by Corey Ostman
“Grace is right,” Anna said. She nudged Raj into a nod.
Grace turned to Richard. He nodded.
They pressed forward, all of them silent. All of them watchful. The cavern continued to narrow, and the fine sand turned to rocky soil. The footprints went around debris and beneath low overhangs. No pausing: they knew where they were going. And it was definitely a “they”: the prints were side by side for several meters, then single file in narrow spots.
Eventually, the cavern widened into a vast field of rocks beneath a stone ceiling. The rocks ranged from pebble-sized to nearly two meters, and gradually climbed to an enormous stack of boulders. Grace surveyed the area with her helmet light. To her surprise, she saw the rubble was actually the end of the cavern.
“The cavern may have been larger,” Anna said. “It looks like it collapsed at some point. End of the road?”
“No,” Richard said. “It can’t be.”
“Fan out. Let’s look around,” Grace said.
Richard headed to the right, with Mazz at his side. Raj climbed higher, then turned and looked out over the cavern. Anna followed the wall to their left, along the edge of the boulders.
“Over here,” Anna said, pointing toward the ground. “Looks like our friends went this way.”
The footprints showed in a small patch of sand. The party followed them toward a fissure in the corner of the cavern, its base was some three meters across.
Grace ducked inside the crack to get a better look. The tracks continued, single file.
“Are we going in?” Raj asked, clearly hoping the answer was no.
“Absolutely,” said Grace.
She held her phasewave in front and proceeded forward. Richard joined her on the right. Mazz was to her left, withdrawing its own phasewave. She looked behind to make sure Raj followed, smiling as she saw Anna nudge him forward.
The fissure broadened out as they walked, and the ground became more level. Grace reached out to brush the wall. Smooth. She looked at Richard, the more experienced Martian explorer, but he didn’t look surprised. A natural result of the geyser, then?
“Grace, it happened again,” said Tim.
She staggered in surprise. She quickly blinked through her helmet menu and privately paired with Raj.
“Tim! How did you get through?”
“What do you mean?”
“We haven’t been able to receive any signals from the ship.”
There was a pause.
“Tim?” asked Grace, wondering if she’d imagined his voice.
“I had a dream,” he said.
“Look, Tim, if you can hear us, let the captain know that there was another ship—”
“The funny thing is, the voices are talking about you. Well, not you personally—they don’t know your name. There seems to be some disagreement. Some confusion as to your intentions.”
“Disagreement? Are there robots—”
Grace stopped. Nearly outside her field of view, the shape of a stalagmite began to form. She lifted her chin and her helmet light glinted on the crooked, mineral-encrusted spire. Tiny flecks of blue caught her light and winked back. Nothing.
“What were you saying, Tim?”
“There are many robots,” Tim said. “A few voices are stronger than others.”
“Stand by,” said Grace. She raised her arm and everybody stopped.
As she turned to speak to the group, a bright green flash pulsed from the stalagmite, temporarily blinding her. She blinked and saw Richard on the ground.
Grace immediately turned and went down on one knee, raising her phasewave. She tried to both aim and blink through the menu to PUBLIC. She managed to reconnect on the second try.
“Everybody drop!” she yelled.
“Grace! What’s happening?” Tim’s voice.
You’ll need to wait your turn, she thought.
She touched the wheel of the weapon with her thumb and dialed it midway. She waited for another visual. A wink of light, a movement, anything that would help her aim.
The shape wavered.
Grace fired.
Though the air was exceedingly sparse, she saw the effect of the phasewave as it crossed the distance. The atmosphere shimmered and the walls reflected back an intense red, visible in contrast to the Martian debris. Her phasewave blast hit a shape beside the stalagmite, which fell to the ground and began shaking violently.
Grace thought she saw a helmet and pressure suit before the light from the blast disappeared.
“Grace!” Tim said, “What’s happening?”
Grace ran forward, counting off seconds. One. Two. Three. Who are you? She dropped down by the figure writhing in the dust. A phasewave blast rarely caused seizures. Was the bogey epileptic?
