Log 0008
14:38 Sunday 11 January 2178
Well, we just had our meeting. Sarah sat at the top end of the table, acting if she was the captain. The Harris brothers, Hutchie and Malcolm sat round the table, hardly paying much attention to her as she simply repeated what was said on the Aldrin. Lloyd strangely didn’t sit at the table but over at the window, looking out. I don’t know if he listened to what Sarah was saying but he looked slightly agitated. I figure his obsessive compulsive behaviour hasn’t coped too well with the crew. I imagine Malcolm would be the closest to a confidante he would have. Hutchie probably would be his worst nightmare.
She concluded her speech, stood back with her arms folded and asked if there was anything anyone wanted to ask. Her look and demeanour gave the impression that she really didn’t want any questions asked but I think that may have encouraged Hutchie.
He put up his hand, and with a cheeky smile on his face, asked what was in the huge container down in the cargo bay. Sarah looked at him in absolute shock, and I noticed Lloyd was no longer staring out the window but at her. She blurted that it was classified government equipment and it was nothing that concerned him. I thought Hutchie would have left it at that but he put his hand up again and asked Sarah if she had any plans for tonight. The brothers burst out laughing and even Malcolm couldn’t resist a chuckle. I must admit, I had to turn my head to avoid a smirk on my face being seen.
I’m sure she would have torn him to pieces if Lloyd hadn’t stepped up to the table and asked angrily, ‘are we in danger?’
The room fell silent and Lloyd repeated his question. Sarah looked dumbfounded and it was Malcolm who turned to Lloyd and asked him what he meant. Lloyd asked about the Earthbinders and if they were interested in what we are carrying to Clarke. It was obvious then that something had spooked Lloyd but refused to really expand on what. Sarah told us that everything was under high security and double checked before we left. Lloyd left without saying a word, leaving us all looking at each bewildered.
I asked if there had been any reports of anymore bombs or attacks on Earth since the one in Florida. Sarah told me that she hadn't heard of anything yet but if there was any kind of threat she would be informed right away. She packed up her files and walked away. As she passed, she whispered to me to keep an eye on Lloyd.
I'll have to get to speak to him at some point without the others around. I know he was annoyed at not getting to check the ship before we left, but something else has gotten to him.
Log 0009
23:35 Sunday 11 January 2178
Something has definitely gotten to Lloyd. I don't know what, but I think he's going to tell me. He came to my quarters about an hour ago. He seemed slightly less agitated than at the meeting but he was far from relaxed. I invited him in and asked if he wanted one of the beers I had brought up from supplies. He declined and asked me what I knew about the Clarke and the cargo. I told him I knew as much as he did, in fact, probably less. He then asked if I knew much about the Earthbinders and the People of Earth and if they could ever attack outside Earth. I said I didn't think so and told him that the People of Earth weren't the real problem as they were the non violent, respectable version of the Earthbinders. Lloyd told me he wasn't so sure. He heard of people belonging to both groups. Usually when the Earthbinders get old and disillusioned with violent ways, they settle for the People of Earth, while some of the younger members of the People of Earth get fed up with their party’s compromises and politics and opt for a darker path.
I wanted to know what exactly was bothering Lloyd but there was a knock at my door. It was Sarah. Lloyd excused himself immediately and said he would speak later. Sarah just wanted to know if there was anything that should be brought to her attention. I told her if there was anything she needed to know then I'll let her know right away. Not satisfied with my answer, she asked what Lloyd was talking to me about. I let her know in perhaps not quite a friendly manner that if she hadn't stuck her nose in, he might have told me. I think she took the hint, and bid me a good night in a sharp tone.
I'll have to speak to Lloyd soon.
Log 0010
16:55 Monday 12 January 2178
I decided not to pursue Lloyd but rather let him come to me with what’s bothering him. He hasn’t left the ship’s onboard laboratory all day, not even to join us in the dinning area.
I spoke to Hutchie down in the cargo deck and asked him if he knew what had gotten into Lloyd. He hadn’t a clue but he did show me the container that he asked Sarah about at the meeting. It was placed right at the back of the cargo hold, almost hidden behind all the regular supply containers. It was a characterless metal box, about fifteen feet square. I asked Hutchie if he had any idea what could be inside. He told me he couldn’t even open the box as there was a panel at the back with a keypad that required both a retina scan and pass code. Whatever it was, it was not your usual crate with food and clothing supplies. Hutchie pointed out that the container was also bolted to the floor. Whatever's in it, it's important to someone.
Sarah also spoke to me later on when I was checking a few readings on the bridge. She apologised for last night but insisted that she was concerned for the welfare of everyone of the ship. I was tempted to ask if she was more concerned about the cargo but thought best not to antagonise the situation. She then asked about Lloyd. I just told her to leave it with me and he'll tell me in his own time. I then asked her if she knew what's the story with the container, which caused her to roll her eyes and sigh in frustration. Sarah admitted that the actual contents of the container were never divulged to her but she knows it’s a vital piece of equipment that's being assembled on Clarke. I came close to telling her I could have worked that out myself but I bit my tongue and left it at that. It's only a few days into the journey and already tensions between us are not good.
