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Name: AsteroidHeist
Year: 2174
Title: Asteroid Heist
Short: Thieves are stealing an entire asteroid in Earth orbit. Then they let it rain gold from the skies.
Headline: "Asteroid Heist: The biggest theft of the century"
Post: "2174 Asteroid Heist. Thieves are stealing an entire asteroid in Earth orbit. Then they let it rain gold from the skies... more: http://jmp1.de/e2174"
Image: en_AsteroidHeist.jpg
Author: Heiner Wolf
Translation: Rosmarie Wolf, Heiner Wolf
Tags: [asteroid, theft, orbit, gold, crash]
Topics: [event, crime, economy]
Text: |
  The biggest theft of the century.
  In 2172, the asteroid mining company Seren-Enterprises maneuvers the core of a small comet from a near-Earth solar Orbit into high Earth orbit. The comet is 90 meters in size. It contains two million metric tons of water ice and an exceptionally high proportion of rare earths. The whole operation takes 14 years with fusion flare engines consuming most of the comet's ice.
  Seren-Enterprises intends to mine raw materials for the orbital industry in cis-lunar space. The main customers are L4/L5 constructions, lunar production facilities, and research stations in Earth orbit. In addition, the comet contains various precious metals including 50,000 metric tons of gold that is only needed in small amounts for industrial purposes. The project is running under the highest secrecy. The comet and the extraction facilities are hidden under a cover of aluminum foil.
  Then in early 2174 the asteroid is occupied by well-equipped units of unknown origin. Seren-Enterprises is denied access. For ten months Seren explains away the delay in delivery to customers as being caused by operational problems without reporting the incident to the authorities.
  At the end of the year the so-called Rain of Gold begins. The thieves land gold with deorbiters in remote areas collecting the cargo. These unregistered landings attract the attention of civil and military authorities worldwide. After three weeks in which the authorities try to negotiate with Seren-Enterprises units of the Space Guard try to land on the comet. There they encounter strong resistance and are repelled. 
  Now the hijackers change their tactics. They drop gold to the Earth, again into uninhabited areas, but now uncontrolled and without deorbiters. Much of the gold vaporizes as it enters the atmosphere. Drops of molten gold and nuggets rain down over wide areas starting a gold rush in the Sahara, Alaska, Siberia, and Australia. 
  The thieves land a total of 9,000 metric tons of gold. This accounts for about one percent of the world's gold reserves at the time. The world becomes aware that any organization in the future will be able to bring almost any amount of precious metal to the Earth. The price of gold collapses. 
  It quickly becomes known that 2,000 metric tons of gold had already been sold at the old market prices via futures contracts. The total value is equivalent to the gross national product of a small country. Later it turns out that the real purpose of the asteroid theft was not to sell gold, but to manipulate the markets, were the thieves probably earned much more.
  In the chaos caused by the Rain of Gold the thieves leave the asteroid. Their identity remaining in the dark. Some facts point at state actors. There are many leads and clues, but no clear evidence. The real masterminds will never be revealed. 
MurfScript: |
  Year 21 74. Asteroid Heist. 
  [pause strong] The biggest theft of the century and the "Rain of Gold". 
  [pause strong] In 2172, the asteroid mining company Seren-Enterprises maneuvers the core of a small comet from a near-Earth solar Orbit into high Earth orbit. The comet is 90 meters in size. It contains two million metric tons of water ice and an exceptionally high proportion of rare earths. The whole operation takes 14 years with fusion flare engines consuming most of the comet's ice. 
  [pause strong] Seren-Enterprises intends to mine raw materials for the orbital industry in cis-lunar space. The main customers are L4 L5 constructions, lunar production facilities, and research stations in earth orbit. In addition, the comet contains various precious metals including 50,000 metric tons of gold, that is only needed in small amounts for industrial purposes. The project is running under the highest secrecy. The comet and the extraction facilities are hidden under a cover of aluminum foil. 
  [pause strong] Then, in early 2174, the asteroid is occupied by well-equipped units of unknown origin. Seren-Enterprises is denied access. For ten months Seren explains away the delay in delivery to customers as being caused by operational problems without reporting the incident to the authorities. 
  [pause strong] At the end of the year the so-called *Rain of Gold* begins. The thieves land gold with deorbiters in remote areas collecting the cargo. These unregistered landings attract the attention of civil and military authorities worldwide. After three weeks in which the authorities try to negotiate with Seren-Enterprises, units of the Space Guard try to land on the comet. There, they encounter strong resistance and are repelled. 
  [pause strong] Now the hijackers change their tactics. They drop gold to the Earth, again into uninhabited areas, but now uncontrolled and without deorbiters. Much of the gold vaporizes as it enters the atmosphere. Drops of molten gold and nuggets rain down over wide areas starting a gold rush in the Sahara, Alaska, Siberia, and Australia. 
  [pause strong] The thieves land a total of 9,000 metric tons of gold. This accounts for about one percent of the world's gold reserves at the time. The world becomes aware that any organization in the future will be able to bring almost any amount of precious metal to the Earth. The price of gold collapses. 
  [pause strong] It quickly becomes known that 2,000 metric tons of gold had already been sold at the old market prices via futures contracts. The total value is equivalent to the gross national product of a small country. Later it turns out that the real purpose of the asteroid theft was not to sell gold, but to manipulate the markets, were the thieves probably earned much more. 
  [pause strong] In the chaos caused by the *Rain of Gold* the thieves leave the asteroid. Their identity remaining in the dark. Some facts point at state actors. There are many leads and clues, but no clear evidence. The real masterminds will never be revealed. 
  [pause x-strong] This was, Galactic Developments, Year, 21 74