by Saqib Sadiq
Reapers of the damned
Ravi Chen
A SadiSoft production © 2010
Disclaimer
All stories are a work of fiction. The characters do not exist, except in the mind of the author. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
Reapers of the Damned
BY RAVI CHEN
Dedicated To
Peace, Justice, And the Pursuit of Enlightenment
CHAPTER
ONE
Gemcore mining space station V-323 was an impressive sight, a white, rectangular figure sitting majestically a top an immensely massive hulk of black. The small structure produced the only light in the dark void of space. Upon first glance the glowing form appeared ugly. Its’ contours had no beauty, no elegance rather its edges were sharp and jagged. You couldn’t blame Gemcore architects, after all its purpose was to function as a mining space station. Mining itself was a rugged and harsh undertaking and it required facilities that could handle the beating it delivered. Add to that the harsh vacuum of space and it’s no wonder why they concentrated on making a sturdy structure.
The designers also knew a vulnerable space station sitting atop massive amounts of precious ore in the desolate reaches of deep space would be a tempting target for bandits. Rogue factions space faring pirates roamed the outskirts waiting to pounce. That’s why the station also featured built in weaponry so in case of an attack the space station could hold off the intruders until their employer could send company issued security forces to the rescue.
The primary weapon of the space station was the quasar cannon. This was a most devastating and gigantic weapon. It occupied two floors of the station, the lower level stored the quasar cannon head, and the top level was where the quasar cannon capsule resided. When fired it emitted a distortion wave that shattered anything in its path.
Its only weakness was that it could only be used on long-range targets. Reverberations from the discharge could damage the station, at close quarters. For this task the station was equipped with laser turrets, positioned strategically on its perimeter. These deadly pieces of equipment could pierce a fiery hole into any hostile entity that got too close to the space station. And if the enemy survived the outer defenses, the corridors and other critical areas of the station were equipped with projectile guns. These guns were controlled by an artificial intelligence known as SENTINEX (SENTient INtruder EXicutioner) programmed only to, differentiate between friend and foe, and then to eliminate foe.
*****
Rie Yamada, chief security officer, turned off the communication link connecting him to the quasar cannon head operator. Yamada had just relayed the orders he was given, from his superiors, to the lower level operator. The order was to ready the cannon so that the freighter craft leaving for earth could be protected. As a precaution Rie wasn’t authorized to activate the cannon himself and required a secondary to do so.
The freighter craft needed to be protected at all times. Its valuable cargo, mined and refined precious metals, made it a prime target. The metals ranged from copper and iron to gold, silver, and platinum. The route from the mining space station to earth was strewn with bandit hideouts. These interstellar pirates loved to take advantage of the isolation space travel offered. However they always approached Gemcore Freighter craft with caution. There had been more than one occasion when the mining space station fired their deadly cannon upon the bandit’s stealth crafts.
Once the operators had completed a complex set of operations the lower level operator switched channels on his com panel and reported in with the chief security officer. “Docking sequence completed, quasar cannon charged and ready to fire, at your command.”
“Acknowledge, standby for further instructions.” Yamada responded in a crisp voice. He then switched off the link and switched channels so that he could report in with the captain, Nicolai Cruchev.
Captain Cruchev was in his ready room located in the command and control (C&C) section of the station. His broad shoulders rested against a richly padded leather backrest. His desk was equipped with a wide array of equipment that allowed him to easily monitor and control the activities of the space station. Visual displays showing key areas, a communication control panel with links to each and every part of the station, his computer terminal came with data mining software that kept track of production. It also had the ability to interface with any other terminal on the space station. With a simple push of a button the captain could call up any piece of information or gain access to any part of the station.
With stern blue eyes he looked over the crew manifest of the departing freighter craft. He was comparing the manifest to the current employee roster when he received word from Yamada that the cannon was standing by, prepped and ready.
