The Mars Frontier Box Set, page 38
part #1 of Mars Frontier Series
***
Near the base of Yorktown, assembly of the particle beam weapon was almost complete thanks to Molloy's skills and technical expertise. Captain Bailey could only be fascinated by the speed and dexterity with which he was fitting the components together. The captain was taking a break with Paige, in the shadow of one of Yorktown's landing fins in order to keep his suit cool.
"Charlie's just a beast at this sort of thing," he said to Paige. "I was impressed during training but never expected him to be this quick on Mars."
Paige was less enthusiastic. "He's been a caged animal for the past three months. What did you expect? He has to burn up that nervous energy somehow."
"I can still hear you both," added Molloy. "During my time in the army we trained often and hard for repetitive activities such as this. We had to learn to dismantle and rebuild our rifles in the dark after days of little sleep and in stressful conditions. The secret was to memorize the sequence and block out all extraneous stimuli. It was tough, but the training is designed to save lives. This task is not much different. It would, however, be great if I could have your assistance on some of the larger items. You can't expect me to align them on my own and achieve the precision required."
"Okay, we get the hint," replied Bailey. "How much longer do you think we need?"
"Two hours max," replied Molloy.
"That works out fine," said Paige. "The construction robot should have run the power cable as far as the reactor by then. We just need someone to plug it in at that end and we'll be ready to go."
"I'll radio Alpha Base from the MEV and have Rashid Qadir on standby," said Captain Bailey.
"That can wait twenty minutes, sir," said Molloy. "I need you to pass me the first of the electron emitter electrodes from that box over there. And there's seven more where that came from. Please be gentle with them; they're highly sensitive components."
"You told me the same thing when I was unpacking the particle accelerator," complained Bailey.
"I know. The electrodes are even more sensitive. And we have only two spares."
"By the way," added Bailey, as he remembered his earlier conversation. "Georgia Pyke is beginning to accept the presence of this weapon. She had a long heart to heart with myself and General Stockton and I think she may be softening her approach."
Paige looked up from where she was standing. "I find that hard to believe after she gave me such a hard time yesterday. She's a tree hugger who would be happy if mankind never progressed beyond bows and arrows."
"You need to see it from her point of view as well. She'd only just found out what we're doing here and that she'd been deceived. I don't know if I would have reacted any differently in her position."
"Maybe not," conceded Paige. "But the woman is paranoid. I think she's been on Mars too long. She was more interested in the consequences of the base being attacked by a particle beam weapon. Her first thought was what happens if the base is attacked by a particle beam fired from space."
Molloy laughed. "She's seen too many science fiction movies. I hope you explained why that was impossible."
"Of course. Maybe my expert analysis was what helped convert her to our side."
"I wouldn't say she's a convert just yet," cautioned Bailey. "But she's on the way. Just give her some time."
Chapter 21
General Zhang was strapped tightly in his seat on Taipei and could feel the adrenaline flowing through him. Now was the time for battle. It had been far too long since he'd had this feeling of exhilaration. He felt young and vibrant, even invincible. Engaging the enemy was the second best natural high he could imagine, bettered only by the glory of victory.
This precise moment had been years in the making. Although the detailed plans had altered dramatically over the years as technology advanced, he knew the performance and outcome would remain as intended. China would reassert its dominance and demonstrate its power to the rest of the world.
Alongside Zhang, Colonel Liu was busy readying the weapon for its first real use in anger. Major Huang sat in the pilot's seat, checking the ship's systems for any faults or potential issues. As he watched his crew calmly performing their tasks, Zhang took comfort that there was no sense of urgency or drama from either of them. There would be no mistakes.
Below them, Mars was in darkness. The main view screen was unable to discern any features. That would change soon enough though with sunrise. Although unnecessary for their advanced targeting system, Derzost would be clearly lit by the sun when the attack was ready to begin.
"How long until we are over the target?" he asked Huang.
"We will be in range in twenty-eight minutes, general. I am about to move Taipei a safe distance from the rest of the convoy and orient the ship, so the particle beam is directed at the planet."
"Good work. How are the power levels?"
Colonel Liu briefly glanced at the computer display to the right of him. "The batteries are almost fully charged. They will be at a minimum ninety-nine percent capacity by the time we overfly the Russians. That will allow us to fire the beam at full power for thirty seconds. More than enough time to breach their shielding."
"Use only what you have to in order to incapacitate their base," reminded the general. "I want to be able to hit the Americans with as much force as we can. We can't afford them time to set up their own weapon."
"We will monitor the impact of the beam but remember that it has never been fully tested. The attack on Derzost will be the first time we get to understand what we are capable of."
Zhang ignored the warning and stared at Liu. "Do what you must but ensure we immobilize the American weapon."
***
Professor Anna Kozovsky stirred slowly as she awoke with a pounding headache. As she lay in the near darkness trying to get her bearings in the strange environment, she was appalled to hear someone breathing in the bed next to her. She reached out a hand and felt the warm, hard, muscular body of a man. She gasped as the hazy memories of the previous night gradually formed in her mind. Captain Stepanov! What had she been thinking?
