The Mars Frontier Box Set, page 6
part #1 of Mars Frontier Series
Lying in the darkness of her cabin, she listened to the familiar sounds of the life support system circulating and processing the air, as well as the steady hum of the three computers in her room. But she was aware of a new eerie sound. The creaking of Endeavour as the metal hull continued to cool and contract from the fiery re-entry. It was disconcerting and she could imagine the ship cracking and causing her to be sucked out into the thin Martian atmosphere. She finally drifted to sleep, dreaming of a large hand peeling the skin off the ship as if it was a banana.
***
The following morning, their first full day on Mars, the Endeavour crew were awoken just before dawn. Georgia was sluggish from the poor night's sleep and the constant drag of the Martian gravity. She considered how she would cope when she went home to Earth. At least her own bed in Miami had a thick, comfortable mattress.
She sat up and swung her feet out of her bunk to stand but was immediately overpowered by a wave of nausea and dizziness. Waiting a couple of minutes for it to pass, she tried again with more success. Still nauseous, she put on a clean tee shirt and shorts, opened her cabin door and climbed the steps to the galley area.
The smell of fresh coffee would normally have been welcoming, but it did nothing to ease her nausea. She poured herself a mug of black coffee from the machine, anyway, taking some pleasure out of the ability to drink from a mug rather than sucking through a straw. Feeling invigorated from the first few sips, she was more prepared to face the world. But only just.
The rest of the crew were already standing on the observation deck, taking their first real opportunity to look outside at the strange and barren landscape that was now their home until they returned to Earth. They were lost in their own thoughts as Georgia joined them. She doubted any of them noticed she was there. Looking out of the ten-foot-wide circular window, she could understand why.
The sun was rising over the eastern horizon in the far distance, casting long shadows across Hellas Planitia. While the base of the crater looked flat from space, the sun's low angle betrayed the many humps and valleys and the many rocks and boulders that littered the ground in all directions. It was a mesmerizing view, far exceeding what she could have ever imagined. Georgia forgot all her aches and pains as she tried to take in the vista. It was surreal to be standing here and not in a simulation inside a warehouse in the Californian desert.
Her eyes followed the rim of the crater around to her right. Their landing site was only four miles from the twenty-six-thousand-foot cliff on the north-western side of the crater. The near vertical cliff loomed ominously over Endeavour, and Georgia had to lean in close to the window and crook her neck to look up at the cliff face. That will be an interesting challenge to climb, she thought.
Looking back across the plain, Georgia spotted Challenger, Intrepid and Aquarius two miles away, gleaming in the morning sunlight, their sharp shiny edges a stark contrast to the rough, dusty Martian surface.
Past those three ships, she could also make out the distinctive shapes of the two supply ships, Excalibur and Merlin, that had been part of Expedition One and which had successfully managed a soft landing. They had been standing there patiently for the past six years waiting for the next crew to arrive. Georgia hoped she would be able to access their computer systems as the supplies on board would make their lives easier.
"Incredible isn't it?" Georgia had been so absorbed by the view that she hadn't seen Captain Winter walk up to her. He was also drinking coffee and was looking more alert than she was feeling.
"I'm not sure I have words to describe my thoughts as I look out there. You probably need Joe for that," she replied without turning around. "It's absolutely awe-inspiring. I never imagined it to be this beautiful."
Mancuso smiled at the sound of his name. "Thank you, Pyke. My mother is a poet and taught me well. Though even she might be at a loss for words to describe this view and capture the beauty and desolation." He turned his face back to the window, but not before Georgia noticed a tear in his eye.
After another five minutes lost in her own thoughts, Georgia broke away from the view. She was now more eager than ever to get down to the surface as soon as possible.
***
Following a short briefing, it was time for the landing party to be lowered to the surface. The group, comprising Captain Winter, Chief Grant and Georgia, lined up in the hold, with Mancuso operating the crane from the flight deck. Wearing their specially designed Mars mobility suits, or MMS for short, the three of them waited as the hold depressurized.
Georgia held her breath as the large external hatch silently slid open, exposing the landing party to the Martian atmosphere. As a motorized boom arm extended out from the roof of the hold, the astronauts stepped onto an open cradle attached to the crane by four metal ropes.
As the cradle swung out to the end of the boom, Georgia gripped her seat tightly. The eighty-foot drop to the surface looked a long way as she leaned forward to peer over the edge of the cradle. She could see scorch marks caused by the landing engines and a pattern of rock and debris that had been blasted away from the immediate vicinity. The scorching stopped about fifteen feet from the base of the ship with the ground returning to the monotonous dark orange color that permeated the landscape all around. The cradle swayed slightly as it stopped at the end of the boom before Winter instructed Mancuso to lower them gently to the surface.
The three of them sat in silence during the descent, taking in as much detail of the scenery as they could. To their left, the imposing precipice of the crater wall dominated the view. The sun cast shadows across the cliff face, exposing details that had not been visible in the darkness. Numerous outcrops and gullies revealed weathering that had occurred over millions of years. It reminded Georgia of a trip she'd taken to the Grand Canyon with her parents, although she couldn't see any sedimentary layers and the cliff face seemed to go up forever.
