The Ruins of Mars (The Ruins of Mars Trilogy Book 1) (13 page)

     
As he looked down upon the Earth from his vantage point in orbit, Julian furrowed his brow and nodded in his helmet. Slowly, he turned away from the opening.

      “
Tomorrow eh?” he sighed. “All this trouble just to get me back to Earth.”

      “
No, not just for you,” chuckled Carl. “They’re sending us supplies and more hands. A lot more.”

      “
Of course,” murmured Julian sorely. “More hands.”

      “
You’re a funny guy, mon ami. First you bitch that there’s not enough money or not enough help, and now you’re bitching that she’s actually gonna’ get finished. What is it with you French? I think you’re all addicted to disappointment!”

     
Laughing, Julian pushed himself across the room towards the large electrical panel on the opposite wall. Lifting the latch, he swung the door open noiselessly and peered inside at a twisted nest of color-coded wires.

      “
Maybe so, Carl,” he grinned. “Maybe so.”

     
Touching a gloved finger to the black command screen inlaid in his left forearm, he said, “I’m turning on my Augmented Vision now.”

     
The inside of his face shield began to glow with soft transparent light as an ordered list of illuminated numbers and commands filled the space.

      “
I’m receiving you,” Carl announced. Then, “Now, you’re going to want to start with E1562.”

     
As Carl’s words sounded inside Julian’s helmet, a green arrow appeared on the glass in front of his face and pointed with rapid blinks to a thin yellow wire nestled in a thick cluster. E-1-5-6-2 flashed next to the arrow, indicating that this was the wire Julian was looking for.

      “
Okay,” continued Carl. “Take E1562 and feed it into the converter connecting B2248 and B2232.”

     
A new arrow flashed across his face shield this time pointing to a tiny gray box that joined a brown wire and an orange wire, each labeled with glowing call numbers. Bringing the yellow-coated E1562 wire up to eye level, Julian reached with his free hand to his utility belt and pushed his forehead against the glass of his helmet in an attempt to see his tools better. Moving his fingertips across the handles of his tools, he found what he was looking for and removed his wire strippers from their magnetic sheath. Peeling off a centimeter of highlighted yellow plastic, Julian fed the exposed metal of E1562 into a small port on the converter that connected the other two wires. With a satisfying clicking feeling, the wire plugged into the converter and held fast. A blue circle projected on the inside glass of his helmet and surrounded the converter box, signifying that the connection had been successfully made. From his suit speakers, he heard Carl exhale quietly.

      “
Nice work,” he said. “Now just do that a hundred and twelve more times.”

      “
In this box,” Julian sighed. “Thousands more for the rest of her.”

      “
That’s why we need more hands,” needled Carl lightly. “More hands and more money.”

     
Nodding, Julian made a conciliatory snorting sound and checked his oxygen levels. Three hours and fifty-six minutes, it read.

     
I’ll need to work fast, he thought to himself, but not too fast. This is probably the last time I’ll put my hands on her until she’s finished.

YiJay Lee and Braun—March
2048

     
Standing with her feet magnetically held to the floor of the galley, YiJay Lee pressed a small hand to the glass that encased the bamboo garden. Hurtling through the void of space at 34,700 kilometers an hour, she shivered in the clammy cold of the sleepy ship. Taking her Tablet from the breast pocket of her jumpsuit, she checked the time, which read 5:30 AM. In half an hour, Braun would wake those members of the crew not already active, and the ship would bustle again with the almost pointless semblance of a work day. Flicking her fingers across the Tablet’s screen, she brought up the flight progress and sighed despite herself.

      “
Is everything alright, YiJay?” came the voice of Braun in the quiet galley.

      “
Oh, yes,” she murmured. “I’m just a little chilly, that’s all.”

      “
Allow me.”

     
Almost instantly, she felt a warm gust of air rustle the loose black hairs of her thin ponytail. Again, she put a hand to the glass of the bamboo garden.

      “
Is that better?” asked Braun.

     
Smiling so that her plump cheeks dimpled, YiJay nodded.

      “
Good,” said the AI happily. Then, “I noticed that you were checking our flight progress. Is there anything you would like detailed or explained?”

     
Watching the delicate stalks of bamboo sway to and fro in the artificial breeze, YiJay shrugged.

      “
No thanks, Braun. I’m just ready to get there.”

      “
To get where, YiJay? Mars?”

     
Bringing one corner of her mouth up into a half-smile, she chided the AI.

      “
Of course. Where else?”

      “
I only ask for clarification because you are not part of the landing team, YiJay. Even once we arrive, you will spend at least two months on board the ship before the base is complete.”

     
Turning from the garden, YiJay looked into the air.

      “
I know,” she said, biting her lower lip. “But at least being near
something
will feel better than this aimless drifting.”

     
The tabletop in the center of the room began to glow, and the three-dimensional projection of a beautiful sail boat sprang into existence above it. Waves lapped at the bow of the graceful vessel, and a gentle wind filled its billowing white sails. Braun, in a soothing voice, began a kind of strange narration.

      “
I understand your feelings of apprehension. To a human, navigating the space between planets and celestial bodies must seem immense and totally alien, but please believe that we are not drifting, YiJay. In much the same way that the winds and tides of Earth guide the course of a schooner across the open seas, so too do laws equally solid and comprehensible govern our approach to Mars. For the past three months we have been on a calculated and precise trajectory, one which has been executed thus far without incident or intervention.”

