Connection (23 page)

Twlise looked at him oddly as he lit the brush in a line behind them.

“Trust me – it’s our only chance. The wind is blowing faster than we can move.”

The fire was getting intense and the heat was stifling already. “Robert. We’re going to die. It’s so hot. I love you. I’m sorry…”

“Move behind us where we started the fire over there in that little depression. There’s a clear patch. Scrape away two body lengths long and one wide – all the way down to the dirt. Quick – quick! We only have a few seconds. Keep you nose close to the ground.” Robert was recovering his strength a bit with the rush of adrenaline but didn’t want to stand because the heat and smoke were so strong. He crawled over to Micha’s body and dragged the body to the cleared patch.

Robert ripped open the pouch he had found on Micha’s belt and shook open a foil tent where Twlise had just finished frantically clearing an area. “Slide in here and roll on your stomach. I’ll lie on top of you. Keep your head down and keep your hands in close to your body.”

Twlise got into the little foil tent in the ditch. Robert crawled on top of her and pulled Micha’s body on top of himself but pushed Micha’s arms forward as ‘dead’ weight to hold down the front sides of the tent. He sealed the tent. He put his head over her shoulder, beside Twlise. He wanted as much space as he could because the air acted as insulation between the tent walls and their bodies. He used his feet to hold down the rear of the tent. The fire was enveloping their area now.

“Robert – I’m burning. It hurts. You’re crushing me. I can hardly breathe.”

“Don’t talk. I love you,” he said in her ear as the heat became unbearable as the wall of flame was washing over the tent area. The pinholes in the tent glowed evilly. Robert squeezed his eyes shut and felt the heat more from the sides than his back. He smelled the sweet, sickly smell of burning flesh from Micha’s body and appreciated the added insulation provided by the corpse. The fire seemed to go on forever. Twlise was sobbing. He wanted to get out but knew it was worse outside. A magazine of ammo started going off – must have fallen from Micha’s belt. The crackling, snapping roar of the flames seemed to last – forever.

                                                                     ****

Dorin Dumitru got the call reporting the account numbers he had gotten from Robert were no longer valid. “Yeah. They’re both dead. Girl was naked and guy was in no condition to run anywhere. Yeah – got it,” he said talking into a phone through the repeater in one of their vans. “Remember we’re firefighters…had to learn about that stuff…gets to 980 degrees Celcius. We’ll head out then…right,” he said and turned to his remaining people. “Take any stuff with serial numbers and torch the buildings.” He knew Micha had been killed when he heard the shot and didn’t want to waste any more men. They had started the fires knowing it would kill Kobe and that bitch of his. He knew the fires would keep burning for days. It wasn’t his country and he didn’t care if he burned all the rich Americans. He took the three bodies from the inside and had them carried about fifty feet into the burned out brush. Dorin poured liberal amounts of gasoline on the bodies and lit them before firing the building too. They were pulling away from the site in fifteen minutes.

                                                                                     ****

“Twlise. Twlise. It’s getting cooler. I think we can get out soon.”

“My arms and feet are burned Robert,” she said. “I can’t walk out there.”

“Okay darling. We’re going to make it. There is an extra pair of shoes on top of me,” he said while pushing Micha’s corpse off him and the foil tent just fell apart. It let in a wave of heat but it was bearable if they kept their heads low to the ground. They could see the fire burning in the distance and small patches still smoldering nearby. Everything around them looked charred and the corpse was half cooked. Robert took the shoes off even though most of the soles had melted. The flesh came off with the shoe and sock and he nearly threw up cleaning it out with his back to Twlise.

Robert gave Twlise the shoes and she put them on while crying from the pain.

“Let’s see if we can get back to the buildings and find you some clothes.” Micha’s clothes were literally falling apart.

Robert was feeling more normal as the effect of the drugs wore off and he helped Twlise limp back toward one building that seemed unscathed. They kept their handguns at the ready but they weren’t in any shape to hike out. “Too bad they cut out my communicator. I’d call for room service.”

“They never found mine Robert. Guess they didn’t think I had one yet,” Twlise said.

“Darling. Call Tom. He’ll…”

“It doesn’t work. There is no cell phone coverage here except if you have a ‘repeater’ – that’s what one of the men said.” Twlise started shaking all over. “I’m so cold.”

“Okay darling. We’re going to be okay. I’ll find you some clothes. We still have the lighter. We can start a fire,” he said and Twlise started crying at the irony and pain.

