Trouble on the Red Planet; Aumrill
A Paradox

Donna lay quietly listening to the steady

beep and opened her eyes to a blurred figure standing over her. She started to sit up when a blurred hand touched her chest and a feminine voice told her, “Not so fast, Donna, let’s take a look at you first.”

Donna lay back down and she had a sick feeling churning up in her stomach. She became aware of a sharp pain in her left temple. She reached up to feel a carefully placed gauze bandage there. Her vision cleared enough for her to recognize the person of Tersa Connelly and a sharp clinical smell in her nostrils.

“I’m in the infirmary,” she muttered.

“Of course,” she said in an obvious tone. You gave us a scare but don’t worry, you’re being treated for shock and by the way your daughter is doing just fine.”

“Daughter? I don’t have a daughter. If you’re joking I don’t get it.”

“Technically speaking you don’t have a daughter now but in about seven and a half months that’s all going to change.”

“What? Are you telling me that I’m . . .?”

“Pregnant and about six weeks into it.”

“Pregnant, but how? I . . .”

“That usually involves an encounter with another person of the opposite sex in a rather close proximity.”

“Oh, I know how it happens. Stop patronizing me.” She began to move her left arm wildly.

“Stop thrashing your arm like that before you yank those IVs out of your veins.”

Donna took a deep breath and held it momentary then slowly let it out. She looked up at the IV drip solution bag then over to a Vital Sign monitor which showed a rapid heart rate. She looked over to Tersa who was writing something into her remote computer pad. “What are you doing?” Donna asked.

“I’m logging your vital signs into your file.”

“Who’s taking care of the facility?”

“Wanjiku Kimani was temporarily placed in charge the moment you were admitted into my care.”

“What about the people who were attacked?” Are they okay?

“There were four casualties and two are in critical condition. And there were seven who were released with treatable injuries.’

Donna started to sit up again and push herself out of bed. Tersa dropped the remote pad and placed her hands on Donna’s shoulders. “Oh, no you don’t Donna; you’re staying in this bed until I can get a treatment plan organized for you.”

Donna pushed her hands to the side. “But, I have things to take care of and she stood up beside the bed. A sudden dizziness caused her to sit back down and Tersa gently pushed her back onto her pillow and replaced her sheet over her waist.

“Hey, you stay put and calm down or I’m going to have to sedate you.”

“But, what about the facility, who’s going to . . .”

“Wanjiku has everything under control and you are in no condition to be wandering about. If you’ll lie still for about five minutes and talk like you have sense I’ll let your two visitors come in and talk to you.”

“Visitors? Who? What do they want?”

“There’s a woman, Julia, from the Robert A. Heinlein. She said that she ’s known you for almost fourteen years.”

“Yes, Julia, of course, and who is the other one?”

“It’s a gentleman, and he just said to tell you that he was from fifteen-A. Whatever he meant by that? He arrived about two hours before Julia.”

“Richard, ah, Richard is here?

“Well, if that’s his name? He arrived about thirty two hours ago. And he is very worried. He and Julia have been hanging out in the dining area drinking coffee and calling every two hours to check on you.”

“Well, send them in. I’m about as calm as I am going to be for being stuck in this bed.”

Ten minutes later Julia appeared in the infirmary and gave Donna a hug. “Hello, Donna, I came as soon as I heard. Richard is in the men’s room.”

“It figures.”

“Dr. Connelly told me that you should be okay after a couple of days of rest.”

“Is that all she told you?”

“Well, you’ve have an emotional shock and a bump on the head and there’s not much more to tell.”

“You’re away from your job. How did you manage that?”

“My husband Mark is taking care of the Heinlein and my daughter is in Florida with her grandmother. I can stay as long as you need me.”

Donna rubbed her belly. The word ‘daughter’ had never meant as much before. She was quiet.

“Is there something that you need to tell me Donna? I’ve never known you to be so quiet.”

“It’s just all of what just happened and this bump on my head isn’t helping.”

“I’m sorry; I’ll get you some water.” She walked to a water dispenser and filled a cup.

Donna accepted the cup. “Thank you, Julia.” She took a sip. I’ll be okay in a couple of days. Just in time for the Jonathon Swift. I suppose they are anxious to review the incident down stairs.”

“The ship will arrive on Saturday, the day after tomorrow. They have been drilling Jiku since the incident.”

“Yes, the Biocontainment field, what is happening down there?’

“Bob Wilson and Frank Sutton have been going over the video recordings of the incident and have dispatched copies to the Jonathon Swift. From what they will let me in on there is some kind of creature similar to an Iguana and there was a nest or something that was disturbed by one of the technicians.”

“I did see a rather large lizard-like creature before I blacked out. But it all happened so fast that I can’t put it all together yet.”

“Everything will be all right,” Richard said, as he walked into the cubicle. “The entrance to the field is under guard and no-one will be allowed to enter until the authorities arrive on the Jonathon Swift.”

“Hello, Richard,” Donna said, as he bent over to kiss her forehead. “We should have been more careful.”

“I think you did the best you could after-all you told them not disturb anything . . .”

“I’m talking about you and me, Richard.”

Richard’s face turned a little pale. “I don’t know what you mean. I would have been here sooner but we had made some discoveries at the site and . . .”

“Richard, it isn’t that. I’m, ah, I’m pregnant.”

Richard looked as though he had seen a ghost. “But, I thought you were taking something?”

“And, maybe you should have been taking something. It doesn’t really matter; I’ll just have to deal with it.”

“I thought that women routinely take birth control? I didn’t really plan for you to get pregnant.”

“Maybe I should go,” Julia started out.

“No, please stay,” Donna insisted. “Richard and I can talk about this another time.”

“Why, didn’t you tell me?” Richard asked.

“I didn’t know, the Dr. told me about forty-five minutes ago.”

“Women don’t always know when they’re pregnant, Richard,” Julia told him. “So, is everything all right, Donna?

“All is well under the circumstances. It would seem there are more pressing issues to deal with. Like the work we’ve done here, is it going to be terminated?”

“We’ve also made some discoveries at the dig site. There is evidence that the Martians may still be living underground.”

“Well, if there are Martians living underground,” Donna began. “Why would that have any effect on our work here?”

“If there are living Martians that means that the creatures in the ‘field’ and they coexisted and they are connected. That would mean that Mars is inhabited and the fact that the creatures are alive it gives added credence to the possibility.”

“He’s right,” Julia agreed, “this changes everything that we once believed about Mars as a ‘dead’ planet.”

“And the fact that we’ve opened up one of their underground passages that means that they may be showing up soon,” Richard added.

“It sounds as though it may be out of our hands soon,” Donna speculated, “and into the hands of the Martians.”

“When the Jonathon Swift arrives and the so-called ‘authorities’ figure this out it could spark up some problems,” said Julia. “And people are afraid of those things in the Biocontainment Field.”

“As long as I’m here I may as well study the recordings of the incident to get a clear understanding and replace a possible solution,” Richard added.

At that time Dr. Connelly entered the cubical. “Okay, everyone it’s dinner time for Donna. I’ll have to ask the two of you to leave while we get something ordered from the kitchen.”

“Hold on here,” Donna protested, “you can’t ask my friends to leave. We can have dinner together in my room.”

“I’m afraid they will have to leave. You are still under medical attention and your vital signs haven’t been stabilized. We will keep you under observation for another twenty-four hours and if your vital signs have improved I’ll let you go to the dining area with your friends.”

“What do you mean let me go? I’m in charge of this facility and I decide what I do and when.”