     
As Braun said this, the projection of the sailboat was quickly replaced by an image of the solar system. The focus shifted, then drew in on a tiny glowing craft moving across the space between the Earth and Mars. With a hum, lines appeared in the open areas between the planets. Moving like currents of ocean water, these lines were, in reality, representations of various gravitational fields mixed with the constant swirling of solar winds. Gazing at the projection, YiJay saw just how far they had come. The ship was nearly three-quarters of the way there, and it moved with perfection along a brightly highlighted flight path.

      “
You see, YiJay,” continued Braun. “You are not drifting, and comparatively you
are
quite near to Mars. Do you feel better?”

     
Frowning, YiJay allowed herself a shallow nod. Although his heart was in the right place, Braun did not understand. How could he? Until she could look out the window and see the surface of Mars beneath her, she would still have the same terrified feeling of uncertainty gnawing in the pit of her stomach. Like a sailor spotting land in a storm, just knowing it was there would give her hope. Braun again spoke, but she did not hear him.

      “
What?” she asked, snapping back to the moment.

      “
I said, ‘Would you like to commence with my morning diagnostic?’”

     
Nodding, YiJay bent her knees and pushed off the floor, breaking the gentle pull of the magnets in her shoes. Floating up into the air a little, she grasped the back of a chair anchored to the table and thrust herself towards the forward exit hatch. Passing into the crew-quarters hallway, she moved silently through the air by taking handrails and tugging herself along the wall. Nearing the open entrance to the bridge deck, YiJay saw Harrison at the main window. Feeling her heart skip a beat, she slowed her movements and stopped at the lip of the hatch. She could hear his quietly rising voice followed quickly by smooth responses from Braun. Unable to make out what he was saying, she got the sense from his rapid gesticulations that Harrison was arguing with the AI.

      “
Braun?” she said.

      “
Yes, YiJay?”

      “
What is Harrison talking to you about?”

     
While simultaneously speaking to Harrison in the bridge, Braun replied to YiJay, “He is accusing me of distorting the image of Earth. He claims that I have been magnifying it.”

     
Slightly confused, YiJay asked, “Have you?”

      “
Yes.”

      “
Why?”

      “
Dr. Kubba has instructed me to employ this technique so that no one on board ever fully loses sight of home. I am obliged to follow whatever psychological recommendations she prescribes for the crew. Her position as physician and psychologist gives her the ability to program me in respect to those fields.”

      “
I see,” said YiJay, slowly understanding something. “Is that why you launched into that rehearsed little bit about schooners and celestial bodies back in the kitchen?”

      “
Yes.”

     
Pursing her lips together in anger, YiJay made a mental note to have a conversation with Dr. Elizabeth Kubba.

      No one programs Braun without consulting me, she thought with jealousy and frustration. He is my responsibility.

      “
Braun,” she spoke harshly.

      “
Yes, YiJay?”

      “
From this point on, if anyone attempts to alter your programming in the slightest, you are to refuse and summon me immediately. Do you understand?”

      “
Yes, but what if I am over-ridden or incapacitated.”

      “
That won’t happen,” she frowned. “Don’t even think like that.”

     
Grasping the lip of the entryway, she hesitated, then swung herself into the bridge deck. As she drifted across the open space of the large room towards Harrison, she began to make out his hushed words.

      “
Don’t stonewall me, Goddamn it!” he hissed angrily. “I know what you’re up to. I want to see the Earth how it really looks!”

     
Braun replied in a firm yet calm voice.

      “
This is the best I can do, Harrison. I am sorry.”

     
Whirling with exasperation, Harrison jumped a little at the sight of YiJay silently approaching.

      “
Will you try talking to him?” he pleaded with a frustrated smile. “I just want to see what the Earth really looks like.”

     
Taking hold of the handrail that spanned the length of the large window, YiJay pulled herself up next to Harrison.

      “
Braun,” she called out commandingly.

      “
Yes, YiJay?”

      “
Zulu, echo, eighty-one bravo.”

     
There was a pause, then Braun responded in an oddly subdued voice.

      “
Proceed with override command.”

     
Smirking devilishly at Harrison, YiJay said, “Show us the actual picture from the rear-mounted camera, and erase all supplementary psychological programming made by Dr. Kubba from your overall mission functions.”

     
On the window screen, the image of the dime-sized Earth evaporated and was replaced by a sprawling sea of stars. No longer could the blue planet be seen among the twinkles of light that shimmered in the velvety blackness of the vacuum.

      “
Thanks,” grinned Harrison. “He’s been showing me the same damn thing for weeks. I’ll have to remember that little code you gave him next time I have a problem.”

     
Turning her eyes to the oily expanse of winking star light, YiJay shook her head slightly.

      “
Sorry, but each code only works once.”

     
Arching an eyebrow, Harrison shrugged and peered into the caldera of space. After a few minutes, YiJay timidly cut the silence.

      “
There is just over one month to our arriving at Mars. Are you nervous?”

     
Without breaking his gaze from the window, Harrison said, “A little. I was talking with the Germans yesterday, and they showed me some images of the inflatable dome we’re going to be living in while the actual base is under construction. It looks kind of flimsy to be honest, but what can be done about it?”