After a short time of no comment, the man in white spoke up. “Please, Shane, your cooperation in this will determine the extent of your punishment. You may as well answer the question. I think we all deserve that much after all you’ve done.”
Jacobs looked at the man in white, eyebrows raised in concern as he considered the extent of his response. The promise of a reduced punishment must have been enough to loosen his tongue.
“I used a pollinator. I have access to those too. It really is amazing how accurately those little shits can be when directed properly.” He had the nerve to smile at his own cleverness.
Now it was Harold Petersen’s turn to launch. He jumped across the desk reaching for Jacobs, who did nothing to fight him off. After Kam separated them, he turned to the two people against the wall.
“He’s not supposed to have our program.” He was almost whining, unable to accept that the man who helped kill his wife now had access to her life’s work. “That belongs to Adrie and me. I know I messed up and gave it to her,” pointing at Idleman, “but there is no way he should have that. We agreed to that when we came here.” It was sad to see the strong old man reduced to childlike behavior.
Moses took the small pollinator robot from his pocket and placed it on the desk next to the vial of water. When Jacobs saw it, his face went slack. All fight went out of him. It was as if the arrogance of having stumped everyone was fueling his resistance. Once he realized that Moses knew it before he even came into the office, he visibly deflated. This was the very robot that delivered the fatal dose.
“Oh, yeah,” said Moses, “one more thing. Excuse me.” He worked his way between chairs across the small office to the opposite wall. He opened the panel there and revealed a furious Rebecca Martinez, gagged and sitting on the floor. This was the control room that she had used to summon and direct an army of cleaning drones to his living quarters. They would later learn how Jacobs had redirected the lift when she entered it late that night, bringing her to this floor, where he used a taser to subdue her. He tied her up and kept her hidden away until he could figure out what to do with her. Last night he had accidentally left the controls to the cleaner drones open, allowing her to send the message that ultimately revealed Jacobs’ guilt.
“I’m sorry to delay your rescue. There was no way I could get in here last night. It’s too secure.” He untied her wrists and ankles.
“Rescue? You didn’t rescue me. I told you where I was. You just opened the door for me. I rescued myself, thank you very much.” She rolled her eyes. “It took long enough.” Once he untied her hands, she punched him hard on the shoulder.
Chapter 17
Rebecca was hugging Moses. He was surprised to find himself returning the embrace with no awkwardness or over-thinking. He wasn’t worried about how long to hold it or how tight was OK. This was new for him. He just missed his friend, and was grateful that she was still alive and able to make this public display that seemed to come so easy for her. And his shoulder really hurt.
“Fascinating.” This came from the man in the white suit. “Thank you for your thorough and sacrificial work on this. And you did it all without allowing your patients to suffer.” The man regarded Moses with a new respect, one that Moses had not witnessed him give to anyone who wasn’t wearing the same white outfit. Although his experience with these people in white was somewhat limited.
“Can everyone excuse us, please?” White Suit Man again. “Everyone except for Chief Jacobs, Dr. Idleman, and Dr. Truman. You three remain behind.”
Still in shock, it took a moment for the small group to gather themselves and get moving. Kam had to assist Rebecca, who was having trouble moving after a couple of days bound and left in a glorified closet. The rest rose from their chairs and headed out into the hallway without a sound. White Suit Woman never moved, somehow aware that the order for everyone else to leave did not apply to her. Jacobs remained behind his desk, drained and either unwilling or unable to do more than look around. Idleman, likewise, sat stunned and defeated. Moses took the seat in the corner that had been vacated by Philip Chen and leaned forward to hear what White Suit Man had to say.
“Well, we certainly need to thank you for preventing any further delay in the work here in Homestead IV,” he said, directing the comment to Moses. “There’s no telling how much this could have escalated if left unchecked. It is very expensive to replace good workers.”
Moses nodded assent without changing his expression. Where was this going?
“I suppose,” added White Suit Woman, “that we should determine the next steps. Obviously, Dr. Idleman is no longer fit to work in the habitat. She seems to have not come out of the ordeal unscathed.” Still no response from Idleman, just the continuous flow of silent tears. The poor woman needed help. And medication. “Chief Jacobs could be salvaged, though, don’t you think?” Now the two were talking between themselves as if totally alone in the room.
“I guess it is worth a trial run. Maybe in an ICE Station instead of a Homestead facility. This one may not have the finesse with the civilian crowd he used to have.” At White Suit Man’s words, Jacobs perked up. There was still hope for him. But not if Moses had anything to do with it.
“Are you two serious?” Moses interjected, breaking up their private assignation of punishments. “Both of these people are guilty of murder! You can’t just put them back to work.”
