Chapter 3

Lieutenant Anders spread the atmosphere wings wide open, then opened all the panels on the top surfaces of the wings, exposing the solar panels to sunlight, and started charging the batteries on Greyhound Zero One. “Amazing...” muttered the Lieutenant as he scanned the control panels to see if there are any more switches that were sealed.

“Is the Flight Data System Recorder active?” asked Alan Scarlett without opening his eye.

“Yes sir.”

“Good. That was the first time the Eastern Bloc launched an SSM-127 at anyone in anger. We want to study that data.”

“First time?” said Lieutenant Anders in awe.

“Yep. Just because I’m here. Still want to join the Strike Force Berserkers?”

“How did you know?”

“We know all, we see all,” said the Captain. “Congratulations, you’re now my wingman,” which caused Chief White to laugh. “Don’t laugh chief, you’re part of my team now also.”

Anders scoffed and said, “I hope there’s no more surprises.”

“You and me both,” muttered Captain Scarlett.

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Armstrong Station September 30, 2156 Western Alliance Navy

Western Alliance Marine Colonel Pandora Vermillion looked at her orders and said, “You’ve got to be fucking kidding me ... no fucking way.”

“Fine, you’re off the mission,” said Admiral Schirra. “I’ll get someone else.”

“There is no one else,” sputtered Pandora. She didn’t expect he would bump her off the mission that quickly.

“Lovell is here, I’ll use him.”

“Lovell can’t hit the side of a barn from the inside, I’m the best there is,” demanded Colonel Vermillion.

“Apparently not,” said Admiral Schirra. His voice had grown exceedingly cold. “Normally when handed a set of orders a Marine says, ‘Yes sir,’ and then proceeds to obey those orders.”

“I apologize,” she huffed and snapped to attention and said, “Yes sir. Thank you for this opportunity sir.”

“Now Colonel Vermillion,” said Admiral Schirra. “Do you have any questions?”

“Just one, sir. This is, in essence, a bombing run. Scarlett is a fighter jock,” Colonel Vermillion frowned. “It’s not a strafing run, this is going to take bomber experience. Why is he commanding the mission?”

The office was silent except for the ticking of Admiral Schirra’s antique clock. Finally, he spoke. “He’s not. I am. It says that right on the cover letter of your orders, Colonel. You need to check that ego of yours. Yes, If I die of a paper cut here on Armstrong station, then he will command the mission, he is the author of that mission and knows more about it than anyone else. Either way, you will follow orders, or I will put Lovell on the mission.” The admiral held up a hand to stop Colonel Vermillion’s protests. “You know as well as I do he has five years in service and six years in rank on you, so he does outrank you.”

“But sir, this mission is my bread and butter, it’s what I do.”

“THAT’S WHY YOU’RE HERE!” roared the admiral. He closed his eyes and calmed himself.

“Why is this called the Asimov Plan?” she demanded, looking through the Op Plan. “There’s no robots involved except for the flight.”

“I don’t know, Ray Clark and the rest of Mars calls it the Jezero Lake Project. He picked that name out. You know him better than I do.”

“I haven’t seen him in over three years,” she snapped as she flipped through the technical details of the Asimov Plan. “All this just to ‘water Mars?”

“Mars is out of water. They’re at the point now where, if they need to evacuate, they can’t do it. There’s not enough water to make reaction mass for the ships to launch. They’re already on water rationing, they’re denying couples birth privileges and immigration is halted.”

“I didn’t know that.”

“If you spoke with Captain Scarlett you would know.”

“I can’t find him, he’s either on Venus, or Mars, or the moon, right now he’s on earth. When we get close I get dragged into another damn mission. When I call I keep getting told he’s out, or he’s unavailable. I gave up. Now I have to water Mars.”

“You haven’t been briefed on the entire mission. Take a look at page 48.”

Pandora flipped through the orders until she reached the specified page and scanned it quickly. “Oh damn. He must really be pissed off.” The report showed that somebody was building a military establishment on Mars. Mars is strictly hands off when it comes to the military. It’s purely a series of scientific research colonies and the Western Alliance has agreed to their terms and the nearest Western Alliance station is at Solar/Mars Lagrange 1 and 2. Alan’s parents were scientists at the first Martian colony named Bradbury Canal, in fact the Scarlett family was among the first scientists when Bradbury Canal was built. His parents and the rest of his family died when he was ten, and his Uncle Ray took him in. He lived in the presidential palace until he applied to the Naval Academy.

“Look, this plan will work. Alan has been out there; he’s done extensive research on the Saturn system. He has a unique ability to gather the right people needed to make this work, and he said you have the skills to make it work. Most important, the target is on Mars.”

“So what?” shrugged Colonel Vermillion. “One target is like another.”

Admiral Schirra looked at the bomber commander with a raised eyebrow. “Now YOU sound like a fighter jock. This is MARS colonel. You were born and raised in Luna Prime. Regardless of why you did it, if you released this on Mars, it could be seen as an attack on the Martian colonies by the Lunar colonies. Scarlett was born and raised on Mars in Bradbury Canal, a small but politically important colony. The first Martian colony. The president of Mars, Ray Clark, is a relative of Alan’s. He’s the hometown hero, let’s use that political clout to stop a war without starting another one. Am I clear on this?”