“You told me to get out, very emphatically, too. It’s your house. If you don’t want me there lady, I’m gone.” He turned away from her to hide the tears running down his face. “I won’t stay where I’m not wanted.”
“John, please. Please don’t make this harder on me than it already is. I love you, John. Only you. There is no one else, I swear. I’m begging you, John. Please come back to me,” she sobbed, holding her arms outstretched. “Please, John.”
“Tell me what’s behind this, then. Talk to me, Rachel. Please tell me what the real problem is,” he implored, turning to look directly at her.
Rachel sat on the bed, her head in her hands. “I keep thinking about you and her. I’m here alone and you’re with her. She’s tall, slim and beautiful, and I’m getting fatter and less attractive every day. Are you sleeping with her, John?” She could not look at him, afraid of his response.
“With who, Rachel?” He asked.
“Esther. Esther Hanson. You know her habits better than she does. She’s got the best legs in the Space Forces. Are you sleeping with Esther Hanson, John?” She finally turned to face him, to hear his answer.
“C’mon, Rachel. I work with her. She’s the base Commanding Officer,” he protested.
The time had come to tell him, orders be damned. Rachel stood, wiped the tears from her eyes, and walked to the window. “Remember the day you and Captain Hanson testified before the Joint Chiefs in their great hall?”
“I’ll never forget, Rachel. What about it?” He asked defensively.
“I got summoned by them too, remember? I was ordered to be a silent observer during the testimonies, as your genetics specialist. I asked to be recused because of our friendship, but they ordered me to observe, and recommend a course of action afterwards. I know about the escape pod and your affair with Esther Hanson, John.” She sat down on the bed.
He was stunned. “Why haven’t you told me this before now, Rachel?”
“I was—and still am—under strict orders not to divulge my participation at the inquest. I am breaking orders to tell you. Several observers were there. I won’t say who else.” She put her head in her hands.
“It was a very dark time, Rachel. They were making me a reptilian hybrid against my will. Captain Hanson, too. I was beaten and tortured for months. I took the Captain with me to escape the genetic alterations, honoring my Prime Marine oath to her. No one was looking for us. No one! We were facing certain death in a matter of hours, perhaps another day. It just happened. And it was no one’s business but our own,” Mason explained vehemently.
“I know. I heard that.” She sat looking at the floor.
“Then, why does it bother you now?” He asked urgently.
“Because I’ve been so alone, and you’re there with her every day, on Mars, so far away. What if you still have feelings for each other? I’m afraid to lose you, John. Don’t you understand? I don’t want to lose your love. I love you, John,” she said, and she began to cry again. “I love you so much!” She collapsed in a heap on the floor, sobbing incoherently.
“Shhh.., Rachel. Now get up. I’ll help you, but I can’t pick you up now. Please get up, Rachel. It’s all right,” he said soothingly. He helped her get on the bed and lie down. He laid on his good side, held her and stroked her back as she cried. “The only feelings I have for Captain Hanson are respect and friendship. It was a time of dark desperation, and an attempt to feel human again before we died. It happened, and then it was over. I was single then, too.”
“I know. I never said it was logical, John. It’s my fear of losing you, of losing your love. I’ve been so alone, and I’m so afraid of losing you,” she confessed.
Mason took her face in his hands. “My love for you will never die, Rachel. I spent ten years trying to bury it. My love has grown so strong for you now, it can never fade away, never die,” he said softly, reassuringly.
“Oh, John, do you forgive me? I’m so sorry I hurt you. I’m such a jealous fool. I’m so sorry. You didn’t deserve to be hurt. Please forgive me,” she begged, as she took his face in her hands, and gently kissed his cheek. She was filled with remorse.
Mason whispered, “I already have.” She kissed him, taking great care not to hurt his repaired lip. Rachel apologized by loving his damaged body and consoling him, best as she could. He fell asleep at last, in her arms. He was an exhausted, injured man, and slept deeply for ten hours.
