I still had this analogue after the catastrophe of the ISA mission, but I did not possess the equipment to do any significant analysis on it. And, to be honest… I was a bit… preoccupied with being stranded alone, as I thought at the time, on Mars.
It was only after the discovery of the clone population in the mining outpost, and the upheavals that ensued, that I had the time and the resources to investigate it fully. We had extended the medlab in Colony One, and I had equipped a secret, subterranean sector with the necessary equipment. That’s where I found the same Janus bacteria, still lurking in the soil processing facility. So now I had an isolated sample and the analogue. I could do my tests and try to get an understanding of its workings.
What came as a huge surprise to me was when I infected the biology of the analogue with the bacteria, it grew and multiplied just as in any other human. So there seemed to be nothing special about it. The only way I could control it, and kill it, was by pressure and oxygen. Then I would try again, and again, and again. But each time it was the same result.
Eventually I thought, Maybe it wasn’t Langthorp’s analogue that was significant, maybe it was Nills himself. It was his biology. That started me thinking about what environmental factors he had been exposed to—like low pressure, or saturated oxygen. I looked at his diet, what he ingested: plants, fish, the water he drank. Then it struck me. He was the only one of us to smoke a lot of weed.
There had to be some environmental factor that had eliminated the bacterial infection in him. And certain cannabinoids were known to have antibiotic properties. Particularly the non-psychotropic ones. Some studies I remembered had shown positive results against the superbug MRSA. So, it seemed like a distinct possibility that this could be effective. At that time we still had some growing in the biodome so I harvested a batch and set about breaking it down into the various cannabinoid elements. The one I thought most promising, cannabigerol, turned out to be the most effective, eradicating all traces of the bacteria in the sample within twenty-four hours.”
In the end, the efficacy of Jann’s breakthrough prescription was verified in a very short period of time. Within seven Earth days of it being revealed, the pandemic had virtually stopped due to widespread availability of synthetic cannabinoids. It took only a further twenty-one days to fully eradicate it, such was the global effort applied to the task. This made Dr. Jann Malbec a figure of heroic stature in the eyes of many. Savior of the planet. Calls were made for the highest honors known to humankind to be bestowed upon her. But others didn’t quite see her in such glowing terms. To some she was a diabolical and duplicitous schemer. A person to be vilified, not hero worshiped. There were also those who felt that Earth had just been conned out of its dominion of Mars, and, true to form, agitation commenced to have the UN resolution reversed. But as Jann had correctly assessed, possession was nine tenths of the law. And, once a treaty was enshrined in the statute books, it was damn hard to undo it.
The only caveat, if you could call it that, was that a representative of the new government of Mars would be required to accept the resolution, in person, at the UN general assembly, before conclusion of the current session. That gave the colonists about five months.
They had considered simply using an AsterX board member as a representative. But Lane was not eager to be seen to be so involved. The optics of such a scenario did not look good, too much corporate involvement. So, after much discussion among the council it was unanimously agreed, Dr. Jann Malbec would go. She would take off from Mars onboard the AsterX MAV, rendezvous with the now salvaged ISA Odyssey orbiter, and return to Earth. Rachel particularly liked this touch as she could spin the story as Jann, the ISA astronaut, finally returning from her mission to Mars.
However, Nills did not take this news very well.
27
A New Flag
The main entrance cavern in Colony Two was a hive of industrious activity. Groups of colonists were knotted around several large fabrication projects. Jann could make out a new flying bed being built, its skeletal frame rising up from the workshop floor. It was the first of two projects being fabricated for AsterX, the second being a robotic exploration craft. It would launch from Mars and head out to the asteroid belt. Jann was not sure of the technical details of the mission, but she could see it was taking shape. On the side of the small craft was emblazoned the newly designed Mars flag. It was not unlike the Japanese flag, a red disk on a white background. However, this had two smaller disks, one on either side of the main one. These represented Phobos and Deimos.
Some were concerned that it was too similar to Japan’s national symbol. But Rachel argued that to gain acceptance people generally acted more favorably to what was familiar. It would be like it had always existed. It seemed to work, as the emblem now popped up everywhere. A number of colonists had already scratched the flag out on the surface of the crater. Large enough to be seen by hi-res satellite. Images of the colony were now flooding back to Earth to feed the insatiable interest in Mars, which had now reached fever pitch since the UN resolution.
These craft, the flying bed and the robotic explorer, represented the first physical manifestation of their success in gaining independence from Earth. Already a new AsterX mission was departing Earth orbit with scientists and engineers as well as specialist raw materials and components to support the fledgling space industry that was now developing in the colony. Negotiations were also well advanced for a new batch of colonists for the red planet. Things were going to get very busy around here.
One of the rovers had been brought inside the main entrance cavern and prepared for the relatively short journey to the AsterX MAV. They had decided here was the best place to say their goodbyes as more colonists could be present to witness it than out on the surface.
