by Paul Rix
As they pulled up, the chief said, "Thanks, Georgia, that was fun. Let's do it again sometime."
Georgia surprised herself by hoping that she could repeat the experience with him sooner rather than later.
Chapter 22
Georgia hurried to see Captain Winter, allowing Jim to get his breakfast in the galley. Ignoring the pain in her forehead, she hummed her favorite song as she eagerly made her way along the corridor, remembering how fabulous the early morning outing had been. Her heart quickly sank as she saw that Doctor Betts was also in the captain's cabin. It could only mean bad news and a glance at Megan's solemn face confirmed her worst fears. She'd never seen her look so pale and distressed.
Winter stood as Georgia entered the room and sat down, looking at her with pity in his eyes. Speaking softly, he said, "Doctor Betts has your results back from Ground Control. I am sorry to say that they confirm what we thought. I'll let Megan go through the details."
The room began to spin, and nausea engulfed her as Georgia's world fell apart.
Megan, trying hard to remain professional, spoke quietly and slowly as she explained the diagnosis. "Georgia, you have what we call stage four glioblastoma tumors. Three in your head and a fourth on your lungs. They are inoperable while we are here on Mars. Even if you were on Earth, the success rate would be less than twenty percent because the cancers are so aggressive. I hope you understand that means all we can offer you is palliative care to ease the pain. I know that's no comfort but there is not much more we can do."
The tears that Georgia had desperately been fighting off finally erupted. Her emotions threatened to overwhelm her completely. They were a mixture of anger and fear. How could this happen to her now when she had finally achieved her dream of reaching Mars? It was devastating. For the past day she had tried to believe that there must be some kind of mistake but now there was no more denying to herself that she was dying. It was only a matter of time.
"How long do I have," she managed to ask, once she'd pulled herself together.
Megan was also crying now, desperately sad that she couldn't save her friend. "I still can't say exactly. We're looking at possibly two to three months maximum. I am so sorry we could not give you better news."
Georgia was stunned by how short her remaining time was. The news was too distressing to absorb properly. Megan had to be talking about someone else in the room. It couldn't be happening to her. There was a vague sense of someone putting their arms around her to comfort her, but the sobbing would not subside. She heard voices, but no longer heard the words. This was so unfair. She couldn't die on Mars so far away from her brother.
She didn't know how long she was crying before she finally had her emotions back under control. "I'm okay," she lied, wiping away tears with a paper tissue.
"Of course, your condition remains absolutely confidential for as long as you want," said Captain Winter. "There will come a point when we have to advise the crew, but we will try to leave that for you to determine. Ground Control will have to issue a press release to explain what has happened. For the time being, I suggest you take today to rest and absorb the news. Megan will stay with you."
Georgia no longer knew what to think. Her mind couldn't focus for more than a few seconds. "Thank you, sir. I just want time to myself. I'll need to let my brother know. He's supposed to be arriving on the next mission and is training in Texas. I don't know what to say to him or anyone else at the moment. It's so hard to take in."
"I understand. We'll arrange some counseling for you. As I mentioned yesterday, you're not alone. We'll support you as much as we can and in any way you want."
Georgia slowly rose from her seat and wandered back to her cabin with Megan, both of them in tears. Megan hugged her tightly and whispered, "You can talk to me at any time, day or night. I'm there for you to help you through this." Georgia nodded but didn't reply. She swallowed the sedative Megan had given her and lay on her bed, slipping on her headphones but neither hearing the music nor realizing that tears had streamed down her face again as she fell asleep.
Chapter 23
Georgia awoke shortly after midday. Her eyes were sore and her headache had returned with a vengeance. She wasn't sure she had ever cried so much in her life. And then she remembered how she had been, aged only seventeen, when her mum had died.