“That’s great work Rie inform Benson as well.” Said Cruchev as his voice coursed through the communication link.
“Already taken care of sir!” the subordinate cheerfully responded.
“Acknowledged, Cruchev out.” He switched off the link feeling content with his security officer. As he leaned back in his chair, gripping a warm mug of coffee he thought how Rie was a reliable officer and had a knack for anticipating the needs of the crew. Just now he only had to tell him that the freighter craft was ready to leave. He didn’t have to tell the officer to ready the cannon. Yamada already knew what to do. After all freighter craft leaving for earth was a daily occurrence. In fact when the immense spacecraft departed from the shuttle bay, mining for the day ended, the work crew would head for their quarters to rest and the refinery would be closed.
The only people awake at this time were the personnel in the command and control section. Their job was to monitor the progress of the day’s labor as it made its way back to earth into the hands of Gemcore. The observation dome, needed by C&C to carry out its task, was placed on top of the space station. The tinted viewing portal of the dome resembled jewels in a king’s crown. Mounted on the sides of the dome, powerful space age surveillance equipment probed the limits of know space, tracking the lumbering space vehicle as it made its way through a hostile environment. As an extra security precaution the manned delivery vehicle reported in at designated checkpoints. This way C&C could have a firsthand account about the security and progress of the cargo.
“Freighter craft: Alpha Ten pilot: Sinclair reporting in at checkpoint: novas prime. Do you copy?”
“We hear you loud and clear Sinclair. Your approach vector to the next checkpoint is clear of any hostile crafts. We expect you there by 06:00 SST. Over.” Came the reply from C&C personnel.
“Roger That V-323, Alpha Ten out!” The pilot responded exuberantly
Cruchev was absentmindedly listening in on the com chatter between C&C and the pilot. He was more focused on reviewing the day’s production report. He was pleased to see that they had met their daily quota. Hopefully their performance would convince Gemcore management to provide funds for constructing a much needed recreational room. Switching off his computer terminal he decided to meet with C&C personnel before returning to his quarters. The darkened computer screen reflected back his image. He caught a quick glance of his collar and noticed his lapel pin was crooked. Taking pride in his appearance he straightened the pin bearing the insignia of his rank. The gold piece of metal contrasted with his darker uniform. Across his breast pocket etched with white thread was the diamond shaped logo of the Mega Corporation he worked for.
Feeling content with his attire he emerged from his ready room and entered the adjacent glass dome. He strolled amongst the various display consoles and mingled with the highly skilled crew. He prided himself on being there for his men and insisted on being present when transports left for earth.
A harmonious relationship amongst him and his crew was key. He achieved this by trying to create bonds of brotherhood between him and his men and ensuring their safety during any activity on or off the space station.
He didn’t consider this to be an excessive task but a vital one. Working in space is a demanding and isolating experience. Workers have to trust each other so that morale and productivity remain high. Not to mention the dangers of mining in a low gravity environment, where every breath you take is because of oxygen delivered from a pump, where the only reason your body doesn’t cave in on its self is because of your pressurized space suit, where the person next to you can’t hear your screams unless they are transmitted via radio waves. That is why the good captain had taken every safety precaution, he was allowed. The worst thing imaginable by him was losing a man under his command.
The captain’s attention soon drifted from the display consoles to one of the huge glass, viewing portal. The portal reflected his image as he made his way over. At first he could only see darkness but as he drew closer the commander peered through it. He began to make out the outlines of rocky plains, gaseous fissures, and razor sharp cliffs. Here and there, the space station’s floodlights would reflect off of the crater speckled surface, revealing more of the dark hulk. Cruchev’s muscular body involuntarily shuddered; this was no man’s land.
To a layman it would seem odd that such an object should be affixed to the station. It appeared like a needless burden had been placed on the structure. But this was not the case in fact this odd object was the key to the success of this whole operation. For it was here that the precious metals were extracted and sent off to earth. This was the very source of all the riches the space station had promised its owners. This odd object was an asteroid, laden with huge deposits of precious ore valued at 323 trillion credits.
