16 years have passed

[Strichev]

Meanwhile, across the street Franz Maister was making his way through desolate surroundings to the famously accurate Rheinland public transport station.

It's important to say that people of Rheinland have always been extremely proud of their mastery of time management, always on time was their motto. So with that mentality going strong it's no miracle that trains always arrive on time.

Completely oblivious of environment around him the archaeologist was anything but in a good mood. War has taken its toll, there was no resources to finance something as unimportant as archaeological research. Not to mention that they'll cut all wages to all unnecessary for war efforts. Forced vacation? And just when he was finally making some progress with his research. That was something no archaeologist could stand.

With such thoughts buzzing in his mind he reached his apartment. He didn't even remember the train journey. The specially reinforced door opened with a silent hiss. There, on the floor were slippers already waiting, just as he left them this morning. One thing he couldn't understand is why do all those actors in old Libertonian films, which were by now banned, always wear the weary same shoes they wore walking around the street in their homes. This was one thing he always wanted to know. Is that true. Do they ignore all that horrible disease carrying filth found outside.

A shower washes all the worries of the day away, at least for a brief moment. However not for Franz, not today. Worries that have once plagued his mind came back along with memories. An old scar has started to bleed again. Poisonous industrial waste of Leeds doesn't harm your ship, however scars on yourself stay for a lifetime and so do memories.