OUTPOST-the Late Great Chapter Eight!!

CHAPTER EIGHT
OUTPOST
Julian Phillips
For Tom Luong Films
Nov. 24, 2009

A Task Force was assembled by the various authorities concerned with the future of the US base on Mars, following the ‘public’ revelation about the meteor, Asteroid U2753b, now known by at least a few of the Mars-program regulars, as ‘Big Baby Bertha’ (for some reason). Again, the Mars program wasn’t directly concerned with the approaching asteroid, now thought to be even larger than early estimates. It just wasn’t their area. Instead, because the space-program circa 2075 included an Earth-Moon program, an Earth-orbit space-station program, deep-space docking platforms like Molinari, where Lila worked, a wide variety of ground-level bases, launch-sites, space-ports, and support industries, and also many deep-space and Solar-system probes and un-manned research vessels, and even early-stage attempts to mount a mission to Jupiter and its moons---with all this going on, the Mars-base program and the anticipated affect Big Baby Bertha would have on that facility, was just one part of an expanding whole, at a time when near-Earth space-exploration was finally satisfying its former era promise.

So the Task Force for this function had a very specific goal: if-and-when the Russian-Islamic space program masters decided to go ahead and ‘steal’ the Snikta-Ridge Volcanic Basin Mars Base, how would the US respond, and in particular, how would they defend the base, and prevent or turn back a take-over attempt? The rest was such a vast complexity of circumstances and situations, including the asteroid, that to be concerned elsewhere, or other than their own task, was a diversion of resources and man-power, that would delay success, or cause possible failure. And failure meant the loss of control of the Mars base to ‘hostile’ forces. This unthinkable idea might be compared to the loss of a major US property, like control of the Grand Canyon, or the Hoover Dam, or even a mid-sized US city, to a foreign power. This included the potential loss of US lives, and an incredible level of simple wealth, and the many years that had been devoted to creating the base on Mars. And not incidentally, the loss of the Mars base to ‘them’, also would preclude the future population of the base from Western control, and Western ideas and staff, in the event that Asteroid U2753b actually collided with the Earth. Or, in more simple, perhaps ethno-centric terms---Earth’s only viable survivors following the meteor strike, would be Eastern-Islamic-Ukrainian astronauts. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

The group was known as the Mars Base Defense Planning Team. Winton Berle, and Branson Porter were on the list, and Lynn Rodgers-Smith was a behind-the-scenes source. Dr Mehudi, the science-lead, was part of the team as well. But of course, the Mars-program really had no military component. So the ‘Mars regulars’ found themselves seated with other types of ‘big-shots’.
No one ever thought a military-division would be needed, and for as long as even 100 years, the concept of a space-war, or serious military applications of the space-program, was considered a very extreme error. There were many reasons for this position, mostly the presumption that any militarization of space, would defeat the ‘real’ purpose of space-exploration, and even make such exploration impossible. Space travel was hard enough anyway. With opposing sides trying to shoot down each other’s ships, or placing huge bombs in orbit, serious new discoveries and new science, would be lost, perhaps forever. War-in-space was thought to be a total disaster, as far as future-planners were concerned. An absolute waste of time, energy, and high-priced resources.
Yet, here they were. Heavy-hitters from other US powers were brought into the Mars Base Defense Planning Team. US military, and Federal, also so-called intelligence community. Typically, the Mars-base battle-plan was now of interest to the global community as well, and at least one security representative from the World Council, was either at the planning sessions, or closely informed of details, with complete access. There were also Space-Technology and Computer-Science experts, and weapons experts, as well as people who supposedly knew what the Russian-Islamic space-program planners were up to. Both male and female leaders were included. They all had a lot of experience, and for the most part were exhausted with the endless effort and data. It seemed to some of them a hopeless task, far too complicated to really predict, and far too dangerous for space-workers who were used to such levels of care that even their heart-beats and sweat were monitored for signs of stress while they worked. Safety first, in space, meant no one was trying to kill you, other than space itself. Or whatever was out there. But not anymore.

“They can’t take Snikta, without entering orbit, and putting people on the surface of Mars,” said US-Army General Price Fortuna, a large, even portly, Caucasian man, about age 60-years old, with a deeply lined face and tendency towards bombast. The General attended sessions ‘in uniform’, an impressive contrast with the science-types, who might wear short-sleeve shirts and khaki shorts. The meetings were held at this point at California’s Hunter-Liggett military base, not at Vandenberg. “So that means we either stop them in space, or in orbit, or outside the base on the surface,” he added. “Unless we stop them here on Earth.”

Many members of the team, but not all, were present for this session, now a few weeks into their effort, after initial organization. There was a large table, or series of tables, in a stark, rather bleak-looking room. A secretary took notes. They had computers and other communications, and common items like food and drink. An air-conditioner bled cold into the room, with a sound.
“Of course, General,” was the response from ‘Kick’ Berle, the Mars-fleet Commander. “I’ve thought about how I would handle it, if it happened on Mars. Let’s say they reach Mars, with ships and men. Let’s say they reach the surface near the base. What then?”

There was a brief pause.

“And now a word from our sponsor,” joked a dark-haired woman named Melissa Envitra, one of the Computer-Specialists. “This extra-terrestrial gang-fight is brought to you by DuPont, makers of high-quality hydrogen rocket-fuel!”

Some laughed. Some didn’t.

“Ha-ha, very funny,” Berle answered her. “Repeat after me: not a movie. Not a TV-show. Real life. Say it often.”

“So what’s your idea about it, Berle?” General Fortuna asked, getting them back on track.

