The dome also housed many other units that further combined these raw resources to create many more, one of which was methane—rocket fuel. This was manufactured by a chemical reaction between carbon dioxide and hydrogen. The resultant product was not stored inside the dome, but outside in a string of tanks that lined the exterior wall. There were several good reasons for this. One was simply to save space, but more importantly, methane would be highly dangerous stored in the oxygen-rich environment inside the colony, so it was safer to store it outside. As a result the process of filling the MAV tanks needed to be done by EVA, on the planet’s surface.
As for the MAV fuel tanks, these were individually fabricated on trolleys, as once filled, they would be heavy, even in the one-third gravity of Mars. Each one needed to be wheeled out from dome five via an airlock, and moved into position to be filled, then a diagnostics routine run to check integrity. Once completed it would be parked out of the way so the next one could be processed. On top of this, there were several smaller oxygen tanks required. The combination of these two gasses created the propellant that would thrust the MAV off the surface and out of the Martian gravity well to rendezvous with the orbiter.
The whole process was slow and tedious, not designed for speed. So they had agreed to take it in shifts.
“Who’s taking the first shift?”
“Noome and Samir.”
“Where’s Kayden?”
“He is in the galley making tea.”
“He’s very calm, don’t you think?”
“I do not think, Jann. I merely extrapolate.”
Jann laughed—a long deep laugh. “Oh Gizmo, I’ve missed your quirky turn of phrase, and your blunt honesty. I never really appreciated it before now.”
“I will take that as a compliment.”
Jann sat back in the chair and looked around her. “I’ll miss this place, too.”
“What did you find in the mining outpost? I am curious to gather more data on it.”
Jann sighed. “I found what I was looking for, a way to kill the bacteria.”
“So you are no longer a biohazard?”
“No. It was a simple solution in the end. Expose it to a very high oxygen level at low pressure for around twenty-four hours. I don’t know why I didn’t think of it myself.”
“Would you like me to initiate this procedure in the Colony One environment?”
“Oh god, yes. I had forgotten about it, what with everyone trying to kill me. But, yes, yes, absolutely, otherwise we’ll be carrying it back with us.”
“Should I inform the clones?”
“No, there’s no need, and they’re not clones, they are original colonists. Alphas, they call them.” Jann sat up in the chair. “You know, Gizmo, there are hundreds of clones in Colony Two.”
“Do tell me more.”
“It’s a vast cave system, with power generated from aero-thermal heat exchangers, a near limitless water supply, and a growing population. The whole shebang is run by Dr. Vanji, the original geneticist sent here by COM, and a small council of alphas.”
“Sounds intriguing.”
“The clones came from the analogues we saw in the research lab. These were the seeds they used to create their society, all in secret. No one outside this planet knows they exist.”
“Even more intriguing.”
Jann sat back in the chair again. “Well it’s all messed up, if you ask me.”
“Why is that?”
She leaned forward again and whispered. “Hybrids, Gizmo. They’ve created a new species of human. Not strictly clones, but an amalgam of enhanced human genetics. They call them Homo Ares.”
“I have to admit, I am impressed.”
“It’s insane, Gizmo. Nobody should have that power. But that’s not really the main problem. They are a form of super-human, with very strange behavior. The Council want to suspend the hybrid program, they’re simply too scared of them. But Vanji is pursuing it, with ever more complex enhancements. They are his personal guard. They lay down the law in Colony Two, and watch out anyone who crosses him or his hybrids.”
“So, who are these people with you?”
“Kayden is, was, on the council. Like a lot of the others, he became disillusioned with the way things were going, and he saw his chance to escape and return to Earth when I showed up.”
“Because you know the launch sequence for the ISA MAV.”
“As always, Gizmo, you are correct. I do.”
“And the other two?”
“I don’t really know. I only just met them a few hours ago. They’re alphas, I’m pretty sure of that. But they’re not on the Council, so they could be just some disgruntled colonists that Kayden recruited for his escape plan. They’ve been tracking the Odyssey and intercepting ISA comms for quite some time.”
“Interesting.”
“Look, Gizmo, I would love nothing better that to chat with you all night, but I have to get some sleep. It could get very hairy around here.”
“Of course, Jann.”
“What’s our range on the perimeter scanner?”
“We can track surface movement up to approximately five klicks away.”
She sighed. “Okay, alert me when anything shows up.”
“Sounds like you are expecting company.”
“Listen, Gizmo, I have a feeling they’ll show up. Sooner rather than later. I don’t care what Kayden says, they will come for us, hybrids most likely, so we need to be ready.”
14
The Purge
Dr. Ataman Vanji sat at his study table, his face illuminated by a 3D projection of the planet Mars slowly rotating in front of him. It was rendered in high detail and showed the positions of all known satellites in orbit. Vanji zoomed in and examined one in particular. It wasn’t a satellite, as such, it was the ISA Mars transit craft, Odyssey. Still faithfully waiting for the return of its crew, all these years later.
