Planet Nuremburg consumed huge ammounts of cardamine. It was a wonderful place for many other reasons. Unlike Berlin, it had a temperate climate, and sported a bustling colony atmosphere. Families landed, bought little houses and set up shops, hotels, farms. New vacation resorts sprouted and wilted every season, attracting various guests and investers to the roadside markets and open plaza bazars. On Nuremburg, the Rhienland Police were cheerful and bright, and the streets were safe. Criminals were shipped to New Berlin, and people with questionable reputations were denied entry by an extensive census process.
Sophie had been very careful to construct her alias as Amelia Hartmann, a cheerful pilot on a sealed prison barge, innocent and bright. Amelia didn't even understand the charges her prisoners were tasked with, and it showed in her naivete. Officers at the dockyards nodded to her, and she smiled back. Today, she was genuinely cheerful. Frank was coming! They'd meet at a little corner cafe which had an exquisite view of the river, with even a glass deck overhanging the crystal rapids.
At the cafe, she ordered scones and a strudel, along with a mocha chai. She pulled off long gloves, draped herself across her seat, and layed them over her shoulders, brushing her hair out of the way.
Frank had never been to Nuremburg before - this was going to be an adventure! He'd arranged to meet Sophie - his most recent friend - at a little cafe somewhere near some rapids. He wasn't entirely sure where that was but his hand-held nav com was sure to find it.
Getting onto the Planet proved easier than he had expected. It seemed that word hadn't spread to Rheinland about his "terrorist", as those Libertonian & Bretonian idiots called it. He used his old ID card to get past security and just strolled on through the landing bays. Pretty good so far.
After some searching, he'd found it! Oh man, this was going to be good. Sophie and Frank had talked a lot recently, her flying the "Whipping Girl" and him flying his precious Sabre. It seemed he'd met a kindred spirit. Sophie, also, liked to play. She even had a permanent plaything! Amelia. Frank couldn't wait to meet her. He secretly hoped that Sophie had brought Amelia, but doubted it.
Entering the cafe, he saw her. But wait, that's not Sophie, is it? That looked like ... ESTHER CARSON! Instinct kicked in. He ducked and hid behind the nearest wall. Peaking round, Frank observed her. She had longer hair, much longer and ... scars? Scars on her hands of all places. Wow, lots of them. What was going on?
Sophie finished off her third scone, and ordered another latte, fingering the set of scalpels she'd brought for him. He wasn't expecting a gift, and she wasn't really expecting one in return..but she could hope. Still, Frank was rather late. Really rather late, now. Sophie hadn't even been horridly punctual, and this was somewhat ridiculous. Impatient, she flipped out her uplink and dialed Frank's comm...Where was that man?
Frank's hand-held nav com flashed. Red. White. Red. White. He was being called. Sophie name's came up on the screen, shortly followed by a "Calling ..." which shortly changed back again. It continued like this for a few moments. Frank didn't have the guts. If that really was Sophie ... She must've been working with Esther. Hell, she might be Esther! He couldn't risk it, could he?
"Err, Sophie? This you?"
"Yes..of course..."
"Who else would it be?"
"Well ... You never know, do you? LSF here, there, and everywhere nowadays."
"What? Frank, what are you going on about? Where are you, anyway?
"This'll sound odd now, hopefully you'll understand later...Do you know any Bounty Hunters by the name of Carson?"
"What? are you standing me up, because of bounty hunters? Really?!"
"No! I'm not standing you up. Not at all"
"Then where are you, Frank?"
"I'm ... nearby."
"I just need to know first."
"Know what?"
"Do you know anybody by the name of Carson?"
"No. No, I've never met anyone named Carson."
"You swear?"
"Frank, are you ok? You've gone all loopy."
"Esther Carson, that help at all?"
"No. That does not help. I've never heard of her."
"I need you to promise. I'm not going back."
"What are you going on about, Frank? Going where?"
"Do you promise? I need to be sure."
"Ok. I promise. I swear. What are you talking about?"
"There's a Hunter called Esther Carson, she put me in Newgate back in Leeds. Then caught me again a few weeks ago. I managed to escape but...well...You look exactly like her."
