Bill Jansons fingers gripped the metal edge of the portal as he gazed into the deep lunar night. Around him, SWORD technical operatives watched their screens and readouts, intent on their individual tasks.
The atmosphere in the small room was tense; no-one was speaking apart from the incessant chatter of computers and readouts, relaying details to their operators. Each face was lit by a surreal pastel glow in the dim light. Just then, the door opened and Marius Hickman, one of SWORDs top scientists, stepped in. Behind his large archaic spectacles, he blinked, adjusting to the restrained light.
After a few seconds, he approached Janson.
“Bill, what’s going on?” He asked quietly. Janson didn’t react, continuing to stare out across the maré.
“Bill?”
He touched the commander’s shoulder and he slowly turned, as if he had only just become aware of his visitor.
“Sorry Marius, didn’t realise you were back”.
He looked solemn and still slightly distracted. Hickman stepped back as Janson pressed past him, making to leave the cramped confines of the room. As he touched the door switch, Hickman followed him, speaking to his retreating back.
“I’ve only just stepped off the transporter. I almost didn’t make it home!”
Janson paused briefly in the outer corridor, looking at his wrist chrono.
“Problems Earthside again?" He asked absently.
Hickman was becoming agitated and gripped his arm, turning him bodily so that he had his full attention.
“Problems? I ran into a blockade leaving Earth, seems that lunar space is a now a no-fly zone!”
Janson exhaled deeply.
“Ah, sorry Marius, that was my directive. I’ve got a bit of a situation to handle”
He smiled wanly as if to mollify Hickman, but he wasn’t in the mood to be assuaged so easily.
“A situation ? What could be so important that you throw a ring of steel around the Moon, even keeping your own personnel away ?”
Janson put his arm around Hickmans shoulder and led him further down the corridor.
“Come” He muttered.
As they moved down the corrugated corridor towards the main hub of the moonbase, hurried footsteps pursued them.
“Commander!”
It was Captain Malone, the man responsible for enforcing the no-fly zone. Hickman and Janson turned to meet him, Hickman eyed the man warily.
“Commander, we’ve just had report that a pair of Probe Force Three have been hijacked outside Woomera Base!”
Malones grizzled features were drawn with tension. He handed Janson a datapad and stood waiting for a response.
“Casuals ?” Asked Hickman.
Malone avoided his gaze and spoke through gritted teeth.
“It looks like it’s the work of Casuals, but it seems they may have had help from Reject sympathisers”.
“An inside job.”
Janson tapped the pad, examining the resultant data carefully. Malone waited patiently, his impatience evident. Eventually Janson looked up.
“Have the insurgents been dealt with ?”
His expression was impassive. Malone quickly explained that although the two heavily armed ships had escaped, the people responsible for the hijack had been detained. Janson handed him the datapad
“Have you detonated the failsafe ?” Asked Hickman. Malone shook his head.
“Seems the remote destruction was circumvented, they clearly knew what they were doing. We can’t touch them”
Janson sighed.
“So, have they left Earth atmosphere yet ? Are they likely to head for Luna ?”
Malone checked the data once more. Tersely flicking through tabs of information on screen.
“Theres been no reports of sublight traffic in Earth orbit, if they were heading here, we’d see them. It’s a strong probability that they will try to hide them on a larger freighter, piggyback to Luna, or maybe Mars.”
He left the last statement hang in the air, heavy with import.
“Mars will be at closest approach within 12 hours and I’ve got 3 Booster Rockets waiting to evac personnel to Cydonia Base. That’s no secret, the mission has been in preparation for months. I’ve got over 2000 SWORD operatives and their families to relocate, If those ships are delayed, we have a major problem.”
Janson rubbed his jaw thoughtfully.
“Well you have that blockade in place” Hickman began.
“True, but that is designed to screen out a concerted attack, not two small, fast highly manoeverable interceptors.”
Malone hadn’t moved, his steely gaze fixed on the commander.
“Your orders sir ?”
Janson considered for a moment.
“Step up Probe Force orbital surveillance and contact SWORD HQ at London for a situation update. Tighten the net.”
Malone nodded and turned to leave.
“Malone!” Janson snapped. “Yes sir?”
“Keep a close watch, but keep your hand off the trigger until I say so. Ok ?”
The two men’s eyes met and for a second, Malone seemed about to say something. Instead, he turned and headed swiftly back to the control room. Janson walked quickly away and once more, Hickman found himself dashing to keep up with the big man.
