by S. H. Jucha
Enthusiastically slapping his hands together, Mickey sent briskly,
6: Miner’s Pit
The traveler pilot launched from Pyre and headed for the JOS, the aging Jenkels Orbital Station.
Originally, Pyre had this single platform for residence, retail, and government. After Pyre’s surface was rehabilitated, and the economy grew, a second platform was constructed.
Those Pyreans with the financial wherewithal either transferred downside or to the new platform. Left behind were those individuals struggling to make ends meet and the spacers. The new platform didn’t accommodate the spacers mining ships. Only shuttles and the new liners docked there.
Centuries ago, Jessie Cinders and Harbour had dedicated much of their energy and credits to reducing rent at the JOS and subsidizing the spacers living allowances. Before their passing, living aboard the JOS had become financially feasible for many retirees.
Now, the JOS was home to nothing but spacers and the shops that serviced the mining ships, sold the spacers equipment, and provided their entertainment.
When the traveler pilot docked at the JOS, four passengers exited the ship, and immediately afterward the pilot launched for Triton.
Hermione walked swiftly down the gantry arm, leaving the three Pyreans behind. She reached the car, which would manage the reorientation from the gantry arm to the rotating station. The SADE politely waited for the other passengers to arrive and to belt into restraints.
Immediately, the car was swept into the ring and spun to align with the outer rim of the station.
From the avatar’s sensors, Hermione quietly observed the riders’ surreptitious glances at her. She’d given deliberate consideration to her new avatar’s appearance. At the outset, she knew that she wouldn’t decorate her synth skin, as the newly liberated Confederation SADEs often did. In the end, she chose to compromise.
The avatar the outpost SADEs created for her massed the appearance of a Pyrean. However, she chose to use the delicate features of the genetically enhanced Méridiens.
The final result confused Pyreans. At first sight, they accepted her as Pyrean. However, they’d never seen another Pyrean with such perfect features. It was only when individuals discovered that she was a SADE did they accept her appearance. Pyreans who came to know Hermione realized she had made a declaration, and it was up to the observers to make of it what they would.
Hermione was fascinated by the station’s age and roughness, and she cataloged the imagery she constantly recorded.
Using the station’s online map, Hermione navigated to her destination, the Miner’s Pit.
After receiving the outpost commander’s request to recruit mining crews, Hermione had perused the station’s present social conditions and its history.
The Miner’s Pit had been a local gathering spot for captains and crew alike since its inception. At one time, it had been owned by Captain Jessie Cinders. It had passed down through time to Jess and Kasie Cinders. Then they chose to share all profits with the employees, who were ex-miners.
The SADE discovered that the miners, who retired, regardless of whether they struck it rich, chose to live out their lives on the JOS. Anecdotal information revealed that the miners didn’t wish to associate with the residents of the new platform, and they abhorred the idea of descending planetside. Apparently, the vast terrains and the open sky disturbed them.
At the Miner’s Pit, the red emergency button loomed large, and the SADE smacked it. Soon the hatch slid into the wall, and the host stood there.
“Help you?” the woman asked, dubiously eyeing Hermione’s face and her manner of dress.
“I’m here to hire captains and crews,” Hermione replied.
“Then welcome,” the host replied, beaming widely and stepping aside.
When Hermione stepped into the Pit, the host asked, “Can I get you something to drink or eat?”
“I’m a SADE,” Hermione replied.
“Oh,” the host uttered and took a step back.
Miners seated nearby had heard Hermione’s response, and they stopped eating and talking. The sudden quiet at the nearby tables spread around the Pit. Within moments, the establishment’s audience was staring at her.
Hermione had heard of the apparel that miners favored on downtime to decorate their universal skins, the body-hugging unitards they always wore. The decorations included brightly colored vests, caps, hats, skirts, and shawls wrapped around their waists, and these were the men. The women did the same.
Some miners appeared hale and hearty, and Hermione assumed they were recently repaired at the Jatouche medical station. Other miners seemed to have led hard lives.
“I have about five to six weeks of work for five captains and their crews,” Hermione said. Then she read the names of the captains: Horner, Yolandra, Postilano, Derry, and Gurtride.
The captains were present, and Hermione watched them exchange frowns with one another.
“Captains, this is an outpost offer that you don’t want to pass up,” Hermione said. “Stand now, and give me five minutes of your time, or I’ll call other names.”
Swiftly, chairs rotated, and the captains stood. The host led Hermione to an occupied table and shooed the two customers to the bar.