"Thats ridiculous, Frank."
"The hands and hair make the difference clear but .. I swear to you, you're the same."
"Me? The same as her, some bounty hunter, scrabbling for scraps and bounties? I'd rather not, Frank. Thank you, but no."
"I swear, you have to believe me. You look identical."
"Thats insane, Frank. are you feeling ok?"
"I'm ... a bit shaken."
"You do believe me, don't you?"
"No. How could I?"
"I promise you. You have to believe me. It's true. Why would I make something like this up?"
"I haven't the slightest. Frank, this is just so...Its insane, Frank."
"It's true."
"I grew up on Freeport 11. My mother died when I was two."
"I ... I don't know how I can prove it to you. Sophie, do you trust me?"
"Y..yes?"
"Then please believe me now, I wouldn't lie about something like this."
"There's someone, out there, right now, who looks exactly like me."
"However much they like to use the whole 'psychopath' and 'murderer' **** on me in Liberty and whatnot. I wouldn't lie about this. Exactly."
"Frank..."
"Lying isn't my thing."
"Frank..."
"Sophie."
"I need to meet her."
"I doubt that'll go well."
"I have to, Frank."
"She'd sooner kill you or lock you up in Newgate than talk."
"She...She could be my sister. She probably is my sister. I've a sister, Frank."
"I think twin."
"You're identical."
"I've a twin."
"You're more...battle-worn."
"I'm a twin...."
"But definately the same person."
"I need to meet her, Frank"
"I can't help you there, I'm sorry. I'm not going back.
"What are you going to do, Frank? hide in the borderworlds the rest of your life?"
"No. Just...not yet. I'm not going back to Newgate. I got lucky, I managed to get a signal out to the Hackers. That won't happen again."
"Well.."
"I can't spend my life in some crappy prison station. I'm not going to let it happen."
"Come with me, so far as freeport 5?"
"Uhh, where's Freeport 5? I'm new to this exploring thing..."
"Omegas...Omega 41, or...I could get you a suite on Trafalgar..."
"Ooooh, a suite."
"So far as New London, then."
"Woah, wait! New London? The Bretonians have ... problems with me. That's where Esther caught me ... twice. I'll wait here. Nuremburg is nice."
"Please, Frank. Please. I don't want to be alone, anymore..."
"I...I know. Where are you going to go anyway? Leeds?"
"I don't know. Just...To Trafalgar, and then I'll look...I don't know anything about her."
"I can't come with you to Trafalgar. I'm sorry, I just can't."
"Freeport 5, then? Please?"
"I'm not sure...What's in Omega ... 11, was it?"
"Omega 41."
"Well, what's in there?"
"Uhm, Leon. And a neutron star."
"I guess I could. But, why?"
"I'd rather be closer to you."
"Wow. I...Er, thanks."
"Please, come with me, then?"
"I'll go to Omega-41, I'm sorry, I can't go any further."
"I understand, thank you."
"Well, I'm sorry you had to find out about your ... twin ...this way. I just had to be sure you weren't with her. I'm not going back."
"I know. Its ok. Its ok. I've a twin, Frank!"
"Heh. Congratulations, I guess."
"Yeah..."
"Right, well, I guess I'll meet you in a minute then."
"Goodbye, Frank"
Sliding his nav com away, Frank turned the corner to see a confused Sophie. What a bombshell he'd just dropped ... What was he going to say? Well, what could one say in that situation?
He walked over to her, sat down and ordered a drink. This was going to be awkward.
They didn't speak. Not at all. Sophie ordered three more drinks, each more caffeinated than the last. The rapids below roared, and the fish jumped, darted, visible through the crystal water all the way to the sandy riverbed. Frank took Sophie's hands, examined her scars, cuts, bruises, and skin grafts. She'd skinned her own hands six times throughout her life. People began to stare, and they kissed, briefly, before checking out. Sophie left a wonderfully large tip. They walked hand in hand down the boulevard by the river, until they reached the delta where the landing pads floated. Each ship met up in orbit.
