On a well-settled Mars, the five major city Council regimes
struggle to meld into a stable, working government. Embracing an official
Unified Faith In Humanity, the Councils are teetering on the verge of pogrom
directed against Christians, Molesters, Jews, Rapists, Buddhists, Murderers,
Muslims, Thieves, Hindu, Embezzlers and Artificial Humans – anyone who
threatens the official Faith and the consolidating power of the Councils. It
makes good sense, right – get rid of religion and Human divisiveness on a
societal level will disappear? An instrument of such a pogrom might just be a
Roman holiday...To see the rest of the chapters, go to SCIENCE FICTION: Martian Holiday on
the right and scroll to the bottom for the first story. If you’d like to read
it from beginning to end (100,000+ words as of now), drop me a line and I’ll
send you the unedited version.
Speaking to the assembled group of vatmates, Paolo
said, “I collected a satellite that isn’t of Human design.”
“How do you know that?” AzAH asked, suddenly
interested.
“It appears featureless until you spray it with
ultrasound between a hundred fifty kilohertz and two hundred and fifty
kilohertz.”
AzAH whistled. “Then what?”
“You can see it’s covered with symbols.”
“A language?”
Paolo shrugged, “No idea. But I aim to find out.
That’s why I’m headed to Cydonia.”
AzAH said, “Then we’ll come with you.”
HanAH looked up, “This is a simple Marsbug, built
for travel between cities. It would quickly become overcrowded and its systems
overextended in order to keep everyone alive over the next few weeks while we
drive up there. It’s my professional opinion that we’d be dead long before we
reach the Cydonia.” He paused for several moments, then added, “Unless we get
an upgrade. There’s not exactly a paved highway to that part of Mars.” The
looks they gave him made him laugh. He stood up and said, “Glad I was finally
able to say something that got everyone’s attention.” He nodded. “We need to
get ourselves a major exploration vehicle. Something high tech and built for
surface exploration…”
The Bradbury registry Mars Surface Transportation
Vehicle 1202195405111957, piloted by an Artificial Intelligence that preferred
to be called Fifty-seven, said, “I beg your pardon! This marsbug is a
balloon-tired, multipurpose vehicle that can be configured to carry individuals
or cargo, alone or in tandem with as many as a dozen other units. All we have
to do it pick up four stupids…”
Paolo said, “Stupids?”
HanAH rolled his eyes and said, “Units without an
independent AI.” Shaking his head, he added, “It would be impossible to rent or
buy something that could handle a month-long stay up here, let along an
exploratory mission! It would require financial backing…” The group looked
daunted and sat in silence for several moments. HanAH looked smug.
Fifty-seven said, “Excuse me, fellow intelligences,
but I will also remind you that you have no idea of the capabilities of this
group. My keen observation and hard memory suggest that your pursuers are
highly skilled and dangerous. If they are hostile to you, then they may be in
communication with either Burroughs or Bradbury’s authorities. Either might
then send out forces to capture you. You have incorrect beliefs and associate
with others who have incorrect beliefs and others who believe that you are unpopular.”
“The people who cross my path will be the ones whom
God wants to cross my path,” said Paolo.
“These individuals may be your enemies whose sole purpose
is to murder you.”
DaneelAH, AzAH, and MishAH protested loudly. HanAH
said, “The artificial stupid is right. Paolo has no reason to trust us and
every reason to believe that we’re here to get rid of him – for whichever Mayor
or faction disapproves of him most.”
There was a long silence until Paolo finally said,
“Very well: Fifty-seven, I suggest you monitor my guests.” HanAH opened his
mouth to protest but Paolo held up his hand. Reflex kept HanAH’s mouth closed,
but he glowered with genuine hostility until Paolo said, “But monitor me, as
well.”
“Why ever for?” Fifty-seven said.
“Because I might have concealed a small
thermonuclear device under your chassis and intend to detonate it when we pass
through or over or near some important destination. I might also detonate it
because I’ve been hired by Mayor Turin of Malacandra to get rid of four rather
pesky Artificial Humans who appear to have gone rogue.”
There was a thunderous silence in the marsbug.
HanAH’s mouth worked for a moment until he finally said, “Do you intend to
carry out your mission?”
Paolo said, “Not Mayor Turin’s mission. The mission
to Cydonia. I will need all the help I can get. I do, in fact, have a pocket
nuke, but I have no intention of using it for the terrorist work of the people
I got it from. If I have to, I can divert attention from my purpose of finding
out what’s happening here on Mars. I need help.” He looked at and held the gaze
of each person on the ‘bug, finally staring up at the pinhead camera above them.
“Can I count on all of you?”
There was a long pause though AzAH, MishAH, and
DaneelAH nodded immediately. HanAH scowled and crossed his arms over his chest.
Fifty-seven finally said, “I will throw my lot in with you, though your chance
of success is small.”
“Please be precise,” said DaneelAH.
“This group, as configured, has a twenty-one point
nine three chance of complete success.”
HanAH spoke up abruptly, “The odds for partial success?”
Fifty-seven hesitated then finally said, “According
to my projection, there is a one hundred percent chance that there will be some
sort of successful completion of the mission as outlined by Paolo Marcillon.”
“Specify.”
“Unable to comply as there are six intelligences involved
whose random acts and responses will directly impact everything we do and an
estimated one point nine million illegals whose actions could assist or hinder it.”
AzAH said, “What illegals?”
“Individuals who are practitioners of outlawed
religions on Mars. Included in that, are known Artificial Humans and
Intelligences.”
“There are religious artificial intelligences?”
said HanAH.
“Yes.”
HanAH snorted and said, “I agree to bide by the
rules on one condition.”
Paolo said, “The condition?”
HanAH looked up at the pinhead lens and said, “Explain
to me how an Artificial Intelligence could have religious beliefs.”
Fifty-seven said, “Agreed.” At the word, five
intelligences focused their attention on Paolo.
Image: https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_kB5wP5o5VuzbhQVDthrqJohh8uL52IGDt84n3dGhkCI-t4RMfYH8kx-KjMU4CpHSKfJBCYAuX3Vx2BD_SMD5j06A-Tm_tz_6b29Ohv5Dkl5xtNoaecKLHOMkCWDbP_RrQZrjnatLx0A/s1600/Astronauta+Marcos+C%C3%A9sar+Pontes.bmp
, http://img11.deviantart.net/c3c5/i/2009/067/9/3/dr__manhattan_by_theknightinhell.png
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