“Mars is a dump,” Luther said. “The factories are rough. It feels like none of the security staff enforces anything, and the Corps do some shady business. The Sage city is nicer, but not by much.”
“You worked for Lotus. How often did their CEO visit?” Holland asked him.
“My nondisclosure stipulates I can’t discuss him or the company, but…between us, never. He loathed it more than anyone. Said it was a waste of time and resources, but they had to put on a show. When you’re the third largest Corporation on Earth, and you have the rights to almost half of Mars, you don’t squander it.”
My dad was here on Mars, and I hated to hear about the appalling conditions. I still hadn’t been updated on his transfer to SeaTech and decided to send Bryson a message the moment we landed. We’d been in contact with our boss over the duration of the flight, but only in small doses. He wanted us to focus and not be distracted by him.
Race camera drones followed us, and I spotted two of them hovering near the front of my Racer. Being constantly filmed wasn’t something I was used to. It was so invasive. The camera drones were diminutive, the size of a ThermaSuit helmet, with pulsing thrusters, and visors across their sphere-shaped front ends.
The people of Lotus were gathered near the parking pad, a portable dome erected around them. At best guess, all forty thousand workers were present, cheering their team as Lotus walked from their ship and toward the crowd, their captain Chen Wei smiling and raising an arm. I saw this from afar and heard the commentary from Holland’s screen behind me.
“Look at the reception. The Race is a hit, and the people are in love with it. What a privilege and honor for the great Lotus to host the Mars Pod Race. This is a testament to Sage Industries, who were the obvious choice to accommodate the event. Kudos to Sage’s CEO Frank Under for having the class to step aside to let Lotus bloom.” Yon was embracing his role as lead commentator a little far for my tastes.
The other five Racers were already grounded, and I flew into sixth position, the SeaTech trident displayed on the landing pad.
“Well, team, congratulations on making it this far. We kept a good pace, and Sage only has a couple hours’ advantage on us.” I smiled at my companions as I faced them. Two hours was a lifetime in a Race like this, but errors could occur. “Now let’s connect with Bryson, and then Luther and Holland can scope out the race terrain. Our Pod is expected to be delivered within two hours.”
Holland hugged Jade, then Luther, and stopped at R11, eventually shaking the robot’s hand. “We did it, guys. Dad’s going to be so proud of us. I hope I don’t fail us tomorrow. Two teams are being cut. That’s a lot of pressure.”
“Don’t think of it that way, kid,” Luther said. “There are nine teams, and you just have to be seventh or better. You can’t worry about winning.”
I didn’t think that was the pep talk Holland Kelley needed, but I’d speak to him later. “You guys want to stay around for the call with Bryson?”
“Of course,” Holland exclaimed.
I connected using Jade’s new integrated communication hub, and the SeaTech CEO’s face appeared in an instant. He was in his office below the water’s surface, and sat at his desk with the ocean displayed through a vast window behind him. “Number eleven. Well done.” His smile was genuine, but his words were a little forced. “You’ve made us all proud.”
“Thanks. This isn’t quite what I was expecting. But in spite of that, we’re having fun,” I said.
“The Corporations haven’t put out many surprises so far.” Bryson looked up past the camera. “The only real moves were by you. I’m impressed with what I’ve seen.” He turned toward Holland. “Son, you’re going to do wonderful things tomorrow. I can see it already. Pass that finish line, and we’ll be here cheering you on.”
“I’ll make you proud, Dad.”
“Holland, you already have.”
“Sir, if I may,” Jade said.
Bryson watched thoughtfully. “Go on.”
“You’d asked me to modify the comm system using my Core booster tech, and I’ve done that, but we found something unexpected.” Jade was nervous to tell him, and she glanced at me, seeking her captain’s approval.
“Bryson, let’s cut to the chase. We think we’ve received an alien transmission, and R11 is attempting to untangle it. I’m sending you a copy now. You’re confident this is secure?” I asked.
Bryson went still, his eyes the only thing moving. I could almost hear the gears grinding inside his mind. “Nothing’s safer; go ahead. Wait, what did you say? Alien?”
“Aliens. Transmission. Decoding.”
And he smiled, laughing and pounding his palms on his desk. “We’ve done it. I always knew this day would come. Contact with another race. I’ve been waiting to test your technology ever since learning about it, Jade, but you structured it to work from a Core drive, and without some serious adjustments, I couldn’t find a way to utilize it from the ground. I desired to work with you on a solution when the Race was completed, but you’ve already managed to pick up a transmission. Let me guess… Paedra?”
“How did you know that?” My words were quiet, and the entire bridge filled with a cold tension.
“I’ve told you, we’re not meant to remain on Earth forever. I’ve reached out to the stars my entire life, waiting for this moment. I’ve received whispers from there, but nothing as detailed as what you’ve found. This is a momentous day in our history!”
I was almost swept up in his excitement, but there were too many unknowns. I felt like we were being pulled in a few directions, but I wanted to focus on the Race alone, if possible.
“Why didn’t you ever mention this to me before?” Holland asked him.
