The Rising Swarm: Book Two of the Redemption Series

Foreword

Before you sit down to enjoy The Rising Swarm, I’d like to share with you some of the challenges I faced while working on its completion. The original planned out plot for book two became too large for a single book, I was nearing three hundred thousand words when I decided that I had to split the content. It had been my original aim to not exceed one hundred and fifty thousand words. While I am sure there is content that I could have cut out, it would have reduced the overall feel of the book, although, I’m sure if I had an editor I would have been pressured to reduce the content.

Book two is an exploration of the Redemption and her crew, the ships capabilities and the skills of her various crew members. While book one was an introduction to the characters, book two extends on that, ensuring that not all the action is focused on the main protagonist. Bethany grows as a character throughout the novel and we learn more about Xartax and his mysterious past as well as the aliens who created him.

The Rising Swarm, while a self-contained novel, sets much of the scene for the next book, with many of the events having direct relevance in book three, The Queen of the Swarm. As with the first book, the story behind the events on Mars continue with the first three chapters focused on the events that took place after the horrific cave in and how she eventually left the planet aboard the Mars Taxi.

Visit the Redemption Series page at www.facebook.com/redemptionseries.

Happy reading and feel free to comment and pass on any suggestions. Please remember to leave a review for my book at your favourite retailer.

Dedication

For the two people who have been a

guiding force in my life.

You gave me life and accepted me

flaws and all.

Thank you, mum and dad.

Contents

Foreword

Dedication

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 A Blood-Stained Tissue

Chapter 2 Stop the Launch

Chapter 3 Collision

Chapter 4 Examination

Chapter 5 A Pink Rose

Chapter 6 The Three Masters

Chapter 7 Training

Chapter 8 Dark Tone

Chapter 9 Fine Harmony

Chapter 10 A Bolt of Iron

Chapter 11 Orders

Chapter 12 Cassandra

Chapter 13 Sword Play

Chapter 14 The Halls of Power

Chapter 15 The Long Wait

Chapter 16 Encounter

Chapter 17 The Senator

Chapter 18 Six Hours

Chapter 19 Noise

Chapter 20 Breach

Chapter 21 Distress

Chapter 22 The Information Game

Chapter 23 Heated Words

Chapter 24 Planet Fall

Chapter 25 Canyons of Ice

Chapter 26 Ultimatum

Chapter 27 Rescue

Chapter 28 The First to Blink

Chapter 29 Far from Ordinary

Chapter 30 Friendly Enemies

Chapter 31 The Resting Place

Chapter 32 Blizzard

Chapter 33 The Eye of the Storm

Chapter 34 Five Minutes

Chapter 35 Showdown

Chapter 36 Departing Horst

Chapter 37 Damage Assessment

Chapter 38 Loose Ends

Chapter 39 Lady Blue

Chapter 40 Exposed

Epilogue

Appendix

Floor Plan Level 1

Floor Plan Level 2

Floor Plan Level 3

Floor Plan Level 4

Star Chart

Galaxy Chart

A Preview to Queen of the Swarm

Sneak Peek at Book Three The Sponsor

About the Author

Other Books by this Author

Chapter 1

A Blood-Stained Tissue

Gala Prime

In 2325, it became apparent that Mars was no longer a viable option for colonization. The official investigation into the failure of the project to terraform the planet sighted unforeseen complications as the cause. After the failure of the shield project, mankind looked once again to science for an alternative.

Hope came from a research scientist based on Mars, Professor Adamus Gane claimed to have cracked the puzzle of gravity, with that breakthrough, he believed he could build a device capable of folding space itself. In turn reducing a journey to a distant star from hundreds of years, to just a few months. And once again it was Olympus Mining, the corporation that had been backing his research, that stood to make a considerable profit from the discovery.

Many were astonished by the leaps in technology Adamus was able to make in a short period of time. Going from a prototype that barely worked, to a fully functional device a few months later. His first break through was the anti-gravity drive, shortly followed by the artificial gravity generator. And then, not even a year later, he was testing the first prototype of a fold engine. For many, Professor Adamus Gane was seen as a saviour.

With the development of the fold engine, existing ships were retrofitted and the search for a new home began. The first fleet of explorer craft departed Earth in 2328, and of the twenty-five vessels in the fleet, only five returned two years later. All with a common report, no Earth like planets could be found within range of their limited resources. Faced with few options, those searching for a new home would have to travel further afield, and for that, they would need a breakthrough in engine design.

As chance would have it, such a breakthrough had already occurred back on Earth. While the brave explorers dared the depths of space, researchers on Earth solved the final problems with plasma engine design. Realising the importance of this discovery, the Earth Gov Assembly immediately approved the new engine designs for the next generation of explorer craft. Work quickly began on retrofitting existing craft with the new technology. The result was a ship that could travel further than ever before, in a fraction of the time and with lower fuel consumption rates.

As the first wave of explorer craft returned home, the next wave departed. This time, when the fleet returned to Earth, they brought with them the knowledge of many new worlds with the promise of habitation. The most promising had been named Gala, a shining jewel orbiting the solar mass that had been dubbed Prime. Those that had journeyed there, described it as a planet rich with beauty, abundant water, and most surprisingly, natural flora and fauna.

All efforts now turned to the colonization of Gala Prime. An initial colony of engineers, tradesmen, scientists and labourers braved the dangerous journey to the distant planet. It was their task to prepare the new world to receive the desperate citizens of Earth. The new colony was founded in the year 2333 ECE, but this is not the date that is recorded in the history books. It was not until the first Exodus fleet arrived in 2335 ECE that historians recorded Gala Prime as being colonized.

