by David Byrd
Trellis II
By David Byrd
Copyright © 2016 David Byrd
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, Characters, Places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictionally and are not to be considered real. Any resemblance to actual events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead is entirely coincidental.
Prologue
In the second half of the 21st century, explosive population growth combined with shortages in basic resources caused major conflicts to erupt on a global scale. Oceans no longer could sustain or recover from massing over fishing. Fertile farmland became scarce as well as grazing land for animals. With dwindling space, factory farms produced food in vertical hydroponic towers guarded by security forces. Governments descended into chaos and conflicts broke out in every country. Transportations systems broke down and areas of the globe were once again isolated or by choice, adopted an isolationist view to preserve whatever resources remained.
By 2160, the surviving industries and corporations started to form loose alliances initially to help provide food, medicine and basic assistance to a world in chaos. Local governments existed but became subservient under corporation control.
Stabilization of the world took another 15 years at which point the corporations controlled all continents, and people were dependent on them for all basic needs. Some of these corporations were devoted to the quality of the human condition and some were devoted to their own singular pursuits.
By 2175, the corporations started developing individual space programs initially for the purposes of gaining access to new untapped resources. Intra system space travel had already been in use for 50 years prior to the fall as it was being called, but increasing costs and supply shortages mothballed existing projects and ships.
Resources had been discovered and mapped in nearby asteroid fields and planetary systems. Those mapping and discovery programs were originally government controlled but after the corporations assumed power; several of these corporations had access to these data. Two of the largest, Kinsdale Corp and Brellman Corp were able to fund and deploy small fleets of “Survey” ships capable of exploring extended regions of local space. The two large corporations soon had steady supplies of raw materials from asteroid fields and local planetary moons. Many of the asteroids contained traces of a new and seemingly worthless material yellow/gold in color that was similar to an ore but had an unusually aligned crystalline structure when viewed under magnification. This material was merely “in-the-way” of other more valuable commodities and was routinely discarded.
A small Kinsdale research lab began experimenting with different off world ores to attempt to create a superior new alloy. During one such experiment, the researcher had not noticed the trace dusting of fine yellow powder on one of the ore samples. He began bombarding the ore with different isotopes, applying different substances to the ore and also using high frequencies to attempt to align the crystal lattices in the ore in one direction which would strengthen the overall structure. A curious thing happened.
The test container and surrounding area exploded! Further study revealed that certain frequencies and radiation (which are now patented by Kinsdale Corp. and a closely guarded secret) produced energy. Prodigious amounts of energy with negligible harmful radiation and with very slow decay of the original source material. Like many great leaps in science, this happy accident advanced human science 10 fold. The material was given the name KalTraxis, normally called KT soon after.
In the years that followed the KT discovery, the Kinsdale Corporation became one of the most powerful corporations on the planet due to the proprietary KT reactors they produced. Nearly all energy production depended on these reactors and Kinsdale held the monopoly. Their rival Brellman Corp. happened to hold the majority of all asteroids and moon mining claims that held deposits of KalTraxis ore. So while Kinsdale produced the world’s energy, they were forced to purchase raw KT ore from Brellman.
Assisted by KT reactors, space was again conquered and colonies were constructed on Mars. Space stations were also constructed for the burgeoning populations which again were straining resources at an alarming rate. The energy that could be produced from KT reactors was only limited by the amount of the trace element available.
From 2190 and for the next 40 years, a series of traverse stations or TGates were built starting from the SOL system and extending outward. Each station was capable of folding space and traversing to the next station. The TGates had been constructed as far as four light years out. During this period both Brellman and Kinsdale survey and supply ships regularly used the gates for planetary exploration. It was during this period that the Trellis system was discovered which contained a habitable planet.
Chapter 1
Earth - Kinsdale Research Division - 2125 AD
“Well Doctor, how are our selectees doing with their treatments?” Chairman Tobias Kinsdale asked as he swept into the facility with his usual impatience.
“Ah…Um…good morning Mr. Chairman, I wasn’t expecting you today,” Dr. Lock said hesitantly.
“Yes I often hear that, now I would like to know the progress if you please,” Tobias said.
Dr. Lock was head of the research division for Kinsdale medical sciences. He was a thin wiry man of around 50, mostly balding but with some sparse hair around the sides of his head which made him look like more of a mad scientist. He was a nervous, fidgety type who worried constantly and especially when the chairman was directly involved. He was brilliant in achieving medical breakthroughs, some of which were being used on the chairman for his continued wellbeing. The chairman knew the effect he had on his people and always used that to his advantage.
“Certainly Sir,” Lock said. “As you can see through the observation window, we have the 6 subjects for Trellis II ready for the Adaptogen treatment phase. “We have extracted Stem cell samples from each subject and modified the genetic code of those samples to perform in a much more aggressive mode when activated. That coupled with the modifications to the T-Cells we have already injected should help to heal any sustained injuries.”
