“Plea…”
BANG!
The man’s head exploded in a flash of green light. His body slumped to the ground. His killer holstered the silver gun he had discharged.
“God dammit!”
He searched the man’s body and found security access card, although he wasn’t certain what for. He tapped away on his wrist-pad. Before he could do a call it glitched, again. He never had an issue till now. Soon enough it fixed itself.
“It’s Bett…the target didn’t even say anything. He just fucking begged. Only thing I got was an access card…keep it? Oh, so he was a computer specialist assigned to the vault?Anyhow, do you have any more leads?”
Bett spoke to his benefactor, one that sounded like a man, yet with a feminine undertone — it was ambiguous. He couldn’t figure out which. That wasn’t the important thing, however. Being paid was. Here in the far reaches of space, this could be his biggest payment by a million (literally).
“Scarlet? Nova bomb? Redlight dis — yes I’ve fucked a woman before!”
The call ended abruptly. Bett stood in the middle of nowhere, a barren place, composed of gray rock and dirt. With little to no atmosphere. He looked up to a golden sky and its glamour of stars. If you stared long enough, you would be mesmorised. It was so bright because the place Bett was on lied within the centre of the galaxy. That beautiful golden bar where all stars huddled together. Amongst that bright space loomed a mass celestial body of gas. A ringed gas-giant; he could tell from sun’s light that peeked around the giant’s curvature (the only night that the moon saw was whenever it . Bett turned and saw Nova city. The only place that wasn’t barren.
A city that beamed with lights and a galore of holographic images. Neon signs included. It was a lonely city, there was no other place like this around.
Then he received a message on his wrist-band. From his benefactor. A dossier was attached.
“This is Scarlet Rayford, the woman you need to look for and get info from. I thought your first lead would have given you clearance into his secret vault, and the times he visited. A shame. I hope this Scarlet offers more than pleas for her life”
SCARLET RAYFORD
DOB: 4959 ATA
SPECIES: HUMAN
GENDER: FEMALE
AGE: 25
HEIGHT: 5FT 4
EYE COLOUR: GREEN
SKIN COLOUR: WHITE (PALE)
HAIR: LONG, RED
OCCUPATION: PLEASURE ASSISTANT, NOVA BOMB CLUB
There was more attached; where she was born, her place of residence and the hours she worked — which was now.
Bett strolled over to his bike, there was another, the person he killed. Bett had chased him from Nova city. Managed to blow a hole through the tire and put him to a stop for good. With a new lead, this Scarlet — he raced back to the place of civilisation.
—
“Welcome to Nova City!”
Read the board in big, bold neon letters. He could see it from a mile away before he roared through the gates of the city. The man was met with a dozen or so signs, lights, bustling traffic and crowds of people. He almost ran a girl over because of her lack of caution. Bett carried on until he found a bay to park in. This allowed him the time to gather his bearings.
There were six points of interest in the city; the Markets (Bett’s location), the Outskirts (outer city), Redlight District, The Strip, The District (inner city), Casa Plaza and the City-Centre — wherein stood the Nova Tower, made of gold, mostly, compared to the rest of the city buildings which were of a bleak gray or black. A piece of grandeur where all the rich bastards and bitches lived around, like bees to honey. Yet the finest was saved for whoever sat on that golden throne. The one who had an iron-fist over Casanova, and his or her word was law!
Over one kilometre away was the redlight district. Bett held on for a minute as there was a sudden flurry of people and traffic. Once it had cleared, he zoomed off.
—
Half-way down in fuel, he had plenty to get around, yet if he was going to be here for more than a day. The bike would need to be topped up soon enough. Bett entered the redlight district. It went with the name, as red lights adorned the tight streets that were lined with exotic shops and hookers; he eventually found the Nova Bomb. Bett parked his bike in a bay, switched off the engine and power, locked it and headed for the club’s entrance. A bouncer stood under the great big sign that read in pink letters: NoVaBOMB.
He stood there with folded arms, thick arms that could easily squeeze your brain into juice. The man wore black glasses. His robust face turned to regard Bett.
He could take his helmet off now, as the city bore atmospheric generators, devices that created a bubble to sustain an atmosphere within a specific location and radius. However, Bett decided to keep it on.
“Chips?”, said the bouncer.
