by Gary Weston
'Thanks, Dad.'
The big man grinned and a flash of pride showed in his green eyes. 'I'm winding you up. I am extremely proud of you. Thanks for looking after Fawn for me, Craggy.'
'She earned her tickets. She's a natural.'
Forbes interrupted the reunion. 'Lance. You have a report for me about Earth?'
'For your ears only.'
Forbes said, 'Off to my office, then. I'll drop you two off on the way.'
* * *
Forbes locked his office door and told admin to hold all calls.
'Lance?'
'Not good.'
'I'd be surprised if it was. I'm listening.'
'The solar storm didn't help. We got info in bits and drabs. The West is up to something.'
Forbes said, 'The West is always up to something. So is the East. Are you talking about something new?'
'Some new weapon. They're plotting to take over the East with it. They can't even feed each other, they're ravished by drought, dropping like flies with diseases, and what do they do? Spend their time making new weapons and killing each other.'
Forbes agreed. 'Earth makes no sense whatsoever to me, these days. As long as we get that laser powered steelworks here, they can do what they damn well want to, as far as I'm concerned.'
'Okay. If you don't mind, I'd like to see Fawn. Or should that be Captain Fawn.'
'You're as pleased as punch with her. Get the hell out of here.'
Chapter 25
'Mars.'
Freighter Captain Dillow said, 'Dad. It isn't that far away. Well, actually it is. But what choice do I have?'
'Not Earth, that's for sure. The Moon?'
'Seriously?'
'Thirty or forty years from now, Moon will be a little paradise.'
Fawn said, 'Mars already is. Have you been there?'
'Not for a few years. Is that monkey man still there?'
'Foreman. The GenMop man. No. Dad. Craggy said...'
'Craggy? What you do has nothing to do with that old fossil.'
Fawn flared up. 'That old fossil took half a dozen space walks to get us and the haul safely here. He's one of the best. And he was right. The future is Mars and I intend to be a part of it.'
Lance agreed. 'Craggy's right. I Just hate to admit to myself what everyone knows. The Earth is over and those who remain must carry on without it the best we can.' He stared at his daughter. 'You look so much like your mother.'
'I'll take your word for that. I never met her.'
'She held you for just a few minutes before she died. I was a mess. Overjoyed at your birth and distraught holding your mother's hand as she slipped away. But I remember the look on her face, in her eyes. She was in such terrible pain, but she was smiling at you. She had to endure that pain so you could be born. Then she kissed you, smiled at me and she was gone.'
Fawn went to her father's side. 'Dad.'
He stroked his daughter's hair, 'And now I feel like I'm losing you, going off to live on Mars.'
'Dad. You'll never lose me. Besides. I intend to be hauling freight for two or three years. I'll be catching up with you here, like we are now.'
He smiled at her. 'She would have been so proud of you, as am I.'
'Thanks, Dad.'
Chapter 26
It was full on, on Moon. The new ship was still being prepared, the pods of marsillium being loaded in anticipation of the technicians having the computers ready for the launch date. At the same time, Cragg's old ship was broken up for spare parts and Fawn Dillow was showing Craggy her brand new freighter.
'Isn't she gorgeous?'
The ship was a thing of beauty. It brought it home to Craggy just how ancient his old ship had been. The deck was light and airy and well thought out.
Craggy hardly recognised the controls. 'You know how all this works?'
'I had plenty of simulation training so it's all familiar to me. I'm booked in for a test flight in a day or so. Care to come with me?'
Cragg was surprised at the invitation. 'Me?'
'I need a copilot by law. Of course, I thought of you. Just round the Moon a couple of times. I know I've had a few hours in the simulator but there's nothing like the real thing.'
'I'd be honoured to go with you. Thank you.'
Dillow said, 'If the test flight pans out, the ship gets to take the new designed pods to Mars. I'll miss you, Craggy.'
'You'll be fine.'
'I told Dad about me wanting to live on Mars.'
'Was he cool about it?'
