Luke Marusiak - Lifeboat Moon

“How we handle this is important. Many people in Moon Base Armstrong are fighting despair over the loss of earth — but they’re also fighting despair over the culling plan. I can’t detain people for suspicion. I must know.”

“It’s a dire risk,” Yumi replied. “The despair you speak of is everywhere. Director Hayashi and I believe occupying the cave is the most critical step.”

Katsumi and Yumi kept to themselves the consequences of Japan Station’s crew despair. Mark could only glean from brief conversations like this one that it was nearly as big a problem for Japan Station as it was for Moon Base Armstrong. That despair must’ve been hidden from Habi and Jerry. “Captain Kaneko, we believe we should pressurize the cave before we land another supply pod.”

“Have you found a way to do that?”

“Yes. We can increase the electrical power to the electrode in our air reactor.”

“What will that do?”

“That extra electrical power will increase our oxygen supply by ten percent.”

“How will you get that extra air to the cave?”

“We’re manufacturing a hose to run directly from our air reactor into the cave.”

Yumi pointed to the nozzle at the top of the manufactured cave wall. “Very good. We have a one way valve on the other side of our intake nozzle.”

“That’s the thing,” Mark said. “The hose we manufactured is sized for the amount of air we’re going to transport. It’s about as big as a garden hose.”

“It will take a very long time to pressurize the cave.”

“Without a new air reactor — it’ll take approximately twenty-two days — over three weeks.”

“Days, weeks — like those time intervals mean anything here.” Yumi and Japan Station also felt the loss of earth’s rhythms.

“Those time intervals are the only thing us earth-born people know. Maybe our children will come up with more suitable measures.” He pointed to the nozzle. “It could take less time if we only pressurize part of the cave. The point is to move equipment into the cave and get it pressurized without bringing down a supply pod… at least until we know for sure who sabotaged our base.”

“We can help,” Yumi said. “I’ll check with Director Hayashi, but I do believe we can add to the air supply from our reactor as well as some of the oxygen we reclaim from ice.”

“The cave will save us — that and love.” Mark was hardly aware he spoke his inner thoughts into the private communications channel with Yumi.

“Yes Major Martelli, you are right. It’s our feelings of connection that push back against despair.”

“How do you know that Yumi?”

“It is connection — love — that saved me as well.”

Mark was surprised by the intimate revelation. “You and Director Hayashi?”

“Yes, I am to have his child. I want this first moon-born child to come into life in the cave — not an artificial moon base.”

Mark digested this revelation with a mixture of awe and wonder. “Doctor Ben-Ami wondered if the one-sixth earth gravity would affect reproduction. You’re going to have the first lunar baby. Congratulations.”

“This is why I’m out here so much. We women spent so much time taking other roles that we almost lost our primary role — that of life giver.” She turned to Mark. “I knew about Director Collier’s culling plan and her breeding plan. I want you to know these plans were never accepted by Japan Station.”

“You mean they were never accepted by you and Director Hayashi.”

“Yes, that is what I mean.”

“Major Martelli…” Sally’s voice came over the Moon Base Armstrong channel with a tone of urgency. “We have a situation and I need your help.”

Mark entered Moon Base Armstrong’s control room and was surprised to see that the only two on shift were Jim and Sally. He’d aligned Jim to be on shift with Doug and Sally to be on shift with Chuck. The idea was to ensure one of the two under suspicion were never left alone. There was a short overlap between the shifts for an information pass down. During that pass down all four would be present — that was the only time Sally and Jim were planned to be together.

“What’s going on?” Mark asked.

“Doug and Chuck were called by Zeke to check the seal on Habitation Tube One.”

“The iris seal that separates the Nexus from the part of the base destroyed in the pod crash? Is it showing a problem?”

“No, Jim arranged for Zeke to do that so we could check something here without them watching.”

Mark wasn’t used to cloak and dagger moves, least of all from Zeke and Jim. “Why?”

“Jim’s our encryption expert,” Sally said, “and Zeke found something disturbing he wanted hacked.”

“What?”

Jim looked at Mark, his face ashen. “Either Doug or Chuck have created an encrypted program — an algorithm in the form of a coded daemon to control the next supply pod we bring down.”

Mark inhaled. The persistence and ingenuity of their death-dealing enemy was an unwanted surprise. “And where does this control program crash the pod into next, the Nexus?”

Sally looked at Jim and turned to Mark. “They plan to crash the next descending pod dead center on Japan Station.”

Mark tried to register the news. “Our enemy wants to attack our sister station?”

“Our enemy wants to wipe out what’s left of humanity,” Sally said.

This pronouncement hung in the air. Mark reeled from blow after blow and he knew Sally did the same. He knew the dark force of despair Zeke so feared was stalking them. It wasn’t a passive force. The dark despair was never passive. It was an active agent using any and all means to snuff out the last of humanity — by snuffing out all shoots of hope. “Does Zeke know?” Mark asked.

“He knows either Chuck or Doug — or both — are up to something. He arranged this time for us to find it,” Jim answered. “Should we arrest and detain Chuck and Doug?”

Mark struggled to find a path forward. “Sally, you’re getting on shift now, right?”

“Right. And so is Chuck when he gets back.”

“How good are you at psychological analysis?”

She shook her head. “Not my alternate specialty.”

“Jim?”

“Not mine either. Zeke’s the polymath that thought to dig into the newly written programs.”

“Yes, Zeke’s the one,” Mark said. He turned to Sally. “I’ll put him on shift with you and Chuck. He’ll have the mission to get to the bottom of whether Chuck’s involved.” He pulled out his contactor and tapped out a message. “I’m sending Zeke a private message so he’ll know our plan.” He tapped and then returned his contactor to its carrier. “There — I’ll visit Doug and spend some quality time figuring out his motives.”

“Major Martelli,” Jim said, “are you sure you want to keep collecting information? You know Chuck sabotaged your air. You hit him so hard he was in the med-bay for six weeks with a broken jaw. If that’s not reason for revenge, I don’t know what is.”

“I hear you but the last time I thought I knew the culprit was after we saw Art Sledge’s email. That proved wrong.”

“It wasn’t wrong,” Jim said. “Art was involved but he had help. Chuck may not be the mastermind but do you really think there’s a scenario where he’s not involved?”

Mark nodded. “Yeah, I can come up with a scenario.”

“So can I,” Sally said. “I also battled the monster of despair. I still am. If you remember Art’s email, the thing that destroyed him wasn’t despair, it was in knowing the moon base’s official plans valued him the same as fertilizer. He’s gone not because he was afraid of discovery. Art’s gone because he felt insignificant and undervalued.”