ASTRAEA

- A Space Operations Delta Novel -

Episode 03

Contraband

written by
Michael Adamczyk
This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters,
businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the
author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual
persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

Copyright © 2021 by Michael Adamczyk

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner
without written permission of the copyright owner except for the use of brief
quotations for review.
However, you may transmit this particular story in its original form
(electronically) to as many people as you like, without changing its content and
without charging a fee.
The electronical form of this story is free of charge.
Any other medium will have different rights disclaimed.

Cover design by Yerai Ibarria

Proofreading by Nancy Haight

www.SpaceOperationsDelta.com
“If you think about how huge the distances in space are, it’s mind
blowing. Consider the speed we travel and the vast amount of
nothing surrounding us. Days to get to the next planet with speeds
that are unbelievable on Earth. Our ship is an oasis of life, with the
only human beings or even any living being in a radius of
thousands of kilometers. It’s a humble thought, and we should
never forget it.”
“Captain, the engines are starting to act crazy again. It seems like
we are running into some issues here.”
“What kind of issues?”
“Serious ones.”

The engines stop working. The constant humming sound dies and
the only sounds left are some panels beeping in the background.

“Captain to engine room, what happened this time? How long will
the repair take?”
“Not sure, Captain. We’re missing the parts for another repair.
Nothing I can do here.”
“Understood.” The channel closes. “We are now officially
incapable of accelerating. How long until we reach Callisto?”
“Without speeding up, we can’t reach the rendezvous point close
to us. We have to fly longer. Maybe weeks. We don’t have enough
supplies on board for that. We have to send out a distress signal.”
“No distress signal! That could ruin everything. Our mission is
over if we do that.”
“But sir…”
1
“No! We wait six hours, minimum, and hope that Sasyl can fix the
engine in the meantime. Then we decide if we need a distress
signal.”
“Understood, Jim.”

The freighter drifts without the main engine. It’s way too far away
from the maximum acceleration point and therefore too slow to
reach Callisto, one of Jupiter’s moons, in time at the closest
distance. Captain Jim Zotar knows that he can’t call for help. The
chances to get the wrong help are just too high. On the other hand,
he doesn’t want his crew to die in space. The next few hours will
determine their future.

---

The Astraea finally does what she was built for: space travel and
running missions. It is just a few days away from Jupiter III at
another, but smaller, moon. With the data about water indicators,
the Astraea has got the order to search around Jupiter for the same
traces.
Usually, this region is not interesting for any other reason than
doing research. Our spacecraft is perfectly fitted to operate on it’s
own for weeks or even months. Some freighters with low
crewcount even managed to operate for years with on-ship
hydroponics. Humanity got creative in space to manage to travel
long distances.

2
Dr. Amendit was preparing a borehole on the moon. He set up
some sensors and evaluated the right spot to hit with the railgun —
another important test on the road to find water. After some
incidents at the asteroid belt, the global government on Earth
decided to find other ways simultaneously to improve the mining
of water-containing asteroids. It’s not about finding the best
solution; it’s about alternatives and more than just one way to
provide water for people. The ultimate goal is to provide outposts
with local resources and to keep the water where it belongs. Or at
least, where it’s not too far away.

“Captain, the Daedalus is coming back. They’re asking to dock.”

“Docking permission granted.”

I walk up to the windows to see the shuttle dock. The docking bay
is clearly visible from the bridge, which makes it easier to manage
which crafts are landing. Since the Astraea is not too big, only
medium-sized shuttles can dock.
The hangar doors open. The maneuver thrusters of the already
decelerated shuttle are turning it into the right position, facing to
the bow, then slowly strafing down, extending the landing gear.
After the shuttlecraft is safely stored, the interesting part begins.

“Status report. Is the railgun ready?”

Commander Snyder, calm as always, answers, “Railgun ready at
your command. Titanium alloy prepared, shape configured and
coordinates locked.”
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For this drill shot, we are using half the acceleration and a cone-
shaped form of the alloy. The hole should not be too deep, so the
crater will be large enough to operate in afterwards. The railgun’s
top priority in construction was its scientific use. Its defensive and
offensive capabilities are just a secondary and useful property.

