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The first few hours were hard. Cats approached, looked at their junk with polite bewilderment and left without saying a word. Cheddar began to despair. The atmosphere was pressing. Everything was too clean, too quiet, too perfect.
And then a cat approached their stall. Not like the others. His fur was not groomed and shiny, but slightly ruffled. There was not arrogance in his eyes, but sharp, lively curiosity. He was young.
— Greetings, travelers, — he said. The voice was soft, without the usual cat arrogance. — Interesting… collection.
— Oh, a connoisseur! — Cheddar perked up, putting on the mask of a servile trader. — Look at this holographic projector! Pictures from lost Venus!
— The pictures are rusted, — the cat noted, squatting down. He took the fish medallion in his paws. And froze. His whiskers twitched. — From where… is this?
— Our… uh… goods, — Cheddar became alert.
The cat raised his eyes to him. The look was serious and smart. — No. This is not goods. This is a key. And it’s not yours. Someone threw it to you.
Cheddar felt goosebumps run down his spine. He exchanged a glance with Gadget. Shadow, watching from the balcony, froze.
— Who are you? — Cheddar asked quietly, dropping the mask.
— My name is Barsik, — the cat answered just as quietly. — And I seem to be the only one who is glad to see you here. Because you are looking for cheese. And I know who took it. And I know what they are going to do with it. And this… this is terrible.
He looked around and lowered his voice even more, almost to a whisper.
— If you want to know the truth, come today at 20:00 to the sector of abandoned ventilation shafts, level Delta. Come alone. And… be ready for anything. Your «trade» here is over. They are already watching you.
And, putting the medallion back, Barsik dissolved into the crowd as quickly as he appeared.
Cheddar, Gadget and Spark stood, digesting what was said. Above them, on the artificial sky of «Alpha-Felis», floated an advertising hologram — a huge, smiling cat face, advertising a new batch of synthetic salmon. The smile was unnaturally perfect.
Phase one, «penetration», had just ended. The phase of real danger was beginning.
Chapter 5: First Clash and Cat Language
The sector of abandoned ventilation shafts was located on the lower, almost unserviced level of «Alpha-Felis». The perfect order of the dome was replaced here by desolation: dim light, rusty pipes, quiet hiss of leaking air.
— Are you sure this is not a trap? — Gadget whispered, stumbling over some bolt. His «Sizer» was ready, but his paws were shaking.
— Everything that happens on Mars is a trap, — Shadow answered just as quietly, walking ahead with a silent gait. — But this cat… there was fear in his voice. Sincere.
— I liked him, — Spark said unexpectedly. — He has honest eyes. And cool whiskers.
Cheddar walked last, looking around. His «Ice Squall» was strapped to his belt, but his paw did not release the handle. — Silence, everyone. We are in territory where even the dust seems to report on us.
They came out to a small platform where there used to be a control node. Now only a skeleton remained from the console. And in the center, illuminated by a lone emergency lamp, sat Barsik. He was nervously licking his paw.
— You came, — he breathed out with relief. — And without tails. Good.
— We know how to be careful, — said Cheddar, taking a step forward. — Now speak. Who are you? And what do you know about the cheese?
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