The Color of Midnight

[Yoshida]

At the same time, several light years away from Magellan system, a team of Lane Hackers were overseeing the transfer of a number of captives to a smuggling ship belonging to the Slavers Union. The look of the captives was blank and all of them were staring on the ground, simply following one another while entering the transport. Even to the unexperienced eye it was obvious that each one of them had recently been through a tremendous amount of psychological pressure.

Notoriously known as "mania-interrogation", this practice is used by the Lane Hackers to the majority of their captives. Once the subjects have no more meaningful information to provide, they are being sold to the Slavers Union or to other smugglers and are usually then transported to Planet Malta to spend the rest of their days working on the cardamine fields. Most of the Hacker-sold slaves by this time are empty husks with little self conscience left inside them. The slavers do not mind that, as long as their newly purchased possessions are physically strong and well-fed.

"This is the last batch that we are sending north for 822. Cochrane and Mactan will send their batch in a week from now." An old-looking Lane Hacker announced to the rest while they were slowly walking on a ramp.

"How many of them will remain in Leiden?" The Lane Hacker with the tight suit asked him back. He was relatively short in stature but displayed an air of authority. Once he made the question, his watch ringed and displayed a holoscreen with the content of the message.

"About 5%. Most of them for entertainment purposes while a small number is considered as high-value captives..." The old man hesitated to continue seeing his superior occupied with his incoming message. "Shall I take you to the high value captives?" He asked.

However his question was left hovering since his superior wasn't even paying attention as he was studying the incoming message for several moments. The superior then departed without saying a word. He took a couple of turns and elevators in Leiden until he reached the docking bay where his personal combat ship was located, a modified Rapier. The Hacker boarded the ship and quickly left the base, setting course for Mactan. With Nicole Hunter occupied with her mission and unable to fulfill her duties, Yoshida was given clearance and access to several top level functions of the Lane Hackers. This message was a notification that someone entered the hidden level of Mactan. He had received strict and specific instructions on what to do in such case, however he never prepared himself for that scenario. The Lane Hacker silently cursed to himself for being ill-prepared, he was a man who did not allow mistakes.

Once he reached Mactan he exited the ship with his Detroit blaster in his pocket. After exchanging the necessary pleasantries, he quickly moved to the hidden level while making sure in the entire way that he wasn't followed. He entered a desolate tiny dark room which was currently used for temporary storage. His eyes scanned the room for a moment while he was trying to remember the verbal instructions that he was given on what to do next. A few moments later his hands slipped in a seemingly innocent hole which had a button inside. He pressed the button while staring on the other side of the room. The button activated a microscopic camera on the other side of the room which automatically conducted a retinal scan. Once the retinal scan was completed, a side of the room's wall retreated, revealing a hidden passage.

"Smart." He thought considering that without having proper instructions it was near impossible to solve this simple puzzle even if you had found the button. He then slipped inside the passage which automatically closed once he entered. Unlike most situations, Goro Yoshida was not confident this time. His right hand groped the pocket which contained his firearm, confirming for the third time that it was inside there.

He then walked deeper into the dark apartment.

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"There are those who lack ambition. Who lack ability. But if you possess both then it is your role to reign over this world."

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