But its times like this that makes me glad that I do.
Log 0051
07:43 Friday 22 January 2178
The remaining four of us boarded the Clarke. It was eerily silent and the air was very cold. I asked Lloyd if he knew anything about the Clarke that would help us in anyway. All he knew about the layout was what he glimpsed at the maps in Frank’s room. He suggested we try and make our way to the centre of the station as that is where the laser is situated according to the plans.
We walked further down the winding corridors, looking in as many rooms as we could along the way. Most of them we couldn’t open, but of the ones that did, we found nothing of interest.
Hutchie asked Lloyd how many people were supposed to be working here. He replied that he was told he would be working with a team of about twenty. Hutchie joked that maybe they’re throwing a surprise party for him and they’re going to jump out any minute.
Sarah tried one door, and when she opened it, there was an overwhelming foul odour. She turned around, doubled over and vomited. Holding our noses the best we could we looked inside. There must have been two dozen decomposing bodies, piled up in the corner. I closed the door again not wishing to see the sight any longer. Hutchie was rubbing Sarah’s back as she was still coughing up the last of her breakfast.
Hutchie commented that at least we found Lloyd’s welcoming party. Sarah asked how Frank could have killed so many people. Lloyd said that it couldn’t have been him as the bodies had been dead for quite awhile. It seems both our ship and the Clarke had a saboteur aboard. If he had to hazard a guess, Lloyd reckoned poisoning would have been the cause of death.
Sarah leaned on Hutchie as we carried on further down, all of us being aware that there was at least one hostile Clarke crew member. I told Hutchie and Sarah what Malcolm had told us before he died. All about the hidden structure buried on Mars, as well as his theory that the Earthbinders are probably just a small cog in a much larger wheel.
I was amazed that even Hutchie was silenced, although to be fair, it is a lot to take in. I would hardly believe it myself if so many people hadn’t died.
Sarah began to walk under her own strength when she asked the question that I dreaded somebody was going to ask. What are we going to do on the Clarke?
Luckily Lloyd had an adequate answer. He suggested we find out if the laser is a real threat and deactivate it. Hutchie then added the word ‘permanently’ to Lloyd’s sentence. It's probably the first time they've agreed on something.
We came to a huge set of double doors. Lloyd suggested that this is possibly where something vital relating to the laser was. He was right. He pushed the doors open to find ourselves in a huge dome-like chamber with various other corridors leading off from it. Beside one of the other doors, was a container that looked very familiar. It was the container that held the weapon part. It was empty.
At the centre of the room, hoisted up well above our heads, was the missing weapon part. It was connected to several other large tubes that lead up to the ceiling. We were so taken in by the machine that we never heard somebody had come into the chamber behind us. It wasn't until a shot was fired and Lloyd fell to the ground that we realised what had happened. Sarah ran to check on Lloyd while I turned round to see Frank standing there holding a gun. A man in a white coat stood behind him with his hands casually in his pockets.
Hutchie made a move towards the two but Frank raised the gun towards him. Hutchie stopped and stared at Frank with disgust. Frank just looked back at him with a smile. All I could do was look at Frank and ask him why?
The man in the white coat stepped forward and introduced himself as Dr Martin Callaghan. He dryly thanked us for bringing the final part of the weapon and hoped we would stay for its demonstration in a few minutes. I looked down to see how Sarah was doing with Lloyd, but Frank had moved forward, grabbed Sarah by the arm and pushed her towards me. He motioned the three of us to step away from Lloyd. I looked at this Callaghan and wondered if he was any relation to Malcolm. He saw me staring at him and he walked right up to me. I asked him what he planned to do with the laser now he's assembled it. He turned around and with his back arrogantly to me, asked what I thought he was going to do with it.
I asked if he no longer wanted to use it to uncover huge metal spaceships buried under Mars. That got him. He turned around and looked slightly impressed. He laughed and said I was correct. He cryptically said that people in a higher and more enlightened position than him, decided that mankind was not ready to involve themselves in such matters.
I then asked why did they move the station away from Mars.
He replied 'to get a better shot.'
