“And just how do you know that?” John asked her.
“Well my general was many things,” Liz paused, “but what he excelled at was killing people. A useful trait for a warrior wouldn’t you say, John?”
John stirred as he followed up with another question. “What do you mean ‘your general'?”
“Truth be told,” Elizabeth said in a haughty tone, “New China has been reborn. A new leadership has risen from the ashes. A wise leadership that cares for the people and people who care for their government. You will come to know it as "The Order". My general carefully set up the defenses that would assure any outside interference from MARC would be in vain.”
“So this is your work then?” John said accusingly. “The lack of communication, planes shot down, transports malfunctioning, even the destruction of the MARC station?”
“I did not destroy the MARC station,” Elizabeth was quick to defend. “You can thank our mutual "friend" for that.”
John didn't have much room to pace in, but he tried the best he could.
“If you're calling the shots in New China, what are you doing out here?” John asked. Changing his line of questioning, he continued. “Did you plant yourself here? Did you know we were coming?”
The look on Elizabeth's face darkened as she replied. “Dominic didn't just destroy your beloved space-station. He killed my general, and he tried to kill me. I ended up in that god-forsaken tree hut trying to escape him. John, he left me for dead and took my title. I knew he thirsted for power, but the coldness, the calculated coldness that allowed him to take everything from me, that wasn't the Dominic I knew.”
“Rising dictators have a long standing tradition of killing their friends,” John replied. “You should have studied history closer before playing a part in it.”
The rest of the crew sat in shock as if the scene of Shakespearean tragedy was being played out in front of them.
“Don't cast stones of ignorance lest you hit yourself,” Elizabeth shot back. “After all, your great MARC organization funded every last screw in the Argo.”
Caught off guard by her accusation, John paused leaving an opening for others to join the discussion.
“You two aren't the only ones having a bone to pick with Dominic,” Ashley added. “It's a long list. Maybe we should start to figure out how we're going to find him before this turns into an awkward situation.”
“So if you're in charge of New China, this should be easy,” Kyle threw in. “We just need to show up and walk you back to whatever throne you have. Then it's just a matter of proclaiming 'off with his head.' See easy.”
“You missed the part where I said the title I had was no longer mine,” Liz scolded Kyle. “And I am only the leader of The Order, there are other members of the counsel. It's not a dictatorship.”
“How did you get stripped of your title then?” Glennay joined in with a question.
Elizabeth looked over in Ashley's direction and replied. “I'm not entirely certain, but I think it had to do with that headband you seem to have created.”
Ashley shot a look at John, who shot a look back at her.
“You don't mean Dominic had one of my neurobands,” Ashley questioned her voice filled with grave concern.
Returning her question with a piercing gaze, Elizabeth said, “That's exactly what I mean. You say I'm the devil, well he's the one controlling people and bending thoughts around as he pleases.”
John leaned against a bulkhead and shook his head while saying, “I need a vacation. This whole scenario can't be happening.”
“I may miscalculate at times in my efforts to put things in their place,” Elizabeth stated, “but your MARC missions of self-proclaimed altruism have led to as much suffering. You're the ones too self-absorbed to see the truth.”
As John was about to bring another argument to bear, Tyler stood up and shouted, “Enough already! I can't take any more whining. You two can stand here and keep blubbering accusations at one another or we can find a way to knock some skulls around, starting with this Dominic yobbo.”
The room dropped into silence.
John relaxed a bit and stepped over to Tyler.
“Comic relief, master mechanic, and now voice of reason,” John said in a calmer tone. “You are a many layered onion, my friend.”
“Never been a big fan of onions,” Tyler replied. “I fancy myself as a many layered Chiko roll.”
The crew laughed in a collective release of stress from the situation.
Through the volume of laughter, Kyle bent down to Glennay and asked, “What's a Chiko roll?” She shrugged while continuing to smile.
Returning to the holographic map of the domed city, John worked to get the discussion back on track.
“We have a goal in common having Dominic answer for his actions,” John summarized, looking in Liz's direction. “If you have a way to get us to that access hatch without being crispy fried, I'd be happy to hear it.”
Elizabeth moved to the map and examined it closely.
“You won't reach the maintenance hatches,” Elizabeth replied. “That's too obvious an entrance. If we're going to get inside, we have to take a road less traveled.”
“So Mr. Frost,” Kyle interjected hoping his literary reference would be noted. “We combed this terrain for another way in. What's your grand plan?” Kyle interjected. Before she could reply, he turned to Glennay and whispered, “Pretty good for a grunt, huh? Yep, I read that poem.”
Glennay gave him a small kick while whispering back. “Now we'll shoot for speaking with big words.”
Elizabeth paid little attention to Kyle's comment or the exchange of whispers.
“We're going to have to go in underground,” she pointed toward the mining facility outside of New China, “through the tunnels to the processing center. Ten kilometers stand between the canyon's entrance to the processing center at New China. The mining facility wasn't equipped with a defense perimeter only the outskirts of the city.”
John shifted and enlarged the map to accentuate the mining facility.
