c. 2024 Rod Ice
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(8-24)
A full week at Evergreen Estates had affected the Morningstar III survey team in opposite ways. Lt. Kelly Strafe busied herself scouting the perimeter of this temporary home in the rural outback of Ohio, to be assured of their safety. However, Dr. Judson Baines looked upon their visit from the perspective of an archaeologist. He poked and prodded the overgrown vegetation to uncover clues about what had happened to the trailer community, since residents fled violence and conflict during the Great Uprising.
Many driveways in the park still held motor vehicles which used fossil fuels to operate. Empty bottles and cans of beverage alcohol provided evidence of a social order in which staying drunk perpetually was the norm. There were cultural references to the American Revolutionary War, with flags designed by Christopher Gadsden and other early patriots. And, banners of the old Confederacy. All of these talismans had been banned long ago, on Mars. They were thought to be unacceptable due to being favored by supporters of the unrest that shattered their mother planet.
Seeing them up close was shocking and yet made him curious. He wanted to learn more about the habits of these troubled pioneers.
Digging through the mobile-home rubble was a slow and tedious task. He had started up front, on a first street to the left. Diagonally situated from the maintenance garage and office. Each dwelling was full of trash and treasure. So, he had to sort through the contents, carefully. Sometimes, he discovered that a particular longbox had been emptied completely. Others in the row were packed with abandoned goods and furnishings. A sign that the owners had to escape with little notice. But when he approached Lot 13, the odd sense of déjà vu returned.
A busted picture, on the entertainment center inside, depicted a young fellow who looked strangely like himself. With a woman who was shorter and smaller in stature. Her oversized glasses were purple and made of a shiny, composite material. She held his arm in a loving gesture of tenderness. When Baines flipped the photo frame over, there was an inscription in gold ink, on the back.
“Townshend Carr Lincoln and Bettina Frye. Joined in matrimony at the Lake County Courthouse, Painesville, Ohio. May 2nd, 1997.”
The moment of discovery sent him reeling emotionally. He knew little about his great grandfather, except that divorce and career collapse had left the iconoclast isolated, in the downscale community of manufactured homes. He apparently became withdrawn, and dependent on alcohol to keep himself numb, with these unfortunate circumstances taking hold. Eventually, historical records indicated that he perished somewhere in his 90’s, and was buried in the township cemetery, with the ashes of a favorite pet. A black Labrador Retriever that had been his last household companion.
Alone in the ruined trailer, Baines stood silently and pondered other items on the entertainment center. Some were trinkets that related to sports teams, while others carried the names of breweries and distilleries that operated a century ago. A radio sat in the center, something designed to receive commercial broadcasts that had long since been discontinued. The device was so ancient that it had a deck for playing cassette tapes, a primitive recording medium that the scientist had only seen in archival documents.
His hands trembled slightly, while sorting through this mass of relics. Then, the com-link on his belt chirped loudly. Commander Block was hailing him, from the Morningstar III. A sound of urgency made his voice boom across the distance between their positions.
“Hello, Doctor! We’ve picked up evidence of a massive storm gathering over the eastern, mid-continental region, where you are exploring. Earth’s weather patterns have changed greatly due to climate change, and pollution residue from combat exercises during the Great Uprising. Our meteorological expert believes that the planet may experience dreadful atmospheric spasms. You and Lt. Strafe need to return, immediately!”
Baines cursed loudly before answering the call.
“C’mon now, all we see here on the surface are dark clouds. Those are very common on this homeworld. They sweep across the area throughout summer months. The worst that can happen is we get an extended period of rain! Our tent can handle that, quit being so dramatic!”
The commander lowered his tone almost to a whisper.
“Earth isn’t what you’ve read about in your university manuals. It’s been changed by mankind. That’s why so many of its inhabitants moved out into the far reaches of our solar system. We paid a price for our arrogance. Do you understand? Civil war with sticks and stones, or with muzzle loaders and swords, was one thing. But when we began to fight each other with armed drones and sophisticated chemicals, the paradigm changed. We wounded our planet. The healing process has taken a long, long time. And it is still underway. Go back to your craft, and plot a course for the mothership! You’ll both be safe up here. I can’t vouch for what’ll happen if you remain at Evergreen Estates!”
Judson Baines suddenly felt more like his rowdy ancestor than a disciplined academic, on a mission of study. He gestured wildly with the com-link, and uttered words spoken in haste.
“WHY IS IT THAT EVERY TIME A HUNT FOR CLUES GETS UNDERWAY, MILITARY MINDS WANT TO TAKE OVER? WHAT’S WITH YOU APES IN UNIFORM? DOES IT MAKE YOU NERVOUS TO SEE SMART MEN AND WOMEN POKING AROUND IN THE RUBBLE YOUR KIND HELPED TO CREATE? ARE YOU AFRAID WE’LL FIND OUT THINGS THAT POINT A FINGER AT YOUR WARRIOR INSTINCTS? THINGS THAT MIGHT MAKE YOU REALIZE YOUR OWN GUILT?”
Block felt his pulse rising. He was not used to tolerating such uninhibited opinions. Yet he maintained a sense of decorum.
“Doctor, I know you’re not a ranked officer, or a member of the Space Force. But let me make this clear in plain language. We believe a threat to your safety exists. Nature has become wild and unpredictable on our former planet. If you choose to stay at your present outpost, there could be dire consequences. I won’t be able to rescue you and Kelly. The Morningstar III has limited capabilities, and a static number of hands on duty. I know this expedition is very important to you, for the cause of science. And also, for personal reasons. I respect that completely. So, listen when I say this, with no prejudice against the mission. Come back to home base, until we can assess the global conditions. Let me contact Mars command. We will make a group decision on any future voyages to that patch of dirt. Think of your own safety, and that of the lieutenant!”
Baines switched off his communicator. Then spat on the carpeted floor. His saliva bubbled on spores of mold and particles of dust.
“WHAT I’M THINKING ABOUT IS MY BLOODLINE, DAMMIT! RIPPED FROM MOTHER EARTH AND FLUNG THOUSANDS OF MILES ONTO ALIEN WORLDS WHERE MANKIND WAS NEVER MEANT TO LIVE!”
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