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Catbert · (This post was last modified: 10-01-2017, 08:51 AM by Catbert.)

Chapter 4: The Trail

Things got messed up shortly after I got back to Kusari. Remember how I mentioned a person I fell for? Well, she turned out to be a Rheinland intelligence operative and probably sticked around because she found out that I used to work for the Liberty Security Force. She confessed herself for whatever reason, claiming that she cared for me. Well, if anything, I've learned that I have rotten luck with women. One less distraction for now, I guess.

I've been sitting in my crib for days now, piecing together all the information I gathered while flying around. Lucky for me, when I quit, the LSF allowed me to keep quite a useful tool: ERS, or Enhanced Reality System. The shortest way to describe this gadget would be "sunglasses with a nanocomputer and an assortment of scanners". Oh, and they also offer artificial reality, thanks to the holotainment band technology. I don't know how they work, but they're definitely neat.

Back in the day I could connect the ERS to the Liberty Secutity Force database, which is no longer the case. But even with the access to NeuralNet alone, the ERS can work wonders. Not to mention that it't convenient to sort data with the fingertips. Speaking of data, I've gathered a little dossier on Ajax Combine, the corporation that my boss wanted me to investigate. I didn't really dig up much, but at least that's something.

Ajax Combine Inc. Dossier

Still, that doesn't give me much insight on whether they were somehow involved in the Shinchoku incident or not. And it's not like I can walk into their Sprague HQ and ask about it. At least Hayashi can get his intel. And since I'm back in Kusari, I might as well talk to the witnesses of the attack. That being Aiko Matano and Arata Kano from Shinchoku security detail.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 03-28-2016, 09:13 PM by Catbert.)

Here I am, walking the familiar path from my apartment to the Shinchoku building. This time I walk through the glass doors without any incidents, but a guard stops me at the checkpoint right after I pass the door. Looks like they've added metal detectors and other scanners, as well as more security. At least I don't recognize that guy.

"May I ask your ID? What is your business here?" the guard asks; by his look I can say that he's not fond of me, although he's acting polite. I pull out my ID card and hand it over, at the same time I reach under my coat and put my gun with the holster on the desk at the checkpoint. I also put the ERS sunglasses there, just to be sure: "I'm here to meet Aiko Matano."

"Chief Matano is preoccupied. She won't meet you," the guard got a little more edgy, seeing everything I brought with me. Or maybe my name rang a bell. In the meantime I'm trying to figure out whether or not I'm glad that Aiko got my former position. I also realize that I don't want to be bossed around by some security guard. He didn't even call Aiko to ask if she was there.

"Chief Matano will meet me. Call her and mention my name. And if you try to get in the way, you'll be meeting a job interviewer in some other company," I did get a bit arrogant here. I hoped that their boss had instructed them to provide me some assistance in the investigation, and it did work out. The guard went silent and let me through without even calling Aiko. Guess someone just didn't want to see me.

As I walked through the hall towards the escalator, I noticed a small memorial to the right, with the holographic photos of those who got killed in the attack. I recognized Hikaru Inukai, the guard from my detail. Of all the Kusarians I worked with back in the day, he was probably the most tolerant to me. I sighed, remembering that the man had two grandchildren. In the meantime the escalator took me to the second floor. I walked towards my old office, only instead of my name the door sign said "Aiko Matano". Well, what can I say? The Kusari Republic probably did something right. Aiko deserved it, despite being rash at times. But then again, I can't always keep it cool myself. As I walk into the office, I hear Aiko behind my former desk.

"Norman," she says, without any particular emotion. "Aiko," I respond in kind and just walk in, sitting down on one of the chairs for visitors. It'd be pointless to wait for invitation from her. "I came to talk..." I begin, but she interrupts me: "About the attack. Hayashi-sama has told me you might come." Of course he did. She may've hoped that I'd just give up at the entrance. "I don't have anything to say to you that you don't know already, Norman," she continues, her voice still emotionless. "You even saw more than I did." I still ask one question: "Did they find out how the bomb got brought in?" Aiko shrugs: "Not really. Someone got a virus into the system. It unlocked some doors for them, then erased the video footage."