Bett fumbled inside his pockets and brought a handful of Cassies out. Short for chips as well as the card for electronic payment. The moon had its own economic system; Casanovian Credit.
Bett gave the bouncer ten chips. Before he started this job, his benefactor sent him co-ordinates to a location in which he discovered a stash. This stash contained a tracker (which he used earlier to chase his first lead down), a couple smoke grenades, medkit, a non-lethal firearm for stun takedowns and a credit card; that already held a sum of a thousand Casanovian credits. It was a good thing he took fifty out from the chip machine earlier.
“Have a good night, sir”
Upon entry, a security system became alert and an array of turrets aimed at Bett. He raised his hands high in the air.
“WOAH WOAH!”
“Good evening sir, sorry for the scare. It’s your weapons…”, the lady at the reception pointed at his gun
Bett remained silent.
“Is this your first time?”, the lady asked.
“Yeah”
“Right, no weapons allowed. Fortunately we have a locker available for you, just to your right”
Bett stored his equipment inside the locker, except for the smoke grenades as they are not considered to be lethal. With a firm twist the locker was locked, and he tucked the key safely into his pocket. Bett was scanned again, nothing detected. The turrets powered down.
“All good, so how can I help you sir? Any girl in particularly, or just here to drink for now?”
“Scarlet, ring any bells?”
“Oh, you want to book a session with Scar. She is busy with a client at the moment. Hmm, let me have a look…”, the receptionist’s fingers danced on the keyboard as she searched. She noticed Bett still had his helmet on.
“You’re allowed to take your helmet off, sir”, she said, nervously.
“I’m comfortable with it on, thank you”
“Okay…right, she’ll be free in the next half hour. I can book it now and you can wait at the bar?”
“Sounds like a plan”
“Do you want me to send Scar a personal message, you know, any kinks you want to play out?”
“Oh, nah, I’m good”
“Alright, that’ll be five hundred please. Just insert your card here”, she slid a device over to Bett. Good thing his benefactor gave him enough.
“She’s expensive isn’t she?”
“Someone’s favourite”, the lady winks.
“Could I have your name please just so your in the system?”
“Er sure…it’s Bett”
The lady typed it in and then stopped. She peered at him.
“Bett? The bounty hunter making his way up to the stage of legends?? You’ve got the look, if you’re actually him that is…”
“Need my identification do you?”, he sent her his identification info, and it was verified. His wrist-pad had another glitch. Fucks sake.
“Why are you out here?”, the woman asked, all gawked-eyed.
“It’s…personal”
She realised the stare on her face, and replaced it with a sweet smile.
“Of course, anyway, come through — enjoy”
Bett made his way through, past glowing lights, posters, condom machines, snack machines; then the music got louder and louder.
—
The bounty hunter did indeed sat at the bar and necked a few shots. He scratched his grizzly beard, a man in his mid-thirties. The area he scratched got soaked with alcohol (he missed his second shot), consequently it had burned. Didn’t stop him however. He brushed his black, crew-cut hair back, and watched the rest of the club. Lights flashed and glared as the music jammed on. People danced like wild, both the patrons and the workers — the ones on the poles. Some corners had people who were so doped they just lied there, motionless. High as fuck.
A message on his wrist-band brought him around, it was time.
“Hello Bett, come to room 169-A”
That should be ground level, and it was, he saw the room number through another doorway. He had one more shot. Then left.
“Put it on the tab”, Bett told the barman.
—
A lamp was lit, it illuminated the room, not so much, though it was enough for him to have a good look around. A room filled with a subtle, pink mood lighting, as well as a few toys about the place. There, on the other side of the smooth, well-kept bed; a woman sat with her back against him. Her long, red hair flowed over her shoulders and down her back. Bett placed his helmet and smoke grenades down onto a nearby table. She turned around at the sound. Her eyes glowed in the light. Her red lips part.
“Bett?”
“Scarlet”
The woman stood and moved into Bett’s presence. Her green eyes pierced through his blue. Scarlet wore a dark purple spandex suit. She laid a hand upon his chest piece.
“The bounty hunter himself. What business does he have all the way out here?”
“Opportunity”, he replied. She grinned.
“Yes, but why so far. What have you come here for?”
“Casanovian Credit, if my mind serves me well, pays similarly too Rhods that are used in the independent systems. If not more. I’m sure there’s quite the treasure here, as well?”