She slowly rolled herself out of the bunk, careful not to make a noise or disturb the still sleeping Stepanov. She was dismayed to see clothes strewn across the room. It must have been some night, she thought although she couldn't really remember much of it. She was confident she hadn't drunk that much. As she put her clothes back on, she hoped that no one had seen her with the captain. The last thing she needed was a reputation for being easy or people gossiping about her behind her back. She couldn't think of a worse possible start to her stay at Derzost.
She had almost made it to the door when Stepanov startled her. "Leaving without saying goodbye, Anna?" he said from his bed. "We had a good time last night. I hope you don't feel ashamed that you gave in to temptation."
"Grigory, I can't remember much about last night to be ashamed of. But this shouldn't have happened. It is not good for either of our reputations amongst the crew."
"I disagree. Any woman would be honored to spend a night with me. And the men will be envious that I have slept with the most beautiful woman on the planet. If anything, it will enhance both our reputations. This is a good thing, no?"
Anna couldn't believe what she'd just heard. Well she could. He was an army man after all. "I think we'll leave it there," she replied. "We clearly have a different perspective on the merits of sleeping with colleagues. I need to get back to my room and take some painkillers. I'd forgotten what vodka does to me."
Stepanov smiled at her embarrassment. He stood up, still naked, and came toward her. "One more kiss, for old times' sake?" he teased.
Anna looked momentarily horrified. "Thanks, but no." And without another word, she fumbled the door open and left as fast as she could.
Her own quarters were only three doors away and she thankfully made it without anyone spotting her. After quickly washing down two painkillers with a glass of water, she grabbed a towel and headed to the showers thinking that her day could only improve.
***
Redmayne was already at the solar farm, attempting to remove the access panel from the transducer. Although he had the correct tool, the accumulation of dust had caused the mechanism to seize. He doubted that anyone had opened the unit since it had been first installed. So far, he'd spent fifteen minutes fruitlessly trying different ways to open the panel. He appreciated he couldn't return to the base without successfully installing the monitor. It should be a simple task and was the first one set by Professor Kozovsky. He needed to demonstrate what he was capable of.
He removed a knife from his utility belt and slid it around the rim of the panel, hoping to find some leverage or at least clear any offending dust. When that failed, he tried once more with the locking mechanism. This time, he was rewarded with some movement as he applied pressure. He felt a bead of sweat run down the side of his face as he continued to exert more pressure until he eventually sensed the lock release. "About bloody time!" he shouted in relief as he lifted the panel out and placed it on the ground.
Peering inside the transducer, he could see the port he would connect the monitor unit too. Thankfully, this was a more straightforward task and two minutes later he was closing the panel back up again.
Redmayne stood, stretched his legs to get the circulation going again and did his best to brush the dust from his suit. Not for the first time he looked back at the low single-story domes that comprised the base. He was sure that the new habitation modules to be delivered in the next following weeks would improve living conditions, but it would still not be up to the standard he was used to. They'd be fine for the Russian miners he expected to arrive in a further two years, and he hoped he was long gone by then. The thought of sharing a confined space with burly Russians, with no sense of proprietary, made him shiver.
The two landing craft about a mile from where he was standing were still his best option of escape. He'd flown in Kiev several times to ferry supplies from the Russian ships in orbit. Although he was no pilot, he now understood how most of the semi-automated flight systems operated. The second ship that had just arrived, Tolstoy, was supposed to be more advanced with a fully autonomous system that would allow incapacitated crewmen to be returned to Moskva in the case of an extreme emergency. It was simply a matter of waiting for the right opportunity to present itself.
***
"Target acquisition in twenty seconds, general." Zhang could hear the controlled excitement in Major Huang's voice. The long-awaited anticipation of action would soon be replaced with the fulfillment of warfare.
On the main screen in front of them, Zhang could see the Martian landscape scrolling by. The early morning sun causing long dark shadows from rocky escarpments and craters. At the top of the screen, he could see the Russian base coming into range. The layout looked exactly as the satellite images he'd been studying although he could now spot a second landing craft that had not been there when the images were taken. The dust and rock that covered the base was an effective camouflage against the desert. However, the vast array of solar panels and the many tracks created by wheeled vehicles provided sufficient evidence of human presence.
"Aim for the control center, just below the main antenna," he instructed, pointing to the screen. He noted his hand was shaking slightly. Stay calm and focused, he reminded himself.
Colonel Liu called out, "batteries are now at one hundred percent. The particle accelerator has been cooled to minus one hundred and forty. All lights are green. The weapon is ready to be activated at your command, General Zhang."
Each of the crew held their breath as they watched the clock count down to zero. They understood that there would be no going back from what they were about to do. Their action would commit China and alter its destiny forever. But, as one, each of them was absolutely convinced they were doing the right thing.
