The Bureau s agent in place on Shangrila has managed to acquire a set of papers allowing the team to prospect in the system, and in his cover identity as a factor for a large trading concern he has been able to hire a modified cutter for the team's use. He is responsible for its upkeep, and will pay the rental fees for the team.

The cutter is a 50-ton small craft capable of 4G acceleration, with two tons of fuel, and a crew of two, pilot and rider. It mounts a pulse laser (firing at -1 to hit in combat) for mining purposes, and its 30-ton play load space, normally committed to one of a variety of detachable modules, now holds an asteroid mining module worth perhaps Cr2,000,000, while the cutter itself is worth Cr28,000,000. It has 1.5 tons of space available for carrying whatever supplies the team feel are necessary, while within the module are six rather cramped cabins, facilities for skimming fuel from gas giant or other wilderness source, 10 ton hold for samples of ore, a small laboratory for analysis the ores, and an additional 4 tons of fuel tankage, allowing the cutter to go 12 weeks between refuelling under normal circumstances. 0ne ton of supplies will cost Cr50,000 and last for 285 man-weeks.

The mining module is second hand and obsolescent, as is the cutter; this is perfectly in character for a group of penurious asteroids miners.