Pitch Black

[valen]

New London "Hand of Mercy" Hospital
PATIENT: Michael Valen
AGE: 18

Patient psychological profile:

The patient, Michael Valen, was brought today by his mother, Caroline Valen. We already talked to Michael two weeks ago, and agreed along with Caroline that this is the best idea for now. Michael seems to be suffering from a sever trauma and a strong depression. The actions that caused the trauma are unknown as of yet, and the depression that he has been suffering for 2 years now according to his mother is also a mystery as what caused it. We will talk to Michael more today, and we will see if any questions can be answered by Michael himself. But we will have to weight his words carefully, since they can be a twisted version of the truth. It may seem as the truth in Michael's eyes, but he is living in his own world right now.

Week 1:

Michael is beginning to trust us, and is opening up to our counselors. However that does not change the fact that he continues to believe in his words, which by his mother's words are complete rubbish. He claims that Caroline is offering prostitute services to other men, and after talking to her we have realized that these accusations are not true. A drinking problem was mentioned by Michael, as well as a drug problem that his mother is facing. We have tested her blood, results were higher then normal, but she explained that she is using anti pregnancy pills, which can be detected by the tests as drugs. She showed us the proper proscription for the pills. We are trying to reason with Michael, for him to see where he is, and to show him the right path. On the other hand, his mental scans are off the charts. Mental activity is extremely high, but he seems unable to use that in everyday's life. Unable, or unwilling. Time will tell.

Week 2:

Michael's condition is beginning to improve, his medication is working perfect, and if this continues we expect him to leave on home care in 2 weeks time. However, his words are beginning to make sense. The proscription that Caroline had for the pills was a fake, and her blood shows results of multiple drug and alcohol usage. Multiple home visits that we made to her home showed that different men are visiting the house, thus we assumed that perhaps there is some truth to Michael's words. With these recent events we now know that Michael's childhood was not an easy one. He was ignored as a child and is being ignored now. According to Michael's words, Caroline doesn't know when Michael's birthday is, thus he doesn't know as well. And we can only imagine how hard that must have been for him to live with. Despite these things, Michael is still very fond of his mother, and is defending her every chance he gets.

Week 3:

Today Michael broke one of our doctor's nose. The reason is quite odd, the doctor said to Michael that it must have been difficult to live with such a bitch, and he lost his temper, jumping over the table and punching the doctor. What is even weirder are Michael's words. He said, and I quote "No one can call her a bitch but ME!". After that we hooked Michael to a brain scanning device, to monitor his brain functions. And after mentioning Caroline the readings went off the chart. It seems that he hates and loves her at the same time. A strange condition indeed. We will continue to observe him. Also we think we found the reasons that caused his depression. Caroline's prostituting and constant usage of narcotics forced Michael to grow up to early, and thus having to withdraw from the outside world into himself. His father left them in his early childhood, and Michael had to deal with life on his own. And it wasn't an easy life. Therefore he seems to have developed a hate towards all that is unknown, and even more hate to Caroline and all that had something to do with his life. However, he talked briefly about a girl that he knew as a child, but never spoke of her again. We are making progress.

Week 4

The patient is showing increased aggression towards all, and we are unsure on what caused this. Michael seems to be suffering from some sort of mental breakdowns, which increase his aggression. The mental state in which he is now is probably caused by the memories of his past. However the breakdowns seem to be controlled by Michael himself, thus making him able to focus the anger and aggression where he wants it. This is most likely the result of the hard childhood, and the need to deal with the most painful things a child can experience taught him to deal with it this way, and be able to draw something positive for him out of it. A strange condition indeed, and the fact that his brain waves increase dramatically when experiencing this condition is even stranger. We are treating him with different medication, including "Lexapro". So far the medications were successful in restraining him, but we cannot continue like this forever.

