Moments earlier the bartender at Freeport 9 was specific:
"Aye. You're it. That room over there."
He points with his chin to a door, that leads to a small room and places a card on the counter.
"Here's the key card for the room. Once you're done return it. You will only be able to see the message once. I don't know what the secrecy is all about and frankly, I don't wanna. Go ahead."
The shadow walked towards the door and swiped the keycard at the sensor. The sensor picked up the electronic signature, but nothing happened. The shadow turned it's head towards the bartender, who reached under the counter and pressed a button.
The door opened and a small darkened room emerged, with a console in the middle and a chair beside it. The screen was slightly glimmering and from time to time the word "SCANNING" appeared on the screen.
The person sits behind the console and patiently awaits the message that was meant to find it.
Again the word "SCANNING" appeared and shortly thereafter "STAND BY, DECODING MESSAGE" appears on the screen.
the shadow awaits as a black and white image begins to form. The screen displays:
"Playing pre-recorded message."
The image finally forms itself and a tall handsome man can be seen. He has a serious expression on his face and he is tightly holding a helmet to his chest. It seems he has been trough some tough dogfights and is expecting more to come.
He speaks with a serious undertone in his voice, which amuses the receiver.
"Hello, it's me Cas. We should meet. Somewhere in the Taus... Let me think...
I know the bartender at Freeport 10. I can trust him. I hope he still works there.
We're pretty busy with the fighting, so wait for 4 standard days and meet me in the bar at high noon. Timing is crucial. Don't be early. Don't be late.
Our "glorious leader" keeps a tight leash on everyone these days. Especially since our beloved guild keeper is nowhere to be seen. I don't know what the hell is going on, but I sure as hell'd like to find out. I hope you will shed some light onto this conundrum.
If you won't show up, I'll consider you gone and I'll completely sever the ties between us. The choice is yours."
The screen flickers and displays:
"End of message
Deleting...
Message deleted.."
the shadow stands up and swiftly exits the room and heads towards the hangar bays, completely ignoring the bartender that tips his imaginary fedora .
4 DAYS LATER in the bar on Freeport 10
A strange looking bartender notices a figure at the entrance of the bar. He notices a certain something on the figure and waits till the figure spots him. When the shadow spots the bartender, he implies that it should approach. The shadow walks to the bartender and he utters these words:
"Well, he was right about one thing. You stand out like a nomad ship in the middle of Rheinland.
He's waiting for you in the 3rd floor of the tower section of the base. South wing. 3rd room on the left side of the hallway. You don't need a key. The door is open. He seems pretty relaxed for a guy who works for the Core. They always seem edgy to me. And obnoxious..."
the shadow turns away and begins its ascend to the room.
Cas is sitting at the observation window, smoking his beloved cigar and enjoying the view. He hears the door open and then he hears the door shut and he hears the lock snap, realizing that he is now trapped.
He smiles and says:
"Do you think I brought you all this way just to kill you?"
He heard the sound of the blade and knew that he is playing with his life. But he never was the man to "play it safe".
He took chances, tried new solutions to old problems, dropped his pants before an Artificial Intelligence drone once, got his ship blown up so many times, he stopped counting and spent more time in an escape pod, than with a drink in his hand and a cigar in his mouth.
And all of that was to serve the beloved Core. Perceived by many to be egoistical powerhungry maniacs, he saw great promise in this organization.
While he saw the Nomads as a real threat, he knew that as shattered, broken and disorganized the Omicron systems were, he knew that there was no real chance of defeating them unless humanity stands together.
The only problem with this was of course the delusions of the leaders of the organizations , that were currently fighting for power in the nomad systems. And that's why he was here. To make the first step into making him a leader of the Omicrons
or a dead man.
He brushes his shoulder with his left hand and points to the couch:
"Take a load off. Your paranoia is beginning to annoy me. You know why I summoned you here and why you came, so start talking."