Tyler scanned the pictures of the lava tunnels on the screen and commented. “Those are larger than the ones at Kazumura Cave in Hawaii.”
Several of the crew stared in wonder at the tube system.
“Couple of points,” John clarified. “One, you realize these tunnels run around active lava flows and a bunch of other fun hazards. Two, you keep using the term 'we're' going in. I don't plan on taking anyone except Kyle into this place.”
Elizabeth cracked half a smile as she replied, “Maybe a tactical team would work well, if you had any idea where you were going. Tell me, either of you pilot a mining sled lately or anything close to it like a duck?”
“I pilot my roo just fine,” Tyler announced. “I would have preferred to take her on this journey if we hadn't been carting a mob around.”
“Ever pilot your roo around something more deadly than a dust storm in the outback?” Liz countered in a less than gracious tone. “These shuttles race around pools of hot lava, exploding pockets of gas, and a host of things that routinely interfere with getting our ore to processing. No offense, but we're going to need a professional pilot on this, not an amateur.”
“You mean Stephanie,” Ashley joined in the discussion. “You might as well request her by name.” She turned her gaze from Liz to John and continued. “We're not talking about a holo coaster here.”
John looked to Elizabeth and asked. “Just who’s on your list of required personnel?”
“Stephanie is the best pilot is she not?” Liz asked rhetorically. Looking at John she added. “You of course would want to take custody of Dominic yourself. And I'm the only one here who has the contacts to restore my authority and to hand him over to you.”
Ashley stood up, taking the neuroband off her head and throwing it in her seat.
“A child wouldn't need a NEUBI to see where you're headed with this plan,” she seethed. “We should have let that thing claw you to
death, the world would be a better place.” Ashley stormed out of the room and down the hall.
John shook his head in disillusionment before following Ashley. He caught up to her in a side room sitting next to a crate of supplies.
“You know I didn't cook that up right?” he asked. “I fought tooth and nail in the first place to run with Kyle alone.”
“That was before the Nubian princess showed up,” Ashley replied. “Even Jess is captivated by her. I'm supposed to let you zoom off to her palace together. You have to see it, John don't you?”
John lightly hammered the wall with the side of his hand as he tried to find the right words to use.
“The last time I saw her was on a counter-terrorist spy cam back on Earth,” John started to explain. “She was helping to run some revolutionary group that didn't go anywhere. Ashley, she gave up on us to go after her own dreams. The last thing in this world that I'm going to do is follow her cult of personality again. Heck, I thought I was putting two hundred thousand kilometers between us by traveling to Mars. That's not something a person does if they want a second chance relationship.”
Ashley rushed over to John and embraced him, tears rolling from her cheeks.
“You better remember those words if you go off with that crazy woman,” she fought through the emotion, “and remember this too.” Ashley looked up and gave him a passionate kiss.
John thought twice before making a sarcastic remark about her new-found romanticism.
“Too soon for a joke about this?” he asked.
“Too soon unless you want an elbow in your ribs,” she replied.
“Okay then, see I'm getting wiser as I get older,” he remarked.
“Let's hope so.”
Chapter 41 Mine all Mine
Dominic paced down the row of empty council chairs. Reaching the middle chair, he sank into the high backed council seat. Days ago, eleven members of O-Sophia’s council sat in discussion and debate of daily law in these very chairs. From hence forward, only the O-Arete need grace these chambers.
At first Dominic was concerned with the unexpected and haphazard advancement of his time table. Now he relished in the brilliance of his impromptu plans. It was amazing how such a little device, little wonderful device, could easily remove the barriers to his advancement. Dominic gently brushed his hand through his hair, touching his neuroband, as if to gently massage his improved creation.
A soft tone sounded across the vidcomms of the council table. Dominic leaned forward and answered the page.
“Even your witless interruptions cannot spoil this moment, Captain,” Dominic addressed the vidcomm. “Tell me, have the new workers been given their training sessions?”
The image of Captain Dranius replied. “O-Arete, the chosen councilmen and their families have been indoctrinated to the processing center as you wished.”
“Excellent, Captain,” Dominic handed out a sparse word of praise. “The next project I have for you will require a trusted group from the Argo. We need to identify the transgressor of all the cities’ woes. The masses have only the capacity to think post hoc ergo, propter hoc. After all, Captain, the culprit of the past must be the culprit of the future.”
“My personal guard stands ready for you command,” the captain recommended.
Dominic cupped his chin with his hand while slowly dragging fingers across the top of his lips. His trademark tell of deep thought.
“Is the MARC gear we were issued at launch still stored away on the Argo?” he asked the captain.
“Yes it is O-Arete,” the captain replied.
“Issue your guardsmen a full set of such gear and send them to me,” Dominic ordered. He gave himself a laugh with his own brand of humor. “If you haven’t heard, there have been random acts of terrorism in the city.”
“Indeed, attacks?” asked the captain.
“I’m surprised you haven’t heard,” Dominic attempted to remain sincere, “vicious attacks by MARC rebels. They’ve claimed responsibility for the deaths of many innocent civilians. Reports say they won’t stop until New China is returned to MARC control.”