Day 33:

Michael is gone, along with any records of his treatment, we do not know how, and the Police is investigating, but they tell us not to hope. The security at the Hospital is miserable. The escape happened this morning, Michael knocked out two guards with the fire extinguisher, putting one guard in a coma, while the other is recovering normally. No leads have been found yet, and I personally doubt there will be. Michael was smart, smart enough to fool us thinking he is unable to use his mental capabilities, which he most certainly is able to.

---

[valen]

Michael Valen

Michael was still shaking from the side effects, leaned onto the console nearby, realizing that he knocked over the Datapad containing his psychological profile when he visited the "Hand of Mercy".

"****ing Caroline, what they did to me there, never will I forget it. The damn brain scans! They are not human! Arghhh...." - Suddenly his heart started beating faster, the recovery from the armor's drugs is becoming more and more difficult as of late.

But as always, the effects went away even faster then they appeared. And once again Michael could think straight. His hands were coming back to their normal cold blooded equanimity. He shook his head and placed the Datapad on the console.

"I remember Caroline's face when I came back. Not something a child would ever want to see from its mother. She despised me, from the day I was born she despised me. It wasn't my fault The Old Man left you ****ing bitchh!!!!" - Anger took Michael, "Why?? I loved you?! Why you whore! What did I ever do to you?!" - Hatred could be seen in his eyes, his face was distorted with anger. Michael grabbed his head with both hands, yelling and screaming. Suddenly he sat on the floor, with his head between his knees, his eyes darkened, his heart exploded.

"They are all the same! I will spare none!" - He shouted as he sat into the Sabre's cockpit, strapping himself into the pilot's seat.

The scanners were going wild, many innocent transports, passengers, families travel through this system. And Michael was consumed with frenzy. He powered up the ship's weapon system, and began his approach to the nearest ship, a passenger ship.

The ship immediately opened a channel to Michael asking to change course as he was on a collision course. Michael didn't respond, instead he just laughed into the speaker, "Hahahaha! You pathetic fools! None will be left alive!"

The said captain had no other choice but to order all defensive batteries to open fire on Michael's ship. But being a passenger liner, the batteries were unable to do damage to the Sabre's shields, and along with Michael's piloting skills, the shields barely got a scratch.

As Michael came into his guns range to the vessel, he opened fire with all his hatred, anger, pain, suffering combined in his heart and mind. His mind darkened, and his heart was filled with pride and satisfaction as he heard the people on the vessel screaming in terror. He saw them through the openings on the passenger vessel, they were running, screaming, stepping over each other.

Chaos everywhere, and Michael enjoyed every bit of it, he even accompanied it with a deranged laugh. No mercy was shown, and he ripped the vessel in half with his guns, people floating into space, suffocating, freezing. It wasn't enough, Michael thirst was to great, and he opened fire on the bodies that were floating in space. The blood was solidified but Michael enjoyed seeing the bodies splash onto his Sabre's hull.

As his maniacal rage was over, he stood there and watched the vessel exploding, killing what was left on the ship. No remorse, no guilt, but yet a tear could be seen in his eyes.....

---

[valen]

Michael watched the results of his actions, countless dead, many more left in sorrow. No guilt crossed his heart, and Michael wiped away the tears from his eyes. His anger was withdrawing from his head, and his thirst for vengeance was satisfied for now.

Thoughts and memories again overwhelmed him mind. He hadn't had many things that he liked remembering, not even many that he could remember, and even less that he wanted to remember. The Old Man, Caroline, Arthur, they were all in his past, all deserved what they got, but still they troubled Michael day after day, memories that could not be erased, betrayals that were ever present, tortures that will never leave Michael's mind.

But there are some that Michael loved, in a different way than he loved Caroline, there were some that actually treated him like a human being long ago. A special someone, that keeps Michael hoping. Hoping of a time when he will forget his anguish and misery. The Angel as Michael called her, the only one that looked into his eyes, and saw him for what he truly is, a human beings, with emotions, hopes.

"Finally I got out of the ****ing nuthouse! Nobody is ever hooking me up onto those ****ing head scanners! Never! And Caroline, the slut, threw me into there so she could **** around for cash. Yeah I was the one that prevented her from earning a full paycheck, so you needed me out of the way?! I hate youuuuu!!! You hear me!?!" - Michael was talking to himself while walking down the street on a cold night, rain was pouring down from the skies, and he was soaking wet.

