The story so far... 

The year is 2070. 

Earth’s natural resources have been exhausted. But with their outdated industrial processes, humans still have an insatiable appetite for minerals. 

The Galactic Mining Group (GMG) was created by the International Mining Union (IMU) to seek out and bring home a viable alternative to the planet’s dwindling supply. Of course, the likeliest option is and always has been asteroids, which the IMU classes as Easily Recoverable Objects (EROs). 

With the technological ability to mine asteroids, the GMG has dispatched its fleet of 18 ships. Each one is tasked with exploring EROs in this galaxy and beyond, and extracting the various precious materials the human race needs to survive. On this fleet is the Vasilissa, with its crew of six miners. After months of traversing the galaxy, the crew have discovered a promising ERO known as ‘4660 Nereus’. Home to an abundantly rare combination of minerals, it seemed too good to be true. Now, I fear that might be the case. 

Right now, they’re down on the asteroid’s surface, mining these precious minerals. Meanwhile, I’m minding the ship. But things are starting to go wrong. Our computer system is failing. It’s like the Vasilissa is being controlled by someone else. I’ve also lost contact with the crew. They’re stranded down a mine on the asteroid’s surface – and I’ve no way to reach them. 

It’s a sticky situation. 

You might be failing to detect the panic in my font-face, but it’s there, believe me. 

Now you know the full story – are you going to help me find out what’s going on?