Cities of Mars (eBook)

Jeff Tanyard (Autor)

eBook Download: EPUB

2019 | 1. Auflage
297 Seiten
Jeff Tanyard (Verlag)
978-0-00-014471-3 (ISBN)

Infos

Dale Kinmont recruits Martian volunteers to travel to Venus and aid in its defense. He assembles an army and dispatches them ahead of schedule. They'll beat Nat there with time to spare, and Dale is optimistic.

The plan is soon derailed. Nat and his army of convicts aren't going to Venus as planned--they're on their way to Mars. Dale's army's ship can't turn around, and they will never make it back in time.

He must find a way to defend his uncle's space station, as well as the Martian cities on the surface. He must do it without Mars's best fighting men, and he must do it quickly. Because Nat Leland is coming, and the most brutal men in the solar system are coming with him.

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Chapter 3 – Preparations

 

They docked with Red Sky and disembarked. Some of the other passengers shook Zack's hand before heading off to their workplaces. The air was soon full of the ripping sounds of their boots.

Dale covered his ears. “Those sticky boots are horrible. I've only worn them for short periods at a time. I can't imagine having to live in the things. How do all the workers deal with the racket?”

“Most of us use electronic plugs,” Eliza said. She turned her head and pointed to her ear. There was a device wedged in there, barely visible. “They're tuned to the particulars of the sounds the boots make. They cancel the noise out, but allow other sounds unimpeded. You'll want to get fitted for some if you intend to stay on Red Sky for very long.”

“Huh. I might just do that.”

Eliza led them into the station. Her office was closer than Zack's, so they went there instead. She opened the door and held it for her guests.

Dale glanced around the office. It was small, but neat, and it gave an impression of order and efficiency. A pair of armchairs faced a cheap metal desk. Behind the desk was a large swivel chair, and behind that was a thick window. He walked over to the window and looked down. A sliver of Mars was visible below, shining bright and orange against the black backdrop. The surface was decorated with circles, polygons, ovals, and lines—the domes, tunnels, roads, and railroads of the settlements.

“I've got all the data at hand here,” Eliza said, gesturing to the screen on her desk. “Please have a seat at the desk, Mr. Kinmont.”

Zack sat in the swivel chair and began skimming the figures on the screen.

Dale pulled his gaze away from the window and walked around the desk. He and Eliza sat in the armchairs facing Zack.

“I'm not happy with the progress of the ship,” Zack said. He frowned at the screen. “I'd like to speed it up. Your thoughts?” He looked up at Eliza.

“It won't be easy,” she said. “Or cheap. We're already on three shifts.”

“I think we can strip out a few things.” Zack nodded at the data. “The galley, for instance. No need to construct that. We'll just use the hibernation pods.”

“Not possible, I'm afraid. There aren't any pods available for installation. The manufacturer had some issues. Delivery was delayed.”

“How long?”

“Six months.”

Zack swore softly. “Then that's out. I guess we'll have to pack food after all. Dehydrated meals, I suppose. Packets that only require water to be added. That sort of thing.”

Eliza made a face. “That won't be popular.”

“We'll call them rations. The passengers will be going to defend Hesperus, after all, so they might as well start thinking of themselves as soldiers.”

“Are we sending employees to fight?” Dale asked.

“I'll get to that in a moment.” Zack looked at Eliza. “One month. I want the ship ready to go in one month. Pay whatever overtime you have to. Cut short the space trials. And forego any components that aren't absolutely necessary to get those men to Venus alive. Time is worth more than money, so spend whatever you need to meet the deadline.”

Eliza nodded. “Ya. Understood.”

“Now... about soldiers.” He leaned back and pursed his lips thoughtfully. “We'll need men, obviously. No women, though. Conditions will be crowded, and tempers will be short. It's several weeks to Venus, and having a mixed group is just asking for hormone-related shenanigans. After all, these are civilian recruits we're talking about here, not professional soldiers. Now, to answer Dale's question, I'm not going to start conscripting my employees. I belong to the Free Space Party, not the 'Slave Army' Party. So that means volunteers. Earth is off-limits, Hesperus is already preparing for its own defense, and Crater is in Nat's pocket. That limits our recruiting to Mars. Fortunately, we have the people here to fill our needs. We should be able to successfully recruit an army to defend Venus against Nat's bunch.”

“And what about Mercury?” Dale asked. “I'm not giving up on them. And I owe them. I'd like to go back, and I want some guys with guns with me. Can we defend Venus and capture Mercury at the same time?”

“That depends.” Zack gave him his famous half-smile. “How good are you at recruiting?”

“Me?” Dale blinked. “I don't know the first thing about it. I figured you'd be doing it. You're the CEO, after all. You're in charge of this whole operation.”

