Oaths Are for the Obedient

[Fab]

The bell above the diner's door gave a soft chime as Dagger-2 exited. Serrano didn’t watch him go.

Instead, he focused on the burger. Not because he was hungry anymore, but because it gave him something to do with his hands. The silence around him shifted. Chairs moved with uncanny coordination. Footsteps fell in sync. The clatter of plates was gone.

He didn’t look up.

Theatrical. Cold. Precise.

His lips twitch and forms into a smirk, relieved.

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Dagger-2 is now in possession of Serrano's data regarding the case.

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Sorted by timestamp (Ascending)

(MAIL) FROM: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: New Suspect - (08491-LC)

Good work on the Rochester case. Funds were wired -- confirm receipt when you can.

No time to rest. New contract posted yesterday:
An independent freighter was raided en route to Sigma-17.
Preliminary scan logs ID'd a ship belonging to Heiko Riegel -- known pirate.

He’s been sighted near Corfu Station. Multiple dock pings in the past week.
Try to get visuals. Might be our guy.

—V

(MAIL) TO: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Confirmed Presence

Veles,

Riegel’s ship is here. Docked and running quiet. I’ve set remote cams targeting his bay.
He’s moving stolen goods -- can’t confirm destination yet.

—S

(VIDEO LOG) CAM-04-CORFU-AFT-45 - Title: Riegel at Corfu

[Begin Feed – 03:21:12Z]
Subject: Heiko Riegel, confirmed visual match.
Location: Corfu Station, Dock 12A.

Surveillance captures Riegel exchanging containers with unidentified group.
Visual suggests cargo-to-cargo transaction -- possible contraband.

Audio excerpt (partial):

Riegel: “…prep for New Berlin. Full fuel cycle. Keep low.”

End segment includes timestamps indicating imminent departure.

[End Feed – 03:25:48Z]

(MAIL) TO: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Departure Tracked

Riegel departed Corfu. Manifest falsified.
Vector suggests route to New Berlin via Sigma-17-13.

Sending flight record fragment. Could be worth interception.

—S

(MAIL) FROM: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Re: Tracking

Confirmed.

Keep shadowing. Don’t engage -- yet. We’re pulling threads on his associates.

You’ll be compensated. This one smells big.

—V

(VIDEO LOG) CAM-57-NB-IND-35 - Title: Riegel, NB Sector 35

[Begin Feed – 19:42:04Z]
Location: New Berlin Industrial Zone 35.
Footage corrupted (static, minor desync).

Riegel meets with armed delegation. Appears to be mid-level syndicate.
Crate opened: mix of projectile, energy-based weaponry.
Hidden container revealed: [Light anomaly detected | refraction error logged].

Object removed -- glows faintly under ambient light. Possibly of alien origin.

Deal concludes.
Delegates eliminated via suppressed gunfire.
Suitcase collected.
Scene booby-trapped with timed explosive.

Final audible:

Riegel: “Client’ll be pleased. Plot course: Liberty.”

[Feed terminates abruptly – signal loss]

(MAIL) TO: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Incident Confirmed

Bad news.

Riegel executed the buyers. Package acquired. They’re en route to Liberty via jump holes.
I’m switching to low-emission burn. Radio silence from here on. Expect comm dead zones.

Attaching last vid segment. Recommend loop in higher-clearance assets.

—S

(MAIL) FROM: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Re: Incident Confirmed

Got the feed. Understood.

You’re not wrong -- this runs deeper. We’ll try to clear a lane ahead of you.
We’re also reaching out to... [REDACTED] -- no promises.

Keep dark. Burn low. No more transmissions until you're back in Liberty space.

—V

(MAIL) FROM: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Follow-Up Status

Status check.

We’ve introduced local disruptions along projected paths. Should buy you safe passage.
No reply from [REDACTED] -- might be stonewalling. If you still have LSF contacts, now’s the time.

Our leash ends here.

—V

(MAIL) TO: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Arrived in Liberty

Reached Liberty space.

Target employed evasive maneuvers during shadowing. Suspicion likely.

Tracking Riegel. Currently docked at Red Hills Boron Refinery, on planet Pittsburgh.
His freighter’s exposed. Crew's active. He’s offloading... something big.

Will initiate local recon and reconnect with LSF as discussed.

—S

(MAIL) FROM: Veles (BHG) - SBJ: Re: Liberty Update

Glad you’re alive.

While you were in transit, we did more digging. Found a missing persons report on Riegel.
Timeline doesn’t add up -- he was off-grid for 2 months. Reappears last week with new patterns, new contacts.

This might be bigger than a smuggling op.

We suspect he’s compromised. Maybe infected.

Pull your LSF card. Now.

—V

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