The premise behind the research of the Adaptogen project was to provide the participants with internal means to help fight the various differences they would encounter in the new environments. There would be variances in the chemical makeup of the air, water, food, and radiation sources. The human body would be set to adapt to those environmental conditions by healing and compensating. Tobias Kinsdale had poured billions of credits into this research for several reasons. He did have a minimal interest in the participant’s survival and the future growth of a Trellis II colony to establish new sources for KalTraxis ore mining. But his major all-consuming personal goal was in prolonging his own life.
“Excellent work Dr. Lock. So I take it that no other side effects have been observed with this new process?” Tobias asked staring directly into the doctor’s eyes.
“No Sir. We were very careful this time and all of the subjects have had their implants removed. They have taken the initial doses without any ill effects,” Lock said. “We learned a great deal from the previous subjects’ post-mortem and if you’ll permit me…”
“Dr. Lock. Please do not speak any further about the previous participants,” Tobias said with color rising in his cheeks and his eyes flashing with menace. “No one outside this room is to speak of this again is that understood.”
Dr. Lock swallowed and managed a weak nod of the head to the chairman.
“Very well then, please keep me well informed of your progress,” Tobias said as he turned on his heal and strode briskly to the lab exit…the meeting
apparently over.
Dr. Lock resumed his work monitoring the 6 Trellis II participants as they continued the process. He was well aware of what happened to people in the company that the chairman was angry with and he had no wish to be added to that list.
The first three pilot program selectees had died a horrible painful death mere hours after receiving the treatment. It appeared that the very process to make the human body adaptable had caused their own systems to violently attack the Link implants and connections as foreign bodies. Because the circuitry had attachments to different parts of the subjects’ brains, those connection ends caused massive infections at each site.
Lock adjusted the controls recording the data being received from the lab floor with the 6 Trellis II researchers after which he left the console to assist in the lab area.
In the console Lock had been working with, deep inside the housing a tiny data module…a marvel of miniaturization that had been installed in the console when it was built at the factory activated briefly and sent out an encrypted data packet…
Chapter 2
Trellis II – 2128 AD
“Faye…Can you hand me that Celco relay?” Noel asked as he lay under the communications console. The console had suffered an electrical spike three months before and they had not received any flash traffic from the company nor been able to upload data since then. The console like most of the hard surfaces and structure of the habitat were made of PlazSteel which was lighter and much stronger that steel. It had more in common with carbon fiber than synthetic plastic but the name was catchy and stuck.
“Here,” Faye said as she walked over and handed the relay to him. “Next time why don’t you bring all the parts you need when you crawl under that thing!” She said pointedly.
Noel slid out from under the console and looked at Faye…his wife, partner, best friend and lately royal complete pain in the ass of 5 years. Faye was 32 with brown eyes and short brown hair. She was standing with a frustrated look on her face.
“Sure...I’ll just bring everything from the parts cabinet the next time I need something.” Noel said sarcastically sliding back under the console.
Faye gave Noel that look she kept in reserve…the one when she really wanted to throw something but didn’t want things to get out of hand. Noel was a year older, a few inches taller than Faye with dark brown almost black hair cut closely in a military style he preferred, brown eyes and a somewhat stocky build. They met in the company 5 years before after being selected for the Spear project. Noel spent several years in the company security forces (in actuality a military unit) and Faye was a botanist who studied plants brought back from survey ship missions. They had quickly fallen in love and married within a year of meeting. They spent 3 years training and preparing for the Spear project before being sent to Trellis II along with four other specialists. Two of the couples were married which was not a requirement and all of them had been selected through a through screening process. Each had special training in different areas to help further along each scientific discipline. That was 2 years ago.
Great Noel thought…I should have just said thanks and moved on. We have really been getting on each other’s nerves lately. Noel fastened the relay and crawled out from under the console. It was a gleaming metal panel with a large vid screen attached. “Now let’s see if this works.” Noel said under his breath as he activated the console by placing his palm on the activation plate.
After a few seconds…Link Established…appeared on the console vid screen. Receiving company data packets…Flash message incoming.
Noel accepted the Flash traffic message and a short directive from Kinsdale displayed:
A representative has been dispatched to conduct routine wellness checks on all participants as well as retrieving data on experiments from each habitat. The representative will be on board the yearly resupply ship bringing food and materials. End of message…Kinsdale Corp.
Noel tapped the display to save the message and turn off the terminal. In the 2 years they had been on Trellis II, all data had been sent through the TGate network to the company on a monthly basis. Wonder what’s up with the personal visit he thought with unease. Personal visits from the company were always a cause for concern.
