short sci fi

THE RED PLANET PEANUT FARMER

by Stephen Lonewolf Makama

T- 0 minutes
T + 30 minutes
Mission control, Houston
Texas
June 2009.


There was a palpable excitement in the heavily air conditioned Control Room. It was 15 months to the day since the successful launch of the Red Planet Explorer Mission Module.
Signals had just been received indicating the module would in less than 35 minutes achieve stratospheric orbit and in 30 minutes achieve stratospheric orbit and in 30 would initiate final approach maneuvers and subsequently surface landing. High resolution cameras were set to begin transmission of a continuous stream of data immediately the clouds of red swirling atmosphere were penetrated; however there would be a 15 second delay before the entire Mission Control could visualize the images, may be not entirely a throw back to the Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake satellite TV fiasco at the Super Bowl but nevertheless still a curious development.
Chief Mission Control Commander stepped out from his office, sweating, it was strange. Not his sweating but the important phone call he had just received on a secure line in his office. He had only to answer two calls on that line in his entire 8 year career as Mission Control Commander And Chief Mission Control Commander Red Planet Mission Module, the first time was the Challenger shuttle disaster, the second was immediately following the time second plane struck on 9/11. It was worrying.


T - 0 minutes
T + 30 minutes
On Board Red Planet Explorer Mission Module Pre-Red Planet Orbit
June 2009.

Automatic pilot had carried out steerage of the ship for the past 7 weeks after the crew went into stasis, 2 weeks following launch now the autopilot proceeded to conduct an all systems check on the crew first- preparatory to emergence from stasis. The auto pilot, a modified Super Cray, would conduct same on the rest of the passenger compliment, 8 space tourists who paid top dollar, for this once in life time experience. All this information was transmitted immediately to Mission Control.

T- 1 minute
T + 29 minutes
Red Planet Mission Control
Houston Texas
June 2009

A raucous round of cheering and applause, arose from the main floor of Red Planet Mission Control as the live transmission came through followed by the blurred red still resolution images. Timers on the vast monitors reported 29 minutes to touch down on the Red Planet surface.
"Okay people, Okay! Lets get back to work, its not Eldora do yet", his sobriety would be attributed to the enormity of the moment. The situation of a first manned landing to the enigmatic red planet. The back slapping and hi-fives continued as the floor gradually quieted down and the techies settled back to their respective work stations. In reality crunch was just about to begin.


T- 1 minutes
T + 29 minutes
On The Red Planet
June 2009

The solitary figure seemed launched momentarily over an object in the red dust, with surprising agility the figure straightened up, cocked his head to one side and looked up into the red sky. He reached down again and picked up a strap which he slung over his shoulder and began to walk away. The strap happened to be attached to sledge which raised a soft cloud of red dust. On the sledge were a number of crudely fashioned subsistence from implements, he was a Red Planet Peanut Farmer, may be the first he would not be able to say for certain. With his free elbow he adjusted the backpack hung by one strap on his back. It contained water and lunch for the day's work- completion of the red peanut harvest. It was his intention to on completion make a quick trip back to restock on that and on other types of seedlings too. Yam especially showed promise and the trip would greatly augment his fast diminishing food supply.


T- 2 minutes
T + 28 minutes
Red Planet Mission Control
Houston, Texas
June 2009

Not that many heads turned or bothered to notice the two visitors who were ushered in. They were business like, they seemed like businessmen... black suits, plain ties, no dark glasses; government men. In normal circumstances they would have been accommodated at conferencing, but there would be event(s) that would follow which would hardly mark the visit, the situation as normal circumstances.
Once in, Chief Mission Controller's Office, they insisted parley in three, they cranked up a notch their we- can- own- this -place- if -we want(ed) - to attitude. One of them reached into his inner coat pocket and removed a stick of Green Wrigley's chewing gum, he unwrapped one with casual deliberation and popped it into his mouth.
"Yellow Dibs Protocol" he simply said, a dart of fresh mint momentarily wisped in the air. Chief Mission Controller's jaw actually slacked.
"I ... I need to have your authorization for this request ... that is a White House/ DOD level -authori ... "He was not allowed to finish.
"How do you want it? Hard copy dot metric laser printout or an All Agency Bulletin or you're here monitor?"

