Read Online To Dream in the City of Sorrows by Babylon 5 - Free Book Online Page A
Authors: Babylon 5
Tags: Fiction, General, Science-Fiction, Romance, Space Opera, SciFi, American, Extraterrestrial beings, Babylon 5 (Television Program)
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on the orbiting colony had monitored his previous little escapade, but he also knew they wouldn’t say anything to him. It was one of the perks of being the boss.
In fact, it was the only perk Marcus could think of, but he hadn’t taken over running the Arisia Mining Colony for perks or excitement or fun, he thought grimly. The Arisia Mining Colony was the last chance to save his family’s mining company, one of the few family-owned, independent mining companies left.
Marcus had been born on a mining colony, and then been raised on a succession of colony worlds and mining colonies, rugged frontier places where Earth was only a remote irritant in the inhabitants lives that was resented for its high-handed treatment of colony worlds, particularly during the Minbari war.
Marcus had resented being just the boss’s son, and didn’t care much for the mining profession in general. He had been determined not to make it his life, dreaming of greater things.
But the war nearly bankrupted the company, and Marcus found that family duty was too powerful to ignore. He agreed to temporarily help his father, just until the company got back on sounder financial ground. But he found himself taking on ever-increasing amounts of responsibility as his father’s health began to fail and the months turned into years. When his father died, Marcus was already almost fully in charge of the company. His mother died two years later, leaving Marcus determined to preserve his parents’ legacy, even if he had to do it alone.
Marcus completed the perfunctory inspection and entered the proper log notes. Knowing he didn’t have enough fuel for any further practice of maximum-performance maneuvers, he reluctantly turned his craft back toward space and the colony.
The orbiting Arisia Mining Colony consisted of two main structures: the Orbital Refinery Platform and, in a parallel orbit at a safe distance, the Inhabitants’ Platform that housed one hundred and fifty workers. Marcus maneuvered his ship into the I.P. docking bay and was met immediately by his chief of maintenance, who whistled at the sight of the XO-Sphere’s damaged right wing tip.
“Boy, you were lucky,” the older man said. “That could have been a lot worse.”
“I don’t believe in luck,” Marcus replied. “I expect the worst to happen at all times, so I’m always prepared for it. That’s how you walk away unscathed.”
“And what exactly did you walk away from this time, Chief?”
“Just make sure it gets repaired immediately, Hank. I’ll be expecting to take it out again tomorrow.”
Marcus left the docking bay and started down the narrow corridors leading to his office. It was night on the colony’s time schedule, so, thankfully, he saw very few people on the way, and they knew enough just to nod and keep moving.
He entered his office, the lights coming on automatically. He went to his desk, gathered up the stack of papers he had instructed his secretary to leave out for him, and stuffed them in a briefcase to take to his living quarters. He had a lot of work ahead of him that night.
Marcus stepped back into the muted light of the corridor and turned to lock the door. From behind him, someone called out.
“Marcus. I was hoping to catch you.”
It was Hasina Mandisa, the chief of Planetary Forecasting. It was the task of her department to keep track of the weather, earthquakes, and volcanic activity and issue hazard warnings so that the mining machines and planetary processors could be moved out of harm’s way.
“I’ve got that report – with the modifications you requested. I just finished it and thought I should get it to you immediately.” She handed him a thick sheaf of papers with an attached computer disk. “I had it printed because I thought you might want to discuss some of the points.”
Marcus smiled. “That’s very good of you. I’ll look at it tonight and if I have any questions I’ll contact you first thing
In fact, it was the only perk Marcus could think of, but he hadn’t taken over running the Arisia Mining Colony for perks or excitement or fun, he thought grimly. The Arisia Mining Colony was the last chance to save his family’s mining company, one of the few family-owned, independent mining companies left.
Marcus had been born on a mining colony, and then been raised on a succession of colony worlds and mining colonies, rugged frontier places where Earth was only a remote irritant in the inhabitants lives that was resented for its high-handed treatment of colony worlds, particularly during the Minbari war.
Marcus had resented being just the boss’s son, and didn’t care much for the mining profession in general. He had been determined not to make it his life, dreaming of greater things.
But the war nearly bankrupted the company, and Marcus found that family duty was too powerful to ignore. He agreed to temporarily help his father, just until the company got back on sounder financial ground. But he found himself taking on ever-increasing amounts of responsibility as his father’s health began to fail and the months turned into years. When his father died, Marcus was already almost fully in charge of the company. His mother died two years later, leaving Marcus determined to preserve his parents’ legacy, even if he had to do it alone.
Marcus completed the perfunctory inspection and entered the proper log notes. Knowing he didn’t have enough fuel for any further practice of maximum-performance maneuvers, he reluctantly turned his craft back toward space and the colony.
The orbiting Arisia Mining Colony consisted of two main structures: the Orbital Refinery Platform and, in a parallel orbit at a safe distance, the Inhabitants’ Platform that housed one hundred and fifty workers. Marcus maneuvered his ship into the I.P. docking bay and was met immediately by his chief of maintenance, who whistled at the sight of the XO-Sphere’s damaged right wing tip.
“Boy, you were lucky,” the older man said. “That could have been a lot worse.”
“I don’t believe in luck,” Marcus replied. “I expect the worst to happen at all times, so I’m always prepared for it. That’s how you walk away unscathed.”
“And what exactly did you walk away from this time, Chief?”
“Just make sure it gets repaired immediately, Hank. I’ll be expecting to take it out again tomorrow.”
Marcus left the docking bay and started down the narrow corridors leading to his office. It was night on the colony’s time schedule, so, thankfully, he saw very few people on the way, and they knew enough just to nod and keep moving.
He entered his office, the lights coming on automatically. He went to his desk, gathered up the stack of papers he had instructed his secretary to leave out for him, and stuffed them in a briefcase to take to his living quarters. He had a lot of work ahead of him that night.
Marcus stepped back into the muted light of the corridor and turned to lock the door. From behind him, someone called out.
“Marcus. I was hoping to catch you.”
It was Hasina Mandisa, the chief of Planetary Forecasting. It was the task of her department to keep track of the weather, earthquakes, and volcanic activity and issue hazard warnings so that the mining machines and planetary processors could be moved out of harm’s way.
“I’ve got that report – with the modifications you requested. I just finished it and thought I should get it to you immediately.” She handed him a thick sheaf of papers with an attached computer disk. “I had it printed because I thought you might want to discuss some of the points.”
Marcus smiled. “That’s very good of you. I’ll look at it tonight and if I have any questions I’ll contact you first thing
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