Scarlet turned away and looked into the shadows. Then spoke.
“Who are you looking for?”
A smirk crossed his face. Bett moved over to the wall and leaned against it, he then folded his arms together.
“Marxius Vo Vorsolis…”
She spun and looked the man from the ground up. They scanned each others bodies.
“What do you want with the ruler of this moon?”
“To track him down, bring him to my benefactor, preferably alive. As well as to find this secret vault of his. Apparently he goes there at specific times. Now, do you know anything about this?”
She stared at him hard, it unnerved him a bit. Yet he remained where he was, against the wall. It was as if she waited for more to come from his mouth. Perhaps, the actual reason why he was here?
“I’ve got debts to pay…okay? I saw the job advertised…wasn’t sure if it was a fake. A million credits, with an addition of ten percent upon completing the job”
Scarlet nodded and accepted his words. She sensed truth. The woman then moved back into his presence. Bett overshadowed her. She set a finger onto his chest piece and began to trace its linings, and battle marks.
“I’ll tell you everything, on two conditions…”
“Annnnnd that is?”
“That you take me with you, wherever you’re going. I will give you all of my earnings, in addition to anything else you find in the vault. I may know who your benefactor is. Consider my offer”
He really did consider hard. All of her earnings? Obviously that depended on how much she already possessed; a lot, just by how much Scarlet and her service costed him. But everything else in the vault, no ten percent. All the money, all the treasure…a tempting deal, indeed. One question throbbed on the tip of his tongue however.
“Why do you want to go?”
“Nah ah ah. Yes or no?”
“Yes…and the second?”
Scarlet blushed as she pulled herself close to his ear, and whispered…
“If you please me well enough, then it’s a deal”, she grinned, all red and flustered. Then pulled herself away.
“Gotta decide, you’ve only got an hour with me. Otherwise it’ll be a job for the next man or woman. Unless you prefer to storm Nova tower, kill every single guard there and scour the systems for information you’ll probably never find? Or to search every inch of this blasted moon??”
Bett chuckled. Why not have a little fun before all the hard work? He pushed himself off from the wall, and picked up her hands. Examined them.
“Fine”, he admitted. Challenge accepted. It had been a while since the last time.
—
The mood-light dimmed and pink transitioned into a hot pink.
She took his rough hands into hers — soft and gentle. Then they merged into an embrace. There noses were filled with the aroma of one another. Scarlet unbuckled each piece of Bett’s armour, she started with the belt first. His fingers found the zip on her back. He began to unzip. Her white back was revealed, so smooth, and finely curved. Soon enough, they were fully undressed.
“So, what do you like?”, she asked. Bett lured her into another embrace with a hand on her lower back. There skins touched. The hairs on there bodies spiked like crazy. He clipped his lips onto the curvature of her neck.
“Ah…”
Her hands slithered up his back and her eyes rolled into back of her skull. He pushed against her, and she felt…something hard.
“I like space ships”, he said and nipped at her neck again, and again. Upwards he kissed till there lips finally intertwined.
“Do you like to, ah, go…ah…fast or slo — slow?”
“A bit of both”, he smiled, and cupped her breasts lightly. She trembled and almost fell back. Bett caught her, and lifted. Scarlet’s legs wrapped around him. She felt his rod underneath. He felt her other lips above his manhood; it was already coated in Scarlet’s wetness. Bett threw the woman onto the bed and climbed over her. The man pecked at her chest, all the way down there and back up.
His fingers stroked her area, round the lips, across her thighs, then converged on the lips again. It grew hotter and hotter. Wetter and wetter. That sweet rise of ecstasy. She spread her legs wider and at the same time — grabbed his cock.
Bett placed two fingers together, and slid them inside…
“Ah…ooo”
He increased the pace of insertion and used his thumb to rub that secret push button. As he went in deeper, he found the spot also.
“AH…f — fuck!”, Scarlet muttered.
Her hand jerked him faster when he discovered that. Up and down. His balls swelled and his cock throbbed. Stuff began to leak out. It ran down her fingers. There breathing intensified.
“Do you have any protection?”, Bett asked her. They stopped for the moment. Scarlet rolled over to the other side of the bed, opened a drawer and grabbed a pack.