“Nonsense,” said White Suit Woman. “This isn’t Earth. Their laws don’t apply here. We base our decisions on the decrees set forth in the Homestead Agreement. As strong as that document is, there is room for some interpretation. Chief Jacobs and Dr. Idleman were operating according to their interpretation of that Agreement. Their job was to be productive, contribute to the facility, and above all contribute to the transformation of the atmosphere of Mars to allow eventual long-term colonization above the surface.” Her expression said that this was a simple matter, and even a child could understand that people interpret some things different from others. “I think they’ve worked according to their conscience. There’s nothing in the Agreement about murder. In fact, if the people eliminated could be proved to have been a detriment to productivity, then perhaps there is something to be said for their tactics. Should we reward them?” Still no sign that she was being sarcastic. Just that blank sincerity. This would be a sad thing to be sarcastic about if that is what she was doing..
“There is no way your argument holds up,” said Moses.
“Please, explain.” White Suit Man said. “We were very impressed by your logic and resolve through all of this. We’d love to hear your take on this particular situation as well.” He held out a hand as if Moses should take a certain path through the conversation. “These philosophical issues concerning the Homestead Agreement can be very tricky. A fresh take is always welcome.”
“OK,” Moses took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Regardless of the Homestead Agreement, every person has an obligation to their fellow man. We ought to build each other up, helping wherever and whenever we are able.” He had the thought that he should make this about productivity, or they would shut him down before he got started. “It’s what makes us truly productive. If each person works only for themselves - even toward a common goal like colonizing Mars - then we will take twice as long to reach our dream of freely inhabiting the surface. But if we were to all work together, each carving out our own path, but in the same direction - and helping each other as we go along - then we will reach that destination together. And be so much stronger for it.
“And beyond the Agreement, there is a sense of what is right and wrong built into every person. What they did was wrong. It is clear in the way they tried to cover it up.” A nod from White Suit Woman. “If nothing was wrong with their interpretation of the Agreement, then there would be no reason to hide it. But they both did all they could to prevent being discovered. Even to the point of locking up another member of ICE personnel. Probably to kill her.” The two people from the orbitin
g station turned their gaze to the two killers, studying them as Moses continued.
“If you allow everyone to continue whatever they want to do based solely on their own version of what they think they agreed to, then there will be chaos. Murder will only escalate into riots. People will steal from other workers, slowing down overall progress toward our goal. Just like Idleman and Jacobs stole the program from the Petersen’s to regulate the pollinators. More of your workers will die, and then you’ll have to get replacements. You said that is expensive, right?”
“Very much.”
“Then you have to put a stop to this. There has to be somebody to make clear what’s the right interpretation. Each person can’t decide on their own. People can’t operate as islands and work to make a community at the same time. And community is what will make this place run well. It’s what you really want to promote. Not every man for himself, but everyone working together.”
“Fascinating.” White Suit Man was nodding his head rapidly, already moving on in his thoughts. “Thank you for sharing this idea. We will discuss it with the rest of the council. Meanwhile, we will hold these two up in the Command Center with us. Really, thank you.”
They both got up and shook Moses’ hand before they left with Jacobs and Idleman in tow. Jacobs darted a look back at Moses as he left his old office. Moses wasn’t sure if it was hate or guilt that he saw in the man’s eyes, but it wasn’t a look he would ever forget.
Moses looked around the office. It felt strange to be in here all alone, screens flashing information in the hidden systems control room that allowed Jacobs to cause a lot of his trouble. He was tempted to smash the screens and leave the small room inoperable. Then he looked around some more, and decided to leave the office before they asked him to run the place. No thank you.
He left the room, rubbing his shoulder where the bruise was starting to become tender.
Chapter 18
In the hallway outside of the Chief’s office, Moses found Harold Petersen standing awkwardly by himself. The rest of the crowd had dispersed to their various quarters or jobs. Harold refused to look away from the floor, but approached Moses timidly. When he was close enough, he put a hand on Moses’ shoulder.
He finally spoke. “ I just want to thank you.”
His voice trailed away as he fought back tears. He cleared his throat and continued.
“I never would have been able to let that go if you hadn’t found them. I just assumed I knew what happened. And I treated that doctor so terrible, after he died trying to - ” he was fighting sobs now, “ - tried to bring justice for my Adrie.”
And then he couldn’t control it anymore. His knees buckled and Moses had to stop him from falling to the floor. In the process of reaching under his arms and lifting him up away from the ground, Moses inadvertently initiated a hug. Maybe this was what he needed. Medically. Harold returned it. He held on as if his life depended on it. The sobs wracked the old man, tearless due to lack of use over the decades, but sobbing nonetheless. He just kept thanking Moses through the convulsions that seemed to release the months of grief and anger that he had never been able to let go before.
Eventually his breathing normalized and Moses pulled back. Not releasing Petersen, but not staying in tight and close. He situated himself so he could make eye contact with the man. This farmer who struggled to bring life to a dead planet. The pioneer who took his wife away from home to blaze a new trail. The scientist who made it possible for others to follow them.
