Alone in his quarters Vincent was anxious and filled with self doubt. He had decided to stay away from the command center and people in general for a few hours. The destruction of the Avenger hit him hard. Projecting confidence and being a strong leader was difficult at the moment. The simple expedition to honor his grandmother and satisfy his curiosity had turned into an all out war. A knock on his door interrupted his thoughts. "Come in." It was Monique. "I've been looking for you I didn't know you were hiding out in your quarters. Dalton and Isabella were able to get the display on the launcher functioning. Isabella believes she can lock a missile onto a target." she said. "That's good, hopefully it will work when the time comes. The launcher is normally controlled from the cockpit of an interceptor from what we’ve been able to tell. We're trying to use an alien weapon in a way it's not even designed for as far as we know. It would be a miracle if it actually works." Vincent said. Monique could tell Vincent wasn't quite himself. "What's wrong? Is it the Avenger?" she asked. "Yeah, that's part of it. What a senseless and tragic waste. Those people didn't deserve to die. None of them did anything wrong. Too many people have died and more are in danger because of me and this damn quest. I don’t think it’s worth it anymore. I don’t want anymore blood on my hands." Monique hadn't seen this side of Vincent. "You're doing the best you can. We're still alive and have a fighting chance. The crew knew this mission would be dangerous. You need to trust yourself and your crew, we're in this together." she said as she took his hand. "Maybe you’re right. We still have a debt to settle. The crew of the Avenger deserves justice. We owe it to them." he said. “Come on Captain, let's go talk to Isabella and see about that launcher." Monique said as she pulled him out of his chair and slapped him on his butt. "You never did that when you worked for the CIA." Vincent said. “It was against regulations.” Monique replied.
President Michael Louis had found running a government was not easy. He made it appear easy to the voters. He had charisma, charm, and knew what the people wanted to hear. As Commander in Chief of the United States Central Command in the Second Vietnam War, he had led coalition forces to an unlikely and decisive victory. President Louis had campaigned as a war hero and a man of the people. He had won in a landslide and was swept into office. His constituents had been told the people of the nation would always come first, and their opinions and beliefs would be valued. It was important to tell the voters what they wanted to hear.
The longer he was in office the more he realized voters had no idea what they wanted or needed. It was his job to protect the people from themselves. The crew of the Constellation was a threat to the safety of the nation. He needed more manpower in place to eliminate the threat. President Louis personally sent a message to the chief of security on the Mars settlement. The chief of security was a former Marine and the only real law enforcement on the planet. There were no significant problems on Mars until the recent unrest with the terraforming movement. Security and law enforcement had been a low priority on Mars. President Louis decided it was time for a change. Hector Sanchez the Marine assigned to Mars had previously received instructions to file a report immediately when the Constellation arrived. New orders were now required.
"Officer Sanchez, the crew of the Constellation constitutes a severe threat to the security of both Earth and Mars. You are to recruit a ground force to eliminate this threat should the Constellation reach the surface. Monitor the area around Cydonia and be prepared to engage the enemy at a moments notice. The terrorist threat on Mars is now of secondary importance. Prepare a report and send me an update within twenty four hours of receiving this message." he said.
Officer Sanchez returned to his office after investigating a fight between two employees at an agricultural growing operation. It was a stupid matter over a woman and neither combatant was injured seriously. The incident was routine and charges weren’t filed against either party. There was no sense in creating a blemish on the record of either man for a minor scuffle. He opened his incoming messages and was surprised to see a priority message from President Louis of all people. After viewing the message he groaned. Assembling a ground force was not going to be easy. It was hard enough for the majority of workers on Mars to get their regular jobs done. He would need to provide some additional motivation if he were to recruit volunteers. His weapons arsenal consisted of about a dozen rifles. He quickly sent a message back to the President informing him the only way he could recruit a force was to offer additional pay. With only a day to recruit men he left his office and began the search for members of his new ground force.
