Mars Ice

On the surface of Mars, microscopic life forms floats in the patch of ice evaporation until it dissipates. Then, the life forms fall to the surface. One such life form gets caught in the radio wave of the Lander. It rides the wave through space into the headgear of a crew of the Mars Expedition Laboratory and burrows into the Man’s brain making him slap his forehead to get the pain out of his head.
“You’re okay?” The person beside him asks.
“Feels like a fucking brain freeze,” the Man mumbles. Then, he becomes catatonic.

Philip, the Project Manager, sits at his desk studying the information on the computer screen.
“No medical or mental abnormalities found,” he mutters. “Everything is normal according to this.” He tells his deputy, Jack.
“Does that include drug or alcohol use?” Jack asks.
“Yes it does.”
“Research the word catatonic,” Jack tells Philip.
“What?”
“Look up catatonic state,” Jack says.
“Why?”
“Because that’s what the doctor said it reminded him of, he is in a catatonic state.”
They read the information.
“He is in a stupor,” Philip says.
“Yes he is,” Jack says.
“Is the think tank on this?”
“Yes Harriet is on the way, sir, but regardless of this man’s medical history, I believe he just had some sudden mental breakdown because of some stress disorder that was not tested by us.”
“I think we should wait for what the think tank has to say on it.”
“According to his medical records he wasn’t on any prescribed medication.”
“None that was reported, there is no need to get stressed out ourselves lets wait for the think tank.”

Harriet sits on the chair close to Philip's desk. Jack makes himself comfortable on the couch. His gaze questions her. Philip moves his attention off the computer onto her.
“Well?” Philip queries her.
“It is not medical nor is it mental. I believe we may have an intruder,” she says.
Jack becomes agitated; he says. “No we do not because that is not possible.”
“You have a better finding?” She asks Jack.
“Give me time, I could come up with something better than that,” Jack says.
Harriet says. “The Man is in perfect health with no record of excessive drugs or alcohol use. He doesn’t smoke. His stress tests are normal; also, his has no financial burdens. His family life is normal.”
"We got to be sure about this," Philip says.
“Of course we need more tests,” she says. “The military is on the way to conduct a brain scan.”
“Okay,” Philip says. “How long will it take?” He asks.
“We’ll have the results within an hour,” she says. “Where’s O’Connor?” She asks.
“We don’t need him yet," Jack says.
“Yes we do,” Harriet says.
“We’re taking care of everything,” Jack says.
Harriet stares into Philip’s face. “Where is the Man?” She asks.
Jack answers for Phillip. “In the infirmary.”
“He needs to be isolated. The people in close proximately of him needs to be checked. That is O’Connor’s job.”
“It’ll get it done,” Jack says.
She tells Phillip. “It should’ve already happened."
Phillip tells Jack. “Get O’Connor.”
“Don’t tell me he didn’t know about this?” Harriet asks.
Jack says. “He didn’t have a need to know at the moment.”
Harriet studies each man because O’Connor is the protection officer and he should be one of the first to know. He should’ve told her. Off her gaze, Philip saves face. “If he worth his pay, he should already know about it.”
“What were you two doing, walking around with your fingers crossed?” she asks.

O' Conner, a retired Master Chief Petty Officer walks into the office. He does not want to sit on the couch next to Jack, so he sits on a chair next to Harriet.
Phillip tells O'Connor. “We believe we have an intruder.”
"You're up on the situation?" Harriet asks.
O'Connor knows about the Man in the infirmary. “How positive are you?” He asks.
“Ninety nine point nine percent,” Harriet says.
“I wouldn’t go that far maybe somewhat less,” Jack says.
O'Connor asks Harriet. “How sure is it?”
“I’m quite sure the army’s medical team will confirm it,” she says.
Phillip tells O'Connor. “Right now we’re working on worse case scenario until proof that it is real.”
“I suggested we take no other action until then,” Jack says.
“I suggest we put the approved procedure for such an event into effect just in case Harriet is right,” O’Connor says.
“Would we be yelling fire in a crowd when we need not to?” Jack says.
“I’ll be whispering it until we need to yell,” O’Connor says.
Phillip tells O'Connor. “Put the procedures into effect.”
“Yes sir.”
“Check with me, I mean, us first if you have to trouble shoot a situation,” Jack says.
Jack's order upsets O’Connor. He tells him. “The people know the drill for such an event of this nature. I don’t see any internal problems most likely it’ll come from the outside. But, which ever way it comes, it would be best to act on it right away to keep it under control.”
Philip senses a heated discussion beginning between the two. He tells O'Connor. “I want to know how everything is going along every half hour.”
“Yes sir.”
The telephone rings.
“Harriet that army medical unit is here,” Phillip says.

Harriet and O’Connor stroll along the corridor in silence, until O’Connor says. “Jack gets on my nerves.”
“That’s right you haven’t been here long enough to really know him,” Harriet says.
“No, I haven’t.”
“You’ll get used to him.”
“If I do, it’ll be by accident.”
“You got to realize he’s academically smart.”
“He is for sure that.”
“No really, I mean he is academically smart, but he is not operational wise."
“Oh, I see,” O 'Connor says.

The Colonel tells Harriet. “He is comatose.”
“Is there a source?” She asks.
“It seems to be from some kind of parasite.”
“We have a problem,” she whispers.
As the Colonel explains his diagnosis she wonders if there will be more intruders.

