Colony Mars Ultimate Edition

by Gerald M. Kilby

  Into this mix were the three alphas in Colony One who were now diligently working away in dome five, preparing the fuel and oxygen tanks for the ISA MAV. Getting ready to leave the planet for good. This struck Jann as somewhat of a coincidence. Was there some relationship between these two events? Was there something else going on that none of them could yet see?

  Then there was the very practical issue, how did they get in? And once inside, then what?

  They had gathered themselves around the table back in the common room, and were all eating. It might be a while before they ate again so they might as well do it now while they still had the opportunity.

  “So Nills, like I said, what’s the plan?” Jann looked at him. He sat in the same battered armchair that the old Nills did. He had the same mannerisms and, if she didn’t know better, she would think he was the same person.

  “How about we drive up to the main entrance, blow it open with some explosives, charge in and start shooting any hybrids we see? Then, we just wing it from there.”

  “You’re kidding me,” said Anika.

  Nills looked up from his food. “Of course I am, that’s a really stupid idea.”

  Anika laughed. “For a minute there, I thought you were serious.”

  Nills set his bowl down on the table and sat back in his chair, like he always did. “For this to work, the betas need to know Jann Malbec has returned to free them, and call on all of them to raise up against the hybrids. So we need to get the word to them as soon as possible. Now, assuming life goes on in Colony Two, then the vast bulk of them will be working in the garden. So we need to get in there and hold it long enough for them to rally around.”

  “Okay, so how do we get in there?” Jann leaned in across the table.

  “Yeah, that’s not so easy, Nills. They’re going to see us coming,” said Lars.

  “We need to give them the slip somehow, trick them into thinking we’re entering by some other route.”

  “Would I be correct in assuming that their perimeter scanner is the same as the one in Colony One?” said Gizmo.

  “I think so. I could check, as I’m very familiar with it. I used to fix it all the time,” said Anika.

  “Well if it is, then I may be of service.”

  “How so?” said Jann

  “My systems are integrated with Colony One, so if they are the same, I may be able to access it and manipulate it.”

  “You mean, like hack into their systems.”

  “Partly. The downside, of course, is once I am out of range of Colony One I will not be able to access any of the systems here, so my data and processing capabilities will be dramatically reduced. I estimate by a factor of ten point seven two.”

  “Is that a lot?” said Lars.

  “For me yes, but not so much that you would notice unless I had to do a complex extrapolation. In which case it would be glacially slow.”

  “But you could access the Colony Two systems?”

  “Only some, the perimeter scanner would be one. If it is the same as here.”

  “Okay, then. Sounds like we have a way in. We take the rover up close to the main entrance, park it there, and head on foot to the higher level escape airlock. Gizmo, can block their scanner until we’re in.”

  “Is that the same airlock I used to get in?” said Jann.

  “No, higher up. It’s a bit of a climb, but it’s never guarded and little known. We could get quite a way inside before encountering any hybrids.”

  “Sounds like we have a plan then,” said Jann

  They all nodded in agreement.

  20

  Return

  By early the next morning, they had assembled in the workshop and organized themselves into teams, Jann and Gizmo, Nills and Lars. Anika was still injured so she kept the weight off her leg while she had the chance. It didn’t take them long to get everything ready. Finally they assembled at the entrance to the airlock and got into their EVA suits.

  “Should we say goodbye to the others?” said Jann

  “Who?” said Lars.

  “Kayden, Noome and Samir. After all, they were your colleagues.”

  “Screw them,” said Anika. “If they want to run away, then let them.”

  “Well, they got me out of there, out of the tank. I can’t go without thanking them, it’s the least I can do.”

  “Hey, you’ve just given them the launch codes to the only ship off this planet, so I’m sure they’re pretty happy with you about that,” said Lars.

  “Go, be quick.” Nills waved a hand. “Hurry.”

  Jann raced off.

  “Gizmo, go with her, make sure she’s okay.”

