“Sir, the computers just came back online.”
“Well, do they confirm the visuals?”
“Yes Sir!”
“Run down the stats Mr. Kielan”
“The computer is tracking the asteroid. Sensors are picking up high ore content. Large Deposits of Gold, Titanium, Palladium and traces of other metals as long as your arm.”
“Is their a margin?”
“Nine million cubic meters with a ratio of twelve to one.”
“Position and vector Mr. Harcher”
“It entered our claim six hours ago and is in a transfer orbit that will take it out in another two hours.”
“Shit! Pull in the five and six crews. This is going to have be fast and dirty.”
“Mr. Dlameani, find the fastest course to the asteroid.”
“The sensors show a Kirkwood, Captain.”
“Use it!”
“It’s very small.”
“I don’t care, I want that asteroid.”
“Are the 5 and 6 crews in yet?”
“Yes, Captain”
“Engage the drive Mr. Dlameani, ETA at best speed?”
“15 min. Captain.”
“It’s going to be tight. I want all crews ready for immediate deployment when we reach station.”
. . .
“ETA Mr. Dlameani.”
“30 seconds to station Captain.”
“Are all crews ready?”
“All report ready, Sir.”
“ETA?”
“10 seconds.”
“Time until the asteroid leaves the claim Mr. Marcher?”
“One hour and thirty-two minutes, Captain.”
“Open the pod bay doors.”
“Eye Eye.”
“Attention all out-rigger crews, I want this operation to go smoothly. We only have one and a half hours and any time wasted will come off your commissions. Deploy, — NOW!”
“All crews acknowledge deployment. Sir.”
“Mr. Kielan, I want the data from the first samples.”
“Updated ratio of nine to one. Percent composition of primary samples: 3.5% Gold, 1.7% Platinum, 2.5% Cobalt, 1.1% Palladium, and .5% Courant — the rest are just traces.”
“Courant!?”
“Yes, Captain.”
“Are there any concentrations of it.”
“The sensors indicate a vein on the far side.”
“I want two crews on it as soon as possible.”
“Out-rigger crews two and seven are in position on the far side and beginning there OP, Captain.”
“Report Mr. Kielan”
“Ratio of Courant ten to one.”
“Do we have estimates on vein size.”
“Computers estimate — One Million cubic meters. Captain!”
“My God. This is the one.”
“ETD until it leaves our Claim, Mr. Marcher.”
“One hour and five minutes, Sir.”
“Mr. Kielan, keep me updated on completion percentage.”
“At the current rate we have five percent dusted, and time to full dust one hour and forty-nine minutes.”
“Dam it! I want all teams to go to one hundred thirty percent.”
“All out-riggers acknowledge.”
“Mr. Bycore give me the stress data on the pods.”
“All are working at maximum efficiency, there is a five percent chance of system failure every five minutes we maintain one thirty. Sir.”
“Move another two crews to the far side.”
“Crews four and five on station and starting their OP”
“Mr. Kielan ?”
“Fifteen percent dusted, and one hour and fifteen minutes to full dust.”
“ETD of the asteroid out of our claim Mr. Marcher?”
“Fifty minutes, Captain.”
“ETD Mr. Harcher?”
. . .
“The Asteroid is now three minutes away from the line.”
“Percentage Mr. Kielan?”
“Eighty-three percent dusted, and fifteen minutes to full dust.”
“Stress data Mr. Bycore.”
“Seventy-eight percent average efficiency. Thirty percent chance of failure every minute.”
“ETD Mr. Ha…”
“Captain, pods three and seven have lost all power.”
“Status on the crews Mr. Bycore?”
“Out-riggers three and seven are on Batt backup and are drifting out of the claim.”
“Dam it, Bycore, why weren’t they using pitons?”
“The out-riggers are using station keeping thrusters and emergency lines to save time.”
“Percent Mr. Kielan?”
“Eighty five, 13 min to full.”
“We are now across the line.”
“Dlameani, Keep me posted on any host movements.”
“Bycore, have the pods regained power?”
“Yes, Captain. The pods are now back at station.”
“Sir, Computer is tracking another mining vessel on an intercept course.”
“Percent Mr. Kielan?”
“Eighty nine, 10 min to full.”
“Time to interception of the other vessel, Dlameani?”
“Two minutes Captain.”
“Sir, We are receiving a signal from the other ship.”
“Out loud, Dlameani.”
“They are demanding that we leave their claim immediately or they will destroy our vessel and all crews for the crime of claim jumping.”
“Pull in the crews Mr. Bycore.”
. . .
“Sir, the other ship is now retreating form our claim.”
“Give, me the stats on the asteroid Mr. Raoklan”
“The computer is tracking. Sensors show high ore content. Deposits of Gold, Titanium, Palladium and traces of other metals.”
“What’s the margin?”
“Nine hundred thousand cubic meters with a ratio of ten to one.”
“Position and vector Mr. Garone”
The mining of the Milmoth (a.k.a.) Vega solar system, has created a conflict due to the constant claim-jumping of the various entities of miners currently in that system. The local government is trying to keep law-and-order with the assistance of Military Aero Space Security (M.A.S.S.)