“But you're the Hero of Hesperus.” Zack cocked an eyebrow. “That's what will rally the people. I saw the way the Hesperans looked at you in those weeks after the revolution. I heard the things they said to you and the things they said about you when you weren't in earshot. They loved you, Dale. They admired you. You're a natural leader. You're just not comfortable with leading yet. But if you can step outside your comfort zone, and send out a call to arms, then I think Mars will respond. I think you'll get your volunteers.”

“I tried something like that in Crater, remember?” Dale grimaced. “I thought everyone there would jump at the chance to follow me. But they didn't. Their revolution failed, and a lot of them died. And it was all for nothing. I was arrogant. You said so yourself, and you were right. I can't make that mistake again.”

Zack shook his head. “Like I said before, Mars isn't Mercury. The two planets are about as different as they can be. The people here are not psychologically defeated like the Hermians were. There's a real can-do spirit here, especially among the Nerians, but in the national cities, too, to some degree. You're not convinced yet because you've never seen Mars for yourself.”

“I don't know...”

“Trust me, Dale.” Zack gave him an earnest look. “Have faith in my judgment. Give recruiting a try. You might be surprised.”

Eliza looked at Dale. “You can do it. I trust your uncle implicitly. If he says a thing is so, then it is so.”

Dale looked at her, and then back at Zack. After a moment, he sighed. “All right. I'll give it a shot. But I have no idea what I'm doing. I'll need help writing speeches and stuff.”

Zack smiled. “I think I can help with that.”

Dale gave him a grateful look.

“Now that the recruitment issue is settled,” Eliza said, “there's the matter of armament. The men will need guns. I suggest seeking out a deal with Bellona Firearms.”

“Sounds good,” Zack said. “We'll have big orders to fill, and they've got the capacity. They might be the only dealer with the capacity. They're as Nerian as Nerian gets, though, so they might need some persuading. Don't delegate this one. I'd like you to personally meet with their CEO.”

“Ya. Will do.”

“I'd also like Dale to go with you.”

Dale's eyebrows shot up.

Eliza gave Zack an uncertain look, but shrugged. “You're the boss.”

“And now,” Zack said, “I'd like to speak to Dale alone.”

“Of course.” She rose from her seat. “I'll start making the arrangements. I'll contact you when I've made an appointment with Bellona.”

“Thank you.”

She left the office.

Dale watched the door close. When it clicked shut, he turned to Zack. “Why do I need to go talk to the gun guy? Eliza seems capable. She can probably handle it by herself.”

“She's very capable. And of course she can handle it. That's why I want you to tag along. You can learn a thing or two from her.” He leaned forward. “I won't always be around to help you. And neither will Eliza. You should try to learn as much as you can from us while you can. You're my heir, Dale. I made the last of the legal arrangements on the God's Eye Nebula. You'll be CEO of Tanaka-Chandra some day. It's my duty to prepare you for that as best I can.”

Dale's stomach churned. It was a huge responsibility. He doubted he was up to it.

“A word of warning, though. Eliza is an excellent driver. Perhaps the best on Mars. And she knows it.”

“I don't get it. What's the 'warning' part?”

Zack chuckled. “You'll find out. Oh—one more thing.” He leaned back and clasped his hands behind his head. “The Martians don't use net goggles. This is the most advanced planet in the system, and that technology is obsolete here. The people here use ocular implants. They're still kind of a new technology, but most of the bugs have been fixed, and now they work like a charm. They're tiny things that are inserted in the eyeballs and attached to the optic nerves. You won't even know they're there unless you're using them. I'll be getting fitted for a pair myself, and I've made an appointment for you, too. It's tomorrow morning.”

Dale frowned. “You could have asked me first. Maybe I don't want something shoved in my eyeballs, you know?”

“I knew you'd balk a little. That's why I sent Eliza out. I didn't want you to look like a whiner in front of her.”

“Oh, well, thanks, I guess.” Dale rolled his eyes.

“It's a quick, painless procedure. And it's necessary for us to stay in contact. You'll be meeting with Bellona Firearms on the surface. I'll remain here on Red Sky. But we'll still need to coordinate. It's a small sacrifice. Don't make it a bigger deal than it is.”

Dale folded his arms across his chest. “I don't know...”

“You already need medical care,” Zack said. “You want a new ear, right? I certainly would if some psycho had bitten mine off. And your hand probably needs attention. I'm sure that...

Produkt-Details

• Erscheint lt. Verlag: 25.1.2019
• Sprache: englisch
• Themenwelt: Literatur ► Fantasy / Science Fiction ► Science Fiction
• ISBN-10: 0-00-014471-1 / 0000144711
• ISBN-13: 978-0-00-014471-3 / 9780000144713