A short, dark haired boy, with a band-aid cross on his forehead, slowly turns a closed door with a dim light at the end of an underground metal corridor somewhere near the Honshu Spaceport. Inside the poorly illuminated room there is a round table with nine people sitting around it, some of them Kusarian, some clearly not.
- Welcome, Naota Nandaba. You are late. - says the only person standing. He knows her, it's Haruko Haruhara. A smuggler believed dead by the nations of Sirius. Her body is fit and her clothes are tight. He swallows.
Naota then looks around at the people in the room, until his sight stops at a young woman, with read hair, dressed like a college student. She hides her face as she notices him staring in her direction.
- Mamimi... - whispers Naota. Haruko walks slowly towards him and helps him to his place. Then she goes back to the side of an old e-board hanging on a dirty wall.
- At last - says she - we can call this meeting open. Like you know, I don't like to talk in vein, so we will go straight to the matter which concerns us today. You have been selected among the people I know and trust because of your skills and of your current political objectives. Everyone here shares something in common. To make a long story, short, all of us want the Kusari-Bretonnia war to come to an end. Some of us because of the suffering it has already meant to all the people involved, some others for patriotism, or even for buisness reasons. - as she says these last words she looks at a man who is writing something down in a computer frenetically, and who seems to be Rheinlander judging by the paleness of his skin. Then she continues - But more importantly, we have all tried by different means to help the war come to an end. Some of us in some way, and some in another. And we all saw our efforts were not enough to make a difference, yet, we kept on trying. Today my friends, I invited you to join a more powerful conspiracy, to sum our efforts and direct them in a useful way, so we can achieve our own objectives.
There are plans already marching ahead of us. But before I reveal what I intend to propose, let me introduce you to each other. - she points at Naota - The little boy you see here, is one of the most skillful hackers in all this side of Sirius. He managed to scam Bretonnian banks and has robbed off them a sum of almost one hundred million credits for our cause, though there are sixty millions which seem to be stucked for the moment. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you as I said before, Naota Nandaba.
The boy now also hides his face, pointing only the band-aid to the rest of the people - Hi. - he says.
Next to him we have Johnny Johnson - she now points at a blond middle aged man, dressed in working overalls. - He's been on the transportation buisness more than any of us, and has some good contacts in the Bretonnian criminal underworld. He is here just for the money, though... - she sighs.
Aye! - barks the libertonian as he offers the silliest of the smiles.
Then she moves next to the writer - This is Gypsie Skripto. He is a Zoner and he will be assigned to write down all our activities. Should we succeed, Sirius will know that there where ghost hands like us helping to end the war.
The man says, without taking his sight away from the computer - It will be like a chronicles series or such... Really awesome opportunity I am very glad. And I also want the bloody war to stop and such. You know?
That brings us to this young woman here. - she stares at the redhead - Mamimi Samejima, known photographer and peace activist. She will be the only, I repeat, the only, public face to the lawful parties. Ok? Should she be found with any of us, she is a hostage. I hope that was clear.
She points at some tough Kusarians sitting in the back corner of the room- The four men you see here are the Sojuns. Professional pilots who once belonged to criminal and lawful organizations, seeking only to help the Kusari nation to win the war. They will be in charge of piloting our vessels.
The man with the hood was never introduced.
She then walks next to the e-board. She clicks a button and suddenly images of two ships appear on the screen - I'll make it simple, since you all have been already informed of your part of the buisness. We will flood the Bretonnian market with marijuana products, in that way helping it's economy to collapse. Marijuana products cover a very ample specter of the needs of a nation, and flooding the market with it can slowly start dropping dramatically the prices in some areas of the stock market. We will be smuggling the products, so all the effort will mean twice the results, speaking in economical damage terms. For such a thing we will purchase two vessels, Kusari made, and all crew members will split into two teams, two Sojuns piloting each vessel. One of these is already being purchased, it's a Big Dragon Transport, named Black.Lotus, and it's commisioned to be delivered at Sigma 17, for obvious reasons. The other one will be a Geisha Luxury Yatch, it will be named Lotus.Blossom and Naota and Mamimi will join me and two sojuns on the crew. All said, please return to your hotel rooms and leave to Sigma 17 as soon as you are able.
As they are all leaving, Naota approaches to Haruko - Why Mamimi? Why? - he whispers - you have already got her fiancee killed in one of your "jobs", my brother... - a teardrop falls from his cheek to her left hand, she straightens, but does not look at him - Why Haruko?
She responds calmly - She offered herself... - and leaves the room, leaving a crying teenage boy inside a metal underground womb.
To: Haruko Haruhara
Comm Id: Black.Lotus
Encryption: Ultra High
Location: Somewhere in Bretonnia
*Sounds of a party are clearly audible*
This is the captain of the Black.Lotus, Suehiro Maru, happily informing the maiden voyage of the vessel was a complete success! We arrived at destiny and sold the cargo:
We are now celebrating on board with Mr. Johnson, because we dropped the zoner at Baffin. We bumped with a BAF officer at Cambridge, but past over his nose without problems. I guess he or she was taking the nap ha!
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in the Omegas
From: Suehiro Maru, Cpt. of the Black.Lotus
To: Miss Haruko Haruhara
Subject: Weekly shipping report
Dear Haruko,
I am glad to confirm that we are able to deliver almost ten thousand transportable units of synthetic marijuana to the Bretonnian market. No tax was paid, and no problems were encountered. I attach the report.
