America One: War of the Worlds (21 page)

VIN couldn’t open the door to get the suit for at least six hours due to the increased lowering of the pressure with two exits of personnel.

Since both suits were recharged, they donned their suits so that they could find out what was going on, on the outside. Roo was happy to take a nap.

“Dad, you have been using more fuel than expected down on the surface,”
stated Lunar in orbit in
SB-V
high above. Ryan and crew had only been down inside the planet for less than twelve hours, but to them it felt like a lifetime.
“Jonesy can get back to the retreat and back to the tunnels one more time, but SB-III will take all the retreat’s fuel to get back into orbit. You are going to need a water flight for the base to make new fuel if Jonesy uses up all theirs. Also we have less than five days before we are due to blast out of orbit, and the computers show that you are nearly a ton behind schedule on the gold collection. We need to regroup on our mission, Dad.”

“I agree Lunar,”
Ryan replied.
“VIN managed to get the information out of our captive, and it seems that the Matts still have a powerful space force on the planet.”

“What about our crew on base?”
Lunar asked.
“They could be attacked and the base destroyed before we return.”

“I am analyzing that problem at the moment. VIN what do you think?”

“Lunar, we have found enough water down here to last us a hundred years. I know you didn’t hear Maggie’s statement on the enemy space craft and their commanders, I don’t believe our base will be attacked until their ships arrive from Europa. Maggie believes that they have few to no flight commanders, and without them they might not fly. I’m sure they have the same globes on the other base, as well as on Europa. The light from this base has been off since Commander Fob and his kids went to sleep, so they don’t know if anybody else survived down in this part of their base. They couldn’t get in or out of here anyway if they needed to rescue their commander. They need proper space suits, so until their robots have repaired the tunnel and have an atmosphere back in the tunnel, this base is far safer than the retreat. One thing I noticed, the Mars globe light from this base did not go on when we woke the Matts. Maybe there is a delay in its program. We could unplug them, or something so that they don’t light up when we move in and out. I think its necessary to move some of our crew staying behind into this base, especially the chemists. There is enough water down here to fill up every fuel tank we have back at the Retreat. Lunar that is my thinking at this time. I’ll turn this conversation over to your father, as I haven’t thought past the fuel production, out.”

“Dad, if we moved crew into that base, we will use even more of the fuel we need to get back to earth,”
stated Lunar.

“I know that girl, but we must do something. Captain Pete and Doctor Nancy got back, I think we can too, even if we have to tow each other part of the way. VIN and I will think up a plan, you get your computers to do the same. We’ll discuss the situation when I get back aboard SB-IV, out.”

Ryan, Roo, and VIN left the
Matt
base three hours later. Max did a great job in ferrying them back up to the tunnel exits. By that time, and without helmets on to power up their suits for the exit, VIN, Roo and Ryan had devised a grand plan.

The next part of the operation would take 24 hours, and both ships, as full of weight as the astronauts thought safe, launched away from the still-working robots.

Jonesy, his cockpit full of the new
Matts
with Max, Roo and VIN squashed in as guards headed back to the Retreat while Saturn headed straight into orbit.

SB-III
was heavy, but with her light fuel load, the ship flew straight and true to the Retreat. Here Dave Black was waiting for them inside the blue shield with two of the crew as guards to take Commander Fob into custody.

“We have every gallon for liquid hydrogen ready to load aboard your shuttle, commander” stated Dave as Jonesy headed into the retreat an hour later.

“Better start fueling her immediately, Dave,” Jonesy replied. “We are going to have a base meeting in an hour, and after that even I don’t know what’s going to happen. All I know is that
SB-III
has to head up soon to take transfer of the rest of the fuel out of
SB-II’s
cargo bays before she can come down to load up with gold.”

“Can everybody hear me?” asked Ryan over the intercom an hour after the refueling of
SB-III
had begun. It would only take two hours of refueling to clean out every drop of fuel on the base.

“SB-V, reading you clear, Dad,”
replied Lunar.

