Two for One - 2. Chapter 2

Dinner, as always, was a social affair. Rarely do we have all family members in one place simultaneously. Jessica was happily chatting with Aunt Gloria and I was talking with Uncle Fran and Dad about the two week-long run I had with ANS Comet over in Seraph Sector. My ideas, combined with Uncle Fran’s technological advancements, have increased both our intelligence and our ability to respond to pirates with overwhelming force. Production of the new Armed Freighters is underway. The first of which has already launched. As I expected, Lieutenant Commander Astray is in command with Senior Lieutenant Biggs as Executive Officer. I was happy as I believed he should have a command by now and he proved my evaluation of his abilities was correct.

“How are Hugo and Janek doing?” Uncle Fran asked.

“Good. He’ll be back here when I go up with the techs to input the upgrades in Comet.” I said, as I finished my dinner.

* * *

Once again, I sat with my parents in the meeting hall at the large round table that sat 40 of us. I called it the bowl. Extra seats surround the table on a raised platform so everyone could see everyone else. There was another two levels of seating behind that, with groups of seats marked out for people that wanted to speak with the board on some issue or other. Large screens were set at the four points. Equal distance apart to display the people sitting behind the table itself. From wherever you sat at the table, a flick of your eyes could show you everyone in the meeting hall. Others in each quadrant, not seated at the main table, could also see who was behind them. Whether in actual sight or on screen. Some people just came to listen to what was going on. Jessica ended up on the other side of Mom and I sat between Mom and Dad.

“Sit up straight, dear.” Said my Mother as I had slipped back into my seat, reclining it a little to relax. Thoughts of going to sleep through this had entered my mind, but figured if I did, my mother would have grounded me. Not allowing me to fly for a month. And she would be correct in doing that. I am, after all, an Alexander and Low Point Station is owned by our Corporation. Alexander Industrials, of which I am also a part of with 5 percent ownership and a Junior Board Member as of my fourteenth Birthingday. Oh, the joy. Another meeting. Another hour or two wasted, that I could have been mining. At least I’ve been able to dodge any further involvement in special projects like the design and building of the Comet Class Frigates. That consumed an excessive amount of my time and I had to push my training into overdrive to get back on track with the schedule I had set for my upcoming exams in several months when I turn 16 stanyears. On the flip side, I was able to get combat training while standing Deck Watches. That will look good in my personal jacket.

I sighed as I corrected my seat and slid it forward. “Yes, Mom.” I said, and she patted my hand on the table.

“Thank you, dear.” She said as she flipped through several issues on her tablet.

I decided I better look like I was interested and grabbed my tablet, too. Pulling up the relevant information and browsing through it. I noticed one item up for discussion tonight. Possibly a direct result of my own experience on Thursday when I picked up the shuttle. I sent Dad a quick text asking if that was the case and he nodded to me. I sat up with more interest now, as I had a few words to say on the subject. I may be 7 months away from my 16th Birthingday and the ability to sit my Captain’s Boards for my Junior Captain’s License, but at fourteen I sat my Shuttle Pilot and my Explorer Pilot License with my 6-pack endorsement. In other words, I could carry 6 people, including myself, as I piloted a shuttle or a Rock Prospector Mini. Which was truly a super-sized, limited Jump, shuttle with mining gear attached. And the one I was looking at tomorrow had been seized by the Corporation. I don’t know all the details yet or its condition, but I might be able to buy it cheap instead of it being auctioned off. That thought rattled around in my head as Grandma Alexander started the meeting as Grandpa was off in another sector, working out trading rights.

I waited patiently as they worked through various issues that I absently listened to as they didn’t apply to me until the issue that I was waiting for came up. I listened as the Station Rental Official spoke of the issue and glanced at me a few times while he did it. Then a few people in the audience had comments, including one arrogant fellow that rubbed me the wrong way. I signaled, and Grandma raised her eyebrows as she looked in my direction.

“Marc. You have something to add?” She asked.

“I do indeed.” I said as said as I pulled up the pretentious person’s file and did a quick perusal before I started in. Since I was sitting at the table, my words would have considerable weight in the discussion of whether to attach fees to the Rental Ships if the ships were not kept up as laid out in the rental contract.