Best regards,
Cpt. Suehiro Maru
Quote:
BLACK.LOTUS WEEKLY SHIPMENT REPORT
Shipment XFR654-Y Cargo: 3135 units of synthetic marijuana Pick up - Delivery
Shipment ZNT928-X Cargo: 3135 units of synthetic marijuana Pick up - Delivery
Shipment YJD745-Z Cargo: 3135 units of synthetic marijuana Pick up - Delivery
Total units delivered this week: 9405 units. Total units delivered so far: 9405 units.
##### INCOMING TRANSMISSION #####
Origin: Somewhere in Planet Honshu, Kusari
From: Miss Mamimi Samejima
To: Miss Haruko Haruhara
Encryption: Extremely high
Dear Haruko,
I am writing to you in order to update you about the current state of negotiation with Cryer Pharmaceutical and the particular people running Atka Research Station.
The first letter I wrote to them avoided particular information regarding our activities and was adressed to the CEO of Cryer Pharmaceuticals. It involved the mention of the products we are interested in, and the ammount of them we are able to trade on a weekly basis. Also, something was said about our interest in such business not to become public. Oddly, it was the chief of security at Atka who answered.
He was interested in knowing more about us and our business, which I managed to explain without blowing our cover. At the moment, no fee was mentioned by them, so we may be buying the products at their actual price.
I attach a copy of the documentation and letters exchanged with the Cryer Personnel.
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in Bretonnia
From: Suehiro Maru, Cpt. of the Black.Lotus
To: Miss Haruko Haruhara
Subject: URGENT MESSAGEt
Dear Haruko,
I am writing to you in order to inform you about a problem we encountered today during our route towards Bretonnia. In the gap space between holes in the Cambridge System, we were approached by two Wilde vessels saying they represented Rheinland Military.
The names of the ships were Wilde.Verzweiflung and Wilde.Hreidmar, and they scanned our cargo as they disrupted our cruise engines. After seeing we were 3 on the crew, they asked we handed over the libertonian man, Johnny Johnson, over to them, for a "secret Rheinland Military Operation" in which they mentioned needed "healthy bodies". That creeped the hell out of me, but as they outnumbered and outgunned us, we had to comply.
I don't know what awaits the poor man, but I guess it's nothing good. I put the matter in your hands now, Haruko. We will be completing the crew with two more Sojun for the time being, at least until the construction of the Lotus.Blossom is completed.
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in Honshu
From: Miss Haruko Haruhara
To: Suehiro Maru, Cpt. of the Black.Lotus
Subject: Re: URGENT MESSAGE
Love, what you are telling me is terrible, indeed. I must tell Mamimi to speak to the Rheinlanders immediately. This cannot be tolerated, since on our back route we are supplying Rheinland with valuable alloys they are no longer available to import. For obvious reasons, there is no place for a complaint to the Bretonnian Government, but at least Rheinlanders will have to respond for this.
Kisses,
Haruko
PS: At least if he is really going down, he already gave us the contacts for inside Bretonnia delivery of the weed ha! Never liked the guy a lot, but I dont like public parties messing in my business either.
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in Bretonnia
From: Suehiro Maru, Cpt. of the Black.Lotus
To: Miss Haruko Haruhara
Subject: URGENT MESSAGEt
Dear Haruko,
I write this time to inform that we were contacted by this Wilde.Hreidmar again, first via comms and then in Omega 7, where he returned Johnny to us. However, the man was not the same. It was obvious that they had done something to him.
We escaped quickly to avoid further problems, and then I decided, as Captain of the Black.Lotus, that John Johnson should be executed. We proceeded hastly, again, to avoid problems. If this decision was wrong, please tell me, but given the nature of our enterprise, I assumed risks were not necessary.
I again attach photographic evidence of the incident:
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in the Omegas
From: Suehiro Maru, Cpt. of the Black.Lotus
To: Miss Haruko Haruhara
Subject: Weekly shipping report
Dear Haruko,
We managed to surpass last week's delivery, being able to carry almost 22 thousand transportable units. Apart from the Wilde incident and one minor piracy episode, there were no problems.
##### INCOMING TRANSMISSION #####
Origin: Somewhere in Planet Honshu, Kusari
From: Miss Mamimi Samejima
To: Haruko Haruhara
Encryption: Extremely high
Dear Haruko,
The papers with Cryer are ready. Both vessels have clearance to dock and load on Atka from now on. They say a 10k cargament will be reserved for our company each week, but, should we need more, I trust you will be able to "get" it, now that you are welcome to walk the corridors of the station.
The matter of the Rheinlanders seems foggy yet. I'll write to you if anything new happens.
##### INCOMMING TRANSMISSION #####
Encryption: Very high
Location: Somewhere in Honshu
From: Miss Mamimi Samejima
To: Haruko Haruhara
Subject: Crew member abduction
Dear Haruko,
I bring bad news, because dialogue with the Rheinland Military resulted useless. They are not taking any responsibility on the matter, and claim that supposedly it is a group called Das Wilde who are guilty of the abduction of John Johnson.
They also said that if they can prove that the pilot was killed in Rheinland territory, we will be held responsible for the "crime". After reading that, I decided not to push this any further, since Cpt. Suehiro Maru jettisoned Johnny in Omega 7, which is pretty close to Rheinland. I said to the Vizeadmiral that from now on we will not feel secure while flying in Rheinland.