I’m also indebted to my scattered group of writer buddies who cheer me on to hit a word count goal, whether it is 300 words or 3000. I wouldn’t want to do it without you. Special thanks to Alexis at wordvagabond.com for removing errors and not getting tired of it! Deep gratitude to Stephanie at mooneydesigns.net for her breathtaking covers. Mucho appreciation to my agent Michael Carr for all the inspiration to do more and be more as a writer.
I tried to fit everything in Book Five. I really did. But stories have a way of running away from authors, and so Book Five became Books Five and Six. (Coming! Soon!) I need to offer a special thank you to Isabel and Chris for bearing with me while I wrote the story all the way to the end even when it became apparent it would be more than twice as long as usual. I wasn’t a very fun mom or wife during those months, and you loved me anyway. I am so grateful.
Author’s Note
Would you like to see humans on Mars? Or journey there yourself? You many find the following organizations of interest:
www.planetary.org
www.nss.org
www.spacefrontier.org
www.marssociety.org
www.nasa.gov
www.spacex.com
mars-one.com
Bonus Material
Find a sneak peek of Cidney Swanson’s sixth and final book in The Saving Mars Series below.
1
The Terran Moon
Yevgeny, now the lone inhabitant of the Terran moon, made his way toward the side facing away from Earth. He’d promised his friends—his family—that he would keep himself safe. Pavel had hugged him. Called him the best uncle ever. A smile flitted across the Ghost’s face. But it was followed by a sadder expression.
He’d furnished the small base on the Moon’s far side for those times when he didn’t feel like having Earth in view. In the past, such times occurred when Sister did something which made him angry. Or sad. Or both. Putting Earth out of his view had been analogous to putting Sister out of view.
But Earth meant something more than just Sister now. Yevgeny brought his cycler to a standstill and did some hard thinking. After several minutes, he concluded he didn’t want to go to the so-called dark side of the Moon. He felt something deep inside, tugging, pulling, insisting that he return to Tranquility Base where he could gaze unimpeded at Earth, blue and luminous. Slowly, he wheeled his vehicle back around.
The tugging feeling was new. It wasn’t pleasant. It wasn’t imaginary, either. Something inside hurt. It took several kilometers for Yevgeny to remember where and when and why he’d felt the hurt before.
Of course.
Isobel.
This was loneliness.
The Ghost was alone once more.
2
Tresco, Isles of Scilly, Earth
Jessamyn sank into a couch opposite the plain white background where she’d recorded the greatest reveal in Mars Colonial’s over three hundred year history: We are here.
Or rather, they are there, thought Jess. Because she definitely wasn’t on Mars anymore.
“Did you get what you needed that time?” she asked Pavel.
Pavel, consulting with Zussman over the recording, took a minute to respond.
“Looks good from here,” he said at last. “Ethan? What’s your take?”
“I have removed all extraneous sound that might provide clues as to our location,” said Jessamyn’s brother. “I concur with your assessment: the recording is ready.”
According to the Secretary General and CEO of Mars Colonial, the Raiders had the authority to take “extraordinary measures deemed necessary for the preservation of Mars Colonial, her citizens, or the lives of the Mars Raiders.” The vid recorded by Jessamyn was just that: an extraordinary measure. And it was ready to be broadcast.
But was Jess ready? Ready to reveal to the people of Earth that the Mars colony had not only survived after the signing of the No Contact Accords, but that the colony was doing just fine as an independent world, thanks very much?
Well, fine if you didn’t take into consideration the ships heading to Mars under the orders of the Terran Chancellor Lucca Brezhnaya. Ships charged with destroying all life on the planet. One Marsian had already given her life to make sure more wouldn’t have to.
Kipper.
Heat flushed through Jessamyn. Her chin lifted and her nails dug into her palms. She was ready to send the vid out to the Terran world. She was more than ready. She could think of no more fitting way to honor her captain’s sacrifice.
“After we release this vid, how long until we tell everyone about the planned strike?” asked Jessamyn. She’d assumed the information about Lucca’s attack would be part of her initial recording, but Mr. Zussman had warned against it.
It would be best if Terrans first warm up to you, and to the idea of a Marsian population, he had advised.
Which meant Jess would be recording more than just this first vid. On the whole, she’d rather fly straight into a class five dust storm back home than face another day like today. Unfortunately, no one was offering to save life on Mars in exchange for such an offer.
“We play it by ear,” said Pavel.
“We assess the impact of your first announcement prior to making that decision,” said Mr. Zussman.
“We go with our gut,” said Ethan, a small smile brushing across his face.
Jess turned to her brother with one brow raised. She would have placed water creds on her brother’s never having gone with his gut in his life.
Shoving her fists into her pockets, Jess said, “Let’s get this vid out there where it can do some good.”
“Ah, yes, miss,” said Mr. Zussman. It was his typical preamble to stating a disagreement with someone. “If I might just suggest waiting until morning in Budapest? To allow the recording to have the greatest initial impact?”
Something shifted uncomfortably in Jessamyn’s stomach. She wanted this thing done, already. Waiting meant the possibility that something tomorrow would prevent their taking this vital step. Waiting meant a night reconsidering her old fears about telling Earth the truth in the first place. Her primal fears about revealing Mars to the same people who’d bombed Greenhouse Mars, destroyed Mars’s orbital mirrors, fired on Mars with lasers.
