Discovery

by Paul Rix

  Georgia was sitting up in her bed again, back in her own quarters. Reaching out for the water bottle she always kept nearby, she took several large gulps and calmed herself down. Even though she knew it was only a dream, there was no way she could go back to sleep again. The clock confirmed it was nearly five o'clock anyway, and she had set her alarm for five thirty. She took two deep breaths and sat with her back resting on the wall trying to remember the details from her dream. It had been so real with colors, sounds and smells as if she was actually inside an alien spacecraft. How could she have imagined something so vivid? Where had aliens originated in her mind?

  Georgia idly rubbed her shin where the bone had been broken in her dream and was shocked to find a raised line of skin. She didn't remember ever having an operation on her leg! She hastily turned the light on next to her bed for a better look. With a mixture of fear and disbelief, she could see a six-inch-long scar halfway down her shin. She rubbed it again, the contours feeling strange under her fingers. How was it possible to not remember ever having that scar? And why was it exactly where she had dreamed it would be?

  Something was wrong, and this time she was truly afraid.

  Trying to keep her panic under control, Georgia climbed out of bed and wandered down the corridor toward Megan's quarters. The corridor was bathed in a soft green light from LEDs in the ceiling, just bright enough to guide people at night. At this early time there was no one else around.

  Georgia tapped gently on Megan's door, but there was no sound of movement inside.

  "Megan," she whispered loudly. "I need you to check my records. I've found something"

  "Now?" came the tired reply from someone who was still half asleep. That was enough of an invitation for Georgia to open Megan's door and turn the light on. "Yes, I have a scar on my shin but I'm sure I've had no surgery. I had just dreamed about it. How can that be?"

  Megan sat up in her bed, flinching and put her arm across her eyes to shield them from the sudden light. "Calm down, Georgia. You're not making sense. I'll check for you but let me wake up properly first. Come and see me in thirty minutes. And bring a coffee with you. You know how I like it."

  Georgia reluctantly left and sat alone in the galley, going over the dream several times but finding no answers to the questions bouncing around her head. After twenty minutes, she filed a large mug with coffee, added two sugars and walked down to the medical center. She thought she could hear someone in the showers but there was still no movement from the rest of the crew.

  Megan was still in her sleep suit with her hair unkempt and looking at Georgia's medical records as she took the coffee offered to her. "There's nothing here to suggest you've ever injured either leg. I can see a distal radius fracture, or broken wrist to you, when you were nineteen but that's all. Perhaps it happened when you were a child. Let me look."

  "I broke my wrist when I fell from my horse. It was my fault that time, but I've generally been lucky with injuries," Georgia said as she rolled up her right trouser leg. Pointing, she added, "At the front, halfway down."

  Megan leaned over to examine Georgia's leg. "Yes, it definitely looks like you've broken your shin bone at some time, and it's pierced your skin. It would have been a massive trauma, so I'm surprised you don't remember. Especially as this wouldn't have happened when you were a child. It's also odd that nothing has been picked up in your medical records. You are full of surprises at the moment."

  Georgia told Megan about the strange content of her dreams. Megan was at a loss to explain the link between the scar and Georgia's visions. "You've been under a lot of stress lately. What with worry about the tumors and getting the base ready. Perhaps you've been suppressing the memory of the broken leg and it's suddenly come into your consciousness. The brain works in mysterious ways."

  "But the dreams were so real. I could swear I was actually in an alien ship. And the scar isn't a dream. It's real and physical."

  "Let me take a quick scan and forward it to Ground Control to compare against your medical records on Earth. I may not have your complete history on file. It won't take them long to let me know."

  "Thanks again, Megan. I know I'm being a pain in the ass at the moment."

  Megan chuckled. "Yes, you are. But it's not like you. Give me fifteen minutes to get dressed and sort this hair out and I'll join you for breakfast in the galley."