Rachel realized the only way she could lose John was by her own jealousy driving him away. She would get jealous from time to time in their life together, but never like she did tonight. He deserved all her love, trust, and devotion. She would not chance another episode.
The bellman loaded Mason’s bags into her shuttle the next morning and they went home. Rachel unpacked all of his things, to move him in permanently. She went to the Hall of Records in the morning, and added his name on her home title, so it would truly be their home, not hers. Mason checked into the base hospital, for two weeks of outpatient organ regeneration treatments.
Rachel’s OB/GYN prescribed hormone therapy for four weeks to correct her imbalance. The condition Dr. Goldstein referred to—macrosomia—was indeed happening to Rachel and her baby. It meant a big baby was growing inside her, bigger than her body could handle. She would have to have a Caesarian section delivery for her safety.
The Baines were notified by Harvard University only thirty days of their sabbatical leave remained. The Cohens requested transfer from their Florida hospital to Houston. Caitlin got an immediate approval, being a senior surgical nurse. David, her pharmacist husband, had to wait a month longer, but eventually came to help Rachel out, as well.
Mason finished off the basement and added a suite for Rachel’s parents, with a big vid screen. Victor moved into his late Father’s den, and his room became the nursery again. Mason bought a house-bot for Rachel, to alleviate any physical stress for her or Caitlin.
XIX
Mason finalized his report on the Mars X base analysis while healing at home, receiving his organ regeneration treatments. After careful editing and adding vid recordings as addendums, he was ready. He delivered his report to the Joint Chiefs of Staff, complete with his analysis, vid reports, commentary from contractors and suppliers, and documentation to back up his suppositions and conclusions. One of his two bachelor’s degrees was mechanical engineering, and he made good use of it.
His analysis of Mars X was so thorough and unbiased it was incorporated into the framework of the base design, for both immediate use, and the planned use of the base for the next fifty years. The purpose of the Mars X base was twofold: it would become a premier space base, replacing the original Mars Colony, and most of the space base would be above-ground facilities. Secondly, and most important for the immediate term: the DNA and knowledge repository, called the “Great Vault,” inside the underground facilities, would become the center for decades of research, study and advancement for not only Earth Command and the Space Forces, but for humanity itself.
There were, however, external as well as internal forces at work who did not want the DNA repository and knowledge crystals researched and analyzed for the betterment of humankind. The Yellow Man was involved, certainly; but to what degree, Mason was unsure. DNA alteration and genetic manipulation were practiced at a very advanced, sub-molecular level by the ONE. They were actively producing the next species, a higher species than their reptilians, or humans, could achieve through the individual natural selection process.
And then there was Sukesh. Mason knew Sukesh was actively engaged in sabotaging the building of the top secret Mars X base. Did he want to control the DNA repository himself, or acquire it for the ONE, to prove himself worthy? Sukesh was the uncontrolled rogue, whose zealous followers were forcing genetic alterations upon innocent and unknowing humans, to accelerate the advancement of the new reptilian hybrid species. The Joint Chiefs wanted the base built in full, with the dome completed. Now, there would be a minimum delay of 90 days while
the new plex sections for the dome were manufactured, transported to Mars X, and installed.
Earth Command agreed with Mason’s recommendation to utilize the 90 days of manufacturing and delivery time for the continued construction of the base’s underground living and working areas. Whenever the time for the permanent contingent of Space Forces research scientists to be assigned to the DNA repository was decided, they would need secure housing and living areas. New officers and crew were assigned to Captain Hanson to supervise construction of the underground living quarters, base sick bay expansion, expanded mess hall, and so on. The base would eventually be home to over 2500 military and civilian personnel.
Reconstruction of the Mars X landing site was undertaken immediately upon the arrival of the additional union construction workers, and set to 24/7 scheduling. The destroyed landing site was isolated; an entirely new site was built adjacent to it. It would take months to exhume the bodies of the Space Forces officers and crew killed in the explosion on the original landing site. Earth Command decided to build a new site out of respect for the dead. After exhumation and identification of all remains, the original site would be repaired, if possible.