It occurred to me that since Lloyd is being transferred to work on the Clarke station, then maybe he knows what we're carrying. I'll have to get him to open up.
Log 0011
02:04 Tuesday 13 January 2178
I couldn't sleep so I headed to the recreational room and sat down with a beer. At first, I didn't notice Malcolm was already sitting there and I jumped when he said hello. He laughed and asked if I minded him sitting with me. I told him I would be glad of the company and I asked if he wanted me to get him a beer. He laughed again and said he was fine. He put on some music. Beethoven, I think it was. Karen would know. She's always trying to get me into that stuff to relax.
Malcolm had heard earlier from Sarah that three men had been arrested back on Earth for the bomb attack in Florida. Seems they had a huge campaign of attacks planned for several other launch sites as well. We talked again at length about the terrorists attacks and Malcolm told me his brother and his sister-in-law were both killed in the Florida bomb of ‘55. He himself had very nearly been killed on several occasions but fortunately was still alive to tell the tale. He holds no ill will against the People of Earth and feels perhaps they are too easily confused with the Earthbinders, which he says unless they give up the violence, will never get anywhere.
Despite what has happened, there’s no trace of bitterness or anger with him. Maybe that kind of peace comes with age. I finished my drink and thanked Malcolm for the company.
Log 0012
11:25 Tuesday 13 January 2178
I met Lloyd in the canteen when picking up some breakfast. He was drinking his coffee, starring blindly out the window. He seemed less agitated but rather more tired than anything else. I commented to him that he must have been busy as nobody had seen him yesterday. He told me he had been busy with something very important and if I could call round to the lab later on. I asked him if there was anything I need to be worried about and Lloyd just said he’ll explain at the lab. He finished his coffee and before he left, he told me not to say anything to anyone.
Hutchie came through the door just as Lloyd was leaving. He opened the cupboard and began lifting out several
bread rolls. I asked if he was planning to eat that all himself, but he assured me some of it was for the Harris brothers who were waiting for him in the recreational room. I asked him how he was getting on with the new ship. He seemed impressed with it and didn’t expect to have any issues with it. He told me he’d been on some freighters where he’d have to spend nearly twenty hours a day down below, just to make sure the power supply didn’t cut out.
I have to agree with Hutchie. They certainly provided us with a first class ship. At least breaking down in the middle of space isn’t something we need to be worried about. I’m going to the lab now.
Log 0013
12:33 Tuesday 13 January 2178
I can't believe what Lloyd showed me. We could be in a lot of trouble.
When I entered the lab, Lloyd made sure nobody was hanging round the corridor, then closed and locked the door. I was about to ask him what is going on when he produced a small box. He opened it and inside was a mesh of wires, circuit boards and two tubes with a blue liquid inside.
It was a bomb.
I was speechless. I still am, I guess. Lloyd told me he found it in an unused supply room on the lower level. He had spent the last two days trying to deactivate it, and despite not having any experience or intel on bomb construction. At first I was angry for not informing the crew and he could have endangered us all by messing around with it.
Lloyd apologised but said the reason was that he didn't know who to trust. He told me the bomb had a very small receiver, so whoever intended to explode it, would have to do it from either on board the ship, or on a station when the ship was docked. He theorised, that since the bomb didn't go off on Aldrin then the person planning on detonating it is either on the Clarke station or one of our own crew. I told him that would be suicide to detonate a bomb on your own ship so it had to be someone on Clarke. Lloyd thought that too but security there was so tight, that not even he knew what he was scheduled to be working on. The chance of a saboteur becoming one of the Clarke residents with all the background and security checks was unlikely.
I asked Lloyd if he had been successful in disarming it and he seemed confident that he had. It was still potentially dangerous so he advised me against throwing it about.
I’ve taken the device into my quarters and locked it away. I have a feeling things are going to get worse.
Log 0014
21:43 Tuesday 13 January 2178
I’ve been watching everyone closely all day. I’ve hardly spoken to any of them. I’m sure they know something’s up and if one of the crew is indeed a saboteur, then they would definitely know that I know.
Hutchie seems like a carefree, sociable man but could that all be for show? Does he have an agenda?
The Harris brothers are both dedicated and well disciplined. Surely if one of them is up to something, then his twin would sense it. Unless they’re both in it together.
What do I really know about Malcolm? Like Hutchie, he doesn’t appear like a suspect at all but that all could be an act.
Sarah Connelly, the government official. Why was she sent along? To keep an eye on us or that mysterious container in the cargo bay? She says she doesn’t know what’s in it but could she be lying? And she is dealing with all the communications between us and Aldrin and the Clarke. I wonder if she’s talking to other people as well.
