Star of Fire 火星 Mars Space People

Part 9. Beyond the Neighborhood

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Part 9. Beyond the Neighborhood

I am Yahweh, and there is no other,

I form the light and I create the darkness,

I make well being, and I create disaster,

I, Yahweh, do all these things. – Isaiah 46:7.
The only major discovery on Mars since Mong and Charon’s first explorations was the exploration of the water or slime world of Yellowstone Caverns. The Pavonis Mons expedition had mainly produced surveying data and broken equipment. It was time for man to visit the grander features of Mars.

Chapter 48. Palace Coup Attempt

Leavitt parked his rover at a town hall roverport and his men removed their helmets and gloves. Leavitt and two of his men, Chriskus and Thiessen, came into Tim’s office still wearing their side arms. They wanted access to a second rover and supplies for extensive exploring. Wu, Lu and Lian were in the room and realized that a confrontation was imminent. The girls shifted into defensive positions and Wu edged up to Tim at his desk.
Leavitt claimed, “My operational orders give me the right to the vehicles and supplies.”
Tim pointed out, “The vehicles are all dedicated to individuals and the two Requinto Petroleum vehicles are my personal property and not part of the mix.”
Tim realized that any vehicle given to Leavitt would be hard to get back. He would try a compromise.
“You can have the Plymouth rover. That’s all we can spare.”
Leavitt answered, “That’s unacceptable. We need two of the newer rovers and standby control of the Fire Star for resupply”.
“No way,” answered Tim. “The Council and I will never agree to that. The Fire Star will only be available to you for emergencies.”
“Then we’ll just have to commandeer the vehicles,” replied Leavitt.
Tim wanted to see how serious Leavitt was in his demands. He opened his desk drawer and pulled out his Bowie knife, sticking it into his desk.
“Could you clarify what you have in mind?” Tim asked.
The two Chinese girls tensed and shifted their positions slightly. Tim put his left hand on Wu’s forearm.
“We’ll just have to take them,” was Leavitt’s answer.
Tim reached into his side drawer and pulled out a sawed-off double-barreled shotgun. The whole weapon was only ten inches long. I’d hate to ruin a perfectly good space suit, thought Tim.
“This conversation is over, and don’t even think about coming back into town armed,” said Tim.
Tim cocked one of the shotgun’s hammers for effect. The stare down lasted twenty seconds and then Leavitt turned and left. Wu walked around to the front of the desk. She looked into Tim’s eyes.
“I think you should know that an unmanned supply ship landed in Yuma Crater a few months ago with a lot of heavy weapons. Leavitt will not be able to find it.”
Tim asked, “Is there anything else that I should know?”
Wu smiled. “Nothing that I can think of at the moment.”
Good, Tim thought, maybe I don’t want to know where the weapons are. Obviously there was a lot going on Mars that he didn’t know about.
I’ve had enough of this bullshit, thought Leavitt. He decided that it was time to bring out the heavy artillery. He’d go to the Alabama and move the equipment to his compound. Leavitt wondered what their superiors on Earth actually had in mind, supplying him with weapons and training his crew in small unit tactics.
Leavitt’s crew drove the two rovers through the gap into Yuma Crater. He could see that there had been a lot of traffic into the crater in the past. Leavitt’s crew did an extensive survey of Yuma Crater and the data was integrated into NASA’s maps. The Alabama, of course, couldn’t be found, and Leavitt went into a subdued, withdrawn state. He decided to go on a small expedition to clear his head. Perhaps Mars would surprise him.

Chapter 49. Chaotic Region

The two-rover expedition approached the chaotic region near the Clinton lava flows. It was believed that the chaotic regions were formed when aquifers or lava tube caves collapsed. The slow progress was nerve-wracking until a region of flat sandstone, windswept with sand, promised a reprieve from the rock-strewn sand dunes. The convoy increased its speed and covered ten miles at cruising speed. Commander Leavitt was driving the lead rover with Major Chico Thiessen navigating. The rover dropped headfirst into a sinkhole and the two men died instantaneously when the rover decompressed explosively on impact. Major Fran Belanger stopped the second rover when the first rover disappeared. Fran and his navigator, Sam Watanabe, suited up.
The rear of the rover could be seen about 15 meters below the shaft entrance; it wasn’t apparent that the crew was already dead. The survivors couldn’t wait until the next Caidin Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter over flight to report their status to Plymouth. Sam lowered himself slowly down to the rover and opened the rear door. The rover had fallen into a large cave. He could see that a rock spike had penetrated through the windshield, deeply into the vehicle. Commander Leavitt had been crushed against his seat. Both men were dead and the rover was firmly stuck on rocks in the shaft. All the surviving men could do was recover the bodies and secure the rover. The news of the tragedy was relayed to Plymouth.
Inspection of the boots and suits of the returning astronauts showed that the stinky substance on them was organic waste, guano from some long-dead organisms. The material could be used for fertilizer in the greenhouses.