The Joint Chiefs were very impressed with Mason’s work. Their initial reaction was to send him to Mars X immediately. But out of respect for Admiral Mason’s condition, he would be allowed to work remotely from Houston, after one more trip to Mars X, expected duration one month, not including travel time. They wanted him to conduct his interviews of the new Space Forces officers and crew, and all the union construction workers.
Admiral Mason was in much better spirits lately with her husband at home. She took her hormone treatments as prescribed, and made it past her “Irrational Stage,” as she referred to the recent emotional trauma inflicted upon her husband. She also underwent private civilian counseling to better deal with the emotional depression stemming from her husband’s forced absence during her pregnancy. Mason, like she, had to obey orders. He had to go wherever his assignments sent him, even to Mars. She was ashamed and embarrassed to have caused her loving husband such pain. Emotions could indeed be stronger than intellect.
Mason successfully regrew his pancreas and spleen, and his intestines were shortened. The wound on his left side was sealed with plasti-skin, and looked as good as it could be. More roadmaps of his life and battles on his warrior’s body.
Since the explosion of the cargo transport, Captain Hanson was anxiously awaiting Mason’s return, and requested his assignment to Mars X to assist with making the base fully operational. Once accomplished, she would feel better with managing the day to day operations of the base and its research facilities. Until then, too much subterfuge had taken place for her peace of mind. She assigned Mason quarters right next to hers, so she could sleep in peace. She hoped Admiral Mason understood; she would tell her about it in person when she went to Houston in one week. Captain Hanson requested a general briefing with Admiral Worthington and Commandant Richardson, Captain Mason and Admiral Mason.
The day before the meeting, Mason spoke with Rachel about it. “I’m glad we’re having this meeting, Rachel. I’d prefer staying with you and Victor until we have our baby. But Earth Command wants me back on Mars X. They’ve let me heal up at home, and now they want their workers, crew, and new officers tested before going much further. I can’t do that from a remote setting. I have to be with the test subjects in the same room with them to assess them.”
“It’s about time we all included each other in the information loop, John. We’re all TS 3 level and above; there is no reason to keep information this important hidden from our various departments. Once the base is totally operational and secure, it will be my personnel conducting the DNA repository research. It just makes sense to plan everything from the ground up,” she stated. She would eventually be running the Great Vault Project; they both knew it.
“Earth Command will probably ask you to do a temporary duty assignment there to supervise the DNA repository codifying, and analysis of the knowledge crystals, Rachel,” he said, and put his arm around her.
“That could all be done remotely, John,” she countered.
“Don’t count on it, Admiral Mason. This is way too important to leave in the hands of your twenty year olds to research, codify, and analyze. Better prepare yourself for a one to two year stint on Mars, Admiral. Better get your list of demands ready. You’re the big cheese here,” he reminded her. “I’m just the Doberman.”
“John, please stop using that reference. It’s demeaning to you. You’re much too valuable to the Joint Chiefs,” she urged him. “You’re an officer now.” He nodded, to appease her.
He was the first one to arrive for the meeting, and the last one shown in. Talk about a Doberman. The honest truth was, they were all fighting over him. The Joint Chiefs wanted him on Mars X yesterday. Captain Hanson wanted him assigned as her Prime Marine again. Admiral Mason wanted him to manage everything from Houston, at least until the baby was delivered. Mason felt like the morsel at the bottom of the food chain when, in fact, he was their first and best pick to manage the most important job in recent memory.
He was finally admitted to the meeting, and sat down next to his Commandant, where he was told to sit. Commandant Richardson began, “Mason, we are trying to decide how to best utilize your unique abilities for the Mars X project. What are your thoughts on this matter?”
Mason was no dummy. He had learned to answer a direct question from the Joint Chiefs with another question, out of sheer self-defense, if nothing else. “Commandant, may I ask what scenarios are under discussion at this time, before being allowed to share my thoughts with all present?” He saw Captain Hanson and Admiral Mason smile. He was learning.
