According to mineral extraction specialist Daniel Wilkes of the BMM, fortunes have been made, and fortunes have been lost. Nevertheless, it was a few weeks to be remembered.
"To be honest, I never saw it coming. When the Zoners found the little pocket of Niobium some thirty odd years ago and brought in the IMG to start working at it, it was never considered some great landfall of some sort. In fact, it was never really considered a good vein of niobium out there," said Wilkes. "The location, for one,... God, even with a full hold of Niobium, if you could get past the Corsairs, then the Mollys, and hope not to get caught in between a firefight?"
For all those who have been to Omega-49, it is a beautiful, bright system free of pollution and the corrupting touch of industry. At its heart is Gran Canaria, a verdant planet teeming with flora and fauna, nearly undisturbed with the exception of a large population of Zoners and Corsairs. The primary producer of deuterium for most of Sirius, Gran Canaria was well funded and maintained through the clean and energy efficient, though highly technical, industry.
The planet saw an unexpected boom in the influx of civilians and other mining personnel from hundreds of vessels that made the historic pilgrimage to the distant system that cuts directly through parts of Molly-controlled Dublin. Despite the treacherous journey, many have gone to make their fortunes.
"Well, tis a rag-tag group they got here," one Zoner dock worker told us. "I never seen such an assortment o' ships. You got some of the big ones, the big miners, and you got these little dingy little things that got those big minin' lasers and rock shears strapped on 'em... heheh, look so funny, aye."
The "49er's" who trekked down to the Niobium fields from Gran Canaria came in all shapes and sizes. From heavily modified CSVs to hulking Mining Ships, all went to claim their stake in the fields for a chance to strike it rich.
The John and Ann Fieldston struck it rich within the first few weeks. The couple hailed from the impoverished Libertonian planet of Houston, where living conditions were harsh, work hard to find, and where slavers on the prowl could nab away loved ones in the middle of the night. One day, John, a former DSE Transport pilot, decided enough was enough.
"We needed to get out of there," John told SNN. "I wasn't going to let myself, my wife, well, people shouldn't have to live in a place like that."
"How did you guys get to 49 from Texas?" I asked.
"Took a few chances. Risky, but it paid off," said John, smiling confidently.
When he got word of a possible rush from a former friend, now a Zoner communications operator on Lanzarote, in Omega-49 John Fieldston contacted a local Junker turned loan-shark, Mickey LaVerne, who gladly lent John 30 million credits for a mining vessel at an interest rate of 200% in one week. The Fieldstons hired a crew and took the ship down to Gran Canaria. In three days, the Fieldstons forwarded 250% of the original loan to LaVerne.
"What was your initial reaction, when you got the money back, and more than you had expected?" I asked.
"Well, as a legitimate businessman, I was surprised. I really was. I considered, and mind you, I really considered for a long hard time that I should return some of the money," replied LaVerne.
"Did you?"
"Uh, no? Your brain borked or something?"
The Fieldstons officially retired two days ago, before the Niobium Rush was official declared over early this morning.
"What do you guys have planned now?" I asked.
"Well, I dunno yet," replied John, smiling as he put a hand over Ann's stomach. "But I'm workin' on it."
Distant travellers, like the Sazuki brothers, Shou and Jun, of Kyushu, found it amazing that people put their differences aside for a chance to make their dreams come true. "On first day out in field, Bretonians stop us with their big miner ship. We were in a Bumblebee. We are scare. The Bretonia captain say to us, 'You two from Kusari?' We say, 'Yes.' He just laugh and say, 'Sound good. Welcome to heaven, let's go get filthy rich.'"
Many who ventured into the thick clouds of Omega-49 were not as lucky, however. As dreams were made, others were crushed by the sheer number of prospectors and mining vessels. One family, the Shanes of Leeds, were taken by surprise when they realized that there was little room for them in the fields.
"It...it, um, it's rather daunting. Scary. You fly out there, in your transport, just a simple, 1000 ton one. Oh god, there were so many people. Half the first day, we're just flyin...and there's no space. Everyone's so desperate. And then you realize that you have to move deeper and deeper into the cloud."
When the Shane's vessel moved away from the larger congregation of mining vessels, they were attacked by a Corsair patrol looking to loot some of the precious Niobium within their holds.
"Greg...my husband...," said Mrs. Danielle Shane, trying to hold back tears. "He died instantly."
A passing 49er in a CSV dropped some of his cargo and was able to tractor in Mrs. Shane's lifepod. Her daughter's lifepod has yet to be recovered.
Even though analysts say that supplies are dwindling down due to the rapid exploitation of the Niobium vein, the rush is not over for some. Helmut "McHammerstein" von Rohr, the Captain of Der Presslufthammer says that he's staying.
"Ja, the hauls have been little harder in the past few days, but there ist still much to be found. I like this place, Gran Canaria. It ist very beautiful, calm, quiet. The Corsairs leave us alone, the Zoners are friendly. I think I might stay. My crew likes here. Ist good change from dreary clouds in Dresden."
This is Randy Pearson reporting for the SNN.
Quote:[7:42:05 PM][6:51:36 PM] Igor (Smokey): btw terry
[6:51:48 PM] Terrance Cooper: Ye?
[6:52:00 PM] Igor (Smokey): nothin
[6:52:03 PM] Igor (Smokey): just sayin btw
[6:52:05 PM] Terrance Cooper: <_<
Quote:Johnny_Haas: you shot anti criuse speed rockets!!!
Johnny_Haas: but why????
Johnny_Haas: ??
Johnny_Haas: why you shoot criuse speed rockets?