Berle rubbed his chin. “It will take time for the Eastern program to gear up their assault, launch, travel the corridor, and reach Mars, ready to do whatever nasty thing they have planned,” Berle said. “If the people we have on Mars now can prepare defensive positions, outside the walls of the facility, in the non-air environment---if they start now, and create small kiosks or fox-holes, where men in oxygen suits and Mars surface survival suits can set up weapons, and survive on their own---we’d be able to hold our own, if they land on Mars, with soldiers to take the base. See what I mean?”

Dr. Mehudi now perked up, offering his take. “Winton, please, if I may?” He gathered his thoughts. “General—there are only eight main entry-portals to the Mars base, from the outer surface. They have different functions. Some are just for people. Others are for cargo or large items. Other gates are only for things like waste-matter, or intake from the Martian air---useful airborne-chemicals. The air is thin, or even none. But there is some, packed with carbon-dioxide. At the base, they use everything. Nothing is wasted. But anyway, eight main doorways. Some are even for excursion vehicles they use, more like hangars.”

“Right, Mehudi,” Berle replied. Everyone listened to their back-and-forth. “And each entry-port is sealed, just like an air-lock in space, or at the space-stations. Somewhat different, for the gravity, but basically an air-lock system.”

“So they’d blow off the gates,” the General said tersely. “Just blow them open. Enter in suits while everyone inside dies for lack of air.”

“If they get that far, they might. It’s very destructive, and they’d have to rebuild the air-locks to survive themselves, later. Which is not easy. If they plan to destroy the base, that’s one thing. Drop a bomb, it’s done, over. But as we know, they want to live there. So yeah, they could enter by force, such as blowing off the air-locks, then enter in suits, with weapons. Pretty much the only way it could be done.”
“But our people inside the base could put air-suits on, too, prior to the attack, and fight on equal terms, if they enter,” offered Branson Porter, the Mars-Mission security chief. “Right?”

“Well, it has to be part of any defense plan, yes,” said Berle. “That aspect.”

“Agreed,” said General Fortuna. “Secretary, please make a note. Okay, fine then. Plan ahead for an attack, and create external oxygen-sustainable fox-hole positions to fight from. Good idea. And if the Russians try to make entry, our men inside get into their suits first. Fine. I want us to look at the Mars defense from three main fronts, people. One is the ground-level, such as we’re discussing now. The other is Mars-orbit and re-entry. The other is the planetary-corridor. And then I guess also the plans for an Earth-side defense, but that is much more a matter of diplomacy.”
There was a pause again.

“More on the ground-level, on surface-level Mars,” said Berle. “I thought about this, too. What if they make their takeover attempt into a long-term deal? I mean, instead of taking Snikta in a day, or a few days, or a few hours---what if they plan to take the Mars-base in the course of several months? Or a year? What if they’re equipped to survive on the surface, maybe in temporary life-sustaining units, like oxygen-igloos? And then shuttle back up to their ships to re-supply, or for materials? They’d use surface launch rockets, or like personnel pod-boosters, like the early Apollo moon-missions. Blast off from surface-to-orbit.”

“That’s certainly possible,” said Mehudi. “That’s what our people did when we built the Mars base 15 years ago. We had to. There was nothing on Mars. So we survived in temporary units, while they worked on building the facility. And just like you said, we had ships in orbit, and the men would go back up to re-supply, or rest, and so on.”

“So you’re thinking they could draw it out, like a stand-off, making demands, or taking hostages, or making assaults, is that it?” the General asked.
“Well, yeah, it’s one scenario,” answered Berle. “As far as what might happen on Mars. It’s more efficient. A direct assault, a big, violent frontal conflict that would only last a few hours, or a day or so, would be very destructive to both sides. You have to remember how delicate the space-suits are. If they take their time, or if they can figure out a way to go slower, and survive---taking control of Snikta wouldn’t be that hard. They’d surround the base itself, set up their men and weapons. One side or the other would eventually prevail.”

“Remember the Alamo,” joked Envitra, the Tech-Specialist. “Uh, I mean---not the old car-rental company.”

Short laughter from the others.

“Are they still in business?” said Porter (a Texan). “Alamo is a nice town, if you never been there.”
“Still in business. Just hydrogen fuel-cell cars, now, that’s all,” she said, still the joker.

“Let’s take a break,” said General Fortuna. “Please, the meeting secretary will keep track of ideas and concepts to later review. Take an hour for lunch, folks. The base cafeteria has sea-food today, I think. It’s across the Flag-Plaza---that way.” He points with a pink bony finger as the group starts to break up, rising from their chairs and seats, folding their laptops, or stowing notebooks.

The same sorts of meetings would continue for months. The Mars-Base Defense Planning Team needed to present the entire space-program hierarchy with a working plan---and one that would ‘win’ the cause. And they had to do it in short order. Needed was a way to defend the Mars base, even though the people on the Mars base now, were not soldiers, and had few if any weapons. Of course, the US would send her own space-soldiers, in ships, in equal or greater number than the Russian-Islamic space-soldiers. And of course, if there were to be any planetary flight-corridor space-ship ‘dog-fights’, or ship-to-ship battles, in an attempt to stop the enemy ships while still on their way---those would be planned for as well. But few if any of the space-ships used for these purposes were intended for shooting at things, or firing missiles, bombs, or lazer-beams. They weren’t fighter-craft. They were research vessels. The Mars-orbit and re-entry ‘battle lines’ were also drawn. They also had to defend the Molinari space-dock. Like any military campaign, they planned for the worst-case.

Somewhere out in the abyss of space, moving towards planet Earth, a rock the size of Texas---perhaps in the shape of every modern, college-educated person’s worst nightmare---tumbled through the emptiness, like a granite Buddha, silent, eternal, and dead on course. Like a rolling stone. An Ozymandias of space, from Percy Shelley’s poem.

“Look on my works, ye mighty, and despair!!”


---Julian Phillips
Nov. 24, 2009
For Tom Luong Films
2232-words