“What about Stanley? I haven't seen him in a long while either,” said a woman.
“Nobody's seen Stanley in a while. He decided to go work in one of those mines up north. I know a few guys that went up there. Never saw 'em again,” said the first man.
“They pay more up there, I hear. Could be living the life. Maybe that's why we haven't seen 'em?” She said.
“I don't know, Lisa. I don't think it's worth it. I don't even think they work under a proper biosphere up there. Besides, they barely do things the right way where we work at. Like not always giving employees the drug cocktail like they should before we start our work assignments,” warned the second man.
“Those drugs are expensive, man,” chimed in a fifth guy.
“So? Whose problem is that? We need them before, not after the fact.”
“Yeah, man. Bill's right. They promised us that. We hold up our end of the deal by working our fingers to the bone. They need to uphold theirs,” said the third man.
“You know how bosses lie. They want that money and we're on the front lines making all that money for 'em. They don't want nothin' cuttin' into that bottom line. We're just the tools they use,” said the fifth man.
“Well, I don't like it, man. They need to be honest about what's going on. Something deeper is going on than what they told us at that in-service meeting last week, too!” Said the first man. This seemed to really get them riled up.
“What? What do you think it's coming from?” Asked the woman.
“Phil's section was full of radon gas for a long time. Machines and equipment and even the walls were breaking down, corroding. How they managed to hide it for so long, I don't know. That section of the mine was infected with it and they never took the proper precautions to prep the area before they had guys going in there. Very high radiation area and it's not getting any better,” said the man called Bill, indignantly.
“You know how they roll out here,” said the first guy, sucking his teeth.
“So why do we keep working out here in these mines?” asked Bill.
“The money, man. You know that.” They all started laughing at this. “The money. It's either that or go back home and dismantle old buildings and melt metal down for wages that don't even pay the grocery bills. Then you get make up the rest of your income from government welfare. Who wants that crap?” Said the first.
“Yeah, man.”
“They tell us where to go and what to do and when to take a dump already. I don't need more government shaft up my backside. So I come out here to make it.”
“Yeah.” This was the consensus of all the miners on the freighter.
“It ain't right though. It ain't right.” Said another older woman. I had to agree. Why do so many people have to put their lives at great risk in order to make decent living? It seemed as if it had always been that way.
My stop at the observatory was first after we left the central downtown portion of Langrenus. What an earful! I wonder what I'll find out at the science talk? I made some notes on my digital pad of this conversation. Radiation seemed like an unacknowledged problem here, one never spoken of by anyone on Earth and probably not in the gleaming, sleek upper levels of the lunar city. Meanwhile, I had to stifle my anger. I had a job to do.
I was dropped off at a pavilion in front of the observatory and watched the freighter turn and fly away west. I walked into the first doors and waited for the air pressure to change and then I walked through the second doors, heard them seal shut and took off my helmet. I went to the front desk and was eventually led to one of the large audience halls, a wide circular room with chairs that rounded the perimeter and in the middle a round podium on a dais. There was a large half balcony with rows of chairs above me. It was already packed with guests. I came in and found a seat in the back and listened, politely and intently.
“We do understand that there has been increased activity of the lunar lights.” The speaker said waving his hands animatedly and smiling like a game show host, “and this has caused some to wonder about it. Of course, as we've discussed, there's no need to worry. What we are seeing is the result of differences in levels of activity, depending upon the season and the reactions of gases to the sun's influence.” Yeah, right.
“Can you explain a little further?” asked one person from the audience.
“Of course. Long ago when people did not have the ability to leave Earth, they could at times observe this activity from Earth on the moon at night. Now that we are actually on the moon's surface living and working here, the differences of what we see directly on the moon and from Earth are obviously going to be pretty radical.” He's a good and congenial speaker. I'll give him that. The man with the melodious voice went on.
“You see, from the moon's surface the activity of the lunar lights is highly variable. It does not stay the same throughout the year or even throughout the decade. So the spike in activity we see may very well be the norm for the amount of light and gases coming from the moon's surface at this particular time. If anything, it's time for a celebration of the awe and beauty of what we see in nature. Nature on the moon, that is.” There was polite laughter from the audience. “Now I'd like to open up the floor for questions.
“Yes please, the gentleman in the fourth row, right here.” The questions from the crowd were none that came from people who seemed alarmed or afraid, just genuinely curious. To be honest, if it weren't for the hints dropped inadvertently by Fred and the request from The Boss through Robin, I might have felt that it was nothing too serious; just a dazzling display and right along with other ill-informed folks, referred to this activity as the lunar “northern lights”. Most of the questions were from people who were merely curious, or were soft-balled questions from those I suspected were actually scientists or at least other employees of the observatory planted in the audience. I don't know. Just a feeling. I tend to be quite sensitive and suspicious that way. Everything had more of an amateur's science fair feel to it than a serious security threat. But then, if no one took it seriously, why wouldn't it? It was my job to find to out what was going on with the lights.
