The Black Shard Part I:
The Black Shard is a story about two lovers who must survive their way of life by illegally mining in space. They hope to make billions of dollars in one lucky run, but find that there is something else out on the rocks aside from a few precious metals.
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The Black Shard: Part I
Hoitt Elliot flipped the overhead switches, sighing to himself as he did so. His whole body was stiffer than usual. --A sign that he’s been sitting for far too long.
He hoped the trip was worth it.
Hoitt pressed on the communications hub: “Jennifer, wake up.”
Hoitt thought of his girlfriend lying in bed at the cabin. That sexy, sly Jennifer Bones was always a heavy sleeper. He felt that right now, she’d be yawning, rubbing the sleep from her eyes, and taking a deep breath before responding: “What’s the problem?”
Hoitt waited for 5 seconds. The comms came online: “What’s the problem?” She said.
“Bless her heart,” Hoitt thought.
“We’re here,” he said: “Get your panties on. We’re going mining.”
Hoitt went to the ship’s cabin to get changed into the appropriate gear with her. Before he arrived in the cabin, Jennifer greeted him with a full forced kiss on his scratchy lips.
“Well, that was a surprise. I haven’t shaved for days.” Hoitt said.
“Yeah, you look like shit,” Jennifer replied. Hoitt grinned and made a motion to slap Jennifer’s ass. She yelped and dodged out of the way.
“You still haven’t put your panties on,” he said. Jennifer giggled, and sauntered into the changing room, calling out: “Make me.”
Hoitt had the urge to. But he stopped himself.
“Will 10 billion dollars make you?” He said instead. He walked across the cabin to retrieve his breather helmet, which somehow ended up on the dresser.
Jennifer yelled: “Oh, is that how much this little mining operation will make us?”
Hoitt gestured with the helmet in his hand, excited: “Not 10 billion total. Ten billion for you and me. We’ll be back on Earth richer than the collective total of the slums I saved you from.”
“You saved me? I thought I was doing you a favor by giving your lazy ass some company.” She said.
Hoitt grabbed his digital planner and synced it to Jennifer’s so she’d know what to do on the job. He didn’t want to forget to do this when they were out mining. --Jennifer was a free spirit, but she followed lists pretty well.
“Hey, did you hear me?” Jennifer called out.
Hoitt responded: “Yeah, yeah. So, you think you’re ready for the job?”
Jennifer came out of the changing room, fully suited. Her voice now much quieter inside her breather helmet: “Well, 10 billion sounds good to me. Count me in, my savior.” She bumped into his shoulder with force as she passed. Hoitt could still see her grinning from ear to ear.
He put his helmet on, and they both walked back to the cockpit of the ship.
“Ship, open the viewing port,” Hoitt commanded. The dark cockpit lit up with a view of space. In front of it were asteroids of varying shapes, some lightly colliding against each other. The asteroids stretched for hundreds of miles.
“Woah-ho-ho!” Jennifer proclaimed. “There’s so much to find out here. How did you find this place, Hoitt?”
Hoitt thought carefully and said: “I didn’t want to tell you this until I showed you. We’re going to have to mine in restricted space.” Before Jennifer could start her protest, Hoitt continued: “But-- There’s a lot of money to be made here!”
Hoitt immediately regretted how he start the conversation.
Jennifer yelled: “Hoitt! You cannot be serious. If we’re caught, we’re not going to be rich at all. I’ll be right back where I started, or worse, and you’ll be in jail without a ship.”
Jennifer looked into Hoitts eyes. She was piercing with anger. Hoitt had only known Jennifer for less than a year, but he felt she knew him too well.
Hoitt pressed himself to say something and pointed at her: “This is why I kept it a secret from you, Jennifer. I knew you wouldn’t go along otherwise.”
Jennifer punched him in the gut. Hoitt let out a pained groan and slumped in one of the seats.
“So you bring me here to be your unwilling partner in crime anyway, huh? Idiot.” She seethed.
Hoitt, now holding his tender stomach, yelled: “Damnit Jennifer! This is the only way we could get ahead. Don’t you see? The Trading Commission is on my ass about fees that I cannot possibly hope to repay!” Jennifer stood there with her eyes closed tight. Hands shaking: “How much?”
Hoitt answered truthfully: “1 billion. Give or take.”
Jennifer slumped down on the chair next to him. Hoitt continued: “This is the only way I can repay those fees, and get you the life you deserve. That we deserve! Away from the slums.”
Jennifer cried out, wordlessly. Her helmet muffled the high pitched sound. After a few seconds, she stood up, turned, and ducked her way towards the ship’s exit.
Hoitt groaned again, got up, and followed.
He joined Jennifer’s side at the ship’s exit. Jennifer handed him his propulsion pack hanging on the wall before grabbing her own.
Hoitt wanted to break the silence, but Jennifer beat him to it.
“What are we mining?” Jennifer asked, not looking at Hoitt.
“Anything. These are ancient asteroids — gold, silver, diamond dust. The specifics are on your planner. We might be able to find platinum here if we’re lucky. The guide I purchased this information from said several trips here could be worth hundreds of billions,” He said.
Jennifer looked deep in thought. She sealed her helmet. Her radio comms came through Hoitt’s helmet, and she sounded much clearer: “But we just need one trip.”
Hoitt concurred after sealing his helmet: “Just one trip.”
Hoitt and Jennifer both confirmed that their communications were green, and checked for leaks in their outfits. Hoitt triple checked his suit’s abdomen. All green. While they were getting the last system diagnostics into place, Jennifer grabbed Hoitt’s hand and held it firmly.
“Why didn’t you say that stuff in the first place, Hoitt? Next time, tell me what’s going on so I can kick your ass sooner rather than later.”
Hoitt nodded, and said: “Let’s go mining.”
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The Black Shard Part II: https://theprose.com/post/323606/the-black-shard-part-ii