“SB-II, same,”
stated Jenny Burgos

“SB-IV, altitude 97,000 feet, we have ten minutes before we head over the horizon on Orbit One, over,”
added Saturn.

“The crew of
SB-III
are here at the retreat, so are all base crewmembers listening in down here,” continued Ryan. “Security commander VIN Noble, Ruler Roo and I had a couple of hours down the depths of this planet to hash out a plan, and we would like a vote from everyone whether you accept it or not. Of course a majority vote wins. As most of you have already heard, there is a beautiful lake of water underneath the
Matt
base. I have just seen Suzi’s reports on the water, and it far cleaner and pure than we get from the crater. So far VIN and I have surmised that there are at least one million gallons of it ready for us to use.”

Ryan stopped talking as there were whistles, and sounds of excitement from many listening in in the cafeteria where he was speaking in the Retreat. He was sure that many in the ships were also happy with the find.

“There could be ten times, a hundred times that much water, but our lights weren’t powerful enough.”

“Any fishing holes?” asked Jonesy which got much laughter.

“Thank you Mr. Jones,” smiled Ryan. “We’ll check for you on the next visit, but I believe you are heading back to earth for good, are you not?” Jonesy nodded his head smiling at his boss, but saying nothing. “We have found out from the
Matt
commander that there is a possibility of more spaceships in their base we haven’t entered yet. I believe let sleeping dogs lie, and I do not want to waken that hornet’s nest until we return with more firepower on our next visit in 18 months’ time. We also believe that there is a flight of 16 spacecraft heading towards this planet from the Jupiter Moon Europa. They left about 100 days ago, and will arrive within the next 200 to 300 days. Why they are coming, we don’t know, but I surmise they are coming to join up with what is left of their space force on this planet to destroy our base. Ruler Roo suggested another alternative. His suggestion is to repair the other side of the base we haven’t visited yet. VIN reckons on both, and I tend to agree with both of them. We all agree that it will not be easy for the
Matts
to reach the water without spacesuits. Robots will have to fix the holes, seal the tunnel, and then they need atmosphere. Years of work just to get across to their much needed water supplies I’m sure. The
Matts
are believed to be headquartered on Europa. We ancient Homo sapiens destroyed them, and beat them off Earth over 3,000 years ago. Now they believe we are going to beat the crap out of them, and throw them off this planet, and then Europa, their headquarters. I understand their problem and would like to see if we could somehow set up a peace accord with them.

“After speaking at length to my security commander, and Ruler Roo, I feel that the captured base with the unlimited water supply is safer to have as our new hideaway until this problem with the
Matts
is solved. Therefore, I will get the returning shuttles to first land at the Martian Club Retreat to take all the crewmembers who want to set up our second base on this planet. All three of us believe that if they do attack us, they will attack our original base, and there is no reason they will ever attack what is left of their own base. The water is just too valuable. I know there are crewmembers who want to remain here at the Retreat. There are enough food supplies to last the crew here until we return, and then some, so the blue shields can be taken down and taken to the new base for protection. I’ll let VIN Noble tell you his ideas, and what he thinks will happen to the Martian Club Retreat while our shuttles are not available to protect you. Then Suzi for the biologist crew, Ruler Roo on behalf of his tribe, and finally Vitalily, or Max, whoever wants to offer their side.” Ryan handed the microphone to his security officer.

“As you all remember I was here for the first attack on this base,” VIN began. “I stood outside and saw the hate these
Matts
have against us. My son was in the second attack, and saw how deadly their ships can be. I have interrogated Commander Fob, the captured
Matt
commander, and seen the dislike he has for Homo sapiens. I cannot blame him, but I cannot fix his problems and scars that happened thousands of years ago. Nobody can. The Masers they attacked us with can destroy at least the top two levels of the Retreat. I don’t believe their Masers are powerful enough to reach our third level where our cold fusion plants currently are. If they can, this base is going to blow a massive new crater in his already cratered skyline. We have five levels in the Retreat and the crew remaining will, over the next few months, move our two power systems down to Level Five. I think that a skeleton crew should remain here, and be ready to live deep underground. If there is an attack on this base, the top two levels will be destroyed, but you will have the mining robots to dig you out. I will let Suzi explain the benefits of the move.”