Robert tore through the old building, kicking open jammed doors, and ripping open cabinets. He finally found some work lockers in the back that had an old coverall and work jacket. He grabbed them and raced back to Twlise. She had fallen over and was breathing rapidly. He put the overall on her as she gasped as he touched her burns and then put an old metal box under her ankles. He stomped a couple of old pallets into pieces and used some paper to start a fire in the center of the room – he opened the doors and windows.  He collapsed next to her and fell fitfully to sleep.

Some hours later…”T.lis..Ca..sandra. Re.d ..u…back in 88 min..ts”

Twlise thought it was a dream but over an hour later heard the roar of an engine and heard a ship landing.

“Twlise. This is Cassandra. Honey…I need you to wake up Robert and come out to me. I can’t come to you. You two just need to make it out to me.”

“Robert. I hear Cassandra talking,” Twlise said while shaking Robert.

“It’s okay darling. We’ll get out of this…it’s just your imagination.”

Twlise shook Robert hard. “She’s outside. Get up…get up! She’s right outside.”

“It’s just your imagination,” Robert said.

Twlise slapped him hard. “It is not my imagination? Get up and help me outside…go,” she demanded.

Robert staggered to his feet and helped Twlise up. They stumbled to the door and saw the most beautiful sight in the world – Cassandra was gleaming in the morning sun. The door opened and the short ladder reached down. Twlise whimpered as she climbed when the metal touched her burns. Robert just gritted his teeth and pushed Twlise up when she stalled. He didn’t cry out in pain but he whimpered. “Cassandra. Take us some place safe where you can refuel and we can get medical help. We need to arrange for Professor LeEck and Chief Latima to join us. Can you do that?” he said as he collapsed into the seat. Robert made sure Twlise was strapped in and then pulled his own straps tight.

“Drink this,” Cassandra said as two flasks filled by their hands and they sucked the liquid – heavenly for their parched lips. The last they remembered was the roar of the acceleration.

Robert only feeling curious how Cassandra could ‘hand’ him anything before losing consciousness.

                                                      ****

“Welcome to Mars Mister Kobe. We’ll take good care of you and your lady,” said a man in some type of medic uniform. “The burns aren’t too bad – we are good with burns here since the atmosphere is still so thin. Colonists used to get burns all the time thinking the sun wasn’t that hot – one of our specialties.”

“Not sure I can pay for…” Robert started but the man cut him off.

“Sir – your ship has given us links to several bank accounts and your local office at the shipyard has guaranteed any charges,” the medic said as they were carried to a modern clinic inside the dome.

“You said something about a shipyard and local office?”

“Yes sir. Kobe Industries has a local office and its own shipyard – they’re managed from Earth, I’m told, by Mister Tod Kratman from your Bakersfield office…and you, of course. We’ll take you there after you’ve been treated. We have a collagen salve we use that rebuilds the skin – not permitted for use on Earth because it doesn’t meet their import standards – ‘not invented here’ issues sir. There is still a lot of anti-colony sentiment I guess. It would put a lot of other products out of business.”

Robert and Twlise marveled at their rapid recovery. The collagen salve and IV fluids restored them rapidly as did the lighter gravity. The view of a nearby shipyard was unbelievable. Robert could see furious activity and saw the covered outlines of several ships. The yard foreman, Grace Müller, met Robert as soon as he was escorted out of the treatment room. She was as serious as she was beautiful. Her hair was tied back in a bun – she was brusk to Robert and seemed to resent him for some reason. They introduced themselves and then Twlise came over and grasped her hand.

“I like your hair like that. I have never seen hair put up like that – is it to get out of your way when you work?” Twlise said.

It was hard for Grace to rebuff such a friendly – naive greeting. She seemed taken aback.  “Yes. I put my hair this way to get out of the way when I work.”

“Oh…Marvelous,” Twlise said delighted. “Will you show me?”

“Of course dear,” Grace said gently, “but first I have to show you the work we’ve been doing for your…for Mister Kobe.”

“Do I detect some resentment Ms. Müller?” Robert said perplexed.

“We’ve been working on your ship since you got back and we still haven’t gotten all the plans. Some of the features are odd and we’d like explanations – we haven’t gotten them – just makework jobs. We are craftsmen and want to participate in the design.”

“I suppose we could talk with Tod Kratman but I would hate the 30 minute delay between a question and the answer,” Robert said.

Grace raised her eyebrows and chuckled, “Well – surprise surprise to us all – we thought it was...nevermind. Let’s go into my office and make a call.”

Robert was confused. He didn’t know anything about any ship being built for him. Hell. He didn’t even know he HAD a Mars office. He took Twlise by the hand and led her into the office. They sat down around a common terminal.

A few seconds later – Tod Kratman appeared on the screen. There was no delay. He spoke. “Hi Grace. See Robert and Twlise in the background. Appreciate the heads up that you were all right. We thought you’d gone walkabout – then we find out you’d been kidnapped and tortured.”

