1. I come from the Net,
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2. through systems,
peoples and cities
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3. to this place, Mainframe.
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4. My format, Guardian.
To mend and defend.
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5. To defend my
newfound friends,
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6. their hopes and dreams.
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7. To defend them
from their enemies.
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8. They say the User
lives outside the Net
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9. and inputs games
for pleasure.
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10. No one knows for sure
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11. but I intend to find out.
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12. Reboot!
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13. Hi, how are you doing?
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14. Morning.
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15. Good day.
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16. Oh, would you
look at that?
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17. What is it?
What is it?
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18. I don't know.
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19. Most interesting.
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20. Blast 'em, mateys.
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21. Har-har! Blow me down!
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22. Team blue, fanning.
Six two.
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23. Right flank, staging.
Two seven.
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24. Two seven.
Net intercepts underway.
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25. By code, I love me job!
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26. What do you mean
they're offline?
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27. All of them. The com-net,
the vid-net, ether-net,
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28. they're all down.
Already 12 blocks.
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29. I was talking to
another precinct chief
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30. on Level 2
and she just...
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31. Chief? Come in.
Chief!
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32. Phong, something's wrong.
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33. The whole Kits sector
is going offline,
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34. one block at a time.
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35. Yes, child, I know.
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36. My links have
blacked out as well.
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37. It started at the docks.
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38. I'm there.
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39. Hey, wait up!
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40. I will do what
I can from here.
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41. Please, be most careful.
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42. Would everybody just chill?
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43. Remember, Bob's
apartment is in Kits.
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44. Whatever's happening there,
I'm sure he's on top of it.
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45. Oh, no!
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46. Whoa! Look out!
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47. Watch out!
Be careful!
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48. Stay back!
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49. Gangway!
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50. Okay...
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51. Team ten in position.
Central nets intercepted.
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52. She be ours, Captain.
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53. Right!
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54. How goes the looting,
Mr. Christopher?
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55. Optimal, Captain.
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56. Plus 14% on our schedule.
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57. Total market value
less expenses currently
at 18,000 plus.
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58. Har! Captain Capacitor!
Strange booty, sir.
What do you make of it?
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59. Well, blow me down.
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60. By my reckon, you scurvy dog,
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61. this'll be none other
than a Guardian key tool.
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62. A rare find indeed.
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63. Mr. Christopher!
Sir.
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64. A 2,000 unit bonus to
Miss Sally and Mr. Andrew.
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65. They've looted a real
treasure on this one, mates!
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66. But what's a Guardian key tool
doing in such a small port?
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67. You better wake
the princess,
just in case.
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68. Aye, Captain!
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69. Aah! Can you imagine
what this could mean?
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70. Aye, sir.
A 26,000% profit margin!
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71. I am having no luck
here, Dot. How about you?
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72. Whoever they are,
they've got the sector sealed.
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73. We can't get past
their file lockers.
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74. Dude! Where are you, Bob?
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75. Software pirates?
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76. Oh, this is bad,
this is very bad.
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77. The nets are all down,
that's to be expected.
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78. Great! Well, we can't
have any of that in
my neighborhood.
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79. Time for Glitch
and me to party!
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80. They took Glitch!
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81. Those low-level,
basic buffered...
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82. The hold, sir.
She's nearly full.
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83. Right! Begin fallback.
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84. Aye, sir. Code Abacabb.
I repeat, Code Abacabb.
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85. We've a live one on our hands!
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86. Show them what
we're made of, mates.
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87. Aye, sir! Aye, aye!
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88. Well, shiver me templates.
It is a Guardian.
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89. Ah, Princess Bula.
Good morning.
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90. You know what that is?
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91. Guardian.
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92. He's already down-timed
16 of our shipmates, Captain.
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93. Well, there go our profits.
He fights very well.
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94. Aye. I say we
quit-file him now.
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95. Brothers and sisters, please.
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96. Thar be profit in everything.
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97. You just have to
look deep enough.
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98. I'll wager a Guardian
would fetch a mighty
price in any system.
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99. We could even
use him in ours!
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100. What do you think, Princess?
Can you stop him?
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101. Now?
If you don't mind, sister.
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102. Ouch!
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103. All right, pal!
Where's my Glitch?
