With Roby on the loose, we instantly leaped into action. As the guards tried to swiftly get up, we spread out to block the exit, trapping our escapist in the room.
Roby seemingly didn't mind, as he just attempted to plow straight through our group. This was a great mistake.
We were prepared for this moment. All of a sudden, as soon as Roby touched Amber, trying to toss her away, she pushed him right into our hands. Supreme (as Roby referred to himself during his time as the leader of the Martians) wasn't as supreme as he was said to be. Even though he struggled, he couldn't break loose from our clutches. Even I engaged and held him and I'm not that good at fighting.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡKoNI7pkHPK
Without the vast web of villains and assassins protecting him, Roby was almost harmless, if you don't count him hitting Sebastian on the nose during the struggle. This enraged our cool guy, who lost his coolness and fought back without hesitation, wrapping his arms around Roby's chest and bringing him to the ground. We made sure he won't get up.
As the warden made his way to us, he gave Roby some new handcuffs, as he managed to rip the old ones apart during his initial struggle with the guards, something I only noticed now.
- Sorry for the mishap. You're really good at fighting - the warden commented as he set Roby upright. This time, four guards assisted the warden as he brought Roby to his small cell. With us ready for a round two, should it come, Roby didn't even think about breaking out again, accepting his fate as a prisoner.
- We're happy to help - Einstein replied, still hiding the fact that we're a part of the Agency, or were a part of said organization, because it wants us captured now.
I guess this is because the warden probably has at least some connections to the Agency, as it likes sending its captured criminals here, or so I assume. Exiling someone to the outskirts of interplanetary civilization and turning them into prisoner-scientists is probably the best way to get rid of someone while keeping them alive. Additionally, there are benefits from such a punishment in the form of research being done. Some criminals willing to redeem themselves start a new chapter in their lives this way. It's a win-win.
Still, it being here was a bit spooky, considering how someone connected to the Agency may recognize us and inform the higher-ups, who would tell the guards, or maybe even the warden himself, to place us behind bars. In that grim case, Roby would have the time of his life making fun of us, as we'd be condemned to the same punishment as him. I hope that we'll never reach such a point.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQ6l2H87P9T
- Where can we stay? We have a lot of stuff to bring... somewhere - Anthony approached the warden.
- On the upper floor. There's a guest room up there. You should be able to find it with the signage on the walls. It's reserved for you - the warden responded before leaving to continue doing whatever he was up to before our arrival.
With Roby imprisoned, we chose to make our way to the guest room and rest for a bit.
- Slight Time Skip -18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡOSWKcOM1dP
Just like the warden said, finding the guest room was very easy. The signage on the walls made it very clear where each area is and how to get to it. I already memorised the routes to every important area near us, including the observation area, laboratories and cell blocks, as well as the security room. Knowing those locations may come in handy later on.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdqj9dSI1vo
Right before we left, the warden gave Einstein a key, which our supervisor now used to unlock the guest room.
It wasn't anything over the top, but it will be a nice stay. Interestingly enough, the beds were normal ones, just like those on Earth. No claustrophobic sleeping pods, no strange equipment attatched to the frame. Just ordinary beds.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvSTB67Lr0F
The room was also nicely lit, not too bright, not too dim. Aside from the lighting, a large, white circular table caught my attention. It was perfect for discussing classified matters. There was also a chest of drawers, which Dawn inspected, suspecting that there might be wiretap hidden in there. Luckily, there wasn't, at least not in the drawers. However, there was one strange thing: a note.
Dawn was quick to grab it, only to find lines of various lengths instead of text. This was a code and we're all familiar with it. It's known as Star Cipher, or at least we call it that. It may have a different internal name in the Agency's database.
Star Cipher was first used by our sworn enemies, the Perseids, back when Dawn was one of their members, specifically during their undercover stay on the Hyperspace, where they sneaked it into the station's systems to transmit information undetected, as it was seemingly unintelligible nonsense that was brushed off as glitches.
Letters encrypted in Star Cipher are lines of varying lenghts: for example, the letter D is the fourth letter of the alphabet, so it will be represented by a line which is four milimeters long. The letter E is the fifth letter, so it will be a five-milimeter long line and so on. Decrypting Star Cipher requires precise measuring tools, which makes deciphering messages pretty tedious, just as the cipher's unknown author intended. Fortunately for us, Arika was equipped with an app that could measure at that scale.
She sat down on the nearest bed, whipped up her phone and opened the app. Dawn gave her the note and we started decrypting.
- The Perseids were dissolved, weren't they? Who else uses the Star Cipher? - I thought out loud.
- Maybe they weren't the first to utilise it, but one of many. Or someone learned from them... Thirteen milimeters, that's an M... - Arika was barely distracted by thoughts, still focusing on the mysterious note.
I gazed upon what was already deciphered: FIND M.
- The next one is probably an E... maybe it's "FIND ME AT" something, something... - I connected the dots.
- Yeah, that's likely the case. Give me a sec... - Arika moved on to the next letters and it didn't take her long to confirm my suspicions.
- Whoever wrote this wants us to find them - Claudius summarised.
- Maybe it's not us? Perhaps it was left for whoever the previous guests were, but they never found it...? - Dawn was a bit skeptical.
- If someone was sneaky enough to slip a note in here, they would have swiftly removed it, so that it wouldn't end up in the wrong hands... - I deduced.
- He's right, why else would it be here if we weren't meant to see it? - Arika was getting closer to the last lines. So far, we have: "FIND ME AT THE BO".
- Boarding room? - Sebastian guessed.
- There's no such place here - Dawn remarked.
- Hold on, I think I know what this means. This is the word bottom, because I got a T. Two, in fact. What else would it be? - Arika was on the brink of a breakthrough.
- It can't be a bottle, right? - I added jokingly.
- Exactly - Arika giggled. With another O, we were more than certain that the word was bottom.
- I think this means the bottom of the Science and Containment Centre. We should go there - Justine suggested.
- You're right, honey - Anthony nodded.
With the last line corresponding to the letter M, it was more than certain that Justine was right. We left our stuff behind without unpacking anything and rushed through the door to find the one who sent this strange note.18Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjx4aEzMRtK
and then Add to home screen.