Prologue

It was night. It was cold. Not as like the grave or in winter- for there was no winter here- but rather just unusually so. The low hanging clouds were sending forth a light drizzle as Abme Carn fell to his death from the third tier of the corporation headquarters. In the following hours his home would be searched and a suicide note found written in his own hand.

The trouble was he didn’t commit suicide. He didn’t jump over the edge and fall the 2,691 stories to his demise on his own. He was murdered. Murdered because they, the three figures now standing shrouded in darkness on the roof top, had to keep what Carn knew about them a secret. Abme Carn found out what they were doing. So they took care of him.

One of the three lit a cigarette, the tip glowing red against the face as he inhaled. The eyes were hard and cold.

“That miserable little bastard got too close,” he said. “I want a reshuffling of personnel in Distribution and Accounting. I don’t care what excuses you use just get it done.”

“Yes, sir,” said the tallest of the three. He then walked away to the service elevator.

“Was Carn’s flat searched?”

“Yes, while he was hiding from us,” the third one said in a deep voice. “The data hasn’t been found as of yet.”

“I want it by sunrise.”

“Yes, sir,” there was a long pause as the two stood there.

“This weather is good for the soul,” ventured the one with the deep voice.

“I hate it. It reminds me too much of home,” the first one said taking another long drag of smoke, the stone hard eyes never leaving the horizon. “I’m going back down. Be sure to have your man switch the tapes for the security logs up here. I don’t want another valuable employee to have the same accident.”

“Yes, sir,” said the one with the deep voice, sensing the barely concealed threat.

“Now there is something I haven’t seen in a long time,” the first one said bringing the attention of the other to a great distance far off.

The clouds were pierced by the red, fiery tail of a meteorite. It shot through the atmosphere at a shallow angle, hitting the land with a low, but audible thud. It glowed for a time and then died out.

“It’s a sign that matters are turning in our favor,” the one with the deep voice remarked. The first one took a last draw on his butt and pitched it over the side.

“Yes, things are going quite my way,” he said absently as he walked a way to the service elevator.

--

Day One

Six hours later.

Hirro Aetomo stirred as the warmth of the morning sun hit his eyelids. It was bright and pure. He furrowed his brow as he awoke squinting. He laid there in his bed for some time, a mass of blankets swirled around him. A few hung off on the floor and even the slipcover had managed to slip off as well; his left leg dangled over the side.

Hirro struggled a yawn as he raised his head from a slightly damp pillow- a product of night drooling. He looked around the room in a strange sort of delirium and sat up, his black hair all askew with bed head. A burp then issued from the deepest recesses of him, coming out spent and musty with the flavor of spice chips and Halah.

He got up from the bed, his head reeling from the effects of the night before. His left foot first hit the empty bottle of liquor marked, ‘Halah brand Skyy,’ then his right struck with pain a large pile of art books that nearly sent him to the floor. Hirro stumbled into the kitchen, his bare feet making little ‘sniking’ noises on the linoleum. Opening the cold box in the wall, he withdrew a clear container of green liquid and drank from the mouth of it, washing down and away the taste of stale, sticky breath.

He left the kitchen still holding the container; its contents now almost depleted, and walked over to the far wall near the window. His hand passed over a small device that was embedded in the wall. It flashed to life as it made two soft clinking sounds. It then began to play, ‘She’s Coming Away,’ by a band called ‘Certain Sunrise.’ Hirro figured he’d been listening to this particular song at least five or six times every day for the last five days now.

Five days since his abrupt and inexplicable estrangement from his girlfriend, Lammba Batai. Yes, Hirro liked this song because it put what was going on- or not going on- between him and Lammba into a proper perspective and summed up what he was feeling about the whole situation which was fairly sad and shitty, but he almost enjoyed these feelings through the lyrics and melody of the song. At least this was how he rationalized it.

Lammba.

Hirro sighed heavily as he started to put on his work uniform, the one issued to the P.O.P crews or Personnel on Probation. It had the colors of the corporation; blue, orange, and black, and only those that were in the crews were forced to wear such things; everyone else went in their business attire chosen straight from their own wardrobe. This thing that Hirro had to wear was bright orange (hideous) and made from a heavy material having pockets on the shins, knees, chest, and arms. The symbol of the corporation was on the right shoulder and the P.O.P crew emblem was on the left. Hirro had two little black vertical bars, or ‘strikes,’ on the right breast just above the pocket. These represented his offenses. His name tag and crew designation- red crew- were on the left. The cuffs were black; the collar blue (and not to mention a little constricting). Hirro pulled on his boots and went to the bathroom.

Looking into the mirror, he stared at his reflection. Hirro had a rounded, animated face that was quite handsome- normally that is, but the fight had changed all that. The swelling was finally starting to go down. His right eye which until yesterday had been swollen shut was starting to open again. The black and blue running along his mouth and right cheek was now a yellow smatter. Hirro wetted his hands and ran them through his hair combing it straight back; his hair had a tendency to be a little askew no matter what he did to it, which is why it fell back into place almost exactly where it had been before.

Hirro answered the call of nature and thought he should brush, but spied the time from the little clock in the wall. He was going to be late again if he didn’t start off now. He popped a refresh tab and walked out. Upon entering the living area again he grabbed up his tool kit and diagnostic pad and headed out the front door to work as his song ended.

--

-Advertisement-

Department head: Okay, are we ready for the SRB transfer?

Employee: In just one minute. Typing at computer terminal

Department Head: Good! Once we’ve sorted these new terminals out we’ll be able to download and collate data from over sixty of our newest extra-solar affiliates. The boss is going to be very pleased. And you know what that means.

