Lt. Commander Black came to his seat. “Lt. Commander Black to relieve you, co-pilot Baines.” Victor let him unstrap him, and he went to his Mother, as Black took over.
“Mommy, it’s wonderful!” Victor said, awestruck.
“I know, honey. Mommy’s been here before.” She sat him on her lap, and she buckled them both in together, sitting next to Mason. Mason looked over and smiled at them. In a few minutes, he handed the comm to Black, and helped Victor and the Admiral to their seats.
Mason invited Eric and Amanda Baines to sit up front. They each took their turn in Black’s seat, and became awestruck. After a while, Mason came back for his Admiral. “Admiral Mason, please join me,” and she did, now feeling much more confident about his abilities to pilot. She sat in the co-pilot’s seat, enjoying the view. Our first flight together, she noted, and smiled at him.
“Thank you for bringing me with you. It’s so peaceful up here,” she said, and leaned back in the seat. She stayed for a half hour.
The standard transport from Earth to Moon Base took twelve to twenty hours, depending on which flight you took, and your Earth departure city. This flight was three hours and twenty minutes at hyper-space 4. Soon Mason said, “Prepare for landing sequence. All seats locking in upright positions.” Mason and Black commenced their communications with Moon Base traffic control. In twenty minutes, they were on the dock, and engines shut down. He saluted his co-pilot, shook Lt. Commander Black’s hand, and thanked him for accommodating his personal requests. They off-boarded into an airlock and headed to a taxi shuttle for their hotel.
Mason checked his wrist comm link. He was approved to stay with her, but not to attend the convention. He had work to do. “We’ll be going different directions this week, Admiral. I’ll keep you posted when I’m off for the day, okay? When’s your speech?”
“In two days, at 11:00. After that, I’m free,” she said, unpacking.
“I’ll try to have dinner with you every night,” he said, taking her in his arms. “I hope that doesn’t interfere with any plans you may have made, Admiral Mason,” he added, lightly kissing her cheek and neck, as he started unbuttoning her black uniform jacket. He picked up his laughing Admiral and took her to bed.
The 4:30a.m. alarm was loud, but Mason was up to shut it off in a flash. He went in to shower and get ready. He wrote a quick note to Rachel and left for the base.
Mason’s schedule was already set for him. Report in at 6a.m.; interviews begin at 7a.m. until 6p.m., a long day. The interesting thing was, his list of interview questions was previously prepared for him. His job was to “read” the construction workers, Space Forces officers and crewmen as they answered his questions. A few of the subjects were reluctant to be interviewed, but most were very cooperative.
All military personnel on Mars X would be transported to Moon Base to be interviewed. Those who passed were returned to Mars; the others were transported home as soon as possible. Mason felt like a “weed puller,” which wasn’t far from the truth. The Space Forces crewmen were Saturday, Junior Officers Sunday, and Command Officers on Monday, including the new CO, Captain Esther Hanson. Afterwards, he would concentrate on the construction supervisors assigned to Mars X base. Mason was not told anything about the “Big Secret” yet. He was to conduct interviews and write his reports, so as not to prejudice his opinions.
Stopping off at the Base Exchange, Mason bought an anti-gravity air board for transportation. It was ¾’s meter long, flew at a top speed of 80 kph, and allowed him to speed along to his destination. It was great for making the quick jaunt 3-10 meters above the busy Moon Base sidewalks, and it made him feel like a kid again. But he could not use it around Victor. The air board was too fast and dangerous for the young, fearless genius.
There were only eight officers to interview, so he finished early, air boarded to the hotel, and waited in the lobby for his family. Victor immediately saw him, and ran to hug him. “John Mason, Mommy bought me new clothes and shoes. I’m hungry. Can we eat soon?” Mason took her packages upstairs while they waited for him in the lobby. They left to go to dinner, to a new place the Baines’ saw advertised, specializing in Indian food.
They were munching on ground lamb appetizers when Mason saw a familiar face. “Shall we ask the Captain to join us, Rachel?” She nodded, and Mason asked Captain Hanson to have dinner with them. She shyly accepted.