“Obviously my report and request last Thursday was not the only one to arrive at Sa Garcia’s office,” I nodded in his direction. “Otherwise. I doubt my submission alone would have garnered any interest at this meeting. I will say this is only the second time this stanyear I've had to send in a report and request reimbursement for someone else's negligence. I have never or will I ever leave a ship I have rented with less than full tankage and volatiles, as that is how it should have been when I picked it up. Never would the Air Scrubbers be past due in their maintenance cycle as the one I stepped on Thursday. Enough so that my nose wrinkled when the inner hatch opened. Sure enough, the Scrubber Matrix needed to be changed, and it was past due by almost a week. To the point where I had to order an atmosphere change as we replaced the cartridges for the Scrubber. I, for one, am thrilled about the addition of new fees. I think it might actually help the situation prevent occurrences like this in the future.” I finished with another nod at Sa Garcia. Which he returned.

Our blusterous friend whom I found out was Sa Henderson was rather indignant that a person so young as myself had an opinion on the matter. I held up the tablet as I responded, my tone a little louder and commanding as I spoke. “It just so happens that I should have a say, as I have the requirements to rent that equipment and you do not, Sa Henderson. Although I am sure people you hire do. Still. When I step aboard a vessel that I am going to use. It had best be ready or I will be looking for the reasons. I will say this now for all to hear. When I track back the what and who of the next set of issues with the vessel that I rent. I will file a formal complaint and request for restitution against the party responsible. And that request for restitution will include the amount of loss from loss of usable time as I correct issues that should have been corrected prior to my assumption of command of the vessel in question. When I decide I have the time to mine the asteroids. Have I made myself understood Sa Henderson?” I asked, as several people snickered around the meeting hall. And that was the highlight of the meeting, as far as I was concerned.

Betty, of course, gave me a ‘Well said,’ as she passed. As did a few other people. Grandma was thrilled with me. Mom was over the moon. I guess thinking that I would sit these meetings without Dad having to track me down to make sure I was there. Dad had a more thoughtful look as he patted my back.

“Nicely done Marc.” He said as we headed back to our quarters speaking about a few items that were discussed in the meeting before Dad asked as we entered, “Around O-Eight Hundred hours tomorrow?” He asked.

I had to think. Then I smiled. “Sounds good, Dad. I’ll meet you here or in the office?” I asked. Since I was heading to bed now, but would be up early. Like O-Five Hundred hours. I’ll go to the cafeteria for food, then work privately in my cubicle at the family offices. Usually it means I have 6 or 8 screens up and I am listening to music as I work through an issue, but tomorrow’s issue was where to get the funds I need for the ship. If I could buy it.

Dad chuckled. “I can swing through the office and get you.” He said.

To which I nodded before hugging them both and wishing them a good night. I entered my room and headed for the head to take a nice hot shower in the fresher before I grabbed my tablet and worked out the last minute distribution of the mining so I could send out my credit vouchers to Tom and Rachel. It will not be as good as I hoped because we lost a day, but good enough. I was sure that they will be happy with it as I have their personal logs signed off so they can claim ship time for their areas of study when they come out with me.

* * *

A fast breakfast and off to the family office. Saying hello to the staff as I worked my way to my cubicle to bring my system to life. I pulled up everything I could find and was looking for the sale listing. Interestingly enough, someone marked it as ‘On Hold.’ I checked the layout and the specifications and the Engineers Report from the preliminary inspection, which I pulled from the Alexander Industrials System. Everything looked good. Some repairs needed, but nothing major. Just to be accurate, I pulled up individual parts and priced out the repairs and/or replacement of them. In the end, I figured with One-point-two million credits and a little luck, I could purchase it and ready it for mining. Better that then the cost of a new one at between Four and Five million credits. Where can I find that many credits? I thought as I shook my head when I heard my father coming through the office talking to people as he went. I shutdown my systems.

“Ready?” Asked Dad.

“Yes. Thank you.” I responded as I followed him out of the office.