  Dome five was crammed with a myriad of flotsam and jetsam from the inventory of Colony One. At the far end Jann could see the crew busying themselves preparing to bring the last fuel tank out onto the surface. Samir and Noome were in EVA suits with their helmets off, while Kayden sat examining the data on the holo-tab that Jann had given him. She could see a 3D schematic of the landing site balloon out across the table from its surface.

  “Change your mind?” Noome spotted her first.

  “No, I just came to say goodbye. I’m going back with Nills and the others, back to Colony Two. We’re ready to leave.”

  “Colony Two? Are you mad?” Noome looked at her, wide-eyed.

  “Maybe.” Jann shrugged. “I came to say thanks… for getting me out of that tank.”

  Kayden switched off the holo-tab, picked it up and waved it at Jann. “Thank you for this, it’s our ticket off this godforsaken rock.”

  “I hope is works out for you,” Jann replied.

  “Tell me,” Kayden put the holo-tab down and. “Are you really going back there?”

  “Yeah, we’re all tooled up, ready to go.”

  “It’s probably a suicide mission, you know that.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “They’ll see you coming. How do you propose getting in? ”

  Jann thought about this question. Why was Kayden so interested? He was leaving, so what did it matter to him?

  “We’re not sure. I think we’re going to drive up to the main entrance, blow a hole in it, charge in and start shooting… as far as I know.”

  “Sounds totally crazy to me.” Samir started fiddling with a fuel valve.

  “Yeah, does to me too. But anyway, thanks for getting me out… and, good luck.” She turned.

  “Good luck to you, too. I think you’re the one who’s really going to need it,” said Kayden as Jann walked out of the dome.

  Nills and the other betas craned their necks to look out of the rover’s window at the brooding Martian landscape. Jann realized that since they had lived their entire lives inside a cave, the outside world must be a wondrous spectacle to them. She looked out across the plateau towards the western rim of the crater. A thin haze of Martian dust clung to the atmosphere and colored the entire sky with a dark crimson wash. “Storm coming.”

  “How do you know?” said Nills.

  She pointed out to the far horizon. “Dust darkens the sky when there’s a sandstorm approaching.” She looked back at him. “But don’t worry, it won’t hit here for a while yet.”

  She glanced at her navigation screen. “Coming up on six klicks. What’s their scanner range?”

  “Five, at most,” said Anika.

  “Okay, once we cross that boundary they can spot us. I sure hope you can hack that system, Gizmo.”

  “Hope does not enter into any of my calculations.”

  “Five point five klicks. We’ll be in range in a minute or two. Are you ready, Gizmo?”

  “I am always ready Jann.”

  She eased back on the throttle and the rover slowed to a crawl. They continued like this for a few more minutes. “Four point nine… eight… seven. How are we doing Gizmo?”

  “Working on it.”

  “Four point five… should I stop?”

  “Got it. Interesting… it appears to be an exact replica of Colony One’s s
ystems. Okay, there you go, disabled.”

  They looked at each other. “Are you sure? That seemed very easy.”

  “I am always sure, and yes, it was easy—when you know how,” said Gizmo.

  Jann pushed the throttle forward and the rover picked up speed. In the distance they could see the crater wall rise up from the horizon. Dust and sand billowed around them as they pushed on. She was driving the rover at the very edge of control. They were all bumped and jostled as the machine rumbled over the rugged terrain. Finally they came to a skidding halt, behind the same rocky outcrop that Jann had parked up at the first time she came here. It seemed like such a long time ago now, so much had happened to her since then. It was a very different Jann that entered Colony Two the first time. And here she was, doing it again.

  She powered down the machine and turned around to look back at the others. They were getting their equipment ready. Nills prepared his railgun and checked the satchel containing the grenades Gizmo had fashioned. He had a determined look, and Jann realized this was a very different Nills. Not the carefree bohemian that tended plants and slept in a hammock. This Nills had had a different life, and it was beginning to show.

  “Okay, listen up.” Nills stood and held the railgun across his chest. “Show these bastards no mercy. They’ve killed the Council, probably most of the beta leaders and they are hell bent on the subjugation of our kin. They will not hesitate to kill us on sight. So don’t mess around, you see one you kill them. Got it?”