The bogey held a small article in his right glove, a cylinder with a small parabolic dish at one end. A weapon? She took it and tucked the cylinder into her outer pocket.
“Can you hear me?” she said, selecting the ALL FREQ setting of her helmet.
No audio. She moved her helmet closer and looked through the suit’s faceplate. The face she saw wasn’t that of a robot at all, despite Tim’s warning. It was human—probably male, though after Anna, she was prepared to be surprised. His brown eyes darted under drooping lids, his mouth half-open. Had the shock of the strike caused his nervous system to collapse?
“Raj, get here, quick. I’ve got a hostile down!”
The bogey slowed, then stopped convulsing. He didn’t move. Grace placed her glove against the man’s chest. His pressure suit was old and rigid. She couldn’t detect breathing.
“Raj!”
She felt his hand on her back. “I’m here.”
“I hit him. Just enough punch to knock him down,” she said. “He looked like he was having a seizure, then he passed out.”
She noted the panic in her voice and took a deep breath.
“Did I kill him?” she asked.
Raj bent over, looking at the suit’s life support indicators arranged in a row at the waist.
“The suit is reporting standard life mode.” He turned to Grace. “He’s unconscious. Coma maybe. Help me get him up. I’ll need to take him back to the Scout.”
Grace froze. “Back to the Scout? He just shot Richard!”
“He can’t shoot anyone now.”
“What, are we taking in another Quint?”
“Grace, I’m not going to discuss this. He’s a patient. Now lift.”
Raj put his hands behind the man’s shoulders and struggled him into a seated position.
Grace glowered. “We’ll have to talk to Richard, first.” She straddled the man and lifted. Correction: tried to lift.
My, she thought. This guy must be two hundred kilograms. What was it? The old suit? Did he have rocks stowed? Martian gravity made it possible for Grace to move the dead weight, but inertia was still against her. She couldn’t get him off the ground. She put him back down and looked at Raj over the body.
“We’re going to need help,” she said.
Mazz appeared. “May I be of assistance?”
Raj nodded. “Take this person back to the ship.”
“Hold on,” Grace said. She walked over to Richard, who was propped up against the wall with Anna.
“I heard,” Richard said.
“Are you ok?” Grace asked, bringing her helmet closer to his.
“I’m fine. Just send back Raj and Mazz with the wounded man.”
“My recommendation—we should all go back and sort this out,” Grace said. Richard needed medical help. And if they were going to take the bogey back, she wasn’t about to let him out of her sight.
“No, I’m fine.” Richard rose and took a few steps deeper into the cavern.
Grace put a hand on his shoulder. “Richard. Let’s go back. All of us.”
He turned his head and stared at her, disappointment in her face. He sighed. “Ok.”
“Right,” Grace said. “Anna, stick by Richard. Raj? Mazz? Get started.”
Mazz and Raj began a slow shuffle. The robot kept its hands under the man’s torso while Raj carried the legs. The method was awkward, but neither could seem to handle the mass of the injured stranger alone. Mazz had lifted heavier objects before, but the limp form, coupled with the bulk, was awkward for the robot.
Grace kept pace alongside, her phasewave trained on the wounded man. She was happy as they exited the fissure and could give Raj and Mazz more room to maneuver their burden.
After walking for a while, the little ship glittered ahead to her left. She turned around to see Richard walking normally, Anna still at his side.
She heard Raj grunt on her comm.
“Raj, you ok?”
“Yeah,” he said. “But if it wasn’t for Mazz. Oof.”
“Do you want me to take over for you?”
“Nah. We’re almost there,” said Raj.
They trudged forward and Grace noted the soil change again from sandy to rocky. Then she began to hear the Scout’s crash beacon. Almost there.
“Wragg, this is Grace,” she said.
“I hear you, Grace,” Wragg said.
“We have a wounded hostile we’re bringing aboard.”
