Orbits - Book 2 - Dangerous Debris

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The rotating, desolate rock that was Ryugu came into view against the deep black. Its equatorial bulge was a prominent feature as were many of its craters and large boulders. Toward its northern pole, the crew could see dust rising from its surface indicating that active mining was happening at this hour. Major wanted to circle the cold body to get a proper landing approach.

Orme was on the bridge to assist Major in pointing out the landing site. “There,” he said pointing out the mining company base site. The primary landing site was nearby and lit with standard regulation landing patterns. Major knew he had to contact the mining company and do some convincing.

He turned on his transmitter and switched to the frequency given to him by Orme of the base site. “NEO-Mining base this is garbage hauler Excelsior please come in. Come in mining base,” Major broadcasted. Major repeated the broadcast a few times before he got a response two minutes later.

“This is NEO-Mining. State your purpose,” came a suspicious and harsh voice.

“To whom and I speaking NEO-Mining,” Major replied.

“This is Roth Chén. State your purpose.”

“I have good news for you. I have your property I’d like to return.”

“Property?” Mumbling could be heard as the official seemed to be conferring with an assistant.

“Yeah, you know, your ehem, workers,” Major said with veiled irony. “They tried to escape on your debris container. Luckily we caught them. What freaks they are. I don’t know how you handle them. I can’t wait to get them off my ship. They are disgusting. Can I have permission to land?”

As Major spoke, Orme was listening to the harsh words. He did not like hearing such words. These were the kinds of words mining bosses used, and he did not understand deception. But he trusted Major. Were these the words humans always used, he thought? They were not used in the book.

“Yes, permission granted. I will have a representative there to guide you. Please confine yourself to the environmental gangway and our base operation center.”

“Roger. We will touch down in fifteen minutes,” Major responded. To his crew he noted, “Well they don’t want us looking around much.”

“How are we going to pull this off Major?” Carlos asked.

“We land. Me, Rosalind, and Orme will meet the representative. Orme, send five of your men to the mining pit and get the women. Use whatever force you need to. How long will it take to get them back on the ship?”

“My men fast. Ten minutes. No more,” Orme responded.

“Won’t they see Orme’s men leaving the ship?” Rosalind asked.

“No. We’re going to lift the debris container out of the cargo bay and block the view to the pit.

Carlos, can you take care of that?” “Aye, Captain.”

“Good. We’ll keep the bosses occupied until you get the women on the ship. Now we also have to get info on John. Rosalind any ideas on that?”

“No Thomas, not at all. I haven’t got a clue,” Rosalind said.

Major paused. He also was absent ideas. How could he even broach the subject of the Survivor’s visit without raising suspicion? Again it was not in Major’s nature to be deceptive. He racked his brain for a few moments. Then the nastiest thought came to his mind. He could not believe the thought came to him. It bore great risk to the cohesiveness of his crew and the respect of his great friend. He hated the possibility. Yet he saw no other way in the short time available. Then he said to all in a low resigned tone, “All right, I’ll take care of it.”

Carlos left to prepare the cargo container. “Orme tell your men the plan,” Major ordered Orme.

Orme left the bridge. Major and Rosalind were left alone on the bridge.

“Do you think this will work?” Rosalind asked. Major did not respond. He did not want to even look at her. He instantly became cold to her, and she felt it immediately. Rosalind knew Major could be reserved but never cold, especially toward her. She worried. Perhaps Major thought that what was ahead of them was impossible and they were all doomed.

Major turned on the exterior spot and landing lights go Excelsior. This showed the bouldered surface of Ryugu in drastic relief. How could any living being exist on this desolate world let alone work on it? The cruel existence of Orme and his people on this world justified revenge of some sort. Major made a swooping pass over the mining pit and slowed his craft. The crew looked down into the pit. They saw the female slaves working the pit with only basic tools and their gloved hands. Their work suits were patched, torn, and filthy. It appeared that at any moment the fabric of the suits could rip apart exposing them to

lethal cold. Some of the slaves looked up at the Excelsior. The look of beaten desperation on their faces showed the pathetic condition of their lives. The ship’s crew looked down in horror at what they saw. If they did not succeed it would be a win for evil.

Major lined up Excelsior with the landing pad. Maneuvering thrusters brought the craft to a smooth touchdown. The base camp’s robotic gangway extended to meet Excelsior. After it formed a seal with Excelsior’s hatch door, Major instructed his crew, “Rosalind, Orme you’re with me. Carlos, position the cargo container. The rest of our passengers will stay on the ship and assist the females when aboard. Let’s go.”