Then there’s Lloyd. Can he really be ruled out? He did bring the bomb to my attention and diffused it. Why would a bomber show his victims the bomb? More importantly, is the bomb really deactivated?
And why would they want to blow up the ship anyway? Is it because of the cargo we’re carrying? If that’s the case, why not have the bomb timed to blow a few minutes after they planted it? That would have given them time to get clear of the explosion. Why have a manual detonator?
There are so many questions. I really need to sleep on this. If I can.
Log 0015
06:18 Wednesday 14 January 2178
I've decided to tell the others. The sooner, the better. Hopefully it will help flush out whoever it is who wants us blown up. I'm going to announce over the intercom for everyone to get to the meeting room in two hours.
Log 0016
13:46 Wednesday 14 January 2178
Everybody was already there when I entered the room. I'm sure Lloyd must have had a fair idea what it was about and when he saw me walk in with the box, he looked uneasy. I felt uneasy myself as I had no idea how the others would react. I placed the box on the table and looked at the others, hoping there might be some clue in their reactions. All of them looked perplexed, except for Hutchie who reached over to pick the box up. I put my hand up to stop him just as Lloyd screamed for him to stop.
Sarah obviously didn’t have much patience and demanded to know why the meeting was called.
I told them everything. Everything Lloyd and I knew and what our suspicions were. We were greeted with gaping mouths and silence from everyone. Sarah, who in the past couple of days had been efficiently unemotional, started to show signs of distress.
It was Malcolm who suggested contacting the Clarke and let them know what’s happening as well as the commander at the Aldrin. Sarah left the room quickly, leaving the rest of us to wonder what the next step is. I suspect they might want us to return back since we’re barely into the journey. It shouldn’t take too long for the Harris brothers to recalculate our flight path and send us back to the Aldrin.
I asked Frank to plot the new course so we could begin to return as soon as Sarah gets the word. He did protest slightly, saying we should see what Sarah is told before thinking of returning. I sensed he, like the others, was disappointed that the journey, along with the bonus, was over before it really began. However, I did explain that the Clarke would hardly want anything to do with us once they knew that security had been compromised.
I then told the rest to have a walk round the ship, just in case there was more than one bomb.
I’m now sitting in my quarters, once again starring out the window. It seems so peaceful out there.
Log 0017
16:42 Wednesday 14 January 2178
We're still going to Clarke. I'm surprised. I thought they would want us back to the Aldrin along with their top secret cargo. Sarah came to my quarters to tell me what she had been told in the comms room. She is still visibly shaken and it's just now I'm realising how young she really is. Poor kid doesn't know what she's got herself into. I believe her when she says she doesn't have much information about the mission. I told her to go back to her quarters and rest up. Bravely she told me she was fine but neither of us was buying it. I admire her determination but I told her she'll be no good to anyone if she doesn't look after herself. I'll have to speak to the crew individually. Particularly Malcolm. I'm not going to be coy with him anymore. Everyone can explain their purpose on this ship, even Lloyd to a degree. It's time he told us.
Log 0018
00:12 Thursday 15 January 2178
Sarah didn't go to her quarters as I suggested but rather to the recreational room were Malcolm was sitting. I thought it best to leave the two of them there. Malcolm does have a calming effect on people so hopefully he'll help Sarah get back to her normal, stone cold self.
I met Hutchie down in the lower levels to see if he had noticed anything that I should be worried about. He said he hadn’t come across anything yet, but there were still many things for him to inspect.
The two of us together gave the life pod a good check. It’s located at the very bottom of the ship so if we’re on the bridge and things go wrong, we’ve got quite a dash downwards.
From what I can tell, it’s quite a bit larger than the normal standard. It’s basically a twenty-five metre long cylinder tube with enough oxygen, food rations and water to last us for three weeks. I hope we don’t ever need to consider using it because the thought of having to spend several weeks waiting to get rescued in one has been a nightmare of mine. The survival rate of people using these is so low, I don’t even know why t
hey bother having them in the first place. By the time most rescue ships get out there to pick them up, the poor souls have run out of oxygen. Although we should last longer than that since we’ve only got seven passengers on board.
The supplies all seemed to be topped up but I asked Hutchie if we would make sure the electrics for the heating and communicator in it are working fine. Normally these things are checked rigorously before setting off but now we can’t be sure of anything.
Hutchie promised me he’d give the pod the full diagnostic check right away and he wouldn’t sleep until he was confident it was tamper free.
The more I speak to Hutchie, especially about his work as ship engineer, the more I see a serious side to him. Despite the party animal aura he gives off, he’s very good at his job and obviously worked hard to get there. I’m glad he’s on our team.
Providing he’s on our side.
Log 0019
The Martian Journal Page 2