HELIOS EXTRACTION CORP: OPERATIONAL MANUAL

VERSION: 1.0.4 // STATION: THE BELT

PREPARED BY: YUKI (Recruitment & Retention)

I. OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE: FROM THE OFFICE OF DIRECTOR H. VANE

TO: All Contracted Personnel

SUBJECT: The Value of the Core

Crew,

They say the Belt is empty. They say it’s a graveyard of cold rock and wasted time. At Helios, we know better. We know that beneath the crust of every asteroid lies the marrow of the future—the isotopes that power the inner planets and the minerals that build our civilizations.

But resources are only as valuable as the hands that pull them from the dark. Whether you are a Driller, a Trainer syncing with our K9 units, or a Listener monitoring the silence, you are more than a line on a manifest. You are an asset. And Helios protects its assets.

Read this manual. Learn the protocols. Respect the equipment. The rocks do not offer second chances, and neither does the vacuum. Do your job, keep your sensors clean, and there will always be a cold glass of bourbon waiting for you at the end of the shift.

— Director H. Vane

CEO, Helios Extraction Corp.

II. DIVISIONAL OPERATING PROCEDURES

1. THE DRILLER (HEC-DRL-09)

  • Vibration Patterns:
    • High-Frequency Chattering: Quartz vein. Increase RPM; decrease pressure.
    • Rhythmic Thumping: Gas pocket. IMMEDIATE CEASE. Vent the bore.
    • Low-End Growl: Ideal extraction flow. Maintain steady torque.
  • Safety Note: If your haptics start vibrating in a 'heartbeat' pattern, that’s a pressure pocket. Back off, or you’ll be digging your own grave with a melted rig.

2. THE DOG TRAINER (HEC-K9-LOG-04)

  • The Neural Link: You feel a "ping" for pain and a "shove" for limb loss.
  • Behavioral Calibration:
    • Fixed Point Staring: Sensor Ghosting / Static. Reboot optical array.
    • Erratic Digging: Mineral Overload. Adjust 'Scent' Sensitivity.
    • Whimpering (Digital): Data Packet Loss. Manual Cache Clear.
  • The Kill-Switch: Located under the chassis plating (The "Collar"). If you have to use it, you’re buying the tech-crew a round of drinks.

3. THE LISTENER (HEC-SIG-INT-09)

  • Signal Classification:
    • Bore-Echo: Filter out (Standard Drill Noise).
    • The "Hollow": Rhythmic, melodic pulsing. PRIORITY 1. Record and isolate.
    • The Ghost: A signal that responds to your thoughts. Report to Psych-Div.
  • The Malady: Auditory Pareidolia. If the static starts calling you by name, turn off the headset, grab a synthetic bourbon at the Lounge, and don't come back for twelve hours.

III. STATION SCHEMATIC: LEVEL 1 (THE HUB)

  • The Synthetic Lounge: Social core. Dim amber LEDs, bolted furniture, and the recruitment kiosk.
  • The Kennels: Inductive floor plates for K9-Unit charging near the airlocks.
  • The Whisper Box: Lead-lined, soundproofed corner for Listeners. Silence is mandatory.

IV. CONTRACTOR SERVICE AGREEMENT

By accepting a bunk on Station: The Belt, you acknowledge that you are an asset of Helios Extraction Corp. You agree to prioritize mineral extraction and adhere to all divisional protocols, including haptic alerts and mental health resets. Unauthorized circulation of station schematics or audio logs is strictly prohibited.

PROPRIETARY PROPERTY OF HELIOS CORP – DO NOT CIRCULATE

THE DRILLER: HEART OF THE OPERATION

If you aren't afraid of high-pressure environments and the smell of hydraulic fluid, the Driller division is your calling. As a driller, you are the tip of the spear, operating the massive HEC-DRL-09 rigs to pierce the frozen crust of the Belt's richest asteroids. You’ll need a steady hand and a sharp ear to master the "heartbeat" haptics of the thermal bits. It’s dangerous, dirty, and loud—but without the drillers, the worlds below go dark. Are you ready to move the rocks?

Driller

THE DOG TRAINER: SYNC AND SURVIVE

Some people work better with a partner—even if that partner is made of reinforced steel and sensors. As a Dog Trainer, you’ll neural-sync with our V-4 "Iron Hound" units to scout unstable terrain and locate mineral veins before the heavy rigs move in. You’ll feel what they feel: the ping of discovery or the shove of danger. It requires a unique mental discipline to manage a scout unit on the edge of a vacuum. If you have the focus to lead the pack, the Kennels are waiting.

Dog Trainer

THE LISTENER: VOICES IN THE VOID

The Belt isn't as silent as people think—you just have to know how to listen. In the Listener division, you’ll operate from the soundproofed isolation of the "Whisper Box," monitoring sub-space frequencies and bore-echoes for anomalies. You are the station's early warning system, hunting for the rhythmic pulse of "The Hollow" or the elusive signals of the deep. It’s a role for the patient, the observant, and the mentally resilient. If you can handle the solitude and the secrets of the static, we need your ears.

Listener