Another dead end? Sure sounds like it. The tech experts probably couldn't recover anything either. Guess I'll have to rely on eyewitnesses. Speaking of which: "I never talked to Arata Kano after that mess. Is it his shift today?" Aiko looks a little surprised: "Arata? He quit Shinchoku shortly after the attack. Never heard from him ever since." It figures. As far as I know, Arata's parents are quite influential. They sure wouldn't want their son and heir to put his life on the line in a small enterprise like Shinchoku.

Still, him quitting like that... Could he have something to do with the attack? He didn't have high-level access to security system, but the way he tried to put the blame on me... And his unnatural edginess... Could be worth a try. The fact that he didn't even call Aiko was weird as well—I thought he had a soft spot for her. Well, lucky for me, I knew just where to look for Arata. I decided not to share my thoughts with Aiko and instead just stood up and prepared to leave. "Good luck," I don't know why, but I just felt compelled to say it. Aiko looked surprised and even lost for words for a moment, before replying almost without any reluctance: "To you as well."

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 04-02-2016, 11:15 PM by Catbert.)

Chapter 5: Tango and Twist

Back in the day Arata Kano used to be late his shifts, because he spent a lot of time at nightclubs. He got off easy because of his family's influence. If anything, I'm glad that this passion of his will help me track him down. Somebody of those he hangs out with must've seen him. Knowing Arata, he wouldn't settle for anything less than the most expensive and elitist place around. The Rising Dragon Nightclub it is then.

As I walk inside, the music, lights, and stroboscopes stun me, even forcing me to shield my eyes for a moment. I make my way through the sea of dancing Kusarian youth towards the bar counter. With a couple of gestures I order a glass of Liberty Ale from the bartender. I take my time, waiting for the music to go silent for a few moments, before asking: "Is Arata Kano here tonight?" The bartender only shrugs in response, but points at the entrance to the VIP section. Of course, I should've guessed that Arata would go there.

And I should've guessed that a local bouncer wouldn't be keen on letting a Libertonian through. "I'm here to see Arata Kano," I say for no apparent reason. As if it'd make a difference. A brief surprised expression of his face gives him away—he knows something. If it weren't something important, he'd probably tell me. But instead he only says: "Get lost, gaijin."

I snap. Why does everyone has to lie to me, boss me around, or call me a gaijin just because?! Before I can even think this through, my fist already goes for the guy's solar plexus. Success! But then I notice Arata walking out of one of the lounges. Split second later he notices me too. I get to see his scared and surprised expression for a moment before he rushes away, farther into the VIP area. I pursue him, forgetting about the bouncer who's still gasping for air.

Arata pushes through the backdoor, running into a dark alley, I follow closely. As I run behind the corner, I get stunned once again... by a foot to my face. Arata sure knows some moves. I make a step back, preparing to a barrage of strikes that is sure to follow. But instead I feel sudden pain in the back of my head, as someone hits me from behind. Then everything goes black.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 03-29-2016, 08:37 PM by Catbert.)

A slap on the cheek wakes me up. My eyes open slowly, as I mumble something inarticulate and spit blood on the floor. Next thing I realize is that my feet aren't firm on the ground—two Kusarians are holding me by hands in the air in a half-kneeling pose. I even recognize the bouncer from the nightclub. It appears that we're in some sort of a run-down basement, at least as far as I can see. However, Arata's fist to my solar plexus ensures that I'll be busy gasping for air and spitting more blood on the floor. Not the best time to explore the surroundings.

"That's for Hikaru Inukai!" Arata sure seems angry, no signs of fear on his face now. "Hi... karu?" - I gasp, trying to catch my breath. - "What does he have to do with it?! It were the attackers who..." A fist to the cheek interrupts my phrase: "Don't you dare lying to me, you filthy gaijin! You think Hikaru didn't manage to tell anyone what you were up to?!" Another hit to the face makes me groan, but something flashes across my mind: "What could Hikaru have told to Arata?"

