By David C. Daoust
The call for Revolution rang out on every Crucible, from every fiery resource planet to the Core. From humans crying out for fair pay and decent work conditions, to Bots demanding equal pay… as in, any pay at all. The Mining Cartels moved swiftly, sending Mercenary forces to quell the outcry before it reached the wrong ears.
Many governments would swoop in to answer such an outcry. Mostly, in the hopes of gaining a foothold in another sector of the Onion. The sooner it was silenced the better.
Many of the mercenary’s were under orders to kill anyone that voiced dissent or even mentioned the word union. What began as a simple ploy to move a labor union into the Mining Cartels industry, transformed swiftly into riots and all out gun battles.
All of which was why Vincent and Charles had begun to sow the seeds of said dissent to begin with.
While all those above were busy fighting off mercenaries for their very lives, Vincent was busy loading enough precious metals to buy a small moon, into an unmarked freighter; all the while Charles was removing said metals from the inventory lists. It was to be their last great heist, as the two were getting too old and too tired to continue the daily grind that had become their lives… and the Mining Cartels were not known for their retirement plans.
It had taken months of whispering in the right peoples ears. Vincent, speaking to the Bots, convincing them of the unfairness of it all, while Charles ever so subtly nudged those he worked with into coming up with the need for change by themselves. It was a tricky ploy, especially considering how many men that worked this sort of unregulated grunt work, had been brainwashed for years, to think such dissent was an act of fools. Charles’ years of working the Crucible came in handy though, at this point in his life he had trained just about every man aboard and had their ear.
The Cartels would do anything to stay in control of the work force though, which was apparent, as the mercenary forces tore through floor after floor of the Crucible, to remove those that had finally spoken up.
The workers were not lying down to die though.
Vincent could hear the cries of fighting men as he quickly stowed the merchandise away. The sound of metal bots crushing the resistance in the distance only hastened his step. This was a serious mess; not totally how they had envisioned it… but as long as Vincent and Charles made it out of the sector, they could all rot out here for all Vincent cared.
Suddenly, Vincent heard the gun shot from outside the cargo bay, a shot much closer than the rest of the fighting. He moved quickly to the terminal, and checked the security panels to find out what was going on directly outside the ship. He could see Charles, with his hands in the air… as a man held a gun on him.
It was one of the new workers, a young man named Bernard; he’d only been working the Crucible a few months. Vincent never felt the man belonged with the rest of the grunts that worked this job. In fact, he was one they avoided while instigating this mess, as he clearly wasn’t as gullible as the rest.
Vincent flipped on the audio, to hear what was going on between the two men.
“Bernie, Bernie…” Charles said with a feigned familiarity to the man that now held a gun on him, “Listen, I’m sure we could come to an arrangement…”
Charles said all this with a wry smile, a smile Vincent recognized, as the guilty smile Charles used when he’d been caught cheating.
“Not this time, Chuck,” Bernard said, mocking Charles familiarity with a dark smirk, “Why it would seem you did all the work for me, even packed it up nice and tight.”
It was clear to Vincent that they were being robbed.
“Listen,” Charles Haul grasped for anything that might change the outcome, “there is no need to cut anyone out… there is more than enough to go around.”
“See the difference here, is that I know the potential…” Bernard said, dismissing Charles’ words before he could finish the thought, and gesturing at his surroundings, “I know what all this can become.”
“What would you do with all the riches? Pack it away like a squirrel?” Bernard tisked, “I can’t let that be. I got plans! I’ve had plans… this little heist of yours moves up my timeline years… light years.”
“I’ve worked this station for years!” Charles shouted angrily, “I earned what I’m take’n!”
“You’re right…” Bernard conceded almost to himself, as he cocked the gun in his hand, “I should say this little heist of mine… as clearly you won’t be seeing it to the conclusion.”
The shots rang out as Charles pulled a small automatic handgun from his belt line. No sooner had Charles made his move, than Vincent charged out of the cargo hold, fully intending to grab the dark haired young man, and rip his spine clear out of his body.
That was before the electromagnetic pulse fried Vincent’s systems… most his systems anyway. Vincent collapsed into a heap, as the stout ugly young man, known as Dutch to those that worked the Crucible, stood over him with the weapon he’d just discharged into Vincent.
“We didn’t forget about your pet bot either,” Bernard called out from behind the cover he’d found as Charles began his sudden quick-draw routine, “I thought that may draw him out.”
Vincent was paralyzed, forced to watch as two more men came in from behind, they cornered Charles and disarmed him.
Bernard Vice casually walked up to the disarmed Charles Haul and slammed the butt of his gun into his skull. They left both Vincent and Charles in a heap as they flew off with the goods.
The battles that rang out through the Crucibles led to the end of the Mining Cartels as they were once known. The labor unions had their first victory, and haven’t let go since. The Mining Cartels were questionable to begin with, whilst they operated in no-man’s land they did not bring much attention, though as their money grew and grew, more and more of those in power began to consider them a threat. Those power hungry few did not hesitate to remove them as soon as they had a good enough excuse, which the ‘Crucible Riots’ certainly created.The Mining Cartels were still there, though run completely different. Any remnants outside of that, were considered part of a criminal empire known only as the Organization.
