Oxygen Series Box Set: A Science Fiction Suspense Box Set

by John Olson

  Nate crossed his arms. Right. Like the fire we’ve got right now with this back‑contamination nonsense.

  Josh hesitated. “Anyway ... I ... wanted to make sure we couldn’t fail ... so I got some insurance.”

  Nate’s heart lurched in a funny way. Josh snuffled heavily.

  “Go on.” Perez’s voice quivered.

  “There’s an archaebacteria that grows in Antarctica,” Josh said. “It’s an extremophile—thrives in the cold, resistant to drying. It’s anaerobic, but oxygen doesn’t kill it. Soil peroxides don’t kill it. Radiation doesn’t kill it. A hardy little guy.”

  Long silence.

  Nate leaned forward. “I’m not getting this. What are you trying to say?”

  “I stole a couple of pyros and made a package. I meant for it to go off just before they landed—when they blew off the chutes.”

  “And something went wrong,” Perez said.

  “Way wrong.” Josh’s tear‑streaked voice came through his hands, the words muffled and broken.

  Nate stood up, fury flooding his veins. “You’re telling me that you’re the guy who practically got our crew killed out there?”

  Perez looked up sharply. “Nate—”

  “You’re the bomber we spent three months chasing down?”

  “Nate, he didn’t mean to—”

  “I’m supposed to worry about whether his intentions were good?” Nate stared at Perez. “That’s not the way we do business—”

  “Nate, it’s over. It was a mistake. Now just calm down.”

  All of a sudden, Josh was crying. Bawling his eyes out.

  Nate looked out the window, embarrassed. He could not believe this was happening. Josh ... the bomber? That didn’t make sense. Josh would do anything to make the mission work. Anything.

  Nate hesitated, playing with the implications of that realization for a full minute. Josh wouldn’t do anything he thought would endanger the crew. Not that kind of anything. The kind of anything Josh would do was browbeating NASA into an impossible lifeboat operation. And breaking a gag order to save somebody’s life. Yeah, Josh had to have done that. Josh would do anything to save the lives of his crew. But he would never, never do something that he thought could kill them.

  Josh was guilty as sin.

  Josh was innocent as Mother Teresa.

  Both at the same time.

  Slowly, the acid fury in Nate’s veins neutralized itself. Maybe Perez was right. What was the point in getting angry now? The damage was done. And fixed. Josh had fixed it himself. Nate breathed deeply, letting the strain of the last year drain out of him. There was no saboteur. Never had been. It was all just a mistake. A blunder—like the one Nate himself had made when he lied to the crew. Like the five or six Nate had made. Josh was human. He’d made a mistake and would have to—

  A dagger of realization stabbed through Nate’s thoughts. Crystal was still searching for the saboteur. The FBI was still working the case. There was no way he could obstruct a federal investigation. He’d have to come clean. Had to. There was no way around it.

  Nate turned on Josh. “Do you have any idea what you’ve done? Do you know what you’ve just thrown away?”

  “I—”

  “Director of JSC—that’s where you were headed. Director. Commander in chief. You were supposed to be NASA’s future.”

  “Nate, I’m sorry, I—”

  “You’re sorry? Do you realize you could go to jail? Probably will go to jail ...”

  “That’s enough,” Perez said. “If you ask me, Josh has been through more than enough. He will have to answer for what he did—eventually. But right now we need him at Flight Director. We can worry about punishment after the mission is over.” Perez glared at Nate.

  Nate shrugged his shoulders. He could probably convince the Fibbies to hold off the prosecution until this latest avalanche blew itself out.

  “So ... Josh. What about the toxicity of this bacteria?” Perez asked. “Is it possible it’s the pathogen infecting the crew now?”

  Nate felt a surge of hope.

  “It’s ... possible.” Josh smeared his face with his hands. “I didn’t think it could hurt anybody. It’s an archaebacteria. But it’s of Earth origin. It’s on our Tree of Life. It’s at least possible it is pathogenic to humans.” He looked up at Nate. “There wasn’t any alien bacteria on that micrometeorite. What Valkerie found on the outbound voyage was my little bug. And there is no way a fossilized Martian halobacteria could be infecting the crew. You know that, don’t you, Nate? It’s impossible.”

