OUTWORLD: Dark Planet

OUTWORLD: Dark Planet Part 1

17th APRIL 7080, ILARIK ASTEROID BELT, VARCOLE SYSTEM

Although not the most incredible of galactic phenomena, the Ilarik Asteroid Belt was simply beautiful to witness. A cascade of rock shining brightly in the sun of the system in which it drifted and backlit by a deep blue nebula, Ilarik was easily the most attractive feature of an otherwise unremarkable system.

It was this sight that greeted a small number of observers as their ship blasted into the system, and its awe was not lost on them. A quiet chorus of wows and gasps of amazement drifted around the bridge of the small craft.

Sean Hayes, captain of the vessel in question, whistled appreciatively. "That's something you don't see every day," the Greyhound breathed. "Sally, take us in, will ya?"

The German Shepherd at the controls steered the ship as its sublight drive re-engaged. "Can do, Cap. Looks like an easy approach."

"That's what we like," Hayes grinned. "Plus, our guests are expecting the best service." He shot a glance back at the three members of the Outworld Scientific Authority, who were sat tightly lashed into their seats and staring straight ahead. Their faces were bathed in the blue glow of the nebula. "You lot holding up okay?"

One of them, a female Jackal with lovely golden fur and shortish chestnut hair, gave him a grin and a thumbs-up. "You got it."

"Opportunity of a lifetime for you guys, right?" Hayes called back.

Doreen Mundie smiled. It was indeed. To see Ilarik was one thing, but to walk on one of its asteroids... well, that was something else.

And that 'something else' was what they were here to do. On the orders of the Outworld Scientific Authority's Geology Division, the team that Doreen belonged to had been assigned to the Ilarik Asteroid Belt on orders to investigate its largest asteroid. A survey probe had swept the system some weeks earlier and picked up some fairly anomalous energy readings from the space rock, and so the OSA had wanted a close-up report. As a geologist, Doreen was enraptured by the opportunity to explore such a wild environment and discover what lay within.

"When do we get our peanuts?" chortled Rodolfo Valance, sitting in front of Doreen. The leader of the OSA detachment, the grizzled Mutt was a veteran of several asteroid drilling operations – as he never failed to inform anyone he spent more than ten seconds with. Doreen looked up to him regardless; the man knew what he was doing wherever he was.

"We're staring at the most beautiful thing in the sector and you're asking about peanuts?" Captain Hayes laughed. "You OSA lot really do enjoy the little things."

"Like solving civilization's problems?" retorted Hachi Sedge. The wiry, short-haired Arctic Fox was the team's own explosives expert, and everyone was supremely nice to her as a result. No one wanted to annoy the trained user of a Dragon's Breath mining laser.

"If you can call it that," Hayes replied, his snark obviously not restricted by the fear of disintegration.

Doreen stared out at the enormous asteroid that was filling the ship's viewport. This one shone brighter than its smaller companions, and clusters of sparkling... something peppered its rough surface. The whole thing looked valuable.

"I think we've all scored big on this one," Rodolfo said. "Hayes, if we get anything out of this, SubTechnology Mining gets something as well."

"We're counting on it," Hayes laughed.

"Beautiful, isn't it?" Doreen said. "I just can't wait to get down there and see it all from the surface."

"Doreen Mundie, galactic tourist," Rodolfo laughed.