Jann was already encased in her EVA suit. Over her left breast the new emblem of Mars had been stitched, beside the ISA logo. Xenon walked alongside, carrying her helmet and gloves. Jann shook hands, nodded acknowledgments and accepted the multitude of personal goodbyes from individual colonists. Rachel walked beside her holding Jann’s holo-tab. It contained, among other things, the text of the acceptance speech she was to give at the UN General Assembly. Rachel had rehearsed it with her, over and over, stressing the need to pause after certain statements, slow down or speed up her pace, all crafted to emphasize certain points. How Rachel knew all this Jann had no idea, but she was a natural born propagandist, as she jokingly liked to call herself. Jann speech was a jumping off point for a barrage of finely tuned messages that Rachel and her team would unleash through their now extensive media networks. Rachel now had three other colonists working full time, doing nothing else but managing the message. Already the executives of AsterX were picking Rachel’s brains as to how to do what she did. And to her great credit, she remained politely circumspect on her methodology.
In the background of all this was Xenon. His enigmatic personality left those who didn’t know him wondering what the hell went on in his head. He seldom spoke, but when he did it was generally profound. He seemed to have an uncanny ability to know exactly what everybody was thinking and hence the best move to make. Rachel and he got along very well, she seemed to be the only one that Xenon would engage with in long conversations. So it came as no surprise to everyone when she proposed him for the title of President. No one objected, although some suggested Jann should also stand. But she declined. Her role, as she saw it, was as envoy. Nills also had no interest in such office, preferring instead to focus on the development of the colony as both a manufacturing hub for spacecraft venturing in to the belt, and as a processing plant for the refinement of returning ore. So the day-to-day management of the colony, was given to Nills and Anika. Xenon would be the face and voice of the colony, managed ever so precisely, by Rachel. There were others of course, but these were the first leaders on the now independent Mars.
As Jann approached the rover she could see Dr. Foster and Chuck Goldswater were both fully suited up and waiting f
or her. Lane Zebos stood beside them, talking. But he was not going. He had given his place to Jann, preferring instead to spend more time here on Mars working with Nills to see their dream brought to fruition. When he saw her he approached, crossing the distance in a few long strides.
“Ready to rock?”
“No. Where’s Nills?”
Lane pointed across the cavern to a small workshop at the back. “Last I saw him he was in his workshop.”
“Okay, give me a minute.”
Lane nodded. “Sure.”
Jann pushed her way through the crowd and over to where Nills spent most of his time these days. The door was open. She walked in. Nills looked up from his bench. A filament of smoke corkscrewed up from a circuit board he was soldering.
“Oh Jann, sorry… I lost track of time.”
Are you sure you’re not trying to avoid me? she felt like saying, but resisted the temptation, it would serve no good purpose. They had been through all this, several times over the last few weeks, after it became clear that Jann was accepting Lane’s offer to take his place and return to Earth. Nills of course knew why. His head understood the necessity for her to return, but his heart had a hard time accepting it. Not that it was any easier for Jann. She knew what awaited her on arrival, it would be challenging, to say the least. But she was thinking of the practicalities. Nills, on the other hand, was clearly deep in emotional territory, something he had difficulty managing. There was no set of plans for him to follow, no schematic to help him make sense of his feelings. This was new and he struggled with it. Already his mood had rippled through the rainbow of emotions associated with loss: grief, incredulity, anger and finally acceptance. So she forgave him for hiding out in here. Close enough to see her leave, but far enough away that he could handle it.
Jann looked down at an object on the workbench that Nills had been working on. She recognized it. “That looks like a part of Gizmo.”
“It is. I’ve been working on him for a while… off and on… when I get the time.”
“Him?”
“Ah… just doesn’t feel right to call Gizmo an it anymore. I think he’s earned the right to have a more personal pronoun… don’t you think?”
“Do you think he can be rebuilt?”
“Yes, eventually. But, how much of the old Gizmo remains…” Nills gestured with a shrug, “…it’s hard to know. His personality had been built up from countless interactions and experiences over a long time. I won’t know until I finish how much is lost.”
Jann picked up a charred component. It was a small square CPU, like a flat plastic millipede. Its outer surface coated with black soot, many of its pins were bent and broken.
“Is this from the old Gizmo?”
“Yeah, it’s toast now.”
“Can I have it, as a memento?”
“Of course.”
There was a brief, awkward silence as neither knew quite what to say. “Are you ready to leave now?” was the best Nills could manage.
“Yes, they’re waiting for me.”
He stepped closer to her and held her arms. “I’m going to miss you around here.”
She pulled him closer and hugged him tight. It was clumsy in a bulky EVA suit. They stayed like that for a moment until Jann pulled back her head. “Not too late to come with me.”
“No, we’ve been over that. It’s a bad idea. I’m a clone, remember. It would be a freak show back on Earth. No, this is your gig. I would serve no useful purpose.” He smiled. “Anyway, who’s going fix up Gizmo… and build all the machines that AsterX have ordered?”