“Drinks for the Sers on my account,” Hermione said, as the captains sat down.
“Sers?” Captain Derry queried. “Are you Méridien?”
“Yes and no,” Hermione replied. “I’m a SADE.”
The collection of unusual expressions on the part of the captains appealed to Hermione’s sense of humor. She found biologicals to be infinitely entertaining.
“I take it I’m your first,” Hermione said, and cocked an eyebrow at her guests.
The remark had the captains laughing uproariously. That also had the effect of the other patrons relaxing and returning to their food and drink.
“So what’s this offer?” Captain Gurtride asked. “As smart as SADEs are supposed to be, you have to know we can’t get to the belt and back in anything less than three to four months. Certainly not in five or six weeks.”
“Oh, I need you to go much farther than that,” Hermione replied, “and you won’t need your ships.”
The captains glanced at one another, and, as one, they leaned forearms on the table to hear the proposal, which, if nothing else, promised to make a great story.
“We leave our ships, we pay docking fees,” Captain Horner said.
“If you sign, I’ll cover those,” Hermione replied.
“Who’s forking over the credits for this venture?” Captain Postilano inquired.
“The outpost,” Hermione replied, “but you should know that this is a priority of Omnia Ships.”
The mention of Alex’s company brought eager anticipation to the captains’ eyes.
“What’s the job?” Captain Derry asked.
“We need you to dig a hole, a big hole,” Hermione replied.
“Are we after an ore strike, or are
we burying something?” Captain Yolandra asked, laughing.
“We’re moving a dome,” Hermione said and watched with interest as the humor was wiped from faces.
“You did destroy an entire moon,” Captain Gurtride pointed out.
“Afterward, we uncovered our error and have not repeated the mistake during the installation of many more gate pairs,” Hermione said.
“But you haven’t moved a dome yet?” Captain Postilano inquired, seeking to verify that this would be the first time.
“No, we haven’t,” Hermione replied. “To ease your concerns, I can have you evacuated from the moon before the deconstruction of the dome starts.”
The captains visibly relaxed after hearing of Hermione’s intention to see to their safety. It wasn’t just a matter of them accepting the proposal. They would have to convince their crews to sign up.
“Who’ll be in charge out there?” Derry asked.
“Ultimately, Mickey Brandon, Omnia Ships’ senior engineer,” Hermione replied. “However, I expect he’ll be on the outpost much of the time. Two SADEs, Luther and Minimalist, will be responsible for site construction. Crocian engineers and techs will move the dome, and some humans will be present.”
“Any empaths?” Horner inquired. “Sometimes crew members need them.”
“Kasie Cinders is one of the humans,” Hermione said helpfully.
“Good! She’s powerful,” Gurtride replied happily. She had two crew members who needed care for early signs of space dementia. During downtime, regular visits to empaths kept the two of them balanced.
“What’s the pay?” Postilano asked.
“I’ve calculated the average successful ore haul,” Hermione replied, “and I’ve added a fifty percent bonus. You’re all captain-owners, which is why I chose you. I expect the bonuses to be delivered to your crews, as profits are normally shared.”
“What’s the pay interval?” Yolandra asked.
“Explain,” Hermione replied.
“Are we paid for our time on-site or some other condition?” Yolandra said.
“I understand,” Hermione replied. “You will be paid from the moment you accept the contract to your return to the JOS.”
The captains’ eyes shone brighter.
“Time to declare,” Hermione challenged. “Who’s in?”
Five hands were briskly raised.
The group waited while the host served the captains their drinks.
When the host left, Hermione said, “You’ll find your contracts accessible on your sleeve slates. I’ve deposited an estimated twenty-five percent advance into your bank accounts. Enjoy your beverages, Captains. The contracts are in force as of now. The carrier is on its way here. The captain, an Earther, has your names. She’ll guide the loading. Good fortune.”
With that, Hermione stood, tipped her head to the captains, and left the Pit.
“Did you notice the way Hermione walked?” Gurtride, one of the two female captains, asked.
“I certainly did,” Horner replied, grinning.
“Not the way she’s built, you dolt,” Gurtride shot back.
“I know what you mean,” Postilano said. “She didn’t as much walk as she glided.”
“That’s what I meant,” Gurtride said, shaking her head in disbelief.
“Captains, we just got hired by a SADE to dig a hole to move a Messinant dome,” Derry said, hoisting his drink. “To strange days and good fortunes.”
