...Incoming transmission...
...Sender: Shade, Freeport 11...
...Type: text only...
Hello again.
I suppose I should thank your company. Had it not been for your delivery, my recent prison break would have been altogether impossible. It is only thanks to your company that I not only move around freely again, but am also able to continue my research. Were I the honorable type, I'd no doubt dedicate my life to you and all that.
Unfortunately, your company's actions have been quite sub-par. Unacceptably so, even. You were told to leave the goods onboard my vessel, and to leave my ship as you found it. Instead, you apparently opted to explore it further. Security cameras recorded you looking through my at the time derelict ship, and you have even gone so far as to steal several of my personal possessions. I have found the following to be missing upon returning to my vessel:
[color=#66FF99]Logistics -Transportation - Service Solutions
[font=Lucida Console][color=#CCCCCC]Recipient: [color=#FFFFFF]Mr. Daniel White Encryption Level:Confidential - High Sender Location:Scrambled Location
<< Secured Connection Established >>
Dear Mr. Daniel White
Thank you for contacting me again.
If you are interested in any more business, I suggest you rethink your position, check what little leverage you have on me, check what trouble I can mean for you with what I have, and then make an intelligent choice.
To help you: My ship has already been given a new transponder signature, I am a few million clicks away, and guess what, my name will not show up in any registry you can access, and is changed faster than my ship's name.
So, Mister. sociopathic, psychopathic, physically and likely mentally challenged, ex-Bretonian Armed Forces, mad scientist, long term convict and newly freed serial criminal... let me know how you want this to be played. Because I am still in, but I am considering leaving the table and handing my poker chips over to other interested players, in case the current player across the table starts to become unpleasant.
...Incoming transmission...
...Sender: Shade, Freeport 11...
...Type: text only...
It will not do. The current situation is entirely unacceptable.
The information you have on me is trivial at best. On the other hand, think of the consequences if so many bounty hunters and riffraff were to catch your scent, that a considerable number of your contracts turned out to be traps. Unpleasant; very unpleasant.
Still, I am not unreasonable. What do you suggest?
[color=#66FF99]Logistics -Transportation - Service Solutions
[font=Lucida Console][color=#CCCCCC]Recipient: [color=#FFFFFF]Mr. Daniel White Encryption Level:Confidential - High Sender Location:Scrambled Location
<< Secured Connection Established >>
Dear Mr. Daniel White
I seriously doubt that you have the monetary funds nor the social networks to cause and sustain a siginficant threat after having spent that much time in prisons. But for the sake of it, let's assume that I am a risk-averse person:
You want something back? I still have it. I am inclined to return it back into your possession.
And you still have to give me a reason why to hand over test subjects to you, as your threat will not make me do it.
[color=#66FF99]Logistics -Transportation - Service Solutions
[font=Lucida Console][color=#CCCCCC]Recipient: [color=#FFFFFF]Mr. Daniel White Encryption Level:Confidential - High Sender Location:Scrambled Location
<< Secured Connection Established >>
Dear Mr. Daniel White
First, sincere apologies for the delayed answer. There was some very urgent business to be taken care of, something that involves a lot of money and little risk. So, exactly the opposite of what you offer.
I pick option A.
The rendezvous will be defined by me. You can choose three systems, one of which I will pick. I will define a place in this system then.
I will not take more risk than absolutely necessary. Once you give your consent to this easy demand, we are back in business.
...Incoming transmission...
...Sender: Shade, Freeport 11...
...Type: text only...
Your terms are acceptable.
The following systems will do:
Omicron Lost
Omicron Beta
Omicron 90
My research operations extend to each of these systems, and I've come to know them well. If directions are necessary, they can be provided - some of these are not common knowledge to those not familiar to the Omicrons.
Slowly rocking back and forth in his wheelchair, Shade drums those fingers he can still move on his dashboard. He mutters something incomprehensible to himself, followed by a soft sigh. Slowly, haphazardly, Shade leans back in his wheelchair, eyes still fixed on the comm.