Noel got up from the terminal and walked to the module of their habitat that served as a kitchen and food preparation area. Each pair of researchers had been provided with a self-contained habitat consisting of several modules (Living, Communications, Laboratory/Workshop, and Greenhouse) which were previously setup by the company before they arrived. The modules were all constructed of PlazSteel and by far the largest module was the greenhouse with large hydroponic storage containers of nutrients for all of their growing needs. The kitchen as they called it had all the modern food preparation facilities and a table built into the floor. The table was large enough to accommodate 4 people comfortably. Faye was standing by the re-hydrator preparing a simple lunch from some freeze dried stored protein out of the sub-freezer and a garden Kale salad from greens she had personally grown in their greenhouse.
Faye’s back was to Noel and he could tell by the set of her shoulders and the stiffness of her movements that his last comment was still rolling around in her mind.
He sat down opposite her. “So what’s for lunch?” he asked a bit more cheerfully than he actually felt.
“Whatever you want to fix, you know where the supplies are.” Faye said quickly and without looking in his direction. Lately Noel had been just as irritable as she had. Faye was a Botanist whose job was experimentation with earth foodstuffs and Trellis soil combinations. Noel’s job as the resident geologist was to map and study KT ore deposits. For the past week their rover had been out of commission and Noel didn’t have the time to fabricate the part necessary due to other needs in the habitat. The constant togetherness was starting to fray nerves.
“Sure, I’ll have what you’re having.” Noel said trying to sound as normal as possible.
Faye looked up at him. “You hate Kale.” She said coolly still not convinced what he was trying to prove.
“Well you like it so I can kind of…maybe…sort of try to like it too,” he said.
A very small smile was hidden behind Faye’s impassive face as she tried to play along. Faye split her salad and gave Noel a portion and they both began to eat. Faye was watching Noel closely as he took a bite of the kale salad and started chewing. To his credit he kept his composure while chewing but Faye Hasten knowing her husband all too well noticed the slight twitching of one eye and the color starting to show just a tiny bit in the cheeks.
“So since you like it so much I think I’ll make us a Kale veggie burger for dinner,” Faye said smiling playfully.
“Ummpf,” Noel swallowed and took a moment before replying. “Sure that sounds…ah good,” he said.
Faye burst out laughing and almost choked on her own salad. He was really trying to lighten the mood and the tension.
“You hate it!” said Faye continuing to laugh.
Noel started laughing too at the scene and was glad that they were finally over this tension. They both had extensive psychological testing and therapy for this mission but both needed their own space from time to time.
“I’d rather eat that relay than any more of that green sludge,” he said pointing over to her plate.
“Here…have half of my rehydrated mystery meat and give me that salad back,” Faye said. They finished lunch in a comfortable silence just enjoying the relaxed atmosphere.
“So did you get the comm. system working again?” Faye asked.
“Yep the spare relay worked…Speaking of…there was a flash message that came in from the company about a Rep coming in for wellness checks,” he said.
“Really…that’s odd. The company discontinued the Spear program except for the 6 of us. They’ve never been concerned with us before except for the yearly supply drops,” she said.
“Well I’m sure it’s all routine stuff. I’ll contact Max and
Jean and see if they know anything more tomorrow.”
Chapter 3
Earth – Kinsdale Corporation – Chairman’s Office
Tobias Kinsdale relaxed in his plush office chair. Some would call him a distinguished looking man of average height and build with jet black hair with grey at the temples. He appeared to be between 45 and 50 years old although no one would discuss his age openly.
Tobias was actually 60 years old and was for all intents and purposes a dictator. As the chairman of the Kinsdale Corporation he had only two things that frustrated him and to which he devoted most of the energy of his company and workers…The ongoing rivalry with the Brellman Corporation to whom he was forced to buy KT ore, and his own impending mortality.
“Sir, please try not to move,” the medical assistant said as she adjusted the delivery module. “It takes several minutes to inject a dose this large.”
Tobias sighed and waited patiently for the technician to administer his monthly dose. The violet colored fluid was slowly being injected into his arm through the small square medical device. Such med packs as they were commonly called were small units capable of administering drugs, taking scans and vital measurements and a host of other actions however they were programmed. Injections were still the best method to deliver fluid directly into the bloodstream. He knew the procedure well having had many such sessions as this over the last few years. Being one of the most powerful people on Earth, he had the resources for continuous research into life extension and prolongation projects. He currently was the only beneficiary of these procedures. This assistant although pleasant and quite attractive would soon join other assistants who had administered his serums in some backwater station or moon doing some low level job out of the public eye. It wouldn’t do to be taken in by a pretty face. Tobias thought. Someone was always looking to leap forward in his company and you couldn’t have the masses knowing that the most powerful man on earth was living longer than they were based largely on their own labors.