As he was walking down the street in the "New London" city, one of the dangerous regions of the city, mostly occupied by the criminals of New London, Michael came across a bar, a shady looking place. He leaned over to the window and put his hands on the glass to sharpen his image a bit. The place was nearly empty, and he decided that it is safe to enter. Not much choice he had, the rain was not about to stop, and he was starting to cough.

Michael entered the bar, running his hands through his hair to dry it a little. While doing this, he glanced his eyes over the bar a bit, to see who is there, and who to avoid. There were three guys sitting at the table and drinking, the two of them were normal looking people, while the third one was a terrifying looking guy, with a long black coat with rolled up sleeves and a tattoo showing up, a serpent of some sort. Michael knew it was best to avoid them.

And there was one other figure in the bar, sitting in a dark corner, blocking Michael's view of her. He couldn't see if it was a he or she, but he kept looking in her direction, as somehow he was drawn to her. She slowly picked up her drink and took a sip, then slowly returning the drink to the table. She was looking at Michael, he only saw her eyes as they reflected the light from the bar. Two beautiful blue eyes, that seemed like the eyes of an Angel in a dark and scary place.

The bar was filthy, every inch of it was as if beasts dwell in there, not people. Michael approached the bartender, and ordered a drink, forgetting that he didn't had any credits with him. After he drank his drink he grabbed his pockets, realizing that he had no credits, "Hello Sir, uhmmm....I don't have any credits with me, could you perhaps allow me a credit, I'll come back tomorrow and pay you."

"Excuse moi?" - The bartender replied to him while cleaning the glass he was holding, "Ye come to MOI bar with no money!? Drink MOI beverage and then say ya can't pay moi?!!"

"I am sorry...I was....somewhere...and they don't allow credits there, so I am broke. Give me a credit will you? I will pay you tomorrow."

"No ****in' credit ya little bugger!!" - He shouted and punched Michael with the glass throwing him off the chair onto the floor.

Michael was bleeding, but he didn't care, he stood up and whipped his face with his hand. And approached the bartender, "Listen you old ****!! I don't have any credits on me, offered you a deal, and you spat in my face!! **** you!!!" - Michael yelled in rage and grabbed the bartender's head and slammed it onto the bar breaking his nose.

The bartender fell onto the floor, blood was spraying from his broken nose, but he was able to shout to the three guys that were sitting in the bar that were looking on what will happen, "Guys deal with this little bugger! Make him pay for his drink!"

They approached Michael and the tattooed guy grabbed him by his neck and dragged him outside, while the two followed. When they got into the back alley they threw Michael onto the floor. Rain was still pouring. Michael got up, and knowing he had no other choice, he punched one of the thugs in the face, breaking his jaw, but the other two grabbed him and pushed him against the wall, and started to hit him in his ribs, head, everywhere. Michael tried to cover his head, but the punches were too strong, it was hopeless.

"Stop." - A gentle, sweet voice was heard coming through the rain. The two thugs stopped and dropped Michael on the floor, he was bleeding, but he managed to look up.

"An....Angel? Arghh." - Michael grunted.

"I will pay for his drink." - She said and dropped 10 credits onto the floor, "Pick it up, and go to your boss. The boy is clean, yes?"

"You have a big mouth girl, but I guess we are good." - The tattooed thug said and the three of them entered the bar.

Michael was sitting on the floor, with his head between his knees, and his hands trying to wipe away the blood. No use, there was too much of it. The rain mixed with tears, and none could see his suffering, none wanted to see it. But the girl approached Michael, and kneeled next to him in the rain.

"What's your name?" - She asked while putting her hand on his wound.

"My....My name? You want to know my name?"

"Yes silly." - She chuckled.

"Its...Michael."

"It is nice to meet you Michael. You shouldn't be here alone you know?"

"You are alone."