Employee: Promotions? Still typing at computer terminal

Department Head: That’s right; for you, me, and everyone in the department! I’ll finally be able to take my wife in that second honeymoon to the rings of Eosus.

Employee: I’ve finished the encoding and am linking up now. Pushes button Everything seems to be going smoothly. Checking screen

Department Head: Good. Good. Rubbing hands together excitedly

Employee: Wait . . . I’m picking up some anomalies. Computer blinks, makes a funny noise, then crashes in a flurry of sparks covering the employee’s face in a black sooty smoke

Department Head: What happened? Eyes wide

Employee: Gets up and fishing a portable scanner out of his pocket, walks behind the computer terminal and scans it Just what I suspected. The bozo who ordered these and probably all the rest of our new terminals, ordered them without Theta 626 embedded circuits. That means these couldn’t even hold half the data we wanted to cycle through them.

Department Head: What! What! What!

Employee: Looks like you won’t be taking your wife to see those rings after all.

Announcer: Has this scenario ever happened to you? How about this one?

Captain: Dammit man! We’ve got to get to Action Zone Three now! If we don’t our boys will be left out in the open when that enemy fleet comes in!

Crewman: Captain, our engines are too over-worked to make the jump to Zone Three!

Captain: What! How can this be? This report said that our Theta 626 amplification ratios were adequate for our mission and its duration. Holding up the report

Crewman: Sir, we didn’t have any Theta 626 when we left space dock. The supplies department didn’t order it this time around. They chose to flood the engines with a variant of Toritrium 9. They said it was cheaper, sir.

Captain: My God.

Crewman: Sir, I must inform you that our supplies of T9 won’t last us to Zone Three; it ran out on the last leg of our journey to get here. With this type of engine exhaustion we can’t make it.

Captain: Then they’re already gone. Looking very sad and dejected When we get back to space dock those traitors that are responsible for this travesty will be punished! Didn’t they know that Theta 626 is unequaled to any other kind of engine system amplifier!?

Crewman: I guess nobody told them, sir. Looking just as equally sad and dejected

Announcer: Or how about this?

Corporal: Sarge, they’re breaking through the perimeter! Points to ominous looking tank-like vehicles flanked be alien soldiers in black We can’t stop them! Fires futilely at the wave of advancing death

Sergeant: I can’t understand why we’re having so little effect on them . . . unless. Disarms and checks energy cell in his laser rifle. Eyes go wide

Corporal: Sarge, we gotta get outta here! EXPLOSIONS

Sergeant: Corporal, show me the energy cell of your weapon, NOW! The corporal disarms and gives energy cell to sergeant who then looks at the inner coil That’s why we’re having no effect on them: None of our weapons have had the coils over-changed with Theta 626! Fall back! All units fall back!

Corporal: Eeeaah! Dies in explosion

Announcer: If any of these scenes is familiar to you, then you know that we here at Moriko & Tasada Industries Incorporated know exactly how you feel. Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc. is known and respected throughout the whole galaxy as the sole producers of that greatest of technological enhancement materials ever supplied: Element Theta 626.

If you’re in big business or exploration, a representative of an up and coming government, territory, or army; then choose Theta 626. We’re here to help you achieve more.

Those of you who have been thinking of buying that new computer system or upgrading your data networks should stop and listen to this: We have agreements with every major computer maker and information system manufacturer in the known galaxy. By buying your new data systems through Moriko & Tasada you will achieve greater computing power through our process of Super Embedding: The bonding of Theta 626 to existing circuitry. Not only will you get the best computers for your money, but with Super Embedding we guarantee that your data sending, receiving, and storage capabilities will go through the roof letting you achieve more than 1000 efficiency for your new system. That’s ten times more power than you would get through our competitors guaranteed. Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc. is unique; we offer something very special.

Those of you that represent any group, company, or conglomerate dedicated to the exploration of interstellar space should come and explore the benefits of choosing Moriko & Tasada. We’re currently servicing over 70 major explorer companies on the Periphery and throughout the Upper and Lower Headlands all the way to the core worlds of Mariposiphos. Many of these include such groups as the Brackmaau-Sydneat Conglomeration, Toyomashita Barony, Belt Alliance Heavy Industries, Mekorei Expeditionary League and Subsidiaries, and the O.Y.A.N Group. These long time clients keep coming back to Moriko & Tasada because they know that Element Theta 626 keeps the engine cores of their starships at top efficiency and beyond.

No matter what design the faster-than-light drive on your starships, we will give you our guarantee that if you install one of our time tested and reliable 9th Generation Amplification Systems in the engine core of your explorer ship, commercial transport, or anything with faster-than-light capabilities, you will immediately see why those major exploration companies have been so successful.

Whether you employ Ram-Scoop, Hydrogen Ion, Tachyon, Magnetic, Fission, Fusion, Warp, Phasing, Anti-Mass, E.C.R., ‘Clinker,’ or any other hyper drive of any kind, the Moriko & Tasada promise still holds true: Any drive that has an amplifier system installed, and with regular infusions of Element Theta 626, can reap the benefits of an increase in power output, ranging, and speed by a magnitude of 5!

Imagine what can be achieved if you could travel faster and further then ever before while dealing less with the hassle of recharging engines and control systems. It’s so very simple and possible with Moriko & Tasada.

And those of you with armies fighting that impossible war against hostile invaders can also benefit from Theta 626. It’s true that Moriko & Tasada are not a weapons supplier, but we can help make your less effective energy weapons more powerful by over-charging the integrated power systems with Theta 626. Over the last three-hundred years Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc. has been instrumental in helping the fleets and military forces of the galaxy to beat back and repel attacks from horrible enemy armadas and its deadly soldiers. Moriko & Tasada are so happy to help you.