“How can we talk without a time delay Tod?” Robert asked. He was stunned. What the hell was going on? He hadn’t informed anybody about anything but he was beginning to suspect.

Robert placed a call to Cassandra with a newly replaced subcutaneous communicator.

“Don’t get mad boss. I just took some of your notes and ‘kinda’ tweaked the design…a quantum commincator. I sent them to your office and your Mars office,” Cassandra explained.

“Uh huh,” he said and then asked both. “How long did it take you to get the prototypes working and tell me your role in the ship? I’m still a little fuzzy since the attack.”

Kratman laughed. “Damn boss. This communicator didn’t take long to build at all. Who knew? We can rebuild your wealth from just this design – it is sweet. We still don’t know how far it will work. We got the audio portion working last month and the video components finally got working the day you showed up on Mars.”

“Uh huh,” Robert said.

“Don’t be mad boss,” Cassandra explained. “I just took the designs in a logical direction knowing you were otherwise…occupied. I filed the patents in your name, internationally, so the US couldn’t claim they were in the national interest and block you using them. The Chinese and French have already signed agreements to manufacture the equipment – they would have stolen the designs otherwise and this way you can make money with every unit they manufacture.”

“Uh huh. Tell me about the ship. I want to know where you stand and why you haven’t been working closer with the shipyard here on Mars,” Robert said like he never heard anything.

“Exactly,” Grace said. “Do you intend to share this technology with Mars? We need it and I have mixed feelings about having to keep from informing my collegues here.”

Cassandra chipped in. “Boss I can fly to Earth and back and pick up enough components now that my fuel has been topped off.”

“Exactly the right question Ms. Müller. I plan to send my ship back to Earth to pick up enough components to manufacture the units cheaply right here on Mars. This needs to be the shipping hub for the system.”

“So that’s why you needed such a big ship?” Müller asked.

“Yep,” Robert said. “How’s it coming? Tod?”

“Well. Most of it is pretty standard but the hull material is giving us fits. Even with asteroid mining operations, it’s been hard to get this alloy in plate form. We’ve never had an alloy before that would deform like putty. Where did you get the idea that certain resonant frequencies would allow the alloy to be so malleable and then the crystalline structure would lock. We…they…the shipyard has had a time figuring out how to cover the whole shell in a continuous pattern that would meld together before it set. They’ve had to start over several times but they got it this week didn’t you Grace.”

“Right Tod. I’m a bit put out with Mister Kobe here for not telling us how to do it in the first place. We can’t weld that stuff after it sets. It doesn’t transfer heat – nor get hot with radiant heat  -- even conductive heat doesn’t affect it. Its been driving us nuts though we’re getting good at it. Where did you get the idea for this stuff?” Grace asked.

“Uh. My ship Cassandra gives me all my best ideas. Shall we go look at it?” Robert asked as Cassandra chuckled over his communicator.

“Let me know Robert,” Tod said. “Do you still need all that you asked for? Some of that material is supposed to be non-export. You still haven’t said how you’ll power it all. Five megawatt infrared-lasers?”

“Still need it Tod. Will send transport for it when you have it at one defensible location.” Robert was getting a bit peeved at Cassandra.

“Defensible? Do you think the government will try to stop you?” Tod asked.

“What do you think? Did you find out how they got through our people at the estate in the first place?”

“Oh that. Yeah. Pyburn found one of his guys had turned and let them slip in. Didn’t kill anyone and LeEck and Latima are still fine. Pyburn found one of his guys missing the same day you got snatched and found a large wire transfer to that guy’s account. The consortium funded it we think – also there appears to be government sponsored ties probably through Academi, Olive Group, and G4S. You’re right about that armament. I’ll have it ready – where they held you – as soon as you have the transport that can pick up that much. I’ll send you specs on shipping now. I got your inventory of needed parts you can’t get on Mars.”

“Okay Tod. Talk with you later. We’re going to inspect the ship,” he said and shut down the connection.

“Ships…” Grace said.

“Excuse me?” Robert queried.

“The large ship and a smaller shuttle that fits inside the hangar deck. In fact – the shuttle and the Cassandra would both fit inside,” Grace said. “We constantly scan for implanted devices like you asked. Cassandra has caught a few attempts to sabotage the communications.”

“Ah Cassandra,” Twlise broke in after being a fly on the wall and just listening to the conversation around her up ‘til now.

Robert looked at her and it was obvious she got it. “Uh huh,” he said and Twlise burst out laughing.

“Did I miss something?” Grace said looking bemused. “A private joke?”