  “Do you have some more of that bacteria?” Nate stepped toward Josh. “We could run some studies on it. Prove it’s the vector.”

  Josh shook his head. “I destroyed everything I didn’t send on the mission.”

  Nate began pacing. “Where’d you get it in the first place?”

  “I told you. Antarctica. I went down there to do some field studies four years ago. Our winter, their summer. Karla Faust invited me down.”

  “Remind me—she’s that bacteriologist you were dating?” Nate said.

  “Microbial ecologist. We were just friends—for a while. Until I got what I needed.”

  “So she still has a sample?” Perez sounded hopeful.

  Josh shook his head. “She never knew it existed. I found it on my own. Cultured it myself. She would have killed me if she’d known.”

  Nate picked up the phone and pressed a button. “Carol, get Dr. Frazier over here right now.” He hung up.

  “What are you going to do?” Josh watched him, eyes wary.

  “I’m going to have you tell Dr. Frazier exactly what you told me. Word for word—tell him the whole story. I want to get his opinion on this. Because if this idea holds water ...” Nate sat down in his chair. “This gets us all off the hook. Bactamination, quacktamination. We’re not looking at a Martian flu. We’re looking at a good old Earth bug. Nobody’s going to keep our boys and girls quarantined on Mars over that.” Nate took a sip of his tepid coffee. “And that means we’re home free. Josh, you just made my day.” And ruined your life.

  Perez gave a deep sigh. “Josh, it took a great deal of courage to come and confess like you did. A lesser man would have stood pat.”

  Josh stared at the floor. “Thanks ... uh, Dr. Perez. I’d ... do anything to save my friends.”

  Which was what Nate liked about Josh. “Okay, so back to business. Let’s assume Dr. Frazier is going to buy into your idea on this Antarctica bug.”

  “He will,” Perez said. “It’s the only rational possibility.”

  “So once he does that,” Nate said, “we need to think about the science mission. Bob and Lex are wanting to do another EVA to check out the source of that halobacteria, right?”

  “Right.” Josh sat straighter in his chair. “So they can go now?”

  “Not just can go.” Nate felt his energy returning like a flood. “If Dr. Frazier signs off on it, make that an order. I want them checking out that place ASAP. This little scare has got everyone’s attention. Now let’s go do some science, while our kids are in the limelight. This could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to NASA.”

  Part 3: Hypervigilance

  All the conditions necessary for murder are met if you shut two men in a cabin and leave them together for two months.

  Russian cosmonaut Valery Ryumin

  The ultimate challenge NASA faces may be building a tiny computer that can psychoanalyze astronauts and keep them from going nuts.

  William Speed Weed

  “Can We Go to Mars Without Going Crazy?”

  Discover, May 2001

  Chapter Fourteen

  Wednesday, March 25, 11:00 a.m., Mars Local Time

  Valkerie

  “IF THERE IS INTELLIGENT LIFE out there, I don’t think it’s like us. Intelligence doesn’t make something human.” Valkerie warmed her hands on her teacup and watched Lex through the ghostly whorls of steam that rose from her tea.

  “What
do you mean, human?” Lex leaned forward in her seat. “If you mean a bipedal primate with twenty‑three pairs of chromosomes, I agree.”

  Valkerie took a sip of tea. “By human, I mean that extra something that biology and chemistry just can’t seem to account for. That creative spark. Love. The sense of justice. Right and wrong.”

  “Is this you talking, or your faith?”

  Valkerie frowned. “Who says there has to be any difference?”

  “What I mean is ... do you really believe it, or are you just saying it because, well ... because you know you’re supposed to? Because of your faith?”