Sarah asked a shot at where. We dreaded the answer. The Aldrin. At the new position the Clarke is in, the Aldrin station would be completely destroyed before they knew it. Callaghan continued to tell us that the original plan was once the laser part was loaded on from our ship, the bomb would have been detonated, killing the crew and preventing them from warning the Aldrin about the Clarke's new position. Of course, Lloyd had to snoop around and find the bomb thus making life more difficult for them. Hence why Frank crudely destroyed the communication device.
It was Hutchie who asked why he killed his own brother. Frank said it was nothing personal, but he just had to make sure he was the only person navigating the ship. If Aaron had been at the controls and realised much earlier on that the Clarke was no longer in its normal orbit, there was a chance he would have told the rest of the crew, who would in turn have told the Aldrin. He smiled at Sarah and said he was impressed that she worked it out when it was mere hours away, but by then it was too late for them to do anything.
I asked that surely somebody on the Aldrin would have detected something was wrong and taken plans. They both laughed to themselves. Callaghan chillingly said that there were others in their circle, as he called it, dotted about various parts of the system, making sure things go according to plan.
Sarah shouted what did he and the Earthbinders want. Callaghan lowered his head, smiling to himself. He raised it again and declared that the Earthbinders were nothing more than a crude little set up that serves their purpose for them.
It was unbelievable and we all fell silent. Callaghan then signalled for Sarah to come over to him, but she moved a step back, almost behind me. Callaghan then told Sarah she was to come with him to the Clarke's communication room. She will contact the Aldrin and assure them everything is fine.
I told him that wasn’t going to happen and to forget it. Frank pointed the gun towards Sarah, and then slowly moved it towards Hutchie. Callaghan smirked as he told Sarah to do what he said if she didn’t want to see her friends harmed.
Sarah began to move slowly forward, when Lloyd from out of nowhere lunged at Frank’s arm, dragging the gun down towards the floor. This gave Hutchie enough time to rush over and throw a heavy punch across Frank’s jaw. Frank dropped to the ground and before we knew it, Callaghan had raced away down another corridor.
I would have chased after him but I was more worried about Lloyd, who was trying his best to stay on his feet despite Hutchie telling him to take it easy. Lloyd refused, saying we had to somehow find the controls to the laser and stop it. He put one arm over Hutchie and told him to head towards where Callaghan ran to. Sarah took his other arm and together they began moving in that direction. I picked up Frank’s gun and followed behind them.
At the end of the featureless corridor was a double door, similar to the one that lead to the chamber. I opened the door to see Callaghan standing at a control panel. When I shouted at him to stop, he turned to face us and that was when I realised that he was also holding a gun. He fired off two shots before I could react by firing back. I must have hit him three or four times as he hit the ground dead. I turned to see that Lloyd had fallen to the floor. He had been hit in the chest. Sarah was clutching her side as blood began pouring down it.
Despite being shot a second time Lloyd, scrambled towards the control pane
l while shouting to Hutchie to check on Sarah. The blood just flowed from him but he fought on to work at the controls, covering it more and more with his own blood. I knew he wasn’t going to make it but his ability to carry on regardless was one of the most admirable things I have ever seen anyone do.
I saw out of the corner of my eye, Hutchie ripping his sleeve and tying it around Sarah’s waist. I called over to Hutchie asking how Sarah was while making sure Lloyd was able to stand at the terminal. He informed me that she’s in shock but it’s just a flesh wound.
Lloyd slumped down onto a chair at the control panel. He grabbed me by the shirt and pulled me closer so I could hear him. The weapon is primed to fire and the co-ordinates are indeed for the Aldrin. He said he couldn’t stop it from firing and the target is locked in. I asked if there was anything we could do. Lloyd closed his eyes and suggested we try to knock the Clarke out of position but we would have to be very quick as from what he could gather, we had less than twenty-five minutes. I thought for a moment and asked if the bomb that we found was strong enough. Lloyd just shook his head. My heart sank until Hutchie piped up. He said if the bomb was to detonate at a certain part of the ship then the explosion would be quite substantial.
Lloyd said that could be enough to do it. He then added that there should be an escape pod on our ship that we could use. I looked over at Hutchie. Lloyd and Sarah didn’t know about the life pods depleted oxygen supply. Hutchie leaned over to whisper to me. He reminded me that we set the distress beacon a few days ago, and there was a good chance that a rescue ship could already be on the way. I asked if there was enough oxygen for the four of us. Hutchie just answered with with a less than assuring maybe, before scooping Sarah up in his arms. I asked Lloyd if he was ready to move but he didn’t reply. I checked for a pulse or something but it was too late. He was gone.