Up until now, the Astraea has fired a dozen shots with the railgun.
There were no more complications after the malware was removed
from the systems. The operating scientists calculated shape, alloy
composition and impact velocity for this drill shot. Proton beams
are online and set to an automated defend pattern against debris.
Just in case, the rocket launchers are online if there are larger
boulders being blasted off. One could say, the Astraea is in full
combat mode.

“Fire.”

A high-pitched humming intensifies for about two seconds, until

the projectile is released and accelerated. The cone leaves a thin
smoke screen behind and hits the targeted area a second after the
shot. Through heat vents left and right, scorching hot gases leave
the ship. They will dissipate over time in space and are not
dangerous for any spacecraft.
The cone hit it’s target and some debris had to be taken out by the
proton beams. After the floating material left the area, the cameras
could see the impact zone.

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“Captain, Dr. Amendit here. It looks like the perfect shot! We are
very happy with the result.”
“Thanks, Doctor. It seems like the work just started.”
The plan for the upcoming days is to get samples, analyse them,
and store them for more detailed investigation on Jupiter III.

---

“Sasyl, how’s it looking?”

“Not good Jim. We can’t fix the damage with anything we have on
board. We tried everything, but all I can give you are the maneuver
engines.”
“Fuck!”

The captain doesn’t look pleased after that message from his chief
engineer. They are floating in space with just a quarter the speed
they should have. His clients won’t be happy with how things
turned out. But as a captain, responsible for his crew, he has to bite
the bullet and do whatever is necessary. If that means that he will
face the consequences, so be it. If there would have been any other
work to do, he would take it, but since the government stopped
most actions in the asteroid belt, he had to find other tasks for his
freighter. Never would he have thought to work for these shady
people. He doesn’t believe in their cause, but he believes in their
money.

5
“That’s it. Send out a distress signal.”
“To whom?”
“To whoever the hell is going to get this! I don’t care, we’re sitting
in the middle of nowhere. Worse than any damn sailor.”
“But what if the Space Navy responds?”
“Then we better welcome them with a smile! Now do it.”

---

“Sir, the Daedalus is ready for departure.”

The debris has left the area or was shot down. The excavation site
is now prepared for landing and a small team has boarded the
shuttle. Just before the signal to undock was given, lieutenant
Simmons interrupts:
“Sir, we are receiving a distress signal. It’s the freighter STO-
Serune.”
“The Space Trading Organization? Put them on speaker.”

“Mayday, mayday, mayday. This is the STO-Serune. Our last

position is contained within this message. We are currently drifting
without the main engine. No casualties, just a malfunction. We
need assistance fixing it. We don't have enough supplies to get to
the next station in time. I repeat: mayday, mayday, mayday. This
is the STO-Serune. Our last position…”

6
“Please turn it off. Are we the closest ship?”
“There is another freighter between us, but they are flying in the
wrong direction and would need much longer to get to them.”
“You got the coordinates? What would be our ETA?”
“We could meet them in about thirty hours.”
“Okay. Ensign Seiwer, set course for a rendezvous. Lieutenant
Simmons, please inform Navy Command that we are on a rescue
mission, and send them the details. Yui, you got the bridge; send a
message to the freighter that we are on the way. I will go and tell
the mining team about the changes.”
Commander Nishimura responds, “Yes, Sir!”

Living in space is unpredictable, but we have to help each other as

much as we can. It’s the first and highest rule to help everyone in
sticky situations. We, as the Space Navy, have to be a shining
example for aid out here. But not only that, with increasing reports
of piracy, there’s a chance that some people could take advantage
of that situation.

Little did we know what we would find.