Just simply give us a call!

We know that we all live in a big galaxy and having the technology that you employ, whether it be in your business, on your starship, on the battlefield, or just in your own home; to have these necessities of life to not only work, but to go above and beyond surpassing their original efficiency rating and power allowing you to do more with what you’ve got is a grand feeling.

Located in System 176 of the Yumataku Corridor, Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc. supplies over 300 separate political zones and territories of the Shianikani Expanse and beyond. We’re accepting new clientele from all corners of the galaxy everyday because Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc. is here for you; helping to build a galaxy of diversity, prosperity, and happiness through the marvelous potential of Element Theta 626.

--

In System 176 there are no planets orbiting its yellow star, save one, a small world not much bigger than most moons. From space this world doesn’t seem all that unique from the billions in the night sky. But when down on the surface, that uniqueness becomes no longer hidden. Strangely small, this planet has gravity slightly higher than the average norm. Most of its surface is swathed in the thick greenery of these curiously small, squat trees that through the summer year bare a red fruit that is horribly toxic to anyone that dare sample them. At their feet are innumerable varieties of tropical and sub-tropical miniature shrub and bush, making a thick tangled jungle less than the height of the average two-legged person. This vast, tangled- if-not-so-tall- blanket of green is broken only by the long silver meandering threads of rivers and their tributaries making way to the one and only sea that stretches narrowly from pole to pole like a great blue scar down the face of the planet.

This planet is considered to be in the habitable classification- breathable atmosphere and warm temperatures year round- but, no land or marine animals or insects of any kind. This is considered to be quite unusual for a class 9G tropical world; much flora, but no fauna? What’s also unusual is that if this planet has a gravity field of a body four times its size, than it should be literally ready to burst with precious metal and the even more precious by-products of those metals. This should be the dream of every mining industry in this part of the galaxy, but scans can detect no significant metal or mineral deposits throughout the entire lithosphere- a region being comprised of the planet’s crust and upper mantle. Those who first surveyed this world could find absolutely no exploitable resources of any kind- or so they thought- save expect the air in the skies or the water in the lonely sea.

People first came here many, many years ago to explore, discover and exploit. Upon finding that the planet could be used for nothing more than a tourist getaway, a vacation spot, the big mining corporations that were vying for the right of ownership, getting ready to strip mine and devour this newly discovered morsel, simply took off, leaving it to other investors- if any.

The planet sat on the market for more than a year before others expressed interest in it. These were two aging gentlemen by the names of Tetshen Moriko and Harukat Tasada. Friends since childhood, they decided to open up that tourist trap on the little green world and spend their retirement there.

Moriko was known for his political punditry and had a grand following back in his hey day, but this all changed when System 422 fell to an internal rebellion. Moriko had to flee to open space before the rebels stopped hunting him. Tasada had worked for many years as a manufacturer of androids for use in the domestic house servant environment. His product was to say notoriously unpopular because the androids would continue to clean and clean and clean for they were programmed with the command, “to clean and shine the domestic environment to a status of Godliness.” This, of course, caused the androids to literally shine floors and cleans walls until holes appeared. Tasada had to sell his manufacturing plant on the third planet of System 549 to avoid bankruptcy.

To say that these two men were an unlikely pair to go into the tourist trade would be putting it lightly. But somehow, and with luck, they pulled together the startup capital needed to purchase the small world. Once the planet was bought they proceeded to turn it in the vacation spot for the entire Shianikani Expanse and the people that would shortly come in the first wave of its eventual colonization.

Moriko and Tasada took notice of the fact that the planet had less than a 5 degree axial tilt, making the pleasurable summer-like environment last the year round. They started to build their first of the ‘Happiness Communities’ that would soon cover the whole planet over. But to start out they built close to the Lonely Sea, as it came to be known, to take advantage of those pristine blue waters and that wonderful clime.

Less than a year after the completion of that first community, after they had built quite a reputation for its facilities throughout this part of the galaxy, and for themselves, the worst possible thing occurred that ultimately in the end turned that failed political joke man and his partner the maker of the disappointing ‘droids into the CEO’s of the most successful mega corporation in a galaxy of 18 million civilized systems.

That terrible thing was a planet quake and it occurred when the resort was just really staring to take off. It happened one fine day when many were staying at the resort. Those that were having their vacation, taking a break from work in the neighboring systems, and building colonies; over three-hundred such people died as they sat down to an early lunch on the sunlit boardwalk or having enjoyed the late morning surf, sat on the beach to dry off. A lot more would have died if the quake had originated in the sea instead of on land. Instead of a giant tidal wave washing everything away in the blink of an eye, they had died as their beautifully furnished rooms fell in around them or were swallowed up into giant fissures that opened in the ground as nature had her day.

Moriko and Tasada weren’t at the resort when it happened, but were flying down south to make an inspection on a new construction site. As they came back about an hour after the quake hit they could see fire as the structures that hadn’t exploded were now catching quite nicely. The chasms that had been opened yawned like giant, ragged mouths.

Great outrage was directed at the two founders as can be imagined. They were sued up and down the line as the relatives of those who died and those who hadn’t howled for blood. The lawyers took over and in the end they were convicted of negligence for not having the area properly scanned and checked for seismological instability. In fact when they first built the place they were given assurances that the planet was dead- well, geologically speaking- because there were only two fault lines on the whole of the planet’s surface. These faults were clear on the other side of the planet and no where near the resort.