“I’ll have to correct you on that, Donna. Until I release you Wanjiku is in charge of the facility and I am in charge of you. If you don’t cooperate you’ll be forcing me to sedate you, and that is your choice.’

“Donna,” Richard said, “it’s okay we’ll come back later. In the meantime I will get together with Frank and Bob to study those images.”

“And I’ll replace something to do,” Julia agreed. There’s no point in getting in the way of the Doctor’s work.”

“Thank you,” the Dr. told them, and then she pulled the curtain closed.

“Okay, you can leave me with this tyrant but I’m expecting you back later.”

“Don’t worry, Donna, we’ll be back,” they said in unison and then they left the infirmary.

Richard walked into the lab where Bob and Frank were working. Frank was in the far corner of the room.

Bob looked up, “Oh, hello, Richard I’m glad you’re here. I’ve been studying these images since yesterday and there are things that just don’t make sense. I figured that as long as you’re here you may as well examine them with us and I’ll show you the discrepancies.”

“Of course, what seems to be out of place?”

Bob rewound the images back to a specific frame. “Now, right there,” he pointed at the screen, “You see the bodies of the couple lying over the foliage?”

“Yes.”

Bob pushed the images forward and stopped as the images blurred out of focus and the screen turned grey. “What you’re seeing is the camera going out of focus because it couldn’t keep up with the movement. That’s not uncommon with these monitor cameras because they weren’t designed to keep up with this kind of rapid activity.”

“Okay.”

“Now watch as I roll the shuttle forward.” They watched as the images came back into focus. “Do you see anything unusual?”

“The two bodies are gone. Hmmm? Did the camera shift position?”

“No, that’s what’s strange the camera is in the same position and zoom. But there’s still something odd. Can you see it?”

“Oh, my word, they’re all gone except for the injured. The blood is still there but the bodies are gone. Now that is bizarre. Has anyone been back to search for them?”

“Jiku has ordered that no-one is to go into the ‘Field’ until the Jonathon Swift arrives on Saturday.”

“Well, I guess the big wigs on board the Jonathon Swift had something to do with that decision?”

Bob rubbed his chin. “I suppose that could be but I don’t see what difference that makes. Jiku could ignore them and send someone in but she is concerned with the safety issues.”

“I understand the safety issues, but what’s more important is what happened to the bodies. Has anyone talked to the patients in the infirmary? Maybe they saw something?”

“They’ve been questioned and it’s always the same answer: “It happened so fast, they were there and then they weren’t”

“None of that makes any sense. Someone must have seen something.”

“Tell me about it, all we have are these video images and they just thicken the mystery.”

Richard gave Bob a troubled look and Bob responded with a nod and a pat on the shoulder. “Well, Richard, just pull up a chair next to one of these computer terminals and start looking over the images. Maybe you’ll replace something.”

“Thanks Bob, I’ll do that and then I’m sure no-one will object if I talk to the patients again.”

“I don’t see a problem with that and you can probably talk to one of them when you go back to visit Donna. And there are seven who are on their own you may be able to talk to them as well.”

Richard sat down at another computer terminal and began shuttling through the images. He watched the couple John and Mary walking down the slope and saw clearly that Mary was attracted to a tuft of vegetation. He also saw John trying to dissuade her. He stopped and directed the computer to augment the image and he followed the couple’s movements. When Mary’s hand moved toward the tuft he stopped the image again. He directed the computer to follow her hand and he moved the images forward frame per frame. When the hand brushed the leaf aside Richard noticed the oval shaped gold beadlike objects and stopped the frame. He ordered the computer to augment and brighten.

“Bob?”

“Yes, what is it?”

“Come over and look at this. Bob walked over and looked.

“Hmmm? It looks like she found some eggs and defying specific orders. Oh, and look over here.” He pointed to a silhouette of the creature as it posed to strike.

“Is it possible to get audio from this program?”

“Sure,” Bob directed the computer to mask out all audio except for the sound in the specific frames. The audio came through muffled but unmistakable.

“Mary, don’t be fooling around. You need to report this to Mr. Sutton.”

“John, don’t be silly. I’m only going to touch them, besides; Donna is just up the slope. I’ll just feel the smoothness and then I’ll run up and tell her about it.”

“Well, she was just curious,” Bob remarked.

“And, just like the cat,” Richard stopped short.

“Well, at least we’ve proven that they weren’t in violation.”

“But, we still don’t know what happened to the bodies.”

“We’ve done just about all we can with the images. We can repeat the sequences and record them and take the footage to Jiku. After that we can talk to the survivors again.”

“I think we should go down into the ‘Field’ and take a look around.”

“That’s entirely up to Jiku and with the risk factor; she probably will decline the request.”

“I don’t think there is a risk factor. The creatures were only protecting their eggs.”

“And they killed four personnel. I would be inclined to call that a risk.”

“I’ll volunteer to go down there alone. If I watch out for the eggs and the creatures I’m sure everything will be okay. After all you guys were walking around down there for days before the incident occurred.”

“Good luck, you don’t know how stubborn Jiku can be when she’s made up her mind.”

“Stubborn,” he chuckled, “I can handle stubborn.”

The two men made their way to Wanjiku Kimani’s office.

“Absolutely not,” she said adamantly. “I will not take the chance on another person getting killed down there.”

Richard held up the cartridge containing the imagery. “Will you take a look at these images and reconsider.”

“I will look at the images but I have made up my mind.” She looked at the images intensely. “This is very interesting but we will have to wait until the Jonathon Swift arrives.”

The two men went back into the corridor. “Well, what did I tell you?”

“You were right, but I have an idea.” Richard engaged his communication device.

About an hour later and five hundred fifty miles to the southwest a man in a dark colored pressure suit walked across an airfield near Chryse to an awaiting jet aircraft. He climbed into the cockpit and started its engines. A whistling sound changed to a mild roar as the small craft taxied down the airstrip. The plane took off in a southern direction then veered its trajectory to the northeast. The Sun was nearing the horizon and the pilot knew he had a little over two hours of daylight to travel. Flying on the edge of space on Mars was just over a mile due to the thin atmosphere. The ground seemed to roll beneath him as he sped onward. He saw rolling hills and the pressure domes of remote outposts rush beneath him. In about an hour of flight he landed on the airstrip outside the facility. He climbed out of the aircraft and walked across the airstrip then onto the courtyard outside the facility. He touched in the codes to the outer airlock. He listened for the beep then the outer door opened. He walked in and it closed behind him. He heard hissing sounds and a second beep then he removed his helmet. His brown hair fell to his shoulders then there was a hum and the inside door opened.

He walked directly over to a couple that directed him to the infirmary. He walked through the hodgepodge of interconnecting corridors until he came to an automatic double door labeled Infirmary. The desk in the front had seated an on-duty nurse who directed him to the room occupied by Donna Silver. He walked around a corner into a narrow hallway until he came to the room temporarily marked ‘Donna Silver’.

“David Lambert, it’s about time you got here,” Richard said. Richard was standing among a group of people consisting of: Dr. Tersa Connelly, Donna Silver, Julia Davis, Robert and Dana Wilson, and a Man with a bandaged arm.

“I only spoke to you just over five hours ago and I’ve flown over five hundred miles. I’d say that’s pretty good timing.” He walked over and hugged Donna and said, “Richard told me you were injured and I got here as quickly as I could.”

“Thanks Dave, it’s really good to have you here. I hope everything is well where you are.”

“We’re fine. We heard about what happened but the details are sketchy. All we’ve heard is that something happened in the Biocontainment Field where four were killed and many others were injured.”

“We were just going over that with Sam,” Donna told him. Sam was the closest to the incident.”

