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“Life?” Jonas asked. He gave a puzzled glance toward Boony. “What the hell are you talking about? What kind of life?”
Clark nodded. “Yes. Strange insect-like creatures. They killed Shad.”
Jonas frowned. His eyes narrowed as he studied Clark. “These creatures killed him?”
“Yes,” Clark said, nodding. “They bit or stung him. They must possess some very toxic venom. He dropped to the floor and was paralyzed in less than a minute. They . . . I think they drained his blood.”
“How many creatures are we talking about?” Boony said, walking toward the door.
“Thousands of them.”
“Thousands?” Boony asked. Her eyes widened with fright as she flicked her gaze toward Jonas.
Clark nodded vigorously.
“And why haven’t we seen these things before?” Jonas asked.
Clark stepped away from the door, grabbed a swivel chair, and plopped down. Boony handed him a bottle of water. Sweat rolled down his pale frightened face. He twisted off the lid and downed the water quickly.
Panting, he replied, “Shad was operating his drilling machine to lengthen the tunnel. The next thing we knew, the giant drill bit bent and was knocked off its track. The hole in the wall cracked open. Chunks of rock collapsed. He had tapped into a large room.”
“What do you mean a room?” Jonas asked.
“It’s an enlargement, like the big open areas you find inside a lot of the cavern systems on Earth. Shad went inside the room. These creatures are all over that chamber. The ceilings. The walls. The floors.”
“Wait a minute. Why’d he go inside if those insects were in there?”
Clark took a deep breath and exhaled. “We didn’t see them. They are well camouflaged. They are the same color as the floor and walls. They blended in so well that I barely noticed them, and by the time I did, Shad was already surrounded.”
“What possessed him to go inside alone?” Boony asked.
“I tried to stop him. I really did. He was so possessed with discovering something to make a name for himself that he shut out my logical arguments and any rationality. I had grabbed him by the ankle but lost my footing. When I let go, he dove over to the other side. I tried to convince Shad to come back out, but he swore that he saw a silver bridge and a door. I didn’t see either of those structures.”
“Had he been drinking?” Jonas asked.
“No. Not that I could tell.”
“Did he hit his head when he fell?” Boony asked.
“I don’t know. But there was this pungent chemical odor.”
“What do you make of that? Could it have clouded his judgment?””
“It was harsh. I suppose there’s the chance that it might have caused a reaction that distorted his visuals, but he might have simply struck his head in the fall like she suggested.”
“Okay, then.” Jonas grabbed a laser rifle from the gun rack and handed it to Clark.
Clark shook his head. “I don’t think these weapons will harm them.”
“Why not?”
Clark explained how he had struck one with the shovel and the impact didn’t do any damage to it. The pick had only worked because he happened to strike it in the exact spot between its jointed segments.
“Any ideas about what you think might kill them?” Jonas asked.
“Heat? Or maybe extreme cold. I really don’t know. My biggest worry is that their exoskeletons are strong like metal, which might prevent almost any tool from penetrating their outer crusty layer.”
Jonas pressed the button for the corridor intercoms. “Shaft Fifteen is in a state of emergency. I need all guards and off duty guards to take flamethrowers and fire extinguishers and meet me at the platform that overlooks the tunnel. Under no circumstances should anyone head into Shaft Fifteen until I get there. This is a Level Four emergency.”
After he turned off the intercom, he looked at Clark. “How many of these creatures are we dealing with again? Thousands?”
Clark nodded.
“You’re certain? Shock sometimes makes us see things that aren’t there.”
“Trust me. That might be an underestimated number.”
Jonas frowned. “Do you think the corridor in Shaft Fifteen might already be infested?”
“I hope not. I tried to seal the opening with the giant drill bit, but there were edges of the wall that no longer meet since part of the wall collapsed.”
“In other words, gaps large enough where they can still get through?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Come on,” Jonas said to Clark.
“What about me?” Boony asked.
“Watch the surveillance feed. Keep an eye on the corridors. Make sure everything else is running smoothly. Keep trying to contact Deimos Life Station, too.”
“Yes, sir,” she replied. “But do note that there are no cameras in Shaft Fifteen.”
“I know. We’re going in blind.”
***
Grayson sat behind his desk, frustrated with the events that had unfolded during the week. Holding the keys to the vast wealth of the Martian terrain, he now felt threatened and realized how fragile his hold on the planet was becoming. Future applicants for Grayson Enterprises would be required even more thorough background checks and additional screenings before being interviewed. He had thought the ones he had already established were quite detailed. Apparently not.
Beatrice paged him.
“Yes,” he replied.
“Thomas Quaid on line one.”
“Thanks, Beatrice.”
Grayson tapped the button on his desk. “Yes, Thomas? What have you found out?”
“Two of the occupants on the Percival 3000 are in hibernation. Not sure what the third person is doing.”
“Have you found a way to override the computer system controls on that shuttle?”
“Negative, sir. I’ve tried every code I have, and the shuttle computer continues to deny me access.”
Grayson frowned and thought for a moment. Thomas was his head computer-programming engineer, and if anyone had the knowledge necessary to hijack and take back the shuttle, this was the man.
“How is that possible?” Grayson asked.
“One possible explanation is that since the hibernation mechanism is in place, the computer has blocked all outside communication to prevent hackers, which in our case would be us, from taking over the shuttle. That is a precautionary code that you had me build into the system, which merely keeps the passengers safer.”
“I see. Any other possible means?”
“The other possibility is that one of those aboard the shuttle has tampered with the control system to reject outside interference. However, there is something else I can try.”
Grayson’s eyebrows rose. “What’s that?”
“I believe I can hack into the nuclear propulsion engine computers.”
“So?”
Thomas laughed softly. “I can boost the speed of the engines to have them back to Earth in six months instead of seven.”
“Will they detect that?”
“Doubtful. I can set it to gradually increase over a two-day period.”
“Do it,” Grayson said with a broad smile.
“Consider it done.”