For many historians, Gala Prime was a reminder of what Earth once was. It had abundant oceans with varied sea life, as well as forests and plains that were homes to countless animals. For those that arrived for the first time it was truly a wonder to behold, an environment that had been lost on their former home planet was seen for the first time.

And overseeing the great construction project for the new home was the man who became known as the Great Architect, and would later be remembered as the First Master Historian. Kyle Sommers was given the task by Earth Gov to organise the construction effort, to mould their new home into a paradise for mankind.

***

Olympus City - Mars

March 28th 2322 Earth Common Era

Professor Adamus Gane made his way to the dig site early that morning, he had been informed that the VIP guests would be leaving around noon. So, he had decided to get to the site early and make a start on preparations for today’s tests, still eager to continue probing the alien shield with the high-energy laser. He drove his car through the security checkpoint and parked it next to his office.

Adamus had come to Mars on a research grant to work with high energy lasers, he had eagerly jumped at the opportunity Olympus Mining had offered him. Only realising after he made planet fall that the grant came with strings attached. The non-disclosure agreement seemed to be fairly standard, but he only realised its true significance when he was first taken out to the dig site. Olympus Mining had found the ancient spaceship a year earlier, if found was the correct term. One of their tunnel boring machines had crashed right into it and the shield that protected the vessel had thrown the TBM back ten metres, causing a massive cave in. Thirteen workers had died in that incident.

After the directors were made aware of what they had found, the company went into lockdown. They immediately realised they were sitting on a goldmine, with the potential for new technologies and other benefits. The company only saw an opportunity to make profit, but they also realised they lacked the staff qualified to assess their new asset. So, they tapped into their contacts back on Earth and enticed the brightest minds they could find and Adamus had been one of many to fall for the lucrative honey pot. Like him, Gabe Booth had also been snapped up for the project.

When Adamus had arrived, the company was still clearing the area around the ancient vessel. It had taken the Martian engineers twelve months to hollow out a cavern on one side of the artefact. Adamus and his team were given the task of getting past the shield that protected the ship, something that so far had proved to be a fruitless endeavour. Now that the parts he required for his high-energy laser had arrived from Earth, he was sure they would be able to make some progress.

Exiting the car, he paused to look up at the ancient alien space ship, and for some reason, it looked a little duller than he remembered. He shook his head, it was probably the fact he had been away for a couple of days. He opened the trunk of his car and removed a box of documents, he may have been on leave, but that did not stop him from working on his thesis. He picked up his briefcase while holding the box and closed the trunk, then fumbled with his keys and opened the door to his office. He had paperwork to do before his lab assistant arrived. He put on a pot of coffee and set to work.

An hour later, he was just wrapping up when he heard a car pull up outside. He looked at his watch, it was nearly eight thirty, his assistant was early for a change. He set his paperwork aside and poured himself a cup of hot coffee, somehow, he had a feeling today was going to be a good day. He put his lab coat on, picked up his keys in one hand, coffee in the other and went outside.

Most people thought of Adamus as a strange looking nerd. He was a little short at five foot five, his jet-black hair was long and tightly curled, his eyes were deep brown and tended to wander, making it hard to tell who he was talking to, he rarely made eye contact. He was a germaphobe with a near paranoia for cleanliness that was almost as annoying as his obsession with doing things a certain way. With the correct way often being his way, even if there were multiple ways to achieve the same result. In short, Adamus was not an easy person to work for, with many calling him a grumpy old man. But everyone had to admit, he was a good scientist and at times, an absolute genius.

To Adamus’ disappointment, the car was not his research assistant. Instead it was Thomas Delaney.

I thought you would be seeing the VIP’s off today, Adamus said after Tom got out of his car.

Hendrik is taking care of that, Tom said. He asked me to come by and make sure you didn’t start until after their transport takes off.

Oh, did he now? Adamus said. He turned his back on Tom and went back in his office. Tom followed and helped himself to a cup of coffee.

Pity what happened to Gabe, he was a good man, Tom said, trying to make some conversation. Adamus appeared to be oblivious to what he said. Some thought him a cold man, but in truth his brain worked differently to most people, he applied logic to everything. You were missed at the eulogy, Joshua noted you were absent, he continued.

I had better things to attend to, Adamus said. I couldn’t stomach listening to people say kind words about a man who was foolish enough to ignore a safety warning.

Tom opened his mouth in shock, unable to believe what he was hearing. You really are a cold man Adamus, Tom said. Don’t you feel anything? Gabe is dead.

And no amount of kind words will bring him back, Adamus said. I don’t see the need to waste my time saying benedictions over the dead. If he had paid heed to your warning, he would be alive today.

Tom decided to drop the topic, he had learnt some time ago that Adamus thought differently to most people and no amount of trying to school him in social values had any effect. So, what is the plan for today? he asked, changing topic.

Adamus looked at him strangely. Tom knew that look, it was how Adamus would get when he was not specific enough with a question. How do you plan to tackle the shield problem today? he elaborated.

The question was perhaps not specific enough for Adamus, but for once he chose to give a vague answer. There are many things I could try today, he began. But I only have one in mind. The spare parts for my laser arrived on the Columbus, when my assistant gets here, we will setup my laser and resume probing the shield.

Sounds like fun, Tom said, with an ounce of sarcasm that Adamus failed to pick up. He sipped his coffee, it looked like it was going to be a long morning. The mere thought of sitting in the office alone with Adamus was giving him chills. There had to be something he could do to better occupy his time. There was one obvious answer.

If you like, I can help you set thing up, Tom found himself saying. Save waiting for your assistant.

Adamus frowned, a rare facial expression. I doubt that you would know how to handle such equipment, Adamus said, rather insultingly.

