The Lost Prince Read Online Free PDF Page A

of gold.”
    Ribbons said, “Where do we go now?”
    “Follow me.”
    Ian drove three miles and stopped. Ribbons said, “Jefie, do you scan anything here?”
    “No, I’m not picking up anything.”
    “How about you, Porky?”
    “Nothing on my scanner, either.”
    Ian said, “Line up beside me and set your blades eight inches deeper than normal. We’ll move slower because of the depth.”
    Ribbons shrugged and looked over at Jefie and nodded. They turned and lined up beside the stranger’s vehicle. The four miners started moving slowly forward and Jeffie yelled, “He’s found a platinum deposit.”
    Porky said, “Oh my god, how has this been missed?”
    Ribbons shook his head, “You know platinum doesn’t give off a reading like the other metals. No one sets their scanners for platinum. It’s so rare that it’s senseless to go looking just for it. You’ll miss any of the other metals.”
    “Ribbs, at the rate we’re filling our holding tanks, I won’t have room for any more after this site. These two will remove all my debts.”
    “I see that, Porky.”
    The four vehicles made three passes over the platinum deposit and Ribbons said, “We’re not able to hold anything more. We have to go unload at an outpost before we can continue.”
    “I need to go as well. Perhaps we should all go unload and come back to finish this site.”
    Jefie said, “You mean there’s more?”
    “We’ve only covered a third of it.”
    Ribbons started laughing and said, “I vote we extend the truce indefinitely; if that’s ok with you stranger?”
    “Just call me Nosey.”
    “Nosey?”
    “I seem to be able to smell metals. And the extension is agreeable with me.”
    The four turned after plotting the site and putting a marker on it. They turned west and headed toward Heaven’s Portal. The outpost was eight hours away.
    • • •
    The Officer looked at the Fleet’s reports and wondered where the Prince had gone. He had disappeared and he knew there was no way to scan every planet in the Union to find him. He sat and waited as the major planets were scanned. If he wasn’t on one of them… He paused and thought, “If I was being pursued, what would I do?” He knew the Prince was brilliant but he was young and inexperienced. He would probably go to one of the Majors. If nothing turned up on them, he would consider this further. He had to be on one of the Majors. He ordered three scanships to each of the major planets and had them overlap their scans. If he was there, they would see it. He smiled and shot the waiter that had taken too long to bring his order. The waiter fell to the floor, spilling his order on the floor. The Officer smiled and looked at the manager, “I trust I won’t be kept waiting again.” The Manager sprinted away and the Officer smiled. See, all it took was a little motivation.
    • • •
    “How long before the first plant is completed?”
    “Three weeks for the engines. The hull assembly plant will come on line two weeks later.”
    The Lead Scientist looked up at the sky, “Get the weapons moving.”
    • • •
    The Nebula Fleet watched the buildings going up and knew trouble was not far ahead. The Prince had to be captured and not killed, but to be used as a hostage against the ships being built on Euclid.
    • • •
    The four mining vehicles arrived at Heaven’s Portal outpost and E followed the other three to one of the empty bays. The outpost computer connected and said, “First load, enter name.”
    E thought a moment and said, “Nosey.”
    “Name accepted, your designation is being sent. Report to the teller for totals.”
    E said, “Ian, you need to go to the teller in the main office and receive a receipt.”
    Suddenly the outpost computer said, “Funds have been deposited in your account. Do you require any servicing?”
    Ian thought a moment and said, “Do you have any weapons available for installation?”
    “What level do you require?”
    “What’s your highest