Gusts of wind shook the bullhead nearly tipping it over. No one saw value of risking lives while flying over this ice wasteland. Yet, value was here.
Hovering over a section of snow covered ice, the copilot pressed a blue button. Landing lights appeared under the ice surface. Ice cracked away revealing a landing pad.
Slowly descending towards the pad, the bullhead with landing gear out rested the metal surface of the landing pad. The landing pad descended under the ice revealing the real value of this wasteland.
Stopping, a ramp descended from the bullhead. The bullhead cargo door lowered until it touched the surface of the landing pad. Six Atlesian soldiers surrounded a metal handcart. It was a normal prisoner drop off with the package secured by his wrists and ankles to the cart. Heading towards a rail car, they secured the package to the back of the rail car, four soldiers sat up in front of the rail car while other two sat with the package with their legs draped across the midsection of the package.
Transporting was its main function. In its golden days, it hauled miners and equipment. Now, it's prisoners and equipment.
The cart traveled along the track. The package focused on the lights overhead that whizzed by. His right tapped the foot rest each time a light went by.
"Hey, killer," said the guard on his left, "Too bad Major Custer kept your mask and weapon," leaning close to his face, "I would've loved a souvenir," leaning on the package's stomach.
Five light fixtures later and noticing the guards were looking forward, the package arched his body upwards causing the both guards' head to hit a light fixture.
Looking back, "Hey, where did they go?" asked the guard on the left.
No answer. The package continued counting lights. Extra for those remaining.
Reaching their destination, "Eighteen point three miles," mumbled the package matching mileage indicator of the rail car.
Lifting the litter, they rolled him into the Tartarus mines observation deck.
Studying the prisoner, "Adam Taurus," said the warden, "I'm Warden Kerry Miles," noticing the SDC scar covering Adam's left eye, "SDC may have marked you as their property. Here, I'm the law. You wasted your life taking from society. Now you're going to mine dust to payback society until you die."
Turning a circular metal handle clockwise caused Adam's hands to move over his head. Now his hands over his head, a small metal latch secured his wrists together. The latch secured to a hook. Lifted off the litter, Adam hung over the opening in the floor then lowered into the pit.
Stopping the winch, "Let's see what bites," said the Warden.
Stopping few feet from the crystallized ground, Adam studied the circular enclosure. The cells followed a circular ramp towards the observation post.
Mines of Tartarus, the first dust mines of Atlas, grew as dust demands increased. Those who owned it lost it during the Dust Wars.
During the Faunus and Great War, it was used to house prisoners. Veins of dust that existed were mined by the prisoners.
The dust mined was used to control price gorging by dust companies like Schnee Dust Company, a delicate balance waiting to crash when no one is paying an attention.
Listening to the pounding of metal against the crystal echoing around him, Adam witnessed three scavengers emerged from the crevasses between the crystal surface. They stared at his boots, a fine replacement for the rags that covered their feet.
Lifting himself, he was parallel with the chain. Spreading his legs open, he turned his waist counterclockwise. Wrapping the cable around his waist, he slowly went up. Fifteen rotations, he let gravity claim him.
His quick descent caused enough momentum for the latch to snap when he reached the end of the cable.
Landing, his eyes focused on the shock scavengers. Snapping the neck of scavenger swinging a Dig Dug at him, he grabbed the Dig Dug. Turning, the tip of the Dig Dug pierced the second scavenger jumping at Adam. Kicking the dead scavenger at the charging third scavenger, it knocked the third scavenger onto the crystal ground. Pinning his foot against the scavenger's chest, Adam swung the Dig Dug through the scavenger's skull.
Kneeing beside a scavenger, he tore a piece of cloth from a scavenger's shirt. Wrapping the makeshift eye patch over his left eye, he saw a pair boots. Staring up, he saw a prisoner needing a shave and haircut.
"Welcome to Tartarus. I'm the Count. Here there are two types of prisoners. Those with a sense of honor. Those," kicking a groaning scavenger, "with no sense of honor. Which are you?"
Standing up, "I'm passing through," replied Adam walking pass the Count.
Searching through her stacks of books, she still couldn't find her book. Returning to the dorms, she searched under the beds in the dorm and hostel. Where was her book? Detecting humming, she noticed Ruby reading a familiar titled book.
Reading the book spine, "Ruby, is that my book?" asked Blake.
"It is filth!" jumping from her bunk bed, "This is too dirty for my fragile pure brain!"
"Then can I have it back?"
"No!" slapping Blake with the book, "I'm still reading it," walking away from the unconscious Blake.