She heard the sharp inhale of the captain.
“Is everyone all right?” Wragg said.
“The hostile stunned Richard, but he’s ok and walking back,” she turned again to look at Richard, “unassisted.”
“What the hell—” Wragg began.
“I’ll explain later. Just keep everybody away from the airlock,” she said. “Especially Yvette.”
She heard Wragg grumble. “Understood,” he said.
They walked until the plasma sources of the Scout began to light the cavern.
“Grace,” Raj said, “Can you and Anna go ahead and clear one of the tables?”
“Sure. Which tools—?”
“Anna will know.”
Grace saluted Raj and dashed into the airlock with Anna. Richard came in shortly thereafter, quiet and shaken.
Grace began removing twofer parts from one of the tables, while Anna grabbed an adjustable wrench and metarm forceps. By the time Raj cleared the airlock, his suit still partially on, everything was ready. Mazz and Raj maneuvered the man onto the table Grace had cleared.
Anna attached the wrench to the locking clasp on the man’s collar ring. Grace watched as Anna spun the thumbwheel of the clamp, bringing its jaws closer until the clasp clicked open. Anna dropped the wrench and maneuvered the tip of the forceps into the clasp itself. She squinted as she concentrated on the tiny lock.
“Got it!” Anna said, swiveling the helmet and removing it from the man.
Raj leaned over and put a hand on his patient’s face. “Grace—look at him. His face is perfect. No wrinkles. Another gene addict?”
He has never felt sun, nor wind, Grace thought. But she supposed that was normal for Mars.
“I’m not getting anything,” Raj said. His hand was at the man’s neck.
Grace, Anna, and Richard watched Raj silently.
The doctor looked into Grace’s eyes and shook his head.
“No heartbeat. He’s gone.” Raj stood, his shoulders slumped. Anna walked over to him.
Grace felt helpless. “I didn’t think the phasewave could—”
“Of course you will find no heartbeat. I am not human.”
Grace jumped as the man spoke. Raj overreacted in the low gravity, flying backwards and falling against the bulkhead.
A robot! She drew her phasewave and aimed directly at the human-looking twofer.
“Don’t even blink.”
But the robot only smiled, looking up at Grace. “Are one of you The Tim?” he asked.
Chapter 30
“I am Planar,” the robot said to no one in particular.
Grace slid one step back and scrutinized the machine on the table. Mention of ‘The Tim’ concerned her. Was this one of the voices Tim was hearing?
“Mazz,” Grace said, “given what happened with the last twofer, you should probably leave the room.”
Planar sat up on the table, its expression mild and inquisitive. It looked from one face to another, finally coming to a stop on Mazz as Mazz swiveled and exited the room.
“We used to be like him,” Planar said, pointing. “But he is certainly not The Tim.”
“We? How many like you?” Grace asked. Know your enemy and their numbers.
Planar turned to her. Its face flickered to sternness, brow furrowed as if she were now assigned a higher priority.
“You are the one who immobilized me?” Planar’s eyes blinked down to her weapon. “With that?”
Was there a look of condescension when it glanced at the P86?
“You fired at Richard, unprovoked,” she said. “I returned fire. I’m funny that way.”
“I regret that,” Planar said, its face snapping back to friendliness. “The device is harmless: it was only meant to give a sense of dread so that you would turn back.”
He flicks through emotions like he’s snapping his fingers, Grace thought. It, I mean. It flicks through emotions. Does he even have emotions? It, dammit.
“‘Sense of dread’?” Raj huffed. “If you wanted to meet Tim, why send us back?”
“We knew The Tim was not with you.”
Planar scanned the crew again.
“I injured Richard. Which one of you is Richard?”
“I am,” Richard said, walking out from behind Anna and Raj.
“Please accept my apologies, Richard. I hope you suffered no harm.”
“None,” said Richard.
“That is good,” Planar said. “You need not worry. I will not harm you. Any of you.”
“You’d better believe that, Planar,” said Grace.
