Destiny — Chris Blake

There is a proverb that states that anything that is set in stone, will inevitably erode. Language, like life, is sometimes hard to define. For how can one explain meaning without more words, and what is there to interpret the first one? It seems to be in the nature of humanity to search for loopholes, and then explore them. The actual wording of the Gene Convention has been found susceptible to such exploitation. But perhaps that was intentional, for language, like evolution, cannot stand still.Destiny itself was a case in point. It was once a massive heavily mineralised asteroid on the periphery of the Forbidden Zone, apparently named by a long deceased and forgotten exploratory mining entrepreneur, who felt destined to become mega-rich. He discovered its high rare mineral composition, and saw its potential to supply guaranteed quantities of high-quality ore to the premier manufacturing planets for exclusive lines of production, and make himself exceedingly wealthy in the process. Unfortunately, however he became the target of a hostile takeover, and did not manage to experience the fulfillment of his vision. In any case by the end of the Quincentennial Wars all of its high-grade deposits had long been mined out. What was left over besides its name and its reputation was a low-density outer core riddled with gigantic opencast pits, massive caverns and plunging rifts; all ideal places to hide. The skilled workers, particularly the miners, left to follow their trade on viable nearby leases. All that remained were the traders, dealers, speculators and mendicants. Because of this and its bad location in a quadrant avoided for its extreme danger, Destiny became a magnet for the fringe dwellers of the Jene Alliance, those who had drifted into the shadow world of the black economy. It particularly attracted Scavengers, who consistently managed to twist and corrupt the intent of the Principles, without actually breaking them. On Destiny they could hoard and hide their stolen inventories and requisitions, and run diverse black-market operations from hidden fortresses and compounds with little chance of discovery or prosecution.