The Mars Frontier Box Set, page 31
part #1 of Mars Frontier Series
Stepanov laughed. “I promise you that we have plenty of vodka already stored on the landing craft. It is good to see that your priorities have not changed during your time on Mars."
"Some habits are too ingrained to be easily forgotten. I am sure my comrades here feel the same. They have not tasted vodka in over twelve months. Three of our scientists were able to distill some raw alcohol but we couldn't justify the power consumption required. And, in any case, it tasted rancid. Make sure you get here on time."
"You have my commiserations, commander. No Russian should be expected to live in such conditions. If all goes well in our landing attempt, I will be with you shortly after breakfast tomorrow morning. It will be a time for a proper Russian celebration."
***
Commander Koenig meandered along the corridor from the control room to the engineering section. The corridor was dimly lit, the overhead lights flickering as the LED lights struggled to consume the limited power available. Koenig's breath condensed in the cold air and he was glad to be able to put his gloves back on. Siberia was colder, but that did not make him feel any better about his miserable situation.
Chief Engineer Romansky was huddled over the life support console as Koenig walked in the room. Although Romansky had his back to the door and the hood on his coat was covering his head, his small stocky stature gave him away. And no one else dared venture into this section and face the wrath of the irascible chief engineer. Romansky's booted feet shuffled continuously as he concentrated on the screens in front of him and he jumped in surprise when Koenig spoke to him.
"Anatoly, is there any chance of increasing the temperature in here before our new guests arrive? I would like to give them a warm welcome. They are bringing much needed supplies after all."
Romansky replied, "I cannot promise anything, commander. I may be able to divert some power for a short period of time to some areas of the camp. But heating everywhere is out of the question until the new solar panels are delivered and installed. We simply cannot produce enough electricity."
"Is it worthwhile cleaning the solar panels? That has worked in the past."
"You can try although it takes a lot of effort for not much gain. If you can send Alex and the Predatel out to the solar farm for five hours or more, then we should improve efficiency by ten to fifteen percent. I think our two remaining space suits have enough oxygen to complete that duration activity."
"They won't thank me for that, but it sounds like the best plan. And I'm way past trying to be liked. You really should stop referring to Redmayne as a traitor. He has proved his worth over the past two years."
Romansky shrugged. "He has no honor for his own country. I cannot trust a man who does that. At least the exercise will keep them warm and give them something to do for the rest of the day."
***
Alex and Redmayne trudged dejectedly across the Martian surface toward the solar farm located about four hundred yards from Derzost and covering an area equivalent to six soccer pitches. The accumulation of dust on the solar panels was a constant nuisance, especially since the robot built to clean them had failed for the final time ten months earlier.
Redmayne looked at the ground in front of him as he walked, unhappy that he always seemed to get the most unpleasant jobs. He was now an expert on the Russian sewage reclamation system and thought he could clean the air filters blindfolded if he ever needed to. His skills were being wasted, but he had very limited options. He had harbored ambitions to return to Earth on Andropov although he hadn't been surprised when his request was declined. He had been told that it would be embarrassing for the Russians to admit openly that Redmayne had been at their camp as a defector and a murderer. Redmayne understood that, in reality, the Russians simply didn't know what to do with him. And as long as that remained the case, his very existence was tenuous.
"Alex, do you know any of the crew on Moskva? And do any of them know about me?"
Without breaking his stride, Alex replied, "I know most of the senior officers from my time training at Star City. Captain Stepanov is a most accomplished cosmonaut. They have decorated him for his achievements on the International Space Station and our lunar research base. Mars is a natural progression for him and I look forward to working closely with him. I am sure he has been fully briefed about you as he will not expect any surprises when he arrives. I do not believe the rest of the crew are aware of your presence. For security reasons it is best that few people know of your existence. We want the Americans to continue to believe that you did not survive your last encounter."
"That must change eventually. I don't want to spend the rest of my time here. It feels more and more like a prison. This is not the reward I was anticipating when you recruited me to assist the Russian space program."
"Maybe not. But I seem to recall that it was you that approached us with an offer of your services. If you had not killed three American astronauts, then you would be on your way to Moscow aboard the Andropov. You have no one but yourself to blame for your reckless behavior. We did not instruct you to be so violent. Plus, you gave us nothing in the end. It reflected very badly on me and has held my career back. But you're not interested in that aspect of your failure."
"But you did train me on explosives and self-defense. You weren't there at the critical time, Alex. I was put under pressure by you to deliver up the Sentinels. I did what I could in the circumstances and have since regretted those deaths. A small amount of luck and the result could have been so different. I'm sure I was close to giving you an alien spacecraft. And then you wouldn't have been able to do enough to thank me."
Alex had heard these excuses many times and was weary of the conversation. Despite the facts, Redmayne continued to refuse to accept responsibility for his actions. "Yet despite those murders, you still failed to discover the Sentinel's craft. I sometimes wonder why you were allowed to return with us when many would have left you on the surface to die."