“I was just telling Donna and Richard that there is not much I can tell them they don’t already know,” said Sam.

“Maybe we should tell Dave the entire story before we go any further,” Richard told them.

“Okay, Richard you are good at being succinct,” said Dave, “So why don’t you start at the beginning?”

“Well, early in the week the crew had been keeping an eye on the rapid plant growth down in the ‘Field’ with specific orders from Donna not to disturb the growth until the botanists aboard the Jonathon Swift arrive to make the proper studies. Well, things were going smoothly with some minor incidents until a young technician became curious over some gold colored egg shaped objects she spotted underneath a large leafed plant.”

“Egg shaped objects? Now were the plants growing some kind of berry or something?”

“No, actually, oddly enough no growth like that had been spotted or recorded.” Donna told him. “The objects are the eggs of an iguana-like creature that the ‘Field’ has revived somehow.”

“Uh? Are you telling me that there is some kind of animal life alive right now down in the field.”

“Yes,” Richard answered, “only one species has been spotted thus far. Speculatively there must be some aquatic life as well since these creatures are likely to be amphibious.”

“And it attacked, killed, and injured my friends and myself.” Sam reported.

“We understand, Sam,” Donna began, “but we also understand the primordial instinct to survive. We can’t fault Mary for being curious or her friends for trying to protect her. We have also been working on this project for many years and only recently gotten some real results.”

“I’m sorry,” Dave began, “I don’t understand the dilemma. We’ve dealt with tragedies before? Granted there wasn’t an Alien creature involved but major nonetheless. Why can’t you just go back down and take a look around?”

“You don’t know the complete story yet,” Sam said. “For one thing the bodies have vanished and except for a few blood spots and video images there is no trace of them.”

“Are you saying that these ‘iguana’ things may have a taste for human meat?”

“That possibility had been considered,” said Donna, “but from what Sam tells us and the video evidence, they simply vanished.”

“Well, it seemed like they were there one moment and the next they were gone,” Sam told them.

“It seems to me that this is all the more reason to go back and take a look around,” Dave suggested. “We’re not going to know anything otherwise.”

“That’s true,” Donna agreed, “but that’s what this discussion is about, whether or not it’s important enough to go down there against the request of the authorities on the Jonathon Swift or not.”

“That’s another thing I don’t understand here,” Dave queried, “you’re in charge, why don’t you organize a group to go down and take a look around?”

“That’s just it, Dave,” Donna informed him, “as long as I’m under the care of Dr. Connelly then Wanjiku Kimani is in charge and she agrees with the Jonathon Swift .”

“She is here under observation until I have decided that her vital signs have stabilized,” Dr. Connelly said.

“I don’t see how that would interfere with her decisions,” Dave countered. “I mean, just because you’re taking her temperature doesn’t mean that she can’t scratch her head.”

“Hey,” Richard stepped forward, “Dave has a point. There is no reason that Donna can’t run the facility from this room. Dr. Connelly?”

“Yes?”

“Is there any indication that Donna’s judgment is impaired?”

Dr. Connelly’s face became blank. “Ah, there doesn’t seem to be.”

“Is there anything life threatening in her condition,” Richard sounded like a lawyer at this point.

“Hmmm? Not that I’m aware of,” the Dr. admitted.

“So, why shouldn’t she be allowed to go on making decisions that affect the facility from this room?”

“Well, I’m not sure if the workers would feel comfortable with that?”

“Well,” Sam began, “as much as I disagree with what she wants to do I have to agree that she’s capable of making sound judgments.”

“Well, I’ll go along with that,” Bob said.

“I will too,” Dana agreed, “and I’m sure that most of the workers would agree, including Jiku.”

“If my word means anything in this,” Julia added, “I’ll stand by Donna on this.

“Thank you Julia,” Donna said. “Okay, Dr. Connelly, will you go and ask Jiku to come see me. When she gets here we’ll announce to the crew that I will be in charge from now on and if there are any objections from the crew they will be noted and advised upon.

“Okay,” Tersa agreed, “but you know if there are any complications then I will need to intervene.”

“That is understood Dr. Okay, Bob how soon will the Jonathon Swift arrive?”

“They’re thirty-six hours out and should be arriving at eleven A.M. on Saturday. That means it will be two in the afternoon before they could land at the facility.”

“Good! Okay, Richard and Dave the two of you can go with Bob to organize a crew to go down by noon tomorrow. And what is everyone standing around for? We now have lots of work to do.”

Everyone began shuffling out of the room. “Oh, not Julia, you can stay here with me.”

“Why?”

“Just keep me company until Jiku gets here.

Bob arranged for a number of workers to meet in the recreation lounge for a meeting. “Okay, let me call this meeting to order,” Bob requested. “We are going to need up to ten volunteers to go down and scout the area down the ‘field’.

About thirty hands went up and a roar emitted from the meeting. “Okay, all those that didn’t put your hands up are excused from the meeting. From the rest of you we will take numbers and names and will contact you later. Until then I would like to thank everyone here for their willingness to participate. Now, it is our firm belief that the creatures pose no danger unless there is a disturbance with their eggs, so it is advised to use caution and if you see anything that looks like eggs to keep your distance. The reason we are going doing there is to determine the cause of the disappearance of the bodies. Is there anyone here that doesn’t understand the significance of what I just said?”

Getting no response the assumption could only be that they understood.

“Now, when we make our choice we will send you all out in different areas in pairs of two. It will also be decided to which the pairs will be sent. Since we are all familiar with the nature of the ’field’ and the layout there should be no problems with know what we are going to do. Richard Serling and David Lambert will be the coordinators for the rest of the groups. Is there a question on that?” Bob looked around the room and was satisfied that everyone knew what was expected. “Okay, those who are chosen meet here again tomorrow morning at ten-thirty. This meeting is adjourned.”

It was late and the corridors and passageways of the facility were virtually empty. On the upper levels near a maintenance airlock two young workers were strolling along.

“Come on Tom let me show you what I found last night, it’s pretty spectacular.”

“Okay, Jeff, but you know we have an early morning meeting and should be calling it quits soon.”

They proceeded to the end of the corridor to a maintenance access airlock. Jeff keyed in the lock codes and the semicircular door hummed to a close around them. They put their helmets on and then pressurized their suits. The chamber automatically equalized with the pressure outside and the outer door opened. The two men walked out to a catwalk that serviced the dome of the Biocontainment field. They could see a myriad of steps, ladders, and catwalks that would allow workers to work around and on the dome for maintenance purposes. They walked about thirty feet onto the catwalk from the airlock. “Okay, this is far enough,” said Jeff. “Now just look out over the dome and wait.”

Tom studied the surface of the dome and saw nothing but what he expected, the series of catwalks and pressure release valves for when the pressure in the dome reached a certain level. “Okay, I’ve seen enough. I’m going back to get ready for bed.”

“Just wait a moment something’s about to happen.”

Tom stopped and just as he looked up again there was a rumbling sound and the catwalk vibrated slightly. Then suddenly the pressure release valves gushed out with streams of white vapor clouds with a loud jet sound. Tom grabbed the hand rails due to the disorienting effect of the sight. He watched in awe as the streams formed hundreds of mushroom shapes. The gushing stopped and the clouds lingered for moment then snowed down in fine ice crystals then settled at the base of the valves. When Tom regained his composure he let go of the handrail and said, “Holy shit!”

“Didn’t I tell you it would be like nothing you’ve ever seen before?”

“Whoa! That was mesmerizing.”

“”Okay, Tom, the show’s over now, you can go back and get some sleep.”

