Chapter 24

SS Peake September 16, 2161
Asteroid MC-927Ω, Dragon Rider Mine

The pit at the Dragon Rider mine was big enough to hide the SS Peake inside of the asteroid. If there were a planet nearby, asteroid MC-927Ω would be a moonlet. And the dig was a massive enterprise. MC-927Ω was an immense ball of high grade iron and pure nickel, and United Steel nearly hollowed the asteroid. Convoys of ore freighters streamed from MC-927Ω, and an orbital steel plant was built nearby churning out miles and miles of I-beams and steel plate for the space stations that were being built above Venus, the Earth, Mars, the moon, and quietly built elsewhere. When the ore gave out, United Steel moved on to other asteroids that were just as rich, and the building went on without pause.

For decades MC-927Ω and the big Dragon Rider Mine sat empty and unused until pirates began using it as a base of operation. For twenty years, groups of pirates fought for control of the big hole. The problem was that it was blind. The asteroid had a huge hole which led into a vast pit where the mine tunnels and offices were located. It would be too costly to erect antennas just to communicate. United Steel had done it but then took their wiring and antennas with them when they left. The pirates used the Dragon Rider Mine as a stash, and sometimes a place to hide, but never as a center of operations.

Life aboard the Peake was usually quiet, but for the past month, tons of equipment and stolen goods were brought aboard the Peake and were quietly being unloaded into the tunnels of the Dragon Rider Mine. One tunnel was for nothing, but weapons and it was clear the idea of “slug throwers” had caught on, because hundreds of crates of space capable .50 caliber ammunition lined the walls as did crates of 20mm space capable ammo. Crates of laser pistols, rifles, and ship’s guns filled one gallery, brand new computers and communications equipment filled another. Multiple types of spacecraft engines were found and stored in a side gallery.

The Berserkers were up to twenty-two F-733 spacecraft, four on each bomber, two on the SS Garriott, and twelve spacecraft here at dragon rider. The Dragon Riders were broken into six flights of two and scattered throughout the vast pit. Thanks to Winston Scarver, there was plenty of ammo, missiles, spare parts, test equipment, and tools to fly those spacecraft for a long time. Charlie, Delta, Echo, and Foxtrot flights flew patrols over their local area at all times and, if needed, relayed radio signals between Alan’s office and Pandora’s ships. Alpha and Bravo flights tailed Winston Scarver and harassed his moves.

Whenever Winston lined up his ghost ship, the JSS Friedensbringer, to take a shot, a tight beamed radio transmission from Mars, or from a buzzing fighter/interceptor warned the ship that they were being targeted and needed to travel in an aggressive serpentine pattern.

“I’m pretty sure there’s more F-733’s stashed out here,” said Allan at a recent meeting.

“Then why isn’t he using them,” asked Eris.

“Because they are for sale to the East,” said Franco Aldini.

“I think we have enough to put his ass away for a very long time,” said Gene Trinh. “Why don’t we go get him before he hurts something big? Your other ship the Garriott should be coming into his view soon.”

“Shit, you’re right,” said Alan. That stupid device that Franco Aldini made was an incredibly powerful “gun” except that it only shoots in one direction. What good is a gun that only aims fifteen degrees past ‘north?’ And with the cat and mouse game he’s been playing with Scarver, he nearly forgot his company’s entire reputation was on the line. The Garriott is shepherding two moons into earth’s orbit and the first moon will pull on to Lagrange point 4 in two weeks. “Let’s go fuck him up.” He pointed to Elliot See, captain of the SS Peake. “load up Dr. Aldini and his papers, his machine, and a few example crates of the crap that we gathered and head to the NSS Naha.”