MaX Protection
Bett then went down on her, performed a dozen or so flicks with his tongue, twirled it around a bit. Wiggled it deep inside until, until…
“Ah, ahhh, AHHHHHHH….fffffuuuuuck!!!”
The muscles of her body spasmed, her legs flailed about. Scarlet kept Bett in place as she gripped at his hair. She tasted sweet, and from that, she tasted him. A stroke of tongue, a peck on his tip, and then engulfed him once more — he was sucked in. Bett got close. Then she eased off. The two took a breather, they breathed hard from that. Heavier than before. Within that break, they heard the fun of other patrons and workers from the rooms around and above.
Bett’s and Scarlet’s eyes met, they stared, as if they were struck by each others souls. She pulled the condom down his tip and shaft. Good to go. Bett entered her — still on top. Thrust after thrust, her eyes rolled back again. The heavy breathing resumed, there hearts pumped with ferocity.
“Oh…ye — yeaaah!”
His hips swayed, her legs brought him in some more. Swallowed the man. She ran her hands all over his back and he could feel her nails dig into his skin. They could not get enough of each other; the pair changed positions. Scarlet got on all fours, and came in from behind and…thrust.
“Is that alright?”, he asked her.
“Yeah”
They go again. He went in harder this time round. A good hard, not one that stabbed her insides, unlike someone.
SMACK!
“AH!”
He kneaded her hair into a ponytail and tugged, her head was yanked back. Bett pulled at it, gently. The pounding got louder as there bits smashed together. Scarlet peered over her shoulder, gave Bett a saucy look. As if she…wanted to ride him. Scarlet pushed him back, turned and got on top. She rode. His balls ached. She felt the fullness within, it was at its peak. She had been thoroughly stretched by his stallion, and with that extra control, she rode like wild. That itch was almost satisfied…
Faster.
Harder.
So close.
They were glazed in sweat at this point, surrounded by an aroma of sex, then, then — the moment came.
—
They dressed and the hour was almost up. She told him what he needed to know. Where the vault was — kind of. This vault, she said, was not here on the moon. It was on a particular asteroid within the ring of the gas-giant they orbited. That it bore a specific signal, and if tapped into the right frequency; the location would be revealed.
“You still have to hold your end of the bargain. I’ll give you the frequency once I’m on your ship”, she concluded.
Scarlet had left for the showers, Bett however, did not have that luxury. It would have to wait until on the ship. Before she landed another foot out of the door. She turned.
“Fortunately today is one of those days he visits. Right — I’m gonna get clean. Wait for me”, she headed off. Bett grabbed his grenades and attached them onto his belt, then picked up his helmet and went straight for the bar.
He waited, and while doing so, had another shot. It was sure a blast. Strangely, as he brought the rim of the glass to his lips (another shot), red lasers appeared. The source? From behind…
A group of men in black suits, armed, made there way into the area. Bett saw the bouncer with them.
“Oh shit — “
Bett faced the barman, who paid no attention as he was to occupied with a glass’s cleanliness. A pile of chips were grasped from his pocket, and rolled them across the counter.
“For the drinks”, Bett got up, popped his helmet on and rushed to where he thought the showers were.
“Uhh, scuse mei, thiz iz da women’s showas. Customers urn’t allowzed in ere”, one of the workers told him.
A bunch of women gawked and disapproved. One of them tried to shove him out. Bett didn’t even flinch.
“Wooow, so rude!”
“I’m looking for Scarlet — Scarlet!?”
“WHAT!?”
“It’s Bett, we have to get out of here, NOW!”
She whipped the curtain back. With a look of shock.
“I have no clothes! Let me…”
“No time!”, he bellowed and chucked her a towel. His arm enclosed around her waist, and guided her outside. The hunter possessed no weapons. They were in that darn locker. A shootout would probably not be a good idea. But those smoke grenades would be very handy at this time.
“Hold onto me”, he said to Scarlet. She was already latched onto him, like a child. Bett pulled the pins off and rolled the grenades over to the dance floor.
POOF!
One of the black suited men opened fire, out of reflex. The patrons panicked as mass confusion was instilled into the club. Everyone became disoriented. Bett and Scarlet stuck to the side and made there way out with haste — before the reception lady had chance to turn, Scarlet slapped her one.
“Always hated that bitch!”, she exclaimed as her fingers worked to shut down the security system. Once it was completely off — Bett got his gear back, and together, they fled.
