Sometimes The Ground Gives You Lemons, Too
“Pig Ion, all docks at Javerna Orbital are currently occupied. Please re-route to Javerna Down. Coordinates follow. Javerna Local, over.”
“Negative, Javerna Local, check our cargo manifest. We can hold or go to Orbital, but our cargo is not to enter planetary gravity wells. Pig Ion, over.”
“Pig Ion, what sort of ‘power plant components’ can’t go planetside? Javerna Local, over.”
“Holes. Pig Ion, over.”
“Pig Ion, what? Javerna Local, over.”
“Holes, Javerna Local. Holes, comma, quantum black, comma, encapsulated, Extropa Energy contraterragenesis core type three. Eight hundred thousand tons of hungry nothing that you shouldn’t introduce to a planet you might want later. Pig Ion, over.”
“Aaahh… wait thirty, Pig Ion, we’ll see what we can find for you. Javerna Local, clear.”
– overheard on local space-control channel, Javerna (Idrine Margin)