No jail sentences were handed out, but they did have to pay psychological and emotional reparations to the families that had fathers, mothers, and siblings die. It nearly bankrupted the two partners. After all that happened and all the grief, they wanted to continue and build anew; to make that little planet the best damned place to visit for sun and surf.

About a year later after the quake and the trial they had a survey team come in and check everything again. The outer core of the planet had been encased in a bubble of ultra-dense rock and metal that had been steadily squeezing the inner core for thirteen-thousand-millennium. The survey team deduced it was just a matter of time before all that super hot metal at the center just came out. They also said that they were lucky the planet didn’t explode under their feet. Apparently most of the core had blown through the crust on the other, weaker side of the planet, opposite the resort. The core had been channeled and diverted by some of the denser rock and metal above it. The resort side of the planet buckled and expanded with close to one-hundred and fifty fissures and rips opening and eating giant areas forest.

The geologists and seismologists warned that the planet would have to be abandoned. The danger of another planet quake was incredibly high. The only thing that would save it, they said, would be emergency terraforming. But the money was not there. However on one of the last days of the survey, the team found traces of a crystalline element never recorded before in the whole of ten-thousand years of history. This element was hiding just below the thick lower mantle. More and more is found before the scans are concluded.

Now, Moriko and Tasada were very business minded kind of people. They new they were in possession of a planet that held something in it never found anywhere before (in fact years later it would be found that this element exists only on this little world). The element wraps the entire inside of the mantle with veins penetrating to the crust and even on the surface. The pressure required to produce this element, dubbed Theta 626, is staggering. The gentlemen began to be curious as to why all those mining companies with their big scanners couldn’t detect it.

“But, this is very good,” Tasada said to his partner as if predicting the future. “We could be potentially sitting on something that may be very valuable.”

Moriko expressed dubiousness and said that hundreds of elements are discovered every year and that Theta 626 could be as worthless as the rest of them.

“Let’s just see first before we sell.”

Tasada called in a favor from a colleague in the Galactic Android Manufacturing Guild. Other favors were called in and soon several high level scientists were sent to take samples and test the element in every conceivable manner.

With that an astounding discovery was made.

The crystalline structure of the element is exactly shaped as to enhance any technology that is powered artificially; computers, engines, weapons, anything with a circuit or diode. The scientists were jumping up and down with delight as the element could be manufactured and altered enough to solve the whole of the galactic energy crisis!

Moriko and Tasada were back in business.

Based upon preliminary results, investors were brought in and the planet was patched up by the leading terraforming industry. The appropriation of all sorts of mining equipment was done and the erecting of several refinery plants was soon completed.

Moriko and Tasada Ind. Inc. was established two years after the event that nearly ripped the planet in half. As time passed mores mines and more plants were dug and built. The first corporate headquarters was fifty stories high, a far cry from what it would become in the future. Customers began to trickle in one by one, but business didn’t really flow until the Republic of Lipolitol, the same government that first sanctioned the exploration of Shianikani, came under attack by the legions of Markanaka.

Then everything took off.

The fact was that the corporation was not only fighting for Lipolitol, but also for its own survival. Moriko and Tasada Ind. Inc. survived quite well on the many government contracts it was offered. The superb industrial processes and methods of the present day were thus created, giving the army of the republic the means to defend itself throughout the ten years of the war. After the armistice was signed, System 176 was granted sovereignty by the republic and guarantees to its boundaries would be upheld by a security fleet of classified strength and numbers.

Over the three-hundred years that it has existed, the corporation has been hailed equally as the savoir and scourge of the galaxy. It even outlived the republic to which it owed its birth.

Flash forward to the present now with hundreds of thousands of clients and customers daily; the mines honeycombing the planet, growing larger and deeper with each passing year; several hundred large container ships from all corners of the galaxy sitting parked in a multitude of collection ports scattered at regular intervals along the lush surface. On the horizon the rising sun strikes the massive corporate headquarters containing not only everything for the efficient managing of the massive business, but a completely closed and integrated living and working environment for over 1.5 million employees and their families. Thirty-five districts within the walls provide housing, schools, parks, plazas, shopping centers, markets, hydroponics farms and absolutely everything that can be imagined. From the descendants of the two CEO’s up top, to the strong armed miners that operate the machines far below the surface and the lifetime inhabitants including those newly arrived, and all in between live here in what has been called a great miracle.

--

As he went work, everywhere Hirro looked he saw Lambba. In the faces of those he passed in the streets, in the gestures of those on the public transport system, in the last embrace and kiss of those couples parting for the day as they went off to work at their various positions in the corporation.

He hadn’t talked to her in almost five days. He tried calling her at her place a couple of times, but got no answer; tried seeing her at work in the Advertising & Sales Division, but couldn’t get two words in before she just walked away into the women’s toilet. Things just simply can’t go on like this, he told himself as he got on a tram and stood next to a news screen.

Henori News with Sim Katana was in full swing. He was talking about the big meeting that was going to take today upstairs. Several video clips of the board and the CEO’s themselves were shown.

“Excuse me, Mr. Tasada, Mr. Moriko,” a very young reporter shouted above all the others vying to get the attention of the two men as they made their way to a lift with their entourage. “What of the allegations that the meeting taking place today is to discuss the possible exhaustion of Theta 626 supplies?” Hirro half watched as Mr. Tasada turned and answered.