"Come on, Georgia," she chastised herself as she sat up on her bed. "Why are you feeling sorry for yourself? You will not let this thing beat you." She knew that she was still lying to herself, but denial had seen her through many situations in the past. She wasn't one to wallow in self-pity; she'd rather take action to overcome any negative thoughts. And she had determined that now wasn't the time for weakness. If she wanted to stay in the game, she had to move forward and face the world.
Georgia stood up, holding onto her desk for support. Leaning forward to look at her reflection in the mirror, she groaned at what she saw. She needed to do something with her hair and maybe apply some make-up to hide the bags under her swollen red eyes. But she was too weary to do either. Her crew mates would have to take her as she was.
She slowly climbed the stairs to the midships area, not sure who would be there. As it happened, the whole of the Expedition Two crew were present, listening to Commander Anders instructions for the afternoon. Georgia was acutely aware that the room went silent as she walked in and could sense some of them looking in her direction. Not necessarily staring, but definitely taking an interest as she walked by.
Before anyone had the chance to speak to her, she steeled herself to deal with the matter face on. Hiding the panic running through her, she boldly strode to the middle of the room and took a deep breath. Looking across at Captain Winter, she said, "Good afternoon, everyone. No doubt you've noticed I've not been myself for the past few days and you're wondering what's wrong with me. You wouldn't be the first." There were a few intrigued laughs, but Georgia was disappointed that her attempt at humor had fallen flat. Tough crowd! She continued regardless. "The captain and the doctor already know, and I want you to know what is really wrong with me." Georgia stopped, not sure of the words to say or if she could actually say them.
She could still see the sadness in Captain Winter's eyes, but he nodded his encouragement. "I've not been well for almost a week and have been getting steadily worse despite trying to fight it. I blamed it on a number of reasons. In the end, I finally went to see Doctor Betts three days ago. In her usual style, she insisted on testing me. And... she discovered I have a number of tumors." Georgia rushed the last few words and suppressed a sob. The room was totally silent, everyone in shock at the revelation. "I only had it confirmed yesterday morning. Doctor Betts advises that the tumors are malignant, and the prognosis is... well I have maybe three months. If I'm lucky. But you all know how stubborn I am. I intend hanging around far longer."
Georgia had nothing else to say and looked down at her feet, wishing a hole would appear to swallow her up. She was aware of a shuffling in the room, but no one else spoke until Megan took over. "What Georgia's just told you is true. Our best guess is it's the effect of the solar flare she was caught in, but we can't be sure. So, if anyone is suffering with nausea or headaches, come and see me immediately. We can give Georgia some medication to ease the pain, but there are tumors in her brain and we can't operate. I know this comes as a huge shock to you..." Megan also burst into tears and couldn't say any more. She went up to Georgia and the two of them hugged each other tightly. It was becoming a habit.
"This isn't the time for a eulogy," added Captain Winter after a few more moments of silence. "Georgia's not gone, and she still has plenty to offer as a valued member of this crew. I know that she doesn't want our pity or for any of us to treat her any differently. So, we go on as if nothing has changed and continue to treat Georgia with respect and dignity. All she wants is our support, and we'll deal with this one day at a time. As we do with every other curveball that comes our way. I would, however, ask you to watch out for Georgia and
each other even more than you do already. Thank you."
With the announcement made, to Georgia's relief, the chatter resumed to the previous level as everyone returned to what they had been doing. Joe Mancuso was the first to walk over to her as she poured herself a coffee. "So now I understand why I've been asked to work more closely with you. I promise to be a good learner." He tried one of his winning smiles but couldn't quite carry it off.
"I know you will, Joe. You've one of the best AI minds that I know. You'll do great." Georgia felt a huge weight had been lifted as a result of sharing her news. It didn't solve her situation, but she hoped she would be treated normally for as long as possible. After some small talk with Mancuso, Georgia spotted Captain Winter and Commander Anders talking together by the far wall.
They stopped their conversation as she walked over to them. "I know what you're going to ask, Georgia," said Captain Winter before she spoke. "You want to get back to your duties."
