED]-

"Hello, Triax Corporation, Luna Sales Office, you're speaking with Sandra."

"Sandra, it's Mister Brown, I need to talk to Miss Thomas."

"Of course sir, redirecting your call."

"Miss Thomas."

"Just checked up on Trackman last night, looks like she's already had a visitor. AC Peters."

"Is there anything to be concerned about?"

"Not really, she's going to have a permanent gap in her memory, and even if they do reverse it, the memory damage will be too extensive to fix."

"Something we should be thankful to the Russians and Big Pharma for. The worst that came out of this was Stellvia releasing a strongly worded letter implying they know what we did and are not going to be doing business with us. Considering we never had plans to do any long-term business deals with Stellvia, this is no matter of concern."

"They do have a reputation."

"They do. But the money we get from Russia, Germany, and our other Daneside Clients are more than sufficient for the corporation. And if they do have other groups boycott us, then we merely move on to dealing with Voron and Ravenloft."

"Doing it so close to Operation Katyusha's deployment is risky, MD-0000 has already ordered advance deployments to neutralise Sedna so they can move straight to Shiva."

"An effective smokescreen. I'll see you at Triax Prime, they're getting ready to begin field testing the VX-3000 Cyborg Fighter, the first in the Hot Swap line."

"See you there Thomas."

-Five Minute Pause-

"It's Brown. Pack it up, we need to get to the Main Belt ASAP, they're already moving.."

Addenum: Number traced to pre-paid mobile phones found dumped across Kandor City. No departures listing alias 'Mister Brown' found heading to Triax Prime via any route.

-TRIAX SENDS SUICIDE BOMBER ROBOT AGAINST HOSPITAL!-
Headline in Kandor City Times.

-Great Justice Phone Intercept Transcript [REDACTED]-

"Yeah?"

"What the hell happened in Kandor?"

"We underestimated how far they would go to hurt us. They've left irrefutable evidence that Triax attempted to send a DV-12 fitted for a suicide bombing against Sarah Trackman. Johnson's already on damage control mode, but it's our fault for underestimating how vicious they would get."

"We can't say anything to disprove it?"

"Not without endangering our allies in Russia and risking Operation Katyusha. We've already moved security teams to deal with their agents in Kandor and we've begun a search net in Crystal Moscow and Marsbase Sara."

"Dammit. And the buyouts?"

"Being interfered with by Stellvia and a few others. Idiots have no idea just what kind of snakepot they're sticking their hands into."

"We can't come clean?"

"And risk Raven detonating those stolen Chinese nukes?"

"I understand. We'll do what we can to ensure Trackman's protection without Stellvia spotting us."

"No. Focus on getting the upgrades to Hildas Central Command for CORE. We need that Soft Take-Off Singularity AI ready by 2032, otherwise we won't be able to counter ARM."

"Understood. We'll step up the delivery schedule."

-Triax Corporation Future Projects, Updated December 15th, 2021-

Triax Corporation is always looking towards the future, and in looking towards the future we have identified three key issues that prevent humanity at large, both mundane and Fen, from truly conquering the galaxy. We at Triax call these issues The Three Gates, and our goal is to find and create the keys that will unlock these gates and allow humanity to become true masters of the stars.

The First Gate: Hard Technology
It is no secret, Hard Technology, the technology that we built civilisation on, is ill-suited for conquest and exploration of the stars. Increasingly, mankind is reliant on Fen Technology made from the unpredictable and sometimes dangerous material known as Handwavium. AI manifestation, unwanted biomodification, the need to play music just to keep a ship running at optimal parameters, these are all dangerous, and potentially lethal, distractions in the most unforgiving environment outside of a desert or an arctic wilderness, the depths of space. Triax knows that unless Hard Technology can be advanced sufficiently to once more become a stable base for exploration and colonisation, we will be at the whims of Handwavium and we can only wonder how long until we are reduced to caricatures living like the fiction we once enjoyed. Triax therefore is embarking on several initiatives to ensure that Hard Technology can be relied upon to help humanity's inevitable need to expand and claim new worlds.
-Power Generation Technology: Through continued research, Triax is working to create Hardtech nuclear fusion systems that will be safe enough to power anything from vehicles to powered armour, and from there use these technologies and techniques to create feasible and safe Anti-Matter reactors for cheap power generation.
-MDC Metamaterials: Constant research and collaboration in conjunction with select scientific institutes on Earth is allowing Triax to find the means to create true MDC materials, advanced composites and meta-materials that can withstand massive structural stresses. While we can never match what was shown in the RIFTS RPG, Triax is confident in create a material that will withstand the rigours of both combat and exploration when shielding systems cannot be employed or are unavailable. The advancements in personal protection are also obvious, allowing for spacesuits and other space exploration systems that need not fear abrasion or penetration by hypervelocity micro-particulate materials.
-The Transhuman Evolution Initiative: It will not be enough to improve our ships and power supplies, it will become necessary to allow humanity to use hard technology where it will be inadvisable to use Handwavium. Self-contained cyberbrains that can hold minds in digital format until downloaded back into a biological brains, genetic and cybernetic treatments that will not run the risk of unwanted biomodification, and the ability to digitise and backup a human mind in order to ensure survival in risky situations, these are all goals contained within the aegis of the Transhuman Evolution Initiative, aimed at allowing humanity to adapt and evolve at their choosing to a hostile and perilous galaxy.
-The Sapient Uplift Project: Man cannot walk alone in the galaxy, and Triax realises that there are some things that animals can do better. Triax therefore is planning the Sapient Uplift Project, an ambition that will one day allow animals to walk with man as equals, and in doing so open new horizons and opportunities for colonisation of the galaxy's many exo-planetary systems. Entwined deeply within the Transhuman Evolution Initiative, the Sapient Uplift Project will also work to bring back extinct species, hopefully one day returning them to their natural habitats or a reasonable facsimile on a habitat or exo-planetary colony.