“You’re sadly mistaken, son,” he said with a quick smile. “We’ve increased our output immensely in the last quarter and we’re going to continue to do so.” With that Tasada made his way into the lift without another word as the youth shouted, “What of the suicide of Abme Carn, Vice-Director of Accounting?” With that the scene cut back to Sim Katana as he then began to talk about Carn’s death. Hirro stopped listening at that point and got off tram 34 on level 800 of the Third Tier.

I’ve got to talk with her, to somehow straighten this out, Hirro said to himself as he saw the time displayed above him as he negotiated through the ever thickening throng of employees on his way to the briefing of the P.O.P. crews. Hirro was definitely going to late again.

He figured it’s gotta have something to do with the fight he’d gotten into with those two shit-piles from Raman district. Lambba had just run off when it happened; to get security, or so he thought at the time as he was getting his face smashed in. Security did come, but not with Lambba because she never came back at all. Why? What the hell happened? Nothing had been wrong with their relationship before that night last weekend; before that things had been down right wonderful. In fact the last few weeks were going so well that Hirro had almost about gotten up the courage to ask her the question. He had already gotten the ring, but he was waiting for the right time. He loved her or thought very much that he did. She felt the same way about him too- maybe. Then the fight and poof! No girlfriend of more than a year, no cushy position in Advertising & Sales two levels below his girlfriend of more than a year, and another tour of duty on the crews with half pay for two months. After Lambba had fallen apart and ran off, all the rest of it seemed to have fallen apart as well.

Hirro cursed as he rounded the corner to see the first trickle of those personnel on probation just dispersing form the meeting hall in their way to accomplish the special tasks for the day. He jogged up to the door passing those from the purple crew and cringed to himself as, low-and-behold, those two shit-piles from Raman district emerged from the doorway. They, of course, got probation too. But unlike Hirro who had only just received his second strike against the corporate rule, the pair called Barrey and Tohnru were even more acquainted with the P.O.P. crew lifestyle than Hirro.

“Well, lookey here, Tohn, if it isn’t that little boy that got in our way last week,” the bigger of the two said blocking Hirro’s path, his fat face wagging stupidly. “Think he’ll be dumb enough to get in our way again? I sure hope so.”

“Don’t know, Berrey, perhaps he will. Perhaps he’s in our way right now,” Tohnru the thinner, but equally as menacing individual to Berrey’s right said.

“I think you’re right, Tohn,” Berrey said as he mock polished the four strikes in his chest. “I think this shit heel still hasn’t learned to stay out of other people’s business.”

Hirro said, “Listen fellas this just isn’t the greatest time right now so why don’t you just fuck off.”

“Yeah, boys, why don’t you indeed fuck off,” a voice said just joining the group from inside the meeting hall. Berrey didn’t even flinch; Hirro visibly deflated with relief; Tohnru turned his head toward the intruder and said, “Skees, why don’t you get lost before I decide to add another strike to my score.” Tohnru happened to have a current ‘score’ of three.

“Afraid I can’t do that. You see the Head wants to see mister Hirro here, something about being late for work. Looks like he’s pretty flustered and I wouldn’t wanna have him come over here and find you two fine upstanding citizens in the way of his breakfast- that’d be you Hirro!” Skees said with wild eyes. “So what do you say, boys, hmm?”

“Shit, Skees, you need to really layoff that stuff I see you gobbling at Moon’s all the time. You might just one day by accident get the bad stuff that’s been going around Raman,” Tohnru flashed. “That would be a real shame.” Skees just laughed in his face.

“Let’s go Tohn,” Berrey said never taking his eyes off his prey before him. “We can finish this conversation elsewhere at another time in private, can’t we little boy?” his fat finger tapping- no, gouging Hirro in the chest in time with his last two words. Berrey and Tohnru then sauntered off down the corridor.

“Thanks, Skees, I owe you one,” Hirro ventured.

“Hey, no problem, buddy,” Skees said with a smile. “You already looked like you woke up with your head in the sand, so I figured you wouldn’t want those two to put it in any deeper for ya.”

“Yeah, last night was pretty bad,” Hirro said putting a hand to his pounding head.

“I heard you tried to out drink Tamara,” Skees mentioned as they lingered out of the hall just for a minute.

“Big mistake on my part,” Hirro managed, closing his eyes.

“Well, don’t worry about that because you’re absolutely gonna love what the Head needs us to do today.”

“And what would that be?” Hirro asked; he was thinking about being neck deep in the waste water recycling system.

“I’ll fill you in after the Head’s done with his breakfast!” Skees replied with those same wild eyes.

Hirro entered the big meeting hall and sat down in a chair towards the front and tried not to look too hung over. The few remaining were getting the last of their orders for the P.O.P. Head Supervisor, a large burly man by the name of Hema Stantion, but referred to by some behind his back by the name of ‘The Head,’ not because of his title, but because of his rather obscenely thick melon-like head.

The Head looked like a cross between a heavy freight shuttle and one of those huge space devils Hirro always seemed to catch wrestling on the tube when he was drunk; breathing fire and eating hapless mortals, ships and all. The Head gave him the evil eye as he’d entered- not a very good sign. This would be the third time Hirro had been late in three days and he thought this time he really would be eaten for breakfast and whined up in the Head’s toothpick. His belly flip flopped sickly at the thought of food.

After a time the remaining individuals around the Head left the hall. He then lumbered over to Hirro, his forehead in that permanent scowl; the vein in the middle hadn’t appeared yet, but Hirro guessed it would show itself soon enough.

“I just don’t get you, Aetomo, how can you be here at this irritatingly late point in time when I’ve told you twice before- the second time being only just yesterday- that you will be here at the appointed time with all the other so punctual members of the crews?” the towering bulk that was the Head said.

