Manual - Pandora: First Contact - Proxy Studios

was highly profitable, but our analysts have them reactingnegatively to their exclusion from the Pandora project. Jens,can you give them the stats?”A gray-suited underling stepped forward, reading off a tab.“Our projections have this negatively affecting Solar Systemprofits in the region of 9-17% for the indefinite future. We’vealso incurred significant costs in bolstering security at oursettlements, taking another couple of percent off this year’stop line. Our fire teams are never going to be the quality ofImperium’s troops, especially not their ‘300’ assault squads,but the fixed emplacements at major bases should prevent anyviolent repercussions from the termination of the deal.” Hestepped back, almost blending into the wall.Preston nodded his thanks, and continued. “However, we’restill the dominant economic entity in the solar system. We stillhave access to the cheapest Earth-to-orbit tech, the cheapest,best-designed ships thanks to our own shipyards, and aneffective monopoly on ore extraction. Imperium won’t dareoffend us. They can’t afford to.”Callisto Station, the Asteroid Belt.Darin’s light spacesloop swept into the shadow of the leadtransporter, #2800. The ship was a great framework of interlacedsteel, a fine strong cage built atop a solid base to contain thepieces of steel packed inside, backed by weak sub-light engines.It loomed above his craft like a metal cliff as it interfaced withthe airlock. Other security teams, hastily scrambled, wereattaching their sloops to the rear of the three newer transporters,and cautiously entering the cavernous interiors.The transport driver greeted him and his team at the airlock,stinking of months trapped in his tiny cab at the front of the37