Zhang made a final check that the targeting laser was pointed at the correct spot on the Russian base before assuredly ordering, "Now Colonel."
Colonel Liu pressed the red firing button in front of him. There was an immediate deafening hum as the power transferred to the particle beam weapon and the internal lights flickered and died. Zhang felt the air around him tingle and the whole ship buzz. On the main screen, it appeared as if nothing had changed. Derzost looked exactly the same and was intact, the main dome dominating the image.
The general was confused and angry. "What's happening? What has gone wrong with the weapon?"
"Nothing, sir. All systems remain nominal," replied Liu calmly. "It will take several seconds for the beam to penetrate the walls of the base. Please continue to watch the monitor"
Zhang peered closed at the screen. After several seconds, he thought he briefly saw some smoke rising from the target area but the next moment he was taken by surprise as the roof of the Russian base erupted in a massive explosion. He saw computers, chairs and even two people blown through the gaping hole and landing maybe fifty feet away.
"Particle beam shut down. Power reserves at eighty five percent," confirmed Major Huang.
"From initial observations, the Russian base has lost all of its internal atmosphere. There was too much escaping debris and gas just from their control room," said Liu. "We've heard reports from our scientists that the Russians are lazy and don't close their internal seals."
"If that is the case, they learned a hard lesson today," said Huang with a satisfied smile.
Zhang's initial doubts were appeased with the deadly efficiency of the weapon. It had far exceeded his expectations and taken less than fifteen seconds to severely disable and possibly destroy the Russian base. From the size of the blast, he doubted there would be any survivors from the attack and no evidence as to the immediate cause of the blast. Now to catch the Americans off guard as well. Then it would be time to consider a small victory celebration.
***
Redmayne stared in outright horror as equipment and bodies continued to fly into the air from the rupture in Derzost's dome and rain down next to the Russian base. It was like a ghoulish fountain. From this far away, he could accurately count the bodies, but he was sure he'd seen at least six. They must be dead as he'd not seen any wearing spacesuits.
He'd already seen enough bodies on Mars to last him a lifetime. He didn't want to see any more. He stayed where he was, watching as the escaping gas subsided and waiting for anything else to happen
Just before the explosion, he'd noticed a faint beam of purple light shining on the Russian base. Looking up he'd seen a brief flash of something metallic at the far end of the beam, traveling at high speed across the cloudless sky. But before his mind had been able to make sense of what he was looking at, his attention had been drawn to the sudden eruption of Derzost's roof as the internal atmosphere escaped, taking whatever was loose with it. The beam of light ceased as quickly as it began but Redmayne was more concerned with what he should do next. It was evident the base had been attacked, but by whom? He suddenly felt very exposed and vulnerable.
He looked around him for any more impacts from the attack. Both landing craft looked as if they had escaped any damage from the explosion. That was the only positive he could think of. He contemplated whether he should escape in one of the craft before the attackers returned or should he return to the base and search for survivors. After the way they had mistreated him, he felt that he owed them nothing. He hoped that Romansky, in particular, had not made it. Alex had saved his life after being left to die on the surface and was the only person who had shown him any consideration. He was the only one worth saving.
He calculated that, all things considered, he stood a better chance of survival if he could find anyone alive in what was left of Derzost. With a heavy heart he started to trudge back toward the base, glancing up often on the lookout for any more strange signs in the sky. He set his mind to why someone would carry out a pre-emptive strike on the Russian base. The obvious aggressor had to be either the Americans or Chinese, taking advantage of their own particle beam research. There was also the remote possibility the Sentinels or another alien species had attacked. Redmayne's money was on the Chinese as he knew their ships were still in orbit. The Americans could also have a ship orbiting the planet, but this type of attack wasn't their style. Was this the first step in a Chinese invasion of the base? He stopped in his tracks. Were the two Chinese scientists waiting for him?
He looked again at the carnage in front of him. It would have taken a brave or foolish person to have remained inside waiting for the attack to happen. If the Chinese had attacked the base in such a fashion, then they would have no qualms in sacrificing two of their own countrymen. He continued forward again, warily stepping around some of the remains of Derzost that now littered his path.
Having had some time to compose his thoughts, he began to realize that the sudden attack was possibly the opportunity he'd been looking for. He now had a perfectly valid excuse to return to Moskva and request a return to Earth. The Russians would be desperate to understand what had occurred. As the only witness, his testimony would be invaluable. And if he also managed to save anyone from the wreckage his redemption would be complete. All he had to do was survive long enough to make it back to one of the landing craft.
Chapter 22
Paige Duncan snapped the final set of connectors into place, confirmed by three green lights on the control console in front of her. It had taken several attempts, but the diagnostics check was showing that the system was ready to be powered up. Seeing that no one was paying her any attention, she punched the air with satisfaction. It had taken many years of research, working weekends and nights, to get to this moment. Having her pet project finally ready for testing on Mars made all that dedication and personal sacrifice worthwhile. She fully recognized, though, that there was still plenty of work ahead of her and Molloy.
