First Steps (Founding of the Federation) (53 page)

“Okay,
I've got a dinner at the White house so I will catch you tomorrow.
Try to stay out of trouble Luigi,” Zubrin finished with a smile
and wave before cutting the video. Luigi sat back with a sigh.

“It
will be nice to have some fresh faces, but we're getting a bit
crowded,” Betsy said as she sailed in and sat on his lap.

Luigi
grunted. She was getting heavier, not that he'd ever dream of saying
so. “Yeah,” he sighed. There were eighteen people in the
colony, well, nineteen counting little Piotr. Nine were confirmed to
be staying, the other nine were either returning to Earth on the next
ferry or on the fence. The Treadwells were definitely returning.

She
smiled. “Fashion for the pregnant Mars women leaves a lot to be
desired,” Betsy sighed as she rubbed her tummy. She had
borrowed clothes on.

“Just
be glad Wanda insisted all of Mario's clothes be stretchable,”
he teased.

She
giggled. “Yeah, I feel sorry for Mario though, we pregnant
women keep raiding his closet for clothes.” She smiled as Luigi
stroked her hair.

“I
don't think he minds. As long as you don't go dying it pink,”
he replied. She laughed.

...*...*...*...*...

“Mario
can we build a canal or something to channel the water to the base?
These trips to the well are a pain,” Wanda asked plaintively.
She shook her head and rolled her shoulders in exasperation. Hastily
Mario got up and started to rub her shoulders and neck. She
practically purred giving a small smile to an amused Joyce.

“She's
right, going to the well tapping it, filling the bags, loading them
then hauling them back to base, dumping them, it's a monumental time
suck,” Toshi replied as he came in. He kissed his wife.

“Canals
on Mars? Novel concept, wish someone had thought of it years ago,”
Mario joked. Joyce laughed. Wanda reached behind and pinched him.
“Owe! I was joking!” Mario sighed. “Always beating
me up,” he grumbled.

“Oh
you'll live,” she teased back.

“So
obviously we can't do open canals, what about an aqueduct?”
Toshi asked.

Mario
grimaced. “It would have to be underground and heated to keep
the water flowing. Slopped too or we would have to have pumps,”
he sighed, thinking the concept over.

“A
lot of work?” Joyce asked.

He
nodded. “We had a heck of a time cutting the permafrost to dig
the vaults. Now think about cutting a three meter channel three or
more meters deep two kilometers long?” He shook his head.

Toshi
grimaced. “Yeah. Now that's a time suck,” he sighed.

“What
about running a pipeline?” Luigi asked as he came in. Betsy
followed.

“That's
the idea. Unfortunately we don't have enough materials,” Mario
answered. He patted Wanda as he finished his massage.

She
looked up and smiled at him. “My hero,” she said with a
smile.

“Awe
shucks ma'am twernt nothin,” Mario answered.

Wanda
chuckled. “Stick to Italian you greasy meatball. Disney has the
rights to Goofy remember?” she teased. The others laughed.
Mario shook his head. So much for the western cowboy approach he
thought wryly.

“I
brought along a pipe maker and the plans to modify the brick maker,”
Luigi said as the chuckles ended. The group sobered and stared at
Luigi.

Mario
gave him a look. “Doesn't amount to a hill of beans without
supporting structure. We need rebar inside to make it work. The
duracrete is great under compression, but sucks for tensile stress,”
he waved dismissively.

Luigi
sighed. “Yeah, and we can do a couple pounds of steel wire a
month. At that rate it will be decades to make enough to do a
pipeline. What about plastic?” he asked.

Mario
grimaced and shook his head. “Not nearly enough. I think we
need to hit Doc Zubrin up, see if he can ship out a hose or two we
can use. Maybe some pumps. We can lay it on the surface then bury it
with loose soil,” Mario said sitting down next to Wanda.

Luigi
rubbed his chin. Betsy got up and got herself a drink. “Yeah.
May have to go that route,” he finally sighed.

“Wanda
are there any other water deposits closer?” Betsy asked hugging
her mug with both hands as she took a sip. She looked at her sister
in law as she shook her head.

“No,
we double checked with the ground penetrating radar last year. The
two k spot is the closest,” she replied.

“What
if we combine the three ideas?” Joyce asked slowly.

“Combine
them?” Mario asked looking at her.

