The Billem-Hunt Disaster

Billem and Hunt were 2 moderately populated asteroids with around 50,000 population each. They were located rather near each other and had significant trade between them along with others in the system to maintain the population. They both provided home bases for thousands of miners and their families along with repair and refining operations. Although the technology exists to travel the stars, there are still some mathematical problems that are too difficult to solve, or at least in time to avert disaster. No one realized or analyzed the danger that these two asteroids posed to each other and that they would actually pass near each other during the time that they would be inhabited by sentient beings. One of the odd aspects of Hunt was it's strong local gravity. Used to advantage by the inhabitants, it was favored by those who weren't used to or easily adapted to work in low gravity. During one of Dalkit 422 C's periodic high energy bursts, the gravity and magnetic fields became intertwined with that of Hunt and Hunt started to break up. In addition to devastating the population of Hunt, a large portion was ejected on a collision course with Billem and caused a complete disentigration of that asteroid also, obliterating all facilities and population before any substantial rescue could be brought to bear. There were only a few dozen survivors from either asteroid as the devastation happened so quickly. As a consequence, most asteroids now have life bubbles available for every inhabitant and visitor.

Manifestation

Despite all attempts to avoid a collision, when two asteroids collide it can be devastating. Not just for the asteroids directly involved, but also for any ships or other asteroids or colonies in the area that may be affected by the debris created by the collision.

Type

Natural