At the Military Dock, we located the ship. I looked at the outside of the ship. Examining the various items I could see and everything looked good. We walked down to the Lock and boarded past the security personnel. Walking up to the Bridge first, where I brought the systems to life and ran a systems check. I sat back, looking around as the system worked its way through a series of status checks on every piece of equipment on board. In an afterthought, I pulled up a cargo manifest and lifted my eyebrows at what I saw. Almost a full cannister of Vebnesite. The others were half full of various ores. Rough estimates put the Vebnesite’s value at two hundred kilocreds if the grade was high enough. I was tapping my fingers as Dad came back from looking around.

“Your thoughts Marc?” Dad asked.

I looked at the status checks, which appeared to be fine. “So far, it looks good. Once the system scans are finished, I’ll have a look around.” My Father nodded in an approving manner as he continued to check around the Bridge. The system signaled, and I checked through the various items. Nodding as I was satisfied there was nothing majorly wrong with the ship. I looked over the Bridge stations, running each console through a check. Once satisfied, I walked off the Bridge and checked every compartment on the ship. Within an hour, I was in the Engineering Section finishing up the system checks. Leaning back against the Engineering console, I gave a small nod.

“Satisfied?” Asked Dad.

“Yes.”

“Good. Come on. Let’s go haggle with your grandmother.”

My eyes rolled as I exhaled a breath I didn’t know I was holding while I followed him off the ship and back up to the offices of Alexander Industrials. As we entered her office, Dad closed the door. Which made Grandma Edna Alexander look up with a knowing smile.

“Hello Marc. You obviously like the ship or you wouldn’t be here now.” She said with a knowing tilt to her head and a smile threatened to appear on her lips.

“Yes Grandma. What is the price on it?” I asked as she leaned around and grabbed a tablet before bringing it to life.

“Two hundred kilocreds. Now.” She said as she slid the tablet across her desk to me. Eyes wide, I looked at the contract she had displayed on her tablet as I read through it. The total price would be over 1 million credits, but with two hundred kilocreds down, I would still have my thirty kilocreds to get it in shape and get out there, but I see nothing mentioned about the current cargo. Rereading the contract again, I smiled, as there were no clauses concerning current cargo. The item was being sold in its current condition, ‘As is/where is. No warranties implied or given.’ I looked up at Grandma. She had her eyebrows raised and had that knowing look again. “Well Marc. What are your thoughts? Should you rent it for a few days? Test it out first before deciding?” She asked.

My Father covered his mouth with his hand to hide the smile I know he had as I thought that over. Why would she offer that and the ship was placed On Hold before it even went on the sale block? And why was that? Unless…Unless they are holding it for me. Being On Hold, meant nobody could board it or check out its systems prior to a sale. Taking it out for a few days on a test mining operation would make me credits… and if the holds were still loaded when I boarded… “I’ll rent it for three days and see if I like it, let you know Wednesday morning if I want it or not?” I said as part question, part statement. Grandma nodded with approval at me as she retrieved the Tablet and tapped out a few commands. Making my Link chime as the rental notification popped up. I smiled as I glanced at it. Rental was only Eight kilocreds a day and I could absorb that and still have the funds needed to provision the ship and take it out. Dad tapped a few messages on his Link and smiled as he looked over to me.

“Your cousin, Rhasta, is available to go with you, too. Probably you can get Rachel and Tom, as well.” Dad’s voice trailed off as I thought it over, then nodded a smile at him. Rhasta is one of our better, younger engineers in our maintenance facility from the Alexander side of the Family. One of my great grandfather’s sisters great grandkids. He would be the perfect choice to ride out with us and teach Tom as well as myself the systems, while running checks on every system on the Mini Miner. Tapping out invitations, both Rachel and Tom said they could meet me there in two hours. Rhasta said he could be there in thirty minutes. Perfect timing, as I could get my gear and be back down there in twenty minutes. I hugged Grandma and Dad before I took off to our quarters to pack my gear again.

Twenty minutes later, I was on board and checking the cargo cannisters again. Untouched as they were this morning. Hearing the Lock chime. I stepped lively down to the hatch to greet Rhasta as he came aboard with his gravtrunk and gravtoolbox. Which I looked at with an eyebrow raised.