"That thought crosses my mind every day," sneered Redmayne. “I often wish I'd not been saved. I don't consider my current existence as living!"
"You could always return to Alpha Base. I can ask Commander Koenig to contact them on your behalf if you're not happy here."
"We both know the answer to that one, Alex. The Americans would be only too pleased to hear about my situation here."
"The option has been considered by the crew on several occasions. They have raised the question why we are wasting precious supplies on you when there is barely enough to go around."
Redmayne nodded. "I'm well aware of that. And the fact that some of your comrades call me the 'Predatel'. The ‘Traitor’! For what I tried to do on behalf of Russia. I should be called a hero."
"What you did was for your personal gain and not for the benefit of my homeland. Do not try to convince me otherwise. We all know the truth, so there is no point complaining. Let's just focus on the job in hand and maybe we can complete the task quickly."
The pair of them reached the solar farm and began cleaning each of the delicately thin solar panels with handheld compressed air canisters. A short blast of air was highly effective in removing the fine layer of dust that regularly accumulated over the panels, but it was mind numbingly boring work.
The two of them took alternate rows, slowly walking up and down each in silence, careful not to kick up any dust with their boots that would require further work. Occasionally, Redmayne would look up from the panels at his surroundings. From his location, the Russian base looked very simple with several single level buildings covered in soil and joined by interconnecting corridors. It wasn't as large as Alpha Base would now be, or as luxurious.
The control room was easily identified by the three large radio antennas situated on the roof. These allowed for communication with orbiting vessels as well as a direct communication to Earth via a geostationary satellite. There was a weathered and tired feel about the complex with random build ups of dust and numerous tire tracks and footprints. If this was part of Russia's grand plan for colonization of Mars, Redmayne held out little hope of long-term success. Not for the first time, he considered how his life had come to this wretched existence.
A short distance from the camp stood the Kiev, the landing craft that acted as a ferry between Mars and any orbiting mother ship. It could also act as a lifeboat in the event of an emergency evacuation of the camp. As such, it was always fueled with enough propellant to get it to orbit. Redmayne took a long look at the craft, knowing that it would be easy for him to pilot it to the Moskva. The problem was that they would immediately return him. He was facing a life sentence on Mars with no hope of parole. That didn't stop him from planning and escape though. He told himself that an opportunity would present itself one day and that he must always be prepared. He regarded it as a challenge. In the meantime, whether or not he liked it, he would follow all the orders given to him, including cleaning duties such as this. So, with a deep sigh of resignation, he returned his attention to clearing the never-ending dust.
Chapter 10
By lunchtime, the canteen on Alpha Base was filled with the new arrivals from Lexington. After their first night on Mars, the newbies had gradually become accustomed to their new surroundings, some better than others. Many of them had ventured out of the base, taking short walks across the ground in front of the base or traveling further afield using the speeders.
Georgia had not seen Mac that morning. He had commandeered the MEV and left early with two of his crew to inspect the supply ships. She figured it likely that they would be gone all day. Despite their absence, there were sixteen people in the canteen; far more crowded than she had been used to. The atmosphere was different too. She noticed that the room was louder than when it had just been Expedition Two and the conversations seemed more animated. She was ashamed to admit that the last few months had been difficult, with her crew too exhausted to be excited about anything. The arrival of Lexington's crew was definitely the lift that she needed.
She spotted Jackson sitting at a table eating lunch with Megan. So, grabbing a bottle of water and a protein bar she went to sit with them. "Hey, are we having fun?" she asked.
Megan's scowl said all she needed to say, but she replied anyway. "Two words. Doctor Coleman! I don't know how or why he was selected but his manner is atrocious. I dread to think how he handles his patients."
"He was brilliant on the journey," said Jackson. "Not that he had much to do other than perform regular medicals and assessments on each of us. He always seemed pleasant and took his time to ensure that we appreciated what he was doing. I think you'll find little complaint from anyone."
"So, you're telling me that it's just me he has an issue with. Or maybe I'm just overreacting to his style."
Georgia said, "I think he's upset that you decided to stay on the planet. He expected to be the chief medical officer on Mars, which I'm sure would have been great for his career. Instead, he finds you here, muscling in on his turf. It's not the clean playing field he wanted. You have more knowledge than him. He's bound to feel slightly threatened. Have you said anything to reassure him?"
"He wouldn't let me speak! He lectured me for nearly half an hour on what support he wanted from me and that I should not do anything without his express approval. The man is a complete control freak. And it's no use smiling at me, Georgia Pyke. You may think I like to be in control, but I am an amateur next to him."
Jackson couldn't restrain himself. "I'm going to enjoy watching the pair of you for the rest of the mission. I didn't think there was much entertainment on Mars. I was clearly mistaken."
Georgia could see how upset Megan really was by the situation. "I can see both sides to this. Megan, I totally respect your reasons for extending your stay on Mars, and I am truly grateful for your ongoing support. You've been the best friend and mentor I could have asked for. Doctor Coleman is a brilliant physician. You know, from your own experiences, what he must have gone through to be selected for Expedition Three. Until two weeks ago he thought he was replacing you. It must be difficult to reset those expectations, so I think you need to make some allowance."