  ***

  As the pair of them finished their breakfasts, Megan received notification that she had an important message waiting for her on her computer in the medical facility. "That will be your results. I requested that Ground Control make your examination results their top priority. I believe Captain Winter also followed up with his own demand for urgency."

  Georgia had a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach. Their conversation over breakfast had been light, with Megan successfully taking her thoughts away from the impending results. Georgia had also hoped that she would bump into Jim this morning. She was disappointed that, so far, he had not made an appearance. He probably has some early checks to complete for the captain, she told herself. Now, with the results waiting for her in the medical center, she wanted him with her.

  Megan downed the rest of her coffee and stood up. "Ready when you are," she said, noticing that her friend had suddenly gone quiet.

  "Yes, let's get this done once and for all." Georgia was unable to hide the uncertainty in her voice. She slowly stood and followed Megan back to the medical facility, gray and somber as if she was a convict about to receive a life sentence.

  It surprised Georgia to see Captain Winter sitting in the medical facility. He stood as they entered. "I heard your results are back from Earth and thought you may want some support."

  "Thank you, sir," was all that Georgia could stammer.

  Megan opened up her computer screen to see there were two messages for her. "What do you want to hear first? Tumors or scar?"

  Georgia didn't have to think about that one. "Tumors!" This was the big life or death issue. The scar was just a minor mystery in comparison. She watched Megan open and read the response from Ground Control. Her heart sank as she saw Megan stare wide eyed at her screen and put her hand to her mouth in shock before bursting into tears.

  Captain Winter must have seen it too because Georgia was aware of his reassuring arm around her.

  "How bad is it, Megan? I need to know," she said.

  Megan took a few seconds to compose herself before she could speak. Each second was like an eternity to Georgia but to the astonishment of both Georgia and the captain, Megan started laughing through her tears. "It's good. The tumors have gone. You were right. You're clear of cancer!" Megan came around from behind her desk and the three of them hugged and sobbed for joy, their tears flowing uncontrollably.

  Eventually they pulled apart and Megan continued. "The oncologists do not understand how this has happened. Your cure is an absolute miracle. Which means you must undergo more tests here and when you return to Earth. The bottom line is, though, the tumors have entirely disappeared. There're no shadows on your scans or abnormalities in your blood. If I didn't know better, I'd doubt you ever had any glioblastoma tumors."

  "Surely the specialists have some idea," said Captain Winter. "I'm not an expert but I know that cancer doesn't simply disappear with no treatment."

  "You're absolutely right. The oncologists have said little in their response. I'm sure they'll be scratching their heads over this one. There will be plenty of research to find the answer."

  "So, I'm cured. I'm not going to die on this planet." Georgia was still trying to absorb the news. Her instincts had been right. She didn't care how it had happened. Now it was time to celebrate life again. "Does that mean I'm back on duty?" she asked, looking at Captain Winter with a huge grin on her face.

  Winter looked at Megan, waiting for a nod of approval. "I guess so. I can't think of a good reason to wrap you up any longer. I trust you won't become unbearably smug about being proved right.

  "I can't prom
ise anything at this moment," laughed Georgia, almost giddy.

  Meanwhile, Megan was reading the second message from Earth. "This isn't possible either," she said, shaking her head in disbelief yet again. "There's nothing in your medical records regarding your leg. More bizarrely still, the scar tissue is fresh. No more than seven to ten days old, apparently. And I can see from the X-ray that your bone is still healing too. Which means you broke your leg since we arrived on Mars. What the hell is going on with you?"

  Georgia and the captain were equally dumbfounded. The issue seemed insignificant after discovering her cancer had gone but Georgia's instinct was telling her the two matters were linked. They had to be.

  Georgia repeated her dreams to the captain and explained the scar on her leg. "I've been having the dreams for about three nights. Each time it's the same dream but with more clarity. It looks like I'm on one of the supply ships. It ends with me in a strange room with alien creatures. Every time, it's the same two aliens in there with me. I don't believe they're native Martians, but I can't tell you why."