We made our way back along the corridor leading to the huge chamber. Frank was beginning to stir but was knocked out again when Hutchie ran over and, without missing a step, kicked him in the head. ‘That’s for Lloyd’ is all he shouted.
I called for Hutchie to take the corridor nearest the container which contained the laser, hoping that it was the one that leads to the cargo bay of Hercules XXI. As we ran down the corridor, a humming noise came from all around the station. I figured it was the laser warming up. Time was obviously running out.
It turned out my suspicions were correct as the corridor turned into a boarding tunnel, and once we reached the end, we found ourselves inside the cargo bay of our ship.
Hutchie had already opened the life pod and lowered Sarah down into it. I opened the container were I stored the bomb and fortunately it was still there. I pulled one of the wires out and the bomb began to bleep. I looked closer and saw that the two canisters were beginning to mix. I took it over to Hutchie and asked where I should place it. He took it off me and told me to get into the pod. I could tell by the tone of his voice that something wasn’t right.
He asked me if it was fifteen minutes buffering time before the bomb would go off. I said that was what Lloyd told me. He then said that ten minutes ago Lloyd told us we had less than twenty-five minutes before the laser would fire. I was just about to ask what was he getting at, then I realised what he meant. The laser was going to fire before the bomb would go off. Hutchie told me again to get into the life pod but something about the way he said it made me think he wasn’t getting in himself. I climbed in and shouted at him to just throw the bomb away and get in.
I remember him just shaking his head and saying how he thought he could set the bomb off instantly. I started to protest but Hutchie told me I better get going while there was still time. He said he’d count to thirty as soon as the life pod is jettisoned and hoped we would see a good firework display. He added that with only two people the oxygen will last longer but the next time when in the bar together the drinks are on me. He gave a final laugh before closing the door to the pod. I pulled the release lever and we were shot out into space.
I looked out the window towards the Clarke and saw a silent flash of light. It cleared and I couldn’t see anything left of the Hercules but the Clarke began to rotate out of position. With a bit of luck even if the laser does fire, it will not be hitting the Aldrin. I think we’ve done it.
Log 0052
11:13 Friday 22 January 2178
Sarah has fallen asleep. She’s burning up quite a bit. I hope she’ll be alright.
Log 0053
14:23 Friday 22 January 2178
She’s still asleep. I’ve been doing some calculations with the oxygen readings and the distance we are from the soonest possible rescue.
We haven’t got enough oxygen. We’re both going to be dead before help arrives
Log 0054
15:14 Friday 22 January 2178
There is a way to make the oxygen last longer. There’s not enough for two but maybe one of us can get back.
There’s a compartment in the pod where waste can be placed, closed up and then dumped into space. I could fit a body into it.
Log 0055
15:33 Friday 22 January 2178
I’ve thought about it. I’m going to have to do it. There’s no other way. I think of the bravery shown by Lloyd and Hutchie in their last moments.
Log 0056
15:41 Friday 22 January 2178
I’ve done it. It’s a strange feeling seeing a body out in space. Sarah is still unconscious. Probably for the best. Wouldn't be a good sight to wake up and see me placing Aaron's body in the outshoot.
Her breathing's quite shallow so she'll not be using that much oxygen. With her just like that then maybe she'll get picked up.
All that is left for me to do is to climb into the body bag, seal it up and drink the contents of this test tube that Lloyd gave me. If Sarah wakes up, I don't want her to see my body floating about. This trip has been tough on her but I think she'll survive this.
Log 0057
15:58 Friday 22 January 2178
This is my last log. I want people to know what happened here and what is out there. Hopefully the right people will get this journal and be able to act on it.
I just want to say what an honour it was to meet men like Hutchie, Lloyd, Aaron and Malcolm. I hope there's something on the other side, because I'd love to tell you personally.
Karen, I'm sorry I didn’t come home.
David Johnston, logging off.
THE END
Special thanks to
Susan Morgan
Neil Burnside
Emma Heaney
Emmeline O’Kane-Majury
The owners and drinkers of O'Rawe’s Bar
The Burnside Clan and its affiliates
And all of my favourite Ballymena people
The Martian Journal Page 6