Planets Falling
By
James G. Scotson
Copyright © 2014 James E. Garvey Books
All rights reserved.
Dedication
To Stephanie, Ian, and Addy. You are my planets.
Book 1: Beginnings
Chapter 1 – Mars
The old man sat in the shade of a willow tree considering the future. He saw shapes in his mind. They looked a little like stepping stones in a garden or stars suspended in heaven’s bosom. With closer inspection, he discovered that they were footprints in ruddy soil. Those dusty footprints, millions of miles away from his frail frame but also right there in his head, were stepping into a broad, endless horizon. Humanity had begun its journey into the unknown on a scrawny, rusty patch of dirt not far from home, feet shuffling awkwardly on stair steps, moving away from one reality and upward towards another. The man’s head slumped and his red, beating heart fluttered and failed. The bloody disk of mars faded into mist as he slipped away into the darkness of space.
Many years passed. The old man was long gone and the willow tree was a parched trunk - a mere husk of its memory. Melancholy had settled on the human species. Earth was sagging under humanity's weight. To even the most optimistic, it was apparent that the sack of genes and flesh known as mankind was spiraling towards extinction. In response, desperate planetary exploration within earth's solar neighborhood was underway. This effort was not one of charity and nobility, but as all things go with people, it was fueled by cold, harsh profit.
The corporations ruled. Mining the water of several planetary moons, siphoning the gases of the giant planets, and scooping the iron of mars were lucrative business. The masses on the blue home world grasped at the dollops of material falling from the sky with desperation. Very little democracy remained. Earth's governments had congealed into a few factions, each largely glued by a strange mixture of religion, skin color, science, economic interests, and politics.
It was under these conditions that the little planet mars was slowly being colonized. One of those colonists was a dark, thin woman named Pinchot Ferris. Pinchot loved to garden. However, her professional training kept her from this hobby. She had degrees in ecology and biochemistry with a knack for administration. She bristled when people, including many of her fellow scientists, equated the science of ecology with value-laden, emotionally driven environmentalism. Ecology was a robust approach for predicting the course of events within complex associations of plants and animals. Good ecology was necessary for effective environmentalism. But an ecologist had to be dispassionate about environmental events to stay objective -whether the events were positive or, as usual, negative was not an ecologist's business. An ecologist was responsible for understanding the biological processes on earth not altering them. It was true that ecology had failed to inform policy and regulation on earth. But that wasn't the fault of the ecologists in her view. How could you stop the colossal momentum of population growth and human greed? As technology grew and more people sank into electronically induced comas, it became simpler for the alert but typically greedy few to sop up the last dregs of resources on the planet.
Given the dismal conditions on earth, some humans looked to the tiny red speck in the sky for hope. Mars was long considered a candidate for escaping the crowds, heat, pollution, and confusion on earth. However, ecological technology, which would form the basis for terraforming embraced in a distant time, was still in its infancy. Colonies on mars were the equivalent of giant plastic and metal greenhouses, available only to the very wealthy. The ecosystem inside the colonies was very simple, very inefficient, and prone to malfunctions. The engineers installed enough redundant systems to keep the domes' life support stable. But the systems required constant maintenance. The atmosphere outside the domes was cold and lacked oxygen. Some life was discovered on mars' open surface - all microbial – visible only under a microscope. The debate raged on among the scientists about whether these organisms were of earthen origin or arose separately on mars. Likely, no one would ever know because of contamination by early robotic probes, the human explorers, and then the colonies. No multi-celled plant or animal was known to survive on the open surface for more than a few hours.
Young, fiery Pinchot was hired by the corporation that owned most of the resorts and developments on mars. The task given to her sounded simple enough to the corporate leaders -make the gardens, air, soil, waste, and water in the domes sustainable. The intent of the company was driven by cost control. Reducing maintenance costs and increasing safety would improve the bottom line by eliminating technicians and decreasing insurance premiums. She knew the solution was going to be far more costly than they anticipated. Still, the opportunity for her to tinker was compelling.