  The captain looked astounded. Georgia re-writing the rule book at the moment and he couldn't ignore anything she said. "In this dream, you believe that the aliens healed your leg. You're sure you've not broken your leg before?"

  "I'm not imagining this. It feels more like a memory than a dream." Georgia was finding it difficult to explain. She had not given the dreams much thought. Her cancer had taken over her life in recent days and her head was still spinning with the news of her instant recovery. She paused for a moment, to run through the details of her dreams and see if she could remember any more details. "It may sound farfetched but what if I didn't faint when I went to Challenger? And my dreams really happened. What if the aliens exist and they healed my broken leg when I went missing?"

  Megan shook her head. "If your dream is real, you would have fallen nearly eighty feet to the ground and broken more than just your leg. I'd have expected multiple contusions and internal trauma. You wouldn't have survived."

  "Yes, I know that." Georgia's mind was spinning as she tried to fit the pieces of the puzzle together. "Maybe the aliens fixed more than just my leg. They could have performed some type of total body scan and repaired all my other injuries as well."

  "And removed your tumors? Are we considering this as likely? That Martians or aliens exist and are watching us? It's more than just a little farfetched. Why did they choose you? Why don't you remember what happened?"

  "Agreed, captain. I can't answer any of those questions. But do you have a better alternative?" Georgia looked to Megan for any kind of support, but she was not ready to give any kind of opinion.

  The captain also looked as if he was totally out of his depth." I don't have an answer. I won't discount anything. But intelligent and advanced alien life is a huge leap of imagination. If they really exist, then I don't know if I'm thrilled or scared witless. Doctor, you've been quiet for a while. What are your thoughts?"

  "Honestly, sir? It's possible Georgia may be on to something. I can't explain the tumors or her broken leg that has been miraculously cured. Her recovery is so implausible that alien intervention is almost the most rational answer. I'm not saying that is the only explanation. But I don't have a better one."

  The captain stood silently for several moments, assessing his available options. Finally, he had to admit that he needed more facts. "There's enough evidence to give some credence to that theory. If it's true, then that opens up a whole new set of problems. I need to get guidance from Ground Control on what we do next. How do I inform the crew without causing panic? If aliens exist, are they Martians or from somewhere else entirely? I, for one, am already worried that we are being monitored by an advanced alien species. For the time being, we keep this quiet."

  Georgia sat there stunned. The existence of aliens would explain a great deal about her new lease of life. The past few days had been a rollercoaster of emotion and she was overwhelmed by the experience.

  Captain Winter clapped her on the shoulder. "Georgia, I understand that your cancer recovery is momentous, and I am sure you want to share it with the whole crew. Can you wait until I have spoken with Ground Control? We'll need to create a plausible explanation for your cure."

  Chapter 47

  It took Ground Control over eight hours to reply to Captain Winter's report on the possible existence of aliens and their involvement in the cure of Georgia's cancer. The response, classified TOP SECRET, came in a video and forty-five pages of detailed instruction on what information they could share and with whom.

  General Stockton's video summed up the thoughts from Earth. The general looked somber as he sat upright with his arms resting on the desk in front of him. He was flanked on either side by Mission Director James Ford and Chief Medical Officer Deborah Grainger.

  Winter had gathered Commander Anders, Doctor Betts, the chief, Professor Redmayne and Georgia in the control room to watch the message, although he had not shared the reasons why. The six of them sat expectantly in front of the monitor.

  "Captain Winter," began the general. "Thank you for your report this morning. As you expected, it garnered a great deal of interest here and at the White House. There had been much conjecture from Doctor Grainger's team around Pyke's miraculous medical recovery. Her test results sent through yesterday astounded the whole team and were double-checked to ensure there had been no mistakes." The general paused and looked across to Doctor Grainger who continued.