“I don’t think I can sleep after that display.”

Jeff chuckled as they started back.

And as the Sun rose in Inca City the next morning Dr. Simon Balkan was concerned over the absence of his colleague.

“Jean, my dear fellow, what is our friend Richard doing in that Biocontainment ‘Facility’?”

“Oh, Dr. Balkan, haven’t you heard? There is some kind of crisis in the ‘Biocontainment Field’.”

“Crisis what crisis? We have extra workers here who need his guidance. We are on the verge of unveiling the secrets of a superior civilization and our formidable Archaeologist is fiddling around in a trivial pursuit in an overblown, overrated scientific fallacy.”

“Well, Dr. Balkan, I say that you need to speak to Richard himself. I don’t know the entire situation. There have not been that many details on the events that occurred.”

“Jean, my boy, bring me the portable communication device, I think I will have a word with our friend.”

Jean, being the loyal intern, promptly setup the device for his supervisor and friend.

“Thank you Jean.” Dr. Balkan initiated the vocal prompts to engage the communication.

Richards face appeared on the screen a little awkward because of the angle of his hand held device. “Hello, Dr. Balkan. How may I help you this bright early morning?”

“Richard, cut the formal crap and tell me what the hell you’re doing? We need you here in your professional capacity, not in some high faluting endeavor. Do you know how many workers are here who need your expert guidance?”

“I gave the workers detailed instructions to pay close attention to the inscriptions on the walls and carefully record then as they lead to the underground barrier wall. Are they doing all of that?”

“Well, Richard, they aren’t the problem. The problem is; what will we do if they discover how to get through the barrier?”

“Simon? I haven’t even begun to decipher the inscriptions and it should be weeks before we get to that point. And there are pressing concerns that require my attention here.”

“But, what could be more pressing than your life’s work, Richard? What could you possibly be doing that is more important than our work here?”

“Well, there are more details than I am able to discuss over these unsecure lines. I will need to write a report as soon as I’m done here.”

“Well, Richard, whatever the precedence of the situation, it must be relatively grave. You must notify me upon completion of your tasks.”

“I will do that Simon, but at the moment we are in an important meeting.”

Simon disengaged the communication and turned to Jean. “Jean, my fellow, we must pay a visit to the ‘facility’. Our friend Richard is not very cooperative this morning. Would you mind helping me get the car ready? I will need a driver to get me there. Would you like to come along?”

“I’d love to go along with you Dr. Balkan. Are there very many women at the facility?”

A little amused by the question the senior archaeologist answered. “There are loads of women at the ‘facility’. Jean, my dear fellow, you are a true Frenchman.”

And back at the ‘facility’ and in the recreation lounge Bob was in the midst of organizing the survey party to inspect the Biocontainment field. “Leo and Rita will scout around the northwest area, Tom and Lester will scout the northeast, Jim and Loni will scout north of the lake, Pete and Sue will take the south lake area, Robin and Maynard will scout the southwest. Richard and Dave will take the southeast. And I will coordinate the pairs. Does everyone have their personal communication devices?”

There was a “Yes” in a unified answer.

“Okay, listen up! We are to stay in our designated areas and stay on the trails and clear areas. Use extreme caution, which means to stay focused and alert. We are to report anything unusual and above all do not disturb anything that looks like a nest or eggs and when in doubt call me. Is everything clear to everyone?”

“Yes,” came as the next unified answer.

“Very good, now I’m not the best organizer in the world so if I screw up anyone of you should correct me immediately. Is this understood?”

“Of course,” Richard answered for everyone.

They all made their way into the Biocontainment Field and all pairs except Dave, Richard, and Bob, got into a cart and drove off to their designated areas.

Bob and Richard went over the details of the plan while Dave looked around in awe at the immense project. “What I want for you and Dave to do is to carefully examine the area where the bodies were.”

“And how many years did you say that you guys worked on this project?” asked Dave.

“It all depends on which stage of the project you are referring to. We’ve been working on this part of project for the best part of an Earth year. All in this entire project has been on-going for just over six years,” Bob told him.

“No wonder Donna is so concerned about the authorities terminating the project.”

“Yes, and we are all concerned because we have a lot of personal time and work invested in it. We appreciate that you came all this way to help us solve this problem.”

“Dave and I have been close friends since we met in the early days of the academy in Portland Oregon,” Richard volunteered information.

“Yes, this is a reunion of the original crew of the Shackelton,” Dave added.

“As I understand it Donna was in charge of that crew as well,” Bob inferred.

“The circumstances demanded that she took charge and she proved to be an exceptional leader. And even under the ‘hard assed’ scrutiny of P. D. Matthews she showed exceptional talents in management.”

“Yes, we’ve experienced Donna’s formidable abilities but we have a somewhat daunting task ahead us. I’m going to go to the north end while you guys survey this area.”

Richard and Dave climbed into a cart and drove down to the site of the tragedy. They climbed out where they found the dried blood remains on the ground.

“Dave, take a look at this large patch of blood over here. Do you notice the evidence of the intense activity by the smears and splatters?”

“Yes, it appears that the emergency team had difficulty in securing the situation.”

“Yes, and without a doubt, but over here where the bodies of Mary and John were last seen, there seems to have been little activity except for the spatters.”

“I don’t know what you mean? It just looks like a lot of blood to me.”

“Yes, but if the bodies had been moved there would have been more blood smears.”

“Well, I know how grotesque it sounds but the creatures probably ate them. Isn’t that what wild animals do when they kill something? They eat it, right?”

“Yes, you would think so but, I don’t think that these creatures are carnivorous. Besides, even if they ate the bodies there would be some remains.

“Like what?”

“Like a ribcage, a femur or an assortment of scattered bones. And it takes time to eat things. The eyewitness accounts all report that the bodies simply vanished.”

“And how do you suppose they vanished? It all seems pretty complicated,” said Dave.”

“Complicated and mind boggling,” responded Richard. “The creatures only acted in defense of their eggs and tragically, Mary wouldn’t have harmed them but the instincts of the creature caused it to react faster than it could rationalize.”

At that time there was a rustling in the foliage. Dave and Richard went back a step. Richard put his arm in front of Dave to keep him from over reacting. They watched as a creature moved through the brush. Richard peered through the vegetation at a slight distance. He could barely make out the shape of the creature through the greenery. It was slowly approaching a mound of dirt where he made out a number of smaller versions of the creature who seemed excited by the appearance of the larger creature.

”Look, Dave, do you see what it’s doing?

“Yes, it’s sticking out its tongue with clumps of green things on it to feed its babies.”

“So, you see I was right, they’re vegetarian in nature.”

“Yes, it would appear so,” agreed Dave. “So, what happened to the bodies?’

“That’s a good question. In fact the more we learn about this situation the more questions arise.”

“There’s the other thing too, we’ve been standing here for almost five minutes and the creatures haven’t bothered us.”

“That’s because we haven’t made any threatening moves. I suppose we could test my theory a little further.”

“Uh, no I think your theory is safe for interpretation.”

At that moment their communication devices beeped and the sound was followed by Bob’s voice: “Attention everyone! Get back into your carts and drive around to the south lake area. Pete and Sue have discovered something and we all need to see it”

Richard drove the cart down to the lake and stopped. Dave motioned over to the left pointing. “Well, there they are about a half a mile west.”

Richard turned toward the three figures in the distance and drove west along the beach. “Holy mother of god!” said Richard. Looking out over the lake they saw hundreds of carcasses of the lizard-like creatures floating in the water.

“Apparently, not all of them survived the thaw,” said Dave.

“No, apparently not, Richard agreed.”