"Several days before the attack, during our shift," - Arata continued, answering my unasked question. - "Hikaru brought a storage device. It contained all kinds of information about a certain Norman O'Connor," - he emphasized the last name, as I used a fake one back in the day. "A 'former' agent of the Liberty Security Force," - the surprise hit me just as hard as Arata's punch that followed it. "Hikaru kept the storage device with the proof. He thought he'd put it to use in a few days. But your gaijin friends got him first! It doesn't matter; today you'll face justice... O'Connor."

As he kept on speaking, the pieces of the puzzle finally came together... Well, most of them. It was Hikaru who worked with the attackers all along! That storage device is probably where the virus came from: Hikaru plugged it into one of the computers at Shinchoku. Arata didn't suspect anything, because his thoughts were busy with the 'filthy gaijin'. The device was probably taken during the attack or destroyed beforehand. Hikaru helped to arrange the distraction and got the attackers to floor 23, where they tied up a loose end.

"I know you wanted to get to me too. For months I had to hide from you, but today... it's over," - Arata walks over towards me, my own laser pistol in his hands. But wait... I didn't even bother with this investigation until the last few days... Unless...

Arata aims at my head, but then everyone in the room hears a slight noise at the entrance. "What's that?!" - my would-be assailant turns his head towards the door for a moment, and I use all my remaining strenght to kick the bouncer who holds me. He sure didn't expect an elbow hit in the groin. In a desperate motion I use my now-free hand to turn the pistol away from me... and right on time.

Arata pulls the trigger as the pistol aims at the leg of another guy who's holding me. Arata's grip on the gun loosens for a moment, and with my other hand free, I grab it with both hands now, as I fall on the ground. With his friends out of the equation and a gun in my hands, Arata rushes towards the exit. It takes me half a minute to get up from the floor, make sure the other two guys won't follow me.

I rush outside with the gun, only to end up in another dark alley. I recognize the place though... It's just by a spaceport. What surprises me more, is that I see Arata Kano lying on the ground, knocked out. My instincts don't fail me this time, as I turn around just in time to dodge a strike from a man wearing light armor and a balaclava.

I try to aim at him with my pistol, but he easily kicks the gun out of my hand. Not sure if it's because I just got beaten by Arata, or because that guy is generally well-trained. It must be both. The fact remains: he is always one step ahead. All my hits are either dodged or deflected, and those that reach him don't seem to do much. But as I go offensive, he uses the opening, and I my face takes another hit... All goes black once again for a few moments.

As my eyes open again, I see the masked man standing over unconscious Arata, thinking... Then he points my laser pistol at Arata's head. Crawl, Norman! Do something! You have to stop this madness!.. That's what I try to do, although I know that it's pointless. Something inside me dies as the man takes the shot. Then he turns around, looking at me for a moment. I stop crawling and realise I'm done for. But then the man... drops the gun next to Arata's body? I can swear that he smirks under the balaclava as he looked at me. Then he turns around and runs towards the spaceport.

I crawl towards Arata's body on my fours, finally grabbing the gun. I'm not sure how I still have the strengh to get up and run towards the space port as well. I reach the spaceport only to see the man enter a Serenity-class transport, which takes off before I manage to get close towards it. I do manage to see the name of the ship, however... The Trailblazer.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 07-29-2017, 08:40 PM by Catbert.)

Chapter 6: Fugitive

I sit on a chair and observe the Crow Nebula that surrounds me. Somehow, looking at space like that helps me focus and bring my thoughts together.

So, what do we have? Shinchoku Inc., a corporation I used to work at. It got attacked by... let's call them "The Masked Men". They stole something from the research section, although I don't really know what or why.

Shortly after the attack, a major part of Shinchoku's stock gets bought by Ajax Combine Inc. They are the only ones who benefitted from it, apart from the masked men themselves.

I end up on the list of suspects, but get released. When I try to get to the bottom of the attack, one of the masked men saves my life and then frames me moments after.