Sandy was waking up. After hearing the news about her husband and son she had demanded medication which would make her sleep. She had considered suicide since was going to be killed anyway, but she didn't have anything she could use to accomplish the task. Escaping from reality was her only other choice. A member of the crew was approaching. It was time for her food and for someone to escort her to the bathroom. After using the bathroom she was escorted back to her cell. "If your going to lock me up in here can I at least have my entertainment pad? I want more pills too. The more I sleep the less I have to see you assholes." she said. "I'll talk to the Captain about it. Anything else?" he said. "Yes there's one more thing. You can all fuck off and go to hell."
Captain Samuels received the request from his prisoner. "Go ahead and give her what she wants. She’ll be dead soon enough. We can grant her a few last wishes. It's better for us if she's asleep most of the time anyway." He had spoken with Agent Thompson. With her last dose of pills she was also given medication which had the affect of making her more disoriented and truthful at the same time. She remembered none of it. After being questioned at length by the agent she hadn't provided any new information. Her usefulness had come to and end.
Vincent was feeling better about himself and more confident after his conversation with Monique. The Constellation would be arriving at Mars soon and he was thinking of different strategies he could use to recover the treasure and to keep everyone alive at the same time. He called a meeting and met the crew in the command center.
"I know the last few days have been upsetting. The crew of the Avenger and our Captain didn’t deserve to die. Neither do we and we will get through this. I'll outline my strategy for our time at Mars. If anyone has any suggestions feel free to voice them. We need as many good ideas as possible. My plan is to get in and out as quickly as we can. If our enemy is in the area, they will be hidden and possibly camouflaged. It would make sense if an enemy ship parked on one of the moons and waited for us to arrive. It’s what I would do. We could look for months and not spot them if they’re camouflaged well. Every effort will be made to locate enemy ships on our way in, but we will not stop and try to locate them.
I will lead a landing party and we'll make three trips to the surface provided the treasure is found on the first trip. Dalton and I found an empty pyramid on Earth, hopefully it won’t be the same this time. Regardless of what we find, I think making more then three trips would expose us for too long. On each trip down we will land outside the dead zone. This will require each of us on the ground to make a two mile journey to reach the pyramid. As soon as the landing party is on the ground the Constellation will return to orbit. I'm planning on this operation taking approximately eighteen hours. Three trips lasting six hours each is all we safely have time for.
Are there any questions?" Vincent asked. "What about the people on the surface? It seems likely we could encounter resistance." Monique said. "That's why the Constellation is going back into orbit. Any forces on the ground will not be able to protect such a large perimeter. Before we land we'll look for ground forces and land where it's safe. The population on Mars is still small, there's no way a force large enough can be gathered to present a realistic threat. If we’re smart about our landing choice we should be fine. Once the landing party is safely in the dead zone, the Constellation will be back in orbit." Vincent replied. "How are we supposed to operate in the dead zone? All electron
ic devices have stopped working as soon as anyone has ever entered." Isabella asked. "Randy provided us with EVA suits which do not use any electronics. The suits are similar in nature to ancient dive suits. The ETS suit will be tested as well. We will use whichever suit works best. Both will be tested after we land. Dalton will go out with both suits to see if either work safely in the dead zone. It's likely the alien suits were designed for such a purpose." Vincent replied. "What if we encounter a hostile ship while you're on the surface?" Patrick asked. "Patrick you will be in command while we're on the surface. There will always be at least three crew members aboard the ship while we're on the surface to support any action you might need to take. You are to use any and all means necessary to defend the ship. While we're in the dead zone we won't be able to communicate. We will keep one person outside the pyramid in the event you locate an incoming ship. If a ship is located you are to return to the surface immediately to pick up the landing party. You might need to circle for awhile until we clear the dead zone." Vincent said. "Is all of this going to work?" Sarah asked. "Yes, it will work. Together we can do this." Vincent said.
