Location - orbital asteroid belt, sector R4D79, quadrant 2
Mining transport: Arborat I
Captain - Alsai Quaw
Current activity - Yasaum extraction attempt
Number of mining modules deployed - 5/6
Time since begin of journey- 4 340 hours
Cargo capacity - 68%
"This is useless." Jack says after several hours of flying. "What do you mean?" Asks Michael from module 1, who flying by his left.
"I mean, its been at least an hour and a half and we didnt find even a trace amount of Yasaum."
"It is on of the most expensive material in the galaxy, for both its properties and its rarity. But I gotta say I did hope to find at least a bit." Says Michael sounding mildly dissapointed. "You sure the scaners didnt just malfunction?" He asks.
"On both our module?" Says Jack somewhere between amused by the question and fed up with the situation. "At the same time, un-fncking-likely."
*20 minutes later...
"Okay, that's it, I'm done! There is nothing here, I'm gonna return to Arborat. You coming along?" Say Jack in disgruntled resignation.
"Yeah, coming up on your left." They both change course and start heading back. "Arborat this is module 4 and 1, we are returning to the hive. No Yasaum found, I repeat no Yasaum found, whoever said that there was something here was either hell'a lucky or ripped you off for that information." Surprisingly nobody responds. Jack doesnt really notice that though.
Once they reach the outskirts of the belt, his sensors detect all the other modules coming out of the belt as well.
Either they all got the same idea or they just heard him on the module frequency. But strangely enough noone is going to in for a dock, they all just kill their engines and decelerate to full stop.
There is eerie silence until the comunicator cracks with captains voice sounding on nervous. "All modules, keep your distance I repeat keep your distance."
"What's going on, captain?" Jack asks surprised to hear the captain talking this tone.
"An unknown ship has just appeared on our sensors, they are not responding to our hails. You are to hide in the asteroid belt and wait for further orders, keep radio silence until then, that is an order!" Say the captain, despite his tone his words instill no less obedience than any other time, quite the opposite.
"Aye aye captain... You've heard the man, everyone follow up on me, were heading deeper into the asteroid belt. Keep safe distance and dont get lost." Jack says and and leads the others away.
*5 minutes later...
Quaw's perspektive...
"Mr. Johnes what do you see? " Alsai ask.
"Its no good cap, their ID is encrypted and the computer cant find a mach of the hull nowhere in the database." Says Johnes, audiably frustrated.
"They could be pirates, a patrol ship or even the Anti-Solans. Damn, why didnt I retire sooner, noone would be here and this wouldnt be happening!" The captain thinks to himself before opening his mouth again.
"Open the comms again, lets try it one more time."
"Roger that captain... Comms open, its yours." Say the radio operator.
Captain take a deep breath and speaks up. "This is captain Alsai Quaw of MT Arborat 1, identify yourselves and state your business!" No response.
"Captain we are being fired upon! Incoming torpedo, 30 seconds till impact!" They are firing at them!
"Mr. Nesh sound the alarm, Mr. Shal'kef ready the anti-asteroid cannon." He says giving out the now most important orders.
"Captain that cannon is not supposed to shoot down torpedoes." Says Shal'kef.
"I know that, but its the best shot we have, do it!" Says the captain.
"Aye, aye captain!... cannon ready!" Says Shal'kef.
"On my mark...!" He says waiting for the torpedo to get closer. (1.)
.....
"10 seconds till impact! 9... 8... 7..." Says Johnes.
"Fire!" Shouts the captain.
The shot completely misses its target, but the torpedo misses as well.
"They've missed captain!" Says Johnes happy about the fact that the didnt get blown out of the stars yet.
"Doesnt matter, Mr. Nesh inform the engine room to increase power output of the engines, we're going to hide between those asteroids, get ready for acceleration! And make sure not to head in the same direction as the mining modules the last thing we want to do draw attention to them." Say captain as he traps into his chair.
The main engines start and they feel the the acceleration until a strong vibration shakes the ship and the acceleration stops.
"What is going on? Mr. Johnes what in the starless void is happening?!"
"I dont know cap, too many short circuits the system is failing catch up, wait... I got it!...." Mr. Johnes pauses and goes pale.
"Captain... the engine... the regurators and injectors are gone! We've lost the main engine! I'm reading major leaks" This is dire news and thats putting it disgustingly lightly.
"Damn it, call the engine room to cut the main fuel duct, and lift all limiters on the manuevering thruster we can at least try to limp away with those." Says the captain.
"... I cant reach anyone, the whole section has gone dark!... and the bulkheads have closed... I dont think that place has atmosphere anymore, captain..." Says Johnes, out if breath and in a barely contained panic.
"Grrrr..." The captain growls at the thought, but then goes silent in resignation. "Signal all ships sections we still have contact with. Engage emergency procedure 5. Abandon ship!" (2.)
...
"Is everyone here?" Captain asks when he enters the escape shuttle.
"Max and Dimo are missing, captain." Says Shal'kef straping himself in.
"Damn it, not even mentioning Dalfen who is still in custody." Grunts the captain.
"Cargo has jettisoned captain, this is our only chance, we have to go now!" There is no other choice.
"I'm sorry men, I have failed." The captain silently berates himself. "Launch!" He yells.
They blast out of the ship and head as far away as possible, as fast as possible.
Then the pilot yells. "Incoming torpedo, 10 seconds till impact!"
"Deploy flares!" Yells the captain, ultimately somewhat sencing that this might be the last order he will ever give. "May the stars guide us all."
(1.) Anti-asteroid cannon - usually seen mounted on mining transports, this weapon is a defensive arm used to destroy or to deflect the asteroid off course. Can be used on other targets but its rather ineffective because the projectile it propels is made out of highly compacted mining waste, which is usually rock. The projectile also has the tendency to crumble into smaller bits as soon as it leaves the barrel, making it utterly useless at anything but short range. But particularly effective when something gets too close to the ship.
(2.) Emergency protocol 5 - used only under extreme circumstances this protocol instructs any ship to send out a distress signal and jettison all its cargo as a distraction to create an opening for escape vessel or vessels. When activated its a race against time, as everything is set on a timer.