Tom decided it wasn’t worth arguing with the man, he could be very arrogant at times, assuming that everyone without a doctorate was an imbecile. They sat in uncomfortable silence waiting for the assistant to arrive and eventually Tom took out his holloband, deciding that social media was better than the company of a grumpy scientist. For the most part, it was friends talking about the tragic loss of Gabe and his wife. He had the unfortunate task of clearing out Natalie’s desk yesterday and passing on any personal belongs to human resources. Tom was not looking forward to hiring her replacement.

Adamus preferred the silence. He switched on his laptop and continued working on his thesis to occupy his time, no doubt his assistant was running late. She was a talented girl, and for Adamus to admit that, meant she had considerable talent, but she was let down by her inability to be on time for anything. He sipped his coffee and resumed typing.

Eventually Tom got sick of social media and packed up his holloband. He got up and walked outside, leaving Adamus alone to his thoughts. Mentally Adamus noted that Tom had left, but to any observer it would have seemed he was completely oblivious. The keyboard clicked on.

He was mid-way through writing down his thoughts when a car pulled up outside, rather than get up to see who it was, he finished his typing. Adamus was a person who believed in finishing a task before moving on to another.

Good morning Sally, he heard Tom say from somewhere outside.

Oh, hello Tom, Sally Carter, his research assistant, replied. I wasn’t expecting to see you today.

I’ve been asked to make sure the Professor doesn’t get too eager and start his tests early. Hendrik doesn’t want a repeat of the other day’s blackout, Tom explained.

Well, it’s good to see you. Sorry to hear about Natalie and her husband, a tragic loss, she said.

It was, Tom replied.

So, who’s seeing the guests off? Sally asked.

Hendrik and Joshua, both are eager to see the last of the VIP’s. With what occurred the other day, I guess both are nervous, considering what could have happened. If the young girl had died in the accident, Earth Gov would be crawling all over our operation. Thankfully, Gabe and Natalie are Mars citizens, that gives us the ability to control the investigation, Tom said.

It’s a cold way to think about it Tom, two people lost their lives, Sally pointed out. Adamus could hear her opening her car trunk and get something out.

Prison would be colder, Tom replied. We have all become complicit in this conspiracy. We might all be loving the money that goes into our accounts for our silence, but if word ever got out, we could all end up in jail.

I’ve never thought about it that way before, Sally said, sounding afraid. I never really thought I was doing something wrong down here. Silence is just part of the nondisclosure clause we all signed.

That’s no protection, Tom said. Earth Gov has a caveat written into the construction contract that the company and all employees need to report any unusual finds. The clause was written in to protect future mining rights and to stop the company from syphoning off resource revenue without paying taxes. The terms of reference are so broad as to cover what we found.

Should I be concerned? Sally asked.

Only if they find out, Tom said. Likely outcome, the company will get a huge fine, the execs will be banned from running a company, and the rest of us will be left to fend for ourselves. Still, there is a risk we could all face jail time, but to be honest, if they ever did find out, I’d doubt they would go after you and me. It’s the likes of Hendrik, Joshua, Julia and the board of directors who would have something to worry about. Hence why Joshua was so worried three nights ago when the girl could not be found.

The two entered Adamus’ office and Sally put her things down. Morning Professor, Sally said. Adamus responded by looking at his watch, it was eight fifty, she was early for once.

Sally, I hope you are ready for a long day. We have a lot of work to do, Adamus said.

All prepped, she replied with a warm smile. Mind if I have a coffee first? she asked.

If you must, Adamus replied, turning back to his laptop. He had waited twenty minutes, why not another ten. Besides, it would be over three hours before he could start testing.

Sally walked over to her desk in the corner of the office and found her coffee cup. After a wash, she helped herself to a fresh cup and Tom took the opportunity for a refill. She then resumed her conversation.

So how did the girl get out in the end? Sally asked.

She managed to get through the collapsed sections of the tunnel to an access ladder that led down to the Olympus coil tunnel. Poor kid wondered around for hours before she found an exit. Her father was so relieved, he thought she was dead. We all did, Tom said.

She’s a lucky kid, Sally said.

Not sure if luck was on her side, Tom said. You would think otherwise if you knew the rest of her story.

Oh, and that is? Sally asked.

Hendrik told me she narrowly avoided drowning three years back, only to lose her brother to the same sea rip. And then a year later her mother died of cancer, Tom replied.

Sally looked genuinely shocked by his reply, the poor child, she said. She took a sip of her coffee, thinking about what Tom had said when something occurred to her. What’s a sea rip? she asked, unfamiliar with the term.

The correct term is riptide, Adamus cut in. It’s a dangerous undercurrent that can suck a person out to sea and in some cases, has been known to suck people under. In this case, I’d say that is exactly what happened and the boy drowned, Adamus explained.

Oh, how terrible, Sally said.

Yes, she has had a very tragic couple of years, Tom said. It explains what she said when they found her. She was rather distraught and babbling about being cursed.

Poor kid, Sally said. It must have been traumatic to be caught in that cave in and then finding that both Natalie and Gabe were dead.

I’m sure she will be fine, the councillor who saw her yesterday said she was coping well given the circumstances. No doubt she will have more counselling when she gets back to Earth though, Tom said.

Sally stared into her coffee, thinking about how terrible the young girl’s ordeal must have been, and found herself wondering how she would have coped with the same situation. She shivered just thinking about it.

So, what was the outcome of the inspection, Sally asked, changing topic.

We need to bore another tunnel, with a five-degree deviation to the other side of Olympus Mons. Joshua already has legal waving the contract at Earth Gov requesting a contract variation, Tom said.

Does that mean another three months of tunnelling? Sally asked.

Close enough, another year and we should be ready to turn the power on, Tom said, sipping his coffee.

Why another year? Sally asked. I thought all the other tunnels were complete.