Straight ahead and to their right, all they could see was the unforgiving, relentless view of the Hellas plain, which continued as far as the eye could see. Although the plain had initially looked flat, the shadows created by the low sun now revealed numerous hills, depressions, and boulders.
Sitting beside Georgia, the chief was equally inspired by the spectacular Martian scenery. However, his main purpose for being part of the first landing party was to assess the exterior of Endeavour during their descent. As the cradle slowly continued its journey downwards, his keen eyes studied the ship, inspecting for any damage resulting from the journey or the fiery entry through the atmosphere. He was not surprised that the hull of the ship had suffered no ill effects other than a few holes caused by meteorite strikes and scorch marks from super-heated plasma during entry. His main concern was the aft fin that had overheated, but that was on the far side and would require a far more detailed inspection. By the time they reached the surface, the chief was quietly confident that Endeavour was in good shape to return to Earth once it was refueled and orbital alignment was optimal.
Winter was trying hard not to be overawed by the whole experience as he looked across Hellas plain. He was acutely aware that six billion people were currently watching what he did and said over the next few minutes. Inside his MMS, he was clammy and so adjusted the temperature on the environmental system.
To calm himself, he recited the words he'd been rehearsing for the last week. His mind went blank though as his carefully worded speech deserted him. His mouth was dry with the anticipation of what he was going to say to all those people eagerly hanging on his first words. Closing his eyes, Winter silently cursed Neil Armstrong for setting such a high benchmark over sixty years before.
There was a gentle bump as the cradle reached the surface and Winter noticed a puff of fine red dust float into the air. He nervously undid the safety bar, concentrating hard so that his trembling hands didn't fumble the simple mechanism. Standing up, he stepped to the edge of the cradle, pausing for a moment before he carefully placed one foot on the scorched Martian soil. Taking a deep breath, he uttered, "The first step in mankind's colonization of the solar system. Mars is now the new frontier." It wasn't what he'd rehearsed, but he was happy with the sentiment. Turning, he saw that Georgia and Grant were applauding him with admiration on their faces. Winter shrugged unapologetically and took two deliberate steps away from the cradle, allowing the others to follow.
Georgia tentatively placed her right boot on the Martian surface, watching it sink a half inch into the dust. She carefully took another step forward, fully conscious that her legs were still unsteady and the last thing she wanted was to fall flat on her face.
Once all the landing party had adapted to walking on the surface, it was time to have a more detailed look around the landing zone. They lumbered to the severely scorched area directly below Endeavour where the giant rocket engines had blasted away the top layer of rocks and dust to leave a solid black patch that looked like polished glass. Looking up at the monstrous engines, the chief was satisfied with his preliminary visual inspection. "I can't see any obvious problems, captain. There aren't any cracks in the engine casings and, other than a build-up of carbon deposits, the heat shield is intact and performed as designed."
"Thanks, chief. I'd like similar inspections of the supply ships to see what state they're in and to ensure we have remote access to the supplies when we need them. I'll get Joe to lower two of the speeders for you and Georgia to take. Straight there and back, as I'm not taking any risks. We'll leave the legacy ships for the time being as they're too far away."
"Yes, sir," came the reply from both.
Chapter 14
Georgia and the chief returned excitedly to Endeavour's mid-deck for a debrief with Captain Winter soon after midday. The captain was in the middle of completing his report to Ground Control and answering further questions from the press. It was taking longer than he wanted, but he understood that Ground Control were keen to keep this event newsworthy for as long as possible to keep public interest. They had learned harsh lessons from the Apollo missions to the moon in the 1970s. When the public stopped being interested, they would want money spent on the next important issue and the Mars' budget would dry up. It was as simple as that.
Winter listened intently and made a few notes on his computer as the chief summarized what they'd discovered at each of the supply ships. Georgia then explained the access issues she had encountered at Challenger. She was confident that it was only a problem with the power relays and had already worked out a solution in her head.
Once she had finished outlining her solution, Winter sat back in his chair and read the notes he had typed. Looking first at Georgia, he said, "The priority has to be to access Challenger. We need to offload the rovers so that they can start surveying the cave complex while we settle in here. The speeders don't have any sensors and offer no protection against falling rocks. We need to know that at least one cave is viable to convert into Alpha Base. Take Grace with you if you need some help and let me know if you can't have a rover ready by tomorrow."
"That won't be a problem, sir, but I will of course keep you informed."
"Thanks, Georgia. Chief, I'd like you to carry out a detailed inspection of Endeavour, especially the aft fin. There looked to be some severe scorching along the edge where we registered the super heating. I want to understand how bad the damage is and if you can complete necessary repairs. I need to know the status and whether she'll fly again. And the same applies for Eden when Anders arrives later today."
The chief nodded. "Can I borrow Mancuso for a few hours? The external inspection will be far easier with two of us. Plus, I can rely on him to carry out some of the systems checks."
"Whatever you need. If you need to use Emily or Rashid for Eden, check-in with Commander Anders."