Philip puts the telephone on the cradle. He looks at Harriet, Jack and the Colonel and tells them. “That was O’Connor. The procedures are in place; he’s on his way here.”
“So our man is comatose?” Philip asks.
“Yes sir,” the Colonel says.
“From an unexplained medical reason,” Harriet says.
“We know that his brain is slowly being deprived of oxygen,” the Colonel says.
“Then he is dying?” Philip asks.
“Yes sir,” the Colonel says. “From what exactly we don’t know other than his brain is being deprived of oxygen but not from traditional medical means.”
“The problem is once he is dead what will happen,” Harriet says.
“What do you mean by that?” Jack asks.
“Once there is death, there is no oxygen and then what will the intruder do,” Harriet says.
“I don’t understand,” Jack says.
“It is a parasite in the Man’s head living off oxygen in his brain,” Harriet says.
“Will the parasite die with the brain or will it escape to seek more oxygen.”
“I think we should go higher up the chain on this,” Jack says, “Right now."
“Executive privilege is good for now,” Philip says.
“Executive privilege?” The Colonel asks.
“We can act for the welfare of the country prior to going up the chain,” Harriet says.
O’Connor walks into the office. He sees that the only place to sit is beside Jack. He sucks in courage and sits while greeting everyone. Philip updates him then asks. “What’s your suggestion?”
“Our man died from an aneurysm,” O 'Connor says.
“Our Man is still breathing but in a coma,” Jack says.
“He’s dying. We should not prolong it,” O’Connor says.
“That will make it homicide or shall I say murder,” Jack says.
Annoyed by Jack’s remark Harriet tells him. “We have an intruder that we don’t want to be an invader.”
O’Connor continues. “Our mortician knows the drill. Our man’s ashes will go to his family with apologies for the mistake. We’ll store our man in the special freezer until he passes away.”
“Good grief,” Jack says.
Everyone ignores him.
“If there is a question from our man’s family or some interested persons on their behalf, I suggest we deal with it on an issue by issue basis otherwise we do nothing but watch,” O 'Connor says.
“The situation is not that dread for such actions,” Jack says.
“I disagree,” Philip says. “Anymore questions or comments get it out now."
Jack stares at O’Connor. “I’m complying but I’m refusing to have any knowledge of this or to participate anymore in this situation because I’m not a liar and I detest liars.”
After a moment to calm his anger O’Connor tells Jack, “I’m not a psychopathic liar nor a liar with sociopath tendencies, but I will lie to keep the ship afloat and if confronted, I will lie about why I lied.”
Philip interrupts the glares between the two men. “O’Connor get to what you have to do. Harriet, I want you to put a team together to find out how the intruder got here in the first place.”
“Yes sir,” Harriet and O’Connor respond.
Philip looks at Jack. “We’ll keep track of what goes on from here.”

"I don't think the wife will buy the accidental cremation story," Harriet says.
"What happened?" Phillip asks.
"She came to my office and we talked and I got the feeling she is skeptical or getting there fast."
"Now what?"
"I thought of something that might work but it is bizarre."
"Don't tell me just do it."
"Okay."
"Don't tell nobody accept the need to know and that does not include Jack."

The funeral for the Man is solemn with speakers from family and friends giving praise about his life until it is time for the final viewing of the Man. No one notices the Man's face is a mask on an imposter's body done so with the mortician's cosmetic skills and also the surgical skill of the Colonel.
Jake deduces what might have happened after being told there would be an open casket funeral for the Man. In line for the final viewing, he intends to make sure he is correct about his speculation. He reaches towards the Man's face but a tug on his clothing stops him. Now he knows why he was able to get away from Phillip, Harriet and O'Connor presence. Two security agents substituted for them.

Philip takes his attention off the computer to watch O'Connor sit on one of the chairs then he slides a one-page report to him. He lets him read it. O'Connor finishes reading the report and slides it back to Philip.
“That’s the think tank’s theory?” He asks.
“Yes,” Philip says.
“I’ll go along with it,” O 'Connor says.
“Yes, me too but, there is one exception.”
“Jack?”
“Everybody accepts the report our man died from an aneurysm, but he wants to make an issue of it. I can’t persuade him to change his mind,” Philip says.
“I see.”
“The situation with our man needs to be buried for good.”
“Yes sir.”

Philip looks at the disease control Scientist who is not trying to conceal his anger. “This should have been reported to our agency the moment it became clear this intrusion occurred,” he says.
“We were afraid of a leak,” Philip says.
“We have a strict need to know policy established at our agency also sir,” the Scientist snaps.
“Yes sir,” Philip says.
“Now you say the army has this intruder and its host safely secured in a well guarded location?” The Scientist asks.
“Yes sir if you wish to know.”
The Scientist stops Philip. “I know that information is classified, but if I need it, I can get it without your intervention.”
“That takes a load off me,” Philip says.
“Thank you,” the Scientist says. Then he says calmly. “ Our suggestion is to leave the intruder and its host as is because we do not know if it will become a virus or a bacteria to us here on Earth. We do not want to risk a deadly epidemic fiddling with it with experiments.”
“Yes sir of course,” Philip says. "The stress of the event already killed my number two man with an heart attack."
The Scientist tells Phillip. “I'm sorry to hear that. We’ll leave it be until we learn more about what goes on up there on Mars.”
Phillip assures the Scientist. “There’s no worry about that secret until then."

The intruder lies dormant within the dead man's brain waiting for the sun’s rays to cause a patch of Mars ice to evaporate. END