Panspermia Deorum (12 page)

“Eugene, I’m
sorry to drag you away from the family reunion, but what I have to
say is for your ears only, at least for now. If you like what you
hear, then I can begin preparations to create a completely new
department. You need to think this through carefully, so don’t even
try to give me an answer now. Take all the time you need. Assuming
Kepler touches down on Mars, and the resupply chain hits no snags,
I’m sure we will find that it is a very inhospitable place. Not
just the physical aspects, but the mental fortitude required for
long spells of ‘leisure’ time. It’s a subject which has been
simulated by some organisations, especially NASA back in the day.
However, all of those tests had the option to abort if something
went wrong. I’m being deliberately pessimistic when asking – what
will it be like if we fail to deflect the asteroid? Even if the
colonists can become self-sufficient by 2039, the prospect of a
handful of people clinging on to life will be dire. They have to
consider procreation, but will they want to bring other souls into
an alien world with so little to offer?

“Listen
carefully, Eugene. I’ve read quite a lot on the work you currently
do, and it occurred to me that there might be some overlap with
this mission. You seem to imply that in the domain of the very
small - bacteria, viruses, diatoms and the like, there are
‘mechanisms’ which exist in abundance, thus giving their species a
strong chance to adapt to external stimuli. Mechanisms which human
research has largely ignored.”

“Now you
have
got my attention, Dad. Sorry… please carry on.”

“Ok, now let’s
jump to something you told me relatively recently. You made a
comment when Sophie was at her lowest ebb, one which stuck in my
mind. If I remember it accurately, you claimed that viruses, when
adapting to a host could actually affect
our
physiology. The
mental change which follows that shift is often attributed to
cerebral residue, depression etcetera, whereas you said there could
be increasing evidence of mutation of our DNA at play. If this
still holds true in your mind, I want research done as quickly as
possible.”

“That’s a hell
of a tall order. We would need state-of-the-art facilities, and
that would just be the beginning. We would also need some of the
best microbiologists on the planet.”

“I know that,
but in the scenario of life on Earth being extinguished, what else
is there to invest paper or electronic money in? It becomes
irrelevant. Just answer one more question. You intimated that
schizophrenia was a typical condition which could result from the
genes we humans were born with. But, in a wider context, we have to
include examples from the entire animal kingdom. We then find that
some genes are switched on to form wings, other switching patterns
can cause deficiency in immunity to life-threatening diseases. In
the case of schizophrenia, couldn’t we engineer some of these virus
activities you mentioned to combat the affliction rather than
causing it?”

“Uh, well, I
suppose it should be possible in principle. But hang on a moment,
all we have up until now are observations. It’s a big step from
watching viruses waving their magic wand to us making them do our
bidding”

“Sure, I get
that. However, the ethics lobby will disappear if the asteroid gets
past our defences, we could all be dead! Also, Eugene, if that time
comes and there is no hope, people here will not be thinking about
the fledglings on Mars, mark my words. From where I sit at this
moment in time, we have to take this awful possibility into
account. I’d like to explore whether we can change human resistance
to all kinds of physical and mental degradation. Just sitting and
hoping we might be lucky enough to dodge toxic atmosphere,
radiation, utter depression at being a survivor isn’t good enough,
it all feels so negative. We have to do something while we have
time, and anyway, I appear to be calling the shots now. Is this
task sufficiently interesting to get you thinking about joining
me?”

“First
reaction? Absolutely, but I’m going to take your advice and look
into what it all means. I don’t want to get to 2039 and realise it
was all just a pipe dream.”

*

Eugene left to
link up with Sophie, as they both wanted to see the proposed site
for their father’s new property. Julien had laid on the transport
and was pleasantly surprised to hear that Geraldine had gone with
Eugene for a second look. It gave Julien the opportunity to speak
with Elise alone, but first he had to check his in-tray. There was
a message and he was more than a little relieved that Brandt had
managed to halt any intent to waste precious burn capacity. Elise
arrived and began to express her wonder at the change in her
daughter’s attitude. Julien smiled, and let her finish before
launching the difficult question.

