Where the grass is always greener.

[jshkornmiller]

Coronado System
Sector 4-G
18 days from last port.


As he looked out the cockpit of his Dromedary, an old rundown vessel of at least 150 years, Daniel Baker wondered why he had left the BMM. He had a a good job as a captain of a transport. short runs ment he was home weekly, good pay as well. But Daniel longed for independence. Ever since he was a child he was on his own, both his parents were hard workers. Always he had to do things by himself.

Looking out into the stars he scanned the area for local oddities that may be unseen and floating in this dead space. Nothing to be found. His ship, an old customized Dromedary, Was outfitted long ago for salvage operations. Able to hold or tow up to 650 tonnes of cargo, she was a small size for him. His crew of four, including him, shared the vessel.

Anne Bardol was the ships medic, a pale woman with black eyes and black hair. She hated being camped on a vessel being the only woman around for millions of miles at a time. Vince McCarthy was the salvage expert, or at least, the only one who would go outside the ship in a suit and manually bring items back to the hold. Thirdly was Franky Hunter. He operated the mining lasers and the other weapons of the ship. He was also the ships mechanic.

With his crew, Daniel tried to make his fortune by running freely in far off systems looking for wrecked ships or new astroid fields full of raw materials. 'If only i could find a field full of diamonds or gold, i will be sitting on that beach with two beautiful ladies in now time' he would always think to himself.

"Vince, shut the F*** up. Why do you always have to be an arse for." The sounds of Anne's voice from down the hall was screaming. "Just shut up and let me finish it."
Daniel gets out of his cockpit seat and walks towards them, they're in the mess room witch is the Hamdens makeshift medical bay in times of need as well.
"Jesus, i just told you not to be rough, it hurts like hell." Vince exclaims as Anne sews his skin on his shoulder back together.
"What happened Vince?" Daniel asks as he walks into the mess room. Looking down at Vince's shoulder. stained with blood and beginning to bruise.
"i was in the cargo hold moving some crap around and one of the shelves fell off. Something sharp on it landed... Ouch!" He yells again. "Dammit woman...."
Anne slaps him in the mouth. " "Don't you use that tone with me"
"Okay you two, settle down. Now Vince, she's just trying to get you fixed up, remember, this is not some fancy medical bay. Anyway, this area has nothing in it, all dead space. After you two are done dicking around. Saddle up, I'm powering up the cruise engines and making for one of those planets. We've been out here for 18 days now, and still nothing."
"Maybe we should go back to the Barrier Rim and have another look around the asteroids?"
"Nah, too many criminals there, the Barrier Gate Station is like a hub to them."
Well, that Was where we were going to go and sell off what we found, wouldn't it be nicer to be closer to the station so a shorter trip with what we find?" Anne said as she just finished sewing Vince up.
"Yea true, maybe we can find some unlucky trade ship that smashed into one. Okay then, make ready we cruise in 20 minutes."

After about 15 minutes everyone was in there places, Daniel and Franky in the cockpit while Vince and Anne sat across each other behind the cockpit. Powering up the Cruise engines was a timely event for the Hamden. The two secondary engines were worn out and in need of some major repair. The lights dimmed and weapons went offline as a loud rumbling noise could be heard from the main engine room. Then, in a heavy increase of G's they brought their impulse speed from 79 to 350 in a matter of seconds.

As fast as they were going the system seemed to not move. It would take them nearly 18 hours to cruise from the area they were in to the very outer edge of the Barrier rim. They were headed now into one of the most widely used smuggling routes. Known as the Barrier Pass, Outcasts and there massive slaver liners and cardamine filled trade vessel frequented the area. You could always count on seeing a ship of almost any design passing through in a standard twenty for hour period.

"Vince," Franky said as he was walking back to the mess room. "So, you think we'll find anything before we make port again? I'm starting to get bored in here, nothing to shoot and nothing to do."
"I dunno man, I've known Daniel for a long time," Vince said as they both sat down and began to munch down on some old bread and frozen fish. "i don't think he'll let us down. He's known this area for quiet some time."
"Well, why did he bring us out to that dead space for. No one has any need to go there."
"Good point, but i think he may of thought a run away transport or old cruiser was out there. Probably heard a rumor in the bar before we set off."
"Well, costly rumor that was. 18 days of scanning and sitting on my ass getting fat."
Vince chuckled "I hear ya on that one, I'll tell ya myself. I miss those sweet Kusari women back at BGS. oh boy, they smell so nice."
They both laughed as they finished their food.
"Okay everyone, we're approaching the Rim, be on the standby for anything." A voice said over the intercom. Daniel estimated about fifteen minutes until end cruise and the slow down coast.
"Franky get up here. i have something big on my scanners and it is not a rock"