Gemcore could have easily passed up on this asteroid for more productive ones. After all the cosmos was nearly infinite and had tremendous wealth to offer. In fact electronic surveillance had revealed asteroids bearing even more loot then the current one. However they were outside of Earth’s solar system. Reaching them would take an eternity. That wasn’t practical when you wanted to send in construction crews to build a mining facility for you; or if you wanted to rotate your employee roster after a six month tour of duty.
Gemcore had taken its time before deciding where to set up camp. They had wisely chosen the current location for another important reason. Chasing down a moving object every time you wanted to reach it is a tedious and expensive proposition. Especially since that object is shooting off into deep space beyond the reach of your vehicles. Luckily for the mining company this particular asteroid was trapped by the gravimetric wake of a nearby moon. It continuously orbited the larger mass, thereby becoming a natural satellite. The advantage of this was that it could always be found at the same location.
Following the outline of the tubules coming out of the western side of the refinery Cruchev fixed his gaze on the inactive ore trolleys resting inside of the cylindrical tunnels. These trolleys were loaded with ore extracted from the mining tunnels and then sent to the refinery via the tubules. When viewed from up above the tubules looked like the tentacles of some great sea creature had grasped its prey and now was strangling it to death.
However Gemcore didn’t see it that way. They looked upon V-323 and saw the progress of the human race as it ventured into space to provide for its self, ensuring its future. They also saw a huge payoff; 323 trillion credits went a long way. The rape of a natural wonder was only a mild concern.
CHAPTER
TWO
A new day dawned; out in the dark vacuum of space the only way the crew knew this was when their sleep cycle, controlled by a monotonous atomic clock, was completed. Just like a well-oiled machine the morning routine began. Foremost on the workers’ minds was to fill the empty space they had in their stomachs.
The mess hall cooks had just decompressed the morning rations. Today’s menu, pancakes drizzled with synthetic maple syrup and a side of hydrated eggs. To a person on earth who could get fresh food the crew’s meal would taste bland and would be rather tough to chew. But the crew didn’t complain after all their only other option was starvation.
Chuck helped himself to an extra helping of hydrated eggs and pancakes he knew he would need all the energy he had for today’s work detail. His foreman, Bo Benson, had already informed the work crew that they would be drilling through core zero, the most densely packed region of the asteroid. Normally such an area of dense rock would be passed over for relatively softer areas. But subterranean geo-scans showed huge veins of gold forming a dense latticework inside core zero, making it the biggest deposit on the asteroid. They didn’t come all this way just to let a little rock get in the way of their riches.
The burly miner made his way through the mess hall; his soft hazel eyes searched for his buddy Raza. Like the captain said it was always a good idea to make friends. You would never know when you would need one out there in the mines. Raza was sitting in the corner of the mess hall intently reading some data off of a slim lightweight handheld.
“You better get something in ya’ if you want to be any good to us” Raza looked up from his device.
“Oh. Hello Chuck.” he squinted as he looked up from the small screen “Didn’t hear you comin’. I was just looking over these drill specs. Can you believe it? They want us working at 3500 rpms.”
Chuck looked perplexed “Ah! That’s no big deal we’ll be done sooner!”
“Yes, but don’t you realize with that kind of speed and the mineral density of core zero we may wear out the drill bits. Getting new ones from company headquarters will take weeks.”
Chuck furrowed his eyebrows “Well the way I see it all that stuff is the captain’s headache. I am here to follow orders and make my millions”
“I suppose” Raza turned his attention to his breakfast. “They’re getting better at the decompression sequence. I can almost taste the yolk this time”
Chuck spoke with a mouth full of food “Yeah! An’ duh pancakes taste like ma’ made ‘em” Raza smiled amusedly. He was about to say something when suddenly the automated addressing system went off.
