Colony Three Mars (Colony Mars Book 3)

by Gerald M. Kilby

  “Gizmo, can you access Colony One schematics or do you need to be connected to the main systems?”

  “I have them stored locally so, yes, I can access them.”

  “Show me what you’ve got on this old tunnel.”

  Gizmo projected various schematics onto the wall beside Jann.

  “Wait, this one here—can you zoom in a bit more on this?”

  Jann looked at the exploded diagram of the soil processing tunnel as it would have been when it was in operation.

  “Do you have any schematics of the cave system beneath the biodome?”

  “Not as such, Jann. These are hidden places. There were no maps or drawings created of them. Remember, it was only discovered during the collapse of the original colony. Nills never made any schematic of it. However, I could replicate a reasonably accurate rendering from my own accumulated sensory data.”

  “Really, you can do that?”

  “Of course. Let me show you.”

  With that the droid began to sketch out the cave system. It took it less than a few seconds to complete it. “There, that is as much detail as I can access.”

  Jann looked at it for a moment, examining the curved organic structure that the droid had rendered. “Can you overlay the derelict tunnel onto this drawing, in the exact location it would be?”

  “Sure.”

  Jann studied the resultant schematic at the point where the two intersected with each other for quite some time. “Can you zoom in on this section here, Gizmo?”

  Jann pointed to an area on the diagram. “Wait. What’s that?”

  “That is an access point.”

  “You mean, there is a way down into the cave system from this tunnel?”

  “Correct. I remember Nills discussing this access route. There is a 72.3% probability of it still functioning, assuming the tunnel has sufficient integrity to hold one atmosphere of pressure.”

  Jann looked at Gizmo. “Well, there’s only one way to find out. I need you to go find Xenon. Don’t tell anyone else what we’re planning here. Just say I need him, and bring him here, okay?”

  “Sure.” Gizmo sped off through the dense vegetation of the biodome to seek out Xenon.

  It didn’t take long for them to return, and Jann had Gizmo project the schematics again for Xenon, so she could explain to him what her plan was.

  “I think there may be a way to get out of here and make contact with Colony Two. There’s an access route from this old derelict tunnel into the subterranean cave system that is now used for soil processing.”

  “I see.” Xenon scratched his chin. “But I don’t understand how that can help us. There’s nothing down there except some autonomous machines and an airlock out onto the surface that the soil harvesters use. There are sections that don’t even have an atmosphere.”

  “Yes, I know.” Jann lowered her voice. “But there is an area down there, a secret area, an area that the original Nills used to hide out when the colony was going to hell, during the first wave of infection. If I can get in there, it has the systems that will enable me to see what’s going on in Colony One, and possibly contact Colony Two.”

  “A secret place?”

  “It’s a long story, Xenon. But trust me, it’s there.”

  “I see. So how can I help?”

  “Well, we need to open this door. Gizmo has run the numbers and calculated a high probability that the access point still functions. However, there may not be an atmosphere behind this door. So we’ll need to edge it open slowly until it sucks in enough air from the biodome to equalize the pressure.”

  “It’s worth a shot. But you’re forgetting one thing.” He looked up at the roof of the biodome and pointed. “This place is covered with cameras, see there’s one over there.” He pointed to a small opaque hemisphere attached to the superstructure of the roof. “They’ll see everything we’re trying to do.”

  “Then we need to take them out.”

  “How? They’re too high up to reach.”

  “Leave it to me.” With that Jann disappeared off through the vegetation. Over to where the hydroponics were arrayed in neat symmetrical rows. From one of the beds she pulled out half a dozen long, thin aluminum bars that had been used to support the growing plants. She brought them back to where Xenon and Gizmo were waiting.

  Jann hefted one of the thin bars over her shoulder, took a step back, and launched it straight at the camera. It buried itself dead center, plastic shards falling onto the floor all around.

  “Okay, that’s one. Let’s go find the others.”

  After about half an hour, Jann had managed to take out four cameras at different locations around the biodome. She also managed to acquire a number of other colonists who were keen to know what she was up to. She brought them back with her to the sealed door to the soil processing tunnel and outlined the plan. They also acquired a number of steel bars that they could use to help lever the door open against the one atmosphere of pressure inside the biodome.

  Word spread around the captive colonists that Jann Malbec had a plan—hope had returned. But for some, it was not hope they saw, but recklessness. Exposing the biodome to the exterior environment could mean disaster. As a consequence, a crowd had gathered and far from acting as a cohesive unit, in their own best interest, they squabbled and bickered. Jann was now concerned that this would achieve nothing other that to attract the attention of their Asian overlords.

  It was Xenon who finally managed to establish some rational thinking amongst the group. “We must try. Otherwise we are at the mercy of those who regard us as laboratory experiments. That future is not one that I wish to contemplate.”

