Escape Velocity Nova: Gems of Fomalhaut

[Squishy Cheeks]

The inky blackness extends in infant directions, broken by far distant points of light and the light of the star Fomalhaut reflected off it's debris disk, creating hundreds of points of red and yellow. Two solitary planets compose the System: Gem and Snowmelt. The ice world of Snowmelt is the second most populated world in the Federation, The majority living in the habitable tropical region. The World Gem is little more than a planet sized asteroid. It's rich mineral and metal mines fueling the Fomalhaut economy. However there is even more wealth flying freely in the fomalhaut belt. The Debris disk of the young star.

A flash of light and the Asteroid Miner christened "Charlotte" exits hyper space two days after it entered FTL in the Tichel system. The ship is not built to be pretty, but functional. Equiped solely for long missions in the deep, the insect like ship with it's four grappling arms performs several maneuvers to avoid incoming asteroids as the pilot turns her around to slow their velocity.

"Fomalhaut reached December 31st, 1182 NC" The ships computer announced in a generic female voice.

"Hey it's New Year's Eve." James announced to the other two members of the crew as he dodged a small comet. "I hope this thing can haul cargo better than she handles. It's fighting me on every turn."

[Wolf99x]

Sev took some time to respond to James' announcement, since he was busy checking the scanners for any starship contacts around Fomalhaut. The screen was blank, save for one freighter that was seemingly moving out of the center of the system to make the next jump on its route.

"If you're having trouble," he said dryly, "I can take over for you. Otherwise you'll just have to tough it out until we can get back to a port and look it over."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Sorry I'm used to flying fighters and light capital ships." James said in his light irish brogue. "Well we're at a stop and that gold beauty right there looks like a good candidate for a mineralectomy." He fired a control thrust to move the ship out of the 5 mile diameter space rock's way. "Shall we?"

[Krylo]

Kalis stood up from his seat and stretched out a little bit, a few of his joints audibly popping as he let out a yawn. "Yeah, gettin' a little bit of cash sounds good... might actually be able to have some fun on our next 'shore leave' that way. I'll head on over to the cargo bay and prepare for mineral collection," he said as he began to move toward the door from the cockpit, stopping by the entryway just long enough to make one more comment before disappearing down the, ostensibly short, hallway, "Try to mine out some good stuff, alright, James? I'd like some beef in the bell peppers and beef, next time."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"well we got that vintage jerky, from your uncle Olaf after he sold us this ship." James said. He flipped the toggle switches that activated the four arms.

The ship sprang to life as the four mechanical arms opened up making the miner resembled some sort of four legged spider.

He placed his thumbs on the triggers.

"Sev, keep an eye on the scanner, I don't want any interference while I operate." He flipped up the laser safety switches. The mining lasers began to draw power from the ships batteries.

The green beams fired in rapid secsession from beneath the cockpit. Each strike piercing the asteroid, leaving a glowing perforation. Like a professional chef, james peeled the asteroid layer by layer, as if it were an onion.

Using the claws he began to collect reddish brown rocks with flecks of green, orange, and blue. One rock he pulled close to the window of the cockpit to display the haul.

"can I call them or what." He pointed to the stone. The stone was a two ton piece of rock. Mostly reddish brown, save for a massive core of translucent yellow-green, blue, and yellow with splotches of reddish gold like colors. "Look at the size of that Opal."

[Wolf99x]

Sev did some quick math in his head. "At the high end of the trade market, we should be able to get 150,000 credits with a full hold."

He started looking at the scanner more intently With that kind of money waiting to be made somebody's bound to want to come here and take it for themselves he thought.

[Krylo]

Kalis did a careful check of the cargo hold, strapping down anything that couldn't be moved, and hauling anything else out behind the airlock on hover dollies. It was hard work, but the ex-pirate didn't particularily mind. Heavy labor always gave him something of a 'zen' feeling that made it easy for him to think and plan, and think he did as he hefted the crate containing the crew's small armaments onto the dolly, taking mental stock of his crewmate's dispositions and skills.

James was a good enough pilot, but was he good enough for Kalis's revenge? And Sev... well Kalis didn't know much about Sev, and wasn't sure if he could trust the ex-Auroran as far as he could throw him. He also doubted his ability to throw Sev, for that matter.

Shaking his head clear, Kalis pushed the last of the personal effects beyond the airlock and sealed the cargo hold before pushing a button on the intership intercom system--which was, honestly unnecessary on a ship this small.

"Alright, the cargo bay's ready, feel free to start loading whenever you want."

[Squishy Cheeks]

"Space the scrap, load the best gems into the pelican crates, We want good examples to show our potential buyers on Serenity." James said. He began to load the cut off mineral samples into the scoop. Soon the minerals passed through sets of automated airlocks and mineral anylzers to be dropped one at a time into two piles in the hold. Each rock tagged with an info marking chip displaying the mineral content of the rock when placed near a scanner.

"Hopefully we'll have a full hold in a day or tow with little to no interuptions."

A flash a couple hundred miles away alerted the crew to another arrival in the Fomalhaut system. The ships sensors identified the craft as a Federation Anaconda.

[Wolf99x]

The hair on the back of Sev's neck stood on end for a moment as the Federation craft entered the sector. He may have covered up his kill marker tatoos, but that didn't mean there were other ways of knowing he was an Auroran.

Hopefully he's just on patrol, and not looking for anything in particular. Besides, I doubt he's interested in a worn-down mining vessel trying to make a few credits, he thought, though one of his hands strayed absent-mindedly to the blaster on his hip.

[Squishy Cheeks]

"What are you gonna do with that pea shooter, sev? Tickle him to death?" James said, noticing his companion getting antsy. "Take over the mining. I'm going to get something to drink, you want anything?"

The Federation Fighter turned toward the Mining craft. and flew towerds them, avoiding asteroids. The ships computer dinged as a broadwave message came in.

"*ksht* Mining Craft Charlotte, prepare for a ship scan. *ksht*" the message said.

"Snooping arseholes." James cursed.