T- 3 minutes
T + 27 minutes
On board Red Planet Mission Module
June 2009

Crew would be in full recovery form stasis mode in less than five minutes and on board computer was completing its final cycle of checks and synchronization prior to handing over manual control to the Flight Mission Commander who together with the medic would be the first resuscitated followed by the rest of the crew and finally the passengers. Despite the assurances of automatic extra terrestrial landing this Mission Control Chief preferred it to be carried out manually therefore the resuscitation of crew from stasis in order to be awake and alert prior to pre-atmospheric entry.
A cloud of vapor roiled around the glass chambers of the stasis units as on board flight computers checked and recalibrated O2 levels in the units as well as the entire immediate exposure areas. By then the Red Planet Module's surveillance cameras were already functional and would begin transmitting live images in real time-images of the atmosphere and most importantly the surface following. The images shot back would undeniably be the best extraterrestrial photography would ever witness.



T- 4 minutes
T + 26 minutes
Mean While Back On the Red Planet

The lone figure on the red landscape halted momentarily and cocked his head to one side. The atmosphere and surrounding were still, here and there in the distance small flurries of red dust kicked, chased each other and disappeared. He thought he heard a faint loud noise in the higher atmosphere, sound much like the day when two objects came crashing to explosive halts of red billowing dust, one several kilometers near his red peanut patch.
Initially he concluded that it was two errant meteorites and made a quick mental yellow stick it note to checkout the impact sites after the day's work on the farm. When he did it was mixture of surprise, excitement and anticipation - the objects were not meteorites, the objects were metallic. He found one chute near the closest site and a particular discovery that left him numb and tingling at the same time, - tracks from the small size craters. The objects were definitely 'bots!' the possibilities!







T- 5 minutes
T + 25 minutes
Mission Control, Houston
Texas
June 2009

First Disclosure Clause LV 552- mild critics called it 'First Dibs' Clause, a quietly controversial legislation smuggled and strong armed into law in congress Central Intelligence Agency lobbyists. The sponsors made a case it would never amount to the usual stock in trade notorious 'Black-Op' scenarios so common with the CIA, and so with a dubious quantum leap the CIA extended its operation into outer space.
"In coming". A message flashed on a dedicated console in the Chief Mission Controller's private office. He hesitated and was prompted with a mild encouragement from the suits.
"Yes" he could simply mutter.
"We are about to begin receiving live feed from the Red planet module sir, we need you on the Main Floor".
It was the second spook; he actually removed a gun, a silvery gray 9mm pistol from a shoulder holster and placed it on the table.
"Enable Lily Alpha Yellow Viper Five Five Two!" the spook with the gun said.
"I I... don't understand the First Disclo..." The Chief, Mission Control stammered.
"It's an order! ENABLE LILY ALPHA YELLOW VIPER FIVE FIVE TWO! Confirm ENABLE". The Chief, Mission Control swallowed hard.
"LILY ALPHA YELLOW VIPER FIVE FIVE TWO!" he repeated to the query from the floor, "Confirm"! His order went through more rapidly, immediately there were loud exclamations and furious murmuring over the two way system communication. The virgin feed just set to arrive was encrypted and the transmission could only be accessed form Chief Mission Control's secure system. "Thank your very much" both spooks said, "Now relax and enjoy the show" the gum chewing spook added.

T- 6 minutes
T + 24 minutes
On Board Red Planet Module

The crew complement were now fully resuscitated and revitalized with solid on board PPM's (pre-pared meals). None exhibited any untoward side effects from the exceptional long period of hibernation; there were no withdrawal symptoms from the stasis itself.
"Commander..." the Flight Systems Navigation Analyst/ Specialist called in, "all cameras - infra-red, thermal imaging are active. We should be receiving our first images of the surface in ten nine, eight... four, three, two - one! Holee!!"