Bob met them as they climbed out of the vehicle. “I think that we should take three of the bodies and have them examined.”

“That’s a good idea,” Richard agreed. “Have you radioed ahead to Donna for confirmation?”

“Not yet I am waiting for everyone to get here before I start gathering specimens.”

Shortly thereafter the other carts showed up and the new arrivals showed their startled amazement. While they gathered the three specimens and placed them in containers a live creature swam through the floating debris. And upon reaching the shore it walked across the beach toward the foliage then scurried down into a burrow it had dug sometime earlier. “Well, there’s more evidence that they’re an amphibious species,” remarked Bob. “Now, let’s get these things up to the lab for examination.”

Twenty minutes later the crew was laying the three specimens out on a table. “Okay, ladies and gentlemen we will begin Biology 101,” Dave remarked.

“No one but Bob and his two assistants need to be in this room,” said Wanjiku, as she entered the lab.

“She’s the boss,” Bob acknowledged the request. “The report will be available for all those interested.”

Richard motioned for Dave and said, “I’m sure there’s fresh coffee in the lounge.” And they walked out together.

“They are friends of Donna’s and they are guests of the facility. I thought that she had sent them in to help.”

“I know who they are. We don’t need distractions and these examinations are outside their fields. Donna will understand that we need to proceed with the investigations with the appropriate personnel.”

“I’d like to remind you, Jiku that we are all working outside our fields of expertise. I am a biotechnical specialist.”

“Yes, and you are examining the body of an unknown species, which by definition you perfectly qualify. I just want to eliminate as much distraction as possible and Pete and Sue can give you all the assistance you need.”

“Very well then, let’s get started. Sue, I’ll need scalpels, scissors, and tongs. Pete, I’ll need several specimen containers, a pan of water, and as many towels as we have available.”

The two assistants left to carry out their chores and Bob laid one of the creatures on its back and began pulling its forelimbs back and forth. He then pushed the head back and opened its mouth. He ran his gloved right index finger over its teeth. He then put the finger in the creature’s mouth and pulled out its long tongue. Even with its loss of elasticity it stretched as much as eight inches. Sue had returned with the utensils and he took the scissors and cut the tongue off at the base.

“Ugh!” Sue gasped and winced.

Bob placed the tongue in a container and said: “Sue, you’re no longer needed you may leave if you wish.”

“Are you sure? I can still help you.”

“It’s quite alright,” Wanjiku intervened. “Bob will be able to proceed from here and Pete you are no longer needed as well.”

The two exited the room. “Carry on, Bob I’ll be back later to check on you,” and Wanjiku left the room as well.

Bob then placed the scalpel in the middle of the creature’s neck and sliced a line from just below its chin to the tip of its tail. He placed the scalpel onto a towel next to the scissors and slipped the fingers of both hands into the slit. He carefully pulled the skin to the sides. He looked up and down at the inside of the creature and saw the familiar organs such as the stomach which was a bladder like organ at the bottom of an esophagus. A set of elongated but perfectly formed lungs, unlike any set of lungs he had ever seen but lungs nonetheless. He noticed something he could not identify on either side of its neck with a tube on each which fed directly into its lungs.

He reached over to the communications device on a console on the counter top where he was working. Donna Silver’s face appeared on the screen. “Yes, Bob, what seems to be the problem?”

“There’s not a problem per say but there are some things that I can’t identify right off hand. As I understand it there are a number of Zoologists aboard the Jonathon Swift.”

“Yes, there are Zoologists on board. Would you like for me to patch you through to speak with one of them?”

“That would be very helpful. I’m getting a little over my head here.”

“Don’t worry about it Bob. We’re dealing with a creature unknown to us; you’re bound to stumble on a few things even the Zoologists are unfamiliar with. I’ll direct the communications right away.”

Bob continued examining the animal without removing any organs. He refrained handling the lungs at all because the one on the right was beginning to deflate. Shortly a man’s face appeared.

“Hello, my name is Zach Marcos. I was told that you were examining a specimen of an unknown species and you need clarification on some organs.”

“That is correct Dr. Marcos and my name is Robert Wilson. I’ll direct the computer to send to your terminal pictures of the specimen that I’m working on.”

“Certainly, I’ll wait while you set it up.”

Bob directed the computer to focus on the open area in the creature’s belly. Dr. Marcos’ face showed surprise when the images came through to his terminal.

“How remarkable, my friend this is an alien species. Give me a moment while I summon my colleagues. He reached and clicked on something off screen. “Hans you must come see this and tell the others as well. This is remarkable.”

“Now, where were we? Ah, yes those organs in the neck are gills of a configuration of which I’ve never seen. This is primarily a land based animal with remarkable aquatic abilities. Now, my friend, turn the head slightly to the right.”

Bob lifted the head and turned it slightly. “Like this,” Bob said with uncertainty.

“Yes, and that’s just as I suspected. Do you see those small holes just above the jaw line?”

“Yes.”

“They are exhaust holes so that water could pass freely through the gills. This creature was evidently adapted to travel great distances over land and water. The lungs as well are developed with separate chambers to take in oxygen from either the gills or to breathe straight air.” He looked to the side for a moment and said, “Hans, Martin, and Stephen just take a look at this thing.”

The screen split into four squares with a different man’s face in each.

“My god?” one said.

“That is remarkable,” another one said.

The third new comer said, “Yes, very interesting. This creature could survive in an aquatic environment for several days before taking in air. It looks remarkably like an iguana at first glance but with interesting differences. It could possibly even alter its shape to move swiftly through the water.”

Dr. Marcos added, “I’ve been studying this thing for several minutes now. This is a well preserved fossil that died suddenly, probably from freezing; noted by the ruptured blood vessels.”

“Robert my dear fellow, will you cut open the stomach so that we can hopefully examine the contents?”

Bob did as requested and a yellowish green liquid spilled out.

“Now, gentlemen I would say that this creature is an herbivore.”

“Yes,” one of the men said. “It looks as though it may have a taste for flower bearing plants.”

“Now, Robert, my friend lift up the right forepaw and apply pressure just below the digits.”

Bob did so and the razor sharp, bladelike claws spread out of the top of the digits.

“Now gentlemen, notice how the claws can fold together forming a paddle and the feet can morph into rudimentary flippers. And the muscular development in its arms and legs would give it the ability for running and leaping. Outstanding, wouldn’t you say gentlemen?”

“Robert, my boy, you must properly store this data in the computer and do absolutely nothing to the other specimens except to preserve them until we arrive.”

“It will be done Dr. Marcos. And I thank you for your help.”

“Don’t mention it my dear boy. The pleasure was mine.”

“And mine as well,” said one of the faces and the rest concurred.

Bob met Richard and Dave in the lounge having coffee.

“Mind if I join you?” he asked as he approached the table.

“Pull up a chair, as a matter of fact we’re eager to talk to you,” Richard acknowledged.

Bob got a cup and filled it at the urn then joined the other two men at their table. “Well, Richard it appears that you were correct on both assumptions. The creatures are not only harmless, unless they’re provoked, they’re herbivores.”

“It is obvious isn’t it? Their Earthly relatives are used as pets and the wild varieties are docile compared to other wildlife. Any animal, including humans, would attack when their young is threatened.”

“You’re logic is impeccable in this case and it held up to the scrutiny. But, we still do not know what happened to the bodies.”

“That, my friend is the mystery of the day,” Dave volunteered.

“We don’t have a clue as to how they vanished,” Richard concurred. “This is a paradox and it defies rational explanation.”

“Are you suggesting divine intervention or some paranormal activity?