The Second Gate: Cochrane's Limit
The limitations of Cochrane's Limit in FTL travel means that ships must first pass beyond a certain point and then engage their FTL systems. Triax considers this to be unacceptable in an age where FTL communications ignore this so-called Cochrane's Limit in speaking with exo-planetary colonies near Earth. Triax is therefore working to break the limit both on FTL travel and the limitations on FTL speed. Without defeating these limits, there can be no true connection between colonies as they become more and more far-flung, even with FTL Communications, leading to the risk of colonies being raided or destroyed before any help can arrive to be effective. This in turns limits the rate of human expansion into the galaxy at large, and could place us at a disadvantage should humanity encounter a form of FTL-capable xenomorph civilisation that is hostile to humanity.

The Third Gate: Lack of Unity
Fen are not the most united of people on the best of days. On the worst, it often required a dire threat to force a united front. This too, is unacceptable. What exists in Fenspace now is not some conglomeration of like-minded people seeking the future, but the nascent beginnings of nation-states and governments. The paranoia fostered about the rise of new Boskonian groups is only sensible to a certain point, after which the current rate of demilitarisation and arms reduction could lead to conflict with groups and people who wish to maintain their own defensive stockpiles. While Triax acknowledges this point, Triax is not a corporation that wishes to deprive people of the defensive tools to defend against attack, and the offensive tools to drive that attack off. Boskonians, Turnerites, Zwilniks and worse still hide in dark corners of the solar system and could very well be waiting for their chance to strike at vulnerable habitats.
-The Corporate Citizen Program: The CCP is Triax's initiative to foster a truly united community working towards a single goal. The Program aims to use specially trained and raised AI's in specially designed bio-mimetic bodies to act as mediators between human residents in a hidden test colony, observed and monitored by Triax so that a community that will work happily and willingly towards the goals of the ruling government is fostered and dissatisfaction is solved in a productive and constructive manner.

We here at Triax know that it will take time for these projects to bear fruit, but we ask our clients to help our good work by purchasing Triax products and investing in Triax, which allows us to bring you affordable and high-quality weapons and equipment and encourage the local community to grow by investing in their well-being.

We hope that one day, Triax will, if not show you the way, at the very least point you in the right direction.

To: big-cheese@stellvia.fen
From: rock_doc@prometheus_forge.fen
Subject: RE: Help with ‘personnel’

Noah,
It’s done. DON’T ask for details, it’s better that way. None of us are really feeling good about ourselves given what was necessary… Even if it is an ‘Up Yours!’ to Triax (yes, I’ve seen the take).

Miss Trackman will have VIVID flashbacks for the rest of her life, anything else is none of your concern. Julian has all the details your medical personnel need.

With respect to her debrief, I’ve already passed it on to the Usual Suspects (secure server 33, GGT-4454) and they’re buzzing away like busy bees. There are enough leads to shake what’s loose out.

But I know you Noah.

We have a bunch of chips if you’re willing to deal us in. We do this right, we can get OP-PLAN: Jericho declared. ‘Though for peace of mind, we’ll have to argue down from CASE: Boxing Day.

Further, Andy and family are working on countermeasures. There’ll be a Proc Update in the next month.

Jingling the Keys,
A.C.

To: rock_doc@prometheus_forge.fen
From: big-cheese@stellvia.fen
Subject: RE: Help with ‘personnel’

A.C.,

Thank you. I owe you another one.

As long as Ms. Trackman can identify her assailant(s), that's all I need to know.

As for me taking part, the nice people from the Convention Authority and the Space Patrol have spoken with me as to why it would be a bad idea for StellviaCorp to do its own police work, now that I've turned in my Troubleshooter badge. But that doesn't mean I can't make my point in other ways. (There's a vocal minority out there - including some of Sora's friends - that hate it when I throw money at a problem, but they're just going to have to live with this - they're the ones who insisted I give up my kaboomite stockpile.)

Noah

---

To: bounty-hunter-ML@nation.fen
From: president@stellvia.fen
Subject: Bounty - Alive ONLY

Stellvia Corporation is offering FenCr100,000 bounties on each of the following people, each bounty to be paid when the person is delivered to the Space Patrol and arrested on charges of aggravated assault or conspiracy to commit aggravated assault ...
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

To: bounty-hunter-ML@nation.fen
From: president@aec-corp.fen
Subject: RE: Bounty - Alive ONLY

Further to Stellvia Corporation’s bounty, A.E.C. offers 10K SolCreds on LIVE capture of those named in the below email.

Further to this, A.E.C. offers 1 (one) Simurg-class vessel (with all paperwork for a year) to those who can provide verifiable evidence as to any ‘conspiracy to commit a crime’ in relation to those named below. In addition, all PEPPER paperwork for 3 (three) years will be sponsored to those who provide verifiable evidence of ‘violations of international law’ with respect to all parties named.

(Assuming Dec 2021, otherwise Disregard the first section)
------

"Hey Jet. Forwarding something to you from the Big Shot list. A little out of my league to solo it, but the Knight Sabers...."