  It was through this line of dialogue that order in the biodome was restored, even if it was somewhat reluctant. It was agreed that the bulk of the colonists would disperse and act as normal, whatever that meant within the constraints of the current situation. This left Jann, Xenon, Gizmo and around a half dozen others to wrestle with the door into the derelict tunnel. Gizmo, for its part, had calculated the probability of the area behind the door having integrity compatible with sustaining one atmosphere at approximately 67.54%. But, as the little robot was no longer connected to the main Colony One systems, this had been derived with greatly reduced computational power. Nonetheless, it was good enough for Jann.

  She spun the locking wheel on the door. Xenon and a few others rammed a number of the steel bars into the doorjamb to act as levers.

  “Okay, see if it will move.” Jann stepped back.

  A gap appeared as the colonists applied leverage, it hissed with the sound of air escaping into the space behind.

  “Keep it open, let it fill.” Jann had now thrown her weight into the mix.

  The hissing increased and the gap became larger. It grew in intensity as they applied more pressure. The colonists all groaned with the physical exertion expended to keep the door from slamming shut.

  “How long do we need to keep this up?”

  “Just keep it open.”

  “What if it doesn’t stop?”

  “Just shut up, and keep the pressure on.”

  After what seemed like an eternity of physical endurance, the hissing slowed. Jann smiled. “Listen, it’s holding. Come on, push harder.”

  When it came, it was almost instant. The pressure equalized and the door swung open in one swift movement. Two of the colonists lost their balance and went sprawling across the floor. Gizmo switched on its floodlight and illuminated the long forgotten tunnel. Ahead they could see where the roof had collapsed. It was only around ten meters in. There was nothing else in the space save for dust and crumpled metal roof structure. But it held the pressure, the tons of Martin dirt overhead creating an effective seal.

  “Gizmo, how far in is the access point?”

  The little robot was already moving in through the tunnel. “Approximately two meters past that point.” It pointed to where the collapsed roof structure met the floor.

  “Dammit, we’ll have to dig.�
��

  Fortunately the biodome was well stocked with tools for moving soil and before long Xenon had organized a team. They quickly worked their way forward through the tunnel. A spade clanged off the floor. “I think this is it.” Xenon tapped the floor again as a hollow sound revealed the location of the long forgotten access point. Jann knew it would be similar to one in the module attached to the medlab. A flat, hinged, plate lying flush with the floor. They swept the dirt off it, and Xenon jammed the edge of the spade into the gap, and leaned on it. It cracked open enough for the others to grab it with their fingers and lift it up to reveal a dark hole descending into the Martian sub-surface. Gizmo shone its light down. They could see a ladder extending a short distance to the floor of a narrow tunnel.

  “Do you think you can climb down there to check it out, Gizmo?”

  With that the little droid grabbed the sides of the opening and lowered itself down, telescoping its arms as it went, then finally dropping onto the floor below. It moved its light slowly around the space and then disappeared off down a tunnel. They could hear it move around and, after a few minutes, it returned.

  “There’s another airlock up ahead that leads into the soil processing cave.”

  “Does it have an atmosphere?”

  “Yes, it should.”

  “Okay, let’s try it.” Jann descended the ladder and looked down along the dark passage.

  “I see it,” she shouted up to Xenon and the others.

  A trickle of dirt started to fall down into the opening and Jann looked up. “What’s that?”

  “The tunnel roof, it’s becoming unstable. Quick you better get out of there now.” Xenon was shouting down to her.

  “No, we’ve come this far, I’m not going back.”

  More dirt fell in as the roof shifted, its enormous weight too much for the flimsy support the colonists had rigged up.

  “Go…” Jann shouted at Xenon. “Get out… get out now.”

  The trickle of dirt turned into a cascade, then into a torrent and the space began to fill up at an alarming rate, forcing Jann and Gizmo to move farther along the passageway.

  “Quick, Gizmo. Let’s get this airlock open.” Jann moved just as the tunnel roof finally collapsed in a tsunami of dust, and dirt, and darkness.

  12

  Sanctum

  Jann spat and coughed as grit filled her mouth. Darkness enveloped her. “Gizmo?”

  She stood up and felt for the wall, or anything that would orient her. She heard Gizmo’s motors whirr and turned to see a light emanating from the little robot’s head, as it extracted itself from a mound of soil.

  “Gizmo, are you okay?”

  “I’m 98.6% operational, excluding that fact that I have no external systems access.”

  Jann coughed again. “We need to get this airlock open, the air in here will run out soon.” She spun the locking wheel and opened the door as a waft of stale air overpowered her nostrils.

  “Ahh… what’s that smell?”

  “I am sorry, I can not offer any assistance in that regard as my olfactory sensors pale in comparison to the performance of the human apparatus.”

  “Count yourself lucky you can’t smell this.” She held her nose.

  They moved into the airlock and Jann spun the locking wheel on the outer door. A green light flashed on an alert panel.

  “Okay, here goes.” She tugged at the door.

  “It’s not moving.” She put her foot against the wall and pulled. It refused to budge.