“He’s a good officer and the best pilot I have. But I think driving a desk up here is not doing him any favours”
Once more Janson seemed to be at a far remove. Hickman drew level with him.
“Did you anticipate the hijack, Bill ?”
They had reached a viewport above the large circular expanse of the moonbase hub. Below them was a hive of activity, with technicians and scientists running to and fro, busily tending to a multitude of separate tasks. In a large cordoned area in the centre of the hub was a temporary staging area and within it were the SWORD personnel awaiting their opportunity to leave Moonbase and start a new life on Mars. Among the adults were throngs of small children and toddlers and more than a few nursing mothers. These families would be among the first of a new wave of colonists destined to carve a new life from the red crust of Mars.
Janson stood and surveyed the scene. When he spoke it was with a tinge of emotion in his voice.
“We take risk for granted Marius. Every time we set foot on a ship or take out a Scramble Bug, we know it could be our last trip. But that’s what we do, we are humanity’s last chance. These people are scientists, farmers, engineers, botanists, teachers – but above all they are human. They’re scared, they’re running on adrenalin and they are faced with the greatest challenge of all. I could be sending them to their deaths.”
Hickman had known Janson for many years, working closely with him on many dangerous missions in the most hostile of territories. In all that time, he had never seen him falter or shy away from the toughest of decisions. It was strange to see him so reticent now.
He patted his friend on the shoulder and muttered a few words which he hoped would be of some small comfort.
“Bill, they are in the best of hands. I’m sure there’s nothing else you can do for them”
Janson turned from his contemplation of the colonists and regarded Hickman with a wry smile. For a second, the flinty edge had returned to his gaze.
“Marius, you’d be surprised.” He quickly checked his wrist chrono. “What date is it ?”
Hickman looked askance. “erm 24th December 3033, why ?”
Jansons smile broadened slightly. “And ?”
But the significance seemed to evade Hickman.
“We have a multitude of different races, creeds, faiths, religions and cultures all crammed together in a makeshift temporary home, waiting to be shipped out into the unknown. Most of them have either lost or had to abandon everything. SWORD is doing its best to find them a new home, a new life, but meanwhile, there are children down there and all they have known in their short life is disaster and dismay. Tomorrow, the ships leave for Mars. I aim to make sure that they have a little hope and a maybe a little magic to take with them. A little piece of Old Earth”
Suddenly, the realisation dawned on Hickman and the significance of the date became clear.
“Christmas ?” He said smiling. “But no-ones celebrated it for decades!”
Janson was grinning broadly now and striding toward a repeater console set into the wall, He keyed in a command and awaited a response. Shortly with a hiss of static, a voice broke the silence.
“Nuclear Ferry Thor awaiting instructions Commander”
Janson leaned closer to the voder and spoke into the pickup.
“Is the cargo safe and secure as requested ?”
“Yes sir, the hold is full of the special supplies as per your instructions. We are approaching the perimeter now. Awaiting landing clearance”
The voice was tinny and remote, but Hickman could sense a certain warmth and almost excitement. Janson smiled.
“Excellent, landing access code is X-Ray, Mike, Alpha, Sierra. Bring her in Johnson!”
He turned from the pickup and looked at Hickman.
“what’s going on ?”
Now seemingly more himself, Janson became much more voluble.
“You recall that last survey run we did near the Canadian Rockies?”
Hickman nodded his assent.
“Well while the team were scouting for useable materials, they discovered a large section of city which had evaded devastation. It was too remote to have been scavenged and stripped by the casuals, so most of the buildings were intact. I sent a secondary recon team down there a few weeks ago, to see if there was anything recoverable and they discovered a vast distribution warehouse below ground level. They found all manner of retail and luxury goods. I’ve had a team go in and fill the cargo hold of a Ferry with as many creature comforts that a family would need for a long trip. If the top brass find out I’ve squandered valuable research and evacuation resources on a Christmas shopping trip, they’ll have my head. But at least I’ll be able to make the journey for those people down there a little less harrowing.”
Hickman smiled as he saw his friend in a new light.
“Well" he said rubbing his hands together.
“We’d better get down to the landing pad, looks like we have some gifts to deliver!”
Together the two men headed off down the ramp, intent on making the next twelve hours as memorable as possible for the waiting colonists.
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