"Yes, I know all that Georgia," Megan was still clearly frustrated. "If he had come in with a different attitude, I would have totally accepted his argument. Instead, he's made it almost personal and attempted to diminish my own worth. I will try to put it down to fatigue on his part, but it's difficult to overcome first impressions. I'll give him another chance but then I'm coming to you and Mac."
"Thank you, Megan. That's all I can ask of you. I'm sure we can make life more pleasant for both of you with just a little effort and compromise."
"I never said anything about compromise! I want Coleman to back down and start acting reasonably and professionally. Then I may allow him access to the medical database."
"Okay. I give up. Try to sort it out as best you can and let me know how it goes."
Megan stood and left without another word. Georgia couldn't recall ever seeing her so angry and upset but wasn't entirely surprised that Doctor Coleman had put her best friend in such a bad mood.
"The joys of command," said Jackson, with a smirk.
"I still don't enjoy the personal side," said Georgia, grimacing. "I can't stay aloof and remote like good leaders can. I get too involved and can usually see both sides to any argument. Why can't people just be reasonable?"
"Like you?"
"Exactly! Life would be so much easier," she laughed. "This is why I'm so grateful that Captain Bailey has assumed command. He can deal with shit like this and probably not lose a minute's sleep."
"He is a very good captain. I've not heard anyone say anything bad about him and he always seems to lead from the front. He will make a great commander. Not that you were a bad commander in any way," Jackson quickly added.
"Is there anyone else I need to be aware of? As the captain has made me his second in command, it would be useful to know if there are any potential flash points or issues I should be across."
Georgia took a large bite of her protein bar and chewed slowly while Jackson gave the matter some thought. "Nothing obvious comes to mind," he said. "The crew are incredibly well balanced and efficient. There were some minor disagreements during the trip from Earth, but they were trivial and dealt with quickly. If I was going to watch out for anyone, then it would be Lieutenant Molloy. He has a quick temper and is very secretive. I had several discussions with him on Lexington, but I still don't really know what his main purpose is on the mission. I think it may be military related, but you should confirm with Captain Bailey. The two of them are very close."
"You must be mistaken. I was promised that there would be no military research on Mars. He must be here to do something else but I'm sure the captain will tell me if I ask. What about Professor Duncan? I noticed that you had an eye for her last night at the welcome dinner. I didn't think she was your type."
Georgia could see she'd hit a nerve as she saw Jackson blush. He shook his head and stammered, "I don't know what you mean sis. She's a nice person and extremely good at her job. But I don't think she's interested in a humble geologist like me. She has her eyes on the captain."
"You can't fool me little brother. I've seen that look in your eye before. Be careful. Especially if she really is only interested in the captain. I don't want to see you hurt."
'Don't worry about me. The relationship I have with Paige is purely professional and that will not change."
"I'm glad to hear it. You need to find someone your own age."
"Now you sound like Mum. You do realize there are very limited options to meet single women on Mars anyway?"
"Wait until you return to Earth. Women will be queuing up to date the famous Martian explorer. You'll be so popular that you'll be turning them away. I hate to say it but there's no greater aphrodisiac for women than money, fame and power. Return safely to Earth and you'll have at least two of those."
"That's going to be a long time in the future. Luckily, I have plenty of prospecting to perform to keep me busy on those long, cold Martian nights."
"When do you start? Is there any help you need from me or Mancuso?"
"I need to wait for my equipment to be unloaded. Then I have a pair of drones that I will send out to carry out some spectrography analysis on three interesting rock formations about thirty miles northwest of here. It's very exciting times. If I can locate plentiful mineral deposits, then huge amounts of investment will flow in from mining companies. This could make or break the viability of Alpha as a human colony."
"You're exactly what I've been waiting for," Georgia said with a huge smile. "I still need to tell you the big dreams I have for this planet and being able to trade with Earth is important to my plans."
"One step at a time," Jackson said, grinning at his sister's enthusiasm. "I have big dreams too, but they mainly revolve around making millions on this mission and retiring on an island by the time I'm forty-five. What's the hurry to carry on into the Universe when we still have this planet to discover?"
Georgia looked around the canteen to make sure no one was listening in to their conversation. Even though most of the crew were in the room, they all seemed to be having their own conversations and she was confident none of them were within earshot. Just to be sure though, she leaned across the table toward Jackson and whispered, "I've already encountered intelligent alien life on Mars."
She sat back and watched Jackson's face as he tried to absorb the information. He quickly went from shock to incomprehension as his mouth slowly opened and closed. Georgia continued, keeping her voice low. "It's true. It happened shortly after we landed. The news has been kept classified by mission control and the United Nations. Earth has been under scrutiny for thousands of years by alien races. They've been monitoring humanity's progress and may be still here on Mars, watching us."
"And you decided to wait until now to tell me. Why isn't this public knowledge?"