  "Captain, none of my specialists has been able to offer any explanation for the sudden and complete remission of Pyke's multiple glioblastoma tumors. We compared her previous results when the tumors were clearly present. There is no way that she should ever have recovered, let alone so quickly. Then, as if one puzzle was not sufficient, Doctor Betts sent through a second with the request to examine Pyke's medical history for a fractured tibia, together with a scan of what appears to be a very recent injury."

  In the Alpha command room, Georgia could sense Jim and Redmayne glance at her as they tried to absorb the news about her health. She ignored the attention and focused hard on the screen.

  The general coughed to interrupt. "It's fair to say that Doctor Grainger and her team are embarrassed at their failure to provide any reasonable answers or explanations on Pyke's latest condition. We worked overnight and consulted the most eminent global experts, all to no avail. It was determined that we have to carry out a detailed research program to understand if there is a local cause and if there is any associated danger to the crew."

  The mission director carried on. "No one considered the possibility of alien intervention. Not until we received your latest report. Pyke's account of her dreams, linked to her recovery, makes a compelling story to explain what may have happened to her. While we are not conceding that intelligent extra-terrestrial life exists, it is considered a highly possible scenario at the moment. It fills in a lot of gaps. But it also leads to several concerns and questions.

  We've spent several hours briefing the president and the United Nations in a session behind closed doors. They are extremely worried about what impact the news will have on the public. There was unanimous agreement that there would be panic and global instability. With no hard evidence it would be reckless at this stage to mention the possibility of alien life on Mars."

  The general interrupted yet again. "We have drafted an emergency protocol that comes into effect immediately. It expressly forbids anyone associated with the mission from publicly sharing any news on Pyke's health, her dreams, or any speculation about an alien presence. I'm sorry but that means we will monitor all your personal transmissions to loved ones on Earth. For the time being at least. A copy of protocol has been sent to you to share and implement with the whole of Expedition Two. There are no exceptions. I will release a more detailed version over the next few days.

  "Should intelligent alien life exist and be observing you, we have no idea what their intentions are. If Pyke is correct and they are nearby i
t would appear that they want to keep themselves hidden. The last thing we want to do is antagonize an advanced civilization. Which means you are not to actively seek out the aliens in an attempt to confirm their existence. We cannot know what the reaction might be. At the moment, they are taking a passive role and we should keep it that way. If Pyke did encounter them, it was likely an accident. Even if they are responsible for her recovery you should proceed with extreme caution. Too much is at stake."

  Mission Director Ford nodded. "We designed these protocols for your protection, as well as the safety of Earth. We need to prepare properly for first contact, if that's around the corner. I know we're asking a lot of you and your crew to continue as if nothing has changed but I'm sure you understand. Good luck."

  The image on the screen froze as the message ended.

  Captain Winter leaned back in his chair, unsurprised by the orders. There was a stunned silence from his senior crew. "Any questions?" he asked.

  There were plenty, particularly from Anders and Redmayne who both wanted to know about Georgia's health and why there was so much talk about aliens.

  Georgia patiently recounted her experiences over the past few days to a disbelieving audience. She noted that Jim was the only one that congratulated her on her recovery. He looked genuinely pleased for her and she felt a pang of guilt that she'd been unable to share her good fortune sooner.

  Anders and Redmayne were angry that the captain had kept them out of the loop. Redmayne, in particular, was adamant he should have been told. "Captain, if Georgia had an encounter with intelligent life, it affects all of us. As chief scientist on this mission, it falls on me to study any alien life, from bacteria upwards. This could be a momentous discovery for humankind and you're hiding behind bureaucrats millions of miles away on Earth."

  "There are processes that we all have to follow. Even you," replied Winter, who was becoming increasingly agitated by Redmayne's arrogance. "You heard that the United Nations is concerned about the public reaction. Don't you agree that this information needs to be controlled? Especially when we have no hard evidence. There could easily be an entirely different reason for Georgia's recovery. Why needlessly stir up public paranoia?"