"Yes, well....I'm used to being alone."

"So am I."

She smiled to him while looking him in his eyes.

"You should go home Michael." - She said to him as she tended to his wounds.

"I don't have a home." - Michael said with pain.

"We all have a home Michael, here or there." - She said as she finished taking care of Michael's wounds, and slowly stood up. She started to walk away backwards slowly, "All will be well Michael, take care." - She walked into the night, and the last thing Michael saw was her sending him a kiss.

"Wait....Don't go." - Michael said as he tried to get up, but he couldn't, "I.....Love you...."

---

[valen]

"Yes I remember my Angel, she was the reason I came back home. All will be well Michael, that's what she said. She made me endure and go home to Caroline, she couldn't help me after, but that is not her fault." - Michael spoke in remembrance, his mind drifted away a little, trying to remember the girl's face, but he couldn't connect her voice to a face, she was a blur, "I miss her." - He sighted.

Michael's mind and heart were on fire, feelings were mixing, thoughts were merging, the injustice that made him forget his Angel's face was unbearable. The universe is cruel, much too cruel towards him, and in his eyes the injustice must be corrected. Much did he suffer in his life, and each time his mind traveled back in the past, or the future, when he saw the suffering, misery, anguish that he went through, his only wish was to share it. To make people understand, and regret how they treated him. No wonder it they are guilty or not, in his mind each and every one is the same. Flesh and blood, breakable.

"None can hide from me." - Michael said with a cold blooded voice, the expression on his face was that of a killer, a seeker for revenge. A silent grim could be heard as he entered Bretonia space.

"Home yet again. I always enjoy coming back here, fear can be smelled even in space! The fear of me! They know me here. And if they don't....Well then, they will. Haha! Blood is to be shed! Flesh to be ripped! Wrath to be unleashed! Revenge to be delivered upon the all of them!"

Nothing could stop now between Michael and his long lasted vengeance. None were innocent in his eyes, too much was done to him in the past, to just be forgiven. Sins must be payed for, redemption must be earned through blood.

Michael turned on the auto pilot, and went in the back to see his armor, his love, that understood him, that bonded with him on a deeper level. That was all in his head, he connected to the armor, and nothing save true human emotions could draw him back into reality. Slowly he put on the armor, and he felt its power flow through him. The armor's needles connected to his muscles and bone tissue, but Michael was already used to it, as he felt no pain.

[[POWER AT 13% AND FALLING]]
[[POWER CORE CHARGING NEEDED]]

"What the **** is happening?!"

[[POWER FAILURE]]

"Arghhhhhh!!" - Michael's rage was rising, as even the armor failed him. He ran a system diagnostics on the armor, and it was reading that there is a power failure in the core. Recharging was needed, and Michael was out of himself, anger consumed him.

"Where did I put that datapad! ****!? Come on Old Man, be useful for once in your life. Where the hell is your stuff?!" - He was crashing the interior of his ship, nothing was more important now. Finally he located The Old Man's datapad, that had all his research and information about it in it.

"Hell yeah Old Man! Haha! Now where do I get the LiCad Crystals I need for the power core...." - Michael ran a search through the datapad, and a video feed started playing.

"Finally I managed to find a constant supplier of LiCad! Ahhh this is most excellent! I already ordered a huge shipment of those. It will cost me, but that is not important. The armor requires huge amounts of energy, and this is the only material that can be harvested to emit that amount of power. Ahh I am so excited!! Anyways, back to the topic, he didn't mention his name, all he said is to call him Decker. A strange name, he didn't sound like a Decker. Oh well. I did some research about him, pulled some strings, and it turns out his name is Kurtis Driscoll. Didn't sound like a Kurtis either, so I think they lied to me. He sounded like a Jerry, or Frank. Oh well. He is a funny looking guy as well. Smokes too much, it will kill him some day, if not tomorrow. Haha. Anyway one LiCad Crystal, which weights around 1 milligramme, costs 50 thousand credits! But it is worth it! Even one Crystal can power the armor for approximately 50 hours. Oh I am so excited!"