The organic fertilizer proved to be problematic – it was infested with ticks that were difficult to remove from the body, clothing and equipment. The fertilizer had to be deloused by crushing and spraying it into the Martian atmosphere. Then the fertilizer had to be laid in thin layers under the intense ultraviolet radiation on the surface. Tick-free fertilizer was later found in the Carter Caves.

Chapter 50. Valles Marineris

The aborted coup by the flight crew of the Peregrine effectively ostracized them from the rest of the colony. The surviving members were in a no man’s land. Their role on Mars was restricted to pleading for funds and resources to perform long-range explorations. The evolving hierarchy on Mars became less and less a question of who had flown the most combat missions in fighters and more on who liked who. Tim and Buckydesigned the Valles Marineris mission to bring the Peregrine crew back into the colony as well as to give them some recognition back on Earth.
Major Chriskus drove the rover to the edge of the rim overlooking a large valley of Valles Marineris. He could see an area on the floor of the canyon below the overview about two kilometers down and twenty kilometers away. Examination of the MOLA charts showed that there probably was a traversable route for a rover to the site that would be about 300 miles long. The flight crew would be dependent on the other Grasshopper for a rescue mission. A safety crew could observe and document the landing of the Grasshopper from their vantage point on the rim when the vehicle flew into the canyon. Chriskus named the overview Seven Angels’ Point after his sisters. Chriskus and Belanger installed a relay antenna at the Seven Angels’ Point overview that would keep the new landing site in continual contact with Plymouth. They surveyed the area to update the landmarks on the baseline map generated by the Caidin Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter’s HiRISE telescope.
The camp on Seven Angels’ Point grew to three rovers and an inflatable structure for eating and sleeping. There didn’t seem to be any easy path to the canyon’s bottom in the immediate vicinity. The mission plan called for the Grasshopper to stay in the canyon for a week to explore the local inlets to the canyon. Major Chriskus flew the Grasshopper from Yellowstone direct to the landing site. The Chinese women were excluded from the Grasshopper crew by design.
Reggie and Tsai Hen watched the flight from when the Grasshopper appeared from behind the Shenzou Ridges until it landed in Marineris. The landing was uneventful and the jubilant crew exchanged congratulations with the observers on the rim.
The floor of the rift was as chaotic as expected but there were signs of ancient water activity everywhere in the gullies and polished rocks.
Arthur named the site Athens. Athens would become the wine capital of Mars, the breadbasket for the outer solar system.

Chriskus’ Burning Bush

Sam Watanabe was riding the tractor bumper seat when Arthur observed a strange sight further up the gulch. At first Arthur thought it was some kind of mirage as he turned towards the red flames. Sam looked forward as Arthur told him to turn on his shoulder video camera. The flames morphed into a red-leaved tree billowing in the wind. A flock of frail bird-like creatures swarmed around the tree in a frenzy.
The birds flew away as the tractor approached. As they approached the tree they could see that the tree had large, red fruit. Insects were after the fruit and the birds were apparently after the insects. The solitary tree looked out of place in the barren terrain. Marineris had life in the shade and lower altitude of the Valles. Arthur decided that they couldn’t go back as scheduled. Maybe there’s an orchard or forest in the next gully.
Arthur returned to the Grasshopper and relayed his video back to Yellowstone with a request for Tim to send the Fire Star with additional supplies so that the mission could be extended. Tim ordered Arthur to return to Yellowstone with the samples he had already taken.
Arthur didn’t return. Marineris is what NASA had hoped to find when it went to Mars, thought Arthur. Arthur broke off communications with the relay crew on the rim after sending a final text message repeating his request for more supplies. Arthur rationed his supplies to extend his stay two more days.
Reggie said to Tim, “What do you want to do with our bad boys?
Tim said. “Let them starve until they came back on their own.”
Reggie was more conciliatory. “They’re just trying to do their job. Haven’t you ever got orders that you thought were wrong?”
Tim knew that Reggie would be more effective negotiating with Arthur than he would.
“You handle it. They already think that I’m an unreasonable bastard.”
Reggie asked Tim, “Do you want me to shoot the son of a bitch?”
“No, we’ll all be going back home someday. I’m not shooting anybody unless I absolutely have to. Anyway, I like Chriskus. He’s just seen his last mission as a mission commander for a while.”
Tim told Reggie to prepare the Fire Star but not to cut any corners preparing for the launch. Arthur was creating a potential emergency and putting people at risk. It would be another day before the Fire Star would be ready and Reggie sent a text message to Chriskus to that effect. One of the rovers on Seven Angels’ Point returned to Yellowstone for the night, returning the next day to relieve the other rover crew.
The Fire Star flew directly to the Athens landing site, Reggie carrying Tim’s message that Chriskus would be demoted to Captain and, if necessary forcibly returned to Yellowstone in three days. The report on the exploration would be Chriskus’ as would be the credit for the discoveries.
Chriskus led Reggie up to the tree and Reggie focused on the tree’s white trunk. Reggie pulled out a knife and scrapped the bark of the tree. The white substance looked like pigment – paint, to Reggie.
“This looks like the way that we paint trunks to keep the worms and snails out of our fruit trees. Something strange is going on here.”
Chriskus agreed, “Yuh, I’ve seen that in a lot of places on Earth.” “Maybe we can make something alcoholic from the fruit.” The fruit turned out to be poisonous to humans.

