Jace run through the wide pavement in Whitestar main road,dodging people left and right holding the thick folder tightly in his chest. How did he managed having to rush at the last moment every single time like that? If he didnt made in time he would not be able to join the mining expedition this time and he would have to wait an entire 2 months till the next one.

The loss of income that would mean could possibly put his university plans back for an entire year… and just the thought of his mother eyes when he had to announce that he missed another deadline was enough to give him a shiver even as he zipped down the road towards the Consortium main offices.

He checked the time in the edge of his visor:1:53

Only 7 minutes left until closing time for the day! And this was the last day of them accepting petitions from new miners interested in joining.

Dammit,dammit! He HAD to make it in time!

He took the underpass below the transfer capsules rails and kept running. He now could see the spaceport through the panels in the dome,bustling with ships as it always was before an expedition. Any sane asteroid miner would want his ship in the best possible condition before venturing into the unforgiving coldness of space.

And right before the spaceport ,on the inside of the dome, stood his target. The central offices of the Jellum Mining Consortium in the Horseshoe System

He checked his visor again. 1:56. Damn this was gonna be close. He really hoped they didn't just decide to close early today.

He run up the wide stairs and burst through the automated door. The large entrance room was spotlessly clean but utilitarian without any striking luxuries. Asteroid miners never really cared for showy stuff so everything in here,while of good quality,had a very specific role to fill.

Having come here before with his father to sign up for the expedition he knew exactly where to go. Jace took the left staircase and run up the stairs like an army of mutants were on his tail. He run the corridor and pushed the last door,breathing heavily.

"Excuse i am here to put my application for the expedition" he said breathing heavily.

The person on the other side of the table looked up surprised in the sudden entrance of the youth. He was holding a bunch of data sticks probably tidying up before closing for the day. He seemed to be around 40 years old,which could mean he was anything between 40 and 180. Since the advent of widespread use of the Cell Regeneration treatments it became near impossible to guess someone's age with any real degree of accuracy.

"Umm it is really late and we are about to close now cant you come tom. . "

"Please wait! I need to put my application in today the deadline is tonight! " Jace interrupted him panicking "i know i am a little late but i lost track of time and this is my first expedition. . please i can't miss this "He said mumbling out the last words

The apparent clerk looked at him up and down noticing how young he was and the begging expression on his face. He smiled and waved at him to shit down at the chair opposing his workstation.

"I think i can help you with that then son. Usually i am the one who accepts or rejects petitions but since no one else is still here i can process yours. Sit down and lets go the required paperwork together. It will do me good to remember the process myself after all"

Jace slumped down on his chair relieved that he apparently would not have to miss up on the expedition and disappoint his family. But then as he watched the older man manipulate his workstation apparently opening up an application something he heard right before hit him.

"Wait did you say you are the one who accepts or rejects the applications? I thought the one who had the final say for the expedition was the president himself due to how important it is" he asked

The man looked at him over the workstation and with a lopsided smile on his face he answered "Yes that would be correct" and then noting the confused face of the youngster sitting in front of him his smile widened and he stood up offering his hand.

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"I don't think i introduced myself" he said and as Jace automatically grabbed his hand continued, "Jason Jellum 2nd President of the Jellum mining consortium. "

Still smiling he watched the expression on Jace's face transform from confusion to shock realizing he was talking not just with the president of the company but the de facto owner of the entire solar system they were currently in.

"Ahh mister. . i mean sir i mean. . . "he stammered trying to find the right word to address him while his mind was reeling from the shock.

The older man took pity at him "Calling me mister or Mr President if you want to be more official would be perfectly acceptable young man. And you would be? "

"Jace Vans Mr President"he said almost coming to attention as he had seen his mother doing while she was on duty.

