My new acquaintance staged her performance, as it turned out, ultimately for the same reason why I was here: because of the megaskag. She saw a message on the ECHOnet about a "unicorn", with hand-drawn sketches - extremely approximate sketches - and decided to catch the mythical beast, for which they also promised a reward. Well, and, remembering the legend that has survived to the present time and place, she tried to lure the beast to a virgin.

  I would have said "So big, and yet she believes in fairy tales", if not for... um, basically everything. Starting with my arrival on Pandora, and ending with her own abilities. In general, it is not for me to judge someone for believing in "mythical creatures", especially standing on the corpse of one.

  Actually, a reality traveller is also a mythical creature.

  Anyway, I looked at the girl, at the trophy (took a photo, sent it to the client), and got to the point.

  - Coffee? - I offered. - A hot bath?

  Lilith raised an eyebrow, studying me appraisingly.

  - Is that a pick up line? - she inquired.

  - It's a business proposition, - I said, jabbing a finger at the inscription on my armor. And then I said, - It's by low price. And I won't even charge for the rescue, just for the first time.

  - Hey, I killed him! - The girl was immediately indignant.

  I shrugged.

  - That's why I don't charge. Despite the loss incurred...

  I glanced toward the buggy. Actually, it wasn't so bad; although it had lost its turret and most of the roof, it was still running and could be reconstructed at the nearest "rent-a-car". Using my materials, Scooter wouldn't even take payment.

  - Well, plus a discount for the beauty, - I continued. The girl looked at me skeptically and a little arrogantly.

  - Coffee? - She asked again, apparently deciding to change the subject. I nodded and climbed into the remains of the buggy; a couple seconds, and a coffee maker and a couple cups came into view.

  The girl looked at me... oddly.

  - Oh, I see you're new to Pandora - I remarked. She frowned.

  - How did you determine that?

  I shrugged again.

  - You're still surprised by this sort of thing, so you haven't been here more than a week. - Looking around, I set the 'set' on the skag carcass, then started digitally constructing chairs.

  - A test cup is free... or rather, in exchange for a communication code, - I continued.

  - A pick up - this time it sounded affirmative. I shook my head negatively, and began digitally building a table.

  - No, just an assessment of your potential and the possibility of continuing the business. Although... - this time I looked at her evaluatively. - Young lady, are you free this evening? I have some wonderful packs of skags and gangs, in the joint extermination of which can we spent unforgettable romantic night on Pandora...

  - Insolent… - Lilith's voice sounded cheerful, though. She sat down on the carcass of a megaskag instead of a chair, but she took the cup of coffee. She looked at the contents, sniffed. - Do you have any milk?

  The amusement in her voice was replaced by sadness.

  - Alas - I shrugged my shoulders. - I suffer from it myself, but it's in short supply on Pandora. But I can offer you a tangerine.

  - Is it by low price? - The siren grinned. I nodded.

  She refused the bath - and the shower, because the bath was more difficult - but she kept her phone number, and took mine. Lilith - an interesting name, by the way... - had taken the head of the megaskag; a certain "Hammerlock" had promised to pay her for it. My client, for his part, was satisfied with the video, but asked for a souvenir; Lilith wouldn't let me cut off the horn (and I wouldn't have let her do it myself in her place), so I had to settle for a paw. A lucky skag paw, weighing in at 6 kilograms....

  ...Seems really happy. In the process of scraping it off - I had already said goodbye to Lilith by giving her my ECHO code and Moxie's address - I came across two objects between the skag's legs: an elongated one, like a sausage, and a more or less spherical one....

  ...Okay. There's definitely something that needs to be clarified. I don't know, and I don't want to know, what a skag's genitals look like, I've had enough of their droppings. I'm talking about the objects that my ECHO noted as objects of interest lodged in the body of this thing, either under the skin or in it.

  Both, as it turned out. The first object looked most like a limb fragment of that Eridian flying thing that gave me trouble at the archeological site; the second... A polyhedron of light-colored material that looked like stone.

  "An Eridian relic. Effect: marked increase in vitality and muscle mass."

  So that's why this thing got so big... Even with Tannis's Adapter, I wouldn't risk using it, but it's still valuable, so I put it in the digital vault. Either I'll sell it to my bosses or I'll sell it.

  As I expected, restoring my clunker was no problem; I even improved it a bit. Or rather, we - on my part armor modification, and in exchange for the scheme Scooter slightly modified the car itself. Mostly small things, but of the essentials - added afterburner mode, for a short time sharply increasing speed. To escape from someone - love it...

