The Lost Prince Read online

  “Can your field protect us?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to use it unless I have no other option.”

  Ian thought about it. “Are we going to avoid all contact with the locals?”

  “I’m not sure if that would be wise. We’d be out in the open and easy to spot by a warship.”

  “Then I’m going to attempt to communicate with them. Do what you have to do to defend us.”

  “All I can do is block any of their weapons.”

  “I have a heavy blaster in storage. I’ll go get it and have it handy.”

  “We have more than two hundred pounds of gold in the reservoir. We should be able to resupply if we have to run.”

  “Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that.”

  Chapter Three

  The two mining vehicles ran up and Porky joined them. They accelerated to seventy miles per hour and fifty minutes later crested a hill and saw the mining vehicle working its way over the surface of a depression. They stopped six miles away and Jefie said, “I don’t detect a crash and this is where my scanner says the ship went down.”

  “Well that miner didn’t fly in here.”

  “Ask him if he witnessed a crash, Ribbs.”

  “What’s wrong with you asking?”

  “You know you talk better than me.”

  Ribbons shook his head and pressed his radio, “Ahoy, did you happen to see a ship crash around here?”

  Ian pressed his board, “You probably saw our ride come in. I paid a commercial lifter to drop me here and he didn’t waste any time doing it. I don’t think I’ll make that mistake again. He rattled everything I own.”

  “Ribbs, he found a gold deposit.”

  “What?”

  “My scanner says he’s mining a large gold deposit.”

  Ian heard their communication and said, “Your friend is right. On our way back to the planet I was able to map ten sites that have high deposits of metals.”

  Ribbons shook his head, “Are you dumb? Why would you ever tell anyone what you’ve found? You’re asking to be attacked.”

  “I’m telling you because I recognize the danger of what I’m sitting on. I just thought that the three of you might join me in mining the sites. I suspect that four of us would not be something that others would take on.”

  “What’s to stop us from just removing you and taking the gold you’re on?”

  “The other nine sites.” Ribbons chuckled. Now that was an answer he didn’t expect. The stranger continued, “I believe that you would rather eat the whole cake instead of just a slice.”

  Ribbons looked over at Jefie who raised his hands and shrugged. “How good are the other sites?”

  “This site is at thirty five percent. Five of the others are higher than forty percent.”

  Ribbons was starting to feel greedy. “Porky, what do you think?”

  “This is a no brainer. The four of us would have two whole sites if we agree to work together. We’ll only get one third of this site if we don’t. That’s assuming we could take out that miner.”

  “So what do we do?”

  “We make a miner’s truce until we arrive at an outpost and then we can see if we want to continue it.”

  Ian smiled, “I think you have a wise friend.”

  Ribbons looked at the new mining vehicle and took a deep breath, “The truce will be void if you are lying about the other sites.”

  “Actually I’ve plotted thirty other sites but the first ten are the most valuable.”

  Ribbons said, “Activate the recorders.” Ian looked quickly at the miner’s mind and saw what he was saying to do. “We the following do agree to a miner’s truce from this moment until we make outpost. I do agree to the truce.”

  Jefie said, “I agree as well.”

  Porky said, “I also agree.”

  Ian said, “I agree.” Ian continued, “You can see my tracks. If the three of you will move to the side of the track and start where my vehicle started digging, you’ll start finding the deposit. Once you reach where I stop and turn around, follow me back to the start. That’s where the deposit will play out.”

  Ribbons said, “You heard the man. Let’s move.”

  The three huge vehicles moved to where Ian’s mining started and lined up next to each other. They moved forward and immediately found gold moving into their reservoirs. Three hours later the deposit was cleared.

  “Ribbs, I’ve got seven hundred pounds of gold.”

  Ribbons said, “Where do we go now?”

  “Follow me.”

  Ian drove three miles and stopped. Ribbons said, “Jefie, do you scan anything here?”

  “No, I’m not picking up anything.”

  “How about you, Porky?”

  “Nothing on my scanner, either.”

  Ian said, “Line up beside me and set your blades eight inches deeper than normal. We’ll move slower because of the depth.”

  Ribbons shrugged and looked over at Jefie and nodded. They turned and lined up beside the stranger’s vehicle. The four miners started moving slowly forward and Jeffie yelled, “He’s found a platinum deposit.”

  Porky said, “Oh my god, how has this been missed?”

  Ribbons shook his head, “You know platinum doesn’t give off a reading like the other metals. No one sets their scanners for platinum. It’s so rare that it’s senseless to go looking just for it. You’ll miss any of the other metals.”

  “Ribbs, at the rate we’re filling our holding tanks, I won’t have room for any more after this site. These two will remove all my debts.”

  “I see that, Porky.”

  The four vehicles made three passes over the platinum deposit and Ribbons said, “We’re not able to hold anything more. We have to go unload at an outpost before we can continue.”

  “I need to go as well. Perhaps we should all go unload and come back to finish this site.”

  Jefie said, “You mean there’s more?”

  “We’ve only covered a third of it.”

  Ribbons started laughing and said, “I vote we extend the truce indefinitely; if that’s ok with you stranger?”