They are, but the cabling for the Olympus tunnel needs to be rewired, with the complexity of the split around Olympus Mons, the cabling needs to be balanced to provide the right shielding levels Tom answered. Adamus looked up when he heard this, he had to admit, he admired the genius of Kyle Sommers, even if he was only an engineer. Adamus had an in depth understanding of magnetic fields, he used them to control his lasers.

The field needs to be consistent, Adamus said. If it bubbles too much in one location, it can create a vent that the solar wind can leach the atmosphere through. I’m sure the Inspector ran his numbers, for an engineer, he’s very intelligent. Tom ignored the unintended insult, he was used to receiving them from Adamus.

You sound like you admire the man, Sally said.

We should all admire him. The collective genius of an entire planet worked on this problem and failed to find the simple solution the Inspector put forward. I must admit, even I overlooked what is an obvious answer, it was the cost that caused many of us to ignore the obvious. Mr Sommers just found a way to implement it without bankrupting the world economy, Adamus explained.

Both Sally and Tom were at a loss for words, Adamus had just given someone praise, in a roundabout way.

Are you finished chatting Sally? Adamus asked. I’d like to get some work done. He looked at his watch to emphasise the point. It was five past nine.

Sally heaved a sigh and put her coffee cup down. She often missed stimulating conversation, Adamus was often so driven by his work that social chit chat was lost on him. If he wasn’t so intelligent and a good person to learn from, she would have left a year ago. Standing up, she grabbed the keys to the equipment shed. Ready when you are, she replied.

The three of them left the office and walked towards the edge of the dig site with the ancient space ship looming above them. Near the edge of camp was the equipment shed where Adamus stored his high-energy Laser. An embankment had been dug and lined with concrete, on the camp side, several concrete pillars had been laid down and driven into the hard rock. It was here that the laser would be setup behind the protection of the barrier. If there was any energy returned, it was hoped it would hit the embankment rather than the laser itself, not to mention the people standing nearby. Adamus had insisted that precautions be taken, he knew more than anyone the risk to human health the high-energy laser could be. Tom stood at the edge of the embankment and looked down into the five-meter trench.

Is that where the feedback hit from the last test? he asked.

Yes, Sally replied. We were aiming down in case any energy was reflected, what we didn’t expect was for the return energy to be stronger than the laser output. Damn thing caused a feedback loop that had the power grid go all jittery.

So that’s what caused the lights to flicker, Tom said.

And the ground to shudder, Sally acknowledged. It seems that whatever energy we put into the beam, the shield returns it five times as strong.

Wow! Tom said. How do you counter act something like that?

You over load it, Adamus replied. Hit it with so much force that it lacks the power to maintain the shield and deliver the return stroke.

Tom leaned out further to see the hole the return beam had burnt. It looked like the return stroke had scorched a hole through two feet of concrete. That somehow made the mound look like inadequate protection. Is that what you were trying to do the other night? Tom asked.

Yes, and it would have worked to, if it weren’t for the feedback, Adamus replied. I suspect that it’s another defence mechanism. Shutdown the source of the attack by causing a feedback loop that shuts its energy supply down.

So how do you plan to counter act that? Tom asked.

With a filter, Adamus replied. Tom looked confused so Sally elaborated.

The feedback is electrical in nature, so we should be able to use a band pass filter to block it out and stop it from reaching the power grid, Sally replied. Tom had to think for a minute to make sense of that, he thought back to his one year of electronics from his engineering degree, using a combination of a capacitor and an inductor, a filter could be constructed that would block out certain frequencies and send them straight to ground while allowing others to pass through unaffected. He had to admit, it was a simple yet effective solution to the problem.

Sally opened up the equipment shed and began moving the laser assembly. Adamus, eager to make a start, gave her a hand for once. Tom watched from where he stood on the top of the embankment, while he wanted to help, he had already been told to stay away. Tom had only been down to the dig site a few times, he had supervised the mining team that had hollowed out the cavern around the space ship, but had never actually worked on the site, only coming out a few times for staff meetings. After the work was complete, he had not been back.

Looking for something to do, he picked up a small rock and threw it in the direction of the alien space craft.

Adamus heard the sound of stones hitting the ground and looked up as Tom threw another. I wouldn’t do that if I was you, Adamus warned.

Relax Professor, I doubt I could hit it from here, Tom said. He threw another stone, it bounced once along the ground before coming to a rest a few metres short of the craft.

The last person who said that, ended up with a concussion, Adamus replied.

Best be careful Tom, Sally said. You may think it’s safe, but that shield seems to have a wicked return aim.

Tom pitched another stone, he angled it so it would bounce along the ground, like skipping stones on water. This time it bounced twice before stopping at the base of the ship. He had almost made it, maybe his next try would make it all the way, he thought. He picked up another stone, took aim and threw it. This time he had managed to put more energy into the throw, bouncing just metres short of the ship before it sprung up into the air. Adamus and Sally ducked for cover, everyone expecting the stone to become and instant missile, but instead they heard a clink as it hit solid steel.

Adamus raised his head, puzzled while Sally looked at Tom and then back at the ship.

What did you do? Adamus demanded of Tom.

Nothing, I just threw a stone, Tom replied.

You must have done something different, Adamus said, not believing what had happened. That stone should have become a speeding missile.

Professor, rather than asking questions, why don’t we go have a look, Sally said. Adamus looked back at Sally and nodded his head. Forgetting the equipment, the three walked around the embankment and up to the base of the ship where the stone had hit.

Now that they were closer, it was obvious that the ships surface was no longer its normal shiny black. Adamus realised then that it had been different all this time and had noticed the loss of glossy sheen when he had looked at the ship earlier in the morning.