Moses smiled at him. Not a broad cheeky smile, but a subtle one that their proximity allowed them to share.
“It was an honor, sir.” And Moses meant it. “I feel privileged to know you as well as I do now. And I’m sorry I never got to meet your wife. I know she must have been an amazing woman. I hope one day I am lucky enough to have someone by my side who complements me so well.”
Petersen could not stop a few tears from falling this time, but he maintained his composure.
“Son,” he said, “I’d be happy if you would keep helping me out at the farm. There’s more than I can do by myself. Then we can talk about your options for a helper. You’re going to need it if you keep getting yourself in these situations.”
He smiled at Moses, reached up and put a hand behind the young doctor’s neck, and squeezed affectionately.
Moses laughed. “I’d like that.”
Epilogue
Moses sat at a table with Rebecca Martinez, Kam, and Mags Mueller. Over the last few weeks, the four of them had become a close group of friends. This was still surprising to the doctor. As they ate their dinner, Moses recounted his trip up to the the Orbital Command Center that had taken him away from the habitat for a few days.
“Was everybody up there as weird as those two dudes in white that come down here sometimes?” Kam asked.
Moses laughed. “No. Just the people on the governing council. Most of the people there are your run-of-the-mill ICE personnel. But the grays move out of the way when the white suits come through. It’s something to see.”
“How was the food?” Mags asked. This was the fourth time she had asked him, but he insisted on waiting until they were all together to give his answer.
“They have the freedom to claim a small amount of food from every habitat. Whatever we grow here, multiply that by the other twenty-six facilities. But the other facilities have a different mix of people. People all want food from home, so that’s what they grow and make. No one facility has the same blend of countries and regions. So they can pretty much eat whatever they want up in the orbiting station. There are cooks there, though, so that’s nice.” Everyone’s mouths fell open at this bit of information. “They don’t have to cook and clean up after their own meals. That part was nice.”
“Enough of this,” Rebecca cut in. She was frustrated with the light conversation. She wanted to know what would happen to the man who kept her captive for three days. “What happened to Jacobs and Idleman? What did they want? Why did they make you go there in the first place? I mean, I was born here and have never been asked to go there, or known any civilian who went. What’s the deal?” She pierced him with her eyes, trying to penetrate his skull and dig out the hidden answer.
“Idleman was sent back to Earth for psychiatric treatment. Jacobs was still being held up there in a cell. And they want me on call,” he said.
“You mean they need a doctor there? I thought for sure they would have one,” Kam said, picking food from his beard.
“Oh, they have the best team of doctors you’d ever want to find. They don’t want me to be their doctor.”
“Then what do you mean?” Rebecca, still boring a hole in his head, needed to know. She was beyond impatient with his evading the answer. He should just tell her.
“If something like what happened here happens again anywhere on Mars.” He kept looking down at his plate, unwilling to show pride or observe how impressed the others might be. “They said they want me to handle those things for them.” He swallowed. “They liked my reasoning for why it couldn’t keep going on like it was. They said they could trust me to be impartial and to get to the bottom of those types of situations.”
Rebecca got up from the table, turning to walk away, her civilian clothes a stark contrast to the ICE gray she used to wear. “Well, good for you then.” She had been like this since they informed her she would be going back to Earth. They told her via electronic memo that her services, while valuable, were no longer needed due to the long-term nature of all of the contractors currently present on-planet. With no scheduled opening of any habitats for the next ten years, they had no further use for her.
“I told them I would do it on one condition,” Moses added. “I told them I needed your help, Rebecca.”
She stopped and turned back to him, a mixture of anger and gratitude. Her eyes started filling with tears, but she had enough control to keep them from spilling out and down her cheeks.
“Why would you do a thing like that?” s
he asked. Kam and Mags looked back and forth between them as they spoke, not sure if they should leave them alone or stay and watch.
“Because it’s true,” Moses stated, as if a clearer truth were never spoken. “I didn’t figure out what happened. We did. And I wouldn’t have gotten a quarter of the way without you. Not only do you know how this place works - which I don’t - you’re extremely driven and insightful. Besides, if you hadn’t sent the drones into my room, I never would have figured anything out.”
“That’s true,” she admitted. “You really didn’t do much. Who ever heard of having to rescue yourself?” She let out the smallest fraction of a smile, one side of her lips curling up slightly.
“Will you do it?” he asked.
“I can’t let you do it alone. You’ll be a miserable failure.” She sat back down and started eating again like nothing had happened.
“Good,” Moses said. “They gave us an office. I mean, I’ll still be the doctor for Homestead IV, and based out of there most of the time. But if we need space to work and figure things out we’ll have an office. It’s down the hall from my clinic.”
“Wait,” she interrupted, “I’m not working for you, am I?” she asked through a mouth full of Pad Thai, one eyebrow raised as she chewed and waited for his reply.
“Definitely not. I made that clear to them. We work together. And not ICE. We’re both civilian staff.
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