“Ah, there could be a spiritual connection. But even still there is the (‘why’). Even an entity with a higher purpose would have to have a reason.”

“Well, the religious leaders of the twentieth century lectured on something called ‘The Rapture’,” Dave suggested.

“Well, let’s not get into a heavy religious discussion,” protested Bob.

“Okay, let’s allow it as a hypothetical,” Richard added, without offering any conclusions. Okay, now it’s a fact that the bodies are gone and their disappearance coincided with the accidental discovery of a Martian creature. A creature resurrected by our artificial environment. Now, there are so many unknowns that we’re juggling with that the only way to even theorize is by algebraic calculation.”

“Wait a minute here,” Bob interrupted, “that is just digging deeper and brings us no closer to solving the riddle.”

“No,” Richard agreed, “and there would be more than one explanation but we have to start somewhere.”

“Okay,” Bob bit his lower lip, “Richard us give your ‘x’ times ‘y’ divided by ‘x’ squared equals the vanishing equation.”

“Okay,” Richard chuckled.

“Oh no,” Dave said, “Get ready for one of his stories.”

“Well, it’s like this,” Richard began, “in Inca City we dug up some tunnels that go deep underground and they intersect with other tunnels that run beneath the surface of Mars. The walls have inscriptions that appear to be a map as to where these tunnels lead.”

“Sort of an ‘Underground Railroad’,” Dave added for him.

“Yes, sort of,” Richard continued, “and this ‘Underground Railroad’ leads to a dead-end wall. But this wall is more like a locked gate.”

“Locked gate?” Bob skeptically said. “Why would it be locked?”

“I don’t know but the end wall is not as old as the other walls. In fact our dating methods make it out to be less than twenty years old.”

“No way,” Bob countered, “that would coincide with the Cydonia expedition and would suggest that the Martians are still alive.”

“Some of them are and you’ve seen them or their wildlife that is.”

“Ah, you’re reaching again. The creatures were revived accidentally by the warm atmosphere in the Biocontainment field.”

“But doesn’t that suggest to you that this planet was teaming with life once. And fossil evidence proves that there was human life as well. Now we’ve proven that an artificial environment on a massive scale works remarkably well.”

“Yes, there’s no argument there but where are the Martians?”

“They are living deep underground in a ‘Biocontainment field’ that is of their own making on a massive scale.”

At that moment Richard turned to the sound of a familiar voice of someone just entering the room.

“Is Richard babbling wild notions of a living Martian civilization again?” There came an interruption by the rich British accent of Simon Balkan.

“Why Simon, I was just about to mention you. I didn’t know that you were coming.”

“If I would have told you that I was coming it would have only led into a vicious argument of which I would not have enjoyed as much as I would if it were you were in person.”

“Bob, meet the famous archaeologist Dr. Simon Balkan and our bright young intern, Jean Mahomet.”

“Pleased to meet you,” Bob greeted.

“Pleased to meet you,” Simon returned the gesture “and good to see you again Dave. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I’m just here to visit with Richard and a few other old friends. I should be going back to my wife and kids in a few days.”

“Well, our journey left us famished. May I impose upon your kitchen help for some sandwiches and tea?” Simon requested.

“I believe Rhonda is still in the kitchen and she probably wouldn’t mind showing you where everything is,” Bob volunteered information.

“Jean, would you mind going back and imposing upon Rhonda for sandwiches,” Simon said.

“No, I wouldn’t mind. I could use a bite myself.”

“I think I’ll go along with you,” Dave offered, “I know I’m hungry so Bob and Richard are probably ready to eat as well.”

“Yes, why don’t you guys load up a cart and we’ll all eat during the discussion,” Bob suggested.

Jean and Dave disappeared behind the double stainless steel doors and Simon settled into a chair near the table.

“Now, where were we?” Simon began, “Ah yes, I’m sure Richard was telling you of his theory on latter-day Martians living in comfy burrows under the surface of this planet?”

“Yes, he mentioned something to that effect, but I fail to understand why he thinks it’s related to the problem over here.”

“I fail to understand it as well. Richard you should be spending your time deciphering the text on the walls of the tunnels instead of chasing foolish notions.”

“The fact that four people just vanished is not a foolish notion,” Richard protested. “They do have families that have questions and it would be appropriate to provide them with answers.”

“No one is denying the tragedy of the situation,” Simon agreed, “but Richard if it’s true what you say of a connection then learning something through the text may lead us to an answer. It doesn’t matter that we disagree where this will lead us.” Simon held up his portable computer devise and said, “Just take a look at these pictures of the walls that you took and you said yourself that they look like directions.”

Richard took the devise from Simon’s hands and looked at the images on the screen while Bob looked over his shoulder. Richard took a deep breath and then let it out. “Well, I suppose you’re right Dr. I have been ignoring some possibilities.”

“Those inscriptions are interesting,” Bob remarked. “Even with my lack of understanding of language I can see that they are directions of some kind.”

“They are q lot like road signs,” Richard told him. “Do you see these arrows connected to a single stem?”

“Yes,” Bob said, “they are an eye catcher.”

“Well the stem is the main corridor and the arrows indicate that there is an intersection ahead. The one to the left goes on for miles and we haven’t found the end yet, and so does the one that goes straight ahead. Now the one that is on the right spirals downward and the tunnel does just that and it leads into a lower corridor. This corridor is the one that leads to the ‘end wall’.” Richard directed the computer to move along the images. He moved it along the spiral ramp and went down into the lower corridor and then stopped at another directional.

“Well, it looks like another intersection ahead,” Bob remarked.

“Yes, it does, don’t it,” Richard agreed. “But watch what happens when we move forward.” The images moved along the wall and then panned around to another wall that was directly in the path.

“Hmmm, so that’s the ‘end wall’. It just stops in the middle of the corridor. Well that’s odd. Why would they indicate a directional at the end of a corridor?”

“That is striking, isn’t it?” Richard said nodding his head. “And look at the mural on the wall, what do you see?”

“Well, it’s people operating machinery and doing some sort of work. This is remarkable detail and in perfect perspective. You can even see the intersection indicated by the directional. This is bazaar.”

“And intriguing,” Simon said with his rich British accent. “Why would they put up a wall in that precise place, indeed? There must be an explanation but until we decipher the text all we have is speculation. Which is why I want you to get on it Richard. All of this dilly-dally is giving me an ulcer.”

About that time Dave returned alone. “Apparently Rhonda knows how to speak French,” he said. They got to talking and I could hardly get a word in edgewise. God only knows what they are talking about.”

“I can fathom a guess but I would rather eat,” Simon said. “Did she give an indication on how long it would take?”

“She said that she and Jean would put a cart together and have it out shortly.”

“Well my dear fellow, you might as well join us in figuring out the mystery of ’the wall’.”

“Sure, why not.” He took a seat and looked on while Richard continued to manipulate the computer screen.

“It’s part of my theory that the inscriptions on the right wall are instructions on how to open the wall, which is actually a door.”

“Oh, before Richard gets any deeper into this,” Simon interjected, “The farther you go underground the warmer it becomes and the oxygen gets richer.”

“Now, that’s interesting,” Dave remarked, “but it does follow some already existing theories because of the oxygen content in the soil.”

“That is correct,” Simon agreed. “Discussions have been going on for decades on the subject. But this is the first time that we’ve been able to demonstrate it.”

At that time the double doors of the kitchen opened and Rhonda along with Jean appeared with the cart.

“There is plenty here so you guys can have as much as you like,” Rhonda told them.

On the cart were a stack of bread slices and an assortment of sliced meat. On the side were condiments and utensils and a pitcher of hot tea.