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104. Glitch? And what,
good sir, is a Glitch?
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105. Yeah right. Don't try
that on me, pirate.
Hand it over.
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106. As you wish, Guardian.
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107. That's better.
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108. Well? Look alive,
me hearties.
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109. We're behind schedule!
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110. Oh, right.
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111. Heave! Ho!
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112. Set a course for
home, helmsman.
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113. We've just bagged
the treasure of our lives!
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114. What is that, Dot?
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115. I think some sort of ship.
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116. Hey, Phong.
You look worried.
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117. Yeah, what's wrong?
What is it?
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118. Well, not only did they
manage to steal a good many
valuables from the sector.
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119. They took Bob.
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120. That's not even funny!
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121. We gotta stop them
and get Bob back!
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122. Phong? Where
are they now?
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123. I am picking up
a large portal
out at sea.
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124. This must be how
the pirates arrived
and how they will return.
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125. We have little time.
Once they enter that portal
we may lose Bob forever.
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126. What we need is a ship.
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127. Excuse me!
Excuse me!
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128. Uh, it's nice to see
you again, Ms. Matrix
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129. but, uh, this yacht
is a private format.
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130. Sorry, Mr. Mitchell, but we're
commandeering your ship.
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131. Commandeering my...
On whose authority?
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132. Mine.
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133. Oh. Hello,
Phong, sir.
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134. Pardon us, Mr. Mitchell,
but we have little time.
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135. The pirates are already
halfway to the portal.
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136. Pirates?
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137. At this distance,
and their speed,
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138. you have almost no
chance of catching them.
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139. Well, we have to at least try.
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140. They task me
and I shall have them.
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141. What are their coordinates?
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142. Downloading now.
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143. Surely,
Miss Matrix,
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144. there are bigger, stronger
ships in the harbor.
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145. Oh, definitely.
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146. But, as you heard,
we need speed
more than anything.
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147. And, in all of Mainframe,
your ship is the fastest.
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148. So it is.
I said I was sorry.
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149. Ready for cast off, boss!
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150. Dot! Wait!
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151. Oh, come on, Frisket.
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152. We could really use
your help on this one.
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153. Give it up, Enzo.
We're running out of time!
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154. Oh, Frisket!
Sure, now you want to come!
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155. That's what I was trying
to tell you, boy.
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156. You should have
come up the plank.
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157. We've cleared the docks!
Prepare for full speed!
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158. Woo-hoo!
Yeah! All right!
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159. I love it when
you prisoners do that!
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160. 'Sides, I don't snore
when I really sleep
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161. and no one has ever
escaped from my brig!
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162. Well, except for that one.
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163. Mouse?
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164. Blimey. How do you
know her name?
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165. She's an old friend,
and a long story.
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166. Didn't you know?
I'm a Guardian.
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167. I know everything.
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168. Nice try, you rapscallion,
but my crew doesn't
scare that easily.
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169. Well, good for them.
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170. What's your name, Guardian?
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171. My name is for my friends.
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172. Well, mine isn't.
I am The Crimson Binome.
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173. Oh, Captain Capacitor.
I've heard of you.
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174. Of course you have.
This is Mr. Jimmy
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175. and you've already
met Princess Bula.
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176. Is she really a princess?
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177. No. You want to
tell her different?
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178. What I want is for
you to let me go.
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179. Before I make more trouble
for you than I'm worth.
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180. No, my boastful friend,
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181. I'm afraid even you could not
cause that much damage.
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182. You wish.
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183. An admirable try, Guardian,
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184. but I'm afraid
these bars are too...
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185. Well, blow me down!
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186. How'd he manage to
squeeze through that?
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187. Never mind how,
just follow him!
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188. Captain?
Yes?
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189. You're needed
at the wheel, sir.
We've got company.
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190. A ship,
gaining off our stern.
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191. On my way, ensign.
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192. Thanks, Mouse.
Wherever you are.
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193. I owe you one.
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194. I think it's time to
make this voyage
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195. unprofitable!
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196. I do not understand.
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197. What is it, Phong?
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198. For some unexplained
reason, the pirate ship
has just stopped.
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199. You will have no problem
catching them now, child.
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200. I do not understand.
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201. I do.
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202. Bob.
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203. It's the rudder he's
got this time, Captain!