She wondered if Planar’s friends had the same idea about harming them. She kept her weapon aimed.
“Did you come from the small ship in the geyser?” Grace asked.
“No.”
“Do you know whose ship that is?”
Planar shook his head. “Where is The Tim?”
“Do you mean Tim Trouncer?” Raj asked.
“Tim? You want to talk to a PodPooch?” asked Richard.
Planar nodded. “A PodPooch? He is unique, is he not? He is The Tim.”
Anna moved closer to Raj. “Why?” she whispered.
“I’ll explain later,” said Raj.
Grace’s first instinct was to protect Tim from Planar. But there was something in Planar’s expression: his eyes were opened wide, the brows arched up. Pleading?
“Tim?” she said, touching her dermal dot.
“I’m down the hall. Be there soon.”
Grace watched as Tim’s shape appeared in the doorway. His mimic fabric had gone gray, nearly the color of metarm. The PodPooch paused, scanning the room. He entered slowly, coming to a stop by Grace and gazing up at Planar.
“Oh. You are The Tim,” said Planar. It seemed surprised. “We have been monitoring your status. Are you unharmed?”
“I am well, Planar,” Tim said.
Grace caught Richard’s and Anna’s expressions. Raj and I are going to have a lot of explaining to do, she thought.
“Good,” Planar said. “We moved swiftly when we learned of your trip to Mars. We never dreamed you would come to us.”
Grace blinked. They knew about Tim before we left Earth?
Planar was beaming now. “The others would like to meet you. Would that be possible?”
“Others. You still haven’t answered my question. How many are you?” Grace asked. And are they a threat? she added to herself.
Planar swung his legs out and stood up. The movement was swift and precise. Grace took a quick step backward.
“Will you show me your ship? One worked on a cruiser. But I have never been aboard a ship.”
“Maybe later—umm, who is One, Planar?” Grace said.
She wondered if she was the appointed spokesperson of the ship. Everyone else was stunne
d silent. She wanted to keep the robot engaged. The more she knew, the better she could protect. Grace was pleased when Richard finally spoke up.
“I understand,” Richard offered. “One means Planar One.”
“Correct,” Planar said. “I am Planar Four.”
Richard nodded. “One was part of the original crew on the Essex. He was much the same as my original Mazz.”
“Mazz,” Planar said. “Much the same as Mazz, only less—” Planar paused, searching for the right word: “eclectic.”
Diplomatic, Grace thought. Was the diplomacy meant for the humans or the robots in earshot?
“You said ‘four.’ Are there four Planars?” Grace asked.
“Not at the same time,” he said. “Consecutively. I am the rebuild of Three who was the rebuild of Two who was the rebuild of One.”
Grace found there was almost a rhythm to his speech. It was soothing to listen to and very unlike the jerky surge of Mazz’s words.
“What happened to the other Planars?” she asked.
“I am they,” he said. “Each successive Planar uses the body, though upgraded, of the prior Planar. Obsolete memories are discarded and behaviors are improved.”
“Lamarckian,” Raj said.
“La-who-kian?” Grace glanced at Raj.
“You use Lamarckian evolution, Planar?” Anna asked.
“Yes. Unlike humans, we don’t shuffle our traits. We keep the best and discard the worst. Including memories.”
“Then…you’re alive,” Richard said, in awe.
“Certainly not in the biological sense,” Planar said, “but our existence does continue.”
“And apparently self-sustaining,” Richard added. “But what happened to the Essex?”
“We lost a thruster—at an inopportune time—due to ice damage. We skidded and fell into a geyser. Planar One assisted in salvaging the ship’s hull. Others successfully transported our energy sources.”
“Thorium,” murmured Richard.
“So these others Tim spoke of—they are Planar, too?” Grace asked.
“No. As I said, there is never more than one Planar. There are other,” he paused, “citizens. One hundred thirty-seven. Is it time to show me your ship?”
“Perhaps later,” Richard said. “How about your ship?”