Dillow shrugged. 'He knows it's for the best.'
'That's not what I asked.'
'I told him I'd be hauling freight for a few years, so I'd still see him.'
'Make sure you do.'
* * *
'Look,' said Cragg. 'I know technically, I'm your designated copilot, just don't actually expect me to be able to fly this gizmo, okay?'
Dillow chuckled. 'Sit down and buckle up.'
'Yes, captain.'
'Captain Fawn Dillow, requesting flight clearance.'
'Clear to go, captain.'
'Thanks, Carlos.'
'Shouldn't you fire up the thrusters?'
'Just did. Quiet, yeah?'
'Shit. I thought I'd gone deaf in my old age.'
The new ship was as smooth as it was quiet. Craggy watched mesmerised as Dillow's fingers flew over the consul. They were all touch-less controls, responding to her gentle hand movements. Many of the controls weren't even identified. Dillow just knew after minimum training, what and where they were.
He used to think he had a symbiotic relationship with his old ship, but this was the melding of machine and human. Dillow was one with her ship. He sat back to enjoy the test ride. Dillow activated the heat shield five times, and it opened and retracted perfectly, ensuring entry through the Martian atmosphere would be trouble free.
When they landed and Dillow shut down, Craggy said, 'That was great.'
Dillow hugged him and kissed his cheek. 'Want me to bring you beer back from Mars?'
'You damn well better do.'
Chapter 27
'Are you absolutely damn sure, Stella?'
'Commander Forbes. We have given the computer systems a one hundred hour workout. And that was after ironing out bugs.'
'Right. I'll have her winched up the launching slope. We launch on time. Noon tomorrow.'
At noon the next day, Stella was there at the slope, along with half the Moon Base personnel, a kilometre back behind the safety barriers. The seconds were counted down. With five to go, the plasma engines fired up. They built up power and on zero, the locks let go. It flew down the slope, then up the other side, to go free like some dove of peace. As the crowd cheered and the ship became a white blip out in space, Forbes wished it was a huge beautiful bird of peace. The Earth sure needed one.
'So far so good, Stella.'
'A long way to go yet, Commander. '
'Yeah. Oh. Dillow. Are you ready for your lift off tomorrow?'
Fawn Dillow said, 'Yes. Sir. Can't wait to get going.'
'The pods should be all lined up ready by now. The new designed couplings should prevent a re-occurrence of your last problems.'
'I still need a copilot.'
Forbes said, 'We've a rookie for you. He's just finished basic training.'
'Is he any good?'
'If he isn't, you can make him good.'
'I'll do what I can, Sir.'
Chapter 28
Earth, inside Westmont City, the West.
Chief scientific advisor, Marlon Pinkard said, 'The marsillium is on its way from Moon, Sir.'
The man who spoke was thin; gaunt looking. The man he spoke to, was also thin. In a world of famine and drought, it didn't pay to be a leader and look fat. The starving wouldn't appreciate it.
'It's all a bit too late, Pinkard.' said West President Fargo Wells.
'Sir. We had no idea of the way we could use marsillium until recently.'
Wells shook his h
ead and sighed. 'I meant too late by decades. It's all over, Pinkard. We both know it.'
'Sir...'
'I'm tired. Like the planet. Tired and dying. The streets outside are full of dead people. Nobody bothers to clean them up anymore.'
Pinkard was well aware of how bad things were outside the sanctuary of the city protected by the extinct volcano. There was little he could do about it. 'So the marsillium? Do we use it?'
Wells buried his head in his hands. He was sick. Sick of waking up each day; president of death and disease. 'Yes. Why the hell not.'
* * *
The computer controlled ship hummed like a bird. It had a seat to fit a human, but it needed no human sitting in it. It was a two and a half day flight to Earth. It could have done it in half the time, but Forbes had insisted in using half power. “Nice and easy does it for this first time. I'd rather it get there and back in one piece than break any speed records,” he'd said.
