Second generation, p.5
Second Generation, page 5
“Perhaps,” said Peter, thoughtfully, “If so, how can we possibly ignore it?”
Samaira and Chen stared at Peter, then each other, finally at Demetria.
“Say we get proof it was sent from Earth,” said Demetria. “Say we work out that it’s some cry for help. Would you go?”
Chen frowned, unsure.
Samaira nodded cautiously.
“Perhaps,” said Peter. “The question is, should we?”
Subterranean Mars, below Tithonium City, Mars – Leo Meier
“Hi Hal,” Leo gave a nervous smile at the image of his younger brother on the screen.
Hal had a rounded face over broad shoulders. There the similarities with Leo stopped. He was smaller, with reddish blonde hair and a beard that complimented his calling as an explorer.
“Leo! Wow, news travels fast. I assume the reason you’re calling me after all this time is to ask about my unusual findings.”
“I’m with Jan Wojcik. He got your message after pulling me out of a hole in the ice.”
“What?”
“I put my foot in it as usual. Talking of which, I’m sorry for the long silence. How are you?”
“Cold.”
“Sure. You were never one for comfort though, were you. Sounds like you found something under the ice.”
“I wish I could explain it.”
“Can you point a camera at it?”
Hal panned his helmet cam across the smooth undulating walls of the tunnel. They formed a perfect ellipse, about twice his height and double the width. The tunnel stretched away, the regular waves in the wall appearing to close in on each other with perspective until they disappeared into the gloom.
“Looks like it was made by humans,” said Leo.
“We don’t have any equipment that makes tunnels like that,” said Jan, quietly at his side. “Nor have we any record of sending anyone there before.”
“That’s why I’m here,” said Hal. “I’m supposed to be the first at the North Pole.”
“What about drones or robot missions sent from Earth?” asked Leo.
“No records of any landing here,” said Hal. “Until Earth started sending supplies to prepare for the colonists, the biggest robot they sent was only a couple of metres across. Anything bigger would have cost too much. This tunnel’s huge,” he waved his arm at the wide-open space to emphasise his point.
“What about secret missions? Not all agencies wanted others to know what they were up to.”
“You couldn’t keep a Mars mission secret for long. Too many satellite cameras watching.”
“Could there have been a secret mission sent by the original colonists?”
“You’re talking about my namesake, aren’t you,” frowned Hal.
“Anyone, not just Captain Bulman.”
“I doubt it,” said Jan. “Why would Hal Bulman have sent a mission to the North Pole when his focus was trying to destroy the largest meteorite ever to threaten Earth?”
Leo shook his head. The tunnel was starting to make him shiver and he wasn’t even in it. “How long is it? Where does it go?”
“As far as I can tell, it points in the direction of the geographical pole,” said Hal. “I’m going to send a droid down to find out how far it goes. If it comes back, I’ll go next.”
“Be careful,” said Leo.
“You sound like Mum,” said Hal with a wry smile.
Leo shook his head, “Just, you know, don’t fall into any holes. Unlike me.”
The Observatory, Tithonium City, Mars – Leo Meier
“What’s that for?” asked Leo, pointing to a stack of processors and screens that had appeared at the edge of the observatory dome.
Sam avoided Leo’s eye, “Thought we should start another spectral analysis of Earth. See if your thoughts about a habitable planet can be backed up with evidence.”
Leo sat down, mildly surprised, “You think I could be right?”
“No one will know that unless we send a mission there to look, but this will give us some clues.”
Leo furrowed his brow, wondering why his old mentor seemed to have shifted his stance, then remembered what Hal had found. “How many missions were sent to Mars? Before you came.”
“Almost a hundred, all unmanned probes and supply ships. Why?”
“Could there have been any that weren’t officially recorded?”
Sam frowned, “Perhaps, but unlikely. Why do you ask?”
“Because my younger brother, Hal, found something very strange at the north pole.” Leo pulled out his tablet and projected the head cam footage that Hal had been showing him only a few hours ago.