"Can't turn them over to the Space Patrol and get paid... they'll try arrest us, remember?"

"But that's the beauty of it. The Sabers pick 'em up and I make the handover. How we used to work together."

"Let me see what the others think. We're going to have to get paid on that. You up for splitting it 5 ways?"

"Really?"

"Hardsuit Mercenaries aren't cheap."

"Neither are gun repairs."

"Spoilsport. I've been looking at the other side of this too and it's not trivial - there's a lot of risk in having our names attached to it. Having Sylia contact Noah directly might make things a lot easier if the Sabers are involved."

"I don't think he'll bite publicly. Stellviacorp's official position hasn't changed."

"He might. If not, it gets complex, because that links your name to the Knight Sabers if someone spots us."

"Shit. Hadn't thought of that."

"We'll come up with a plan. It depends on how complex it is and what Scott says. We'll have do some preliminary work and see what's involved."

"If we're lucky we might be able to get one or two with the old rescue courier trick."

"I loved that. I can still see the look on Roland's face when he figured it out."

-------

From: RiffRaffCourierServices@Freemail.fen
To:MichealPinkerton@triaxinternal.secure.fen

Let's keep it short, shall we. You're in trouble. I specialise in getting people like you out of trouble, no questions asked. Your employers have already paid my fee to take you somewhere secure where you won't have to talk with the Patrol, or Ms. Peters. Be ready to leave in ten minutes or be ready to spend a long time in Azkhaban, or worse.

Look for an old Green F-150 Ford pickup.
Registration plate will be custom: AKB-049

Call me Larry.

--------

"He's taken the bait."

"Guess its time for my performance."

"Don't forget to grab his computer!"

"I won't... how many times have we done this?"

---------
Edit: Ninja'd, dammit. Ford will try grab one, regardless of what Noah's response to Sylia is.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

From: enewman@rockhounds.com
To: cmarsden@rockhounds.com

Boss, have you seen this yet? Sounds like Noah is a little irked.

---

From: cmarsden@rockhoudns.com
To: enewman@rockhounds.com

Looks like he has good reason to. Send out a BOLO to all GSS personnel. Amy will be tickled pink if one of our guys can take him for the reward money, and get scum like this off the spacelanes in the process.

---
--
Sucrose Octanitrate.
Proof positive that with sufficient motivation, you can make anything explode.

Noah took a break from looking at the logistics reports - he knew offering that much would mobilize most of the bounty hunters - and read through some of the publicly-available files on Triax.

"The Corporate Citizen Program: The CCP is Triax's initiative to foster a truly united community working towards a single goal. The Program aims to use specially trained and raised AI's in specially designed bio-mimetic bodies ..." Noah couldn't fault them for trying that - he had originally planned something similar for his first six AIs. No, it was seven, now. The fact that only one of those seven was still with StellviaCorp showed the folly of trying the idea again, though.

"... to act as mediators between human residents in a hidden test colony, observed and monitored by Triax so that a community that will work happily and willingly towards the goals of the ruling government is fostered and dissatisfaction is solved in a productive and constructive manner." Noah shook his head. A classic example of putting the cart before the horse - governments were supposed to work toward the goals of the community, not the other way around.

Back to the logistics reports. And the emails; so far, only a few dozen outfits had asked whether the offer was legitimate. One of those was the Baileys, interestingly enough - Noah just chalked that up to their willingness to do anything not actually illegal for enough money.

Noah didn't feel sorry for Triax's goons - they had sown the wind and were reaping the whirlwind. He just hoped they'd get enough evidence to grab the bastards who gave the orders to mindwipe people.
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

To: jet-jaguar@frigga.fen
From: Cathy@jenga.ci.fen
Subject: Need your help

Hi Jet,

could you maybe just hop over to Jenga for a moment, we could really need your help. We would owe you a favor for this.

Cathy

------------------

To: big-cheese@stellvia.fen
From: Cathy@jenga.ci.fen
Subject: rumors about memory wipes
Delivered-via: courier;secure-flash;destroy-if-compromised

Hello,

we have been hearing rumors about someone going down the "wipe their head" direction again related to the new news about Triax. We are deeply concerned about this at Jenga and would like to offer a small team of Mindtech experts with one of our latest scanners. If we can get a look at the memory patterns that have been left over by the wipe, we might get some ideas how it has been done and what we can do about it in the long run.

I have attached a large bunch of random data for response via one-time pad.

Cathy

Attachment:
binary {2.4 GBytes}

To : Cathy@jenga.ci.fen
From: jet-jaguar@frigga.fen
Subject: FW: Need your help

It'll take me two hours to get there from here. What do you need? I can guess what it's related to.

-Jet

--------

This got Much larger than I expected it to be. It started as an attempt at showing Anika working for her supper.... and sort of expanded. Tried to make what Anika does at least 'sound' plausible... by sort of combining a bunch of different things I'd heard on the web. But I'm no hacker.

It might seem a little cruel at first. But it's better than dragging a struggling Bounty or him thinking he can make a fight of it.

Quote:"Okay," Anika began, "He's got something of an online presence so all I had to do was track him for a bit then get a feel for the sort of things he'd be interested in. Once I've got that, I can then send him a spoofed email containing a legitimate-looking link that redirects through an attack site I've set up that exploits some known vulnerabilities in document readers, web-apps and the like."

"Spear Phishing," said Jet.

