The Mars Frontier Box Set, page 62
part #1 of Mars Frontier Series
Not in Georgia's worst nightmares had she ever considered she would fear what an alien species could do to mankind. Now, thanks to her thoughtless actions, she wondered what Uslaw and the Arethusans were really up to. As the MEV began its slow crawl through the night, she turned to Molloy and said, "Now, tell me exactly what happened."
Chapter 28
The MEV arrived at its docking port at Alpha Base shortly after eleven A.M. Anna had not been able to stay awake and managed to sleep for most of the journey. Georgia and Molloy had spent the time discussing what Uslaw Haern's revelation meant for them. They had determined that they had insufficient information to do anything other than make educated guesses but, whatever was happening was likely to be disastrous for all of them. Georgia had come to the reluctant conclusion that the only option was to destroy the probe, if that was possible.
As Georgia opened the airlock into the base, she was met by a sombre looking Commander Dunn. "We weren't expecting you until this afternoon. You know I have orders to have the three of you confined to quarters."
"So that will be five of us," replied Georgia, choosing not to hide the disdain in her voice. "We have far more important matters than depriving this base of key crew members when they're needed most. We need to talk."
Dunn acknowledged Georgia's comment. "All three of you come with me. The least you can do is give me a debrief. Byrne appointed me as base commander after all. They followed Dunn in silence up two flights to the control room where both Mancuso and Megan were waiting to greet them with tearful hugs.
"I only said I'd been given orders to have you all confined to quarters," Dunn said with a rueful smile. "I didn't say that I had actually implemented Byrne's instructions. You're all far too valuable to have locked up in our cabins."
"Thanks Ashley," said a grateful Georgia. "I'm sorry if I doubted you. It's me that's fucked up this time. What's the latest from Earth?"
Dunn perched herself on the edge of one of the consoles. "As you'd expect. The White House is incensed that you made contact with the probe against their express wishes. President Ramsay wants your head on a plate, if that's possible. For the time being, he wants us to immediately desist any further study or contact with the alien device and for all your reports to be provided, including sensor readings and any other measurements. He's tasked NASA Administrator Selznick with ensuring that we completely comply with their requests within the next four hours. There's a perceived loss of control on the part of NASA."
Georgia wasn't surprised. Knowing what she now knew, she was regretting being so reckless. Her conflict with Colonel Byrne had become too personal but she shouldn't have reacted in the way she had. Because of her actions everyone on Alpha base was now at risk. "I'll share everything that we have," she conceded. "It may be too late though. I may have let the genie out of the bottle."
***
At about the same time, Falmas' ship arrived in Martian orbit and immediately began to search for the actual source of the mystery transmissions. It proved problematic as the signals were intermittent and had a seemingly random dispersal pattern.
"Have your specialists on Nikari sent any information yet?" asked Grant anxiously. "There must be something in your planet's archives that can help us."
Falmas was concentrating on three different screens in front of him. "It does not usually take this long," he admitted. "The records from our studies are extensive and well organized. It could be that we have encountered a new technology or intelligent species. Whatever is down there is doing its best to remain hidden."
"Georgia and the base could be in danger. Can't we do more or at least warn them?"
"Warn them of what? You're jumping to conclusions, Grant. We need to remain methodical if we want to work this out. In fact, we are receiving information from Nikari now." They both looked at the incoming message as it appeared on the screen. The words 'Extreme Caution' caught Grant's attention.
"Who are the Arethusans?" he asked, sensing the dismay on Falmas' face.
"They are an ancient barbaric race who attempted to conquer this region of the galaxy many thousands of years ago. They were repelled by an allied force that later became the Confederacy. I have read the records from that time and it was an extremely bloody war that lasted for hundreds of your years. The Arethusans had no respect for life and wiped out numerous planetary systems without a thought. In their attempts to grow their army and find new resources to build deadlier weapons, the Arethusans launched thousands of probes and sent them across the galaxy. The majority of those probes were intercepted and destroyed, while some were found by unsuspecting civilizations who were subsequently conquered and forced into servitude, supporting the Arethusans war efforts. This is the first one I've encountered."
"Were the Arethusans destroyed?" asked Grant
"They were pushed back to their own sector of space and a peace treaty was signed. There has been no trouble since that time. Occasionally a rogue probe is found on an asteroid or planet. They contain highly sophisticated stealth technology so are very difficult to locate, and even harder to destroy."
"But you've been able to detect the transmissions. The probe's not hiding now."
"That's because the probe is acting as a beacon," replied Falmas. "It's letting the Arethusan's home world know where it is. Which means the whole of humanity is in danger."
"Why? You said the Arethusans are an ancient race and that there's been no contact for thousands of years. They may have perished or forgotten about their probes."
Falmas shook his head. "There have been rumors circulating that a new force has been building an army far from our borders. If that is true, the Arethusans may be using their remaining probes to gather vital intelligence about the Confederacy as well as build alliances. Our orders are to destroy that probe immediately before the Arethusans detect its location."