She was sitting one day in a shady nook of a faux Japanese garden on the red planet. As she closed her eyes, she recalled the afternoon years ago that she landed on mars. She was strapped tightly into her seat for landing. Her companions in the cabin were mostly tourists adorned in casual clothes feeling a little queasy and turning green. A few others were homesteaders, looking to make a life as service workers, mechanics, engineers, or custodians. Thrusters kicked in and the sickening weight of gravity pulled on her organs. It felt like her eyeballs were sinking into their sockets. The transport thudded and the airlock connected. Air hissed. Her ears popped. And the voice on the speaker announced that they were on mars and ready to be interred.
Her first memory, next to the nausea, was the smell of the dome. It was stale, slightly acrid, and very unpleasant. She stepped into the blaring light and gazed at the sickly potted plant in the corner of the entryway.
"Well, here I am," she muttered and entered her new life.
The next day, she found her way from her cramped, dreary apartment to her new office and laboratory complex.
"Dr. Ferris, I'm so glad you agreed to join us. I have been following your extraordinary work for years." Director William Holst extended his hand. A broad smile stretched across his middle-aged face. He was broad shouldered and rugged in a good way. His eyes were the blue of the sky on earth.
She shook his thick hand. "I think we have some real possibility for improvement." They were in the garden section of the domed colony adjacent to the office facility. Ruddy sunlight shone down onto the vegetation, bestowing it all with a slightly dusky, reddish glow. Butterflies, all yellow swallowtails, fluttered between flowers. A large emerald dragonfly whizzed past her face. A drab brown and white bird, maybe a sparrow, rustled in the leaves of a nearby gingko tree. In the distance, a fountain burbled. She guessed the pond had goldfish swimming in it. Pleasant enough. However, it was clear that not much planning went into the terrascaping.
"First, call me Pinch. No need for formality here. We're going to need to reconfigure the entire landscape of the colony complex. The garden needs to be extended throughout the domes. We need an entirely different set of animals and plants. I also have ideas about how to tighten up the hydrology. The air quality here completely stinks - I mean that literally. There's an imbalance in the gas concentrations that we must address."
Will chuckled. "Okay. Assemble your team and begin drawing up a master plan. You have a considerable expense account at your dispense. I'm excited to see how you use it. You're exactly what I was hoping for." He winked, scratched his forehead, and departed so quickly she swore he made a whooshing sound.
With that exchange, the Institute was born, although it would not be apparent for years to come. Over the next ten years, Ferris sifted through the best microbiologists, biogeochemists, climatologists, ecologists, engineers, and geologists to work on the project. Many declined to join, staying on earth, continuing to study the gasping, struggling planet they called home. Oth
ers came. It was these people and their families that began the organization one day named the Founding Collective or simply the Families, Founders, or Collective. They would become the leaders, the luminaries, behind the many wonders the Institute would bestow upon the galaxy. For now, though, they were simply a group of slightly bewildered, anxious intellectuals living far away from home.
Near her tenth-year anniversary on mars, she welcomed her last batch of recruits. They were assembled in a conference room, with her in front, much like pupils meeting their teacher for the first time or a congregation in the pews ready for a sermon. "Now that you all have arrived and settled in, I want to welcome you." She sat down on the table next to her, her booted feet swaying. "I'm Pinch Ferris. I’ve already met many of you. For those I haven't met, we’ll be working closely together and you’ll join what's already a dedicated, talented pool of researchers. Foremost, our job is to improve the climate and biological integrity of the domes in the colony. We need to keep this moving along for the sake of the colony and to keep the shareholders happy. Money still rules all.” She paused and considered the gathering.
As you all know, we have another opportunity, one that neither we nor our children will probably see to completion. It's imperative that we and our future families succeed. I fear that the very fate of our species and the biological heritage of earth depend on this effort. How’s that for a little pressure?" She jumped down from the table and mingled with her new family.
