Killrock; 70 hours prior Day One to landing at Killrock 2.1

70 hours prior Day One to landing at Killrock

1.          The rock named Killrock.

The planet was the first one of the nine in rotation around the sun in the system here; but its position was far enough for it to make its hospitable to Terran mankind. Its about the same position as Earth was to the Sun.

Killrock or its actual name was Selvan VIII; this system was named by Doctor Rani Selvan after its founder. Its about the same mass as Earth but its land coverage was the opposite of Earth's, it was equivalent to the sea measurement of area. Due to the smaller sea area, most of the inner path of the land continent was dry like this colony. Its desert like landscape composed of stratified layers of easily erodible siltstone, mudstone, and shale of the previous formation. These fine grained rock layers contain abundant minerals and metal compounds which provide the pigments for the various colors of the region. Thin resistant lacustrine limestone layers and volcanic flows cap the mesas. Numerous layers of silicic volcanic ash from the previous formation provide the silica for the petrified logs of the area; thus resulting in the erosion of these layers and the formation of the badlands topography. In some areas the remains of a forested trees have fossilized over millions of years. Wind, water and soil erosion continue to change the face of the landscape by shifting sediment and exposing layers.Even where there are lakes, the water are too harsh for consumption. The hot scorching sun had dried up almost all the rivers and lakes, leaving the larger ones on depleting depths. In addition to that, there were the strong cross winds that swept the land in random directions, causing sand storms and visibility can be masked by the dust and debris.

That was fifty years ago when they had surveyed and found mining of the abundant metal was the next best prospect even though it would bleed this planet to its crust and final demise. The colony was established for that purpose two years ago and found its purpose fulfilling within a year. The Federation looked to their colony like frontier outposts. So they allowed militia training for the settlers before they are placed in any colony. They are called Colony Militia.

Any settlers of over eighteen years of age, they are compiled to undergo basic training in handling weapons and close combat. Its an annual affair of two weeks in a year, but the attendance was not marked with strict compliance. In Selvan VIII, there was over a thousand settlers there with their families on an average of three person per family. Their attendance was less than half before the threat of an invasion was sounded out. Then the attendance went up to above average with skeptics still denying the invasion choosing to stay away. In addition to that, they were looking at the Guards to do the fighting. The statistics tells that only one fifth of the settlers are actually serious in their training; in Selvan VIII that add up to only two three hundred and fifty of them. Of these three hundred odd volunteers, only twenty was active in conducting patrols with the Guards. They are named Wolf Pack led by ex-Ranger Morales; discharged for physical liability, he lost his left lower leg to a cleaver in a bar fight. He trained them hard like in the Rangers. Their weapons are a mixture of the old and new rifles with some portable missile launchers.

The Federation placed at least some trained personnels there like in Selvan VIII, it was two squads of Colony Guards; a settlement protection division. They are mostly re-assigned Rangers or sometimes the Elite Marines who cannot see eye to eye with their Commanders. Its a cosy assignment with occasional calls to do search and rescue for missing settlers but since the Draconian have crossed the common boundary, the Guards have been put on alert but the number of settlements have stretched out the Guard Rangers very thinly. There was only forty eight guards among the two squads on Selvan VIII. They were commanded by Lieutenant Peterson who resented being posted here. His misgivings for the posting was his misconduct to punch the senior commander who called him a freak. He lost an arm in the War at Musgrave II and they gave him an artificial limb with a three finger grappling contraption.

2.          The Mines to Production

The dredging machine weighs over fifty tons with its claw designed extension that drags the soil on the hard surface on the 36^th level beneath the ground. The mine covers an oblong circle of over one kilometer with a depth of over six hundred metres. Its the work place for over three hundred miners who slaved over three shifts here. The works here is simple; dig and drag out the minerals, before the twenty ton loaders carries it for loading it on the trucks. If the surface is stubborn to be dug, then the drillers come in handy. Man suited up metal frame with the build in drill would stomped up to the area and drill strategic holes to weaken the foundation. If that cannot loosen the surface, then the next stage would be the 'Hammer drill'; a mechanical heavy vehicle with four heavy drills to penetrate the surface simultaneously. The vehicle is operated by two men; the driver and the driller.

Each shift should produced over ten tons of the metal which would be sent to the Mines Holding Stockpile prior to sending it over to the Production Facility. There it would be processed into the fine grade metal used for the building structures including deep space crafts. Its one of the twenty one sites in five systems, and they are rare by supply statistics. The production facility covers three sub processes; breaking, griding and refining. The final products are kept in the two warehousing structures

That's the text book understanding of the process, but the undocumented part are the poisonous gas that can be released from the soil as in its raw form, its volatile on contact with moisture. Once that happened, the whole mine would need to be evacuated and the waiting period can be as long as one full day and night before they can venture back in. They have portable fan units that can be moved to the mines to blow away the poisonous gas away from the Settlement.

On an average they have this exercise twice a month. The moisture could be anything from a drip of sweat to a change in the air that creates condensation. That was why the stock piles are placed over a heating plate that emits constant heat to removed the moisture.

Chief Stewart was the shift leader that morning just before the invasion, and he was in a grubby mood as his only child was sick. More to it, the miners are discussing on Tory V; a similar colony like here, which the Draconian invaded and been holding it since. The Federation are sending an armada there to counter the annexing of another colony at Tory V but the Draconian are holding it despite the numerous battles.

"These creatures are tenacious in their defense there. I heard we lost one division to the recovery." It was Miner Kinae who was making the comment. Such conversation are not conducive to the current mood of the miners. They are already complaining of inadequate benefits and allowance, and now they may even lose their livelihood.

"Shut the man up. He's been reading the wrong updates." That was Miner Rush, a man of brooding mood and advocate of the Federation supremacy over all aliens. He swore to protect the Federation and anyone demeaning the namesake would be dealt by him in a duel of fist fights. Why does he do that, nobody wants to know or cared unless they want to sample his brutality with the fists. Kinae in this situation kept his views to mutterings to those close to him.

Chief Stewart was relieved that Rush cut in as he had less patience to deal with those rumors. He was to check his updates on the pad, when Juggler, one of his miner passed by him. Juggler stopped by him and added in his comment.

"That man's right. We are in threat by the Draconian, but what's with the Federation" Ain't they going to beef up the defenses? We could lose the mine or even our lives; I tell ya. Them Federation cared nothing but their metals." The Chief had to slap Juggler on the hard hat to shut him up or he would go on with his physic woodpecker notions. The Chief pushed him on despite his grumblings on the treatment.

Juggler looked back at his Chief and showed him the middle finger. But the big man with the strength of the bison and like the mystical creature, his hunched frame made him looked like a charging one. Juggler smiled as that charging bison was now moving away from him.