The Commandant explained all three scenarios open for discussion. “May I suggest a compromise, sir? I could go back to Mars X to interview Captain Hanson’s newest officers, crewmen and union construction workers. I would analyze and make recommendations within twenty-four hours of their initial interviews. Then, I would return to Earth Command Central and remotely supervise any facet of the base construction Captain Hanson deems necessary, until Admiral Mason delivers our baby. After that time, I assume the Joint Chiefs would assign Admiral Mason to command the research, codification, and extraction of all available and pertinent data from the DNA repository for one to two years, at the most, during which time I would be honored to serve Captain Hanson as her Prime Marine. Sir.” Mason covered all three bases. The maximum compromise: give everyone what they want, on his schedule.
“We will resume discussion at fourteen hundred hours,” Admiral Worthington announced. This Marine was getting sharp; he smiled silently at Mason’s tactic.
“May I have a very brief word with you, sir?” Admiral Mason requested, when everyone went to lunch. She received his permission to tell her husband and Captain Hanson of her involvement in their previous testimony as an observer; she felt Captain Hanson should know.
Captain Hanson went to lunch with Mason and his Admiral at the O-Club. The casual chitchat was exchanged until lunch arrived, then they ate in growing uncomfortable silence. Mason looked at both women, feeling the icy hot emotions swelling, then at his wife. “Admiral Mason, I’ll leave you two ladies for a while.” He went outside.
Admiral Mason and Captain Hanson looked at each other. “Let’s be frank with one another, Rachel. Woman to woman,” Captain Hanson said.
“Yes, but first, I have to tell you something I was just today permitted to disclose to you.” She paused. “At your testimony before the Joint Chiefs last year, there were several senior officers assigned as hidden observers. I was assigned as your genetics specialist. I asked to be recused, because of my friendship with then Master Gunnery Sergeant Mason, but I was commanded to observe, and make recommendations for treatment for the both of you.”
“So, you heard his testimony? And mine, as well?” Captain Hanson asked quietly.
“Yes. I heard everything. They made us stay, even
during their deliberations behind closed doors. Even as you and Master Gunny said good bye to each other, still restrained in your analysis chairs,” she added gently.
“Does he know? He should be told the truth,” Captain Hanson said in a sad voice.
“He does now. I am embarrassed to say I followed my orders, and did not tell him until recently. It became an issue for me. During pregnancy, a woman’s logic does not always win out over her fears of loss, and becoming less attractive to her husband. I feared you as a rival for his attention. And affections,” she added honestly.
Captain Hanson listened closely. She looked squarely at Admiral Mason. “I will honor you by being very frank. You are the most fortunate woman I know, to have John Mason as a mate, and husband. He is still the only man on Earth or Mars that I trust. I need him as my Prime Marine again, to successfully do my job, and be protected, at the same time. The task at hand is immense, as you are aware.”
“However,” she added more softly, “as a woman, I tell you now I have no designs on your husband. You hold his heart, and have done so for quite some time.” She took a deep breath. “I realized he was not capable of giving 100% to me, although I gave him everything, believing we would die in the pod. I assumed his heart still belonged to his late wife. It was not until much later, when he and I were accidentally told your husband had been killed, I discovered who really held his heart, Rachel. They restrained him, and sedated him to the point of near-coma, to keep him from going to you, a married woman. I could compete with the memory of a lost wife who would never return. I will not compete with you for his heart.” She waited a moment before resuming.
“Rachel Mason, I am no home-wrecker. My greatest desire is that we become friends, respecting each other, fully aware of the role we each play. I have the upmost respect for your marriage vows.” She was silent.
“My husband holds you in very high regard, Esther. I have never been a line command officer. You who put your lives on the line have bonds I cannot comprehend, but I do respect a great deal. I welcome your friendship and respect. I know John wants us to become friends and get to know one another better. I offer my friendship to you now, in the hope we accept one another as we are, and move forward as friends and fellow officers,” Admiral Mason said convincingly. She appreciated Captain Hanson’s frankness and honesty.
Vengeance of Sukesh: John Mason (Legend of John Mason) Page 26