Major led Rosalind and Orme down the protective gangway to its terminus doorway. A figure could be seen through a window on the other side checking gauges to make sure there was a good pressurized seal of the gangway. After a few moments, he released a lever and the door opened. Rather than wait to be invited through, Major uncharacteristically burst through the threshold and boisterously said to the man there, “Well Hello! Your lucky day! Who are you? What

a great outfit you got going here. I wish I had time to tour it. How much money do you make here?

Take me to your leader. Ha! Ha! That’s a good one. Take me to your leader.” Major wrapped his arm around the mining company official and started walking down the gangway. The official was completely overwhelmed by Major’s gregarious conduct. The man was smallish and he walked with a dragging limp. He had difficulty with Major’s superior frame and athleticism as he pulled him along. There was a sliminess to the official. He eventually got out, “I’m Aries Scared.

I’ll take you to Mr. Chén.”

“That’s great my man. I’ve got business to discuss with him. Come,” and Major pulled him even faster down the gangway. Rosalind and Orme followed surprised by the change in Major’s personality.

They entered the mining camp’s base of operation. Mr. Chén was seated at a long table examining a series of good-sized rocks with a monocular. Chén was businesslike. The room was filled with technical manuals, production reports, delivery schedules posted on the walls, and invoices all of which Chén knew to the smallest

detail. He ran this operation like a machine - unfeeling, with relentless production and sales.

Major burst in addressing Chén at the table, “Whoa, Whoa, Whoa can I see that?” He walked up to Chén, who was annoyed and surprised and grabbed a rock right out of his hand. Major looked it over and said, “Wow is that silver?”

“Yes it is,” Chén replied.’’ “How pure?”

“Ninety percent pure.”

“Man you guys are making money.” Major put the rock down and began walking around the room examining the charts on the walls.

Chén was off-put by Major’s intrusiveness. But he needed to get his slaves back. “Mr. Major, I understand you have my workers.”

“Yes, workers. That’s a good name for them. Major stopped in front of the scheduled deliveries to the asteroid. He saw that it went back several months and two years into the future. It had a list

of deliveries of ore from the asteroid and materials to the asteroid. He looked at the latter column back a few months.

“Can I see them?”

“Yeah, Yeah, they’re on my ship. In a minute. I got one of them here. He says his name is Oh-May or something like that. Frankly, I don’t understand him much.” As Major was speaking, he saw it. The ship Survivor was clearly listed as visiting the mining operation a few months back. This was Major’s opening. “Say, I see that the Survivor was here a few months ago.”

“That’s correct. Your interest in that?”

Rosalind tensed up at the mention of her husband’s ship.

“What do they deliver to your operation?” “Basic supplies - food, water, oxygen.”

“My interest? I know someone on Survivor. A real jerk. A guy named John Rose. We were in flight school together. Did you happen to meet him?”

“Yes. John Rose. He was on the ship.”

Rosalind was now itching with anticipation with Chén’s affirmation that he met him.

“Rose. Always with his moralism. ‘That’s not right.’ ‘We have to do it this way.’ So annoying. Couldn’t stand the guy. He never understood that we have to be practical out here. What do morals do for you when you have to fight for survival out here?

Am I right? I hope he spared you his preaching.” “He did not,” Chén answered.

“Tell me.” Major could tell that he was getting to Chén. He had to win him over to his confidence. Major walked over to Chén’s table, took a seat, and put his feet up on his table in as casual a manner as possible.

“It will be taken care of,” Chén stated.

“I’m sure it will be. You appear very competent.” But Major needed more information. What could he do to get Chén to disclose all that happened with Rose? Major saw a photo of a beautiful

woman on Chén’s desk. He obviously had a taste for a certain kind of woman. He picked up the photo and asked, “Is she yours?”

“Every inch of her,” Chén bragged.

“You are a lucky man.” Before Major could fully think of the consequences of his next move, he was pressed for time, Major said, “You know Rose has a woman and she is gorgeous just like yours. He’s actually married.”

“Unfortunate you don’t know this woman,” Chén said in a slimy tone.

“Oh but I do my friend Chén. I know her quite well. And Rose is always away for months at a time isn’t he? That makes it quite convenient and easy for me, don’t you think?”

