“You’re talking about marriage?”
“No, I’m not. But she is, apparently.”
Zac fell silent for a moment. “But what does marriage even mean, in the context of a new life on a new world?”
“The same thing it always meant. Security. Continuity. Commitment. Dependability. Partnership. I don’t think those things have gone out of vogue. In fact, they’re probably more important now than ever before.”
“You think we should get married?”
“I think you should get the landing gear down. You’re taking us in. And this time don’t rattle people’s teeth out of their gums.”
After unloading the first group of colonists, including Melody, who was practically jumping out of her skin with excitement, Kit and Zac took a break and had a cup of tea at their campsite. Colonists were sitting all over the park, under trees, or just walking around looking in every direction. All six of the scheduled shuttles had made their first trip, and Martinez, who had graduated to pilot, had already taken her shuttle back for a second run.
After a short break, Kit and Zac strapped themselves into the shuttle and prepared for another run. Kit keyed the comm, “Genesis, this is Shuttle 1. We are about to lift off for our second run.”
A moment later, Lance’s voice responded. “Kit, stay where you are. Repeat. Stay where you are. Don’t lift off. There’s been a development.”
“What the ...?” said Kit to Zac. She keyed the comm again. “Lance, what kind of development?” The was no response. “Shuttle 1 to Genesis. What’s going on up there? Over.”
After a few moments, a new voice came over the comm. “Shuttle 1, this is Simon Wisecroft, Commander of Genesis. Please remain where you are.”
“What do you mean, Wisecroft? You don’t have the authority to order anyone around. You’re not the commander. Captain Christensen is.”
“I am very sorry to inform you, Ms Tyler, but Captain Christensen has sadly passed away. According to the mission protocol, command of this vessel has now passed to me.”
“What?” said Kit, who was completely dumbfounded. “How did he ...?”
“It would not be appropriate to discuss this delicate issue any further over the comms,” said Wisecroft, in a supercilious tone. “Please advise all shuttles currently on the ground to remain there until further notice. I will be in more direct communication with you shortly. That is all.”
“I’ve got a very bad feeling in my waters,” said Zac.
“The bastard!” said Kit. “He’s done something! If Christensen is dead, it can only be because Wisecroft had something to do with it. There’s no other explanation. Christensen was healthy and hale less than an hour ago!”
Kit called the other flight crews together and told them what she knew. They were shocked but all agreed not to spread panic among the colonists. They would keep the information to themselves until the issue became clearer.
It became clearer about 40 minutes later.
42
Martinez’s shuttle made a perfect landing, not with the other shuttles on the central concourse, but in the middle of the outdoor amphitheatre, at the bottom of the depression. The shuttle doors opened, and Martinez emerged with a face like thunder. She strode up the slope of the amphitheatre towards the temporary campsite where Zac and the others were congregated. Behind her, six members of Leonidis’ security team emerged from the shuttle and began setting up a large portable screen, with speakers on each side.
Meanwhile, Martinez had reached the campsite and walked up to a group consisting of Zac, Kit, Grizzle, Keo and Regina, who were deep in conversation. Kit asked, “What’s happening?”
“Christensen’s dead,” Martinez responded, bluntly.
“But how?”
“They’re saying it was a heart attack, but I was there when it happened. I think he was poisoned.”
“Poisoned?”
“Yes. When I got back from my first run, I took a break in the dining room. I was sitting there having a drink, when Christensen came out of the lift with a cup of tea in his hand, sipping it as he walked. A few moments later, he dropped to the ground and started foaming at the mouth. I ran over, but by then he was gone. His lips and tongue had swollen, and his eyes were bulging. It was grotesque.”
“But how ...?” Zac started to ask.
“I think it was those brown berries,” replied Martinez. “When we took the shuttle back first thing this morning, do you remember Leonidis disappearing pretty quickly?” They all nodded. “As he walked away, I noticed a plastic bag of brown berries in his hand. I didn’t think anything of it at the time, because I assumed that he was taking them somewhere for further analysis.”
“You think they used the berries to poison Christensen’s drink?” said Zac.
“It would have been easy to do,” interjected Regina. “The juice from just a couple of berries, if slipped into a drink, would contain enough deadly toxins to kill a grown man after only one or two sips.”
“The murdering bastard!” growled Grizzle.
Martinez continued, “They took Christensen’s body away pretty quickly. About 15 minutes later, Wisecroft made a video broadcast around the ship, saying that Christensen had died of a heart attack and that he, Wisecroft, was now in charge. He read out a section of the Mission Constitution, and then said that all landings would be temporarily suspended while they ‘re-evaluate the suitability of the colony site.’ His words.”
Zac was shaking his head. “The colony is not even one day old, and we’ve had our first murder.”
“Yes, but good luck trying to prove it,” said Kit.
“The bastard can’t be allowed to get away with this,” growled Grizzle menacingly.
“What do you think Wisecroft is planning?” Zac asked the group generally.
“I think we are about to find out,” answered Keo, pointing towards the bottom of the amphitheatre.