Standing near the base of the ship, Adamus picked up a small stone and lightly tossed it at the ship’s hull. The stone bounced off with a slight clinking sound. Cautiously, Adamus put out his hand and reached towards the ship, his hand touching its cold metal surface.

I don’t understand, Adamus said. It’s been here for millions of years and the shield has stayed on. Why has it now suddenly turned off?

Perhaps your laser test from the other day had more effect than you thought, Tom suggested.

I doubt it, I was here the day after with Hendrik and it was certainly functional back then. No, something has changed, Adamus said.

This was a mystery that Adamus had to solve. To confirm it wasn’t a localised phenomenon he ran to the other end of the cavern, an action that wasn’t easy for a sixty-five-year-old man. He repeated the same action and again his hand touched the cold metal of the ship. He scratched his head wondering what had changed, why was the shield down?

Slowly, he walked back to the others, trying to understand what had happened. A thousand possibilities ran through his mind as he tried to puzzle out what had occurred. He was so preoccupied with his thoughts, that he almost walked past a vital clue. He stopped and looked down at a white tissue stained with blood, he could not remember seeing that before and it was unlikely any of the mining crew had left it behind. Looking around, he noticed fresh shoe prints in the soft Martian dust, a clear indicator that someone had been there recently. And then he saw the smeared blood stain on the metal hull of the alien ship.

Have you found something professor? Tom asked. He and Sally were walking towards him.

Yes, he replied. It looks like someone was here recently. It’s possible they had something to do with this.

What makes you say that? Sally asked. They were only a few metres away.

Whoever they were, they cut themselves and tried to mop up the blood with tissues. They then touched the hull of the ship with their bloody hand, Adamus said, pointing at the clues.

Who could have been down here? Sally asked.

I don’t know, but I suggest we find out, Tom said. Do you have any sample bags and hygienic gloves? he asked Sally.

I think we have some in the equipment shed, she replied. I’ll go get them for you. Sally turned and ran back to the shed.

Don’t go touching anything Professor. I think Hendrik would like to know who is responsible just as much as you do, Tom said.

I guess you’re right, Adamus said. He stepped away from the area and joined Tom on the side. From the different vantage point he noticed something strange, the foot prints only led up to the ship, not away. Where had the mystery person gone? I wonder where they went? he said out loud to himself.

What do you mean Professor? Who went where? Tom asked.

The footprints, they lead up to the ship but not away, almost as if they disappeared after they touched the ship. Either that or they somehow managed to reverse their steps precisely, Adamus said. Now that the professor mentioned it, Tom could see it too. Sally arrived with the gloves and some sample bags.

Whoever they are, their shoe size is small, Tom said.

That would narrow it down to a woman, or possibly a child, Adamus said.

Tom put on a pair of gloves before handling the sample bag. He walked over and picked up the blood-stained tissue and put it in the plastic bag.

I’m going to take this off to the lab for DNA analysis, Tom said. I suggest you stay clear of this spot for the time being. Hendrik may send a team of specialists down for further analysis.

What about my work? Adamus asked.

Well, I’d say todays goal has been achieved, shield is down. Might as well go home for the day and celebrate, Tom said, knowing the professor would not leave it at that. You can come back tomorrow with a recovery team and start checking out the interior. Remember, we want to do this the right way. We won’t learn much if we go tearing it apart without working out function first.

Adamus looked a little dazed. He felt like a child that had just had his prized balloon popped in front of him. The day was not going the way he planned, and he did not cope well with sudden change.

Tom turned and began walking off towards his car. Come professor, give me a hand packing the laser away, Sally said. Adamus lifted his head and looked in Sally’s direction. He guessed he could always go back to writing his thesis, he thought, allowing Sally to lead him back to the equipment shed.

Chapter 2

Stop the Launch

Internal e-mail correspondence between Mining Engineer Martin Colter and Olympus Mining Site Manager Hendrik Kloppers, April 15th 2320 Earth Common Era

Hendrik, as per my previous e-mail, something is interfering with the alignment of our guidance laser on tunnel five. I have just had to manually adjust the settings yet again to bring us back on course. As per my previous request, can you send a team to investigate the cause? A prompt response would be greatly appreciated.

Regards, Martin Colter

Martin, Thank you for raising this issue and being diligent enough to follow it up with me. I have been assured by my engineering team that there is nothing wrong with the alignment of the guidance laser system on tunnel five. However, as this is the second time you have raised the issue, I have brought the scheduled maintenance forward several weeks. A team will be out within the next day or so to check the calibration. I will be sure to advise you of their findings.

Regards, Hendrik Kloppers

Historical Note: Martin Colter and twelve other members of his mining team died three days after this email was sent. Their TBM collided with an object and the resultant earthquake caused a collapse of tunnel five that killed the entire crew. It was noted that if Martin had not noticed the alignment issue and kept with the altered course, the TBM would have missed the object that caused his death.

***

Tom left the dig site and drove towards Olympus city, his destination being the pathology lab owned by the mining corporation. As he drove he made a call to Hendrik, his holloband synced with his car’s hands-free system.

Hendrik speaking, a voice answered his call.

Hendrik, it’s Tom. There has been a development at the dig site, Tom said.

Hold on Tom, Hendrik said, his German accent coming through thickly. I’m not in a position to discuss this at the moment, Hendrik continued. Can I call you back in five?

Hurry, its urgent, Tom said and hung up. Hendrik must be busy with the VIP’s, he thought. He looked at the clock on his car’s dashboard, it was ten fifteen. He passed through the sites security check point and drove up the main tunnel leading to the city. He was just entering the city limits when Hendrik called back.

What’s the issue Tom? Hendrik asked. Tom could see an image of Hendrik projected to the side of his field of vision. When the car was moving, the image would fade away.

The shield to the alien craft is down, Tom said.

