Jupiter issue 34: Euporie

By Ian Redman

Jupiter is a Science Fiction Short story magazine publishing new fiction from writers around the globe.
Issue 34 features fiction from Alastair Miles, Jack Davidson, Lee Russell, Martin Ott and Simon Kewin and Dominic de Mattos. Cover art from Paul Drummond.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Ian Redman
• Release date: Dec 10, 2011
• ISBN: 9781465801388

Ian Redman

I edit Jupiter, a Science Fiction short story magazine published every quarter in the UK

Book preview

Jupiter XXXIV : Euporie

October 2011

Smashwords Edition

Jupiter is edited and published by Ian Redman

Proofreading: Rosie Oliver

Write to Jupiter at: Jupiter,19 Bedford Road, Yeovil, Somerset, BA21 5UG, UK. or e-mail to: [e-mail] further information from www.jupitersf.co.uk

All Submissions and enquires about advertising should be sent to the above address.

Submissions: Stories to 10,000 words. Poetry to 25 lines. Artwork - required for cover and use with stories, please send examples first (copies).

Copyright (2011) for this collection, Ian Redman. Rights to individual contributions remain the property of the relevant writer/artist. The views expressed in Jupiter are not necessarily those of the editor or of the magazine or publisher. Any resemblance between any of the characters depicted and anyone alive or dead is purely coincidental.

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Table of Contents

Dark Age by Alastair Miles

Pilot by Jack Davidson

In The Web by Lee Russell

Frank by Martin Ott

The Bitter End by Simon Kewin and Dominic de Mattos

Contributors

Dark Age

Alastair Miles

Joanne was a miner. She’d worked in dark places all her life. But out here it was different. Here, there was no real light to come back to, nothing but stark, artificial illumination.

From inside the base she could see the sun through a window, nothing but a small, pale disk whose feeble light played over the landscape for three to six hours at a time. It was a constant reminder of how alone Joanne and her team were out in The Belt; or the New Frontier as the company liked to refer to it.

Joanne had worked in space before on captured NEO’s, Near Earth Objects; asteroids shoved into high Earth orbit and exploited for their resources. The sun had been brighter there and the Earth was always visible. When the company had made the bold step to extend its operation to The Belt she had thought herself ideal for the task. But out here they were alone, help was months away, if it ever came at all. She couldn’t shake the feeling that, out in the darkness, Fate had something nasty in store for her.

The ground shook.

Joanne smiled wryly. Whatever her concerns, she knew she had nothing to fear from the small tremors caused by the mining operations taking place deep beneath her feet. Her colleague, Robert Meek, looked less certain. Meek by name, meek by nature, he didn’t like surprises. But while he might jump at the slightest thing he was an excellent technician and that was important out here.

It’s only blasting Rob, Joanne said gently. You know the drill by now.

Rob looked up from his flex screen and gave her a weak grin. Those explosives are synthesised, like most things out here, and Don’s ex-military. I worry about him getting carried away.

Would you rather Craig did it?

Point taken.

Joanne chuckled and went back to her work, addressing the bureaucratic requirements for despatching their latest consignment of high grade ore back to the inner system. It was wrapped in nanofilm and set for despatch on an inbound trajectory by simple, homemade steam rocket. For now it was held by a manipulator arm, visible from her window, awaiting completion of the arduous checklist. Arduous but necessary, the shipment was worth a sum of money as astronomical as the distances involved, it was wise to ensure that all was as it should be.

The comm system crackled into life.

Hey Joanne, have we hit quota yet? I’m getting hungry.

You’re always hungry Craig, a female voice cut in.

Angelica, you know me, I’m a hard worker, it gives me an appetite.

Or maybe you're just greedy.

Give it a rest the pair of you, a third voice said. Honest to God Joanne, why did you have to go and select a couple of kids for this job? Is this a mining operation or a crèche?

Joanne smiled. Don’t bring me into this Don. You just make sure they play nice. She pulled up their projected haul on her flex screen. According to estimates, that last blast of yours freed enough material to smash quota once again. As soon as you’ve programmed the autoloader you can head on home. Another great day’s work; well done.