Trish joined them, leaning over their shoulders to see the smooth elliptical tunnel cut into the ice, with rippled walls. “Looks like that was made by humans,” she said.
“Looks like it was made,” said Sam, turning to look at his partner, who raised an eyebrow back at him.
“What’s the difference?” asked Leo.
“Earth animals were responsible for making things too.”
“You think this could have been made by an extinct Martian animal?”
“Who said it had to be extinct?”
“What?! Surely, we’d have seen some evidence of an animal that big by now?”
“Not if it lived under the ice, at the pole.”
“Who knows about this?” asked Trish.
“Hal, us and Jan Wojcik.”
“I suggest we keep it that way for a couple of days. Until we know more.”
“Why?”
“Tithonium is a small community. Plenty of opportunity for speculation and over excitement.”
Leo leaned back, surprised. Such circumspection was unusual for Trish. “Okay,” he said reluctantly. “Will you contact Hal?”
“Yes of course,” said Sam, “We’ll see if we can help him identify what he’s found. Though I think we may need to involve a biologist.”
“Georgia?” asked Leo, growing even more uncomfortable. Georgia was his estranged partner, Demetria’s mother. The thought of working with her made him squirm.
“Who else do you think would be as well qualified?” asked Trish.
Leo shrugged, helplessly.
Red Rock Café, Tithonium City, Mars – Demetria Philippou
“I’m honoured. You don’t normally have time for tea with your mum,” said Georgia, smiling and raising one eyebrow so that it disappeared into her straight dark fringe. She always reminded Demetria of her grandma, Sofia. Sharp, perceptive and direct. “What’s going on?”
Demetria shook her head and poured from the shiny red pot, “Nothing much gets past you.” She took one cup and passed the other across the table. The café overlooked the Central Park. She could hear youngsters shrieking with delight as they chased each other in and out of the shallow pool beside The River. It was pleasantly busy with parents and minders taking a break while keeping a watchful eye. She was relieved to find a table with some space around it, with plenty of chatter but little chance of being overheard. Demetria was improving her cloak and dagger routine.
“Well?” asked Georgia. “Promotion? Boyfriend… pregnant?”
“Mum!” shushed Demetria through clenched teeth. “I found out something and wanted to ask your advice.”
“What have you found out that I could possibly be useful to ask? Have the caves of Mars started teeming with wildlife? Do you intend to choose a pet?” she added with a wry smile.
“Be serious!”
“Hah! I remember saying that to you, not so long ago.”
Demetria leaned in and lowered her voice, resisting the urge to reply to her Mum’s taunt, “Trish and Sam have detected a signal from Earth.”
Georgia laughed. Then she narrowed her eyes and leaned towards her daughter, “You’re serious, aren’t you.”
“Yes, I’m serious. They told me first because they wanted to get some idea of how my generation would react to the news. Before they went public with it.”
“So why are you telling me?”
“Because you’re our leading biologist. Because you, more than anyone else, will know whether life on Earth could have survived.”
“I don’t know anything, Demetria.”
“But you can make educated guesses.”
“Perhaps.”
“So, make some.”
“What exactly have Trish and Sam found?”
“They played a signal to me. It sounded like chimes of different pitches and durations. The pattern repeats, like a loop. Sam thinks it’s automated, but wonders why it would have started now, so long after the Earth was hit. Trish thinks someone could have survived and is trying to get our attention.”
“A distress call, now? Forty Earth years after Goliath hit. That must be a mistake.”
“How could Trish and Sam make that kind of mistake? They’re two of the most respected scientists we have on Mars.”
Georgia nodded, acknowledging their reputation. “Okay, say the signal is real. There could be many reasons why it started now. A timed delay on the signalling equipment. A fault, or an obstruction that’s only just cleared. It could have nothing to do with survival of life, let alone humans.”
“But is it feasible? Could someone be there?”