“Captain Hanson, you remember Dr. Baines? This is her son, Victor. She and I are married now.” Captain Hanson raised an eyebrow, smiled and congratulated the Admiral. There was a white streak in her hair now, making her appear more striking than ever.
“This is Dr. Amanda Baines, a neurosurgeon, and Dr. Eric Baines, an astrophysicist, both on sabbatical from Harvard. They’re helping with Victor. He’s their grandson,” Mason explained.
Mason sat her next to Eric Baines. “Captain Hanson, isn’t one of your PhD’s in astro-engineering?” Eric finally had someone he could talk with on his level. Rachel looked approvingly at Mason and they all ordered dinner.
Captain Hanson watched Victor order his own meal, eat and speak properly, and be a regular little gentleman. “He’s amazing, Admiral. He’s ready for a staff dinner,” she said, knowing Rachel would appreciate her compliment. Captain Hanson thanked them for saving her from a boring dinner alone, congratulated Mason and Rachel, and left.
“What a charming, accomplished lady. Have you known her long, Rachel?” Eric asked.
“Not really. John worked with her, for how long?” Rachel asked, an edge in her voice.
“A little over two years. She was well-respected as the Ship’s Captain. I understand she’ll be on Mars now,” he said, drinking his tea.
Rachel kept quiet. She had still not told Mason about her role observing his and Captain Hanson’s testimony in front of the Joint Chiefs. They taxied to the hotel and went to bed.
This was the Senior Command Officers’ day to be interviewed. Mason went by rank, and ended his day with Captain Hanson. She was happy to meet with him, and handled her interview as the pro she was. After the interview, they drank coffee together at the base Officers’ Club.
“Wasn’t it last year you were a Master Gunnery Sergeant, John? Now you’re a Captain, with a wife – an Admiral, no less – a step son, and a child on the way. That’s what I call fast-tracking, Marine!” She smiled at him.
“You knew I had a recommendation for OCS, Captain Hanson. Upon graduation, the Commandant made me a Special Liaison to the Joint Chiefs,” he explained.
“What does that title mean, Mason?” She asked.
“It means they send me wherever they want on special assignments,” he answered.
“Like taking Titan One back from the Yellow Man?” She asked, grinning. “You saved them a great embarrassment. Is that when you made Captain?”
Mason nodded. “I got a field promotion to First Lieutenant after the battle, then the promotion to Captain after I returned.”
“What amazes me is how you managed to woo and wed Admiral Baines in such a short time, John.” Her eyes were twinkling, and she had a smile on her face. “Now that was an accomplishment! Your wife is beautiful, and is obviously in love with you. But who can blame her?” Captain Hanson looked down. “She is very fortunate, John. Did you tell her about the escape pod, when we thought we were living our last days?” She asked softly, looking at him.
“No. It is our business, and it was before she and I began dating. She was still married at the time, actually. It’s our secret, Captain Hanson.” He watched her face. “Too many people know about it, anyway. It is our private secret,” he repeated.
“It’s just as well, John. I would like us to remain friends, and I would appreciate her friendship, too. She is the epitome of the accomplished, successful woman in the Space Forces. I hold her in high regard, John,” she admitted.
“As do I, Captain Hanson. As I also hold you, Captain,” Mason said, and bowed his head a little to her. They talked a while longer and left, each g
oing their separate way.
Captain Hanson walked the long trek to her fighter at the launch site on Moon Base, remembering her days in the escape pod with Mason, making love with him, both of them thinking those were their last days to live. She received a warning during her period of post-traumatic stress counseling from the base psychiatrist: any further fraternization with an enlisted man would see her forcibly retired out of the Space Forces. She let Mason go, never telling him about it, never attempting to influence him in any way. He went away, that’s all she knew, until this week-end. He went straight to Dr. Rachel Baines, then OCS. How did he win her in such a short time? Why didn’t she stay in touch with Mason? It wasn’t meant to be, couldn’t be, she surmised. “Dammit to hell! Hanson, you’re a fool! Just get over it!” She said aloud inside her fighter, as she flew to Mars, alone with her thoughts, and emotions.