Georgia and the chief stood to leave the room before Winter added, "Oh, and Georgia? Doctor Betts would like to see you now."
Georgia grimaced. She didn't need this now but knew there was no point in delaying a visit to Megan. She would only become more persistent. And in any case, medication would help her cope with the headaches that were becoming more regular. The additional painkillers won't go amiss to help me through the next few days so I can keep on top of all my tasks, she thought. So, with a sense of reluctant acceptance she slowly made her way to the medical bay.
***
"Liam says you want to see me," Georgia said, poking her head through the curtain.
"Hi, Georgia, come in." Megan glanced up from her computer screen. "Now that we've landed, I need to check you over. Especially as you removed the monitor you're supposed to be wearing so I can track your vitals."
Georgia could feel herself blush yet tried to brazen it out. "It was uncomfortable and getting in the way. What was I supposed to do?"
"I gave it to you for a reason."
"All you have to do is ask." Georgia stared, challenging Megan for a reaction.
Megan knew the game being played and shrugged her shoulders in resignation. "Okay, talk to me. And be honest."
Georgia sat to rest her legs. "I've not been sleeping well despite the sleeping pills. I'm still getting headaches, but the painkillers are helping. On the plus side, I've not vomited for over a day."
"Is that it?"
"Yes, I believe so. Like everyone else, I'm still becoming accustomed again to gravity, so I have plenty of aches and pains. But none of that is preventing me from doing my job. I do find it difficult to concentrate unless I take the painkillers. My appetite has not yet returned. But I figured that's a side effect of the painkillers."
Megan was taking written notes on a writing pad as Georgia spoke. Despite all the technology around her, she still preferred some tried and trusted methods. "It could be the painkillers. Or it could be something entirely different. I'm not going to jump to conclusions. The captain needs to know you're fit and well. And able to do your job. It's down to me to assess that you are."
"Oh, I am able. But with all the work that now needs to be done I would like some stronger painkillers if possible. And something to help me sleep."
Megan slowly shook her head. "You're already on the strongest painkillers I can prescribe. They should be dealing with your headaches and nausea. Why haven't you come to me sooner?" Georgia looked back at her blankly, so Megan continued. "Something else is going on with you. I don't know what it is. Possibly the effects of the solar flare. Georgia, please come back here tomorrow morning so that I can conduct further tests. I'll take a blood sample now, but we really need to get to the bottom of what's affecting you. No one else on board is suffering with similar symptoms."
"Okay, I promise to be back here first thing tomorrow. But please don't take me off duty. I have too much to do for the captain."
"I'll reserve judgment on that. I have a duty to you and the rest of the crew to ensure that you don't endanger anyone, including yourself. But that means you need to be honest with me Georgia. I know you think you know best, but you have to trust me to do what is right for you. You can continue with your assignments for the time being, as long as you promise to let me know immediately if you have any other problems."
Georgia attempted her most genuine face. "Megan. I'd be a fool not to."
Megan sighed. "You're fooling no one other than yourself if you don't. Please be careful. You could put more than just yourself at risk."
Part of Georgia knew that Megan was right. Any mistakes she may make could easily impact any member of the crew. And she didn't want that on her conscience. However, there was also a stubborn streak within her she recognized she would have to keep in check. She smiled and nodded at Megan before heading off to find Grace.
Chapter 15
Captain Winter sat quietly in his cabin, finally with a chance to contemplate what he and the crew had achieved. The chief and Mancuso were outside inspecting the Endeavour's hull and heat shield. Georgia had taken Grace with her to unlock Challenger. And Megan was most likely in the medical center preparing for the next round of crew medicals.
It really had been a monumental effort, not only by Endeavour's crew and Ground Control but also from the thousands of unseen workers around the world who had contributed to the design, build and ultimate success of the millions of components required for the mission. And he couldn't be more thrilled to have commanded Expedition Two. He knew his family would be proud and were probably planning his welcome home party as he sat in his room. He tried to ignore the fact that there would be a multitude of other functions to celebrate him and his achievements when he returned to Earth. In his heart, all he wanted to do was return to Kristen, retire to a smallholding and grow old with his grandchildren.
The thought of his wife persuaded him to send her a personal message to thank her. As his hand moved over the keyboard to hit the record button, he noticed his computer screen showed he was receiving an encrypted message from Ground Control that was marked for his eyes only. This was most unusual and Winter was immediately intrigued. It took about thirty seconds for the message to finish downloading and allow Winter to view it.
General Stockton's lined face appeared in the middle of the screen, looking stern and worried. He had recorded the message from his office and with him was Doctor Alison Jackson, the chief scientist supporting Expedition Two. Any hope that Winter may have had that the two of them would heap more praise on him immediately evaporated.
The general, as always, was gruff and to the point. "Captain Winter, on behalf of everyone here at Ground Control I'd like to thank you and Endeavour's crew for your faultless landing. I know the vice president gave you his personal thanks yesterday, in his own style. This news has gripped the entire world and we've been inundated with reporters and well-wishers. You're all heroes and celebrities now to the seven billion inhabitants of Earth.