"Isn't it too late for that? And what weapons do we have?" asked a concerned Grant. Although he had great respect for the Sentinels, he was now thinking it very short sighted that none of their research vessels carried any weapons, even for self-defense.
"The destruction of the probe will only become an issue when we find it. But I would be grateful if you could give the matter some thought. It may be useful checking the records of our previous encounters with probes to discover what methods we have used. As for timing, based on when we first detected the transmission, our researchers indicate we have another twenty hours before a permanent link is established between the probe and Arethusa."
"So, we have no time to waste. What else do I need to know?" asked Grant. He'd learned that the Sentinels were reluctant to provide him with more information than they thought was absolutely necessary. He suspected it was either a trust issue or they viewed him as an inferior species. Challenging Falmas was often the only way of digging out the truth, even if the Sentinel was easily frustrated by the questions.
Falmas hesitated as he read the informatics on screen for further details, a look of confusion developing as he processed the information. "You didn't ask how the probe was activated after so many thousands of years. Our records show the only method we are aware of is when the probe comes into contact with organic life. That means that your former crew have discovered it."
"The probe has to be somewhere on Hellas Planitia," Grant replied excitedly. That's narrowed the search area. If we are able to contact the base, they can give us the exact location. Surely this situation merits a bending of your strict rules."
"It's not that straightforward. There's an artificial intelligence within the probe that is used as a universal translator to communicate with the species it comes into contact with. The program seems harmless enough but in reality it works through its victim's subconscious, extracting tactical information that is relayed back to Arethusa via the beacon. It gives the Arethusans a distinct advantage when they arrive at the new world."
"What type of information?"
"I would imagine it will be related to population, defensive capabilities, key personnel, cultural and physical weaknesses. Anything that can be used to subjugate the indigenous population."
"My god! That could leave Earth wide open to an attack. They wouldn't know what was happening until it was too late!" It was incredible. During his time on Nikari, Grant had been given the impression that all planets in the Confederacy lived in harmony. Not once had he considered there may be other civilizations that threatened that peace. He realized now that he had been very naive. Another example of the Sentinels being selective on what they shared.
"Surely there's a weakness in that scenario," he said, having given it some thought. "What if the person or being that discovers the probe has limited information on those particular subjects? I imagine few people would know much about any of that information."
"You have to credit the Arethusans for their ingenuity," replied Falmas. 'The program is insidious. It acts like a virus, transferring from one victim to another. It lurks undetected in their subconscious, delving through memories until it gathers all the information it needs."
A shiver ran through Grant at the thought of what could be happening to the crew. "Is it dangerous? Can they die?"
"We don't know. There is insufficient information to confirm how each subject reacts. I would imagine it depends on the mental strength of the individual species."
Grant was trying to get to grips with the potential disaster now faced by the human race. The analytical part of his brain took over from the emotions that were threatening to overwhelm him. "If we destroy the beacon, I assume that will cease any transmissions back to Arethusa and will kill the program running in any humans that may be infected."
"That would appear to be a fair assumption. The transmissions would certainly end and, without the beacon's power it's highly unlikely the virus would be able to sustain itself."
"Take us in to a lower orbit above the Hellas crater. Surely, we can locate it from there," urged Grant.
***
The control room was quiet as Georgia and Molloy finished relaying their experiences. Only the buzzing sound of the ventilation system cut into the thoughts of the people as they each considered the implications of what they now knew.
Megan was the first to break the silence. "I'll run some tests on all three of you. Maybe we can detect physiological changes if there are any. Molloy, have you experienced any more contact with either of the aliens you said you encountered in your sleep?"
"No, doc. But it's unsettling to know that they may be in my head. I don't know if they have access to my memories or are able to read my thoughts. They may even be listening to our conversation."
"Okay, thanks Molloy. Professor Kozlovsky, am I right to believe you didn't get close enough to the probe to be able to communicate with it?"
Anna nodded. "That is correct, doctor. I had no exposure so should be the perfect control subject."
"I'm sorry to interrupt you Megan," said Mancuso. "Molloy is right. We don't know what capabilities the aliens have. Shouldn't we be putting him and Georgia into quarantine. I think it's prudent to keep them away from any decision making until we have a better understanding."
Georgia nodded. "I agree with Joe. We're not safe to be around. Their attack against Molloy has shown their true colors. Action has to be taken against that probe, but the less I know, the better for all of us. We'll go with Megan to the medical center while you," she pointed at Dunn, "update Ground Control. Ashley, you now know as much as we do about the probe. You know you can rely on Joe to assist you although you're wise to keep him out of sight for the time being."
"Thanks Georgia. We'll sort this out and get your heads cleared." Georgia noted the lack of conviction in Dunn's voice. She couldn't blame her. They were faced with an unexpected situation with an alien technology that far exceeded anything they could comprehend. Not for the first time in the last twelve hours, she felt a huge pang of guilt at having acted with her gut rather than her head. She hoped the consequences would prove not to be as disastrous as she feared. But she was now powerless to put things right.
