The incident in the Quareer didn't really take up much of my time, and soon I was in the process of erecting uncle's Sam... er, I mean archaeologist's hut. Floor-walls-ceiling, bunk-chair-table... well, that's enough of that, I guess. Amenities are extra charge. Payment with body... I don't take it.

  Tannis has a nice figure, though, yeah. But "don't stick it in crazy", is the rule. Even taking into account the fact that it is problematic to find someone on Pandora who is definitely not crazy, I will try to stick to it. I mean not to stick.

  Anyway, the cabin's ready. Time to move the archaeologist in.

  I feel like I'm going to fucked up, and I'm not going to get away with the headache I already have.

  - ...Unfortunately, we couldn't find any indications on the reasons for the disappearance of the Eridians, which is understandable - all the records found so far refer to a period long before that, and there is a suspicion that by the time of the disappearance the psychic imprints we used in the stone had ceased to be created. Still, even so, there's enough information for years and years of work....

  As it turns out, when Tannis talks about her work, she sounds like a normal person. Well, like normal... A desperate nerd, but in her case, it's a serious improvement over her usual communication style. She seemed to be taking full advantage of the opportunity to talk, and while some of the flow of this verbal river was lost to me due to unfamiliarity with the terms or whatever, I was still listening with interest, which seemed to be the only thing my passenger needed.

  - Personally, based on the sources I've already received on Pandora, I believe - I'm almost certain - that this planet was something like a testing ground for various biotechnological developments. In the records I read, there were a fair number of references to... - her rapid flow of speech took a brief pause - combat tests? Drills? Shows? Lots of ambiguous concepts, pretty vague. But skags are definitely designed by them, though for what purpose, I'm not sure. A moderately successful mass-produced project, something like that.

  - What's the most successful one? - I managed to get a question in.

  - Not a bad question, and one I hope to get an answer to. Skags are marvelous creatures, so it would be curious to look at something that far surpasses them.

  Personally, I was interested in terms of "knowing what to avoid", but... I have to admit, I'm genuinely curious.

  - As I understand it, the Eridians have begun to approach the limits of what can be accomplished by biology alone... or at least "the biology we're used to". So some kind of cyborgs, perhaps...? Or perhaps something more exotic? Oh, if you meet one - don't be a barbarian, don't kill this undoubtedly marvelous creature. Though, of course, I have little reason to rely on your sanity....

  ...

  No comment.

  - How wonderfully nostalgic - Tannis said, glancing at the cottage that had been built for her. - The janitor at the academy used to keep his brooms in a shack like this. Are there rats in there? - She turned to me. I shook my head in the negative. - If there are no rats, then what's for lunch?

  I almost said 'whoever you catch', but... it's Pandora, damn it. So instead I jabbed my finger toward the bar.

  - If you don't have any, ask Moxie, the bar hostess. She'll either rip you off or load you up with work, but she'll feed you. - I hesitated. - On principle, I should talk to her, too.

  - You're just in time, Mr. Dyatlov - said Moxie. - I have some news about our business together.

  While Tannis played peek-a-boo with the sausages - probably skaggy - I chatted with the tit... bar hostess.

  Moxie had laid out a rarity on the table: a paper map of Pandora. Not the entire planet, just a single region, but even those are rarely used; usually the ECHO projects a ground plan of the immediate vicinity, and travel is based on FTS, not geography. Local specificity, one manifestation of it. It's not that Pandora maps don't exist, Dahl made them - and their satellites still remain in orbit - it's just that there's usually no need.

  Stolen story; please report.

  Now, however, was a special case.

  - The Atlas base is here now - Moxie tapped the map with a finger with a manicure phenomenally good for Pandora. - Just south of the Crossroads station. A little bird in her beak had brought word that Atlas had invested most of their remaining resources into this operation, and if it failed they would cease to be not only a threat, but even just a player.

  I raised an eyebrow.

  - And you think it's possible to pull something off that would make them screw up, tuck tail, and run away?

  - Quite, dearie - the woman informed me. - I'd say more than likely.

  - You want to put some big gangs on them? - I skeptically suggested. - Lady, I'm not really familiar with the Crimson Lance and other Atlas special forces, not counting Roland, but I can't imagine a situation in which they won't take down the bandits. Even if with casualties.

  - That's why I have something better - Moxie said languidly and with a smile. - There's no need to make a big war when you can strike one blow at the right point.

  - So. - I said suspiciously. - You don't mean me by "something better," do you? I'm tough, but not that tough.

  - Not just you... - Moxie shook her head. - You can do it, sugar, I believe in you. All you have to do is get in, turn on the self-destruct system, and escape with the treasure.

  - The treasure? - I sat back in my chair. Moxie nodded.

  - That's right, sugarplum. Crimson Fort is not only Atlas's stronghold on Pandora, but also their arsenal and storehouse of finances. If done right, it could be an opportunity to get out of trouble and make some very, very good money.

  Shit. Go away, devil's temptation. Caution and discretion are paramount.

  But money still is money!..

  Crossroads Station, despite its name, is not at a crossroads. The Dahl had once planned to make one, but didn't have time, and at the time of their departure from the planet, Crossroads was an unloading station. Literally and psychologically, it was a spaceport, taking minerals and seafood from the planet, as well as various entertainment for the corporation's employees. Now it was a remnant of civilization at the point between nowhere and somewhere.

  The changes were even more comprehensive than one might think: suffice it to say that previously, only ten years ago, there had been a small, mostly shallow, but still sea to the north. Pandora. A planet where even geography is unpredictable.

  I stood by the road, crinkling my nose at the sand grains the cold wind was throwing in my face, and looked up at the machine shop building where I'd have to meet the other Moxie Men.

  The picture wasn't impressive. Neither was the situation.

  I sighed and stepped forward. It could have been a lot worse, really. There were no bullet marks on the building, there was power, and even the doors were in place - what more could I want?

  - Oh, hey, man! - A grubby guy of a hard-to-define age, between fifteen and thirty, in clothes stained with machine oil, crawled out from under the half-disassembled car and smiled at me cheerfully, albeit a bit moronically. - Mommy sent you, didn't she?

  "Scooter," - the ECHO obligingly reported. - "Genius mechanic. Even without drugs."

  - Mommy? - I interjected.

  - Uh-huh, Moxie - he eagerly responded, and I rubbed my temples. Shit. How old is she, anyway?

  ...Nah, I'm not gonna ask.

  All right. No.

  - Yeah, but aren't you being a little, uh, reckless? - I asked him, looking at his belt. Not even a gun. - There's bandits around.

  - Nope, - he brushed it off - i've got camouflaged turrets all over the place..

  О! Our man.

  - Your father isn't a from Vladoff, is he? - I chuckled.

  - No, he was from the Zaford clan - he said, and then the door opened again. I turned my head and saw a wide, girlish smile on his face.

  Lily Rose. Don't tell me this is the best Moxie could find.

  - It's going to be a great adventure, Magister! - said the girl quite contentedly. - I even ordered a new staff for it!

  In her hands she held a Maliwan sniper rifle, which really looked like a staff because of its long barrel, narrow buttstock, and small handle.

  "A staff without a knob, Legendary quality." - The ECHO said, and I noticed the inscription on the barrel: "I twist and turn, zap and burn".

  I looked from the gun to the girl, and then the door opened for the third time in a minute.

  - Welcome back, amigo! - Slippery Jim announced. He looked at Lily. - Oh, what a beauty! And what a girl!

  - I see - I muttered. - Well, that's something to work with. I hope so.