Outer Mining Rig Theta-9 drifted at the edge of the Salven asteroid belt just at the end of House Voss's territory. It was an old functional mining colony, poorly defended but still in production.
Long skeletal structures extended from its rotating core, drilling deep into the mineral-rich debris field. Massive mechanical arms rotated slowly, harvesting ore from fractured asteroids that glittered like broken stars.
Inside the command deck, the supervisor rubbed his tired eyes as monitors flickered with routine readings.
"Yield steady at seventy-three percent," an operator called.
"Power fluctuating in arm three, but stabilising."
The supervisor nodded absently, the toll of the day written in his eyes. On the corner of the deck, a small box was playing reruns of the conference about the new lord.
Like the rest of the system, they had been shocked by the announcement, but they eventually returned to work. Now, they watched the mining operations in the cold space outside.
A soft ping interrupted the deck's rhythm, the supervisor was jolted to focus once more. He frowned at this inconvenience.
"Unregistered vessel entering perimeter range." The comms reported.
The room went quiet.
He reached for the microphone.
"Ahh… run identification".
"Negative ID," the technician replied.
The supervisor went to the monitors and pulled up an image of the unidentifiable vessel and then all at once black.
"What happened to the visual feed?" he called to the operators in station with him.
"No feed…."
Boom! A loud explosion, the rig shuddered violently as metal screamed somewhere along the outer docking arm. Alarms erupted and red emergency lights flooded the command deck and the rig.
"Impact on section four!"
"Pressure drops detected!"
The supervisor grabbed the console as the entire station trembled.
"Deploy counter drones" he shouted.
Two automated defence drones launched from the rig's exterior ports coming across the invading vessel. Upon making contact they opened fire.
One of the attackers rotated to face them just as they were opening fire and launched a compact missile. It did not take even ten seconds and the drones exploded in the silence of space.
The breach widened.
"Send security to investigate. Prepare evacuations" ordered the supervisor once more all the more while he was busy trying to establish connection.
"Sir, hull breach confirmed. We have visuals".
Inside the security rushed to intercept the invaders. Laser shots blitzed through the corridors as screams followed thundering explosions.
A grinding noise echoed through the deck, a cutting beam, clean and precise. On the outer hull, figures moved in synchronised formation. Black armour and significant advanced tech like magnetic boots.
After infiltrating the rig, the supervisor and the operator could only watch as the masked men moved section to sections of the rig and either tying down the workers and shooting down the security personnel.
Through internal cameras, the supervisor and the operator watched as masked men moved methodically from section to section. Workers were bound and detained. Security personnel were shot with clinical precision.
A few guards managed to return fire that did halt the enemy for only a while, but even that was not enough.
They were no match and in mere minutes almost the entire rig was under their control.
In the command deck the supervisor crumbled at the pressure.
"Why hasn't the distress signal been sent?" he demanded as his hands trembled.
"It's not transmitting" called out the operators.
"Boost it, do something".
"The signal is jammed sir. We can't do anything".
"Jammed?! Damnit."
The door to the command deck was blasted open, smoke filled the chamber and the operators coughing and heading for cover.
Through the thick smoke, a tall figure emerged. He removed his mask, thin metallic implants lining the side of his skull, glowing faintly beneath the emergency lights.
Reth Varok. Crime Lord of the Outer Belt. The supervisor recognised him instantly as fear drained the colour from his face.
"You are violating House Voss territory. Leave or bear the consequences" he said, his voice betraying the brave act he wanted to put on.
Reth's lips curled faintly.
"From today onwards, this rig and the surrounding area belongs to me now" his voice was as harsh as expected of a crime lord.
"…Lord Wein is said to have been with the military for four years…"
He was interrupted with the reruns of Wein's announcements. He glanced at it then turned.
"Would you look at that, you have a new lord" Reth pulled out a blaster, aimed at the small box, and opened fire.
"We will alleviate some of the burden" Reth continued. "Governing can be stressful".
One of his subordinates came to inform him of something.
"Sir, we have taken control of the entire rig and stopped transmission of distress."
"Good, inform base and take these people as prisoners. From now on this rig belongs to us"
He walked up to the supervisor. "You should feel honoured. You will go down in history".
He pointed his blaster and fired a shot. The supervisor collapsed on the floor which soon flooded with his blood.
Silence followed, only the alarms continued screaming in the background as his other subordinates distributed binding ropes. Reth felt like laughing as the distraction quieted down.
….
Hours later in secure quarters within the captured rig. Reth stood before a large holo-display. The room was dim and the display activated.
"Speak" commanded a hidden voice.
"We were successful in occupying Theta-9" he reported. His earlier arrogance replaced with measured submission.
"Are there any outliers?"
"None sir. We were able to perform the operation fast without alerting House Voss".
"Good"
The silhouettes shifted slightly. Reth hesitated and then spoke.
"Should we proceed with further acquisitions?"
There was a pause.
"Not yet." Replied the silhouette. "House Voss is at the centre of attention in the empire now. They will soon have to mourn their former lord and won't be battle ready. This was a critical moment we had to take advantage of. For now we will hold the areas we have and observe"
"Yes, sir"
The transmission ended. Reth remained still for several seconds, then exhaled slowly. His earlier confidence did not fully return.
"Hah... Crazy bastard" he muttered. He turned toward the viewpoint. In the distance, faint signals blinked across the asteroid belt. Two more covert ships moved into position, Theta-9 now belonged to them.
He wondered how many other rigs and stations would follow.
…
Back on Eclipseon.
Wein stood alone in a dim chamber within Neilson's former estate, reviewing reports when a secure line chimed. He accepted the call. A holographic projection formed before, the face of the fleets operations commanders.
"My lord… we have lost contact with five Mining Rigs in the Outer Orbits."
Wein's expressions changed.
"Cause?"
"Unknown. Best guess is that House Ulix is involved."
There was a pause. Silence lingered as Wein turned slowly towards the image of the officer.
The timing was too precise, too deliberate.
He had been making plans to allow the people of House Voss to go through mourning after he received word from Astra of Lord Neilson passing months ago. During that time, House Voss would close off.
The whole empire expected it, and in consideration any attacks would sully the house but if Houses operated covertly like now in small chunks it could be glossed over.
The reason Ulix attacked was obvious. It became inevitable, war was coming between the two houses.
"It began sooner than I intended. Unfortunate." Wein spoke as he rose from the table. "Astra, let's begin".
"Yes master."