The news sparked a brief bout of mutual congratulation amongst the three miners.

We missed you out here today, Don said. You heading out with us on the next shift?

Count on it, Joanne replied. It’s not like I miss being on base, it’s cramped and the view’s lousy. Once I’ve despatched our latest shipment I can give the admin a rest. You know I’m a miner at heart.

Glad to hear it. See you soon. Don cut the transmission.

Joanne turned to Rob who had been listening quietly to the conversation.Don’t take offence. Just because I don’t like being in here doesn’t mean I’ve got anything against you.

Rob shook his head. No worries. I know you prefer mining, just don’t ask me to go out there with you.

Rob was so content tending to the needs of the base he might as well have been married to the place. He could occasionally be found venturing outside to perform external maintenance and, if the mood took him, to roam the surface a little. But getting about on an asteroid was not particularly easy; a thruster pack was essential to prevent drifting off into space.

That’s odd, Rob said.

Joanne turned around; it was unusual for him to venture an opinion unprompted.What is it? she asked, pushing off and drifting towards him as he tapped swiftly on his flex screen.

Rob looked concerned.Long range sweep has seen something. Trajectory estimates give a 92% probability that it’s heading our way.

Joanne frowned. She suspected she already knew the answer to her next question but asked it anyway. Any supply runs scheduled?

Rob shook his head.

What about a patrol ship, or maybe a drone? she asked, knowing this was highly unlikely, the company provided scant few resources to police a volume as large as The Belt.

Rob shook his head once again.The trajectory’s all wrong. Besides we’d have picked up an Ident by now. I’ve checked the Object Catalogue too, it’s nothing natural either.

***

TRANSCRIPT FROM ‘THE FUTURE IS NOW’; A FEATURE ADVERT IN ‘THE INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MINING’

Do you think you’re the best?

Want to push yourself further?

Make the fortune you deserve?

The Trans Space Mines and Mining Division needs tough, talented people to open up the abundant resources of the Asteroid Belt. Our equipment is unrivalled state of the art, benefiting from decades of development, proven time and again in our many NEO mining facilities.

If you think you have what it takes, link in to find out more.

Remember, only the best need apply.

***

Joanne watched Angelica, Don and Craig emerge from the mine and start back towards the base. The exo-suits they wore made them appear stocky. In reality, the suits were upwards of seven feet tall, their bulk due to an armoured exterior wrapped around an actuated musculature that enhanced the strength of the wearer. Each of them carried an array of mining implements and a back mounted thruster pack to compensate for the negligible gravity of the small asteroid. Despite this they were all attached to a safety line, favouring the solid reliability of an old-fashioned, mechanical clip over more sophisticated technology.

Joanne made her way down to meet them. She drifted up to the airlock window in time to wave a silent greeting to Angelica as she entered the chamber. Joanne was constantly amazed at her energy; Angelica Ortega was the hardest working miner she’d ever met. She loved the life and had jumped at the chance of working in the Belt when Joanne had told her she was considering putting a team together. In fact, it was her enthusiasm that had spurred Joanne on through any doubts she’d had and, even though Joanne now wished she’d listened a little harder to them, she knew that was hardly Angelica’s fault. As mine manager it was Joanne who had ultimately placed an application with the company for a prestigious Belt Mining Contract.

Craig Geyer followed Angelica into the airlock. Come on old girl, he said, as he waited for her to make room for him. In reality, both of them were in their late twenties and if they weren’t an item, he’d now be suffering from a lot more than a withering look from Angelica.

Craig came across as laissez faire, but Joanne had seen enough to be impressed during the time he had worked for her at the NEO Mines. Back then, she’d taken a chance on him, deciding his technical qualifications demonstrated his potential. He hadn’t disappointed, proving himself a fast learner, a reliable worker and his easy going persona earned him the appreciation of his peers.

Hurry up you two, Don said, bringing up the rear.

What’s the rush? You got plans tonight? Craig asked.

Just a little sleep, Don replied.

Typical man, no stamina. Just like you Craig, Angelica said.

"Always leave ‘em wanting