“Don’t you remember? Those nights at the tower in Kauai, with you sleeping in the chair beside me while I searched for signs of life?” Bryson glanced toward the window in his office as a fish swam by.
“I guess I do. But you stopped when I was young.”
“I took over from your grandfather and didn’t have time for foolish endeavors. I had real things to accomplish, but I didn’t let go of the hope of a life outside the Corporations and Earth.” Bryson sighed, a quick and hurried sound. “Keep working on the translation, and I’ll see what I can do on my end. I don’t want to show anyone quite yet, but maybe we’ll make some headway.”
“Agreed,” I said. “We’re leaving for the hotel and Race track.”
“Oh, speaking of which,” Bryson started. “I have a surprise for you at the hotel, Arlo.”
What could this possibly be?
“We had some delays extraditing your father. Whatever he was working on for Sage, it created some stirrings when I offered to buy out his contract.” Bryson appeared puzzled, but he broke into a smile. “I hope you have a good visit. He’s departing after the Pod Race tomorrow, and we’ve given him a pass for the event.”
“Thanks, Bryson. I don’t know what to say.” And it was true. I hadn’t been expecting to see my dad, not in our hotel on Mars, of all places.
“Enjoy the evening, and take care of each other. Well done, team.” The feed went dark.
____________
Since hearing the news of my father, I couldn’t wait to arrive at the hotel. We were forced to do a few interviews with the media before being allowed to continue, and we stumbled through the questions with as much grace as we could. By the time we left, I was sure I’d made a complete fool of myself, but I didn’t really care. I just wanted to see my dad.
The hotel was luxurious, at least for Mars. This was where the executives from Lotus would stay when on-planet, and the Racers each took an entire floor, with every member being given a two-bedroom suite. Of course, we were stuck on the second story, befitting our rank before the race began. I noticed how they didn’t put us ahead of the teams behind in the standings. No one here wanted SeaTech involved in their Race; that much was clear.
After a quick shower, I went to the lobby to ask after my dad.
“Dad!” I ran over to him, hugging the big man. He was thinner, but I still felt the strength behind those arms as he embraced me tightly. We split apart, him holding me at arm’s length, as if appraising his boy.
“You look…happy, Arlo.”
Was there a change in me since I’d started this Race? I guessed meeting new friends, and having a real purpose again, had been stimulating. “That’s because I get to see my old man. How have you been?”
His gaze followed past me to the clerk and a few guests walking toward the restaurant bar. “We need to talk. Your room?”
“Sure.”
We chatted amicably about inane things while taking the elevator one story to my suite’s floor. The moment we closed my door, he started pacing the room. I took stock of my dad. He was a big man, three inches taller than me, and built like a girder. His hair was long, and it fell in his eyes as he stared at me from a few feet away. They were the same color as mine, dark blue with green speckles in them, like a galaxy from afar.
“What is it?” I asked.
“Something’s going on, Arlo. And it’s insidious.”
“You’ll have to be a little more specific.”
He sat on the gray couch, and I took a seat across from him, anxious to hear what he had to say.
“Sage. They’re making a weapon, or weapons. I was taken against my will. They only brought their best floor teams, and I barely had a chance to say goodbye to your mother. She was so worried, but neither of us expected I’d be gone so long. Mars…they used to manufacture fundamental building materials out here. Things for the mines in the Belt. But the entire factory floor has been reconfigured. We’re making modifications to ships, and the size of the energy converters for the Core is bigger than anything in production.”
“Meaning?”
“These things are packed to the gills with firepower. We estimate one pulse could destroy a planetoid three kilometers in diameter.”
“War,” I whispered. “Any idea what they’re calling the vessels?”
“They haven’t come out and said it, but we’ve named them Defenders.”
“War is coming,” I said.
“That’s what I’d say, but the strangest thing’s happened. I’ve seen that woman, Octavia Post, walking through the grounds. I had to demonstrate my section to her one day. Explain what we were doing. She seemed pleased.”
“The Board is behind it?”
“I don’t know if they’re behind it, or just supporting the manufacturing, but I’ve also seen representatives from the other top fives. Lotus, Luna Corp, Orion, and Oasis. Arlo, I think they might be uniting.” He spoke cautiously, peering at the door every few seconds as if someone might break in and arrest him.
“I’m surprised they let you go.”
“Me too. I don’t know how you managed to have me restationed, Arlo, but someone must have called in a favor.”
“They didn’t tell you, did they?” I went to the minibar and grabbed a couple of water bottles.
“Tell me what? I know you’re in the Race, and working for SeaTech. How did that happen?” He took the offered drink and sipped it.
“Long story, but I’ve managed to secure you and mom a home at SeaTech,” I told him.
“What? That’s… what will I do there?”
“Nothing. It’s a retirement facility. You’re done, Dad. Time to enjoy life. There are beaches, and great food. Wait until you see the sunrise and smell the place after a rainfall. You’ll—”
“How can we trust them? They’re just another Corporation, Arlo.” He frowned. This wasn’t the reaction I’d been expecting.
“Bryson is different. Or better, at the very least. Mom’s already there waiting for you, Dad. You’ve worked hard your entire existence. Can’t you be happy about this?”