Drinks were quickly downed, and then slates were accessed. After checking the contracts and the deposits, the captains recalled their crews from downtime. They had a lot of explaining to do, but the promise of guaranteed pay and bonuses would go a long way toward calming nerves.
In the corridor, Hermione connected to Jess and Lucia.
Lucia briefly scowled at Jess. Then she sent,
As Hermione casually strolled the corridors of the old JOS, she whistled a favorite tune of Julien’s.
After Jess and Lucia received Hermione’s message, they initiated a series of calls. Mickey and Miriam were informed of the SADE’s success. On the next call, they discovered the carrier captain had already heard from Hermione.
Miriam stood on the deck of the Tripper’s bridge, with two other SADEs. They’d swapped the passenger traveler for a cargo model. Then a module had been filled with test equipment, cabling, and various supplies.
On receipt of Lucia’s notice of Hermione’s success, Miriam maneuvered the freighter and ignited the ship’s new tri-engine assembly. The Tripper accelerated, left the Pyrean system, and transited for the distant star.
The carrier captain, Esther Holmes, signaled the slates of the five captains who Hermione had hired and informed them of her docking time.
The mining captains had chosen to hire a small hall to introduce the proposal to their crews.
Watching the crews straggle into the hall, Derry commented to the other captains, “Good thing we ordered plenty of strong caf. The crews will need it.”
“I think they’ll sharpen up when they hear the offer. I know I did,” Horner said.
At the doors, crew chiefs stopped the coin-kitties and kats who hung around the crew members’ necks. Credits were exchanged, and the service providers went away happy.
When the crew chiefs communicated that every crew member was present, Captain Postilano laid out the proposal. Several times the crew members visibly reacted to the words “outpost contract, Messinant dome, station-to-station guaranteed pay, and fifty percent bonus.” In most cases, they were intrigued. Not so, when the captain mentioned moving the dome.
“Understand,” Gurtride interjected, “we’re hired to excavate the new placement. The SADE, Hermione, said she would lift us before work started on the dome.”
“Can we believe her, Captain?” a burly crew member shouted, and he received a hard glare from his crew chief. Unfortunately, the stare barely penetrated the crewman’s stimulant-soaked brain.
“If we can’t trust a SADE, I don’t know who we can trust,” Gurtride shot back. “If you’re worried for your skins, I suggest you remain behind for the five or six weeks of the contract. We probably have more crew members than we need.”
Gurtride had turned to the other captains, who nodded their agreement.
With Gurtride’s response and action, she’d quickly neutralized objections. Her effective use of the skin slur had closed the crew member’s mouth. It referenced the fear of shipboard fire. The flames would first burn through their ever-present clothing, the skins, and then the heat would find their flesh.
In addition, the alternate choice of remaining behind was doubly damning. First, the crew member would be without pay for a long stretch of time. Second, that individual would be deserting his or her shipmates.
In the en
d, every crew member opted to join their captain. After several more rounds of caf, they hurried or struggled out of the hall to grab their gear. The duffels were piled at the gantry’s docking arm for the carrier.
Crew chiefs left a few individuals behind to protect the crews’ possessions. Then the remainder of the crews followed the chiefs to their ships. It would be a mammoth undertaking to transfer the mining equipment and tools from their ships to the carrier.
There was a powerful incentive for the painful sobering and tired bodies of the crews. They were already on the pay chronometer.
7: Maria and Oliver
Maria paused in programming her dinner in her home’s cozy kitchen. She had been happy to return to New Terra after nearly six months at Omnia with Oliver, her constant companion. Her present duties were as the New Terran envoy to Omnia. However, in her lifetime, Maria had occupied the posts of TSF general and New Terra’s president.
The SADE displayed a wire model of the system to orient her to the direction of the fleet’s arrival.
“From alliance space?” Maria queried.
“In general,” Oliver replied. “Specifically, this vector orients the fleet as sailing from Sol.”
“From Sol to here,” Maria mused. “Now isn’t that interesting?”
“And you make me curious as to your thoughts,” Oliver tempted.
“While I’m not sure of what Alex might say when he visits, I can guess that after New Terra, he’s headed for Omnia and then Haraken and onward to Méridien,” Maria replied.
“You believe he’s here to present his grand strategy, as Cordelia termed it,” Oliver said.
“You were the one who spoke with her, Oliver,” Maria replied, signaling the dispenser to hold on her meal. The dispenser and the food stock tanks were gifts from Alex. Omnian shippers kept her supplies full, and she was never able to repay Omnia Ships. Julien refused every credit transfer.