“This man
you’ve met, has it become a physical relationship yet?”

“It’s really
none of your business, Julien. A bull in a china shop couldn’t
cause more damage than… than your tongue when it comes to delicate
matters. I will try to answer your question before I return to
Lyon. I was honest when I told you I’d met someone, so please allow
me…at least a few days with the kids before we sour the family
atmosphere… yet again. Let us change the subject for now. I thought
you had invited me here on my own to see if I would reconsider
staying here. Sophie does love Guiana, so have you talked Eugene
into joining your…your fan club?”

“He has a
specific offer to consider, and I advised him to take his time
before letting me know what he wants to do.”

“Oh, that’s
good. I wouldn’t like to be the only one who might spoil the
party.”

“Elise, I know
I’ve been a selfish bastard all my life. I don’t deserve your
loyalty any longer. I was going to say that if your relationship
had become sexual, I’d understand. I’m too old to change some
habits, but I still want to make you feel welcome at any time here
in Guiana. That applies whether or not the kids get sick of the
place and return to Europe. I don’t really want to meet this guy,
but I wouldn’t object if you came with him. I don’t want to lose
you completely, and anything I can do to retain the bond between us
is uppermost in my mind. I just hope that you appreciate exactly
why I can’t abandon the work I’ve committed to. I still love you
dearly, and I admit I never seemed to show it. I can’t put that
right, and I really don’t blame you for looking elsewhere. Can we
still be friends?”

“Of course,
just let me enjoy the break and we can talk before I go back. And,
thank you for saying you’re ok with me seeing… well, being friends
with someone else. The world might end for all of us, and I do
realise the importance of what you are doing about it.”

They hugged as
they parted, and she saw how her husband was struggling to keep his
emotions under control.

J
ulien received the call from his driver to say
Kolorov had been picked up at the airport. It was the signal he
needed to prepare the flight deck. He’d considered the conundrum
facing the Mars mission relentlessly, and finally concluded that he
would never be able to think along the same lines as Brandt.
However, he had to trust someone with such experience, as much as
that in itself was troublesome. Kolorov had scores to settle and
would therefore be driven by such a need; he also had to have
employment which provided the means to achieve his objective. It
was a question of
how long
rather than
if
he should
align himself with the Russian. All screens were blacked out but
ready to go at the flick of a switch.

“Good morning,
Delacroix. My god, I knew Volker had his fingers in many pies, but
hell, this is beyond anything I ever imagined. I really
underestimated the man, in more ways than I was prepared to
admit.”

Julien shook
his hand and ushered him to sit in the ‘cockpit’.

“Yes, I think
we both thought we knew Volker better than we actually did. So, to
business. Perhaps you should begin, with how you claim to know
about the smoking mirrors of the Mars mission. That really is the
key, you know, as to whether or not we have mutual interest in
working together.”

“Fine. It is
not rocket science, forgive the humour, but you must have guessed I
was kicked out of Soyuz because Brandt timed the announcement of
his new launch date so perfectly. I was one of many employees
suspected of leaking the intention that we were hell-bent on
attempting to get to Mars before VB Aerospace. Soyuz were then
pressured by NERO to set an even more ludicrous date to launch.
Virtually every technician who could be linked with this ‘assumed
betrayal’ of Soyuz was interrogated. Every one of them had deemed
this premature launch as extreme folly, and repeated their views,
even under duress. Despite the evidence they produced to show their
innocence, they were subsequently dismissed. Soyuz itself didn’t
really want to take such draconian action because they lost some of
their best people. But NERO insisted that the cleansing had to
happen, otherwise their investment would be withdrawn. Money always
wins in the end. The purge was overseen by Henry Fellowes, a really
devious bastard, you must know of him, surely?”