“I didn’t know what tools were here, so I brought my set. Just in case.” He said as he hugged me. “Let me get settled in then we can fire up the Mains and move her over to unload.” Rhasta said while trying to hide a smile.

“You were the one that did the survey?” I asked. Which made him smile more. “That’s why the ship was put on hold?”

Rhasta chuckled as he shook his head no. “Your Father was down here looking at it when it was cleared of the crew and their belongings. I think he was the one that slapped the hold on it before I even got here for the survey.” He said earnestly, to which I nodded slowly as I thought that over. Made sense, really. Grandma would write it up to make it look like I bought it at a price nobody could cry foul at, even though it didn’t go up for public sale. Meanwhile, by renting the ship, I could sell off the current load. As the contract stipulates that anything in the holds is mine and have the credits available for the down payment and then I would have to make all the other payments or have the vessel repossessed for nonpayment.

In fifteen minutes, we had powered up the ship and moved it into the unloading position. Which Rhasta explained how to operate the unloading system to me as well as how we should run the mining operation to maximize training over the next three days. And he was right. We’ll go out and fill the holds, only to return and unload at the station before filling them again. He figured if we did three times, it should be enough training before we started calling in a Hauler and practiced dropping the disposable cannisters filled with ore and setting the new ones in place. By the time we come back in, we would be familiar with the ship and its systems as well as the operation of those systems. Since Rhasta has been working the mining ships for over 40 years. I was happy to have him and his experience here with us.

Once we finished unloading, I shifted the ship to the commercial docks and informed Tom and Rachel where it was located. Pulling up the sales document on the materials I just sold, I worked out the credit vouchers for myself and Rhasta. After all, he was a crew member during that sale. It worked out that after I had topped off water and volatiles as well as the food pack orders for the galley, I still had just over two hundred kilocreds available in my account. With a little luck and a good selection of our mining targets. I should be able to make another sixty to eighty kilocreds. And that is with all the wasted time of running back and forth to the station to unload the first few times. Once I get the ship dialed in, two, three-day mining trips a month should gross me about two hundred and thirty kilocreds and net me around one hundred and fifty kilocreds. Enough to cover my ninety-seven kilocreds per month payment for the ship.

Tom and Rachel had arrived, and I introduced them to Rhasta before I showed them to their cabins. Tiny as the 4 were and three were double bunked. It meant we all had a separate space. I could load in the food packs with Rachel as Rhasta began giving Tom instruction on our new Engineering Section. Rachel was jumping for joy because I ordered the mid-rats packs too. That way we could have a snack on the overnight watches without having to have a full meal. Within an hour, everyone was comfortable with their new stations as I powered us out of the hanger and into the first of the asteroid belts we would visit. I was using my family’s mining group’s probes again to find the best ore that none of the mining ships would even bother to look at. The big Strip Miners would only take minutes to devour what would take us hours. They preferred a rock that would last over twelve hours before they had to move again. I’ll settle for ones that we could fill our hold within a few hours.

As I shifted to the Mining Laser controls, I set the station keeping. Slowly feeding power to warm them up as I locked them onto my chosen asteroid. Once I was satisfied, I fired them while I increased power. Watching the ore return to our cannisters and the readings of the quality on said ore. Tom and Rhasta returned to the Bridge as the first sample reports were coming in. Tom made happy noises again as he looked over my shoulder while Rhasta openly commented on how good it looked, to which Rachel agreed.

“How long before you buy a Mauler Marc?” Asked Rhasta as he seated himself in the co-pilot’s seat while Tom sat at Engineering.

I shrugged, “A little over six months before I can sit my Boards. Sometime after that. Why? Have you heard of one up for sale?” I inquired with interest.

“There are a few, but not one I would buy. They need too much work, and the maintenance has been skipped for lack of funds.” Said Rhasta authoritatively. And he would know. He does a lot of that work down in the maintenance hangar. It’s also a long slippery slide to owning a ship. Sometimes called, ‘A hole in space that you pour credits into.’ Something breaks or fails, and you don’t have the credits to fix it. Production slips and you now have even fewer credits. Then the next thing you know is you can’t afford to run the ship anymore. Crews quit. Contracts are lost. Credits lost. Deep in debt before you just give up and sell out.