c. 2024 Rod Ice
All rights reserved
(11-24)
The research center at Argyre Planitia was purposefully located in a region where active colonies on Mars would not interfere with the work of its academic staff. Scientists and engineers were always busy. The arc of discovery here was steep. Those who first appeared on transport ships from Old Earth found the location to be lonely and isolated. But with the evolution of a social order transplanted from another place, soon there were changes occurring out of necessity. Outdated concepts such as property rights, unlimited self-expression, and violence were jettisoned. The result was a seamless, homogenous blend of cooperation and respect for unanimity. Once this new order had been sired by those on the forefront, their creed quickly took hold all across the Red Planet. Dissent was considered to be detrimental for making progress, as a group. People soon found themselves transformed, through reeducation, or a cerebral process of realignment, when necessary. Those who could not ultimately adapt were banished. Like a virus, they were eliminated for the greater good.
The Hidecki Wellness Chair became a cornerstone of this quantum leap to a higher plane of human existence. Yet its reputation on more distant worlds was mixed.
Dr. Judson Baines had little formal knowledge about this treatment device, because information regarding its use was tightly held. Mentions of the specific regimen were rare in medical journals, and rarer still in regular media posts. So, when he arrived at the secure facility, a measure of curiosity swelled in his brain.
At the Argyre outpost, ReTrainer Fargo Bolden was the chief officer in charge. He had been master of the clinic for more than 20 cycles, an eternity in the truncated history of his species at its new home. During that time, he had been able to amass a stunning amount of data from observing patients. His success rate in producing obedient, useful citizens through the methodology of psycotronic conditioning was impressive. But none of his subjects had been so notable before their entry to the program, as a dislocated university professor. Having someone with such a developed intellect presented an exciting challenge. And perhaps, an opportunity to earn praise from fellow members of the technical community.
Baines had needed medical care onboard the Morningstar III for several weeks. During the extended period, his personal grooming had been abandoned. This detour left him with the shaggy appearance of an outworlder, and outcast. But now, with his consciousness restored, he felt ready to revive the pursuit of scholarship. The electrified recliner made him slightly uncomfortable, with its safety restraints and cross-temple harness. Yet as the energy pods lowered around the sides of his skull, he felt a surge of warmth and comfort.
Fargo spoke with the gentle voice of a physician making a bedside call. He was dressed in the tan, monotone garb of a lab assistant. But carried a single, stylized stripe and crest on one shoulder, that indicated his position as the chief of operations.
“This is a privilege, sir! I thank you for agreeing to visit my clinic...”
The professional geek found this greeting to be strangely amusing. He tugged at his reddish beard, while attempting to get comfortable.
“Agreeing? When the hell did that happen?”
His attending doctor grimaced slightly.
“This is a volunteer clinic. Not a jailhouse. A place of higher learning, and if possible, gaining higher function for our patients...”
Baines sensed the soft rhythm of a pulse cycle beginning to penetrate his bone mass. This energy beam relaxed him, immediately. His limbs went flaccid. He drooled and whispered, almost falling asleep.
“Higher function? How do you measure that quantity?”
ReTrainer Fargo twisted an oversized dial on his control console. A virtual whirring of cascading cycles grew louder. This formed a wave pattern on his monitor, which had been set to match a predetermined oscillation curve.
“Steady now, sir, Steady! This clinic is my proudest achievement. Though in truth, I owe a debt of gratitude to the Australian immigrant who set things in motion, a century ago. He was exceedingly brilliant. And quite humane, I might add. After the Great Uprising of our original homeworld, many were no so gentle with the needy. Our notions of medical science had become stalled. Here in the colonies, we have found the freedom to learn, and grow...”
A righteous pivot of the technician’s wrist sent Baines into a convulsion. Twin, bluish spheres were generated from the u-shaped cap around his head. He postured both hands, and gasped for air. Then, drifted into a deep, dark chasm of negation. His treatment period had been surprisingly brief. A curse dripped from his mouth, in droplets of oozing saliva. He refused to surrender without a mental battle for independence.
“You’re a motherfucker, Hidecki! A gawdamm motherfucker! Mother-fucker!”
Before the episodic cleansing could be completed, an aroma of sulfur filled the treatment chamber. A gray-white, protoplasmic mist appeared. From this portal, the shocking countenance of a woman emerged. Her sharp fingertips sparked with visual ire. Her long mane glowed around twin eyes that were red like hot coals. Cackling echoed from the depths of eternity.
Esmeralda Jonovic had once again slipped the bonds of her eternal punishment, to return and face the judgment of mortality.
“Y’ALL GOT SOME STONES, JUDDY! BY GOD, JUST LIKE YER GREAT-GRANDPA! THIS SON-OF-A-BITCH WANTS TO SCRAMBLE YER EGGS! AND DAMMIT, THE DEED IS JUST ABOUT DONE! BUT NOT QUITE, NOT JUST YET. HOLD ON, BOY! BY ALL THE CONFEDERATE GENERALS IN HELL, AND THE STINK OF SATAN, I’LL PULL YER ASS THROUGH! HOLD ON! HOLD ON TIGHT!”
Baines experienced a psychic rush that sent his pulse into a raging fit. This turn sent instruments on the medical console into alarm mode.
Fargo was confused. He could see nothing but a pale, emaciated individual writhing in the chair. Jonovic’s presence was invisible to him, as an observer.
“Steady now, steady! You’ll risk harm from fighting the cure! This clinic has a perfect record of helping those under our care. I don’t want a blemish on that roster. Let me complete my task, and be done!”
The dead militia queen hovered over her subject with the careful concern of a mother.
“STIFFEN UP THAT BACKBONE, SON! DON’T LET ‘EM TAKE YER BALLS! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT LIKE MY SOLDIERS DID, FOR PATRIOT GLORY! FIGHT FOR THE LOST CAUSE! FIGHT FOR VENGEANCE AND VICTORY! SCREW THOSE GOVERNMENT JACKALS! DON’T TREAD ON ME! DON’T TREAD ON MEEEEEEE!”
The Hidecki device began to shudder and smolder, as its work was halted. All of the gauges flatlined, suddenly. Then, the apparition from Hades vanished with the final gesture of a kiss.
“BE WELL, JUDSON! I’D LOTS RATHER STAY HERE WITH YOU THAN GO BACK TO THAT BORING OL’ DUDE IN THE PIT! BUT HE’S THE LORD OF SIN AND SHAME. BEELZEBUB RULES! I CAN FEEL HIS CLAWS AROUND MY NECK, RIGHT NOW. DAMN HIM! DAMN HIM BACK TO HELL!”
Silence fell upon the clinic with deafening force. All of the circuit connections had burned to a crisp. For the first time, ReTrainer Fargo had failed as a servant of the Martian state. He stood with his palms flat on the control console. His chest heaved with regret and remorse.
“By all the stars and planets in our cosmos, I hope the high council will forgive me!”