<P>"It's a sad place, isn't it? Japan was once one of the technological and economic leaders of the world, rivaling even the United States and Europe. Then, the depression hit. The entire nation sank into isolation and disrepair. Worst of all, once the situation had been pulled under control, the global network went down. Japan was affected sporadically by this. The nation existed in some sort of limbo, neither on nor off the grid. The Japanese were some of the world's largest users of telecommunications technology, but they were also noted for their fierce independence. As a result, not all of the country was connected to the Aquinas router, but enough of it was dependent upon systems that were, that the damage was done."
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<P>Carson simply went quiet after that. Tiberius couldn't figure out how to send a response through the infolink, or even if he could respond. Eventually, he accepted that Carson did not require a response from him and stopped trying to send one. When they had arrived in a small group of people, Tiberius pulled the translator aside.
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<P>"Do you think one of these people knows anything about Omatsu?" he asked.
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<P>"His name runs in many circles here," replied the translator. "It is likely that someone here knows something. I have dealt with these people before. Perhaps I will recognize one. It won't help if you try to light them up with your eyes."
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<P>"I think I've got that pretty much under control now."
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<P>Tiberius looked around suspiciously for a bit while his charge started asking questions. Sure enough, someone was familiar with Mr. Omatsu.
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<P>"This man says he knows where Omatsu is, but that he is under siege right now." The man in question, a skinny, gray-haired individual dressed in old rags, spoke a very slow, raspy Japanese. The translator continued. "When power was lost, rival gangs moved in. Scavengers are after Omatsu and his empire. Now that things don't work, Omatsu has become a dangerous man to become associated with, because the gangs will go to great lengths to obtain what he controls."
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<P>"We're not much more than scavengers ourselves, though, are we?"