“Mr. Stantion-“

“I’m not finished,” Hirro fell silent as he continued. “I’ve been reviewing your file. And it says that you’ve got brains and that you know how to use them- or at least seem to . . .”

Hirro wanted to leave and not listen at all to this trifle. His head thrummed unpleasantly from the night before. He thought maybe he could be able to somehow talk to Lambba at her lunch hour. She lived in the same district he lived in, which was called, Hadati. And she vehemently enjoyed many of the restaurants and different eating houses there. Perhaps Hirro could catch her at the right time; maybe . . . maybe when she’s getting her steaming plate of Roliulli at Marcus’s Place. She loved to go there. But Hirro then remembered it was the third day of the week and Lambba always took time during the third day to meet with her assistants and colleagues from the Ads Department of Sales for a luncheon and discussion of the matters at hand; new advertisement pitches and consumer reports and so on.

Hirro, my boy, we need to reestablish that thing called contact. And how are we going to do that if every time she sees you she does a disappearing act? You don’t know? We need to do this thing. Come on man!

“. . . so, Aetomo, are you ready?” Hirro was pulled back from his thoughts and stood up almost seeming to startle the Head.

“Mr. Stantion, I know I’ve made mistakes in the past, but that is all behind me now,” Hirro said surprising himself too for maybe he actually believed it for the first time. “Things form now on will go better form here, I just know it. What you just said to me really struck home (and what was it he said to you, Hirro, my lad?) and I’m not going to be late anymore, Mr. Stantion.”

“Well,” the Head said somewhat taken aback. “I hope you’re just not shitting me like yesterday and the day before that because this is absolutely your final chance Aetomo and I wouldn’t want to be in your shoes when I bite down. Do we understand each other?”

“Yes, Mr. Stantion.”

“Now get out of here. Mitsuru will fill you in on today’s work. And don’t screw up.”

--

Hirro left the meeting hall with a feeling of great relief. Also that untraceable feeling of change for the better was still with him. Mr. Oshii ‘Skees’ Mitsuru his partner in the red crew was chatting up some ladies from the Personnel Division. One of them looking like she was bored and wanting desperately to get away from Skees with all do haste, the other laughing and looking very excited about what he was saying. Hirro joined them.

“Hey, Skees.”

“Heeeay, buddy, I was just saying to these two lovely ladies that people in the crews aren’t really trouble makers, but just people that follow the way of the flow of the universe; that we’re needed!” skees said, looking like he had done a little more than just eat breakfast before coming today to the meeting hall.

“Hi, Hirro,” the lady that hadn’t been laughing at Skees’s tomfoolery said. Hirro recognized her as his girlfriend’s, well ex-girlfriend’s, aghhh, Lambba’s friend Nina.

“Oh, hi, Nina, What’s going on?” Hirro said in return.

After Hirro had met Lambba over a year ago, he met Nina. Nina and Lambba had been really good friends for as long as they’d worked at the corporation. Nina and Lambba hit it off and became fast friends, like sisters even. Undoubtedly she was still friends with Lambba and seeing her and conversing with her like you should be buddy boy!

“Me and Suki were just taking some quality time to talk to your partner here,” Nina said. Hirro could discern the sarcasm in her voice. He smiled at her. She smiled back. Hey, maybe you can have Nina talk to Lambba for you, Hirro said to himself. It’s worth a shot.

“Skees, here is a pretty funny guy. Say are you and the rest going to Moon’s tonight. Lambba’s supposed to be singing,” Hirro ventured.

“Didn’t you find out that she’s canceled her singing for awhile, Hirro?” Nina replied. The laughing girl named, Suki, and Skees were edging away from them in that natural was that people will do when talking intently to one another.

“Nina I gotta ask you, you’ve been friends a lot longer with Lambba than I’ve known her. And I just can’t think of why she hasn’t talked to me since that stupid fight. I’ve been racking my brains and I just can’t think of anything. Nina, what can it be?” Hirro said with a little hope creeping into his voice.

Nina thought for a moment. A couple of days ago when Nina was with Lambba and heard what she had to say, albeit it took a while for the emotional Lambba to get it all out, (but if you were in her shoes you would have been emotional too), Nina had promised Lambba she wouldn’t tell Hirro why she hadn’t talked to him since the fight, but more importantly why Lambba ran away that night. Nina could hear the desperation creeping into Hirro’s voice as he asked her why.

“Don’t tell him, Nina!” Lambba had said. “I’ll tell him myself if I . . . ever . . . can.” She had started crying again at that point. So . . .

“Hirro, I can’t tell you anything,” Nina said.

“Nina, come on now, I find it difficult to believe that she hasn’t told you anything,” Hirro blurted.

“Hirro, a lot of her past has come back to haubt her and it’s very hard for her right now-“

“And she can’t talk to me about it! I’m here dammit! We’ve been going for a year; that’s gotta count for something!”

“Hirro . . .” Nina began.

“Hey, buddy, we should get going if we wanna pack up Mr. Carn’s place before Lunch,” said Skees as he tapped Hirro on the shoulder. Nina was going to say, “Hirro, it’s not about you.” But Nina’s friend form the Personnel Division was already tugging at her sleeve for them to be getting along and laughing about the new middle man they’d have to deal with from Accounting.

--

At about the same time Hirro was awakening from his night drunken gusto, a woman named Kiranam Antoshimats was contemplating whether or not she should leave her job at the corporation. Kiranam was a reception girl down on the first level of the corporation. Her job was to check in the visiting dignitaries and business persons of all the different companies, governments, and parties interested in purchasing element Theta 626. She wasn’t the only one working at reception to be sure, she felt like it this morning. Throughout any given day there would be several hundred various important types waiting to be checked in. Today was no different. The whole place was absolutely crawling with suits and abuzz with activity. There were thirty receptionists working at the moment to check in and receive over eight-hundred clients. And they were all vying for the privilege to enter first.