  “Help me Gizmo, if we don’t get this open I’ll run out of breathable air.”

  “I estimate you have forty-two hours before you die.”

  “I really don’t need to know that, Gizmo.”

  “My pleasure, I am here to assist.”

  Jann looked at the eccentric robot as it grabbed the door handle.

  “Are you sure a rock didn’t fall on your head and readjust your brain?”

  “Quite sure, Jann. My brain is not in my head.”

  “Never mind. Let’s push… one, two, three…”

  The door moved a little. Buoyed by this achievement Jann redoubled her efforts and they finally created an opening wide enough for both Jann and Gizmo to pass through.

  They entered a long narrow passageway. The air was fresher here, gone was the foul smell from the airlock. After around ten meters or so, it opened out into the main soil processing cave. This was where the colony extracted its water. Robotic harvesters fed the processing plant with soil acquired from outside. At the far end of the cave, automatic airlocks facilitated the coming and going of these robots. Some fed the plant and some removed the spent soil back out onto the surface. None were moving when Jann and Gizmo entered. This was not unusual, as the reclamation and recycling system in Colony One was highly efficient. The plant only needed to top up the reservoir every so often, and since Martian soil contained a lot of H2O, the process required only brief periods of activity for the harvesters.

  They moved through the cave illuminated only by the light from the droid. Jann caught glimpses in the shadows of the slumbering harvesters, waiting patiently to be called into action by the colony systems. They passed by the main access route, a stairway leading up to a concourse near the operations area above. Jann could take this route but it would only lead her right slap bang in to the hornet’s nest. If the Chinese were planning the defense of the colony then that area would be busy. Instead she was heading for the cave beneath the medlab. The same one that Nills had taken her when he had rescued her and Paolio from the demented Decker, where she had first met Gizmo. This cave had been utilized by Nills and the other colonists as a refuge from the mayhem that raged through the original colony population. It was in there that he had carved out an operations center for clandestine surveillance. It’s the perfect place to… do what? thought Jann. What exactly am I going to do, even If I manage to get there?

  She put it out of her mind and concentrated on finding the location of the access point. This was not an easy task, as it had been sealed up long ago. What was the point of having a secret place if anyone could find it and enter? And since the soil processing area was frequently visited by technicians maintaining the equipment, the access point would be well hidden.

  “Gizmo, where are we?”

  The little robot projected a 3D schematic into the space directly in front of them. It zoomed and rotated as Gizmo calculated the correct orientation. “This is us here,” a red dot illuminated their position on the diagram, “…and that should be where the entrance is.”

  “Okay, let’s keep going.”

  Gizmo led the way, as its sensors derived their position in space from a combination of ultrasonic and microwave frequencies. It was like a bat. It did not require light to know where it was or what surrounded it. It might not be able to smell as well as a human but it had many more useful tricks up its metallic sleeve.

  “Here it is.” The droid stopped and shone its light onto a bare cave wall.

  “Where? I don’t see anything.”

  “It is here, behind approximately one meter of regolith.”

  “Great, more digging.” Jann started looking around for something to use as a tool.

  “Wait,” said Gizmo, “I have a better idea.”

  The droid went quiet for a moment, not moving, not saying anything. Jann began to wonder if it had shut itself down. “Gizmo?”

  Before it replied she heard the whirr of an electric motor starting up, and she spun around to locate its direction. Across the cave the sound grew louder, moving toward them. She stepped back, “Gizmo?”

  Out of the gloom a harvester bot trundled across the floor.

  “I thought one of these would be useful. After all this is what they are designed to do— dig.”

  “Gizmo, you are a genius.”

  “Yes, I know.”

  “But how did you do that? I thought you were denied access to the colony mainframe?”

  “These are on a sub-system, low level s
tuff. I am able to access those sectors.”

  The harvester moved over to the cave wall and started to literally eat it. It began to churn up the hard compacted regolith and fill its hopper. Dust filled the air as it chewed into the wall, loose dirt piled up around it like crumbs from a mechanical feast. It worked at a furious pace, devouring everything in its path, both soil and rock fell equally to its mechanical jaws. It stopped with a loud wheeze, dust billowing up from its base, then reversed out of the gaping hole. Gizmo shone its light inside.

  “There it is, just as I calculated.”

  “The only problem now is, how can we hide this? If someone were to come down here they would see it?”

  “I can set the harvester to clear away the debris into the processing plant.”

  “We’ll still need something to conceal the entrance. Even if it’s just cosmetic. I don’t think there’s anything we can do that will pass a close examination.”

  Gizmo slowly swept the area with light, coming to a halt on a stack of storage containers.

  “We could move these in front of the entrance, and pull them in closer once we are inside.”

  “Okay, let’s get going then.”

  They moved fast to drag everything into position. Jann’s main concern now was of being discovered. Any moment the door to the concourse area above could open and the game would be up. As it was, they were making one hell of a racket.