“The Earth has been covered in cloud. Without sunlight most life would be dead.”
“Most?”
“Extremophiles,” Georgia saw the blank look on Demetria’s face. “Tiny creatures that survive in extreme conditions, like darkness, cold, even acid. I suppose Einarite is a form of extremophile on Mars.”
“What about people?”
“They’d have nothing to live off. Even if they’d survived the impacts in bunkers or some such place, they’d all starve.”
“What about the sea? Would there be fish to eat there?”
“Anything in the shallower waters relies on sunlight, so it would have died off too. That assumes there’s anything left of the sea. Much of that’s in a ring of ice crystals around the planet now.”
“But… what if it wasn’t as severe as we think? What if there was more sea left? What if the cloud cover wasn’t a hundred percent?”
“Those are questions for astronomers.”
“Trish and Sam are the most knowledgeable astronomers on Mars. Them and Leo.”
Georgia frowned, “This isn’t some elaborate hoax to get me and Leo talking again, is it?”
“No! Trish said they didn’t want to tell Leo yet. She said he’d rush straight off to Earth if he knew.”
“Never seen Leo rush anywhere.”
“You know what I mean. Trish and Sam are asking me to ask my friends. See what they feel about an Earth mission. And they keep asking me questions like, ‘how could anything survive?’ So here I am asking you. And you just told me about extreme-files.”
“Extremophiles. Sounds like I’d better talk to Trish and Sam. I can’t even begin to answer without their help.”
“I’ll let them know we’re coming.”
Demetria called Trish. Trish said to come that afternoon, after Leo had left.
The Observatory, Tithonium City, Mars – Leo Meier
The arrangement almost worked. Almost. Shortly after Trish and Sam had played the audio file to Georgia, the door opened.
“Hi again, sorry, I forgot my… Oh!”
“Hi Leo,” said Trish, her face carefully neutral.
“Hi Leo,” said Georgia, her voice equally neutral.
Demetria gave a small, embarrassed wave.
“Hmm, well, since everyone we need to dissect this problem is here,” said Sam with a slight lift of his greying eyebrow, “perhaps we can make some meaningful progress.”
Demetria nodded to a chair, “Welcome to the Return Club.”
5
The Return Club
Tithonium City Park, Mars – Demetria Philippou
“Have you heard?” asked Bhanu, nudging Debbie.
“Heard what?” returned Debbie.
Georges cast his eyes heavenward.
“There’s talk of a mission to Earth!” declared Bhanu.
Demetria almost fell over, turning her head sharply to listen to the ‘old biddies’ on their park bench. She recovered and found another bench in earshot, settling herself down behind a flowering ceanothus with her tablet and a cup of tea.
“… such a waste of resources!” Debbie was complaining. “Why should we ever want to go back there?”
“Perhaps the youngsters want some peace and quiet from your prattling,” muttered Georges.
“I heard someone found a signal from Earth and there’s a plan to find out who sent it,” said Bhanu, ignoring Georges.
Demetria almost spat her tea across the bench. How the hell had that got out? Tithonium City was indeed a small village.
“What signal?” asked Debbie. “And who from? There’s nothing and no one left.”
“My Sita says her Aashi was talking to a friend who was in a club that was working out the chances of survival.”
Demetria grimaced through gritted teeth, who had been blabbing? Samaira? Chen?
“Slim, or non-existent?” asked Debbie with disdain.
“Higher than I thought,” replied Bhanu. “Seems there’s more sea and air than we all believed. They think the chances are high enough that we should look for the source of the signal.”
“What if it’s some random bit of tech?” asked Debbie. “Perhaps an AI, programmed to wait before sending a signal.”
“What if somebody has survived?” asked Georges, frowning. “Do we bring them here to Mars, or do we all go back there? My home is here now. I said goodbye to Earth a long time ago.”
Bhanu and Debbie turned to look at the stooped little bald man at the end of their bench.
