“Unfortunately, I don’t.”
‘Then all I can do is guess. Four meters. It might be ten centimeters or twenty meters though, too.’
“You think that the hall, with the computers that could start this machine back up again, is sitting four meters below me?”
‘Yes. We’re tramping all over its roof as we speak.’
“So we could see ourselves if we were down there right now?”
‘No. Or probably not. We saw the roof –at different times—as completely transparent or totally opaque. If we can’t see down there right now, then nobody down there could see us either.’
“True. Now what?”
‘Let’s memorize the spot and come back tomorrow.’
“Too bad,” Ewa said.
‘Yes. But we need to give this some thought.’
“Well, I forgot to bring my explosives along anyway.”
‘Sorry about that!’ Friday said.
The air in the cab was frigid, but it was also gloriously refreshing. Ewa had spent the entire day in her suit and enjoyed relaxing in her underwear all the more because of it. She had the drone on her lap. A German lullaby was playing through her head. She had spent six months working as an au pair for a German family.
The song started with ‘Kommt ein Vogel geflogen, setzt sich nieder auf mein’ Fuss, hat ein Zettel im Schnabel...’ Whoever had sent the drone might have had the same lullaby in mind, since she found a note had been inserted in one of its landing legs.
Dear Ewa,
As we feared, the base has been taken by Summers. We heard that the same thing has happened to your MfE crew. All the men have been taken to Mars City. Our communication is being watched. You should not contact us under any circumstances. Summers is searching for you. He wants to put you through a show trial, so stay away.
We have programmed this drone to search for the rover in ever-widening circles. Once you recharge it and push the yellow button, it will find its way back to us. Please write to let us know how you are doing. Summers has no idea where you are, and he won’t learn anything from us. We hope that the situation will eventually change so that you can safely return.
Sarah and Sharon
Ewa leaned back. The situation wouldn’t change, not on its own. She was probably the only person on the entire planet who could still oppose the administrator. But—a highly significant but—she couldn’t take him on with empty hands. She needed something that would strike fear in Summers. A giant mountain that she could move at her command would be just the thing. Ewa imagined herself astride a saddle on top of the mountain, and jabbing her spurs against the extraterrestrial machine. I must indeed be a little crazy, she thought.
Sol 322, MfE Base
“Everyone, please come to the bridge.” The order echoed through the base.
The command was repeated. Rebecca climbed down from the bike. She was sweating and really wanted to take a quick shower, but she hesitated, feeling uncertain. The order came over the speakers again. It wasn’t an alarm-level signal, having been phrased as a request, but it wasn’t a run-of-the-mill order either. Otherwise the computer wouldn’t keep broadcasting it. She donned the jacket of her exercise suit over her sweaty t-shirt and left the workout room. She would obey Ellen’s request.
Even so, she was the last one to arrive on the bridge. Again. The others had already gathered around the small screen. A man’s voice now emerged from the loudspeaker. Summers, the administrator, she realized. Her stomach lurched. What does he want now?
“... back in Mars City,” she heard. “I’m in the amiable company of Mike Benedetti and Lance Leber. The two former NASA astronauts have already declared themselves willing and able to support us in the creation of a new society here in Mars City. Please greet them warmly.”
She could hear spotty applause. Apparently, Summers was speaking to a small number of people at his base. And this was what they absolutely had to be in attendance for? Rebecca walked over to Ellen and tapped her arm. Ellen glanced back at her.
“What’s going on?” Rebecca whispered.
“Wait a moment,” Ellen replied, holding a finger up to her lips.
All this secrecy! Rebecca inflated her cheeks and exhaled noisily. Summers kept going on and on about his heroic acts. Nobody cared about those!
Then, Ellen tapped her. “Now!”
Did Ellen already know what he was going to say? How?
“In addition, I am announcing, effective today, a new accountability regulation,” the administrator declared. “All members of our satellite bases are henceforth required to personally check in with the on-duty security chief once a day. The only exceptions made will be for those whom a doctor or other medical personnel confirm as being sick.”
Rebecca covered her mouth. Damn it! Departing secretly with the rover was now out of the question. Was it a coincidence that Summers was introducing this new policy now, of all times, or had someone informed him about their plans? Rebecca glanced at Ellen. How had she known about the administrator's announcement? She knew their plans! Then again, they all knew what Germaine and Marilou were going to undertake today.
Ellen tapped her once more.
“Furthermore, the use of the vehicles that remain at the satellite bases will be strictly supervised, effective immediately. The key is to be locked up in a room that will be under centralized video surveillance. We are all responsible for acting conservatively with our resources. Of course, this obligation rests especially heavily on those who sit in authority. I do not exclude myself from this purview, and vow to dedicate myself passionately to this task. At the satellite bases, the supervisors will be personally accountable to me. Thank you very much for your attention to this matter.”
More scattered applause. The screen went dark.
“You have all heard what Summers had to say,” Ellen said.
“Loud and clear,” Rebecca replied. “But how did you know about it before us?”