Rhonda and Jean sat down at a nearby table where they had their own sandwiches.

“Rhonda, vous étiez si habile de la manière que vous avez remonté le chariot. Je suis ainsi appliqué,” Jean said.

“Il n’est rien vraiment ; c’est juste la manière que nous la faisons ici.”

“Un femme qui est beau et toi sont futés aussi. Vous devez obtenir beaucoup d’attention des hommes éligibles dans le service.”

“Pas vraiment, personne ici ne m’a jamais parlé la manière que vous faites.”

“Il est difficile de croire ce, la manière que vous faites des choses est si éloquent et toi être si beau.”

“Merci.”

“Je suis nouveau au service il serais un embêtement à toi pour me montrer autour ?”

“Pas du tout, je peux retourner pour nettoyer le chariot. Venez le long je te donnerai l’excursion.”

The couple finished their sandwiches then they got up and exited the room.

“Did anyone understand a word of what those two were saying?” said Dave.

“Not really,” Simon answered, “but it was quite distracting. Now where were we? Ah, yes, Richard you were explaining that the inscriptions on the right wall are instructions on how to open it.”

“That is correct. This figure over here is what I think is a symbol for door or opening. The symbols to the left of it seem to be a detailed set of instructions on how to open it. It’s pretty confusing though because the instructions appear to lead back outside.”

“But, Richard you make it sound as though whoever wrote the instructions wrote the instructions intentionally made it confusing.”

“Uh, maybe it is intentional.”

“Why, what do you mean?”

“I mean the wall was built shortly after we arrived and made a relationship with the planet. The Martians apparently don’t want us violating their living space. Or maybe they’re waiting for us to figure out how to knock on the door.”

“You mean they want us to somehow ask permission to meet with them?”

“Well, I hope that’s the case anyway I really don’t like thinking that it’s their ultra polite way of asking us to leave.”

“But if they wanted us to leave wouldn’t they replace a more aggressive way of telling us instead of hinting and nudging?”

“I think so but I don’t know. I won’t pretend that I know how a Martian thinks having never met them. I’d rather imagine that they’re friendly and shy than to think they might be aggressive after all they were quite advanced.”

“Yes, judging from the sophistication of their architecture and the artifacts that we have unearthed I would tend to agree with you.”

“And keep in mind that the artifacts and architecture we’ve studied are thousands of years or perhaps millions of years old. Now if they’re still around and have had steady progress in that time then their technology would be so far greater than ours it would tend to make us useless to them.”

“Ah, come on Richard, you are romanticizing again.”

At that that time the sound of snoring interrupted the conversation.

“I think you put poor Bob to sleep,” Dave remarked.

“Well it is passed nine p. m.,” Simon announced. “What time did you say the Jonathon Swift is due to arrive?”

“They should be in orbit late tomorrow morning and the crews should start showing up around two p. m.,” Richard said.

“Well, we have plenty of time. I suppose we should wake him and ask him if he wants to continue the discussion?”

Dave nudged his shoulder and Bob’s head popped up. “Uh, damn! Sorry I must’ve dozed off. Ah, did I miss anything?

“Nothing short of the extermination of the human race,” Simon told him. “Now, are you willing to continue with or discussion or would you rather turn in for the evening?”

“I’ll stay,” he rubbed his eyes. “I’d better get some more coffee though.” He stood up and went to fill his cup. “Would anyone else like a cup, there’s plenty?”

“Yes, I would like a cup,” a feminine voice announced.

Bob looked up to see Donna Silver and Julia Davis entering the room. “Donna? You’re up? Shouldn’t you be resting?

“Enough with all the questions, I’m here to join the discussion.”

“The Doctor decided that she was strong enough to be left on her own,” Julia volunteered an answer. “And I’ll have a cup as well.”

“Why, ladies it would be a pleasure to have you discuss this with us. Richard was just explaining our hypothetical relationship with the Martians,” Simon announced.

“Yes, this should be interesting. He’s been telling me for years that Martians should come out and introduce themselves, like the ‘Munchkins’ any day now,” Donna said as she took her seat. Looking into the computer screen she remarked: “Well, that’s a lovely picture. What is it all about?”

“Why, yes very lovely and very intricate,” Julia agreed.

“Well, it’s the ‘Munchkins’ responding to: “Come out, come out wherever you are . . .” Richard rubbed the top of Donna’s hand and said: “It’s good to see you up and about.”

She grasped his hand slightly. “Thanks, it’s good to be up and about. Now what are we looking at?”

“This is the ‘end wall’ I told you about at the end of an underground corridor. I think it’s some kind of calling card from the Martians.”

“Come on Richard we must decipher the text,” Simon prodded. We can theorize and fantasize from now until doomsday but we’re not going to know anything until were translate the writing. Now you indicated earlier that one of the symbols or a combination of symbols meant ‘outside’. That’s a beginning and we can work on. Now show me the symbol and tell me why you think it means outside.”

Richard directed the computer to go to a certain point in the imagery. “Okay, Simon, do you remember the reverse directories that led to the outside opening.”

“Yes, and I recognize the groups of symbols but I have no idea what they mean.”

Richard directed the computer to zoom and lock on a specific symbol. “Do you see the twisted curvy thing that looks sort of like a backwards ‘y’?”

“Yes.”

“This symbol appears in all the directories that lead back to the ramp outside. There is a possibility that it has to do with the surface, but either way it leads outside.”

“Go on.”

“Well in the corner next to the ‘wall’ there is a block of text there.”

“I remember seeing it.”

Richard directed the computer to the text then locked and zoomed on it. “Now tell me what you see,”

“Hmmm, yes the symbol appears on the edge of the text. Now Richard, which direction does this text read?”

“Ah, now there is a question that still eludes me a bit. It seems to read from left to right but until I figure out what the other symbols mean I won’t really know.”

“I just thought of something. Have you thought of going out to the surface and digging down to the other side of the ‘wall’?”

“Now there’s an idea but even still we would need to drill through the material used to build the tunnel. Another idea would be to cut a hole in the tunnel wall, ceiling, or floor then cut our way into the tunnel on the other side of the ‘wall’.”

“Now, we’re cooking with gas Richard. Then all we would need to do get equipment down to where the ‘wall’ is.”

“That’s doable but then we would need to determine material strength and if cutting through it would compromise the structural integrity and that should take a little time. And we can’t forget that if there are Martians they might not like us breaking in without so much as knocking first.”

“Well, I tend to agree, I mean our first encounter with a Martian species wasn’t exactly friendly,” Bob volunteered a remark.

“I second that, Bob,” agreed Donna. Aside from that fact it would be just wrong. Even if the Martians no longer exist we should abide by their guidelines.”

“I agree with Bob and Donna,” Julia added, “we do not know what is on the other side of the wall and with four dead after encountering one unknown.” She then turned to Richard. “You know my first occupation is in linguistics and I say that the text is vertical. It starts at the top left and goes to the bottom, then works its way to the top again.”

“That’s amazing,” Richard responded. “But, how do you know?”

“I don’t really know, but it appears that there is no alphabet as we would define it. It would appear that each individual symbol is an icon that represents an object or a thing; like the symbol that you recognized as being ‘to go out’ or ‘outdoors’, they all seem to have that significance. Like this one,” she pointed to the to screen, “it probably means enclosure because it is two right triangles that are point to point and there is this one that is identical except it has a line a line between the two. I believe it is referring to ‘the wall’.”

Richard looked at the screen intensely. “I believe you’re right. Simon, take a look at it. Now, what do you think?”