He stared at me like he was trying to unlock the final piece to a difficult puzzle. “I don’t like it.”
His reluctance was starting to worry me. “What? You’d rather stay here and continue making war machines for Sage? Or the Board?”
He stood, the tension drifting from the air when he smiled. It was a grin he’d picked up from his own father, Preston Lewis. “If you trust this Kelley character, that’ll have to be enough for me. And your mother. I’ve watched that woman work tirelessly, and after your...incident, things were tough on her. On us.”
I detested that my attack on the Sage CEO had caused rippling effects to my parents, but I hadn’t considered them while decking Frank Under. “I’m sorry,” I said, probably for the hundredth time.
He dismissed the apology with a wave of his water bottle. “This retirement package makes up for it.”
“I’ve been thinking a lot about Grandpa,” I said.
“That makes sense, with the racing again. He was so damned proud of you, Arlo. Imagine how he’d react to all of this, his protégé taking part in the biggest Race ever created, and Proxima as the prize. There’s some irony in there.”
“How do you mean?” I asked.
He sighed. “Proxima. It’s where my dad was heading when he and his entire crew vanished.”
Preston Lewis had disappeared almost twenty years ago. When the follow-up robot-controlled vessel had searched for them, all it had found were particles of their ship. Someone or something had destroyed them. The news had crushed me, and even thinking about it now caused the room to shrink.
“The best thing I can do to honor him is to win the Race. To gain Proxima’s rights for SeaTech, and to help in the expansion of the human race. It was his dream too.” I recalled all the times Preston would go on about his mission to Proxima. How he’d be one of the first men to step foot on the distant planet. He’d been so excited, thrilled to be part of such a significant assignment.
My dad patted me on the knee. “He’d like that, Arlo.”
“Now tell me about the factory floor, and what exactly you were building,” I said, and listened intently. All I could do was try to win this contest and secure Proxima. Bryson had the right idea. Maybe leaving Earth behind was the best solution.
____________
Dad ended up staying in the guest room, and after several hours of catching up, he left me alone. Holland and Luther would be back from the track, and I sent Jade a message on her Tab to join us for a bite to eat.
The moment I stepped foot in the lobby, I knew it was a mistake.
“If it isn’t the Hawk, looking for a place to perch,” Varn said, laughing with the rest of his team.
“Varn, I’m surprised Sage let you off your ship. What with all the rumors,” I told him, not about to back down to him—or to anyone, for that matter.
“What rumors?” In this light, Varn looked haggard, his eyes dark.
“That you’re romantically involved with your robot,” I finished.
A female teammate of his laughed, but one glare from Varn cut her off.
“Hey, Arlo,” Holland said, walking up behind me. Luther was at his side. Jade arrived from the elevators, and there we were, four against four, the first place and sixth place teams facing off in the lobby.
“Let’s get something to eat,” I told them, choosing to walk directly toward the Sage team.
Varn didn’t budge as I strode by him, shouldering him out of the way. The others followed me, but the Sage crew stepped aside, granting them passage. I smirked at Varn as I passed by and waited for his taunts to continue.
“Give up now. You don’t stand a chance. There’s a reason you retired, Hawk,” Varn called.
I turned, taking the bait. “And why’s that?”
“Because you don’t have the guts to do this anymore. Why else would you be sending the kid to race the Pod instead of yourself? I thought you were the best.” Varn knew how to push my buttons.
“Holland is trained in his… Why am I even talking to you?”
“Because
you like to be in the presence of winners.” Varn chuckled to himself. “I can’t wait to destroy you. I have a feeling SeaTech will be toast once the Pod Race is finished tomorrow, right, Ren?” he asked the woman beside him.
She nodded, arms crossed. “You better believe it.”
Holland didn’t let it bother him. “Come on, guys. I’m hungry.”
And it was over. Nothing wrong with a little banter among competitors.
We ate, and I filled my team in on the news of Sage’s war machines. We discussed what it might mean, and Luther theorized it was for protection against the potential Liberty assault. It was possible, but it felt like overkill, from what my dad had told me.
I sat with my back facing the giant screens showcasing highlights from the Race, and tried not to listen as the various announcers mirrored Varn’s comment, dismissing our chances for the Pod Race. Holland stared at the screen while he finished his food, but his eager attitude was replaced with a quiet and subdued version of himself.
Instead of giving a rousing speech, I let him have the doubts, and offered a few words of encouragement before he entered his suite after dinner. “Don’t listen to what Luther said earlier about coming in seventh. We’re going to win tomorrow.”
He tried smiling, and his posture slackened. “I like the sounds of that.” His stomach grumbled, and he looked down as he clutched at it. “Arlo, I don’t feel good.”
Seventeen
“Welcome to the Pod portion of the Race. This event is sponsored by Auto Shuttle, property of Orion, the number one android-operated taxi service. If you need a ride without the awkward small talk, consider a private pod today. Auto Shuttle: Your destination awaits. Link your PersaTab to learn more.” Octavia Post looked solemn as she read from the prompter, with an Auto Shuttle projection spinning beside her, but when it vanished, she almost glowed with anticipation.
Space Race (Space Race 1) Page 18