He has a point, thought Demetria. She took her empty cup and left for the observatory.
The Observatory, Tithonium City, Mars – Leo Meier
The modest room was rammed with a dozen youngsters who sat around a big circular table at their tablets, arguing excitedly over the data. Georgia peered at a set of projections, comparing spectral analysis graphs with Trish and Sam. Leo had only cat-napped twice in the last forty-eight hours, but he was energised. Working with Georgia had not been easy. She had been frosty, and he had been wary. But they co-operated under the unintrusive supervision of Trish and Sam. He now found himself in the middle of a group of people researching the probabilities of life on Earth which made him unexpectedly happy. Happy that they were asking for the data he’d been collecting over the past twenty Earth years. Happy to be needed.
“Hi Dad.”
Leo looked up and saw Demetria with a bag full of food and an odd expression on her face. “Hi. What’s up?”
“For a start, you’re smiling. That’s pretty odd.”
Leo scratched his head, “I am, aren’t I.”
“And rumours about the Return Club are about to go exponential.”
“Why?”
“Bhanu knows.”
“Uh oh. That means the whole of Tithonium will know by tomorrow morning.”
“I think we’re ready to go public anyway,” said Trish, joining them. “Ooh, thanks Demetria. Bhajis and sweet potato curry takeaway, my favourite!”
The gannets descended, almost taking Demetria’s arm off. Once everyone had a full bowl before them, Trish rapped on the table with her spoon. The chatter died away. Leo found himself holding his breath.
“We can now confirm the signal is from Earth. We have enough data to demonstrate that life there is feasible. And… we have a translation of the signal.”
Bhajis stopped halfway to mouths. The table hushed.
“Sam will announce what it says to everyone at the same time, when we meet with the senate tomorrow morning.”
For the first time, Leo realised just how important their work truly was. Not just important, potentially life changing. This would affect everyone on Mars.
The Senate Chamber, Tithonium City, Mars – Leo Meier
Every seat in the circular chamber was taken. Many stood in a ring around the smooth cut rock walls, and almost a hundred packed themselves into the public viewing gallery that overlooked the chamber: about one in five of the Martian population. Leo had been invited to sit in the chamber itself, on a bench beside the speakers’ podium. Looking around, he saw familiar faces from his contemporaries as well as his daughter. Like the other senators, Demetria sat in the debating chamber when called to do so. She had just turned the required Martian ten years, so she was the first representative of her generation. Almost everyone on Mars would be called to serve a two-year term, which they were expected to fulfil alongside their normal work. Far better that citizens of Mars should see it as a necessary duty than a privilege, was how the thinking went. Mostly, it worked. Senators served, rather than dictated. Decisions were made, personal agendas were discouraged while long term planning was encouraged. The only exceptions to service were ill health or a criminal record. Only three people had managed to join that notorious group so far: two for drunken violence and another for indecent exposure. All had been treated as if they were mentally ill and given counselling.
There were no police on Mars. Yet.
Citizens made arrests and brought the defendants before a sub-committee of the senate for a fair review, calling for evidence, witnesses and character statements. Leo knew about theft, but it seemed almost irrelevant on Mars, where everyone had what they needed whether they worked or not. Food was grown communally, distributed free and considered essential for survival, like the water and air that were produced around the clock. Anything else could be manufactured for free from a publicly available 3D printer station, so long as you didn’t exceed your energy and raw material allowances. The few luxury items included tea and alcohol. People knew about coffee from watching old Earth vids, but it was too much of a drain on Martian resources to grow and process. Smoking anything seemed particularly reckless to a society that had to make its own air. If you waved your tablet at a reader to prove you had done some useful work that week, then you could indulge in your weekly allowance of tea. Maybe a glass or two of red wine in the evening. Getting merry was tolerated. Getting drunk was socially unacceptable unless anyone who might complain was as wrecked as you were. Having more ‘stuff’ than others seemed a meaningless encumbrance.