“Well,
you have what, three flats of left over bricks, plus that new form,
if we also made some plastic ones...” She shrugged. Mario shook
his head. “Messy. We would get maybe a couple hundred meters,”
he answered. Luigi shook his head then started to brighten.

“I
think he just got an idea, his light bulb just went on,” Betsy
observed dryly.

Luigi
smiled. “Yeah, what about if we make a water truck?” He
looked over to Mario who started to smile.

“You
mean use the wheels from the habs, some of the suspension, make a
fiberglass hull... crap we might be able to snag a tank from the
industrial plant if that doesn't work...” He started to look
thoughtful.

“Yeah,
it's better than nothing I guess,” Joyce answered as the
silence started to get awkward. Mario chuckled.

“Since
Wanda is going on this next road trip, do you want to give me a hand
with the design?” Mario asked Luigi.

Luigi
chuckled. “Let’s try the fiberglass out on that airship
first. We don't have an autoclave big enough, so maybe recycling a
tank is better...” He smiled as they left the others behind.
Toshi looked around.

“Well,
it's something I guess,” Wanda sighed.

...*...*...*...*...

Tess
sighed as Mario sat back. "Whatcha doin hon?" Wanda came in
and kissed him on the cheek.

He
chuckled. "I'd hug you but..." He held up resin covered
hands.

She
grimaced and shook her head firmly no. "No thanks, I don't need
that on me; this is my last good uniform." Which was true. They
were all looking a little worn. She'd have to get onto Mario and
Luigi about making textiles, even if it was nylon or polyester. She
shivered at the idea of letting Mario loose in polyester.

He
chuckled. "We're trying out the autoclave with some fiberglass,"
Mario explained as Tess finished up.

"Is
ready," Tess said. She picked up the piece and slid it into the
chamber.

"Fiberglass?"
Wanda asked.

"Yeah,
we can make fiberglass with the glass works. Only problem is it takes
an autoclave to cure the resin properly," Mario explained.

Wanda
kissed his cheek then rubbed his shoulders. "Fiberglass huh? Is
there any chance you can make a hot tub?" she asked
suggestively. Tess looked up and then looked thoughtful. She smiled
but Mario was shaking his head.

Her
face fell. "We don't have an autoclave big enough. Not
yet
at least," he said as she pouted. He grimaced.

"Nothing
you two intrepid engineers can't handle right?" Joyce teased as
she came in chewing on a carrot.

Tess
chuckled as she shut the door and locked it down. "Is possible,
we can see. Maybe brick..." she suggested.

Mario
grimaced. "I'd hate to do that with a brick structure, the
constant heat and overpressure..." He waved.

She
nodded. "Da, good point. Must be metal," she replied.
"Whole Mars is iron. Will take time to make steel." She
waved as they exited.

"Right,
I'm going to get cleaned up," Mario sighed.

“They
are off to the canyon tomorrow right?” Joyce asked.

Mario
nodded. “Yeah. She's excited.” He smiled. “Mission
control had to order her back when she and Waldecker got to the
mouth. Both of them were pretty put out about that,” he
chuckled. Joyce nodded.

...*...*...*...*...

Wanda
looked up at the cliff face and whistled softly. “Nice view
huh?” Bruce asked.

“I
love it. You can just imagine where the water level was.” She
pointed to the signs of the river.

“Yeah,
it cut right through this canyon like the grand canyon back home
right?” Mary asked.

“Yeah,
looks that way.” Wanda looked around.

“I
don't see any fossils,” Mary observed, sounding disappointed.

“Yeah,
I was hoping for something too,” Bruce replied.

“We've
seen signs of what appears to be fossilized coral, but the scientists
back home are split down the middle on it. The floor fights are
getting ugly,” Wanda sighed.

Doctor
Hotamba nodded. “Yes, is getting nasty.” He smiled
perfect white teeth. “I almost got my nose flattened in an
argument,” he chuckled.

Wanda
giggled. “Yeah, I can believe it.” She shook her head.

“So,
we're going to drive down the rest of the Marines canyon then go back
and check out some of the side chasms and gorges right?” Doctor
Hotamba asked.

Wanda
nodded. “That's the plan. Weather, supplies, and the sun
permitting of course,” Bruce responded with his own nod.