Kiranam’s real passion was psychology and having just graduated from school she had been delighted to hear when she was first invited to work at Moriko and Tasada Ind. Inc. She was told she would get a position in the Mental Health Department of the Personnel Division. However, when she arrived she was informed that due to circumstances beyond anybody’s control she wasn’t going to get to be one of the 3,500 whose responsibilities were the mental health and well being of those 1,000,000+ people that lived and worked here at the corporation. They said she’d have to work at another position for three weeks before a spot would open for her. She took the receptionist job because, hey, it was just going to be three weeks.

That had been three months ago.

She thought possibly that the corporation had managed to somehow let her ‘slip though the cracks.’ It was a huge place after all and she guessed it wasn’t out of the realm of possibility. One more week, she seemed to keep telling herself. Every few days, on her lunch break, Kiranam would go to the second tier 300 levels up and ask if her position had opened yet. And every time it was the same old song and dance.

“In a few more weeks a spot should open for you, Ms . . .,” they would say.

“Antoshimats. Kiranam Antoshimats,” She would say back when they couldn’t remember her name, either by mistake or intent; Kiranam was beginning to believe it was the latter.

“Yes, of course, Ms. Kiranam Antoshimats. In a few more weeks, Ms. Antoshimats and a spot should open for you.”

With that Kiranam would then go back down and wait and wait and work at reception and wait. One more week, she said to herself as she looked at the line that seemed to stretch on forever in front of her.

Reception was a huge place; the hub for all new arrivals. Escalators bring in clients and new employees form the travel centers outside to the main floor down below. Guards in plain clothes protect the five great sliding doors that connect with the outside world. The place is surrounded on three sides by lightly pastel colored walls with modern art hanging at evenly space intervals. These were punctuated by lamps and sets of chairs or comfortable couches. The other wall- the one with the sliding doors- was made entirely of glass. The whole scene was dominated by a large crystal fountain that grew out the stone base beneath it. Light glittered off of the water in a very pleasant way.

Kiranam looked at the big four-way clock that hung form the impossibly high ceiling and sighed. It was going to be a long day.

There were approximately 843 individuals inside the reception area at that time so nobody took notice of the man entering through one of the glass doors from outside. Nobody had noticed that the man didn’t get out of a ridiculously expensive hovermobile like all the others had done. It was as if everyone had decided to turn there heads at that particular moment. Even the electronic eyes stationed above each door that were there to tally and keep track of those entering didn’t see the man in his plain black suit. The door slid aside for him like any other, but later it would be considered a momentary glitch in the system and supposedly fixed. The man that carried a plain black briefcase to match his suit wasn’t tall, but he wasn’t short either. He had a pleasant face, but wasn’t overly handsome; just a plain, ordinary man that was minding his own business s he strolled pass those waiting to be checked in and walked right up to Kiranam.

She saw him and thought it a little strange that no one paused to protest this man cutting in line. In fact it seemed as if they had made way for him, stepping aside unconsciously or turning away in his wake like so much mindless cattle.

Kiranam saw that nobody protested at all.

She then said formulating a way to tell this man to go to the back of the line, “Good morning and welcome to Moriko & Tasada Ind. Inc.”

“Good morning,” the man said easily with a keen glint to his face, “I’m a representative from Shekta Laboratories. My name is Gakidou and I have a most important meeting with the board today.”

Yeah, you and everybody else in here, she said to herself.

The man inclined his head toward her ever so slightly as if he were very intent on listening to her, his eyes never leaving hers. For some reason she thought that he looked like a kid about to get a toy he had always wanted and was finally getting it. Kiranam also thought the man was drunk, she did get those types from time to time, but he didn’t smell like booze.

Must be a drug addict, she thought.

The man looked to be relishing whatever he thought he was doing. The man’s face positively oozed enjoyment back at her; why was nobody complaining about this guy?

“Sir, as you can see we’re very busy this morning and the line started back by that sign,” she tried to sound as pleasant as she could to get this guy back and the line moving. She pointed to the delegation behind him, “These gentleman were in fron-“ she stopped talking suddenly as she saw the man’s eyes dance with unnatural color. They went through the whole spectrum from red to orange to yellow and on through to the deepest of black she had ever seen. It was as if someone had turned down the volume of the teeming mass of people. The scene slowed to her eyes. Everyone in the place then stood still or paused in whatever he or she was doing. Kiranam smiled warmly now at the man; all else was dimming and becoming unimportant to her. It was like her senses were tunneling, narrowing, coming into focus on just the man, Gakidou. She felt a little warmth and something pleasurable, down there. The man’s eyes then went back to their customary brown. All of this happened in a matter of three to six seconds.

Then without any inkling of why she was saying it, “A valet will escort you, Mr. Gakidou to a lift and up to your suite in the fourth tier.”

She was breathless as she heard him say, “Thank you, Kiranam, but I can find my own way.” She was reaching absentmindedly for a pass card to give to him. He took it when she produced it for him. The thought of how he knew her name when she wore no name tag and didn’t tell him almost past from her sub-consciousness into real thought, but was whisked away like a leaf on a breeze.

Her eyes were locked onto his the whole time.

The man, Gakidou, of Shekta Labs then gave a nod. It was more to the surroundings then to Kiranam and walked away toward one of the lifts that was marked for the fourth tier. Those around the man either got out of the way or kept a respectful distance.