When the presentation was over we milled outside and there were refreshments of soda, sandwiches, muffins, tea and coffee. A few young attendants were passing out thin disposable disks of information and presentations created specifically for those who showed up to the event with questions. I was making a specific search for a kid named Peter and this was my chance to sniff him out. I approached one of the young men who was standing by himself as others gathered around the food tables to chat. He seemed a little isolated.
“I enjoyed the presentation.”
“Glad you did and thanks for coming.”
“I hear that not everyone at the observatory thinks the lights are so harmless or natural, though.” The young man's eyes widened slightly and he took a quick look around before settling his gaze back on me. I decided to probe further. “Do you believe the information just given?”
“Well, I'm handing out these cards out, aren't I?” I just looked at him, not knowing what to say but my stare must have unnerved him or got him thinking about the subject because he soon threw me a conspiratorial look. Good! My sniffing and bungling around is finally getting me somewhere.
“I didn't get your name?” He asked. I was hesitant but lying wasn't going to help me if he decided to check me out. I thought his voice sounded familiar.
“My name's Bob. I'm with Vartan Inc. I'm on vacation right now and came up to see the lights. And I've heard different from what I've heard today.” I was hoping he wouldn't be suspicious of me or blow me off. I didn't really have any smooth answers prepared. But he didn't seem suspicious of me at all. In fact, he motioned for me to step aside farther from the rest of the crowd.
“You've heard otherwise, have you?”
“You might say that. Do you have any theories as to what this uptick in activity might be?”
“I think that there has been an unnatural amount of gases and
light coming from the large crater of Langrenus and not only that, but on other parts of the moon as well. Most of this unusual activity is gathered in the northern and western areas of the moon. I've noticed it especially happening with more frequency about eleven months ago. Almost right after I arrived here. The light and gases being produced seem three to four times higher than before. It doesn't look like any coincidence to me. I've observed it over a few months and took my findings to the team I work under. They dismissed it as a naturally occurring phenomenon. My mentor took a look at my findings and found them interesting but he told me to not worry about it much. He told me to treat it as a hobby since there are more important things to do and that was the end of it. The more I talked about it, the more I'd get resistance. I've found some of the scientists here have summarily dismissed my findings. One even suggested I go and work for the Alien Museum instead of remaining here. He said that perhaps I'd fit in over there with my wild speculations.”
“And what speculations did you come up with?”
“That's just it. I didn't, really. I just noted that there was a significant and abnormal increase in frequency and power of the TLP and that perhaps someone should take a look at it. They refuse to even acknowledge that there is something strange about it. I have no solid evidence on what is going on or why it's happening and if I continue to say anything I won't get good references to allow me to stay and complete my work. I'll be sent home. After all, I'm on a scholarship,” he said. Alien museum. I thought ruefully. Someone thought they were being funny. They were all about to get a nasty surprise one day.
“I believe you. And don't get yourself into further trouble. I'm curious, what are your ideas about what lies out in the western and northern parts that could possibly be causing it?” Peter shook his head slowly in thought.
“Moonquakes? Construction perhaps? Deep mining or drilling is possible. In fact, I suspect that might actually be it. The moon is mineral rich and there are gases and a liquid outer core beneath all the regolith. But of course, it hasn't been built up extensively yet, with the exception of Langrenus.”
“No outposts that you know of?”
“Well, there are outposts near the mines in the north. Most mines are in the west but my real concern are the ones up north. I've heard things. That the mines up north have no regulatory bodies to supervise what is going on or to protect the workers there. I've heard that miners who choose to go up north to work sometimes disappear.” My senses were on full alert. This was not the first time I'd heard this. He went on.
“There's a small space station near the dark side of the moon. It's far north and not on the surface.”
“Atticus?”
“No, a different one. I don't know much about it, nor do I remember the name. And what I found through readings out there, once I had time to go out there on my own, were unusually high readings of radon. I've noticed an increase in mining employees developing radiation poisoning and lung cancer. A graduate student working at the Herbert Genetics Laboratory that I knew, well, I use to discuss a lot of strange findings with him and he'd found that miners, specifically from one of the northern mines not only suffered from radiation poisoning but that some of them had freakish genetic mutations in their DNA. He wouldn't go too deep into it because it was confidential information,” he moved in a little closer and lowered his voice, “but what he saw frightened him.”
“Where can I find him?”
“I lost contact with him, unfortunately. He no longer works there. He applied for and eventually got a position at a genetics lab in Germany.”
“Genetic mutations.” I said softly, almost to myself. “I don't understand, though. Why would miners have genetic mutations if they worked in the mines up north? What does that have to do with anything?”
“Well that's just the thing. We didn't know why. And no one else wanted to know why. It's possible that the radiation is causing the genetic mutations. We didn't know if they had these mutations in their DNA before they were hired or if they were being exposed to something that affected their genes on the job site. The problem is that I have no proof, only circumstantial evidence, hearsay and ideas.” I frowned. There was another, unknown station out there? And genetic mutation? I was beginning to wonder who else, besides humans, was out here.