Admiral Mason’s speech on advances in sub-atomic molecular cloning for organ regeneration was well received. Mason could not even comprehend the first chapter when she showed it to him later that night. He kept watching Rachel. It was so long ago she patched up grunts like him. Her face looked the same, especially when she was in uniform with her hair up. Her perfect, full figure was still luscious, with killer legs and a very flat tummy; well, at least for another couple of weeks. How could she still look the same as eleven years ago? How could he have aged so much?
Well, the answer to the last question was easy. He knew great loss with the death of his wife, Sherrie, and bore the tremendous guilt of not being there to save her. He fought many battles, more than one against insurmountable odds, and won; at a price his body paid. He was subjected to beatings and torture for months. His DNA was altered unbeknownst to him, and he suffered through four months of re-engineering to get his humanity back, while kept on minimal rations.
No wonder his face had changed. His body was a roadmap of his path as a warrior; scars and more scars over his hard, taught muscles. Every scar was a tribute to his training and self-discipline, and victories.
Did seeing Captain Hanson with a white streak in her black hair bring on this introspection? Perhaps. Mason just wanted to shake it off, and enjoy his evening with Rachel and Victor. In three more days, she would fly to Houston on a transport, and he’d move into a tiny Bachelors Officers Quarters on base for two more weeks.
Rachel saw him watching her playing with Victor, and smiled at him. He lived for her smiles, for her love. He was almost in tears. He tried to return her smile, but it didn’t quite work. Rachel came to him, took him in her arms, and felt his pain.
“What’s wrong, John?” She quietly asked.
“Everything’s so right, Rachel. I don’t want it to end.” Tears began to fall down his face, and she put his head on her shoulder. She led him to the bathroom.
“Let’s use the spa tub tonight, John, and just relax. Fill it for us, please. I’ll be in shortly.” She helped Victor gather his things and get ready for bed. Mason filled the big tub and dimmed the lights. He totally immersed in the bubbling hot water, trying to rid himself of the resurrected pain. Was it from seeing Captain Hanson, remembering their torture, and their testimony session?
Whatever was causing it, he wanted it gone. He came up from under the steaming hot water, and meditated. He realized he had not done his kung fu routine for several days, or run the distance he usually did. He would do it tomorrow, to center himself. He laid his head back and tried to think of nothing; zero; the empty blackness of space. Once he thought of nothing, he could fill his thoughts with Rachel, and be happy.
Rachel slipped in directly behind him, resting his head next to hers, on her shoulders. She cupped her hands, drawing up water over his chest and shoulders. She massaged his temples, forehead, and scalp, and he liked it. Rachel nestled his body against her, resting between her legs, and soothed away his pain with her massage and the warm water. They stayed in the tub until the water became too cold, and then went to bed.
Mason awoke well before the alarm and softly covered his lover in kisses to wake and arouse her. She took him into her arms and they slowly made love before the night yielded to the artificial light of dawn. This time would become one of their favorite times to make love, the in-between time, when the night was at its darkest and most quiet, before the dawn began to wake up the rest of the world.
He air-boarded to the base, feeling more centered and calm, appreciating his life as it now was; husband, father-to-be, stepfather, and Prime Marine officer. He quietly said a prayer of gratitude, determined to make the most of his life and opportunities going forward. Mason felt like the luckiest man alive, and in many ways, he was. He did not know his destiny; but he knew he had been marked long ago by the Man Upstairs for some purpose only He knew. His mission was to live the way of the warrior, with honesty, bravery, and in the “now,” while being always prepared for whatever the future would hold.
XVII
The red planet served as a source of fascination for man since his early days as a hunter-gatherer. Named after Mars, the Greek bloody god of war, the dusty, rust-colored terrain clearly illustrated its ancient times when oceans flowed over its surface, carving channels into the landscape. Over the millennia, man hypothesized many theories about Mars, its origins, and its relationship to Earth. But it held many secrets even 24th century mankind could not imagine.