"I don't care about that Old Man! Where do I find this ****er!?" - Michael was getting aggravated as he continued to browse the datapad on information on this Decker. At least, he found what he was looking for.

"Received a transmission from Decker, Frank, or whatever his name was, he's got another shipment ready. Oh I am so excited!!"

..::INCOMING VIDEO FEED::..
..::COMM ID: ERROR::..

"Yo listen up Old Man, meet me at the designated coordinates. Be late, and be dead. I've got 10 big ones for you. Bring the money, 400 grands. Screw up, you'll wake up dead, that is you won't wake up at all.

The coordinates are encrypted in the message. I've also left a tracker, so you can track me anytime. But remember, someone finds me, that I don't want him to find me, I find you, and blame you, and rip you apart. Got it? Good. Now **** off."

..::VIDEO FEED TERMINATED::..

"A whole 10 milligrammes! Oh I am so excited! He gave me a discount, so it will cost me around 400 thousand credits! It is a lot, but I sold some of my stuff, so I have enough for this, and one more shipment. Oh this is excellent! This is where we meet, never heard about the ship before. It is a pretty one, although it looks like a prostitute liner. Maybe I'll meet someone there, who knows. Hehe. I am going to install the tracker on this datapad, so I can always contact him wherever I am. Oh I am so excited!!!"

Michael hacked the datapad's password, gaining access to the tracker. Luck has it, the tracker stopped working a while ago, probably Decker met someone he didn't want, and got rid of it. Last know position is some Liner, known as Leavenworth. It is a good place as any to start the search.

---

[Akura]

"Uh oh..." Georgia turned on the spot, "It's here somewhere!" she threw the suitcase off her bed, scattering the neatly packed clothes across her small, rented room.

She dropped to her knees and began rummaging around, after a few seconds pulling out and object and holding it out infront of her. It was a hairbrush, her last one.

"Phew, thought I'd lost you" she threw it up onto the bed and began folding up her clothes again.

She clicked down the locks on the case and heaved it off the bed, grabbing her ticket before she left.



The docking bays were packed, Freeport 4 was not used to this much traffic, the floors were filled with VIPs, tourists and passengers ready for the trip aboard the Luxury Liner Leavenworth.

Georgia threw her luggage into the huge pile amassing by the commodity dealer and waited in the short VIP line. She looked out of place, with her small dress and combat boots. Every other person in the line was wearing suits that cost more than the average ship, their wives decorated with jewels and gold.

She finally arrived at the ticket master, handing over her ticket and glancing around the crowded docking bay once more.

"Georgia Brown?" he asked,

"Yes, that is correct" Georgia nodded,

"Dutchess of 'Pretty' County, Planet Cambridge" he asked again, confused,

"Yes, that is correct" Georgia lied,

"Can I see some ID?" he requested, still skeptical,

"Sure" Georgia answered, handing him her Bretonian Citizen ID card,

The man read over it, double checked and looked her up and down once more. He nodded and waved her into the fancy mooring corridor.

She paused halfway to the great ship, stopping to admire it's beauty out of the window. The light of Magellen providing a radiant, angelic glow illuminating the entire liner. She smiled again, pressing her hands against the cold glass.

[valen]

"Finally managed to find where the ****ing Liner is, Freeport 4." - Michael muttered as he was getting ready, "I need to avoid attention when I get there, so I'll need to take a room. Arghhh why can't I just kill everyone! Would've been a lot easier!"

"Now where did I put all that cash that I had?!" - He said in anger and with lack of self confidence, as he was not used to this, "Ahhh here it is. Good, this will be enough." - He closed the case.

After a long trip through open, cold and lonely space, he finally arrived in visual range of the station. What a beauty to a lonely eye. He approached closer, and turned off the auto pilot for a hands on approach.

The station granted him permission to land and he did it with haste, since the Liner was soon departing, leaving an impression that his piloting skills are those of an amateur, what aggravated him.