The screen and speakers had been erected, and a large image of Wisecroft’s face appeared on the screen. “Ladies and gentlemen, can I have your attention please.” His voice boomed from the speakers and echoed around the park. “Please assemble where you can comfortably see the screen and hear my voice. In five minutes, I will commence an important broadcast. I repeat, please assemble in front of the screen for an important broadcast in five minutes.”
As people made their way into the amphitheatre, Kit said to the group, “I don’t think Christensen is the only one Wisecroft wants to get rid of.”
“What do you mean?” asked Zac.
“I don’t think some of us are going to be made very welcome on-board Genesis, either.”
Nearly 300 people were sitting on the grassy slopes of the amphitheatre when Wisecroft’s image reappeared on the screen.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your patience. It is my very sad duty to inform you that Captain Lars Christensen has passed away from a massive heart attack.” He paused while an outcry of shock and grief swept over the audience, no doubt relayed to him via the shuttle’s external comm mics. “We will all feel his loss very deeply, but I am sure you can appreciate that the mission must go on. I am speaking to you from the bridge of Genesis, where, according to the Mission Constitution, I have assumed command of the vessel and the mission, as the next highest-ranking officer. I am broadcasting this simultaneously to the colonists at Seahaven settlement and to those still on board Genesis. I realise that over half our colonists are now on the ground, but I regret to inform you that there has been a change of plan. After reviewing all the data from the initial recon missions, it has been decided that an inland town towards the west coast of Southland is a more optimal site for our colony. It is a larger town, with more extensive farmland, and offers greater potential for becoming self-sufficient as soon as possible. Accordingly, we will be making Settlement City, which is what I have named it, the main site of our colony. Once all personnel have been transferred to the surface, we will be landing Genesis there, which will function as our secure base
while we initially establish ourselves.”
“In saying this, I am aware that some of you already have your hearts set on staying at Seahaven. Obviously, I cannot force you to come with us, and if you choose to stay where you are, you will be given as many resources as we can spare. You will have shuttles, appropriate for your population, and some agricultural and other equipment, as well as medical supplies. However, the main bulk of essential supplies will remain with Genesis and Settlement City. I therefore highly recommend that everyone join us at Settlement City.”
As Wisecroft had been speaking, no one had noticed Martinez move towards the shuttle. She now jumped up onto the portable platform upon which the screen had been mounted, and screamed out, “Don’t listen to him! He’s a murderer! He poisoned Captain Christensen! He is committing mutiny! He doesn’t have any authority to make these decisions!”
Wisecroft could clearly hear her interjection through the external mics and had paused while she ranted. Meanwhile Kit, Zac, and Regina had begun running to the front, too, fearing that Martinez was going to need help. The security personnel who had arrived on the shuttle and were standing to each side of the screen had unslung their rifles and were looking at Martinez menacingly. Wisecroft calmly said, “I assure you, Ms Martinez, that the cause of Captain Christensen’s death has been verified by Dr Leibman as cardiac arrest. And I also assure you that I am now legally in command of this mission.”
“No, you’re not!” exclaimed Zac, who found himself standing beside Martinez. “You don’t even have a seat on the ship’s Council! You were voted off! The commander of this mission must now be a matter for the council to decide.”
“Ah, Dr Perryman. How nice of you to join the discussion. Sadly, your little council was never constitutionally valid in the first place. Captain Christensen stepped outside the bounds of mission protocol by even forming it. No, I assure you, I am the rightful commander.”
“You’re a murderer, Wisecroft!” yelled Kit, who now joined the other two at the front. “A bag of poisonous berries was seen being taken on board by George Leonidis this morning. You used them to poison our Captain and seize control of the ship!”
“And now the trio is complete,” said Wisecroft. “Sadly, I anticipated this kind of response from the three of you, and you haven’t disappointed. I see little point in debating with you, as I sense that you have already made your minds up. If you do not accept my authority, you are, of course, free to stay where you are and not accompany us to Settlement City. Indeed, given your open hostility towards me, it would seem the best course of action for us all. I will give everyone an hour to choose whether to stay at Seahaven or relocate to Settlement City. I will give the same choice to everyone still on-board Genesis. In one hour, we will recommence transfers, and over the next 24 hours, supplies will be delivered to those who have chosen, albeit unwisely, to make Seahaven their home.”
Kit began to address the crowd directly. “Don’t listen to him. Seahaven was chosen by a consensus of the council as the best site for our colony! All of the shuttle pilots on the original recon missions were in complete agreement as well. This is the best ...”
“Enough!” interrupted Wisecroft, his voice booming out of the speakers. “I will not tolerate ...” and then the screen went blank and the speakers fell silent. The security personnel looked around in puzzlement, wondering why the transmission had been interrupted. Grizzle walked around from the side of the shuttle, drew level with the three on the platform and showed them a pair of wire snips held furtively in his hand. “I was trying to get that annoying buzz out of the system. I must have cut the wrong cables.”
While the security personnel fiddled ineffectively with switches and dials behind the screen, Kit and Zac took advantage of the situation and continued speaking to the crowd, urging them to stay at Seahaven. Martinez joined in, giving her eyewitness testimony surrounding the highly suspicious death of Captain Christensen. At one point, two security guards with rifles at the ready tried to move them off the stage, but Keo and several other well-built men stepped forward and blocked them, while several people in the crowd yelled, “Let them speak!”