—
His bike became hot wheels. It never drove that fast since it was manufactured. They rode through the District, a civilised place in contrast to the slums of the outer city. Tall buildings overshadowed them. However, upon entry into the city centre; taller skyscrapers stood high, and boasted, yet no where near to the majesty of Nova tower. Such, pristine condition. The fine clothes people wore here. It was as if they had transported onto a whole new world. He pulled up near Scarlet’s apartment building. Bett had parked in the shadows, just in case more of those men showed up. Whoever they were, or whom sent them. The man waited for the woman to sort herself out. When she was finished, she tapped Bett’s shoulder, the man was clearly focused on not being caught. He turned and discovered her in an exo-suit, a spandex, exo-suit.
They rode for his ship which lied outside of the city walls, about ten miles out.
“Why didn’t you just docked your ship into one of the landing bays!?”, she shouted over the roar of the engine
“I didn’t want to pay!”
—
Inside his ship, he parked the bike, locked it away into its own little compartment. Quite the ship as well, a big hunky one. Not specialised for combat, but for cargo. Though that did not stop Bett from a tinker or two. It had a few cannons on its starboard and port side. Spanners, screwdrivers, plasma-cutters and other sets of tools lied all over the ship. She could see he was something else when not a hunter.
Scarlet took an uninterrupted shower. So did Bett. They shared.
“He’ll be there now”, she said.
Once dressed and ready, they launched off into the cold depths of space, and delved deep inside the ring of the gas-giant. They won’t return to the moon anytime soon, that was it, unless something terribly bad happened. What a night on Casanova.
She played with his instruments to find the right frequency. There it was, a high-pitch noise, with a robotic voice spouting gibberish. It cut off whenever he diverted the ship into another direction, and got louder as he approached nearer. Something odd came up. It bothered him.
“There’s only one life-sign?”
“It’s him”
“Aren’t there more? I got this access card from one his guys earlier”
“His computer specialists? You caught one of them. They only go in the vault’s base when he’s not there. They don’t have clearance in getting inside his personal vault, just there to check on the security. Can’t stay for long either, timed and stuff, unless they want to die to the machines”, she bit her lip when she said machines.
“Machines!? Fucking hell Scarlet…I didn’t know I would be fighting fucking robots”
She grabbed the card.
“Well hopefully with this, you won’t need to”
“How do you know these things?”
“Let’s just say the man told me a few things. Again. I’m his favourite concubine. Anyway, you’ll have me there to help”
He raised an eyebrow.
“I don’t just have those talents you know!”, she snarked.
Bett smirked and brought his attention back. He saw the asteroid. It had a bright composition that made it distinct. They inspected it further, and discovered a structure.
“There”, she pointed.
“Know the entry code?”
She tapped her nose and winked.
Bett brought the ship about and took her down to land — time to claim his reward.
—
His silver, smooth, elegant gun fired more than it had ever done in the past, year.
Scarlet carried the stun pistol, the one that was stowed in the stash that Bett’s benefactor had planted. He blew there circuits while she stunned the lights out of them. The corridors were wide, generous with room yet not with cover. They had to resort to the gaps that lied in the walls. Tight and not a great degree of protection.
They activated the moment Bett and Scarlet entered. The vault’s system detected an unregistered life-form the minute Bett walked in. Scarlet stared at the hunter.
“Shit, I didn’t know you had to be registered!”
Then all that happened.
Pew pew pew
The pair found the control room. Destroyed the machines in there. Bett took a hit to the arm.
“BETT!”
“Ahh, shit, I — I’m good, don’t worry…”
The hunter pulled out the medkit and tended to the wound.
“Pass me that card!”
He slid it over the floor to her.
“Time to work my magic”
“SECURITY SYSTEM- DISENGAGED, ALL UNITS- DEACTIVATED”
“Ah, my fucking eeeaaars!” Bett screamed.
“Are you alright?”
“Yeah”
They held hands.
“I’ll stay here and monitor”
Bett got up and explored the place. An empty place for sure, rather bleak too — of course, the vault wouldn’t be. Scarlet spoke to him on comms.
“Marxius is right in front of the vault’s door”
He took a sharp turn, and there he stood. The fat man wobbled around. Surprised.
“So you’re the one who’s deactivated my security system…impressive!?”