T- 7 minutes
T + 23 minutes
Meanwhile Back On the Surface

Something was definitely different in the sky this late afternoon, almost sundown. If the blood red hues dressed in violent chiaroscuro could be called that it was red, always red; red sunsets. Red sunrises, red dawns, red dusks.
He had already gathered the few farm implements on the cart constructed from the parts of the two space - bots he had caught. 'Caught' had to be the right word as he had stalked, tracked always careful to keep out of the camera range of the space vehicles. The vehicles had to be American; with name like Opportunity and Spirit, yes typically American. He caught the first one by laying a radio active booby trap, laying discarded bits and pieces of radio active metal from previous probes, the bait led to a sizeable pit at the edge of rise which gave a suitable blind spot. The Opportunity fell for the ruse and he took extreme care once again to keep away from the cameras and decommissioned the robot. The Spirit which landed near a rocky terrain he took out with a laser catapult and then decommissioned it also and whatever blurred grainy images captured would be attributed to some flukes or the other. Right about now he stole a look at the darkening sky then he stared hard squinting, a storm was coming probably later on. Even then he took one last look and surprisingly did something looking back he would wonder what moment of mild madness had come over him to desecrate space in such a manner. He slowly raised his right hand palm facing in, curled his pinky finger and the next, then the index finger and the next with the thumb over them and extended his big finger stabbing the sky sharply twice and with that flair he plodded on.


T- 7 minutes
T + 23 minutes
Mission Control, Houston
Texas
June 2009

The two spooks tried hard at concealing their shock vivid shock in spite and despite (of) their experience(s). It was clear that even through they would have expected anything close to the first ever live image form the surface of the Red Planet this was beyond their wildest nightmares. Somehow they took it in stride; this was the sole reason of their unexpected uninvited visit to the Red Planet Mission Control. Their subsequent consultation was record breaking, barely more than a second and conducted with rapid hand, head and counter eye movements.
"Implement Protocol Tango Orange Four Four Alpha Six Six!" It was the spook with the gun; he actually picked up the gun and unsafed it. On the screen the figure of a man shirtless wearing wrangler or Levi jeans staring up at the cameras oblivious it seemed to the geometric proportions of the reactions he would be about to generate.
"IMPLEMENT PROTOCOL TANGO ORANGE FOUR FOUR, ALPHA SIX SIX!" The spook with the gun repeated menacingly always menacingly. At that movement an audio transmission came in for the Red Planet Mission Module Commander. "Shit! Are you getting this? Hot damn guys! Are you getting this..." The images were played back furiously and the face of the figure on the red planet surface froze on the screen with the finger gesture.
It was the face of a black man, a Negroid, African nonetheless a blackman, over the link they could hear another connection being set up. The Flight Commander was dialing someone over a satellite phone.
"Melanie! Melanie! Pick up your phone, Melanie..!"
"Who?" the spook with the gun turned at Chief, Mission Control.
"Is Melanie?"
"Flight Commander's girlfriend" the Chief Mission Control replied.
"You keep tabs on next of kin, family member and the rest.



