Chapter 23
With the pledges in place the UN duly stipulated a deadline for inspection in N. Korea. The other implication of this clearly carried a refusal to meet the Korean delegation, as they had previously requested. It did not go down well. The dictator maintained that this would not have happened with other fledgling nuclear powers and therefore they declared the inspection invalid. The political tennis continued for several weeks and this precipitated China to act over the increasing number of refugees pouring over the border. Interrogation of these unfortunates revealed practices of torture inflicted for non-conformance to state laws. The claim was, that apart from the ‘laws’ being unjust, they were introduced in such quick succession and without detailed explanation that nobody knew they were contravening them. Instead of returning these people China changed tactics. They insisted the UN came to see for themselves the atrocities the North Koreans were handing out to their own people.
A side strategy to this was the granting of a corridor of protected territory for these new conscripts to the Chinese army. The message soon spread back to their homeland and the outflow intensified.
The UN reports confirmed that the time had come for the regime to be checked in more ways than warheads. Troops under their command and requisite air/naval backup arrived. This thrust would be from South Korea and the Chinese were granted independent control of their regular armed forces plus the trained refugees from the Northern Korean border. The problem for the North Koreans was the assistance and local knowledge offered to this incursion by the revolutionary mood of disillusioned citizens. It spread like wildfire and the eventual result would have two possible outcomes. The dictator would convince his closest security forces of the absolute need to discharge nuclear warheads on the mutinous plebs or he would be assassinated to bring the occupation to an end.
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Stella was convinced that the human reproductive system would take generations to begin to respond to even substantial genetic code insertions. Natural selection worked by tiny steps over long periods. She therefore proposed to Scillacci and Pascal 2 that they should examine ways of programming stem cells with more powerful ability to react to specific stimuli and accelerate mutation. They would then be employed at the interface with code modifications.
The research would be compatible with finding a reliable template for grafting into the Axis physiology, to respond more quickly to any new ‘restoration’ breakthrough they applied.
Pascal 2 agreed. He felt that extrapolation of logic to the mechanisms of human gene transfer, would mean that initial offspring of parents with and without code change would probably result in minute measurable effects in the targeted characteristics, even though the other attributes could follow normal processes.
Colour of hair, facial features and skin pigmentation would be largely unaffected in the result. The reproductive equipment would, at generation 1, possibly only inherit partial deviation from parents. He concurred with Stella’s theory that highly responsive stem cells would encourage the closest approximation to the capabilities of the functions of the modified genes. “It would also be more acceptable to those of your species who worry about ‘replacing your humanity’. It becomes a learning module instead of an alien implant.” Scillacci was not convinced, yet receptive to the research direction.
The modified five-seat craft was progressing well and Evander was happier with the latest efforts to achieve the necessary precision for the QSD project. He was actually coming round to the idea of a ‘short’ trip to Europa and hopefully back again.
The whole Martian spearhead – technical, medical and social was the talk of the domes, restaurants, libraries and the urban centres of Valles Marineris, Utopia Planitia and Echus Chasma. That was until Finn’s lava rocks which had been regurgitated from deep inside Mars had been analysed. Those which had survived transformation to liquid within the lava contained pockets of Carbon. When the news broke that it was a certain form which sparkled, it was slightly unfortunate that an irresponsible journalist immediately reported the find to Earth. Mars did not need the sleazy commercial impact of readily available diamonds in the Chasm. It had the potential to change the relationship between the planets indefinitely. The very least it would do was attract avaricious, shamelessly self-centred individuals to apply for migration under false identities. It would also be a difficult task to avoid splintering of the meritocracy on Mars; some would see an opportunity to return to Earth with an investment haul to set them up for life. The net migration balance could change dramatically. The means of getting to the bottom of the Chasm and back would tap the ingenuity of humans, and the time down there finding the sparklers in the solidified lava would risk exposure to further eruptions.
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There was apparently a third alternative in North Korea. Their top military junta of an increasingly restless army requested the leaders of the invading pincer forces to assist in a bloodless coup. The dictator was already detained in a secure underground location and his future would be in the hands of an international court of inquiry. It all sounded too good to be true. The UN coalition forces were winning the conflict hands down and it would see an accelerated conclusion. It was Kinsey and Devonshire who raised the question of who was in control of the warhead launch procedures. These military leaders were negotiating for immunity from prosecution by delivering their leader on a plate. If they didn’t get that they could sign off with nuclear strikes. It was felt to be a precarious situation. The advice was heeded and there was a request to meet these brokers to discuss terms in exchange for subsequent, secure air passage through the conflict zone.
Ayrton de Santos had wasted no time calling in the microbe expertise. The general conclusion was that there was no discernable mutation of the bacteria in the samples of Scarlet. They were split on whether it was necessary to destroy what was essentially a life form to get rid of a few bacteria. De Santos thanked them and returned the containers to the cold vault.