During that meeting, the first thing Jon Fuerst noticed about Pinchot was her voice. It was silken but intense, a strange but enthralling combination. As she addressed the crowd, he could tell that she was confident but guarded. Her back was straight, with her arms folded tightly across her chest. As she spoke, her eyes met those of all in the room, as if she knew each individual well. Of course she did. She had hand-chosen ever single person in the room hadn't she? It seemed corny, but he knew at that moment that he’d found his match. When her eyes met his, it seemed that she paused a moment, holding his gaze? Probably not. He was good at what he did - geology - but otherwise he was not exceptional. He had few family members on earth, hadn't held a stable relationship in years, and didn't even have a pet. So, why would he now find himself so interested in another person? This was more than mere attraction and it unsettled him. He was as solid as the rocks he studied. He had no patience for upset in his routine.
Jon settled into his new life perhaps a bit too easily. The lab was his fortress. Mars was as remote as it got and he couldn't be more content. Soils were his expertise and those of mars were a challenge - full of salts inhospitable to life and fine as talcum. When mixed with water, the dirt became alarmingly acidic. If you were inclined to stick your tongue in it, it’d taste nearly as sour as a lemon. The soil of the gardens in the domes was mostly shipped from earth at great expense. If there was a way to make the martian soil useful –transform it to earthern loam - the savings to the company in shipping alone would be immense. He had been in the colony for six months now and had several experiments running in small environmental chambers. He was working with two students shipped in from earth, explaining to them what to do with the sensor panel, when he heard that damned voice again.
"Hi Jon. I see that you're busy. I was hoping to schedule a briefing with you." Ferris was peering in through the chamber's entryway, her hair pulled back in a bun. A piece of hair had come out and was hanging over her ear.
Jon had an inexplicable urge to brush her hair back. "No, Dr. Ferris. I am - I'm glad to see you. I was just finishing up with these two assistants, Amy and Hama. Let's go have a coffee if you have the time."
The assistants looked at each other and smiled. Jon's sudden perkiness was refreshing. The old rock could melt into magma after all.
At the coffee shop in dome 12, there was the usual line of regulars – mostly permanent colonists and an occasional guest willing to slum it with the commoners. Good coffee was hard to find on the planet. Espresso machines hissed, a rich funk of beans and steamed milk filled the thin air. They found a seat next to a large window overlooking Olympus Mons. The mountain loomed in the maroon sky. Jon expected to be grilled on his research progress and straightened his back.
Ferris blew on her steaming cup and stared into his eyes. "Jon, I never see you. I suspect you're working too much.” She took a sip, her eyes narrowing. “I know we have a lot to do, but it wouldn't hurt to have you mingle with us every once in a while. After all, we're a big family, and need to rely on each other."
Jon sighed and slouched, a terrible habit. Was this a clandestine psych evaluation? He looked into his cup and muttered, "I don't have much need for family. I've been on my own for about forever. I worked my way through school and only had my uncle to help me out. My parents were killed in one of the regional coups in Europe. Every time I get close to someone, they seem to fade away. The one constant I’ve found in life is my science. It’ll always be there for me."
"That's a shame and it doesn't have to be that way. I love science very much. But there’s so much to be gained from companionship and a little fun every once in a while." A mild, ruddy heat appeared on her cheeks.
Awkward silence settled in their cups.
At that moment, sirens pierced the air. A mechanical voice reverberated through all solid objects. To Jon, it sounded as if his coffee cup was speaking to him. "Decompression in dome 12, sector 3. Please proceed to nearest shelter." Jon’s training sessions during his early days in the colony came back to him. He recalled that safety shelters were sealed chambers in which compressed air was pumped. Each sector within each dome had one, similar to the compartments on ocean-faring ships to keep water from completely flooding the hull. If the shelters were visible from the air, they’d make the domes look like a series of oranges cut through the middle.
