Rosetta (Jim Meade: Martian P.I)

by RJ Johnson

  Meade's stomach rumbled and he frowned, glancing at his watch. Atel Sinjakama had instructed them to be at the Spaceport for departure within the hour, but so far, there was no sign of their Consortium benefactor. Meade decided that he had enough time to grab a bite to eat. He had no idea what those Consortium folk considered edible, so this might be the last time he could get some decent Martian food.

  He made his way over to a street vendor selling sandwiches and ordered two of them as he looked around the crowd once again for Emeline. He thumbed the receipt the vendor offered him and signed for a generous tip. What did he care? It was Atel Sinjakama's money and the Consortium could afford it. Grateful, the man bowed his head in thanks to Meade and began working quickly on his food.

  Meade spotted Emeline on the other side of the spaceport and he sent a ping to her ArmBar to let her know where he was in the vast hall of new colonists. He watched as she looked at her ArmBar and then up at him again. She waved, a broad smile on her face and Meade couldn't help but feel a bit jealous. She was clearly looking forward to a break away from Mars and her bar, Meade could barely keep the butterflies in his stomach under control. In truth, he hated flying even in the safety and comfort on Mars - the idea of living in a tin can for three days while they flew to Rosetta was not something he was looking forward to, despite how much Sinjakama was paying for his services.

  "Isn't this exciting?" Emeline said, her face shining with anticipation. "Last time I left Mars was when my Dad took me up to Phobos for the Dedication Memorial."

  "You musta been young." Meade remarked. The street vendor gave him his food and he moved towards the Spaceport's gate as Emeline followed.

  "I think I was ten at the time," she said, gratefully taking the sandwich Meade offered her. "Something like that anyway. I can't believe you've never been off-planet, not even for a jump to the Casino on Deimos."

  Meade frowned, "Deimos' run? I hear that's a good place to lose your stake. Nothing but high roller cheats and Zero-G fights. The zero-G fights I like are the ones here on Mars. Less chance of getting cheated. Besides, I'm fine with whatever money I can make off the moles."

  "You're in for a treat. First time you see Mars from space is…" she paused, struggling to find the words, "Well, I'm not the most religious person out there, but it's about the closest to a religious experience as I've ever had. You can even see the Lid from orbit! It's inspiring."

  Meade swallowed a hunk of the sandwich and spoke, crumbs falling from his mouth onto his duster, "So long as I can keep from losing my lunch making orbit, I'll consider it a victory."

  They paused by the intake desk looking for departing flights from Mars to Earth. Apogee to Earth was only a few days away and because of that, there was a high volume of passengers leaving and arriving. Mars only got this close to Earth every eighteen months and while the High Thrust Ion Drives had made Space Travel infinitely faster, it was much easier and more cost efficient for the Spaceliners to make the journey now.

  "I don't see a flight listed." Emeline said as they looked at the enormous info-board.

  Meade frowned. "He said they're leaving within the hour, but I don't see any departures for Rosetta either. Besides, from what I've heard, Koschei prefers to get his moles directly from Consortium nations on the Homeworld. I haven't even seen a flight from Mars to Rosetta advertised and you'd think there'd be at least one or two scheduled."

  "Private flights are not listed on the main info-board." A bored attendant who had been listening in on their conversation said.

  "I'm sorry?" Meade said, turning his attention to the attendant.

  "You're going to Rosetta, yes?" The attendant spoke with a heavy Russian accent. He leaned forward on the counter and continued. "Only charter flights are sent to Rosetta. Those are not listed on the Info-board, but I'm sure I can call up the information you require."

  "If you wouldn't mind." Meade asked politely.

  The attendant stood for a moment, not moving. Meade sighed and offered his ArmBar as he typed in a fairly decent bribe. He was really starting to enjoy spending Sinjakama's money.

  The Attendant smiled broadly when he saw the numbers on his account go up. He quickly typed on his ArmBar and showed the departure information. "There's a charter leaving for Rosetta in ninety seconds from gate Forty Seven. I can ping ahead and ensure they don't take off if you like."

  "They know we're coming, I doubt they're going to leave without us, but just to be safe, you may as well."

  The Attendant coughed politely once again. Meade shook his head. The man clearly knew a good mark when he saw one. Meade typed quickly on his ArmBar and uploaded a few more credits into his account, "Just point us in the direction if you wouldn't mind." Meade said.

  The Attendant smiled broadly and happily typed on his ArmBar as the directions came up on their screens. Meade and Emeline took off running for the gate, which as luck would have it was only a few hundred yards away. There, a fuming Atel Sinjakama was waiting for them.

  "You were supposed to be here thirty seconds ago." He snapped at them. "You have put us off our schedule for the last time, do you understand?"

  Emeline flushed and stepped forward to speak, but Meade stopped her placing his arm across her chest. It was possible she would deck him and that would ruin the very nice payday the Consortium officer was offering them. Not that he wouldn't mind seeing the man with a shiner, but, he liked the idea of fifteen thousand credits per sol and he wouldn't earn that kind of scratch if Sinjakama left them behind. Not to mention the threats Palmetto would surely follow through on.