The Lexington had been traveling toward Jupiter for three days when a response was finally received from Command. Captain Samuels read the message. He was instructed to immediately set a return course for Mars. The Reagan was still on Earth sitting in the middle of a salvage yard. The Captain was informed he was no longer allowed to deviate from his orders unless it was a matter of life or death. Captain Samuels was pissed off. Someone had made a fool out of him and sent him on a wild goose chase. He cursed to himself and threw the message in the garbage. He was more determined then ever to see traitorous people die. "Navigator, set a return course for Mars now. Maximum speed."
The Constellation took an extra two weeks to reach Mars. The evasive route Sarah plotted put them behind their scheduled arrival date. Vincent knew all bets were off anyway. Any communication with the surface would announce their arrival and the wolves would come to feed.
"We are approaching Mars Captain. We are now in range of local communications. I'm receiving an automated message requesting our whereabouts." Sarah said. "Do not respond to any messages from the surface. Are you intercepting any other messages about us?" Vincent asked. "Nothing so far Captain. I'll let you know immediately if I hear anything about us, or any other ships. At this time I'm not receiving anything unusual." What is the estimated time to Cydonia?" Vincent asked. "Estimated time to Cydonia is three hours Captain." Sarah responded. Vincent summoned Monique to the command center. "Issue an ETS suit to each crewmember. Everyone must be prepared to activate the device at a moments notice. If the hull is compromised we can still make repairs if we lose our internal atmosphere. Everyone must be safely inside the alien suits if there is going to be a battle. Please tell the rest of the crew we will be touching down in three hours." Vincent said. "Which crew members will be on the landing party?" Monique asked. "You, Dalton, Dominic, and I will be on the landing party. Patrick, Sarah, Julia, and Isabella will remain onboard. Randy had the people at Leviathan create an inflatable ground transport we can load up and bring back from the pyramid. Ask Isabella to make sure the inflatable transport is packed and ready. We don't want to get down there and not be able to return with our treasure. We have enough to worry about as it is." he said. “How does the transport work?” It’s not electrical is it?” she asked. “No it’s not electrical. It’s about the size of a small truck. Once it’s inflated at the pyramid we’ll push it back to the ship. It should be pretty easy in the lighter gravity.” Vincent said.
Captain Charles Stukey knew he was destined to end his career in space. He had been the Captain of an attack submarine for twelve years before he was recruited into the new Navy Space Program. Stalking enemy vessels in the depths of the oceans had given him the experience he needed to be successful in space. There was no reason he couldn't be as successful in space as he was on Earth. So far he liked space better then the depths of the ocean. He could at least look out the windows at the stars. The Navy task force assigned to his command was on their way to Mars. The task force had been in space for two days when Captain Stukey received his first relevant mission update. The Lexington had been diverted, was out of position, and was trying to return to Mars before the Constellation arrived. From the data he could see it was unlikely the Lexington would be able to reach Mars in time. His new orders instructed him to stay in contact with the Lexington and ground personnel on Mars. The Constellation was to be intercepted by his task force if the ship successfully left Mars. He had no worries about any enemy ships. His task force would be able to withstand any weapon system which was designed on Earth. His duty was to police the solar system and to enforce the directives he received from his superiors. This first mission appeared very straight forward and simple. If Captain Samuels failed, he would clean up the mess.
It was a hot day as Enzo, Randy, and Tony relaxed by the pool enjoying margaritas. Tony could barely be seen as his skin color was blending in with his chaise lounge. “You know Tony I could really use your unique abilities within my organization.” Enzo said. “That’s something I’ll have to think about. I’m not sure I have the nerves and mentality for that kind of stress.” Tony replied. “I appreciate you letting our doctors take a look at your transformation. The doctors tell me the tests are over for the most part. Your blood will be drawn daily for the rest of your time here. I don’t speak the same language as the doctors, but they tell me your cells are still undergoing changes.” he said. Their peace was interrupted when Enzo received a message on his phone. "It looks like our subterfuge worked. The Captain of the Lexington bit the hook hard. The Lexington was significantly delayed. It gives our boys a chance to successfully complete their mission. The Lexington is back on course for Mars, let's see if we can sidetrack them one last time. I've already prepared a message." Enzo said.