  Lars and Anika stood wide-eyed and looked a little sheepish. Even Jann had to admit, this was a whole new side of Nills she had never imagined. But in a way, he was being the person he needed to be, at this point in time.

  “Got it,” Jann replied.

  “Pardon me, Nills. But who exactly are we killing? I am loath to admit it, but I am a bit confused,” said Gizmo.

  “You don’t kill anyone, okay Gizmo? You’re a robot, leave any killing to us.”

  “Okay. No killing.”

  “Right, everyone ready?”

  They checked their weapons, flipped down their helmet visors and moved out of the rover.

  They kept low behind the rocky outcrop and followed the same path that Jann had taken previously. After a while they started to work their way up the side of the crater rim. They went in single file, Nills leading, picking a path up to the airlock that Jann had used. They stopped for a moment. Nills seemed to be studying the terrain.

  “The path should lead to another airlock, farther up.” He pointed towards a gentle rising slope strewn with rocks and boulders. “Stay close, keep each other in sight. If anyone falls behind, just shout out.” He moved off, the others followed. They picked up the pace, all the time climbing higher until finally they came to a clear, level ledge. Just ahead, built into the cliff face, was the airlock. They approached it slowly, with caution.

  “So far so good.” Anika’s voice echoed in Jann’s helmet.

  “Let’s hope there isn’t an army of hybrids waiting for us on the other side.” Lars shuffled in behind Anika.

  “There may be a few, so be ready.” Nills checked his railgun. “Okay then, let’s go.”

  He tapped on the airlock control panel and the outer door opened. They piled in, the door closed. “Well this is it,” whispered Lars as they faced the inner door, weapons ready. The airlock pressurized and the door slid open to reveal an empty, dimly lit tunnel. They breathed a collective sigh of relief.

  “There should be a storage room up to the right. We can get out of these suits in there. We’ll be able to move better. Follow me.” Nills led the way along the tunnel. It was little used. Jann noticed their footsteps leaving prints in the thick layer of dust along the floor.

  “Here it is.” Nills used the barrel of his gun to poke the door open. It was pitch black inside. Gizmo activated its headlight and spread the beam wide it to give 360 degree illumination. It was empty save for some low bench seating along the walls. Above these were tall empty racks.

  “What is this place?” said Jann.

  “Originally it would have contained EVA suits, to be used in an emergency by the miners working here. Anyway, it’s a good place to dump these. Come on, let’s hurry. Lars, keep an eye on the door while we get sorted, then we’ll cover you.”

  They wasted no time in divesting themselves of the heavy suits and, when ready, Nills explained their options.

  “This tunnel leads to the upper gallery around the top of the main cavern. Mostly this will be deserted save for the atmosphere recycling plant on the far side. That will have at least two, maybe three, betas working in it. If we can get there without being spotted, then we can alert them and get them to spread the word that Dr. Jann Malbec has returned. I suggest we get the betas to assemble in the garden in the main cavern, that’s where we’ll have the most numbers. We’ll need to get down there somehow and rally them, even if it means fighting our way there.”

  No one spoke. “Anybody got a better idea?” No one did. “Okay, then, let’s go.”

  Nills led the way and they moved out in silence. Gizmo took up the rear.

  After a short distance the tunnel opened onto a wider gallery. Nills and Jann took up positions on either side of the tunnel’s end and peered around each corner. It was dark so it was hard to make anything out farther than a few meters. “Can’t see shit.” Jann whispered. Nills nodded to his right and stepped out in to the gallery, keeping his back to the wall. Anika and Lars followed, Jann and Gizmo brought up the rear.

  Jann peered behind her into the darkness and thought she saw some movement. Then she heard a thut. Lars screamed and collapsed on the ground, grabbing his leg as blood oozed from the wound. Another thut and the rock wall beside Jann’s head exploded into a hundred fragments. She loosed a spear into the blackness, aiming at nothing. Anika fired off a bolt before she too was hit. She spun around and went sprawling across the dirt floor.