  "We're here now." Meade's eyes burned with the obvious contempt for the man. "Let's get one thing straight. You came to me. You're the one who needs my help, not the other way around. I know you Consortium types are used to getting your way with people you consider 'beneath' you, but I don't see things that way and you're gonna have to get used to treating me as an equal. That means speaking to myself and Ms. Hunan here in a respectful tone and acting as if we do no wrong. Your father was killed. You know can't trust anyone on your ship, in your government, and especially anyone on Rosetta. We are the only ones you can trust, and the second you start realizing that I'm here to help you, is the very second we find out what happened to your father." Meade softened his tone and continued. "You and I understand each other amigo?"

  Sinjakama was taken aback. Clearly no one who was not in his caste had ever spoken to him in this manner. This was a man who was used to complete servitude from people he paid.

  "Adjust to your new reality friendo. It's the only way we're gonna find out who killed your father." Meade pushed past the man and entered the ship that would take them to Rosetta. Emeline followed Meade into the ship staring daggers at Sinjakama.

  "You coming?" Meade called back to the Consortium officer.

  Sinjakama nodded, and Meade felt the first bit of relief since spotting the man in Emeline's bar. Perhaps they could come to an understanding. There was years of ingrained prejudice hardwired into the man's brains. He'd been raised to believe he was genetically superior to all Coalition members and Martian colonists held the same standing in his culture as dung flies. It was gonna take some deprogramming by Meade to get him to treat him as an equal. For now, Meade mused, he'd settle for Sinjakama not being a complete asshole.

  "We may depart now." Sinjakama said, through clenched teeth to the pilot standing by the door.

  The pilot nodded, not meeting Sinjakama's eyes as he had been raised, quickly turning and closing the door as it slid into place sealing the passengers and crew inside. Meade's ears popped and he swallowed nervously adjusting to the air pressure within. Whatever happened now, he and Emeline were committed. There was no going back.

  "My people will take your bags." Sinjakama said, as a tall Pakistani man and a beautiful Pakistani woman with caramel skin stepped forward, their heads bowed low. "Your staterooms have been prepared and are just down the hall, quarters 5 and 6 respectfully. If there's nothing else...?"
<
br />   Meade and Emeline glanced at each other and shook their heads. Sinjakama nodded curtly at Meade, "Excellent. I suggest Mr. Meade you review the information The Consortium has allowed me to give you about Rosetta and my father's death. At maximum speed, I expect to arrive on the Asteroid in three days. Your attendants will inform you of meals which you will take in your quarters. If you wish to review the files with me, or have any additional questions, you may find me on the bridge, or in my stateroom."

  "I think we'll be fine." Meade said. He could feel the rumbling as the engines began to spin up and rumble deep within the ship's belly. The butterflies were back dammit and they were holding some kind of block party in his stomach.

  Sinjakama nodded curtly, turned on his heel and moved down the corridor towards the bridge. Emeline sat there fuming next to him.

  "You all right?" Meade asked, amused at his friend's anger.

  "You see how he looked at me?" She raged, "When I wasn't invisible, I was a piece of meat to be admired."

  "You know how those Consortium types are. They see women as social climbers, baby machines and little else." Meade replied amused at her reaction.

  "It's archaic bullshit is what it is." She spat. Meade chuckled, and then drew a sharp breath as the ship lurched suddenly. They were taking off. Meade needed to sit down somewhere, preferably far from any room that had a view port. The more he could trick his mind into thinking he was still safely at home on Mars, the quicker the trip would go. Besides, those files Sinjakama had talked about were long and he wanted to be up to speed on Koschei and Rosetta before they arrived.

  "Feeling all right?" Emeline asked her voice cracking. He realized she was nervous too, and not about going into space, but for what they might find on Rosetta. He clasped her on the back of her shoulder and smiled.

  "I doubt I'll be feeling right 'til we land safely on Rosetta, or until I'm drunk enough to not care we're flying through a vacuum that will kill us instantly if the slightest thing goes wrong." The ship banked and lurched again as the engines engaged and they began launching off the Martian surface. Meade was never so grateful that Sinjakama was rich as he was now. The ship they were traveling in was a newer model full of all the gadgets and gizmos that was supposed to make space travel as simple as walking from one end of the living room to the other. The Higgs Field generator kicked in and equalized the gravity and inertia to match the standard G+1 that was used on all Coalition and Consortium GWP's. The ship shuddered with acceleration and despite the Higgs Field Generator, Meade felt like throwing up.

  "OK, maybe I need to get a lot drunk." Meade said reaching into his duffel. Emeline stopped him and offered Meade her flask.

  "First round's on me. What say you and me check out the staterooms and play a few hands? We gotta keep you sharp so when you get back you won't get cleaned out by the moles ‘cause you haven't played in awhile."

  He took a swig and looked out at the quickly receding Martian landscape and his stomach turned. He wasn't sure if the feeling of impending doom was because of his fear of flying, or because of what might await them on Rosetta. He handed Emeline the flask back and nodded gratefully. Whatever was there, he was sure he could face it a lot easier because she was around, that much he was certain of.