As the doors closed and the lift made its way up carrying its single passenger, the noise and commotion of Reception began again in earnest. Those that had been waiting in line began moving.

Kiranam’s face flushed briefly and she was filled with a sudden sense of bewilderment, like she forgot what she was going to say.

She looked around for a moment half remembering something . . . and decided it was nothing.

Then the escort for the delegation from Metgano Minor appeared in front of her. She pulled herself together and began her welcoming spiel for the fiftieth time today. When the man didn’t return her smile, but greeted her with a frown she asked, “Sir, is there something the matter?”

“Yes,” he answered her. “Your mouth is bleeding.”

She said something like, “That can’t be.” Her fingers went instinctively to her month and came away bright red.

“Oh, my God,” she said off-handedly like she was only half there.

“Here, you can use my handkerchief,” the man said as he produced the cloth from the inside of his right sleeve.

“Thank you-“ she just managed to get the words out when a long stream of blood, not unlike drool came out of her mouth and landed on the desk before her.

The man swallowed.

Miukei, a reception girl right next to Kira, saw this and said she’d take care of the gentleman. That Kira should just go to the toilet and take care of herself. Kira left without even looking back. She could hear Miukei apologizing to the man and the man sounding concerned.

Kira made her way into the toilet and to one of the many chrome sinks along the strip of mirror. She washed her mouth out as best she could. That sense of bewilderment turned into full blown fear when she examined her mouth. Her teeth were still there, of course, but her gums were horribly inflamed with blood literally leaking from the really bad parts. It was as if she had taken a bite of glass and decided to chew it for awhile to see just what it would taste like. How did this happen! After awhile she got the bleeding under control and tried to wash the handkerchief the escort gave her as best she could. It was a pinkish color by the time she got done with it.

The rest of the day Kira would spend work with a sore mouth and the fear that had been so sudden and enveloping just lurking in the shadows of her mind ready to come out as it had for no reason that she could account. Tomorrow she would wake up to find not a trace of the inflammation in her mouth or on her gums. The sense of fear remained however and was later justified as she felt the bomb detonate.

--

“That is one big mess,” Hirro said standing in the doorway of Abme Carn’s flat and looking at the ruin within. Skees went in first through the entry way to the main living area. He put his hands on his hips as he surveyed the damage and said,” You know that person that said that thing about working hard and playing hard? He obviously hadn’t met this guy.”

“You’re telling me,” Hirro said in disbelief.

After Hirro’s verbal thrashing by the Head, Skees had told Hirro on their way to the job that they would be clearing out the home of Mr. Abme Carn, the former Vice-Director of Accounting. Hirro asked why they, just a pair of P.O.P. bums, would be chosen to do this. Surely they would have the cops or someone else do it. Skees said he didn’t know why they’d been chosen, but he did say it was all over the morning news that last night the esteemed and respected Mr. Carn had gone completely nuts, trashed his quarters, then somehow gained roof access to tier three, threw himself from the top in a suicidal fury. Apparently as the man fell, Skees said, he had the unfortunate luck to hit one of the window cleaning bots in his way down.

“Can you imagine that, Hirro- just SPLAT!” Skees said gesturing to Hirro. He also said that an information node was found on him- well, what was left of him- and that the news wasn’t divulging anymore information at this time.

“How the hell do you know all about that, Skees?” Hirro said rather impatiently to his partner. Hirro didn’t really care what happened to the guy. What did it matter to him?

“I got a buddy that works downstairs and was one of the original group that found him.”

“Well, lets get this done,” Hirro said looking at the work order and thinking about her.

The cops had already been there so all they really needed to do was put Carn’s belongings inside the cargo boxes that were sitting near the door on an anti-grav lift. After that the furniture would go and that would be it for their part.

Carn had one of those class E flats in the Samusi District. It was a lot bigger than Hirro’s place to be sure and probably was quite place before last night. The ample entryway was relatively empty and untouched save for a giant patterned rug, the remains of a small table, and cracked strip of mirror glass along the wall. A door hung open to the left, presumably attached to a closet. Clothing was on the floor, spilt out in heaping tangles. A short hallway ahead directly gave way to the main living area which was sunken two steps lower than the hall. Hirro moved and joined Skees in the hallway to see the living area. The shades were drawn back from the big picture window that wrapped over a portion of the ceiling and roof. Hirro saw Samusi District spread out below him with its gardens and courtyards. There were children laughing and running in a playground further along the boulevard where the district elementary school was located. Several scooter bikes passed over a short bridge that crossed a pond. The sunlight was bright and warm; it streamed in though the window and lent a golden light on the broken pile of furniture and refuse that dominated the room. The whole contents of the flat looked to be all piled here. Anything and everything that could be found in a drawer or pulled from a closet was here in a heap.

“Well, I guess we should start.” Hirro said as he thought that the sun and greenery were far more appealing to him right now than going through the rooms of a madman that had killed himself after causing such a mess.

They spread throughout the six rooms of the place and began methodically to pick up what wasn’t smashed or broken. Personal items such as pictures, clothes, books, etc. were placed into boxes of varying sizes and put out in the lot on the west side of the building for several hover bots to pick up with there metal talons and deposit in a cargo receptacle that was bound for Carn’s only living relative, a brother, in System 45. All else would be tossed into another receptacle bound for the incinerators.

Carn’s flat bordered one other on this one of the richest blocks in Samusi and both were sound proofed. The neighbors, a married couple that taught in a primary school in the Hidido District, were home the whole time Carn was tearing his place apart not ten feet away.