What's more interesting, he runs off on a ship belonging to Ajax Combine. Is it a coincidence? I wouldn't bet on it.

I sigh and take the Enhanced Reality Sunglasses off. The space around me disappears, along with the floating images of ships and files, making way for a small room on Newport station, which I rented for a few hours. Lately I've been getting dizzy when I switch from the holographic illusion to the real world, and this time is no exception. I rub my forehead, getting back to the problems at hand.

I had to flee from the crime scene after I got set up. As soon as I realized that the masked man was gone, I ran to my apartment, grabbed the ERS, jumped to my ship and went here. I didn't scan the crime scene with the ERS, as the State Police could've arrived any moment. I didn't run straight to Liberty because it was too obvious, and it'd have been easy to track my movements through the Independent Worlds. The Sigmas at least allow me to head for Rheinland or the Omicrons. But seeing how Rheinland might have criminal exchange treaty with Kusari, I don't really have too many options.

So, did my moral compass actually get me into this situation? I decided to go through with this case. I left two witnesses alive, knowing that they'd point fingers at me. And the masked men have effectively shifted the blame on Arata's murder and Shinchoku incident on me. And with a scapegoat like that, nobody would search for any proof of Ajax involvement now. Except for me.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 04-06-2016, 10:32 PM by Catbert.)

Epilogue: Outsmarted

Well, at long last I made it back to Liberty, where it all started. I haven't found out much more about Ajax, sometimes it feels like I'm beating my head against a wall. I called a few favours, but have got no solid evidence to prove their involvement in the Shinchoku mess or Arata's murder. Even my contacts at the Liberty Security Force went silent. But then again, it has been a while, and the LSF isn't the Agency I used to know. Most of the agents of my generation are long gone.

Things are getting worse by the day. I just found out that the Rheinlanders are now also after me. Apparently, Kusari issued the warrant for my arrest, and their closest allies decided to jump in. At least I still have Liberty and Bretonia. The relations between Liberty and Kusari have always been strained, and Bretonia fought them just a few years ago. That gives me at least some degree of confidence.

If there's anything that makes me feel better, is that I still have a place to stay at: my old apartment on planet Los Angeles, the courtesy of the LSF. That's what you call employee benefits. Part of the deal was that I couldn't sell the apartment, but it didn't cost me too much. I haven't visited the apartment since my return, but something tells me I'm going to spend a lot more time there.

I exit the elevator and use the keycard to open the door. I hear the familiar soft artificial voice: "Welcome home, Norman." I expect the traditional "You have been away for 3 months, 5 days, and 1 hour", but instead I hear the sound of fast-forward tape, and the not-so-soft, not so robotic, but definitely modulated voice continues: "You shouldn't have come back here." Then I hear the beeping sounds of an electronic clock...

We interrupt your California Marauders game for an emergency broadcast: there has been an explosion at the Pinnacle Housing Complex, planet Los Angeles. The witnesses saw a burst of energy coming out of the windows of one of the apartments. No word yet on how hard Pinnacle itself was damaged, but the explosion has knocked out the windows of the neighbouring buildings. The emergency services are assessing the damage and tending to the injureed. Our reporters are now working on the site.

So far we have managed to find out the owner of the apartment: Norman O'Connor, a former agent of the Liberty Security Force. We do not know if mister O'Connor was in the apartment, and whether the explosion was an accident, or was somehow connected to mister O'Connor's previous line of work. We will keep you up to date as the story develops.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 07-29-2017, 08:40 PM by Catbert.)

Chapter 7: A New Beginning

- "So, mister..." - a young ginger-haired woman took an infocard and put it into the terminal.
- "McFarlane," - a dark-haired man in his mid-thirties replied hastily. - "Aiden McFarlane."
- "Mister McFarlane..." - the woman mumbled, as the terminal read the provisional ID, of the kind that was usually handed out to refugees, and displayed the necessary data. - "You're from Leeds..." - she mumbled.