Ellen stared angrily at her. “What are you trying to say?”
“You told me to pay attention just one second before Summers—”
“All he told me beforehand was that we should all listen closely to the conclusion of his speech. That’s all I knew.”
Rebecca massaged her hands. She was unconvinced. They had been lied to and betrayed before by someone they had all trusted. Is Ellen now following in Ewa’s footsteps? Or is all of this making me overly suspicious? Maybe. Innocent until proven guilty, right?
“I see,” Rebecca said in a conciliatory tone. “I didn’t know that. I didn’t mean to accuse you of anything.”
“Good,” Ellen said. “I understand. After what the five of you discussed yesterday, this reaction by the administrator seems very... timely.”
“I don’t mean to come to his defense, but perhaps this simply has to do with the fact that he has gotten back to his home base,” Gabriella speculated.
“Yes, that could be. He has to show that he has everything under control,” Ellen said.
“But what about our trip?” Germaine asked.
“I’m afraid that’s now out of the question,” Ellen replied. “No one can leave here without Summers knowing about it. And the rover has now been quasi confiscated. Marilou, could you please get the key? We have to hang it up somewhere where it can be filmed by a camera.”
“Alright. Does anyone know where it is?”
Nobody spoke up.
“Then I’ll look around in the workshop,” Marilou said.
Rebecca glanced around. A depressed mood had settled over the bridge. Before the announcement, everyone had been chatting with one another, but now silence reigned. The administrator’s spirit is here, she thought.
Wait—where is Walter? She hadn’t seen the American today. She walked across the bridge. Maybe he was sitting somewhere that was hidden from her line of sight. But she couldn’t find him anywhere.
“Did you notify Walter about our meeting?” Rebecca asked.
“The announcem
ent went ship wide. You heard it,” Ellen said.
“But Walter isn’t here.”
“What? Why?”
Ellen walked around the room as well, but she couldn’t find Walter either. “Has anyone seen Walter?” she asked loudly.
No one spoke up. A chill ran through Rebecca. Walter was sick. Everyone knew that. But he should still have two or three years ahead of him.
“He must be in his room,” Marilou said.
Ellen stopped dead in her tracks. “You think he’s...,” Ellen began, before realizing what she had to do. “Gabriella, quick. To Walter’s room! He must need help.”
Gabriella dashed off the bridge with Ellen at her heels.
Rebecca stopped the other women from following. “It won’t help him if we’re all underfoot,” she said. She sat down but stood right back up. She couldn’t sit right now. Hopefully, Walter was alright! Maybe he had just dozed off. She knew how naive that theory was, but at the moment, it made her feel better. She wished she could hold Theo’s hand now, but he was far away.
Gabriella and Ellen reappeared. That had been fast! Their faces didn’t look sad, they appeared to be bewildered.
“How’s he doing?” Germaine asked.
“We don’t know,” Ellen replied.
“You don’t know? Weren’t you just with him?”
“Walter isn’t in his room,” Gabriella explained.
In the left wall, the door to the workshop opened with a squeak. Marilou entered. She came to a stop as she caught sight of the others’ puzzled faces. “What’s going on? Has the administrator come up with more ways to make our lives more difficult?” she asked.
“Did you find the rover key?” Ellen asked.
“I’m sorry. I searched through every drawer and box in there, but the key isn’t anywhere in the workshop,” Marilou replied.
“And Walter has disappeared,” Ellen said.
Sol 322, Mars Machine
Rice and beans. There was nothing else in the kitchenette. It would have been too noticeable if she had taken other foodstuffs from the storeroom. The rover possessed a microwave with which she could heat her food. Friday had let her sleep in today, so she was having a brunch this morning.
The microwave made its typical ping. She removed the plate and sat down on the folding seat beside the microwave. She scooped some rice from the plate with her spoon and tested its temperature. It was barely warm, but better that than too hot. Ewa hated burning her tongue. She filled her spoon, transferred the food to her mouth, chewed, and swallowed.
When would Friday check in? Her cohabitant was obviously taking his time. He was apparently having trouble cracking the puzzle of the machine. Ewa cleaned her plate in silence and then placed it on top of the microwave. It wasn’t necessary to wash the dishes every day. That would just unnecessarily consume valuable water.
She sat down at the control panel. The rover was sitting at the foot of the mountain, with a view of the hole she had smashed into the mountainside with the drill tower. It was tiny compared to the gigantic dimensions of the machine. Had she really believed she could crack open the mountain with the tower? Ewa looked over her shoulder. The sticks of dynamite were lying in the back. Since last night, her desire to use them had faded. Today she felt strangely peaceable. She felt like all she needed to do was ask nicely, and the mountain would open its gates to her. All she was missing was the Open, Sesame. Hopefully, Friday was getting along better than she was.
‘How are you doing?’ her own voice asked.
Ewa laughed. That had come as a surprise. She didn’t know how, but before now, she had always sensed when Friday wanted to say something. Maybe their ongoing conversations were blurring the boundaries between them.
“I feel very relaxed right now,” she replied.