The scientists were not happy about the delay, but they understood
that helping is more important. Nobody will steal the moon. The
sensors are already working and the excavation site will not take
harm from being open for about three days.
I told chief engineer Higgins about the malfunction, and he is sure

7
that we can help them out. As long as their systems are still running
and it’s just the engine, we can spare the parts and restock later.
He already found the plans of that freighter-class in our database
and is instructing his engineers with possible ways to troubleshoot.
Just in case, again because of piracy reports, I order chief
Orochenko to prepare a small team for security. The Serune should
have about ten civilians on board to run the ship, but you never
know.
It’s not my first rescue mission, but it’s the first under my
command, and I want it to be as smooth as it can be. Like a baby
with baby powder. Or an ironed shirt. Or my coffee after sorting
it. You get the point.

---

After 24 hours, the Astraea reaches the deceleration point.

Engineering teams are ready to help the freighter in any possible
way, so that we can get back to our original mission promptly. Just
a short time later, the freighter already comes into sight, way
earlier than expected.

The STO-Serune is a deep space freighter that is only capable of

operating in space and landing on orbital stations. A massive cargo
hold, which could fit the Astraea in it, is positioned at the front of
the ship. Bridge and other facilities are located at the stern. For this
size, a fairly small crew can operate the ship. Defenses are at a

8
minimum, usually just for small rocks while flying through
asteroid areas.

Scanners indicate that the main engines are not working, and
secondary power is still on. Life support, navigation,
communications and defenses are operational. Their mass is low,
which could mean they unloaded their cargo already and were on
the way to load something new.

The docking maneuver puts both ships side by side at the same
speed. Without air resistance, the speeds are maintained with just
minimal maneuver corrections. The docking locks are on both
sides of the Astraea, at the outermost part of the hull. It guarantees
that docking is always possible in flight direction. Flipping would
be awful with different directions of gravity.

I went down to greet the captain myself and formally ask to offer
our help.
The airlock opens.

“Captain Zotar, we came as fast as we could. Is your crew alright?”

His first expression had a bit of anxiety in it, but he found his
placidity quickly. Although his jacket is not the newest, his outfit
is clean and Captain Zotar stands there with an upright posture like
a good commanding officer. Next to him stands Sasyl, his chief
engineer.
9
“Thank you, Captain Collins. My crew is doing fine. Thanks to
you we don’t need to split the rations on this flight. Please come
on board.” He swings his arm towards the interior of the ship. “We
are very thankful for your help.”

---

A few hours ago.

“But Jim, if they inspect our cargo, they will find everything.”
“Then guess what, Harris, we have to make sure they don’t see it.
Best way to accomplish that is to behave absolutely normal
without causing suspicion. Maybe we can manage to keep the
delay of our delivery lower than expected.”
“I still don’t like the idea that the Space Navy is on our ship while
we have illegal missiles on board.”
“Don’t even think about it! The more you think about it, the more
you let it slip through. Everything’s fine, chill a bit, the missiles
are not laying in the open and are in undetectable enclosures. Can
we eat something now, please?”
“Hm, okay, if you say so, Cap.”

Both men walk to the mess, not talking about anything on the way
anymore. They know what’s at stake. And they know that even if
the contraband is being found, they can’t tell where they are flying

10
or who ordered them. It has to remain a secret; otherwise, they will
be sentenced to lifetime work on an asteroid.

---

“Basil, if you already want to take a look at the engine, go on. I

know you’re eager to start.”
“Thanks, Cap, we’re already gone. Let’s go, sparkys!”

Chief Higgins and his team follow Sasyl to the engine room, while
I follow Jim Zotar to the bridge. I have seen some freighter bridges
throughout my career, while we searched or helped them, and I
have to say that this one is well commanded. Two crew members
are monitoring systems and alignment to the Astraea, as well as
the progress of the work on the engine. Nothing is laying around.
I like it.

“You run this ship really well.”

“Thank you, Sir. It’s just a freighter, but it’s my ship and my crew.
We are serious about our job and the tasks we have.”
“By the way, how come a Space Trading Organization ship is
running a route to Callisto? I thought the miners there care for
themselves and have their own supply ships.”
Captain Zotar needs a second to answer: “We just had to deliver
something to them, didn’t even read the papers.”
“Our scanners showed your mass was relatively low.”