"Exactly!" She paused to look smug for a moment. "Since no corporation in existance custom-codes their entire software stack, I can profile what they're using and there's a big list of known vulnerabilities, so all I have to do is catch on of them to get an application of my own to run. So, now that I have an application of my own running on his system I can trick it to think there's an update for a device driver and edit its yum sources so it'll pull down a package from a repository of my own while the user watches a corporate training video I linked to. "

"You hijacked it then? Asked Ford.

"Not yet," she shook her head. " Whoever runs their IT department isn't a moron - they've configured the system to keep me from loading unsigned kernel modules so I can't fully root the system yet. But.." she smiled "...He clearly thinks his users are. He's set their systems to auto-check for updates every day, then install them on the next shutdown and restart. But he fucked up with that too because that script has to be run with root privileges, and because it's accessing and installing our package as root, I make any changes I want to his system."

Ford nodded, hiding how far over her head it was going.

"Now," Anika raised a finger. "They use an extensible firmware interface system with secureboot enabled so if the firmware detects anything strange in the OS bootloader it locks up solid so I have to do something about that. There's a known bug in this particular implementation that actually lets me change the platform key if I can get it to run code in kernel mode. I can do that by attacking the hardware of the system itself so it includes a little malicious code in the firmware of the graphics card that makes the switch. And that can be done as part of the update."

An almost impish gleam shone in her eyes. The underspace was going to take notice of a stunt like this. A sort of graduation

"Once you touch the hardware itself, you can do anything."

Jet looked momentarily uncomfortable, being reminded of something years earlier she thought she'd forgotten.

"So, I tell the kernel to unload then reload the signed graphics card module right before it shuts down, which allows me to pass my code through the kernel and change the platform key to one which will allow me to load my own kernel while all he notices is a slightly longer shutdown than normal."

She glanced at both of them, feeling a giddy thrill race through her body.

"The next time it starts up, the changed platform key tricks secureboot into thinking its loading a clean OS every time - it can't possibly fail now and I can load whatever I want inside the kernel and I can run it as root user too so now I basically own the entire system, drive contents and all."

She allowed herself one last triumphal bite of cheesecake, before placing the plate down beside her becrumbed computer terminal. There was a whole stack of plates beside it, mixed with the occasional cupcake wrapper. A dollop of cream had congealed on her desk, with some notepapers scattered alongside it.

"The only thing I needed to know what that you could control his computer, and get stuff on and off it," said Ford, gruffly.

Anika crossed her arms across her chest, pouting. "Yeah, but if I just told you that, you might think it was easy."

It'd taken her a bakery's worth of eaten cake to do it. And then some.

"So what've you got?" Jet asked. The cyber leant in over the terminal, inspecting Anika's screen.

"Anything on his harddrive and anything he has access to on the network." said Anika, her chest inflating with pride. "All inbound and outbound mail before it actually gets anywhere. And,most importantly, his location."

Ford placed her gloved hand on the android's shoulder.

"Well, if anything in there counts as 'evidence' you can keep the 10k bonus all to yourself."

-----

They'd all gathered down in the Silky-Doll, settling themselves onto sumptuous couches in a luxurious penthouse, hidden deep within the asteroid.

Daryl opened the proceedings, settling herself back into a soft, pale-pink couch."So what did Scott say to Sylia?"

Jet stood in front of a monitor, displaying the offical bounty notifications, and whatever intelligence they had on .

"If we want the big payoff, we play by the same rules as everyone else." Jet answered. "So if we do it as the Knight Sabers with my troubleshooter hat on, we get the usual Great Justice pay." She took a breath. ""For the Knight Sabers it'd be easy enough to grab a few of them. But grabbing just one as ourselves gets us a lot more money - especially once costs are taken care of."

"Go with the money," said Kotono, leaning forward off her chair, an avaricious gleam in her eyes. "That's too much money to turn down."

Ford stood in front of a window looking out on a painting of a city landscape. "It could pay off the new Dragon Wagon 2 for a start, which earns us all a lot more money in the long run."

Kotono glared at her. "Shouldn't we decide what to do with our own shares?"

Daryl sighed. "You are shameless."

"Besides.." Anika added "As far as the public are concerned, the Knight Sabers would be doing it Pro-Bono Publico. It'd really give our reputation a boost, especially after Genaros, which might get the Sabers more paying jobs."

"Fair point," said Daryl, nodding. She turned to the dancer sitting beside her. "And even you can't deny Quincy paid us more for one mission than Great Justice did for five."

Kotono crossed her arms across her chest, settling back into the chair with a dark scowl on her face.

"We'll vote on it then." said Jet "Do we want more money, for more difficulty? Or do we want easy money, and a reputation boost that might earn us more in the future."

"Don't forget," Ford added. "Bringing one in by ourselves will be good for our reputation too. For Frigga, for Survvial Shot - for anything else we do."

-------

Showtime.

Ford closed her eyes, leaning over the steering wheel of her truck. If she kept it parked there much longer, the local security people would start to get suspicious. Gated rock communities were always the hardest places to get people out of.

The easiest way was sometimes to trick them into letting you in.

Anika's voice tickled through her ear-bead "Okay Ford, as far as he knows the security manager's arranged for him to be brought on out to a secure location. She's told him who's going to contact him."

"Right," Ford answered. "I'll send my email. Jet, you ready?"

"I'm inside. I haven't been spotted."

The cyber's voice had the faint digital echo common to all synthetic vox communications.

"Kotono?"

"We're at the rendezvous outside their security zone. Waiting for you."