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Carvalho and Reuben de la Cruz arrived to an unprecedented Martian media reception. The journalist who had acted independently was criticised by his peers for the unilateral act of sensationalism, which was universally described as one of moronic selfishness. Until now the society on Mars had witnessed almost zero crime, and even then the recorded incidents were trivial. There had been no need for a ‘police force’.
Reuben was still taking in the landscape which no TV or photographs could really capture with the same impact. Out of the crowd stepped Evander and the emotional reunion was complete. There was the ‘official’ part to get through before they would have time alone, and Reuben simply could not take in all the names of those individuals to whom his son introduced him. Carvalho had other pressing matters but said they would only be discussed when the De la Cruz family had escaped the spotlight.
The first item he wanted more detail on was the discovery of the presence of diamonds in the Chasm. When he was told that Alex 2 had posted two Symbiants to patrol the lava extrusion area in shifts, he was a little calmer. The request of Yamamoto had not been withdrawn and had to be considered. The stem cell research proposal needed ratification. Both should have Axis input. The first trials of the QSD unit were looming. He was also acutely aware of the clamour for more information on the tinderbox which was North Korea. All of this had to be prioritised but there was one Martian event on which he had not yet been briefed. It would not change the pecking order of the others but it would introduce another perspective to his vision of the future. Stella was pretty certain she was pregnant.
He suffered a temporary loss of context; who he was and how this had all come about. The opposite and equal Newtonian reaction gave new perspective to the priorities he had just inherited. For decades he had been in a position of influence and responsibility, personal sacrifice and evaluation of the big picture. It felt strange to have the ‘addiction’ somewhat marginalised by this unashamedly personal joy. It did have
the effect of resurrecting one of his most effective principles of management. ‘Do not turn a decision into a problem’. It prompted him to ask Stella to live with him.
In tackling the mix of Martian decisions and problems he initially met with Alex 2 and Fav. He began by expressing the view that all of the items in their own way could affect the relationship with Earth. “It is the one outside our ability of influence which may have the most devastating short term disruption. The North Korean problem we can only monitor and react accordingly. I believe the interplanetary news is the best way for our citizens to maintain interest. What more can you tell me about the diamond find?”
Fav replied, “We have increased data now from the geothermal orbiter, and there are considerably higher numbers of hotspots than when we were last here 555 years ago. The one in Candor Chasm also appears more active than Finn anticipated. This of course does not directly relate to presence of this particular form of carbon.”
Carvalho asked their views on ‘management’ of the situation. Fav was not aware of the potential the human race had for killing one another over such materialistic ambition. “If we can get Alex 2’s guards to extract more rocks, and confine the testing knowledge to Nielsen, we may be able to diffuse the interest by ‘disappointment’ that the strike appears to be an isolated find. We will need much more careful scrutiny of migrants even if this ploy diminishes the number of bounty hunters. I’m sorry but I have to ask you both to keep me up to date with any increase in reported attempts to find diamonds by groups or individuals already on Mars. I’m hoping, more than expecting this issue will not force us into considering law enforcement of the Earth variety.”
They acknowledged the fragility which the whole community would inherit if humans fractured the trust because of personal greed. They moved on to Yamamoto’s request. It was more difficult than simply endorsing a policy of free choice. It could be, depending on the data collection and analysis of the next fifty years, a huge success or an unmitigated disaster in terms of a cohesive society. It was complicated by a factor which had been anticipated. The Axis section was physically dependent on human research to improve their slim chance of restoring their reproductive ability. Having been through many phases of transplant practice, their society had dealt with it in a more coherent fashion than humans were expected to manage. Even so, they weren’t all of the same opinion on the benefits. The recent declaration by Doc had found sympathy with many of them. Embracing death had almost become an evangelical desire. This simple request from Yamamoto had the power to cause multi-faceted demands from both races. A clear and unequivocal ‘yes or no’ was not possible yet, but it was highly unlikely that anything was about to happen to make it easier in the medium term. One thing was certain, whenever such a request was granted it would create a fork in the social homogeneity in one or both species’ evolutionary path. This was clearly not just a decision. To avoid turning it into a problem it almost demanded a type of referendum. The contemplation of a police force and a referendum in the same day did not sit well.
The research direction with stem cells gave the option to ask for delay on the Yamamoto case for two obvious reasons. It could theoretically overtake the box as a more natural enhancement technique, and the inability of the box to pass on genetic adaptation to offspring needed careful deliberation for any volunteers. Secondly, the Axis community was not split over the priority if a simple choice was on the ballot. Procreation would win every time. It was a decision to endorse and resource that research.
Finally the QSD trials were mostly anticipated with wonder by a minority. The rest were getting on with settling on this planet, not contemplating moving house again so soon. The logic applied to the Axis and human population. There were some quarters of concern about what exactly success of mastering interstellar travel would mean for them. It was however felt important to avail of the knowledge, and limit the horizon at present to Europa. The date was agreed.
