c. 2024 Rod Ice
All rights reserved
(8-24)
Commander Hornell Block was fully at attention in the conference room, on a middle deck of the Morningstar III. He sat upright and wide-eyed, with his shoulders squared. As if expecting to greet a superior officer from the Space Force. But instead, the hour had been reserved for something else, a verbal confrontation in which his rank on the ship meant nothing. An encounter, one-on-one, with the lone passenger on their vessel who was not a conscripted member of the military.
Dr. Judson Baines was their guest wholly because of his position as a scion of the educational establishment on Mars. He owed no loyalty to the force, or any governmental agency. Only the ongoing search for scientific revelations, and historical perspectives, held him in thrall.
Anticipating a frank discussion, Block had scheduled their meeting in private. There were no other members of the crew present, or any recording devices activated. He had even turned off his own com-link. Something that rarely ever happened, except in emergency situations.
When the professor arrived, he was dressed casually in a sweatshirt and khaki trousers. He had a pipe and pouch of tobacco in his hands.
“Do you mind if I smoke during our conversation, sir? It helps me to relax, something people did a century ago on Planet Earth, before strict health mandates went into effect.”
The commander raised an eyebrow and snorted.
“YOU KNOW THAT ISN’T PERMITTED ON ANY VESSEL IN THE FLEET!”
Baines smiled with amusement.
“I’ll repeat my query with more specificity. Do you yourself mind if I smoke, sir?”
Block felt his face flushing red.
“No, I don’t actually. Do what you want. I deactivated all of the surveillance sensors and spy programs. You are free to do and say whatever comes to mind...”
The professional egghead put a lighter to his bowl of aged tobacco.
“We’re headed back to our home base. Is that right, sir? I’m guessing you’ll eject me at the space dock, for a return to Texas City?”
The commander huffed slightly and rubbed his hands together.
“Those were my instructions. I don’t have free will like you, I follow orders according to the chain of command. But Lt. Strafe is very fond of you personally, she asked me to speak confidentially about your findings at the site of Evergreen Estates. She believes that if you publish those journals in academic circles, there could outrage among political wonks around the colony. Even retribution from authorities that govern Mars. Have you given that any thought?”
Dr. Baines laughed so forcefully that pipe smoke puffed toward the ceiling.
“Retribution? Really? I wouldn’t expect that kind of pressure for someone like me. I’m a history buff, an overgrown kid teaching classes and writing papers, virtually. Nothing I do or say matters like the efforts of diplomats or soldiers...”
Block stiffened in his seat. Both fists were clenched. He had the severe expression of someone about to launch a tactical strike.
“Doctor, I know you’ve sat through plenty of history classes in school. And taught more than a few, after getting your position at the university. We’ve all had our heads stuffed with facts, legends, and apocryphal tales from the Great Uprising. Questions about what spurred the mass migration to Mars have simmered quietly for years in the outer planets. But our leaders feel that keeping a lid on the data-stream is important. They don’t want faith in this human experiment to go sour. Our survival as a species has depended on cooperation and shared sacrifice. We had to jettison old habits like suspicion, partisanship, and making war. Do you understand?”
The scientist and truth-seeker nodded his head. His thick spectacles had begun to cloud up with a fog of sweat.
“Of course. Our society is different, but deep down, our hearts and minds still reverberate with animalistic fervor...”
The commander pounded his fist on the conference table.
“Early voyagers had a long journey to reach the Red Planet. There wasn’t much in place, a few installations from the pioneer settlers. They used Larman transports in those days, very slow and balky at the helm. It took about a year of traveling to get from Earth to Mars. That meant those who arrived were tired of living in cramped conditions, and surly over eating processed mush. Life at places like New Cleveland or Texas City wasn’t much better. But at least they were able to socialize. It’s natural to want companionship with your own kind! They made it work by redefining the parameters of liberty. Old concepts like free speech and individual responsibility went by the wayside. Those things don’t function well in a closed environment that depends on uniformity and meeting goals for the greater good...”
Baines frowned and shrugged. His pipe had gone cold.
“Was there a point you intended to make out of this, sir? I’ve lost track along the way.”
Block put both hands flat on the table. His eyes glowed like active lasers.
“There are many names for what we’ve become. Socialists? Serfs? Useful idiots? Call it what you want. It works! Every citizen of the colonies, on whatever world, has had to endure this kind of intellectual evolution. There’s no room for cowboy logic in outer space. Now do you get my point?”
The scientist had to bite his tongue, gently.
“Am I a cowboy then? That’s an intriguing thought, actually. But don’t misunderstand my purpose. I want to dig through my ancestor’s journals, and if possible, go back for more...”
The commander spit saliva while trying to control his mouth.
“GO BACK FOR MORE? ARE YOU SERIOUS? THE HIGH COUNCIL WON’T LET ME OUT OF THAT SHIPYARD AGAIN, WITH YOU ON BOARD! YOU’RE MARKED, ALREADY! THERE HAVE BEEN RUMORS BUBBLING UP ACROSS THE INTERPLANETARY NETWORKS. SOME THINK YOU WANT TO REVIVE THE MAGA DEFENSE! DOES THAT STING? IT’S A STEEP PRICE TO PAY FOR GOING TO VISIT A GRAVEYARD IN WHAT USED TO BE CALLED OHIO!”
Dr. Baines slouched in his chair. Its composite material had become damp with perspiration.
“I’ve heard for decades that my great-grandfather was complicit in sowing seeds of the uprising. But writings in his own hand prove that to be untrue. He was an outcast, apparently. A hermit and an alcoholic, in a neighborhood of rubes who believed in the rebellion. It ruined everything, the state, the nation, and eventually, most of the known world. Yet his guilt was exaggerated. Let me show you what I’ve found. My discovery is quite fascinating to behold...”
Commander Block flinched at this impulsive invitation. He recoiled like someone who had seen a spider or a snake.
“SHOW ME? HELL NO, YOU WON’T SHOW ME ANYTHING! KEEP POKING THE BEAR, AND I’LL SHOW YOU TO THE BRIG! I’VE HAD ENOUGH OF OUR CHAT FOR ONE DAY. YOU ARE DISMISSED, PROFESSOR BAINES! THANK YOU FOR BEING HONEST AND CANDID!”
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