  “Just call me Nosey.”

  “Nosey?”

  “I seem to be able to smell metals. And the extension is agreeable with me.”

  The four turned after plotting the site and putting a marker on it. They turned west and headed toward Heaven’s Portal. The outpost was eight hours away.

  • • •

  The Officer looked at the Fleet’s reports and wondered where the Prince had gone. He had disappeared and he knew there was no way to scan every planet in the Union to find him. He sat and waited as the major planets were scanned. If he wasn’t on one of them… He paused and thought, “If I was being pursued, what would I do?” He knew the Prince was brilliant but he was young and inexperienced. He would probably go to one of the Majors. If nothing turned up on them, he would consider this further. He had to be on one of the Majors. He ordered three scanships to each of the major planets and had them overlap their scans. If he was there, they would see it. He smiled and shot the waiter that had taken too long to bring his order. The waiter fell to the floor, spilling his order on the floor. The Officer smiled and looked at the manager, “I trust I won’t be kept waiting again.” The Manager sprinted away and the Officer smiled. See, all it took was a little motivation.

  • • •

  “How long before the first plant is completed?”

  “Three weeks for the engines. The hull assembly plant will come on line two weeks later.”

  The Lead Scientist looked up at the sky, “Get the weapons moving.”

  • • •

  The Nebula Fleet watched the buildings going up and knew trouble was not far ahead. The Prince had to be captured and not killed, but to be used as a hostage against the ships being built on Euclid.

  • • •

  The four mining vehicles arrived at Heaven’s Portal outpost and E followed the other three to one of t
he empty bays. The outpost computer connected and said, “First load, enter name.”

  E thought a moment and said, “Nosey.”

  “Name accepted, your designation is being sent. Report to the teller for totals.”

  E said, “Ian, you need to go to the teller in the main office and receive a receipt.”

  Suddenly the outpost computer said, “Funds have been deposited in your account. Do you require any servicing?”

  Ian thought a moment and said, “Do you have any weapons available for installation?”

  “What level do you require?”

  “What’s your highest level?”

  “Main blaster and sonic missiles.”

  E whistled, “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

  Ian said, “What do our funds allow us to purchase?”

  “Every blaster in our inventory as well as every missile.”

  Ian said, “Please install two blasters and two missile launchers.”

  “How many missiles do you require?”

  E said, “Fifty should be enough.”

  “Fifty.”

  “The funds have been deducted. Please report to the teller for receipt.”

  Ian watched several engineers move forward and start placing mounts on his vehicle. “E, are they going to harm your hull?”

  “Not at all. I’ll just absorb them into our storage if we have to leave quickly. Those blasters are as good as a warship’s. We can use them.”

  “What about the charges?”

  “Oh I can handle that. Go and take five.” E paused and said, “Leave your blasters. They’re off limits here.”

  Ian smiled and opened the canopy.

  • • •

  Porky arrived at the teller and heard her say, “Porky, all your debts have been paid.”

  “What do I have left?” The teller handed her a receipt and Porky looked at it. She looked up at the teller and saw her smile. “Really?”

  The teller nodded and said, “It couldn’t happen to a nicer miner.”

  Porky stepped out of the office and felt the world off her shoulders. She saw a young man walking toward the office and saw he was coming from her group’s four vehicles. He came closer and she said, “Nosey?”

  Ian stopped and looked at the woman in front of him. She was about five feet eight and weighed about a hundred and twenty pounds. She had long blonde hair and the bluest eyes he had ever seen. He stared at her and said, “Are you Porky?”

  “I am.” Ian started laughing. “What’s so funny?”

  “That’s like calling a diamond stony. You are not close to being a Porky.”

  Porky smiled, “It keeps most men away.”

  Ian tilted his head and said, “Don’t let them get close or your disguise will be blown.”

  She smiled and said, “I’ll meet you in the restaurant with the others.”

  Ian nodded and went in to the teller. He retrieved his receipt and glanced at the card he was given for purchases and the slip of paper with the teller’s contact number. He began to understand Porky’s reasons for her name. He went to the restaurant and found three very subdued miners. He knew it was his group because Porky was sitting with the other two. He came over and they didn’t look very happy.

  The tall miner with red hair said, “Make sure you don’t smile.”

  Ian looked at them, frowned, and said, “Why not?”

  The other miner sitting at the table said, “You don’t want anyone to know we had a big load. We’ll be followed if any one suspects we’ve found a large deposit.”

  Ian grimaced and said, “Mum’s the word.” Ian looked at the short miner and tried not be obvious looking at him.

  The miner was about five foot five inches tall but weighted at least four hundred pounds. Ian could see that he was as solid as a brick bathroom. The miner said, “I’m Jefie. I was born on Juniper.”

  Ian said, “That’s the planet with heavy gravity.”

  “It is and that’s what accounts for my rugged good looks.”

  Ian tried not to smile but couldn’t pull it off. He burst out laughing and the others joined in. The tall miner said, “I’m Ribbons and we’re expected to laugh occasionally. All miners tell good jokes.”

  Porky looked at Ribbons and said, “Where does the name Ribbons come from?”