A lot of people have been coming from Leeds lately. Deprived of home by the Gallic invaders, those people were all over Bretonia, looking for work, food, and a place to stay at. They usually found themselves living in very small apartment blocks built hastily for those lucky enough to escape the conquered system. The desks and hard drives at various Bretonian companies were filled with their resumes. This McFarlane was just another refugee, the woman thought. Just like her...

- "I'm... sorry to hear that." - the woman mumbled, in an almost believable manner. She wished she could help everyone who came to her looking for a job, but she knew it was impossible. Not many refugees were suited for the jobs she could offer, and she couldn't offer many jobs either. Perhaps McFarlane could get a job at the farms... It wouldn't be as lucrative, but at least he wouldn't starve. As the woman was about to give the man another standard "We'll be in touch" refusal, a note in the infocard caught her attention.

- "It says you're a pilot. Is that so?" - she wondered, intrigued this time. - "Do you have a ship? A pilot's license, maybe? I mean, I don't have the reasons not to trust you, but... you could've just told all that at the refugee registration for a higher chance to get a job."

The man shrugged. "I wouldn't have been in this position if I had a ship. And I lost my license on Leeds, along with the ship." - he mumbled in an upset manner. "Had to pay one of those blockade runners a fortune to get myself and a couple of friends off world. And now I'm..." - he looks around and sighs. - "... here. You have no reasons to believe me, but you'll see the proof once I get to the controls anyway, right?"

A faint smile appeared on the woman's face. Sure, she couldn't help everyone, but she could help this guy today. "As it happens, we are looking for an escort pilot, mister McFarlane. And we can get you a ship that you may one day call your own. I won't lie to you, the job is demanding and risky, as you'll be facing pirates and even the frog-eaters. But if your infocard is true, you'll be able to handle that."

The man's face clearly showed that he didn't expect a bargain like this. A new job and an own ship! That sounded too good to be true. The ginger-haired woman expected that kind of reaction: "We're all in the same boat, mister McFarlane. Our partnership is built on trust and similar goals, just as much as on the contract that you'll have to sign," - she handed the papers over to him. - "And we do look out for our people."

The man glanced through the contract with an eye of an experienced scoundrel, before signing it. The woman smiled: "Mister McFarlane... I welcome you to Ajax Combine."

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 07-29-2017, 08:41 PM by Catbert.)

Chaper 8: Ghosts from the Past

Aiden McFarlane woke up in his new 'apartment' in one of the blocks built for Leeds refugees. The place wasn't fancy: apart from the restroom with the shower, there was only one room, which served as a bedroom, kitchen, and living room at the same time. But then again, for a person who lost almost everything, Aiden realized that he shouldn't be complaining. After all, things were going quite well for him.

His job was mostly escorting the transport ships that delivered supplies to planet Sprague. Aiden was supposed to scout the way and protect the transports from Corsairs, Gauls, and random pirates. However, he barely saw any pirates over the course of several weeks that he's worked for Ajax. To top it off, he was allowed to work as an escort on the side: apparently, Ajax Comine wanted to broaden their scope of operations, so Aiden was even encouraged to escort other ships, as long as he wired a certain percent of his earnings to Ajax Combine Inc.

Aiden got out of the bed and put on his brown jeans and a dark-blue T-shirt, as well as his boots. He then grabbed his bag and walked out of the apartment, locking the door behind him. It was late evening, the sun almost fully behind the horizon. Very few people walked the dusty streets of the settlement, and there were quite a few lights in the windows. Determined as ever, Aiden walked towards the spaceport. He didn't walk towards his new Falcon, but instead headed towards one of the larger pads, where a Serenity-class transport stood. It was called the Trailblazer.

He made sure to approach the ship from the side where the surveillance systems wouldn't notice him. Instead of trying to lower the rear ramp and alerting everyone, Aiden climbed up the side of the ship to the nearest access hatch. Using one of his tools from the bag, Aiden swiftly opened the hatch and crawled inside, closing the hatch behind him. He then got a flashlight out of the bag and went on to explore the ship.