Nothing of the magnitude of the tree was discovered deeper in the Valles and the first Grasshopper in the expedition returned with Chriskus’ crew. The Grasshopper flew directly back to Yellowstone with its rock and plant samples since there was no problem with fuel. Chriskus would be allowed to return with the Fire Star three days later. A semi-permanent presence would be needed in Valles Marineris to explore even a small portion of the Valles.

As Reggie prepared to leave with the Fire Star Chriskus asked to be allowed to remain behind with the remaining supplies and the tractor. Reggie ordered Chriskis into the Fire Star and he refused.
Reggie commanded, “I’m giving you a direct order to get into the Fire Star.”
The two men were nose to nose as Chriskus took a swing at Reggie.
Reggie bobbed to the left and stared back at Chriskus.
“You’re relieved of command. Now get your ass into the fucking Fire Star or I’m going to kick the living shit out of you.”
Chriskus came to his senses and got into the Fire Star. The flight back to Yellowstone was uneventful.
The Seven Angels’ Point encampment disappeared except for the cache in the inflatable greenhouse. Reflecting on the past events, Chriskus speculated that the valley might as well be on Phobos.

Submarine Races

Heidi spotted Chriskus sitting by himself drinking his usual ethanol-enriched reconstituted orange juice. She walked behind him placing her hand on his shoulder. He turned to see Heidi and smiled as he pulled off his earphones. He guided her by the hand to the stool next to him as Heidi studied the relaxation of his recently hardened features. Heidi felt she was helpless in dealing with Arthur. Arthur was quite handsome but Heidi started perceiving him as a patient or client. She knew that he was depressed and possibly suicidal. She saw the way he looked at other people, the look of someone who felt people were talking about him. She had seen this facial expression before with people who were no longer with us. Norm brought over her usual vitamin-fortified Shirley, a weak mixture of wine and carbonated fruit drink.
Arthur Chriskus thought that everything about Heidi was soft and soothing – the color of her skin and hair, her breasts, her voice and her psychology of a Krankenschwester (nurse). She is always looking out for others, he thought. She would make a great mother and be comforting in one’s old age. Heidi leaned over next to Arthur. Arthur wanted to talk about his tree and life on Mars.
Their date was to picnic on the rim during sunset. The road to the overlook was well traveled and slightly improved. Arthur drove slowly as the conversation turned to Mediterranean cuisine and philosophy – Plato versus Nietzsche. Heidi had prepared a lunch heavy on fresh vegetables, something that was a real treat on Mars. Arthur uncorked the last bottle of wine on Mars as the sun set behind the mountain peaks near the Shreveport overview. Heidi’s leg was firmly pressed against his, but the serenity of the moment, shared with a beautiful woman was to be savored and maintained as long as possible. Arthur poured a glass of wine for Heidi looking into her eyes as he passed her the glass. Returning his attention to the sun’s afterglow, he poured a glass for himself. Arthur returned his gaze to Heidi’s eyes and the pair touched glasses before sipping the wine. Their focus returned to the darkening horizon.
Arthur descended into Heidi’s softness. His lovemaking had a tinge of desperation to it and Heidi knew that she had lost him.

Sludge Rocks, Inc

Sonja and Kelly went to see Tim about obtaining some pristine material from the depths of the center of the tar lake. Sonja noticed what was obviously an iron/nickel meteorite which Tim was using as a paperweight on his desk. Time said that he had a bunch of the meteorites which were embedded in the tar along with tons of other junk. Sonja looked at Kelly and asked if she could see the slag pile.
“Yes, it’s behind the refining habitat,” he said pointing to the rear of his office.
Kelly had a glazed look in her eyes, as if she had slipped into a trance. A cursory drive by showed that the pile was huge.
The women returned two days later with their sampling equipment. The did an extensive video of the surrounding area, the nearby roads and the pile. They followed the railed track leading to the pile and cautiously approached some outlying debris from the asphalt refining process. The rocks were covered with an oily film but Kelly immediately identified two metallic meteorites. The air-tight sample box had twenty-five compartments and the two meteorites went into the box for a start. Sonja videoed the collection process as Sonja selected twenty-three other rocks. The pile was overwhelming – it would take twenty women-lives just to catalog the stones. One sample was surprisingly light. The duo was conspicuously absent from the next two Ladies’ Nights.

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