NationStates Jolt Archive


Diamonds are forever (FT, open)

The Xeno
27-02-2006, 23:34
Polaris

The general staff of Polaris Command were assembled in a meeting room buried among the depths of the facility. A young-looking female Major was using a laser pointer to outline information on a holo-projector. The device spun a web of microlaser light, forming high-quality images above the center of the table.

Currently, a star map was in view, and outlined were the locations of Solaris, Polaris and the XSS1 station Between Polaris and XSS1 and somewhat to the 'left', a golden dot was glowing.

"And scans have shown some unique returns from this world. We have labeled it as 'Planet D3' on the charts. Initial scans indicate that the world has cooled rapidly over the last fifty thousand years. That suggests the core of the planet was somehow extinguished and it simply stopped spinning. It's a dead world now. The positioning makes it an excellent site for a listening post. We were considering mothballing some equipment there, but at the moment all of our capital ships are in service."

The intelligence Major clasped her hands at the small of her back and looked seriously down the table, most of whom were her superiors. "Intelligence Division has ordered me to requisition a patrol of the solar system and further probing of why this world has set off our scanners like it has."

Polaris, Orbit

The two new cruisers, Pittsburgh and Point Marion had been assigned to the task of exploring a 'new' planet. Of course it wasn't new, just, it now had a reason to be examined.

The two Xeno warships entered a hyperjump. Seconds later, the two blinked into existance on the outer edge of the solar system containing planet D3. Hours passed as the ships made their way closer to the little world, scanning all the while.

The captain of the Point Marion, a Xeno male named David rubbed at his face briefly with one clawed hand. ~Say that again?~ Demanded of one of the forward intelligence crews.

~Captain, we are recieving incredible returns from this planet. It's cold and airless, no atmosphere. But.. it seems to have been a molten planet at one point. Teleschematics indicate it was truck by an asteroid nearly its own size. The two fused, tumbled out of orbit and ended up out here. That's not the important part. Captain.. we are seeing incredible amounts of resources. Metals of all types, minerals.. and.. diamond.~

Captain David looked into the CIC at the holographic image of the planet hanging in the display. ~How much diamond?~

~Sketchy, sir. But first indications report .. a lot. There is a surface reading of a plate of diamond about the size of North America, on earth...~

At that, the captain of the Point Marion was stunned.