  Well, her and her whiskey anyway.

  Chapter Five

  Meade wasn't sure when the ship made orbit and began its acceleration towards Rosetta. By then, he and Emeline had finished off her flask, he had taken her to her stateroom and left her on her bed passed out. Luckily, his stateroom was next door to hers and after staggering into it, he collapsed into his bed. Drunk, or asleep. Those were really the only two ways he was going to survive the three day trip through space towards Rosetta.

  Meade woke with a fuzzy mouth and an aching headache staring directly at the attendant who had taken his bags last night. Standing with a towel folded over his arms, he watched as Meade kicked off the sheets and stared at him in surprise.

  "You come with the room or something?" Meade groused at the attendant.

  "I've taken the liberty of beginning a shower and laid out your breakfast sir. If you would like your personal possessions cleaned, simply leave them outside the bathroom and I will have them attended to." The Indian man spoke with a light British accent as Meade stared at the man standing in his room. He was on the young side of twenty, tall and thin. Meade wasn't sure who he was, but the coffee he was holding made him his own personal savior.

  "You're just all sorts of helpful aren't ya?" Meade groused the light in his cabin hurting his eyes. "That coffee for me?"

  "I was under the impression that the Coalition people prefer coffee over tea. But, if you prefer, I can offer you an excellent selection of teas sir." The man was apologetic; his head bowed low as if expecting Meade to strike him at any second. "Your personal preferences were not included in our infosheet. If you care for cream, or sugar, I can also fetch those for you."

  Meade gratefully took the steaming cup and drank. It was good, strong and black. Exactly how he took it. "This is perfect...?"

  "Suresh, sir. I have been assigned as your personal attendant during our voyage to Rosetta." Suresh bowed low to Meade.

  "Forget that," Meade said, waving him off. "I ain't used to people bowing towards me.

  "As you wish sir." Suresh said, his head rising quickly. "Do you require anything for your morning ablutions?"

  "Ablu...what?" Meade asked confused. "If you mean for washing up, I'll take that shower and a shot of Thepazine for the hangover if you got it."

  The man withdrew a vial from within a hidden pocket in his white and black striped robe and offered it to Meade. "This is a generic version of the Coalition's Thepazine. It should work quickly to alleviate any aftereffects of the alcohol you consumed last night."

  Meade took the vial and opened it. He saluted the attendant, "Here's to your health," and quickly swallowed the liquid. A few seconds later, he felt the effects of the hangover begin to dissipate and he sighed, feeling better.

  "Suresh huh? What's your last name friend?" Meade asked the attendant.

  The attendant was taken aback, "Sinjakama sir."

  "You related to the man upstairs or something?" Meade asked getting out of bed. Stretching his muscles, he avoided looking at the port window. Out there was nothing but vacuum and over the next few days he was going to do his level best to pretend he was still inside his comfortable office at home on Mars.

  "Servants in the Consortium take their master's last name as a sign of respect." Suresh replied. "I served Master Sinjakama for many years until he was sent to Rosetta and then I served his son, Master Atel Sinjakama."

  Meade nodded as if this made any sense to him. "Well, Suresh, seems you drew some lucky duty if you and I are partnered together for the next few days. I ain't used to much hand on foot waiting, so I doubt I'll have much use for ya."

  Suresh's smile disappeared. "Have I done something wrong sir? I can change any behavior that may be offensive to you." He looked worried and for a moment, Meade felt bad for the man. It wasn't his fault, Meade doubted Suresh had ever met anyone who wasn't used to being treated as a total God.

  "No, not at all. Alls I'm saying, I'm used to taking care of myself." Meade reassured Suresh.

  "Then I shall do as you wish and remain out of sight." Suresh bowed his head and began to exit the room. “You will only need to speak my name and I will appear.”

  "No need for all that Suresh, here, take a seat." Meade sat down at the table in his quarters and took in the breakfast buffet that Suresh had laid out for him. It was a bounty of fresh fruit, toast, ham and eggs. Meade's eyes widened. Last time he'd seen farm fresh eggs, Emeline had collected on an old bar tab. An immigrant farmer had brought with him several dozen live chickens. They hadn't lasted long on the Martian surface, but for two glorious weeks, Meade had eaten real eggs and not the freeze dried crap the Coalition passed off as food.

  "Have you eaten yet?" Meade asked.

  "My da
ily rations have not yet been dispensed to me." Suresh replied. "We are given payment at the end of each day."

  "In just food?"

  "As well as a small stipend for incidentals." Suresh replied. "It is enough."

  "Well, then sit and have something to eat with me. I'm not used to interstellar travel and I doubt my stomach will settle any easier eating alone." Meade kicked the chair opposite him towards Suresh.

  Suresh took the chair and hesitantly sat down at the table. Meade helped himself to a few pieces of toast and a scoop of scrambled eggs. Meade shoved a plate over to him and indicated he should take some food.