His ruminations were interrupted by the entrance of Xenon, his chief of security and the de-facto leader of the hybrids. He was tall, strong and elegant. He was a splendid specimen. Vanji allowed himself a faint smile as he admired his own work.
“Dr. Vanji, we have just received confirmation from Daniel Kayden. He is in situ in Colony One and has given a timeframe of thirty-six hours.”
Vanji jumped up from his seat and clapped his hands together. “Excellent. Then we have what we need to proceed.”
“Is it time, then?”
Vanji wandered over to the balcony and looked out across the vast cavern. It was dimly lit now as it mirrored the Martin nighttime cycle. In less than an hour, though, dawn would break over the crater rim and a new day would begin.
“It is time, Xenon. Time to put our plan into action. Time to right the wrongs and take back the vision.” He spun back. “How long to raise all the hybrids?”
“We are hive-mind, we speak as one, we gather quickly.” He stopped, stood stock still and went into a momentary trance. The others on the Council all found this very disconcerting, but Vanji reveled in witnessing a hive-mind communicating.
Xenon returned from the trance and spoke. “We are ready.”
“Then you know what to do. One group to round up all the council members and bring them here. The other group to eliminate the self-proclaimed leaders of the betas. Kill any who try to assist them. Is that clear?”
“It is clear.” He turned on his heel and left Vanji to contemplate the coup he was now embarking on.
For too long had he compromised his vision, given in to consensus, bowed to the mewling for harmony. But no more. By dawn of this sol he would be master, free to pursue his experiments and all those who had thwarted him in the past would be pushed aside. Recycling is too good for them, he thought.
He walked out onto the balcony and looked down at the lush vegetation. A scream cracked the stillness, then another. He could just make out the faint, phit, phit of a railgun. “So it begins.”
The first to arrive were his science team, thr
ee of them. They were the trusted few. They filed into the chamber in silence and took up positions beside Vanji, looking down over the cavern. “It won’t be long now, then we will be free,” said Vanji. The others nodded.
The door burst open and an ashen-faced Luka Modric rushed in, followed by two hybrids, who had now added railguns to their array of weapons.
“What is the meaning of this outrage? Have you gone mad?”
“Ahh, Luka, good of you to join us. Please, have a seat.” He smiled and pointed at the council table.
Luka made a move towards Vanji, but he didn’t get far. One of the guards raised a weapon at him. “Do as Dr. Vanji says and sit.”
He stopped and a look of fear registered on his face as the realization of Vanji’s ruthless arrogance finally sunk in. He sat down. By now more of the council members had been brought into the chamber, some willingly, some kicking and screaming, literally. Anyone who objected to this outrage or who put up any sort of a fight was cowed into submission by a few thousand volts jabbed into their ribs.
Finally, they were all assembled, meekly awaiting their fate.
“You may be wondering why I called you all here,” Vanji began. “Well, the reason is simple, it’s time to move on.”
“You have finally lost your mind, Vanji. This will not be tolerated. You are out of control.” Luka stood up and shook a fist.
Vanji stayed quiet for a moment, then turned to one of the guards. “Would you mind if I borrowed that for a moment?” He pointed at the railgun the hybrid was holding. It used an electromagnet to fire a hard metal spike. It was not very accurate, but at close range it could release a projectile with enough force to penetrate a human skull. Vanji took the gun, aimed it at the hapless councilor—and fired.
A dull red blot appeared in the center of his forehead, his eyes rolled back and he collapsed on the floor, a pool of blood forming where he lay.
“Anyone else have anything to say?” Vanji swept the room with the gun. They were all silent. “I thought so. Good, I will continue then.” He handed the railgun back to the hybrid.
“You all want to know what’s going on? Well, here it is. It’s very simple. I’m taking control of Colony Two. No more compromising my vision, no more pandering to the small-mindedness of the fearful. It is time to fully embrace the future. A future that belongs to the genetically superior. It is the very essence of evolution, it is nature’s law and I intend to see it come to pass.”
There was a momentary silence as the council members tried to comprehend the exact meaning of Vanji’s words. Some were horrified, some were petrified, and some simply tried to understand how they didn’t see this coming.
“So, members of the council, you are no longer required.” With that he nodded to the hybrid leader and the room was filled, for a brief moment, with gunfire.
Some members died instantly. Some made a mad dash for the door, but never made it. After only a short few moments they were all dead. Vanji and his team of three geneticists were all that remained of the Colony Two council.
“And so it is done.” He clapped his hands together and turned to the leader of the hybrids, Xenon. “The future of your species is now secure. I foresee a bright and productive time ahead for Homo Ares.” With that, the light in the main cavern grew brighter. Vanji looked out at it. “Ah, a new dawn. How prophetic.”
