The pirates didn't create
it-they took it over. Its sheathing system is highly effective, highly
effective indeed. The pirates could be lying, of course, but once the
word got out to them that we knew about the asteroid, most of them
seemed to swell with a kind of arrogant pride, even welcoming the fact
that we had the information. They were confident that we couldn't do
anything about it."
"And that explains, I'm sure, why we couldn't find them in spite of an
exceedingly thorough search of the area," concluded David Foster,
feeling somewhat vindicated.
"So are we to go find the asteroid?" put forth Joe, leaning forward in
his chair.
"No, Mr. Taylor. We want you to find the man who discovered it."
Joe leaned back into his chair, a puzzled look on his face. Oritz Konig
continued.
"The asteroid was discovered almost twenty years ago by an asteroid
miner named George St. George. He's a loner, like so many of the
asteroid miners. He makes a good living, but has no fixed address. He's
constantly on the move and spends most of his time away from
settlements in the Belt. He'll disappear for months, maybe a year or
two-then show up on Ceres or in Eagle City with what he has found in
the Belt and turn it into cash and supplies. Then he's gone again.
"Apparently he discovered this remarkable asteroid the pirates took
over.
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