  “Lex, I don’t believe things because of my faith. I have faith because of all the things I believe. Because of all the evidence I’ve—”

  “But what about the life question? Doesn’t your faith have a little problem with that? You already admitted that the sequencing data from the halobacteria indicates that it could be of Earth origin—that it could have been carried here billions of years ago by a meteorite. But why couldn’t it have been the other way around? How do you know life on Earth didn’t come from Mars? Or from ... somewhere else?” Lex’s voice faltered. She was looking over Valkerie’s shoulder.

  Valkerie turned to follow her gaze.

  Bob stood in the doorway, his face tight and expressionless.

  “I, uh ...” Lex got up from the table. “I should probably go ... see how Kennedy’s doing.”

  Valkerie stood to follow.

  “No, stay right there.” Lex guided Valkerie back to her chair. “Sit down. Finish your tea. I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  Lex slipped out of the galley and into Kennedy’s room next door, leaving Bob standing uneasily in the doorway.

  Valkerie turned on Bob. “What was that all about? We were in the middle of a conversation.”

  Bob shrugged. “She’s been monopolizing you all morning. I just wanted to tell you—”

  “Monopolizing? So I’m a commodity now?” She fixed Bob with what she hoped was a disapproving glare.

  “It’s just that you’ve been spending so much time with Kennedy. I don’t even think he’s sick anymore. He’s just pretending so you’ll keep babying him.”

  She stood and pushed her way to the door. “Bob, it’s a free planet. I can spend time with whomever I want. You don’t get to choose.”

  She stalked through the corridor and into Kennedy’s room. “Lex?” She poked her head through the open door. “Lex?”

  The room was empty. Piles of clothes and trash littered the floor. The blankets on the cot were swept aside to reveal a dirty, stained mattress. The room reeked of stale vomit.

  The angry knot in Valkerie’s stomach melted into a sudden wash of sympathy. Poor Kennedy. Bob and Lex had left him to live like an animal. She’d been too focused on analyzing the infection. Even animals deserved better.

  She bent down to pick up the latex gloves that littered the floor. He had never once complained, even through all the pain. Valkerie pulled the trash bag from Kennedy’s waste‑disposal bin and started picking up the trash. Sterile gauze. Syringe wrappers. Empty food packets.

  A flash of silver beneath the cot caught her eye.

  She spread out the half‑empty trash bag on the filthy floor and got down on her hands and knees.

  Food packets.

  She reached out and rummaged through the pile. They were all unopened.

  The door clicked shut behind her.

  Valkerie spun around with a gasp.

  Kennedy stood in front of the door with a self‑satisfied smirk spread across his face.

  “Kennedy? What are you ... I was just cleaning up.” She stood and held up the trash bag as proof.

  He took a step toward her. His hair was dripping wet, his jump suit crisp and clean.

  “You took a shower?”

  Kennedy nodded slightly. His good eye bored into her like a laser.

  “That’s great! How do you feel?”

  “A lot better, thanks to you.” He stepped forward with open, outstretched arms. “Valkerie, you’ve been so much kinder than the others. So loving.” He pulled her into a tight hug. “I really appreciate all you’ve done.”

  She squirmed in Kennedy’s embrace. She couldn’t believe how much strength he had recovered. It had taken her days to feel stronger than a newborn kitten, and she was still far from one hundred percent. “You’re welcome. I’m just glad you’re feeling better.” She pried herself away and stood back to size him up.

  He stared back with an intensity that made her almost uncomfortable. It was amazing. In one day he had gone from ghostly white to almost human.

  “Do you still have a fever?” She stepped forward and reached a hand to Kennedy’s forehead.

  The door burst open. “Hampster, have you seen—” Bob’s face appeared in the doorway, frozen in an expression of stunned bewilderment. “I, uh ... Valkerie, we need you in the commons.”

  Valkerie didn’t know what to say. “Bob, you can’t just order me to—”

  “Jake Hunter just contacted us. Josh is coming on the air in two minutes with an important message for all hands.” Bob nodded to Kennedy. “Even you, if you feel well enough.”

  Valkerie started to follow Bob.

  Kennedy stumbled behind her.

  She turned to see him leaning heavily against the wall. “Need a hand?”

  “I’ll get there eventually.”