She followed Megan out of the control room with an increasing sense of despondency at the realization she no longer had a say in the destiny of Alpha Base and that she may have already set its fate, and maybe the fate of humanity.
Chapter 29
Grant located the beacon one hour later. Falmas has been flying in circles above Hellas Planitia with an ever decreasing altitude in order to triangulate the strongest signals from the device. The search had enabled Grant to appreciate the enormous size of the crater.
"The beacon must be using the crater walls to amplify the signal," remarked Falmas. "It's turned this area into a large transmitter. That's why we have been unable to locate its exact position.
They were still ten miles above the floor of the crater but the image on the main view screen on the flight deck showed the unmistakable clean lines of a metallic cylinder half buried in the ground. As the craft continued its slow descent, Grant said. "The records from Nikari were unhelpful so I've been giving this some thought. If we lack the technology to destroy the beacon, or even disable it, can we move it? It's not a large object. Surely, we can load it into our hold and transport it somewhere safe. That would solve all our problems."
"I wouldn't advise that course of action," Falmas replied. "The beacons are known to have defense systems built into guard against what you are suggesting. I wouldn't want it on this ship while it's operational. We don't know what it would do to this craft or to us. It's simply too big a risk. We must destroy it or, at the very least, disable it where it lays. I will take us as close as I can. The outer casing is primarily an alloy comprised of iridium and osmium protected by a magnetic containment field. It has the ability to self repair and is one of the most difficult objects we have encountered with a very high melting point."
That's made my job so much harder, Grant thought with a sigh. Looking back at the main screen he could now discern the unmistakable tracks left by the MEV as well as several trails running to the beacon. Confirmation, if he needed it, that the colonists had discovered the beacon. He briefly wondered where the MEV was now. He would like to be able to prevent it returning to Alpha Base.
He was startled by the sound of an alarm together with the sudden and violent vibrating of the ship. "We're too close to the beacon, "exclaimed Falmas as he punched in some commands to the ship. "It must have detected us and activated its protection system. The ships atmospheric dampeners have gone offline'.
There was no time for Grant to wonder how they had been detected when the cloaking device was supposedly shielding them. The ship was still seven hundred yards above the surface but dropping rapidly. Grant was only an observer as he watched Falmas valiantly fighting to recover control of the ship. Warning sirens were telling them what they already knew. Falmas managed to pull the ship's nose up to take them away from the beacon. But it was too late; the damage had already been done. The ship's momentum ploughed into the ground with a shriek of tortured metal, kicking up a vast plume of reddish brown dust.
Inside, Falmas and Grant were tossed about until the ship came to an abrupt stop. Grant slowly rolled over from the spot he found himself in the corner of the flight deck. He quickly checked himself over and, satisfied that his artificial body had survived the crash intact, slowly rose to his feet to assess the damage. At first glance the ship appeared to be in good shape, considering the force of the impact. Lighting was normal and the single control station in the center of the flight deck had remained in place. He was relieved that the sirens had ceased as soon as they'd crashed; it made it easier for him to think.
He spotted Falmas laying face down in the doorway. The Sentinel hadn't been so lucky. One of his legs had become detached; micro cables hung limply from his torso where the leg should have been, and a thick grey liquid was beginning to pool on the floor. Grant rushed across. "Falmas, can you hear me?" There was no reaction and Grant began to fear the worse. What was he going to do if Falmas was dead?"
Chapter 30
Georgia noticed Megan's shoulder's slump as she entered the medical center. The reason was immediately obvious. Doctor Coleman was standing behind his desk holding two clear vials. It didn't take a genius to read the look of disdain on his face as he glared at Megan.
"You're supposed to be confined to quarters. I'm going to have to inform Commander Dunn." There was an air of superiority in his tone that Georgia didn't like. She guessed that he had always taken pleasure in winding people up and had probably never been liked as a result.
"She knows!" Megan replied. "I'm quarantining these three patients, so I suggest you make yourself scarce. You can conduct your research in one of the science labs."
Georgia knew that Megan could be formidable when she needed to be. It was enjoyable to watch as a spectator rather than being on the wrong end of her sharp tongue.
Coleman continued to glare at Megan before giving similar stares to Georgia, Molloy and Anna. Seeing that he was outnumbered, he swiftly placed the vials in a tray along with some other equipment and his personal computer before angrily sidling out of the room.
"That was awkward," Anna said, as the tension lifted in the medical center.
Megan laughed. "It's a game we play. He pretends to hate me. I stoke his hatred. We're like an old married couple. I don't think he'll ever accept my presence on the base." She closed the doors leading to the corridor before saying. "I'm afraid to admit that I have no idea what to do with any of you. There was nothing on the syllabus at medical school on how to combat alien possession. I'm sure exorcism isn't a cure."
"We're all learning here, Megan," said Georgia. "I've already learned not to act in haste. But I think it may be too late."
"I don't feel any strange sensations," said Molloy. "Although I am dreading falling asleep again. And now that we're back at base, last night's lack of sleep is catching up with me."