"Very nice to meet you Jace. " He gave him a reassuring smile,released his hand,and sat back down, returning his attention to the workstation. "Now why don't you give me your data so we can proceed with your application? "

Jace pulled from his folder the data stick holding his application and the required data as well as the certificate from the Mining training center in the Horseshoe Station in paper form. The center insisted that the certificate must be presented in both data and paper form to complicate any attempt at forging. It was after all ,as an instructor of the center was famous for saying to a complainer of this practice,a matter of life and death for all the miners. Asteroid mining was dangerous and often deadly and each miner had to be sure they could count on everyone to not put their life at risk with a mistake.

Most people though were both understanding and thankful for the attention payed to even the smaller detail. Mining asteroids ,unlike mining on the surface of a planet, was a highly technical job where a single mistake from one man could often lead to the demise of others.

Jason inserted the data stick to the station allowing it to read all data and then gave it back to Jace. He started going over the information.

"Hm i see here you passed the training with good grades and managed to pass the final exam in the first try a by no means small feat" he said looking up to him after a while.

Jace smilled at him encouraged by his words. But the next sentence made that smile disappear from his face.

"Though your instructors have noted that you could have done even better if you didn't always try to study everything at the absolute last time"

Jace avoided his eyes looking at the ceiling. He knew that this habit of his would come back to bite him at some point.

"Jace look at me please" the president said gently but firmly.

Jace focused his eyes back at him.

"The fact that you were able to do that good is indicative of your intelligence and your ability to work well under pressure, something your instructors have noted here. But leaving something so important as that or as this application is", he said with the ghost of a smile at his face , "is not a good thing. Leaving something for the absolute last time it can be done gives you no margin for error or for the inevitable appearance of that old rascal Murphy. "

Jace nodded in agreement,his shoulders stiff from the tension he felt.

The president finished going over his data and then leaned back and crossed his legs.

"Your application look good though i am not really surprised by that. I saw in your file that your father is Tyrion Vans and i know of him. He is one of the most veteran miners in the company. No way he let you join the expedition without you having the necessary know how"

Jace smiled. That meant that he could join right?

"Unfortunately thought you came here a bit too late. All the teams that can accept rookie miners are full and i don't have spare veteran miners to create a new one just for you. Also i cant add you to an already existing one since that would be both unfair and dangerous to that team " the president finished sounding quite sad.

Jace’s face tightened with disappointment. Why could he not come earlier to the most important day in his life? ? Why couldn't he paid more attention to the date and gotten his stuff together earlier? If he had not come so late he could…

The president was still talking though and that pulled Jace out of that train of depressing and all too familiar thoughts. He continued listening

"There is though another solution for you. I see in your bio that you are proficient with the rifle and pistol as well as having a brown belt in Muay Thai? " The president asked.

"I am yes si. . yes Mr President that is true. But why does that matter? ” Jace asked confused

"I am betting your mother trained you in all of that right? " The president said,smiling again

"You know my mother Mr President? " Jace exclaimed surprised,but then immediately flushed red with embarrassment.

His mother was the third ranked officer in The Horseshoe System Patrol and captain of one of the only 4 armed custom cutters in the entire system. Of course the president of the company must have met her!

The president confirmed his thoughts moments later " Yes i have met her on quite a few occasions. In that case Jace i have a proposition for a man of your skills. One of our assistant security personnel in one of the habitation ships had a family emergency which forced him to leave the system 2 days ago with the regular freighter. What would you say to taking over his place for this expedition? "

Jace hesitated. That wasn't what he had planed and he knew that the pay of the security was not at all as high as an asteroid miner could make if they used a good claimed vein much less if they actually found a new one.

The president saw his hesitation and,guessing correctly on the reasons, pressed on

"I should also mention that all security personnel on the Habitation Ships are also miners and are allowed to mine when off shift. "

Seeing Jace eyes light up he continued "Frankly that is the main reason i would like you to join. If we don't have a full security complement some people would have to pull double duty and i would have to compensate them for their lost mining time. So what do you say? Join the expedition mine up to the time limit allowed and then just make sure no fights well" ,he corrected himself quickly, "no major fights at least happen and get paid extra! " he said finishing his sale pitch with a big smile.

Jace hesitated only for a moment.

"I am in! Where do i sign? "