Time was passing too quickly and the Lexington wasn't moving fast enough. Captain Samuels was agitated. His decision to change course to Europa would cost him his career if he arrived at Mars and the Constellation was already gone. "Captain we're receiving a transmission." He wondered if he was being relieved of command. "Play the message." he said. "The following is a change in operational orders for the New York. You are to change course to Rhea upon receipt of this message. You are to assist with repairs to the Constellation. Once the Constellation is repaired and departs Rhea without issue you may return to normal duties."
Captain Samuels knew the message had to have been sent by the same person or organization which sent the one for the Reagan. He wouldn't be fooled twice. "Send a copy of the message to command, and stay on course for Mars." The destruction of the Constellation would silence those who doubted him.
Officer Sanchez didn't like his current assignment. Recruiting non military personnel at the last minute for a military operation was a desperate act. He had managed to recruit fifteen workers from various terraforming and agricultural operations. A couple of the site supervisors were reluctant to let the workers leave. Once the supervisors were told the request was being made by the President of the United States, they didn't need any more convincing. The agricultural growing operations were producing more food then needed anyway. The personnel could be spared. None of the recruits had any military experience and only five had previously fired a weapon. It was not a group of people he wanted to lead into any sort of combat. Discipline was non existent, and the assigned personnel weren’t used to the stress of battle.
In the last two days Officer Sanchez had been busy. A domed base was moved near Cydonia to serve as living quarters and to conduct surveillance. His volunteers added more cameras in the area around Cydonia to watch for any unusual activity. "Officer Sanchez, what specifically are we supposed to be doing here?” a volunteer asked. "It's real simple. The President has declared these people enemies of the state. If we don't kill them, they will kill everyone on Mars and will then return to Earth to continue their murderous ways." Hector repl
ied. "How do we know they're guilty of anything and deserve to die?" his recruit asked. "The President wouldn't have ordered their deaths if they didn't pose a threat. We have our mission and we will carry out the orders we've been given. Prepare for weapons training. You'll need to be able to hit what you're aiming for." He didn’t have much confidence any of his recruits could hit the broad side of a barn.
Chapter 10
Mars loomed large through the window. Vincent was nervous and the crew was on edge. "Is there any sign we've been detected? Are you picking up any unusual transmissions?” Vincent asked. "There are no issues at the moment. So far, so good Captain." Sarah replied. The risk increased with each passing minute. Vincent instructed the crew to activate their ETS suits. "We are in position Captain. We can enter the atmosphere and attempt a landing at your command." Sarah said.
Vincent was surprised the Constellation had remained undetected so far. Perhaps the enemy was waiting for him to descend when he would be the most vulnerable. He couldn't think of anything he might have missed or overlooked. "Take us to Cydonia, Patrick. Let's conduct a flyby of the landing site to see who might be waiting for us." Vincent said.
Patrick flew the Constellation into the Martian atmosphere. He had done it before and it always made him nervous. The atmosphere on Mars wasn't anywhere near as dense as on Earth but it still presented problems if you weren't careful. Patrick carefully piloted the ship a thousand feet above the dusty reddish landscape. The blackness of the Constellation now stood out easily in the orange martian sky. Monique was the first to locate the structure near Cydonia. "Look there's a habitat. The habitat is about as close as you can get without being in the dead zone. It looks like somebody is waiting for us." she said. "That dome can't hold more then a couple dozen people. I wonder how long they've been waiting for us. If that's all they've got our plan should work. Put us down on the edge of the dead zone opposite of the habitat. There's no way the ground force can get to us fast enough if we're quick about it. Just getting into an EVA suit and out the airlock will take more time then we should need." Vincent said.
Lost Sols 1: Ancient Treasure Page 15