Doctor
Hotamba smiled again. “Good, we may find some unique specimens
in the side canyons if they are properly sheltered from the wind and
weather.” He looked at Mary. “You see, part of the
problem with finding clear evidence of life or the lack there of is
the weather and erosion. We cannot be sure,” he sighed and
shrugged helplessly. Wanda nodded.

“Yes,
nothing like a dino fossil has jumped out at us yet. Everything looks
small, like coral or single cell life forms, but natural weather,
geologic, and erosive patterns can explain it as well. We don't have
anything that is conclusive,” she said in disgust. She shook
her head.

“It
must be frustrating,” Mary murmured sympathetically. The two
scientists nodded.

“Yes.Yes
it is,” Wanda sighed.

 ...*...*...*...*...

Doctor
Hotamba looked out over the cliff edge then back to Mr. Treadwell and
grinned. "Is no problem, thirty, maybe forty meters." He
clipped into the safety line then started to lower himself down.

"Are
you sure about this Doctor?" Wanda asked.

"Is
no problem, I did it when I was a child. I be back in a moment."
Hotamba huffed as he climbed down the line. "I must swing around
outcrop." He huffed a bit.

"We
can't see you anymore, that cell is overhanging you," Wanda
called. She felt a little concern; he was out of sight and hanging
over the edge of the cliff face.

"Yeah
I know. There are some interesting formations under it; it looks like
a good snapshot for the time line... There is a seam of rare metal as
well, sparkles. Gold? Or Pyrax? I am not sure." The Doctor swung
his pick ax. "I have a sample, I'm going to move over to the
left and see if I can get a hand hold." He swung the line back
and forth.

"Careful,
that safety line is strong, but you’re out on a single line,"
Wanda cautioned.

"Is
okay," The Doctor huffed. "I see something, I got hand
hold."

He
tapped for a few moments. "I took pictures, but I am not sure
they will come out, I am very close. It looks like a line of quartz.
If it is we can prove that gold and quartz are together on more than
Earth! So exciting!" He tapped some more. "Okay, I'm going
to swing to other side." He panted and let go. Wanda watched as
the line swung back and forth.

"Something
is wrong look at the line near the rock," Mr. Treadwell
cautioned, voice tight with concern.

"Get
back up here, something’s wrong with your line," Wanda
called. "Did you hear me?"

"Almost
got it...” The Doctor called.

"Forget
it, your line is abrading!" Treadwell called urgently. The line
jerked.

"That
rock spur your hanging under is acting like a saw blade, every time
you swing you cut your own line! Get out of there Sadnire!"
Wanda replied urgently.

"What?"
Sadnire asked. "I don't see it. I am going for it. We won’t
have another chance." He started to swing again.

"No
it's not worth it!" Wanda called. Suddenly the line went slack
and they heard him scream. "No!" Wanda rushed to the
precipice. They could see his line dangling. They heard the scream
cut off with a watery thud and loud hiss after a moment.

"Sadnire!
SADNIRE!" Wanda and Treadwell called.

"He's
gone," Bruce Treadwell replied shaken. He looked over the cliff.
"There is so much dust at the bottom; he must have hit full
force to have kicked up that much," Treadwell replied, trying to
keep his voice level and professional.

"Shut
up, I think I can hear something," Wanda raised her hand to her
helmet.

"Yeah,
I hear it too, groaning and hissing," Mrs. Treadwell replied.

"We've
got to get down there." Wanda started to scramble for the line.

"Are
you nuts? You saw what happened to him! Go down there and the rocks
will cut the line!" Bruce Treadwell held her arm.

"We've
got to try!" Wanda half crazed replied.

"All
right, two lines and the winch." Treadwell pulled the line out
of the winch. "Pull forward dear, right to the edge."
Carefully Mrs. Treadwell pulled the rover right up the edge until the
winch was overhanging the void below.

"The
groaning stopped," Mrs. Treadwell said softly.

Wanda
didn't even look up. "Gotta get down there." She attached
the safety line to her harness. They didn't have any telemetry from
his suit; it must have been knocked out by the fall.

"Okay,
I have it." Treadwell snapped the clip of the winch to her.
"We'll lower you down as far as we can so your line will be
slack and not get ripped. I'm attaching a second safety line from the
winch hook to you and to the frame." He fed the line through the
hook then clipped it to the small D ring at her back.

"Gotcha."
Wanda gave a thumbs up.