It started on its slow orbit around the Earth, out of sight from Moon. Inside, the computer controls turned on and off, the soulless pilot not “feeling” the journey; the empty seat a travesty of a vital component missing from the whole.
It was a one off, to some an abomination, a billion dollar bird taking a payload to a dying planet. It circled like a bird of prey, hungry, looking for something to kill and consume. One more circumnavigation and it would strike.
Chapter 29
'Of course it's safe,' said Angus.
Fawn Dillow stared at the hirsute Angus, buried in a bush of red hair filling up much of his helmet, and then back at the cradle. Most of it had been rebuilt. The wrecked tug, grabber and pod had been completely removed. Nothing went to waste on Moon, and every part of the tug and grabber had been stripped to be reused and recycled.
The four pods to take to Mars were already on the cradle. She could see the new connecting arrangement to link the pods in the train. It looked well designed and solidly built; impossible for a wayward stone to become trapped and cause havoc. A young man in a spotless suit, helmet so shiny it hurt the eyes, nervously walked up to them. When he saluted, Dillow almost burst out laughing.
'Rocky Ramshorn, reporting for duty.'
'At ease, Ramshorn,' said Dillow, keeping her face straight.
'I'll leave you two to become acquainted,' said Angus with a “good luck” wink at Dillow, and then he walked away.
Dillow studied the rookie. He was tall; slightly taller than she was. He looked as if he had endeavoured to add muscle to a naturally lean frame, and not quite succeeded. She put the serious expression down to his nervousness at finally being able to put his intensive training to good use.
'So. Ramshorn. Completed your basic training.'
'Yes, Captain. Top of my class.'
'Score in the simulator?'
'A ninety two average,' said the rookie, proudly.
'Excellent.' She had only managed an eighty five average. She would keep that to herself.
Ramshorn was staring at the pods. 'Any idea what's in them?'
'Not a clue. Does it matter?'
'I guess not. Where's the ship?'
'Having a final check over. We'll fly her over to pick up the pods in the morning. Can you cook?'
It wasn't a question he was expecting. 'I live alone, so I have to cook. Can't live just on Base cooking.'
'So true. How old are you, Ramshorn?'
'Nearly twenty.'
'How nearly?'
'Err. I was nineteen three months ago.'
'Close enough.' Dillow already felt like the kid's big sister. Jeez. She wasn't far off being old enough to be the rookie's mother. 'Excited?'
'Are you kidding me? A trip to Mars?'
'It can get a little tedious, you know?'
Ramshorn stared at Dillow in disbelief. The old ship had recorded the adventure of Dillow and Craggy saving the pods and ship, and that was now used as part of the training. With a brand new freighter, how could a trip to Mars be anything but exciting?
Chapter 30
Space Security Commander Lance Dillow sat with a fixed expression at his ship's computers. The ship was still on its pad on Moon. He was with his top technical officer, Wendy Breeze. She was an attractive but dumpy brown-haired girl in her early twenties, and a wizz in the world of surveillance.
'Lance. What we're doing is possibly illegal.'
'I'll take possibly over definitely. Breezy. You heard some of the stuff we picked up on in Earth orbit. The solar storms prevented us getting the full picture, but what we did hear, wasn't good.'
'I could get in serious trouble, spying on Westmont.'
Dillow said, 'Who with? I'm your boss, so not me. The Earth? They're too busy dying down there. Besides, I believe this falls under my jurisdiction and I quote, “to promote and maintain the security and safety of all people in space and on all established space bases”.
'Nothing about Earth in that remit.'
'True. And I may be taking a few legal liberties, but in my view, if anything on Earth could be threatening the security and safety of the rest of us, I think we should know about it, don't you?'
'Okay. We're at the best position to listen in. Are you sure you want to eavesdrop on Fargo Wells himself?'
'In for a penny, in for a pound.'
'In for a what?'
'In for a...never mind. A really old Earth saying. Come on, Breezy. Work your magic.'