T- 10 minutes
T + 20 minutes
On Board Red Planet Mission Module

"Melanie! Melanie! Dammit pick up the phone"
"Hello, this is Mel's voice mail machine. I am unavailable right now. Leave a message after the beep and I will call you..."
"Shit me! You'll never, never ever believe this! There is life on Mars - there is a man on Mars! A bla... hoah shit! What was that? Hello Houston, Houston we seem to have a problem!" There was silence.
"Houston...! Red Planet Mission Module, this is Houston..."
Houston - thank God! We have an unauthorized Systems Protocol Streaming; please advice, "the Flight Commander sounded high strung.
"Red Planet Mission Module, please listen carefully it's a simple virus, log on the following protocol: Six, Six Alpha Four Four Orange Tango..."The gun toting spook replied.
"Dear God! How can you..." it was the Chief, Mission Control back in Houston.
"Chief! Is that you...? What the heck...?"
"Listen, Flight Commander Red Planet Mission, in a few second the virus will take over your entire on board systems and your craft will destroy itself! Do it now!"
"Why? Why in God's name? Why!" Chief, Mission Control lamented with/ in disbelief.
"God - " the gum chewing spook answered, "has nothing to do with this we've been monitoring that guy down there from day one back in his infernal jungle test site here on earth... a man on Mars? Ok, but a damn nigg... un American? Do you know what that would do to the country?!"
"Damn you too! What about the Americans on board?
"What about them?"
"You...?"
"Watch it", the spook with the gun.
"Okay Houston - "Red Planet Mission Module come back
"... Where, is Melanie now?"
"Miami beach - Florida" he muttered
"At the beach?"
"I ...I guess so..."
"You know so or guess so" was the menacing query again.
"She's at the beach". He affirmatively concurred
"I need you to punch that Protocol now - do it? The gun had a silencer, the spook let off a round into the table, a pink sticky note pad went up like confetti. There was no ricochet, dum-dum bullets.
"You know where the next round will be!".



T- 17
T + 13 Minutes
Meanwhile Back On the Red Planet

The lone figure that had been and would continue to the subject /object of so much controversy was still plodding along when at first he thought he heard and then he heard distinctively the sonic boom. Reflexively he looked up behind his turning at this torso catching a brief flash, incandescent white in the red background. He shrugged and smiled, he definitely would go scavenging tomorrow. What parts he had scavenged from the two rovers had only subsisted to compose an identical part of the navigation system for his Blue and White Planet Return Explorer.
It was no just a few months - Red Planet months shy of 2 years since he crashed landed short of the Gusev Crater in an explosion of red dust. There was no wild raucous cheering either on the Red Planet on back home on earth, the blue and white planet courtesy of computer monitors or TV screens. He had been aware he was being monitored by at least 3 Intelligence Agencies over the 18 month period it took to fabricate, assemble and prepare for launch deep deep in the hardwood forest of Wamba in Central Nigeria. Rightly he surmised his project would arrogantly be dismissed by NASA and the European space programs as work of a primitive. But he could only begin to guess the number of heads that would roll when a stab of flame rose and rose and finally disappeared into the stratosphere where it would soon go into orbit, become lost in the ever growing space traffic.
His flight navigation systems on the nose cone of his craft had been severely damaged preventing his attempt at a Blue and White Planet return mission. The two rovers he had scavenged were not expected to return so interest in the craft would fade once the information was deciphered and stored. He was filled with anticipation of his outing tomorrow to visit the site of the atmospheric explosion. Hopefully he would find enough undamaged compoments to complete repairs on his craft



T-18
T+ 12
On board Red Planet Mission Module

"We are go for landing in 25 minutes. Passenger compliment we be out of stasis in 50 seconds to witness this event, Countdown in f... Red Planet Mission Flight Commander advised and abruptly discontinued.
"Shit!!" he exclaimed
"Houston be advised we have lost control! We have lost control!! We are regaining altitude ...Houston." There a violent burst of static then loud, clanging silence.



T-25
T+5 Minutes

His diet of red peanuts and synthetic palm wine was not as bad as he suspected at first and then it occurred to him yams! Yams, the tubercrop he farmed back home in Wamba, Central Nigeria would stood a very very good change of profuse growth on the red planet given previling favorable conditions. The return tirp would not only be about returning home but also restocking on food seedlings. An unexpected landing in a quadrant not too far from the first take off grid would certainly attract no attention. He was also confident the burn and scorch marks left by the previous operation - his departure about 24 months ago would have been attributed to a freak natural occurrence. A second identical occurrence in roughly the same area might raise eyebrows but what the heck African 'Signs'. He reckoned a landing on a sulty sundry after noon when men would be in palm wine huddles, women agossiping and children footballing would be very ideal.

He headed home, red planet home.