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The Scavenger of Mars
It was a harsh world. Red, cold and unforgiving. The ruins of the long deserted city of Cryonia were visible on the horizon just as the southern highlands started. The northern lowlands were the only refuge for the left over people from various cities after war broke out between Earth and Mars.
Though, Mars gained it's independence but it paid a heavy price. All the domed cities which once acted as great embellishments on the red surface were now an assortment of delipidated structures. The rebels who had earlier made their cave dwellings in the northern lowlands became the rulers of people left after the great war.
After years of terraforming, the atmosphere did become thick however, the air was still not breathable and the temperature was still colder than Antarctica. Before the terraforming could complete, the war destroyed all hopes of a warm and open air Mars.
There was one thing in abundance though. The Solitude.
Jonas was one of the left ones, often wandering in the utter loneliness of Mars to scavenge whatever he could barter for sustenance. He had been to Cryonia before where he had acquired a number of items in past that he could barter to afford warm food for weeks. But lately he had no luck and was running out of patience.
So he carried out necessary repairs to his rover and set out on a 1000 mile long journey to the once hi tech city of Cryonia in southern highlands.
The sun was about to set and the CO2 filters in the rover were working only at 50%. He thought it wise to switch the rover off as Cryonia was in visible range. He put on his jumper fitted with adequate life support system and embarked on foot to take refuge in the desolated city to save himself from -70℃ night temperature.
It was pitch dark when he reached the opening in broken dome of Cryonia. With the help of torch light atop his helmet he made his way into one of the old buildings he had earmarked in one of his earlier visits. His geiger counts were making louder sounds due to left over radiation of a nuclear blast that occurred in the war with Earth.
He somehow reached an old abandoned room in the same building and thought of starting it's life support system. No one dared to visit the city these days after a number of scavengers died of radiation sickness two martian years back (approximately 4 earth years).
Jonas tried to switch on the life support system with emergency batteries and after a few tweaks in the circuits, he was able to switch on the system. The room sealed itself and flooded with breathable air. Temperature reached 15℃ and Jonas opened his helmet. He closed his eyes and soaked in the stale air, still better than inhaling the CO2 filled toxic air outside.
Jonas rechecked his geiger count which was looming just below the danger level. He thought, he'll die anyway of hunger if he thinks too much about the radiation.
He stripped himself out of his jumper and decided to just relax for a few minutes. As he closed his eyes, he thought of his father and mother. Their dying faces coming in his mind, a sort of PTSD fit. He got up with a jolt and took the sleeping pill found in abundance on all Martian cities as insomnia was one of the main ailments suffered by almost all on Mars.
Just as he was about to retire for the night, he saw a small hatch on the corner opposite to the bed he was lying on.
His curiosity dwarfed the feeling of exhaustion for the time being. As he approached the desk, below which the hatch was located, he read the name Dr K Sullivan, Xenobiologist. He spoke to himself, "What the hell was a xenobiologist doing on cold and deserted Mars". He carefully moved towards the hatch, rotated it clockwise and a small locker opened on left wall of the corner. As he took his attention to the small locker, he saw a small paper. He took it out gently and opened it up. His eyes widened once he read the writing on paper which read "We are not alone in the universe. Follow my voice and remember password X!@#%*".
to be continued......
© Tanha Musafir
Though, Mars gained it's independence but it paid a heavy price. All the domed cities which once acted as great embellishments on the red surface were now an assortment of delipidated structures. The rebels who had earlier made their cave dwellings in the northern lowlands became the rulers of people left after the great war.
After years of terraforming, the atmosphere did become thick however, the air was still not breathable and the temperature was still colder than Antarctica. Before the terraforming could complete, the war destroyed all hopes of a warm and open air Mars.
There was one thing in abundance though. The Solitude.
Jonas was one of the left ones, often wandering in the utter loneliness of Mars to scavenge whatever he could barter for sustenance. He had been to Cryonia before where he had acquired a number of items in past that he could barter to afford warm food for weeks. But lately he had no luck and was running out of patience.
So he carried out necessary repairs to his rover and set out on a 1000 mile long journey to the once hi tech city of Cryonia in southern highlands.
The sun was about to set and the CO2 filters in the rover were working only at 50%. He thought it wise to switch the rover off as Cryonia was in visible range. He put on his jumper fitted with adequate life support system and embarked on foot to take refuge in the desolated city to save himself from -70℃ night temperature.
It was pitch dark when he reached the opening in broken dome of Cryonia. With the help of torch light atop his helmet he made his way into one of the old buildings he had earmarked in one of his earlier visits. His geiger counts were making louder sounds due to left over radiation of a nuclear blast that occurred in the war with Earth.
He somehow reached an old abandoned room in the same building and thought of starting it's life support system. No one dared to visit the city these days after a number of scavengers died of radiation sickness two martian years back (approximately 4 earth years).
Jonas tried to switch on the life support system with emergency batteries and after a few tweaks in the circuits, he was able to switch on the system. The room sealed itself and flooded with breathable air. Temperature reached 15℃ and Jonas opened his helmet. He closed his eyes and soaked in the stale air, still better than inhaling the CO2 filled toxic air outside.
Jonas rechecked his geiger count which was looming just below the danger level. He thought, he'll die anyway of hunger if he thinks too much about the radiation.
He stripped himself out of his jumper and decided to just relax for a few minutes. As he closed his eyes, he thought of his father and mother. Their dying faces coming in his mind, a sort of PTSD fit. He got up with a jolt and took the sleeping pill found in abundance on all Martian cities as insomnia was one of the main ailments suffered by almost all on Mars.
Just as he was about to retire for the night, he saw a small hatch on the corner opposite to the bed he was lying on.
His curiosity dwarfed the feeling of exhaustion for the time being. As he approached the desk, below which the hatch was located, he read the name Dr K Sullivan, Xenobiologist. He spoke to himself, "What the hell was a xenobiologist doing on cold and deserted Mars". He carefully moved towards the hatch, rotated it clockwise and a small locker opened on left wall of the corner. As he took his attention to the small locker, he saw a small paper. He took it out gently and opened it up. His eyes widened once he read the writing on paper which read "We are not alone in the universe. Follow my voice and remember password X!@#%*".
to be continued......
© Tanha Musafir