“I actually
know the man quite well, he made a favourable impression on me when
he restored my pension rights and got rid of Waverly. Having said
that, I did think at the time it was a damage limitation decision
rather than any moral judgement about my predicament.”

“Right, I see.
Well, he basically runs everything and everybody in both
organisations now. Some of the people who escaped his edict are
still friends of mine. They do not accept what Soyuz has become,
but, like myself, they don’t have better prospects. I have to be
honest with you, if I had been offered re-instatement by Soyuz I
would have accepted, especially as Brandt washed his hands of me
completely. So, there you have it, that’s
how
I know, but
not
what
I know. I hope we can now progress to whether you
feel able to employ me, assuming the information I have is
important to you, and then what can be done about the situation.
Knowing something is one face of the dice. Proving it, using it,
pretending you don’t know about it, and reversing its effect, make
up the other faces – all but one. When we last spoke I asked you to
prepare a contract offer, unsigned, and then we could get down to
specifics. Do you have such a written offer for me to look at?”

“Yes, I have it
ready, but before I let you peruse it, I have to know how Soyuz and
NERO are likely to react to you joining us. I know we’ve touched on
this already, but it is pivotal with respect to what is in the
contract.”

“Putting it
bluntly, they will shit themselves. They truly believe I am a spent
force, tarred as a double agent, to be avoided by other respected
organisations around the world. The only exception is VB Aerospace,
because you already know how I was hung out to dry by Brandt. Soyuz
and NERO could never have foreseen you succeeding him. I have an
inside track and they know that, and you offering me a job is the
last thing they want to see happen. I can put you in control of the
immediate future, you will surely judge me on how I achieve this,
and you don’t have much time to play with. The proof of that is
evident – you almost sanctioned a completely unnecessary burn
programme – the first step to crippling the Mars mission. Whatever
you decide, do it quickly, otherwise my leverage will decrease and
your objectives will become collateral damage.”

Julien pushed
the contract across the table for Kolorov’s perusal. The Russian
studied every clause carefully and finally spoke.

“Are you
serious about asking me to take over the leadership of Mars mission
control?”

“Of, course.
Why? Does that scare you?”

“Quite the
opposite, in fact, but you must realise it would raise my profile
to such an extent that NERO will sharpen their knives. I can handle
that, but can you handle Brandt?"

“He can’t
interfere much out there in space, and Captain Muller seems to be
on a crusade to diminish his influence on Kepler. It won’t be a
problem. Now, let me have the contract back and tell me what’s
really going on. Then I may sign it.”

“Ok, where to
begin? I think we can start with Waverly’s demise. Henry Fellowes
needed him out of the way to convince the board of NERO to align
themselves with Soyuz. He manipulated the terms to deliver his own
candidacy for merging the two company structures, saving a hell of
a lot of money, but more importantly, to plant his spies throughout
Soyuz. Once that was done, it was only a matter of time before he
‘bowed’ to the clamour to head up the new beast he’d created. One
of his first decisions was to head-hunt the ex-employees of VB
Aerospace who’d left because Brandt promoted you to oversee both
the asteroid programme and the Mars mission. These people were more
than happy to be primed to sabotage Kepler’s quest. They still had
friends in your organisation, and some were carefully selected and
offered serious inducements to devise a plan, whereby you would
convince yourself that there was something wrong with the vessel.
Whether that meant the voyage would be abandoned, or worse still,
the crew would find a way around each problem but ultimately perish
due to overconsumption of fuel.”

“And you have
proof of this?”

“I have a list
of ex-employees and those still working for you. You will need to
check everything out for yourself, and you should begin in the IT
department. If I am really to take over this mission control, I
would be bringing in independent expertise which would elicit
confessions from each conspirator. They would be charged and asked
to surrender the bribes they received from Henry Fellowes. This
plan should remain within these walls so that NERO believes
everything they set up is still on course. We continue to put out
disinformation that we cannot pin down the problem.”