Earth’s first colony on Mars was called simply “Mars Colony,” Spartan in its meager accommodations. Its luxuries existed only in the memories of those first scientists and astronauts who volunteered, knowing they would never return to Mother Earth. The housing for the computers and testing equipment was given more thought and consideration than the barely adequate building quickly set up to house and protect the human colonists. Great care was taken with each machine, robot and android sent to Mars; any bits of dust rendered them inoperative. Little wonder the first colonists considered themselves “housekeepers” for their machines.
Original Mars Colony was still standing three hundred years later; at least the buildings housing the test equipment stood. Robots ran the place now, but the testing continued on the atmospheric conditions, wind, and other climate studies.
Mars Colony II, hailed as the model for all future starship manufacturing bases, was still important for retrofitting and repairs, and salvage operations. There was also a large underground facility for top secret design, research and engineering.
The shining gem on the red planet was Mars Colony III, a huge, multi-domed complex, designed from the beginning to house families, offices, URE government buildings, and all the structural wonders of modern Earth cities. It also housed a military base at the northern end of the city, under its own dome, that provided far more than shelter for the Space Forces and Space Marines stationed there. It was a beautiful base, designed to not resemble a standard old-Earth military base, boring and nondescript. This base provided state-of-the-art housing for its military personnel, rivaling Mars Colony III in its beauty and services. Even the hangars were designed with distinctive edifices, to openly display the pride of the URE in their construction.
Mars Colony III would rival any mid-sized Earth city in availability of services, shopping malls and boutiques, restaurants, schools, and even professional theatre and opera. There was a university, very highly-rated. The Colony III buildings were mostly constructed of tempered plex glass and steel, the glass tinted in many different colors and hues. The city sparkled and gleamed like a vision of heaven itself, rising majestically above the rust-colored plains. Like Moon Base, artificial lighting simulated day and night for its occupants, with the time of day set to match that of Houston, and Earth Command Central.
The living accommodations on Colony III were all high-rise structures, many with balconies or terraces, spacious, and very modern in design. Where a resident lived was a direct reflection of their job function, status, and tenure. Independent housing was not available, apart from the URE-assigned buildings. The URE was the sole property owner for all Mars Co
lony III.
There were only two other living installations on Mars: Mars Penal Colony, for felons serving life sentences; and the top secret “Mars X.” Mars X was a forty-five minute shuttle ride from the outermost base plex dome of Mars Colony III. The plex dome for Mars X was still under construction, so a vast underground complex was designed and built with tunnels and air locks. Once outside, the bulky space suit was a requirement. The underground complex was extensive, with ten stories underground.
The purpose of Mars X was not divulged, but the highly visible surface areas showed building foundation pads, utility trenches, and clearly-marked roads and sidewalks. It was as if the URE cut the colony plan, then went entirely underground. Little additional work was completed above ground, although many buildings were in the framing stage for the officers, crew, and workers. They were waiting for the dome to be completed to continue construction.
Something occurred within the last six months at Mars X, a significant development, discovery, or event, causing many long-held design and building plans to be halted. Shuttles landed and launched regularly from the completed landing site, with its adjacent control tower. The larger transport landing site was still under construction. Colony III was reaping the benefits of the slow construction progress of Mars X, since it provided living quarters for the Space Forces officers and construction supervisors who were not housed underground on the base.
Mason said a teary good-bye to Rachel and his family when they boarded the transport for Earth Command Central in Houston, midnight last night. He would spend the next two weeks on Moon Base alone, not in a swank hotel where he spent the first week, but in a very modest BOQ (Bachelors Officers Quarters) building on the base, with a bunk drawer for a bed. As he shoved his gear into the taxi shuttle in front of the hotel later that morning, he sighed heavily, knowing exactly what he must accomplish in the next two weeks.
Vengeance of Sukesh: John Mason (Legend of John Mason) Page 22