She leant over to the laptop computer sitting on the passenger seat, and clicked Send. The email would arrive within moments, once Anika'd modified his system to call it genuine. She sat back into the drivers seat, starting the engine to be ready.

------

He'd known his normal life had come to an end the moment the richest son of a bitch in Fenspace had placed one of the largest bounties in history on his head. The followup from the Forge had just been icing on the cake. The company'd moved him to Albermuth within hours, to keep their secrets from leaking out. They moved him between lab and home on a secure transport. They may have been planning to silence him for good.

And now he'd been followed. It was all there in black and white on his computer terminal. A security officer had sent him the message- confirmed genuine by software on his machine - letting him know that a courier would make contact.

He was being moved to another safehouse.

It made him wonder why they didn't just do the same thing to him. It might've seemed neater. Then again, his expertise was of a sort not easy to come by. He was, they assured him, much too valuable to lose. So when the message from the courier arrived, it hadn't been unexpected. It made him sick to his stomach, but he'd everything packed and ready to go. It sat on a bed he still hadn't gotten used to sleeping on.

He took a deep breath. The paranoia was the worst part. Anyone could be a bounty hunter. The people who drove him to work. The building superintendant....

The phone rang, causing him to launch clear out of the seat. His hands scrambled to

"Mister Pinkerton. It's me. Larry. I'm waiting outside."

Larry was a woman? Poor guy, he thought.

"Five minutes?" he said, swallowing a lump.

"Not five minutes, now. The longer I wait, the more time scumbag mandalorians have to catch up with me."

"Alright. Alright."

"Good."

The line went dead. He felt sweat begin to prickle across his brow, a hot flush of adrenaline racing through his veins as he slowly turned his head to face the windows, then the suitcases waiting by the door.

Something slammed hard into the balcony outside, shaking the floor under his feet. He glanced towards the window to see a figure standing outside, silhouetted by the artificial sun. She stepped clean through the glass, shattering it into small diamond pieces.

"Micheal Pinkerton?"

Her voice was cold and callous as she stepped into the room, glass grinding under solid steel feet.

"Oh Fuck me!"

He stumbled backwards, falling hard onto his arse. She stepped forward, looming over him.

"You know what happens to rapists like you?"

She aimed her metal finger right at him

"Rapist?" He gulped. Who? What? He hadn't ever.... He held his hands up ."Hey, hey now. I never touched anyone."

She towered over him as he scrambled desperately back towards the door. He considered trying the security button but she was standing between himself and the button. Her body was covered in white armour, her face obscured by a metal visor. He could see his own reflection flow across the surface of the metal.

"I've dealt with people like you before. People who treat people's minds as their toys. People who violate the very soul of a human being without thought to the consequences. Well... your life as it has been is over."

There was a cold and deathly certainty to her tone, reinforced by a single oversized pistol she'd drawn from a holster strapped to her hip.

"You've got to take me alive!" he pleaded.

"You don't know how thankful you should be that I don't. We already know everything. We rooted your PC a long time ago. We have all your files. We have everything we need to know to pass sentence, and the sentence is death."

She clicked the safety off. He raised his hands eye above his head. Something warm and moist had begun to spread between his legs.

"You can't kill me. I was just doing my job. Jesus Christ lady I'm not a bad man. I don't deserve this shit!"

His voice echoed back at him off the walls mockingly.

"You just lost all right to talk to me as a civilised human being." The mask cracked just a touch, revealing a hard fury beneath. For the first time he sensed that something had been an act - but he couldn't be sure what. "Tell you what, Pinkerton. I like a little sport. I'll give you a one minute head start."

She was toying with him. Nothing was stopping her from killing him right then and there beyond some twisted sense of malice. Malice or not, he'd take every chance he had. How many times had he seen it in fiction? The villain's hubris lets the hero escape from certain doom?

"Fifty-nine, Fifty eight......" She began to count as he scrambled back to his feet. Then paused, like her train of thought had been completely thrown from the tracks. "What fucking problem?" she yelled.

Pinkerton was standing, facing her, when he heard the whine of a jet engine rushed through the smashed window. It wasn't hard for him to recognise the Mandalorian armour, or the stun-gun aimed right at his head.

"Micheal Pinkerton? You're worth a lot of money to me."

The Mandalorian and the woman seemed looked at each other for a moment, surprised by each other's presence.

"What the fuck are you doing here?" they asked each other, in unison.

Micheal Pinkerton decided not to wait until the answered each their mutual question. He was out the door and running, leaving his suitcase behinds, hoping beyond hope that this would be the break that'd see him to safety.

-------

"We got a problem."

That was Daryl's voice.

"Tell me about it." Ford groaned. She'd seen the Mandalorian. She even knew who he was. The asshole.

"Bailey's just showed up with a cruiser demanding access to arrest Pinkerton."

Ford muttered a curse under her breath as she slumped over the steering wheel. "I really wish you hadn't told me about that," the bounty hunter deadpanned.

She forced her attention to the building's front door, waiting for Pinkerton to emerge. Movement far above caught her eye. She looked up just in time to see the Mandalorian streak out the window. Pinkerton stumbled through the front door simultaneously.

If he got him first, all their hard work would go to waste. Ford'd already gotten the truck in gear, ready to make the intercept - but it'd take far too long to get over there.