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  Compared to this unicorn adventure, mopping up another area and searching for the Eridian imprint was an ordinary unremarkable routine. Skags, skithyds, a randomly provoked pack of rakks that I had to kill all of them - nothing special, even wasted almost no ammo. A turret and a shovel, for which I'm gaining more and more respect... I would write "Excalibur" on the last one as a sign of respect, but I'm afraid no one would appreciate it - savages....

  Anyway, I cleaned up the area and sent Tannis a message with the exact coordinates of the Eridian runes. Then I thought about what to do next. I have money, no urgent matters, I've had more than enough adventures... It's probably time to take a day off.

  Well, there's only one recreation center I know of.

  - Moxie, you know I always have the utmost respect for your opinion, but this is a bit...

  The man's voice was vaguely familiar. I stepped through the door of the bar.

  There was a man sitting on one of the stools in front of the bar. He wore a thick, shabby light brown jacket - skag hide, I think - with neatly tousled short dark hair and what was, admittedly, a rather stylish beard. Noticeably full, but not excessively so.

  And again vaguely familiar.

  "Marcus Kincaid," the ECHO obligingly reported. - "No refunds on guns."

  ...Оh.

  I looked around, made sure there were almost no customers in the bar right now, and stepped forward.

  - Mr. Kincaid, - I said grimly, and the fat man turned around, standing up. - You've made a big mistake.

  - No gunfights in my bar, dearie, - Moxie almost sang out. I didn't realize at all at what point a shotgun appeared on the bar. - It's the loss of a good show, there's an arena for that.

  - What kind of gunfights? - I was surprised. - I'm saying this... gentleman made a big mistake. Potentially affecting us all.

  There was a silence in which Marcus glanced at me, at my unarmed hands, and turned cautiously to Moxie, removing his hand from the revolver on his hip.

  - Do you know what he's talking about? - He inquired.

  - Mr. Dyatlov, - Moxie answered instead. - It would be nice if you could enlighten us. I'm curious, too, since I was expecting... a different reaction to such an encounter.

  I shrugged.

  - Well, objectively speaking, I have reasons to shoot Mr. Kincaid, but I'm not sure if it smart, and I certainly don't intend to do it here and now. Basically, I suppose a lot of us have reasons to shoot the people we regularly drink with around here...

  Moxie mumbled something like "mmm...", Marcus hummed, and the edge of his lips lifted slightly in a hint of a smile. I continued.

  - However, there is a fact: his actions were a big mistake that could lead to unpleasant consequences, and something needs to be done about it. Specifically... where would be a better place to start... well, the result of Mr. Kincaid's rash actions could be the little needed presence of the Vladoff on Pandora.

  Moxie... no, she didn't frown. But I think I've got her attention.

  - Let's start at the beginning, - I raised my index finger. - I, as the official representative of the Vladoff... shall I sit down?

  Moxie nodded; the shotgun was gone, and I took a chair a couple positions away from the arms dealer.

  - I, as the official representative of the Vladoff, have set up shop. Mr. Kincaid thought it was competition to get rid of, and he'd put thugs on the settlement.

  I glanced at him, raising an eyebrow; he shrugged.

  - It's Pandora. It happens.

  No denial, I see.

  - It happens, - I agreed. - But let's take a look at what came before, and what might come after. Before - there was one small trading point, showing the Vladoff that there is minimal profit on Pandora, because of which there is no point in moving. After - an incident that can make the corporation move to check who encroached on their property and profits, and ultimately find out that Pandora's trading prospects are much more interesting than they thought. And then, Mr. Kincaid, you will really have competition.

  The man and the woman exchanged glances.

  - That would not be the best turn, - the fat man carefully noted. He glanced at Moxie. - Looks like you're right after all... as usual.

  He turned his gaze to me.

  - Ideas?

  I shrugged.

  - The easiest and most obvious would be to reinstate the trading post and send the corporation the lost profits for the period to make it look like a simple delay.

  Marcus grimaced. He raised a hand and rubbed his temples.

  - Any other options? - he finally asked.

  - I don't know - I shrugged. - Do you have any?

  - Congratulations, dearie, - Moxie's voice was oddly thoughtful. The deeply depressed Marcus had already left, the customers had left the bar too, so Moxie and I were alone... hopefully she had no complaints. - You're the second person on this planet to fuck Marcus. After me, actually. You know, it's a bonding experience.