He locked his ship with the special code, and activated the self defenses, and paced to the line that was boarding the Liner. The VIP's were staring at him, as he clearly didn't belong there. Finally Michael arrived to the ticket master.

"I am going to need a room. Any room will do."

"Apologies Sir, we have none available." - The ticket boy said while looking him with abhorrence.

"Ahhh just my ****ing luck!" - Michael muttered in his chin, and noticed that the ticket boy was looking him with despise, "You have a problem with me boy?"

"No Sir."

"Honey everything will be ok! It is just a trip to Kansas, and I'll call you once I arrive. Love you!" - Michael heard a voice further behind him, "Bye honey I need to go to the bathroom!" - The man moved away from the waiting line and went into the men's room. Michael saw his opportunity, and rushed in his direction.

He entered the men's room, and locked the doors. The man he was following was washing his hands and Michael approached him from the back, and with a quick move smashed his head on the glass, knocking him unconscious, or even worse. He searched him and found his ticket, then exited the men's room, and placed the "Out of Order" sign on the door, leaving the helpless man bleed to death.

Michael quickly rushed to the waiting line again, prowling his way to the front, angering many people, but he couldn't care less. Finally he arrived to the ticket boy.

"You again Sir, you cannot cut the line, please proceed to the back."

"Just check my ticket boy."

"Sir, please."

"You wouldn't want me to call your boss and tell him that you were looking me with disgust now would you?"

"Uhmm, no...no Sir. Your ticket please."

"Good."

"The ticket Sir, it is registered to another owner."

"The owner canceled, he sold me the ticket just now." - The ticket boy didn't want to argue with Michael, due to the threat he was given.

"Yes Sir, enjoy your stay."

Michael grabbed the ticked and boarded the liner, admiring its size, and beauty, passing through the hallways to his room. Room 313. He locked the doors behind him, and threw his case on the bed, approaching it and opening it. The blade from the armor was in it, passed the metal detector due to its material, ready to provide Michael with what he needed.

---

[Akura]

Georgia hurried to catch up with the VIP couple infront of her, pausing again from the VIP deck to overlook the passengers boarding the ship on the floor below.

She leaned over curiously, watching them being parted onto their set decks, flowing into the various staircases.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" a voice from over her shoulder said,

"Yup" Georgia turned away and proceeded into the lift, ignoring the handsome man who had tried to seduce her.

He gave a confused look as the doors closed, sealing off his chances with the cute Bretonian girl. He cursed loudly, startling a nearby couple of snobs and their equally snobby son.


Georgia exited the lift at her level, reading off her ticket stub. 'Hephaestus Alpha' was the name of the deck she was staying on. She followed the corridor, admiring the elegant, precise decorations lining it floor to ceiling.

The corridor eventually panned out, revealing a door at the end of the corridor. Number Thirty Five. Georgia unlocked it magnetically with the strip on her ticket stub, and pulled open the doors.
The room inside was exquisite, beautiful hand-crafted drapes and framed pictures lined the walls, a large, elegant bed filling a portion of the room, while an over-comfortable lounge area spread across the other side.

Georgia fell limp, allowing her body to fall into the many layers of the bed, swallowing her up and hugging her with a cool spring scent. She unwrapped the pillow-mint and allowed it to melt on her tongue as she continued to admire the room, trying all the chairs and fluffing the already fluffed cushions out of delight.


Soon enough there was a knock on the door and a small boy dragged her luggage in, bowing and disappearing out again.
Georgia smiled and pounced on the bed again, sinking into it's layers again.

[valen]

"Luxury Liner Leavenworth will be departing Freeport 4 in 30 minutes. Designated system, Kansas." - An announcement was heard over the ship communication system, probably the same boy that checked Michael's ticket, so he chuckled knowing that the boy is probably still scared of him.

"Time to make some friends here." - Michael said as he was cleaning his blade from blood that was left on it from past events.

The room was a mess, Michael made it that way, hiding its beauty for which he didn't care. The view from his room was a breathtaking one, and Michael stood up and approached the glass, cleaning the blade for the entire way, without looking at it. Stars were distant, and his mind wandered towards them.

