Mining Frenzy, a digital LEGO space collaboration

Collaborators

 

- Topsy Creatori - Mocpages | Flickr

- Starscream Soundwave - Mocpages | Flickr

- Locutus666 - Mocpages | Flickr

- Marc Edge R.unde - Mocpages | Flickr

- David Roberts - Mocpages | Flickr

- David Alexander Smith - Mocpages | Flickr

- Clayton Marchetti - Mocpages | Flickr

- Matt Rowntree - Mocpages | Flickr

- Tom Remy - Mocpages

- Tim Clark - Mocpages | Flickr

- Stephan Niehoff - Mocpages | Flickr

- Pico van Grootveld - Mocpages | Flickr

 

Story

 

"Entire generations may pass devoid of great discoveries".

This was almost one of those generations.

 

The year 4561 saw the end of the Terpon Zoning Wars with the lion's share of the spoils going to the Beulorians. Most of the wars were fought in the courtrooms and the Beulorians were defending what they considered to be a fair claim. The Terpon Cluster was an uninhabited star grouping that sat on the fringes of the secluded Vierian System and was mostly considered a vast wasteland. Beulor was the only planet that supported life in the Vierian System. When their explorations reached as far as the Terpon Cluster, they discovered a widely spanning asteroid field. It was believed they were verging on something quite amazing. The cluster remained to that date unclaimed and despite their reputation as rash businessmen, Beulor's interest in the region quickly drew a crowd of suitors.

 

The Beulorians fought passionately in the Universal Courts for the cluster. Their win was attributed mostly to their command of their native tongue, which they insisted on using and was largely unintelligible by most other civilized races.

In the six years immediately following their 'victory', the Beulorians began mining the asteroids. Their exhaustive exploration revealed nothing, and tons of it. Their resources were quickly drained and living up to their well-deserved reputation, the Beulorians looked to sell the lot. The potential investment was overwhelmingly ignored.

 

A coalition of interstellar industrialists took interest. This coalition was represented by the biggest stakeholder Llwyngwril Systems. Already famous for their manufacturing of practical yet ridiculous vehicles, as well as the virtual impossibility of correctly pronouncing the company name without pulling a muscle, the representatives of Llwyngwril saw potential where other parties saw only insurmountable risk. They lowballed the Beulorians with an offer that they, themselves, considered completely unreasonable. But seeing it as the only opportunity to dump an investment they felt was destined to yield no return whatsoever, the Beulorians hastily accepted the offer. They went on and toasted themselves 'the greatest salesmen in the Universe'.

 

Within mere days of the property changing hands, the new owners started setting up mining facilities on the largest asteroids in the field. Adler Corporation planted several bunkers, CS fanatics became active on the surface, Tequilatron began plasmamining, Llwyngwril deployed their Gourmet Grinders and several private contractors initiated deep core mining. The representatives were surprised that the Beulorians had not yet mined these rocks. This astonishment was soon replaced by joy when several deep core miners stumbled across a new element. In an effort to make it easy to pronounce, the coalition named the element ABS, or ABSinite. It was easily smelted, melted down into a variety of ABS shapes, easily dyed and was bulletproof. Its potential profitability was immediately recognized.

 

The Beulorians who facilitated the transaction were promptly outsmarted and dealt with. According to the planet's laws, for the most punishable and commonly committed crime of being rash. The coalition took over the asteroid fields and expanded their effort till the very last rock. This started an era that would become known as 'The Great Terpon Mining Frenzy'.

 

As all businesses eventually experience, the criminal element wormed its way into the action. Completely incapable of original ideas that lead to any semblance of profitability, but perfectly adept at being ruthless and covered in unmanageable hair, Thondan pirates made frequent passes through the cluster. Their aim was set for cargo carriers and freighters destined for the more populated and high-demand regions of the Universe. Recently discovering stealth technology, the criminals of Blacktron found their way into the cluster as well, secretly scanning remaining asteroids for small profits. Tapping and stealth mining became an almost regular thing. The alien species of Ethel Mertz too noticed the boost of activity in the region. So they began storming the nebulae situated in the cluster and learned how to extract ABS from the toxic clouds. Being at war with the humans from 4518 to 4546, the coalition had a bitter aftertaste about the Mertz' presence in the area. Nebulae mining was mostly tolerated though, as the clouds were marked as too irradiated for their vessels to approach.

 

To combat the criminal activity, the coalition funded an effort to patrol and survey ongoing mining operations. The powerful Galactic Anthropic Imperial Armada (GAIA) stepped in and signed the lucrative contract. Now overseeing daily business in luxury cruiseliners converted into battleships, GAIA keeps an eye out for smugglers, pirates and criminals. With an inexhaustible supply of weaponry and hubris. The system is well known for their ships now hovering in the middle of dense industrial territory. Their singular mission being to fire 'tiny' missiles at approaching enemies and occasionally pointing their formidable triple cannons at the intruders only to extend the middle one into the air. Hubris.