"Yes, sir," she replied, nodding. "I would rather you allow me to work than force me to sit around with nothing but my condition to worry about. Physically I'm still capable."
"I know. But I'd like you to take some time to consider it properly. You only found out several hours ago. You need more time to process that news."
"I'm good for it, sir. At least until we move into Alpha Base. Then there will be plenty of time to sit back and take stock."
Captain Winter looked doubtful as he rocked on his feet, stroked his chin and looked across at Anders. "Commander? You're looking after the move. Are you happy for Pyke here to resume her duties?"
Georgia could see Anders blush as the captain put him on the spot. He looked at the captain, then at Georgia before saying, "Well sir, I er... think that may be okay. We are stretched to move to the base in time. Do we need Doctor Betts' opinion?"
"That's not necessary," replied the captain. "I'm happy for you to make a command decision."
"In that case, consider yourself back on duty, Pyke. You're back with Redmayne and Chief Grant in the MEV." Anders patted her on the shoulder and smiled.
"Thanks, both of you." Georgia was thrilled. "You won't regret this."
***
That evening, the chief helped Georgia and Redmayne prepare the MEV for the trip to the nearby cave system. The MEV, or Manned Excursion Vehicle, could comfortably carry up to six astronauts in a pressurized cabin so there would be plenty of room for equipment. The MEV was about twenty feet long and had six large wheels, each with its own independent electric motor, to help it maneuver across the rugged terrain. There was an older, smaller version of the MEV on Excalibur they would also need to construct once Alpha Base was built.
Georgia was pleased to have Jim with her. She had never really bonded with Tom Redmayne during their training. There was something about him she didn't trust. He had kept to himself and on more than one occasion had to be reminded that he was part of a team. She'd also noticed more than once that he would furtively look at her. The man had an issue with her, but she did not understand what that could be. It had been a relief to be assigned to Endeavour for the mission.
Redmayne identified the two equipment pallets he wanted, each about the size of a small refrigerator. "We'll attach those to the side of the MEV. They contain seismic detectors that can be left in the lava tube. We need to ensure that the cave system is stable and will withstand any Martian quakes. If that asteroid hits, I don't know how severe the tremors may be."
The chief and Georgia gently carried the pallets one at a time for Redmayne to lash onto the side of the MEV with an elastic cord. "These are going nowhere," Jim said, once they secured both pallets. He rocked them with his right hand to prove his point.
The physical exertion had taken its toll on Georgia. "Time out, guys. I need a few minutes to recover. Gravity's a bitch!"
"No worries, Pyke. Take a seat in the cabin while we load the rest of the supplies."
Although guilty at taking a break, she knew it was the right thing to do. Her weakened body was taking longer to acclimate to Mars than her colleagues' but at least she now knew why. She climbed the five steps that led into the airlock, using the handrail to pull herself up and once inside, she stepped straight through into the cabin area and slumped into the driver's seat.
Through the front canopy of the MEV, Georgia could see that the sun was setting. It would soon be too cold to remain outside. She pressed the blank control screen on the console in front of her and it sprang into life, its blue screen detailing a myriad of information that would be useful when they were in transit. The lack of any red warning lights indicated that all systems and functions were operating. Swiveling her chair, she turned to see the chief had followed her with a box of rations and a water container.
"Thanks, chief. I only need a few minutes then I'll be good to go again."
"There's no hurry. I've got this covered with Redmayne. You need to learn to pace yourself. And to rely on others," he said as he placed the rations in one of the storage compartments.
"Easy for you to say. I've never had to rely on anyone in my life. I don't want to start now."
"I can understand that. But your situation has changed whether or not you like it. I'm here for you though. And please call me Jim." He blushed at possibly overstepping the mark and quickly tried to recover the situation. "I mean, we all are. You'd do the same if the roles were reversed," he blustered.