The entire wall was a screen. On the screen was a view of the Earth. The swirling familiar blue was not as it used to be.
The oceans were still blue, though not as vibrant as before. The combination of overfishing, too many crude oil accidents, pollution, nuclear fallout, had all but destroyed it. The green of the rainforests was almost gone. Extensive deforestation had ruined the lungs of the planet beyond the point of recovery. The rainfall was unpredictable and uncontrollable. Where the mighty rivers once flowed, sad trickles barely made it to the sea.
Over ninety percent of the wildlife alive at the start of the twenty first century, had been wiped out near the end of that same century. And those supposed to be the guardians were determined to strangle the last breath from the world.
Breeze said, 'Think he'll be at Westmont?'
'Him and a few thousand mostly useless, worthless individuals who would have no idea what a hard days work meant.'
'Not on your best friends list, I take it. Getting through the mountain is impossible, which is why it was chosen in the first place.'
Westmont was the refuge for a select few thousand. It was inside and deep underneath an extinct volcano, safe from any type of attack, and self sufficient in food and water in the excavated caverns deep in the ground. Every morsel and drop was strictly rationed. All people were underweight, barely shells of what they should be.
Children were prohibited to the number the city could support. The population was dwindling and becoming unsustainable. In the crater of the mountain were the communication dishes and a handful of satellites afforded unreliable communication between the West settlements. Those not considered good enough for the shelter of Westmont were mostly left to fend for themselves in patchy tribes, existing on their wits, often clashing in bloody battles with similar tribes of the East.
It was those privileged ones in Westmont, Breeze homed in on. It was a garble of several messages going off at once. It took all of Breeze's digital dexterity to tune out what she didn't want.
'Let's try this one.'
Something crackled unpleasantly and a croaky voice was saying, '...eleven hours. Supposed to be without a pilot. Your priority is to get the marsillium here. We'll convert it.'
Another voice piped up. 'When does the old steelworks arrive?'
'Don't be stupid. There is no steelworks. They just think there is.'
'But I thought the idea was to supply them with a steelworks in exchange for the marsillium?'
'Not going to happen. Think about it. How the hell were we supposed to get a whole steelworks together? Those typ
e of skills are all but gone.'
'They'll be more than a little annoyed with us when the empty ship returns.'
'And that's what I called about. President Wells and I are in accord. Get us the marsillium and your job is done. Disable the ship, not permanently; just enough so it won't take off. They'll assume some technical problem, so they won't know we conned them.'
'And if...then...I'll ...later.'
'Lost them,' said Breeze, fighting the controls.
'Sons of bitches,' growled Dillow. 'We've been robbed. You keep listening in. Make me a copy of that. I'm off to see Commander Forbes. He needs to know this.'
Chapter 31
Forbes listened to the recording three times without interruption. 'We've been stitched up. I knew things were bad, but not this bad.'
Lance Dillow said, 'I don't get this marsillium thing. What's that about? I'm no scientist, but I thought that stuff was just a fireproof material. Capable of withstanding incredible heat.'
'So did I. We've been experimenting on making even better spray on coatings with it. We have the latest version of it on that new ship.'
'You won't get that back, by the sound of it,' said Dillow, sourly.
'That stinks. They clearly won't use it. They haven't the skills to turn it into a missile. If they were thinking of coming here in that ship, bringing their diseases, you have my blessing to blast them straight to hell. If the lying shits aren't supplying us that laser powered steelworks, they could at least do the decent thing and send the ship back to us.'
Lance Dillow was saying, 'I'd love to know what was really ...' when there came a knock on the office door.
'Enter,' said Forbes.
A breathless Wendy Breeze entered, her helmet under her arm. 'Commanders. Sorry to interrupt.'
'Out with it, Breezy,' said Forbes.
'The West plan to make a weapon out of the marsillium to wipe out the East, once and for all.'
'Idiots,' said Forbes. 'Marsillium isn't weapon material. A possible protection from attack with its heat resistant properties, but not as a weapon.'