A new face

It took us a day to reach Ahaleem. It's a large asteroid hiding within a red nebula. This was not a place where the authorities we're in charge. The station computer told us the same. It's best not to get noticed here. Ahaleem contained four sectors: The market, Widower's Tree, Boufir Dhome and a Temple. And something else that was not mentioned. Best not to ask to much questions.
 
We decided to go the market: Souk Hadri. It had been a long day and we needed a drink and some food. The market was a maze with lot's of stalls with vendors selling everything you would ask forr: coffee, weapons, spices, electronics and biosculpts. It looks like this is the place where we could find Amyra. The vendors we're suspicious when they saw strangers and we we're certainly that. Not to get noticed we entered the cafe " the Gasping Tulul". The owner helped us to some food and and drink. His name was Nasheev Baram (nickname: Three times). Not to raise suspicion we told Nasheed a bit of the truth. This was our first time on Ahaleem and we're interested in the viewpoints of Ahaleem. He looked suspiciously. They were not used to tourists. Then he pointed us toward the Widower's Tree. That was something of a landmark of Ahaleem. After we finished our food we left the cafe heading to the Tree.
The tunnel leading to the tree was dark. The only light came from some biolucent wiring which ran through the entire tunnel. After a short walk we entered the cave of the Widower's tree. Suddenly i was aproached by a hobo named Kajev. "Want to hear a story" he said. Of course i wanted to hear a story. After giving the hobo 5 Birr he told me a story about a Master Weaver. With some details which we're the same for the Bayerim Fake Face. Before i could ask him more he left through a door. Strange thing. Did not know what to say about this. The other thing i remembered was him saying i could be "sculpted" ?
 
Walking towards the tree we we're surprised it was this large. A gigantic tree in an Asteroid. It's veines were already growing through the floor. So it had to be here for a very long time. The bulbs in the tree we're the only lightsource. It was around the base we found someone mumbling. This had to be "La Matte" according to the locals. We heard him saying something about her who was always in the light but then taken away to the dark and so he stayed with her. We could not make sense about what he said. But somehow he was very aware about his surroundings and the people who came through. Shamus and Khadyr tried to talk to him. There was a slow response. But he was talking. When we showed him the picture of Amyra there was a hint of recognition. He told us the person went through the Vein Tunnel. The only tunnel with no people walking through. It was dark and probably dangerous. We did have some regret we did not bring some weapons.
 
We walked through the tunnel . There was no one there. Probably something off limits. But we knew this was our best lead to find Amyra. There was a burned odour in the air. Something burned like copper. When we thought we could see some light at the end of the tunnel. There was a drone coming towards us and started scanning and left. This was also the time we entered a pear-shaped room. There was not much. But only a lock with a Biotech pad. You could see the skin on the pad. Above we'ere the words: " The body speaks, the soul confesses". We did not know what this could mean. But soon we found out. Shamus put his hand on the pad and it began scanning him and suddenly i heard something i was not ready to hear: Shamus and Armand are brothers ???. So the machine confessed your deepest secret. That is something new.
 
The lock openend and we entered an old facility. Lot's of storage rooms, labratory's, conference rooms. All empty and broken. Was this the place where Amyra could have fled ? But there was more. When we descended in the building there were lights, sound and people. This was the Black Sector. Nowhere on the maps. A perfect hiding spot for illegal activites. We looked around to see what could be a good starting point to explore this sector. Khadyr found something on the ground: a broken patch with the word: KNER. Not something we knew. But it was good to keep this. Because it could be helpfull. We could not make a descision. So Khadyr told us to go to the closest cafe. Maybe someone could tell us more about this sector. And that happened quicker that we thought. Almost immediatly Khadyr was approached by a local. He could see we did not belong here. He could tell we we're looking for someone. After seeing the picture he told he could help after we told a good story.
So Khadyr told a story about our exploits. How we met each other and our escape from the prison. This impressed him very much. So there was the missing piece about the badge. It belonged to a woman called Falkenstein aka Falkner. First name: Amyra. We asked him about the biosclupters here. There we're to many . It was the local speciality.
 
We knew her full name and now we had to go from door to door to search for Amyra. There we're a lot people who could not help us. After a lot of addresses we arrived at "The Grinner" the weaver of this shop came out of a horror story: twelve fingers and a constant smile. "Give me a smile" she said to each of us. This was all the help she needed. After telling about the Fake Face Biosculpt she told us about " The Garden " and Safyra Zahal. The only biosculpter on this station who could work with something this complicated. And she was right. When entering the garden we could see two persons talking: Amyra and Safyra. In the entrance we found Amyra's Jumpsuit. She was wearing a towel and looked in pain. They did not notice us and we could hear her pleading with Safyra to take the Biosculpt out of her. We could get closer because " The Garden" was just that: a lot of plants. Strange plants which created mist, some we're even singing i thought.
Everywhere you looked there was something new to behold. Biosculpts which you never had seen before. And eyes.... of two people who we're staring at us. We got to close. Amyra was mad that we followed here. But during a pain attack she asked Safyra she would like to have the biosculpt to be removed. Because it was taking away herself.
She made a deal: remove the sculpt and it is his. She would walk away with a new identity and no criminal record. " Agreed" Safyra said and told her to sit in some sort of biopod. He asked us to look how he would remove the sculpt from Amyra.
You could see Safyra was a real expert. With a flick of his finger the sculpt was taken out of Amyra's temple. He put it in a growing pod which gently closed shut. Amyra was still recovering from the procedure.
 
Safyra began telling about the possibilites of the FakeFace biosculpt. He would perfect the sculpt and put it to good use. If we kept quiet we would get a free biomod free of charge. This was something we considered. But then we saw something in the distance. A second FakeFace. He was copying the sculpt already. We told ourselves to stop from someone get this thing in his hands. We had no weapons. But we with the three of us and him alone. We looked at each other and attacked Safyra. After the first punch he started to smile. After a few clicks on his wrist the entire Garden came to live. medical drones and Vines began twitching and starting to attack us. This was it. No going back now. Just a good old fashioned fist fight. Shamus was the hero of this fight. Blow after blow on Safyra's face and the fight was quickly over. While i was there still thinking where i was. One of the drone's gave me an anesthetic and i was out for a while.
 
The day is ours. We destroyed the biosculpt and walked out of " The Garden" which started to crumble before our eyes now the owner was dead. Amyra was now awake and took her with us. She had to face justice for the murder on Dr. Samah. When we reached the central corridor' of Ahaleem an Alarm went off. There was a warning coming throught the speakers: "This is the Legion, prepare for inspection. We are looking for Armand and Shamus".
 
We had to run.