"The Ebony Tower is a fortress built by parties unknown. Theories abound as to its origins, but nothing has ever been conclusively proven. Today, it houses various anti-corporate splinter groups - activists, militant protestors and eco-terrorists comingle within its echoing confines, plotting all kinds of doom for the headless monster of capitalism."

"Here's the deal. I'm a senior journalist for the Scope, and I'm working on an in-depth piece about the Wiyrkomi project in this constellation and the FON's (Friends of Nature's) struggle to counteract their plans. It's a big piece, and I have several reporters working on different strands in different places, so assistance from a fast-moving capsule pilot such as yourself is always needed.

As a matter of fact, I have a job for you right now if you want it. One of my reporters just completed a few interviews with Colelie project workers who are on break from the project at the Wiyrkomi Factory in Fluekele. He says he managed to get some juicy tidbits from them about the way Wiyrkomi handles its workers; grist for the cause, to mangle a metaphor.

Bring me back the interview transcripts from Fluekele, and I'll pay you as much as the agency allows me to dole out. How about it? "

"It seems the Wiyrkomi Corporation isn't being entirely forthcoming when it comes to their labor practices. That was some very interesting material you brought back from Fluekele. So good, in fact, that I feel a sudden, almost physical urge to follow up on it.

One of my top reporters just came in from Oursulaert. I want you to take him to the Wiyrkomi factory in Jolia, where some highly classified contacts are waiting for him. Since Wiyrkomi won't give us the straight dope, we're going to have to turn to alternative sources. I'll find out the truth yet.

Take my guy to Jolia and I'll see to it that you're rewarded handsomely. "

"Something fishy's going on here. Word just came in over the feednet: apparently, a FON strike squad staged an attack on a surveillance outpost in Colelie belonging to Temko, a mercenary organization contracted by Wiyrkomi to protect their holdings and help them gain a foothold in this constellation.

This doesn't feel right at all. First, FON doesn't engage in out-and-out terrorism; their battles take place on politico-ideological fronts. Second, had it been FON, why would they advertise that fact? Their tactic is the swaying of public opinion, not the destruction of their opponents' assets. This has all the hallmarks of a frame-up.

An old friend of mine who's well-connected in this area says he's managed to obtain the data core from one of the attacking ships' computers as it was brought in by salvager vessels. If we can get it into the hands of our specialists here, they might be able to extract some clues regarding the attackers' real identities and intentions. Head out to Parchanier and get me that data core. A lot may be riding on this. "

"Okay, it's about to hit the fan. We've stumbled on to something very very bad indeed. It's so bad, in fact, that I'm not even going to come close to covering it in my article. The people behind this cannot know, under any circumstances, that we know about their plans.

I can't tell you any more at this moment, but I'll tell you what I can do. I'm going to ask you for one more favor, and then I'm going to give you a contact within the FON. They have some work they need done, and since they're generally not the travelling types they could use a big strapping capsuleer to help them. But first I need to ask you one more favor.

I've collected the data I've accrued in the making of my article into one dossier, which I need brought to a safe place. Word's just reached us that Wiyrkomi have this place under wraps, so I've become compromised. I'll have to jack in and do the rest of this remotely.

Bring my dossier to my contact in Parchanier, and I'll hand over our analysis of the evidence you got for us. It's bad, friend. It's real bad.

This is an important mission, which will have significant impact on your faction standings. "

"...it should be taken to Preaux Gallot, FON activist at the Natura Seminary in Audaerne, right away"