Chén let out a lecherous laugh obviously approving of Major’s deviousness. “Well, Major you and I are quite alike. I think I unknowingly helped you with your plan. Rose was here. He saw our operation. His moralisms did not like what he saw. We fought. I told him to mind his business.

He said he was going to make it his business to

free our workers after his mission to Mars. Well, he’s not coming back. After Survivor left, I sent Chinese forces after them. They will not even make it to Mars.”

Rosalind could not believe or take what she was hearing. She was trembling with a plethora of feelings. How much of what Major hinted at was true? It couldn’t be. She completely trusted him. But maybe she was wrong! Maybe Major did have some type of designs on her. Or maybe she had some type of feelings for him. And now she knew Chén sent a ship after the Survivor to destroy it.

That’s why Survivor had to divert into the asteroid field. All she heard caused Rosalind to stand involuntarily. At the same instant, Carlos had entered the room so that it appeared that Rosalind stood to greet him. All the while assistant Scard was watching the proceedings with a suspicious eye. Something was not right. Why was this lowly garbage hauler ingratiating himself to Chén, and where were the remaining slaves? They should have been turned over already.

To that matter, Carlos interrupted the conversation and said to Major, “Um Captain, the slaves are prepared to go.” Major understood Carlos’ coded

language to mean that the female slaves were safely aboard Excelsior. “We had to incapacitate a could of individuals for compliance.” Again Major understood that Carlos and Orme’s men had to disable some mine bosses overseeing the females in the pit.

“Thank you Carlos,” Major said to him. “My friend Chén shall we now get to why I’m here.”

“Of course. Just send the workers down the gangway and Scard here will take care of them,” Chen replied.

“And your form of payment will be?” Major fully intended to financially rake this heinous state-run corporation as much as possible.

“Payment?”

I’m a businessman Chén. When I picked up your debris container I did not expect to find twelve slaves, excuse me, workers. I’ve had to expend extra fuel, food, and water for these creatures, I’ve had to acquire additional carbon dioxide scrubbers, and my time and my crew’s time is worth money Chén.” And then in a stern, forceful

voice, Major stated, “You are not getting those slaves without payment.”

Scard’s suspicions were somewhat vindicated. He knew these people were after something. He walked over to Chén, whispered something in his ear, and scampered back to the corner of the room like the rat he was. Chén wanted to get his slaves back without any further conflict. “Alright, I can pay you either in silver or bitcoin.”

“Well, I do like the shiny money. But we’re in a hurry. We can’t load a bunch of silver right now. We’ll take bitcoin.”

There was a sudden buzzing in the back of the room near Scard. He picked up a communication receiver. “Fifty bitcoin should be sufficient,” Major bargained.

Chén went to his computer to access NEO- Mining’s financial accounts. Orme kept an eye on Scard. Orme was personally the victim of Scard’s brutality in enforcing punishment when anyone went against the company’s interests. Feeling the inherent power of his new freedom, he starred down Scard with vigilance. Rosalind was spinning

in such a confused tornado of emotions that she lost focus on the crew’s present task. Carlos kept looking back down the gangway to make sure there were not any more mining company henchmen to thwart their escape. Scard continued his surreptitious conversation. At one point he turned his back to the room to further conceal his conversation after which he turned back and examined Major’s face closely with scorn and anger.

“What is your account information?” Chén asked Major. Major gave him his account info and Chén taped a send button completing the transaction.

What happened next happened so fast that a blink of an eye was slower. Major stood up from his chair. Scard dropped the receiver over which could be heard in the whole room, “COMMANDER FOX OUT.” Major, Rosalind, and Carlos instantly knew they were in imminent danger. Scard removed from his garment and raised a weapon, whose configuration and capabilities were unknown. He pointed the weapon directly at Major. Orme, whose eyes were glued on Scard, saw the weapon and with lightning speed interposed his body between Scard and Major. To

fully cover Major he outstretched his arms forming a cross of protection. Simultaneously, Scard fired the weapon once, twice, three times. Between the third and fourth shots, Carlos bolted forward at Scard tackling him with such animal force that the gun was dislodged from his hand, and the fourth projectile lodged harmlessly in an adjoining wall, and the two men crashed to the floor. Maintaining his advantage, Carlos was instantly on top of Scard and he pummeled his head with two blows knocking him unconscious. Major then stepped out from behind Orme and incapacitated the retreating Chén with a single blow to the solar plexus. Carlos retrieved the weapon from the floor.