Hendrik swore in German before Tom had a chance to explain. That idiot Professor, I knew he would do something, Hendrik said angrily.

It wasn’t the Professor, Tom stated. It looks like the shield came down a few days ago, and we have reason to suspect someone else may be involved. We found some footprints along with a blood stained tissue, there was also a bloody handprint left behind at the scene. I’m racing the tissue down to the lab for analysis, Tom explained.

Hendrik thought about what he said, was it possible someone outside their control had visited the site? If that was true, it would mean putting a lid on everything until that person was identified. For a brief moment, he thought about delaying the shuttle launch, but then thought better of the idea. Enough had already happened to rouse the Inspectors suspicions, delaying the launch was one quick way to make things worse. The last thing they wanted was Earth Gov investigating their operation.

When you get to the lab, ask for Enid Slate, I’ll let her know to expect you. I want to know the moment you find out anything, Hendrik said.

You will be the first to know, Tom replied.

Keep a lid on things Tom, Hendrik said. Our VIP’s launch in a bit over an hour, until then I want it kept quiet. I’ll organise for someone to go out to the site and take a look at the bloodstain and footprints. Hendrik ended the call before he could say anymore.

Tom drove the remainder of the trip in silence. He pulled up outside the Pathology building, a large multi-story complex that was responsible for processing the bulk of the corporations mandated drugs tests. He left the car and walked up to the reception desk which was unattended, as he came close, a hologram appeared at the counter. Receptionist was yet another job that had been replaced by technology. The hologram was of a very attractive woman in her mid-twenties, she was smartly attired with long blond hair and a curvaceous figure. The choice was far from politically correct, yet in market research, the creators had found that people responded well to the design.

May I help you? The holographic attendant said.

You may, I’m looking for someone by the name of Enid Slate, Tom said.

The hologram smiled at him. I’ll page her for you. Please take a seat, it said.

Tom took a seat in the waiting area, conscious of time, he wondered how long he would have to wait. Briefly he glanced at his wristwatch, it was ten forty.

What seemed like a long five minutes later, a tall thin woman in her mid-thirties entered the reception area. She had long black hair that spilled out across the back of her white lab coat, a single hair tie held it back from her face. She came and stood at the edge of the waiting area, and watched Tom briefly before speaking. When she spoke, the first thing he noticed when he made eye contact were her beautiful hazel eyes. You must be Thomas Delaney, she said, Tom noting that she had an English accent.

Tom stood and offered his hand to shake. And you must be Enid, he said, shaking her hand.

Hendrik said you had something for me to analyse, Enid enquired, getting right to the point.

Tom reached into his jacket pocket and removed the sample bag. We need to know whose blood this is, Tom said, handing her the bag.

Enid turned the bag over, examining the evidence. The sample size is a bit small. Do you know how old it is? she asked.

A few days, no more than three, tom answered.

Good, then I should have no problem getting good results. Come with me, you can sit outside my lab while I run the test, Enid said.

Tom followed her through a door and down a corridor. He could see room after room of robots processing samples. Most likely employee urine tests, Tom thought. He followed Enid into the maze of rooms until she stopped at what he thought was her office. You can wait in here, she said. I can’t allow you in my clean room, but you can watch from outside if you want.

How long will it take? Tom asked.

About thirty minutes, Enid said. She put on a pair of medical gloves and entered her lab, using her hips to push the door open.

Tom watched Enid through the window as she laid the tissue flat and then cut away each section with dried blood. Carefully she put the sections into a sample tube, before adding a liquid solution and swirling it around several times with her hand. Satisfied, she put the tube in a centrifuge and turned the device on. Tom decided that watching was not going to make this process go any faster, so he returned to Enid’s office and sat down, for the second time that day he wasted time reading social media.

Enid joined him twenty minutes later. All done, she said. I had to increase the sample size, but that wasn’t a problem. I can tell you that the person you are looking for is a young female.

How do you know the person is young? he asked.

The length of the telomeres, she replied. I’d guess the person we are looking for is under twenty-five years of age.

I guess that is useful information if we don’t get a match, Tom said.

We’ll get a match, Enid said confidently. Every person on Martian soil has their DNA in the system, it just may take Spotty some time to identify them. The cross check is running now, in a few hours I should be able to give you the exact identification of the unknown person. Spotty was the name given to the database that kept the DNA profiles of all Martian citizens. Would you like a coffee while you wait? Enid asked.

Sure, there’s not much more I can do. I’ve had enough of social media for today, Tom replied.

Enid smiled for the first time since Tom had arrived. This way, she said and led him to the tea room. Tom made himself a coffee and then walked back to Enid’s office. Spotty was still searching for a match.

It can sometimes take hours to get a match, Enid said. Tom made a grim face at the prospect of waiting several hours. He decided he might be able to pass the time with idle conversation.

So how do you know Hendrik? Tom asked.

He’s my uncle, Enid replied. Tom looked a little surprised by her reply.

I didn’t know he had other family on Mars, other than his wife that is, Tom said.

I came here on my own ten years ago; I try and avoid contact with my uncle, I’ve always been the kind to do things on my own, Enid explained. Help from my uncle tends to come with strings attached.

Tom had the feeling that her help right now was an example of those strings. Enid’s workstation chimed indicating that spotty had found something.

Looks like we might have a match, Enid said. She turned the display so they could both have a look and changed the focus to the Spotty application. She scanned the information the search program displayed. So far, the search was less than twenty percent through the four million plus data base of records. Below the status bar was one alert. It’s only a partial, Enid said.

What’s a partial? Tom asked.

It’s what you would get if I did a DNA test between you and your father or maybe you and your uncle. You get a partial match. It’s usually an indicator that the person is related. I normally ignore the partials, eventually we get an exact match, Enid said.