The Mandalorian swung down towards him, ready to make a high-speed tackle. Jet Jaguar raced after him, accelerating with a turbine scream from her engines into a power dive. Mandalorian and combat cyborg collided in the air less than a meter from the target. They both tumbled to the ground, Pinkerton looking bewildered at them for a moment as they skidded along the road. Pinkerton stumbled, caught himself and kept running towards her truck, thinking his lucky stars.

Ford cursed under her breath.

"Over here!" she yelled at Pinkerton, beckoning him with her left arm. "Get in the back!"

He used the side of the truck to stop himself, taking a moment to stumbled around the back. Ford saw the Mandalrian get to his feet a moment before a single sweep of a white armoured leg sent him tumbling. He kicked at Jet's face, aiming his handgun at her. She smashed it out of his hand, sending it skittering across the road.

Ford heard the tailgate of her truck swing open, feeling Pinkerton clamber into the back of truck. He scrambled along the bed as the spring door slammed shut and locked itself.

"Hey! Hey!" he banged on the glass divider."You want to start moving?"

"Yeah sure," Ford answered, letting the truck roll forward. "You want to put those handcuffs on?"

"Handcuffs?"

It was the realisation she lived for. That beautiful expression on their faces as they realised they were going to live, before realising that the whole thing had been one big setup to get them into the truck without a fight.

She fetched a printout of the bounty slip from the glove compartment, along with her identification, pressing them both against the dividing window for his benefit.

"Aggravated assault, conspiracy, violations of personal dignity.... you've been a bad man Mister Pinkerton." She saw it across his face, the open mouthed moment when it all came crashing home. "Ford Sierra, Bounty Hunter."

He swallowed, still staring at her, his eyes wide. "You bitch. You fucking bitch!"

Pinkerton seemed ready to cry, all the colour draining from his face.

"Oh, talk to your mom with that mouth?" she teased with a smirk.

Her phone began to ring. She had no doubts about who the caller would be. She let it buzz on the dashboard, ringing once, then twice, then three times before she finally decided to pick it up, pinning in between her ear and her shoulder.

"Hey Ford, I know that's you and your partner.... I hope you know that's aiding and abetting?"

And he was just as pissed as she expected him to be.

"All's fair in love and war," she answered, hanging up before he could get the last word.

Especially when there were a hundred G's on the line. It wasn't the first time they'd met, after all. But Pinkerton was her prisoner now. Handcuffed and in secure custody. There were rules against stealing other hunter's prisoners. Ford put the icing on the cake by waving at the Mandalorian as she drove by him.

He answered with a middle finger.

Now all she had to do was get out of Albermuth. What she saw coming down the street made her feel it was going to be a little harder than she'd expected. Jet would have to make her own way out.

Not a problem for her.

"Hey, Ford. We've a new problem!" It was Anika's voice in her ear. Ford didn't need to be told what it was.

The commotion had awakened the local security forces. Three of the local patrol cars had just come racing around the corner, with lights and sirens and everything, along with local cops with local guns who wouldn't be afraid to shoot a non-resident disturbing the peace.

Albermuth wasn't known for being friendly to Bounty Hunters.

-------

Daryl sat in the Pilot's seat of the Dragon Wagon II, trying to ignore the boy being unsubtle about stealing glances from behind the sensor console.

"The Bailey's ship is moving," said Mackie. They're trying to get between us and the entrance."

"I'm going to move us closer."

She triggered the maneuvering jets with a nudge on the throttle, easing the ship forward towards the entrance to the asteroid.

"They're hailing us," Anika announced.

"Put it through."

"This is the BSS Praetorian. We've been hired to act as security for Albermuth. One of their residents is being kidnapped by an unknown actor. Any attempt to interfere with the rescue will be met with force."

The voice was flat and dispassionate.

"The motherfucking swine!" Daryl punched the panel in front of her, before switching open a return channel "Hey you cock-sucking BSS pricks. I bet you came here for the same reason we did and now that we beat you to it you cunts are switching sides, aren't you? You're scum! You're pathetic! You're....

"....jamming us now," Anika interrupted. "Gimme a minute to clear through it."

Kotono has begun to giggle behind her hand "You pissed them off so much they jammed us to shut you up. Daryl Haur is angry and unhinged again"

"Oh shut up!" Daryl snapped. "Those arseholes deserve it." She aimed her gloved finger at the bloated space cruiser hovering just outside.

"This is why people hated Grand Mal," Mackie murmured to himself, trying not to look at Daryl proudly wearing the fashion of her faction

"Jamming's gone!" Anika announced.

"Tell Ford," Daryl ordered. "Let them know."

Anika opened a channel "Hey, Ford. We've a new problem!"

"Tell me about it," Ford's voice answered, her tone gruff. Anika thought she could hear the squealing of tyres in the background.

"The B-Men have switched sides." said the android. "They're waiting for you by the main gate, blocking the exit."

There was a pause.

"I really wish you hadn't told me about that."

Daryl picked up the mic. "I've got an idea. But we have to time it right. How long will it take you to get to the gate?"

-----

Idea? Ford wondered. That didn't sound good. She'd gained a train of patrol cars racing behind her, a faint echo of the day she'd first run to orbit a half a life ago. Something about it brought a smile to her face. The pickup truck launched off a bump in the street before crashing down hard. A single lone hubcap spun off a wheel, clattering to a halt against the side of an old volkswagen.

"Three minutes," she broadcast back. It was a guess. But it made sense.

If they nabbed her, they grabbed Pinkerton. The rules governing Bounty Hunters were reasonably clear. Once a bounty was in a hunters custody, that was it. The bounty belonged to them. So long as the bounty didn't escape - in which case they were fair game for all once again.