Zac also described to the crowd the abundance of seafood that this site offered, which was a clear advantage over the inland city that Wisecroft had chosen. He spoke passionately, pleading with them, “This location provides us with the greatest diversity of food supply, and gives us the best chance of long-term survival. We can only rely for so long on the production of man-made protein on board Genesis. This town gives us a ready-made supply of fresh protein from the sea from the very beginning. Please consider staying with us! The more of us there are, the more viable this is going to be. Right now, there are about 300 of us. That’s over half of the total colonists. We can make this work, if we stick together!”
The friends at the front took questions from the crowd and tried as best they could to give honest, optimistic answers. Regina, the biologist and council member, reinforced the illegitimacy of Wisecroft’s claim to be mission commander and added her weight to the suitability of Seahaven as the best site for the colony.
At one point, one of the colonists called out, “What about power? Where will we get that from?” This, of course, was one of the major drawbacks they faced. Genesis’s huge built-in fusion reactor could power a whole city for generations to come. Kit explained that the smaller shuttle fusion reactors would generate plenty of power and could be dispersed throughout their colony for recharging battery-powered electrical equipment and for connecting into a grid. Plus, they would also have electricity-producing solar panels and solar-powered generators.
Another prospective colonist asked about toilet facilities. “Obviously, without Genesis, we will initially have to adapt some zip huts and incorporate some rudimentary toilet facilities,” Zac explained. “We will probably have these along the bank of the stream. Our plan would be to quickly construct more solid timber buildings for this purpose.”
There was clearly a groundswell of support for staying, but not everyone was convinced. As discussions continued, the security personnel gave up trying to get the screen working again and made a quiet withdrawal into the shuttle, leaving the colonists to discuss their fate among themselves. As the allotted hour drew to a close, Zac and the others realised they had done all they could to convince people to stay. Many people had wandered off to inspect the beach, while others looked around the park, all of them trying to decide whether to stay or go.
The fate of Seahaven hung in the balance.
43
Zac and Kit were asked to enter the shuttle to negotiate directly with Wisecroft via the cockpit comm. They took their seats and Kit commenced the proceedings bluntly. “You’re a murderer, Wisecroft. You know it, we know it, and eventually it will all come out.”
“I seriously doubt that, Ms Tyler. All you have is an unsubstantiated accusation, while I have the equivalent of a medical report. So, let’s not waste any more time on that issue, shall we? How many poor souls have you managed to convince to stay with you in what will no doubt end up being a backward hovel?”
Shortly before this, the colonists at Seahaven had met back at the amphitheatre, where they had separated into two groups: those who were staying and those who would go with Wisecroft.
“There are 262 people who would rather rip their own heads off than sit for a minute longer under your self-serving leadership,” Zac said. “Sadly, there are 43 deluded souls who haven’t yet reached that conclusion, but I’m sure they will eventually.”
Wisecroft looked genuinely surprised that so many were not joining him. “Really? I see.” He paused, seeming to be at a loss for words.
Zac continued, “By my calculation, there are currently 255 of you on board Genesis. How many will be joining us here?”
“George tells me that we will be transferring 68 to you.”
Zac jotted down the figures on his data tablet. “So that ends up being 330 people choosing Seahaven, and 230 choosing Settlement
City.”
“It appears that way, yes.”
Zac softened his voice and said, “Dr Wisecroft. Simon. Please let’s not do this. Surely our survival as a whole colony is more important than your desire for control? Can’t you leave aside your ego and see common sense? You really don’t want to split our colony in two, do you?”
“On the contrary, Dr Perryman, it is not me who is splitting the colony. This division is entirely of your own making. It is your mutiny against my rightful leadership that is dividing us.”
“If you insist on going through with this,” said Zac, “then surely the larger group should retain Genesis. I can assure you that we would transfer more than your fair share of resources to Settlement City.”
Wisecroft laughed. “Oh, you are funny, Dr Perryman! I didn’t think historians had a sense of humour! Genesis is mine, and none of you will set foot in her bridge as long as I am in command.”
“That suits me!” said Kit. “Let’s get down to details: 330 people is 59 percent of the total population. Let’s say 60 percent. We are going to need 60 percent of all the farm equipment, machinery, land vehicles, generators, seeds, plants from the aquaponics farms, yeast tanks, medical supplies, weapons, everything. Plus, we will need the vast majority of zip-huts and camping equipment, seeing that you will have Genesis as accommodation. This has to be a fair and humane split.”
“Of course, my dear. I am not an animal. I will provide you with basic necessities commensurate with what your little mutiny deserves.”
“What does that mean?” asked Zac, with growing suspicion.
“You can have as many zip-huts as you need, seeing that we will have Genesis for our sleeping and living quarters.”
“Plus our share of equipment and vehicles!” insisted Kit.
“Really? I hardly think you’re in a position to bargain. No, I think you forfeited your rights to any significant machinery when you launched your little rebellion. I may be able to spare a shovel or two, along with a few small boxes of seeds.”
The Stars That Beckon Page 21