Major, Rosalind, and Carlos then all turned their eyes to Orme. He remained standing with arms outstretched. Three wounds punctured his torso, blood oozing from all. There was no look of pain or anguish on his face. Instead, seeing that Major, Rosalind, and Carlos were all safe, the most satisfied look of peace and grace was on his face. Orme maintained his posture as long as he could. The ravages of his blood loss eventually took its toll. He began to slowly collapse. Rosalind rushed forward and caught him in her caring arms. She

guided him to the floor cradling him in her arms as a mother would a child. She tried as best she could to apply pressure to his wounds but she knew it would be to no avail. Major also rushed forward to help. “Stay with me Orme. You’ll be all right. We’re going to get you on my ship,” Major urged him.

“The weak have been made strong Major.” “You are strong Orme! You can make it.”

“No. You take my people to the promised rock. I can not go.”

“We will take you Orme,” Major assured him.

“My work done. My people have learned and will be free. My people are strong.”

Rosalind could not hold back tears as she continued to hold him in her arms giving him as much comfort as his life slipped away.

“Orme you have become a great friend to me. I will never forget you,” Major spoke in choked tones.

Orme and Major looked into each other’s eyes and as they had done before gave each other silent nods of acknowledged respect for each other.

Orme then reached into his garment and pulled out the book which meant so much to him. He said to Major, “Take. Read and learn.” The book was stained with Orme’s lifeblood. Major reverentially took the book with both hands.

Orme then continued, “Forgive them Major. They don’t know what they do. Slightly turning to Rosalind he repeated, “Forgive him.” He turned once more to Major and gave his last breath, “I have life forever.”

The crew of Excelsior were silent having witnessed the miracle of the sacrificed life that lay before them. The tears continued flowing from Rosalind’s eyes but she made not even a whimper. Major and Carlos bowed their heads. After a long moment, Major stood and said, “We’ve got to go. Ros?” Rosalind nodded and she loosened her cradle on Orme’s body. “I’ll take him. Carlos, grab these two,” pointing to Chén and Scard. Major then bent down and lifted Orme’s body into his arms. The body was no burden to Major. Rather, Major felt a lighter than normal sensation as he carried Orme out of the room and into the

gangway with Rosalind following. Carlos rousted the two villains from their stupor and marched them out at the point of the weapon.

When they got back on Excelsior, Major took Orme to the galley and laid him on the long galley table. Orme’s people had gathered, both male and female, and they surrounded Orme’s body paying respect. Three additional mining bosses were bound in the corner. “Ros let’s get to the bridge and prepare for lift-off,” Major said.

Carlos questioned, “What are we going to do with them Captain?” referring to Chén, Scard, and their henchmen.

“Put them in the debris container. Give them five days of water, food, and oxygen. Attach an emergency distress beacon with a continuous SOS broadcast. Then attach the grabbling hook to the container. We’re going to tow them into space.

And I’m going to give them enough momentum to get them back into Earth orbit.”

“I’m on it Captain.” Carlos motioned to a couple of Orme’s people for assistance.

“Rosalind, will we be able to make it to the Moon and back given our fuel and the carbon dioxide issue?”

Rosalind did not respond. She sat silently staring at the blood on her garments.

“Ros?”

She was simply unable to respond. This was the first time she was unable to perform her duties of calculating the ship’s capabilities. Major knew he could not ask her at such a time to push on through. Once on the bridge, Major pulled up a chart of Excelsior’s current position, the Moon’s position, and he checked his current supply levels. He would just have to make a rough calculation as best he could.

After Carlos finished his task, he came back to the bridge, “We’re ready to go Captain.”

Major solemnly said, “Let’s get out of here.” He turned on main engines and the ship shook from the drag imparted by the debris container. But soon enough Excelsior was off the asteroid. Once a sufficient distance from the asteroid, Major

turned Excelsior about to face Ryugu. He had one last thing to do. The entire crew stared down at the dismal rock of oppression. They all silently were in concord - what took place there should never be allowed anywhere in these celestial heavens. Major was determined to obliterate all instruments of its practice. He reached down to the control panel. He turned on his high-energy laser saw. He turned it up to full power. He then methodically and with precision destroyed all buildings, pods, machinery, tools, and the landing pads on the surface of Ryugu.

Excelsior released the cargo container towards Earth. In addition to the emergency beacon. Major broadcast his own emergency distress signal in every direction giving the position and course of the container.

Excelsior was then soon after on its way to the Moon.