It wasn't unheard of for some hunters to encourage a suspect's escape with the sole intention of stealing the bounty. Sure you could complain, but it was rarely easy to prove.

She swung the truck around a street corner, dodging a mother and child who'd just had their illusion of peaceful spaceborn community shattered in the rudest manner possible. A hard thump in the rear of the truck followed by a groan told her what her passenger thought of her driving. A beetle driver registered his disapproval with a wheeze from his car's horn.

Well, screw him. The Mandalorian was still out there somewhere to clean up if they got stopped.

Tyres squealed in protest as she hauled the pickup around another corner, clipping the bumper off a stopped car. She elected not to stop and exchange insurance details with the angry owner. She floored it, accelerating towards the pressure gate. The two-decade old truck roared along at triple-figure speeds, trailing black soot from the exhausts. The redneck who'd waved it had left his mark - even if she'd castrated the tow-hitch on day one, some quirks still lingered.

Rolling coal at full throttle triggered fire and smoke alarms all along her route. It served as encouragement to the local PD to just let her go.

The inner checkpoint offered as much resistance to her truck as Arthur Dent offered to a bulldozer. She kept her foot in it, barrelling down the entrance tunnel as barriers began to close as the automatic sequence was triggered. The inner doors slammed shut behind her, splitting the gap between the leading two police cars. The one remaining car squealed to a halt realising he was about to well and truly leave his jurisdiction. The truck accelerated further as air resistance dissapearred. Windows creaked as the air inside pressed to escape.

Life support switched to internal recirculation automatically.

The outer door was already beginning to open. She eased off a little, hoping it'd open far enough not to rip the top clean off the cabin. Yellow warnings lights pulsed, beams swinging around inside the tunnel, throwing bright sparks off both mirrors. A crack of open space had appeared at the bottom of the door, slowly expanding. She grit her teeth and raced on, aiming for the black.

The door passed inches overhead in one heartstopping instant. Moments later, the pickup truck hung in space, propelled by its own momentum away from the asteroid base. She clutched in and switched the transfer case to spaceflight mode. The sense of acceleration ceased as new physics took over.

Her eyes scanned around space outside, searching for the grappler ship that'd brought her there. All she was was the bulbous mass of a Bailey's Security Service cruiser, slowly hoving towards her with obvious intention.

It didn't even surprise her when the radio spoke.

"Dragon Wagon, this is BSS Praetorian. You will shut your engine down and hand Pinkerton over to us, or we will be forced to use force to stop you."

And kill the bounty? she wondered, glancing back at the man in the rear bed. It didn't take a genius to add two and two...

"Looks like your employers have abandoned you, Mike," she said.

The radio hissed to life once more.

"Hey Ford. On your left."

Bailey's were first on the draw. The Cruiser fired a burst of gunfire, bright and hot in open space. Tracers speared through the void. Ford saw the spear-shaped hull of the Dragon Wagon II accelerating over the horizon of the asteroid, quad engines burning bright.

Speed was its armour.

A few shots splashed off the hull, scorching fresh paint where they skimmed off. One gained purchase, shards of the heat shield spalling off.

That thing was still new!

"I'm on the Grapple!"

Anika's voice again. That really filled her with confidence. Again, the cruiser opened fire, most of its shots screaming wide of the mark. Hitting a ship moving across your guns at high speed was difficult at the best of times.

Ford saw both arms fold out from beneath the belly of the other Dragon Wagon. She turned her truck away from the accelerating Outlaw class, hoping to minimise the speed differential. Tracers spun by as their tracks converged, the cruciform thruster arrangement of the Dragon Wagon II filling all three of Dragon Wagon I's mirrors.

Behind it, the Bailey's cruiser turning to give chase. The Outlaw class ship was closing rapidly from behind, flashing tracers racing past. Its arms reached out towards her pickup truck.

"Hold on!" Anika warned

"Brace yourself!" Ford yelled.

Her passenger had nothing to hold on to.

The effect was like being rear-ended by a speeding locomotive. Both arms locked on with a hard crunch. Ford was rammed back into her seat, her neck twisting over the top of her headrest. Everything on the dashboard launched back towards her as the pickup was slammed forwards. The engine screamed momentarily, then stalled, dashboard giving the full Apollo 13 treatment as red warning lights lit up across the board.

Dizzied by the impact, she was aware of the pickup slowly rotating around her as it was drawn towards the hull of the ship above. Feeling ill, she braced herself on the steering wheel.

"You alright?" Anika's voice enquired.

"I'll live," Ford groaned.

"Hang on. We're going to have to accelerate pretty hard to get away."

Exhaling a sigh as her inner ear began to stabilise, she at last thought to check on her passenger. Pinkerton had hit the tailgate hard enough to knock him unconscious.

"This sucks." she said, closing her eyes.

-----

The grappler ship still smelled new. It had less than a hundred AU on its engines, after all. It was a soft and welcoming smell. Ford left Kotono tend to the injured Pinkerton. A dark bruise had spread across his forehead where it'd met stamped steel at high speed, leaving a fair dent in the metal. He'd have to be kept awake to make sure he didn't have a serious head injury.

Being knocked unconscious had already left him with a nasty concussion. It could easily prove fatal.

Ford chose to rest in her cabin instead. Already, she was totting it up in her head as she lay on her bed, subtracting the remaining payments on the grappler ship, then her estimate of the repairs to both it and her own truck, before dividing it between the group. It left them with less than she'd hoped. Technically, maybe less than if they'd worked it as a Knight Saber mission.