“Why, Richard, I think she is a regular Champollion.”

“Actually, I think Champollion would have been impressed. Thanks for sharing your observation Julia.”

“Speaking of Jean-Francois,” inquired Simon, “where is our young intern, Jean Mahomet?”

“He left with Rhonda,” volunteered Dave, “about twenty minutes ago.”

“Well, it’s too bad that he’s not here,” Simon suggested, “he could benefit from this discussion.”

“I think he deserves a break,” answered Richard. “After all he has put a lot of work in this past month.”

“Okay, let’s get back to the symbols,” Simon said. “Now Julia, is there any more that you can surmise about them?”

“Well, just as Richard intuitively guessed, it seems to be directing us outside. I think though, that the symbol may mean open space as the other symbols are suggesting closed space. I also get the feeling that there is more information where it is leading us to.”

“Ah, and what makes you say that?” Richard asked.

“Well, the outdoor symbol isn’t the last symbol present. Did you notice the vertical line inside a spiral line?”

“Yes, I thought it was there merely to enclose the text since its length spans the entire block.”

“I thought that at first but you don’t see it anywhere else. That suggests that the symbol has a different purpose and I think it means that there is more information somewhere. ”

“That’s logical but how would we know when or if we replace it?”

“Judging from how the other symbols are arranged I would say that it would be a block of texted that has the symbol on the opposite end.”

“Well, that’s just dandy since we have no idea where to even look.”

“Apparently the Martians didn’t consider that a problem. And there is the possibility that this may be the second half of the message and not the first.”

“By George, she should be working for us Richard.”

“We all would like for her to work for to work for us,” Donna remarked.

“That is why I work on the Robert Heinlein,” Julia returned a comment.

“Why?” the group said in harmony.

“So that I can keep an eye on all of you,” she said with a chuckle.

They all let out a laugh.

“And, what about the mural,” Donna suggested. “Doesn’t it tell us that the Martians are human?”

“Yes, but don’t forget that the creatures in the Biocontainment Field look a lot like iguanas but there are some interesting differences. There aren’t any iguanas with gills on Earth as far as I know.”

“You have a point but the figures in the mural look perfectly human,” Richard pointed out. There is an interesting and noticeable quality about then though.”

“And what is that?” Dave volunteered a question.

“Well, for one thing they look remotely African with pronounced facial features and a stately slender build like those native to Ethiopia. Yet their skin color is a golden brown but not like a tan but more like an inherent trait.”

“And not to mention that everyone in the picture is female,” Donna pointed out.

“Hmmm? I overlooked that fact although I realized there were women in the foreground.”

“By George, she’s right,” Simon added, “I didn’t notice.”

“That’s because you scientists are too busy picking things apart to see the obvious,” Dave remarked. “Do you think there is significance?”

“I definitely believe that it suggests something,” Donna said.

“But, what could it be?” Julia puzzled over the situation.

“And they are operating some sophisticated equipment,” Donna added. “Doing only God knows what.”

“They appear to be studying something on monitors,” Julia suggested.

“But, there’s not enough detail to see what it is,” Dave said.

“That’s why I told you that the more we learn, the more confusing it gets. It’s as if the Martians are deliberately confusing us,” Richard reminded them. “It’s like they threw this complex conundrum in front of us with just enough visible clues to pull us deeper into the mystery and that is why I think the Martians are still around. This wall with the mural surrounded by this text wasn’t left there hundreds of millennia ago for some perchance space visitor. It was left for us, or more appropriately, those that first landed here almost twenty years ago.”

“Okay, let’s say that you have a point, Richard,” Simon began. “How, would the Martians know where to plant the clues?”

“That’s easy. The first expeditions were archaeological. They would put the clues where they knew that we’d be looking.”

“Like where there are obvious ruins,” Bob suggested.

“There you go,” Richard reflected. “And as Julia suggested the rest of the clues, or at least part of the clues will be found at other sites.”

“So wait a second,” Dave began, “you were working in Cydonia fourteen years ago and there were no so-called clues found at that site,” he reminded.

“Well, Dave that is the point I’m trying to make. That’s where it began, the things they were studying on the monitors was us. And the incident at Cydonia is what prompted them to put up ‘the wall’.”

“Are you suggesting that because of those murders that they are hiding from us?”

“No I’m not suggesting anything I’m stating a fact and their not hiding, they’re simply avoiding us. They wouldn’t need to hide; if they didn’t want us around they would simply exterminate us or make it so we’d have to leave. I don’t know, maybe they replace us to be curiosities? Whatever it is they seem to be tolerating us or at least for the time being they are.”

“What, do you think they’d grow tired of us,” Donna asked.

“No, actually fed up is more like it. They’ll simply lose their patience with us.”

“There you go reaching again, Richard,” Simon scoffed. “We have no idea that this theory is provable much less reasonable. There are no cameras in the walls for them to study us.”

“Oh, there are cameras all over this facility,” Donna told him. “We use them to monitor our progress and to record our work. And we can send images all the way to Earth if we need to, at certain times of the year that is.”

“Yes, I know all that,” Simon agreed, “but how would the Martians have access to our cameras?”

“They probably wouldn’t need cameras to monitor us. The technology they had thousands of years ago had been almost capable of that. Our studies have showed that conclusively,” Richard reminded him.”

“Okay, Richard, you win. So, when are you coming back to Inca City?”

“I’d like to stick around to meet the crew of the Jonathon Swift to help convince those dignitaries that the facility is not a total washout and that it would be beneficial to all concerned.”

“Well, I wouldn’t mind hanging around for that myself. This facility is quite impressive.”

“You’re more than welcome to stay, Doctor,” Donna offered. “After all we have many rooms available since we transferred a number of workers to Inca City.”

“Does that mean 15-A is available?” asked Richard.

“Actually no, 15-A is being used for storage and we permanently put the number on my door.” Donna smiled.

“Does that mean I’ll have to drive all the way to Inca City?”

“You’re not going anywhere because you and I still have things to talk about.”

“Well I think I’ll turn in for the evening,” Simon announced.

“Yes, that sounds like an excellent idea,” Dave echoed the request.

“You’ll replace the available rooms listed on the computer screen in the corridor near my office.”

They walked out and Julia announced, “I think I’ll be headed to my quarters as well.”

“Good night,” Donna and Richard had bidden.

She left the room. Donna looked at Richard. “I just want for you to know that I’m having my daughter and I want you to be there to help me raise her. I won’t hold you to it if that isn’t what you want.”

“Stop right there, Donna, she’s my daughter too and I want to be there with you and her. Our work has kept us apart but it doesn’t need to be that way. Inca City isn’t that far away.”

“Thank you Richard, you know I was afraid that you’d abandon me.”

“Are you kidding? I love you.”

“You’ve never told me and it always seems that you would rather work than to be with me. I don’t want to tie you down so if it isn’t what you want.”

“I never told you because I thought it was obvious and when I heard you were injured I couldn’t bear the thought of losing you. I was also afraid that you would push me away after we found out you were pregnant.”

“I wouldn’t do that; she is your daughter and I think we’ve been struggling with the idea staying together for too long.”

“Yes we have, now let’s stop this bickering and let’s just resign to the fact that we have a responsibility to our daughter.”

Tears welled up from her eyes and she grasped his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her forehead. “Life is a miracle, isn’t it Richard?”

“Yes! Yes it is.”

About that time Rhonda walked in. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I?”

“No,” Donna told her. “You may put up the cart and show Jean how to look up his quarters.”

“I’ve already done that. I’ll just put the cart away.”

“Good, we’ll see you at breakfast.”