Rickk Deckard was born in Liu Baja to a modest family of miners who worked in the local mines but never got much back in terms of wealth due to the exploration of workers by the mining corporations.
As a youngster, Rickk worked in the mines like his father but soon felt he wanted more out of life. Being a dreamer of space travel he often spent time by the local starport bar chatting with pilots who were willing to tell their stories. With every story he heard the will to change his life increased. The dream of becoming a starship commander became the focus of his life.
One day, at his work at the mines, Rickk found a strange ore, one he hadn't seen before. Instead of turning it in to the corporation he decided to take a sample and smuggle it out of the mine, to show it to his father, a long time miner who certainly would know what it was.
As soon as Rickk's father's eyes set on the sample, they grew bigger and brighter and a silent gasp came through his mouth.
'Where did you find this, son?'
'At the mine, father. It seemed odd so I brought it to you. What do you make of it?'
'Son, this is Alexandrite, one of the most precious and rare minerals in the galaxy. You have to turn this in to your supervisor. You will be miner of the month for sure! You might even get a bonus for your discovery!'
Rickk understood why his father never made it out of a poor standard of life. He was too loyal to the corporation. Of course Rickk wouldn't report his find to the supervisor. He would certainly take credit for it himself! And a bonus? That would certainly be peanuts compared to the actual value of the finding. No, he thought he would smuggle out small quantities of this 'Alexandrite' until he had enough to sell for a good sum of money. Maybe one of the pilots at the starport bar would take it off his hands...
Several weeks after, he had managed to gather around half a ton of the stuff. He talked about it with one of the pilots he knew used to mine stuff out of asteroids. As soon as the pilot heard 'Alexandrite' his otherwise wandering eyes focused on Rickk's.
'What do you mean you have some Alexandrite to sell, laddie?'
'It's true, I have it, a whole half ton of it. Does it interest you?'
'Well, that depends. What do you want for it?'
'What's it worth to you?' Rickk asked, not really knowing what it might be worth.
'Tell you what, lad, I'll give you 10.000 Cr for it. And I won't let anyone at that mine of yours know where I got it.'
Rickk knew what he meant. If anyone knew what he had done he would certainly go straight to a detention centre somewhere. He had no choice, really. He knew it was probably worth much more but 10.000 Cr would just cover the cost of the flight academy. And take him out of the mines. Rickk accepted. He knew he had to make a deal and leave the planet quickly, before anybody would find the unreported Alexandrite in his section of the mine.
He knew his father would not approve and might even turn him in to the corporation for stealing from their mine. His father was that sort of man, deeply loyal to the corporation and their laws. So Rickk left one day as if he was going to work and never returned. He had already negotiated a transport with one of the pilots to LHS 3447, where the closest academy was.
He later sent a message to his parents:
'I'm sorry I had to leave like this. Even though you have never taken me seriously, I always knew I had a higher purpose in life than just spending it in the mines. Be sure I'm fine and happy pursuing my dreams. Love you.'
As a youngster, Rickk worked in the mines like his father but soon felt he wanted more out of life. Being a dreamer of space travel he often spent time by the local starport bar chatting with pilots who were willing to tell their stories. With every story he heard the will to change his life increased. The dream of becoming a starship commander became the focus of his life.
One day, at his work at the mines, Rickk found a strange ore, one he hadn't seen before. Instead of turning it in to the corporation he decided to take a sample and smuggle it out of the mine, to show it to his father, a long time miner who certainly would know what it was.
As soon as Rickk's father's eyes set on the sample, they grew bigger and brighter and a silent gasp came through his mouth.
'Where did you find this, son?'
'At the mine, father. It seemed odd so I brought it to you. What do you make of it?'
'Son, this is Alexandrite, one of the most precious and rare minerals in the galaxy. You have to turn this in to your supervisor. You will be miner of the month for sure! You might even get a bonus for your discovery!'
Rickk understood why his father never made it out of a poor standard of life. He was too loyal to the corporation. Of course Rickk wouldn't report his find to the supervisor. He would certainly take credit for it himself! And a bonus? That would certainly be peanuts compared to the actual value of the finding. No, he thought he would smuggle out small quantities of this 'Alexandrite' until he had enough to sell for a good sum of money. Maybe one of the pilots at the starport bar would take it off his hands...
Several weeks after, he had managed to gather around half a ton of the stuff. He talked about it with one of the pilots he knew used to mine stuff out of asteroids. As soon as the pilot heard 'Alexandrite' his otherwise wandering eyes focused on Rickk's.
'What do you mean you have some Alexandrite to sell, laddie?'
'It's true, I have it, a whole half ton of it. Does it interest you?'
'Well, that depends. What do you want for it?'
'What's it worth to you?' Rickk asked, not really knowing what it might be worth.
'Tell you what, lad, I'll give you 10.000 Cr for it. And I won't let anyone at that mine of yours know where I got it.'
Rickk knew what he meant. If anyone knew what he had done he would certainly go straight to a detention centre somewhere. He had no choice, really. He knew it was probably worth much more but 10.000 Cr would just cover the cost of the flight academy. And take him out of the mines. Rickk accepted. He knew he had to make a deal and leave the planet quickly, before anybody would find the unreported Alexandrite in his section of the mine.
He knew his father would not approve and might even turn him in to the corporation for stealing from their mine. His father was that sort of man, deeply loyal to the corporation and their laws. So Rickk left one day as if he was going to work and never returned. He had already negotiated a transport with one of the pilots to LHS 3447, where the closest academy was.
He later sent a message to his parents:
'I'm sorry I had to leave like this. Even though you have never taken me seriously, I always knew I had a higher purpose in life than just spending it in the mines. Be sure I'm fine and happy pursuing my dreams. Love you.'
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