“Will it make that much difference?” she asked.
“Oh, yes, miss,” replied the butler. “A successful launch will make all the difference.”
“Fine,” she said, her lips pursing.
It was going to be a long night.
3
Tranquility Base, The Terran Moon
Back at Tranquility once more, Yevgeny missed his friends more than ever. It was the trade-off, he supposed, for having formed friendships. There had been a time when he’d missed Sister; it had passed eventually. But Yevgeny didn’t want this new loneliness to pass. He didn’t want his memories of meals shared to fade. On the other hand, he definitely didn’t want to return to Earth.
“All that gravity,” he muttered alone. “All those people.”
No, what he wanted was a way to talk to his friends. But in the haste of getting them safely off the Moon, no one had thought about future comms. Yevgeny had the best equipment in the world, (or rather, beyond the world,) but he didn’t know where his friends were. Which meant he couldn’t comm them.
The ache in his chest intensified.
He missed his friends. His family. His only family now he’d disowned Sister. Maybe he should comm Jumble. The retired spacer might know where Jess, Pavel, Ethan, and Zussman could be found. Of course, Jumble had a bad habit of going dark for weeks at a time. But it was better than just sitting and … aching.
Yevgeny sent a comm to Jumble, telling himself to regulate his expectations. It might be a month before Jumble checked for messages.
There was no response the first day. Or the second. So this was how his friends must have felt, waiting for the window of opportunity that would allow them to comm Mars.
And then the Ghost had a thought.
Of course, it might not work. He hadn’t paid a call to New Terra since … well, since he’d been accessory to the murder of Pavel’s parents.
4
New Houston, Mars
The Secretary General and CEO of Mars Colonial was deep in conversation in her office. The fact that her conversation was with the planetary dog would have raised more than a few eyebrows, had anyone else been in the room.
Mei Lo herself didn’t give it a second thought. Rover had been the initial recipient of many ideas, the faithful listener to many rants, the steady companion whose intelligent gaze seemed to invite conversation.
But Rover was done listening for now. Ambling to the wet rations dispenser, the dog whimpered. Mei Lo’s heart pinched. Rover, along with everyone else on the planet, had been asked to reduce wet rations by 7%, the precise amount determined to be possible without causing widespread loss of health.
“Oh, all right then,” sighed the Secretary. “You can have mine. But don’t tell anyone, okay?”
Her comm pinged.
“Yes?” she said.
“Will you be wanting to cancel your 16:00 today, Secretary?” asked a disembodied voice.
Veronica, the new assistant. She’d been sent over from a previous position at MCAB where she had protected access to the Academic Dean with a ferocity that was legendary. The Academy was all but closed down these days, the students and faculty assigned to bring the systems damaged by the Terran lasers back to full working order.
Mei Lo wasn’t certain she liked having a human barrier between herself and the rest of Mars. But Veronica was excellent at deciding which things needed the Secretary’s attention and which could be delegated.
“Remind me what I have going on?” asked Mei Lo. She hoped it was something she could reschedule. She felt more worn out than last year’s ration wrappers.
“Story time? At the library? I’m sure they’d understand if you needed to cancel.”
Rover tilted his head to one side. He knew the words “story time.”
Mei Lo thought she heard a hint of judgment in Veronica’s usually neutral tone. Veronica would understand if the Secretary General needed to cancel. The library would understand. The parents would understand.
But not the kids.
Rover made a soft sound between a growl and a whine, holding Mei Lo’s gaze.
“You’re right, boy. Always right, aren’t you?” She gave him a scratch under the chin where he liked it best.
“Madam Secretary? Shall I cancel for you?”
“No, I’m going. Please confirm the appointment with them.”
“Very well.” Veronica’s voice cut off abruptly.
Mei Lo rose and stretched. “You coming with me, boy? You want Dr. Seuss today?”
Rover stood, wagged his tail vigorously, and barked once.
Mei Lo chuckled. Three years ago, when she’d first begun volunteering as a story time reader at the library, she’d been mortified to discover that years of speech-making had left her rather bad at reading aloud. So she’d tackled the fault the same way she would have any other problem: she’d practiced. At home, with Rover as her audience. Early on, Rover had indicated a preference for rhythmic texts, and Dr. Seuss books were his favorite.
“Dr. Seuss it is, then, boy,” she said. The Secretary smiled. The planetary dog was always a welcome addition to story time, but Mei Lo tried to limit the times she brought him, in fairness to children who lived too far away for more than an annual birthday visit. Favoritism was not the Marsian way.
From a temperature and humidity controlled vault in her office, Mei Lo grabbed two ancient paper copies of Rover’s favorites, Go, Dog, Go and Horton Hears a Who. The books had been handed down in her family through eight generations at least, and Mei Lo intended upon her death to leave them to the library.
After running her fingers across the faded cover of Go, Dog, Go, the Secretary crossed to the door. “Come on, boy, let’s go.”
As the Secretary rose to depart, Veronica came to the door, and the two nearly collided.
“Madam Secretary,” said Veronica, breathless, “We’ve received a comm from … from Earth. I think you should hear this yourself.”
The sixth and final book in The Saving Mars Series is coming Spring 2014. Sign up now to be notified by email when it releases!
Find more Cidney Swanson books here.
Table of Contents
STRIKING MARS
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2
3
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5
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Bonus Material
Striking Mars (The Saving Mars Series-5) Page 22