  “Shit, get down, down,” Nills shouted at Jann as he tossed a grenade into the gloom and hit the deck. There was a blinding flash as the explosion shook the cavern. The shockwave lifted Jann off her feet and sent her tumbling down the gallery. Rock and debris rained down all around her. Dust billowed out, filling the space. Christ, thought Jann, We’re being buried alive.

  After a few stunned moments she felt Nills’ hand on her shoulder. “You okay?”

  She spat and coughed. “Yeah. What the hell did Gizmo put in that?”

  “I don’t know, but any hope of stealth is gone, it must have taken down half the roof.”

  Jann spluttered, and spat again, trying to get the grit out of her mouth.

  The dust began to clear a little and Jann could see a huge mound of rock blocking both the tunnel entrance and the galley walkway. “Christ, they’re going to be all over us in a minute. We’ve got to move.” She stood up and turned to see Nills kneeling over Lars. He was flat on his back, a pair of cold dead eyes staring up. He looked up at Jann and shook his head. He then turned to where Anika was lying. Her hand twitched, then moved, then she sat up slowly, feeling her chest as she rose. She dug a hand into a top pocket and pulled out a battery pack with a two inch long metal spike from a railgun embedded in it. “Shit, that was close. She threw it on the ground and stood up. “Lars?”

  “Dead,” said Nills.

  “Lars, no, no…”

  “Come on, there’s no time. We’ve got to get out of here.” Jann grabbed her arm and began to pull her along, then she stopped. “Shit, where’s Gizmo?” She looked around and scanned the mound of rock that used to be the gallery roof.

  “He must have gotten buried when the roof caved in,” said Anika.

  “No, Gizmo!”

  “Forget it Jann. Let’s get to the processing plant.” Nills shouted.

  Jann looked back at the last resting place of the eccentric robot. She had had a love hate relationship with it for more than three years. But now that it was gone, she felt like she had lost another true friend.

  “Ja
nn, for God’s sake, let’s move.”

  21

  Revolution

  Dust filled the air along the gallery. Every few meters light from the main cavern penetrated through long slits cut in the wall. Each slit had an extractor fan attached, making it one big air recycling duct, running most of the way around the upper level. The light flickered and danced off the walls and floor as the blades rotated.

  Nills stopped suddenly and put his fingers to his lips. “Wait, hold up, I hear something,” he whispered.

  Jann could hear it too. Footsteps, running, coming toward them fast. Out of the gloom two figures burst into view, Anika fired off a shot, but missed, her bolt clanging off an extractor blade. The two figures stopped dead in their tracks. She was about to fire again when Nills shouted.

  “Wait!” He ran forward. “Alban, sorry, are you okay?”

  The figures stood wide-eyed. “Nills?”

  “Yes, it’s me.”

  “Nills, oh my god, we thought you were dead. What’s going on? What are you doing here?”

  “We can’t talk here, hybrids will be coming.”

  “Those bastards, they’ve killed at least ten of us so far.”

  “Can we get to the recycling plant without being seen?”

  They didn’t reply. Instead they just stood there dumbly.

  “Alban, can we get to the plant?”

  “Dr. Malbec. You have returned.” Alban stepped back and bowed, as did the other.

  Jann came forward. “Yes, I have. Now, we must try to get to the main cavern without being seen.”

  “I know a way. Come, quick… follow me, hurry.”

  The recycling plant was one of two situated on the upper gallery of the vast main cavern of Colony Two. Their purpose was to regulate CO2 and expel any excess out into the Martian atmosphere. It also maintained the level of moisture and humidity in its local area. There were two of these plants, working independently, to create different microclimates depending on the vegetation it was supporting. Dust and particulate matter was also extracted. The main difference between these air recycling systems and those used back on Earth was these used genetically engineered bacteria to get the job done, instead of a chemical process. The room was sizable but tightly packed with tanks and ducting, like the bowels of an oil refinery.