Michael snapped out of confusion, realizing that the hour is late, and he needs to quicken his actions. Slowly did he hide the blade under the bed, and proceeded out of the room, locking it behind him with the coded key, and placing the "Do not disturb" sign on the door.
He started walking to the bar on the deck, and slowly his pace quickened, until he started running, what caused many VIP's disdained looks. He seemed thoughtful as he was running through the hallways, but he was more observant then one could notice, as he stopped near the emergency exit when he saw the deck plans. Quickly did he grab the deck plans as he knew it will help him find his way through the deck more quickly, and if need arises, more safely.

"There, the bar. Best place to start looking for a lowlife **** such as Decker." - Michael said as he pointed a finger at the deck plan.

Michael slowed his pace as he was approaching the bar, no need to enter it looking exhausted, not the right way to leave the impression he wanted. So he stopped near the entrance to catch his breath, until finally he entered the bar.
Carefully did he observe the surroundings in the bar, the people there, quickly he realized who is a threat to him if there is any trouble here. The bartender was cleaning glasses, and looking at Michael, so Michael approached him.

"Listen, I need to find Decker. You know where he is?" - Michael asked while looking the bartender in the eyes, and handing over a thousand credits.

The bartender doubted what to do at first, but he took the money in the end, "Nope, never seen him."

"What? You little ****! Took my money and now you tell me you don't know?! Arghhhh! Here, take another thousand you little ****!" - Michael responded in anger, and the bartender realized not to mess with this one, but the security there was strong, so he just nodded to the guard near the entrance.

"Chill out man. Decker you say? Yeah I know him. Wasn't here for a long time though. I heard he got killed by someone. Don't know for sure." - By the time he finished the sentence the guard came to Michael, and asked him to leave, not politely that is for sure. He grabbed him by his shoulder and pushed outside of the bar.

Michael's anger was rising, as his try to locate Decker was unsuccessful, and he did not tolerate unsuccessfulness, not even his own.

"Luxury Liner Leavenworth departing Freeport 4 in 5 minutes. Designated system, Kansas. Please, prepare for jump."

"****, just what I needed." - Michael said as he proceeded to his room.

---

[Akura]

The mooring walkways detatched from the great liner, the boarding process complete. With a hiss of decompression, they pulled away, freeing the ship completely.

"We're free Captain Anderson" squeaked one of the deckhands.

"Good, follow standard procedure, plot me the path safely through the rocks" Captain Anderson ordered,

"Yessir, should be in Kansas within the hour Captain" the Navigator confirmed,

"Perfect, take us to cruise Ensign" the Captain commanded again.

The Leavenworth signalled nearby ships with it's lights, blinking as moved away on impulse. As soon as it was a safe 2k from the Freeport, the Ensign kicked it into Cruise, the hungry engines building up power slowly but surely.

As the engines got to full power, the gravitational stabilisers engaged, keeping the passengers of the ship from being violently thrown about. The speed escalated, approaching 350m/s

The Liner turned smootly, passing alongside the field of rocks. In one well calculated move, the Liner turned completely, plunging itself into the rocks and towards the Kansas Jumphole.

"Ready to jump Captain" the Navigator piped,

"Do it" the Captain ordered.

The Leavenworth engaged it's jumpdrives, allowing itself to be safely pulled into the Jumphole.

"We're clear" the deckhand nodded,

"Proceed to the Coordinates I've laid out at 3D, set up anchor there ensign" the Captain commanded, relaxing in his chair.

"Engaging cruise, we are green across the board" the Navigator smiled, following the waypoints.

[valen]

"We are coming up on Kansas Sir." - The navigator said as the Leavenworth was about to exit the Jump Hole, and complete its trip to the Kansas system.

"Most excellent." - The Captain replied with a smile on his face that all went as planed, "Jennifer, announce it across the ship."

"Aye aye Captain!" - The communication officer replied, a beautiful girl, that looked strangely attractive in a uniform.