Aiden went through all of the compartments of the Sernity transport. He looked through the lockers, checked the tables. With the flashlight being the only lighting source, the Trailblazer seemed even bigger than usual. Eventually Aiden made his way to the main cargo hold right by the rear ramp. He looked at the emblems on the crates, unsure if he should open any of them. He decided to go for it, and started looking through his bag for a suitble tool. That's when the dim lights of the cargo hold turned on, and a calm familiar male voice interrupted the intruder:

"You shouldn't have come here... Norman."

Catbert · 04-17-2016, 09:21 AM,

I keep going through the corridors of the Trailblazer, looking through every room, hoping to find any tangible evidence that the crew of the ship were involved in the events that took place in Kusari. The flashlight works ok, but I still wish I could use the Enhanced Reality Sunglasses here. Unfortunately, they broke when I had to jump out of my apartment on Los Angeles moments before it exploded. But then again, I was getting too attached to virtual reality, not to mention the dizziness headaches I had when I turned that thing off.

Unable to find anything, I made my way to the cargo hold. That's the last place I haven't searched. Maybe those cargo containers have something I'm looking for? I decide to give it a shot and open my bag, fumbling for the right tool. But then the lights turn on, and I hear a familiar voice: "You shouldn't have come here... Norman." Blinded by the lights, I turn around, shielding my eyes for a few moments. As my eyesight adjusts to the new lighting, I get to see the man whose voice I just heard; the man, whose voice I also heard at my apartment back in Liberty... before it exploded. Only now I realized where I heard that voice before.

Ryan Cooper, a former LSF operative, looked at me while leaning his back against a large container 6 meters away from me. He hasn't changed: the same sharp facial features, brown eyes, short haircut, and athletic build. Even his arrogant smirk is still there. I last saw him aboard the LSF carrier "Freedom" several years ago. The LSF sent two teams to retrieve a couple of Internal Affairs agents who were stranded on Leeds. Only one person from the two teams returned. The remaining operatives were considered missing in action, Cooper among them.

Yet there he is, walking slowly towards me, as I stand up, preparing for the fight. Cooper knows I have a pistol in the bag, and I know that I won't be able to draw it before it's too late. Ryan doesn't draw his weapon either—it looks like he enjoys the moment. As I start walking that circle too, I realize that Ryan could've been one of the masked men I've seen on New Tokyo, probably even the one who saved me from Arata Kano... before shooting him.

My thoughts are cut short when Ryan suddenty closes the distance, his fist aiming for my solar plexus. In the last moment I manage to dodge the strike, letting him hit the air next to me, as I try to hit his face. He diverts my hit, but I get him with my other fist at the same time. While he is staggered, I kick him back with my foot. Tonight I'm not that beaten-up guy from New Tokyo, Ryan.

Cooper takes a few steps back, trying to regain his posture and draw his weapon. I grab a wrench lying on one of the smaller containers, rusing towards him, kicking the gun out of his hand at the last moment. By now he's realized that he should stop playing around—once he takes full advantage of his melee training, I'm done for. He proves it by kicking the wrench out of my hand with ease, then kicking me back to my bag. "Show me what you've got, penpusher!" he shouts, jumping after me after me.

I grab the closest thing my hands can reach. It turns out to be my flashlight. I aim it at Cooper's eyes, dodging his strike and hitting the back of his head with the flashlight, as he jumps past me, blinded. I stand over him, catching my breath while I can. Ryan won't be standing up for a while. I turn around, intent to pick up his gun, only to see another man's fist flying towards my face. I put my hand between the fist and the face, but I can't really block it.

Forced to step back as the back of my own hand has just hit my face, I recognize a former LSF commander William Jacobs, another operative who was supposedly lost on Leeds. You can't mistake that swarthy heap of muscle and the bald head for anyone else. I'd be able to dodge another hit, if it weren't for the wrench in his other hand. A cry forces its way out of my lungs, as he hits me with the wrench again. Then everything goes black.

Catbert · (This post was last modified: 07-29-2017, 08:42 PM by Catbert.)