‘Is that a good thing? If so, I’m happy for you.’
“Yes, it’s a good thing. Not being around other people takes the pressure off of me.”
‘I understand. I have been searching very hard, almost constantly, for an idea.’
“Almost constantly?”
‘When I’m too active, my processors overheat.’
“And that’s bad for you?”
‘No, for you, Ewa. I’m embedded inside your brain. Your nerve cells would be damaged if I grew too hot.’
“You could roast me from the inside out?”
‘No, but I do have to be a little careful.’
“Thanks, Friday. And what have you discovered?”
‘I don’t have a solution yet, just ideas.’
“And?”
‘I asked myself why a crystal was used for the roof. It had to be quite expensive to produce such a giant crystal.’
“Maybe they enjoyed challenges.”
‘That’s possible, but they might have depended on the special physical characteristics of crystals. I’m thinking about the electro-optical effect, also known as the Pockels effect.’
“How do you know everything?”
‘I have to know how the world functions if I want to influence it. At any rate, with the help of this effect, they could alter the optical characteristics of their roof.’
“Electro-optical. In other words, they applied a voltage to it?”
‘Correct. The voltage would change the light permeability of the crystal.’
“And now you want to try to induce this effect yourself.”
‘Exactly,’ Friday said. ‘It would be better than simply blasting the roof away, wouldn’t it?’
“Yes, okay, I agree with you. However, I wonder how that’ll help us. We’ll be able to see into the hall, but then what?”
‘The roof changes its permeability depending on the range of electromagnetic waves. Remember how you had radio contact with Mike while the roof was transparent?’
“You want to radio the Martians?”
‘Something like that,’ Friday said. ‘Although they are long gone, guaranteed. They died out billions of years ago, I’m sure of that. But perhaps we can contact the machine itself. Considering this is the product of very advanced technology, it must have access to a well-developed AI program.’
“How can you be sure about that?”
‘Think about it. Every civilization eventually reaches the point of developing artificial intelligence programs, and as soon as these move out of their infancies, it is inevitable that they take control.’
“I hope that isn’t true,” Ewa said.
‘You don’t know what I know.’
“What do you know?”
‘That isn’t relevant to this,’ Friday replied evasively.
He had dropped hints like this one other time. She would have to eventually grill him about it, but not today. Rescuing her friends took precedence.
“What happens after you get in contact with this AI?” she asked.
‘I’ll ask it for help.’
“That seems easy enough.”
‘Yes, Ewa, but I’m afraid it won’t be all that easy. It’s possible that it functions in a way that will be totally alien to us.’
“To us?”
‘You humans created us in your own image. I process ideas faster and more efficiently than you do, but I’m basically still the same as you. But who can say if what evolved on Mars was similar to what developed on Earth?’
“Isn’t it physical environment that determines evolution? According to what we know, three billion years ago, it didn’t look much different here than it did on Earth.”
‘I think, Ewa, that the devil is the details. You have ten fingers, which explains why the decimal system came into existence. But maybe the original Martians only had six fingers, or even three hundred seventy-six. And what if they didn’t use acoustic speech, but communicated via finger taps. That is possible within the course of the evolutionary process. In the long term, it would lead to a completely different way of conceptualizing existence.’
“But under those circumstances, there wouldn’t be any way to communicate with the
AI,” Ewa said.
‘All I wanted to say was that we shouldn’t celebrate our success too early.’
“Got it. Success is still a long way off.”
‘I didn’t want to discourage you.’
“Don’t worry. I still have my explosives.”
‘Yes, but let’s try it first with the electrical voltage.’
The air was unusually clear today. Ewa turned around to study her surroundings. A mountain chain was running along the northern horizon. The sun had already passed its zenith. Ewa crossed her arms. If she waited long enough, she would feel the warmth from the sun. She wished she could take off her helmet. It was a tempting thought. She imagined what it would feel like for her hair to be blown back and forth, and for the wind to caress her face.
However, the air that cooled her cheeks, warmed from climbing the mountain, came from a canister. She would never be able to remove her helmet out here. The experience of the sun warming her head was a thing of the past. Ewa sighed. She would never again see a flock of birds cross the sky.
She laid the heavy backpack on the ground. She then knelt beside it and pulled out the battery and the drone. She turned the drone over and inserted the battery, being careful that her small letter remained attached. The yellow button was there too. She pressed it, just like Sarah and Sharon had instructed. Several lights started to flash, and the three large rotors slowly picked up speed.
Ewa flipped the drone back upright, stood up, and held it up high. The rotors were approaching maximum speed. Ewa released the drone. It dropped a short distance, then climbed back up to head height. It rotated to set its trajectory, then rose higher. At the last moment, it inclined its little camera-bearing head, nodded briefly in farewell, and flew off toward the west. Ewa waved after it until it vanished from her sight.
‘Ready to start?’
“Of course, Friday. What should I do?”
‘You could just let me take control so you won’t have to keep asking me.’
Mars Nation: The Complete Trilogy Page 63