The sleeping crate Travone had rented was small but comfortable enough in relation to how much he was making every month; for the five hundred credits he made every month, he sent half of them to his mother, that and the coupons that the UNE gave out he hopped that his mother was leaving relatively comfortably as compared to before. His room had an oven where he warmed the packed food, a small extendable toilet seat and a shower pipe to keep himself clean to a certain degree. the rent on the Sleep crate was half of what was left over, and the rest was spent on his food and other essentials.

Looking at the time, Travone grabbed his mining pack and tools off the floor by the door and stepped out onto the crowded balcony in the V5 residential quarters; he walked to the end of the quarter's platform and made his way into the crowded elevator.

The neon screens in the Elevator flashed with images of the products, alluring images of men and women, and short clips of the Arena fights.

When the elevator reached the mining quarter on the (44) forty-fifth floor, like it was becoming the norm, Travone made his way to the stools until he was collected by his mining team. As usual, they made their way into the transport craft, and not far behind, Seeker Albin Entered and ordered the pilot to take off.

It had been three months and as the miners talked, Travone had come to learn more about Seeker Albin. He was a low-ranking Gamma under the UNE who could be spared to do simple tasks such as guarding mining teams and also given the duty of helping the new seekers get their first tour of the planet.

With the familiar vibration of the croft touching down on the planet's surface, Seeker Albin and Forman Odion took the user precautions. The seeker left the transport vessel first, and a minute later, his party followed behind. Then, a call came, and Odoin ordered us to leave for the cave. Travone grabbed a basket to fill with the centenarian iron and a beam and headed into the cave I was working on.

Hoping to get more work in for more pay. Travone chose a new section of the tunnel and started digging. Three hours into the dig, his peak axe found a large rock which refused to give way; he grabbed his tool bag and used a chisel to hit the rock over and over, trying to work around it.

Do you need help with that? Travone turned, and Magnus was there, standing to the side and looking at him with a curious look. Magnus was one of the miners in the tunnel with him; the man had a full beard filled with dirt and a pot belly that said a lot about his vices.

Ya, sure, it's stack. I've been working on it for an hour. Travone said, his hand going to his chin as he inspected the rock. Am thinking of just grabbing the rope and yanking it out.

Good deal. I got a rope in my pack he said, running over to his pack and tossing Travone the ropes; without missing a bit, he tied the rope to the jagged end, pointing out, placed a metal beam across from it and yanked on the rope tightening it.

You ready, Magnus asked.

Ready, Travone replied, and together, the two yanked; at first, it felt as though no progress was being made, and then the rock loosened; with another tag, the two fell to the ground, and the tunnel creaked, bar all cases Magnus was the first o sport the gleam of metal and jumped to his feet rushed past Travone and lifted the gleaming rock in his hand.

It's Centuarian iron. I want it. Magnus said, lifting the lamp of metal that weighed over five kilograms. You have to give this to me. Listen, I just had a call, and my wife, shes given birth; with this, I can take a month or two off back on earth. You got to help me here, men, he said, cradling the iron like a baby clasp to his chest.

What do I get in return?

If I get something, I promise to give it to you when you need help, too.

I can't blem him. No wonder his been working this past month. He's probably not been eating as well; let them not say I don't have a good heart. I hope I don't regret this.

Sure, Travone stammered, lowering his picture axe and shaking his head.

Thank you, thank you so much. You have no idea what this means to me, Magnus said, running past Travone, bumping into him, and shouting in jubilation.

Looking at what I found. Look at what I found. he yelled as he left the tunnel, no doubt grabbing the attention of the miners.

Moving to Pick his axe off the ground where he had dropped it when Magnus had bumped into him, Travone's eyes caught a glow in the hole the huge iron had just been in.

There is more.

He rushed forward and pushed his hand into the hole, wrapped his hand around the glowing metal, and pulled. He wiggled the rock substance, and it got free inch by inch, giving him more leverage to tag and pull; using his other hand, he used all the power his hands could master in the tight space, and the rock got free.

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Using his hands, he cleaned the dirt off of it, and his eyes went wide once he realised what he was holding. Of all the things he had expected to find in this small cave out here in the middle of nowhere, this was the last thing he had ever imagined holding. Thick and robust, the gem was bulky with a rectangular form; it felt immovable and reflected the light in deep oranges and reds.

What do you have there, dredge? Travone turned, and a hand shot out, grabbing his wrist in a wrathful grip. A power gem, nice find, Aldin said and squeezed, causing the gem to leave Travone hand and into his. It seemed it was worth the effort. After he mused, letting go of Travones hand and turning to Odoin.