Chapter 24
The N. Korean chief of staff, Kim Hun-Yeong, had accepted the invitation of the UN. Accompanied by three subordinates, he arrived at the designated point in the occupied territory. It was quickly established that the dictator’s state security arm numbered several thousand, and they had the initial activation codes for the warheads. The man himself was supposedly the only one in possession of the confirmatory codes. Kim however believed this to be a convenient myth, as it was one of the intelligence division staff of the state security who designed and implemented them. The security people and the military did not see eye-to-eye on many issues. The inhumane treatment of the populous was fashioned by the dictator but carried out by security forces. The army had been gradually moving toward a coup prior to this conflict but could never get the dictator isolated from them. When the incursions began these security people retreated into an ever tighter ring of the Capital with their leader. “We then knew our chance would come. It was however, actually handed to us after all this time. Security insisted on him being kept in a well-fortified and remote bunker which was known to only a few people. We were asked to relocate him there and await further instruction. We reported a fake ‘espionage’ event, saying that someone must have leaked information, as a special operations unit raid was able to extract him and disappear into the night. We protested at the Security Arm’s decision to implement this strategy and saddle the Military with what should have been their responsibility. We added that it was our prime responsibility to contain the conflict and we were stretched to the limit. We are supposedly cooperating with them in looking for him. They do not know we are here, but will suspect something if we do not return very quickly. We can currently guarantee you that we will cease our military defence and the dictator will be handed to you. We cannot guarantee what the Security Chief will do with regard to the warheads. However if we are to retain any kind of stability after you achieve complete occupation we need to avoid starting an open conflict with our security people or that could well set off a chain reaction to what you are trying to avoid. We must find a way to continue the deception until you can perform your neutralisation of their headquarters. We would have to arrange to be betrayed by another leak. The element of surprise is with you, we can give you the coordinates and then we would suggest taking them out with missiles. We assure you that we will not activate intercept protocols. Gentlemen, we have no flexibility here if there is to be an infrastructure left to begin rebuilding a humane regime. It is your decision.”
The UN bought this only because the alternatives looked bleak, even if military control was achieved, at the price of some foreign city and its residents being annihilated by a crazy loyalist of the dictator. The coordinates were handed over and they were assured that if the target security H.Q. was levelled by a night strike, the codes for the warheads would evaporate with them. Kim assured them that as of now they would begin pulling their forces back from the front.
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The date for the Europa trial had to take in the alignment of the planetary bodies. The distance, depending upon their individual orbital positions could be anywhere between 344 and 744 million miles. At ‘velocity’ close to the speed of light this would reflect a journey of some 31-67 minutes. So in terms of time it was not a significant difference. The position of other planets, moons, comets and asteroids had to be checked against this straight line route, and if there were any on intercept course they would have to break the straight line by dropping out of QSD and detour to a new direct course. The first consideration was the asteroid belt. This doughnut shaped rock pile was estimated to be 67 million miles thick. Many unmanned craft and probes had passed through this region without coming near to a collision but it was still too much of a gamble. The Axis charts accumulated on the journeys between the two bodies indicated that the statistical mean inter-asteroid distance was probably similar to that of the Earth and its Moon. None of this type of data could eliminate the risk and nobody knew what would happen to the solid bodies during the disto
rtion process. It was decided to break the straight line by hurdling over the doughnut fence and opt for the two-stage journey. The exercise did illustrate the myriad of calculations required for such voyages.
The five selected to go did not contain any real surprises. Yamamoto, Jet, Red, Evander, and Dan employed as the interface. Red was nominally in command as he could conduct technobabble with the interface. The others were hopefully relegated to being observers.
The two Symbiants guarding and ‘mining’ the lava eruption in the Chasm had unfortunately unearthed diamond clusters in significant quantities and size. They were to be stored in a maximum security vault which the Axis had agreed to fabricate from some of their more impregnable materials and with complicated symbol access codes. The media were kept out of this agreement. The Axis did not really understand the fascination even though it had been explained several times. They had come across diamond before and used it in a purely functional sense but found other ‘alloys’ of naturally occurring materials and synthetic modifiers were superior. Their confusion lay in the human value ascribed to it as a symbol of affluence.
The thrust on stem cell research could benefit from laboratory species which multiplied very quickly and offered multiple generations within a few years. This was considered to be a possible way of confirming the theory of stepwise transference of change more quickly. It should then be possible to record behavioural change, to a discernable altered state in the offspring. They needed to know if this was valid, and if not, a different approach would be required. The problem was importation of a suitable species from Earth and the containment or return of the increasing numbers. It was Scillacci who gave it the name of ‘Frankenstein Pest’. They decided an escape-proof exclusive domain would be necessary. The Axis offered information about an unused excavation for an intended hydrogen capture plant which had been shelved. It was remote and could be made into a prison/fortress depending on whether you were looking in or out. The choice of species could exacerbate the already daunting task of getting Earth to agree to this, especially when the ultimate purpose was revealed.