“All mining crews report to the airlocks” signaled the soulless computer voice.
Chuck wiped his mouth on his sleeves “Well that’s me, better get down there before someone takes my suit.” he sighed, and then looked enviously at his friend “You drill jocks sure have it easy; up there in your cushy cockpits, without a care in the world. It’s us grunts that do the real work.”
“Yeah, but you guys have all the fun” Raza retorted “Getting your hands dirty and space walking all day.”
“I dunno’ about that” he said wryly “Anyway I gotta go suit up. Hope you have a nice trip over, puki” Chuck said mockingly he then got up and left the mess hall. With his friend gone Raza concentrated on finishing his plate of food. He didn’t like wasting perfectly good food that could go to use feeding others.
“All drill rig operators report to the ATV Depot.” He dropped his fork instantly becoming alert. That was his cue to get down to the All Terrain Vehicle (ATV) depot and ready his vehicle. The two announcements were separated by ten minutes of time so that the corridors and elevators wouldn’t become overcrowded with people. Just another measure the captain had taken to make the environment on board the compact space station a bit more pleasant.
Twenty minutes after the first announcement mining crewmembers started filing in to the space station’s numerous airlocks. As each worker made his way in to the decompression chamber an audible clicking sound could be heard. No one paid much attention to it they all knew a SENTINEX gun was mounted to the side of the doorway. The clicking sound came from its DNA scanner, as it scanned the surface of their skin.
The scanned DNA would be compared with DNA specifications stored in the space station’s database. If the scan found a match it wouldn’t open fire otherwise it wo
uld unleash a torrent of platinum tipped projectiles at twenty rounds a second reducing anything in its path to slag. Normally people wouldn’t like having such a dangerous weapon pointed at them. But the Artificial Intelligence controlling it was like a faithful friend protecting their lives. It was one hundred percent foolproof it could not possibly make a mistake and it never did.
Everyone was double-checking their space suit’s environmental seals and safety equipment. Soon the behemoth drill rigs would be showing up in front of the airlocks ready to take the various mining crews to their work sites. In the meantime the miners amused themselves with idle chatter and raunchy jokes. After a few moments of waiting the familiar rumble of metal threads against tough rock could be heard; the drills were coming.
*****
Out here everything had to pull its weight. There was no room for luxury. That’s why the drill rigs served as transport vehicle and mining equipment all in one. As the rumbling grew more intense the walls of the airlocks began to vibrate. They were getting closer. From his airlock’s viewing portal Chuck could begin to make out the contours of the rig. A Huge titanium reinforced steel alloy drill bit gleamed in the space station’s floodlights. He watched as the rigs dipped in out of craters on their huge tank like threads. Their drill bits bobbed up down with each plunge.
As the drill operators made their approach they steered the machines so that the crew cabin porthole would align itself with the airlock’s porthole. Raza was up in his cockpit steering the huge vehicle. He was assigned to Chuck’s work crew and was making his way over to their airlock. After some tricky maneuvering the giant machine was in alignment. Now began the decompression sequence. There was a pocket of vacuum between the two airlocks that had to be dealt with. A thick rubber tunnel extended from the cabin door creating an insulated chamber between the two airlocks. Powerful pumps inside of the drilling rig pumped air into the vacuum to introduce atmosphere. Once the pumps finished their job the airlocks began to open.
Great steal bolts slid out of the walls of the space station. Powerful electromagnetic seals that formed a perimeter around the airlock doors were deactivated. Now with a simple twist of a handle the doors swung open. The crew walked through the treated space vacuum and into the awaiting rig. Each drill rig came with a crew cabin; which was a compact and efficient room, nestled in the underbelly of the enormous machine. It had sturdy benches in the center and equipment lockers off to the side. As soon as the entire mining crew filed into the cabin the airlocks were sealed and the rubber tunnel was retracted. The rig pulled away from the space station and made its way to the mines.