“Ja, a million gallons of water, maybe just a drop in the Martian underground ocean. This is a dream any astro-biologist could dream for. Imagine the possible life forms down there. We could increase our hydroponic farming underground, even use a shield underground for added production if we can find room. I will work on a report of chemosynthesis versus photosynthesis, but will need ideas from Dr. Smidt here, and my team back in Nevada. We must not rely on our shield farming above ground until the
Matts
are peaceful towards us. We cannot lose any shields until Captain Pete and his team have managed to produce new ones. The last time I talked to him back on Earth, his team told me that it could take as long as 10 to 15 years before they could make a shield. I would like every biologist to move to the new base with everything we have, leave supplies for the crew staying behind, and I will organize a backup power system for our new home with the return of our ships from Earth. I will give you my complete report once the time is right back on Earth. Dankeschoen.”

“Ruler Roo, your suggestions for our tribe please,” continued Ryan.

“We are about to go off the air. Fill us in when we return overhead in 18 minutes, out.”
stated Saturn from
SB-IV
.

“I have spoken to a few of the crew who are the more experienced
Matts
. Members who could one day become Ruler after I’m dead. My wife Joanne also spoke to members of the crew. I have also spoken to the three children we saved, and to Commander Fob for a few minutes since he returned from the tunnels. First I believe Commander Fob must go back to Earth. He is a danger to himself and to us Earth
Matts
with his hatred for everybody but his own tribe. The children, I believe, do not have this hatred inside them, and are happy to become one with our family. VIN stated that we should all keep eyes on them, and I believe he is right. We want to move to the base with water, and hope we can build a bigger and better base with the mining robots. It seems that the arriving
Matts
will not be able to visit us until the tunnels are repaired, and we will be hidden from them until the ships return in two years’ time. I would prefer to make peace with the Europa Matts, but I have seen that it could be impossible. I will leave that problem up to Mr. Richmond.”

Roo handed the microphone to Max Von Braun who got up to give the “Builders” and “Mechanics” side of the meeting to all the crew.

“I have been down those tunnels enough times for one week,” joked Max. Everybody gave him a round of applause for his hard work. “After speaking to VIN and Mars Noble, I didn’t enter the cavern. I believe that fifty of the crew could live comfortably in there immediately, 80 with a squeeze, and everyone in a few months once we use the available tunnels. We will have to be careful, but we can dug as long as we don’t destroy the underground lake underneath the whole base. There seems to be a good 50 feet of lava rock between the base and the lake. The explosion has given us a real opportunity for new life here, and I can go further with this while I am Base Commander. I have discussed the explosion crater with the others, and we believe that with alterations, like the collapsing of the natural roof above it, we could make an underground landing zone out of it, and it could be naturally protected by a new roof cavern door, like at the Pig’s Snout. There are recordings of excessive radiation, but the shields will take care of that problem in the short term.

“There are undamaged tunnel areas that could be sealed and made larger for apartments and corridors. I walked in all the tunnels and counted 200 feet of undamaged tunnels that still have their linings. That is more than enough space to increase our base round these specific areas. Our new areas won’t have this coating of gold and rare earth metals, but as yet we haven’t needed them in the Retreat. Unfortunately, we cannot move everybody in until the shuttles return so we need a skeleton crew to maintain the Martian Club Retreat. My crew are working on setting up a relay station to communicate between both bases and will have it ready before the shuttles leave. We are going to place a transmitter working on solar power on top of Lookout Mountain. If it doesn’t work before the shuttles leave, we will have to relay messages via earth, or via any spacecraft in space. That could take up to 20 minutes to send and receive a message, a little late for a warning of sorts, but better than nothing. That’s all I have.”