"Seems like a strange time for a drill," Jon mused, sipping his drink as patrons filed out and headed to the shelter. Ferris grabbed his hand. He felt like he was twelve again, completely self conscious of his grip. Was he sweating? Her palm was cool and reassuring.
"This is no drill," Ferris exclaimed.
They hurried along the walkway leading away from the sector's central plaza when the air pressure sank. Several people struggled to breathe and fell to their knees. Others turned to drag the helpless to shelter. Dust, paper, drops of water lifted into the air and rushed toward the breach, wherever that might be. A tornado had opened up on the paved surface of the dome.
"Follow me." Ferris pulled him into a small passageway off the walkway. She waved her security card and they entered through a small door. The door slid shut behind them and the pressure rose, wrapping them in thick, luxurious air.
Outside the door, the bodies of four unlucky patrons who waited too long to respond were strewn across the plaza. Their eyes bulged. Engorged blue tongues protruded from their surprised mouths. The sector was completely sealed and silent. The sirens had stopped.
For a moment, mars, hostile and angry, had succeeded in invading one of the tiny pimples of earth that riddled its surface. Technicians in bright yellow plastic suits entered through an emergency airlock and wandered the perimeter until they found the breach. A large hole was ripped at the base of the half-meter thick dome. Adorning the frozen edges was what seemed like a crust of thick, brown ice.
"Hey Gus, this shouldn't happen. What the hell caused that?" a maintenance specialist II named Henson asked over the transmitter.
His companion, Fres Gustonson replied, "No idea. In my 15 years here, I've never seen anything like it. There's no sign of an explosion or projectile. It’s like the breach happened inside the dome. I’ll be damned. These fragments look like they were weakened and shattered out toward the open planet."
"Well let's get a temporary patch installed. Call medical and have them get to those poor people." Henson was having difficulty parting his gaze from the blue, stiff bodies in the still, artificial grass.
While Henson and Gustonson busied at their task and the bo
dies were shuttled away on gurnies by other yellow suited personnel, Pinch and Jon waited in the dark corridor. "Where are we?" Jon asked. He wasn’t sure whether it was the coffee or the sudden decompression, but his bladder was complaining furiously.
"Maintenance tunnel." Ferris fumbled in the dark until she found a power panel and activated the lighting. "The underbelly of the colony’s riddled with these things. We could go from one side of the colony to the other and never see the surface. They use these for maintenance now. But when the colony first started, these passages provided housing, storage, everything. People lived down here. Like trolls." She stuck out her tongue and growled.
"When do you think it'll be okay for us to go back out?"
"It’d probably be better for us to head over to another sector." Ferris smiled a little, took his hand again, and led him down the dimly lit corridor. They turned corners here and there, occasionally going up or down ladders. It was clear that Ferris knew the layout well. "Before we head back to the surface, I want to show you something, if you can keep a secret." She seemed like a little girl ready to show him a line in her diary.
Jon wondered what her intent might be. They had narrowly escaped decompression sickness or perhaps suffocation and here was Pinch leading him on some secret quest underground. God only knew what happened up there. Shouldn't they be on the surface finding out what was the matter?
The voice in the inquisitive part of his brain faded. He noticed that Pinch's hair had come completely undone and was hanging loosely around her neck. What shade of blue were her eyes?" He was more curious about her than the maze they were navigating. The events unfurling on the red surface seemed dim and distant.
"Well, here we are." They were standing in what appeared to be a dead end of a tunnel, with the exception of a small panel on one wall with a blinking yellow light. Ferris again raised her card. The light turned solid blue and the wall disappeared. In its place was a swamp - a wetland - on earth. Or at least it was an approximation of one. The humidity hit him flat in chest. And then the smell of living things enveloped him- wood, grass, that indescribable smell of fresh-turned soil during planting time, flowers, rain, all the scents that he suddenly realized he missed so much from home. Even the deep, dark funk of the mold in the ground was enticing.
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