11
“Yes, it’s not that much. But they wanted to have it and we got a
full load payment, so I agreed.”
“I understand,” I say, but something doesn’t sound right here.

The way he runs his ship is thoughtful and nothing seems to be

done carelessly. There is not even a coffee mug or anything at the
captain’s chair. So why does he not read the shipping documents?
And why does he not read them when providing a self-sustained
station with goods?

I leave the bridge after a little small talk to accompany my

engineers in the engine room. There’s something I would like to
check, so I need an excuse. Basil is knee-deep in the machine. His
engineers are around him, and they seemingly already know the
problem.

“Basil, I need you to look at me as if we are discussing the engine.”

“Okay, Cap. Will do my best.”
“Good, let me check something.” I use my in-ear radio, which I
always put on when leaving the ship, to call Commander
Nishimura. “Astraea, Collins here. Do you copy?”
“Captain, Nishimura here. How can I help?”
“Can you please scan the Serune for any extraordinary parameters?
Everything that is unusual for this ship type.”
“Do you have any idea what we're looking for?”
“Not yet, it’s just a feeling.”

12
“Oh yeah, you’re totally right,” says Basil to cover my talk with
the Astraea. He’s an experienced spaceman and knows exactly
what to do and how to behave.

The commander calls me after a few minutes and transmits a short

message: “All good.”
If there had been anything suspicious, they would have let me
know. This rescue task has something more to tell than just a
broken engine. It’s like an itch you can’t scratch.

Back at our own bridge, I ask Lieutenant Simmons: “Please send

a request to the Space Trading Organization and ask them if they
have any registered deliveries to Callisto for the next few days.
Don’t mention a specific ship, just cover it as a routine request
because we are in the region.”

They should know about any freight that’s being delivered, since
ships that are flying under their care have to report every route to
the organization.

“Sir, they have no scheduled delivery in the next four weeks.”

There it is, that’s the reason to investigate the ship! Chief
Orochenko and his security team will have to search the ship now.
I go and speak with the captain again. Let’s see if he wants to tell
me more with the info we got.

---
13
I enter the ship after the security team, which has got light
armament since we still don’t think that the crew itself is a threat.
The engineers can keep on working at the engine, but the rest of
the crew has to gather in their mess. While the chief has got the
order to search the hangar bay with handheld heat and energy
sensors, I speak with the captain at the bridge, accompanied by one
security guard.

“Captain Zotar, why don’t you tell me what’s going on here? We

both know that you are hiding something. First you tell me you are
not reading your transport documents, then I learn about your
unregistered route to Callisto. My security is searching your ship
at the moment. Would you like to tell us something before we find
anything that could be uncomfortable?”
“Maybe I didn’t read the documents and forgot to declare our
route. There’s nothing I have to hide from you.”

The radio turns on and Chief Orochenko reports: “Captain, we

have found nothing except for their cargo. Their small cargo.”
“What is the cargo?”
“We took a look, and it’s two containers of self-sealing stem
bolts.”
“Thank you, over and out.”
Self-sealing stem bolts? What do you even use them for on a space
station?

14
An alarm sounds at a console. At first glance, it’s coming from the
navigation console.
I ask Captain Zotar, “Is that a collision alert?”
“Yes. But there should be nothing out here. May I take a look?”
“Go on.”
He walks over to the console and types in a few commands. The
look on his face shows signs of confusion. He turns back to me:
“The sensors show a small object flying at a straight line directly
at us. Impact in about fifteen minutes. We should have seen
something like that earlier but the object is fast.”
Through my radio, I ask, “Yui, do you see an object flying in our
direction?”
“Yes Sir, it will hit us in almost 15 minutes if we do not change
direction.”
“We provide you with controls over the maneuver engines of the
Serune.” I point into the direction of controls and Jim Zotar
understands. He starts to transfer the controls to the Astraea.
“Strafe both ships away from the object, slowly.”

The maneuver thrusters are igniting and both ships strafe to the
right while still being docked at each other.
“Sir, the object changed its course. It wants to hit the Serune.”
“Captain Zotar, what is going on here?”
“If I could tell you that, I would.”
“Yui, undock the Astraea and go on an intercepting course. The
ship’s yours.”