"The Luxury Liner Leavenworth has successfully completed its jump to the Kansas system, we will be mooring in the sight position shortly. Dear guests, you are free to enjoy all the accommodations that the Leavenworth has to offer. Enjoy your stay." - Jennifer announced in the ship's channel, and chuckled at the end of the message, leaving a cute impression to all who heard her.


In his room, Michael was lying in his comfortable bed, dreaming, about the past, the future, and the present. His dreams were disturbing as of late. The Angel appears in them sometimes, but rarely, leaving Michael dreaming only of the horrors he experienced over and over again. His mind was weak, his heart was falling apart.
Suddenly he woke up covered in sweat, unable to remember what he was dreaming about, but knowing it wasn't pleasant, he sat on the side of the bed, with his hands on his head.

"What time is it?" - He asked himself in a confusing state, half awake, half asleep, he looked towards the clock, "That late already. Huh. I must have overslept." - Michael said as he slowly rose up from the bed and went to take a sip of water to calm himself a little. On the way he pressed the button on the communication console, to listen to most recent announcements.
The message that the communication officer sent was played.

"Oh ****! We are already here!" - He forgot about the water, and picked up his clothes from the floor, and put them on, "Things need doing, that Decker ****, I need him. The bartender was of little help, but he said that Decker was here, so someone has to know something!" - Michael yelled in his room as he was getting ready. He exited his room only to see some passengers walking through the corridor, and giving him the usual strange looks he was used to.

"I so hate these ****ing people. But they will die one day. They will all die!!" - He yelled the last sentence in the direction of the passengers, who heard him and in started walking faster in panic and fear.

Michael took out the deck plan from his pocket, it was all messed up and barely readable by now.

"Rooms....rooms....bar. ****ing bar. Rooms....library! Hah!" - Michael muttered into his chin as he was reading the deck plan, "Entertainment club. Yeah, thats the one, at least I can have some fun, or some hookers if I can't find that Decker guy."


The door opened, and Michael entered the entertainment club for gentlemen. He just passed near the "Only 21 and older" sign in front, and the bouncer didn't ask no questions. Cards, gambling, dancers, it was heaven for a disturbed mind such as Michael's.
He walked around the club a little, when finally decided to sit at the poker table, as the players were the most shady looking in the room, the exact type that would have some information on Decker.

"This seat taken?" - Michael asked as he already sat down, what caused the players to stare at him in confusion.

"You got balls kid, but are also very stupid. Sure take a seat. 10 grand is the minimum bet, so I think you'll be going soon." - The fat pimp looking slob said to Michael and laughed, spiting everyone at the table while laughing.

"Just play the game fatsy."

The fat guy stopped laughing, and dealt the cards around, while the other 4 were now laughing at the fat guy. All of them were fat, but the dealer was the fattest.
They played for around an hour, Michael won four hands, wining around 230 thousand credits. But credits were of no concern of him, he is after some bigger fish.

"Now listen up mother ****ers. You can keep the 230 grand. Just do me a simple favor."

"You serious lad? You are more stupid then I thought then! Haha! Joking joking." - Michael just looked him once with rage in his eyes, and the fat slob calmed himself down.

"Go ahead, what do you need. I'd like my 230 grand back, so speak up."

"I want Decker." - Michael said and carefully observed the expressions on their faces, "I need him to deliver me something. You tell me where he is, and you can keep your cash."

"Decker? I know him, some smuggler or some ****. Haven't seen him for a while though. You might want to try Liberty, the Rogues to be precise, I heard he did some deals with them recently."

"Good, keep your cash, just pay me for a lap dance."

After the private dancer gave Michael a lap dance, he left the club, and headed back to his room. Time to leave this Liner, and try his luck in Lady Liberty. On his way to Room 313 he couldn't help to stop near the observatory, and admire the beauties of the Kansas system. The view made him escape reality for a while, but it caught up with him soon.

"****ing ****. I'm done with this." - Michael said and continued his way to his room, leaving the couple that heard his swearing in wonder.

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