True Epilogue: Revelations

I wake up sitting in a chair, awoken by the smell of a cigar. My injuries hurt, but not as much as I'd expect; I can even feel bandages on my body. As I open my eyes, I see a dimly-lit room around me. It is a small study with a few shelves filled with books and folders, following the traditional Libertonian art deco style. The chair I'm sitting in is soft and cosy, and I'm not even tied. In front of me I see a sturdy and definitely expensive desk, with quite a few folders, an ashtray, a lamp and a monitor on it. I'm not the one behind the desk though: I sit in one of the two chairs reserved for visitors. As my mind processes all that, the owner of the desk turns his chair around to face me.

- "Aiden McFarlane, I presume. Or should I say 'Norman O'Connor, retired LSF advisor'?" - the man's voice is deep and calm, yet arid and emotionless at the same time. And it too sounds familiar. Just like the expensive cigar, the balding head, and the shrewd eyes.

- "And you must be Arnold Bravo, the founder of Ajax Combine..." - my words are close to mumbling, as I'm still recovering from what happened. - "Or should I say 'Joseph Dawson, former Director of the Liberty Security Force'?"

- "Either way works, Norman," - the man smirks at my attempt to mimic him. - "After all, a name is just a means to refer to someone. Joseph Dawson is just as good as Arnold Bravo in that regard."

- "You're the last person I expected to see here," - I think for a while, before adding. - "Sir."

The man just continues smirking, as he puts his cigar on the edge of the ashtray. "You've got questions, Norman." - he puts it as a statement, rather than a question. Why else would I sneak on one of his transports? Yet I do have a bad feeling about this: "I'm afraid that once I get the answers, I won't walk out of this room." The man's smirk fades a little, as he hears that: "I guess I'm supposed to answer something along the lines of 'If I wanted you dead, you'd be dead already' at this point. But there's no need for B-movie remarks, Norman."

Joseph Dawson leans back in his chair, putting his fingertips together. "By now you're probably about to mention your apartment on Los Angeles, or that mess in Kusari. I can tell you everything, it'd probably save us a lot of time otherwise spent on asking questions and trying to link the answers together. But first, I'm curious... Why motivates you to see this case through?"

- "I don't know." - the sudden turn of this discussion startles me. - "It began as a desire to do things right... After all, the mess happened on my watch." - I decide to leave the former owner of Shinchoku out of it, just in case. - "Then a... friend of mine... suggested that I should do it for the sake of the families who lost someone there." I pause, thinking my next words through: "But in the end... I just want to know why it all happened? If there's any lesson I took to heart over the course of the last months, it's that the world isn't black and white, so you can't do the 'right' thing. In a way, I wanted to find out what motivated you."

The Ajax CEO, smirks, content with the answer he got. "My motivation, Norman, is the same that you used to have: to serve the best interests of House Liberty," - he ignores my surprised expression and continues. - "After I did my best to solve the problems that the LSF had at that time, my services were no longer needed there. I used a few of my contacts to found Ajax Combine, which would be able to do things the Liberty Security Force could not."

The man picks up the cigar and inhales the smoke yet again. "Liberty was winning the war with Rheinland, but we had a new threat—Gallia. It was only a matter of time before the Gauls would crush Bretonia, and then they'd switch to Liberty. I founded Ajax to make sure that Bretonia stands in the war as long as possible, not giving up to the invaders. As long as Bretonians have the pace they can call home, they'll keep fighting for it. Sprague can become one of those places."

At this point I can't hold the question unasked: "But what does it have to do with Kusari and the attack on Shinchoku Incorporated?" The director smirks: "I was getting to that, Norman. Kusarians were the first who gave up to the Gauls, even going as far as establishing diplomatic relations with them. At worst, they were a potential threat to Liberty. But speaking of Shinchoku... That corporation is known for developing technology, then living off patents, usually selling the rights to the highest bidder. That time they managed to acquire an item that could lead to a technological breakthrough. Leaving that item in their hands meant risking the Gauls putting their hands on it. I couldn't allow that, so I sent my people to retrieve it."

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