No big deal. She allowed herself to soak in the softness of the luxury bedding, glad they'd spent the money on a cabin upgrade rather than on weapons. Sleep threatened to overtake her, but she resisted. Pinkerton wasn't in Patrol custody yet. And the bounty wouldn't be in their bank account until he was.

A knock on her door destroyed any thoughts of sleep. She snapped awake, sitting upright.

"Yeah,"

Jet Jaguar opened the door, stepping inside before letting it close behind her. The smell of cooking food wafted in behind her - something tomato-y and sweet.

"You caught up?"

"Once Baileys stopped shooting and moved off." Jet grinned wryly at her. "Our friend's a bit pissed at me though."

Ford sighed, relaxing back into her pillow with her hands clasped behind her head. "Let him be. He's done that to me before."

"I got the computer," said Jet. "Hopefully it survived the trip through vacuum."

"We've got all his files anyway. That's just verification." She thought for a moment. "We'll see if it's enough for the bonus, but a hundred grand isn't bad for a week's work."

Ford closed her eyes, exhaling slowly through her nose. "It still isn't in the bank yet."

Jet leant back against the door folding her arms across her chest. "I need to talk to him anyway. To see if we've missed anything interesting."

"It's a half-hour to Kandor."

"Guys, There's a squadron of large ships on an intercept course, they'll meet us in five minutes."

Both of them looked at the speaker in the ceiling. Mackie'd just proved that Murphy always had different ideas. Both of them raced towards the nose of the ship, passing Daryl who'd abandoned her attempts at cooking, leaving the pot to boil over.

"What is it?" Ford demanded as she burst through the cockpit door.

Mackie turned back to face from the pilot's seat.

"I don't know what it is, but it's matching us for speed, on a perpendicular course."

Anika slipped herself back into her seat at the sensor console. It took her only a few moments to get a proper lock on the target.

"Those are Blackjacks," she said, drawing a fearful breath "Triax build them."

"Can we outrun them?" Ford snapped.

"Maybe." said Jet. Her attention seemed to momentarily leave the room "Our top speeds are close enough that if we turn to their heading they'll have a difficult time catching us before help can arrive.

"Already turning!" Mackie announced.

"What's on our course?" demanded Daryl.

"We'll pass within 2 AU of 37 Fides in 4 hours," Jet answered, taking only a heartbeat to check her own navigation program.

"There's one small problem with that," said Mackie and faint quiver of apprehension rising in his voice.. "Even on this course, they'll catch us up in three hours."

"Fuck," said Ford. It was an accurate summary of their feelings.

"I'll send Fides a message," said Anika, softly. "Let them know we'll need help."

It'd be a race to see which one caught up first.

-----

Micheal Pinkerton felt like throwing up. He wasn't sure if it was from the concussion throbbing inside his skull, or the horrible feeling that the rest of his life was going to be spent in a jail cell, alongside real criminals. Most of all, however, he felt utterly drained of energy. He'd sat himself on the bed in his otherwise empty cabin, taking a moment to gather his thoughts and reflect upon how utterly screwed his life was.

The door opened. A flash of anger twisted his face into a snarl as the armoured woman stepped inside. For the first time, she saw her face, blue eyes staring at him. It'd been an act - that much was obvious. Get him off balance. Get him to run. Get him to fall right into their arms without ever firing a shot.

He nearly did throw up.

"Just thought you should know," she said, her voice soft, but hoarse. Her tone was deliberately even and calm. "your friends sent a squadron of Blackjacks to make sure you don't talk to anyone. They'll catch us inside a hundred and fifty minutes."

He knew exactly what that meant. Death in hours. Or death after decades in prison for doing his job. He struggled to gauge her mood. She didn't seem outright angry. If anything, she looked tired - disappointed even.

"They think you already know too much." he answered, his eyes falling to the floor. "They'll kill you too."

"This ship's well armed. And I can take them on myself if I have to."

She spoke with such calm certainty, he had an inkling that it wasn't an idle boast. He had an inkling of who he was talking too. Nobody human could take on five bombers by themselves, but he doubted the person he was talking to was entirely human.

"We have all the information from your computers, and your network drives," she told him. "But there's always more to it than that." She placed her hands lightly on her hips for a moment, her gaze still fixed solidly on him. "The way I see it, you have two choices. You can keep quiet and hope your friends from Triax blow us out of the stars. Or you can save the Space Patrol and yourself a full interrogation and talk to me and my recorder here in a nice, comfortable cabin."

She paused, giving the implied threat weight. Her eyes stared straight through him, as if he wasn't even sitting there.

"So. What'll it be?"

------

________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?

Dartz Wrote:"Oh shut up!" Daryl snapped. "Those arseholes deserve it." She aimed her gloved finger at the bloated space cruiser hovering just outside.

"This is why people hated Grand Mal," Mackie murmured to himself, trying not to look at Daryl proudly wearing the fashion of her faction

ROFL!
--
Rob Kelk
"Governments have no right to question the loyalty of those who oppose
them. Adversaries remain citizens of the same state, common subjects of
the same sovereign, servants of the same law."

- Michael Ignatieff, addressing Stanford University in 2012

Well, glad to supply the laughter.

I figured 110k in Bounty money was an invitation to write something. Whether they actually get the bounty - or even all of it, is up to those who posted both elements.
________________________________
--m(^0^)m-- Wot, no sig?