15
There are ten minutes until the object hits the Serune. It is still not
clear what type of object it is. It’s too slow and big for a missile or
a torpedo. It’s too small and fast to be a fighter. Was it shot or has
it got an engine? At this speed, we will find that out just a minute
before impact, and that’s absolutely too close.
Commander Nishimura has the authorization to act on my behalf.

---

Commander Nishimura orders helmsman Seiwer to fully

accelerate into the direction of the object. The Astraea has got
enhanced sensors, but it has to be in range to identify it.
“Lieutenant Simmons, hail that object continuously. Report if it
answers. Commander Snyder, prepare the missiles. We may need
to take it down. Simmons, ship wide channel.” The speakers give
the sign that it’s a message from the bridge. “Here’s Commander
Nishimura. We are intercepting an object on a collision course; all
personnel in combat mode.” The combat alarm goes on.

“Sir, scanner range in fifteen seconds.”

Just a few more moments and the mystery will solve itself.
Commander Nishimura is laser focused and prepared to engage.
“Ten.”
She feels the adrenalin rush of being in command. It is a feeling
that she hasn't had often, because her engagements were always far
away from conflict zones or even unsteady regions.
“Fife.”
16
She takes a quick look at her displays. Weapons ready, no comms
signals, energy levels stable.
“We have sensor contact. It’s an unpropelled container with small
thrusters to keep the course. Energy signatures indicate explosive
material on board. No life signs.”
There is no chance to slow this container down before it reaches
the Serune. No life signs make the decision easy.
“Full thrust reversal. Missiles, fire!”
Breaking thrusters ignite, the inertia dampeners are working at
maximum. Two rockets leave through the forward facing missile
bays and ignite their light blue-colored trails while heading to
destroy the cruise missile, which isn’t really a cruise missile.
After a few seconds, the trails are barely visible. Since the
antimatter missile has a low mass and a strong engine, it can
accelerate much faster than any ship.

The explosion is massive!

First, a giant orange blast, then immediately an implosion, leaving
some sparks in the distance. Whoever shot this container did not
want to leave a trace.
“Do we have the trajectory recorded?”
Commander Snyder answered: “Yes, Sir, but there’s no planet or
station along the way. It must have been shot from a ship.”
“Save all that data encrypted.”

---

17
The blast was visible from the Serune. Since we couldn’t leave the
ship, I ordered Chief Orockenko to search all other sections of the
ship. Maybe we can find something hidden anywhere else.
While the Astraea comes back and attends to dock again, I get a
message.
“Captain, we got an encoded message from Navy Command for
you.”
“Send it over to my radio.”
It takes a second to enable a bugproof connection.
A crack: “Captain Collins, this is Admiral Paul. We got a message
that you are investigating a freighter with the callsign STO-Serune.
My orders are to leave the ship immediately after the repairs have
been completed and let it fly on without an escort. After that,
immediately continue with your previous tasks.”

I am visibly surprised to receive direct orders from the admiral just

after we saved the freighter from a targeted attack. What does that
mean? We have to find that out later. Right now, we have to obey
orders.

---

Since the crew was cooperative and no firearms were found, all
security personnel left the Serune, including me. Chief Higgins
and his engineers were successful, and after two hours, we could
leave the other ship.

18
I had some time to think about the admiral's order. There are a
handful of options. Either the freighter was sent from the Space
Navy and was on a secret mission, or Navy Commands knew what
they were doing and wanted to observe it. Or they have no clue
and are tracking their movement. Other options are also valid, but
too rash.

Right now we head back to the mining site, where everything

started, with a lot of question marks above our heads. This time, I
know exactly as much as my crew. Politics are above my salary
class. But since we started our mission out here beyond the asteroid
belt, we’ve had more and more encounters with various factions.

I take out my coffee dishes. These were intense hours, and I need
to rest a bit before we all go back to daily routines.

END OF EPISODE 03

19
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