retirement. Rahm stepped forward.
“I don’t care about procedures, because we’re not leaving those people to die. We’re going after them.”
“You will not,” Ryles shouted as loudly as his damaged jaw would allow him. The base is closed. If you don’t accept my word, listen to what the Base doctor has to say.”
Dr Neil Price had entered the garage behind the deputy manager. He looked tired and haggard, a beaten man. They all knew that he had several patients in his medical center who were seriously ill. There’d been an accident only six months into the contract, five men had been injured when a drilling rig went out of control and broke up. Four of them were still on the critical list, twelve months afterwards. They needed to get back to Earth for microsurgery, for it was the only thing that could save them. There simply weren't the facilities inside Mars Base.
“My patients need all the air they can get. I have come to ask that you observe the lockdown procedure to give them a chance. If there is any kind of heavy demand on our remaining air, it could be the end for some of them. You men are able to cope with increased levels of carbon dioxide, these patients can’t. That is all, I know about our people out at Tyrrenha. If there is anything that can be done for them we should do it, of course. But please, do not use up what little air we have left in a useless endeavor is there is no chance of it succeeding.”
He turned and left, and the crowd began to disperse. Rahm went to his quarters, located a bottle of Bourbon and took it into the canteen. Saul Packer brought in a bottle of vodka and they sat sharing out the booze. Eventually, Packer looked at Rahm.
“Any ideas? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not thinking about anything.”
Saul grinned. “You’re always thinking about something, I know you too well. Tell me.”
“I can’t abandon those people, Saul. Somehow, we have to get them back.”
The toolpusher nodded. “I agree, but it’s not going to be easy. If we go out there and fight the Taurons we’ll burn up so much air that the rest of our people could be in serious trouble until the relief ship comes. I mean very serious, some of them could die without adequate air.” He looked thoughtful. “You know, I reckon that bastard Ryles worked it out, if we bring back DeVries’s crew, there’ll be a bigger demand on the remaining air. The bastard.”
“You could be right. But I’m going out to get them, so we’ll have to worry about the air later. Besides, Gabi Aaronsen may even be able to fix the scrubbers.”
“She’ll sure need to. Otherwise it’ll be touch and go without them. So you’re going?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m with you, Rahm. You know that, we’re all with you.”
He nodded his thanks. “We need to find out how bad things are before we leave, we need to see Fechter.”
The Mars Base manager was in his office, talking to the Chief Engineer, Dan Weathers. They looked up as the men walked in, Fechter nodded. “Yeah, I wondered now long it would take you two to get here.”
“We can’t leave them, Jacques. Whatever the other problems, we’ll sort them out later.”
“I feel badly too, but my hands are tied, I have to follow the rules.”
“We know that. You can follow the rules, we’re leaving right away. We’ll need buggy, weapons and as much air as you can spare for us.”
He shook his head, but he was smiling. “I thought it would pan out like this. I can spare you precious little, if the Taurons hit us we’ll be left here to carry the can without enough air to get us through the next few months. I can let you have ten hours, that’s it.”
Rahm shook his head. “You know we can’t get there and back and beat back the Taurons with only ten hours. Besides, DeVries’s crew may be running low, and they’ll need air to get them back.”
“I’m sorry, that’s it. I have the whole of Mars Base to worry about, ten hours is more
“I don’t care about procedures, because we’re not leaving those people to die. We’re going after them.”
“You will not,” Ryles shouted as loudly as his damaged jaw would allow him. The base is closed. If you don’t accept my word, listen to what the Base doctor has to say.”
Dr Neil Price had entered the garage behind the deputy manager. He looked tired and haggard, a beaten man. They all knew that he had several patients in his medical center who were seriously ill. There’d been an accident only six months into the contract, five men had been injured when a drilling rig went out of control and broke up. Four of them were still on the critical list, twelve months afterwards. They needed to get back to Earth for microsurgery, for it was the only thing that could save them. There simply weren't the facilities inside Mars Base.
“My patients need all the air they can get. I have come to ask that you observe the lockdown procedure to give them a chance. If there is any kind of heavy demand on our remaining air, it could be the end for some of them. You men are able to cope with increased levels of carbon dioxide, these patients can’t. That is all, I know about our people out at Tyrrenha. If there is anything that can be done for them we should do it, of course. But please, do not use up what little air we have left in a useless endeavor is there is no chance of it succeeding.”
He turned and left, and the crowd began to disperse. Rahm went to his quarters, located a bottle of Bourbon and took it into the canteen. Saul Packer brought in a bottle of vodka and they sat sharing out the booze. Eventually, Packer looked at Rahm.
“Any ideas? Tell me what you’re thinking.”
“I’m not thinking about anything.”
Saul grinned. “You’re always thinking about something, I know you too well. Tell me.”
“I can’t abandon those people, Saul. Somehow, we have to get them back.”
The toolpusher nodded. “I agree, but it’s not going to be easy. If we go out there and fight the Taurons we’ll burn up so much air that the rest of our people could be in serious trouble until the relief ship comes. I mean very serious, some of them could die without adequate air.” He looked thoughtful. “You know, I reckon that bastard Ryles worked it out, if we bring back DeVries’s crew, there’ll be a bigger demand on the remaining air. The bastard.”
“You could be right. But I’m going out to get them, so we’ll have to worry about the air later. Besides, Gabi Aaronsen may even be able to fix the scrubbers.”
“She’ll sure need to. Otherwise it’ll be touch and go without them. So you’re going?”
“Yes, I am.”
“I’m with you, Rahm. You know that, we’re all with you.”
He nodded his thanks. “We need to find out how bad things are before we leave, we need to see Fechter.”
The Mars Base manager was in his office, talking to the Chief Engineer, Dan Weathers. They looked up as the men walked in, Fechter nodded. “Yeah, I wondered now long it would take you two to get here.”
“We can’t leave them, Jacques. Whatever the other problems, we’ll sort them out later.”
“I feel badly too, but my hands are tied, I have to follow the rules.”
“We know that. You can follow the rules, we’re leaving right away. We’ll need buggy, weapons and as much air as you can spare for us.”
He shook his head, but he was smiling. “I thought it would pan out like this. I can spare you precious little, if the Taurons hit us we’ll be left here to carry the can without enough air to get us through the next few months. I can let you have ten hours, that’s it.”
Rahm shook his head. “You know we can’t get there and back and beat back the Taurons with only ten hours. Besides, DeVries’s crew may be running low, and they’ll need air to get them back.”
“I’m sorry, that’s it. I have the whole of Mars Base to worry about, ten hours is more
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