“I know, Nills. But I had to ask, just one more time.”
“Ahh… I’m sure the gravity on Earth would probably kill me anyway.”
“Yeah, it’s not something I’m looking forward to.”
“You’d better go, don’t want to miss your flight.”
She was silent for a moment as she looked at him. “I have to do this, Nills. I have to go.”
“I know.” His voice was soft. “I always knew the sol would come when you would have to go home.”
She lowered her head. “I’m not sure where home is anymore, Nills.”
“Earth is your home, Jann.”
“It was my home, now… I don’t know.”
She kissed him and broke away. “Remember me.”
“You can count on it.”
She walked out and tried not to look back. Jann kept her head down and pushed her way to the waiting rover. The rear airlock door was open. Dr. Foster and Goldswater were already inside. She stepped in and turned to wave back. A cheer went up. She sat down inside as the door was closed. The engine started and the rover lurched through the main entrance airlock and out onto the Martian surface.
Jann wept. No one spoke.
28
Earth
Those on Earth that were infected and had survived would now have the same physical benefits that Jann and the colonists on Mars had, fast healing, longevity. They would presumably be the new elite. The bacteria had been eradicated but she had no doubt that samples had been saved and stored in labs all across the planet. How humanity would deal with the consequences of this event would be for historians to report. As of now, though, it was just speculation. Interestingly, those that had gone mad and were now free of the infection, gained none of its benefits apart from being simply normal. Of those that the bacteria had not driven insane, it had varying degrees of reaction. Some descended into the same depressive state that had affected some of the colonists, and became listless, even suicidal. But even those that had come out on top displayed varying degrees of biological alteration. Some healed quicker than others. These quirks of the infection had only become evident on Earth as the sample size was far greater than that of Mars. So now patterns could be seen.
Speculation abounded as to how this event could alter the course of human evolution. Was this the point were the genus of Homo sapiens forked and diverged, with a kind of new super race branching off from its root? Who could say? But there was no question that things would ever be the same again. It was estimated that, at its peak, over fourteen million people had been infected. A significant number, but still less than 0.2 percent of the global population. Of that number, a significant portion had been radically altered biologically, upward of four million, and another six million to a lesser degree. The big question now was, could this superhuman trait be passed on, could it be inherited?
These were not the questions that occupied Jann Malbec’s mind as she sat in the back seat of a very large, black, bulletproof SUV. Ahead of her and behind her were similar vehicles, all packed with government security agents and support personnel. Overhead she could hear the ever present thut-thut of a chopper, waxing and waning as it circled overhead. In the front passenger seat an armed agent sat on high alert, eyes darting this way and that, sometimes talking into his cuff, sometimes pressing the discreet earpiece closer to his eardrum.
Sitting beside Jann, who was now referred to as the Martian Envoy by the various officials, dignitaries and press, was Ms. Teri Denton, a high-ranking AsterX executive, who had been assigned to look after her. In reality that meant fending off the hordes of press, media and lesser mortals who wanted a piece of her.
From the moment that Jann landed back down on Earth, Teri had been glued to her side like a growth. And even before Jann had spoken her first words to the ground crew, Teri was answering for her. From that moment on it was clear that a battle was starting. On one side was Teri Denton, on the other was pretty much the entire world of press, government officials, media institutions, scientists, advocacy groups, lobbyists, celebrity agents, brand managers, commercial interests, hawkers, hustlers, fans, fanatics and straightforward crazies. She fought them all off with the help of a backroom team of well groomed professional stonewallers. Nothing got through this perimeter defense system that didn’t meet the exact criteria set by Teri.
Outside of this ring of steel were even more defense systems, radiating
out in ever increasing circles. So, to gain access to the inner sanctum, one would have to pass through a series of tests, each one more intimidating than the previous. The prize, if one succeeded, was an audience with the Martian Envoy, Dr. Jann Malbec. Few managed this herculean feat. And Jann was very glad of that.
Such was the zeal that Teri exhibited in her role as guardian of this precious resource, that she was always on the alert—and ever present. So much so that Jann was pretty sure that, if not for the fact that it may be viewed the wrong way, Teri would have slept in the same bed as her.
However, her role also extended to making sure that Jann had whatever she wanted. And what Jann really, really wanted was to pay a visit to her old family farm in El Dorado County, California. So Teri had made it happen. Not an easy task considering it seemed to involve mobilizing a security team to rival that of the U.S. President.
She couldn’t just fly there and rent a car like a normal citizen. Her fame had denied her that. Nor could she simply do what she wanted anymore. Every tiny detail of her life had somehow become seismic. What she ate, how she slept, where she went, what she watched, how she looked—particularly how she looked. Nothing was sacred, nothing was spared. She couldn’t even stand and look out a window or her photograph would be on every media stream in less than five minutes. It was like living in a fishbowl. She had swapped one enclosed, encapsulated environment, that of Mars, for another, that of celebrity. And like Mars, moving outside the protection of the bubble could be perilous.
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