The captain, grasping Dominic’s line of thought played along. “I can’t imagine the citizens will be happy with the old MARC government trying to reclaim its imperialistic dominance.”
“Nor I, Captain,” Dominic agreed. “My informants say there might even be another attack soon. Perhaps even in the short time it would take for your guard to reach these chambers.”
“By the Order,” the captain replied with a guarded smirk.
“By my Order,” Dominic mused on his plan as he turned off the vidcomm.
#
The duck had long since left the rails that would run straight to New China. Instead, Stephanie piloted the duck through the narrow canyon system that extended from the great water inlet. She cut and weaved the vehicle around the walls with ease as though hoping for a greater challenge.
As The Compromise rounded the bend in the canyon, John could see the mining facility ahead. One of the first operations of the MARC program was to recoup some of the enormous costs from funding the program. At the same time they needed to build a case for additional funding. This was accomplished by successful mining operations at several sites on Mars. The largest operation was near the dome city of New China.
The nearby volcanic mountains in this region of Mars created a vast repository of mineral wealth. The natural processes that created valuable ores deposits were in abundance here. Some of the lava tubes that once saw superheated molten rock flow through them were now dormant. Often these tubes led to a more active flow, but were prized for their natural transportation network.
The MARC operation transformed the network of lava tunnels into a functional method for transporting raw ore back to the processing center of New China. The natural environment often made working conditions for the miners extremely hazardous.
Currently, the transportation of ore was fully automated. Only the mining process remained a hybrid of miner and machine. The miners resided in an underground complex. Originally, however, they manned the great mining machines above ground. Years later, the abandoned machines stood like silent guardians over a long forgotten temple.
Stephanie expertly guided the duck to the landing area highlighted by the Nav Computer.
John gave her a quick kiss on her head and praised her. “Perfect.”
The crew rolled out of The Compromise via the cargo bay ramp. Preparing for the mine trip ahead of them, Stephanie and Elizabeth had put on MARC suits like the commander's. Stephanie seemed to adapt quickly to the new look, but Elizabeth was clearly dissatisfied with the uniform. Having been cooped up for several hours, everyone took a minute to stretch before unloading the necessary gear.
“This looks a lot different than the jungle,” Jessica stated simply.
The plains above the canyons were a far cry from the moist tropical forest they had left behind. A dry air mixed with an unusual almond smell in their nostrils. Though alien in nature, only Elizabeth seemed to pay notice to the particular smell.
“I'm glad we gathered up a gift pack of snacks before leaving,” Stephanie announced. “It doesn't look like we're going to get any yummy ones around here.”
Elizabeth's ears perked up at the mention of this. Rubbing her drying skin she asked, “You mean fruits from the jungle? You have some stored?”
“Sure do,” Stephanie smiled at her mother. “I'll grab you a banana-orange for the road.”
Elizabeth smiled back at Stephanie, rubbing her shoulder before she darted off.
The rest of the crew began unloading a few crates, but left the vast majority of supplies in the duck.
“Let's go over this one last time,” John said as he put the last box of equipment down.
The crew gathered around the crates, some sitting and some standing, to hear the last briefing.
“Kyle, you're going to set up a watch station here along with a defensive net,” John instructed. “Anyt
hing within five clicks of here better have a bull's-eye painted on its nose."
“On it,” he replied.
Pointing at the duck, John dropped the volume of his voice slightly while speaking to Jessica. “I need your eagle eyes kiddo. Once we get inside the command station here, Tyler is going to find a place for the duck to be my eyes in the sky. I want you to help him keep a good lookout on those screens for any bad guys coming this way. Think you can hold down the Navigator seat for me?”
Jessica pulled Wispy over to her, stood up straight and saluted him. “Aye, Commander.”
John rubbed her head and shifted his focus to the rest of the team.
“Once inside we need to find an automated ore carrier we can modify,” he stated. “Tyler, I think this is your area of expertise, so take point on this. Glennay and Ashley will help you work that tech magic.” The group nodded and grabbed their gear.
“That leaves you two,” John indicated to Elizabeth and Stephanie, who had just returned. “Hope you like sardine style seating, I'm not sure how much room they're going to be able to give us for the ride. Steph, you run any lava tube courses in that coaster sim of yours?”
She gave a half-nod and a smile. “I asked mom to upgrade my neuroband. With this I can do donuts around anything down there.”
“I like the confidence,” John reinforced, giving her a hand knock.
“Okay team, let's do this,” he announced loudly. “I want Dominic sitting cuffed and stuffed in the back of the duck by sundown. Let's make it happen.”
As Tyler started out for The Compromise, John caught him by the shoulder.
“Make sure you get the duck to a safe spot from here. I'm not putting my ten year old in an action zone,” John directed him in a firm low tone. “You should be able to go stealth and keep a lookout from a distance.”
“You got it boss,” Tyler replied as he headed back out.
John started toward the nearby complex. Ashley and Glennay were already hacking into the external security system.
“How's it coming?” John asked.
Curious Sols (The Sol Principle Book 1) Page 28