 

The arrangement has proven reasonably effective and the benefit of fewer troubles with pirates allowed the coalition to overlook the fact that the gigantic spaceships frequently clogged up viable trade routes.

The system is now one of the most active industrial zones in the history of the Interstellar Transport Agency. The huge variety of ships and building styles in the system attracts spaceship spotters from all across the galaxy.

 

 

Individual builds and backgrounds

 

- Topsy Creatori

- Creation: D.U.D. Barges, space cargo

 

Built and piloted by Darkla's M3D Marauders, the typical red/black D.U.D. Barges are seen flying in to the asteroid field to collect ABS. Little is known as to what purpose Darkla's empire would use the resources. The archives only show a lucrative private contract, set up with an anonymous company.

 

- Starscream Soundwave

- Creation: Private party, heavy duty mining ships

 

Extracting as much ABS as is available for the highest bidder. This is the aim of the submarine-like mining fleet. Their appearance is matched with their heavy armor, protecting the valuable goods inside. Two mining lasers on the front do the extracting. Contents are usually picked up by mobile processing ships or high capacity freighters.

 

- Locutus666

- Creation: Blacktron I, # 6985 upgraded ABS Prospector

 

Blacktron got word of the mining operations going on in section D 887. They just needed to venture out and take their slice. Joining the party in the second stage, a stealth prospector is seen scanning the remaining asteroids for quantities of ABS.

 

- Marc Edge R.unde

- Creation: GAIA, HMS Misirlou

 

With the increasing threat of pirates within the quadrant, local authorities called upon the Galactic Anthropic Imperial Armada to oversee ongoing operations. An Alexandria Class Destroyer (HMS Misirlou) is seen bombarding an incoming Thondan pirate ship.

 

- David Roberts

- Creation: Llwyngwril Systems, 'Gourmet' Asteroid miner

 

Llwyngwril Systems' Gourmet Grinder is a mining machine with and integral smelting furnace under its belly. It is serviced by two smaller ships. One has big tongs for removing the ore from the back of the smelter and the other one carries it away to the nearest station or processing facility.

 

- David Alexander Smith

- Creation: CS, Mineral Sorting Plant

 

General deposits of ABS found on the surface of asteroids are mostly exploited by the CS fanatics. Industrial mineral sorting stations pop up everywhere, as well as the landvehicles scraping the soil.

 

- Clayton Marchetti

- Creation: Space Freighter S.S. 5906 "Goliath"

 

The golden carriages of the galactic speedways. Carrying vast amounts of cargo, these freighters are slow but very profitable. Usually these ships buy up all local resources, which get transported to areas with a high demand rate. Their big fuselages make easy targets to get a lock on for ill tempered pirates though.

 

- Matt Rowntree

- Creation: Ethel Mertz, Thurston Howell mkIII, Lurch class ABS extraction frigate

 

Unlike most human explorers and miners, this alien species is able to extract ABSinite from the irradiated nebulae efficiently. The Ethel Mertz and Terran miners continue to co-exist as they do not venture into eachother's territory. Means of contact and communication remain strictly forbidden though, causing a tenuous relationship.

 

- Tom Remy

- Creation: Liquid ABS processing facility

 

The deep core extraction pillar digs into the asteroid, extracting and processing the highly toxic liquid absinite. This is the kind that can be turned into hard, transparent clear, cat-hair proof-absinite products. Dropships fly in and out of the landing pad to deliver the goods to local buyers.

 

- Tim Clark

- Creation: The 'Scallywag', Thondan pirate ship

 

Thondan pirates are well equipped and known for their ruthless tactics. Not interested in interstellar politics or trade, their goal is nothing but personal profit. The ominously looking Scallywag is seen warping into the sector, directly locking on to a freighter. That Absinite is going nowhere.

 

- Stephan Niehoff

- Creation: Adler Corporation, fuel refinery

 

In this facility, the mineral Reebit is won out of ABS. Reebit is prepared in powder form of two quality standards. Reebit is stored in silos for fueling and an explosive component. The refinery is sturdily built like a bunker, relying on it's defensive capability and protection from others.

 

- Pico van Grootveld

- Creation: Tequilatron, deep space drill operation

 

Tequilatron is the universe's number 1 provider in salts and liquor, famed for their spirits and tuk-tuks. The new Mobile 'King' drill, a walker and several type II plasmadrills are seen extracting ABS for their next new drink prototype. Scientist are still in search of a fitting name for their green spirit.

 

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Hope you all enjoyed watching and reading about this collaboration. We had a blast putting it together the past few months! Feel free to download the high res picture and zoom in on all the details.

Done