Read Online Writers of the Future, Volume 28 by L. Ron Hubbard - Free Book Online
Authors: L. Ron Hubbard
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I’m in control. When you realize what I’ve found, you’ll try to take over. I don’t want that. I want you to remember that you’re my friend.”
The implication frightened me. Could his find be so important that it would cause a schism between us larger than my agreeing to send him home ? I said the only thing I could say. “Of course, I’m your friend. I can’t forget that.”
He shook his head and said, “I’m not so sure.”
When he started walking, Nellie and I followed, but I was frustrated and worried.
Our Mars base had been continuously occupied for nearly three years, but we’d found nothing surprising. At least nothing eye-popping enough to goad MarsCorp into building a permanent colony. We’d proved we could live here, but it was expensive and the coolness aspect was wearing off back home. We needed a “Holy Crap” factor. If Jack had found that and was keeping it to himself, I’d beat him to a pulp.
He wouldn’t hesitate to tell me if he’d found a huge underground aquifer or a large platinum deposit. So he’d found something momentous. Was it some kind of moss or lichen living under the sand ? Or a fossil of some long-dead plant or animal ? I itched to question him, to threaten or coerce him into telling me, but knew that wouldn’t work with Jack. He’d tell me or he wouldn’t, and nothing I said or did at this point would change that.
By midafternoon we came to a low ridge. We were almost on top of it before I realized it was the ejecta blanket from an ancient crater. I followed him up the gentle slope and looked down on a chaotic scene.
The crater floor was covered with boot prints, Nellie’s tracks and piles of stone that formed a ring, easily a hundred yards across. I had a sinking feeling. Jack had obviously arranged the stones.
“Wow, Martian crop circles ? ”
He ignored me and followed the rim until he and Nellie turned into a narrow opening where the crater wall had collapsed. Their past traffic had packed the fall into a hard ramp that led down to the floor. As we descended, I saw a hole surrounded by darker, finely spread sand. I recognized the robot’s handiwork. Jack had slept there at some point.
He went directly to the hole, mounted a collapsible ladder already inside and disappeared into the dark interior.
My excitement grew as I followed, nearly falling off the ladder twice in my haste to get to the bottom. About halfway down, the hole opened into the upside-down mushroom shape where Nellie’s inflatable shelter had once expanded.
“Careful,” Jack said. “There’s a big hole in the floor.”
I stepped off the ladder and in the dim light could see the bottom littered with gravel and several large discarded bags made from rope and a cut-up plastic tarp. I turned on my helmet lamp and saw a large hole in the floor, nearly two yards in diameter just a few feet from the ladder. Wispy steam floated from inside. I looked up to ask Jack why, but he was gone. I spun around and saw a large opening in one wall. Light flickered inside.
“Jack ? ”
“In the tunnel. This will be easier to explain if you see it.”
The tunnel was narrow and just tall enough to clear my helmet, but ran about ten feet, then teed left and right. I stopped. The wall before me curved and twinkled in my headlamp. When I moved the light, I saw parts of the surface were translucent. Blues, grays and whites flowed together, making odd shadows. I moved slowly along the tunnel, one side of which was the strange material, until it opened into a small chamber. Only then did I realize I was looking at a large cylinder that disappeared into the ceiling and floor. Jack waited on the far side.
“Jack. Please tell me you didn’t make this.”
“Nope.”
“What’s it made of ? Have you analyzed it yet ? ”
“Water ice,” he said.
My hammering heart slowed and I relaxed a little. Of course, it would be something natural. For a moment I’d envisioned beautiful stone pillars holding up
The implication frightened me. Could his find be so important that it would cause a schism between us larger than my agreeing to send him home ? I said the only thing I could say. “Of course, I’m your friend. I can’t forget that.”
He shook his head and said, “I’m not so sure.”
When he started walking, Nellie and I followed, but I was frustrated and worried.
Our Mars base had been continuously occupied for nearly three years, but we’d found nothing surprising. At least nothing eye-popping enough to goad MarsCorp into building a permanent colony. We’d proved we could live here, but it was expensive and the coolness aspect was wearing off back home. We needed a “Holy Crap” factor. If Jack had found that and was keeping it to himself, I’d beat him to a pulp.
He wouldn’t hesitate to tell me if he’d found a huge underground aquifer or a large platinum deposit. So he’d found something momentous. Was it some kind of moss or lichen living under the sand ? Or a fossil of some long-dead plant or animal ? I itched to question him, to threaten or coerce him into telling me, but knew that wouldn’t work with Jack. He’d tell me or he wouldn’t, and nothing I said or did at this point would change that.
By midafternoon we came to a low ridge. We were almost on top of it before I realized it was the ejecta blanket from an ancient crater. I followed him up the gentle slope and looked down on a chaotic scene.
The crater floor was covered with boot prints, Nellie’s tracks and piles of stone that formed a ring, easily a hundred yards across. I had a sinking feeling. Jack had obviously arranged the stones.
“Wow, Martian crop circles ? ”
He ignored me and followed the rim until he and Nellie turned into a narrow opening where the crater wall had collapsed. Their past traffic had packed the fall into a hard ramp that led down to the floor. As we descended, I saw a hole surrounded by darker, finely spread sand. I recognized the robot’s handiwork. Jack had slept there at some point.
He went directly to the hole, mounted a collapsible ladder already inside and disappeared into the dark interior.
My excitement grew as I followed, nearly falling off the ladder twice in my haste to get to the bottom. About halfway down, the hole opened into the upside-down mushroom shape where Nellie’s inflatable shelter had once expanded.
“Careful,” Jack said. “There’s a big hole in the floor.”
I stepped off the ladder and in the dim light could see the bottom littered with gravel and several large discarded bags made from rope and a cut-up plastic tarp. I turned on my helmet lamp and saw a large hole in the floor, nearly two yards in diameter just a few feet from the ladder. Wispy steam floated from inside. I looked up to ask Jack why, but he was gone. I spun around and saw a large opening in one wall. Light flickered inside.
“Jack ? ”
“In the tunnel. This will be easier to explain if you see it.”
The tunnel was narrow and just tall enough to clear my helmet, but ran about ten feet, then teed left and right. I stopped. The wall before me curved and twinkled in my headlamp. When I moved the light, I saw parts of the surface were translucent. Blues, grays and whites flowed together, making odd shadows. I moved slowly along the tunnel, one side of which was the strange material, until it opened into a small chamber. Only then did I realize I was looking at a large cylinder that disappeared into the ceiling and floor. Jack waited on the far side.
“Jack. Please tell me you didn’t make this.”
“Nope.”
“What’s it made of ? Have you analyzed it yet ? ”
“Water ice,” he said.
My hammering heart slowed and I relaxed a little. Of course, it would be something natural. For a moment I’d envisioned beautiful stone pillars holding up
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