Georgia enjoyed his discomfort. "Thanks, Jim. I don't want to sound ungrateful, but can we not talk about this? I'm not in denial. I just don't need to be reminded about it all the time."
He nodded and headed back out without saying another word.
Georgia sat for another minute, berating herself for being so hard on Jim. She knew that she was only trying to help. As was the captain and the rest of the crew. But she didn't want their pity. She wanted to keep busy and feel that she was still useful. Recovering her resolve, she stood and stepped back outside to carry on loading supplies. She was surprised to see that only Redmayne was there.
"Where's the chief?" she asked.
Redmayne was carrying another ration box. He stopped to look at her. "He went back up in the cradle." Georgia detected a sneer as he added, "It may have been something you said."
Chapter 24
As the sun rose above the distant horizon early the next morning, the chief and Redmayne set off in the MEV, waved off by Captain Winter and half of Endeavour's crew. Georgia missed the departure, suffering from another severe headache.
The ride in the MEV was surprisingly smooth, with pneumatics cushioning any bumps they experienced. There wasn't a great deal for the two men to do. The autonomous driving program guided them to their destination while avoiding any large obstacles. It wasn't long before the rear viewing cameras showed Endeavour and Eden as small white dots, while out of the front canopy, the sheer cliff face of the crater wall grew ever larger and more imposing.
Although geology wasn't Redmayne's primary discipline, he was the most knowledgeable on the subject among the landing party and his name had always been in the frame for this part of the mission. The chief had not really spent much time getting to know Redmayne, although from what he'd heard, the chief scientist was not the easiest person. This proved to be true during the trip as Redmayne kept his attention on the instruments and preparation of his equipment, with no interest in striking up a conversation. Jim tried several times but was met with short abrupt responses that cut short any extended dialogue. After a while he gave up, sat back and tried to enjoy the view.
His mind wandered to Georgia. He enjoyed working with her and spending time with her and although he'd seen how difficult she could be, he found her easy to speak to. He hadn't always been comfortable around women, but she was different. Her tragic news had come as a blow to any hopes he'd had of forming a relationship with her. He didn't understand how she could be so calm and matter of fact about her fate but told himself he would be there for her as a friend.
The MEV s
lowed as it approached the entrance to the first cave. The chief switched the controls to manual and slowed the MEV down to a walking pace. The entrance to the cave was roughly semi circular, about sixteen feet high and twenty-five feet across. The edges appeared relatively smooth, but there were a number of large boulders in front of and close to the entrance. The chief managed to navigate the boulders and drive the MEV to the mouth of the cave, where he turned on the powerful spotlights.
The floor of the cave was flat. No boulders, but a significant number of rocks that would need to be cleared away. The first seventy-five feet of the cave was a tunnel and the MEV moved slowly forward until the tunnel opened up into a massive cave.
"Stop here while I take some readings," requested Redmayne.
The chief stopped and sent a message to Endeavour to confirm their status. Meanwhile, Redmayne checked the readings on three screens in front of him. Satisfied with what he saw, he asked Jim Grant to move forward a further fifteen yards. Once the MEV was stationary, Tom said he had to go outside and take samples. They both suited up and, once the chief had set the external cameras running and turned on all the MEV lights, they exited through the airlock.
Redmayne carefully stepped down onto the ground. "Don't disturb too much of the dust until I've taken some air samples. You can take some soil samples from the tunnel entrance back there. I'm going to move further in toward the back of the cave. Could you also collect a few rock samples? I don't need anything too large." And with that, Redmayne disappeared down the side of the MEV, leaving the chief lost for words.
The two men spent almost an hour walking round the cave, collecting samples and taking photos. The walls were smooth but with vertical grooves. Unlike caverns the chief had seen on earth, there were no stalactites hanging from the roof. It was as if something had flowed through and left a huge space behind it. To his eyes, the cave was more than sufficient for the plans they had, but then he wasn't the expert. He did find the space a bit eerie and, even though he knew better, expected to see bats flying around.