”And no one is taking any of this seriously?”
“No. I suspect money is the reason. Quite a few scientists at the Herbert Lab know about the mutations, but they're all a very secretive set over there. I don't think anyone here at the observatory is hiding anything or being deceitful. I just think they lack imagination. They believe what the powers that be tell them. There's also the funding issue. We get half of our funding from the mining companies up here, including the northern mines. No one wants to rock the boat.”
“I see. I think that's the problem with most people, Peter. I guess they aren't exactly in an easy position. You say there are unusually high levels of radon gas in these mines?” He nodded.
“Well now I have a reason to be suspicious. Especially if you say mining employees are having problems with radiation. Do you know how many times the government and the companies out here have assured us that the radiation is within safe levels and that the shield equipment and the suits can shield and protect workers from radon and radiation poisoning?” I asked.
“I know, I know. The equipment to keep workers safe really exists and most of the mines do employ it. Otherwise, the mining industry out here would collapse. However, now there are very high levels and this issue has been growing slowly over the months. Whatever it is, it's not a natural phenomenon any longer. I believe it is man-made. If there were any way we could find a tangible connection. . .”
“What's your name?”
“Peter. Peter Crawford.”
“Here's my number, Peter. If you find anything else disturbing or strange, please leave me a message.” He gave me a questioning look.
“Don't say anything but I plan to investigate the issue on my own.” I wasn't sure if I should have said that but I got the feeling that he was a good kid, someone that I could trust. Perhaps he could be added to the network of contacts I might need in the future? I hoped so.
“Here's my online mailing address here at the observatory. And all the numbers you can reach me at.” He handed me a tiny disk from his pocket. “Perhaps we can keep in touch? Let me know of you find anything tangible, Bob.”
“I'll do my best.” This thing was becoming more real with each step I made. I had no idea what I would do or what I would find but my senses now told me that something very bad was hidden from human eyes on the moon.
7
My own research on the Dappa search engine and my scouring of extensive online lunar maps brought up a few mining companies on the western outskirts of Langrenus. Most of these companies mined for aluminum, calcium, titanium and iron. Some were mining for an isotope for energy companies to make solar cells, such as Gorbek Corp..
Johnstone Mining Company, Yarbeth Mining Corp. and a few smaller ones up north that you wouldn't find on the regular search engines, Kapper Mining and Hussa, showed up on my search. Of my search, only one company seemed to be an unofficial mine, Hussa. Meaning that the lion's share of what these two companies did was mine for H-3, a Helium isotope, and one of them was operating outside of the law. Radon danger had been greatly reduced nearly fifty years ago but with the explosion of technological progress outpacing the rule of law, some lunar mining companies were skirting around or flat out ignoring safety regulations about the cancer causing, radioactive gas, to the detriment of their employees. But I suppose those employees did sign waivers before they were hired, right? Do folks ever read those things?
The western mines weren't my concern; they drilled for non-exotic minerals and they followed the law, if just barely. It was the northern mine that wasn't on any official maps or information websites that had my interest. Finding the general location of the northern mines, I sent Will Owl the recorder on a
mission to coordinates to a specific location out north. And I messaged Robin to let her know that I would be on a mission and that if I didn't contact them within three days, to come for me. I had no idea if they would have any regard for this last request. I was specifically curious about the north because it was remote. The new city St. Anthony was going to be built in the north and little was known about it, but a lot of activity according to Peter was coming from there. Radon activity. I watched silently as the lights lit up the starry night sky once again. To my eye now it seemed rather an ominous omen instead of the simple beautiful lights I remembered the last time I was here. I wrote another log of my findings and sent it back to Robin and then called my wife. I hung up, feeling both bolstered and a growing fist of growing anxiety in my gut. Then I got a call. Will sent a message electronically. I opened the mail program and read the information.
It said: Great activity in northern A-1 sector, western Mare Frigoris. Activity coming from many craters in this sector. Most activity concentrated in crater Poncelet. Other great activity increase in this area, human activity, though not visible. Signs of a small population. Possibility of hidden activity in this sector.
Well. I thought. I wasn't sure what to make of it. It would take me a few days to investigate if I were going that far out from the city. I examined the map and how far out this sector was from Langrenus. I was not looking forward to more food pellets and lukewarm water after the rich delicacies I'd been feasting on during my stay. It was a hard decision but I had no other choice if I wanted to keep myself lean and light on my feet. I packed my data pad, food pellets, water, gravity boots and spacesuit and I went to a special case inside my bag and brought out my weapons. I strapped on my holster to the side, slipped the vambrase on through my hand and up my arm, feeling the power of the weapon humming through my body, its handle resting on the flesh between my thumb and index finger. One I hid in my bag and one I hid under a flap of material on the arm of my suit, the vambrace laser gun. I decided to leave the laser dragon behind in my suite.
Mission: Lights of Langrenus Page 5