Abandoned Mine with Appreciated Gems (Otherwise Untitled)
#56 of Short Stories
A bunny rummages about on an abandoned asteroid mine.
~ The halls of the long failed and abandoned mining colony groaned in protest of the sudden occupation by an intruder. The rabbit tromped her way patiently along the corridors, checking each door's label plate in turn. She mustered her radio to life with comments, "Looks like they ripped out the main reactor and central processing on their way out, so no platters to scan." The reply was only a soft chuff of agreement, her partner's attentions focused on a scanner anomaly some distance away from the asteroid and mining facilities therein.
~ The scavaging rabbit's own attentions perked into focus on the knocked over rack of datatapes near a broken down old couch in the center of a room; as she'd hoped the miners didn't regard the broadcast recordings as worth bagging on the way to more profitable rocks. She estimated the number quickly, as she began to scoop the palm sized cartridges into an empty bag. "There's about fifty to seventy-five carts, generally poor markings. I'll need to check each in turn." The macaw on the other end of the radio chuffed a bit more attentively, the scanner scope currently devoid of signatures.
~ One particular cartridge caught her focus in passing, the lagomorph pausing the read the label clearly before resuming her brisk acquisition of all that lay before her. The loot secured from her shoulder, "Hey, they've got a cart marked as that having that one show about caves and trees that you like. No date indicated, though.", her grin concealed amongst the enviromental suit's visor. She could see, in her mind's eye, the pilot's crest perking up with interest as he volunteered audibly, "Sweep doesn't show any company in our vicinity, and scan doesn't show anything else of big value to be pulled. Prepping for departure; engines'll be warm when you get here." She kept up her honest smile and savored the rare moment of the macaw being made giddy.