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204. Blown clear off!
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205. New rudder, 10,100.
Wasted ammo, 700...
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206. Bula?
Have you captured
the Guardian yet?
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207. Almost.
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208. Unidentified vessel. You
are ordered to stand down.
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209. I am not unidentified,
my good lady.
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210. I am The Crimson Binome.
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211. Captain of this ship.
And you?
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212. Admiral Matrix.
It is pointless to resist.
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213. We've dealt with
your kind before.
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214. This I greatly doubt,
for we always win.
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215. Always. So it is you,
I beg, who should
stand down and leave.
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216. For your own good, Madam.
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217. It doesn't look like
you're winning to me.
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218. Prepare to be boarded and to
hand over our stolen property.
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219. You know we're only in
this for the profit, miss,
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220. and if it's a fight you want
then it's a fight you'll have!
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221. You have been warned.
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222. Okay, people,
we're going in!
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223. Right! Mr. Edwards!
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224. Open fire on
the approaching vessel.
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225. All guns.
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226. Uh, it's about
the Guardian, sir.
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227. He damaged the cannons.
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228. Damage?
How much damage?
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229. Uh, we only
have one left.
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230. Very well, then.
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231. Fire away with, with...
With whatever.
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232. We haven't all day,
Mr. Edwards.
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233. Aye, Captain!
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234. Incoming!
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235. Way to go, Frisket!
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236. Well, blow me down.
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237. Shifting engine coils.
Asymmetric magnetics. Now!
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238. Have at you, you scurvy
knaves. We're coming, Bob!
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239. I haven't had this
much fun in minutes.
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240. Want some help?
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241. See, Frisket?
See that bad man?
He's the boss! Sic him!
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242. Tsk, tsk. Left your
friends unguarded.
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243. Bad boy, bad boy.
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244. Oh, hello, Princess.
What took you so long?
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245. Good fighter.
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246. Avast, you scallywags!
I suggest you surrender now!
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247. Before accidents
happen to your friends.
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248. Dot? Can you
read me? Dot?
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249. I'm afraid your friends won't
be returning, old sprite.
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250. By the code of
the high sea,
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251. they be our worthy
spoils of victory to
do with as we please.
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252. We the ship and crew
of the Crimson Binome.
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253. You won't get away
with this, fish bait!
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254. Ah! But I already
have, m'lad.
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255. Yes?
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256. The rudder's back online,
Captain. We're on our way.
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257. Aye, good work.
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258. She's a sorry
profit margin, sir.
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259. Heavy damage, wasted supplies,
significant downtime.
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260. Even with the Guardian, we're
nowhere near our usual 200%.
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261. 200%? You call that
a profit margin?
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262. Oh, please.
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263. And you can do better?
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264. Much. But don't take
my word for it.
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265. Take a look for yourself.
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266. You've got all my
spreadsheets right there.
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267. The password is "Guardian."
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268. Guardian? Dot.
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269. Aye, that she
does, sir. Look.
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270. As the sea flows!
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271. How can such
profits be possible?
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272. Well, they are when you
don't attack your customers.
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273. She's got a point, Captain.
Without damage repairs,
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274. refits, lost loading time
due to initial attack phase,
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275. increased personnel efficiency
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276. at least 1,962%!
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277. Of course that's
a conservative estimate.
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278. Ah, but you've forgotten
about accrued depreciation
of upgrades.
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279. No, I haven't. Simply
sell volume at discount
to lower grade systems.
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280. Touche.
You stay out of this, mister.
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281. Then, how do you
offset market flux?
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282. Diversification.
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283. Initial inventory outlay?
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284. Amortization.
Demand drop-off?
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285. Become a buyer.
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286. Huh?
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287. It's okay, Bob. It's okay.
They're on our side now.
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288. Our side? What do you mean,
our side? How did...
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289. Dot?
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290. I have hundreds of clients
who would pay premium
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291. for intersystem transport
of your caliber.
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292. For a percentage, of course.
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293. Of course. Do tell me
more, Admiral Matrix.
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294. Please, Captain Capacitor,
call me Dot.
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295. Actually, my
name's Gavin.
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296. Did she? With her?
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297. And now they're going
into business together?
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298. Major.
Well, blow me down.
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