“Scarlet actually, I’m just here for whatever is in that vault”
The fat man laughed hysterically.
“Ahh, my sweet Scar scar”
“Bett, an armed group has entered the facility!”, Scarlet warned him.
“What!?”
“Over my dead body…”
“That can be arranged?” an all to familiar, ambiguous voice stated. Bett turned his head around, slowly.
His benefactor was accompanied by a squad of armed men, the ones in black suits he had encountered earlier, in Nova Bomb. There lasers all honed onto him.
“Who the hell are you!?”, Marxius demanded. His massive forehead dripped with sweat by the mere presence of these people.
The benefactor uncapped its helmet, and lifted…
“CRESTIA!?”, the fat man roared.
“Hello — husband”, she remarked.
Bett sighed.
“Thank you, bounty hunter. Without you or you fucking that whore, I wouldn’t have found this place. Or else it would have been very, very long time”
“How did you know?”, Bett wondered.
“A tracker, imbedded within your wrist-pad. Done it the very moment you accepted the job I offered”
“Why?”
“Ha, why? C’mon kid its clear as Nova fucking tower. She’s after the throne…and my WEALTH! The woman’s been trying ever since I kicked her out. Now, how bout a deal? You kill her, I offer you fifty percent of my wealth, more than she was probably offering you…”
Bett shook his head. He was just a toy being fondled with. The only worthy deal he saw was Scarlet’s, even if she were blast him in the head later. At this moment. It was that and nothing else.
“Psst, Scarlet?”, he whispered. No answer.
“Even if he does shoot me, I have these fine mercs with me that’ll end you in a blink of an eye!”
“Scaaaarlet!?”
“Open the door Marxius, or I’ll have these men make a socket in your knee and then drag you into the slums so that they can make a slave out of you”
The man’s eyes bulged.
“Last chance Marxius!”
The man raised his thick, hairy hands, and complied. He pushed his thumb against the vault’s terminal.
“One, two, two, seven, nine, dash, six, nine — mark”
KERCHUUUUNG!
The vault door swung open, there eyes were filled with gold. It glimmered like the stars themselves. Piles and piles of chips, fucking mountains! As well as various other trinkets; necklaces, rings, goblets, amulets, armour. Even weapons.
“Thank you, hahaha…men, knock out my dear husband. Kill the hunter!”
Bett was ready to duck and run — Crestia dropped to the floor. All of them spun and found Scarlet there, with the stun pistol in her grip, as well as a new battalion of reprogrammed robots behind her. They fired. Bett aimed and fired too.
“Took your time!”, Bett bellowed at Scarlet.
“I was busy, had my own problems to deal with, like, not getting caught!”
The black suited men joined Crestia on the ground, except for them, they met death.
Marxius stared in disbelief.
“Ha, Ok…okay hunter. You can take…”
Scarlet yanked Bett’s gun out from his possession and shot the bastard.
“Take a load of that, fucker!”
—
Together the ransacked the vault to there hearts content. There wasn’t enough room in the ship to take it all. Though that mattered not to Bett. What mattered, was that he had enough. Plenty to rid those debts, get a clean slate, perhaps even pursue one of his dreams. They left the star system behind.
“So, why the leave?”
Scarlet looked, and simply smiled.
“I don’t know…to start a new life. Put my other talents to good use. Fed up of living there, doing that sort of work”
Indeed, she was smarter than she looked. Scarlet was able to get rid of the tracker in Bett’s wrist-pad. It no longer glitched. Done a nice clean on the devices software and everything. She was really good with her computer skills. He could definitely see her as a great agent of hacking.
“Does that mean I get it for free now?”, he winked with a big grin.
“Hahahaha! We’ll see when we get to our destination. Wherever that is”
“Well, that’ll be one of the slaver guilds first of all, say, how’s our guest doing?”
Scarlet went to the back of the ship and opened a door to a rather, small and pointless compartment. There, a woman on her knees, tied and with a gag in place; squirmed in anger. It was Crestia.
“She’s doing fine”
Bett punched a lever forward, it charged the Phase-Space device and created a wormhole in front of them. It drew the ship inside. Then vanished out of existence.
Casanova was left without a ruler. Marxius Vo Vorsolis, a paranoid man, especially when it came to his vault. Was dead. The moon’s fate tipped into the unknown.
Back to the Nav-System