Mel watched the Chair of the Terraforming Committee lift her eyes from the podium and look straight ahead down the lens of the Interplanetary Cinematics News camera. Farah Sharif’s tailored suit, in the cerulean blue of the ruling Unity Party, was immaculate, while her subtle makeup and precise, short haircut emphasized her serious expression. Behind her, the Terraforming Committee crest, encompassing two sheaves of wheat cupping the globe of Mars, endorsed her authority.
Raj and Ben were the only people in the lab with her, looking at their individual screens, but Mel had a sense that the whole of Mars was watching. No one could have escaped the shortages of food which were becoming apparent in the shops and the circulating suggestion that crop failures in multiple farms were to blame.
“I want to address the rumors that have been spread around Mars by a small number of irresponsible people over the last few days,” said Sharif. “I want to assure you that we have plenty of food to feed ourselves. Crops are thriving and supplies are at their optimum level.
“I have seen, as you all have, the images of dying plants. They have been presented to you as shocking, but that is a misrepresentation of the facts. Mistakes have been known to happen in the farming industry, like we all sometimes make mistakes in our own lives. In this case, there was an error in the watering program and the field couldn’t be harvested. But this example was one field in one farm among hundreds on Mars. Our robust systems can withstand such minor blips. In fact, they are designed to make allowances for one-off events like this.
“Someone has taken this isolated incident and blown it out of proportion. I understand that people are scared and I understand the human desire to make sure you have enough to eat, but it is individuals stocking up on that little bit extra which is putting strain on the system.”
She looked from her notes back to the camera with concern. “The experts who advise the Terraforming Committee tell me it’s panic buying. But I tell them, people aren’t panicking, they are doing what they think is right for their family. However, if everyone buys a little bit extra all at once, the system is taken by surprise. It’s distorting reality to make it appear that supplies are running low when they are not.
“So, I urge you. Please return to your normal behavior. There is no need to panic. Mars has plenty of food to feed everyone.”
Sharif ended with a smile. Mel found it cold and calculating. She turned off the ICN feed in disgust.
Raj, who had been watching at his own screen, silenced the babble of ICN commentary and turned to Mel. “Do you believe her?”
“No.” It depressed her to admit it, but she had spent the previous evening listening to Isaac tell her about the disruption of farm delivery schedules.
Ben also cut the ICN feed to his screen. “She’s right about panic buying. If everyone hoards twice as much food as they need, they’re going to cause the shortage they were scared of in the first place.”
“Sharif’s wrong about it only being one farm, though,” said Mel. “Isaac’s had multiple farms cancel collection of supplies. No one will give him a straight answer as to why.”
“The more pertinent question is,” said Raj. “Could the problems at the farms be connected to the death of Mel’s experimental plants.”
“I’ve been thinking about it ever since I saw that video and I don’t see how,” said Mel. “I can’t find a trace of a pathogen in my potatoes and the farms must have been struck by some kind of virus or bacteria. Crops which have grown quite happily on Mars for two hundred years don’t suddenly die for no reason.”
“So, what do you think killed your experiment?”
She was about to put forward her theory about epigenetics when the door to the lab opened.
Mel expected to see one of the lab techs arriving for the start of their shift and was surprised when Kaito entered. Seeing her friend made her realize she had done nothing to fix the dinner date they had talked about.
“Kaito!” she said. “Coming to see me twice in two weeks, that has to be a record.”
Kaito did not return her smile. “Morning, Mel.”
Two men, looking uncomfortable in lab coats stuffed over the top of their clothes, followed her in. The first was Earth-born, in his early thirties and with tightly cropped hair. His companion – with the height and slight figure of a Mars-born man – was older and starting to go gray.
“You are Doctor Melanie Erdan?” said the Earth-born man in the familiar accent she associated with her father.
Mel threw a pointed glance at Kaito, irritated she’d brought strangers to visit when she had so much to do. “And you are?”
“These men are from the Mars Security Service,” Kaito explained.
Tensing with guilt, even though she knew she had done nothing wrong, she understood why Kaito looked so serious. “MSS?”
“I’m Inspector Deverau,” said the Earth-born man. “And this is Sergeant Jones.”
The Mars-born man offered a smile, which Mel did not feel like returning.
“What is this about?” she said.
“You conducted an experiment that caused plants to die,” said Deverau.
A cold wave of betrayal passed through her body as she realized someone must have told the MSS about her experiment.
Kaito, Raj and Ben looked as shocked as she felt, but if they hadn’t passed on the information, someone else must have. If not directly to the MSS, then to someone outside of the Tall Greenhouse who wasn’t bound by the same loyalty and confidentiality.
“Who told you?” she asked.
“That’s not important,” said Deverau. “We only want to ask you a few questions.”
“OK.” Mel stood ready to answer anything. She had nothing to hide.
“I think it would be easier if we did this at the station.” He turned sideways to invite her to leave.
Mel did not move. “Easier for who?”
“Easier for everyone,” he said.
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this time,” said Deverau.
If his words were supposed to be reassuring, then they failed.
“Go with them and answer their questions, Mel,” said Kaito. “It’s the quickest and easiest way to sort all this out.”
Kaito’s supportive smile gave Mel the confidence to realize she was right. “If that is what you prefer,” she told Deverau.
“When you get back, we can fix up that dinner date,” said Kaito. “How about next week?”
“Sounds good,” said Mel.
But she wasn’t thinking about dinner. As she joined the two men, she rehearsed in her mind what she was going to say to prove her experiment had nothing to do with any other crop deaths.