Can I have a look at the partial? Tom asked. It might give us a clue as to who we are looking for.

Sure, but it just as easily could give you no clue at all, Enid said. She highlighted the alert and followed the link.

The information took a few seconds to come through. When it did, Tom could not believe what he was seeing, the partial match was Kyle Sommers. As his mind put the clues together, it became clear to him the identity of the unknown woman.

Do you know this person? Enid asked, she could tell by his face that he recognised the person.

Yes, I do, Tom said on the verge of panic. I have to call Hendrik right away, I know who the unknown woman is.

Are you sure? Enid asked. You don’t want to go accusing an innocent person.

I’m certain, Tom said. There is only one person it could possibly be.

You seem very positive about that, Enid replied. Very well, I’ll show you out, Enid said.

Thanks Enid, you’ve been a great help, Tom replied.

Two minutes later, Tom was in his car driving towards the customs office, so far, he had tried three times to call Hendrik and each time there was no answer. In desperation, he tried again and the call connected.

Hendrik, you need to stop the launch! The unknown person, it was Bethany Sommers and she’s seen it all, Tom yelled. There was a pause as Hendrik made sense of what Tom said.

Are you sure Tom? Hendrik asked, a trace of panic in his voice.

Sure enough, Tom said. The DNA test came back with a partial for Kyle Sommers, that means the person has to be related. I would bet anything that Bethany is Kyle’s only relative on this a planet. It all fits Hendrik, a young woman, small shoe size, her being lost in the tunnels. While we all thought she was wandering around down there, she was exploring the dig site.

My God, Hendrik said. She must have walked right past me that very afternoon.

Has the shuttle left yet? Tom asked.

Yes, it took off just before your call came through, Hendrik said.

What do we do? Tom said, panicking.

I’ll call you back, Hendrik hung up abruptly.

Tom tried to control his panic, the VIPs had only just left the planet, there was still a possibility they could do something.

***

Hendrik shook hands with Kyle at the customs office. Just fifteen minutes ago Tom had given him the disturbing news that an unknown person had been at the dig site. The quicker he got rid of Kyle and his daughter, the quicker he could deal with this new development.

I trust you’ve had a pleasant stay, Hendrik said without thinking.

Kyle’s eyebrow shot up slightly, but said nothing. Kyle and Bethany passed through customs, their passports were stamped and they were given the all clear to board the shuttle. One of Hendriks men helped with their luggage.

They passed down the same dank concrete tunnel they had walked up just six days before. Hendrik noted that Bethany seemed very quiet, but then, she had been through a terrible ordeal. Hendrik walked them to the return shuttle, which was essentially the same drop ship they had arrived on six days prior. Two reserve fuel tanks had been strapped to the wing. As they were walking across the landing pad, Hendrik felt the vibration of an incoming call. At this crucial point, he did not want to answer it.

Joshua was waiting for them at the shuttle’s entrance. Kyle, it’s been a pleasure to have you here again, Joshua said, shaking Kyle’s hand. I trust you were happy with what you saw.

All good thanks Joshua. As long as your engineers carry out the corrective work to my specifications, there should be no impact on the end result, Kyle said. Hendrik felt his holloband vibrate again, he continued to ignore the caller.

I’ll make sure Tom and the cable engineers get right on it, Joshua said. I really must apologise again for the incident the other day, most tragic what happened. If your daughter needs any further counselling back on Earth, let my human relations team know and I’m sure they will take care of it.

I’ll be fine, Bethany said before her father could answer. It was the first time Hendrik had heard her speak all morning.

How about you go get settled inside, sweetheart, Kyle said to his daughter. Bethany looked defiant, but did as she was asked and climbed the stairs to the passenger cabin. A few moments later Hendrik saw her at a window seat. His holloband vibrated again, whoever the caller was, they were very persistent.

You have to forgive my daughter; she’s been through a lot, Kyle said.

No need to apologise. I’m sure we all understand, Joshua said. Have a safe flight back to Earth.

I’m sure we will, Kyle replied. He picked up his bag and followed his daughter up the ramp. Hendrik joined Joshua and they walked back to the customs station. Behind them a worker sealed the hatch. Finally, the Sommers family were out of his hair, Hendrik thought. His holloband started to vibrate again, this time he answered it.

Tom’s warning came too late. The shuttle had already taken off and the Sommers family were on their way to Mars station.

***

Bethany looked out the window as the shuttle climbed into the atmosphere. Her dad was sitting next to her. She was glad to be leaving Olympus city, it was not a place she wanted to return to in a hurry. Now that they were aboard the shuttle, she could actually relax and allow herself to feel safe. The past two days had been filled with the constant worry of being discovered. Her dread was wondering what Hendrik and the others would do if they knew she had been to the dig site. Xartax had assured her that she would be safe, that he would protect her. But how could he, he was just a collection of tiny robots.

Not just a collection of tiny robots, Bethany Sommers. When the time comes, you will know just how powerful I can be, Xartax said, speaking in her head. She was finding it a little hard to get use to the fact that she had bonded with the alien construct. She looked at her left arm where the tiny gnats had formed up and then vanished. She wondered how it worked; her arm didn’t feel any different and she could still touch and feel things.

When she had made it out of the tunnels and back to her father’s side, she had given him the code word that she wanted to talk. She told him that Kane would have been proud of her. It was a day later before they had a moment to talk in private. For almost twenty-four hours, Bethany stewed with worry. The opportunity to talk came when they went for a walk to a local restaurant. Along the way they had five minutes to chat in private. Bethany quickly filled her father in on what had happened. If he found the story too incredible to believe, he said nothing. After dinner, they discussed it more on the way back to the hotel. They agreed to continue as normal and hope no one discovered what she had seen. Hopefully they would be on the way to Earth before anyone became aware.