“Yes. Yes. A private joke,” Twlise said. “We are very pleased at your marvelous work. We can hardly believe you’ve accomplished so much in so little time.”

“Oh. We appreciate the thanks but Mister Kobe – you’ve been doing all the work and coordinating the orders and fixing glitches ever since you got back. We were amazed you could do so much even during that awful trial. I will say, there is much less bureaucracy here than on Earth and everyone appreciates the work. Our shipyard is going to the place where everyone builds new ships. The government here is backing this because the materials for hulls come from the asteroids you plotted for us. The asteroid belt is certainly closer to Mars and Titan than it is to Earth and your refining methods are ingenious with the solar smelting. It’s like you took every good idea humans ever had and blended them together. All the tricks, new and old are in there and you give such detailed instructions,” Grace said warming up to them.

“Cassandra…” Robert started to say and then an ‘unh uh’ came over his communicator. “Cassandra was where all the designs started from and Professor LeEck had some novel ways of looking at materials. It’s like that burn salve of yours – that stuff puts everything else to shame. The people on LesMa are way ahead of us in some areas. Every culture gets blind spots. We saw that when we realized how clean the environment was on LesMa.”

Cassandra came over his subcutaneous communicator. “We’ll talk this out after you see the ships.”

“Uh huh,” Robert sub-vocalized as they got in ground transport and rode over to the huge dome of the shipyard.

Twlise had seen pictures but her mouth dropped open as she saw how large it was. “How do you do that?”

“Impressive isn’t it?” Grace said. “The atmosphere here is still thin. There is water deep beneath us and pyrite formation releases some methane. The terraforming isn’t too far along but the lichen is growing well as well as some phytoplankton and ammonia shipments from Titan. The gravity being less than Earth is a blessing and a curse. We’re constantly working out to prevent bone loss. The strong winds and dust plague us, but this roofed-over valley is perfect. We put up a dome, sprayed a polymer on top, and then covered it with soil.”

“Power?” Robert asked.

“We have a large fusion reactor that powers most everything though there are newer, smaller fusion reactors as backups. Everything here is redundant: power, water, air, humidity, radiation protection, sanitation, and food. That’s why your ships are such a godsend. We produce specialty items and tourism for the uber rich but it’s been a hard life up to now – everything is so expensive because we have to make it, import it, or do without. Your ship will give us work and the technologies you’ve introduced will keep us viable. Here we are,” she said as their vehicle slid to a stop at a huge loading platform.

“My god,” Robert said. “It seems bigger in real life.”

“Its just like you ordered…two hundred meters in length with a thirty-meter beam. I always thought it looks like a thunderbolt of Zeus with its sharp angles. I do like the funny scalloping that’s hooked to the sensors and communications.”

Robert thought it looked like a thunderbolt too. It was an enormous square body with a wedge shaped bow and a streamlined aft end with winglike tails. He walked closer and saw the large landing bay. The shuttle appeared complete beside the large ship. The shuttle looked like a cross between the ones on the old Star Trek series and a lifting body but had a much larger cargo capacity. On second thought, it looked like a flying container on steroids. “How far along is the shuttle?”

“That was finished a couple of weeks ago and we’ve been testing it. It works well though we haven’t tested the bias drive. Flight performance is outstanding. Putting the engines on top of the cargo space actually worked out well. It doesn’t have the life support for more than a week though – depends on the number of personnel but it should be good to go.”

“How many adults can it hold? Payload?” Robert asked as they entered the shuttle up the rear ramp. “What does it use for power? Is it like the Cassandra?”

“It uses a small fusion reactor like Cassandra but is a lot more robust – you could say. It uses standard fuel to reach orbit in atmosphere. We get that from Titan. It can hold about eighteen adults counting the pilot and co-pilot. It has the same payload capacity and holds a standard intermodal cargo container Earth uses on road, rail, and ocean going ships. Actually, Kratman used the standard container dimensions (12.19m x 2.44m x 2.59m) with rollers. Containers just roll right in. We were just about to do a test run. The shell is made of the same molybdenum, titanium, iron, silicate slurry – we call it ‘metacrete’ because when it is foam mixed in the proportions you gave us – it ‘sets’ within a few hours. We are able to keep it malleable for longer if we apply a heavy current through it. That’s the ‘trick’ we had to learn. It then ‘sets’ within a couple of minutes of us cutting off the current. It requires whole new ways to handle it – techniques not given to us by you I might add,” Grace said looking a bit put out. “Once this stuff is set – it is set. You can’t cut it, weld it, or damage it. We haven’t figured how to replace damaged sections yet but we think prolonged exposure to a high power laser may – I repeat – may – cut the stuff.”