Landing on the surface of Patzig IV was surreal. As a criminal with an empire spanning multiple planets, I had lead a crime ring so large that it had mostly supplanted The City's elected leadership. Today, it was thriving.

I was happy to see it.

The City's hotel and casino was famous across the galaxy and regularly hosted politicians, celebrities, and diplomats. Gaining entry would be no small feat. That's why I wasn't surprised when security promptly threw me ass first into the street.

As I stood up and dusted myself off, I turned to see a cloaked figure run into the alley between the hotel and the supermarket next door.

/Is that the same person I saw on the train platform?/

I followed him into the alley only to find he'd vanished. But a window into one of the second-floor hotel rooms was cracked open a bit.

I climbed up the fire escape and peeked in the window and discovered the room was empty. Once inside the room, I opened my backpack and changed into the new clothes I'd purchased earlier, and then slipped out of the room and into the hallway.

Reasoning that most of the guests are accounted for by hotel staff, I decided to try to find Jimmy without being seen by them. That's right, baby, we're doing a stealth level.

-

I found Jimmy's suite, and knocked on the door. He answered the door this time. When he opened the door, his eyes widened as he began to call for security.

"Shh! Shush! It's me! Ar... Dr. Musician."

"Holy heck, man! They let you out of prison?"

"They did, and I've risked a lot to be here. So please listen to me."

He paused, and looked me up and down. "Come inside. You have 5 minutes."

Inside the lavish hotel room, we took seats facing each other in front of an ornately decorated fireplace.

After an awkward silence, I cleared my throat. "I'm... looking for Neptune. You're one of the last people who saw him. Do you know where he is?"

"...How did you know that?" he asked, obviously concerned.

"It's a long story and I promise I'm not stalking you online or whatever. Please."

"So, I guess you know that I told him to find me. I expected him to show up at my hideout in Viati Tropics. But he never came. I discovered later it's because he retired. When I realized he wasn't coming, I thought a lot about what I wanted out of life, and how much time I'd wasted trying to defeat him."

"All right, but do you know where he went?"

"...Yes. I've got friends nowadays with information, so out of curiosity, I had an associate look into it. He's living on an asteroid in this star system."

I sat for a moment, digesting this information. "Do you have the coordinates?"

"I'll have them sent to your hoverphone."

"Thanks, it's nice of you to help me out here. I, uh, don't suppose you have any ideas on how to get there?"

He stared blankly at me for a while, and then spoke, his voice becoming louder and more frenzied with each word. "It's crazy that I gave you this information to begin with. I wouldn't normally do this, you know. But believe it or not, I owe you. Your little syndicate gave me food, shelter, and in a way, community during a time where I had nothing else. There was a time in my life where I really looked up to you. I don't anymore. I think you're an awful, awful creature who'll do whatever it takes to get what you want. Even now, after you've been released from prison, you're violating the terms of your release by leaving your world and coming here. You broke into my hotel, for crying out loud! No, Doc. I won't help you get there. You're lucky I don't call Star Defense Police. Consider the information a debt repaid, and get the hell out of my hotel."

I looked down toward the floor, and nodded. "I'm sorry. Believe it or not, this is all about me trying to... do something good."

"Believe it or not? Ha! I don't."

-

I left -- now through the front door -- and received a data transmission with coordinates as promised.