For a few moments they watched as the light grew brighter until the cavern was filled with a golden illumination.
“Xenon, have this mess cleaned up.”
“Yes, Dr. Vanji.”
“Now that we have accomplished this part of the plan, where are we with rounding up the beta leaders?”
Xenon entered his trance state as he communicated with the other hybrids. “They are putting up a fight. We have the main cohort corralled in the entrance cavern.”
“How long before they are eliminated?”
“Not long. We will break through shortly.”
“Good, get it done. We need to prepare the rover for departure as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Dr. Vanji.”
15
A New Old Friend
Jann opened her eyes and had to think for a moment to establish where she was. Soft morning light illuminated her surroundings and she could hear the sound of a waterfall the background. She realized she was in the biodome of Colony One, and had fallen asleep in the wicker recliner after Gizmo had left. Jann breathed a gentle sigh of relief, stood up and looked around as she stretched her body. It was a beautiful morning in the biodome. And, compared to the horrors of Colony Two, it felt like heaven.
The familiar sound of Gizmo’s tracked wheels burst through the vegetation, and zipped over to her. “Ah Gizmo, good morning.”
“Sleep well, I trust?”
“Eh, no, not really, but it will do. Where are the others? Is it time for my shift?”
“Samir and Noome have just returned to rest. Kayden has been wandering around since first light.”
“Really?”
“As far as I can tell. However, there is something that has come to my attention. I have picked up a rover, traveling this way, about five klicks out.”
“Shit, when?”
“Just now.”
“Have you told the others?”
“Not yet.”
Jann thought about that. “This is not good. How much time before it gets here?”
“Twenty two point seven minutes, approximately.”
“Dammit. Tell the others, we had better get ready.”
Gizmo whizzed off as Jann raced for the operations room.
She stood over the holo-table looking at a 3D rendering of the Jezero Crater. At the very edge of its range a small orange icon marked the location and progress of the rover. The others had all gathered around to watch.
“We don’t have much time,” said Jann.
“This is bad, this is so bad, we’re all dead,” said Noome.
“I thought you said the rovers were all disabled?” Jann directed her question at Kayden, who had been silent since entering the operations room.
“I said they hadn’t worked in years,” he replied, without taking his eyes off the slowly moving orange marker. “I genuinely didn’t think this would happen.”
“What? That they wouldn’t try and stop us from leaving Mars?”
He looked over at Jann, and back to the marker, shaking his head. “It doesn’t make any sense.”
“We’re all going to die,” offered Noome.
“Noome, for God’s sake, would you get a grip,” Samir shouted at her.
Jann looked at the marker for a moment. “Seems strange. Not because they’re coming after us, but because they haven’t deactivated the rover beacon.”
“What do you mean?” Samir had now progressed to comforting Noome, as anger didn’t seem to work.
“Think about it. If you were planning to go after us, you wouldn’t advertise it, would you?”
The others looked at the marker as if this revelation from Jann would somehow transform it into something more benign.
“No, I suppose not. But maybe they don’t know about the beacon?”
“What are we going to do?” said Noome.
“We hide, that’s what we do.”
“Hide, are you kidding me?”
“Trust me, I have the perfect place. We can make them think we’ve left the facility. That way, when they start to scatter to search, we pick them off, one by one.”
“Hide sound goods to me,” said Noome.
“They’ll find us for sure,” said Kayden.
“No, I doubt it. When the ISA crew came here first, Nills Langthorp hid out. We never would have found him until he wanted to be found. It’s our best chance.”
“Wait,” said Gizmo. He raised a metal hand and twisted his head like he was looking off into the distance. “They are transmitting.” He raced over to the comms desk and tapped a few times on the control pad. Radio static crackled around the Operations room.
“…two injured, need medical assistance, over.”
They stood in silence for a moment, looking at the comms desk.
“Colony One, this is Lars-beta, we have two injured, need medical assistance, over.”
Jann moved over to the comms desk and pressed transmit.
“This is Dr. Jann Malbec, Colony One. State your purpose.”
“Jann Malbec, am I really talking to you?”
Jann looked around at the others and raised an eyebrow.
“Yes you are, now state your purpose.”
“We escaped the colony. There’s been a coup, many dead, we have two injured and we need help.”
“It’s a trap, a trick to get us to let them in,” said Samir.
“Well, there’s no point in hiding, they know we’re here now,” said Kayden.
“What do you mean coup?” Jann continued.
“The hybrids started rounding up council members this morning. I think they’re all dead. Then they went after the leaders of the betas. We fought back, got trapped in the main entrance cavern… we escaped… the others in there… I don’t know.”
“Christ, I knew it, I knew this would happen, sooner rather than later. Those bastards, they were getting weirder by the day.” Samir was stomping around.
“Kayden, you have any thoughts on this, since you’re a council member?”
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