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Ascension II: Dim Lights, Small City

The Black Cruiser crested the Solward Dunes and nestled in the valley below sat Juno Station. It was the second oldest permanent station in the Human Sphere. Built nearly 50 years ago, it was and remains a blight on the USNE’s system map. If not for the JDC and the refueling station it would have been abandoned years ago.

Mr. Cruiser looked over at Pitcher and thought about what his life had been like. Former USNE Special Services assassin, mind lost after years of work, framed for an unauthorized kill and now a convict.

The vehicle sped by one of 4 huge Atomizers, massive installations which pump vaporized nitrogen and ozone into the thin Juno atmosphere. The tarnished and battered facility still bore the worn insignia of the USNE and the name WCF, Inc. on the side of its towering stack.

He looked long at the face he had shown Pitcher on the monitor and read the name aloud.

“Kenichi Ishikawa.”

Then he looked at the sleeping Pitcher, “What the hell did you do to deserve this guy tailing you?”

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