Foreman. Give the young man two months' pay, Aldin said; his eyes not leaving the class Power Gem.

I don't have enough to pay him that much.

Don't worry about taking it out of my pay. This is worth more, he said, passing by Odoin and Magnus, who stood in a mix of disbelief and horror.

Travone felt his eyes follow the man, and the anger in him raised as he held his peak axe tight in his grip and before he moved.

Odoin rushed forward, grabbing his arm and pushing him against the cave wall. "Listen, don't do something you will regret. You're alive; that's better than dead. Let it go, he said next time. My advice is to show nobody until you have absorbed it.

Do YOu think there is still more? Magnus asked, greed colouring his eyes.

I don't think so. We got a lot from this place: a chunk of iron and a power gem; I think this place has run out.

He turned to Travone, stay here. Come down, you have done enough; I don't want you getting any stupid ideals Foreman Odoin said

Magnus, come with me, let's talk about your pay.

After they left, Travone fell to his, looked at his hands, and screamed he had. It. He had something that would have changed his life, and it was gone. He looked at the stupid hole that had given him so much and punched it. He hit it as hard as he could and screamed. It was then his tiring arm missed the wall, slid into the hole, and hit something odd, something hollow that echoed like dull wood and all he could think about was Odoin's words, 'Next time, my advice is to show nobody.

Travone looked around frantically, and seeing he was the only one reaching in with his other hand feeling around, he made the hole bigger and pushed his head inside with the light from his hard cap; his fingers felt the edge of something and using his other hand, he pulled he pulled with what little strength he had left a brick tile fell free. There was a structure, a room; no doubt it would be filled with more of the power gems. His mind rushing through all the possibilities, he came to a conclusion as Odoins words came to him again: 'Next time my advise is show nobody. ' Travone pushed the tile back on and pulled himself out of the hole he had made. He looked around for any watching eyes, but none appeared. Travone took the clamps of earth he had dug up and shaved them back into the wall.

I have to find out what is behind there. I have to keep it a secret. I won't let anyone take this from me, not again.

As usual, Albin made his way out first after a minute, he gave the

signal for the three Zetas to follow him out. After five minutes, the call came, and the miners made their way out; Travone clenched and unclenched his fists, clenched and unclenched his fists, his eyes blank and absent as he thought of a way to get into the alien room without letting anyone else find out.

The look in the boy's eyes; Odoin had seen it before, and out there in the dangerous fields of the dead planet, he needed the boy to keep a clear head.

Odoin's hand landed on Travone's shoulder as he made to move past him; listen, I know what Albin did was wrong, but I don't want you causing trouble. If he looks at you, look the other way, you understand. Don't dare him. he warned

Travone nodded once. After all, his plan was to stay as far away from the man as possible.

Unlike the first time. He stepped on the uneven ground of Alpha Centauri; the ground felt flat, or was it that he had gotten used to the stony uneven ground. The workers walked with a jovial spring in their step. After months of their usual activities, the workers talked loudly and with ease. It was just another day at work for Travone, and it was an opportunity to move forward in his life. He looked up at the sky empty of the clouds. The day felt brighter, and deep inside, hope bloomed.

Making his way to the cave, Travone saw one of the Zeta-ranked seekers make their way to the top of a hill, as he usually did. The young man, however, in his arrogance and carelessness, missed the sight of a Vilespine prowler, a tiger-like alien creature that launched itself at him, grabbing his head in its jaws and clamping down, causing the seeker's body to go limp. With its segmented tailbone, the creature let out a clicking sound that chilled all men to the bone.

Vile spine, hold your ground, Albin shouted.

With a loud boom, Albin launched himself at the creature, smiling his conjured shield into its face, causing the creature to skitter back off its feet, rolling around and gaining its footing in a second

As a shield user, his upon class was not suited to offense, and had it been for only this fact, he would have never retreated, but as a Gamma rank, his strength far surpassed any mortal man on earth. With the presence of centenarian steel in Athens, most shield class users had a way to make up for their high defences and leveraged their high control, constitution and strength. Albin reached down to his waist and grabbed his long centenarian blade dagger in his free hand, and squared up with the beast.

Shaking away the confusion, the prowler launched itself forward, and willing to oblige it, Abiln met it with a slam, causing the beast to tear and scratch at him before he wandered it off with a heavy slum to its face.

This time, the seeker did not let the creature get its bearing. He launched himself forward with all the strength his legs could master and slummed the creature in its face. The prowler, still reeling from the confusing shield bash, did not have enough time to see the centaurian blade that was aimed at its eye, ending it instantly.