Ares 5: The Last Martians

Chapter 6

Log Entry: Sol 4
Avery Osborne

Well, we're all in the Hab on the northwestern edge of Peridier Crater. Everything's up and running and we have enough food to last a little over a month, since there are only four of us now. NASA is working on Hermes and making sure everything is in tip-top shape before they let us take the MAV up there. In the meantime, surface ops are proceeding as scheduled. We might as well get what we can out of this mission.
They're still not telling us what happened to Harden and Su Fa. All we know was that there was some kind of computer malfunction and Harden had a seizure (completely unrelated to one another). I'm having trouble believing that. Not about the malfunction, but about the seizure. Harden was... well, Harden. A strong, healthy, in the prime of his life badass. There's just no way something like a seizure could just completely incapacitate him out of the blue.
Listen to me. I sound paranoid, like Barrand. He thinks there was some kind of foul play. Not that I don't think that's a possibility, but he suspects Sofa. I don't believe it. There's just no reason to suspect him. He's up there all alone with Harden, who likely needs medical attention beyond what Sofa can give. Barton is pushing for us to go up to Hermes now, so she can see to him. It makes sense, since she's the nearest doctor. But NASA is being a nanny again and not letting us go anywhere until they're sure Hermes is secure. They're still having trouble communicating, but they're working on it.
In the meantime, I have work to do. The water reclaimer is acting up already and I'm the mission's mechanical engineer. Off I go!

* *

"I don't like this," said Lewis.
Robert frowned. "Well, if the crab puffs are bad, just send them back," he said.
"I didn't mean the crab puffs," Lewis sighed. "I meant the whole thing with Ares 5. Pass the salt?"
Robert passed the salt. "You're still thinking about that?" he said. "Listen, it'll all work out. Most of the crew is alive and well on the surface, and NASA is looking after the others. They'll fix whatever went wrong and get them back alive."
"I hope so," Lewis sighed again. "I guess Johanssen's suspicion-oh, you know what?" She banged her fist in the table in frustration and pulled out her phone. "I'm calling her right now and asking her to change her name back!"
"No, you're not," said Robert, chuckling. "Put that away."
She did, smiling wryly. "As I was saying, she's really suspicious of Thomas. She thinks he's the one who sabotaged Hermes. And all sorts of crap is disappearing from NASA's computers and she's positive there's foul play."
"Well, of course there's foul play," said Robert. "But what makes her think Thomas is behind it?"
"It's just a feeling, she says," said Lewis. "But she's observed him acting suspiciously. And she was talking to the Ares 5 crew, and Barrand says- "
"Look, can we just enjoy our anniversary?" Robert sighed. "I'm sorry, but you're just so worried about this and there's really nothing you can do." He reached across the table and took her hand in both of his. "Just try to relax, okay? The most you need to worry about right now is whether or not the new babysitter is stealing from us."
Lewis rolled her eyes. "She's not stealing from us, alright? You're just paranoid."
"Am I? I didn't imagine the clay giraffe Abby made at camp disappearing, did I?"
"You are so- "
They continued bickering until the lobster came.

* *

Beth took a sip of coffee as she kept typing away. She frowned. The data breach seemed bigger than they previously thought. And there seemed to be a... pattern... to it, almost. She just couldn't see it. It didn't make any sense...
"Are you sure you're allowed to do that when you're breastfeeding?" Jack asked. "Drink coffee, I mean."
"It's decaf," Beth said. She pulled up the message Su Fa had originally sent and stared at it.
Jack looked at her, confused. "Do you know Chinese?"
"No," Beth said. "I just don't think Thomas was telling the truth."
"This again?" Jack rolled his eyes. "Next thing I know you'll be saying the moon landing was fake."
"I'm not making this up, Jack!" she exclaimed. "I'm telling you, there's- "
Just then her phone rang. She picked it up. "What?... They're in the top cabinet on the left where we always keep them!... What else?... Oh, you're acting like you've never changed a diaper before! Can't you do anything without my help?" She rolled her eyes, then laughed at Beck's response. "You think you're hilarious, don't you?... Yes, I love you too. Bye."
She hung up and sighed, smiling, then turned back to the computer screen. She frowned, then her eyes widened. "Jack... " she said slowly. "All the data that's disappearing... it's all the scientific data from the Ares missions, as well as various other projects."
"So?" asked Jack. "Does that tell us who's doing it?"
"No," said Beth. "But this drive on the desktop that's labeled with Chinese characters might."
Jack rolled over on his swivel chair and peered at the screen. "Huh," he said. "That's odd."
"Where's Thomas?" Beth asked, looking around.
Jack furrowed his brow. "I don't know," he said. "Was he even here today?"
"I thought I saw him out in the hall earlier," said Tim from Beth's other side. "But I don't remember seeing him anywhere else today."
They were silent for a moment. "I don't like this," Beth said.
"I had the same problem when I first tried decaf," Tim said.
"No, that's not- oh, forget it." sighed Beth. "I'm going home. I've been here all day and we've hardly made any headway. Call me if you need me. And find Thomas!" she called over her shoulder. "I still don't trust him."
Jack turned back to the monitor. "So many trust issues," he muttered to himself.
"I heard that!"
Tim laughed.
"Shut up, Tim."
"You're terribly rude, Jack."
"Thank you."

* *

Thomas finished composing the email and sent it. He leaned back in his chair, satisfied. Guo Ming and Zhu Tao would be pleased. And this wasn't nearly everything. There was so much more information that he'd gotten off the server. More than just scientific knowledge. The Americans would be positively ruined.
He smiled grimly. Oh, one more thing... He opened the message Su Fa had sent him from Hermes and deleted it from NASA's server. It wouldn't do to leave that lying around (not literally, of course) for someone else to read and possibly understand what it actually said. That Beth woman was too suspicious already.
He shut down the computer and unplugged his USB drive, then packed up his things and went home.