  Valkerie went back and ducked under his arm, pulling his weight onto her shoulder. She guided him through the galley toward the commons.

  The farther they walked, the less support Kennedy seemed to need.

  Bob met them at the CommConsole with a cold stare.

  Valkerie ignored him, helping Kennedy into his seat before taking her own.

  Lex cleared her throat. “Josh should be—”

  “Ares 7, this is Josh Bennett with an important message. With me are Nate Harrington and Steven Perez. Please hold confirmation until after the entire message has been delivered.” A nervous pause. “Ares 7, we are happy to report that all our concerns about a saboteur are unfounded. Nate, Steven, and I now know the truth. There is no saboteur and there never was one. We are convinced that the bacteria that contaminated the Ares 10 Hab is of Earth origin. It did not come from contact with the micrometeorite. Repeat, the bacteria is of Earth origin. All concerns about bringing you back home are unfounded. Now that Valkerie and Kennedy are well on the road to recovery, your new orders are to continue with the scientific exploration of Mars. Lex, you and Bob are now cleared to return to the site where you found the halophilic bacteria. Go out and bring us back more data on that fossil. Over.”

  Valkerie looked around the table. The confusion on the other faces mirrored her own feelings exactly.

  “Could someone please explain to me what just happened?” Lex shook her head. “It doesn’t make sense. Josh already told us last July that he caused the explosion, right?”

  Bob nodded. “Apparently he didn’t want Perez to know he’d already told us, but why not? And did Nate and Perez find out on their own or did Josh tell them?”

  “And why did Josh wait until now to tell them?” Valkerie’s voice trailed off as the answer to her question suddenly clicked into place. She looked up at Bob.

  It was clear from his eyes that he was thinking the same thing she was. “Josh said that the bacterium was an extremophile. He assured me it was safe.”

  Valkerie nodded. “And did you catch that bit about how their concerns about bringing us back home were unfounded?”

  Lex gasped. “You mean they were planning to ...”

  Valkerie couldn’t believe it. Houston was up to its same old tricks. “When they thought we were sick with an extraterrestrial bug, they had doubts about bringing us back home.”

  “So Josh is letting them think we’re infected with his bacteria,” Bob said.

  “Even though he knows we aren’t.” Valkerie crossed her arms. Josh was putting the crew in a tight spot, expecting
them all to go along with a bald‑faced lie.

  “So what do we do?” Bob looked miserable. “They’re going to wonder why we’re taking so long to reply.”

  “We’re going back to explore that hole.” Lex’s tone was determined. “That’s what we should have been doing all along.”

  “No way!” Bob pounded the CommConsole. “I’m not leaving Valkerie here all alone with the Hampster.”

  “Why not?” Valkerie shot Bob a hard look. “I feel fine, and Kennedy is much better. You don’t have to worry about us.”

  “Because I don’t ...” Bob looked down and brushed at something invisible on the table. “What if you have a relapse?”

  “Both of us at the same time?”

  “With all the stuff that’s been happening? I just wouldn’t feel right.”

  “It’s not your decision. It’s mine.” Kennedy pushed himself forward, jutting his jaw at Bob. “And I say you and Lex are doing that EVA.” He reached for the transmitter. “Houston, this is Kennedy Hampton, confirming receipt of your message. With me are Lex Ohta ...”

  “Roger that, Josh. This is Lex, confirming.”

  “Valkerie Jansen ...”

  “Hi, Josh. We understand your message completely.”

  “And Bob Kaganovski ...”

  Bob sat silent, glaring back at Kennedy.

  “Well ... We copy your message,” Kennedy said. “There is no saboteur. The infection is caused by Earth bacteria. And Bob and Lex are doing an EVA to the halophilic‑bacteria site. Immediately.”

  * * *

  Wednesday, March 25, 2:45 p.m., CST

  Josh

  Josh sat back down behind the Flight Director console, ignoring Nate’s scowl. Nate had obviously caught that little bit about their concerns about bringing the astronauts back home. Hopefully the crew caught it, too, and knew enough to play along.