Interlude - On the Ship II

Once they're all on board of the Viento Frio again, Carlos contacts the station in orbit and informs Tran about their departure. He seems surprised that the inspection is already finished but he's not complaining.

The Viento leaves orbit and moves out of sensor range of the planet. Once safe, Tus asks for access to the star charts to show the mercenaries the way. She points out a planet a few days' travel from R9-PHZ-8. It is labeled as Zasha on the chart and marked as property of Eltik. "This is where the boy pointed us. The plan was for Madhek to meet with our employer and a small army to overrun the place before they can send out a call for help. By now, I assume the factory and planetary defenses are under their control." She points to another planet, a day's travel from here and only slightly out of the way from here to Zasha. "There's a small port on Gallia. Drop us off there and we'll give you our codes. Maybe you'll actually make it to the planet with those."

The plan was to take the boy with them?

"In case his biometric data was needed to get through security measures," Tus confirms. "Retinal scanners have gotten too advanced to be fooled by a cut out eye."

After manking sure Tus and Fuentes are properly pacified, Lain joins the converstation "So you're saying this Madhek guy took the kid to Zasha and should have taken the facilities by now?". She looks at Carlos. "Well, I guess it is our job to call big Eltik man and ask him about the news no?"

Yeah, I don't think we are up to storming a planet. Let's get him on the radio. I wouldn't mention we have prisoners. He may want revenge on them, and they were just doing a job.

You call in to Eltik and receive a response almost immediately. Rather than someone picking up your call to speak to you, however, your connection just opens up to a screen, showing in digital letters: Mission Completed?
The call is open, though, so someone on the other side should be able to hear you.

No. But we have important information. Is this line secure?

The answer appears in writing on the screen rather than in spoken words. The identification, both the transmitted codes and the location data that the Viento receives very clearly show that the connection is legitimate.
Connection is secure. Status report

Carlos tells them what has happened so far. The planet, the kidnapping, all of it. But not mention that we have prisoners. Tell them we got the info before they died.

There is no response for a few seconds, then the text displays: Hold please

About two minutes later, the image shifts to show a woman with a shaved head in an Eltik security uniform. She asks Carlos to repeat and after he does, says: "You have your next location then. We have received a green light from Zasha less than one Eltik day cycle ago so at that point, the hostiles had not reached it yet. You will need to get on site before they can get through security and extract our projects there."

"The big man must be busy" Lain comments bored as she sits running an interferance analysis on the communications, just to be just it is indeed secure. once the Woman stops talking, Lain turns on the seat and speaks to the screen "So you're saying they haven't been there yet? And you confirm the location? Just in case this is a trap."

"The 'big man' is always busy," the woman says. "The attackers hadn't been there yet 19 hours ago. From your current position, that gives them less than a three or four day headstart on you. And while I can't attest to the truthfulness of your source's claim, I can confirm that we do have a research and development location on Zasha and that a new weapon is in development there."

"Don't worry, I couldn't care less about the truthfulness of my source, as long as it is not a trap." Lain smiles, reassuring the woman. "Miss... what's the name again? Are you planning on deploying some extra security on-site? Change the access codes?"

What needs to be extracted? And could you please send us all security codes we will need.

Does this now take precedence over the boy? I don't care one way or the other, I just want to make sure we still get paid.

"We are deploying ships and soldiers but the quickest reinforcements we have are over a day behind you. We'll also be trying to contact the site and, if necessary, change all access codes that we can. We will send you all relevant codes - old and new - to your ship," the security officer says. She pauses for a moment, then says: "If it comes down to a choice between saving the boy and keeping what is being built on Zasha from falling into the hands of Siren, the latter will be your top priority." She looks down at a computer terminal and says: "You will still receive the full agreed-upon payment if you rescue Szymon von Eltik. If there is a threat to Zasha and you keep the weapon safe, you will receive that same payment for that. If you manage both, that will mean double payment for you."

A signal informs the mercenaries that they received a message, the sender of which is the same contact they're talking to right now. "There is a small port between your current location and Zasha. I have sent you its coordinates. A mercenary that has worked for us before is currently in that port. Make a quick stop there to pick him up to reinforce your crew. His salary will not come out of your payment. Unfortunately, this is the only reinforcement we can offer you. Everyone else we have is too far away to be of immediate assistance."

Understood. We will let you know how it goes.

After the message ends.

We can drop our friends off when we pick up the merc. Double money would be good.

"double pay sounds good for everyone but the boy... I guess" Lain comments as the call ends. She then turns to her hostages, looks at Carlos and then talks again, putting forward the strangest solution. "So, what do you guys say to a new job. The pay is good. We let you join your friends in Zasha. Meanwhile, we take care of Madhek and keep the weapon prototype safe and let you escape with the boy. Everyone gets a bonus. What do you think?"

Carlos pulls Lain aside.

We can't get double bonus if they leave with boy. Plus, I am not sure how far we can trust them when their own men are backing them up.

Lain whispers back to Carlos "If they leave with the boy to give him to us we can get double pay." she smiles "Maybe having someone from the inside is our best no? I guess we can always shoot them if they are not trustworthy. "