  “Well, six miners jumped me at a bar and I had to show them the error of their ways. The bartender said I decorated the place with them and the only thing missing was the ribbons. The name stuck.”

  • • •

  Ian shook his head and Porky said, “How are we going to get out of here?”

  Ian looked at her and wondered what she was getting at.

  Ribbons looked at Ian and said, “The other miners here see that we are having service done on our vehicles and suspect we’ve found a deposit. But they’re not sure. However, those weapons being put on your vehicle are expensive. Our vehicles appear to just be getting routine maintenance but you are a dead giveaway to finding a deposit.”

  “I’m sorry about that. I didn’t think it through.”

  “It might not be all bad. The weapons you’re having installed will prevent most of them from taking you on. However, there are teams that may decide to take the risk.”

  Ian said, “So what do I do?”

  Porky said, “Stand up and tell us how good it was to meet us and go get a room. We’ll point at you after you leave and laugh. We’ll all leave one at a time tomorrow and meet you a hundred and thirty miles out of the outpost at the depression we went through coming here. Do you remember how to get there?”

  “I do.”

  “Leave tomorrow afternoon and head that way. If any team follows you, they will have to be eliminated for their inappropriate behavior.”

  Ian nodded and stood. He reached forward and offered his hand and only Jefie took it. Ribbons and Porky just waved a hand at him. He managed to look disappointed and left the restaurant. The three put their heads together and Ribbons nodded at the door he exited. They laughed and went back to their serious expressions.

  A miner approached their table and said, “Who’s the newbie?”

  “Some lucky son of a rock toad that had beginner’s luck.” Ribbons looked at the miner and said, “How’s your luck been?” The miner shrugged and shook his head. Ribbons sighed, “Maybe everything has played out here. We’re thinking about heading over toward Aladdin’s Castle. Have you heard anything from there?”

  “I’ve heard rumblings that some are getting lucky.”

  Jefie said, “We should do it, Ribbs.”

  “Do you have enough credit to purchase the fuel to get there?” Jefie stared at Ribbs and slowly shook his head. “Me either.”

  The miner patted Jefie on the shoulder, “Hang in there. One of us is bound to get lucky eventually.”

  Jefie took a swallow of water and said, “We can only pray.”

  The miner walked away and Porky said, “He’s talking with the other four at his table. They’re trying to look depressed but they’re planning something.”

  Ribbons said, “We could just stay out of this and go back to the platinum.”

  Porky leaned back in her chair and said, “Thirty deposits, he said. We’ve only cleared one and a half.”

  Ribbons looked at Jefie and then turned to Porky, “Porky, has Nosey turned your head?”

  “Of course he has. Did you take a look at him?”

  Ribbons smiled, “Just checking.” Ribbons knew that just turning Porky’s head wouldn’t be enough to make her risk her vehicle. Thirty deposits would.

  The five miners stared at Porky and would have introduced themselves properly, but none of them were willing to attack her as long as Jefie was around. They knew the danger he represented and without weapons, they weren’t stupid enough to try it. They were dangerous but no one would take on the giant from Juniper. Four of them left at noon the next day and waited six miles from the outpost. The fifth waited for the newbie to leave and followed
him out.

  • • •

  Ian left the restaurant and checked in. He ordered a meal and ate it in the room. He linked with E and said, “We may have a problem tomorrow.”

  “I heard what your group said. The five miners are planning to ambush you when you start mining.”

  “Did you check out their weapons?”

  “I did. They could pose a problem if we didn’t have my force field. However, we do have it, so I’m not really worried.”

  Ian heard a knock on his door and he went and opened it to find Porky standing there. “I can’t afford a room and thought I’d bunk with you.”

  Ian saw the small smile and opened the door wider. She walked in and Ian closed the door. “I’ll talk with you in the morning E.”

  “Good night.” And it was.

  • • •

  The next afternoon Ian backed the vehicle up and turned toward the entrance. He went through and put on speed. He roared away at sixty miles per hour and forty miles out began running at seventy. Porky had given him the coordinates of where to go and an hour later he started looking for the tracks she had left four days earlier. He spotted the tracks and slowed down. He moved forward and lowered his blade to the ground. Five mining vehicles came roaring over the small rise and began firing blasters at him. Ian turned the vehicle broadside to the oncoming miners and saw the three mining vehicles of his partners appear behind the five attackers. The two vehicles on the end of the line exploded along with the center vehicle. Ian turned the two heavy blasters toward the surviving two vehicles and fired a beam that blew through them and blew the huge vehicles apart.

  “Hey, hey, I didn’t know those beams had that much power.”

  Ian smiled; E had supplemented their power with his reactors. “Me either. It looks like I made a good purchase.” The four partners gathered around the five burning vehicles and Ribbons got out and went to the center one and hammered a sign in the ground. Ian pulled the view in closer and saw “Claim Jumper” written on it in red writing.

  Porky said, “We can go now.”

  Ian led the way and the four returned to the platinum deposit. They completed it and after a three hour run they arrived at a diamond deposit. “E, how do these deposits exist so close to the surface?”