Bethany was unsure how her dad felt about Xartax. He certainly had little to say when she told him about the construct’s mission. Somehow, they had to find his sister who was trapped under the oceans of Earth. She doubted that it would be an easy feat.

The shuttle’s afterburners ignited, and suddenly everyone on board was forced into their seats. Her dad squeezed her hand to reassure her. The shuttle worked on a two-stage principal. It would take off like a normal plane, and then once airborne and almost at cruising height, its afterburners would ignite giving the shuttle its final push into Mars orbit. Minutes later they were on approach to Mars station.

From her seat, Bethany could not see the station, but when the pilot swung the shuttle around for docking, she caught her first glimpse of its twelve concentric rings and the six transport ships held by their docking collars. All slowly spinning around the stations central axis. For Bethany, it was a welcome site. Soon they would be on their way home and she could feel safe.

Chapter 3

Collision

News report April 19th 2320

Olympus City is in mourning today as news breaks of a tragic accident. Thirteen people have died in what is reported to be one of Mars’ worst industrial accidents. Events are sketchy as to the cause, but it is believed that shortly after eleven pm, tunnel borer five collided with an unknown object. In a statement from Joshua Cosgrove, CEO of Olympus Mining, the company stated that they would be working with the families of the deceased in this difficult time.

This morning, operations manager Hendrik Kloppers released the following statement regarding the accident. At this time, we are uncertain as to the cause of the quake that has claimed the lives of thirteen workers. Investigation of the site has begun, with teams working through the wreckage of the TBM as best they can. Sections of the tunnel the crew were working on have completely collapsed, and for this reason it may be many months before we can conclude our investigation. We ask that the public and the families involved be patient while we carry out the delicate work of clearing the rubble and making the site safe.

Fisher Brown – The Olympus Herald

***

Hendrik quickly made some calls and cashed in a few favours. Just a few feet away, Joshua was talking on his holloband to his men that worked on Mars station. They had been unable to stop the shuttle from leaving, but they were going to do their best to stop the fugitives from leaving orbit. Hendrik paced back and forth while he waited for Joshua to finish his call. He had called another of their mining facilities and requested they send their shuttle over urgently. Joshua finished his cell call and put his holloband away.

I’ve called for another shuttle, it will be here in just under twenty minutes, the security detail will be here just before that, Hendrik said.

Good, I’ve alerted my men on the station, they will do their best to stop Kyle and his daughter from leaving. I want you to take charge of this Hendrik, we both could face long prison sentences if this gets out. Do whatever it takes, Joshua said. Those two must not be allowed to leave the station.

And what if anyone else gets in the way? Hendrik asked.

Joshua spread his fingers and clasped them together. Accidents happen in space, Joshua said. If we have to kill everyone on board, so be it.

I understand, Hendrik replied, he knew what he had to do.

The door to the customs office opened and Tom walked in. He quickly joined the two men, he had a questioning look on his face. So, what’s the plan? Tom asked.

We stop them from leaving, Joshua said.

All well and good, but how? Tom said, allowing his panic to be evident.

I have men on the station and Hendrik is leaving with a security detail to detain them, Joshua said. Maybe you should go along with Hendrik, after all, you have as much to lose as the rest of us.

That doesn’t sound like a great idea, Tom objected.

You might be an asset, Hendrik said. You’ve spent the most time with Kyle, he trusts you. That trust may help us to capture him without an incident.

Tom didn’t look convinced, but nodded his head. Further discussion was ended as the security detail arrived, ten men in combat fatigues and carrying assault rifles. The captain of the group immediately walked up to Hendrik and the others. About all you could tell about him was his height, he was covered head to toe in combat armour. A name tag on his vest read CPT Bexleigh.

I hear you have a situation, Captain Bexleigh said.

Yes, we have two suspects to apprehend aboard Mars station. A man and a young girl, I doubt they will be much trouble, Hendrik said.

Well take care of it, Bexleigh said. When do we leave?

We have a shuttle on its way, hopefully it won’t be much longer. Hendrik replied.

If you don’t mind, I’ll leave this in your capable hands, Joshua said to Hendrik. Keep me appraised of the outcome.

Will do, Hendrik said.

Joshua made to leave the customs office, Tom followed him. No doubt to voice his objections in private.

Captain, something we have to be clear on. The two people we seek must never leave the station, do your best to make it look like an accident. Eliminate anyone who gets in the way, Hendrik said.

Understood, Bexleigh replied.

An audible alarm went off in the customs office, indicating that a shuttle had landed. Tom re-entered the office looking rather ashen faced. No doubt Joshua had just made things clear to him.

Hendrik handed Bexleigh two personnel files. These are the two we are after, neither of them is armed. It should be a straight forward clean-up for your team. Hendrik said.

A second alarm could be heard, this indicated that the docking bay was pressurised. Time to go, Hendrik said. Assemble your team captain, we don’t have time to waste.

Bexleigh issued orders to his men and they filed down the tunnel. Tom and Hendrik followed close behind. Tom looked like he wanted to run away.

You alright Tom? Hendrik asked.

No. I didn’t sign up for any of this, he replied.

Look Tom; we stand to make billions from this discovery. I’m not willing to lose that, are you? Hendrik asked.

Tom nodded his head but said nothing, Hendrik felt he would have to keep an eye on him. Perhaps he could not be trusted to do the right thing when the time came.

They boarded the shuttle that had already been fuelled for an orbit take off. It would only take a few minutes for the tanks to be topped off and they could be on their way. Hendrik explained their destination to the captain.

I’m not happy to see armed men aboard my craft, Captain Tao said. He spoke with an Asian accent.

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