Date: 5 June 819 System: Koeln Location: Heisenberg Research Station, in the Heisenberg Pub. Topic: On a secret mission to Koeln.
After spending a few days on Planet New Berlin, I recieved an encrypted message in form of a small PDA, from the Heisenberg Research Station in Köln:
Quote:
Dear Mr. Verde,
my name is David Campell, I'm an independant scientist, with specialist area in alien communication. This kind of research is strictly forbidden in Rheinland, and you might wonder now, why I'm telling you all that. We don't know each other. But I've heard some rumors about you and your origin. And you appear to be a trustworthy young explorer. Just the man I need for my newest project. I ask you to do a favor for me: Bring me a couple of Alien remains - also known as Nomad Brains. That's not an easy task, and I understand, if you're sceptical. But I promise you, that you'll be rewarded. It'll be worth it.
We'll meet at the bar on Heisenberg, tomorrow evening. I'll wear a white lab coat with red parts. Don't speak with anyone about that message.
Sincerly yours,
Prof. David Campell
PS: This message will destroy itself in sixty seconds.
After I nearly burned my hands, I left New Berlin in a hurry. I had no time to waste, since I only had 24 hours left, to gain those alien brains, probably in the Omicrons again, and then get to that Research Station in Köln.
When I've been about to pass the lane at Battleship Strausberg, I noticed several transports docked at Bonn Station, they appeared to be person transports from the Rheinland Military. It looked like they'd evacuating Interspace Commerce employees from the station. I don't really wanted to know what has been going on there...
Battleship Strausberg next to Bonn Station.
So I traveled through the Omegas to Omicron Kappa again, and I managed to gain a few alien remains quickly, without any troubles. And I left the Omicrons again, as fast as I entered them.
Back to Stuttgart at Station, I finally took the lane to the Köln jumpgate.
Koeln system.
Köln. Discovered just 69 years ago. Being quite a 'new' system of Rheinland. The trade lanes in this system haven't got finished yet, so I engaged my cruise engines and followed the unfinished trade lanes. I had no clue where that Research Station was located at, so I had to find without my nav map.
Wuppertal Refinery, near Planet Steinfurt.
At the end of the way, I arrived at the Wuppertal Refinery, a smelter, run by ALG and Kruger. I parked my Cutlass in the landing bay and gave the bar a visit, in hope to get some informations about the location of the Heisenberg station. I heard some rumors about the station. An ALG employee told me, that scientists of the Research station just warned Wuppertal of a comet, which is apparently on a collision course with the refinery. I wonder, if they already hired someone to blow that thing up, before it hits the refinery...
In the end, he told me the corret coordinates of the Research station. I paid him a small credit for that information and a hour later, I found it finally.
On my to the given coordinates, I came across an unknown outpost. Its name was Castrop Station, it didn't showed on my nav map and my docking request got denied. Seems like, that this outpost has still been under construction.
Castrop Station.
A few minutes later, I arrived at my destination:
Heißenberg Research Station, in the orbit of Herne Moon.
The Heißenberg Research Station, once been a observatory and laboratory, owned by the Rheinland government, until Rheinland decided to abandon the station, due overbearing financial cuts. 50 years later, groups of freelancers, scientists, researchers and pirates, have settled down there. Many explorers and adventurers, are passing there, at the Freeport-like station. A neutral place for everyone far away from Rheinland authorities.
It felt good, to step on 'neutral ground' again. Leaving my Cutlass at the landing bay for some minor repairs, I entered the bar, looking for that professor. I let my eyes wander through the bar, and noticed a middle-aged man with grey hair wearing a white lab coat, staring at me.
Professor David Campbell.
He introduced himself as Professor David Campbell. After shaking hands he told me everything about his current project, he's working on since years already. At request of him, I won't note any details about it down here. I handed over the nomad remains over to him, and he asked me to meet him at the same place tomorrow evening again. He made me understand, that I shouldn't ask any questions yet and left the bar. I nearly died of curiosity...